Previous Threads:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Valen+Quest

Where things are said: https://twitter.com/Riz_QM
Where things are asked: http://ask.fm/RizQM

Assorted Supplemental:
Current Abilities - http://pastebin.com/PchcdWpw
A List of Forgotten Things - http://pastebin.com/kPEscJ3h
Irue's Memoires - http://pastebin.com/sWnicrK7

Write-ups:
Kara's Day Out - http://pastebin.com/8ZbiSKLs
Adventures with Asche - http://pastebin.com/RNviCBJu
The Reclaimed Doll - http://pastebin.com/n6miP1qT
In Your Shadow - http://pastebin.com/EfeeHFAE
Friends Forever - http://pastebin.com/Yn0QaTVB
The Woman Beneath Steel - http://pastebin.com/pMGgiHC3

Misc notes:Does something have to be true in order to not be a lie? What makes a lie so terrible to you?


Memo:
1.
2. Invite Marchovic on adventures next time there's a chance.
3. Mim said "When are you going to tell her?" Tell what to whom?

>>1130901
>>Hurry back to the Shrine

>>1130987
Writing!

Your top priority right now was getting back to the Shrine of Dryad, though. Between chasing down Elly and then your 'A Spider's Web' mishap, you hadn't even had a chance to go in Shrine itself last time you went... And you weren't sure there was anywhere else to go, honestly. Your house didn't exist yet, Tim had said himself that Carona wasn't important, and if you were grasping the time line appropriately, the Ice Queen's Atelier wouldn't even exist yet.

That Shrine really was the only other place out here. "We're still a few days off from the Shrine aren't we?" You scrounged your dreamlike memories for details, "...Five, roughly?"

"...Yeah, I'd say about that." Tim agreed, "We'll be there soon. Why?"

"Is there any way we can be there sooner?" You hadn't had the time back then to catch up to Elly, so what had been in that wagon was left a mystery. Whatever it had been, you doubted it was a coincidence that everything had gone to pieces when it had showed up... And if it showed up again, you needed to be ready for it.

"..." Tim's head hung reluctantly, "I'm no Jinn Adept, but we could probably shave off a day... No, two days if we rode a bit harder. It'd tire my baby out, though. I don't like working her that roughly."

"Can we?" You needed to get back there as soon as you could. The days you had spent riding there the first time were basically time wasted, as far as you were concerned. "I can talk to the Shrine when we arrive, and see about setting up a place for you to stay while your horse rests."

"Ha." He shook his head with a shrug, "It's never easy with you, eh? I suppose the old girl's already used to being abused whenever you come around. Let's get moving!"

What had been a leisure walk to his horse the first time had easily turned into a jog, and the two of you wasted little time in mounting up on Tim's horse. He spared a moment to rub his hand along her neck, muttering an apology and promises of fruits, before the two of you jolted off down the winding forest paths. Compared to your pace the last time, you could really feel the wind rushing against your skin, as your hair caught the breeze and streamed out behind like a golden veil.

...And through it all, you resolved that even being forced to go this fast, it was still slower than Kara. And less comfortable. And it smelled.

Horses were stupid animals.

The surroundings bled together as you rode, the horse determinedly galloping along regardless of your disparaging thoughts on its existence. You had no way of telling just how close you were getting, but the hours felt like they were stretching out into an eternity. You had little to say to Tim this time, and so the trip proceeded with a startling amount of silence; Days were little more than the sound of clopping hooves, while nights remained a mixture of sore muscles, quietly crackling campfires, and Tim's occasional call for dinner, or help in setting up or breaking camp.

You had expected... More. Token attempts at conversation, or for him to pry into your sudden desire to rush. While you had made it clear that getting to the Shrine was the important goal for you, there was still something offputting about what had resulted from it.

"Best get some rest." Tim's voice pulled you slowly from your idle thoughts, "It's been a rough couple days, but we'll be there sometime tomorrow."

>Talk to Tim (about?)
>Proceed to the Shrine
>Meditate (To Who?)
>Other? (write-in)

>>1131299
>Talk to Tim
"It may be a strange question, but does some kind of sacred, or just famous, creature live in this forest?"

>>1131333
Writing!

>>1131372
Ah, I forgot I wanted us to try meditating to Dryad afterwards.

>>1131383
Roll for meditation!
Or tell me what you've Forgotten.

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>1131383
Oh shit. Dryad as Elly described it to us does not presently exist? Or it exists but is unreachable since we're in the Fae Matrix? Also if we do reach it, we're risking to create an Apparition, which Dryad can't afford for some reason?

Rolling in case these all are wrong.

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>1131389

>>1131389
One must have an open mind and open heart. This means unconditional love, acceptance of things you do not agree with, patience and forgiveness for those who wrong you, and the willingness to trust people inherently. Affection and care that is freely given and unguarded.

>>1131491
I didn't even think we might have forgotten that.

>>1130944
Memo:
1. Get gifts for all our companions. Miniature Oakenrue for Ari, Tellenford Diary for Mim, Choker for Kara, mini-Vacation for Rinnier we can make Priat take her out on a social date. Maybe set up something where the people of Carona can thank her for her work and help remind her WHY she does it.

4. When entering the riverside ruins during your raid of the brigand camp, something seemed familiar about the ruins.
4a. You did not realize what it was. Because of this, certain flags were not raised.
4A. Remains relevant, so no answer can be revealed.

Ruins = Shrine? Hidden by Luna because of Dryad?

>>1131389
>>1131491
Meditate on how much we love Ari, the only person who's never asked anything of us.

>>1131548
>Tellenford

Updated.

Memo:
1. Get gifts for all our companions. Miniature Oakenrue for Ari, Tellenford Diary for Mim, Choker for Kara, mini-Vacation for Rinnier we can make Priat take her out on a social date. Maybe set up something where the people of Carona can thank her for her work and help remind her WHY she does it.
2. Invite Marchovic on adventures next time there's a chance.
3. Mim said "When are you going to tell her?" Tell what to whom?

>>1131548
I don't think Rinnier and Priat would be comfortable together. Priat essentially bailed on Teranford and is ashamed of it, and Rinnier might not be lenient to such behavior.

>>1131550
Do we actually love Ari? I'm getting more "she's my responsibility" vibe.

>>1131570

She's the only person I can think of that comes without conditions. She loves us unconditionally, we should return it. Like the love between a man and his dog, it's the purest.

Love between equals is never unconditional.

But we love her, simply because she loves us. I mean, here we are just to get her back.

"Tim, is there anything in this forest?" The Nightgaunts, the wooden golems, the Fae, the Oakenbears... You had encountered too many things in this forest to just accept that it was safe. Even if none of them existed now, there had to be something. You doubted that whatever had caused the occupants of that wagon to turn out like they had was just a fluke. "Anything well known? Or something sacred? Something from a story?"

"If anything's sacred in these woods, the folks at the Shrine would know better than me." He answered after a second's consideration. "Nothing famous out these ways either, really... But stories." He cupped his chin interestedly, "What kind of stories are you thinking about?"

"Old ones?" Really old, relative to you. "Things like the Forgotten Dolls?"

