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>>46787259
River respects your quiet on your way through New Hell. She pauses when you're feeling winded, without having to ask, and is attentive without being smothering. The elf's ears betray her concern, though; they twitch and swivel at your every noise, keeping track of you.

It's a little flattering. And a little annoying.

"Where's the rakshasa?" you ask, at last.

"Left him with the Caretaker," River admits. "I didn't want him getting in my hair. And he keeps...making comments."

"Hitting on you?" you tease.

"Yes. And it's disgusting." River shudders. "Not in a million years, not for blood or money, would I bed that thing. I've been looking into his history, and the Sultan of Lights is..."

"A demon?"

"Pretty fucking much," River agrees. "And it upsets Lark too. He tries not to show it but I can tell. He gets all...stiff. Always lets me handle it, bless 'im."

"Well, yeah. Of course."

"Of course what?"

You stop for reasons not related to your wounds.

> I know your old hobbies. You /told them to me/. How are you this dense?
> Say absolutely nothing about it. This is Lark's game to play.
> Try to cautiously explain.
> Ask /around/ the problem.

>>46787389
>>46787389
>> I know your old hobbies. You /told them to me/.

Expand?

What were River's old hobbies?

>>46787389
>Ask /around/ the problem.

>>46787389
>> I know your old hobbies. You /told them to me/. How are you this dense?

>>46787405
She used to be a mercenary, remember? All of the money she made got spent on drink, sex (with anyone willing, gender is moot), and staying alive.

>>46787405
Back in the merc days River spent all of her money on sex & alcohol. It was brought up before and during her trial.

>>46787389
>"Because he likes you, duh."

>>46787389
>Say absolutely nothing about it. This is Lark's game to play.

Let Smokey-bro do his thing. I'm..reasonably sure he can handle it.

>>46787442
This is literally "Sis, I love you, but you're an idiot."

One of these days I'll plan a thread death and new thread properly, but today is not that day. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46787730
I think there were some lessons learned in the last arc, both in and out of character.
>I wish we hadn't rushed, pure and simple.

>>46787730
I have a question! Can you burn in hell? Not /you/, I mean, in whatever passes for hell in this universe, can you burn? Or is it just some sort of magical shit?

>>46787795
You /can/, yes. The Forge Below has many fire hazards. Demons for the most part know the secrets of handling the flame but they don't precisely go dancing naked through it. The tamer fires of the Iron Lands generally cannot harm them.

>>46787792

Holy shit this.

Like, I thought the Natalia arc was slightly rushed.

But honestly, i didn't think New Hell was as detailed or set up and I really couldn't think of much more we could do on that level other than maybe fight a few more forge groups or whatever.

Plus, Nathan was the MC for that arc and I figure getting back to Bri soon was some sort of priority.

But it is so apparent that the Roost needed so much more things to happen that just didn't.

I understand we have 8 floors to go, but if we're just going to zip through them lickity split we're not going to enjoy any of them.

>>46787833
Yeah I feel like Vox is trying to rush for some reason.

Let it play out, it can be as slow as it needs to be.

>>46787792
>>46787833
I'm not disagreeing. As I said earlier (two threads ago?) I think I let Part IV get in my head. I need to calm down a bit, just let shit happen as it's going to happen.

WITH THAT IN MIND, one of the Floors ahead was /planned/ short. Very short. So be forewarned on that one, at least one of these coming up is on purpose.

>>46787860
Granted, there was a lot of discussion about how long part 4 was. Although I don't remember anyone specifically "bitching" about the length. It just happened to be really fucking long.

Like, the Atheneum was short but I didn't feel like we "missed" some part of the floor.

I feel like we missed parts of the Roost.

>>46787876

That's fine. Honestly, if you want to just have an entire floor spontaneously implode before we get there, I won't complain. Fighting eight more bad guys sounds like a fucking pain at this point, especially if we have crippled Bri from now on.

But you seemed to set up all these set pieces in the Roost that we've totally ignored and if they ever get solved it will be in that tedious, here's a side character talking about wrapping this part of it up, which in a way is more heartbreaking then just neglecting to never mention it again.

In fact, I don't think there was a single moment about the Roost that was enjoyable for me. The best part was that interlude with Jewel fighting the Daughter, which was so fucking good.

>>46787913
>especially if we have crippled Bri from now on.

He said we can talk to Meadows and Brooks about it.

>>46787833
I blame the lack of 'regulars' (anons' who've been the with the quest for a long time) presence during voting time.

Seriously, I hated coming home to that. It was like 'So we just had this discussion about what we mostly agreed on a plan of action and now we're doing something totally different and half-cocked'. It's not Vox's fault obviously, he works with the votes and its an anonymous board for a reason, but still.

>>46787930
We /really/ do. Having holes in vital places doesn't bode well for a necromancer that's been trying to enjoy life.

What all do we know about the Pallbearer? I can't find Silence's comments on it.

>>46787389
>> Say absolutely nothing about it. This is Lark's game to play.

>>46788139
It's a reluctant Chain-Holder, since Dick has had a fucking Ironclad built to enforce his will on the Sunless Sea.

It's a friend of Silence's, likely responsible for bringing her to the mortal world from the Mistlands.

It's protecting..something. Important enough that it was willing to become a Chain-Holder.

There's also the fact that the awesome angel-bone sword of Jackson La Croix is located in the Sunless Sea, likely carried within the Pall-Bearer itself.

>>46788189
Links, possibly?

>>46788189
> There's also the fact that the awesome angel-bone sword of Jackson La Croix is located in the Sunless Sea, likely carried within the Pall-Bearer itself.

Wait. Angel bone?
Wasn't that a thing that Lora said could find a heart's desire?

>>46788382
Yeah. Obviously angel bone has many uses.

But we have options in Daughter and Diviner corpses for the compass.

The sword is an ancient artefact and is not to be trifled with.

>>46788120
> Not using Survey's like House and Dominion for story altering votes.

I mean, just saying when you're running threads over multiple days . . . .

>>46788382
Listen, I love hatchet as much as the next guy, but the le croix family weapon is literally worth more than the entire dungeon and the countries surrounding it. I don't think we should melt it into a compass.

>>46788490
Those are easy to cheat though.

>>46788551
Like you can't just same fag here?

> Try to cautiously explain.

"Like... River? Sis? Do you not think that maybe...? No? Yes?"

And if that isn't going anywhere:

> I know your old hobbies. You /told them to me/. How are you this dense?

>>46787389
>> I know your old hobbies. You /told them to me/. How are you this dense?

But, y'know, affectionately.

>>46787389
>> I know your old hobbies. You /told them to me/. How are you this dense?
Y'know, I was gonna vote for goin /around/ the problem but this is Bri. She is very blunt at times.

Is the Lich dead ?

>>46788497

Did Lora say that the use of an angel bone to find a heart's desire would destroy it?

>>46791487
No, just taking the change to sleep in. Will call soon.

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>>46787389
You stare incredulously at River. Her ears flatten sheepishly against her skull.

"What?" she asks, at last.

"Sis, I know you ain't stupid," you tell her. "Not to bring up the shitty part of your life but I /know/ what your old hobbies were. Why d'ya think Lark might be upset?"

"...He wants to go whoring with me?" River asks in confusion.

"What - no! And who just /takes someone whoring/?"

River's bright blush is almost as hot as the Floor around you.

"You did /not/," you say, staring.

"There were group rates!"

"YOU WERE LOOKING FOR BARGAINS ON WHORES?"

"I only had so much money!"

"Gods, strike me down. Just. Just strike me down here and pass this cup to another." You pinch the bridge of your nose and take a deep breath.

"Bri!" River protests. "What's wrong and why is Robert laughing at me?"

"Robert is laughing at you because he had the fucking wit to leave behind descendants!"

"/Bri/!"

"River, Lark /likes you/. He finds you to be an attractive person. At a bet, if he's still hanging around after he talked to you face-to-face, it's because he thinks you're interesting and fun too. There is a romantic feeling there." River stares blankly at you, so you keep going. "His heart yearneth for thee. He dreams of red hair and shy smiles -"

"I get it!" River interrupts; her ears twitch irritably but her blush is, if anything, brighter. "That's. But. Are you /sure/?"

"...Is this one of those questions where I have to be a hypocrite about someone else's self-esteem problems?"

"No!"

"Then yes, I'm sure."

The poor thing blinks, looking totally lost.

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>>46792581
"Let's walk through this one step at a time. Which part of this are you confused by?" you ask, a little gently.

"...How long have you known?" River asks, still confused.

"Since he asked me to introduce you to him. Which is why I suggested you visit the Mine, where I'm betting you met him."

River nods. "He was interesting. Said he knew you, and, well, we got to talking, and he wanted to help..."

Realization dawns on you like the unwelcome sun in the window of a hangover victim. "No one's ever tried to romance you, have they?"

"No," River squeaks.

> Merciful gods, /why me/
> Okay. Now you know. How do you feel about this?
> We've explained the confusion, why do you look /scared/ if this isn't a self-esteem problem?

>>46792716
>> Okay. Now you know. How do you feel about this?

>>46792716
>> Okay. Now you know. How do you feel about this?

>>46792716
> Merciful gods, /why me/

>This is a situation that merits fetch in his infinite relationship wisdom.

>>46792581
Thanks Vox. I'm dead now.

