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Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=nothing+short+of+a+miracle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConfettoQM

Mechanics: https://pastebin.com/aaba22s6
Characters: https://pastebin.com/cXFC2SvY

OP2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbCvjLMxHrI

Both pastebins have been updated. There’s now an example of how [Status] effects work at the bottom of the Mechanics pastebin.

Also, no pictures this time. Maybe next session.

>>3355185
>Stay. No one will blame you.

>>3355185
>Get your things. Get going.

We are not give in to despear.

>>3355199
1
>>3355213
2

Writing

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>3355273
Wow, that'd be better if I actually rolled.

Forcing yourself, you move your limbs one by one, slowly dragging your body out of your bed. You throw your bag over your head and grab your besom, and by the time you exit the building, you find Aurora’s impromptu meeting already half over.

In the distance, you spot massive grey beasts lumbering across the dead fields.

“Everyone, take one of these. There aren’t quite enough of us to manage them all, so we’ll have to work in groups of threes,” she announces, passing around a charm of some sorts. “Remember to prod them awake! If they fall asleep and drag you into their dreams, take care not to get flattened by them!”

They’ve come here to hibernate, you suppose. One hell of a place to do so, you note.

You watch drearily as the other students rapidly decide who’s going with who, and when you walk up to your coven already convening, you find that they’ve already come to a decision.

Ember says to you, “Sorry Stella! Threes is kinda awkward. I wish we could do groups of four.”

“There’s always next time,” Rye tells you.

Lilac mutters, “S-sorry.”

They tell you a few more things but you don’t pay any heed. Instead, you force a smile, telling them, “It’s okay. I’ll find another group.” You turn before you can really see their troubled faces.

You should’ve known. They’re just putting up with you. Can they really call you a friend? You hardly know each other.

It’s okay. You simply accept it.

You open your hand as Aurora gives you something. Glancing up, you find her speaking to you. “It’s an alarm. It should go off on its own.” She scurries off to hand more out.

It dangles as you raise it into the air, and as you stare at it, Macaron and Plume approach you.

The latter asks, “Mind if we join you?”

“Please?” Macaron says. Rhetorical questions. Who cares? You nod. “Yay, thanks! Oh, what’s that thing you’re holding?”

“A charm,” you mumble.

Feels like responsibility.
>”You can have it.”
>”Why would we need this?”
>”Who cares? Let’s go.”
>”I’ll hold onto it, I guess.”
>Write-in.

>>3355315
>>”I’ll hold onto it, I guess.”
>>"Any idea what it does?"

>>3355322
Forget the second optio.

"What are hunting?"

>>3355322
>>3355343
I cant fucking read today.
Just the use first opition.

>>3355322
This

Writing

>>3355365
Three fucking mistakes in a row.
Sorry about that, man. Tough day.

“I’ll hold onto it, I guess. Any idea what it does?”

You tilt it, allowing the sun to reflect off of its metallic parts. It’s a small shard-scarred sphere with a string running through it.

Macaron clasps her hands together. “It looks like fireworks.”

Suddenly, you feel much less inclined to hold onto it. “Wait, what?”

Plume leans in to study it, eyes narrowing. “Strange. How does it work?”

You give it a look.

Charms, much like Instruments, fulfill the role of performing a Miracle, but unlike them, charms do not require intent of any kind. Instead, it is carved within the object, reliant on ambient energies to fulfill its universal and constant conditions. They are used by non-thaumaturges and are most powerful when near a shard—take for example the one sitting on the Mountain of Tomorrow, watching you.

You point out, “It’s a dead man’s switch.”

>You’ve received a Trinket.
>{Pyrotechnic Alarm} Do nothing. If you are unable to activate this Trinket this turn, deal 1 instance of [Shock] to you and every participant within 8 Lengths.

You squint. “I think she said this was for waking us up.”

Macaron sighs, “That’s one way of doing it.”

“Stella, Macaron,” Plume calls out, “Let’s move!” You notice that everyone around you has already climbed onto besoms and begun flying toward the drowsers in the distance, and quickly, you do the same. With the heavy wind and dust, you’re forced to shut most of your vision out. But as you approach, you can make out the details of the strange creature.

Thick, course skin covers the length of its body, countless flaps covering it, though you’re sure some are ears. Their legs are massive and stump-like, able to lift and carry their heavy bodies that are quadruple your height. The entire length of their body, as you can see, has been gently lined with the unnatural, veins distorted as foreign blood runs through.

Macaron shouts, “We just have to take them to their destinations, right? I’ll do the lifting!”

Plume asks, “Are you sure? It might be better if I’m the one escorting it closely.”

“What are you going to do, ram it?!” she asks, “Leave it to me already!”

As you close in, the other groups of students begin splitting away, heading to different drowsers. In no time at all, Macaron begins lifting one with a Miracle and carrying it forward in a speed it could not reach by foot, tying it to her besom. Now, whether she able to or not, it’ll move forward, willed by her Instrument.

You watch from a distance.

A foreign creature migrating to a foreign land to hibernate, forced out of its homed by a foreign invader.

Dully, you reconsider your purpose of being here and how it was merely given to you. You don’t remember the last time you decided for something because you simply wanted to do it. Why are you even here?

The drowser lets out a strange whistling bellow as it experiences aerial travel.

[1/2]

>>3355423

Pick 1 to NOT bring with you to the Encounter.
>(Prismatic Burst) Expend 2 Miracles and select a target within 28 Lengths. Blast them and deal 3 instances of [Shock]. If they target you with a skill this turn, apply an additional 2 instances.

>(Illume) Expend 5 Miracles and select a target within 25 Lengths. Deal them 2 instances of [Shock]. If you have not targeted them using this skill before in this Encounter, for 1 turn their perceived distance of you is increased by 10 Lengths. [Cooldown: 2]

>(The Starlit Path) Expend 4 Miracles. All participants in permanent [Shock] this Encounter are removed from the path, and anyone within 10 Lengths of them receive 5 instances of [Shock]. [Cooldown: 2]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.


Pick 1 for Plume to NOT bring with her to the Encounter.

>(Untouchable) Expend 8 Miracles. For this turn, nothing undesirable can affect you. Gain [Haste 3]. This action resolves first this turn. [Cooldown: 6]

>(Psychic Shock) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Obliterate 2 Miracles from their pool. Repeatable on the same target.

>(Peerless Poise) Expend 10 Miracles. For 3 turns, nullify all incoming [Shock] or [Slow] instances, and all [Stun] instances are transformed into [Slow 5]. [Cooldown: 12]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

>>3355428
Stella
>(The Starlit Path)

Plume
>(Psychic Shock)

As a bird to air or a fish to water, so is contempt to the contemptible Stella.

>>3355428
>(The Starlit Path)
>(Psychic Shock)

>>3355435
>>3355445
This

Writing

You watch as you rise higher, the scenery underneath you changing ever so slightly. You pass over half-dead farms where immiraculous crops grow, massive fields of plants struggling to survive. If the drowser were to drop down, it would probably cause a sizable amount of damage. That’s probably the reason why Macaron had her besom automatically piloting the ridiculous thing.

“Plume,” you say, trying to get her attention. When you see her turn her head, you ask, “Is it me, or is the ground shaking?”

“Tremors?” she guesses, “Must be a minor earthquake. Does it matter? We’re in the air.”

“Right...” you reply, accepting her dismissal.

Behind you, you can hear Macaron shouting. “Wake up! Don’t you fall asleep now just because I’m lifting you up!”

The drowser’s singular eye swings wide open as Macaron kicks it, and she had to kick it hard for it to feel anything at all. It lets out a murmur.

