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>>48742404
"You don't get a fucking thing, do you?" you ask, letting the rage color your voice. "I've never done anything to the innocent, and I never will. And that's what these geargrinders are, aren't they? Innocent souls, waiting for the chance to be born, who've never done anyone else any wrong. But you know what, I can almost get it. I'm angry. You know I'm angry. I can almost, /almost/, see the fucking logic in assuming I'd stoop to your level."

"Lady -" Oak begins, but he silences himself when you make a harsh gesture.

"I wasn't done," you tell him, coldly. "I don't like that you're manipulating me. I don't like that it's working, either, but congratulations Oak, it is. You've got a deal, you ticking little shit. Get your unborn away from the field of battle. They'll be cared for."

"Where should we put them?" Oak asks, quietly, sensing that now is not the time for cunning.

"The Broken Jaw, in Cannot Hold. I'll ask...someone...to watch them. Natalia, maybe."

"The Traitor -"

"IS NO MORE!" you roar. "TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT!"

"...This is acceptable," Oak agrees, at last.

"You and your father have no idea what my name means these days, do you?" It's not exactly a question. You sigh, fury making your voice ragged, and shake off the hands on your shoulders. "How did you get here?"

"I took a book into the Athenaeum. I was met there by the Poet and the Caretaker, who questioned my purpose extensively, and passed me along my way. They believed that you would wish to hear me out."

Well. He's not wrong.

"Getting back will not be as swift, but I have transportation across the Sunless Sea, and the Wyrm will bear me across the Mire to deliver your message," Oak adds.

> Let him go
> Kill him and have Lora deliver his corpse and your terms to the Librarian

>>48742600
>> Let him go

>>48742600
>Let him go

>>48742600
> Let him go
He's just another cog in the war machine, not important enough to kill ahead of time.

>>48742600
How will we get our info?

Also

>Let him go

>>48742600
>> Let him go

... He's said his piece, and someone needs to get the news back.

>>48742682
The plan is to have us stop Dick obviously. I've been thinking about this for a long time but why was that fucking torturer and the moneylender on the top 2 floors, closest to the surface where people would DEFINITELY notice their atrocities? Why not put Jack, or the Baron or perhaps this Librarian guy up there to minimize suspicion?

We, or whoever Lora would pick as her champion, is an important part of the plan. Honestly I'm not sure that we've actually hindered Dick in any way yet.

>>48742726
Presuming good faith on the Librarian's end, it'd make the most sense to have it transported along with the unborn geargrinders, especially if there's material evidence involved.

>>48742776
We haven't.

Every single effort is to delay Brianna from reaching Dick. There is no question about that - Dick himself mentions it. That's why they can afford to be so careless and use up all their resources - if Dick finishes, they win by default. Time is a precious commodity - all they have to do is delay us.

Even this is a delaying tactic.

>>48742600
>Let him go.

We need a moment. Hell, we need Lora. We've just been thoroughly violated in a number of ways. At least she'd get a break.

>>48742869
Are you really certain now is the time to ask Lora of all folks for emotional support? You do have friends, lovers, and a sister on hand.

>>48742776

Let me put this another way. What's the point in planning to make someone to come kill you, if you don't want to die?

From the phrasing, it was like the Chainholders were responsible for the dam. Which... they probably aren't excepting peripherally in ways they probably didn't anticipate.

Dick benefits from a big ass safety net. It lets him not worry about defenses and instead focus on his research. Knocking down his people, straining the availability of resources to the lower levels, and making him have to waste time with peacekeeping among the holders and planning defenses isn't a gain for him.

We might not have hindered Dick directly yet, but I don't doubt we're worrying him.

He knows we're a quasi-immortal necromancer, and that while he can slow us down, he can't stop us. Not really at this point.

The bigger question right now, is why he hasn't stepped in directly yet and either threatened or warned us off.

>>48742848

Also, what this anon said.

Dick's been at this for years, and is probably nearing completion. Narratively, I'm assuming that means that basically means don't worry about it unless we get stuck in a slog somewhere because Vox is a pretty cool GM and wouldn't inflict an invisible timer on us.

... Also, the Wyrm's giving Oak a ride across the Mire. This simultaneously makes me wonder just how much of a clusterfuck the Mire is and why a Wyrm's letting a geargrinder ride him around.

>>48742988
Emotional support? No.

Commiserating the absolute misery of having been chumped by the most evil monsters we both know? Yeah.

>>48742998
Yeah, I understand what you're saying, I know they're winning by delaying us. I just can't stop finding it odd that two of the absolute worst shits and the most incompetent allies were at the top levels. Like you said, Dick has been doing this for decades and he managed to convince Death herself to be chained to him, convinced a dragon, a giant and a half-angel with godlike powers to join him.
It's asinine to think that during all this time he couldn't have found better allies than those two. You see where I'm coming from right? For a genius like him to do something this stupid it must have been on purpose, but why? From my vantage point it looks like he needed something to spark a conflict, as if the final steps of his plan relies on having an enemy to fight against him.

Do you think I'm putting too much thought into this? Maybe I'm giving him too much credit. The other way to see it is purely narrative and we simply needed two evil cartoon villains to make the players actually want to stay on track instead of killing the quest because we'd say fuck it and try to escape to the surface.

>>48742600
>Let him go

I am so fucking angry that the Librarian/Oak went the way we were all pretty much expecting, The fucking nerve, who do they think we are!

I wish to murder the Lush so bad right now it's not even funny.

>>48742600
>Let him go.
Hate him, but let him go.

Next time we sleep we need to have on hand: a flask of the finest alcohol we can find, fresh tobacco, and an urn of freshly brewed coffee.

Nothing but the best for Lora tonight.

>>48742600
> Hold him and send him to the Roost to stand trial.

Alternatively

> Mark him so that he can be spotted and targeted in battle as a Child killer. Maybe a bunch of little harpy feet carved into his body.

If we were the bad/fun kind of necromancer I would bind their souls to him and force him on a quest to appease them and help them pass on.

Cue a robot doing things baby harpies would find fun in order to be at peace. Meanwhile he slowly learns to love.

BUT THAT'LL NEVER HAPPEN WITH YOU MORALFAGS.

>>48742600
>> Let him go

Oak has been honourable, in the only ways a creature like him can be. Killing him now would not serve justice or strategy.

Called, writing.

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>>48742600
"You going to be okay, crossing the Roost?" you ask, at last. "It'll be hard for you to deliver a message if the harpies kill you."

"I intend to cross through New Hell, where there is no grudge against me, and then into the Cornucopia, down through the Broken Jaw, and to the Sunless Sea," Oak admits. "...Lady la Croix, I meant no offense. I truly did not."

"That doesn't change anything, Oak. I can only hope you get to live long enough to understand why." You sigh, and shake your head. "Go. Get out of the Mine and go. Find a weapon on your way down. I'll send someone to Cannot Hold."

"As you wish. If my father, for some reason, refuses the terms we have agreed to, our envoy will inform your compatriots there. Be...well, Lady la Croix. My best wishes to you."

Oak bows, turns, and leaves.

"What now?" Amy asks.

"I get rip-roaring drunk and get some stuff around to share with Lora tonight," you tell her, flatly. "I want expensive whiskey, pricey tobacco, and the kind of coffee it takes me an hour to make. You know, the stuff that makes Nate moan."

Nate blushes. "On it," he says in a quiet voice. "Are you okay?"

"No," you answer, honestly. "But I'm going to deal with it instead of bottling it. Let's go back to the wake."

* * * *
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lxINyZxbgU

You are Lora, called Azrael by humans, called Aphrael by the elves, named Elli by dwarfkind, called Death, the Arcadian, the First Singer, and 'my lonely daughter'.

This party has gone on for hours. You are bound in chains of blackened silver and rusty iron, with your arms and legs behind your back and your wings painfully restrained. You have your teeth clenched against the humiliation, the pain, but every man and woman who dares to use you comes away with a secret mark, a sigil inscribed in scars on their flesh that will show up to Brianna's death senses.

"Tell me what you are, angel," the Lush booms, with a laugh.

>>48747112
It is going to feel so good to kill them all. We need no pity here.

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>>48747112
Orders are orders, and he gave this one so long ago. You remain silent as long as you can, holding your teeth shut, forcing the chain to compel you.

It hurts, so much. It hurts like burning and cutting all at once, like a knife twisting in your soul, but still you hold out, blocking out the scum between your legs, the hands on your body, the food piled up around you on the table, until the magic of the chain rips the words from your lips itself: "I am your whore."

The Lush laughs, heartily, and directs your attention to the kegs of his Drink. You can see your misery and fury being ripped from your soul, floating in a misty stream into the distillery where even now the giant's rakshasa make it into the vile brew that sustains and empowers his favorite pet.

"I think she likes it, boys," the giant booms. "Don't be shy!"

Next to the Lush is a soldier. You know his face and name well - Riley the General, commander of the Lush's forces. He won't look at you.

"This may be your last chance, my friend," the Lush tells him, clapping a massive hand on Riley's shoulder. "Are you certain you don't want to indulge?"

"I'm fine. Sir," the soldier adds, almost like an afterthought.

"All this time and you've never taken me up. You must touch her, at least. Go on!"

"Sir -"

"That was not a suggestion," the Lush says at last.

Bowing his head, Riley stands and trudges to the table where you are chained. You can hear the coarse chuckling all around you, but the man takes a cloth from his breast pocket and wipes, gently, at your face.

> "Help me," you whisper.
> Say nothing

AND

> Mark him
> Do not

>>48747190
>help me

>Do not

>>48747190
>> "Help me," you whisper.

>> Do not

>>48747190
>Say nothing

>Do not

where is everyone?

>>48747190
>> Say nothing
> Mark him

>>48747190
>> Say nothing (but give a look that says it instead)
>AND
>> Do not (at the moment, but mark him depending on if he does something worth it.)

>>48747190
> Say nothing, don't mark him

The Lush is probably watching for something like that.

Comcast.

>>48747190
>say nothing but maintain eye contact.
>do not mark him unless he really does something to deserve it.

>Librraian wants to secure a future for his children.

Does the fucker know Richard's going to ruin the universe? This is what happens when stupid people become villains.

>>48749352
He's betting on both of us. Richard wins, he goes into the new universe with him. Richard loses, his kids survive him outside the dungeon.

>>48749402
I think assuming you can make the jump, or that going to the same universe that at least two oathbreakers would be at (All things having gone to plan) is kinda a dumb decision.

Like even then, the Librarian has kinda made a tiperope out of a bridge.
If Oak wasn't told "Kill as many babies as you can to get this one girl" and we were just attending JACK's funeral and Oak said "Hey can you save these 600 innocent robots" and DIDNT make it super personal we'd have done it. Like a shot. Now it's like the only reason Brianna ISN'T going to simply slaughter them out of principle is because it's actually WRONG.

It's not thought out.

>>48749501
I'd say it's more like the Librarians assault didn't go as well as he hoped and now he feels we have better odds to win.

Also, something you should be familiar with, he apparently has robot autism.

>>48749765
First wow, second very astute.

Buuuuut IDK, I feel like this is more a taunt then a pacification attempt.
Plus autism doesn't necessarily go immediately to "aim for the children they run slower."

All I can assume is that as a chain holder he is compelled and more or less threatened to do certain things, which is why his children are being used as soldiers in the first place.

Or maybe he simply can't understand why these are causing such problems cause he doesn't get what "Nice" is.

>>48747190
> Say nothing

> Do not

>>48747190
>Say nothing
>Dont mark him

My logic is that if he DID something before being forced at starvepoint we'd have ALREADY marked him. And if you are being FORCED to rape someone, you are pretty much being raped yourself. He might not be as much a victim as we but still.

As for saying nothing, if he could or would help he would've by now. Don't make it worse for the two of you.

>>48747190
>Say nothing.
>Do not

>>48747190
>say nothing
>do not

>Say Nothing - but Show your Gratitude in a Glance.
>Do Not - but Smile Knowingly.

Better the Lush not hear anything we have to say. And making him afraid might give him a clue as to whose side he should be on.

Thank you for the pleasant dreams. Brianna is going to make the Lush suffer.

I have foreseen it.

>>48749352
Librarian may be a robot made by Dick so it's not like that'd have any choice in the matter.
Also Chain is probably his vital component.

Called, writing.

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>>48747190
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYFl1yBYTZA

You say nothing, no word that might betray you or attract even more of the Lush's attention, but you keep eye contact as Riley cleans your face and does his best to dry the wine (blessedly just wine, for now) from your hair.

He brushes a lock back behind your ear, and then goes to rejoin his master.

"Fine," the giant laughs, his statue face brimming with mirth. "Be that way, Riley. But she's yours for the night, to warm your bed, whether you like it or not. I /insist/."

You thrash against the chains in a fury, making the man between your legs yelp and shaking off the other officers in a rush of terror. They've seen what you can do when that wrath is unleashed.

"Ahh, she doesn't /like/ that idea," the Lush chuckles. He strides to the table and lifts you with a finger; he hooks it beneath the ring that binds your chains, just beneath your breasts. "Speak freely, my little dove."

"/Why/?" you spit. "She's coming for you now. All these years of torture, for /what purpose/? When I have my revenge -"

The giant laughs.

And laughs. And laughs.

