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________________
>Previous Threads:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Oscuro
>You don't have to read the previous threads to participate but there are details you may find helpful.

>Quest runtime announcements:
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>Character Sheet/Dice&Deal Mechanics:
http://pastebin.com/ZMWK0qXX
http://pastebin.com/fUbaui1h

>Soul Aspects&Soul Memories/Current&Resting Deals:
http://pastebin.com/fxEm5B80
http://pastebin.com/XPHEYUk8

You decide not to test your luck with the prowling two-crowned earthjána and decide to leave the chamber behind for now. Scanning its two nested crowns and its subdued aura you note some few differences from your first observations. It’s crowns are tightly woven together, filled with wide white flowers sprouting from thorny vines, interrupted unevenly by smaller purple flowers poking out from underneath. Its aura, now that you’re close, appears much greatly condensed compared to any spirit you’ve met so far- like a metal spring, one of your aspects recalls, waiting for release. You try to look at whatever chains are upon it but as it snorts again in your direction you decide to leave it to its bored prowl with haste.

As you flit gracefully back down the long path you consider Cloudseer’s words, that such a creature called itself, and by proxy yourself, a parasite. You’re not sure you agree, though it mentioned other things that were very unclear, whatever it called the Council of Balances being another one. You wonder, as you pick up the small earthjána’s crown and despairing stone you left in the long hall, if it’s simply its nature to be vague or its intention is to gain more aspects by making others more curious.

You note that it may perhaps be wise to return some day, to observe that curiously ruby-eyed spirit and the chiseled form close to it, the stark white form with a sun and bell blazing above it, and the massive plantlike spirit closeby. Not to mention the strange being upon the ceiling. Regardless, as you return to the entrance of the temple you note your inky companion appears strangely drained, swaying lightly in the lightless chamber, looking pensive at nothing and emitting a deeply similar hesitation as before. Once he notices your presence he looks to meet your gaze.

“Meet anyone everinteresting?" He seethes, looking expectant of an answer as he switches his stare to the great doorway behind you. You briefly consider a response before ordering him to follow you, and then consider it further as you quickly approach the far side of the temple from where you felt the emanations of your Accord’s goal.

>Emanate the event in detail.
>Keep it vague; no specifics.
>Emit nothing to him; you don’t quite trust him yet.
>Something else. (Write-In)

>>345402
>>Keep it vague; no specifics.

>>345402
>>Emanate the event in detail.
We can trust our buddy.

>>345410
>>345423
>If none venture a tie-breaker in 10~ I'll roll a d2.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>345410
>>345423
1; vague
2; in detail

>writing with results

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You emanate as much as you can manage, even attempting a vision of sorts to communicate the vastness of Cloudseer’s words and gaze. The details of what he considered you each to be, the details of the girl, the offering you made, the two-crowned earthjána and its bored prowling. Your inky companion emits many indiscernible nuances as you communicate each point in turn, and appears to lag behind in thought for a long moment until you stop to order him forward. He asks for allowance to speak and you grant so with some curiosity.

“Cloudseer is not a name known to me,” he seethily begins, emitting the slightest bit of hesitation. “The four-gazed god worshipped by those now memories had refused speaking with the Aniunakei since last I knew of it. Everbeyond that it refused to speak with spirits,” he seethes slowly, emanations changing to something measured, “it was a great deal of time before my sealing when it refused all offerings.” He looks at you as you each consider the other in the hall, and though you know he cannot feel your emanations you find it difficult to imagine that your further question is being anticipated. “Everbeware that one, this Cloudseer, for that is not the name of the spirit previously worshipped at that altar, and” he pauses, glancing around at the ruins with focus, “spirits worshipped as gods do not suddenly abandon what gives them power.” He finishes, nodding back to you to lead on. Curiously, you note that he keeps slightly further behind you for the duration of your trek through the motley-red temple, but you decline hurrying him as the emanations you feel from the girl remain in place.

Moving closer to the emanations of semi-subdued joy, the storm rolling over the ruins outside becomes clearer as you traverse several narrow stairwells upwards, the cloudy night sky visible through sparse long windows blurred above the torrent. As you find yourself higher and upon another long path you discover pages, tomes, and books- your aspects recall them in various forms. Your inky companion emits genuine ignorance before you emit a question.

Opening one you find they emanate nothing special, but appear seaworn and stained, some pages having runny ink or entire sections missing. You note several dozen pages are set upon a long horizontal windowsill in neat order with rocks weighing upon them, presumably to dry. You muse that the materials would likely be ruined if there wasn’t the slightest outcropping above the window protecting it all from the deluge.

You note that besides the tomes and pages littering the paths here much of the space is clean and absent of the debris flecked from the walls of the aging ruins, leading you to ponder that perhaps it is well traveled. As you move onwards you find more tomes, more pages collected in stacked heaps, and even the occasional pile of golden coins and curiously shining stones that appear cut with detail alongside some ornate belts and strange clothes mixed in, all spaced evenly with mild attempts at organization. Up ahead you begin feeling another emanation, similar to the one you now feel more strongly upon the temple, and recall Cloudseer’s words of a small spirit of the sky. Though you also feel another aura, though very subdued, that seems reminiscent of the vinetreading spirit from before. Your inky companion emits some mild curiosity at all this, and an allowance to speak, which for now you grant.

“It is a Curer’s daughter that this place has become home to,” he seethily questions, to which you emit that it’s likely. “It would then be everwise to order me to remain while you go ahead,” he states, looking at you with open emanations of wariness, “not simply to catch it and its creatures unaware, but as much to ensure confrontation is minimal with whatever spirits wait ahead of us.” He finishes, awaiting your response patiently. You ponder that his size and appearance might be intimidating, though it may also trigger a violent response which may not be your aim, and begin considering your options as you quickly approach what you feel to be the dimly-lit chamber harboring your goal.

>Perhaps it would be best, you’ll order him to stay here and go on alone. You’d not want to trigger conflict so readily.
>Actually his factor of intimidation may come in handy; order him to follow.
>What you’d really planned was an all-out attack on whatever smaller spirit may be in your way- inform him as much and move forth in a pair prepared for combat.
>Something different/Some addition. (Write-In)

>>345791
>>Actually his factor of intimidation may come in handy; order him to follow.
He should start following us after a short while. We will go in first and see what happens.

>>345791
>Perhaps it would be best, you’ll order him to stay here and go on alone. You’d not want to trigger conflict so readily.

>>345791
>Perhaps it would be best, you’ll order him to stay here and go on alone. You’d not want to trigger conflict so readily.

I got pulled away for circumstances and won't be able to continue tonight, and for similar reasons don't know when I'll be able to. Sorry about this.

>>346618
No problem OP. Thanks for running a bit and see ya around.

>Resuming in 1hr. with;
>Have inky stay behind for now and go alone.

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You assent to his idea, he’ll stay behind while you go ahead to assess the situation, though you’re mildly curious as to why he’s become more concerned about fighting spirits. You emit the question with clarity as he looks over the chamber of tomes.

“I recall trying to trap a newborn darkness whilst weakened. Everwas it poor judgement,” he seethes easily with small thoughts of cleverness at his own words. You suppose that’s true and order him to stay behind for now, but to follow if he senses conflict. “Wise once again, brother,” he quickly agrees, then slithers over to some of the drying pages with profound interest. You leave him to his examinations as you flit along the ancient red stones towards the dim source of light.

Before you reach it what you first feel is the soul of the girl overshadowing two smaller souls, noting it bears similarities to Ijana’s; oddly composed, focused, though unlike her mother it appears tinged with some joy alongside its contempt. You feel the small plantlike spirit from earlier, and another you can only assume is the smaller sky spirit Cloudseer spoke of. Both appear to carry undertones of unhappiness and impatience, though it’s unclear where they’re directed.

You cross the threshold the small motley red chamber, alighting into a space of shadows between the many lanterns. Before you, nestled among stacks of seaworn books and face buried in a volume of ridiculous size, sits the goal of your accord in an equally weatherworn chair bathed in slowly flickering lantern light. Your aspects offer something of a translation; The Sixty-Seven Supreme Arts of Sea Warfare: From Oar to Sail to Manabound by Heaven's Admiral Jereden Srortuier of Northcount Ophiane. She appears to be somewhere halfway through it. Upon one of its edges is perched the smallest spirit you’ve seen, a fuzzy thing of faintly glowing white, emanating small measures of displeasure. It is similar for the earth spirit you encountered before, who is oscillating a thrush fan within its vines towards the seated girl.

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“Page,” an airy voice states, and the sky spirit flies to turn one of the great pages while small hands steadfastly retain hold of the great volume. “Puo,” declares the same voice again, to which the earth spirit plucks something from a bowl nearby, small reddish fruits, and proffers them to the volume-hidden girl. Once it notices you, rather once it notices the crown you hold, it taps her shoulder for attention.

"No," an airy declaration comes from behind the volume, one small index finger popping out from behind the great tome alongside a thought of terse refusal. “My friends told me your accord,” she says, while you notion that it was perhaps the earth spirit here and the great sky spirit still outside. “I’m staying here. Leave.” She finishes with clarity, emanating solid resolve.

>Though she knows to have an Accord to complete, perhaps emanate the necessity that you do so.
>Emit something to as her reasons, perhaps you can work from there.
>Venture an accord with her for her return, though you’re wary of what she may demand.
>Neither of the spirits here are particularly strong- perhaps you might simply pick her up and leave.
>Something quite different/An addition. (Write-In)

>>350045
>>Emit something to as her reasons, perhaps you can work from there.
Baby steps.

>writing!

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You emit, lightly, a question of her reasons for being here.

“Like mother,” she begins quietly, “you want me to explain myself so you can twist what I say into convincing me to do something I don’t want to do when I already decided not to do something.” She closes the great volume with a harsh thud and the small sky spirit struggles to escape its pages while its tail remains caught as she sets the book aside. The plantlike spirit aids its freedom with a free vine, both emitting greater levels of impatience than before, which you sense clearly directed at the child.

She turns to you all joy gone and emitting a deep scorn- it strikes you how quickly her soul seems to fluctuate, and you ponder that it’s very unlike the souls you’ve felt so far, and perhaps because it is child’s soul. Though now unhidden you get a better look, noting clothes and adornments far different from the brushclad Aniunakei; golden bracelets and colorful amulets, a headdress of sorts with feathers that seem nearly spiritual in nature, and oversized silken clothes cut short at the sleeves and ankles.

“She even waited for nightfall to send a darkjána,” she frowns petulantly, evidently guessing your nature from obscurity. “First give Dani back his crown,” she asserts calmly from her seat, arms crossed and gaze maintained upon roughly your location, “then we can talk about reasons.” Her further assertion is solid and much like Ijana’s you feel, very innately, that she won’t change her opinion.

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Considering the lack of other options you reform a semisolid smoky limb around the crown and roll it through the lantern light to the small earth spirit, who adorns it with satisfaction, though weakened and with how little foliage there is in here you venture it’s far from as dangerous as it was outside. Gaze maintained, the girl readdresses you, though with an odd sort of focus- likely trying to sense your soul, though she gives up quickly with a sigh. The small skyjána creeps along the floor up to you, its small eyes emanating something of a plea.

“I’m Nanali,” she declares at you, “daughter of the second worst mother in the world, healer in training of the stupidest tribe in the world,” her voice raises slightly at this, “and I’m leaving this place as soon as I know how to sail a ship.” She announces harshly in the small confines of the chamber, each spirit receding lightly at the declaration. Then, more quickly and loudly than before, “I will because I want to. That’s my reason. You can go back to tell her that. I already have. I’ll bring my real friends with me and leave.” She doesn’t indicate the spirits here, though you know of who she speaks from Cloudseer, and instead she keeps her gaze solidly on you with great emanations of hostility.

You observe the two spirits, the discontent earthjána fanning her and the skyjána near your amorphous form while you ponder the statement. Her treatment of them irks you greatly, their powers turned to trivial and childish pursuits. Further you wonder if this is the reason the village was not defended; she accorded their well-known spirits to accompany her here, and she keeps them here. You emit subtly a similar a question to the skyjána at your feet, hopefully too subtle for the girl to sense, and it returns a gloomy confirmation at your verdict.

>Emit that her actions put her tribe in danger, and that she should come home- with these spirits.
>Emanate that she ought to consider the opinions of her Accorded spirits more.
>She appears greatly solid in her goals, perhaps you can Accord her with something halfway.
>With your inky companion it shouldn’t be too difficult to leave this place with force- so you’ll apply it very well.
>An addition/Recombination. (Write-in)

>>350395
>>She appears greatly solid in her goals, perhaps you can Accord her with something halfway.
We might have knowledge of how to sail a ship if she agrees to be brought home first. Let us finish our Accord and then go off and run away.

>>350395
>>Emanate that she ought to consider the opinions of her Accorded spirits more.

>>350459
>>350487
>writing!

You emanate a focused idea of word bound to soul, tempered with small visions of a sailing ship with an agreement of sorts, and that you could finish your accord with Ijana to bring her back and leave afterwards.

“You’ll get a ship for me? You’ll fight mother?” She posits the questions with a cruel smile and clear emanations of doubt, one you feel certain is inherited. Arms remaining crossed her soul emits something close to joy. “That’s what you would have to do if I went back and tried to leave again.” You think to yourself that that’s quite likely, though you emit nothing. She breaks her gaze, turning to look at the long aperture showing the rolling storm upon the ruins outside.

“I need my friends to help me take a ship. She’ll take them away,” she clarifies vigorously, “and I’ll have to return to training. Training my friends can’t help me with.” She hops off the weatherworn chair as it creaks unevenly and moves to the only window of the chamber after picking up a lantern, the earthjána continuing to fan her as she moves.

“I don’t need to make deals with you to get what I want.” She asserts, though not as strongly as before. Observing the condition of the spirits here, and recalling the seajána from before, you emanate that if she’s calling these her friends she ought to consider their opinions. Further still that if she’s Accorded with them she should pay a little more attention to their desires.