"Whew... Those are old." He laughed easily, easing himself onto the ground as he stirred the diminuitive campfire flames. "Carona hasn't done anything like that since the Shrine got established... Unfortunately, if you know that story, I can't say much more. As you can probably guess, Carona's always had a lot of respect for Dryad; The forests have pretty much always been fairly mild, so we never had much reason to have entire stories dedicated to scary stuff."

...Even though it wasn't his fault, you actually felt a little offended that they could say those kinds of things about this forest with a straight face. It had been nothing but misery and life threatening danger to you ever since you made the misfortunate choice to take a walk through it.

"Sorry about that. Curious where you heard about the dolls, though. I can't say my family's had one of those things around since my grandfather's time."

"I did hear the practice was archaic." You agreed with a frown. 'Archaic' was understating it, if it had mostly died out even in this era. "Just thinking, I guess."

"Well your thinking is stressing me out." Tim admitted with a laugh, "It'd just about figure that entire generations of peaceful living would come to an end due to some weird thing crawling out of the woods right after you move in. I gotta hunt out here, Irue."

You offer a wane smile at his nervous joking, and close your eyes. Tim left you to your devices as the conversation ended, and eventually even the sounds of him moving about camp quieted down to a rhythm of shallow breathing and the cool night air. He had fallen asleep, just as he advised you to do, because you'd be leaving early in the morning - Same as you had left the two mornings before this.

But you couldn't sleep. Too many things weighed on your mind, and even though the atmosphere around you was comforting and calm, you knew the situation was anything but. Every moment you spent in here was another grain of sand through the hourglass, and the only hint of how much of that you had left was 'Little and Less'.

You had spent much of your time earlier talking to people. Learning. Trying to make sense of where you were, and what had happened to you... And perhaps the most valuable thing you had learned was about the enigmatic 8th Mana, Dryad. Even if... Largely what you had learned was difficult for you to swallow. If, and it was a large 'If', you were to believe at face value that this Mana was just an overflowing font of unconditional benevolence...

How the in Shade's Name were you supposed to meditate to that?

You had spent a solid decade of your life studying and twisting your mind to best suit various Mana, but all of them - At least on some level - Had traits you could focus on to begin your attempts. Somewhere you could start building. If you sat here and earnestly tried to think about where to begin with Dryad...

...
..
.

You slumped over onto your blanket. It was already late into the night, and the only thing you had managed to accomplish for the past few hours was realize that only people you remember honestly loving were either dead, or... Galavanting across the countryside with some saucy bitch. After betraying you and trying to fail you, at that!

In the end, you fell asleep thinking of the myriad ways you wanted Maran to get hit by a rock.

"Alright, we're here."

Around noon the next day, you had arrived at the Shrine once again. The horse snorted its exhausted opinion of going anywhere else as you and Tim dismounted. "I'm... Not sure what they'll get mad at me for letting the old girl eat around here, so I'll wait till you get back."

>Enter the Shrine
>Check on the orphanage
>Ask Tim something (what?)
>Other? (Write-in)

>>1131652
>>Check on the orphanage

>>1131652
>Check on the orphanage

>>1131652
>Ask Tim something
What would it take for someone to be killed in this forest?

>Check on the orphanage

>>1131649
By the way. Did we try to ask Alouette, Clara or Byrn about Maran? It's really strange that Caylen apparently had another childhood friend on the side for 10 years and we didn't know anything.

>>1131656
>>1131668
>>1131688
Orphanage! ...Hahaha.

>>1131688
Tell me about horrible death!

Writing.
----

>>1131691
You never asked, no.

>>1131652
>>Enter the Shrine

Should have meditated on ourself.

HAAAAAAAAAHahahaha. Ha.

>Ask Tim something (what?)

What he thinks about the Shrine attendant.

>>1131704
I SLEEP NOW. FEED ME MISERY COME THE MORN.

But seriously thanks for running and if you ever stop . . . .

>>1131783
I promised to give a rundown of everything going on in Valen if I were to ever drop the quest. You can rest well knowing that in that event, you won't have to wonder what could have been.

"Have been here much before?" You pause before leaving Tim to his own devices. Tim nods as he sets about brushing his heavily breathing horse, "Few times before, yeah. I do most of my hunting in these woods, so I figured getting in with them couldn't hurt."

"What do you think of the attendants here?"

"They're nice." He shrugge, "Hunting's never been better since they set up shop, and every now and then they'll bring a lot of freshly grown fruits and vegetables into town. Sometimes it feels like they always just kind of fit in around here."

Given what you knew of the place, you had a rough idea of why that kind of sentiment would probably be common. As close as Carona apparently was to the Fae Forest, people who were loved by Dryad would inevitably give off the impression of having always just belonged here.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." You deflect vaguely, "I only really remember meeting one, who was trying to run an orphanage."

"Ah, you met Elly then." Tim grinned, "That one's a handful, but she's the nicest thing you'll ever meet... Just uh, be careful-" Here it is. The information you hadn't learned about the unceasingly sweet attendant. "-She's kinda clumsy. If you take your eyes off her, she's liable to trip on something. Came to town once and... Well, the blacksmith don't let her in his shop anymore."

"..." You don't know why you expected anything else. "Well, before I go... I know I asked earlier, but what would it take for someone to be killed in the forest?"

"You really know how to make a guy uncomfortable." He winced, "I mean, docile as it is, I imagine just being careless could get you killed some times. Animals gotta eat, even if they're usually pretty shy... But I don't reckon that's what you mean." You shake your head, and he rubs his hand over his face a few times before continuing. "Didn't figure. Look, is there a reason you've been so keen on these weird questions lately? If there is, I'd like it if you just came out and told me now, so I don't run into something on my way home."

>Lie
>Deflect
>Apologize
>Other? (write-in)

>>1131801
>>Deflect

>>1131801
>Sorry. My life lately has taught me to be constantly on edge in forests.

>>1131801
>Other? (write-in)

Tell the truth

>>1131788
I mean I was going to say I was going to hunt you down and wife you so you could write full time but that's cool too.

>>1131815
Deflecting!

>>1131817
Apologizing!

>>1131822
...Telling Tim you don't belong in this fake world and that time itself has rewound after you witnessed horrible death and in the process you were flung through an abyss of viscous nothing for the second time since you came back from the future of an alternate world where there are evidently only 7 Mana in order to undo the evil that is Aku and save a slave girl your aunt and uncle bought you!

....Writing!

>>1131855
Irue will singlehandedly found the concept of chuunibyo in the setting.

"Would you believe my life lately left me doubtful of trusting forests to not be full of horrible things?"

"...I guess not every forest is gonna be as easy going as ours." Tim accepted doubtfully, "But you've been here before, Irue. You know this place."

Oh yeah. You knew this forest. You knowing what was in this forest was what was setting you on edge, and the more people tried to convince you it was safe, the more stressed out you were getting. You had seen Oakenbears just casually roaming the woods, you had been there when Nightgaunts tore a camp apart and dragged who knows how many people into thin air and left only their screams. You had personally led the hunt to kill a snake so ridiculously massive that you had needed to use entire logs to pin it in place, and then been forced to bleed it to death slowly.