Well, at least my ghost will be entertained.

>>46792814
>Merciful gods, /why me/?

This is where we invite Sir Fetch to play match-maker. The cock knows best.

>>46792856
In cock we trust

>>46792716
>> We've explained the confusion, why do you look /scared/ if this isn't a self-esteem problem?

Might be a little more going on here that we're not yet entirely aware of...

>>46792716
>> Okay. Now you know. How do you feel about this?

>>46792716
>Okay. Now you know. How do you feel about this?
Can you feel it now, River?

>>46792958
I vote Sir Fetch for President! Who's with me?

Called, writing Soon(tm).

>>46793338
Glory be to lord nightfeather, speaker of the cocks!

>>46793338
Sir Fetch the Nightfeather, bane of the Second Born.

Shit I'd vote for him

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>>46792716
You dig out your pipe so you can get your regrets out of the way, considering that you've stopped to talk anyway. You pack the bowl patiently, giving River time to process things, and then light it.

Sweet, horrible relief. You cough smoke.

"You gonna share your thought process with me there, sis?" you ask, at last.

"Is...Bri, is he only helping us because he fancies me?"

"Nah. He helped me before he knew you existed, sis. We talked a bit, he and I, and the thing he told me is that the people of the Dungeon can't afford to just sit back and /not care/ any more. Sure, most of his help was with the Miners, but he was there for both battles, and he still wanted to help even after he literally died and I brought him back. Now, the bit where he's helping down here, specifically, in New Hell? That's probably to be close to you. If that makes sense?"

"I...I guess so." River's ears droop, sympathetically. "He showed me, under his hat. The Baron had his ears clipped. Almost enslaved him."

"The Baron is dead. Vengeance has been done."

"I know," River murmurs. "Those folks you sent in from the Roost, they're safe too. We've got them in the Basement and Glen, helping out. They...they want to go back home, eventually. Gods, I..."

"What is it?" you ask.

"Robert's in my head all the time, Brianna. I don't think I can handle his commentary while I - /shut up, Robert/ - while I try to...I mean...I've never - y'know?"

You gesture for the two of you to keep walking. "Implying you're interested?"

"He's smart. Funny. Kind." River grins. "Passionate about his work."

"His horrible, blasphemous work," you agree.

"Yeah. He's been brave, and...y'know, I could be interested," River admits straight. "But not with this ghost haunting me. Which means I have to step up my game."

"...I'll bite."

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>>46793904
"My apprenticeship is over when I can banish Robert," River explains. "There's no rules on it. When I attempt it, he'll try to stop me. One of us will win, and one of us will lose."

"Wait. If it's to end your apprenticeship as a necromancer, why are there no rules?" you ask.

"It's to end my apprenticeship as a la Croix," River explains. "Or, at least, that's how Robert puts it. He's not testing my mastery of necromancy so much as my ability, and willingness, to get the job done as the family would do it. If I can beat him, I'm, y'know, I'm ready. I can learn more necromancy or demonology elsewhere. I can even keep visiting him in the Lichyard! But growing into the name is...it's different." River's ears twitch. "In a way he's like my adopted father."

"What do you think it'll be like?" you ask. "I've never contended with the truly Dead. They tend to not cause problems."

"He's advising me to have plenty of empty space and no innocent bystanders."

> River, don't rush this
> Wow. You must /really/ be interested
> How /do/ you feel you're doing, as a part of the family? You seem comfy with a pretty...lethal...skillset.
> Write-in?

>>46793976
>> River, don't rush this

>>46793976
>River, don't rush this.
If you're going to do this, you need to do it right.

>>46793976

> Don't rush this—make sure you're doing it because you're /ready/, not just because you're impatient. But when you /are/ ready...I can probably help you find a safe place to do it in.

>>46793976
> River, don't rush this
Think of all the zombie armies I have to put down if you snap and go full necromancer.

Called, writing.

I haven't forgotten about the character sheet/magic thing, I'm just setting aside time on Friday to do them. Remind me of it if you feel you need to.

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>>46793976
"Sis, don't rush this," you advise. "Do it when you're /ready/, not just because you're imagining a candle-lit dinner with music and - you weren't envisioning that at all, were you?"

River shakes her head, shyly. "...But it sounds nice."

"River, don't skip straight to the sex."

"What'm I supposed to /do/?" she pleads.

"The same thing everyone else does - figure it out and pray no one notices you have no clue! What do you think /I/ do?"

"I don't know! You always seem like you know what you're doing!"

"Yeah," you admit. "That's the trick of it. Look - when you /are/ ready, I can probably help you find a spot to throw down in," you offer.

"Have one in mind already," River admits. "If I fight him in the Lichyard, he can't call the dead to serve him."

"...Clever," you agree. "Very clever."

"I. I /would/ like it if you could be there," River asks.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," you promise.

> Ask about something else (what?)
> Timeskip past some of the travel
> Timeskip directly to Jewel

>>46795271
> Timeskip directly to Jewel

> Timeskip past some of the travel

This scene seems tapped, unless someone can think of any additional topics.

Unrelated: Lark was killed and resurrected by Bri? I cannot remember that part. When'd that happen?

>>46795475
Just after the battle against the Baron. He had fatal wounds. Bri was on hand while the medics tried to save him and revived him when they'd reached the limits of their abilities.

>>46795271
>> Timeskip past some of the travel

>>46795271
>> Timeskip directly to Jewel

>>46795271
>Timeskip past some of the travel
I love me some more social interactions.

Calling Soon(tm), finishing up something else on this end.

There we go. Called, writing.

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>>46795271
New Hell is more quiet than it was when you came through the first time. River, along with your allies in it, ended up pacifying two of the Forges allied to the Chain-Bearers by putting them down by force. Now their territories lay silent, unclaimed and, for the moment, unwanted. There isn't enough hands to work them. Light chatter about the state of the place occupies your time as you move through and slip into the secret, sloped passage up into the Baron's former residence.

It's not that you want to move unseen. It's that you don't want to deal with the steeper primary passage. Still, you have to pause about halfway up and find your breath.

"Hey, River..."

> "How's your training coming?"
> "Balefire, huh?"
> "How're you holding up? Aside from, y'know. Lark."
> Write-in?

>>46797561
> "How're you holding up? Aside from, y'know. Lark."

She needs the distraction

>>46797561
> "How're you holding up? Aside from, y'know. Lark."

>>46797561
>> "How're you holding up? Aside from, y'know. Lark."

>>46797561
>> "How're you holding up? Aside from, y'know. Lark."

>>46797561
> "Balefire, huh?"

I'm not gonna be able to update again before work. I'll be back just after 10 PM EST. Votes remain open.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated. I'm trying to hang loose again starting here; your feedback on pacing has been helpful and do lemme know when you think I'm stretching or choking up, and why.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

Aight, at work now, approximately four hours and change to call. This'd also be a good time to lemme know what sorts of things you'd like to handle during the interlude here. Right now on the schedule there is:

> Jewel (y'all voted for it)
> Minion upgrades
> Aforementioned BRI UPGRADE OPPORTUNITY
> Amy's new outfit

What else would folks like to see or do?

>>46797561
>"Balefire, huh?"
>>46798547
AMY's new outfit? Not Bri's?

>Nate fighting in the Snake Hunt
you need some fleshing out in the combat area, here would be a good place to experiment with writing a little in char sheets to do a lot.

>>46798592
New gear is an option for Bri yes; I was speaking of Amy's plans for all those dead snakes.

Bump!

>>46798846
we were thinking of incorporating on those mantis wings to Bri's outfit at one point, it might be time to revisit it. Or not, I really have no strong opinion one way or the other about it; leave it up to anon. Also minion upgrades should be a thing, maybe Kat as we use her a lot and she is still just stock shadow.

>>46798846
She has plans beyond "eat them"?

>>46800930
Yeah Kat is basically our go to minion at this point because fetch is... where? I can't even recall what our little knight is doing.

Hour and a half and change to call.

>>46801729
Fetch was left out of the Roost because he's small, flightless and easily tossable.

>>46801895
This.

>>46802111
I think we know who the next recipient of Wraithsteel wings is going to be.

We're naming these ones Crescendo for sure.

>>46798846
I like this plan

>>46802179
This one too

>>46798547
>What happened to the vampires?

On my way home.

>>46798846
Hydra snake. Snaketube communication system. Boar mounted snake launcher.

>>46802179
> Musical name for non singing chicken

Although I kind of want to multiclass Fetch into a skald now.

>>46787259
Did you ever used to hang out on Teenchat?

>>46804193
I'm not even sure what that is. Vhy?

>>46804216
The naming conventions and the personalities remind me of a particular clique of role players from there from years ago who all went by the family name "La Croix".

Called, writing shortly. Thank you for your patience today folks; I'm still taking suggestions or requests for Interlude Stuff.

>>46804817
Hot steamy scenes in New Hell

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>>46797561
"Hey River?"

Your sister turns her head to face you, ears perked.

"How're you holding up?" you ask. "Aside from, y'know. Lark."

"Wellll...I've got a pair of vampries working for me."

River looks at your blank stare.

"I have the situation in hand," she tells you, folding her arms defensively. "I've got the Sultan minding them, with orders to let them feed on him and to /not/ permit them to bite unwilling or unprepared living people."

"You're confident in those orders?" you ask.