“What they wanted is what they Accorded,” she claims imperiously, “when we leave together they’ll be happier. So will I.” She fixes her gaze upon the storm, and as she does you sense movement from the great skyjána upon the temple, and an emanation of assent. The storm becomes mild, the clouds parting to reveal the night sky in small stretches, while you begin to consider another response.

>Refocus on her actions and the consequences they caused, she clearly doesn’t know what happened, though on its own you’re not sure if it’ll be convincing.
>Emit the affirmative, you’re quite powerful, you’ll get a ship and sneak her out of the village upon it- though you imagine it will be a difficult task to evade her mother.
>She mentioned training; perhaps you can help her with that secretly. Her mother doesn’t need to know, though suggest leaving later if its possible.
>Your inky companion is still of possible aid in this matter- perhaps you can call him closer.
>An recombination/Something else. (Write-In)

>>350708
>So she's willing to kill her mother to murder her entire village, just because she's scared of hard work? Because when she leaves, she'll have stabbed them, strangled them, shot them, and raped them as surely as the raiders who will fall upon a defenseless village. Furthermore she won't enjoy her ship long. The outsiders are coming, and they have more and better magic than she does. She will fall to them, her servants subjugated or rendered broken and irrelevant. For such a brilliant and powerful child, she is a fool.

>While giving her a litany, get closer to her and try to grab her.

>>350708
>>Your inky companion is still of possible aid in this matter- perhaps you can call him closer.
There doesn't seem to be any danger yet so maybe he can ease in and help us out.

Since these aren't contradictory I can combine 'em, and;
>writing!

Although for your distraction and getting closer to her while she's wary I'll need you to;
Roll me dice+1d100, best of three.

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>350847
Make it graphic about what will happen to them.

>>350860
>Oh boy.
>writing!
>No further rolls needed, the only higher one than this would be a crit 100.

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You feel certain that you’re done evading and appeasing, this creature sought to endanger all she’s ever known to avoid whatever duties have been bestowed upon her for a childish dream. You emit an order to your companion held in waiting, and then focus hard to emit the sequence of events that led you here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2Ug0kEn2g8

"...attacked?" She emits some guilt, small but growing, to which you return a mollification of serenity- hoping that will clarify her home's safety. Her soul changes instantly, worry replaced with confidence. "I told her so. The warriors can defend our village just fine. My friends will stay with me, now go away." She turns away, back to the clearing night sky above the ruins.

No, you emit clearly, to yourself, to the spirits around you, and strongly to the little girl you approach. She understands nothing. At this she turns with hostility, but you persist in graceful flickering stride along the lamplight. You feel yourself access some spiritual power beyond what you’ve held before as you begin enforcing visions, and instead of the typical imaginings you feel them reinforced with reflections of your aspects.

A burning Amrenian village- people running and screaming in terror. Of a man’s gaze locked upon you in hatred as you fire your pistol into his face with laughter, the jaw slackening in burnt cruor as he falls back with lightless eyes while you unsling another and continue to mow down the pitchfork armed militia.

“That’s just a vis-“ she starts with some small fear as you interrupt her statement with more aspect emboldened visions. Of great ships full of cannons, firing harshly into each other as men fall in great numbers- blown and splintered apart in unshining red viscera. Of the Ularin city sacked and razed with its great towers blown asunder and its people tied to stones and drowned from all to none. A picture of a Curer scorched with fire with a blade leveled at them with pure destructive intent. You emit fully the threats of those with seizing lusts and their desirous ways- of evils easily committed through wanton greed's. You temper each with the undertones of celebration you felt from the souls in the pirate’s cove- that these souls revel in all their natures.

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She appears to be tearing up, but your point is not finished. You note the spirits do not stop you as you continue- and you feel as though their tensions are rising as they gain slivers of your powerful visions. You enforce the visions of destruction upon an image of her mother, of the form of a little girl sailing a great ship away from a chasing fleet and being sunk to the depths, of the spirits you’ve so far seen harpooned, blasted, and severed from the mortal realm unable to aid her. After feeling this from you, each in turn and very solidly, the small skyjána and plantlike spirit affirm similar concerns to her- neither of them wants to see the Aniunakei die.

You reach out a semisolid smoky limb through the shadows of the lanternlight and grasp her wrist tightly. You grant one last emission, pure and powerful, that for however much she knows and for whatever power she possesses she is a fool, to which she responds with nothing except covering her eyes with her free silken garbed arm. You stand there idle, sky spirit and earth spirit watching intently while she stifles a sob and wipes her eyes. To her credit you suppose she’s not truly crying. You feel innately quite lucky the visions and their details worked so well.

Although inwardly in some indiscernible way you feel somehow different. You’d never been able to reach so deeply into your own aspects, and almost feel as though there’s more there. But your goal appears near complete, the girl having relented with a downwards cast gaze and no small amount of shame. You consider your options while your inky companion pokes his head askance around the entrance’s corner, emitting the slightest bit of curiosity at the whole scene. Curiously, like before in the entrance chamber, he appears drained- though unlike before emits something confident.

>Start leading the procession back, you’ve nearly accomplished this Accord.
>Perhaps your inky companion will have an answer to these powerful visions.
>Is there anything else you’d like to emit on your way, to anyone present, Dark Spirit? (Write-In)
>An additional action/Something else. (Write-in)

>>351223
>Perhaps your inky companion will have an answer to these powerful visions.
>Is there anything else you’d like to emit on your way, to anyone present, Dark Spirit? (Why our inky companion appears drained yet confident.)(If anyone here has an idea how to get past the spirit in the water between here and the girl's home.)

>>351223
>>Start leading the procession back, you’ve nearly accomplished this Accord.
Little buddy might just say something bad, lets keep him silent for now.

>>351223
I'm a little bit in awe OP; good work.

>Start leading the procession back, you’ve nearly accomplished this Accord.

>>351268
I'm getting that vibe too actually. Support.

>>351251
>>351268
>>351269
>>351279
Will write for
>Start leading the procession back, you’ve nearly accomplished this Accord.
>(If anyone here has an idea how to get past the spirit in the water between here and the girl's home.)

Given that you'd prefer his silence but remain curious about his state, would you like to emit an order for his silence and that he explain at a later time?
>Yes; emit an order for silence and have him explain at a later time.
>No; only emit an order for his silence.

>>351326
I'd rather not order him to do anything but if he starts asking for permission to talk then reject him.

>>351326
>>351356
this

>>351356
>>351366
>aye, and writing!

Nanali in hand, she takes one last look out at the night sky and runs her free hand along the feather she wears, and you hear a great shriek from above the temple- shattering the quiet of the night. You hear great wingbeats, and through the window you see a form begin to fly in circles above the ruins. Looking at Nanali closely you recall that she appears rather different from the visions the sea spirit gave you, she’s not adorned with orchids, and is not brush clad. She was truly preparing to leave. You wonder if the sky spirit now orbiting above was going to be her backup plan for fleeing the temple - you conclude it was good that you acted when you did.

“Let’s go back,” she sniffles meekly, evidently needing very little prodding at this point. However, instead of you leading her, she takes point and begins marching with solemn determination through the motley-red ruins. You walk just behind her, the pair of small spirits following just behind you as they emit the slightest bit of gratitude at you, though the earth spirit laces it with a promise of you defeat.

Ignoring the sore loser you note your inky companion had stayed in darkness just aside your procession with his undertone of confidence growing strongly. He asks to speak, but you reject the demand. To this he responds with assent, though his undertone does not change. He hangs back from you further than before, further than he did when you were walking to this place, and you begin to wonder at his actions in full.

You know decrees can be broken; you caused a fracture in your own trying to take your now-companion’s Second Eye, and venture that they can only be broken with persistent refusal. You promised to refuse your constraints in order to force from him the nature of Decrees. Considering more, your decree demands that he follow your orders, that it only finishes after a condition has been specified and then met, and that he must follow all commands you give. You walk behind Nanali down the temple steps while you contemplate, the form of the great spirit above circling your party with calm slowness.

Emitting nothing you inwardly feel some fear that perhaps there’s something wrong with your decree, though you’ve not seen him refuse anything- and at that there’s a dawning that strikes you like steaming basalt blasted apart by searing dark fire. The information on Decrees he gave you were genuine according to his emanations, but given all he knows about all else he was certainly sparse with details. His excuse was that he’s not a scholar, the excuse was genuine- you recall it with ease, but you wonder how different from evasion that is, and that it was spoken prior to your Decree.

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Flickering gracefully in stride behind Nanali you recall that you haven’t seen him refuse anything, and to your knowledge he hasn’t. With growing concern you realize you did order him to remain in place and leave multiple times, first for sneaking up on the earth spirit, another for the chamber of confluence, and then finally the last time when you’d decided to seek out the girl alone. The latter two at his own suggestion and quick consent, and each time appearing drained afterwards.

You flit your red-tinged abyssal gaze back to his position at the end of the procession, and note that he’s well out of range from where you could examine his chains, observing the small glowing sky spirit with curiosity. You recall he’s been keeping himself at a similar distance as much as possible, the few exceptions being when you were focused on the crown and on saving him from the lightning. Further, you wonder what five cruor is worth? Your basis of comparison is Accords, so-called weaker curses by the seething wet darkness, not Decrees. Even Uluwehi’s Accord with you proffered cruor with a weight of seven. Suddenly, as you pass under the small trees at the edge of the ruins the girl sees fit to ruin your fervid ruminations.

“I still want to see them,” she begins weakly with an emanation of uncertainty, “A northern place where there’s never sunlight. The mountain that no one’s climbed. The boy emperor that doesn’t speak. The conqueror with rings like a lightjána and wings like a skyjána,” she speaks wistfully, confidence from before slightly drained. “Our sister tribes that stay hiding,” she looks forward, gaze stern and face solid. “But it’s not worth any of that happening.” She finishes solidly, and you feel her emanations to be sincere.

As you find yourself nearing the beach, you emit a question of the sea spirit that had ambushed you here.

“I’ll rest our Accord and he’ll let us past, easy.” She returns with confidence while you feel yourself becoming less confident. Your inky companion trails behind the procession, his confidence evidently certain, though as you reach the beach his attentions change rapidly from the small sky spirit to the dark waves.

What you feel from him is quite different from anything before- awe. He gazes at the night sea with pure unhindered astonishment. He moves up the procession, closer but not truly close to you, and emits a slight vision of a city amongst rolling hills. Then the picture of the ocean in front of you now alongside an idea of something lost. He appears very content to mull over his own sensations and pondering while you sense the approach of the seajána.

>Perhaps you should look closer at his chains while he’s distracted.
>Same as above, but order him closer as a test of your decree.
>Rather than any of the above just move forward towards the village, you’ll sort it out later.
>Perhaps warn Nanali in some way.
>Something else/An addition. (Write-In)

>>351727
>Perhaps you should look closer at his chains while he’s distracted

>>351727
>Perhaps you should look closer at his chains while he’s distracted.

>>351727
>>Perhaps you should look closer at his chains while he’s distracted.
Aww man, I guess our little buddy doesn't like being tied up very much.

>>351727
>Perhaps you should look closer at his chains while he’s distracted.

>>351739
>>351745
>>351746
>>351754
>Writing

You observe Nanali for another moment in the pure darkness of the night, recalling your trek through the jungle was done so with ease. You venture the spirits Accorded with her are sharing some of their senses. You turn hurriedly to your distracted companion, emitting nothing, and flit gracefully along the shadows of the beach, alighting just close enough while he observes the dark waters with focused glee.

Once again you see two sets of chains, the smaller set torn and dangling emitting something of duty and a warrior, the greater set emitting perpetuity, servitude, and some small measures of friendliness. The greater set is withered starkly; its chips and nicks deep, multiple links of the great chain seem close to breaking, one in particular just a hair away from shattering. You conclude he’s been working alone at this every opportunity he’s had. You flit back to your previous position to consider things, but are interrupted as he speaks.

“That,” he whispers with an emanation of genuine friendliness, drawing the attention of yourself and the spirits around you, but not the girl’s. “Is the result of powerful spirits battling from both realms. That city, Ine-Anakoa, met its end everlong ago.” He indicates the waters with a great claw. Then, more gravely than before, “It is likely the result of sacrificial design- of evermany numbers. Much it might, as much as what was given by my last charge, as that which interfered with my unsealing.” You recall the statues from the bog, all facing the direction he’s pointing. And then further the stone skeletal guardians, and a combination of your memory and your aspect of the crimson cloaked commander offering something of great value to unseal his greatest friend. “My name could very well be beneath those waters,” he posits seethily.

You don’t sense that he realizes you’re aware of the state of his chains, though you wonder if that matters. He spoke without you prompting an allowance for it, though he’s not seemingly acknowledging that he did, or perhaps he’s not aware that he did. You recall that Decree’s are obscured for those they rest upon, but your concern only grows at these new insights.

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As you turn back to observing Nanali you consider that he remains quite distracted by reminiscing while she steps upon the back of the sea spirit, and motions the rest of you to follow. The sea spirit, you now see more clearly, is actually quite larger than you thought it was. It emits to you regret, and then a vision of a smoky two-eyed darkness crushed within a many fanged jaw. Once again you deny dignifying its fantasy with a response to decide upon your course of action.

>You don’t want to give attention to your knowledge and so you’ll continue along until you devise something else. Perhaps Ijana will be able to aid you.
>Perhaps with Nanali’s help you might subdue him again, though with the darkness of the waters around you you’re quite concerned.
>Confront him directly on the matter of the chains- you want an explanation and his thoughts.
>Similar to above, but rather try distracting him with questions on your journey back, as he seems easily distracted by the past. (write-in)
>Something else/An addition. (write-in)

>>351847
>Similar to above, but rather try distracting him with questions on your journey back, as he seems easily distracted by the past. (write-in)
Ask about what he wants to do other then reclaiming his name and getting revenge on the Aniunakei. Does he have any desires like travelling out into the world like the girl?

>>351847
>>Confront him directly on the matter of the chains- you want an explanation and his thoughts.
He might already be free of the Decree, maybe we can settle this peacefully though. We let him free and he agrees to not harm us. Lest we kick his ass again and this time for real.