"Your /revenge/?" he mocks. "I'm certain it will be /sweet/, Elli. But you will never escape me. I have lived like a /god/, like the savage kings of old, for all this time. I had Death Herself as my concubine to use as I pleased, to rent out to lonely souls like the Vintner or furious ones like Reeves. Look around you! Look at my servants, the opulence of my feast! Do you not feel their gratitude dripping from inside you, Elli?"

You spit in his face. He wipes it clean with a broad smile.

>>48750855
Oooh yeah he's totally getting an eternity of sensory deprivation.

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>>48750855
"And now," he says triumphantly. "Now I am immortal. Now, for all of eternity, my face will haunt your thoughts, your dreams. Every lover's touch will have the shadow of /my/ fingers, every sweet nothing the whisper of /my/ voice. Have your revenge, angel! Take it! Glory in it! Scream my name over my broken corpse and know that when this world is nothing but cold ashes and the gods start anew you will still wake in cold sweats at the thought of /me/."

The Lush throws you, roughly, to Riley's feet. You can feel the bones of your wings cracking and snapping like twigs, though you do your best to swallow your outcry of pain.

"Serve him for the night. Warm his bed for me, angel," the Lush repeats. "Riley, ensure she is clean and presentable."

"...Yes, sir," Riley the General answers, sullenly. He produces the key to unlock your chains and leads you away, to his tent.

Other officers have taken farmhouses, or had their own built. Not Riley.

"I wish nothing of you," the soldier promises, as he opens the tent flap to let you inside. You slip in, holding back the tears of rage, of shame.

"I have orders," you whisper, hoarsely.

"If it is within your power to heat my bed with sorcery, I believe your orders are fulfilled," the General offers.

You blink. And then you gesture to his bed, infusing the blankets and mattress with a pleasant, soothing warmth.

"The bed is yours for the evening, once you have had the chance to relax, and to unwind." He sighs, heavily. "...You should not be treated this way."

"Why are you here, Riley the General, who will not touch me?" you ask, arresting his attempt to leave.

"...My master saved my life, and the lives of my family. He gave generously to help my father and mother start their own business and had me trained by the finest minds money could buy for him. Any favor was offered to him. My service was claimed." Riley sighs, and looks at you with guilt shadowing his eyes. "He is going to die."

>>48750855
Methinks he underestimates tthe duration of eternity. "You'll never escape me" is the usual line of someone who thinks he's fucked you over for the rest of your life. You can get over anything with enough time and care.

Eternity as a tortured soul is another matter entirely.

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>>48750941
"Painfully," you agree. "And at great length. And he will have no rest, not in this world or any other. I will hound his miserable soul across all of time until it is worn to tatters and fly them from the gates of Arcadia as an example to my enemies, and even then, he will suffer."

"I cannot say that I regret it. He was a better man, once. This...this thing he's become, it bothers me. Elli -"

"Lora," you say softly. "You could use the human name, but I prefer Lora."

"Miss Lora," he says softly. "I realize it may seem...pointless...after all I've witnessed, now and in the days, and months, and years before, but I had intended on offering you your privacy, while you bathe. My guards can bring a tub and heated water, and a healer to see to your wing..."

> "...No. Stay."
> "Thank you. I will wait here for them."
> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

>>48750913
Wait, can't Lora destroy souls?

>>48750993
> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

An in! (Though Bri might not be too happy about it.)

>>48750997
She cannot. Reforging them is the closest thing. Souls are remarkably hard to destroy.

>>48750997
Sure - but he doesn't deserve that much mercy.

>>48750993
> "...No. Stay."

Personally I still don't trust him to betray the Lush.

>>48750993
> "...No. Stay."

We fucked a lot of dudes from necessity today. Let's bang one out of choice.

>>48750993
The Lush might order Riley to tell him what happens here. The Lush knows that Riley is sympathetic to Lora and will proabably ask as a precaution.

>>48751122
There is that.

On the other hand, he doesn't actually give a fuck.

>>48750993
>> "...No. Stay."
>You are leading your men to their own destruction. If you have any care for them, I ask that you consider surrender when the time comes.
>If not for yourself, for the people under your care.

>>48750993
Hope a bath plays out like in that oglaf comic, as unsexy as fuck

I need to hit bed. Votes remain open.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated. I do hope folks are still having fun; this scene has been planned for awhile but it also ended up on the heels of Silence's wake and all. Are we looking forward to Part VIII? Has this been...I don't want to say tasteful but there's not another word. Respectful, perhaps.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>48750993
>> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

What could go wrong!

>>48751202
Considering what she's just been through, it would be unsexy as fuck. Messes are messes.

>>48751262
If anyone is triggered by this scene they can suck my dick. It was fine, and we've known this was coming since thread 1.

>>48751283
Anon, I have friends and family that suffered this kind of abuse. Rather painful interviews were part of my research process for this. I asked about the depiction being /respectful/ for a reason.

>>48751308
You didn't make it grotesque or erotic or boring and dull. That's a success isn't it?

>>48750993
>>> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

>>48751308
Speaking from experience, you did well.

>>48750941
>Have your revenge, angel! Take it! Glory in it! Scream my name over my broken corpse and know that when this world is nothing but cold ashes and the gods start anew you will still wake in cold sweats at the thought of /me/."

"Painfully," you agree. "And at great length. And he will have no rest, not in this world or any other. I will hound his miserable soul across all of time until it is worn to tatters and fly them from the gates of Arcadia as an example to my enemies, and even then, he will suffer."

While Lora deserves her just revenge in such a manner, the absolute worst thing you could do to a man such as the Lush would be nothing. Take his soul, stick it in a bottle and shove it in the void where the only thing he has is his own worthless self. Leave it there for as long as desired and if at some point Lora can unintentionally forget this man she will have crushed him in the most complete way everything he stood for.

>>48750993
>> "Thank you. I will wait here for them."
I want to trust the guy to show her Bri but I just can't. He's essentially oath bound to the guy and that's kinda hard to dismiss.

And while I don't see Lora needing the care, I'm curious as to what these people he would send in are like. It could show some of his character, or lack thereof, in the people he willingly consorts with.

>>48751398
Can I second this? Is it even a vote?
Fuck it Seconding

>>48751439
I mean, those people are coming in either way. She needs a healer and has been ordered to bathe.

>>48751452
Alright, but I'm gonna stick with my vote. I'm curious about the guy and kinda want to test him.

>>48751497
No worries, just wanted that to be clear.

I really am going to bed now.

>>48750941
God, it's like an R-18 Mommy Fortuna. "You'll always remember, I HELD you! There's my immortality, eh?"

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>>48751398
Being stuck in her sword amounts to the same thing, I suspect.

>>48751601
That's what gets people who have everything else off the most. Stuff is just stuff, but leaving your stain on someones soul is forever to them.

>>48750993
>> "...No. Stay."

>>48750993
No, stay.
>>48751398
Seconding
>>48751652
I think in the sword he would still feel pain or something. Total isolation is worse after a while

>>48751398
Definitely this, though Brianna should try and help Lora move past vengeance to closure. Once we've put the bastard and his pet to the sword, we can begin to heal the damage he's done.

Also, Lora is /old/. Maybe not at first glance, but she's seen things few can imagine, aside from her kin and the Gods themselves. Creation itself. The birth of the Firstborn. The death of a God. The Lush? He's not worth even a footnote in the annals of history.

Y'know, honestly? Villains like the Lush never really have anything to offer, save for the shock, horror and outrage over their actions. He's not the Librarian, who is attempting to create a legacy in the Thirdborn, or was driven mad by visions of future wars like Natalia. He's just an asshole who managed to snag a position of power.

Been reading the other Dreamscarred stuff, and damn is it cool.

I would /kill/ to play with you, Vox.

>>48752831
What stuff? Got a link?

>>48750993
>> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

>>48752892
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?432004-Cool-Dreamscarred-Press-fiction!

>>48750993
Hmm, I'm not actually opposed to introducing Riley to Brianna. He seems like a good guy whose just trapped in a /very/ shitty situation.
> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

This might even be our way to gank the Lush; he's secure in the knowledge that his subordinates fear the pain of his curse, or enjoy the luxuries he's supplied them with. He might not expect Riley to turn on him.
>"Et tu, Brutus?"

>>48750993
>>> "...No. Stay."
Given what Lush has been like, I don't actually trust the situation we've been put in. It's the perfect opportunity to bring Riley over to our side and glean knowledge from him, and Lush *should* know this based on Riley's actions in the past.

>Shadowrunning intensifies

We can try and prove him wrong about the making love part, though.

>>48753012
Thank ya.

>>48753084
Eh, he's obviously aware of Riley's behavior, but we can't afford to go in blind. We need the information that he can relay to us.

My only concern at this point is going in, killing the Lush (and his Taster, of course, can't have that thing running loose), and everyone getting out in one piece.

>We can try and prove him wrong about the making love part, though.
Please, no. Not after what Lora's been through.

I wouldn't be opposed to introducing Riley to Scribbles though. Seems like an okay chap.

>>48753084
Wait, I think I get it. The Lush might /deliberately/ have given Riley false-information, /knowing/ that the General might turncoat.

Jesus, I love and hate bad guys with brains.

>>48750993
>"...No. Stay."
Vox I have to commend you, I haven't hated a character in a quest this much in a long while.

We should not rush things, The Lush is smarter than probably any other foes we've encountered and this place is his wonderland, as much as I want him to suffer sooner rather than later, we need to play it smarter than him.

>>48750993
>> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

>>48750993
>>> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

Contemplating actually writing an interlude for the Lush.

A man lost to addictions and self-loathing, who was once perhaps not a good man but at least not a terrible one years ago, who became a beast of vice and hedonism. One more drink, one more sin, one more temptation, over the edge and over again to seek out the next great high. He knows what kind of creature he's become, and knows that he's been damned for a long time, so what's one blemish on his soul? Let them reap a terrible beast who has drunk his fill of this earth.

Death comes, and he has claimed a temporary immortality in his cruelty. He tells Lora of this, to try and convince himself that something of worth will be born from his vice, because he is desperate for any sort of hope or reassurance he can scrabble for to fill the gaping void that drinks and powders even now struggle to fill.

He sucks the bottle dry, desperate for one last high before the ultimate end.

>>48751398
>>48750993

Actually, the best thing Lora could do?

Shove him in her sword and nothing more. Not even consign him to sensory deprivation. Just take his soul and be done with him, and say so just once. That would be worse than even consigning him to sensory deprivation, because his whole desire is to have her focus on him. And if she doesn't, it's worse than raking him over any number of coals, destroying any number of pleasures, or cuasing him any distress.

It will eat at him forever that she didn't even give him a second thought. Even if she's faking it.

I'm up. Will call and write soon.

>>48755196
Something to consider.

>>48750941
>"And now," he says triumphantly. "Now I am immortal."

Shades of Mommy Fortuna.

>>48750993
>> "There is someone I want you to meet. You will need to stay for that." (Introduce Riley to Bri)

Bri should meet him. Whether simply to know that there is at least one decent man among the Lush's depraved minions, or to actually get him to work against his master (which, from the sounds of things, we could /really/ use right about now...)

Called, writing. Fairly narrow victory, all things told.

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>>48750993
You shake your head, quietly. "I would like you to stay," you tell Riley. "There is someone I want you to meet. I appreciate your gesture for what it is, Riley, but...it is a little pointless. And I do not hate you."

"I...as you wish," he finally concedes. He steps out of the tent long enough to give his guards orders, which gives you the chance to clean yourself to an extent. Often the Lush forbids you to see to your own good for long stretches of time; he must want you presentable for his war.

You stop and grit your teeth against the rage. It won't do right now. It won't help.

Riley steps back inside. You can tell he's confused and trying not to show it, but his eyes stay on your face. You like that about him. His eyes are almost always on your face, or your wings when injuries have made them broken, useless things, not with pity but with sympathy.

"Hold this," you ask, stretching your undamaged wing. Cautiously, he does as you ask, letting you get the towel beneath it.

"Miss Lora -"

"Just Lora," you murmur. "Riley, you're leading your men to their deaths. You know this. Many of them deserve to die. They have followed their master into darkness."

"Some do not," Riley answers, sadly. "...I owe him my life. Everything I am, he created."

"You have a responsibility to your men," you answer. You twitch your wing, and he lets go. "They look to you for leadership. For guidance. Those that have chosen to follow your example, rather than that of the Lush, I have no grudge against them. Several were already saved, after a fashion, though I doubt they are enjoying the Warehouse's prison cells."

"...What are you asking me?" the General says at last.

You turn and take his chin, gently, while you search his eyes.

"Keep an open mind, when you meet my friend," you tell him, at last. You let go before the tent flap opens, admitting a pair of soldiers - a man and a woman, with identical red hair. Siblings, you'd guess, who are bearing the tub.

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>>48757330
They nod to Riley, then to you, before they go to get the heated water to fill the tub. The woman offers you soap and, of all things, a fucking loofah. You can't help but crack a smile at it.

"It's mine," she says quietly. "I thought..."

"Thank you," you tell her. "I appreciate it."

You sink into the tub and let it soothe you, as much as it can. Riley stands in the middle of the tent, unsure and uncertain, until you beckon him over. He pulls a chair next to the tub and sits, eyes on your face.

"When do I meet this friend of yours?" he asks.

"When she summons me," you answer, simply. Soap and loofah are applied, vigorously; you may hate that you have to obey that beast, but it's hard to argue against feeling clean. Especially after -

You kill that train of thought, with furious force, and dunk your head to shake the wine from your hair.