>The [Drowser] reveals to you its skills.
>(Sleepwalker) You can use Actions regardless of any [Status] you are affected by. All of your Actions are resolved last. [Passive]

>(Doze Off) Expend 5 Miracles. Deal yourself infinite instances of [Sleep]. Reduce all incoming [Shock] instances to 1 while you are under this effect. You must use this if you are not affected by [Sleep].

>(Waking Dream) Expend 5 Miracles. If you are under the effects of [Sleep], give all participants in this Encounter infinite instances of [Sleep]. You must use this if you are affected by [Sleep].

>[Sleep] You’re unable to move or take action. Remove 1 instance after 1 turn. If you gain a [Status], instantly remove all [Sleep] instances.

Plume quietly says, “That’s troubling.”

“How can it fall asleep at a time like this?” you say, airing your throughts.

“It’s a defense mechanism, its shared dreams,” she replies, “It’s how something so big and slow can risk being careless enough to hibernate in a wide open area.”

“Shared dreams...” you repeat, “I heard about those. They’re why people think dreams are just animaspheres.”

“Don’t think about it too hard. The implications are unsettling. In any case, you certainly can’t deal with them like Aurora did with the faeries.”

“So annoying...” You finally stop looking back. Such a dangerous thing to escort. Falling asleep at such a height at such speeds would be disastrous. “Ahead!” you yell, “There’s something coming!”

It was a black dot at first, but its black feathers flapping in the wind reveal to you a predator in search of an easy meal.

Too bad there’s three thaumaturges in the way of it.

[1/3]

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>>3355525

[Drowser]
Con: 45
Miracle: 10/10 [+5]
Speed: 10
Position: 0

Skills:
>(Sleepwalker) You can use Actions regardless of any [Status] you are affected by. All of your Actions are resolved last. [Passive]

>(Doze Off) Expend 5 Miracles. Deal yourself infinite instances of [Sleep]. Reduce all incoming [Shock] instances to 1 while you are under this effect. You must use this if you are not affected by [Sleep].

>(Waking Dream) Expend 5 Miracles. If you are under the effects of [Sleep], give all participants in this Encounter infinite instances of [Sleep]. You must use this if you are affected by [Sleep].


[Carrion Bird]
Con: 5
Miracle: 2/2 [+0.5]
Speed: 5
Position: 21

Skills:
>(Return to the Soil) You will not recover from [Shock] overflow this Encounter. [Passive]

>???

>???


[Macaron]
Con: 4
Miracle: 4/10 [+2.5]
Speed: 9
Position: 1

Skills:
>(Easy Come, Easy Go) If your [Shock] instances overflow, you are stunned for 1 turn before they are all removed. [Passive]

>(Fragile Presence) Expend 2 Miracle. Everyone else within an 8 Length radius gains 2 instances of [Shock] while you gain 1. Repeatable.

>(Don’t Underestimate Me) Expend 8 Miracles and select a target within 22 Lengths. Triple your [Shock] instances and throw it at them.


[2/3]

>>3355537

Macaron shouts, “I’ll handle the drowser, so don’t worry about it!”

From your bag, you pull out your wand. Simple enough task.

You hesitate for a moment, watching the bird come closer.

Is it just you, or does it seem a little too fragile? Something doesn’t seem right.


Goal: Escort the Drowser to 80 and Incapacitate all enemies.
[Stella]
Con: 8
Miracle: 7/10 [+1.5]
Speed: 10
Position: 10

Skills:
>(Prismatic Burst) Expend 2 Miracles and select a target within 28 Lengths. Blast them and deal 3 instances of [Shock]. If they target you with a skill this turn, apply an additional 2 instances.

>(Illume) Expend 5 Miracles and select a target within 25 Lengths. Deal them 2 instances of [Shock]. If you have not targeted them using this skill before in this Encounter, for 1 turn their perceived distance of you is increased by 10 Lengths. [Cooldown: 2]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

Trinkets:
>{Pyrotechnic Alarm} Do nothing. If you are unable to activate this Trinket this turn, deal 1 instance of [Shock] to you and every participant within 8 Lengths.


[Plume]
Con: 10
Miracle: 10/20 [+2.5]
Speed: 10
Position: 12

Skills:
>(Untouchable) Expend 8 Miracles. For this turn, nothing undesirable can affect you. Gain [Haste 3]. This action resolves first this turn. [Cooldown: 6]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

>(Peerless Poise) Expend 10 Miracles. For 3 turns, nullify all incoming [Shock] or [Slow] instances, and all [Stun] instances are transformed into [Slow 5]. [Cooldown: 12]

File: japanese cat.gif (1.21 MB, 640x720)

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Oh god, forget it. It's just going to stay bold.

>>3355564
Stella
>>(Prismatic Burst)

Plume
>>(Mind Crush)

No way it would be so ease but let's go with this first.

>>3355537
I'll support >>3355582

We could just wait a bit and see what it does, but I suppose it's also helpful to see what a oneshot does.

>>3355582
>>3355644
This

Writing

fuck I need to pay attention to twitter

also
>taking mind crush, which our teacher told us not to learn, and using it in front of the teacher

>not taking starlight path

cmon guys
I guess at least Plume is the one using it so she'll get in trouble instead if we're seen

also I thought last session went well? how come Stella is so depressed now?

>>3355756
Some nihilistic lunatic who may or not may be right screaming at us about the universe and what not.

https://files.catbox.moe/n18bq6.mp3

“Let’s take it out,” you tell Plume. She nods, and something in her eyes flicker.

>[Plume] uses (Mind Crush) on [Carrion Bird]!
>[Carrion Bird] has its Constitutions reduced to 3.

It wobbles in the air for a moment before you realize what had happened. You grimace, but not before taking aim right as it attacks.

>[Stella] uses (Primsatic Burst) on [Carrion Bird]!
>[Carrion Bird] uses (Feast) on [Stella]!
>(Feast) Expend 1 Miracles and select a target within 15 Lengths. Deal 2 instances of [Shock] to them. For each instance dealt as a result of this skill, reduce your own [Shock] instances by 1. [Cooldown: 1]

>[Carrion Bird] receives 5 instances of [Shock]!
>[Stella] receives 2 instances of [Shock]!
>[Carrion Bird] heals back 2 instances of [Shock].

The air tears as something strikes you, drawing red petals fluttering away, toward the bird. At the same time, the end of your wand explodes in concentrated light, and at the other end, the damned thing erupts in white miraculous fire. A small circular rainbow appears shortly before the animal scatters apart in burning, black feathers.

“Careful!” Plume tells you, “We aren’t at the Anlaecende anymore!”

“...I forgot,” you reply. That’s right. There isn’t protection here. You bring a hand to your shoulder, wincing as you squeeze the wound shut. Focusing, you force out a Miracle. It begins to close.

You finally take notice of the world shifting around you. A movement of immense proportions is making way through a landscape that is normally still. Of course things will take notice. Everything will, because there is little hiding the drowsers from curious eyes.

It’s then that you see feathers raining down. Those that were watching before have finally roused, splitting up their shares before they’ve even secured it. Some, however, are much larger than the others.

A feather falls near Wolf in the distance, and you watch as she bats it out of the way while shouting at another thaumaturge very angrily. The other doesn’t care.

Then the feather between them transforms, a metamorphosing mass of black and turns into something much like what you just shot down!

>[Devourer] has entered the Encounter. It has revealed one of its skills to you.
>(Birds of a Feather) Expend 8 Miracles. Spawn two [Carrion Birds] 4 Lengths behind you. [Cooldown: 3]

A humongous bird descends, its talons easily able to rip you off your besom.

