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>>1294403
You wake slowly but surely, easing yourself up from the hard floor. It’s still not quite an easy sleep and you must admit that you somewhat regret letting Beatrice have the only mattress but it’s not a far cry from the countless nights you spent sleeping in the handcar along the railway. So it’s comfort enough.

The aches and pains across your body are naught but muted distractions now, your body having healed itself quite considerably. You rise and stretch, noticing Beatrice still asleep on the other side of the tiny room. She’s curled up on the mattress like a child.
Yesterday had not been good for her.

You can hear people all around you waking and climbing out of the little boxes that pass for rooms in the work-home. No doubt they’re all preparing for another day’s hard labour. But not you. You’ll not be spending today chipping away at brick and stone. Today you can feel a fire blaze within you and it burns hot.

Wick: 10/10
Spark: 8/8

The witch confirmed the identity of one of the sinners you have come to punish. The Green Flame Consortium that spews blasphemous parodies of the sun’s light all across this city. Today will not end until their stolen spark is in your hands.


>It’s time. Prepare to embark.

>Get Abe out of the Workshop first. He might be well enough to aid you.

>Head down to the market. You’ll need to get some supplies.

>Scout out the battlefield first.

>Other

>>1294405
>Get Abe out of the Workshop first. He might be well enough to aid you.

>Head down to the market. You’ll need to get some supplies.

I swear if they are closed again!

>>1294405
>Get Abe out of the Workshop first. He might be well enough to aid you.
How's it going Ouro?

>>1294405

>Get Abe out of the Workshop first. He might be well enough to aid you.

Interlude

The Inspector frowned as he stepped through the doorway, the large wooden doors being pulled open for him from within. He was behind on his schedule, his mission to question the other six members of his Mistress’ pact. It had seemed like she suspected one of them to be enabling the outsiders. He should have gotten more done by now but she’d also seen fit to divert him from his path in favour of speaking to the failed witch Beatrice.

Beatrice...now she had been fun. The Inspector did not permit himself much frivolity but he couldn’t deny that he had enjoyed himself with her. She had been endearingly pathetic and watching her face fall when he had forcibly reminded her of what she had given up had been satisfying. He hoped that this would help her make the right choice.

He also had no idea why the woman was important to his Mistress or why she had wanted him to hire her. He had a hunch that she was connected to the detonation at the train station and the deaths of innocent citizens but he could do nothing about that. That was no longer his task.
No, his current task sat ahead of him.
“Good evening, Doctor Spinae.”

The head doctor of the entire Tangle Workshop was seated behind a large wooden desk, the same wood that composed the doors and the walls and everything else. They were deep within the Thorn, the Tangle Workshop’s living tower. The two of them were not alone either. Two other doctors stood to either side of Spinae, each of them blonde and perfectly identical save for the small matter of their gender. They did not speak.

“Inspector,” Spinae said, his voice dry. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Well at least he was polite. That’s more than what he could say about certain others.
“First of all, thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice.”
The Inspector felt anything but thankful. It was ridiculous that he had been forced to make an appointment over a matter so urgent. None of the others would have demanded this, they would have respected his Mistress’ authority enough to speak to her messenger immediately.
But the Tangle Workshop was full of naught but doctors and bureaucrats and neither respected anything save their work.

“Yes, yes. I’m given to understand that you made the appointment with our branch office in the Folly. Circuitous.”

“It was the closest branch and I was pressed for time. Surely you know why.”

“Of course. Very tragic, that railway incident. You are searching for the culprits?”

“Not quite. But first I would like to thank the Workshop for their actions in response to the explosion. You saved a lot of lives you didn’t have to.”

“Altruism has always been the aim of the Tangle Workshop, Inspector.”

“Strange, I always thought it was your excuse for gathering data and experimentation.”

1/??

>>1294420
“There’s no reason why it can’t be both. Our research is for the good of our fellow man. In fact, even the mere presence of our branch office saved a lot of lives. I’ve received the damage reports and it would appear that the seedpod our office in the Folly was encased within absorbed most of the blast and prevented it from going further.”