>>351847
>Similar to above, but rather try distracting him with questions on your journey back, as he seems easily distracted by the past. (write-in)
How many cities has he seen, has he everheard of an empire of pale skins? How many Spirits has he met?

>>351882
>>351914
>These are easily combined, and so
>writing!

On the matter of perhaps confronting him in the manner stated in >>351897 I'll pose another vote of;
>Say you'll let him free if he agrees not to harm you, lest you kick his butt big time.
>Persist only with the distraction's on your journey back to the village.

>>351940
>Persist only with the distraction's on your journey back to the village.
We can put the ultimatum to him after we finish our accord.

>>351940
>Persist only with the distraction's on your journey back to the village.
Wait until we finish the accord first.

>>351948
>>351952
>confirmed, and still writing

As the small spirits file towards Nanali upon the seajána you lag behind to emit a question to the seething wet darkness of what he wants other than his name and getting revenge.

“Other than my name,” he repeats your emanation, “and revenge. I’ve thought much about what to do afterwards,” he looks to you with a focused abyssal gaze. “Revenge was indeed my first thought when trying to take that Healer’s cord from you. I would’ve used it to search out every last Curer and from all to none,” he switches to looking at the star-reflecting night waters, “drown them.” He states simply with genuine longing.

You emanate a suggestion that he clarify, trying to make it seem as though not an order.

“The paths and roads overgrown with jungle. The temple broken and its city abandoned. The curious spirit you contacted calling itself Cloudseer,” he seethily lists the disparate details. “I’ve concluded that my revenge was made for me. Perhaps with great irony by time itself, or perhaps by my allies among the spirits bound to the Aniunakei. As a result,” he seethes as he slinks himself into the dark waters, “perhaps they were gravely injured or elsewhere sealed. Much and many everperhaps, and for these obscured reasons I’ll embark upon finding the nature of their fates.” He finishes, looking at you very directly at the last part. His emanation at that inference and with the wording he used being awfully certain, you venture that he does have every intent to break the decree upon him, although he’s still keeping his distance from your gaze.

As you alight yourself upon the bitter sea spirit, Nanali only now just seems to fully take in the seething wet darkness flowing within the depths, long neck and head poked out just above the cool waters. She’s curious, but wary, while you emit a distracting question as to how many cities he’s seen, how many spirit’s he’s known, and further if he’s heard of an empire of pale skins.

“Cities. I’ve seen many. I’ve ruined many,“ he seethes while Nanali listens with interest alongside the spirits present, to which your inky companion emits some odd sort of pleasure you’ve not felt from him before. “The Ularin, walking tailed vermin that had been Accorded to become smiths for the Aniunakei, broke their sacrifice-sealed promise and many of their cities were sacked in response. I recall it was one of the few times many such trade Accords were broken.” He emanates some pride, and retains his previous pleasure from before as he continues.

“An empire of pale skins. I’ve no memory of such a thing. There are,” he stops, “perhaps were, eastern territories that we raided into submission for offerings of the metals that became our-,” he stops, rethinking something with great patience, “the arms and armor of the Aniunakei, though only after being fashioned by those I’ve mentioned from northern waters.” He nods half to himself with an emanation of certainty. You note that upon the waters you’ve made good headway towards the island, and you’ll be reaching it promptly.

“Like the murals above the altars,” Nanali pipes up happily, “they detail accords for trade. Except the bigger darkness that refuses everything.” She adds while rubbing her chin thoughtfully, golden bracelets clinking loudly upon her wrist.

“That one,” he seethes in response, though leaves some nuanced thought unsaid as the small sky spirit glides itself to rest upon his head. “Of the other spirits I’ve known well of names not yet lost to me,” he thinks with a difficult measure of focus, “were Ohkoa, Akiah, and Rurua. And some enemies I’ve felt not worth remembering.” He seethes coolly while you all depart from the sea spirit and onto land.

“Vi-Rurua,” the girl sternly corrects, to your surprise and his, “as our elders achieve a similar title after serving the village after their first eighteen seasons.” She states as you begin traveling earnestly towards the village now, covered by the great canopy and feeling the barest emanations of hungering beasts give your party, or perhaps Nanali, a wide berth. “Also,” she airily begins, “there’s an empire of pale people’s to our distant east that’s being torn by infighting and civil war.” And to this the seething wet dark returns interest and an emanation for her to continue. “I read about it from the letterchests of shipwrecks. The winged emperor, his name is Amren by the way, failing to hold conquered territory after retreating to his destroyed capital,” she finishes imperiously with an emanation of all-knowingness. Though you venture this is quite useful information, and differs greatly from Davidge’s claims, though you feel it likely the pirate may have been exaggerating desperately at the point of Uluwehi’s spear.

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“You knew the ancient spirits?” She questions with focus at the seething wet darkness while you traverse the fungi jungle. “That would make you older than our oldest elder, and he’s blind and hairless. What were they like?” She adds the afterthought with subdued curiosity.

“What were they like,” he slowly seethily repeats, considering the question greatly. “Vi-Rurua blessed these southern lands with healing roots. He counseled wisely and aided the Aniunakei in their dealings with other great powers.” At this you feel him misleading, just slightly, an undercurrent of manipulation crossing his thoughts as he says the name. The girl doesn’t seem to pick up on it, instead resting her arms and hands behind her head in an odd thinking posture, and so he continues.

“Akiah was a five-stranded one of the sea. He was,” he pauses at this, “silent.” You feel him leave a great multitude of things unsaid, with many nuanced emanations stealing his focus. “Ohkoa was offered the hearts of enemies and allies. Granting blessings to many objects and many people in great numbers,” he finishes flatly, emitting some fear as you feel more details remain unsaid.

“What about the four-eyed horned one?” She asks quietly as you see her village’s glow come into view whilst she hesitates her forward steps.

“Evernothing I know of that creature,” he seethily lies, and the clearest lie you’ve felt him speak alongside emanations of furtive deceit. Though you recall his warning in the temple, and how oddly different his response is this time. The girl doesn’t seem to notice it’s a lie, though the small sky spirit perched on his head catches it well and flits forwards towards the village ahead of the girl. To which she begins a chase for it. You note the seething wet darkness stop rather abruptly at this in observation.

“Don’t tell her anything you little traitor,” she whispers with loud desperation, running after the glowing thing as it flits from glowing fungi stalk to oversized pale mushroom towards your destination. The small earth spirit looks up at you and promises vengeance with a harshly curled vine, but you wave it away until departs in the wake of Nanali. You move forward for several paces, but your inky companion remains behind, emanating an expectation of something. He asks for an allowance to speak further, and you allow it.

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“It would be best if I remained outside the village for now. I can feel the Curer from within that place, and she is powerful indeed. Evergreatly would it be wise that I remain unknown to it,” he seethes each point with confidence. Inwardly, you’re sure of his intentions to depart. With your warmth drying the air and his seething moisture wetting the jungle earths the barest motes of low fog have sprung up from your contrasting natures while you consider your options.

>Say that you know of the withering decree, and you'll let him free if he agrees not to harm you- lest you subdue him again.
>Order him to follow you into the village and to the Healer Ijana to which he emits clear fear of, perhaps she’ll have good answers on how to secure him further.
>You could perhaps assent blandly, knowing that he’ll likely finish breaking the decree in your absence.
>A recombination/An addition. (write-in)

>>352212
>Say that you know of the withering decree, and you'll let him free if he agrees not to harm you- lest you subdue him again.
>And if revenge is truly your desire, perhaps you should take it be existing well, and watching when the mortals fade away. Nothing and no one last forever, although I am sure you everknow this better than most.

>>352212
>>Say that you know of the withering decree, and you'll let him free if he agrees not to harm you- lest you subdue him again.

>>352212
>Say that you know of the withering decree, and you'll let him free if he agrees not to harm you- lest you subdue him again.

>>352241
>>352248
>>352250
>writing

>>352212
This, but threaten him with another attempt at his second eye if he does not agree to the accord.

You emit, stark in comparison to his detailed speech, knowledge of word bound to chains and a slight vision of withering. His gaze ceases its movements over the village- switching hard to observe your actions with abyssal stillness. You emit you’ll let him free if he agrees not to harm you, lest he desires you to subdue him again and for the further attempt of taking his second eye. Beyond that you communicate as well as you can that he should be content in the revenge that time has wrought upon the Aniunakei. To this you see him open a fanged grin, and speak at roughly the same volume as Nanali did before.

“I can sense their souls from here. If this is all that’s left of their great nation, of their many lands of many states, I am certain they are dead regardless of what any aid spirits might give them,” he emanates something bitter and vile towards you. “I am grateful for you sparing me the pain of that one of the sky,” he nods up, but doesn’t look away from you. You can also feel it above, perched atop the canopy as it awaits something. “You are evernaïve though,” he continues with a sigh, “that you might ask that of a spirit without mentioning anything of word bound to soul. However,” he pauses, considering his words with patience, “I will honor your request of unbound words, my liking of enabling mutual curses has long since faded.” At this you approach gracefully along the shadows, seeing fit to hold out your hand for such an Accord.

“Really?” He seethes in disbelief, “neither of us have any such cruor to make any strong mutual curse, and you still want to Accord for this?” You emit a stern affirmation at his admonishment. You feel, innately, no matter how much you offer it’s unlikely to hold the sort of power your previous deals had, but the barest scraps ought to seal the deal in memory- a mirror of something to his honor of the request. You emit all this and as he agrees you feel his barest emanations of amusement with an undertone of approval. The world doesn’t darken in the slightest as you press a smoky palm upon one of his great claws, as instead your forms simply waver in the night as an imperceptible red mist moves between your pressed limbs.

>Vital Cruor: 6/??.
>>TO; Vital Cruor: 5/??.

Word bound to soul, however weakly and more in the name of honor, you flit forwards to unbind the great chains upon him. Before you get far he puts up a long claw to halt your advance.

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“A decree can only be established with a living sacrifice,” he seethily begins, “everfurther they are best reinforced or unsealed with the same in a nature correspondent with the spirit intended.” Curious as to why he’d answer that at this moment you advance again, to which he forwards the long claw. “Forever remember: Do not traverse overlong the frozen time. You have no control of that place. The litanies of fate separate and allow actions outside of transient time, and true it is that all which lies beyond mortal time is subject to laws much grander in design, woeful in every aspect. Once I find my name I will search for the locations of the other spirits I once knew, and wherever the litanies now reside.” He finishes, emitting something of a genuine nature at all points and seemingly content with his speech.

Raising a semisolid smoky limb up to his face, you alight your palm upon the set of greater translucent chains. You realize you don’t actually know how to lift the Decree directly, though you attempt the most familiar thing to you that you can recall; a soul to soul urging. You urge that the chains wither away- and the world is not thrust into the abyss, as instead they wearily and soundlessly unlink and disintegrate without any measure of the fitful blue sparks of before. He his fanged visage deeply to you with an emanation of solemn gratitude, and as he turns away he begins to speak one last thing.

“However,” he seethes with an emanation of promise, “should I decide not to come back for those eyes. And if evertruly not I, then fear well what shall.” He slithers into an amorphous dark against the jungle earths. He imparts the faintest vision of something curious to you, some sort of creature he gives you nearly no time to absorb as he slinks away with haste- at a truly surprising pace you realize, as you’d never seen him move quite as quickly.

Watching his emanations disappear beyond your senses you ponder the circumstances, but a rather large yelp from within the village grabs your attention and you begin flickering gracefully along the shadows towards your original destination, drying the last cool breaths of night in your wake. As the torches of the village come into view and you see a familiar warrior struggling with a small plantlike spirit you venture concernedly that dawn is coming quite soon, and with it a new array of challenges.

>>>…NEXT TIME!
>>>Running out of steam guys, I’ll continue tonight (July 9th) at 5:00PM EST/9:00PM GMT, where you’ll be completing your accord and getting your reward, and of course deciding where you’ll go from there.
>>Will also update this semi-accord and the decree pastebins sometime today.
>Expect to pass an important threshold, Dark Spirit, and thanks again to you all for playing!
And also for sticking through these walls o' text.

>>352390
Extra nice run family,
Seeth is a pretty cool dude

>>352390
Glad our buddy turned out to be pretty cool, I didn't want to beat him down or make an enemy. That vision looks scary though, we better level up and make sure to stay ready for battle. Also, the walls of text are one of the good points of this quest so don't worry about it. See ya soon OP.

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>>352403
>the walls of text are one of the good points of this quest
>pic

>>352403
He was almost going to be your first real antagonist, though your choices put some work into changing his mind on certain things. Not really a spoiler at this point I suppose, considering he said so himself.

Anyways,
>Dice&Deal Mechanics/Current&Resting Deals pastes updated
>thread resuming in 1hr

You mull over the words of your former inky companion for a while, considering how great a sacrifice it must have taken to create those chains, and yet they were undone easily after being reinforced with a meeker amount of power. You look to your own and note that for all the struggle you put into taking his Second Eye there’s only one small nick, and they still appear to emit nothing. You feel innately as though there are greater aspects to these chains. Firstly and simply for how much and how different the array of damage carried by the withered links the seething wet darkness afflicted upon his own.

On the notion of sacrifices you recall the words of Uluwehi, who you now see struggling to keep the small plant spirit at bay as he waits by the entrance to Ijana’s dwelling. He’d offered you all his body and all his soul, and you wonder at just how much cruor that would’ve conferred. The inky darkness’s vision has you concerned, and how he connected it to the eyes, though you recall him saying each litany of fate was paired with certain eye’s, yet he remained pointedly vague on specifics. You recall the mural of the serpent from the chamber of confluence, and its ruby-eyed decoration, and bury a thought to perhaps examine it when you’ve no pressing concerns. Though his words on the Aniunakei mirrored your own feelings from earlier when you saw them in cages; they are too few, and too few to last.