Plume jokes, “On the bright side, we only have to deal with one, right?”

The other ones, having swarmed off the dead trees sprinkled over the land, have already begun assaulting the other thaumaturges.

[1/4]

>>3355762

“Steady... steady...” Macaron says, the drowser by her side.

>[Macaron] uses (Pace)!
>[Macaron] gains [Haste 2].

Its eye flutter shut.

>[Drowser] uses (Doze Off)!
>[Drowser] gains infinite instances of [Sleep].

“No, stop that! Open your eye! Can you even understand me, you dumb oaf?”

[2/4]

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>>3355778

[Drowser]
Con: 45
Miracle: 10/10 [+5]
Speed: 10
Position: 10 (0+10)

Status: [Sleep]xInf

Skills:
>(Sleepwalker) You can use Actions regardless of any [Status] you are affected by. All of your Actions are resolved last. [Passive]

>(Doze Off) Expend 5 Miracles. Deal yourself infinite instances of [Sleep]. Reduce all incoming [Shock] instances to 1 while you are under this effect. You must use this if you are not affected by [Sleep].

>(Waking Dream) Expend 5 Miracles. If you are under the effects of [Sleep], give all participants in this Encounter infinite instances of [Sleep]. You must use this if you are affected by [Sleep].


[Macaron]
Con: 4
Miracle: 6.5/10 [+2.5]
Speed: 11 (9+2)
Position: 10 (1+9)

Skills:
>(Easy Come, Easy Go) If your [Shock] instances overflow, you are stunned for 1 turn before they are all removed. [Passive]

>(Fragile Presence) Expend 2 Miracle. Everyone else within an 8 Length radius gains 2 instances of [Shock] while you gain 1. Repeatable.

>(Don’t Underestimate Me) Expend 8 Miracles and select a target within 22 Lengths. Triple your [Shock] instances and throw it at them.


>[Devourer] is a Special Participant. It has 4 skills.

[Devourer]
Con: 8
Miracle: 15/15 [+2]
Speed: 9
Position: 36

Skills:
>(Return to the Soil) You will not recover from [Shock] overflow this Encounter. [Passive]

>?

>(Birds of a Feather) Expend 8 Miracles. Spawn two [Carrion Birds] 4 Lengths behind you. [Cooldown: 3]

>(Feast) Expend 2 Miracles and select a target within 15 Lengths. Deal 3 instances of [Shock] to them. For each instance dealt as a result of this skill, reduce your own [Shock] instances by 1. [Cooldown: 1]


[3/4]

>>3355819

Goal: Escort the Drowser to 80 and Incapacitate all enemies.
[Stella]
Con: 8
Miracle: 6.5/10 [+1.5]
Speed: 10
Position: 20 (10+10)

Status: [Shock]x2

Skills:
>(Prismatic Burst) Expend 2 Miracles and select a target within 28 Lengths. Blast them and deal 3 instances of [Shock]. If they target you with a skill this turn, apply an additional 2 instances.

>(Illume) Expend 5 Miracles and select a target within 25 Lengths. Deal them 2 instances of [Shock]. If you have not targeted them using this skill before in this Encounter, for 1 turn their perceived distance of you is increased by 10 Lengths. [Cooldown: 2]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

>(Ram) Expend no Miracles and select a target within 5 Lengths. Take half your speed and deal that many instances of [Shock] to them. You also receive half of the number of [Shock]s dealt.

>(Pace) Expend no Miracles. Choose either to [Slow] up to 4 or to [Haste] up to 4.

Trinkets:
>{Pyrotechnic Alarm} Do nothing. If you are unable to activate this Trinket this turn, deal 1 instance of [Shock] to you and every participant within 8 Lengths.


[Plume]
Con: 10
Miracle: 9.5/20 [+2.5]
Speed: 10
Position: 22 (12+10)

Skills:
>(Untouchable) Expend 8 Miracles. For this turn, nothing undesirable can affect you. Gain [Haste 3]. This action resolves first this turn. [Cooldown: 6]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

>(Peerless Poise) Expend 10 Miracles. For 3 turns, nullify all incoming [Shock] or [Slow] instances, and all [Stun] instances are transformed into [Slow 5]. [Cooldown: 12]


I forgot to update Stella’s Prismatic Burst. Also, if you haven’t noticed, her base stats has been slightly updated.

>>3355825
Stella
>(Prismatic Burst)

Plume
>[Slow]

>>3355825
Let's do this

Plume: Haste 3
Stella: Prismatic the Devourer

Plume needs to get close for the invincible ram strat, while Stella has range, so she can support while staying close to protect Macaron.

>>3355825
I thought I updated but I didn't.
>(Prismatic Burst) Expend 2 Miracles and select a target within 28 Lengths. Blast them and deal 3 instances of [Shock]. If they target you with a skill this turn, apply an additional 2 instances. You can further expend Miracles, increasing the number of [Shock] instances by 2 for every 2 additional Miracles.

You can say like prismatic +2 or something, otherwise, I'll take it as unmodified.

>>3355844
>>3355845
Well, Plume is the confident one so:
>>Plume Haste 3

Caution be dammed.

>>3355825
Stella
>(Prismatic Burst) +2

Plume
>Haste 3

>>3355852
Just basic for now

>>3355845
>>3355862
burst and haste

>>3355903
burst+2 and haste

Writing

Wand aimed, you fire, sending a streak of light at the immiraculous beast. It strikes it in the chest, almost sending it out of the sky.

>[Stella] uses (Prismatic Burst) on [Devourer]!
>[Devourer] receives 3 instances of [Shock].

It screeches loudly, and two of the feathers that fell out begin to bulge as if it were flesh! It stops their descent as wings begin to form, swooping out from underneath to closer to your level.

>[Devourer] uses (Birds of a Feather)!
>[Carrion Bird A] enters the Encounter at Position 32.
>[Carrion Bird B] enters the Encounter at Position 32.

In the distance, you watch as a bird slams into Wolf, exploding into feathers. You wince at it, but the thaumaturges continues all the same, except now with a scowl.

>[Carrion Bird] has revealed one of its skills to you.
>(Crash) Expend no miracles and select a target within 5 Lengths. Deal them and to yourself the number of [Shock] instances required to overflow your stack.

It’s too close, and too dangerous. You hate this, but there’s no time to think. Just act.

“Plume!” you shout, “Be careful!”

“No need, I already know,” she replies, speeding on ahead. Arrogance or foolishness, you wonder. If it’s her, probably the former.

>[Plume] uses (Pace)!
>[Plume] gains [Haste 3].

The hairs on your neck rise as something happens behind you.

Beside the drowser, Macaron performs a Miracle! What would normally shred it instead acts more like a withering wind, lightly battering the creature.

>[Macaron] uses (Fragile Presence)!
>[Macaron] gains 1 instance of [Shock].
>[Drowser] receives 1 instance of [Shock].

It wakes, letting out a groan—

>[Drowser] uses (Doze Off)!

And then immediately falls back asleep.

Seeing this, Macaron tries to get you and Plume’s attention. “Um, I just realized something. I can keep this up for a while, but not forever. So... you know!”

[1/3]

>>3355939
yeah ok macaroni we're not exactly slacking off up here

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>>3355939

[Drowser]
Con: 45
Miracle: 10/10 [+5]
Speed: 10
Position: 20 (10+10)

Status: [Sleep]xInf

Skills:
>(Sleepwalker) You can use Actions regardless of any [Status] you are affected by. All of your Actions are resolved last. [Passive]

>(Doze Off) Expend 5 Miracles. Deal yourself infinite instances of [Sleep]. Reduce all incoming [Shock] instances to 1 while you are under this effect. You must use this if you are not affected by [Sleep].