“How are your facilities after that? Still functional, I hope.”

“Regenerating. Only the exterior was harmed, no loss of life for workers or test subjects. Now please dispense with this pointless pleasantry and tell me why you have come!”

“Right. It’s about the outsiders. My Mistress has reason to believe that they bear the final shard and are enemies of all Dis.”

“Well if you’re looking for them they certainly aren’t here.”

“I’m not looking for them. Someone bridged the chasm shortly before their train arrived. They have help from within the city. Powerful help.”

“And your Mistress suspects me?”

“Not specifically. She has simply asked me to inform and warn everyone with a shard.”

“So she suspects one of us is doing it...but for what? Certainly not out of love for the sun surely. Does she suspect a power play?”

“I believe so. Tell me Doctor Spinae, do you really believe that none of you would try to use the Lamplighter as a tool against their fellows?”

“Point. But I can assure you that I have had nothing to do with it. What motive would the Workshop have? We search for salvation within the body.”

“And that precludes the desire for terrestrial power?”
“It doesn’t but what exactly do you want from us? A detailed explanation of where all of our employees were during the incidents? A peek around our experimentation chambers? You know we can’t do that. In fact...what are you expecting in general?”

“Pardon?”

“If the traitor really is one of us seven do you expect them to simply confirm it when asked? From that perspective these inspections of yours seem quite impotent.”
Spinae drums his hands on the table, the two doctors to either side of him staying silent and unmoving.
“I have nothing but respect for your mistress and I don’t think she’s an idiot. So I have to wonder what purpose all of this nonsense really serves.”

“I’m going to take that as a denial of charges. Is that correct?”

“Pfft, yes. We didn’t do it. But you know Inspector, earthcrafting up a bridge...out of the seven of us it does call a single person to mind more than anyone else. Far more. Why didn’t you go to her first?”

“I intend to in due time.”

“There’s no excuse for why you wouldn’t inspect the prime suspect first. Are you afraid of her?”

“No!”

“Well, you should be. Why don’t you pay her a visit first before you waste anyone else’s time. That will be all, Inspector. Tell your Mistress that I thank her for her concerns.”

>>1294405
>Get Abe out of the Workshop first. He might be well enough to aid you.

Beatrice is probably not going to be in fit shape to help us, but having some backup would be helpful.

>Scout out the battlefield first.

We need a plan. What are we even going to do with the sun shard once we get it? Will it fit in the lamp with the one we already have?

>>1294430
What are we even going to do with the sun shard once we get it? Will it fit in the lamp with the one we already have?

Thats really our best hope

>Get Abe out of the Workshop first. He might be well enough to aid you.

You’ve left your other companion rest long enough, surely they’ll have found a solution to his stone sickness by now. If nothing else you will have to drive the taint out with Benediction alone. But either way you have a feeling you’ll be needing his help. Beatrice might not be well enough to contribute for this one.

Speaking of which, it’s a little strange that she’s still sleeping even as the clamor of everybody else getting ready for the day surrounds you. She’s normally up on her feet pretty quickly.

She looks uncomfortably fragile when asleep and you don’t like it.


>Wake her up. Even if she isn’t coming with you you’re not comfortable leaving her asleep alone in the cell.

>Let her rest. She needs it.

>>1294452

>Let her rest. She needs it.

>>1294452
>Wake her up. Even if she isn’t coming with you you’re not comfortable leaving her asleep alone in the cell.

>>1294452
>Let her rest. She needs it.

>>1294452
>Let her rest. She needs it.

>>1294452
>>Wake her up. Even if she isn’t coming with you you’re not comfortable leaving her asleep alone in the cell.

>>1294452
>>Wake her up. Even if she isn’t coming with you you’re not comfortable leaving her asleep alone in the cell.