"As confident as I can be," River tells you, plainly. "We'll know if I fucked up when I get there."

> Sis, that does not sound reassuring
> ...Okay
> What're your plans for how this ends?
> Topic change (to what?)

>>46806166
> Sis, that does not sound reassuring
> What're your plans for how this ends?

>>46806166
I'm honestly curious how well that would work since Vox described vampire feeding as also an emotion leech thing. Not sure if Sultan would satisfy that well.

Basically, >Sis, that does not sound reassuring.

>>46806166
>> Sis, that does not sound reassuring

>>46806166
>> ...Okay
>> What're your plans for how this ends?

>>46806166
>> ...Okay
>> What're your plans for how this ends?

>>46806166
>> ...Okay

>>46806166
>> What're your plans for how this ends?
Eh.

TRADITIONALISM: http://pastebin.com/KKTdtu3j

Called, writing.

>>46807604
Okaaaay, I've been meaning to ask, but arent nathan and lark not really "living"?

>>46807672
They're living, they were revived moments after death using bullshit magic, that mostly healed them but still touched them in some way, in Nathens case he has whats effectively COPD due to burst blood vessels in his lungs, and larks all fucked up from multiple gunshot wounds and bleedout.

>>46807672
There's like, apparently a five second rule on bringing people back to life where you aren't a horrible, circle of life defying asshole that deserves to be murdered for daring to play God.

Pretty conveniently differentiates Bri and her machinations which upset the natural course of things and, y'know, all the bad people she keeps lecturing.

>>46807604
NATHAN
>I know what I'm asking, and I'm ready.

Because fuck it, why not

>>46807709
Not that i disagree, but you're coming on a little strongly there.

>>46807760
Life is for the living.

Death is for the dead.

Unless you manage to beat Lora to a three count and shout JINX so she owes you a living boyfriend.

>>46807844
Oh right, and lora tends to aptly follow the people who she particularly hates, like all the chain bearers, so the first opportunity she has to reap them she takes. I guess you could still theoretically revive them, but you're literally racing the reaper for there soul, and if the reapers been following close (like if you're a mass murderer and giving them a difficult fucking job), then you're going to have problems.

>>46807604
NATHAN

>I am. Our children will be raised with the name; whether they follow its path will be their choice.

Can't imagine Nate being keen on forcing his kids into a certain predetermined future, and I doubt Bri'll get pissed at /him/ if the ancestors give him shit for that.

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>>46806166
River is - "confident" is not the right word, but you look at her and see someone who believes she did her work and her diligence. Her gaze is steady, neither challenging nor looking to you for approval, but just /waiting/.

"What's your endgame on those vampires?" you ask.

"I don't know," she admits, honestly. "But they're my problem to solve. They came out of the Roost and ran, literally, straight into me. Right now, with New Hell still settling out, I'm having Darshan mind them. They've been as helpful and peaceable as you could hope, given the circumstances."

"What do they want?" you ask, more curious than worried now.

"Out of the Dungeon," River says, a little frown on her face. "I don't...necessarily think I can conscience that, not without someone /else/ to mind them."

"I could have some ideas on that," you admit. "/If/ you think it's worth pursuing."

"If," River agrees.

The two of you resume your journey, while you mull the ideas over. River seems content to keep a companionable quiet, which is nice. With how you're feeling, trying to talk while you move would be a strain.

You know something's wrong when you ascend into the Atheneum. It feels like a specter's torn its way through part of the place, more so as you get closer to Brigette's region.

<Fetch?> you ask.

<I am with Jewel, my Queen> your familiar answers, solemnly.

<Brigette?>

<Her study, with Natalia.>

> Ask Fetch what happened
> Seek Brigette and ask /her/ what happened
> Go to Jewel

>>46808001
>Seek Brigette and ask /her/ what happened
I've no excuses, I just want to give her more screen time

>>46807672
Bri caught both in time for an actual revival. Death always leaves its mark, though. See >>46807704

>>46807709
>>46807760
>>46807844
>>46807886
Y'know, I was readin' through the archives lately to refresh myself on some stuff. Now's a good time to expand on something that was /very briefly/ mentioned earlier (like, one line; I'm not gonna give anyone shit for not recalling it).

Lora's already stated that the unquiet dead are "within tolerances". Some forms of undead happen all on their own, notably ghosts and draugs, but also other forms (note to self: do a dead-shit-worldbuilding doc at some point after the character sheet). Necromancy's a capability within the system. Utilizing it isn't intruding on Lora's job until you start breaking the laws of death which constrain even necromancy, as the Vintner did to push past tolerances, the Moneychanger did to defeat her wards, and the Baron did to redirect death.

The time limit on revival isn't a moral thing. It is...

D'ya recall /The Princess Bride/, in which Miracle Max described Wesly as "mostly dead", which meant he was "somewhat alive"? The timeframe on revival is a lot like that. Yes, you're dead, but you're not /very/ dead. There's still time to catch the soul, repair the body as much as you can, and cram you back in your corpus with a minimum of fuss. When that time limit starts ticking past, the soul's become dead enough that trying to cram it back into the body increasingly spills some of that death into it, resulting either in more lasting damage or, if you /really/ ran out the clock, an undead creature.

I really hope that makes sense, it's like 2 AM and I'm low on coffee.

>>46807604
NATHAN

Sure, I don't even got a real last name, so this is much less emasculating than you would think.

>>46808099
So it's basically a five-second rule. When someone dies, their soul falls on the metaphorical floor, and if you don't stuff it back in fast enough, it gets icky death germs all over it and isn't very good for eating.

>>46808156
...I suppose the metaphor works?

>>46808177
Metaphloor*

>>46808185
I'm fucking dying.

>>46808099
>The time limit on revival isn't a moral thing.

It sorta is, in the fact that the universe is set up in a way where doing something within the time limit is a-ok and this time limit is sort of arbitrary.

Time for hyperbole!


FRIDAY: I sorta don't want to die, y'know?

BRI: To fucking bad bitch. You're supposed to be dead. Sorry! Now get in the fucking ground you vile, abominable monstrosity. I can't believe someone would even do this and make YOU! Just bringing back dead people, smdh tbqh fampai.

CHERRY: I don't want to pass on!

BRI: Well you have to you six year old cunt. You're fucking dead, kiddo! GET IN THE FUCKING GROUND ALREADY! DIE DIE DIE YOU GHOSTLY SACK OF CRAP! IT'S THE CIRCLE OF LIFE AND YOU JUST GOT MUFASA'D, BITCH. ACCEPT YOUR DEATH! ACCEPT YOUR SHITTY HAND EVEN IF IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NATHAN: BRI! *wheeze* I can't *wheeze* I can't breathe, Bri. *turns blue*

BRI: Oh, silly goose, you just have to take things easy now~. Now get over here and bone me.


I used the word bone because Bri is a necromancer.

>>46808256
Eh. We'll say I'm not really in agreement here? Friday & Cherry are in positions where they can't really get what they want. Nate, Lark, Guy Whose Head Got Cut Off, they were in a time and place where they could get saved and, y'know, Bri went for it.

I can see the objection, and it's not necessarily unfair, but this is part of the reason I try to keep things more narrative rather than attempting to illustrate the hard-and-fast physics/metaphysics of the world. I know I ain't qualified to write the full-blown fallout of such changes, so I kinda stick narrative.

>>46808295
It's not even really an objection other than the fact that I think the whole "not very dead" thing is quite silly.

>>46808295
> If you aren't going to explaining the particle physics behind necromancy just leave right now.

>>46808328
That's fair enough. Though y'can't say I haven't touched on the idea before from the other direction (such as Nate's thing where it takes more killing to make him the same amount of dead while his shadow is unshackled).

Or that glorious fucking joke anon made about using necromancy as birth control.

>>46808104
>>46807994
NATHAN
A combination of these is appropriate, I think.

Alright folks, I'm crawling into bed. Votes on both topics remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46808556
Sleep well, Dreadlord.

Had to wake up long enough to let someone back into the house, so I archived the thread.

Going back to sleep now.

>>46807604
>NATHAN.
>I was raised an orphan, as you probably know by now. And while it was not a /bad/ life, I've always felt like something was missing. Not knowing my heritage.
>The La Croix are old, and have a..colorful history. I see how proud Brianna is of her family, of where she comes from, and I want that for our children. Y'know, if we actually /live/ long enough to have `em.
>Whether or not our kids follow in my footsteps, or Brianna's, or Amy's, doesn't matter. They will be loved, and the customs and traditions of the La Croix don't just apply to necromancy.
>The man that taught me the art of smithing, Harry, has always been a father to me. He raised me to be patient, understanding, and to help those in need.
>Family doesn't just mean blood and tradition. It's love, and trust, and respect. Being there for each other, in good times and bad.


Too wordy? I dunno. It's 4 am for me, I need sleeps. Also: >>46808001
>Seek Bridgette and ask /her/ what happened.

Can we combine this with checking on Jewel? Things are going to be very spooky and emotional soon, I can tell.

Bumpin'.

>>46808556
>>46808099
>There's still time to catch the soul, repair the body as much as you can, and cram you back in your corpus with a minimum of fuss.
....but is this Healing or Necromancy? My main confusion is that the general problem of using necromancy on ANYTHING is that it doesn't mix well with living things. So I'm assuming that what Bri did in both cases did not actually use necrotic energies.