You weren't believing anything these people told you about the forest being safe. You literally just got here and already things were showing up dead by the wagon full.

"Actually, you know what?" You sigh. Having spent most of your time in this place travelling with Tim, the man admittedly made you want to let your guard down a little... And if you didn't figure things out this time, you doubted any of this would matter anyway. "This whole world is fake. I don't know what it's deal is, but the last time I was here there was an entire wagon full of dead people. The world started falling apart, Elly was screaming, and when I woke up, I was back in that clearing with you. I'm out here trying to find a friend that I've lost, not because of coincidence, but because she was kidnapped by something people keep telling me doesn't exist."

Tim's brushing slowed gradually as you kept talking, until he had turned his full attention on you with an expression of ever deepending pity and concern. By the time you finished and actually had to take a breath...

"...Are you alright, Irue?"

"What?"

"Do you need a hug?"

No you don't need a damn hug. You just need to figure out what was going on and get Ari, and figure out what the Fae were telling you so you could go back to Carona and get on with whatever- He was hugging you now.

"I dunno what you were just talking about, but it's gonna be okay." Your mouth opened for some kind of response. You wanted to be indignant about this. He wasn't taking you seriously at all. "I know it can't be the same since your friend died but just... Come by sometime, when you're done with whatever you're out here for." He was patting you roughly on the back and you weren't crying this time. "My wife'll make dinner for all of us. It'll be like old times, y'hear?"

"...Uun." Your croaked answer lacked any form of dignity, and Tim didn't so much as comment. After a few more seconds, he finally let you go, "Now get goin. And pray those red eyes of yours are good for hidin the fact you're a blubbering mess."

You staggered off with an absent nod and wiped your face with your sleeve. Regardless of whether or not you had planned to initially, there wasn't any way for you to show your face in the Shrine right now. You needed time to collect yourself after that... Unexpected hitch.

You swallowed and loosed a shakey breath. It took you a few minutes before you felt like you could speak again without your voice shaking, but when you were finally ready, you opened the orphanage door-

"Hell-AUGH."

-And immediately caught a frog to your face.

"Haha- Wait that's not Elly."
"Run!"

There was frog slime on your face, and the sound of smaller foot steps pattering away at high speeds was all you could make out as you staggered back and desperately tried to swipe the blasted amphibian and its grime away.

>Roll 1d100 to nail a retreating child in the back of the head with a frog.

Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>1131961

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>1131961

File: 03.jpg (48 KB, 640x360)

48 KB JPG

>>1131974
quest over

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>1131961
Will we play as the frog from now on?

...Writing!

>67

Almost reflexively you had ripped the squirming creature from your face and flung it back in their general direction as you set about wiping your face again, for reasons far more infuriating than the last. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the rage filled pitch went wide in your fervor, sending the unlucky creek inhabitant sailing majestically across the orphanage without so much as a bump against your delinquent assaulters.

By the time you had managed to clear the muck away, you could only raise a twitching scowl towards the empty doorway. Unlike last time, there hadn't even been a token remainder... No doubt because Elly herself wasn't here.

Right... Right, you were two days earlier than you were last time. You sighed, dutifully ignoring the now terrified frog as it hopped off to hide under some misbegotten corner of the orphanage. There was no one else here.

>Prepare Revenge
>'A Spider's Web'
>Head to the Shrine
>Other? (Write-in)

>>1132009
>>Prepare Revenge

>>1132009
>Head to the Shrine
Any trap we set will take time and in the end probably just catch Elly.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>1132010
1. Petty revenge is a familiar motivation.

>>1132012
2. This can't possibly end well. We're on a schedule.

Writing!

>>1132009
>>Head to the Shrine

You remembered a part of you that quietly protested you had a reason for being here. That what you were doing was a waste of very precious time, which you weren't even sure how much you had left. You remembered it being a reasonable voice in the midst of the haze you found yourself in, and that it made legitimate arguments about how you needed to just be the bigger person here. That they were just kids, and there was no need for you to go this far.

You remembered all of that, but what you remembered most was that time your sister had decided that Caylen's friends would be more fun if they were too covered in pond scum to complain that playing outside would be inappropriate for someone of their station.

...On second thought, rigging up a trebuchet across the courtyard would probably just cause more work for Elly.

That was fine. You were, indeed, on a schedule after all... And you had other ideas.

You stepped outside of the orphanage some time later, taking a deep breath of the clean forest air as you brushed your hands off. None of the children had dared return while you toiled, and whether it was because they were out playing or simply waiting for you to leave, your job here was mostly finished.

That left the Shrine... The actual reason you had come out here in the first place. Given that you hadn't run into Elly either, you could only hazard a guess that she was currently fulfilling her duties as an attendant, which meant you'd more than likely find her beyond the looming doors as well.

The structure stood atop a great many stairs, like all Shrines had. A miniature pilgrimage to the top, and beyond doors too massive for any normal person to hope of opening them. A great tree rose up from the center of a spacious, circular room and its thick trunk held aloft expansive vines which filled the ceiling, casting a gentle shade upon those within. Large roots burrowed into the grassy, eathen center where the tree proudly stood; The results of which you had glimpsed from outside, where those self-same coiled tendrils grew relentlessly through the earth and stone until they could support the building itself.

Suspended atop the lazily moving river's surface. Built inseparably upon a cradle of Dryad's affection, and sheltered by a gentle veil of leaves. This was the Shrine of Dryad; A building you could only vaguely recall having encountered months ago, where its ancient and hallowed halls had been little more than a forgotten shadow of its current majesty. A broken husk, hollowed and empty, whose ruins had long since lost their purpose.

"A visitor?"

Your admiration of the building was interrupted briefly as someone approached. They were unfamiliar to you - A feat that was hardly surprising, considering you hadn't stepped foot in the Shrine proper last time - But seemed more curious than anything else. Were it not for their gentle voice, you would have nearly likened the sudden approach to a far less... Pleasant memory of your time in Carona.

"Welcome to the Shrine of Dryad. My name is Kole." He extended his hand amiably to welcome you, but kept his voice hushed. He looked you over, eyes widening marginally once your gazes met. "...Ah, you must be Valen. If you're here, then I suppose that means the others are as well?"

>Talk to Kole (about what?)
>Ask to meet with the Representative
>Refer him out to Tim
>Other? (write-in)

>>1132136
>>Refer him out to Tim

>>1132136
>>Ask to meet with the Representative

>>1132136
>Refer him out to Tim
>Talk to Kole about L***'s Domain. Ask for the background of what's happening

>>1132137
>>1132154
Go meet Tim!

>>1132154
Talking about forbidden things!

>>1132147
Also I want to speak to your manager.

Writing!

I hope we can get a more balanced idea of Dryad here. None of the other Mana are all smiles and hugs only, they all have their less positive aspects.

>>1132261
well we know dryads less savoury aspects already right?

>>1132261
Dryad's less positive aspect is when it switches from dere to yan and becomes Fae.

>>1132261
Fucking hell that was probably the forgetting.>>1132264

>>1132279
which one?

