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>>46882856
"Look," you tell Silence. "I can't /make/ Henrietta do anything. Frankly this bit where she likes me is new and fragile enough that I don't want to push it. But I /can/ talk to the Roost, and to her, about getting a relationship established. We haven't evacuated the harpies that want to leave yet. A place to call home, without having to deal with surfacers attacking them on sight...?"

"Tempting," Silence agrees. "But they'd need to behave, and so would Henrietta's men."

"Aye," you agree. "So that gets to be my next project, after the spider thing."

"Which, speaking of - your proposal?"

"Okay. I assume the buildings you're dropping are because they're already going down?" you ask.

"Aye," Silence agrees.

"And harpy song doesn't work on it?"

"If it did, they'd have killed it already."

> Take the buildings to pieces and drop /those/ instead; still safer than hunting it, but it'll leave more of the corpse
> Burn it to death. The meat'll be charred but the harpies won't care.
> Okay, hear me out. What if we dropped a /giant net/ on it?
> Fuck it, I want the whole spider. My allies and I will go tangle with it, if you can give us a floor to fight on.
> Write-in?

Please, please don't make me regret adding a write-in option to this. Please. I tried to base the options off of anon's ideas.

>>46882992
>How do you feel about arachnophilia?

>>46883077
...Wat.

>>46883077
But that's already on there, anon! :B
>Fuck it
>I want the whole spider

>Just drop the dang buildings on it

>>46882992
>> Take the buildings to pieces and drop /those/ instead; still safer than hunting it, but it'll leave more of the corpse

>>46882992
>> Burn it to death. The meat'll be charred but the harpies won't care.

When in doubt...

>>46882992
>Take the buildings to pieces and drop /those/ instead; still safer than hunting it, but it'll leave more of the corpse
Spider meat will help us smooth things over, would be good to give the really starving people.

And I'm hoping we might get lucky and have more things to salvage.

>>46883092
You know, as a distraction. Silence is resilient, she can take it.

>>46882992
>> Take the buildings to pieces and drop /those/ instead; still safer than hunting it, but it'll leave more of the corpse

>>46882992
>Make a giant spear thing out of building pieces and skewer the spoder from above.

Vote likely to be extended.

>>46882992
>> Take the buildings to pieces and drop /those/ instead; still safer than hunting it, but it'll leave more of the corpse

>>46882992
>>> Take the buildings to pieces and drop /those/ instead; still safer than hunting it, but it'll leave more of the corpse

45 minutes or so to call. My apologies.

There we go. Called, writing.

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>>46882992
"The way I figure it," you tell Silence, "is we take the buildings to pieces, sharpen some of 'em up, and hurl or drop them at the spider. It'll take a bit longer, but it'll leave more of the corpse. Much more usable."

"More work too, but..." Silence nods. "I can get it done. Any part of the spider you want?"

"Eyes, fangs, venom sacs," you say immediately.

"Works for me. It'll be a day or three getting it together if we're taking the buildings apart slowly."

"Alright," you agree.

> Talk to the harpies now
> Talk to Henrietta first

* * * *

Meanwhile...

> You are the Lush
> You are the Debtor
> You are the Diviner

>>46886011
>> Talk to Henrietta first
> You are the Debtor
dis gon be gud

>>46886011
>> You are the Debtor

I don't want to be the Lush, but I also really want to be the Lush.

>>46886011
>> Talk to the harpies now
> You are the Debtor

>>46886011
>>> Talk to the harpies now

> You are the Diviner

>>46886011
>Talk to the harpies now
>You are the Lush

>>46886011
>Talk to the harpies now
>You are the Debtor

>>46886011
> Talk to the harpies now
> You are the Debtor

>>46886011
>Talk to Henrietta first
>You are the Lush

Worth a look into that one's mind.

Called. Writing.

>>46886820
The Debtor was the one who got reeled in on a literal deal with a devil, right? This should be interesting.

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>>46886011
Your name is Jack. It means "fool," not in the sense of a comedic person retained to entertain a monarch, but in the sense of "stupid asshole". Your parents hadn't known this or, in fact, much of anything at the time, though more and more lately you're finding the name eerily prophetic.

They call you the Debtor, and you hate these meetings.

You hate these meetings because the Lush disgusts you. You hate these meetings because the Diviner /terrifies/ you, with her wide blue eyes and the way she always seems to know what you're thinking. But mostly, you hate them because they're time away from your search.

"She has to strike at one of us soon," the Diviner - Gabrielle, her name is Gabrielle - says flatly, almost indifferently. "She has no other way to progress. How are your preparations."

"Ready," the Lush rumbles. The giant is handsome, in his own way, like a well-done carving. He leans on the table, drinking tea from a delicate porcelain mug the size of a bucket. "Ever have I been prepared for war."

The Diviner's eyes turn to you.

"Don't give me that," you snap. "You know how I prefer to operate. The Warehouse remains mainly untouched, except where -"

"Except where your craven hunt takes you, yes," the Diviner interrupts. "Did you trade your spine instead of your soul, Jack?"

"Listen here, you mass-murdering -"

"Enough," Richard's voice cuts in, from the middle of the table. It emanates from a small silver bell. "Debtor, the heritor will not spare you for your elegance."

"She might for not being a mass-murdering piece of shit," you retort, cynically.

Then the chain manifests around your throat. You cry out as you're dragged face-first to the table; stars blossom in your vision while you choke.

Flitter, your closest friend - your only friend, really - flits next to the bell and kicks it with all the fury her four-inch pixie frame can muster. "You're killing him!"

>>46887320
>"She might for not being a mass-murdering piece of shit," you retort, cynically.

Finally, someone who actually gets it.

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>>46887320
"I am aware," Richard notes, professionally. Darkness creeps in around the edges of your vision before you feel the chain retract. You suck in lungfuls of sweet, sweet air. "I've had enough of your cowardice, Jack," Richard continues, in that same mild, distant tone. "Taylor laid down his life defending the rest of you. You /will/ do the same, or I will offer you to the angel."

"Low blow," you whisper hoarsely. "What is it you want?"

"Evacuate the rest of the artifacts and lore below, to Port Atrium. The /Lonesome Dirge/ will convey them to the Mire, and thence to the custody of the Librarian."

"You didn't care for them before. Why now?" you ask.

"So the necromancer doesn't get them, /Jack/," Gabrielle sneers. "Must you be this stupid?"

Richard clears his throat. "With that settled, I must take my leave. Research is at a -"

"Critical stage," the Lush rumbles. "It always is, Richard."

"Indeed. Best of luck, my loyal compatriots."

You pick yourself up and cough, hard. Flitter brushes your hair out of your face and stands on your shoulder, one worried hand gripping the back of your ear.

> Ask the Lush for help
> Ask Gabrielle for help
> See what they do

>>46887497
> See what they do

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>>46887497
Wow, dick just resosterd to vilonce against someone? He must be really desperate.

>>46887497
>> Ask Gabrielle for help

>>46887497
>> Ask the Lush for help

Hail satan

Also dont ask the mass murdering lunatic for help, they're a mass murdering lunatic

>>46887638
>asking help for a mass murderer.
have you gone cra-crazy

>>46887497
>See what they do

>>46887696
More desperate, honestly. And with her sight, the Diviner's reach is farther.

How did he get a pixie for a best friend? This is a story I have to hear

And now for the eternal question.

Alcohol, or no alcohol...

Votes are open while I'm deciding. I might go for an extended walk to stretch my legs and/or acquire alcohol.

>>46887799
Always say yes to alcohol Vox. But you can always double yes to alcohol AND coffee

>>46887799
>>46887744
>>46887733
how in a row

>>46887836
Its just the great linch and his acolytes on it again.

Yep, gonna hit that walk. Votes extended.

So hard to choose.

Looks like the Debtor is in a shitty spot, caught between a complete bastard of a giant and a genocidal maniac. Also Richard.

Hope things work out for him as best they can. So probably either a heroic last stand/fuckoffDickyoucunt or eternal damnation/bridgette 2.0

Halfway mark; twenty minutes to home

>>46888398
I dunno though. Seems like he signed up for shitty reasons.

This is taking longer than anticipated.

>>46888896
Hey, he needs those seven dollars badly.

>>46889751
You made me choke on my drink, anon.

Called, writing.

>>46888896

I get the feeling from him that he's more desperate than anything. not really a particularly good person or a particularly bad person, but willing to do anything to escape what he has coming, and in way over his head.

>>46888896
Maybe but he actually resembles a functioning human being. The other two are quite literally some of the biggest wankers we've seen so far.
We got Mister Lush, your average 8ft+ Giant buddy who seems to be attempting to recreate The Mountain with his swole debauchery and general psychopathy.
Then we have Gabby Diviner or whatever, who seems to be attempting to edge her way into the competition of dicks that Ol' Richie has assembled with her bitch comments and you know, murderating an entire fucking floor.
Richard seems to be Giovanni from Pokemon, hell I expect him to be petting a cat on his smooth-leather chair wearing a crisp suit and tie while he subtly laughs to himself about how glorious his plan is before berating his underlings to boost his ego.