.....but if it wasn't necromancy, WHY WAS BRI THROWN INTO THE DUNGEON?

>>46809766
Its reviving something that is dead, which is why it's necromancy.

I mean, arguably defibrillators could be considered necromancy if you want to be retarded about it, but defibrillators can't bring back decapitated people.

It just so happens that necromancy doesn't bring back something either mindless or horrific (vampire, draug) if you do it in the first x amount of seconds/minutes because reasons.

>>46808328
Reality is silly. Since this a pretty good example of what happens IRL. Technically, you're dead when your heart stops and you ain't breathing. You only ever do CPR on a dead person.

But brain death is a whole different thing.

So having soul death work like brain death makes perfect sense to me.

You. You're silly, Anon.

>>46809812
That is a great argument sir.

Except when it works on decapitated people, your comparison sort of falls flat.

>>46809807
>I mean, arguably defibrillators could be considered necromancy if you want to be retarded about it, but defibrillators can't bring back decapitated people.
Fiction defibrillators are bullshit enough that they may as well.

RL ones work when you're still very much alive and have a heartbeat - it's just a fucked up desynchronised heartbeat.
Defibrillator stops it and hopes the heart will restart from the backup clock.

>>46809951
So if someone's heart has stopped, are you not supposed to use defibrillators?

Do you just do chest compressions?

Is there a real life doctor in the thread?!

>>46809951
>>46809969
I'm not a doctor but defibs work for both situations. My grandfather had heart issues and had to at one point get a defib used on him to straighten it out. They are also used to attempt to shock a 'flatline' heart back into a beat like the general assumptions believe it to do.

If you really want to get into weird territory, technically it could be possible to shock a decapitated dudes heart back with one but he'd still be 'dead'

>>46810095
>If you really want to get into weird territory, technically it could be possible to shock a decapitated dudes heart back with one but he'd still be 'dead'


See, I've actually been thinking about something and y'know what would have been really cool? If it had been a situation with a decapitated corpse where Bri casted like, a, mend flesh/bone spell to fix the corpse and bring it back together THEN, because of the brain death shit that >>46809812 was bringing up, some other mage with electricity or just a well-trained medic with chest compressions brought the dude back the au naturale way.

See, because that way actually seems necromantic, because Bri is actually manipulating a corpse or the deceased while bringing someone back in those short few moments before absolute brain death kick in rests in the realm of healing or reviving.

As it is right now, necromancy for some reason has this really jarring disconnect where it holds domain over this oddly specific moment of true Resurrection, which arguably doesn't fall under the category and the only real justification is that there is some sort of downside for both the rezzed and the caster in the expenditure of life force.

>>46810157
you people seem to be assuming the necromancy part is just repairing the body, for the res Bri is literally influencing the soul. I assume her res magic must already fix shit like brain death or you know.. missing a head, the trick to it is grabbing the soul before it hits the afterlife and shoving it back into the body.

>>46810455
>grabbing the soul before it hits the afterlife

Which is a point I think another anon was harping on about how that seems more like healing instead of necromancy.

Necromancy deals with post-death shit at least as it is understood in our modern, tabletop fantasy pastiche.

Death is pretty easily defined, but there are some grey areas. There's the cessation of respiratory functions. There's brain death. And Vox is introducing this third definition, 'soul death'.

If necromancy is dealing with the dead, which I would assume is rather synonymous with "afterlife" (this is probably not the case and where much of the confusion comes from) then any magical effect which grabs a soul before it is gone "past the veil" to the "afterlife" isn't actually necromancy. Or at least, if the person 'isn't quite dead' then by that same line of thinking you'd believe the spell you were using 'isn't quite necromancy'.

If death is an incredibly thin line with no width that separates life and death, healing and necromancy are easily definable. When you have death as this process, it adds width to this line and any such spells that take effect while within this line are certainly grey area spells, because if there's a difference between dead and very dead there should be some sort of distinction between very dead necromancy and dead necromancy.

There are essentially three sections that must be analyzed as opposed to two. There is being alive, there is your soul as it is in flight from your body, then there is your soul as it has firmly gone past the veil. Which means being alive is having your soul firmly inside your body.

So healing can help keep your soul in its physical cage as long as it is still inside.

Bri's necromancy can help catch a soul while it's going towards the veil and put it back in the physical cage.

And then real nigguh necromancy just goes fuck it and takes your soul from beyond the veil and slaps that shit into a body. Fuck it.

I feel like in a universe like this either people would treat these stages of death and life as a three step process rather than a binary.

OR

People would just define death as soul death, sorta like how we do in the real world with brain death.

Sure, we realize that you're dead when your heart stops and you're dead when your brain stops, but we don't consider bringing someone back to life from a stopped heart death as taboo. We all know it's brain death that's the real "you're gone" moment.

Again, let's look at healing, Bri necromancy and nigguh necromancy.

The Healer arrives on the scene, is the patient still alive? Alright, let me get to work on keeping them alive. Patient lives and lives normal life.

Bri arrives on the scene, did the patient die only x minutes ago? Alright, let me get to work on bringing them back. Patient lives and lives normal live, permanent negative feature.

Necromancer arrives on the scene, did the patient die 10 years ago? I don't give a shit. You're a fucking vampire now you faggot. Patient is now a vampire and goes around killing people.

I feel like I'd say the middle options leans much more towards the previous option than the latter option.

And if a God brings someone back to life, is the god doing necromancy or is that just god shit?

Is any type of "true resurrection" necromancy?

I really don't know.

>>46810658
Lora brings us back by using her position to jack our soul and do time fuckery

...for all those harping on what exactly is necromancy, remember that it includes creating a living shadow, boneshaping even on living subjects and creating spooky fires.

Not a lot of votes for all this time...

>>46808001
>> Seek Brigette and ask /her/ what happened
>>46810921
riiiight, sorry there were more interesting things happening.

> Seek Brigette and ask /her/ what happened

...but afterwards we're gonna check in on Jewel (and Fetch). That's what we're here for, after all.

Meanwhile... it occurs to me that I don't really have an image in my head of what the Atheneum looks like. It's libraries and books, yes, but what's the overall setup of the place? Room on corridor on room on corridor? Any open spaces or caverns?

>>46806166
>"We'll know if I fucked up when I get there."
She truly is our sister.

>>46808001
>Seek Brigette and ask /her/ what happened
Can Jewel have visitors?

>>46810672
Lora doesn't mess with time. She messes with reality.

If Bri dies, Lora uses the Divine Tongue to re-create us and rewrite our history /outside/ the Dungeon so that we're about to be thrown in for the first time.

>>46809446
>NATHAN
What this anon said. Although it could possibly be a bit less wordy.

>>46811680
Sounds like something I can handle in my update!

I'm awake. Will call in a bit.

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>>46808001
<We'll be there in a bit, Fetch> you tell him. <I need to talk with Brigette and Natalia.>

<That is fine> Fetch answers, sounding oddly protective. <Jewel is resting. Meadows is elsewhere in the library, seeking lore.>

<...What about his patients?>

<They, too, are in the library.>

You file that away for later and go seeking Brigette through the book-lined corridors. The constant presence of the shelves - they are only absent in places where cabinets or wardrobes are needed to hold something else - is comforting, in a way. The hush of the place certainly is.

Mind you, the cielings are going to be a /bitch/ when you start asking the harpies to come through here. The Tree of Tales is the tallest thing in the Atheneum that isn't the auditorium where you fought Brigette, and it's only about twenty feet high. Everything else caps off between seven and ten, without a lot of room to stretch wings.

You should talk to the Caretaker about a formal lending system or something. This just ends in angry birds, you can already tell.

You find Brigette in her study, flipping intently through the pages of a book. Natalia and Victoria are nearby, going through the motions of swordplay with wooden blades; Natalia's hesitant expression belies her crisp, reflexive movements. She remembers what to do, it seems.

"I'm gonna go, sis," River murmurs. "I need to check in on my various violent monstrosities."

You give River a hug. "Good luck."

"I got this," the elf tells you with a warm smile. "Be well, alright?"

River leaves, and you step into Brigette's study.

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>>46813657
"Worthless," Brigette mutters, closing the book. "This would be a great time for me to have studied medicine /instead of literally anything else/."

"Brige," Victoria chides, without looking away from her training partner.

"Sorry," Brigette says with a sigh.

You clear your throat. Brigette looks behind herself, pales, and stands.

"Lora told me something happened with Jewel," you say quietly.

"She tell you what?" the Poet asks. You shake your head, and she sighs and nods. "I...I don't know the full details myself. From what she's said, and what Cherry's said, though...the Daughter was waiting for her down here, Bri. Chances are she asked the Diviner to track them. She tried to persuade Jewel to go back with her, and when Jewel refused she flew into a rage. Unleashed her might to punish and capture her."

"How'd Jewel escape?" you ask.

"Cherry ripped out the Daughter's eyes," Brigette says quietly. "With her bare hands."

> My daughter did WHAT?
> Take me to them. Now.
> ...You'd best tell me more about the Daughter before I talk to them.
> Write-in?

>>46813764
>> My daughter did WHAT?
>> Take me to them. Now.

>>46813764
>> My daughter did WHAT?
I totally forgot that scene until now

>>46813803
>Forgetting the best piece of writing Vox has done in the last ten to twenty threads.