>(Waking Dream) Expend 5 Miracles. If you are under the effects of [Sleep], give all participants in this Encounter infinite instances of [Sleep]. You must use this if you are affected by [Sleep].


[Macaron]
Con: 4
Miracle: 7/10 [+2.5]
Speed: 9
Position: 21 (10+11)

Status: [Shock]x1

Skills:
>(Easy Come, Easy Go) If your [Shock] instances overflow, you are stunned for 1 turn before they are all removed. [Passive]

>(Fragile Presence) Expend 2 Miracle. Everyone else within an 8 Length radius gains 2 instances of [Shock] while you gain 1. Repeatable.

>(Don’t Underestimate Me) Expend 8 Miracles and select a target within 22 Lengths. Triple your [Shock] instances and throw it at them.


[Carrion Bird A] + [Carrion Bird B]
Con: 5
Miracle: 2/2 [+0.5]
Speed: 5
Position: 37 (32+5)

Skills:
>(Return to the Soil) You will not recover from [Shock] overflow this Encounter. [Passive]

>(Crash) Expend no miracles and select a target within 5 Lengths. Deal them and to yourself the number of [Shock] instances required to overflow your stack.

>(Feast) Expend 1 Miracles and select a target within 15 Lengths. Deal 2 instances of [Shock] to them. For each instance dealt as a result of this skill, reduce your own [Shock] instances by 1. [Cooldown: 1]


[Devourer]
Con: 8
Miracle: 9/15 [+2]
Speed: 9
Position: 45 (36+9)

Status: [Shock]x3

Skills:
>(Return to the Soil) You will not recover from [Shock] overflow this Encounter. [Passive]

>?

>(Birds of a Feather) Expend 8 Miracles. Spawn two [Carrion Birds] 4 Lengths behind you. [Cooldown: 3]

>(Feast) Expend 2 Miracles and select a target within 15 Lengths. Deal 3 instances of [Shock] to them. For each instance dealt as a result of this skill, reduce your own [Shock] instances by 1. [Cooldown: 1]


[2/3]

>>3355978

“W-we’re a little held up here!” you try to reply back. When you check on the oversized bird again, you catch it cawing.

Is it...

Is it issuing commands?

Goal: Escort the Drowser to 80 and Incapacitate all enemies.
[Stella]
Con: 8
Miracle: 6 /10 [+1.5]
Speed: 10
Position: 30 (20+10)

Status: [Shock]x2

Skills:
>(Prismatic Burst) Expend 2 Miracles and select a target within 28 Lengths. Blast them and deal 3 instances of [Shock]. If they target you with a skill this turn, apply an additional 2 instances. You can further expend Miracles, increasing the number of [Shock] instances by 2 for every 2 additional Miracles.

>(Illume) Expend 5 Miracles and select a target within 25 Lengths. Deal them 2 instances of [Shock]. If you have not targeted them using this skill before in this Encounter, for 1 turn their perceived distance of you is increased by 10 Lengths. [Cooldown: 2]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

>(Ram) Expend no Miracles and select a target within 5 Lengths. Take half your speed and deal that many instances of [Shock] to them. You also receive half of the number of [Shock]s dealt.

>(Pace) Expend no Miracles. Choose either to [Slow] up to 4 or to [Haste] up to 4.

Trinkets:
>{Pyrotechnic Alarm} Do nothing. If you are unable to activate this Trinket this turn, deal 1 instance of [Shock] to you and every participant within 8 Lengths.


[Plume]
Con: 10
Miracle: 12/20 [+2.5]
Speed: 13 (10+3)
Position: 32 (22+10)

Skills:
>(Untouchable) Expend 8 Miracles. For this turn, nothing undesirable can affect you. Gain [Haste 3]. This action resolves first this turn. [Cooldown: 6]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

>(Peerless Poise) Expend 10 Miracles. For 3 turns, nullify all incoming [Shock] or [Slow] instances, and all [Stun] instances are transformed into [Slow 5]. [Cooldown: 12]

I really wish there was an edit function.

>>3355991
Stella
>(Prismatic Burst) on [Devourer]

Plume
>(Peerless Poise)

>>3355978
>>Character picture

Did we lighten up a little?

File: turn 2.png (69 KB, 1306x568)

69 KB PNG

>>3356011
Whoopsies.

>>3355991
Ok so:

Macaroni: Fragile Presence to keep Drowsy from sleeping us. Though, would a global sleep be so bad if it gets the bird too? Better to see its last ability before risking that though, and make sure it's outside 8 lengths so alarm doesn't wake it.

Plume: Peerless Poise
Stella: Prismatic Burst +2 on Birb A.


Hoping the other bird with divebomb suicide on Plume. We don't want to let those things build up. Thankfully the spawn has a high cost, Dev can afford one more before we pile on hurt.

>>3355991
Stella
>Prismatic Burst+2 Miracles on Devourer

>Plume
>Peerless Poise

>>3356016
Goddammit.

>>3356003
>>3356020
Stella will deal 5 shock to devourer, killing it. If it targets Stella with Feast, the damage will rise to match. If it targets Plume, the Shock instances won't proc so it can't heal. The only ways this won't work is if:

>Feast just needs to deal instances of ANYTHING to heal
>Devourer targets its own birds.

There's a tie for Stella's actions. Next die breaks tie or I roll a die in 5.

>>3356038
Supporting

>>3356003
>>3356020
>>3356038
>>3356095
Writing

>>3356091
>>3356003
Sorry, fogot to add the +2

All around you, there is only a whirlwind of cawing and shouting. The other students perform one Miracle after another, filling the skies with a wild slew of dangerous things intended to maim. A crack of lightning strikes at a spot far too close for your comfort, though the only thing you can throw back is a furious glare.

Well, you couldn’t muster up that expression, so you went with a tired, exasperated one instead.

One more. If the immiraculous beast targets you this turn, then you can hit it for a killing blow!

But you wonder, is it alright? It’s only looking for food. What gives this drowser any more right to live than these birds? In truth, you don’t care at all. You only want this to be over.

Your wand focused, you fire just as it hangs in the air, spreading its wings.

“...Huh?” your jaw drops as you gaze deeply into it. You are only mesmerized for a fraction of a second before you attack.

>[Stella] uses (Prismatic Burst) with a +2 Modifier on [Devourer]!
>[Devourer] receives 7 instances of [Shock].
>[Devourer] is in permanent [Shock].

The bird scatters apart as the smell of burnt flesh scatters into the air, plummeting down into the ground. Something’s not right. You’re going to die. You’re going to die. You’re going to die.

You’re going to die!

You drop your wand, your hands trembling uncontrollably. It takes you a second to notice, and immediately, you dive back down. You don’t know how, or why, but you feel as if your life will be stolen from you at any moment!

>[Devourer] uses (Mark for Death) on [Stella]!
>(Mark for Death) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 23 Lengths. Deal them an instance of [Stun] and replace the Skill they used this turn with (Return to the Soil). You cannot use this on the same target twice in an Encounter. [Cooldown: 1]

>[Stella] receives an instance of [Stun].
>[Stella] can no longer use (Prismatic Burst) this Encounter.

“No, no, no!” you start yelling. Why are you feeling this way? You don’t understand at all!

“Stella!” Plume calls out to you, “They’re coming for you!”

Glancing up, you see the other two birds diving straight for you. A coordinated attack. You lock up. A stunned moment of unwitting horror as you finally understand the immiraculous beast had ordered a counterattack.

>[Carrion Bird A] uses (Feast) on [Stella]!
>[Carrion Bird B] uses (Feast) on [Stella]!
>[Stella] receives 4 instances of [Shock].