"What is it you want?" you ask Riley, after you find your breath.

"...I want my master to surrender. To beg forgiveness and return to the man he once was. But what I want is immaterial. I will never have it."

"Then what else do you want?" you ask, looking up at him.

"I suppose a head start would be nice," he says with a wan smile. "So that I may flee when your wrath is unleashed and try to live a life that can make up for all I've seen without acting."

You pull yourself halfway from the tub, your eyes on his. You can see him straining not to look down, and it makes you smile, crooked and sad. "You mustn't run from anything immortal," you tell him, gently. "You will attract its attention."

He tenses, then melts, when you kiss him.

"Get your healer," you whisper, when you break away. "She's falling asleep soon."

Red in the cheeks, Riley goes.

When he comes back you've dried and clothed yourself. The healer is a mute man with a gentle touch, though nothing can make setting your wing hurt any less. You shake his hand, before he leaves, because he has been kind to you during your captivity here.

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>>48757430
You pat the bed next to yourself, and Riley sits. He looks away when you give him a wry smile, as awkward as a boy in love.

"You remind me of someone I know," you tell him. "Which might not be fair to you, honestly. You aren't her."

"Fair to -"

He goes quiet when you wrap him in a wing and pull him close.

"Soon," you tell him. "I need you to remain calm. To not panic. We will come back to this bed when we are done, and I'd like you to stay in it."

"But - Miss Lora, I wouldn't dare -"

"If you give me the bed, it is not yours, and I have warmed nothing," you interrupt. "...I won't make promises. I can't make promises. But you can tell your master that I shared your bed, and he will be satisfied. I know you won't abuse my trust."

Riley nods, silently.

Then you feel the tug, the call to instruct your student and heir, your Heritor.

"Here we go," you tell Riley the General, who will not touch you.

You can only hope this pays off.

* * * *

You are Brianna la Croix, sober (though hopefully not for long), and you have brought finest whiskey, tobacco, and coffee to share with Lora.

She's brought a guest, a man in fine clothes, with short-cut black hair and eyes as blue as a summer sky. A scar marks him from his ear down his neck, where someone or something tried very hard to kill him.

"Riley," Lora begins. "This is Brianna la Croix. She intends to kill your master. Bri, this is Riley the General, commander of the Lush's forces."

> What do you say?

>>48757518
>Well.....I hope we have a little time then.
>Pack a pipe, and ask them if they'd prefer whiskey or coffee.
>Though it sounds like a coffee night.
>"I hope - I really, really hope - you might be here to help me. Because if not, I don't know what I'm going to do."

>Try not to stress out or explode.

>>48757518
>... Hi.
>Would you like a cigar? (the Lark specials, maybe even that new batch he made after we told him someone wasn't disgusted by them.)

>>48757518
>General Riley. You're a braver man then most to meet with me.

>Lora must think pretty highly of you to bring you here to see me, so I won't beat around the bush

>Talk to me, what's going on in the cornocupia?

>>48757518
>> "Well thats an introduction, you shouldn't be that bad if Lora brought you to meet me"
>> pack a pipe, offer a hand shake

>>48757518
>Moments ago I held a funeral for one of my best friends, who had been targeted by allies of your master, I sincerely hope we can get along.

>>48757641
>Pack a pipe, and ask them if they'd prefer whiskey or coffee.

>>48758367
Supporting this. Yuuuuup. One of those days.

>>48757518
>...um. Hello?

Called, writing.

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>>48757518
You stare. Riley stares. Lora coughs significantly.

You sigh and gesture to the gifts you brought. "You a whiskey guy or a coffee guy?"

"I don't drink," Riley answers, graciously.

"...And he serves the /Lush/?" you ask Lora, incredulously.

"Hush," the angel murmurs. You pour the coffee in the mug you'd intended for Lora and pass it to him, give the angel the whiskey, and get your own mug filled with coffee.

Everyone takes a moment to have their drinks.

"Lora must think pretty well of you to bring you here to see me," you tell Riley. You open up the tobacco case you brought, containing eight cigars of genuinely fine quality. You had Lark check, then asked River if he was fucking with you. The three of you each take one and light up, trailing smoke into the small room. "We might not have much time. What's going on in the Cornucopia."

"...I suppose it does no harm to admit that the Lush has finished his living wake," Riley hedges. "My master fully expects to die. He - there was -"

"She knows," Lora says quietly. She wraps one wing around the man, as if to comfort him. You give her a surprised look, and she shakes her head, subtly.

"...No harm?" you ask, instead. "That's. Interesting phrasing, Riley."

"Everything I am, my master created," the General answers. "I owe him everything. I am unsure of why Lora asked me here."

"Are you happy, serving the Lush?" you ask, keeping your eyes on his.

"...No."

> That would be why.
> Go on. I'm here to listen.
> And when is your debt paid, Riley? When is it enough?

>>48759460
>Go on. I'm here to listen.
Be open, let the guy vent.

>>48759460
Man. I can't wait until Lora tells the Lush that she has an eternity to forget him. That wounds heal and scars fade.

But she'll never forget her friends or those she's loved. Including Captain Decency here.

>>48759509
If it works out like that and Lush just fades out without another word or thought about him, ever, and that he knows it, that would be really swell.

>>48759580
Ya'know. I'm sure there's something in the language of creation to erase someones memory from the world.
"your soul is mine for forever AND noone will rememeber you."

>>48759460
>> That would be why.
>> Go on. I'm here to listen.

I need to drive home. Votes are open until I get back.

>>48759460
> That would be why.
> Go on. I'm here to listen.

>>48759460
>> Go on. I'm here to listen

>>48759460
>> And when is your debt paid, Riley? When is it enough?
We've got a point to make, if Lora is trusting us to handle him.

>>48759509
That's GENERAL Decency!

>>48759460
>That would be why

Nothing like your brakes cutting out an hour from home to give you that feeling of imminent and painful fucking death. Home, will call and write once I de-stress.

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>>48757430
>"You mustn't run from anything immortal," you tell him, gently. "You will attract its attention."

>mfw Vox noticed the Last Unicorn comparison

>>48761720
> Noticed

That was on purpose, my friend.

>>48761756
Then you noticed me noticing. Either way, I'm noticed

>>48761756
So who's the Schmendrick in this scenario?

>>48761851
I should imagine it's Riley.

Sadly this quest isn't the place for my favorite line from that book: "If I had touched her I would have been hers and not my own. Not ever again."

Called, writing.

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>>48759460
You gesture with your cigar before taking a deep puff. That's some damn good smoke.

Riley looks uncomfortable. "I am not certain I should say more," he admits. "You are his enemy."

"I'm also here to listen," you tell him, with a quiet shrug. "You don't /need/ to tell me anything, Riley. But I'm not about to judge you or lunge across the room, if for no other reason than Lora seems to like you. She's a little picky about her friends these days."

The /guilt/ that crosses this poor man's face. You've seen that look in people's eyes before, who have seen too much and either been unable, or too scared, to do anything about it. Lora keeps her wing curled around him.

"He was a different man once," Riley says at last. "Generous, in his own way. The giants are a dying people, you understand. I am told there are less than a hundred in the world entire, many of whom are past the age of childbearing. They will be gone, soon, and only memories will remain. My master was the last son born to the giants, and he has the misfortune to be related to the last daughter. Their fate, as a people, is sealed."

You nod, solemnly. "It's a sorrowful thing for the Firstborn. Those who know will mourn."

"Aye," Riley the General agrees. "When he found me, I had been left for dead by bandits. They'd ran when they heard his footsteps, like cowards, and he managed to get a potion into me before I bled to death. I was weak and delirious for days, but somewhere in my mumblings I told him how to find my home. He delivered me to my parents and stayed, for a time, aiding them in their work and getting to know them. In the end, he gave them, and my siblings, a whole new life and had me trained by the finest military minds he could hire. His price was my service, which I gave gladly. The Lush...he has always been thus," Riley admits.

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>>48763347
"His kindness is not free, but it is never /unfair/. I have seen him take a crust of bread for saving a life, heard him bargain at a loss to help those that catch his eye, but he is always paid, and he always /pays/. I expect that is the large reason he seems unconcerned about his death. He has lived like a god, and now you come to collect his toll. But nothing can pay for...for this. There is no offer that purchases /this/."

"No, there isn't," you agree. "We could kill him for days, make him suffer as no one as ever suffered, and that wouldn't come close to paying for the suffering he's created, the monsters he spawned, or the wrong he's done to Lora. Do you really want to be part of that?"

Riley's shoulders sag, and his face falls, and he leans forward to stare at the floor of Lora's waiting room. "What is it you /want/ from me?" he whispers.

"Riley, you've done nothing all this time. Haven't you? You've been a faithful servant, not guilty, but complicit."

Tears well in the man's eyes, and he nods, not trusting himself to speak.

"If you do nothing this time, you've thrown your lot in with your master. And no one could ever say you were disloyal, but has he been loyal to you? Does he respect you, Riley? Or is the circle broken?"

He flinches, and Lora holds him in her arms. "You've made your point," the angel says quietly.

"...I'm sorry I couldn't help," you tell Lora, miserably.

"I don't blame you," your friend assures you. "...I don't blame Riley either. I know about the fear in his chest. I beats in mine too, at the heart of all this rage. I know it's there."

"That doesn't change his choice," you answer. "...But I understand."

"We're going to go now, Brianna."

And then you wake, roll over, and put out your cigar before you can light yourself on fire.

Well then.

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>>48763522
You are Lora, back in Riley's tent, and you get comfortable. With your wing broken you have to sit up against the headboard, with Riley nestled against your stomach, his head just under your chest.

"Don't tell me what you decide," you murmur quietly. "The Lush can order me to tell him, but not if I do not know."

Riley nods, and you smile, wistfully, where he can't see you.

"You kissed me," the General says, almost in disbelief.

"I won't have my joy stolen from me before I can even have it," you tell him. "I refuse."

The man nods, and drifts off to a troubled sleep.

You are up a few hours yet, murmuring lullabies you've heard mothers give at their children's funerals. They ease his dark dreams.

* * * *

You need to plan for the assault on the Cornucopia, but you also need to make a decision about the Sunless Sea. Sending a group ahead to gather intelligence could be pretty damn handy. On the other hand, those capable fighters could be used to rally the defense back at home too.

> Send a group to the Sunless Sea
> Do not

Candidates to go include Emily (born and raised there), Hatchet, Scribbles, Catherine, Lark, Tina (unable to help River if you send her), and Flitter (good luck persuading Jack). Choose up to FOUR if you vote on sending a group.

>>48763654
>> Do not
We might not want to give Bally the Boat any chance of getting leverage against us.

>>48763654
> Send a group to the Sunless Sea

We left the pallbearer in a tenuous situation. WIthout her captain she might do something crazy. We really need to keep a close eye on the situation

>>48763967
Oh, and group it should be

>Emily
>Hatchet
>Catherine
>Lark

>>48763654
Plan C

> Break the runes feeding death to the ships from the Roost

The attack there may have served multiple functions.

>>48764000
all that would do is just set the pall bearer and the...other ship there to start pillaging the surrounding country side

It'd be condemning the ports on the sunless sea to be raided

>>48763654
I'm still digging the idea of having our friendly neighborhood giant zombie crocodile fight with ghost ships. I may just be a little loopy, though. Maybe anon can figure out the logistics while I head to bed.

>>48763654
>> Send a group to the Sunless Sea

Emily & Catherine; Two Chosen doing Choosy things and a chance for one to mentor the other.
Flitter and Scribbles; Flitter is a small, mobile scout, and Scribbles seems like she'd be amazing an shmoozing and gathering actual, useful intel.


>Candidates to go include Emily (born and raised there), Hatchet, Scribbles, Catherine, Lark, Tina (unable to help River if you send her), and Flitter (good luck persuading Jack). Choose up to FOUR if you vote on sending a group.

>>48764895
How do we convince jack?

Huh, slow night. I'ma let this go for awhile longer.

>>48763654
>>48764895
I think I'll second this one. A scouting mission is generally for a few observant or knowledgeable units. This serves both.

>>48763654
this>>48764895

>>48766074
>>48766862
ok but again

how are we going to convince Jack to let Flicker go?

>>48763654
>>48764895
Seconding

>>48766074
>>48766862
>>48767375
is no one paying attention to the words on the screen?

Flicker will only go to the sunless sea if we can convince Jack's ghost to let her go, and he is currently all about keeping her safe and the sunless sea is very dangerous

>>48764895
... Didn't we pull out Emily specifically because she's still pretty untrained and in the lower levels Lora might be compelled to give her orders that would be /bad/ for her to follow?

>>48763654
> Send a group to the Sunless Sea
>Hatchet, Lark
I think these are the most suited for spying; the rest seem too noticable or are preoccupied. Lark might know people who can help; he might use ships there to sell tobacco.

>>48768290
I would think Hachet would stick out like a sore thumb, he kinda exudes a aura of dangerous. I do agree that Lark would probably be a great intelligence gatherer though. He has a certain charisma to him.

Aight - called, writing. Going into the war council scene now; if you can't convince Jack, then Flitter's not going. As it stands, the proposed group is:

> Emily
> Catherine
> Scribbles
> Flitter (maybe)

>>48768793
Perhaps switch Flitter for Lark if she is unavailable?

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>>48763654
You get the depressing feeling that you're probably going to keep your small council or privy council or what-the-fuck-ever at the end of all of this in the Athenaeum, because while you can't smoke here, Brigette's here and she's got a good head on her shoulders.