>>1132281
That Dryad would have its other aspects that we could focus on. Have we even tried meditating on the Fae? Jealousy. Possessiveness. Obsession. You know. Traits we have in spades.

>>1132328
It's like we're constantly meditating on Fae in fact.

>>1132328
>It's like we're constantly meditating on Fae in fact.

>>1132475
Which falls in line perfectly with my "Fae are Valen zombies" theory.

>>1132481

Nymph wood seems to, like, REALLY like us.

I wonder if it absorbs the Fae back into it.

>>1132475
so a apperation?

>>1132581
Yep. But a twisted mockery of humanity because it loves us so much.

4 hours later, bad things have happened and the skyfire is making it difficult to exist.

I'm not sure when I'll finish this update, but the thread will be paused regardless after it.

>>1132704
No worries. Take your time bro.

"No, I came ahead." You actually had no idea where the Luna Dominion were. You had woken up alone each time so far. "It will probably be a few days before they arrive."

"I see. Well, I guess that's good. Between you and I, we're still quite unprepared for this meeting. We were only told about it recently... I imagine they were already en route before a message was sent." He sighed softly, "I shouldn't complain, though. The circumstances are dire; It is good that L̷̡u̷͜na's beloved are reacting as swiftly as they are."

"What are the circumstances, exactly?"

"Were you not informed?" Kole blinks in surprise, "When we had heard you'd be coming with them, naturally we thought... Ah. I understand." He laughed softly, "I guess we weren't the only ones caught off guard by their urgency. I'll be happy to share with you what I know."

Well that was easy.

"Following the disaster in East Heaven, the Shrines have been keeping close tabs on how the forests are recovering. It was, at first... Disheartening, but there were eventually signs of recovery! It has been an ongoing effort between what Adepts we could spare to work on coaxing the Mana into slowly returning to scoured lands, and there are still... I suppose you could call them 'dead zones' which we have yet to be able to convince Mana to return to."

He held his hand aside to guide you further in. The rest of the Shrine was far emptier than you had expected, but you doubted a conversation like this was one that could be casually had around the public anyway. It was only a short walk to a set of chairs formed from shaped wood, not unlike the beds you recall being in the orphanage outside, but your primary focus remained firmly on the discourse at hand.

"Being the closest to East Heaven, our Shrine was one of the first to respond... And also the first to experience what came of it. It was our first time seeing what happens when a Mana has entirely absconded from a region... And I will speak frankly, it was terrifying. Like walking through some kind of bizarre, nightmare." You had heard of Salamander's departure from Teranford removing all flame from the desert region, and you had your suspicions as to how the other Mana would affect the landscape, but to think of all of them leaving at once...

"Was there anything even left?"

"Yes. And no." He nodded shallowly. "Forgive me if I do not wish to recount it. I spent several months upon returning trying to forget what I witnessed there."

"No, it's fine." You'd have liked to have heard more about it, but the way his eyes began to unfocus as he spoke. Even saying that he had tried to forget, it was clear the memories still haunted him. "What does this have to do with the meeting?"

"Right, of course." He offered a small, thankful smile as he continued. "As I understand it, there are two things primarily on the agenda for our meeting. One is, of course, coordinating how we plan to move forward in regards to the recovery effort. I doubt you'll need to worry about that part so much, though." He shrugged amiably, "The other is preventative measures. To this day, we aren't really sure what happened to cause the disaster, and until we can figure that out, we're at a loss as to how we can try to prevent it from occuring again." You remain silent as he trails off, and you look at each other, mutually waiting for the other to continue. "...That's probably where you come in."

...Ah, right. They thought you were there when it happened. If anyone knew what had kicked the entire thing off, it would be you. Or at least, so you've been told.

You didn't see this meeting being a very productive one.

"I... Split up from the queen before it happened." You answered slowly, testing the words along the tip of your tongue. "I don't think I'll be of much help after all."

"Maybe not." Kole allowed with a shrug, "That was just my guess as to why you were invited. L̡͡u̶̕n̵͢͜a and her beloved have never been wrong about things like this before, so I'm sure that if they invited you, they consider your presence necessary."

"You have a lot of faith in them." Talking about this reminded you of your last experience with an adept of Luna. By now, you hoped she had made it back to Carona; The further away Mim was from the wooden golems, the safer she would be. "I noticed some children when I was coming in... Do they live here?"

"Oh, those." He leaned back into his chair as the topic changed to something more casual, "The Shrine of Dryad is taking care of them for the moment..." He paused, looking around carefully before his brows furrowed. "Did you notice anything about them?"

"I noticed a frog." You deadpan, earning an apologetic smile from the man. "They're orphans, aren't they? From the disaster."

"Yes. The Representative doesn't like us talking about it, but they were children found in the dead zones." He whispered furtively, "Normally we would keep them closer to us, but... They've unsettled several of the attendants here."

"...With frogs?" You blink at that. You had spent time around them and never noticed anything strange. Aside from their tendency to greet people by launching a frog at them. "It seems more like a discipline problem than anything else."

Kole shook his head. "No, it's nothing they've done, exactly. Many of us try to spend time with them, but after a while, it just starts to feel like something is missing. It's hard to explain." You try to think back to your brief time with them... And can't lay a finger on anything like what Kole was talking about. You share an amiable silence, listening to the breeze whisper through the ceiling canopy, before you clear your throat.

>>1132844
Demi-humans? Ask about them.

"Actually, there's a hunter here who helped me get here ahead of the others. We were in a rush to arrive, so his horse is probably exhausted."

"Say no more." Kole smiled immediately, quickly standing on his feet. "I'll arrange a place for him to stay, and for his horse to rest. He's done us a great favour by helping you get here so quickly."

"Thanks." You didn't figure it would take much effort to secure their help. "Also before you go, where is everyone? I was hoping to meet with the Representative."

"The Representative should be free soon." He nodded, "The newest attendants spend the mornings studying and trying to refine their affinity with Dryad, so the Representative often stays with them to help them along." Besides the fact that the entire Shrine was dedicated to a single Mana, the practice didn't sound terribly different from the activities of the Shrine you knew. "Ah, speaking of which. Here they come now."

You followed his gaze back out towards the central tree, catching sight of a portion of the tree opening up from within to release a small group of people. What you had initially mistaken as a solid surface looked to actually be a door seamlessly crafted into the trunk of the tree itself, which concealed a stairway leading downward. "Curious?" Kole laughed, "Most of us live down below, in the roots."

"Like Gnome adepts?" Shade adepts would occasionally enjoy homes in the dark, but Gnome was the only Mana whose people you could think of offhand that routinely felt more comfortable underground. Kole just shook his head though, "It's not as stuffy as that. We're suspended over the river, so most of the space beneath us is basically just another floor. There are plenty of gaps and windows outside."

"You're not worried about the roots breaking?" Being suspended over a river seemed... Unwise.

"There's nowhere safer than in Dryad's cradle." He smiled, "Though I imagine it's difficult to believe if you lack the affinity with Dryad... But there's something comforting that just sets you at ease. Ah, the Representative can probably explain it better." He waved towards the crowd of people calmly, "A guest has arrived! Can you take care of them while I handle something else?"