Keep in mind, this is a limited analysis based on the tiny amount of intel we have on this merry band of jackasses.
So yeah, Debtor man and Tinker Bell seem pretty nice compared to the people he's chained to.

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>>46887497
You grab feebly at your cup of tea while you try to find your breath. Flitter squeezes your ear gently, but you find enough focus to take a sip while you wait for one of the other two to say something.

The Lush breaks the silence. "Please, permit me to be of assistance. Jack, you will need men and supplies to freight what you're after, will you not? I can get you a troop of lizards within the day, along with the men to wrangle them."

"Sane men?" you ask, regretting it.

"I know how you prefer to operate. Consider it a gesture of peace, Jack. I realize you do not like me, but /I/ like /you/ just fine. Gabrielle, do you need anything?"

"No," she answers, smugly. "I expect to have this insect handled easily."

"Famous last words," you mutter.

"I'm sorry, /Jack/, what was that?" Gabrielle asks, icily.

"I /said/ that she's going to cut you open and use your arrogant guts for garters, /Gabrielle/," you snap back. "Thank you, Lush, for your kind help. Can I impose upon you for a quarter-century of soldiers?"

"Take half," the Lush agrees, graciously. "I've had my eye on that staff you found, awhile back. I believe I may have the head that goes with it."

"Take it," you tell him. "It'll be up within the day. I want good men, though. Good soldiers? Maybe not. I need men who can refrain from violence."

"Understood, my friend," the Lush rumbles. "We're all in this together."

"Except Gabrielle," you tell him, unable to keep from the jab.

The Lush's laughs boom through the small meeting chamber while the Diviner glares daggers at you. You raise your teacup in a little toast, and then down it.

>>46890778
goddamnit it you spiteful, Jack

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>>46890778
You are Brianna la Croix, and /damn/, these harpies are a lot more intimidating when you were the one who called them.

Dozens of eyes stare down at you from the parliament.

"Let me see if I understand this correctly," Razor Feathers says, patiently. "The Dungeon is in the...territory, let's call it, of a vast human murder -"

"Human and others," you add, wincing.

"Granted," Razor Feathers agrees smoothly. "This human murder is part of a collection of such murders that is subordinate to some great and mighty human?"

"That's...good enough for this conversation," you admit. "Understanding that we're glossing over an amount of details that might get you literally killed for ignoring them."

"Understood. And on the surface, harpies are known as vicious killers and are often mistrusted or, indeed, killed on sight. Not, I might add, without reason."

The sight of an entire room of people trying to find an objection and being unable to is one that you'll carry with you for the rest of your life. It'll be good for a chuckle, on shitty days.

"You propose that those of us choosing to leave the Roost seek employment with the leader of this murder, who calls herself a Duchess and will, in exchange, grant concessions and protections to the Roost."

"Yes," you agree. "Henrietta knows how to strike a fair deal. I believe you can trust her men, but if you can't, well, you'll have some of yours on the surface to take your revenge."

It's not exactly what you mean, but it's the language they speak. And even peaceful nations speak strength; it's the universal tongue.

"Only problem I see," Razor Feathers muses, "is that getting to the surface is difficult. And certainly, we can bypass some of the distance using the Atheneum, as you've described, but I doubt its keepers would be happy with the mass absence of its books. That won't be a viable solution."

She has a point. Hrm...

>>46891139
> Familiars could work. Do we have harpies willing to learn sorcery?
> What if the Duchy and the Roost worked together to dig a new access to the surface? That'd open up trade too, though it'd take time.
> Are you familiar with the concept of a legate?
> Write-in?

>>46891159
>New Hell should still have portal circle materials
>What if we dug the Roost's ceiling straight to the surface? Or do it from the top going downwards, of course.

>>46891159
Is that teleportation circle? Device? Natalia set up in New Hell capable of working in the time needed? That is, is it in working order or repairable under the available time constraints? It could sent the entirety of New Hell to wherever Natalia wanted right?

>>46891250
Maybe. It's potentially worth investigating but she was sending just the people and stuff. Not necessarily great for trade, esp. since the return trip is not as possible as leaving is. Teleports have to start in an area with great magic, or else go to the Atheneum via book.

This >>46891229 was more or less what was meant by 'new surface access'

>>46891314
so Teleport for the first big batch of harpies, while digging out the route for long term setups.

>>46891159
> What if the Duchy and the Roost worked together to dig a new access to the surface? That'd open up trade too, though it'd take time.
(How much time?)
> Are you familiar with the concept of a legate?

Hey, so, about those runes feeding the Pallbearer Death.

We can't copy that shit? Slap it on our Boar and bam instant death feeding.

Maybe even cut out the Ironside ship and just feed the pallbearer.

>>46891896
It'd take time and study to reproduce.

Cutting out the /Lonesome Dirge/, on the other hand...that might be doable a lot faster. Something to ask the Caretaker about, perhaps?

>>46891889
The kind of time it takes to dig through three and a half floors' worth of solid fuckin' rock, man, it's gonna be awhile. Working from both sides makes it a matter of just months, though.

>>46892148
How long have we been in the Dungeon now, anyways?

>>46892253
A little over half a year, give or take.

>>46891159
>What if we made ton of books for teleportation? What are the minimum requirements for the Atheneum to consider something aa book?

Slow night for votes.

Going to call in fifteen or twenty, I need food.

>>46892148
Well we should definitely cut out the lonesome dirge then. I mean, they apparently can't kill the Captain anyways.

And that gives more death to the Pallbearer.

We can apparently also use the runes to communicate with the pallbearer. So we should probably check in with them first.

But fuckers are going to learn why you don't raise up what you can't put down. Especially after giving it cannons.

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> Hunt for months for an image reference for harpies in this quest
> /tg/ delivers it to me by random chance

AT LONG LAST, HERE YOU GO

>>46891159
>> What if the Duchy and the Roost worked together to dig a new access to the surface? That'd open up trade too, though it'd take time.

>>46893078
>not bird with human face

>>46893237
You can't say I didn't describe 'em ahead of time, anon. Y'cannot!

As much as I appreciate the Greek depiction of harpies, it wasn't what I wanted to play around with for this setting.

>>46893237
>>46893250
>not human with bird face

>>46893413
Ra sucks.

>>46893078
I would fuck that.

>>46893657
So would Amy's dad.

>>46893078
Wait, so do harpies have wings and arms? I've been imagining all of them besides Amy as only having wings.

>>46893078
Guys. Guys. Harpy moneymaking idea. Exotic bodyguards. You have different murders so you can have them work as mercs but be held to an overarching code to ensure a reasonable amount of civility. Any murder breaking the code gets hunted down.

I feel like what the roost has done is forced some level of organization on the harpies. Normally they wouldn't tolerate each other long enough and either one clan would absorb the rest under a Khan before breaking apart due to betrayal, or would just drive off other murders. Here we have harpies that can kind of work together and we should foster that.

>>46893707
I know. I know. HEADCANON. But still that's what it sounds like, especially if you have actual civilizations with organized armies keeping them to out of the way areas and treating any large group like a threat to be nipped in the bud.

>>46893707
Harpy construction teams working together to make heavy materials lighter greatly speeding up construction and allowing impossible techniques.

High speed harpy carriages for mail delivery, lighter carriages = faster speeds.

Harpy air taxis for nobility who want to show off and literally look over their lands.

Harpy bombers dropping skeletons into . . . Wait, that's a little bit Zombie Army there.

But now I'm curious if we could eventually upgrade combat minions into a sort of Dragons Teeth skeleton army where we condense exceptional warriors into "undead ready to go just add dirt" style summons.

>>46893078
>>46893237
>>46893250
Funny, my headcanon is that full-blooded Harpies are kinda like that, but their arms are 'fused' into the wing a la pterodactyls (as in wing + 3 or 4 fingers jutting out at the 'elbow').

Okay, I lied. I can't focus enough to write and will instead be getting some actual goddamn sleep. Vote remains open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46892831
> "Hear me out: what if I just make a whole bunch of books entitled 'How to Teleport to The Atheneum' and hand them out to people?"
> "...Do you have any idea how badly I want to bind you to the library and make you sort books until you know the depths of fury that idea inspires in me?"
> "Your whole face just got consumed by witchflame, Caretaker."
> "You say this like I haven't noticed."

>>46893705
>http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/44478293/#p44513171
>Full-blooded harpies are somewhat smaller and more compact than humans, with a stooping posture and relatively weak upper arms

They have arms, they're just too weak to do anything. Hence why harpy arguments allow punches but not claws; a fist won't hurt but a claw can still gore.

>>46894155
Does the Atheneum have a printing press?

>>46894242
A few, in various locations.

>>46894261
>>46894242

We should start printing some leaflets and have ourselves a good old fashioned propaganda war with Richard. Some posters would go a long way as well.

>>46894500
If only to annoy him I agree. We can give one to Lora, she'll get a kick out of it. Maybe he'd even be stupid enough to take it away from her.

>>46894539
>glue together two layers of paper, with propaganda print on the outer sides
>have Lora put another of her feathers between them
>Some chainbearer angrily tries to snatch it away

One last thing before I can actually fall asleep (fucking 2 AM real life shit HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN TO ME?) - anon's question earlier about what choice I'd change if I could got me thinking about earlier moments in the quest. What moments and choices have stood out to you?