>Tell her we're leaving, we're just letting her know so she can defend herself. Also she was strong yesterday, keep it up.

>>1294452
>Wake her up. Even if she isn’t coming with you you’re not comfortable leaving her asleep alone in the cell.

>>1294452
>Wake her up. Even if she isn’t coming with you you’re not comfortable leaving her asleep alone in the cell.
tell her where we're going

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>Wake her up. Even if she isn’t coming with you you’re not comfortable leaving her asleep alone in the cell.

She looks too fragile, you decide. Shorn of her personality and the attitude she normally carries, there’s not much left to see save a very sick girl. You stare down at her for a moment more before you take a step back and shake your head.
You can’t get into the habit of thinking of her like that. This ‘girl’ has about a decade over you. She might be small but only because she made a pact for eternal life before she had finished growing. There’s nothing innocent about her fragility and you cannot allow yourself to forget that.

But still, you’d rather not let her stay sleeping if you’re going to be leaving her alone. So with that in mind you pick up your broken staff and prod her in the side with it until she wakes, grumbling and moaning. Her face is as appalling as ever.

“Orion? What do you doing?”
Her scratchy voice is thick with sleep.

“Today is the day I declare war.”

“Oh! Hhhold on us just a second. Lemme get ready.”

You poke her in the chest with your staff as she struggles to rise, pushing her back down.
“You’re in absolutely no shape to do anything right now. You’ll be sitting this one out.”

“What? But you need me!”

“Believe it or not Beatrice but I managed to make my way through life without your dubious aid for a fair few decades.”

“Yeah but this is serious shit! You’ll need my help.”

“Maybe I will need your help. But I certainly won’t need your hindrances. You’re still injured and you’re still sick.”

“I’m always sick.”
She stops for a moment.
“Wait, are you saying I’m going to be a liability?”

“More or less.”

“Thanks invert. Why even wake me up then?”

“Because I’m leaving now and I’d prefer you to be awake when alone.”

“Why bother? I’m just a liability apparently.”

You sigh.
“Beatrice, do not make a thing of this.”

“A thing?”

“You did very well yesterday. You do not have to do such every day.”

She groans, thrashing around limply beneath the covers. You avert your gaze from her sleepclothes.
“I’m fine. Let me come.”


>”No. You need to conserve yourself and heal. Do not leave this cell.”

>GIve her another mission instead, if she can handle it.

>Relent. You’ll take her along you suppose.

>”Then get dressed and come with me, we’re getting Abe back.” The walk up the stairs in her current state should exhaust her and make her realise she is unfit for such a mission today.

>The mission can wait until Beatrice recovers.

>Other

>>1294547
>I'm retrieving Abe first. Can you at least rest and recover THAT long? If not gather some more information. You're hurt and more ill and frail than usual, I would not have you die because of you being overzealous.

>>1294547

>”No. You need to conserve yourself and heal. Do not leave this cell.”

>>1294547
>Relent. You’ll take her along you suppose.
Honestly leaving her alone anywhere in Dis for too long is a liability. Maybe see what kind of state she's in first before deciding though

>>1294547
>I'm retrieving Abe first. Can you at least rest and recover THAT long? If not gather some more information. You're hurt and more ill and frail than usual, I would not have you die because of you being overzealous.

>>1294547
>GIve her another mission instead, if she can handle it.
Collect more info

>>1294563
>>1294547

Supporting

>>1294547
>I'm retrieving Abe first. Can you at least rest and recover THAT long? If not gather some more information. You're hurt and more ill and frail than usual, I would not have you die because of you being overzealous

>>1294547
I forget, do Benedictions work on Bea?

>>1294699
Nope, just make her even more ill.

>>1294699
They do not.

Apologies for the delay on this update btw, my gut feels twisted.