Kole patted you on the shoulder reassuringly as he moved past, "It was a pleasure chatting with you. Feel free to find me if you need anything later." You nodded, watching him go before leaving your own seat and directing your attention towards the slowly dispersing and chatting crowd that had emerged from down below. Scanning the groups, you didn't see anyone that seemed to stand out, and you couldn't help the confused frown that started to pull at your lips when several seconds of waiting proved to bring you no closer to meeting the Representative Kole had supposedly hailed.

>>1132844
Why am I feeling we've discovered the origins of demihumans?

"U-Um..." You blinked, catching sight of a familiar face in the crowd as she bashfully broke away from an excited, if hushed, conversation with one of her fellow attendants. "Welcome to the Shrine of Dryad." She squeaked out an embarassed greeting, apologies overflowing like water for having made you wait for so long. "You're..." She trailed off, briefly mesmerized by your eyes, Her voice hitching in a panic upon recognizing you. "The Valen that was coming with the L̵̢͘u̢͢͠n̴̢a̢̕͢ ̢͟͞͡͞Ḑ̢͏o̧͏̷m̡͝i̡͢͞n̴̨̛͞i̵̕͠͏ơ̵̷̡̕n͘͝, right? Then they're already-"

"No, I came ahead." You cut her off calmly, "They won't be here for a while."

"Oh... Oh thank goodness." She sagged in relief, before giving you a nervous smile. "W-Well... my name is Eleanore, the Representative of Dryad. I'm not very good at this, but I hope I can help you!"

>?

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>>1132862

>>1132862
>Nice to meet you. I was hoping to learn more about the situation with L***'s Dominion. I'm not as informed as people might think.

>First of all, why were you so relieved when it turned out L***'s Dominion won't arrive for a couple of days?
>Are you expecting any trouble from them? Perhaps related to your orphanage?
>That said, I'd like to take a look it and see for myself what's off with the kids

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>>1132862

>>1132862
Is every dryad adept a wilting flower?

>>1132914

All of this. Ask if they've checked to see if the kids have an affinity for Mana.

Mention we know how to bring them to heel with Shade.

>>1133204
It's the same adept anon. It's our Elly.

>>1132862
Sure, let's unnerve her with >>1132914

Let's meditate to Mint when we get the chance. Putting it out here now since I have to go. At least try it once meditating to Ari doesn't work.

>>1133281
I meant to Dryad, with Mint as focus.

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>>1132873
here, have this in case we actually have a reason to smile.

>>1133390
>we actually have a reason to smile

>>1135996
Punching Rinnier in the face was pretty awesome.

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>>1133390
These edits remind me of the Prince from Vinland saga.

>>1140862
He could be a relative.

I just feel so much for our poor aunt.

Hey, anyone stop to think we're actually a clone of our Mother?

>>1142587
Our mom wasn't a Valen and didn't have the distinctive red eyes we have. So no.

>>1142587
>I just feel so much for our poor aunt.
I do too. I feel anger at her leaving as practically alone weeks away from anyone we could talk to, leaving us socially stunted.

>>1142587
Yes, the poor aunt who abandoned a child alone in a mansion smack dab in the middle of a forest full of insane murderbeasts.

No, I will need at least 3 more sob stories before I'm even inclined to feel any sympathy.

We'll be resuming later tonight, after I get home from class!

>>1142966
woo!

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>>1142966

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>>1142966

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Alright, a preemptive picture. An educated guess say this is how I'll react when I wake up and read what you guys have done.

(Remember, Mint and Dryad!)

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>>1142966
have mercy

Alright, I'm back from class. I'll get started writing shortly, but I don't expect the thread to go on long; Still exhausted from tuesday being 26 hours long.

"You seem relieved." You should have seen this coming when she said she'd never had to think about how to meditate before. How well educated someone was had nothing to do with how much a Mana adored you, and when it came to the position of Representative, it had always been a position based solely on who was most favoured. "Expecting trouble?"

"Trouble?" She blinked in confusion, "No... No, of course not. I'm just a little nervous." Elly tittered anxiously as she began to pick at her nails absently, "It'll be my first time seeing my brother in years... And I'm already planning to make a selfish request."

"The orphanage, I assume." She nodded absent mindedly, only catching her own acknowledgement with a startled squeak a few moments after. "You already knew? D-Do they know? Of course they know, L-"

"I met them on my way in." You interrupt her quickly, not wanting to deal with more distortions. "Them and their frog."

"Oh no..." You had never seen someone's face pale that swiftly before. "I am so sorry! They're usually very well behaved, I promise." Putting aside how your every interaction with them thus far spoke otherwise, you weren't going to exasperate the mousey attendant... Representative... unnecessarily. "It's fine, they're kids. I left them a present before coming in."

"Oh." She sagged with relief, looking up at you with a warm smile. "Still, I'm very sorry. I'll lecture them later tonight about how to treat strangers." You had seen her attempts to lecture them before. "I'm surprised they accepted a gift from you, though... They're usually quite shy."

"They probably haven't found it yet." You mused neutrally, "In the meantime, would you mind catching me up to speed on what this meeting is going to be about?"

"Of course!" Her hands mindlessly moved across her robes, smoothing out whatever imagined wrinkles that may have been there as she straightened her back. She seemed pleased to have been asked a question she actually knew the answer to... Which was a little pitiful, if you spent too long thinking about it. "The L̷͘͘u̷͠n̨a̛ Dǫ̵͠m̵ì̶ǹi͘͝on̛͜ has been meeting with each of the Shrines to coordinate our recovery efforts after the disaster in East Heaven... Um..." She swallowed, trailing off with a small cough. "I mean... You already know about... That."

"I know less than you probably think." You interject. "I wasn't actually there when the disaster happened, so I don't know how much help I'll actually be here."

"Oh?" She bit her lip uncertainly, "Then... No, if they invited you specifically, then I'm sure they believe you'll be necessary." Elly nodded, a tiny smile composed of what meager confidence she had glimmering bashfully upon her face. "We'll both just have to do our best!"

This girl had more confidence in you than she did herself. It would have been flattering, if you didn't have the sinking suspicion that you could say the same about her and literally anyone else in the room as well.

"R-Right... Um." Your lack of immediate response was enough for her to realize how she had strayed off topic. "Well, I think it's mainly to talk about everything they've found so far. About the disaster, I mean."

"Like the dead zones? I heard about them from Kole earlier." You rested one hand on your hip as you spoke, "He didn't really want to talk about them, though. Are they really that horrific?"

"Yes." Eleanore's hollow response shook you momentarily, but she cleared her throat and continued before you could react. "B-But there's also the things inside the dead zones... And the people who came out of them. A-And how the Mana have been acting strangely since it happened. There's a lot for us to talk about! The L̷͘͘u̷͠n̨a̛ Dǫ̵͠m̵ì̶ǹi͘͝on̛͜ has been traveling from Shrine to Shrine to talk to everyone about it, and we're the last on the list!"

"...Last?" Your eyes narrowed. Something bothered you about that, but you couldn't put your finger on it.