[Acquiring feedback intensifies.]

>>46894261
Hey, quick question/idea I had.

If someone from up top (say, the Elevator workers or the Duchess) were to pop into the Dungeon for a short time and we died while they were there, what would happen to them?

I remember you mentioned that Nathan and Cherry wouldn't reset because they'd been down there for long enough, but if someone was only down there for a day or an hour or two, would that be enough to make them reset-proof?

I'm asking because I can't imagine how much shit would get fucked up top if the Duchess suddenly 'vanished' whilst eating breakfast or holding Court, because she was in the Dungeon when we died (which she obviously wouldn't be without her knowing us previously, which she wouldn't post-reset).

I'm asking because my brain says that in order to avoid significant anachronisms she'd effectively need to be cloned, with one up top (the 'reset' Duchess) and one in the Dungeon (the non-reset one) which'd open up some significant possibilities for fuckery should the need arise.

>>46894646
Anon's choice to not Waifu immediately stood out to me, eventually we became Nate's Waifu, but still.

>>46894646
All the times where we've spared someone and how they turn out to be valuable assets. It's like we have this inate sense of how good people are usually worth it in the long run.
Or you just want to make sure that none of our characters are completely worthless.
>tfw senpai thinks about your posts
.｡ﾟ+..｡ﾟ(〃▽〃)+.｡ﾟ+..｡ﾟ

>>46894646
>stood out
good or bad?

Well, near the start where Bri/tg was quite hesitant over Amy's initial devotion.....stood out.

Bridgette's first POV.....did NOT stand out, since we got a lot more of those later on, but I feel that how the choice at that point was structured and how much freedom it had defined a lot about the structure of the quest as a whole.

That YOU, as a QM, were willing to do that Poker duel card by card stood out.

That Natalia seriously just gave up stood out.

Miles in general stands out. Not really related to the story, but not unwelcome.

>>46891159
What if the Duchy and the Roost worked together to dig a new access to the surface? That'd open up trade too, though it'd take time.

So, the third option (for a legate) is to have someone who speaks for the rest of the Roost, as a representative? I think we can combine that with the second option.

>>46894646
Honestly, I haven't felt like there were any moments that I regretted or seriously disliked (mostly because of how you're telling the story, to be honest). The Roost arc was rushed some, yes, but it also felt like there were fewer anons around for the votes, so we just ran straight through. Like playing Skyrim and only focusing on the main questlines, rushing past everything else. You've said that you're trying to just let things happen at their own pace, but I don't think it was your fault.

I got back into Elder Scrolls recently and your quest made me want to go full battlemage/necromancer. I had a skeleton assistant I called Sykes, who imagined spent his free time cleaning and organizing all of my stuff.

>>46895759
Damn it. Forgot to green post.
>>What if the Duchy and the Roost worked together to dig a new access to the surface? That'd open up trade too, though it'd take time.

>>46895740
Hey, remember the first time we met Miles? Didn't he say that the Master basically gave him to the Vintner as a slave? We should totally have River summon him as an assistant so he can deliver righteous vengeance against Dick and his surviving cohorts.

Plus, this means that he and Sir Fetch can play good cop and bad cop.

>>46894646
Hey Vox, turns out you did the name thing again. In thread 50 you called the ship being built by Richard the Predator, but every time afterwards its called the Lonesome Dirge.

Unless I missed something and there's /another/ beast of a ship with magic cannons.

Bumpity bumparoo.

Question for you, great lich of the brewed bean!
>Do harpies have family names?

http://pastebin.com/KKTdtu3j
When Nathan asked the ancestors for their blessing, they mentioned marrying into the La Croix family, not out. So far, we haven't seen or heard anything about whether murderbirds have lineages further than mom and dad, if that.

Also, this could become an important thing if they become involved with human nobility. For example, if the harpies established a vassal state under Henrietta, they might be similar to a lesser noble family.

They could also establish the Parliament (on the surface, not just in the Roost) as the ruling body rather than any one leader or murder, but still, something to consider.

>>46896332
no no no there is not /another/ beast of a ship, there are in fact two other beasts of ships. Assuming my canon is correct which it usually is.

>>46896332
Well fuck.

Not quite called yet.

>>46897554
What happens if they don't have family names?

>>46898510
Then they wouldn't really care? She'll just attach La Croix to Amy and that'll be it.

I meant for the nobility thing.

> What if the Duchy and the Roost worked together to dig a new access to the surface? That'd open up trade too, though it'd take time.

...but tell Lora about it. I imagine she has an opinion about that.

I'm awake. Gonna call and write soon.

>>46900963
Are you able to answer >>46894661?

>>46900990
In a bit

>>46894661
Remember; if you're in the Dungeon when Bri bites it, you're fine. Henrietta being in the Dungeon at the time, no matter the reason - no matter how deep, even if she's just in the Oubliette - she's fine. Her retainers might not remember why exactly she entered the Dungeon but chances are they'd remember being persuaded and something would fill in the gaps.

Brianna is the only thing that gets re-created in this process. People might be moved, shuffled, or even experience memory alterations, but less so than you might think. Things that are less directly connected to Brianna "need" to be changed less, or even not at all, and as mentioned before the more events ripple forth from the Dungeon and tie it to the outside world, the more people are likely to remember, that those events are to resist change, because of the residual protections continuing to cling to them.

TL;DR no one is getting cloned.

Called, writing.

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>>46891159
You follow your thoughtline up - literally - and look at the roof of the Parliament.

"How adverse would you be," you begin slowly, "to opening a new access to the surface? It'd need a stair for wingless races, so they can go down without impeding your flight, but between the dwarf-clans here, the smiths of New Hell, and the Duchess's engineers up top..."

"Can you persuade her to do such a thing?" Razor Feathers asks.

"I believe so. If /you/ are willing. If the people of the Roost are willing."

The Parliament descends into a loud, echoing flurry of bird speech. It goes on for several minutes before, one by one, they quiet down.

"Talk to your Duchess," Razor Feathers agrees.

"I'll leave immediately," you promise.

Silence is waiting for you outside. You're having a thought, and you wave for her to walk with you while you work it out.

"Silence...the things the /Pallbearer/ has stolen. Where are they?"

"Aboard," Silence tells you. "It's the Hoard."

"Oh, /good/."

* * * *

The Caretaker rubs his bony chin. "Altering the runes should be simplicity in itself. I'll need a blacksmith -"

"Oh no," you drawl, dryly, "wherever shall we find one?"

You earn a cuff upside the head for your trouble. "Make for the surface, girl. I will attend upon the changes. Though...what you say of the /Dirge/ being 'unleashed' concerns me. I will examine the spell and confer with you when you return."

"Point," you agree. "Very good point."

* * * *

"What's in the box, Bri?" Amy asks. Your lovers - as well as Fetch, your sister, her demon, and a pair of /extremely/ unhappy vampires in winter gear - are coming with you to Glen. Nate and Amy are there to support you. River, it seems, has her own business.

"Fail-safe for my ressurrection," you tell her. "Or, well, it will be once I talk to Henrietta."

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>>46901960
Glen is /bustling/. The presence of the Duchess has, it seems, become commonly accepted - not least because various personages now have to come here to do business with her. One wealthy merchant, more cunning than his peers, has set up a new branch of his trade offices in Glen.

Note to self: that guy's going to be helpful.

Henrietta greets you warmly when you enter the inn and shakes your hand with enthusiasm. Joseph, her guard captain, and the cook - still exuding faint feelings of death - are with her.

"It's good to see you," Henrietta tells you. "Please, sit. I have coffee coming, and a meal."

"You know how to treat adventurers," you return, wryly. Darshan - and the vampires - remain standing while the rest of you sit.

"Now...what brings you here?"

"The list is pretty long," you admit.

> Bring up the fail-safe first
> Let River attend to her business first
> Catch her up on Dungeon events first
> Propose the dig project first

>>46902021
>Catch her up on Dungeon events first
A bit of backbone for our requests.

>>46902021
>> Catch her up on Dungeon events first

>>46902021
>Catch her up on Dungeon events first

>>46902021
> Catch her up on Dungeon events first

>>46902021
>> Bring up the fail-safe first

In case we don't get chance later. Don't want to lose anything important.

Thread archived, incidentally.

>>46901564

So...a couple of followup questions on this.

1) If a whole bunch of harpies leave the Dungeon, permanently, as a result of our efforts here, and Brianna dies and is re-created, what is most likely to happen to them? They can't be moved back into the Dungeon, correct? Will they forget why they were able to come out?

2) If we were to take something important-but-evil (can't think of anything that fits that bill offhand, but we might come across something) that we can't or shouldn't personally destroy, but want to get rid of somehow, out of the Dungeon, and Brianna dies, I presume it would /not/ dematerialize or otherwise cease to be a problem?

3) If we were to bring the Duchess into the Dungeon and have her briefed on our exploits by people who were not Brianna, but knew about what she had done, would that be sufficient to prevent her forgetting about us?