Cuts appear over your body, one flashing strike after the other tearing air and flesh alike. Yelping, you fall off your besom, and from your grasp, the charm Doctor Aurora gave you slips into the air.

Macaron shouts, “No!”

It explodes.

[1/4]

Yeah I kinda felt like this would happen. Gotta play it safe until we see all the abilities.

>>3356180
I forgot what Stun does. Will it prevent Stella from using Illume this turn?

>>3356184
Yes. We're out of the race and possibly dead.

>>3356189
Stella's at 5 now. Plume can Ram one to kill it quick, the issue is whether the last explodes or Feasts, and how many times the alarm wants to trigger.

Also if the Drowser decides to put everyone to sleep.

>>3356171

Sparks dance above you as bits and pieces of the charm rain down, a dazzling storm of iridescent energies that expand and bloom. You throw your cloak over your face and reach outward, grasping for your besom until you finally reach it. It pulls you out of the sky, and when you open your eyes again, you find yourself precariously close to the ground.

Everything hurts. Your mind is stricken with confusion and fear. How could the tides have changed so drastically in a single moment?

The castle’s shard isn’t here to protect you—you are always on the edge of the cliff.

Here, the Mountain of Tomorrow only watches.

>{Pyrotechnic Alarm} activates.
>[Stella] receives 1 instance of [Shock].

Plume, flying through the air, turns back, seeing what happened to you. “Hold strong!” she shouts, “I’ll deal with these two quickly enough!”

>[Plume] uses (Peerless Poise)!

“Come on, come on!” Macaron says to the drowser, “Why are you doing this?! I can’t babysit you anymore! I need to... I need to...!”

>[Macaron] uses (Fragile Presence)!
>[Macaron] receives 1 instance of [Shock].
>[Drowser] receives 1 instance of [Shock].

Once more, the drowser gives her a half-lidded glance, and then goes back to it.

>[Drowser] uses (Doze Off)!

[2/4]

>>3356184
This turn, you can't use Illume. The previous, you can. Also, psychic shock would've been good to carry with Plume.

>>3356209

[Drowser]
Con: 45
Miracle: 10/10 [+5]
Speed: 10
Position: 30 (20+10)

Status: [Sleep]xInf

Skills:
>(Sleepwalker) You can use Actions regardless of any [Status] you are affected by. All of your Actions are resolved last. [Passive]

>(Doze Off) Expend 5 Miracles. Deal yourself infinite instances of [Sleep]. Reduce all incoming [Shock] instances to 1 while you are under this effect. You must use this if you are not affected by [Sleep].

>(Waking Dream) Expend 5 Miracles. If you are under the effects of [Sleep], give all participants in this Encounter infinite instances of [Sleep]. You must use this if you are affected by [Sleep].


[Macaron]
Con: 4
Miracle: 7.5/10 [+2.5]
Speed: 9
Position: 30 (21+9)

Status: [Shock]x2

Skills:
>(Easy Come, Easy Go) If your [Shock] instances overflow, you are stunned for 1 turn before they are all removed. [Passive]

>(Fragile Presence) Expend 2 Miracle. Everyone else within an 8 Length radius gains 2 instances of [Shock] while you gain 1. Repeatable.

>(Don’t Underestimate Me) Expend 8 Miracles and select a target within 22 Lengths. Triple your [Shock] instances and throw it at them.


[Carrion Bird A]
Con: 5
Miracle: 1.5/2 [+0.5]
Speed: 5
Position: 42 (37+5)

Status: [Shock]x1

Skills:
>(Return to the Soil) You will not recover from [Shock] overflow this Encounter. [Passive]

>(Crash) Expend no miracles and select a target within 5 Lengths. Deal them and to yourself the number of [Shock] instances required to overflow your stack.

>(Feast) Expend 1 Miracles and select a target within 15 Lengths. Deal 2 instances of [Shock] to them. For each instance dealt as a result of this skill, reduce your own [Shock] instances by 1. [Cooldown: 1]


[Carrion Bird B]
Con: 5
Miracle: 1.5/2 [+0.5]
Speed: 5
Position: 42 (37+5)

Status: [Shock]x1

Skills:
>(Return to the Soil) You will not recover from [Shock] overflow this Encounter. [Passive]

>(Crash) Expend no miracles and select a target within 5 Lengths. Deal them and to yourself the number of [Shock] instances required to overflow your stack.

>(Feast) Expend 1 Miracles and select a target within 15 Lengths. Deal 2 instances of [Shock] to them. For each instance dealt as a result of this skill, reduce your own [Shock] instances by 1. [Cooldown: 1]


[3/4]

File: turn 3.png (61 KB, 1157x582)

61 KB PNG

>>3356242

Goal: Escort the Drowser to 80 and Incapacitate all enemies.
[Stella] STUNNED
Con: 8
Miracle: 6 /10 [+1.5]
Speed: 0
Position: 40 (30+10)

Status: [Shock]x7

Skills:

>STUNNED


[Plume]
Con: 10
Miracle: 4.5/20 [+2.5]
Speed: 10
Position: 45 (32+13)

Status: (Peerless Poise)x3

Skills:
>(Untouchable) Expend 8 Miracles. For this turn, nothing undesirable can affect you. Gain [Haste 3]. This action resolves first this turn. [Cooldown: 6]

>(Mind Crush) Expend 3 Miracles and select a target within 10 Lengths. Reduce their Constitution by 2. Repeatable on different targets only once.

>(Peerless Poise) Expend 10 Miracles. For 3 turns, nullify all incoming [Shock] or [Slow] instances, and all [Stun] instances are transformed into [Slow 5]. [Cooldown: 12]

>>3356254
Plume
>>[Ram] Carrion A

Shouldn't we be stunned at Shock 8?

>>3356272
2 from the carrion bird 1, 4 from the recent double feast, 1 from the trinket. That's 7. Did I miss something?

>>3356272
No, wait forget it.

>>3356277
The stun was from the Devourer right?
I'm mixing things.

>>3356295
Yes. The devourer stunned you.

>>3356254
nothing else to vote for except >>3356272

>>3356272
>>3356336

Writing

Holy crap this fight is even more hopeless than in CoS

“Come, you damn birds!” Plume announces as she swings her besom around. One of the immiraculous birds had the same plan, choosing to meet her at the same time. They slam straight into each other, except Plume’s momentum isn’t stopped even the tiniest amount. The feathers and whatever is left of the bird slides off of her and plummets downward.

>[Plume] (Ram)s [Carrion Bird A]!
>[Carrion Bird A] uses (Crash) on [Plume]!
>[Carrion Bird A] receives 5 instances of [Shock].

The second one, seeing this, swerves out of the way, instead aiming for you.

“...Huh? Why?” That was all that you could muster before it smashes into you, knocking you backward and into freefall instantly. Dazed, you watch the world spin as the other bird falls down before disappearing into a single feather. Petals dance all around you. Fitting, considering it’s Autumn.

Upside down, you watch as the ground come closer and closer. For some reason, you’re okay with this. Yeah, you’ve done all that you could.

It was...fun?

“D-damn it, you!” Macaron says, grimacing. The air ripples again, and then she decides on what to do.

>[Macaron] uses (Fragile Presence)!
>[Macaron] receives 1 instance of [Shock].
>[Drowser] receives 1 instance of [Shock].

She already knows what will happen next. Instead, she leaps off of her besom while tossing it to the beast, dropping into the air with nothing to hold her. The sleepy giant relaxes again.

>[Drowser] uses (Doze Off)!