>The people who came out?
>The Mana have been acting strangely?
>Ask for a quiet place to meditate
>Request help finding Ari before the Luna Dominion arrives
>Other? (write-in)

I'm going to have to pick this up in the morning. I fell asleep three times writing that.

Tuesdays make me want to die.

>>1144972
>Something bothered you about that, but you couldn't put your finger on it.
>Am I forgetting something...?
but seriously, I got nothing.

> "It'll be my first time seeing my brother in years...
>You followed their gaze across the dimly moonlit courtyard towards a covered wagon. Before you could say a word, Elly had rushed towards it frantically.
>Something dripped from the back of the wagon, staining the ground with each heavy droplet. Under the pale moonlight, the deep red liquid almost seemed black, and had it not been for the distinctive coppery smell, you'd have mistaken the blood for what it was.

I figured out who was in that wagon.

>The Mana have been acting strangely?
Any comparison we can make to our known Mana will be helpful.

>>1144976
Thanks for getting this much out at least. Take care of yourself man. We've still got a couple of days of life left in the thread, do what you need to.

>>1145031
>"...Last?" Your eyes narrowed. Something bothered you about that, but you couldn't put your finger on it.
>"Being the closest to East Heaven, our Shrine was one of the first to respond... And also the first to experience what came of it.
Maybe this?

> "Dryad is... Different from its siblings. It has more in common with L̵̸̛͟͢u͢͞n̛͢a̷̧̡͡ than anyone else." She spoke the name brightly, ignorant to the distortion it caused. "Though Dryad loves all of its siblings, it adores L̵̸̛͟͢u͢͞n̛͢a̷̧̡͡ most of all,
Or this?

I'll keep poking around, but I suck at this, so don't expect much.

>>1144972
>The people who came out?
>The Mana have been acting strangely?
>"Being the closest to East Heaven, our Shrine was one of the first to respond... And also the first to experience what came of it." You'd think L***'s Dom*nion would want this Shrine's input first of all. It sound like they've already decided something.

>>1144972
>>The Mana have been acting strangely?
>ALL the details. Don't care if she gets uncomfortable.

>>1145136
>>1145062
>>1145031

Oh thank GOD it's finally time to punch somebody.

Lunar doesn't want the secret of what can kill Mana leaking out and Dryad is somehow tainted.

Still. What can we do. It's in the past.

>>1145532
Return and punch Mim?

>>1145555
Nah.

Punch EVERYONE.

But especially these fragments of a past Luna.

We're going to punch the sky itself and the moon within it later.

"The people who came out of them? Survivors?" Kole had mentioned that the Representative wouldn't appreciate the origin of the orphans being made public, but if you could needle it out of her then it'd make talking about them easier. "We havent found many survivors." She admitted meekly, "Rather, some of the Adepts who responded first had problems after spending time in the dead zones. It's one of the things L̵u̧̕n͘͢͞a'̛s̕ ͟D͟o̡m̸͜įni͝͠o̸͟͢n̛ has been investigating."

"Ah." Dryad's Shrine had been the first to respond, which meant that whatever had happened was no doubt hitting them the hardest. "Was it restricted to this Shrine, or..."

"N-No... Not exactly." Elly winced at the indirect questioning of her fellow Adepts, "We were the first to experience it, and at first it was just us... But others began to show symptoms of it soon as well."

"Time spent in the dead zones, then." You murmur thoughtfully, receiving a helpless nod of agreement from Elly as you rolled it over in your mind. "What kind of symptoms were they, exactly? Do you think it's related to the Mana's strange behavior you mentioned?"

"Estrangement... I guess?" She offered a tentative answer. "Our connection to our Mana became weaker as we spent time in the dead zones. It's difficult to describe if you've never experienced the dead zones, or the touch of a Mana." You were getting familiar with that kind of answer. In a way, you suppose that it made sense; The Shrine was originally formed partially because it was supposedly difficult for those favoured or aligned with a Mana to describe their Mana related problems to others.

Still- "Do you mind trying?" -You had spent most of your life studying this. If an outsider could establish some fragment of understanding about it, then it would likely be you.

"Mm... I can try." Elly agreed with a small smile, coaxing a small ivy to flower. "It smells nice here, doesn't it? Because of all of the flowers, I mean... We take very good care of them. Many of us were born to the smell of flowers. Blessed by Dryad from the moment we came into this world." She ran her finger softly along the fine, "I... I don't know what you think of them, but the smell is very relaxing to me. It's like a reminder that I'm home, or the reassuring touch of a dear friend."

"In the dead zones, there are no flowers." She reluctantly continued, letting her hand fall away from the flower. "You can't smell anything. On it's own, it's unnerving... But to help people, we endured. Living without the comfort of a Mana's presence is something most people do every day, and it was a small price to pay to try and help the victims."

"Unfortunately... It isn't that simple. Even after the Adepts returned, many of them still couldn't smell the flowers any longer. Those that could, only did so weakly. I would say we panicked... But in reality, many of us simply fell into depression." She breathed a sigh, but maintained a smile as she spoke. "Many of us have since recovered, of course... It took some longer than others. There are still some who... Are taking even longer."

Dead Zones... Lands so devoid of Mana that they had driven the favour of Mana from a person simply by being near it. A Mana purge so intense it had lasted years, and if Elly were to be believed, may have become permanent in some.

"The strange behaviour of the Mana." You start, gently leaving that particular topic for now, "is it something you could describe?"

"It isn't anything complicated. Dryad has simply been excited since we returned." Elly gave off a warm smile as she spoke, "It's much like being embraced when you return home. The Shrine has gently sung of reunion ever since... I imagine losing contact with so many of us was as distressing for Dryad as it was for us."

>Inquire about Ari
>Talk about the orphans
>Ask something else (what?)
>Other? (write-in)

>>1154119
>>Inquire about Ari
It's a long shot, but no harm in the asking.
The orphans keep popping up; they have more significance than it initially appeared. They are the only explorable unknown here it seems. If the Fae are trying to tell us something but dropping us in here, they are important to solving the puzzle.
>Talk about the orphans

>>1154192
This!

Writing.

>>1154119
>Dryad has simply been excited since we returned."
>I imagine losing contact with so many of us was as distressing for Dryad as it was for us."
Something about this doesn't sit right with me.

>"We're... Not that important, Ser Valen."

Also, a comment from last thread made me think,
>Gotta nip the problem in the bud? East Heaven are the ones using Faedka to fuck up adepts and Elly said something about protecting Adepts. Maybe this company only purpose is to take the adepts away and purge them.
Luna meeting with Dryad last out of all of them is sounding pretty foreboding.

"I was hoping you might be able to help me with a problem." You had gotten Elly's agreement to help you find Ari once before, but that may have well as been a dream for all it mattered now. Luckily, you felt that your time speaking with Elly then and now had given you enough time to measure the type of person she was... And true to form, it took little more than explaining your circumstances to her for the wallflower-esque Dryad Representative to pledge her support to your cause.