>>1294699
They for all intents and purposes do not

Though I for one theorise that they work like chemotherapy and thus appear to do nothing good

>I'm retrieving Abe first. Can you at least rest and recover THAT long? If not gather some more information. You're hurt and more ill and frail than usual, I would not have you die because of you being overzealous

“You are not fine but so be it. I’m retrieving Abe first, can you at least wait behind and rest that long? After that you may come or you may not. I’d much rather you gather some more information than accompany us. You’re hurt and more ill and fail than usual, I would not have you die because you are overzealous.”

She pulls the sheet almost all the way over her face.
“I thought you’d have appreciated said zealotry.”

“Not when it would be foolish. There’s no virtue in dying when there’s work yet to be done.”

“Fine. I’ll think about it.”

“Good.”
You finish getting dressed, strapping your armour on and donning your makeshift brown cloak. Your staff and sword are ready and your lamp-post is swaddled safely upon your back. You almost consider leaving it behind as it would be most troublesome to accidentally unveil it in the midst of Dis but you banish such a foolish thought moments after it occurs to you. You’re never letting this thing out of your sight.

You climb the stairs easily this time, getting used to the difficult means of travel up and down the Folly. Your decision to leave Beatrice behind at least for this is justified however, you doubt she would manage the many stairs easily even at the best of times.

And so once again you find yourself standing before the curved wooden wall that intersects the stairway halfway up. There are two guards standing besjde the doorway and as far as you can tell, they’re the same two that stopped you yesterday.
“Oh, it’s you again. What do you want?”

“The same thing I wanted yesterday. Is the branch open for business now?”

The guards exchange a look.

“Listen mate, this is the exact same time as when you showed up yesterday. Why would it be open? We’re in sleeping hours here, same as always.”

“I would like to extract a patient. He’s a friend of mine and I’ve come to take him home.”


“We know. And again, wrong time! Why would you show up at the same time and expect anything different?”

“Either come back in eight hours or so or get a pass.”

“I thought the Workshop’s doors were always open.”

“Yeah, for people who need the care. But otherwise we shut down every day so people can get some sleep. We’ve explained this to you before.”

You find your fists clenching without you even having thought about it.


>”I’ve had just about enough of this.” Push them aside.

>Leave Abe be. You’ll do the damn mission without him.

>Wait for eight hours.

>If only you knew someone who needed medical attention…

>Ask to see their superiors. You’ll talk to them.

>Other

>>1294749
>>If only you knew someone who needed medical attention…

>>1294749
>”I’ve had just about enough of this.” Push them aside.

>>1294749

>Other
Wait for eight hours. In the meantime, fix the makeshift cloak so it doesn't look like a curtain.

>>1294749
>>If only you knew someone who needed medical attention…

ok its mildly suspicious but...

>>1294749
>”I’ve had just about enough of this.” Push them aside.
I'm changing my vote here, I don't want to risk both of our companions ending up trapped in here. They would take particular interest in Beatrice.

>>1294749
>>If only you knew someone who needed medical attention…

oh wait I do!

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Vote called. Please wait warmly.

>If only you knew someone who needed medical attention…

As loathe as you are to put Beatrice in the hands of the Workshop, you need a way in to find Abe. And if that involves using her to get inside then that’s just what you’ll have to do. After you find Abe, Beatrice herself should be able to leave easily. You doubt the Workshop would hold a patient against their will after all.
Would they?

You take long climb back down to find Beatrice waiting for you by your room, fully-dressed and looking like she’s about to die.
“So about the mission-,” she starts.

“It doesn’t matter right now,” you say, cutting her off. “We need to get Abe from the Workshop. It’s closed again.”

“Of course it’s closed again, it’s the same damn time as yesterday.”
Beatrice stares at you for a few seconds.
“Wait, did you seriously go back at the same time and expect their schedule to be different? You fucking idiot.”
She laughs a little but not much, holding her throat.

“All the same, we need him out now.”

“Why do we need him? I’m coming along for the big mission, I’ve made up my mind.”

“We’ll see about that later. And secondly, I’ll likely need another pair of hands that can actually do work.”
Not to mention that you are loath to leave him in there.