Fuck it, if you actually end up ruling this Dungeon you'll use the gods-damned bells.

"We can do this tomorrow," Amy offers, for the second time. "You're kinda...mad."

"I'm still going to be mad tomorrow," you tell her, flatly. "I'm probably going to be mad until we drag that giant from his throne and tear out his misbegotten soul."

Nathan puts a hand on your shoulder and gives you a knowing squeeze. Then he opens the door into the room you've appropriated for your war council. Two study tables have been pushed together and laden with coffee, snacks, coffee, the books people brought with them for references, coffee, and coffee.

"I'm sorry I'm late," you offer. "I wanted to check in with Meadows and Jewel before I went back to war."

"Wise," Hatchet comments. Emily sits near him; in fact, she's stayed near him pretty much every time you've seen her. She found someone to attach a hilt to her half of Lora's blade, with an opal set into the crossguard.

"Not that I'm complaining about being here," Scribbles says from the corner of the room, where she's got a fresh book and a small table full of writing supplies, "but why am I here?"

"Might as well start with that," you say, as you, your lovers, and your sister all take seats. Tina stands behind River, offering a winning smile to your assembled allies. "I don't want to waste time if I can. I'd like, if they're agreeable, to send a team down to gather information about the Sunless Sea, sound out potential allies, and find me a damn /map/. Emily, you're an obvious candidate as a native. I'd like Catherine, Scribbles, and Flitter to go with you."

"They all stand out," Emily points out.

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>>48769549
"Everyone in this room stands out, we have the wrong look," you answer. "Most folks down there look like you, with the whole..." you gesture at her features - the olive-colored skin, the almond-shaped eyes.

"...You have a point," Emily agrees. "It'd be like if I tried to infiltrate the Rose Cult up on the second floor. They seemed. Interesting, incidentally."

"They didn't let you through the front door, huh?"

"Nope."

"Catherine, I'd like you there both to help guide and mentor Emily through what it means to be Chosen, and because I want the answer to 'how do I kill it' for the various hazards when I get down there," you tell the Chosen of War. "You've both been briefed on the...admittedly vague...desires Lora's expressed for Emily's service and why her orders are not currently valid. You're the only person here who might understand, even a little, what she's going through."

"I'm going for my winning personality," Scribbles says wryly.

"Actually, yeah. You have a knack for getting people to talk. You'll have to cross the Broken Jaw first, mind -"

"/Fuck/," the Lamia swears.

"-but we've got winter gear for you," you continue, smoothly. "It'll be waiting in the Roost."

"And I can fly," Flitter guesses.

"/Absolutely not/," Jack's ghost interjects, manifesting to full and irate visibility. "You're safe /here/."

"Your killer is down there, Jack," Flitter objects, buzzing up from the surface of the table with a pleading expression. "Don't you want to be avenged?"

"No," Jack says flatly. "I want you to be safe. You are not safe in the Sunless Sea or the Mire, and certainly not in the Gauntlet Below. You're staying."

You and River share a worried look.

"Jack," you begin, "you can't dictate what the living do or don't do."

The ghost's furious glare goes to you. You stand, slowly, in answer.

"Jack, /no/," Flitter begs. "She's your friend!"

"She's putting you in danger," the ghost murmurs, as his spectral form ices over with jagged armor.

>>48769669
> Suggest someone else (Lark, Tina, or Hatchet)
> Go for the banishment
> This is Brigette's place; signal her to handle it.
> Let Flitter try to talk him down

>>48769669
> Let Flitter try to talk him down
I believe in Flitter.
But always have a backup
> Suggest someone else (Lark,)
A crate of tobacco can hide many small useful items.

>>48769684
>Let Flitter try to talk him down

>>48769669
"I'm not forcing her into anything Jack. You might not care for vengeance but sometimes the living need to get theirs. If you're that concerned for her well being you could go with her, but we should probably go over your new capabilities as a spirit if that's the case."

>>48769669
>>Let Flitter try to talk him down
I'm just now realizing that they took his bag from him. So we have THAT to deal with

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>>48769749

>>48769749
I think it ended up in the Librarian's hands whom we hopefully brokered a peace with and will hopefully forfeit his chain when we murder the fuck out of Dick.

I gotta hit bed folks. Votes remain open. I've got a longer shift tomorrow - 2 PM to 10 PM - so depending on circumstances I may end up either trying to update from my phone, doing Q&A, or WHOLLY FUCKING UNAVAILABLE. We'll see how it goes.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>48769684
>Jack, if you want to protect her, go with her. right now you are bordering on becoming A Problem Necromancers Deal With. Please don't make me banish you - because I will.

Anon, this is your fault.

>>48757430
Dawww, Lora is getting her own cuddle pile started.

>>48770094
It could just as easily have been Victoria, or Natalia. They both could have had unresolved issues in the form of Bridgette or Nathan.

Seriously, I'm still shocked that so many of the folks we've met are still breathing. If the Chain-Holders had possessed any sense, they would have struck down anyone who allied with Brianna the moment the Vintner was slain.

>>48770421
So Riley and Hatchet are both pining for Lora? Shit, who knew Death could be such a sexy thing?

>>48769684
>Let Flitter try and talk him down.
She's the /only/ person he'll listen to at this point.

If not, I'm supporting this; >>48769705
Lark, like Scribbles, is a people person. And he'll be /relatively/ safe with Catherine around. Hell, he's already got contacts in New Hell and the Warehouse, I won't be surprised if they know him in the Sunless Sea.

>>48769908
>WHOLLY FUCKING UNAVAILABLE.
Oh my god! The madman has been forced to deal with reality?

But seriously Vox, it's not a /huge/ deal. I was actually interested in seeing some more world-building (GO GIANTS! Couldn't help it.), or if you'd do another interview, like with River, Amy or Lora.

>>48770449
Me.

>>48769684
>Hatchet, I want someone with good combat skills down there,

>>48770606
...you do know that Cath is the Champion of RED TROTH, the GOD OF WAR, right?

>>48770449
I wouldn't say Hatchet is pinning for Lora per say, just that she might be a good chance to help him find what he wants. Emily might(probably is) very thirsty for Hatchet. And I really don't see Riley feeling up to getting with Lora over the whole, boss has mandated gangbang sessions with her and his fellow officers, from what I have seen its Lora that took a shine to him, the dude feels to guilty to try anything on her. At the moment. Nothing to say to Lora bringing him on afterwards when Lush is dead.
>>48770625
I meant subtle combat, she is the barbarian tank.

>>48770641
Oh, that makes more sense. Wait, no it doesn't, Hatchet is a murdermachine we had to bribe out of killing our Hero.

>>48770700
True, but he can stealth like a motherfucker. Had to get around the Roost somehow, and we need someone that can scout without being noticed. Plus to be fair, he is still the most normal looking guy there.

>>48770734
Okay, those are much better points.

>>48770094
>Let's go with this
If we don't convince him though let's pick Lark. Being able to send Flitter is less important to make than making sure that Jack doesn't become a mindless revenant.

>>48770759
He's already going to be a problem.

You know how to make Flitter safe? Killing everyone around her and making sure she never gets close to anyone who might be a danger.

The biggest danger to Flitter right now is Jack. He's inches away from being a specter already.

>>48770776
You got it backwards. Flitter will be a danger to everyone because of him, Jack will never be a danger to her.

Maybe banishing him already isn't such a terrible idea.

>>48770776
The hope is that, as he gradually loses all of his piss and vinegar, as his death and the anger becomes less 'fresh', he can eventually be more reasoned with. And since we are /definitely/ going to slow cook the Librarian in the ruins of his workshop, we can check 'Avenge My Death' off his list of things to do.

One of the points of contention for /him/, I think, is he's afraid of losing Flitter again. Except, she's Fae. She was always going to outlive him. And it's not like she can't call his spirit back later to hang out and romance and shit.

Also, Brianna should just point at Catherine.
>"Red is the Glory, remember? Cat can look after her for you; protecting damsels in distress is practically par for the course as a Chosen of War."

>>48771201
But he would look after her himself, isn't his ghost bound to her? There is no way he would let her out of his sight. Actually...

If he can will himself to be invisible think of the ambushes they could pull off.

>>48771230
>"Oh noo! I'm just a poor lost faerie, all alone and with no way to defend myself!"
>"Gotcha bitch."

How to break/enrage to irrationality the Lush in 3 easy steps:

>I'll be remembered for all eternity!
You're just a drunken rapist, they're a dime a dozen outside the dungeon. No one remembers them, no one will remember you.
>I raped the angel of death!
No, you sexually abused someone who was helpless and under ~someone else's control~. That's just taking advantage of someone who can't say no. Not much memorable about that.
>I had control of the entire Cornucopia with my power!
Power you gained by working for Dick. You're just the monster that had to be put down for causing trouble. Dick's the only memorable person here.
Face it - you're just another lackey, pretending you matter. No one is going to cry over your corpse, least of all Lora or Brianna.

>>48771201
The dead don't get less angry or forget what caused them. Look at Robert: He was a dick in life, he was a dick in death, until River - a necromancer - told him to piss off, and even then he is still a hardass.

Ghosts don't change, unless they change into specters. That's the problem with hauntings. Ghosts move on, or they become specters.

>>48767750
This is a low-involvement scouting mission - at least on paper. In theory, this is about the safest kind of mission you can go on and not be near a chain holder/Lora.

>>48769684
>> Let Flitter try to talk him down
She's got first dibs and the highest success, plus we're not going to treat her like a child. She can try her own problems.
that said; if she can't handle her own problems and Jack becomes everyones problem, well, thats all kind of bad and /will/ be handled.
Maybe something about how "this is making everyone safer. No such thing s absoulte saftey, the entire dungeon is a target right now, we need to gain an advantage to win and thats absolute safety."

>>48772573
Also.... all those times there was trouble before? /Flitter/ was the one who came through. You're the one who fucked up, not her. Dont project your failures and obsessions onto someone else.
... and depending on how mean we want to be, can close with "Shes not the one who owes you."

Up. Will call and write after caffeine.

>>48769684

> Let Flitter try to talk him down

Comcast. Bear with me.

Or I won't be able to fucking update or get any work done until after 10 PM tonight. My apologies; I'm not fucking happy about it either.

Open for questions and discussion.

>>48774291
Hang in there, oh Lich Lord.

>>48774291
Do you ever miss having skin, Dread Master?

>>48773927
What makes comcast so awful? I truly don't know

Yeah, gonna be wholly unavailable. I'll try to answer questions during my break and lunch.

Six and a half hours and change to call.

>>48775061
>>48776661
What kind of ghost is jack?

What happened to the gear grinders he was fighting at the moment of his death?

>>48776979
Those that survived his swift return fled and retreated through the Broken Jaw, including Cobalt and the Six Demon Bag. The one he spared went with them.

Jack is your typical fresh ghost, displaying the unfinished business that calls him to cling to life.

>>48774585
Someone else will have to go into detail but the really short version is that Comcast is maliciously and consistently subpar, and no one can do anything about it.

>>48777096
>>48777440
Ok, here's a question. How long does it take for a person to notice the affects of the Lush's curse? Like, a couple hours or a day?

>>48777601
Generally they notice it when they go to sate their hunger or quench their thirst.

>>48777843
so a person could eat and drink up till they're good for at least a couple days, and then head in without any negative consequences?

>>48777879
"Any" is a bit of a stretch, but yes, eating beforehand is a good preparation.

Three and a half hours and change to call.

>>48779450
Are there necromantic charms that can nullify or greatly reduce the need to eat, sleep, or drink? The dead have no need for those, after all.

>>48779747
Well, there's lichdom.

>>48780374
Best answer for you right here

>>48779747
Bri could make talismans to that end, though they'd need fairly frequent maintenance while active. Means a lot of life spent (though River can help), or a time limit, or a seriously aggressive campaign against the soldiers there.

>>48780374
... I don't suppose we can get the Caretaker, or the Lich from the Warehouse, to assist here.

>>48781141
Could we tie their power to the runes in The Roost, and only draw on that when we activate them? We wouldn't want to cut the ships off from those runes entirely, but it could work as an emergency button when we find ourselves in conflict, especially against Lush himself.

I'm working under the assumption that when activated, our desire and need for sustenance would disappear, allowing us to focus on the issues we need to deal with. Also the assumption that the talismans wouldn't need much to sustain themselves if they weren't in use.

>>48781321
This is also a good question. I'm not sure what we could offer, but maybe we can arrange for something the Warehouse Lich would want. Perhaps a perpetual guard for the thing imprisoned in The Warehouse, overseen by Death herself once free?

>>48781141
I'm voting for large scale fire. Reptiles like his troops have trouble with regulating body heat, and it solves the problem of "hiding troops in the fields".

I mean, it grows back.

Meanwhile we can pull a scry and die on the Lush. Break through with the Boar, murdalize the Lush and get General Decency to surrender once he is no longer obligated by loyalty to fight.

Hey! His corpse probably will make a decent mid sized minion no? We could always whittle it down.

Also possibly goad him into a duel by pointing out that it's the best way to leave a legend behind as opposed to wasting time and glory fighting.

>>48782253
Living matter is usually very difficult to burn; most of a cell is water.

>>48782713

I mean, okay, that's a statement. "Difficult" is a relative concept, naturally healthy crops don't burn as easy as a super dry forest true. But that's what accelerants are for.