>>46902611
> 1) If a whole bunch of harpies leave the Dungeon, permanently, as a result of our efforts here, and Brianna dies and is re-created, what is most likely to happen to them? They can't be moved back into the Dungeon, correct? Will they forget why they were able to come out?

They would still have left the Dungeon. They may remember everything - after all, this powerful event in their life was heavily associated with Bri and roots deeply back into the Dungeon - or they may remember someone else related, such as Amy or Diving Shadow, as having the credit.

> 2) If we were to take something important-but-evil (can't think of anything that fits that bill offhand, but we might come across something) that we can't or shouldn't personally destroy, but want to get rid of somehow, out of the Dungeon, and Brianna dies, I presume it would /not/ dematerialize or otherwise cease to be a problem?

Things that leave the Dungeon stay out of it. This was mentioned in the context of the crown jewels.

> 3) If we were to bring the Duchess into the Dungeon and have her briefed on our exploits by people who were not Brianna, but knew about what she had done, would that be sufficient to prevent her forgetting about us?

Not necessarily. A briefing isn't precisely a potent event in and of itself.

>>46902611
Why the hell are you asking such anal questions?

>>46902021
>> Catch her up on Dungeon events first

Called, writing.

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>>46902021
Meats are laid out on the table, along with coffee and rose hip tea. It seems to be catching on in Glen - probably the goblins bringing the stuff up all the time.

"Alright Ettie," you tell her. "I should catch you up on what's going on down there. When you visited before we talked a lot about necromancy and not a lot about the Dungeon. But I need you in the loop."

"She was out of it?" the cook asks, pointedly.

"Like you would not believe," you tell him. "F'rinstance, the meeting's at night because -"

"Those two are vampires," the cook interrupts. "I'm not stupid."

"Now who's running off at the mouth?" Ettie teases, fondly.

"Sorry, your Grace."

"Look," you murmur. "I need you to remain calm, and to not freak out. Questions are fine, but this story is going to take some telling, even the fast way."

"I understand," Henrietta agrees.

So you start from the top. Your exile, and your death at the hands of the crocodile. You tell her about Lora, about coming back, and about meeting Nathan. You have to stop in a few places, to rest your voice or because the memories are hard to express, and your companions pick up for you during those times.

River ends up telling the story of what happened in New Hell; Nathan can't bring himself to do it.

The inn has emptied except for your group, the innkeeper, and the one barmaid still insisting on being on-duty. Henrietta, Joseph, and the cook are quiet.

"This all sounds a little far-fetched," Joseph admits, at last.

"I know," you agree. "And I'm not comfortable attempting the only hard proof I have that doesn't involve you going deep into the Dungeon, which you can't for practical reasons."

"Look me in the eye, girl," the cook tells you, his voice low. You meet his gaze, and it's surprisingly difficult to hold it. It has that quality Nathan's does, of /total attention/ - but the cook's is less kind, and much more wary.

"I believe her," he says at last.

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>>46904605
"Alright," Ettie murmurs. "You believe the world is in danger. How can I help?"

"Honestly? Your interest in Glen and the Dungeon is helpful already. It...it's been these separate fiefdoms for too long. No one rules the Dungeon, and I don't think anyone /can/, but we're looking to connect it more, to make the people in it recognize that they depend on one another."

"I'm still waiting to hear what the vampires are here for," Joseph drawls.

> Fuck it. River, the floor is yours
> Bring up your plans for the Roost
> Bring up the box

>>46904683
>> Bring up your plans for the Roost

>>46904683
>Bring up your plans for the Roost
All in due time.

>>46903017

Writer/programmer.

So I'm interested both in the worldbuilding, and how the mechanics of a particular system work.

>>46903017
Autism.

>>46904683
>> Bring up the box

>>46904683
> Bring up the box

> The vampires are here because everyone has to be somewhere. Here I can at least keep an eye on them.

>>46904798
You won't find much satisfaction here, friend; I try to keep things more narrative for a reason.

Vote will be extended, been invited to a game.

>>46904683
>> Bring up your plans for the Roost

>>46904683
>> Fuck it. River, the floor is yours

>>46904683
> Bring up your plans for the Roost

>>46904683
> Bring up the box
I've forgotten what the box is, which makes it a MYSTERY BOX.

Called, writing. Likely my last pre-work update.

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>>46904683
"You can wait a little longer," you tell Joseph. "Your Grace, there are harpies in the Roost who, understandably, would like to live literally anywhere else. Life on the surface may be difficult for them. Adjusting to new cultures, to new ideas -"

"To the idea of day and night," Amy adds.

"That too," you agree. "Not to mention the understandable prejudices that folks tend to have about harpies. I believe both sides have something to gain from the other. I feel that you could educate, and find employment for, these harpies."

"...The messenger service could use revamping," Joseph muses.

"I'd bet they could make a pretty penny enabling faster-than-horseback trade negotiations too," Ettie says with a grin. "How much education are we talking, Bri?"

"They have no cultural taboo against cannibalism or eating their fellow sapients, and tend to solve their arguments while fistfighting," you tell her. "They also see your duchy as a kind of extremely large gang."

"Ah. Got it. I'm betting there's something they'd want...?"

You suck a breath in between your teeth. "What would you think of trade with the Dungeon?"

"Sounds wonderful," Ettie tells you, cautiously.

"Are you willing to fund a dig project to open the Roost to the surface?"

"Hold up," the cook interrupts, not upset but definitely firm. "You want us to open a direct passage to this place you've been telling us about, which is full of murderous, flesh-eating, hypnotic fliers?"

Amy looks down at her plate and chirps forlornly.

> Damn straight I do.
> Look - someone here has to start the cycle of trust. They're as scared of you as you are of them.
> You and the Roost have common enemies. They'll support you.
> Well...now that you put it /that/ way...
> Write-in?

>>46907188
>> Damn straight I do.
>> Look - someone here has to start the cycle of trust. They're as scared of you as you are of them.

>>46907188
> Damn straight I do.
Who is this cook anyway ? Soooooo mysterious.

>>46907188
>They only really kill so much because there is little else to do end even less to eat.

>>46907489
You had the option to ask about him before and declined. You'll have that option again before this scene is out.

>>46907188
>> Damn straight I do.

>>46901960
>"Fail-safe for my ressurrection," you tell her. "Or, well, it will be once I talk to Henrietta."
speaking of which, shouldn't we add that seal from Henrietta to the char sheet, political meaning and all?

>>46907890
I'll hit that after I get home. Good call.

Votes remain open. I'll be returning just after midnight EST.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

I'm likely going to draw the interlude to a close soon unless folks vote to extend it at that time. Now's a good time to think of which floor you're looking to hit.

>>46908423
We should seriously consider whether we're going to accept Henrietta's proposal for a Not!Hogwarts. We've got plenty of people with experience in magic who could serve as teachers or presenters (I'm totally voting for the Caretaker as the dark arts professor).

And even though we used the mantis chitin to make Brianna cool necro armor, we should still get barding for the pig and Sir Fetch.

>>46908942
>Not!Hogwarts

Sign me up for it now

>>46907188
>"They also see your duchy as a kind of extremely large gang."
I mean, this is not exactly an inaccurate description of medieval governments. Especially for values of "gang" towards the "mafia" end of the spectrum.

But okay, actual vote:
> Damn straight I do.
You outnumber them how many to one? They're not great people at the moment, but they're not stupid enough to pick a fight against an enemy larger than their entire society.

Four hours and change to call. Discussion and questions still welcome.

Bump.

>>46908423
Any ideas to the floor order? I'm thinking take out the Seer, because doing that will let us kill the Daughter before she interferes again, plus get into the Debtor's good books.

Roughly three hours to call. Board is moving fast tonight.

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>>46907188
>Look - someone here has to start the cycle of trust. They're as scared of you as you are of them.
>>46907489
Pic related

>>46907188
>> Damn straight I do.
> Look, they're not suicidally stupid. Yeah, when we open up the Roost, a handful will probably come out who will be criminals. But it will also open up an entire society to a world that can show them there's a better way than killing everything that doesn't submit to you to survive. They /want/ to change—or at least to see what it might be possible to change into.

>>46912156
Oh my god I'd forgotten that .gif.

>>46912156
This seems like porn.

>>46913453
>cum dripping from the girl
Nah, can't be.

Little over an hour and change to call.

Schedule's looking similar for the next couple of days, so you're warned. Will likely be experiencing vote extensions due to the sudden resurgence of a social life.

Also! There will be an extended hiatus, mid July to mid August or so, while my oldest son is here for his yearly visit. I'll get you exact dates as we get closer. I'd offer my apologies but in this particular case I'm not even a little sorry.

The rest of the foreseeable year should be normal.

>>46907188
>> Damn straight I do.

So guys, I think we should end the Diviner next. Jack is right. She should choke on some justice.

>>46914208
I agree. I was initially worried about the food issue, but with a trade agreement from the surface and the ceiling expansion I feel better letting that sit. We can get two at once and deal with the Pallbearer since that is more time sensitive than Lush our the Debtor.

>>46907188
> Look - someone here has to start the cycle of trust. They're as scared of you as you are of them.