“Fine. What’s your master plan for getting in?”

“You.”

“What?”

“The Workshop offers free aid to the injured and the sick. You are the injured and the sick.”

“Hold up a moment, Orion. We can’t let them find out what’s wrong with me!”

“You won’t be there for long. Just enough to earn us both entry and the opportunity to find Abraham. Understood?”

“Us? Wait. Wait. Orion, are you coming too?”

“As your concerned friend yes.”

“Even though you’ve just asked the door guards for entry? Twice? You don’t think that’ll be suspicious?”

“Do you have an alternative?”

“Let me do it alone.”

“No.”

“Yes!”


>Let her do it alone.

>You’re coming with her.

>Don a disguise of some sort and come with her.

>Other

>>1294893

>Let her do it alone.

>>1294893
>Don a disguise of some sort and come with her.
We've got a beard right? Shave it off and color our hair with some ash or something.

>>1294893
>>Let her do it alone.

I got a bad feeling about this though. Make sure Beatrice is armed.

>>1294913
A gun should be sufficient

>>1294893
>Let her do it alone
>But arm her as best you can. Also thank her. We're admittedly out of our depth here where smiting evil is not viable.

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Ugh sorry guys, I thought the weird heartburn shit would get a bit better but I think I'm going to have to take a rest. I'll be back to do some updates after work.
Vote remains open until then.

What do you guys think about recruiting some of the redcloaks from the lower levels to our cause? It'd be worth checking out at the very least, hopefully they're the real deal and not some heretical lamplighters

>>1294893
>Don a disguise of some sort and come with her.
A really shitty disguise though.

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>>1295017
Did I hear anarchist bombings?
Do I hear coordinated anarchy?

In short hell yes, though they are likely to be Zealous and hard to control

>>1295006
Don't die.

> Give ourself a scalp laceration and pretend to be concussed.

>>1295059
I wonder if the Lamppost can set fire to the Green Flame. Pour a bunch out, everyone ignores it because it's safe, suddenly napalm.

>>1295308
As someone once said in an old and distant thread
>Ouro died as he lived. With stomach problems.

>>1294893
>Let her do it alone.
Actually, just taking off the armor would be a perfect disguise, but we'd also have to leave the lamppost behind.

>>1294893
>How about we look for the red cult instead?

Remember when I said I'd do more updates when I got home from work? That was a lie as it turns out because jesus work tonight was fucked up. Too tired.
Session resumes tomorrow, check the twitter etc.

>>1294420
>He also had no idea why the woman was important to his Mistress or why she had wanted him to hire her.
Be careful with pronouns OP, so many in one place gets confusing quickly.

Session resumes in an hour.

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>Let her do it alone.

As much as you don’t like to admit it, Beatrice has a point here. Those guards are likely suspicious of you by now or would at the very least recognise you if you just showed up again. You could disguise yourself quite effectively by just removing your armour but that would mean having to leave the lamp-post behind and even then they might identify you by voice alone.
It might be best for Beatrice to handle this alone.

“Fine, you can do it on your own. Just try not to repeat what happened the last time.”

“Wow Orion, what the fuck?”

“I was expressing concern for your safety.”

“Yeah I guess but that was a shit way to do it.”

“Was it? It was unintended.”

“It’s like you’ve figured you got to tolerate me now but you’re determined to do it in the worst way possible.”

“Believe me, I have been tolerating you exceptionally well. How is your pistol?”

“Clean, I got all the blood off it. Or at least I think I did anyway. I won’t really know for sure until I fire it at which point I guess I will very quickly learn if I haven’t! My life’s an adventure like that.”

“You shouldn’t need it for this. It should be a simple extraction, in and out.”

“When does anything ever turn out simple for either of us? But don’t worry, I’m not going to shoot a fucking doctor or anything. Not unless I have to.”

“Do you have a plan to explain your illness?”

“No and I don’t think I need one.”

“What do you mean?”