Second of all, we just want to burn the fields troops are hiding in/that we have to pass through, not the entire cornucopia so it's probably actually a good thing it won't spread like a super dry forest fire would.

But I still feel we can get enough heat to start a decent field fire and fuck up their troops.

Just gotta pretend that it isn't a horrible, horrible thing to do to sentient beings that you might feel less empathic to than normal because they're man eating reptiles.

Well. I guess the man eating part is a pretty decent argument for being less empathetic. Still burning is a bad way to go. Probably best to use it to split up their formations, cut off advances and retreats, or cover our own retreats etc.

Also let me point out that fire is fickle and not easily controlled. If Henrietta has any commanders or knights with experience using fire in warfare that would be useful.

But make no mistake. These are disciplined, we'll equipped troops who don't even have the same inhibitions against killing others that people have (once again, they eat people) and if there are going to be massive casualties I'd rather it be on their side then on ours.

Actually the more I think about it, the more I feel they're like Draug who chose to eat sentients, which makes them both worse for having chose that but also increases our obligation to give quarter and not simply exterminate them because it's also possible for them to choose again to not eat sentients any more.

TL;DR No significant tactical/mechanical problems using fire. Some ethical ones, but on the whole that's dependent on how we use it.

>>48783245
...Anon, you do recognize that the soldiers are /riding giant lizards/ at times, yes? The lizards themselves aren't sapient. They're war beasts.

>>48783245
If we're going to do a large-scale attack, how are we going to get all the troops in? The Lush probably has soldiers guarding every entrance to the Cornucopia. He might even be able to collapse the entrances.

>>48783432
I thought he had Lizardmen not!Roman legions like we saw in the Warehouse comprising the bulk of his forces?

I mean, that does tilt the ethical meter somewhat but it isn't like we aren't accepting surrenders. And we can still stick to just using fire strategically instead of tactically if people feel it's not necessary.

Although on the plus side fire is great for spooking mounts, especially non-sapient ones. And smoke rises which will fuck with any trying to do the whole "ooh look at us we can stick to walls and the roof" bullshit. And that the generally accepted best way to deal with a mounted foe is to kill his mount first.

So overall even if I misunderstood I stand by my "fire good, even more fire needs to be considered before being used".

Hey, with fire and the whole intense flickering light and shadows be the best thing ever for Kat as and shadow? Or would it mess with her cool new powers?

>>48783693
Anon, the Warehouse had giant lizards, their wranglers, and his human forces. Every soldier of his you've seen to date has been human. I legitimately have no idea how you got lizardmen out of this.

>>48783659
Same as any sort of operation. Sortie out and test all available entrances, and look for a weakness. Hit them suddenly and with as much force as possible. Establish a beached and defenses for the inevitable counter attack, maybe even set up an enfilade behind the first line and fake a route to draw the first counter attack in and ambush it.

We could fake a build-up of forces at one entrance, or even do an actual build up while pretending to fortify or block off the other entrance to hide the build-up there.

Have entrance 1 be all our fast moving troops, harpies and the Boar (it's big and showy, but actually importantly fast) and then have them set fires at that entrance to make it seem like we're attacking there. Come in from entrance 2, fortify, then have our faster forces just charge right fucking through to meet up with us and pincer their counter attack.

Just one option yo.

>>48783813
And what do you do about the ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire? The homes, tools, and structures that don't grow back?

Maybe wait for the war council scene to progress before you get too excited about draining your defenses to assault the Cornucopia by storm.

>>48783718
Well. My misconception then. I thought they giant lizards were like, bipedal semi-savages who were trained for combat but didn't do Mammalian interaction so they had to have a human commander to keep them in line and not eating people.

Like French troops with British commanders style of thing.

Anyways. I also kind of really want to put the idea of a duel or something with the Lush as an option as well. I mean, he wants to be remembered yeah? And he's also the last of the Giants. And he expects to die anyways, and the Victor writes the tale.

So why not choose to make a production out of it? We can duel one on one, or with champions, or with a set group of people, or and I think this one might appeal, with set rules of engagement and agreed on forces for a little mock war where we can really display out skills as commanders.

Just alternate options. Dude could always say no. But it keeps us from saying he begged for his life or shit his pants or even that he wasn't even an actual giant but just Dick in disguise and that we would give him all the credit. Or that he was a mindless mutant and Dick made up his lines. Or just an illusion.

We could try to appeal to any sense of ironic humor, that after throwing anppealll his honour away he could go out reclaiming it. Die at his best, you know?

I'm just tossing things out, please other people feel free to shoot my ideas down or improve them. It's a big problem coming up, we shouldn't be afraid to brainstorm.

>>48783947
I mean, we aren't burning everything.

Just the parts that have enemies in them.

Heck even just some big old smudgy smokey burning tar barrels might be useful for messing with the enemy harpies. Flying through smoke is pretty dangerous not to mention terrible if you're trying to breathe.

Also pretty sure Harpies don't like fire what with feathers and all.

Called, writing.

>>48784090

I don't think you get how fires work.

Also, there's likely to be lots of slaves working those fields, along with other people we would prefer not to kill.

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>>48769684
You decide to let Flitter try to handle this. He's here for her. Will he /listen/ to her?

"How do you think this ends, Jack?" Flitter zips up in front of his face, still pleading. "You lunge, River gets you. And then what happens?"

Jack frowns at that, his features colored with frustration and anger.

"If I stay up here forever and Richard destroys the world, /then/ what?" Flitter presses. "That's not safe, that just /looks/ safe. Jack, please, this isn't you."

"Single-minded dedication to a single cause to the point of tunnel vision?" Brigette says softly. "Sounds like Jack to me."

"Quiet, Poet," the ghost snaps.

"It's just scouting," Flitter insists. "I need to do my part. It'll make everyone safer. I /promise/."

Jack's ghost thaws, slowly, and he finally nods. Flitter looks visibly relieved when he fades away, and lands back on the table with a distant, helpless expression.

"Then it's settled," Catherine says at last. "When should we leave?"

"As soon as possible," you advise. "It's a long trip. Natalia, I'd like you to take some men down to Cannot Hold, including Hatchet if he's willing. There's a delivery of unborn geargrinders coming and I need you to be there to accept and then safeguard them."

"Consider it done," Nathan's mother murmurs.

"I can do this thing," Hatchet agrees.

Good. All that's out of the way. Now you can plan your damn assault.

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>>48786221
"My team is going after the Cornucopia," you begin. You take a drink of your coffee and gesture to your companions. "Me, Nate, Amy, River, Tina, Sir Fetch, and assorted minions. Our primary objective is to free Lora, with the secondary objective being to cull the Lush's command staff of the various monsters he's created in his own image. Once the people of the Cornucopia are freed the various supply issues in the controlled part of the Dungeon should be cleared up, and we can work on trying to proof our defenses against teleportation."

"Good thinking," the Caretaker agrees. "I can be of some assistance there. I've been making strides in the Roost for such work, and will continue into its adjoining levels. Perhaps my peer in the Warehouse will help..."

"Permit me to ask the obvious question," Hatchet interjects. "Why not storm the place?"

"Dicey," Catherine muses. "The Lush's men have had time to get entrenched. While our attention has been on his peers and consolidating our power, he's had time to dig in, lay traps, and study the events that led to the fall of the Baron. We'd lose a lot of warriors, charging into the teeth of his defenses."

"And he'll use his slaves as hostages, or conscripts," you add, softly. "I'd rather infiltrate, if I can."

"Which brings up the question of detection," Brigette mentions. "Are you sure you don't know what these charms do?"

You finger the talisman you made from Silence's bones. It feels warm. As if it's fond of you. "Not a clue," you admit, honestly.

"We'll get detected eventually no matter what," Nathan points out. "I'd be happy with keeping our specific location and movements obscure."

"He has harpies," you remind your lover.

"...We might just have to kill them," Amy admits, with a sigh. "They can't report back if they're dead."

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>>48786545
"If we can avoid the Lush's sense of his own floor, we should be able to duck his men on our own," you reason. "I can make some talismans to give folks the shade form I used to hide from Brigette. I've got a full death bottle to maintain it initially, and it'd let us be more careful. The trouble is, that's a pretty intensive enchantment. It'll need sustaining."

"...Playing devil's advocate," River speaks up, a little uncomfortably, "we can go in hot and fast instead. Identify important targets, hit them, run. It's messier, and there'd be more cleanup after, but if they're scrambling to catch us we might get a shot at the big guy. I can get some imps going to raise hell and create distractions, and Tina can coordinate them."

"How high a priority are his officers?" Scribbles asks.

"High," you, your lovers, your sister, Flitter, Brigette, and Natalia all answer at the same time.

"...Okay, ignore me then."

> Infiltrate
> Go loud

>>48786595
>Hit and Run (infiltrate and go loud as needed)

>>48786595
>> Infiltrate

>>48786595
>Infiltrate
>Maybe use a distraction to cover us.

>>48786595
Since we have a limited amount of preparation time, any way to go with infiltrate but be ready to go loud, as it were? Like, is it possible to have pre-prepared summoning charms/fetishes etc that you just crack to release the spell etc.

>>48786723
>>48786809
That's kinda an assumed contingency with infiltration. Eventually you're gonna /have/ to get messy, but like Amy sneaking in on the Vintner, it's about trying to be able to pick when and where to your liking.

>>48786595
>infiltrate

>Infiltrate

Our smaller numbers are a severe disadvantage, but (no metagaming) if Lora marked the officers like we asked, we might be able to take advantage of that.

>>48786595
Infiltrate, use guerrilla tactics like this>>48786723
leave no survivors of the ambushes, sneak past the natives, they shouldn't get evolved.

>>48786595
>> Infiltrate

>>48786595
>Infiltrate.
It seems like the common soldiery of the Cornucopia are mostly innocent men and women conscripted to serve (probably to protect their families from slavery). It's only the high command and their lieutenants we want.

As for River, and by extension Tina, we might want to tell them to be /extra/ careful. We don't know if the Taster has a way of sniffing out or sensing other demons.

The Harpies probably joined with the Lush for the same reasons as the common soldiers; safety and security for their families. I was thinking that, at some point, Amy could declare, loudly in bird song they can understand, that the Lush's ally attacked the Roost and attempted to kill /all/ the hatchlings. If that doesn't set them against the Lush, there's no hope for them.

Sir Fetch, Vim & Vigor will be /very/ helpful in eliminating enemies without being detected. Meanwhile, River, Tina and the Boar have a much better chance of banishing the Taster than Brianna.

Also, I vote that we do the same thing to the Lush's as the Moneylender did; bind his soul to the corpse in constant agony. I know that this is the route of zombie armies, but damn if he hasn't earned it.

We should ask River and Robert about Tasters if we haven't already.

>>48784821
Sure I know how they work.

Fantastic. Unless it goes wrong and then it's terrible. The trick is, you try to use only as much fire as you can handle if it does go wrong or the wind changes.

But a lot of my desire to use a lot of it was based on us fighting lizard people. Also because it was mentioned that troops hide in the crops. I assume the slaves there would just, you know run away while the troops were busy fighting us.

Anyways, since it's lizard cavalry instead we can use much less fire and a lot more smoke. To spoke the lizard mounts, smoke is just as good. Also possibly to screw the harpy mercenaries, it ruins visibility and airflow for flying, and since it rises up it can also irritate their breathing more than ours.

We can use tar barrels as smudgers so it's much more controllable.

And in and pinch, we can always use them to make more fire if needed, and just not do that otherwise.

>>48788196
This is a good idea.

>>48786595
> Infiltrate

I kind of want to go in hot because apparently all this is just to delay us.

Buuut we got Vim and Vigor to track down and take out officers. Kat is also specced out for nothing personnel, kid.

Hopefully we can maybe poison the food supply of the troops? They ARE the only ones eating.

Turning the Harpies is worth a try. Point out there's access to the outside now, and employment opportunity with Henrietta for longer than the Lush can offer. Also that it's getting good enough that children get names not numbers.

I would personally like to be able to use V&V, Fetch, and the Boar to goad the Lush into sending the Taster demon after them. No idea how. But might it be easier for Brianna to set up a blank zone in the Lush's domain then try to hide a bunch of people?

Really wish we took the time to talk to Cook over the bells about how to deal with the Taster.

It would be funny if we could use our reputation to lure the Lush out for a duel or something and then backstabbing him. Something like "We're good, not honourable."

Called, writing. Last of the night.

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>>48786595
You set your mug down and give it serious thought.

"We go in quiet," you decide at last. "The more we can get done before we're found out or suspected, the better chance we've got to get rid of the Lush's leverage. If we can turn the harpies, get some of the citizens out, and maybe get Riley on our side, we'll be in a pretty good spot."

"How in the hell are you getting Riley on your side?" Brigette asks.

"Lora took him to talk to me," you admit, with a shrug. "He doesn't seem happy."

"That'll do it," Brigette admits, with a nod.

"Which entrance?" River asks, frankly.

> Enter from the Broken Jaw
> Enter from the Roost
> Enter from New Hell

* * * *

River catches you after the war meeting, before you can get too far. She seems - well, nervous isn't exactly the right word, but it's not the wrong one either. Her ears twitch faintly.

"I wanted your advice," your sister tells you. "Nothing horrible, just wanted an opinion besides Robert's."

"Sure, hit me," you agree.