Observing the village little has changed, you feel many souls sleeping with some exceptions of young hunters, or perhaps scouts, perched high above upon the great limbs of the jungle trees. Flickering into the torchshadows by Uluwehi you see the vinetreading spirit pulling and restraining him away from the entrance, and he relents shortly, evidently not wanting to truly fight. You, emitting nothing, alight yourself inside the dwelling to see Nanali facing the root-wall sitting on her knees in something of a corner. She emanates a similar shame as before, though now undertoned with indignant irritation. Ijana appears to have not moved much from her sitting place, though you note her eyes are closed and she seems to be focusing on some measure of patience deep within her soul. The pirate from before appears to be awake, his strong soul emitting the same as before, though his eyes travel between Ijana and Nanali with wariness. He appears ignorant of the small fuzzy sky spirit perched on top of his head.

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“How long?” An airy question pierces the silence from the small form facing the root-wall.

“Until I decide what to do with you,” Ijana replies sharply, “you are lucky the elders did not learn of this, lest they be the ones to decide your punishment. If they decided then by all the power of the blood we hold I would have no say in what happens to you.” She finishes with quick severity, though you still see her focusing on the patience within herself.

“Second worst mother,” comes the petulant reply from the corner of the room.

“Who’s the worst?” Davidge questions honestly, and inwardly you feel Ijana near some breaking point of wrath only barely beneath the peace she’d been focusing on.

“The worst is a witch who eats her children and all the children of her village so she can live forever. I read about her,” comes another quick petulant reply from Nanali, her emanations solidly confident in her knowledge.

“I should learn from this witch,” Ijana emphasizes with her too-gentle tone, “it must be a powerful ritual indeed.” And at that the others seem to fall into silence, Davidge remaining cautious while Nanali simply sighs with annoyance. Ijana notices you, or so you feel, when she opens a single eye and looks to the despairing stone in one of your semisolid smoky limbs. She appears expectant.

>Indicate the girl; remind her of your Accord and the promised reward.
>Same as above, though ask about her unlocking the despairing stone.
>This situation seems tense, perhaps you’ll wait outside alongside Uluwehi.
>Something else/An addition. (Write-In.)

>>353974
>>Same as above, though ask about her unlocking the despairing stone.
Why the hell not, I guess.

>>353974
>>Same as above, though ask about her unlocking the despairing stone.

>>353974
>Same as above, though ask about her unlocking the despairing stone

>writing!

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You emit very simply the notion of her daughter and a reminder of word bound to soul. Then further a question as to the despairing stone you hold in your semisolid smoky limb, to which she smiles cruelly in response.

“Yes,” she says with a smile, taking out a small blue stone of similar structure, “it is by the same medium which I intended to grant you the fragments of your reward. You may bring it along to where I’ve prepared the ritual,” she explains respectfully, standing with careful movement.

“Who are you talking to?” Davidge questions honestly for a second time while the spirit on his head makes itself comfortable, to which Ijana simply levels a slow disdainful gaze upon him after taking hold of her sacredness emitting knife from before.

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“The longer you speak the easier it will be to take your soul and feed it to the night,” she explains gently, observing him for a further moment for a response, receiving nothing except his silent and wary curiosity. “Remain here, invader, I must engage in Healer’s work,” she finishes reverently. You feel something minute emanate from the small sky spirit upon his head, affirming some order from Ijana, before she turns back to you and begins striding past while you follow. She takes up a small torch from one of the standing poles, and looks around warily while she departs, putting up a hand to stop Uluwehi from following.

She leads on in circuitous route for quite some time- you’re going deep into the jungle now, though upon a path that you’d not noticed before. Although the night is almost over the dark beneath the canopy feels complete, nearly spiritual in nature. Ijana strides forward wordlessly while you consider the sparse glowing fungi and the odd silence that seems to be permeating all the world around you. This place is spiritually obscured, you feel, though how and for what deeper reasons you’ve only guesses.

She stops suddenly, and you overlook the clearing you’ve arrived upon with curiosity. Within it is great bundle of sticks, the surroundings very clear, though you see recent bare footprints in great numbers. Recently cleared you venture, and likely with the aid of the more able villagers. She stretches out an arm to you, emanating with clarity the despairing stone, and you deposit it within her palm.

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She moves with careful slowness to place each deep within the bundles of sticks, and pricks a small finger just barely- moving the hand to grant scarce droplets of blood upon them. She then takes the torch, and lights the bundle ablaze- the sound rolling deeply into the quiet night, its shadows growing profound. Sensing your hesitation at this she explains, just as before, with a low and respectful tone.

“Your reward is yours, my dear Jána, you simply need to grasp it,” she finishes with one last gesture of tossing the torch into the roaring dark inferno. You chase after it, through some deeply innate sense of longing, and grasp hard the smoldering stones with your searing smoky limbs. You feel the aspects- they’re just on the verge of your senses, and just as when you’ve gripped upon mortal souls you need only hold onto the ones you desire. Though you feel the despairing stone apart from everything else, there’s a deep undertone to it you’re not familiar with, but it promises power all the same.

>>>Decide upon keeping or abstaining from any number of this offering made to you, Dark Spirit.
>ADVENTUROUSLY BOLD [Weight of 4]
>DAMNINGLY COURAGEOUS [Weight of 3]
>HOPE BETRAYED AND UNMADE [Weight of 3]
>VICIOUSLY UNHINGED MADNESS [Weight of 6]
>DEEPLY PROFOUND CONTEMPT [Weight of 4]
>DESPAIRING DESIROUS PRIDE [Weight of 3] {MALIGN}

>>354231
>ADVENTUROUSLY BOLD [Weight of 4]
>HOPE BETRAYED AND UNMADE [Weight of 3]
>DAMNINGLY COURAGEOUS [Weight of 3]
>DEEPLY PROFOUND CONTEMPT [Weight of 4]

>>354231
I can take them all, right? Lets do that.

>>354260
>Taking the viciously unhinged madness
>Taking the despairing desirious pride with a malign tag

Wow you willingly eat poison?

>>354269
We were promised 20 aspects, I'm gonna take 20 aspects. And we pretty much risked our life for that stone, of course I'm gonna take that too.

>>354278
You do realize that she didn't promise not to poison us, yes?

>>354288
No problem, we can always offer them to someone else if they turn out to be terrible.

>>354294
You're assuming they won't latch on permanently, or won't make it so we can't otherwise get rid of them. ESPECIALLY the one with the [malign] tag which means really bad things.

>>354231
Everything except malign.

>>354297
Our buddy wanted the stone so it's probably something neat even with a malign effect. Don't have a comeback for the first part, but I'm greedy so I'll stick by it.

I'm sensing some few trains of thought so far, and so I'll put it to a simple vote;

>All Aspects of your Offering
>Everything except DESPAIRING DESIROUS PRIDE
>All Aspects except DESPAIRING DESIROUS PRIDE and VICIOUSLY UNHINGED MADNESS

>Hopefully this is not a three-way tie.

>>354355
>>All Aspects of your Offering
Time for a 3way tie.

>>354355
>>Everything except DESPAIRING DESIROUS PRIDE

>>354355
>All Aspects of your Offering

>>354314
You forget aspects do not actually give abilities.

>>354402
No problem. If it turns out to be something that bad we can offer it as a peace offering should we run into our buddy again.

>>354408
You're still assuming we'll be able to get rid of it. it has a (this is going to be VERY VERY VERY bad for you tag) and you're being retarded by taking it. For all we know it eats all our other aspects.

>>354433
Curiosity killed the cat, I want to know what it does. It was nice to have a back and forth though.

>>354361
>>354367
>>354389
>All Aspects of your Offering

>>354402
*So far.

>and writing!
>also this may take a bit, certainly not less than 30 minutes or so.

>still writing
>gonna post what I have and then follow with your maturation's
>christ I'm gonna simplify manifold aspects in the future

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Amidst the dark inferno you feel something adventurously bold and grasp the aspect readily, though as you feel it more deeply you sense something connecting it to another, one feeling damningly courageous, and so you grasp it as well as you’re thrust into a vision.

"It isn’t superstitious men who seek the sea,” you explain to your moronic deckhands, “it is the sea that makes men superstitious!” The new men, boys really, look at you blithely. If this were an imperial vessel you’d have them flogged, but the explorers on commission are too principled to withstand their hired help getting lashes. You resume your speech regardless as your more loyal men are also listening.

“Wherever you sail there's worlds beneath the waves, where all manner of dark creatures sing ancient hymns from the deepest undercurrents," you intone deeply, large hand movements figuring into your tale, "to sail above them without respect is to draw their ire, so it is known. Even if a man should become emperor of all lands and peoples, he's not equal to any man who can truly rule the oceans!" And at this you hear whoops and holler from all around, noticing at least one of your new deckhands’ eyes shine something fiercer.

Good, you feel, he’s not a lost cause. You return to setting about your ship, taking in the morning salt and tying the blessed flowing red and black ribbons on whichever protrusions you can manage. While the others return to their duties the better of the young men questions you politely, and you elaborate with easy grace.

"For luck, my boy. A coarse corse for a coarse course. And a lot of them, for even better luck!" you clarify proudly, and then your helmsman holler’s for your attention. You step apace up the deck with a smile, standing beside him awaiting an answer.

"Water's are mad and current is strong around 'em for miles,” he says quietly, keeping his hands solidly on the wheel as he shifts his gaze across the shining coldness of the morning horizon. “The islands can’t be seen, they say.”

“They say that,” you repeat happily, matching his gaze across the waters. “And for all the ship’s lost in these waters we’ll find just as much in treasure.” He eyes you with a subdued smirk at this, and you match his in turn. “When we get what we’re really after we’ll be leaving them behind. Except that boy,” you indicate behind yourself, “he’s got promise. He sways a bit, seems to stare distantly at nothing, talks to himself and speaks to air, but I say he’ll become a fine sailor yet.” You say as you feel something wash over you, and in front of you you see what the old robed man promised; an island where none would go looking for one.

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A pleasantly terse yes sir is the last response you gain as you’re thrust out of the vision. You consider the vision deeply, more strongly than before- it was two aspects related together, rather than their typical shortness. You feel, innately, some knowledge of ships and navigation surging within your abyssal eyes. Refocusing within the flames you grasp another aspect, this time for something hopeful but betrayed- and find it similarly connected to a deeply profound contempt within the same stone. The vision is thrust upon you as you just barely see a reflection of it in the flames above the bonfire.

“The Lord Eingrith of all-holy Frairesulen awaits you, m’lady,” softly speaks an armor clad figure from beyond an alcove. About time, you think to yourself. You’ve been left waiting for weeks, so you quickly motion the guard to lead you on.

You take another moment, as you’ve done many times before, to observe the perpetual black clouds above you. In some places moonlight pokes through, nearly like sunbeams, but you ignore the simple beauty to refocus on your goal. You need this deal to work out, as much as it can, or your house will have no stake in the oncoming rebellion. These people, their arts rather, you believe to be pivotal for your future success- and just maybe you can contrive an unfortunate accident for your husband.

The guard leads you to the edge of a forest, though you’d noticed no other guards your amulet tells you there’s something in the darkness here, something vile. He bows for you to move forward, a bow you do not bother returning, these creatures hardly deserve your acknowledgement, and you begin making your way through the forest. There’s hardly any path here, barely outlined by just the slightest indentation, trickles of moonlight being the only guide towards your destination. You contemplate that this is certainly the reason these lands have remained so solidly in the same hands for as long as they have, there’s no invading this place.

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You find the target of your scheme easily, he’s just as you’ve been told, a monster by any definition. Unlike the grand pillars, elaborate thrones, and masterly crafted halls and courtly adornments, he sits in the dirt before a dark pool of water. This is the creature you need to convince, so you begin with a breath- but he holds up a hand.

“You were here to negotiate,” he begins gravely, “we decided not to. You were a hostage. Your husband has denied our terms. Now you will be boarding a ship bound far south, and left afloat as we promised him.” You hear the guard from before stepping softly through the dark forest as your heart sinks. Did your husband figure out your plan? Is this something this despicable living heresy planned all along?

“That is,” you start with a hard gasp, overlooking the slightest movements of shadows among the many trees. “That is betrayal! Of my house, of our kingdom!” You voice rings across the dark forest for a moment- but you hear as though the echo was cut off abruptly at some point.

“Betrayal exists only among equals and allies. Frail not are any allies and equals we seek. Your diplomacy was considered.” He motions to the dark pool in front of him, and from it images form of your homeland- in lively exact detail. “Only the foolish would try ruling a world that is not theirs,” he finishes gravely.

“The king will-“ You begin, but he puts up a hand and all the sound of the world falls into an abrupt silence, you realize with sudden fear that you can’t even hear your own breathing or heartbeat.

“These lands are far beyond his grasp,” his voice echoes outwards with unnatural clarity from the trees, “he knows nothing of what awaits his armies. He will send nothing.” You know that already, though you wonder how this thing figured that out, or when. The guard from before grasps your shoulder, and you find yourself thrust out of the vision.

You reel hard from it- it’s a bitter aspect, full of pettiness and spite. Though you feel some new knowledge from it, mannerisms and ritual social acts, although foreign and odd- you feel you know their meanings. Regardless, you switch your grasp to the weightiest of the aspects within your searing smoky limbs, some vicious madness- though you hesitate. It feels fractured and disparate, as though it’s not truly together. You are thrust yet again into another vision as you decide to hold it further.

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All around you is a cold unresponsive blackness. Although helpless and unmoving you've always felt soothed by this calm darkness. Yet an occasional gnawing uncertainty disturbs your existence with meek questions of where and why, and as these demand to be pondered you often reach into your mind for answers amidst the frozen stillness, revealing to yourself only memories of a deep and serene aeon of unbroken dark. And thus the calm returns as it always has, consistently freeing you from your ruminations time and time again.

That is until this eternity of peace is broken by a distant feeble whispering that falls through your being, every word edged with quiet harshness.

"Of the Ephemeral, my hallowed exceeder- my tethered, my consecrated."
Hear my Call, my sacred; arise and return.
Be reborn of your accursed slumber. Awaken thy Soul."

As the voice tiredly finishes a soft resonance seeps from within the core of your being, extending itself throughout your body from some remote place. By an instinct almost foreign you thrust your right hand upwards, breaking through dark stones and tearing through prismatic mists as you climb and pull yourself into a pale white light. Ripping yourself up and out of the cold soil you see more clearly the weak glow filtering through the warm dark of the chamber as faint soothing whispers permeate the air and fill you with a profound sense of comfort.