>>46813847
Goddamn. Was it really that good?

>>46813764
>> My daughter did WHAT?

>>46813872
Easily

>>46813872
I had thought she rotted her eyes like how Cherry's body rotted in the forest but damn, Cher-bear plucked those peepers like a small round red fruit.

>>46813764
>My daughter did WHAT?
>Take me to them. Now.

>>46813872
Yes, and it was very satisfying to read it.

>>46787259
Huh, I remember when this quest started up. Picking between characters.

>>46813872
I mean, granted, I think it stands out so well because a lot of the shit around it was sub-par in terms of plot if not in the actual skill of the written posts themselves.

But that was just such a breath of fresh air and it was with two characters who we know and are developed but haven't gotten much screen time and in a physical location that we sort of rushed through the first time around and The Daughter's powers were fun to read and creative (that fucking holy water flood, so good) and it was an ambush that ACTUALLY FELT SCARY AND LIKE WE WERE GETTING REKT

It consisted of a story element that was set up previously, this weird double possession of Cherry and Jewel that was brought to a satisfying culmination via being able to wound an angel and use these unique and rare powers to scrape by the skin of their teeth. The plot was succinct and short and narratively it worked really well by displaying Jewel's backstory, developing Cherry's resolve and foreshadowing a new villain's MO/ what they are like.

It was satisfying and well put together with people who I was actually concerned could die/suffer some nasty consequences and you did so much with so little (4-5 posts?).

I'd put that near the top of any "DLQ moments" list

>>46813764
> My daughter did WHAT?
> Take me to them. Now.

>>46813967
Welcome back, anon! Afraid you've caught me in one of my lower points of writing (I'm working on it) but it's nice to see ya.

I need to grab my paycheck. Back in about thirty.

>>46813764
>> My daughter did WHAT?

>>46813764
>Brigette looks behind herself, pales, and stands.

So is Brig still seriously scared of us, just stressed out at the moment, or worried specifically about the Jewel thing?

>>46814423
A little of all three, though it's less "Bri scares me" and more, "I know Bri is a scary person and this happened to someone she cares about on my turf".

Called, writing.

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>>46813764
You stare in shock. "Cherry did /what/?"

"That's what she and Jewel said," Brigette repeats. "The Daughter was hurting Jewel and Cherry...attacked. I can't get her to say much more about it. She doesn't seem..." the Poet sighs. "Cherry's not really talking to /anyone/ right now, except possibly Jewel. She's been withdrawn, sullen, even considering the injuries she sustained. The Daughter did a number on them both."

"Take me to them," you ask her, and Brigette nods.

"Meadows doesn't know how to treat the dead," Brigette continues, while you walk as swiftly as you dare through the book-lined halls and shelved rooms. "And this is complicated further by their, um. Mutual condition? Jewel was possessing Cherry during most of the fight, so they both have a lot of the same injuries. Broken bones, burns from holy water, burns from lightning bolts. The bruises around their necks are fading, but they're not going anywhere any time soon. I..." Brigette stops. "I tried asking Lora for help. She. She said I wasn't ready. I'm sorry. Bri, I -"

"You and I will talk later," you tell her quietly. "I need to see them now."

"Of course. They're through here."

Meadows has converted one of the /many/ studies (reading rooms? You tend to think of them as studies, though, since they're cozy) into a bedroom. Somehow, possibly by dint of many staff members and amateur carpentry, they've gotten a bed and mattress into the room that do not look like they'd fit through either of the doors. Jewel sits up on it, propped against the headboard, with Fetch hugged close to her chest by her good arm. The undead chicken has a fierce, guarding feeling coming from him.

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>>46814778
"Mommy," Jewel whispers, when she notices you. It's her voice, but - the wide eyes, the soft tone.

"Cherry?" you hazard.

The possessed girl nods. "Jewel doesn't hurt when I'm here like this."

"Do /you/ hurt?" you ask.

"...Yes," Cherry admits.

You take a seat on the end of the bed and squeeze Cherry's hand.

> Do you want to talk about it?
> I need to talk to Jewel now, little one
> I'm sorry I wasn't there
> Write-in?

>>46814886
>> Do you want to talk about it?

Cherry's hurting right now, so it's probably good to try to help her some, too. Hopefully we can talk to Jewel in a minute, and try and get some more direct information, as well as help to reassure the currently-living half of this odd pairing.

>>46814886
> Do you want to talk about it?
We have time in any case before rushing into our next adventure. Comfort Cherry first before Jewel.

>>46814886
>Do you want to talk about it?
I want to hug her so bad, but they are injured and we need to be gentle.

>>46814886
> Do you want to talk about it?

>>46814886
>> Do you want to talk about it?

Called, writing.

Poor cherry, this is the exact shit that she didn't want, but even the pain of being wounded is an experience for her to have.

So lets start making decisions on who gets to ride the freight train to hell first!

We've got The Lush, who gang raped Lora and is running an agriculture monopoly, generally a shitty giant person.

We've got The Daughter who did this to cherry and Jewel, and who had ONE fucking job and she didn't do it.

Then we have the Diviner who genocided an entire fucking dungeon level, killing hundreds and leaving another 200 in a state of undeath, who then immediately got evicted.

>>46815666
Whose left after them?

4 right.

There's the wyrm, who is probably a dragon.

And the Master.

And the pallbearer who is a living boat (?).

Who's the one I'm forgetting?

>>46815666
Daughter's not on the three levels available from the Roost. You're thinking of the Debtor, who you haven't met yet.

>>46815734
The remainder are:

> The Lush (Cornucopia)
> The Debtor (Warehouse)
> The Diviner (Broken Jaw)
> The Pallbearer (??; likely Sunless Sea)
> The Wyrm (??)
> The Librarian (??)
> The Daughter (??)
> The Master (??; likely the Sanctum)

>>46815802
>The Debtor

I owe Richard like, seven bucks. And he was like, lmao, dude, here's a fucking chain, control Death, debt forgiven bro.

Now I sit here in this warehouse in a mad search for seven dollars to pay my debt.

I'm up to 5.32 Bri! Just give me a few more years and I'll have the whole seven dollars! Please, I'm so close!

>>46815828
>> The Librarian (??)

Is the librarian confirmed a woman or is my sexist assumptions about people's professions confusing me?

>>46815869
I'm fucking dying bro.

>>46815936
Nothing but the title is currently known about the Librarian.

>>46815869
I feel I am missing a reference.

>>46814886
> Do you want to talk about it?

I want to protect the daugtheru...

>>46809969
Doctor here. There are different ways a heart can stop.
On way is that the electrical controls are disarranged and instead of "beat now... and now... and now... and now" it's more like "beatboomchickawahwahrocknrollshakeitbaby" so the heart is too confused to beat properly, it's just quivering. That's called ventricular fibrillation, the ECG shows a shaky line and in this case defibrillation is the way to go. The shock is basically one big "SHUTUPEVERYBODYRANKANDFILEGO!" so the controls hopefully find their rhythm again. Until that works (getting the defibrillator, charging up...) chest compressions are used to manually pump the blood through the body before brain damage occurs.
The other way is that the heart just stopped beating, either because it is damaged or because no "beat" signal arrives at all (ECG shows flatline). Then it's just chest compressions (and drugs) and hoping everything starts again. Defibrillators don't work in that case, they only inflict burn damage.

I think the 5 second rule to revive people is a very good way to describe necromantic revival. And it works on decapitated people because there is magic in this setting.
It would even be possible to revive freshly decapitated people in our world if somebody was able to sew the main neck arteries/veins and windpipe back together within one minute, but one problem of that would be the nerve fibers in the spinal cord and their very long regeneration time. After all, there have been some successful hand reattachments (hands survive for a few hours when removed).

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>>46814886
You brush Jewel's hair back from Cherry's face - you can feel your childhood grammar lessons wincing at the torture you're putting them through with trying to think about possession - and look at her. She's definitely the worse for wear; Jewel's body is covered in burns, and scars outline her veins where she was struck by the Daughter's lightning, giving the impression of a tree growing across her skin. Fading bruises mark her neck where she was choked.

You can't see the rest, between the bandages, the splint, the blankets. But you can imagine it.

"Brigette says you haven't been talking to anyone," you say gently. "Can you tell me why?"

Cherry looks down at the blankets. Her eyes tear up. "I was a bad girl," she whispers. "I hurt someone really bad."

"Cherry," you whisper, sympathetically. "You were protecting Jewel. That doesn't -"

"Bad ghosts hurt people," Cherry interrupts. "I've been reading. And Jewel's helped me with the words. They're called specters, right? They hurt people and kill people and they have to be banished."

"Little one, it's not like that," you protest. You fight back the urge to hug her; it would be /excrutiating/ in her current state. "Specters are...specters are angry /all the time/, Cherry. It isn't just that they hurt people, it's that /all they do/ is hurt people. Jewel was in trouble and you helped her. You're a good girl. You're not a specter."

Cherry sobs, in relief, and clutches your hand tightly. "I hurt her a lot," she whispers. "I made her die like I died. I remembered, I remembered, and it hurt but it hurt her more..."

"Ghosts can do that sometimes," you agree. "When they're very strong in emotion, ghosts can repeat their deaths on others."

You let Cherry cry, for awhile. Brigette indicates the door and slips out, leaving it cracked slightly in case you need her.