“If I knew what it was why would I be going to the Workshop? I need to act like it’s something recent.”

“And if worst comes to worst?”

“Even if they do find out what I am I think I’ll be able to swing it. You see Orion, they actually treat witches like people here. I’m sure I’ll be able to give them some sort of sob story about my branding and about what I had to do to my body just to gain power. It ain’t a crime.”
She stops as she picks up her new hat, a black and white peaked cap. You’re surprised she’s wearing it, given who gave it to her and how they did so.
“At least I think it isn’t.”

“That hat doesn’t even cover your face.”

“Beside the point. It’s the idea of the thing. And what are you going to be doing, huh? Can’t have you twiddling your thumbs while I’m busy.”

You should put your newfound time to good use.


>Gather more information about the Consortium’s headquarters.

>Look into this ‘redcloak’ thing a little.

>You’ll remain on the stairwell a bit below the Workshop’s branch office, ready to charge in if things get bad.

>You’ll be acquiring other clothes for both yourself, Abe and Beatrice. It’s about time.

>Other

>>1297787
>Look into this ‘redcloak’ thing a little.

>>1297787
>Look into this ‘redcloak’ thing a little.
>You’ll be acquiring other clothes for both yourself, Abe and Beatrice. It’s about time.
>What would she like? We'll get outerwear and maybe a hat in her favored style. She'll have to get her smallclothes herself.

>Gather more information about the Consortium’s headquarters.
>Look into this ‘redcloak’ thing a little.

>>1297787
>Look into this ‘redcloak’ thing a little.

>>1297787

>>1297801
Seconding

>>1297801
seems pretty OOC for Orion to give a shit about her fashion preferences

>>1297787
>Look into this ‘redcloak’ thing a little.

>>1297831
He's wanting clothes she can use. She ahs a better idea of what she can do and she needs than we do. and her hat hides her fucked up face.

>>1297787
>Gather more information about the Consortium’s headquarters.

>Look into this ‘redcloak’ thing a little.

>>1297787
>>You’ll be acquiring other clothes for both yourself, Abe and Beatrice. It’s about time.

gotta blend

Sorry about the delay, I've been thinking. Shortly after the last update I received a text message from my boss about last night.
Last night I still felt the same stomach issues that stalled this thread yesterday but I still worked for a good 3 and a half hours after they occured in order to finish my shift. I was weirdly proud of myself.

Wasn't good enough evidently. Now I'm being told that if I'm going to continue not being 100% all the time then I should just say so and I'll be let go. I understand his position, he can't afford to pay someone who puts in substandard work. The business is struggling.

I still haven't replied to the text message. I don't know what to say, whether I should lie and keep my job or tell the truth. It's a weird feeling. But I'm having trouble composing a text right now, an update is going to have to wait. I'm sorry.

>>1298091
Shit happens man. Hope you get better

>>1298091
You gotta do what it takes to keep your job dude, at the very least keep working for a bit and start looking for a less demanding job

>>1298091
That's a tough situation. If you're in a position where you could take a sabbatical to try and sort out your health it might be a good idea. Otherwise try to hold your job for a bit more, unless you want to stay in your superior's good graces for some reason.

Okay so I have good news. I won't have to stop ending the threads during the evening anymore.

>>1298214
Sweet, I guess. Though I don't envy your upcoming job hunt. That shit is the worst.

>>1298214
I hope you find your next job soon Ouro. Good luck

>>1298091
a stomach issue that lasts more than one day SHOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT. Stress-related illnesses are still illnesses, although it could be a diet thing.

>>1298091
Have you been to the doctors yet cunt get that shit checked

>>1298622
Nah he's just going to join Crusty.

>>1298214
Visit a doctor man. If you keel over from Kron disease or whatever I will not forgive you.

>>1298214
Shiit dude, you got a paypal or something?

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I don't think I'll be doing more sessions in this thread so I'm archiving it as it is. Sorry.
Check the twitter for the date of the next thread.