"I've been thinking about creating a familiar," River admits. "In no small part because of all the time I've spent with Fetch. I've thought about maybe following that pattern and making a dog skeleton or zombie, maybe one of the snakes from the Roost instead, but..." River looks down, where her shadow - Whisper, isn't it? - is doing its level best to flinch away from Kat. "I've also thought about using my shadow. It sidesteps the whole rebellion problem, and shadows are really handy, and stealthy. It'd solidify her."

"What's Robert's opinion?" you ask, curiously.

"He's all for it, but...I dunno, I'd be making a sapient thing. It feels weird to think about that only in practical terms."

> That's not a bad way to think about it; familiars are part of /you/.
> Hold off for now. Take some time to think about it, y'know?
> You're right. You'd honestly be best served by making a familiar from something you're fond of.
> Write-in?

I'm hittin' bed. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>48788803
>Enter from New Hell.
There's a lot of noise and movement in their all the time anyways.

>That's not a bad way to think about it; familiars are part of /you/.
Fetch is a reflection of the nobility and goodness in Brianna isn't sure is there in her heart, and helps keep us grounded. River using her shadow will change it's nature into something more likely to be a bit more hope and warmth than she has had in her past.

>>48788803
>> That's not a bad way to think about it; familiars are part of /you/.

>>48788803
> That's not a bad way to think about it; familiars are part of /you/.
> But not an extension of yourself or attached to you like a shadow. A familiar would be separate from, but informed and defined by, her.

suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/44162495/#p44162828

> Explain about Fetch. About WHY a fowl undead (hehe) became a noble knight when you made your familiar, that it wasn't exactly what you chose for him to be but what you wanted at the time subconsciously.

> As opposed to when she made her shadow, Whisper, which is a negative imprint forcibly bound and while she created it, the personality is still separate and any intelligence given to it will also be separate. As opposed to a familiar, which is bound to their thoughts as well as having come from their heart.

Remember when we got Kat, and Fetch was insecure that we were replacing him? "...Has my service been inadequate?" Fetch asks, his tone unreadable.

This part made me kind of curious

> "So too the shadow," you murmur gently. "Not to replace you, but to work with you; to be strong where you are weak, and extend my will. We're facing a lot of enemies, Fetch. I need all the help I can get. And think of how surprised your foes will be when what they think is your shadow throws you into their faces."

I remember thinking back then that as he shared our thoughts and our heart, if not our soul and self, he would have a little animated chicken shadow that he could use.

Kind of sad that never happened and interacted with Kat & ShadowNate.

Anyways, to continue

> Point out that a familiar has different capabilities, and can play a role that a familiar can't and vice versa. She might find that it's more useful to have one dedicated to each role than trying to get her shadow to do everything.

Kind of lay out specifics of what to expect from a familiar that will be different from her shadow, how the creation and bond is different, so that she has all the information to make her own choice.

>>48788803
So. Uh. I was going to post

> That's not a bad way to think about it; familiars are part of /you/.

I mean, the moral issue is that shadows aren't. They're like dogs, not sapient but sentient/have personalities. Is it really okay/moral to make her into a familiar and erase her personality, even if it seems to be a damaged one?

Just watched Lawnmower Dog (Rick & Morty, it's pretty underground, you probably haven't heard of it.But totes SRS I still enjoy even though it's popular. Anyone watch Harmonquest also? Wanna talk about it while Vox sleeps?!?

But I realized I have a much more important question. Is making shadows into a familiar a thing that's like, been done that Robert told her about? Or something she proposed to Robert, and he said it COULD do the things she claims it will but really it's like Cherry/Jewel reverse possession thing and this is actually uncharted territory? Would it change Whisper's personality, could it possibly end up changing River instead either mentally, emotionally or physically? Like moreso than a familiar would.

Also, I would like to ask her WHY she would prefer her shadow. Is it because it seems easier or simpler, or because she think a shadow would be a more effective base?

Or is she possibly afraid or feeling guilty about making her shadow or its existence. Because I can see that, our first and heck even our current shadow kind of messed us up to make and is all kinds of morally grey and questionable.

Her shadow acts like an abused animal. Kat used to also, although she's much better now.

Yes, it's me. Kat-train "We should try upgrading her intelligence. I mean, they're independent and can rebel, and apparently that happens a non-negligible amount, but most necromancers are dicks and honestly she seems pretty happy these days with her witchlight, shadow romance w/ DarkNate, playing with upgrades." She's really much more obedient, isn't flinchy (except around Vamps), seems generally happy.

>>48788803
>Say the things in >>48789232

> You're right. You'd honestly be best served by making a familiar from something you're fond of.

>>48788803
>Think of a familiar that suit your needs the most. Given your penchant for sword combat I'd say that familiarizing the shadow seems like the best bet.

>>48789318
... She could make a human skeleton familiar, couldn't she? That we can outfit into a dapper swashbuckler down where she is going, those ghost pirates must have some fine clothes that they can't wear.

>>48789232
Nah, it's likely that someone's turned their shadow into a familiar. What'd be /really/ interesting is if someone turned a Woundseeker's shadow into a familiar.

Back when Brianna first made Kat, somebody ask'd what'd happen if someone made a Shadow from a Woundseeker, and Vox said it'd take after the person themselves rather than the emotions surrounding their death. So, Gods forbid, if Nathan died in front of Brianna, the shadow raised from his body would take after /him/.
>inb4 the Lush has plotted his immortality by having his own Woundseeker shadow raised up as a clone of himself without the need for sustenance, sleep or that damnable 'age' thing.

But as for River still guilt-tripping over the act of making Whisper? That sounds about right. If she wasn't, Brianna and Robert wouldn't have taught her right.

I think Kat's done so well /because/ Brianna is a genuinely nice person with good intentions and a sound moral compass. The necromancers working for Lisa or the Baron would have had their throats ripped out a long time ago.

>>48789351
I think we should stick with the animal skeletons/non-human shadows ideas. It was mentioned in the Mine that people react with a lot less hostility to a reanimated rooster than to, say, that admittedly asshollish guy that lived down the road. People look at the rooster and think 'This lady is literally playing with her food'. They look at the human skeleton and think 'Dear Gods, that could be me!'

We can still give the swashbuckler get-up to the shadow though. I imagine that River's familiar would take after that piece of her from her childhood that dreamed of shining armor and a life as a plucky adventurer.
>The shadow familiar is going to follow Fetch's example of post-mortem sex-change.

>>48789275
Well, I'd just like to point out that we didn't really do that. We just used what was convenient, namely a chicken, because the size seemed about right and hey! we had an already raised chicken right there, much less expensive to make that a familiar and that was before we had the death bottle and lived in a state of constant violent conflict bloody and lethal enough to keep it pretty much constantly topped up, or at least to have it refill faster than we could use it - especially if we were using it, since that usually means we were fighting and killing while friends and allies fought and killed and died.

>>48789351
Rather creepy, Anon. I would have questions of a personal nature about the mentality of a necromancer that did that, and why. Like, if the skeleton was someone they knew, a friend or a foe they had history would be kind of offputting enough. But just a random strangers skeleton? I would constantly be bugged by wondering who he was and how that came to be and all that.

But that is just me, can you imagine being a sapient undead familiar and knowing that your body wasn't just once alive, but was a completely different person who had a live and hopes and fears, family at least at one point and possibly surviving his death, or friends etc.

Kind of feels like a dick move, creating life with that kind of baggage attached.

Pick non-sapients, I say. Give them a clean start, don't mess with the heads of anyone the corpse left behind, show some respect for the dead. People. Animals are similar but different enough to justify not worrying about that stuff.

Maybe dogs. How sad would that be, you pick a random wild dog or wolf to be your familiar, or some kind of pack animal. And then it's mate or a sibling or parent or child from the pack starts following it around, not understanding that even though it's moving again it's not the same animal. Like, pretty sure they could tell it's personality had changed, but not it's identity.

>>48789512
Okay, how about a harpy skeleton? There's tons to go around right now.

...Would it be possible to make a shadow from a /dragon?/ There's one in the Mire right now guys! I mean, that one of the hallmarks of adventuring heroes!

That, and it would be amazing if Nate and Brianna's shadows fought the Lush's in mirror to their own fight.
>I am actually hoping that it's possible, in a form of sympathetic magic, that any blows Nate or Kat's shadow land on the Lush's own hurts the bastard himself.

>>48789521
No! Bad anon! Don't make me get a newspaper!

>>48789466
>>inb4 the Lush has plotted his immortality by having his own Woundseeker shadow raised up as a clone of himself without the need for sustenance, sleep or that damnable 'age' thing.

I think we would have heard about or seen evidence of another necromancer working with the Lush. Also, not to sure how possible or feasible planning something out like that is. Also I mean, the Lush seems to have gone through a personality shift and ended up locking on this "immortality through carving proof upon your existence" not just on an immortal, live until something kills or destroys you because death and change and decay comes to all things eventually, even planets and stars. He's said that sort of thing, any kind of monument that can eventually disappear or even just be forgotten by men or have it's meaning lost to time even if the structure still stands? That's not enough.

He needs death itself , not to just know him, not to just remember him, but to have his existence and the projection of his self carved so deeply into an existence that is never capable of being destroyed by change, whether by time or force or environment, exist as an awareness that his existence is an inextricable part of. It's not just that he's impossible for her to forget, but that his existence has deeply affected who she is now and that existence is dependent on her not forgetting him, her time with him, the time when he wasn't there but she was thinking about him with a hate that is almost like love in its intensity and focus. All those moments, all that intense attention paid to him, that depth of knowledge about him born of hate and forged in trauma.

All that jazz, that's what's he's aiming for. An impression so deep it leaves a Lush shape impression in existence for as long as that's a thing beyond the dying of the giants. Beyond the races that outlive them. Beyond the deaths of strange races not yet born even after all the ones existing now have come and gone, and so on.

>>48789598
Stop it! My hate-boner can only get so erect!

But seriously, that's why we're pushing towards the 'good' ending of this scenario; the Lush dead and gone, obviously, but with Lora working past her suffering. He's a bastard whose only contribution to the universe is an Archangel who can sympathize with the hurts and woes of mortals.

>>48789527
> Doesn't consider Harpies sapient.

I mean, I guess we could dig up Tattters assuming they bury their dead. I don't really know how subterranean cultures would feel about that. I mean, in a way it's more like tossing them into a closet or putting them out in the yard behind the shed. Maybe they bury them in gardens for the nutrients, kind of a circle of life thing? Or they go expensive mausoleum that needs to have space to sell and toss them in a room for a couple weeks/months/a year or whatever, and have domesticated or at least farmed herds? Clouds? Creeps? Crawls? Whatever you call a collection of bugs that eat dead flesh and use them to strip the bones and after a certain period of time depending on if anyone is paying maintenance fees they pull the bones out and stack 'em somewhere.

Or render them down for alchemy or leather work or I dunno lots of industries use chemicals you can get get from bones for making shit.

I imagine somewhere with specific thematic resources would be pretty efficient about things not naturally produced in large quantities that you would have to trade with different floors, who themselves might only have limited amounts or have it in forms that are difficult to refine.

Actually, given the nature of the roost, kind of seems like bones and bone products would be an export. Bonemeal for the Cornucopia, raw bones or unusual bones or rare beastie bones with unique properties for the warehouse to examine and the library to document and compare, bones to the forges for raw materials or for use in ritual forging magic I don't know if that's really a thing, we've done it yeah but with magical creature bits. Then again, to those beasts maybe WE'RE the ones with special properties pls no HFY memery, but ya know? Mortal blood and bone to forge a sword that binds immortals to death, or the bones of a murderer or a betrayer or a child killed by it's parents out of love. Maybe love and necessity. Maybe.

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>>48789650
Honestly, I kind of wish that we or at least Lora had known that was the Lush' motivation earlier. Could have worked with that somehow to reduce or avoid the abuse, thousand nights and tales of Scheherazade style. Put off a throat raping by asking about his past, maybe get him out of the mood by talking about his parents and if he thought being raised as the last Giant made him different from the ones before him, that they treated him different. If he felt that was a part of his real identity, or an obligation he felt he had to fulfill or live up to, if he ever felt lonely even when he was with the others.

So many things like that. Hell, I'm curious about it. I would really, really love a side thread about the Lush and Giants in general. Maybe after we kill him it can be done from the view of General Decency whose actual name I will never bother to remember and definitely won't use because I am inordinately fond of the nickname. It just . . . works. He's General Decency, because he's generally decent at heart. Not always in his actions, so he's not perfectly decent. Not always in his orders, because he chooses to keep his loyalty to the Lush even if it means giving indecent commands, both in a literal sense and in a metaphorical sense like how "I order you to burn the village the slave escaped from and to punish the ones that remain." So he isn't Commander Decency.

Okay stopping there, it's coming out more forced than funny.

Anyways, yeah. Lots of questions about the lush, Giants, side thread, after we kill him. Yeah, if we could convince Vox to do that after so there's no worry about spoilers or metagaming. From GD or maybe just as a curious traveller who ran into the Lush on the way to Dungeon. I would find it ideal to be right before, after, or during his shift in morals/ideals/personality so we could get some insight as to what drove him.

Also, whore for lore, wanna know about Giants and through the filter of (demo) is the best kind.

>>48789671
It's been pointed out by Flitter that talking mirrors, sentient swords, and the like are actually the results of faery corpses used in the enchantment of objects, rather than human ones.

>>48789671
>Doesn't consider Harpies sapient.