Eventually, the little ghost has cried herself out.

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>>46816783
"I need to talk to Jewel now," you murmur. "It's going to be okay, Cherry. You're safe again."

Cherry nods, and squeezes your hand again. Then Jewel's flesh melts to spirit, and her expression becomes her own.

"...Cherry can't hurt while you're possessing her," you guess.

"Yes," Jewel croaks. She makes no move to let go of your hand.

> I got Cherry's version. What happened?
> I should have been there.
> Why was she after you, Jewel?
> What's the diagnosis?
> Write-in?

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>>46816551
> MRW I'm reminded that medical professionals read my work

I'D MANAGED TO FORGET BUT THERE IT IS, THAT FAMILIAR FEELING OF TERROR

>>46816832
> I got Cherry's version. What happened?

>>46816832
>Why was she after you, Jewel?

Former-assassin now-apprentice healer girl has some shitty, slightly faded memories of her time with the Daughter. It's going to suck dredging those up (Maybe that's something Bridgette, Meadows or the Caretaker can help with?) but we need to know.

>Jewel wasn't just a favored servant; she was the Daughter's favorite lieutenant and has some nasty secrets buried in her memories.

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THERE'S NO ESCAPE

>>46816783
Lichtenberg figures are cool (to look at, not to have on your body).

>>46816832
>> I got Cherry's version. What happened?
first, then
>> Why was she after you, Jewel?

>>46817073
I have GOT to watch JoJo

>>46816832
>> I got Cherry's version. What happened?
>> Why was she after you, Jewel?

>>46816832
> I should have been there.

This vote shall be mildly extended by unavoidable Real Life stuff.

>>46817762
DAMN YOU LIFE!!!

>>46816832
>> I got Cherry's version. What happened?
> ...And do you know /why/ she came after you?

Closely related questions, both very important.

>>46816832
>I got Cherry's version. What happened?

I return. Called with a combined vote for the two more popular options, writing. Possibly final pre-employment update.

>>46818614
Welcome back.

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>>46816832
You decide to start gentle. "Can you tell me how that works, from your end?"

"What, the possession?" Jewel asks. "It's. There's depths. Cherry's attached to me all the time, right? So she's always possessing me at least a little?"

"Sure," you agree. "Never quite had it put that way, but sounds about right."

"Okay. So Cherry can jolt me or let me see with her ghost senses. That's possessing me a little more. Or I can let her in and see while she's using my body. Or she can possess me entirely, and I sort of...fall asleep. Same thing the other way around."

"I'll be sure to tell River. I got Cherry's version of what happened, Jewel. Do you want to talk about it?"

Jewel nods. "It wasn't anyone's fault. Not Meadows, not Brigette."

"I'm pretty sure it's the Daughter's fault."

Jewel laughs, which turns into a pained cough. "Fuck, that hurt," she croaks. "Meadows sent me to the library to get some texts. He trusted me on my own, you know? Insisted on proper gear, which...yeah." Her face falls. "Most of it is ruined. Including his favorite book, I was...I was reading it..."

You squeeze her ghostly hand, quietly.

"Seraphina was waiting for me," Jewel continues. "Just at the entrance to the Atheneum. Far from help. She acted reasonable, acted...acted like she was there to help me. Said you and Brige had hurt me. That you were /using/ me." Jewel groans and closes her eyes. "It hurts to remember her. Even this, it hurts. She was...she was everywhere in my old life, everywhere, all the time. My goddess..."

"You don't have to keep talking," you murmur.

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>>46819329
"Yes I do," Jewel whispers. "I refused. I knew there'd be a fight. Tried to slow her down, run for the Caretaker. She sent her storm after me, flew into this...this rage. Talking about what I owed her, how she'd given me everything I was and could be. She would have taken me back if Cherry hadn't attacked her. Cherry said...Cherry said, 'You're a bully. You're just like Daddy. I can hurt people too.'"

"She's not proud of that," you murmur.

"She should be. She took another hit of her own. Seraphina pulled her off and threw her into the books, but..." Jewel smiles, mirthless and savage. "Lost something of her own in the process. Cherry pulled her eyes right out. They're over there, in that jar."

You look in horrified fascination. Two eyeballs float in a preserving fluid, their irises as bright and blue as the summer sky.

You force your attention back to Jewel. "Why was she after you?"

"Because of what she thinks I still know. I've been trying to remember but it hurts. I've...I've blacked out a few times. Trying to dredge it up for you." Jewel nods her head at a journal on a bedside table next to her. "...Been writing it down, when I can. I was. I was to be her Chosen, Bri. When she became a true god. I was to be her Chosen."

You suck a breath in between your teeth.

> What do you say?

>>46819383
>Light a cigarette
>well fuck


seems awful convenient for your plot that a random assassin that we might've killed was going to be a chain holder's chosen.

>>46819329
>My goddess

Er, is that an exclamation at the Daughter's pervasiveness or a title assigned to the Daughter by Jewel's memories?

Because the latter might explai-

>>46819383


>>>>When she became a true god. I was to be her Chosen."

Oh well alright then.

>Remember how you aren't that person anymore? This seems to be a really good time to remind you of that.

>>46819447
Can't light up in the library, anon.

Imagine how pissed Seraphina would be if you'd killed her.

>>46819447
Yep, cause there's no way someone might send their most trusted, loyal, and skillful subordinate on a difficult mission to kill a former ally, hopefully unnoticed. Nope. Not at all.

>>46819383
>Will she be coming back for you? Is there anyway we can protect you better against attacks like this?

>>46819383
>That's not you, not anymore. She has no right to you, or your future

Yeah, that's my last pre-employment update. Votes remain open. Feel free to discuss, y'know, anything.

I'll be spending time tomorrow getting the character sheet and magic thing around.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46819383
>>Remember how you aren't that person anymore? This seems to be a really good time to remind you of that.

>>46819543
I didn't mean it in a criticizing or belittling way. It just seemed really convenient to be thought up ahead of time.

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>>46820641

...you mean it was convenient for elements of the story to have been planned out in advance?

>>46820746
More like "How can I make Jewel matter more... AHA!"

>>46820641
> Implying there's any sort of GMing in the world that isn't at least 75% making things up in a panicked frenzy while trying to ensure no one notices you did not plan for this shit
I mean, I don't know if it was planned or if it wasn't, but come on. We all do this.

>>46820781
I run a quest, so in hindsight I shouldn't even have brought it up because I do it all the time.

>>46813872
I personally don't think so. It reeked of "this side character needs to be badass once then never again!" Comparatively, I thought Jewel first meeting Meadows was better.

The sense of danger that Seraphina inspired was by far the greatest, though.

....although I have to say that from what we've fought that inspired a sense of mortality, second would be the croc fight, and third would be Bridge ambushed by assassins.

>>46819383
>Cool. But that's plenty information, there's no need to force yourself to learn more, especially when the two of you are recovering.

>>46821267
...I read it more as, "Hey, here's some of what this potential party member can do."

>>46819383
>You look in horrified fascination. Two eyeballs float in a preserving fluid, their irises as bright and blue as the summer sky.

Isn't the daughter half angel? what can the eyes of half an angel do mystically?

>>46822274
Be cooked into an abomination only a scott or a harpy would love?

>>46822274
Great question. The family has no idea.

Two hours and change to call.

>>46822401
>The family has no idea.

You know what that means? It's time for some necromancy WITH SCIENCE!!!

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>>46822666
Those trips...

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>>46822666

>>46822401
>LOOOOOOOORRRRRRAAAAA!!! I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOUUUUUUUUUUU!

>>46822401
Why aren't we asking Lora then?

>>46822666
Let's first give them to Kat, and then see if we can possess our own shadow.

I just had the stupid idead of putting those eyes on Vim and Vigor. So we would be able to see trough the eyes what Vim and Vigor are seeing.

>vim and vigor are hands
>angel eye as a energy source
>We acomplish in creating real "magic hands"

>>46822971
I kind of like this actually. We can put the eyes in the palms of their hands with like some reinforced bony eyelids.

>>46822971
I like this. I like it a lot

At the moment, the following is winning the vote.

>>46819487
>>46819730
>>46820610

However, I would also like anon's thoughts concerning >>46821267 vs. permitting or encouraging Jewel to keep dredging her memories.

I'll also take the eyeball discussion as a desire to fuck around with those. Should be interesting!

So, the good news: got off work early. The bad news: gonna use this as a chance to head to a friend's house and get some dinner, in that order. I'll still be calling at approximately 10:30 PM or so as a result. I may or may not end up running a game on Sunday; you'll be kept updated.

Thank you for your patience, and good discussion thus far.

>>46821267
Interesting. What makes the meeting with Meadows stand out more for ya? And thanks for the feedback, anon!

>>46808362
NATHAN

I'm with this guy

>>46823703
Speaking of screwing with detached eyes, what if the daughter was doing the same thing? Like trying to see out of them still? I have no reason to think this is possible, but it's magic, I ain't gotta explain shit.

>>46823798
It was all a play, she wanted her eyes torn out to act as surveillance!

>>46823703
>Regarding Jewel's memories

She should be permitted to do so with a VERY clear notification that she is in no way /obligated/ to and that she /shouldn't/ once it starts hurting. It's potentially a very good source of info but the girl has a rather significant martyr/penance complex that we really shouldn't be encouraging.