>>46914457
The agreement won't necessarily solve the food immediately. People in Starfall need to eat too. Maybe they can be convinced to sell to the Roost but that's still got logistics issues. At some point soon, they need supplies - and the Jaw has none. Port Atrium might but do you want to ask them to bank on that?

>>46914583
How large are the respective levels?

If the Broken Jaw is as small as it's been sounding, we could sweep in and take out the Diviner, sympathetic-magic-head-explodey the Daughter, and then probably hit the Lush within a few days of that.

Maybe we should try asking Lora which of the remaining floor bosses are still redeemable sometime?

>>46907188
> Hey, want to bet I can find something equally horrifying in the history of the duchy?

> In like, ten minutes?

> They're just as sapient as you or I, and that means they can choose how to act. Whether that's eating people, or cows. So, yeah, while their culture is pretty horrible to us it's not like the individuals are.

Seriously Cookie, glass houses. Glass. Fucking. Houses.

>>46907188

> Damn straight I do.

> As a necromancer, I don't really feel in a position to judge other people unless I'm REALLY sure of my moral high ground.

> So yeah, they might be murderous tribes right now, but that doesn't mean that's ALL they can be.

Fun fact IRL: Every human race/culture has a history, at some point, of ritual cannibalism and human sacrifice.

>>46914980
We have Bridgette as an example of our good will to those that are genuine/haven't been rape machines. Also Natalia, although we took away her foresight so it's not like there isn't a cost.

>>46915205
Yep.

Votes called, writing. I forgot what spring storms in Michigan are like; if I suddenly vanish without saying goodnight, it's because the power's gone.

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>>46907188
You meet the cook's gaze steadily. "You're damn fuckin' straight I do," you announce, your voice low but firm.

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that follows. You decide to follow up while you've got their attention.

"Are you under the impression that they're stupid? Your duchy is bigger than their /entire society/. Your standing forces, for that matter, are likely bigger than their /entire society/, a society that is unused to thinking of itself as a whole instead of a prison for many fractured parts. A society that is in the midst of deciding what it wants to be. You think I can't dig up some awful shit about Starfall? I mean, it's not like you've been dropping innocent people into a miles-deep death trap for hundreds of NO WAIT YOU'VE DONE EXACTLY THAT FOR LONGER THAN THIS HAS BEEN STARFALL."

You started standing at some point. You're not sure when.

"I'm a necromancer. If I'm gonna judge people I need to be sure my moral high ground is awful high. And don't think I don't sense that reek of death on you, mister 'I'm the cook'. I dunno where you get off, but if you're /that/ afraid of them, I can take my companions and go. It's not like my company's better than theirs."

"No one's saying that," Henrietta says, before the cook can say anything further. "Please, I'm certain he didn't mean to give offense. There are...practicalities, that concern my advisors."

"...I know about practicalities," you grant, letting out a long breath.

You go to sit.

Your head is slammed, hard, against the table, with inhuman speed. Once-twice-thrice; you catch the sound of another head hitting the oak, the shout of the cook as he stands and goes for a knife you didn't know was there.

Distantly, your mind tells you that the vampires attacked. Then you black out.

Lora is waiting for you.

"Am I dead?" you ask, though the twinge in your talon wounds suggests that you're not.

>>46915652
Now things are getting interesting again.

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>>46915652
"Just knocked out," Lora confirms. "Brianna, I need you to listen now. I don't know how long this loophole is going to last."

You nod and give her your full attention.

|<[Void]>| the angel commands, firmly. A sphere forms between her palms; it is blacker than anything you have ever seen, blacker than the deepest night. Its creation is accompanied by the 'whump' of suddenly displaced air.

"What is that?" you ask, fascinated.

"Uncreated void," Lora explains. "A miniscule version of what this world once was. Of what still exists outside of its...region, let us say."

"There is more outside the world?" you ask.

"/Focus/," Lora insists. "Catch."

The angel gently tosses the ball of void to you. It feels odd in your palms; lighter than air, but still, somehow, /there/. It has a shell of some kind, smoother than glass.

"Understand that this is a demonstration. It is not a perfect model, but it is close enough for my purposes," Lora tells you. "Feel what happens when I create a model world within it." |<[Earth Fire Air Water Move Become]>|

Your ears start burning while Lora continues to speak; you catch snatches of meaning as she trills the divine language, and you can feel the sphere of void vibrate and ripple beneath your hands. Before your very eyes, a small, ocean-covered world forms in the void, orbiting a miniature sun. And down on the surface...

"Did you make /life/?" you ask, incredulously.

"No," Lora assures you. "They're dolls. If you look, you'll see they're not moving. I am not cruel."

"The void rippled," you murmur.

"Indeed," Lora agrees. "Watch the world now, when I create another one."

You wince as Lora begins to speak again, forming a new world just as she formed the first. The sphere of void ripples and vibrates once more.

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>>46915887
The miniature world, on the other hand, experiences chaos. The sun flares, rippling as if struck, distorting out of shape, and scorches the skies of the miniature planet. Its continents quake, and its coasts are ravaged by tidal waves. Sinkholes, absurdly wide, swallow entire model cities.

When everything settles, you can hardly see any of the little dolls. The skies are choked with dust and smoke, and all you behold is misery and woe.

The new world is as shiny and beautiful as you could ask for.

"You are the second person I have shown this to," Lora murmurs.

"What happened to the first one?" you ask, your heart pounding in your chest.

"He thought I was lying to him."

Your eyes snap open. Your head hurts, and you're lying on some kind of soft bed.

The cook sits in a chair on the other side of the room, with his feet up on a small end table. His eyes are on you.

"One of the vamps got away," he tells you. "We drove 'em off before they could finish the job on you and the elf. That demon with her dusted the girl. The male jumped down the Oubliette."

"Of course he did," you croak.

"Your lovers are fine. I made 'em leave the house for a bit. Wanted the chance to talk to you."

> I appreciate it, but not now.
> Okay. About?
> Listen...I'm sorry about earlier
> Write-in?

>>46915887
...so given that we didn't know about space ("There is more outside the world?") are we gonna have a little twitch at the fact that the world is round and orbits the sun?

>>46915958
Something to ask her about when next you get the chance, perhaps.

>>46915947
>> Listen...I'm sorry about earlier

>>46915947
>> Okay. About?
And maybe mix in being sorry for getting agitated and saying things that might not be supposed to be said in a whole range of company.

>>46915947
"He thought I was lying to him."

...well, fuck. Dick is trying to make a literal New World.

> Listen...I'm sorry about earlier

>>46915947
>> Okay, but first I have to apologize as the person who allowed them up here.
> About?

>>46915947
>> Listen...I'm sorry about earlier

We're menstruating

>>46915991
>Dick is trying to make a literal New World.

panic.jpg

>>46915947
>Okay. About?

>>46915947
> Okay. About?

>>46915947
>> Listen...I'm sorry about earlier

Alright, I need to hit bed. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46916470
So, that might be just my opinion... but you could fit a reasonably degree of votes into a much smaller time period. Just take the last one: A full hour between a post, and the message that you went to bed. If you'd cut down the vote time to half an hour, that could've been enough for a small update, no?

>>46916529
Nah that makes too much sense

>>46916529
There still wouldn't have been another update; the reason I'm leaving it open instead of updating now is because I'm too fuckin' wiped to focus. Most of that time frame was me trying to figure out if I had another update in me, the answer to which was 'no'.

Me replying to this now is because instead of going to bed I had to go deal with life shit because for some fuckin' reason, everyone in this goddamn house rises at 2 AM like Dracula from his goddamn coffin and needs shit.

I probably /should/ do shorter vote times when I'm more wakeful, but...mrr.

>>46916578
>I probably /should/ do shorter vote times when I'm more wakeful, but...mrr.

Even you admit it, we could probably get through more than 3 updates every six hours if you did that.

>>46914980
Isn't she taking her cues from us on that?

>>46916705
Still faster than Planefag.

>>46915958
The fact that the world is round is fairly easy to figure out even with bronze age technology. Really, all you need to do is notice that shadows are different at different latitudes. You can even get a decent idea of the size of the world with just some sticks and accurate pacing. In the real world, this sort of thing was widely known for thousands of years.

Now, figuring out that the world goes around the sun, that's more an issue of human biases. Retrograde motion is noticeable enough to give you the idea, and Aristarchus did come up with a decent heliocentric model for the solar system in the 3rd century BC (he also figured out that the sun was really huge and the background stars were a lot farther away than anyone else realized). There are also some vedic sanskrit texts from India indicating that they also figured out something similar.

Problem is, in real life the Christian world was too busy sucking Ptolemy's cock to give heliocentrism much thought until they finally developed telescopes, but that was as more intellectual laziness than it actually being difficult to discover. Remember, these are people who bought Aristotle's theory of gravity for more than a thousand years because no one thought to actually test it.

>>46913921
I'd forgotten you were divorced with kids. Shit sucks man, my condolences.

>>46914208
>Villainous wench! Prepare to face the wrath of my black cock!

>>46915947
> Listen...I'm sorry about earlier

> The Roost is. . . awful. As bad as it seems, having to be there and FEEL it, is just. We have to make it into something better, or else we're just as bad and dirty.