Shit, I don't anything in what I said leaned anywhere in that direction.

But to make things simple, Brianna and River shouldn't make minions and/or familiars out of anything that can form complex thought patterns, emotional connections, and can share those thoughts/feelings in the form of speech.

Better?

>>48789864
I actually like the idea of talking mirrors and sentient swords. Turning those glass shards from the Lord of Painted Glass into a weapon of some kind? I'd have been totally down with that, had we the option.

So yeah, it's less that she's dead and gone, and more that I just don't like making possessions out of our friend's remains. It just feels disrespectful somehow.

Like, hell, I'm not going to turn my gaming buddies skull into a mead cup (even though I'm like 90% he'd love that).

>>48789961
Brianna had issues to. Flitter told her that she was prejudiced in polite terms.

>>48789864
Yeah, but I mean are there any supernatural or magical characteristics given by using Firstborn bones? Wait, those are mortal humans, yeah?

Like all the other races remains seem to be usable for transferring their unique inherent skills or abilities to items forged with them. The Fae's existence as living beings is apparently it's entirely own thing as well not due having a soul, and that seems to relate to their consciousness as well since they live by different rules which have cognitive and physical consequences to breaking or enforcing obedience, not just by magic or ritual but as an intrinsic psychophysiological response to specific stimuli/input.

So whatever material or structure or thing that creates their conscious self , it is perfectly reasonable to presume it's a matter of mechanical production by their physiology as opposed to a metaphysical phenomenon. And that certain techniques and/or materials I don't know details obbvy, are able to stimulate that mechanical production or restart it or whatever. It's the same hardware, but the state has been reset and you've generated a completely new conscious entity. Or possibly an entity that's capable of simulating consciousness and sapience to varying degrees. Hell, the Fae might be this but simply to a degree where whether it's real or a simulation is academic if at all possible to make a certain statement about and not simply too close to measure by any meaningful or significant value.

But just mortal, no intrinsic special magic or powers, Joe the guy down the street that I watch the football match with after the execution of the people who "donate" the ball, what properties do his bones give?

Can they make a sword MORE mundane, so mundane that while it's not immune exactly to the effects of magic, it absolutely can't be enchanted or cursed or affected directly. Like, a fireball will still make it melt from the heat, but you couldn't curse/enchant it to burn the hand of the wielder?

>>48790110
Well, yeah, obviously. But then, that's why we went and talked with her in the first place. To get a fellow Fae's perspective.

We could just as easily decided to make some cool crap from Silence's bones, and /then/ heard from Flitter what an awful, shitty thing we'd done (even though she /requested it).

>>48790110
Yeah, well, fuck her. Maybe it's cool for the Fae to do that, but if we did that it would be too close to trying to bring Silence back and failing for us to ever really feel comfortable that she was gone.

Like losing someone, and then going out and finding someone similar and getting them to wear their clothes and hang out doing the things you did with the original, but they'll never be them and they won't let you remember them or make you think of the person you lost in a healthy way.

Maybe we're prejudiced. Hell, probably. But we're also human, and still alive, and live is for the living not the dead so the right thing to do is still what helps Silence's friends and loved ones remember her, but also move on and not become stuck emotionally at the loss. Not sure how true to Vox's lore, but thematically it fits well enough that dying and forgetting are the gifts of men, a pain felt isn't forgotten but hurts less as time goes on even while the memory remains.

The fae live until they die, and are not bound by time. Nor do they have existence beyond this life, so every moment is as precious and eternal as their first and their last and in between, and memory is not a picture of the past, it's not a story you tell yourself to honour and preserve people or events or time that has come and gone and is lost to present. It's just another perspective of all the moments they exist within, put into a linear progression. This doesn't mean that it happens one after another, but that they exist at all moments and are equally present in all moments at once. No wonder the Fae loathe to remember and instead throw themselves with wild abandon into what is new or loving or pleasant or joyus, because to remember for them is to be living in that moment once more as long as the memory lasts. In perfect detail, not just once more knowing what is happening but also experiencing the same emotions and thoughts that moment exists as.

>>48790426
Eh, fey. Understanding them is dangerous to mortal health.

>>48790468
Continue because fuck you guys too.

Anyways. The experience of living again their memories is made even worse for many fae, and for all fae made worse for many moments, because while they are living in that moment once more they also know what comes next after it. They don't fear it, because fear is for the future and although the past and the present is just a point of view to them the future is still as much an unknown possibility, an as of yet unseen, suspected but not confirmed, new arrangement and existence which may or may not come to pass. No future is ever certain enough to invalidate the statement "It may, happen, or it may not" no matter how unlikely. Although you might have a high degree of confidence, one can never be completely certain. Thank god.

Because the knowledge of what comes next while existing in a moment, the certainty, brings not fear but a dread fascination and pain. Not just the pain of living it, but the pain of knowing that it is now known and thus unchangeable and that having happened it is always going to happen at that point in time, and has always happened at that point in time.

Most fae avoid remembering loss, because it fucking hurts. Better to build something new out of it, to seek new possibilities and lose yourself among even. Rare is it that a fae is foolish enough, or driven by some maddened cause, to risk losing themselves among their memories of lost friends and families, of failures and defeats, of loss, and loss, and loss in a moment stretched out for as long as they wish to remember up to eternity itself. And that has possibly happened, Fae unable to let go of their past. Held by guilt, sometimes. Sometimes a morbid fascination with just how much sorrow they can feel, an indulgent emotional peak that while painful can also seem to some like the moment they were most truly present as themselves. Or simply the only moment where anything actually mattered.

>>48790540
Almost out of words.

A prevalent if impolite opinion among the fae is that their fellows who fall to melancholia and abandon the world for their memories of woe are merely the most pitiful of narcissists. Emotionally masturbating to how much they must have cared, how deeply they must have loved another or how grand and bold their ambitions must have been for it to hurt this much. They wear their badge of sorrow with a perverse pride, as if to say "Only one who had exceptionally much, of love, of potential, of compassion. Only One who had so much to give to the world of themselves and truly given all they could, could feel this. To feel this empty, to have borne so much pain, only One who was truly great could do so. And it is proven because many can argue about where lies success, where lies happiness, and what one truth of it is and what it definition it doesn't quite fulfill when measured against all points of view. Happiness is subjective, and can cost whatever the person who wants it feels they owe, and can be claimed by one and denied by another that what they feel isn't true happiness."

"But misery! Ah, woe, suffering, pain, all words to describe the loss which while no man may experience anothers loss, and while one mans judgement of his misery is just as subjective as his judgement of his happiness, no creature can deny that the other is feeling it. The cause may, or even must be different for every person. But the experience is the same, no matter what form the toll is taken from them to cause it, the cost is always ultimately the same and as such, it exists as an objective state. Absolutely selfish, yes. Absolutely unique, yes. Absolutely undeniable, absolutely. The state of misery is not a scale, not a quality, but exactly what I said a state that one either exists or is absent from and unable to comprehend, much less value or judge."

>>48790468
>>48790540
>>48790616
Just /where/ are you getting all this? Seriously, is this some self-canon, or are you typing out bits from a Changeling lorebook?

>>48790616
Goddamn, keep finding words. Putting them together and hoping it makes something somewhat coherent.

Anyways. To continue judging the choices of the Fae who walk the path of the NEET who doesn't need food or drink except ceremonially when appropriate, and who doesn't have access to video games and watches the equivalent of self-shot high school AV "tragedies" of exceptionally unreliable quality but refuses to admit that theirs is the penultimate creation and proof of their existence because of "reasons"

The Fae in Memoria and Melancholia arrogantly claim that their state alone is proof of all they are are, by lauding their capacity for one thing they imply that it's negative is within them, and validate their refusal to engage that by claiming that their misery is not merely evidence of it's negative, but that it is truth itself and that existing in any other moment invalidates the absolute statement that what they lost was not just valuable, but was an absolute measure of maximum possible value. They're children, claiming to have lost something worth infinity +1 and refusing to accept any meaningful measurement as objective except for their own, because their state is "unique" and "selfish" and "unknowable."

Well, any Fae born to the land with half a wit can also see it's pointless, that memories and moments are but to only accept them denies the only gift of time we have which is the future, and the possibility of finding more good to balance out the bad, of finding something not just pleasant, but new! Unkown! Unexpected! Maybe familiar in shape and form and arriving as a comforting confirmation of choices made and risks taken, or as the promise that happiness we once tasted will come again, and relief that what we feared did not occur and hope that what we fear won't occur next time, holding to a pattern of joy and growth that we know won't last forever, but just might last a little bit longer.

>>48790694
All this they surrender to their vanity, to their ego, and ultimately to their own weakness and fear that they truly have had all of their potential, that no triumphs will ever stand so great as to make the eventual fall hurt as much. That it is not possible for them to ever hurt more than this, and that means they will never know as great a joy or love, will never feel their selves, through act or design or creation be it of physical nature or accomplishment, will ever be possible to stand beside what they have already done.

It's a form of desperation, ultimately, to hide from a future the fear so much that they cannot any longer put hope in the uncertainty. The misguided belief that the future is knowable traps them and instead of accepting that there is no certainty, that no height of talent or skill, no torturous method to map out patterns or even daring to attempt to control the ebb and flow of events - no effort of any creature that lives or dies or has never done either but still is, nothing can determine the future. No single being can create what will be, because it is something we all do together. From the smallest speck of matter, to the most powerful of forces, to the wisest and most knowledgeable of minds no matter their shape. They can be often correct. They can judge and weigh and collect data to measure against and assign probability and risk and extrapolate results to degrees so fine that not even thought can imagine it, or imagine a way to describe it, or even a state or mind or tool or measurement to use to detect a flaw in reasoning or expectation.

But what are odds to an immortal? What is time, what is potential but a vast sea of "I haven't seen it happen - yet."

All things, all possibilities, all odds no matter what calculations or numbers or framework you insist on viewing them through, all are broken before the only gift given to the Ageless.

A thing will happen. Or it will not.

>>48790777
I cannot say enough, a truly, truly, truly foolish. A vain and fearful, a fae to be pitied for denying this gift that none can take and all receive. Even in their denial, change happens, possibilities unfold, and this unpleasant one now is just one more to go through before the desired one occurs.

Be at least a little wise, if you wish to be silly. Be at least a little clever, if you wish to indulge playing the fool.
Be at least a little hopeful, if you feel that you are fearing for what may.
Be at least a little happy, despite the moments when it seems there is nothing of value and the only thing left is to be sad.

Learn from the past. Value it, use it to help you through the present and be prepared as well one can for what MAY come in the future, so that you see joy and survive through pain. Relive the bad times, if you must for obligation to a friend or to compare to a present or for knowledge on how to overcome an obstacle passed before in similar situation.

But do not mistake remembering for truth. Do not value it for it's own sake, or as a pinnacle moment, or something unique never to be seen again.

Because oddly enough, for all the possibility in the future, the vagaries of chance and circumstance tend to throw the same thing at you more often than anyone, least of all I, has a satisfying answer for in either philosophy or numbers. Seriously, best not to think of it and if a thing or person or moment seems so similar to one previous that you can't tell the difference.

Well, personally I just pretend I haven't examined it thoroughly enough to notice it yet, and on some future day when I perhaps am bored I'll come back and hunt it's secret for the sheer joy of finding something new, that I missed when I was me as I was but were not yet me as I am and hold it up as proof that as the future of the world is limitless so am I as long as I live, which will be until I die, and at that point I will be beyond judgement of others.

what the actual fuck are you trying to say

lay off the pipe man

>>48790470
Underrated statement of the year.

Anon for President!

>>48790843
Is the last moment of a fae more precious than the first, all the sweetest because there are no more possibilities, no more futures? Or is it to be avoided. The final loss, of self, of hope, of all that we are along the picture of our existence, the shape we carve of ourselves into the story of what is and what was and what will always have/will been along the single moment of possibility that we show up on, that is all possible futures at all time, good, bad, that have happened and that have yet to happen and that will never happen yet hang there existing as much by their lack as by what does happen exists by having been known. Not inexistant, not unknowable - if not by their their being known, then by them being *unknown*, by how the known shapes itself and grows around where what does not happen lies.

The gift of mortals is to not know of the tapestry beyond their own position, and even that they only see what they are currently sewing. It's questionable if they even truly live in what is known, so limited is their ability to see. But that restriction, that limited vision is the source of their gift to not be caught up in the known and their pasts, and to live not just in the present that comes from the future as we make it, but to also live in all the unknowns that haven't happened, that never happened, that shouldn't happen and almost certainly never will, but still might.

Some still become trapped in their past, but rarely are they stuck there because of it. All too often for reasons that are unique to the individual, which they are equal to in individual construction as they are often to in sheer madness, they stick themselves in a past that never was and convince themselves it's true.

So thoroughly sometimes that others are also convinced, and that what is known is not what we knew but is now something different. Beware the dreams of mortals, brief yet powerful they can even change your own past.

>>48790468
>>48790540
>>48790616
>>48790694
>>48790777
>>48790843
>>48790920
Jesus man, I think my eyes are bleeding.

>>48790920
It is even possible, some of the wise among the Fair as well as mortals and other beings that exist as no race but unique, unlikely outcomes that the future gifted us with that exist for a period and then are gone, unlikely to be seen again, some of the greatest and some of the maddest and some of the strangest have claimed that enough participation in a moment that never was, can actually change the picture, the weave of existence itself. That this is why there is never an end, only things that never happened happening in the future, and moments that did happen in the past changing from being known, to being forgotten by those that do not hold on to their moments but live in a single one and so can only know what they imagine themselves to remember. They have no truth, the have no lies, only a story of a picture.