Got into town a bit late. Getting dinner now; will call after.

>>46823834
Truly the daughter is a master planner, better than even Zhuge Liang himself.

>>46823928
The irony.

Though...with the whole "I want to live," self-realization that happened recently, maybe Bri is getting better about this?

AFTER THREE DAYS OF SCOURING THE ARCHIVES FROM BEGINNING TO END, I HAVE CAUGHT UP! GREETINGS BROTHERS!

>>46825539
Welcome, anon!

>>46825539
ONE OF US. ONE OF US.

>>46825539
Welcome to the Cult of Sacred Bones, dear brother. Partake in a cup of the black coffee, freshly brewed. And here, wear this feathered headdress in honor of our founder, the legendary Black Cock.

Called, writing.

>>46825539
Also, welcome to the quest anon! As I'm sure you noticed on the way here, I'm always takin' feedback and critique, and I'd love to know what stood out for ya - good and bad - on the way here.

Good to see you here, my friend.

>>46823703
I would answer, but im on my phone. Give me......a long while.

>>46826411
No worries, my friend. There's no rush; I appreciate the time you're taking to offer feedback to begin with, y'know?

Bumpity bump.

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>>46819383
You rub the back of Jewel's hand with your thumb.

"Jewel, you aren't that person any more," you remind her, softly.

"I was, though," Jewel tells you quietly. "Even if they hurt to try to remember, I have those memories. Those things I did, I didn't just /not/ do them. I -"

You put a finger to the girl's lips. "I don't want you to push yourself to death trying to help me, Jewel," you tell her, firmly but gently. "You aren't obligated to help me. If you want to, that's fine, but you shouldn't hurt yourself for it. And I think it's time I told you that story."

"The one about the old soldier?" Jewel asks.

"Yeah," you agree. "Brige, can you bring me some coffee, please?"

"You got it," Brigette agrees, from the hall. You can see her slip away, having gotten the hint.

"This is a true story," you tell Jewel. "It was written of in the journal of Sir Marcus Rell, who was involved in both the war and the incident to follow."

"I understand," Jewel says, her eyes on you.

>>46822828
>>46822971
>>46823407
Oh, the possibilities!
>Give them to Vim & Vigor to make them magic hands!
>Give them to Kat, give her magical true sight so we can sense illusions.
>Put them in Witch-bats for the same purpose.
>Use them for talismans (maybe protection from cold, since Seraphina's father was an angel of the Rain choir and we'll be heading to the Broken Jaw in another couple arcs).
>Use them for the Hatchet Man's ritual, so we can plan ahead.

Man, I know we have a whole bunch of other shit to cover and I don't intend to sound whiny or demanding but goddamnit I want another Feathers perspective.

For some reason I have an idea in my head where once fully animate he becomes Fetch's squire and they end up getting into a bunch of buddy-cop-show style antics in the interludes.

>>46828429
........
... ..
Is Feathers living or dead? And how does that work with our motto?

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>>46828055
"There was a war, between two nations," you explain. "As in most wars, there was a winner and a loser. The kingdom of Norrheim repelled invaders from Trothsholm, and ensured that no such invasion could happen for many years to come. But Norrheim did not gain its victory without cost, and its citizens nursed their wounds and their hate for one man in particular, a knight known to them as Brandon the Blackblade. The Blackblade was a warrior without peer, a scourge of the battlefield, whose enemies fell before him like wheat. The men under his command were loyal and sure, and they won devastating victories in Trothsholm's name. When the time came to sue for peace, the Blackblade, undefeated, retreated from Norrheim's land. His service had scourged their defenders and burned their crops, and they hated him."

You take a deep breath, wishing you had a cigarette. "In the years that would follow, Norrheim's citizenry, including its prince, were galled that the Blackblade suffered nothing for his crimes against them. When their king died, his son gathered a group of men to assassinate the Blackblade. Justice, he said, for what had been done."

"Sir Marcus Rell led the team. They infiltrated Torthsholm and tracked their prey's trail over several weeks. The Blackblade was not at his holdings, you see. Someone else owned his land now, and at first the assassins feared that he had died of unrelated causes."

"He hadn't?" Jewel asks.

>>46828429
>He's a grizzled zombie chicken knight out to bring JUSTICE to a cruel and dark world with the point of a quill and the edge of a claw
>He's an idealistic stuffed toy who knows any problem can be solved with hard work and soft hugs
>Together, they are:
>> FETCH & FEATHERS
>> POULTRY PATROL
>> something better than those atrocites, fuck I'm bad at naming things

>>46828544

>Is Feathers living or dead?

>http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/46154011/#p46162088
>http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/46154011/#p46162202

>And how does that work with our motto?

What, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished? I don't think that's a motto, but it absolutely doesn't. I imagined any scene with it being like the Tachikoma scenes at the end of Ghost in the Shell episodes.

>>46828765
>What, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished?
I was referring to Life is for the Living; Death is for the Dead. Where would Feathers fall on the living/not living scale?

>>46828834
Depends on how he came to be (I'm honestly expecting Lora accidentally gave him a piece of a soul or something during the hug) but I doubt we'd pitch too much of a bitch; I imagine he'd be counted under "Don't know if alive or dead but he's sapient so don't be a twat".

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>>46828730
You shake your head. "They tracked him to a vineyard. Make no mistake, he lived well...but not as a noble. The Blackblade had become an old man in the years that followed. They found him with a wife, and children, and grandchildren, working the land and making fine wines. They saw him laugh and play with the young ones, share the fire beside his loved ones, and in all of it, not a word of glory or battle passed his lips. His home contained not so much as a trophy sword. His black blade had been reforged to make the plow that broke the earth of his vineyard. The young knights with Marcus went to complete their mission, and he stopped them."

"Why?" Jewel asks.

You shrug, softly. "He told them that he did not see their great enemy there. He reported Brandon the Blackblade as dead. The truth only came out later, in his diaries, well after the Blackblade died surrounded by grieving children and grandchildren. In the end, Norrheim abandoned its vengeance."

"I didn't choose this," Jewel whispers.

"You could have gone back to Seraphina, Jewel," you tell her. "And I wouldn't have blamed you for it either. The person who hurt the people you're remembering, she's gone. There's no one left to punish."

"...Yes ma'am."

You hold Jewel's hand, and stay with her awhile.

* * * *

You have a small /pile/ of stuff to dispose of.

MANTIS CHITIN
> Make armor for Fetch & the Boar
> Upgrade Kat's solidity and strength
> Create necromantic armor for yourself
> Save them
> Write-in? (I'm certain anon may have a potentially workable idea; I'll let you know if it's not)

MANTIS SCYTHES
> Build them into the boar
> Enhance Kat's swiftness & cutting power
> Save them
> Write-in? (see above)

MANTIS HEAD
> Increase a minion's intelligence and perception (Kat/Boar)
> Give Kat a witchlight core
> Animate it into a novelty
> Save it
> Write-in?

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>>46829109
EYEBALLS
> Sacrifice one eye to learn exactly what they do
> Install them in Vim & Vigor
> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do
> Save them
> Write-in?

>>46829109
>> Make armor for Fetch & the Boar
>> Enhance Kat's swiftness & cutting power
>> Give Kat a witchlight core
>> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do


I just love grading papers about virtue ethics at 1 in the morning, just fucking love it.

>>46829203
...Are you telling me that an /ethics teacher/ is also reading my quest?

I AM NOT SURE I CAN HANDLE THIS MUCH FEAR, ANON

>>46829109
> Create necromantic armor for yourself
> Enhance Kat's swiftness & cutting power

> Give Kat a witchlight core
(What exactly would this option do?)

> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do

>>46829226
Doctors, firefighters, soldiers, ethics teachers, autistic college students, retail clerks. All kinds worship the dreadlord Vox.

>>46829238
> (What exactly would this option do?)

Remove her reliance on outside light to have form and definition. She still wouldn't /like/ operating in darkness, but instead of being crippled or weakened in darkness or low light, she'd be able to function more or less normally. It'd also increase the range in which she can roam.

>>46829109
>chitin
Armor for Bri, assuming the wings are included. If not....tell me.

>Scythes
Boar. Shadow power isnt bad, but boar gets more use and isnt plotting to kill us.

>head
Save it for the witchbat. Is there anything stopping us from getting that done, as harpies are flying around as they leave?

>>46829226
Just teach philosophy as an elective for the theology department, go catholic schools.

I'm just a bio teacher

>>46829154
>Install them in Vim & Vigor
>> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do
Its cool, your argument is invalid

>>46829381
> Armor for Bri, assuming the wings are included. If not....tell me.

They are not. I'm gonna be honest, I knew I was forgetting something here so we're gonna do the wings LATER DAMNIT ARASDASK but seriously we'll handle the wings later.

As you've probably guessed, I am going the fuck to sleep. Votes remain open, I'll update and/or make a new thead tomorrow.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms are welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46829109
MANTIS CHITIN
>Make armor for Sir Fetch and the Boar.
Now our plucky knight will have garb and steed worthy of his station!

MANTIS SCYTHES
>Enhance Kat's swiftness & cutting power.
This is going to be useful when we finally face the Lush. Big, powerful claws to rip through giant tendons.

And while I understand that some anon's want to make an undead Ultralisk, Kat is for the most part incorporeal. She won't need to be repaired because she couldn't take a hit from a giant-sized fist. The Hatchet Man's magic nail is probably something special we can counteract with proper preparation.