> Also, fucking Vamps. Fuck them. They want to fuck with a Necromancer, they're going to find out just how bad an idea that is for an undead. Also, consider it a gesture that I won't just abandon any messes that come from the Dungeon.

>>46915947
Is it safe to assume that they fell prey to their hunger? Starvation will make you desperate and stupid.

>>46915947
Supporting this; >>46917166

This is no different from dealing with the draug. We can be sympathetic with their plight and still put them in their graves where they belong. Though James is gonna get it for making Briana kiss the table. A fucking bottle of holy water to the face sounds appropriate.

>>46917166
seconding this.

>>46917166
Supporting this

>>46917166
Hmyeah, I'm in favour of this one as well. We're not sorry per se about what we said, because we meant it and still do. That situation demanded passion.

>>46917166
Seems a bit of a rant. As 2 business parties, i have doubts of this kind of "openness". Promise to do, whine later when you're having a drink with them.

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>>46917297
> FeelsGoodMan.jpg

Honestly, with how much I shitpost in this quest I'm shocked at how often my write-ins get selected.

>>46915143
>>46915205

This was also me just writing shit in. Is it samefagging if they're not really votes, and are written completely differently? I don't fucking know.

But I do it a LOT in this quest. Only for write-ins. Just sometimes I have more to say than what I put in one post.

>>46918201
I rarely get to participate in the quest because of my schedule (night shift is so much fun!), but I like to give me two cents and offer up some ideas of my own (unless someone else beat me to it).

This is also, like, the first time I've been able to comment on an active DLQ thread in about a week, so I might be a little excited to be back.

>>46918388
That's the thing about this quest, it never. stops. running.

So my night shift doesn't get in the way. Huzzah! Sadly, it also brings out my inner shitposter.

Never should have told us that the Rot spell was a bad idea.

>>46918442
That's actually the thing; none of the choices are /bad/. It's just depends on how we want to handle combat, and whether these skills can be used outside of battle. Those rot blasts? They could erode magical locks and traps that Amy can't pick or disarm.

Also, for example, the insta-minions. They'd be great for certain problems, like dealing with a minefield. Just send out a wave of animal skeletons (since that fits our theme so far) and boom! No more problem. But those same undead won't work on someone like the Daughter, who could just summon a literal tempest to scatter them.

It all in how they're used.

>>46918442
>>46918591
reminder that
>It all in how they're used.
is what Vox said was a bad idea.

It was a bad idea to shoot rot blasts at a guy tangling with Nate in melee.
It was perfectly viable to shoot rot blasts at all the other enemy combatants.
(Except for the ones tangling with Amy, for same reasons)

>>46918736
Yeah, but it should be the players job to determine whether or not something is "bad" and for Vox to say "Well, that's risky" but once he starts outright telling us things like "It will definitely hit Nate" then we already know the outcome of our choices.

It's like flipping ahead in the "Choose you Own Adventure" books to the end so you can pick the best path there.

You can tell people choices are risky, but might have a higher pay-off. But you can't tell your players which choices are "good" or "bad" because then nobody will ever pick the bad choices.

It's the problem with portraying risk realistically using narrative games. You have to be careful with your wording so as to not give away the actual results.

The last thing I want is for this quest devolve into a game of "Will this choice make your Paladin Fall!" type dilemmas.

I personally do like how taking the Vamps with us bit us on the ass though. They gave us no reason to trust them and were looking to GTFO ASAP and we just kind of ignored them.

It'll be a good lesson for River though about keeping an eye on monsters.

>>46918782
Exceept he did tell that it was risky to shoot in the melee, not 'definitely friendly fire'.

It rides again.

>>46918852
Except that he did say that it would definitely hit Nate, and that it would be a "bad" idea.

>>46918736
Oh, no, I understand that. Friendly fire and all.

But a /precisely/ aimed rot blast doesn't even have to be used on the person. Just rust their weapons away to nothing and leave them unarmed. At least, that's what I'm picturing. It might be different for other anons.

>>46918782
It was kinda foolish to let them leave the Dungeon, wasn't it? Why did we even let them passed the Basement? They could have stayed put in the Lichyard under careful watch at the La Croix compound, or with the Keepers of Arcadia. Just tell them that the two bloodsuckers can get us closer to one of the Moneychanger's allies (though that /is/ something that I wish I'd been able to voice last night, but real life and all).

I wonder if there is a way to bind a malevolent or predatory undead to a single location so they can't wander off and hurt someone? I know that's probably something that the La Croix hate, since it sounds like wizard necromancy, but still. Useful for babysitting vampires and draugr.

>>46919315
I take it as a punishment for not discussing the vampires with Cookie. Remember, Narrative games involve rewards and punishments for picking the right doors!

I guess we should have really talked to River about what she was doing instead of just assuming she knew.

I guess they just thought this was their best chance to escape, when there were two necromancers and the fucking duchess having negotiations about rehabilitating those that had a reputation of being monsters, since that's not the only choice they had.

Actually, now I'm really wondering what triggered that instead of them asking if they could get the same clemency as we're giving the harpies since they're sapient and able to live without killing (albeit with some prep).

>>46919315
>But a /precisely/ aimed rot blast
I think the issue here is that Bri simply isn't that good with rot.
Remember, early in the quest we elected to say that Bri had refused to learn direct killing spells in backstory, so it's a skill she's picked up only since we entered the dungeon. If the character is a relative novice with an attack and knows it, it doesn't seem unfair to outright say "Yeah, if you shoot into the melee you're going to hit Nate too". Bri's rot isn't like a bullet, it's more like a spray of "Fuck all the meat bits over there."

We'll need more practice before we can apply it with precision, never mind reaching Magic Mik tier shit like selectively rotting individual nerves or making someone drown in their own liquefied lungs.

>>46919403
It ruined all tension and confidence in the choice and removed player agency.

If there was a randomizing factor like dice rolls, you can say "okay, that's a bad idea but if you guys want to risk it then let's see if you can meet the DC".

If it's a narrative mechanic, then the QM just told you the consequences of the choice and turns it into a story not a game.

Disclaimer for all you faggots triggered by Die, I have nothing against narrative games but you have to be careful with your words since that's what creates the tension behind the player choice. Otherwise it's like trying to play with dice but not paying attention to which die you're rolling and instead of rolling a 1d100 you're now flipping a coin.

>>46919461
It wasn't in the choice offered, it was a write-in.
Dismissing dumb write-ins is bad now?

>>46919403
Yeah, I get that (apt metaphor, by the way). My previous point is that we had the option for Brianna to practice in Rot, and become proficient and accurate in its use. We didn't, so she can't. But that doesn't mean it's off the table completely, since we still have eight more Chain-Holder's to go.

Hell, if we opt to train in it before we hit the Diviner, we can use Rot in a sympathetic attack on the Daughter.

I'm just trying to communicate that we have options, and there'll be even more available as Brianna becomes a true Master of her craft.

I wonder if Brianna can project magic through Sir Fetch, as her familiar? It could merit some looking into.

>>46918201
...you realize I was disagreeing with your vote, right?

>>46918442
are you just baiting people so you can talk about something?

Fucking Christ, never relax around vampires. He needs to get dusted and soon.

What gets my gears is that Vox begs and pleads for feedback, has this whole time, but never seems to take any of it to heart. If it's stroking his massive, throbbing ego, everyone gets the warm fuzzies, and if it's not, he 'makes a note' and keeps doing shit the same.

>>46920339
I've seen changes.

Personally, that I am able to point them out at all already serves to my benefit.

Besides, he put up a char sheet, didn't he? Pretty damn fast, too.

>>46919472
> Can't go off the rails!

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize this story was already written and we were just playing fill in the blanks.

How about you go get yourself a big old glass of fuck yourself. That's right, pour yourself a tall, cold glass of go fuck yourself and have that with your morning breakfast of shit. I mean, I assume that's what you have for breakfast since you're so full of it.

Luckily it's Vox writing and not you, and we've had plenty of write ins be used.

But you can't refuse to let the players make mistakes. That ruins the whole point.

>>46920543
Honestly, I've only seen vox refuse a write in once or twice, and thats because they were a blatant troll option.

Hell he even let us use that one where we managed to rant in bird despite not speaking it.

>>46920564
what thread was that in, again? I want to re-read that scene.

>>46920382
Yeah, that negates a whole lot of problems with write ins not knowing what we can actually do.

>>46915947
que, the hell happened with the vampmires?

I mean. This seems really really weird. Why did they attack NOW instead of waiting for when we or the duchess was vulnerable?

>>46915947
>Listen...I'm sorry about earlier

>>46921587
They probably didn't want their fate to be decided by a pair of Necromancer and tried to off Bri and River before anyone could retaliate and escape into the night.

What I'm curious about is why he jumped back down into the Dungeon.

>>46920339
Say that, my friend?

Awake. Nice discussion I'm seeing, always good to see theorizing.

Morning to you too, Shitposting Writein Anon.

Will call and write soon. Need to handle morning stuff.

>>46921797
Say what*

Fucking phone.

>>46921720
There could have been better times to do that though, especially when the two necromancers and the woundseeker and the harpy with giant metal wings and the duchess personal body guard weren't also present

>>46921819
my feeling is that something compelled them, magically maybe. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a chain holder ploy

>>46921950

Well, now, that raises another interesting question, doesn't it?