In less than a second, Macaron dives down and grabs you. You let out a sound of confusion as she performs a Miracle, and she tells you. “I can’t stop us fast enough. This is going to hurt—“

The ground falls away.

You must be dreaming.

It collapses upon itself, the houses and the farms sinking as the dead soil devours everything whole. The cracked earth seems to implode, and then, before you can touch it, something emerges from the center. A long, tubular insect with countless legs unhinges its jaw, wide enough to swallow an entire building whole. Behind you, Plume closes in.

You can hear Macaron screaming as she tries to stop the inevitable descent.

You mumble, “Ah, it wasn’t an earthquake.”

[1/2]

>>3356382

You are in a cave. You can feel your wounds sting.

The walls are wet with something. It eats at you. The ground is soft. You do not take steps. Instead, you drag yourself toward the sound.

“Wake up...” someone says, “This isn’t the time to be sleeping!”

A voice. A familiar one. How you got here doesn’t matter. What you are doing doesn’t matter.

The walls are easy to sleep on. The cold dark beckons.

But the fluids are sickening as you slide against them.

You see Plume.

Shaking Macaron, she lets the mess that is her hair drape down, covered in the same muck you are. With less flowers. She stops. “Stella... you’re okay...”

“Did she...?” you manage to get out. Sacrifice herself to ensure your safety?

The answer is already clear.

What are you good for? If you had never existed, no one would have gotten themselves into this mess. You want to sleep.

In between the strands of hair that try to hide her eyes, Plume looks at you with unparalleled determination. There is something behind it, an indescribable quietness that puts you at unease. “Can you move?” Her voice is without warmth.

You know what is happening as soon as you saw her. She is in a trance—a moment of pure focus and concentration. You know answering her is useless. She wouldn’t hear you anyways.

You think something’s broken.
>Sit still and quiet.
>The body obeys.
>Reassess your surroundings. (How?)
>Write-in.

File: Riel abuse.gif (1.31 MB, 540x303)

1.31 MB GIF

Going to stop here for today, thanks for playing. I'll be back tomorrow.

>>3356461
>Reassess your surroundings
Use a turned down Illume as a flashlight

>>3356470
Thanks for running!

I don't see any way we could've won the encounter.

Also, poor Stella. That seems like a clinical fucking depression. I hope there are antidepressants in the setting.

>>3356461
>>Reassess your surroundings. "Taste" the area.

>>3356485
Llume can attract unwanted company.

>>3356470
Thanks for running chief.
It was fun even without the drawings.

>>3356494
>>Write-in
Before anything examine yourself and try to stand up.

>>3356485
You did win the Encounter. It was actually really easy to win. You just entered Shock as a consequence.

Using Illume back then would've stopped you from entering permanent Shock. That's probably the most obvious thing. Another thing is that I pilot Participants in whatever makes sense, not necessarily using the best move. Usually they coincide, but here's something to consider: Plume bringing Psychic Shock would've stopped 2 Feasts and drawn aggro. Plume using Mind Crush instead of Pace would've stopped Stella from drawing aggro all to herself that turn.

It reminds me of the courtyard fight where someone had Plume act as bait. It worked. For one turn prior, that is, because it figured it out and moved on.

>>3356461
>Reassess your surroundings.
>Listen for Macaron's breathing and heartbeat
>"Taste" for any pieces of Macaron that aren't in Macaron

>>3356512
Pace was a strange choice, but taking Psychic Shock required prior knowledge about the enemies.

>>3356536
You're right, and I don't really blame you for it. It was just a bonus way out if you had taken it by chance.

Postduelcough, race/hunt evaluation:

Psychic Shock is more powerful in hunts compared to races, since creatures seem to only be able to play their whole bag of tricks once. Some can also have tiny miracle pools compared to humans.


>>Things we could have done

>Play safer
There's a detail that I just confirmed with Confetto just now: you can ready actions to target enemies that don't exist yet. Stella and Plume could have taken down at least 1 of the 2nd batch of birds the moment they spawned. With the cooldown on that move, Stella would have plenty of time to execute the demon birb.

We also could have used Poise early instead of Haste, setting up a Ram next turn without recoil.

>Play riskier
....nope, ran the numbers. Someone was going to fall either way.

>>3356663
>you can ready actions to target enemies that don't exist yet.
I mean, you can but that's really unfair even though I showed you the skill, so I don't expect you to do that. This weird case will probably only happen a single time later, and it wouldn't even be advantageous.

Fuuuck I missed a race again.

Poor Stella though, things are just getting worse and worse for her.

>>3356485
>>3356494
>>3356511
>>3356516
Reassess

Sorry, got held up. Writing now.

File: light.png (224 KB, 1024x1024)

224 KB PNG

How can she be so calm at a time like this? A multitude of sick, twisted, jealous thoughts arise, each and every single one of them stomped out before they can overwhelm you completely.

You need to reassess. You can’t think about what you can’t change. You can only look forward, even if it’s in nigh complete darkness.

A strange liquid secretes from the floor, flipping the space between your fingers. This isn’t right. You begin to doubt that you are in a cave at all. You close your eyes.

You’ve lost your wand, but any Miracle can be performed given enough time, effort, and unbroken concentration. All you have to do is imagine.

Plume mumbles something in the dark, and she too performs a Miracle of her own.

The world doubles, sizzles, and fries as the contradiction between realities begins to crush themselves from existence. You taste everything.

And what you receive in return is something unexpected. The taste of meat.

You recoil in disgust, and while your thoughts are in disarray, you try to perform another Miracle, one you’ve done for the longest time. Even while you’re unnerved, its familiarity allows you to complete it without much issue, and when you open your eyes again, you find yourself sitting on bright red flesh. You bring the dim congregation of light up, and soon, it is revealed the walls and ceiling are no different.

Plume snaps up, seeing what you’ve shown her. Quietly, bluntly, she says, “We’re inside it.”

Over the course of a long minute, the walls can be seen expanding and contracting, the slightest sign of life. You want to puke. “Why isn’t it moving?” you ask. You quickly guess the answer to your own question. “It must be sleeping. The drowsers got it.”

Plume turns her attention back to Macaron. “What should I do...?”

[1/2]

>>3359079

“What happened?” you ask, inching toward her body. You don’t even need to taste her to see what was the damage done.

Splotches of her are grey, the lines separating stone and skin drawing red as every little movement her body makes causes tears. The body simply isn’t strong enough to lift such a heavy thing. Her body is covered in petrified patches, likely running deep enough to leave nothing in the center behind. And most obvious of all, she isn’t breathing.

Plume crouches down, putting her hands on Macaron’s face.

You ask, “Wait, what are you doing?” She doesn’t reply. “Plume!” you shout, and this time she listens.

“I’m going to flash-freeze her. If I don’t, the crystals would rupture cells.”

“Are you...” you try to say, “Are you planning on carrying her?”

“Yes. I found your besom, and I still have mine,” she tells you, “There isn’t a problem. She can still be saved.” The expression she wears as she tells you this turns fierce. “I will not leave her here.”

This can’t be right.
>”W-why can’t we? We can come back for her later!”
>”I see...”
>”What if you... took off her head?”
>Maybe there’s a better way. (Write-in)
>Write-in.

>>3359109
>Write-in.
"Yes, of course not. Should we try cut our way off this thing? Does it have any internal defenses?"

>>3359128
>>Maybe there’s a better way.
"Are you sure flash-freezing is better than petrification? That's how Ember was saved last time?"

>>3359109
>”I see...”

Did the Devourer eat us? I thought we killed it.

>>3359135
Cont.
"Do you know any slowing miracle or something?"