You remember how she had declared you to be a good person in the last cycle, but... Between the two of you, you can't help but wonder which of you actually deserved that kind of compliment. "If you're certain your friend is in the forest, then it shouldn't take long to find her." Elly reassured you earnestly, "I'll try to get a feel for her whereabouts tonight."

"...You can do that?" You had heard of Undine Adepts who could sense the occupants of a river's length by touching the water, but was it that easy to just pluck out Ari's location from an entire forest? "W-Well..." Elly blushed a little under the sudden attention, "It would be easier if I had met her before. Truthfully, I won't be able to tell her apart from anyone else... B-But! There shouldn't be many people in the Fae Forest anyway, so I can definitely find... uh... People who might be her."

You closed your eyes and felt your muscles relax, a sigh of relief escaping. "No, that's more than enough. I didn't even know where to start looking on my own." You couldn't completely let your guard down just yet. There was no guarantee that she would be in the Fae Forest, or even in this world of lies, but if what Elly said was true, you wouldn't have to just wander blindly in your search... Of course, she had pledged to help you last time as well. You'd be right back at square one if something like what happened before occured again.

Finding Ari was why you came here, but this world didn't care about her. It didn't exist because of her. There was a purpose to the lies woven around you, and simply finding Ari may not be enough if you couldn't also work your way through the trial before you.

"In the meantime, why don't you tell me more about the orphanage?"

"What would you like to know?" Elly's entire attitude seemed to brighten at your interest. "They're all very sweet children, and I've been trying to educate them at least a little. Some of the younger ones can almost read on their own, now! I'm hoping that they'll all be able to by the end of the flowering season."

You blinked hesitatingly as she continued telling you of their daily antics, and the efforts she had gone through to help them make a garden, and how she had been trying to teach them all manner of things from reading, to writing, to the aforementioned gardening.

"A couple of the older boys have become curious about learning to cook." She giggled, "I think they're getting tired of vegetable stew. A hunter brought rabbit through the other day, and it seems like the taste agreed with them. They're very agile, though! I think they'll grow up to be wonderful hunters."

...You weren't sure how to explain that this wasn't what you had meant when you asked to be told more. It'd probably hurt her feelings.

"And I don't think she's realized she has a crush on him yet. They're all very young still. I worry about what I'll do when they get old enough to really notice each other. I wasn't very good at any of that either, I don't think I'll be able to handle helping anyone else." She scratched her cuticles nervously, "I don't want to bother anyone else about them, though. It's selfish enough of me that they're here at all."

>Ask something specific about the orphans (what?)
>Propose meeting them
>Ask for a place to meditate
>Other? (write-in)

>>1154605
We already met them via frog-to-the-face, but meditating will take most of the day again...

>Ask something specific about the orphans (what?)
Maybe something more specific about what makes them 'different' from other orphans not found in the exclusion zone?
Othewise,
>Ask for a place to meditate

>>1154661
This!

Writing.

"Is there something special about them?" You still weren't certain what Kole had meant by them being unnerving. Granted your time with them had generally been short, or filled with frogs, but they seemed to be just brats in the end.

"Oh there's plenty special about them!" Too late you realized you should have worded that question differently. "Each of them are quite adorable, and getting to see them grow has been an absolute pleasure! I'm very proud of-"

"No, I meant... Different. They're survivors of the disaster, aren't they?"

"Oh." Her smile froze as she hesitated, eyes nervously drifting away from you for the first time since she began to speak about them. "Well... Y-Yes, they are children we found in the Dead Zones. It's a miracle that anything survived that, a-and we couldn't just leave them there. Of course we brought them back, and they've been d-doing very well-"

"El-" She continued to talk. "Eleanore-" She winced as you raised your voice this time, but she was still justifying her decision to bring them back. If anything, trying to interrupt her had only spurred her into speaking faster... Just what was she expecting to deal with? "-And I think if you just meet them you'll see that there's nothing to worry about, and they're all very charming, and-"

"Elly!" She squeaked as you spoke up. When Kole had said she became upset when people brought it up, you expected something fiercer. More confrontational. Aggressive.

Unfortunately, what you got was quite possibly the type of thing you were least prepared to handle. The longer she went on, the more you could feel her begin to panic as she scrambled for more things to say... And in turn, the more you were starting to stress as well. If things had progressed to the point that she started crying, you'd have been well and truly screwed.

"I'm sorry.... They're very good kids."

"You don't need to convince me." She did, actually. All signs thus far pointed to them being brats. "I was more curious whether the disaster had affected them in some way. If the Adepts were affected just by visiting, then..."

"It... It's a miracle they're alive at all." She agreed slowly, taking some measure of comfort from your urgings, "After all... Nothing else did. B-But that's all the more reason to be happy that they did! And we are! All of us are! Very happy, I mean. But... Um." You brushed a lock of your hair back and waited for her to finish dancing around the subject. Rather than trying to make an excuse, it seemed more like she was simply trying to build the courage to talk about it. "They are... Special. It isn't anything dangerous, but they tend to make people uncomfortable. Particularly those who returned."

Waiting for further explanation was a futile effort, as she tried several ways to try and explain it, but ultimately just couldn't find the words. "I'm sorry. They bothered me at first as well, but... I couldn't abandon them. I didn't want to ask anyone else to be uncomfortable for my own selfishness either, though."

"So you took it upon yourself?"

"Yes." Her head hung tiredly. "They're very perceptive children... I feel like they realized they were making people uncomfortable, and I didn't want them to feel unwelcome because of it. B-But! After a while, I got used to it, and now it's only really a problem if I try to think about it too much."

"I didn't feel anything like that."

"None of the hunters from Carona have mentioned anything either." She nodded with a tentative smile, "I was hoping that someone from there would eventually adopt them... But no one has expressed any interest so far. A-At the very least, maybe I can ask for them to be taken on as apprentices, or junior hunters, when they get old enough. I'm sure they would do well!"

You hum neutrally.

>Offer to have Tim meet with the older orphans
>Keep quiet
>Other? (write-in)

>>1155117
>Did they ever made someone who's not an Adept uncomfortable?
>Offer to have Tim meet with the older orphans
>Meet with the orphans ourselves as well. We didn't actually get to observe them much.
>Check them for beast ears and tails

>>1155130
This.

>>1155130
This!

>>1155177
...That!

Writing.

"Speaking of which, there's a hunter here now." Was it wrong to throw Tim under the wagon? You barely knew the man, even if he seemed to know you. "We're on somewhat friendly terms, so I could talk to him about meeting some of your prospective hunters." You'd be there for it, of course. Having Tim look them over was a convenient excuse for you to do some examining of your own as well, since you hadn't paid over much attention to them before. It'd also give you a chance to see first hand if someone who wasn't an Adept even noticed that elusive property of theirs.

The sparkling joy being directed at you from Elly kept you from feeling too pleased with this idea. There was only so much self-satisfaction you could feel about setting up manipulations when someone was practically beaming at you for it... No, the more she smiled, the harder it was getting.

...You were going to have to legitimately ask Tim for another favour at this rate.

"Thank you! I'll make sure they're on their best behaviour, a-and I'll find a way to repay you, I swear!"