To what extent does the power of the chainholders—and of the chains themselves—operate outside the Dungeon?

>>46922170
It doesn't, if lora does anything outside of the dungeon the gods would notice, and they'd need to rise through deep hostile territory to do that anyway.

>>46922170
The chains? Not really. The ones who use them? They're still people, with all the benefits and vulnerabilities that entails.

Called, tallying, writing.

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>>46915947
You sit up more fully and shake your head. It hurts, but not as bad as it could considering what attacked you. At a guess, they didn't administer any potions. You sniff, detect the telltale scent of medicinal teas, and look at your bedside table where - sure enough - there's a cup waiting for you.

You take a sip, while the cook waits patiently.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier," you tell him, after drinking about half the cup. "The Roost is.../was/...an awful place. It gets in your head, on your soul, like grease. As bad as it seems just talking about it, it was so much worse to be there, to feel it, to watch the confusion and fury in their eyes. We have to make it something better. I...I can't just let that stand."

You take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I dunno what those vampires were thinking, but the survivor has burned through my deep well of tolerance entirely. I'll clean up that mess."

"I was going to ask you about that, actually," the cook admits. "I got a good look at their faces just before they attacked."

"Yeah?" you ask; he has your attention.

"They were afraid," he tells you, softly. "More afraid than I've seen almost anyone. One second they were fine, maybe a little nervous. And then it's like the sun was rising in the windows, or someone threatened them with blessed flame. They lunged for you and River and tried to run. No plan, no...malice. The two people they hurt on the way out were just...in their way. Neither are dead, incidentally. What could make them behave like that?"

"A..." you pause. "A necromancer with a sympathetic connection could trigger their fear response. Make them see sunlight where there is none."

"You know anyone like that?"

"I suspect that I do," you growl. You finish your tea and cradle your aching head. "I feel like shit. I haven't even asked your name."

"Cook," the cook offers, helpfully.

"...Not funny right now."

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>>46923165
"No. Brianna, my name is Travis C-o-o-k-e. Travis Cook. I usually go by my surname." He pauses, to let that sink in.

"...You're fuckin' serious?"

"Completely," Cooke tells you. "I always got on well with the old Duke. I was very grateful to him, and he took a...personal interest...in my career, and my well-being. I was treated in a lot of ways like a favored nephew. He asked me, when my thirteenth birthday was coming up, what I might like from him, and I thought I was clever, so I asked him to give me something only he could give me. So he gave me a surname."

You laugh. "That's /adorable/."

Cooke grins. "Isn't it?"

> Ask more about him
> "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?"
> Bring up another topic (what?)

>>46923215
>> Ask more about him
> "So...are you as good an actual cook as you are at...the other stuff you do, that I can feel hanging all over you?"

>>46923215
> "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?"

>>46923215
>> "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?"
Also, cautiosly probe for the whole death thing. If he doesn't seem offended by the direction.

>>46923215
>Ask more about him
>May we ask about the lingering death surrounding him?
Which Necromancer are we thinking of? not the caretaker, right?

>>46923492
I'd assume that whoever set up the connection between pallbearer and glyphs would be hig on the list of suspects.

>>46923165
>necromancer with a sympathetic connection
who's that?

>was it just the vampires or do you have something that yo uwant to talk about?

>>46923492
The Diviner's been mentioned to have a sympathetic focus, and she's apparently 'present-omniscient' to some degree, so she could've seen the vampires near us and poked them.

>>46923567
Yeah, my guess is the Diviner, presumably assisted by some random necromancer.

>>46923215
> "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?"

>>46923215
> "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?"

>>46923215
>> "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?"

Called, writing.

>>46923535
>who's hanging around the jaw, the place the vamps are from
>who has orchestrated mass death and undeath in this place
>who's sitting on a symphathetic connection amplifier


>>46923215
> "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?"

What I love is that the two desperate vampires who essentially got brainwashed to immediately attack regardless of their situation pulled off a more successful ambush than Hunting "Betray My Former Fiancee" Talon.

>>46921797
I missed you too!

I think you're doing pretty damn good overall and appreciate how receptive to criticism you are. I just REALLY love to shit post and watch people get butt blasted over a thing that happened days ago. Your fans really love you Vox. And that makes them such an easy target. CRESCENDO.

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>>46923215
You stretch. "What did you need to talk to me about? Or was it just the vampire thing?" you ask.

Cooke takes a deep breath, as if to start talking, and then lets it out. He's searching for the words to say, and you let him.

"If I told you that Ettie didn't exactly get along with her father, would you be surprised?" he says at last.

"Considering that the first thing she did was go chasing after something she thought was unjust and fix it? Yeah, I believe it," you agree.

"Ettie and the old Duke, they loved each other very much, but they didn't agree on a lot of things. Or anything," Cooke corrects. "Very big on tradition, the old Duke. Very big-picture. Starfall ain't a bad place to live. Folks have food to eat, monsters don't maraud through our towns, trade is nice. Are we drowning in gold and wenches? No. But we do well, and we've done well for awhile, and the way he figured it is that changing things would just fuck with that."

"...I don't really have a horse to ride on here," you admit. "My family's traditions sometimes date back to the days when we got nailed to trees."

"Sure," Cooke agrees, mildly. "Ettie, though, she didn't think things staying the same was good enough. She figures we can do better, that we /ought/ to do better. Her dad made a pretty key mistake in raising the girl, much to his lifelong frustration."

"Yeah?" you ask.

"He told her a ruler's duty is to make protect, promote, and succor their subjects. And she went and believed him, even after he started in with the, 'but it's complicated'."

"Ooof," you wince.

"It's a bit like that, yeah."

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>>46924242
Your head's starting to feel a bit better, thank the gods. "Where is this going?" you ask. "Not that I'm trying to rush you, I'm just...this seems like it doesn't involve me."

Cooke laughs. "Hell, girl, are you serious? Ettie stopped using her father as a role model for rulership ages ago. What do you think she's in the market for, a fuckin' puppy?"

"You - wait, what?"

"Brianna, she's a smart, educated girl," Cooke tells you. "She learns by observation and inference. And what she's decided to learn from is here, in Glen. This little village, sleeping the world away atop the world's garbage bin, and /you/. You impressed her, quite a bit, when she met you down in Lakehallow. Your family impressed her more when she went digging through the books. And now you come up, fire in your eyes, and tell her about establishing justice, and second chances, and reaching the hand of peace out to the poor and downtrod, and how do you think she's gonna take it?"

You blink. "I have the ear of a /duchess/?"

"Yeah," Cooke says flatly. "So where this is going, really, is me askin' what you plan to do with it."

> What do you say?

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And the vertical cutout appears.

>>46924348
>> What do you say?
The ruler of this country is using me for inspiration.

Death loves me.

The gods think I'm super cool.

Man, I'm a giant mary sue.

See ya later, Cook.

>>46924348
> We go with our original plan and see how it goes honestly, seeing we are not going to be deeply involved in the day to day policies before we are done with the dungeon.
> We will leave it largely up to Ettie and you and act as an advisory role for now while we are clearing the Dungeon.

>>46924456
> The gods think I'm super cool.

Not the first time this has come up but I'm still not quite getting where folks got the impression from the Lady's talk.

>>46924348
> *Deep sigh.*
> "Well, I think the first place I want to take it is to show her what's in my box."
> "The second place is to tell her that I think the world's actually in jeopardy from what's being plotted here."

>>46924428
Cool dungeon Bro

>>46924428
what does it say bellow the sunless sea level?

>>46924348
>"I don't even know what I want to do /after/ everything has been done and dealt with in the Dungeon, I guess I'll try to not be a bad influence?"
>This is our life now.

>>46924611
"Ship chain bearer?"

Currently having a bad case of Comcast. Bear with me.

>>46924348
>Normally this is where I'd say 'I am not a good role model, I smoke too much and do stupidly dangerous things far too often, and I'm a necromancer' and yadda yadda
>But...lately. I have been trying to be...someone who others can look up to. I have to be, I've got a kid sister and two adopted daughters now.
>I have to be better then what I think I am, I have to be, not just for myself but for everyone who depends on me right now.
>if the duchess thinks that I'm someone to emulate. Hell, maybe that's just...a sign I'm doing something right? I mean, she does seem like she has a sensible head on her shoulders, even if she is on the young side. I don't think she'd be looking to me for an example if I wasn't doing something right

Victory is mine. Called, writing.

Now, question: would anon like some insight as to why this was a 'wat say' rather than a list of options and/or the rationale behind the somewhat similar-in-concept votes that've been happening lately?

>>46925379
sure, why not

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>>46924348
"To be honest?" you tell him. "The first thing I'm gonna do is talk to her about my box."

"The one with your ring and the blank paper in?" Cooke asks. "Your lovers cracked it open, just in case."

"Yeah," you tell him. "The short version is I want insurance about my exile if I die and come back. Figured I'd ask Henrietta to write a letter to herself explaining the situation."

"That's...a little odd. But it makes sense. Your little chicken and his...servants...are with her, if you care to have him explain."