You stand there, immobile, swaying lightly to the haze of indistinct words.

Then the murmurs cease. Your vision swims and your mind slips as you process the myriad of broken architecture, the collapsed pillars trailing decayed roots, the moist stones parsed with moss, a broken altar, a large unkempt brazier, several broken decayed skeletons, and too much more as every little object begs a question. Your mind keeps spinning for answers while you feel as though a ravenous storm is consuming your every attempt to think-

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You remember a remote castle nestled into a mountain between the swamp and the sea. The grand estate of your master, a sanctuary for the arts of Ilian'gia. The one you swore to follow until death. You are one of seven Grand Priests of he who rests within- and you have a mission. You arrive at his summons one late moonlit night with a pair of acolytes in tow. This night is sacred, a culmination of work between yourself and your master, to enact a ritu-

The memory fragments as you recall walking with them through the somber torchlit pathways, pointing to which stones are inlaid with your master’s lethal inscriptions. They pay attention well. You try to know them, to remember who they were and what meaning they had to you. “We will go forth,” you assure them with your instructive tone. No feelings surface, but their names seem on the brink of your mi-

You’re standing upon the culmination of your work, the great work. Your limbs feel numb. You can't hear anything. The others look around at you and each other as you look around at them, all expressions mixtures of confusion and anguish. You've known these people most of your life yet you can't grasp their names. It is a strange agony, you can't recall who they are and onl-

You think you see someone you once knew, greatly familiar, their face and arms are falling into fleshly rain. Another can't seem to stand and slips, they turn half to dust but retain a surprised smirk on their face. You try to rejoice with a chuckle as it’s maddeningly hilarious, but then right after one appears to be in a fit of silent laughter before collapsing into a puddle. Another smiles distantly at nothing as their body flakes into a shining red mist. One seems to be crying, but they dry up into a shriveled corpse which promptly collap-

The last of your standing fellows looks to you oddly, in deep concentration. They mouth something. Their eyes go missing first, then their robes, followed by their skin. All shredded into thin air. Their muscles wither and crumble into dust. Their skeleton stands bare and looks to you, it tries raising a hand to reach. Suddenly it clutches its skull and falls to the ground before violently breaking apa-

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A calm tide of disappointment courses through you as though a raw slickness is weighing on your being. The world greys as your vision blurs and colors fade. Each mote of dust appears to still their tumbling within the fading light of the ritual as you feel the crushing weight of the worl-

The heavy silence is broken by a close whispering that cascades through your skull, every word edged with quiet harshness.

"Perhaps then, you. Listen well." You had a childhood. You once had small fears and regrets. They're gone now. "Of the mortal coil, my young listener, my student." Your first love, your first friends, you no longer know them. "Hear my Answer, the truth I must bestow you." You feel around your mind for your most desirous hopes and ambitions, you can't find them anymore. "The innermost name of he who rests within. Awaken this ground- to the realms of the forgotten and the damned." Your name is lost to you. Your purpose unknown. Why live, you wonder, as you feel you’ve lost an answer. "Speak it and be granted its truth." You vainly attempt to cling to them, but each of your memories continue cascading into some great and immense abyss.

You feel an oppressive name within your mind; it unfolds and overpowers what little else you have left, a word alone that is the unrelenting storm of knowledge. You gasp it painfully just above a whisper-

You’re looking up at your robed mentor, he’s just taken something from his chest and given it to you, a blessing you feel- and you feel so innately. He gave you, he trusts you, with a part of himself. You only know the command alongside it- the goal you’ve been given for what you must seek with all your soul and all your being.

“Go forth,” he assures you, “find me that place,” he assures further as you feel the convictions within your being becoming solid. He rests his hand upon your head as you bow, and his powerful voice rings through your being. “Die where rests the power I seek. Die to beast or die to man. Die where I will find your bones. Die, my student, and I will seek your place of death. You will be reborn, and we will claim the power I seek.” You don’t nod, or move, feeling that it’d be gravely disrespectful, and so instead you cling to your clothing, and with eye’s fierce and will determined you seek out a ship of explorers. You will die, your teacher will follow. You will die, your teacher will follo-

You thrust yourself out of vision as you feel the thoughts repeat infinitely into a desperate abyss. Strangely, you feel as though you could sense something you’d not otherwise be able to- something deeper of souls than emanations. More hesitant than before, you grasp the despairing stone- though you are not thrust into a vision. It’s memories remain obscured to you, though you’ve never experienced anything quite like it before, they seem resistant to your searching even as the aspect becomes a part of you.

>Maturation: 13/54
>TO
>Maturation: 36/54
>Maturation threshold (18) passed!
>Maturation threshold (27) passed!

>NEW TRAITS GAINED
>Spiritual Visions: You can grant very detailed visions to those who you've covenanted with, allowing them your darksight or more accurate depictions of things you've seen and known, including things you've imagined.
>>Of Darkness Born: If a mortal soul sleeps your visions can affect and twist their nature much more strongly than a typical urging, though to get specific results you'll have to construct your intent with detailed purpose and lead their dreaming mind to the conclusions you desire.

>Nature Grantation: You can grant aspects of your nature those you’ve covenanted with.
>>Of Darkness Born and Fire Made: Given your nature, this would be your searing smoky darkness, though it may become other things in time.

>>More results of maturation to follow in next post.

Innately, you feel a burgeoning between other senses- something that defines your being, tools near to your grasping, and a greater form. Though you feel it'll limit your amorphous nature you also feel it will proffer great benefits to affecting the mortal realm.

>>>Choose one of the following greater forms:
>A roughly humanoid shape of two arms and two legs.
>A roughly beastly shape of four great limbs.
>A roughly coiling shape of singular form.
>A roughly winged shape of two arms and two small legs.
Further maturation will define your choice more specifically.

>>>AND
>>>Choose two of the following tools:
>Short piercing claws like hard charred stone numbering three to each limb.
>A searing affliction upon your cruor, one which grants greater power.
>Horns fit for fighting though their use is more arcane.
>A gaze still abyssal, but with fire in their depths.
> Scales like deformed embers, protective and spiritually ablaze.
>A maw, strong though speechless, from which springs powerful teeth.
As before, these each have individual upgrade paths that you'll gain with maturation.

>>355191
>A roughly humanoid shape of two arms and two legs.


>A searing affliction upon your cruor, one which grants greater power.
>Horns fit for fighting though their use is more arcane.

>>355191
>A roughly humanoid shape of two arms and two legs.
> Scales like deformed embers, protective and spiritually ablaze.
>Horns fit for fighting though their use is more arcane.

>>355191
>>A roughly humanoid shape of two arms and two legs.

>A searing affliction upon your cruor, one which grants greater power.
>A maw, strong though speechless, from which springs powerful teeth.
I want to have a smooth toothy grin.

>>355092
>7-8 posts full of text
OP, you're crazy. This is awesome. I'll admit that this is one of the reasons I wanted to take all the aspects.

>>355191
>>A roughly humanoid shape of two arms and two legs.
>Horns fit for fighting though their use is more arcane.
>A searing affliction upon your cruor, one which grants greater power.


Time to build a better balrog.

>A roughly humanoid shape of two arms and two legs.
>A searing affliction upon your cruor, one which grants greater power.
>Horns fit for fighting though their use is more arcane.
Seem pretty solid throughout.
I'm gonna return in 30 minutes or so, gonna eat and take a cancer stick break and before getting back to writing.

>>355242
I'm glad you enjoy it, anon. My new keyboard lost its virginity to this update, the letter 'e' popped off sometime halfway through it.

>back, writing!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp4y_mHLVSw

You fall deep into the flames as the burgeoning of senses, the ones you cling to the most, surge within your abyssal eyes while the bonfire around you rises.

The first is a greater form, a solidness enforced upon your searing smoky darkness, of two arms and as many legs, each part rolling thoroughly into shape as smoke upon flame from within some unknown core of your being. You’re crouching, you feel, and so begin to stand. Your horns, the other part of the power you chose, catch just slightly on the great bonfire around you. You take a moment within the heat to feel them with your solid searing darkness; they sweep menacingly forwards low and around your red-tinged abyssal gaze. You try their power, something innate nearly forcing the attempt, and find the fire around you become enveloped by a profound blackness. You feel deeply that this dark fire cannot easily be extinguished- its shadows would fight against its banishment.

As you rise the embers of the fire quicken their work through the jungle limbs- hissing and crackling whatever moisture was left within. Your solid shadowy form seems responsible, its searing affliction hastens the flames with your touch, and as you contemplate it you try urging the slightest bit of vital cruor with a focus upon the affliction. One of your limbs, though absent any sort of claw or fang, cut fire deeply into a quickly blazing branch. You feel, from outside the bonfire, the air growing harshly arid, and feel the slightest emanation of fear from soul observing the flames with its deep focused gaze. Curious, you decide to apply each of these abilities more strongly.

The fire roars; searing dark edged with flame, you quicken the blaze and deepen the fiery shadows as you fully arise from the bonfire. You feel the vibrations and echoes of the sound, and attempt a combination of your imbuement into the darkness- all the flame and all the forest dark beyond emanating your deep satisfaction. Branches cast harshly aside by your rise, the ground scorches for a few moments more in a deep black circle as the last vestiges of shadowy flame burn up into the night sky. As the flames die you feel the last vestiges of the memory you'd felt what feels like forever ago cling to it- still there, still awaiting something from you.

You realize your influence on the world is not quite strong enough to make the best use of these abilities- though you feel you could sustain these sorts of fires just by trailing branches to more fuel. You turn to Ijana, her arms crossed under her cruel smile standing from a much greater distance than before, and emit satisfaction at the completion of your Accord.

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>AN ACCORD RESTS COMPLETE

As before, the world does not become cloaked in darkness, as instead you hear a deep and distant ting, and some emanation from a far away place- it is one of stern acknowledgement. As the fire dies in earnest, though you try keeping it alive upon its dwindling fuel a little more, she moves to stand closer to you. You note that you’re still smaller than her, standing at a semi-crouch, though it feels natural. Innately, you feel that size is something you may be able to change. You don’t appear to quite have feet, the ends of each of your four limbs being roughly close to the same semisolid searing darkness they were before. You’ll change that eventually, you feel.

“Jána, I have one more Accord for you. If you will listen,” she speaks gently, focused gaze and cruel smile maintained, her form emanating some nuanced evil intent- though one of your aspects seems to speak up on it, explaining the desire; a desire for destruction. You don’t stop her speech, and instead wait for her to continue.

“With conditions as before, weighed against all my soul and all my blood, all that I am as a Healer of the Aniunakei.” She repeats from her first Accord with you, then continuing severely, “I’d ask of you to burn every invader to their last. Leave nothing of their cove behind but ashes,” she intones reverently, standing just before your smoky crater. “For this I will offer their consecration, all their bodies and all their souls, to you, fiery jána of the night.” She finishes breathlessly, and emanates a great expectation of your answer.

>You’ll Accord for that- you do desire more blood and more souls. A firestorm you’ll wreath upon them.
>You’d rather not; this isn’t something to your liking, and perhaps you can find a different solution.
>Perhaps with your Accord now resting complete just say you’d rather abstain from more for the moment.
>Similar to above, where you’ll try seeking different notions rather than her proposal.
>Something Else/An Addition. (Write-In)

>>355640
>>You’ll Accord for that- you do desire more blood and more souls. A firestorm you’ll wreath upon them.
mostly for the cruor, also probably the most lucrative job we'll find anytime soon.

>>355640
Attempt to get some more information. If it's just the invaders at the cove then it sounds fine, but I don't like the fact that she seems to imply all of them. That might count some others that have yet to come and I think the other forces coming were bringing a lot of firepower. Fighting humans sounds a lot easier though, guess I'll just have to wait to be proven wrong.

>>355640
>You’d rather not; this isn’t something to your liking, and perhaps you can find a different solution.
The old warrior just made peace with the invaders. I don't think being that fickle would help our reputation.

>>355652
>>355655
>>355657
>writing for semi-middleground of asking for more information, with a question of the old warrior thrown in for the peace he made.

>>355675
Just making sure, is the old warrior the guy in the tent that we brought back with Uluwehi? I was actually planning on starting with him once we accepted the accord, is that a bad?

>>355683
The old warrior would be Uluwehi, your first Accorded. The pirate in Ijana's home at the moment, Davidge, is the one who'd been coerced into peace by Uluwehi.
>will ask that further question of Ijana!
>cont. writing

“Only the invaders at the cove, for now,” she begins answering your emanations, “and in the future we will establish individual accords for any others. As I’ve been taught, it is wise not to Accord into distant promises, lest things become,” she hangs on the word with focus, “complex.” To keep you enslaved, small one-

You turn viciously around, surprising Ijana, though you yourself feel much more astonished. You heard some sort of voice, some measure of inclination alongside your own thoughts. It doesn’t resurface, so you return to thinking more deeply, the euphoria of fire from within you dying just slightly, at why she would firstly accord you to the action rather than the spirits who’ve been returned to her. They’re the ones you feel she’s certainly accorded for protection from before. You emit the further question, directly.

“The great one of the sky would not do well in a cave,” she returns, reminiscing upon the statement with a smile. “The one of the sea will be useful in directing away more ships, while Dani can use the jungle,” she speaks gently. Though you feel something else- one of your aspects speaking up to a deeper more nuanced intent; she’s hiding something within her words, and within her soulful effluences. You tag the thought within your mind that until your arrival she didn’t accord any of the other spirits to rid themselves of the invaders when she must have had the chance. You emit a reduction of the question.

“It was not the right time,” she speaks calmly, emanating nuances that one of your aspects indicates as dangerous. What is a sacrifice, small one-

You turn at the mild voice, Ijana seeming perplexed at your actions, though once again you do not feel it resurface. You elect to emit another of Uluwehi and the pirate, Davidge, a captain as another of your aspects reminds you, who’d been forced into peace and subsequently freed their tribespeople from the cages.