>>3359128
>>3359135
>>3359137
>>3359164
This

Also, >>3359137
>It collapses upon itself, the houses and the farms sinking as the dead soil devours everything whole. The cracked earth seems to implode, and then, before you can touch it, something emerges from the center. A long, tubular insect with countless legs unhinges its jaw, wide enough to swallow an entire building whole. Behind you, Plume closes in.

>>3359135
they amputated the whole petrified arm off.

>>3359109
>Can we....shrink her? Freezing will make her even more brittle than petrification.

>>3359172
Wow, somehow I missed that. Poor Stella can't catch a break.

“Of course not,” you say, “Are you sure flash-freezing is better than petrification? I remember Ember was bleeding out before and her arm had to be petrified.”

“I’m not transforming her brain into stone. That’s equivalent to death.” That’s simple enough. If you replace one thing with another, even when you revert it back you can’t call it the same thing. It’s new and wholly separate; it’s no different than removing her from existence and recreating an exactly identical copy afterwards.

The concept of consciousness is such a fragile thing. You recall the rules of leechcraft Lilac taught you, the way thaumaturges tiptoe the line of what is considered "you” and what merely looks like you.

“You’re right...” you say, “What if you turned everything but it into stone? You can flash-freeze her brain separately.”

Her brow furrows. “Stella. Where do you think we are in?”

“Um...” you say. You think about it for a moment. The last you saw of Macaron, she seemed to be fine. Neither the drowser nor the birds could have petrified parts of her body like that, therefore the only unknown factor is the culprit—that is, whatever it is you’re in right now. That said, you don’t know what you’re in. You’ve never seen anything of this size.

You dig through your bag to find your notebook, only to see the pages stuck together and ink leaking. It’s useless. You toss it away.

There must be something. In all common sense, you should be dead right now, having succumbed to whatever it is affected Macaron, or at the very least, been digested alive. Seeing as how you’re covered in such secretions, the likelihood of this cursed thing exuding something even more dangerous on command is low. Which means from what you can gather, the primary weapon this immiraculous beast could use is...

“It’s a petripede,” you conclude in completely disbelief. “They don’t get this big. I mean, I’ve never seen them in person, but how can something grow to such a size without dying?” The answer is already simple. It’s something fueled entirely through a Miracle. Something such as heat or energy is trivial when you are basking in the glow of a shard in this proximity.

“Petripedes turn their prey into particularly brittle stone so they can be shattered,” she says under her breath, “Forgetting whether or not I can even replicate the composition in the first place, replacing her entire body with something so fragile is a moot point. At that point, I might as well just carry her head around, if her body’s to be replaced. No, what if I can change the already petrified parts...?” She begins talking to herself, a slurry of concepts slowly taking shape.

She’ll handle it, you realize.

[1/2]

>>3359281

While she does that, you tend to yourself. It feels like an eternity before the split bone in your leg realigns itself, guided by the aftertaste in your mouth and a slow, methodical Miracle that almost unravels at the last moment. Even when you stand up, you can feel something is not right. Still, it will have to do.

“Field Emergency Protocol,” you recall out loud, “First step, get into a position where you can see the sky.”

You need to look for a way out. The problem is, if the petripede is sleeping, attacking it might wake it up. You’re not even sure where the drowsers are. If you walk into proximity, you’ll instantly enter permanent sleep. There must be something you can do.

You need a plan.
>Prismatic Burst through the “walls”.
>Poke the petripede awake. You need it to start moving.
>You need to find a head. If you kill the beast, you wouldn’t have to worry about it waking up.
>There should be a way you can walk the length of the “cave” without risk. (How?)
>Write-in.

Oh Christ remember that damage will wake things with [Sleep] up and thaaat might get Macaron killed

>>3359283
>>You need to find a head. If you kill the beast, you wouldn’t have to worry about it waking up.
>>>There should be a way you can walk the length of the “cave” without risk. Besoms.

OH SHIT mind crush doesn’t do damage, it just reduces Constitution, keep that in mind

>>3359293
Contituition is basically HP.

>>3359298
Pretty sure Mind Crush is irreversible, so basically permanet loss of HP.

>>3359283
>Mind Crush will make it a LITTLE easier
>Can we make muscle relaxant chemicals?

>>3359312
Or just any slow-acting poison, really. It'll get metabolized immediately, so we can just take out time applying as many different effects so it can't hit us when it wakes up.

>>3359288
>>3359290
>>3359312
This

Writing

Sorry for being so slow.

You know what to do. The pieces neatly slot into place as you form your plan. There’s just one thing left.

“Plume!” you call out when you’re sure she isn’t performing a Miracle, sure to be loud enough to fully draw her attention. Sure enough, she turns her head to see what it is that you want. “I’m going to check out of the ends. If I come back and I’m asleep, please wake me up.”

“Will do,” she tells you, redoubling her efforts in petrifying Macaron’s arm.

You find your besom easily enough; it was a few paces away from Plume, though it was difficult to spot it with the help your light. She doesn’t seem to protest when you move the light away from her, so you decide it to keep it with you. Half-concentrated on keeping your vision, you test your besom.

The heirloom, throughout the ages, has been modified many times, mostly to keep up with the trends of convenience. While there isn’t anything that can force it to travel a set distance, you can, however, rig a dead man’s switch so that it will immediately reverse its velocity when you fail to pour intent inside of it.

Such a method is how you can bravely follow the opposite direction of the slow undulations of the petripede innards. You wait, on the edge, wondering when will sleep overcome you. You wait, and wait, and wait, until you reach spot a set of teeth sprouting from the walls. You’re at the head, and yet you are still wide awake.

“Did we pass it? Or did we never reach it at all?” you whisper to yourself.

Whatever it is, you can think about it afterwards. For now, you close your eyes, snuff out the light, and focus.

Ever so carefully, you picture yourself reaching into the petripede’s mind, hand running along the edges and cleanly splitting it. The self is removed from the being. A simple motion. You repeat it over and over again until you are sure you have it correct, and when you are truly confident, you superimpose your perception over reality.

It is then that you are finally plunged into absolute silence and stillness.

[1/2]

>>3359404

You are taken by surprise when you make your descent. The side of the petripede was revolting to cut and climb out of, and you were sure that you would be walking through the tunnel the beast made.

You were wrong, of course, seeing as how you dropped quite the distance into a separate tunnel. The adrenaline has long since worn off, and every part of your body now aches and stings. Bringing up a weak up, you watch as Plume hoists the statue of Macaron onto her besom, tie it around with material torn from her own clothes, and push her out for you to catch. The descent is steadied, and when Plume drops down to your level, she quickly points out her surroundings.

“We’re in a mineshaft.” The walls and ceiling here are thankfully solid and dry, supported by beams of wood in even intervals. You cannot see the ends of the pathways.

You ask, “This is getting complicated. How are we going to orient ourselves?”

“We don’t need to,” she answers, almost in a whisper. Her mind is elsewhere, too preoccupied to give you a full answer. Her eyes scan around, her ears listening in.

Wind flows.

You suggest, “What if we dig up?”

“Cave-in,” she curtly replies. “There must be a way out.”

You fall silent. Watching the piece of stone that has Macaron’s appearance, you wonder if everything will be okay.

You wonder what Plume is thinking.
>Follow her. She probably has a plan.
>Pick a random direction and walk.
>Travel back the way the petripede came.
>There must be something you can use as a compass. (Write-in)
>Write-in.

>>3359440
>>There must be something you can use as a compass. Try magnetizing Plume's hair ornaments.

Otherwise.

>Follow her. She probably has a plan.

>>3359457
Or a straw of our bessom.

>>3359460
Or we can just light a flame and follow where the air is coming from.