<Fetch? Please tell Henrietta about the box.>

<Yes, my Queen.>

"My question still needs answering," Cooke says softly.

"...Look, normally this would be the bit where I protest," you tell him. "Where I say that I'm not a good role model. That I do stupid shit, that I know awful things, that she oughta shy away. But...I dunno." You look away. "Lately I've been trying to change that line of thought. Amy and Nate have been big parts of that. Got a wakeup call in Raven Shrine too. And...I dunno. Maybe I /should/ be trying to be someone people can look up to. I've got a sister looking to me for guidance. I've got an adopted daughter and /her/ adopted sister - "

"Say what?" Cooke asks.

"It's complicated. One's a ghost. Anyway, look. Henriette doesn't strike me as dumb. Young, sure, but I say that like I'm /so much older/. So if she thinks there's something here worth emulating, fuck, maybe there is." You flick your eyes up. "I've got a job to do. I'll figure out about politics once it's done. I think...I think there might not be a lot to argue about if I don't fix this."

"Alright," Cooke murmurs. "That's about what I wanted to hear, if we're being honest. There's one last small hitch, regarding your dig project. Money's gotta come from somewhere. If we could persuade you to speak to some of the, ah, well-off folks, the nobility...Ettie's got a way with people. She could get the crown to back it."

>>46926445
You blanch. "I don't have that kind of /time/."

"Holes don't dig themselves. Workers don't magically feed themselves either."

You swear, under your breath.

> Fine, I'll make time - /after/ I get the Roost supplied
> Offer to help fund it out of what you can pillage from the Warehouse
> Offer to help fund it from the /Pallbearer/'s Hoard
> What are the odds that we can get all of those people to come /here/ while I'm handling shit?
> Write-in?

>>46926480
>> What are the odds that we can get all of those people to come /here/ while I'm handling shit?

We /really/ don't have time to be going off and operating on the timescales of nobles. They have much too much of a tendency to spend a month deciding what hat they want to wear. When it comes to decisions about big-money projects like this, they're likely to take even longer.

With Henrietta already beginning to set up a serious presence here, it's not likely to take long before some of the other nobility start to follow in her train /anyway/. Some will be seeking to curry favour, others will be genuinely curious why she's hanging out in such a dump, and a very few might recognize what she's up to and realize that she's doing something that might be important.

We /definitely/ want to be talking to that last type, if we can find any.

>>46926445
>Fine, I'll make time - /after/ I get the Roost supplied.

>>46926480
>> What are the odds that we can get all of those people to come /here/ while I'm handling shit?

>>46926480
> What are the odds that we can get all of those people to come /here/ while I'm handling shit?

Maybe they'd like a guided tour of the safer parts of the dungeon while they're at it? The mines never ending ore supply could pique interest

Frame it like, the Duchess is going in and calls on her bannermen to protect her while in technically hostile territory

>>46926480
>> What are the odds that we can get all of those people to come /here/ while I'm handling shit?

>>46926661
One thing to recall as well is that Starfall is /technically/ part of a kingdom. Technically. It's always been a bit standoffish and independant, since threatening them with force tends to get met with "Lol good luck storming the Dungeon to come get us bitch," but Henrietta ain't the biggest fish in this chain of authority even with that in mind.

>>46926480
>Send Fetch to speak on our behalf.
Can he travel that far from us?

>>46924428
I'd been thinking that the Broken Jaw was directly beneath the Cornucopia. Good to have a proper reference now. I suppose that'll mean we want to hit the Diviner and the Lush in succession.

>>46926827
About the same distance as he was in New Hell. Any farther and there would be difficulty establishing contact.

>>46926827
What >>46926958 said. However, he /exists/, with personality, just fine beyond that distance. The trouble would be if you trust him to represent your interests without your advice, and if you're really willing to put a dead chicken in a helmet as your ambassador.

> Start writing
> Realize I didn't actually call the vote

VOTES CALLED BY THE WAY

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>>46926480
You find your hat and put it on. "What are the odds we can get some or all of those people to come /here/?" you ask.

"...Potential," Cooke asks. "We might have to trick them a little, but there's ways. Throw a ball, for example, or...well, a few ways, really."

"I'm on a bit of a timer," you tell him. "But I want to be involved. Can you...fuck, I don't know how to time this properly..."

"Might be able to help with that. The succubus that blacksmith is disturbing the town with asked us to give you this." Cooke tosses you a little silver bell, which jingles sweetly in your hand. "There's four more. One will stay up here, with Henrietta. That's the second. Dispose of the other two as you will. You can warn us when it's time to start gathering people."

"...I owe you for this one, don't I?" you ask, glumly.

"Oh gods, yes," Cooke agrees. "But don't worry, it won't be anything too big. We'll stick you when the world's not at stake."

You snort back a laugh. "How polite."

> Who do you give the other bells to?

* * * *

"As we feared," the Caretaker tells you, in the Roost, "the second ship is being fed. It will require something else in the absence of this death."

"What?" you ask.

"I have no idea," the lich admits. "It's possible that they patterened its enchantments off of the /Pallbearer/. It's possible that it's fueled by something else entirely."

> Cut off the /Lonesome Dirge/
> Leave it be

* * * *

> Assail the Cornucopia (The Giant's Drink)
> Storm the Warehouse (Devil's Due)
> Attack the Broken Jaw (See No Evil)
> Bide your time another two weeks

>>46927226
Four of them*, not four more. Jesus, I need more coffee.

>>46926994
No one can resist our cock.

>>46927226
>> Who do you give the other bells to?
The mayor of that town in the first level, and Silence
> Cut off the /Lonesome Dirge/
> Attack the Broken Jaw (See No Evil)

>>46927226
>Give a bell to Nate/Amy
>Give a bell to Victoria

>Leave it be

>Attack the broken Jaw

>>46927226
> Leave it be
> Storm the Warehouse (Devil's Due)
We need to get food and supplies sooner rather than later, and the warehouse is less defended than the Cornucopia.

Welp. This didn't vote as fast as I thought it would, probably because I dropped it right as folks started driving home from work. Votes remain open, I guess. I'll be back just after midnight EST.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46928009
Also a complicated vote.
>Give bells to Henrietta and River
>Cut off the /Lonesome Dirge/
>Assail the Cornucopia

>>46928189
Sorry, meant Razor Feathers instead of Henrietta. Freaking work voting is rough

>>46927226
>One to Victoria, the other to Jewel/Cherry.
We need to keep in contact with Bridgette (and by extension, Natalia, since she's still cooped up in the Atheneum), and having an available means of communication with the kids is important.

Silence is (or at least, I assume) still nearby assisting with renovation and spider-squashing in the Roost. And it's not like she doesn't talk with Lark and some forge contacts in New Hell.

>Cut off the /Lonesome Dirge/.
I actually have to ask whether this will have the same consequences as cutting off the Pallbearer. After all, the ghost ship is /alive/, in a sense, and will seek out conflict to feed. The Lonesome Dirge might just be a slightly scary but normal ship with some enchanted protection.

>Attack the Broken Jaw (See No Evil)
I'm kinda torn. On one hand, we can gut the bastard who raped and tormented Lora for his own sick amusement, and provide food for the people of the Dungeon. On the other hand, we can avenge the murder of an entire level, and strike a savage blow against the Daughter and maybe even get a clue about Hatchet Man's heart's desire.

>>46927226
i want one bell to go to the representative of the roost, not sure with the other bell, save it.

Leave the lonesome dirge alone atm, until we know more. Whats the worst that could happen!

attack the cornucopia!

>>46928578
Remember, fair anon.
>The little arrow is for greentexting your votes.
Captain Obvious to the rescuuee!

Aight, five and a half hours to call. Here's hoping things go well but if the thread drops I'll get a new one up when I can.

>>46927226
>> Cut off the /Lonesome Dirge/

Time for Stirring Shit Up.

>> Attack the Broken Jaw (See No Evil)

Isolate the other two levels as best as possible.

> Give a bell to the mayor of Lakehallow
> Give a bell to Jewel/Cherry

>Don't cut off the lonesome dirge

Destroying the rune will just create a giant super predator that will start killing innocent people

>Attack the broken jaw

>>46928569
The caretaker says it will need to find an external source for the energy it's feeding on, so yeah it will probably be the same consequences

>>46927226
>Give a bell to the Mayor of the Basement
>Give a bell to that smokes guy

>Leave it be

>Attack the Broken Jaw

>>46927226
>Silence
>Mayor from the basement
>Minotauros couple
And finaly to the leader in the roost.

Let us create our on dungeon bosses.

**********

> Leave it be

* * * *

> Attack the Broken Jaw (See No Evil)

>>46927226
> Give a bell to Silence
> Give a bell to the Caretaker

> Leave the /Lonesome Dirge/ be

> Attack the Broken Jaw (See No Evil)

Three hours and change to call.

>>46929468
Remember, you've only got two to give out just yet. More will be made in time.

Bump!

Two hours and change to call.

>>46927226
>> Who do you give the other bells to?
>Minotaurs
>Jewel

> Assail the Cornucopia (The Giant's Drink)
need food

So long, witchbats.

>>46927226
>Leave it be
forgot about that