“What weight has that?” She questions with scorn, smile fading into a blank frown. “It is no trade of word bound to soul. They will break their deal, eventually,” she says gently and with confidence. You feel, quite clearly, that she’s becoming more careless with her concerns. The focus from before fading and the considerations she has fall into ever smaller parts. Beneath them, and deeply, there is an undertone of minute deceit, though you emit nothing to the acknowledgement of it.

You ponder in the drying night air, her gaze focusing upon yours as the barest hints of insects manage to pierce this places sacred silence, while you reconsider your options.

>Accord for the firestorm you’ll wreath upon them, for all their blood and all their souls.
>You’re becoming skeptical of her intentions, so you’ll press her for further details, though she’s becoming agitated.
>Simply deny this Accord for now, you’ll try seeking different notions rather than her proposal.
>Why not, small one, try taking her soul instead?
>An, ha, addition/Or some thing else. (write-in)

>>355758
>Simply deny this Accord for now, you’ll try seeking different notions rather than her proposal.
Go speak to Uluwehi and the mage.

>>355758
>>Accord for the firestorm you’ll wreath upon them, for all their blood and all their souls
I'll take it, making the accord gives us some much needed cruor. The madness sounds like fun, I think it'll take us to fun places.

>>355758
>>Simply deny this Accord for now, you’ll try seeking different notions rather than her proposal.

>I keep my word Ijana. If they break it, they will be mine, but not before.

>>355773
>>355796
>writing!

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You emit a firm denial of the accord, which based on Ijana’s twisting expression she did not expect. You emit, as clearly as you can manage, that you’ll keep well to your previous actions. She looks to the knife in her hand from before, the sacredness emitting from it as it always has, alongside its undertone purposed to offerings. She eye’s it suspiciously, somehow losing all interest in the proposed deal, and after one last look upon your red-tinged abyssal gaze she walks silently away. Her emanations, as she goes, return to nuanced considerations. Ha.

You ignore the mildly sighed last word in your mind, instead flitting gracefully along the paths with your newly formed searing darkness- silently overtaking Ijana’s stride as you exit the winding road and reach the village of the Aniunakei. Uluwehi, unmasked and eye’s tired, appears to be waiting for Ijana’s return. You emit to him a question, at which he awakens from his stare, of word bound to soul.

“That is why I came here, Jána of the Night,” he speaks deeply, solemn tiredness laced through every word, “the one who commands the winds and waters will be back. I do not know when, but I know we will need spirits to face him.” He turns to leave, but stops deep in thought. “For whenever he comes, I would wish your aid,” and you feel something more alongside his words, your previous urgings of a hunter’s mentality fading but seemingly retained within his soul, “his command of the wind may not aid him so well the next time, against a warrior with the jungle’s darkness at his side,” he finishes deeply, emanating the greater gratitude he’d had before. He walks to rest in the center of the village in a semi-meditative posture while you alight yourself into Ijana’s home, noticing Nanali still solidly in place facing the root wall and the pirate sitting just where Ijana left him. What lively souls.

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You ignore that again, whatever it is, while you consider the pirate before you. You’ve not chosen to reveal yourself, so he remains thinking about something one of your aspects speaks a reflection of- a plan with lucrative intent, something traded and gained. Davidge rustles his clothing with fitful thoughtless motions, a grin alighting his face as he reaches some indiscernible epiphany.

As before, he emanates great ambitions and ruthless cunning, all aspects you deem well suited to freeing mortal souls. Such aspects you know to be very manipulable to promises of power, his own words and obvious greed aside. One of your own aspects reminds you that his ship may be a powerful asset itself, controlled indirectly through him. Though you question his knowledge of spirits and how it may take some effort to communicate an understanding. Thus, you consider how you’ll refine your approach.

>Just start emitting a conversation, try to get him to adjust quickly. (write-in some additional emanations)
>Lure him into the dark jungle and reveal yourself more appropriately. (also write-in some additional emanations)
>Same as above, but with the Seeking Stones of the sanctum from where you first Accorded Uluwehi
>Soul’s well nurtured, try them.
>What else?/Something... (write-in)

>>355926
>>What else?/Something... (write-in)
Explore the jungle and island. Get to know our hearth and home.

>>355942
Although I'd like to do this, we're a bit low on cruor aren't we?

>>355967
We can always make accords with other spirits or tribes.

>>355972
This would work. Perhaps we can find a spirit in village.

>>355942
Adding to this, maybe we can find some place to lay low during the day? Maybe back into our cave since it seems safest.

>>355942
>>355967
>>355972
>>355985
>>355990
Seeing as this train of thought appears to maintain, please vote between;

>Accord one of Ijana's spirits (further options will be shown)
>Exploration (further options will be shown)

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>Just start emitting a conversation, try to get him to adjust quickly.

He's never communicated with a spirit, yeah? Give him a taste of power and experience, let his own ambition do the rest of the work for us.

Emanate some fraction of the aspects:

>ADVENTUROUSLY BOLD
>DAMNINGLY COURAGEOUS
>JOVIAL MOCKERY
>VICIOUS CUNNING
>SEIZING LUSTS

as well as an emanation of proposal and interest in his person. Emanate the suggestion of an accord and great cost. Bait the pirate into an accord heavily in our own favor while the healer is still gone

>>355997
Though I suppose it's possible to do either first, this is more of just selecting the order in which you want to do these things.

>>356001
And, if this gets support instead, we can go with this.
>Man, sorry about timing that vote awfully.

>>355997
>>Accord one of Ijana's spirits (further options will be shown)
I don't feel safe running around with 5 cruor. Also did that second to last choice mean an attempt to take his soul?

>>356006
Sorry to tell you but I'm thinking that it's a pretty good idea.

I would pick both this and then according another spirit.

>>355997
Supporting this for now >>356001

>>356006
>>356001
Sorry to tell ya, but I'm thinking that it's a pretty good idea.

I would pick both this and then according another spirit.

>>356015
oops sorry, 4chan derped

>>356001
>>356009
>>356013
>>356015
>>356007
Will write for >>356001 (THIS)
>..NEXT TIME!

>Gonna call it here, I already started typing it but coffee ain't helping at the moment.
>Thread will resume today/tonight/tomorrow (July 10th) at 5:00PM EST / 9:00PM EST.
>will update pastes between now and next session

And once again, thank you all for playing!
Truthfully I think I gotta prep a little better between now and then for writing it, so s'ya tonight!

>>356036
>9:00PM EST.
*GMT

>>356036
Thanks for running OP, see ya next time. May your keyboard rest well before the next onslaught of walls of text comes down upon it.

>Soul Aspects&Soul Memories updated
>Current&Resting Deals updated
>Character Sheet updated
>notes bludgeoned with a pike
>quest resuming in one hour!

>>357193
Fish or medieval weapon?

>>357246
Yes.

You turn your abyssal gaze to Nanali, still facing the root wall, the sky spirit evidently having switched from its place on Davidge’s head to hers. With a hope that she doesn’t interfere you turn back and set to work on the ambitious pirate before you. First, you’ll give him a taste of power and experience aided by your aspects and slight spiritual visions- all with the goal of baiting him into a costly accord heavily to your benefit.

From deep within your red-tinged abyssal gaze you emit with great focus to his soul an emanation of a ship filled with people desiring wealth and adventure, none having a care in the world to their livelihood, and in response his eye’s bulge as he’s upset from whatever nuanced thoughts he’d been engaged in. Next you go deeper- emitting reflections of a seizing lust, though with a different vision than your corresponding aspect; a vision of treasures and wealth, and something of dark and fiery power.

“What,” he exclaims shortly just a hair below a tenor, looking around confusedly until you melt into your semi-humanoid form in front of him- he holds his breath and his gaze fixes itself fearfully upon your eyes. “A spirit,” he says with quiet desperation, though the corner of his mouth turns up slightly to betray his innermost thoughts just prior to you feeling them- he’s already thinking to gain something, and you emit inwardly that your enforcement’s doing good work even if it’s not as strong as an urging.

“A spirit!” He repeats louder, confident smirk widening his features. His voice draws Nanali’s bored gaze from her corner, though she only emits joy and a small smile of her own before turning back to stare at the root wall. You suppose it’s good she’s not seeing fit to disrupt your goal in any way, though one of your pettier aspects says it’s probably because she still wants to defy her mother in some way. Regardless, you close in through the shadows between you while emitting strongly, soul to soul, an emanation of vicious cunning tinged with jovial mockery. He initially retreats at your advance as well as he can in the small dwelling, bumping into one of Ijana’s larger pots, but at your tinge of mockery his brows crease.

“Don’t you heckle me,” he orders with confidence, “I’m the captain of the deadliest ship to sail these water’s in a century.” He speaks openly, standing tall and emitting a reflection of the vicious cunning you enforced- you feel it actually surfaced some of his own memories, though they’re not discernable. His statement you feel is an exaggeration, but it’s partially the response you were looking for. To his proclamation you emit further the true target of your mockery; he’s alone, far from his ship, after being defeated by people who he thought he was clever enough to outsmart.

He doesn’t respond but you feel his soul twist angrily at that, all your previous aspect empowered emanations coloring his thoughts. Lastly, you emit the idea of a proposal, an interest in him to help in some way, provided he’s willing to pay a small cost. A small cost, you notion joyfully to yourself, that you’ll merely be claiming is small. You emit the further question with a cautionary measure- of what he wants, and how you’ll help to get it.

"The world!" he exclaims, interrupting your emission of caution, "All the world and everything in it! Wait, no. That's not a good wish.” He begins to pace with a frown. “The world is a mess. I want a part of the world all to myself. I want it to be a very good part of the world. The southern kingdoms, maybe? How's that sound?" You hear Nanali giggle in the corner at this, though she interrupts nothing.

>That’s a large demand, assent and begin setting out your own conditions.
>Tell him to think a little smaller- perhaps ease his demand into something easier or shorter term.
>Similar to above, but instead suggest a different sort of goal. (write-in)
>Agree to this but construct your conditions as such that you’ll be able to cancel your aid at any time.
>An Addition/Something else. Write-in.

>>357358
>>Tell him to think a little smaller- perhaps ease his demand into something easier or shorter term.
I don't have plans to go taking over a country just yet.

>>357358
>Tell him to think a little smaller- perhaps ease his demand into something easier or shorter term.
>The bigger and longer the wish the greater the price. Returning a mostly unwilling girl to her mother cost enough to take me from the lowly shadow who helped you fall to a spirit of shadow and fire. A kingdom would cost more, MUCH more.

>>357367
>>357377
>Writing!

You emit strongly that the greater his desires the greater the amount he must pay- you give a sparse vision of escorting a girl and the transformation of a formless shadow into a fearsome fiery creature. Upon that you lay a vision of a kingdom from one of your aspects, and a cost of superb sacrifice. He doesn’t seem surprised at this, cupping his chin in his hand and nodding thoughtfully.

“Smaller, alright. I guess if spirit’s were gods then everyone would be powerful,” he laughs ruefully, sitting back down in thought. How little he knows, you feel, and how good it is he knows so little. Eye’s closed and mind tumbling over potentials while his smirk hardens upon his features you await an answer as you feel the night shift into morning- though the canopy of the fungi jungle maintains an everpresent level of twilight shadows beneath it. Finally you feel him reach an answer as his lids thrust upwards and he meets your red-tinged gaze with a lick of his lips.

“First I need to convince Blackwren to not warhammer me in the stomach,” he begins, “when he returns he’ll be raving mad at,” he stops, looking over to Nanali, then continues with a quiet whisper. “At how I asked him to round up these people and then freed them after. My idea of trying to sell the alchemical ingredients of this jungle was,” he pauses to lean closer to your gaze, “mainly to pay for the repairs of his ship. That would be first, but I don’t want to kill him- he’s been a very valuable asset. There are only so many magically capable corsairs in the world.” So it was him, you think to yourself. You recall masked men loading barrels of fungi onto his ship. This Davidge creature must’ve wanted to ensure the tribespeople never become a problem. Clever man- you hear sighed from somewhere, though you ignore it.

“Beyond that,” he speaks up with a raised finger, “a partial amount of the Amrenian fleet is searching for a ship formerly theirs, my Mad Jewel, as they didn’t like me keeping it when their emperor annulled our privateer contracts. I feel it was a fair trade for not getting paid,” he adds the last part honestly before thinking further, closing his eyes in concentration.

“After that,” he raises another finger upon his hand, “I need to deal with a merchant prince who is putting contracts out on me. Not typical ‘this pirate is raiding our routes, hire a different pirate to take him out’ contracts. Professional assassins, and with the price he’s paying he’s attracted some of the nastier ones. I can’t harbor safely in any place between Vandannon and Balee. Our history is more,” he pauses again, “personal than corsair works.” He adds the last part with a frown.

“Lastly,” he raises yet another finger, though opens his eyes with glee for this, “I want to lay the most beautiful woman in the world and grow fat on no less than six hundred tons of gold.” You emit immediately that that may be too great of a demand, though he frowns quite deeply in response.

>Agree to help him deal with Blackwren and begin setting out your own conditions.
>Similar to above, but also agree to help him with securing these waters.
>Same as both above, but also agree to help deal with the merchant prince.
>A modification of his suggestions. (write-in)
>Something else/An addition. (Write-In)

>>357529
>>Agree to help him deal with Blackwren and begin setting out your own conditions.
And maybe the merchant prince one. I don't think we can just get a friendly water spirit to help us with the second one.

>>357529
>Agree to help him deal with Blackwren and begin setting out your own conditions.
>Tell him, that small deals with one, maybe two objectives are best. For him. That entire deal would likely end up with us devouring him, his crew, his enemies, his wife, and his progeny for our forseeable future. besides beauty is vague.

File: Here+hold+this+_3d00baa2d(...).jpg (201 KB, 756x1056)

201 KB JPG

IT'S SUNDAY AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!! ANIME!! ANIME!! ANIME SUNDAY!!

Whatever we choose, prevent him from aiming his lies, deceits, and betrayals towards us.

Also, he should play nice with the villagers, no kidnapping, raping, threatening, or killing.

>>357545
>>357549
>writing!

>>357584
>and including this!