MANTIS HEAD
>Give Kat a witchlight core.
This doesn't make her more intelligent and independent, right? I'd like to avoid the 'BUT I CREATED YOU! AAGH!!' scenario if at all possible.

Also, I am curious as to what the novelty option entails.

>>46829448
The wings are going to be a cape for Brianna. Gotta keep going with the voodoo/animism vibes. I won't be surprised if there's a tailor or some such being kept prisoner by the Lush that we can ask a favor from once freed.

>>46829636
>Also, I am curious as to what the novelty option entails.

You're lucky I wasn't asleep yet. Literally just keeping around an unintelligent mantis head that moves as you command/program it to within the limits of being, y'know, a severed head. Keep it above your door and have it click when people walk in, use it to frighten children, etc.

>>46829662
Goddamnit, if Bri wasn't so practical....

>>46829109
MANTIS CHITIN
> Upgrade Kat's solidity and strength

MANTIS SCYTHES
> Build them into the boar

MANTIS HEAD
> Give Kat a witchlight core

EYEBALLS
> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do

>>46829662
That could actually be something more useful than a novelty. It could be an necromancy-style automated alarm system or security camera prototype. So, y'know, we have a way to keep an eye out for assassins sent by the Daughter or any of the other Chain-Holders.

>>46829109
> Create necromantic armor for yourself
Not that we need to where it 24/7 but the intimidation+practicality will be useful for battles and such.

> Build them into the boar
> Give Kat a witchlight core
> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do

>>46829778
>where
saw this just as I pushed the post button...

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>>46829791
I know that feel

>>46829636
I understand your desire to make Kat a Necron Canoptek Wraith, but the fact of the matter is that we have better options for her and that the scythes synergize with the Boar since they can be used both offensively AND defensively (as shown by the Mantis using them that way.)

That lets use use the Chitin to protect our frail necromancer body from getting Geeked First by a shadowrunner (possibly literally in this quest) - especially given our tendency to put ourselves in the line of fire for others - plus we have other options for Kat.

MANTIS CHITIN
> Create necromantic armor for yourself

Dying is an option, but risky and weird and probably a shit plan if it happens right before or during a big battle. Also, worse is the possibility of us getting crippled and being unable to help.


MANTIS SCYTHES
> Build them into the boar

It crushes, it slices, it dices. It can now pierce on the charge, pin big creatures and flail the fuck around (seriously, have you ever seen a boar attack?) for smaller ones. Also, Chariot of the Gods style scythe attacks as it charges through formed ranks.


MANTIS HEAD
> Give Kat a witchlight core

EYEBALLS
> Ask Lora what they might do

So. Have you guys ever considered ritual magic? Using the body parts of an enemy to strike at them? We have an ex-insane Seer with us after all. We could probably use these to attack the Daughter directly and drive her mad or something.

I would also prefer to make sure SHE can't do the same to anyone we put those eyeballs in.

Wait. Aren't the scythes zergling style? It already has fucking huge tusks on the front end.

>>46829154
>>46829821

> MFW I forget to link the vote post

>>46829109
> Create necromantic armor for yourself
> Enhance Kat's swiftness & cutting power
> Give Kat a witchlight core
> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do

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>>46829918
Yes, and that's why we're giving it huge scythe arms that can reach out side to side to take care of any pesky agility fighter.

Or be used to hold down large opponents and pin their movement while it gores the shit out of them with said scythes.

Or use the scythes to cover any wounded or valuable people/things riding it, so we can have an emergency evac Boar that charges in, gets the wounded, and then protects them as it charges out, much like how the Mantis deflected our attacks with it's arms.

Or can mow down creatures to either side when charging, as opposed to just hitting whatever is in front of it.

It can also use the Tarsus to lift and grip things, giving it some fine motor skills.

>>46829821
Kat is always with us and one of our primary defensive and offensive minions. Plus as>>46829918 has said, the boar already has crushing and gouging ability.

>>46829109

> Make armor for Fetch & the Boar
> Build them into the boar
> Increase a minion's intelligence and perception (Kat/Boar)

LET'S GO FULL BOAR HARDCORE~! It worked pretty good with Fetch, no? It could be his Pumba. His valiant, noble friend slash steed. One is small but big in heart, the other tall but surprisingly gentle, both noble protectors.

EYEBALLS
>TRANSPLANT ONE INTO OUR EYE. PUT ANOTHER ONE IN KAT.

This is totally a great plan and a way for us to increase her intelligence while bonding her closer to us instead of having a "But you're my creation, why aren't you obeying me!" scenario.

NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG.

>>46830013
Yeah, and that's why we double down on making the Boar a complete wrecker. It's really only good on the charge, and faster enemies will be able to kite that shit no problem. As well, it's capable of making a hole but not capitalizing on it. It's a far better plan than the people who just want to use the boar as a meatshield, when it can be both.

I would honestly rather see Kat upgraded to provide some sort of protection to us as opposed to offensive power as well, since we have plenty of that ourselves for anything that gets close.

Besides, Kat is shit in bright light.

>>46829109
> Can I vote to either dump everything into either Kat or the Boar? Preferentially the Boar since then Fetch gets an armor upgrade too, but otherwise dump everything in Kat?

EYEBALLS
> See >>46829821 and ask Lora about using them to attack the Daughter directly. Also, maybe talk to Silence or the Lich as well since they might know about things outside Lora's domain. Hell, ask Robert. He seems like the kind of cunt who would have dabbled in that when he was alive.

Don't lose body parts to necromancers, people.

>>46830156
... Isn't it the opposite, and she's shit in darkness? Which is what the witch light upgrade counters? Personally I'd rather have a more maneuverable unit that can capitalize on the offensive power in multiple situations than a specialized tank that's suited for charging groups of enemies.

Didn't Vox say something about shadows not usually being upgraded due to their tendency to kill their creators?

>>46829109
> Create necromantic armor for yourself
We're already full of enough holes.

> Build them into the boar
Two tusks inferior, four tusks superior.

> Animate it into a novelty
Every time someone argues in its vicinity, it yells "WELL YOU DON'T HAVE TO BITE THEIR HEAD OFF!" (this is complex mantis humour I will not think less of you if you do not get it)

> Install them in Vim & Vigor
SAFETY PROCEDURES ARE FOR LOSERS. Let's make ourselves some seeing-eye hands!

>>46829109
>>46829154
> Upgrade Kat's solidity and strength
Murdershadow
> Build them into the boar
Murderboar
> Give Kat a witchlight core
Sending murdershadow further ahead
> Ask Lora what she thinks [the eyes] might do
Always better to operate on more information.

>>46830229
> a specialized tank that's suited for charging groups of enemies.

Did you also miss the part where I said that it would be able to restrict the movement of other large predators?

Or be able to carry and protect people/cargo?

Quite frankly, we're pretty fucking deadly ourselves at close range already.

The other problem is that you're only thinking tactically. Both the Boar and Kat have good tactical applications. However, look at the situations they'll be used in. Upgrading Kat has the possibility of saving our life, but upgrading the Boar has the possibility of saving ours, and many other people's lives.

We aren't the only ones fighting for the Dungeon, Anon. We have friends and Allies. We have the possibility of more pitched battles up ahead, or fighting giant monsters, and the boar can save the lives of those fighting in said battles.

We on the other hand are already murder machines, we have Fetch, Vim and Vigor, Amy, Nathan, River and her Demons, etc. The Boar can be sent off with any of them except for tunnel fighting and at least two places aren't going to be like that, not to mention if the enemy outflanks us and we have to fight in a previous area.

Kat on the other hand is stuck with us. We can't send her to help others, we can't use her to save ANYONE.

Stop thinking like a murderhobo, start thinking like a leader.

>>46829109
> Make armor for Fetch & the Boar
> Enhance Kat's swiftness & cutting power
> Give Kat a witchlight core
> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do

>>46830012
I see your points here, I just don't think that magically welding mantis legs onto a boar skeleton is going to have your desired result. Like, if we really wanted to, we could have just reanimated the whole mantis and kept the boar for defensive tactics.

Sometimes when you go for the best of two both worlds instead of one, you don't get anything, or lose something in the process.

Meh, I've already got my vote in, and I've shared my two cents. G'night.

>>46830411
Well, I respect your decision and can see the reason you would want to upgrade someone who's with us all the time, but I personally view it as synergistic with the boar who also has the size quality to make the best use of the mantis arms, and to give the boar some much needed utility since right now it's good for charging ahead or being a meatshield, but can't really capitalize on either nor integrate easily with conventional forces.

The Mantis I felt wasn't worth weakening our other minions to have as it's parts could be disseminated instead.

>>46830237
I think its only if we specifically upgrade her to be more cunning and independent. Right now, we'd just be giving her more room to /physically/ roam or be more lethal in close quarters.

I personally don't think it's necessary to have a fully kitted shadow-clone that might turn on us if we piss her off. We can still create other minions that won't rebel.

>>46829109
All the Mantis stuff

> Everything Boar

Eyballs

> Ask around about what you can do with them

>>46829109
MANTIS CHITIN
> Create necromantic armor for yourself
EYEBALLS
> Ask Lora what she thinks they might do


What's a witchlight core for Kat going to help again? Was that mentioned in the past?