"No. You're already helping me." You wave off the jubilant Representative as she began to stand. "And don't thank me yet. I can't promise he'll be interested, so it's not a sure thing yet."

"Yes, b-but even still!" She insisted, "You don't know how much this means to me."

"I'll talk to him about it tomorrow." You tried to calm her. An effort spent in vain, as it only seemed to make the Representative happier. "He'll probably spend most of today resting, after how long of a ride it was to get here."

"Alright! I'll lecture them all tonight!"

Was this really alright...?

"In the meantime, it was a long ride. Do you have a quiet place I could rest?"

"Oh! Yes, of course! I'm sorry, I should have done that first. No, please follow me! I'll show you to a room you can use!" You strolled along casually behind the self-reprimanding Representative, only half paying attention as she began to quietly go through a checklist of things she needed to do... Upon which, she would softly congratulate herself for every item that had already been accomplished.

"Only twelve... thirteen things this week! Yes, I'm doing better!"

At least the other attendants of the Shrine seemed used to it. The subdued din of respectfully hushed conversation that you had come to associate with Shrines was slowly filtering back into existence now that the morning 'class' had ended, leaving them to go about the rest of their day primarily of their own accord. Several of them nodded as you passed, with a few that you had recognized talking to Elly earlier waving amiably to the distracted Representative.

It was a warm atmosphere. There had always been a tinge of excitement in you when you had visited Shrines before, but this one left you feeling... Calmer. It was the type of welcoming environment that made you feel like you had come home.

"I hope this is okay?" She had eventually led you through the opening in the central tree, and down a short stairway of carefully maintained stairs. The winding passage way felt uncomfortably familiar to you, but the wide open central room at the bottom was anything but.

Sunlight filtered in unhindered through gaps in the roots, with veils of ivy flowering along the walls and filling the air with a honeyed incense that mixed alongside the scent freshwater from the river running beneath you. Passage ways wound off from the central room, some obscured by the ivy, while others still had the occasional attendant of Dryad lingering within them.

The room she had brought you to was down one such passage, and was furnished in a spartan manner with little more than a 'bed' of formed wood, and a shelf that could serve as a desk or table, had you the need. A gap in the roots which formed your wall afforded you a view onto the river beyond; One obscured only partially by the customary flowering vines which seemed to drape themselves across most surfaces of the Shrine. Several books were stacked neatly in the corner of the room, tucked away by the bedside and partially hidden.

All things considered, it was far preferrable to where you were plopped last time.

"It's just a spare room." She continued anxiously while you looked it over, "W-We have plenty of them!"

"I appreciate it." You still weren't sold on sleeping in the roots of a tree, but everything had felt sturdy as you walked. You were forced to redefine your idea of what a root was, specifically ones of a tree in the center of a Shrine dedicated to Dryad. You distantly couldn't help but wonder if all the Shrine trees had roots this massive hidden beneath them... It would certainly explain why every Shrine you had seen had been situated atop Too Many Stairs.

"Um... Someone will come and call you when dinner is ready. Please ask for me if you need anything!" As earnest as her offer was, you felt kind of bad using a Representative of the Shrine like room service. You smiled all the same, though; If it came down to it, you could just ask one of the attendants instead of bothering her. "Well... If there's nothing else I can help you with, I'll let you get settled in!"

>Ask something else
>Start meditating

>>1155401
>Can I take a look at these books?

>>1155401
>>Start meditating


I'm bowing out for the evening. Night all.

>>1155409
Books!

>>1155413
And then meditation!
Also good night, anon.

Writing!
---

We'll probably wrap the thread up meditating, as well. This week has been pretty rough, but I feel lucky that the thread actually stayed on the board as long as it did!

And equal parts ashamed that /qst/ board speed was necessary to it surviving to its conclusion.

"You don't mind if I read those books while I'm here, do you?"

"B-Books?" She squeaked, "Oh, no of course not! Just uh... Be... Very careful with them, alright?"

"I will be. I spent a lot of my time in my own library growing up, so I'm used to being around them." Books had been some of your most constant companions in that house, aside from Asche herself. You had learned to take good care of them early on, and then redoubled those efforts later... Which made the memory of your last few visits to that library all the more wince inducing. You hadn't taken nearly as good care of your books in these past few months as you should have.

It was another thing for you to add to your mental list of things to think about when your life settled back down.

"An entire library..." Elly's envious mutter continued heedless of your stray thoughts. "That sounds amazing. I bet my brother would have loved something like that."

"You mentioned your brother earlier as well. He's part of the detachment, isn't he?" You stepped into the room absently, turning back to look at Elly as she smiled fondly. "Yes! My older brother has always loved to read, even when we were kids. It's no surprise at all that he became an attendant of Lư͠͠ņ͞a."

"Sorry I got your hopes up by arriving first."

"Don't be! I'm glad we had a chance to talk before the meetings began. To be honest, I-I think you would have scared me if I hadn't talked to you first."

"..." You blink curiously. This time, and before when she had seemed relieved to proclaim you a good person... "What kind of image did you have of me, anyway?"

"W-Well... Um." Her fingers curled until she could resume her nervous habit of scraping her nails against her cuticles. "You and the Q-Queen were very famous. I wasn't sure what to expect... From people like... That." Was it really just someone else's reputation preceeding you? "I'm sorry, please forget I said anything! You're a very sweet person! Good night!"

Leaving aside that it was still the middle of the day, you didn't even have a chance to respond before Elly had hurried away once more. It left you remembering your first meeting with her, and all you could do in the wake of either event was sigh. You turned back towards the room proper, pacing across it warily to test the floors and put some of your lingering doubts of the root-structure's stability to rest... As well as just generally inspect where you would be staying.

The wooden shelf-desk had a worn in look to its surface, and the bed had a single, awkwardly stuffed pillow set against the wall. It was a room which seemed to reflect utilitarian values above all... Or perhaps just a life which had never had much in it. The ivy veils which ran down the walls and acted as curtains to the outside were covered in flowers - Nearly to the point that the ivy itself was just an incidental growth that happened to protrude from the solid streams of flowers.

You settled onto the bed, picking up one of the books at its side as you felt yourself start to relax to the familiar song of forest birds that filtered in faintly from outside. It had no title to it, but was larger than you were used to books being. The covers were old and tattered, and you cracked the spine open to find well worn pages and colorful illustrations that took up most of the space within. A book of old folktales and bedtime stories.

Leaving it aside for now, you set it atop the other two books that had been quietly stashed away. Long ingrained habit helped you pull your focus back together while you closed your eyes and started to take control of your thoughts once more.

You began to meditate once more.

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http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Valen+Quest

And we are archived.

I'll check for questions when I wake up, and until this thread falls off the board.

Apologies to all anons who participated in Valen Quest but sat at their keyboards wondering when QM would finally stop being dead and finish the thread.

To those who put up with it to the end, we will never forget your sacrifice.

>>1155452
Awww, I hoped the books were on the Dryad theory.

>>1155468
Please, folktales that are old even in ancient times these must be this world's equivalent to Grimm manuscripts! Let's swipe it.

>>1155455
Thanks for running!

>>1155455
i dedded but thanks for running.