>>357524
>>357529
>Blackwren
and
>Merchant Prince
are more our flavor of contract, try those.

>(write in) offer to help him woo any beautiful woman he's interested in with our emanations and our sleep-manipulation powers...for extra cost

>>357614
>(write in #2) tell him you cannot produce the gold he wants, you only churn the fires within his own soul. Conjure black flames around you for emphasis

You emit a reminder of correspondent costs, that one set deals for great amounts will require great sealing and great payment- though you feel this more innately than truly, as you recall sealing a rather weak accord with the seething wet darkness. You enforce it with slight visions of all his gains and all his desires being swallowed by fiery darkness, with an undertone that beauty is an ambiguous condition.

Further you do offer to perhaps aid in wooing any woman he’s taken an interest in- if he’s willing to pay an additional cost to be decided upon later. Though he frowns at this for a moment his rueful smirk returns quickly, though you feel him beginning to grow wary at your repeated mentioning of costs. To ease that concern you emit that while you cannot produce riches yourself you can easily embolden the fires within his soul- the searing affliction upon your manifested form edging itself into darker fiery shadows. It works well- he emanates a certainty he hadn’t had before.

Though all in all his soul does not seem overtly deterred by your warnings, the previous emanations you thrust upon him are fading in their effects quickly, but they’re not quite gone yet. After a moment he relents- though it is a long moment.

“Fine,” he retorts impassively.

You emit the barest of the deal for now, that you’ll help him deal with Blackwren, and after that you’ll consider an extension for dealing with his merchant prince problem, and at this you feel his ambitions stir- he very much wants that second goal accomplished.

“Fair,” he admits thoughtfully, “one thing at a time,” he finishes, but then blurts with a glare, “you’re not planning on eating me after Blackwren is pacified, are you? I can’t just go halfway then die, and my men will miss me” Nanali laughs in the corner again while you emit to him that you weren’t intending to, while inwardly you’d certainly considered the prospect. You suppose he’s not as self-sacrificial as Uluwehi is, and demanding his life will perhaps be out of the question.

Try a tithe, small one- you hear something sigh within your mind. That would be a good idea you suppose, there’s really no limit so long as you’re the one ordaining the accord’s essentials. A tithe of sorts would allow you to maintain the accord so long as he keeps giving you cruor, rather than only getting a mild amount upon the outset.

Don’t forget blood- is said with another sigh, though of course that’s not something you’d forget, you’ll have the souls and blood of all enemies he has until the accord rests complete. All he slays, not just enemies- quietly sighs the small voice again. You suppose, once again, that that would be preferable. Though thinking further on any sort of conditional tithe you venture that while mortals seem to renew their cruor rather easily they’re probably weakened through losing it just as spirits are.

>>>The initial offering you’ll take for the aiding him in dealing with Blackwren is;
>A great Tithe of 12 Cruor/Day & the Blood & Souls of all he slays, after sea
>A large Tithe of 9 Cruor/Day & the Blood & Souls of all he slays.
>A middling Tithe of 6 Cruor/Day & the Blood & Souls of all he slays.
>Something you feel is a rightful addition to this. (Write-In)
>A deeper modification/something else. (Write-In)

>AND
>>>Decide on the more exact details of how you’ll be granting him aid.
>You’ll aid proactively, seeking out the merits of his goal in your own way.
>You’ll follow alongside him and step into his aid at your discretion to keep your movements free.
>You'll respond when he calls upon you, letting him choose the moments.
>Why not try possession, small one…
>A different approach/modification.

>>357670
>>A middling Tithe of 6 Cruor/Day & the Blood & Souls of all he slays.
>You’ll follow alongside him and step into his aid at your discretion to keep your movements free.

>>357670
>>A large Tithe of 9 Cruor/Day & the Blood & Souls of all he slays.
>You’ll follow alongside him and step into his aid at your discretion to keep your movements free.
He can probably regain that cruor fast enough and we can always milk it by saying that we need to rest during the day. Possession sounds super fun, I knew madness was a good idea.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>You’ll follow alongside him and step into his aid at your discretion to keep your movements free.
Seems certain, and so I'll roll a d2 for;

1: 6 Cruor/Day & the Blood & Souls of all he slays.
2: 9 Cruor/Day & the Blood & Souls of all he slays.

And, boy has it been a while, I'd like

Three rolls of 1d100, best of three.

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>357744

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>357744

File: this.jpg (17 KB, 191x300)

17 KB JPG

>>357744
>>357741

Can we also add
>The souls of the men serving under his command, should they perish in his service

>>357759
>indeed you can!

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>357759
wrong field

>>357759
Let's not, for THIS one. Later we might for the bigger goals.

>>357767
>wri͖tinǵ͆ͤ͐

File: 967.png (197 KB, 500x375)

197 KB PNG

>>357773
I can agree to that. For a later accord we demand the souls of his loyal band of soldiers
Eclipse when, Oscuro?

>>357784
Whenever should you find the soul desperate enough.

>post incoming

You emit to him the details; a simple daily tithe of cruor, the consecrated blood of all he slays and all their souls, and the goal of pacifying Blackwren with an extension for later conditions. Inwardly you make a note to yourself to perhaps add similar costs later for any who die in service to him, should you choose to pursue his greater goals. His emanations turn to agreement as he nods, though beneath them you feel something deeper, something revealed by one of your recent aspects- he feels as though he’s tricked you, somehow. You refrain from your reminders for the moment.

“Deal!” He gruffly exclaims with a smirk, extending out a single open hand towards you.

Right, he doesn’t know how to enact the sealing. You take a searing smoky arm and indicate one of Ijana’s bowls, then a knife strapped to his belt, and finally one of the torches outside. You repeat this for a while, indicating and positioning things until he seems to finally understand. Unlike Ijana he rather unceremoniously slices into his hand and holds it dumbly over the bowl until it’s filled, swiping some of the greyish goop from her workplace to heal the new wound. Nanali observes all this from the corner of the room, but closes her eyes and turns away as Davidge begins lowering the torch into the bowl.

He holds the torch for a deep moment, and you sense his soul hesitate. It hesitates deeply, uncertain nuances seeming to grow from nothing and small inclinations that should be nonsense. His first time- a voice sighs within your mind. You wait patiently, considering that Ijana must be very close to returning, and suddenly Davidge dives the torch into his bowl of blood- you have to race your searing smoky limbs down to the offering before it’s ruined. You roughly press your two searing afflicted arms just after the torches contact.

The world erupts in tumultuous fiery exhalations of dark. It flits fitfully from every edge of every one of Ijana’s instruments, from every tiny shadow cast by the dwelling’s illuminating fungi, obscuring all light until all is a perfect blazing night. It is not silent- you hear the screams of those burned alive, you feel life promised and life taken as the blood begins to mist, red and shining against the flaming abyss.

He hadn’t closed his eyes you realize, and promptly looks stricken by something as he gazes into the abyss around your forms. He emits some deep primeval fear, something you feel that his soul has never felt before, and upon you you feel the emanations of something immense- targeted at the wide-eyed pirate failing to focus his mind amidst the searing dark.

>AN ACCORD IS STRUCK
>Vital Cruor +14
>Current Vital Cruor: 19/??.

The abyssal fire and screams of burned damnation fade as the last of the boiling blood in the bowl finishes its consecration into your spiritual essence. Soon the world returns as the searing abyss abates slowly, clinging harshly on the hardest edges of every parcel of darkness as long as it can. You feel, innately, that this could’ve been done a little easier- some of the cruor in the bowl was wasted before you got to it. You note to remind yourself later that he’ll need some teaching.

As you look at Davidge you see that he’s shaking, and feel some deep injury upon his soul- it’s curious, you feel, you’ve never quite seen aspects become injured. Nor had you thought that they could be, though perhaps it’s only for mortals. Regardless, you urge a small reminder of his goal, and he begins to stand unsteadily and take a few testing steps while Nanali has begun whistling noisily in the corner.

“Good luck sir pirate!” She offers happily from her corner as he departs Ijana’s dwelling shakily, and you feel that somehow he did not even register her words. He begins walking carefully through the Aniunakei village, you wreathing him in darkness just slightly to prevent anyone from noticing- and feel inwardly thankful that they’re asleep, including Uluwehi centered upon the earths in his semi-meditative posture. The young hunters perched as lookouts upon the great limbs of their village note nothing as you and your newly accorded stumble through the twilight shadows- you granting him the vision to allow a better pace. With another inward feeling you venture that this may become problematic, though you also feel like you ought to stab him to get him to move along. You emit a reduction of your feelings.

“Just-“ he stammers, resting himself against one of the trees on the path towards the cove, “gimmie a minute, I feel like I just finished a harem.” He continues for a while, seeming to regain some strength though his inner soul remains frayed. You wonder if you should attempt fixing that with your spiritual visions when next he sleeps, but find your pondering interrupted as he stops at a strange sight in your path.

“Another spirit?” He questions, and you emit to him an affirmative. It’s the small single-crowned earth spirit from before, ‘Dani,’ who is standing its vinetreading form solidly in your path. It twirls its orchid crown upon its head, emitting the slightest bits of amusement laden with a deep malevolence. It emits to you a repeat of what it had before- a promise of vengeance, then a slight vision of Davidge being strangled by its form.

>Meet it head on on your own- you can’t let it get close to Davidge.
>Davidge is still carrying a loaded pistol, just have him shoot this thing.
>Urge Davidge to a sprint- you’ll try outrunning this thing to the cove.
>Use Induced Aeon 1 Cruor/Action & (write-in)
>Something else, some other measure. (write-in)

>>357931
>Touch the ground, Have shadowed fire burn through until it's underneath it. Then have it erupt.
>Emanate annoyance, exasperation and the fact this is entirely needless.

>>357938
>Unfortunately, given your current level of vital cruor the latter suggestion would rely on Davidge to start a fire of some sort, though you can certainly urge him to do so.

>>357931
>Meet it head on on your own- you can’t let it get close to Davidge.
We should carry a lighter around for when we need to control some flames. Lets just kick his butt again and take his crown again.

>>357931
>>Meet it head on on your own- you can’t let it get close to Davidge.

You’ll meet it head on, you decide, leaving a small urging for Davidge to stay in place behind you as you flit gracefully through the shadows towards the vengeful plant spirit.

You emanate deep annoyance to him, and an added exasperation that this is pointless- to which he responds by plucking two petals of an orchid off his crown, and eating them. He doesn’t glow blue as he did before, instead you feel some odd emanations of reinforcement- something traded and something gained.

>Roll me Three dice 3d20+12[Jána of the Night: Twilight Shadows] vs. DC 52 [Hidden Modifiers]

Rolled 2, 2, 1 + 12 = 17 (3d20 + 12)

>>358000

Rolled 10, 3, 19 + 12 = 44 (3d20 + 12)

>>358001
That's amazing in its own right. Now watch me crit fail.

Rolled 11, 19, 12 + 12 = 54 (3d20 + 12)

>I'll roll the third, and get writing.

Flitting forward through the shadows you form a crude searing edge in one of your limbs- and dive through the shadows at the small spirit, who rather than evading your blow catches it in its vines, twisting your manifested shadows while they barely scorch its limbs.

It rears one of its larger vines and swats at you with a fierce swish that cracks through the air as it makes contact with your abyssal form and you’re sent tumbling ungracefully back through the shadows.

As you right yourself upon your smoky limbs you realize you’re just aside the path, and its rustling quickly forwards to Davidge. You feel a portion of its reinforcement fade- some emanation of a minor loss. And strangely you note it sliding along the forest, keeping its gaze fixed on your location, likely having learned not to let you out of its sight. Between the twilight shadows cast by the dawn above the canopy and the shaky pirates being approached by the earth spirit you consider your options.

>Urge that Davidge shoot him while the spirits he’s looking at you.
>Try to get the earth spirit to lose sight of you, and then sneak up on it to strike.
>Perhaps use your imbuement of shadows to disrupt the earth spirit’s senses, though you’ll have to remain still.
>Try another direct strike, this time with Induced Aeon.
>Something else/a modification. (write-in)

>>358064
>And;
>>Current Vital Cruor: 17/??.

>>358064
Remember the blinding flash from when Davidge shot Uluwehi? That's from combustion of gunpowder. Could we manipulate the flash fire from his shot, possibly making it so Davidge straight up shoots a fireball?
>Urge that Davidge shoot him while the spirits he’s looking at you.
and if so and the spirit gets hit/distracted, follow up with
>Try another direct strike, this time with Induced Aeon.

>>358064
>>Urge that Davidge shoot him while the spirits he’s looking at you.
If we can make the sparks his gun makes persists into shadow fire and hit the spirit with it.
>Try another direct strike, this time with Induced Aeon.

>>358064
>>Try to get the earth spirit to lose sight of you, and then sneak up on it to strike
I'll just play it sneakily.

>With Induced Aeon your strike actually can't fail- the effective DC would be below your twilight shadows bonuses at the moment.

And so, for the first measure for your attack with which you'll be trying to use dire imbuement on Davidge's shot please roll me;

>Three 3d20+12 vs. DC 45 [Unknown Combination]

Rolled 8, 17, 17 + 12 = 54 (3d20 + 12)

>>358125
Lets see what happens.

Rolled 7, 34, 27 + 12 = 80 (3d100 + 12)

>>358125

Rolled 1, 5, 1 + 12 = 19 (3d20 + 12)

>>358137
>>358125
wrong dice whoops

Rolled 9, 7, 19 + 12 = 47 (3d20 + 12)

>>358125

>>358142
>>358139
>>358133
>success!
>writing

The earthjána sees fit to distract itself with who it considers the only threat; yourself. You venture to take advantage of its mistake. You urge Davidge to unsling his pistol and he does so silently, seeming to grasp an inkling of your plan, though you urge further his patience while you focus on the twilight shadows beneath the canopy, particularly the ones masking the edges of Davidge’s gun. Your searing afflicted form grows edged in a deep azure while the plant spirit slows its gait to focus on its attentions on your form more strongly, while you emit pleasure at the greater mistake.