Seems kind of unfair that them being limited should grant them such possible power to affect existence.

But when a Fae dies, when an immortals story ends and they make no more new moments, they're lost. Oh, others shared in them, one is never truly alone in existence as even the dust itself will move and be where it is in the now because of the past and so make it known by its mere current state.

But that Fae's individual moments, none other has those. We can tell each other stories, of course, and describe them so an image of them exists. But short of actually living through another, details, exact feelings, shades of nuance and all those that make those moments our moments, that make us different from the physical existence and state of knowing only by existing of the rocks, those moments are lost.

Do they become unknown? Less known? Is a less known moment truly an unknown moment that is shaped like what was known? Are our moments only real while we live?

Who knows. Maybe. Yes. No. Should we fear this loss, not only of the self, but possibly eventually of our very existence as having once been, to be replaced by a crude approximation?

>>48790990
Question, are you just trying to burn through the thread faster? Or are we just being forced to listen to your inane ramblings for shits and giggles? Not complaining or anything I just ignore your posts and have nothing better to do at the moment.

>>48790882
Aight, how do YOU think an immortal conscious being would exist and view their relationship with time? Stipulating perfect recall of not only details, but also of the "self" at the moment it occurred, since the Fae are able to change their opinions, their habits, their tune, their clothes, but are classically unable to change their basic self. Like, a Fae could believe that dark colouring with patches of loosely geometric shades of lighter and darker patches of the same colour is objectively superior to stripes.

You could argue them to admit that stripes are better than patches in certain situations. You could corner them into being unable to argue and having to admit they can't come up with a situation where patches are objectively better than stripes.

You could even, were you able to force him by obligation or honour into the position, make them proclaim the superiority of stripes in all the situations covered should anyone ask or as a service claimed of him, and he would be capable of it.

But he would never accept that stripes are better than patches. Only that the situation or context or reason had not been discovered yet.

He might not pursue it further, merely accepting it as a mystery and a problem not yet solved. Tomorrow maybe he'll put some time in, or not. After all, what he knows tomorrow he didn't know today.

But he literally has eternity to find the reason for the superiority of patches over stripes. And when he does, he will be successful and right not just in the moment of eureka, but in all the moments he had where he had not proven his beliefs - YET.

Living forever + not being able to change, those conditions I feel create a valid argument for perfect recollection of experience, not just as what they were experiencing but the state they were in as well. If the medium doesn't change, then you can change the lense that you view the recording with to emphasize or clean the signal, but not the actual recording of the data.

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>>48791055
I don't give a shit, you're toked up as fuck and I don't want to read any of this meandering third rate amateur philosophy bullshit

>>48788803
>"Which entrance?" River asks, frankly.
Is it possible to get a batter idea of what the beneifts of each entrance are?

Familiar:
> Write-in? It's not our decision. We can give our perspective; but what we consider important is different from River. Mentor, maybe, but we can't really make this decision for her. Providing River insight into Fetch and his relationship to Bri may help,

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I can practically imagine the lich's face when he wakes up to this shit. It's almost worth bothering to read.

/Almost/.

>>48790468
>>48790540
>>48790616
>>48790694
>>48790777
>>48790843
>>48790920
>>48790990
>>48791055
Nigga, this ain't your Quest.

>>48791055
And so as the Elf's existence of self is static, to maintain this they have to not be able to edit the data by forgetting or replacing it. They can't go and white out over a mistake. They can reduce the scale, shrinking it down. Or they can skip over it. Or the can selectively increase or lower the resolution, maybe then think back to the day their first lover abandoned themselves to ennui and stopped speaking to them, or anyone. They could view it as a whole scene, with all the data presenting as it originally did. Balance it out, true at the time they were focused on their lovers face turned away from them, not even avoiding their gaze but simply absent of any recognition that they were even there to be avoided. But there was also a friend in the background who was there for you later, and remembering that moment you now focus on their face and see the look of recognition in their eyes, that though your lover was absent this person was there to not only see and recognize your pain, but to also share it.

And while the pain and sadness of that moment are still being felt as strong as when it happened, you notice moreso a note of comfort that was always that but overshadowed by the other feelings, that you did not appreciate it at the time.

And when you stop remembering, you have a new context to place that moment in that lets you appreciate your friend and value more their presence through the difficult times in your life, and lets you feel happy about THAT, in the CURRENT moment, because you trust that they will also be there in the future because while patterns end eventually, they by definition repeat first, and this one hasn't ended yet, and it might not ever, so no need to fear it until happens, and then it's gone and can't be changed and is also passed, so the only time for fear is when it's actually happening.

That's why the Fae are immune to fear, although they may worry, anxiously, nervously, apprehensively.

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>>48791133

>>48791126
Does this read like a quest? Its a theoretical framework for how the Fae perceive time due to their inability to change their self, although it might seem like it due to them being able to change their actions and even habits consciously, and to respond appropriately to different contextualization of events in the past and apply learned knowledge to prepare for the future and determine their actions in the present.

The Fuck Ever, Lich runs until threads run out and starts a new one so it's not like posting will cause the quest period to end. And over different threads there's no limit to the posts that I can feasibly reach. So don't read if you don't want to. Or read make fun, or dismiss it, or enjoy it, or have it really grind your gears. Make a fucking talk show about how it grinds your gears, then make a cartoon pilot about that and pitch it to a friend with spare cash and take out a loan and make a full three episode storyboard and take your outrage and your frustation out to hollywood or LA or wherethefuckever you think you can sell it and show it to some dude with money who can say the words "We're going to make this show" and have it happen.

Do all that, so you can be really fucking sure that I'm not the only person who doesn't give a fuck about it bothering, but that nobody except people you who care about you for god knows what possible reasons, maybe you always help people move or help organize events or are a really good host when you aren't shitposting like a little bitch online, I want you to sink a lot of personal value into this lesson so you never question again if I or anyone not in that group I just talked about, not sure if you can keep up here and I don't want to have to make another post, I mean a person should be able to follow this it's one words after another, but I'm making sure in case your statement is just an expression of how retarded you are and not just lazily or sloppily,

Significantly, nobody cares if it bothers you,.

>>48791192
You just wrote two paragraphs about how much you care that it bothers him.

Holy shit, this whole spiel can be condensed to a simple, three-word phrase; Fuck the Fae.

Also, just make a pastebin or some shit if you feel the need to share so badly. Stop spamming.

>>48791161
Dude, if they don't die then they have unlimited future opportunities to have things get better. Possibly worse, but also always possibly better.

Aw fuck, totally off track now. I was going to finally finish with why the Fae shouldn't fear the coming of their last moment, why it isn't worth more or less than the first or any in between. Why they shouldn't fear the loss of their part of the story being made moment by moment in what is known, or the memories of those others not being accurate and resulting in their existence as something that was known to happen as opposed to being a possibility that could happen yet, or again, or already didn't happen isn't to be feared.

There's two explanations among the Fae, both are more or less accepted as true enough and merely a matter of preference for which one you think of more.

The first is that because what hasn't/didn't/won't happen is just another state of what has/is/will happen, and no longer being known just puts it into a state of "it can happen again" possibility so it's not really destroyed just changed from a known to possibility, and the difference between the two isn't even remotely stable much less absolute or unchanging. Especially when dealing with mortals that change and are constantly becoming a known moment that is similar to but not connected to the previous moment, and is so loosely known it's arguably only possible to their present state is a known moment.

That's the metaphysical one.

The practical reason to not fear the last moment you have as yourself as a Fae, is because until you're actually dead the possibility exists that the unexpected can happen and you won't die after all.

Nothing is more unexpected and unlikely than when you as yourself are born, and not someone similar but different. So how can you not believe in the possibility of, at any time, something equally unlikely having the same chance of happening?

>>48791204
No, I wrote a rant based on vanity and a fondness for using a style of rhythm and rate in an unedited stream of consciousness that is probably not warranted in quality for the amount that I enjoy writing things like that.

Quite frankly, I did it for me. It's not my best work, and it's probably more representative of my capabilities as a writer than I would like to admit if I were to be harshly truthful to myself.

But I did enjoy it, and I hope that it isn't too terrible in and of itself as a "go fuck yourself and your shitpost" rant, and worst comes to worst I spent some time enjoying making something substandard that other people don't just not value, but don't feel anything at all about whether it's worth criticizing or praising, and just get bored with it and don't bother to read it.

I mean, and I'm not referencing your statement, but at least you read through it and took the time to consider if it showed that I cared.

I personally would like to draw your attention to the final line where I use the qualifier "significantly." I was hoping to imply that not only do a number of non-significant people care about his opinions based on non-related reasons like friendships and obligation or just because they're neighbours and feel they should care because of community or something, but also that the people who care about his opinion aren't themselves significant outside of his limited personal social circle. They aren't lawmakers or captains of industry or even 4chan janitors much less mods who will come in and say "Oh, these lore theories about the fae in a quest on MY /tg/ board? This don't belong. Delete and ban".

I mean, it's possible that will happen, i feel it's unlikely but possible, but that won't be because they give a fuck about his opinion.

And finally, while I might have cared enough to write two paragraphs, is that a significant amount? It took me very little time, and I enjoyed it regardless of how he reacts of if he even reads it.

Up. Will call and write when I can.

>>48791326
PASTE. BIN. YOU. DOUBLE. FAGGOT.

I don't really give a shit, and am mostly an asshole.

>>48791208
Huh. I guess a pastebin would have made more sense.

I don't really write very often, and truth be told this stuff is all just spitballing theory and concepts together in the moment and trying to make something out of it.

Honestly, I was kind of hoping people would comment on what I wrote, to either call things out as stupid, or suggest alternate ways it could work, or yeah I'll admit it I would have felt good if someone had said "Hey, a lot of that is a mess and poorly laid out making it hard to read, but it sounds like you have some interesting or fun concepts there." or "Hey, I think I can use some of that in my game/lore/setting whatever."

I guess there's always >>48790641 who questioned if it was self canon, but also gave me the benefit of the doubt that it could be from a published book.

FYI, not even self canon, Just trying to spin something out of whole cloth with unreasonable confidence in a few basic assumptions. I tried to do it in a "A Fae lives until he's dead, and not a moment less -Chapter from The Knight of the woven warp, a contentious memoir and lectures of an unknown Fae

>>48791382
Shit like this is why I don't study fey, they fuck with our heads as bad as the old ones. Fucking squids in peoples heads.

>>48791382
So, you're SOC anon? (Stream Of Conciousness?) (Maybe just stream anon?)

>>48791374
Hey, for multi post sperging sure. But they wouldn't give me all these characters before post limit IF THEY DIDN'T WANT ME TO USE THEM!

China had to use moon runes for thousands of years, they had such low character limits due to constant warring states, invasions, and internal not-quite civil wars constantly destroying infrastructure so that no great works were able to be consistently maintained except the rare areas of a strong central government that never lasted more than a handful of generations. And even then, it merely occurred less frequently and to outlying provinces that didn't have much affect on the capital or wherever said empires power base was.

And now you want me to just waste possible characters :<:<:"<>:)U@*$%T%^@**

You think this is easy, or that I want to do this? I mean, I do ultimately CHOOSE this, but out of obligation and environment conscious, for a better environment not just now but also for the eventual kids of the women I look at through her windows at night.

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>>48791363

>>48791192
>>48791326
You started off well, but you let your prose get away from you at paragraph five, and sadly, you don't recover. Interestign to read, bvut the latter parts slip away from the realm of plausibility into the realm of quantum mental masturbatory material.

I'd say 6/10, more if you had held it together.

>>48791406
>>48791404

Nigga, I don't to have a reputation or identity or any bullshit here, much less an actual nickname. Shit is happening and posts are coming up, could be from anyone. I could be a different dude. I could be a bunch of faggots with nothing to do after measuring our cocks but compete at trying to shitpost in character and see who breaks consistency first or most.

Honestly I already feel like a faggot for not using a pastebin like someone pointed out. Don't have to worry about character limits, can put a smaller link so other anons aren't triggered and have to go rub the junk on their emotional support fursona plushies until they feel that it would have had a totally awesome cummies and told them that they were good people who gave the best cummies because they were super sexy and they can feel relaxed and good about themselves whenever their little faggot fuckdoll furbomination is around because god knows any real human would feel obligated to start by pointing out their inability to admit the shitty details of their existence, in the hope that even if they are probably unfixable they could at least learn to downplay or hide them long enough that others could tolerate the discomfort of their presence long enough to qualify as "human interaction" so they don't fall further into isolation and autism as a defense mechanism against the terrifying and inescapable truth about themselves, their capabilities, and their likely future of continuing to fail mostly because of who they are.

Which are terrible people who get upset because they have to scroll through gibberish posts on an anonymous free forum that prides itself on having idiosyncratic concepts of "quality" mostly focused on the absence.

I think this is the worst thing I've ever posted by any metric. Still haven't used up my character quota, kind of surprised, irritated, and reluctant to stop until I do. I'll say it's to prove a point, that I have a reason, but I'll be hard pressed to actually

>>48791509
Well, you already burned through most of the page. Write a few more paragraph long rants or something to end it.

>>48791509
Buddy, calm thy shit. We all friends here, aye?