Davidge, previously bewildered by the circumstances of seeing your smoky form tossed aside, raises up his azure shadowed pistol in the morning twilight with a vicious smirk- and pulls the triggers. The blast of light forces the shadows backwards, but the majority upon the gun remain deep, and in so small a moment as when you grip upon a soul you rush forward the imbued night into the sparks escaping the barrel, and alight the shadows behind the shot aimed true.

The plantlike spirit is still focused fixedly upon you as you watch the bullet speed into and through its form- a mild squelch reaches your senses as its small beady eye’s fail to comprehend the situation. Shadowed flame engulfs it just as it turns to where the smirking pirate stands, and it squeaks something like a scream that fill you with mirth. The sparkborne fire abates quickly as it stamps and rolls it out with panic- but you’d ceased your imbuement anyways to engage in your definitive strike. You reach into your being for that attainment of time and outwards from you, red and shining in the twilight shadows, evaporates misty consecrated cruor.

>Current Vital Cruor: 16/??.

All the world ceases with a cold shifts into colorless grey, no sounds jungle insects, no sounds of morning birds, no movements from the time stilled pirate and earthjána, as well as no emanations from anything. You note it’s just as difficult as it was before to flit across the shadows of the frozen time- they hardly change their shape, and they don’t bend to your will. Ah, my thanks, It has been long since I’ve endured the joys of this primeval realm, small one-

You do your best to ignore the assuring voice, eying your frozen surroundings suspiciously as you approach the earthjána, but see no changes in the frozen stillness. Inwardly, from yourself but not of yourself, you feel an impression of a wasteland of sorts- but ignore it as you complete a deep searing strike upon the vengeful earth spirit. As the world shifts back harshly, every motion resumed in one great rush, you hear the barest gurgles from the spirit as its punctured wetly by your searing strike, and you hear its cruor sizzling. It’s still connected to the world, you feel, and wonder inwardly where it’d gotten so much cruor- or if such resistance is inherent to earthjána.

“Whew,” Davidge exclaims, twirling his pistol and holstering it with a smirk, then frowning as he rethinks his action and takes it out to reload. “Bet old man Walther’s never seen gunfire like that,” he says quietly to himself, while you consider the blearily retreating earthjána trying to make its way back into the jungle. “You hear that?” He says, his ears catching something just as your dark does- the sound of jumping between the great limbs of the jungle trees, numbering much more than a few.

>It thinks you’re going to let it go, and so you’ll prove its thinking wrong with one more attack, and another attainment from its crown you’ll take.
>You’re rather tired of its pestering- perhaps you’ll Accord it to cease this for the determinable future.
>You’ve already wasted much of your time here- urge Davidge forward and to the cove.
>Something else much considered. (write-in)

>>358328
>>It thinks you’re going to let it go, and so you’ll prove its thinking wrong with one more attack, and another attainment from its crown you’ll take.
Lets waste some time so we can take the day off and milk Davidge for his cruor.

>>358328
drain the remainder of it's cruor with another strike and go for it's aspects and second eye. The spirit is the type that is too stubborn to take a hint and we hardly need another enemy around what with the sky and sea spirits

>>358420
take that as
>It thinks you’re going to let it go, and so you’ll prove its thinking wrong with one more attack, and another attainment from its crown you’ll take.

-Actually, it wasn't what I thought it was.
>writing!

>>358328
>>You’ve already wasted much of your time here- urge Davidge forward and to the cove.
>>Emanate amusement and that if it continues to try and stymie, we will do worse next time.

You emit to Davidge to move forward for a bit and perhaps try and make himself scarce while you deal with the earthjána. It’s wobbling pathetic forms freezes as it sees an extension of your shadows before it, and turns with deep emanations of panic, and something of a begging nature. You drive two arms formed into searing edges hard into its form and are met with more of the previous sizzling as its insides burn against your dark shadows. It stares into your close red-tinged abyssal gaze with fear until it loses coherence within the mortal frame, and slumps to the ground disconnected from the world.

Just as with the seething wet darkness it is greatly vulnerable in this moment, and you examine its crown thoroughly what you’ll take. Just as before you can’t be sure which are soul aspects and which are abilities, locked in flowers as they are, though you could also take one of its tools and one orchid, one that you’d ignored before as your inky companion spoke of how difficult it would be to take it. You hear a click from Davidge's position, and an emanation of his satisfaction as he holsters his pistol. Between the rising sound of great leaps upon high jungle limbs and the twilight shadows surrounding your forms you consider the spirit's fate.

>>>PICK ONE OF
>A yellow-purple orchid that speaks of gaining something for a small price.
>A great blue orchid that emits powerful feelings of unhappiness and something repetitive.
>A thin green orchid that emits something like trading or issuing between two things.
>Take its vine-like limbs; you could put those to good use.
>You could try to take two or more, though your former inky companion said it would be difficult. (specify which)

>>>AND
>Attempt to take one of the greater orchids- something reminiscent of its Will and Mind
>Do not make the attempt.

>>358465
>Sorry anon, I'm not sure why but my auto refresh didn't catch this. I'll include the emanations in the next update.

>>358513
>You could try to take two or more, though your former inky companion said it would be difficult. (specify which)
>Take its vine-like limbs; you could put those to good use.
>A great blue orchid that emits powerful feelings of unhappiness and something repetitive.
&
>Attempt to take one of the greater orchids- something reminiscent of its Will and Mind
after

>>358513
>>A great blue orchid that emits powerful feelings of unhappiness and something repetitive.
>>A thin green orchid that emits something like trading or issuing between two things.
Trying for the blue orchid first.

>Attempt to take one of the greater orchids- something reminiscent of its Will and Mind
Might as well, might be handy to break our chains a bit even if it fails.

>>358513
>A thin green orchid that emits something like trading or issuing between two things.
>Do not make the attempt.

>>358525
>>358535
>>358551
>A great blue orchid that emits powerful feelings of unhappiness and something repetitive.
Is a shoe-in. Since the majority want to take two, I'll write for the attempt at taking
>A thin green orchid that emits something like trading or issuing between two things.

...with
>Roll be dice+3d20+12 vs 66 [Primeval Decree]

Rolled 10, 7, 7 + 12 = 36 (3d20 + 12)

>>358567

Rolled 1, 5, 18 + 12 = 36 (3d20 + 12)

>>358567
Time to fail.

Rolled 17, 1, 14 + 12 = 44 (3d20 + 12)

>>358567

>>358569
>>358572
>>358573
>Awful Failure

...and one more, now for taking the earth spirit's Will & Mind.
>Roll me dice+3d20+12 vs DC 62 [Primeval Decree]

Rolled 4 + 12 (1d20 + 12)

>>358579

Rolled 8, 9, 4 + 12 = 33 (3d20 + 12)

>>358579
Time to crit this one.

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199 KB PNG

Rolled 15, 18, 20 + 12 = 65 (3d20 + 12)

>>358579
feels bad man

Rolled 4, 19, 10 + 12 = 45 (3d20 + 12)

>>358579
>>358586
whoops

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>>358592

>>358588
>>358592
>>358596
>Failure.
>Your first non awful failure against the chains.
>WRITING!

>>358603
We've just been getting awful failures previously? Jeez, we need to start rolling under perfect darkness for the roll bonus.

You grip hard upon the great blue orchid, and its emanations of unhappiness fall into your searing form as you enjoy the struggles of the earth spirit resisting you pitifully. You are thrust into a vision, and find it’s an odd amalgam of focused moments, though not quite as jumpy and terse as that of the unhinged madness.

“Give up,” you hear demanded from beneath the waves, but you’ll not be deterred. You strike back with your limbs- they’re still operable even beneath the waves, but you become gripped hard as you’re pulled under. You sink into your failure as, one by one, your vines are ripped from your body alongside their cruor between the teeth of the two-stranded seajána.

You hear it scream something fiercer than its demand, and feel the slight emanations of something that’d been hiding- they’re Ijana’s. You wash up on the nearby shore, having formed just the barest vine to move yourself, and see her perched upon the back of the spirit you’d been distracting. Her sacred knife lodged firmly into its form as she recites some wordy incantation, though you care little, her victory does nothing for your loss.

A season later you’re trailing after the form of a little girl, you recognize Nanali easily. She’s orchid-adorned and brush clad, and smaller than before. You have to pick up your pace to keep up- her small body bearing deep gashes and trailing cruor upon the ground from the trials. Just as you close in you lift up a mollifying vine limb to rest upon her shoulder as she turns around to enclose you in a deep hug, crying against your crown under the great canopy of the fungi jungle. You grant a measure of healing for the pain, but can do nothing for the failure, the circumstance of which roots within you a deep sense of remorse.

You feel your target, once again, trailing his smoky two-eyed form in the shadows of the jungle. You see it only by the red-tinge of its eye’s and the forms of horns as its shadows aid the steps of the invader- the invader you’ve been accorded to keep within the village. Your plan is sure; you’ll taunt it with the idea of an attack on the mortal, and you’ll empower yourself if it tries a direct strike or disappears from your senses. It works- it’s coming straight for you, you bat it aside and then, very sure of your focus, you maintain your gaze on its shadowy form as you crawl closer to the mortal.

The red-tinged abyssal gaze emits nothing, and you consider how terrifying that ability is and wonder where or how it attained it. You stay wary and alert, even as it stills itself and become edged in a deep azure. As you focus harder you hear something loud- a piercing crash across the silent morning- the few neighboring birds flying high at the sudden boom whilst you feel your form sway back from a hard pressure within. You try to discern its method of attack but you see no movements, and so you look to the pirate and are then engulfed in azure edged flames. You panic, rolling and fighting against them as much as you can- only for them to stop abruptly. In the periphery of your vision you see the form of the shadowy red-tinged abyssal gaze waver, and then vanish. Your form is pierced with searing pain, you lurch and struggle, hardly registering the attack. You failed, again. It’s always the same. As you recover you know you must leave- and crawl with as much haste as you can manage through the pain. You freeze at the lengthening of the shadows before you, and turn to-

>YOU’VE GAINED MELANCHOLY [Weight of 4]
>Maturation 36/54.
>TO
>Maturation 40/54.

You’re thrust out of the vision. But you focus upon the aspect itself and its odd depths, like it was manipulated or purposefully condensed, its memories collected and organized into a defined structure. It’s weighty, but for a manifold aspect it is singular in nature. Further still the last part it acquiring during your fight- the aspect was empowered by the struggle itself. You feel innately that perhaps you ought to be able to do something similar with your own, though push the thought aside to focus on your next sure attainment- the thin green orchid that emits something like trading or issuing between two things.

As you grab the greater orchid it struggles again, much harder than last time, pleading emanations overflowing from its form. You care little for its afterthoughts, and so push against the restraining force of the chains upon you. They pull themselves taut and coil your limbs, but as you push harder another link bends, then cracks. You’re frozen until you relax, feeling greatly drained. But you’ll try again- this time for the orchid that is its Will and Mind.

It’s desperate pleading emanations awash the jungle around you, spiritually powerful and complete in their nature with their cry for mercy, though you’ll be granting none so long as you succeed. You grab the orchid, the chains pull taut, and you push hard. Greater than last time- the combination of your previous efforts and the surge of twilight shadows bearing fruit as several links crack with fitful blue arcs of energy. But you feel further damage to some other aspect of the chains- something deeper as the slightest bit of the translucent chains wither and some odd nicks appear upon their edges.

>Malus of The Primeval Decree changed from +62 to +54.
>Malus of The Pact of Hosts Changed from +80 to +77.
>Malus of The Balance of Taking Changed from +90 to +88

You consider your chains for a further moment, but become distracted as you sense the encroaching younger Aniunakei hunters. Looking to the slumped spirit below you upon the fungi infested earth, and then to Davidge walking unsteadily ahead with surges of nervous emanations, you consider your options for ensuring the safety of your newly Accorded. One of your aspects seems to warn against stealth- the alerted Aniunakei hunters would find him even if they were blind.

>Perhaps try imbuement to ward off the Hunters. (write in emanations)
>Urging Davidge forward didn’t help him much- you’ll join his shadows and force his momentum.
>Same as above, but you’ll share Induced Aeon with him to move him forward through the frozen time.
>Have him fight the Hunters to gain their soul’s and blood, small one.
>Something else much considered. (write-in)

>>358850
>>Urging Davidge forward didn’t help him much- you’ll join his shadows and force his momentum.
Time to bail.

>>358850
>>Urging Davidge forward didn’t help him much- you’ll join his shadows and force his momentum.

>>358865
>>358867
-aye!

>Roll me three 1d100, best of three. Though this has gradients its one where your shadowy bonus will apply.

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>358891

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>358891

Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>358891
samefag

>>358915
And a save!

A pretty great save too, we'll start the next thread on a high note.

>I'll have to call it here, a bit earlier than I intended.
>Next thread is probably going to be later this week, will update on twitter when I know its time.
>Accepting further questions/concerns/criticisms/any if you have 'em.

And thank you all for playing, I think this weekend was a good bundle of sessions.

>>358929
Can Dani still come back if he gets some cruor? He's had a rough life. If he weren't such a pain, I'd want to tie him up and keep him around. I wonder if trying to steal other spirits will and mind will become our way of befriending them.
For a more meta question, can we choose to fail a roll if we want to? Just thinking about maybe grabbing a buddy and repeatedly trying to take their reason to break our chains. Maybe accord with Dani to give him some cruor and promise not actually take his will and mind in exchange for repeated attempts at it and maybe a promise to stop attacking us. Anyway, thanks for running and see ya next time.

>>359032
>Can Dani still come back if he gets some cruor?
He'll certainly be seeking to regain it, though he may or may not be met with success.

>I'd want to tie him up and keep him around.
uh

>I wonder if trying to steal other spirits will and mind will become our way of befriending them.
So far as you know, without a Will and Mind a spirit is reduced to much less than what they are, though you know this mostly because you don't remember much before attaining your Second Eye.

>Can we choose to fail a roll if we want to? Just thinking about maybe grabbing a buddy and repeatedly trying to take their reason to break our chains.
If you can find a spirit who's willing to risk losing their attainments to you, sure. Though I suppose you could always just trap a spirit somehow and keep trying.