>>3359440
>Follow her. She probably has a plan.

>>3359457
>>3359460
>>3359494
>>3359495
Plans? Plans!

Writing

>>3359298
I should have been clearer, but I was rushing at the end of my break at work; Mind Crush worked so well because it never applies a status (which is what wakes from sleep) but rather just directly targets Constitution, never waking the thing up

Maybe you could magnetize something, but you don’t know how. Around you, you find nothing that could serve as a magnet, much less something to transform into one. While you know what a magnet is, you don’t know what it... is? Infinitely perplexing and frustrating is the idea that you don’t know how to construct from the group up something you know to exist. Old world knowledge that is now lost upon you, you suppose. You could even use yourself as a human probe; if you would fall asleep, then you’d know where the drowsers lay, and if you know that and the orientation of the oversized petripede, then surely you can vaguely pinpoint your location.

A dangerous plan, and it is one that is forgotten quickly.

Instead, you quietly follow Plume. At some point, the two of you decide to walk separated from one another in case you do encounter a drowser above ground. The light is far too dim to be behind Plume and still illuminate the path before her, so it leads the way with you pushing Macaron along.

You are exhausted, and yet, you are unimaginably tense. Plume in a trance is far from comforting, and the only reassurance you receive from her is that she knows that way. Presumably.

Time is lost on you as you endlessly march down the mineshafts, and gnawing hunger sets in. Doubt slowly forms and bubbles, but you continue as it did not exist.

And then, you realize the path you had been travelling had become an incline.

“Plume...” you ask, “Plume!” She turns her head slightly. Not enough for you to see her face, but enough for you to know she heard you. “Where are we going...?”

“To the shard.”

“It opens up,” she curtly informs you, “If we find the shard, we can reach the sky.”

You stop in your tracks. “That’s insane! We’ll have to cross it, or at least, find another way!”

“At least we’ll know our bearings.”

“We don’t know how far we are from it!” you say. Desperate outrage seizes you. “We could be walking for days! We don’t even know if these mineshafts even connect to the shard!”

“Of course we do,” she replies, “Why else would there be mineshafts here, if not to provide safe, alternative passage to it.”

You don’t understand her line of logic at all. She’s losing it, isn’t she?! You have to snap her out of her trance, but how? And what if you do it wrong? Her back slowly vanishes into the shadow with Macaron in tow, and you take it as a sign that she won’t wait for you. You stand agape.

Something takes the chance to fall on you, and you cry out as you swipe it off your head. At the edges of the tiny light you’ve made, a petripede the size of your hand scurries away.

You run to catch up to Plume.

[1/2]

>>3359547

You don’t know how long it took.

Hunger came and went, always returning in cycles. At some point, you and Plume stopped for some water leaking down from one crevice to another. Perhaps this happened more than once. You didn’t count, or care. There was no time for sleeping.

At some point, you had given up. You had accepted that this was to be your grave, and the labyrinth that are these mineshafts seemed to stretch on forever.

Only the smallest, slightest glimmer of sunlight gave you hope, and when you and Plume took turns taking the besom up the sheer cliff in the path, you got to see what awaited you.

Movement. So much movement that for a second, you didn’t understand what you were looking at.

“T-there must be thousands of them,” you point out. They all crawl on top of each other, swarming over one another in a massive hole of a circular room. In the center of the pit, the ground is slightly raised. A statue stands there, reaching for something in the distance, a torn piece of cloth in her hand. It, too, is now stone. And yet, strangely enough, the petripedes avoid the figure, shunning it. They should’ve eaten it by now.

The hole is shallow compared to how high the room goes, if you could call it that in the first place. The ceiling is less of that and more like a dome where branching, web-like stone structures extend upward, the porousness reminding you of bone. At the center, high, high up in the sky is a thing beyond description.

When you see it, you know it for what it is, an ever-changing, refracting beacon of radiating energy. It simply exists.

Birds perched atop the holes of the strange stone arches come and go through small openings high up. Devourers have made their nests here, and below, petripedes swarm and bask in the warm glow of raw energy. You can catch a fabric of red and gold dangling off one bundle of sticks that a carrion bird has made their home.

Plume finally opens her mouth. “This is troubling.”

You’re too tired to think.
>”Plume... you should fly out. Get help.”
>”Should we fly over to the statue?”
>”There’s something in the nest. Maybe... you should try grabbing it.”
>Write-in.

>>3359578
>>Write-in.
They seen to ignore the statue. Flying over it seems the safest route. Also do you recognise the charm in the next?

Boy, this is a tough choice. I’m thinking that if anyone can get us out of this, it’s going to be Aurora. Plume miiight have the ability to get out, but those devourers could be a problem. Maybe
>Plume flies off
but if she’s about to get fucking murdered or petrified in the absolute worst case scenario we can charge in, grab their attention, and suicide bomb with Starlit Path to buy her time. It’ll damage poor Stella more in this worst case scenario but as long as we get far enough not to also explode Macaron it should mulch the petripedes and let Plume get out of dodge

Risky-ass plan though so if anyone has any better ideas...

>>3359591
>>Write-in.
Compare the red and gold fabric with the one in the statue. See if tey are similar.

>>3359591
>>3359606
>>3359610
Next vote breaks tie or I roll a die in 5.

>>3359578
>study the fabrics
will Starlit Path explode Macaron if we don't want it to?

>>3359615
Alright, writing.

Yes.

>>3359615
Oops. I misremembered Starlit Path to take place within a certain radius. Yeah, SP is kinda off the table then unless we wanna reward Macaron for her sacrifice by fucking her up irreversibly

“That fabric,” you say, pointing up, “Do you see it?”

Plume follows your line of sight to the nest. She puts two and two together. “What of it?”

“Is it the same?” you ask. Two pieces of a whole—it’s simple enough.

“I don’t see how it matters. Those birds don’t seem to mind at all.”

She’s right. You don’t see how something could ward off petripedes but not devourers despite them both being immiraculous creatures. And yet, the statue seems to be reaching for it, as if it were important. Perhaps it wasn’t reaching for anything at all, and the act of tearing the fabric was what left it in such a state. That would explain why the petripedes avoid the statue in the first place.

Squinting, you try to make out the details of whoever it is unfortunate enough to be stuck there. Your guesses come out to be true; it is indeed the same fabric, as worn and torn apart as the one in the nest is. The statue, you learn, is also a thaumaturge. The sword and scabbard attached to her belt is visibly shard-scarred, or at least, seem to be a blending of various materials. The coattails of her vest is flapping in the wind, perpetually frozen in time along with her short hair. She seems... familiar?

Again, you’re too tired to get a name down. You’re already expending the last of your energy even thinking.

“She’s clearly carrying something that would ward off the petripedes. The fabric is unrelated, but...”

“Why don’t I fly out and get help? Simpler for both of us.”

“You can’t!” you tell her, “What if you get hurt? And you can’t possibly think of flying that close to the shard.”

She sighs. The intensity in her eyes relent. “Then we have to options. We cross the ocean of petripedes and gather around the statue, or we get the fabric and hope it does something to her.”

“Wishful thinking, maybe,” you say, “But I don’t know if I can perform another Miracle.” Your eyes are unable to focus. You have a hard time standing up. The sky outside is bright. It’s been at least a day, you suppose. Concentration will definitely wane.

Some of the birds begin to look your way, though they turn away soon after. You’re not sure if they don’t see you or simply don’t care.

You can’t stay here forever.
>Perform a Miracle. Part the petripedes so Plume can get the petrified thaumaturge.
>Use Plume’s besom to try and ferry it. You’ll worry about what to do if it breaks when it comes to it.
>Perform a Miracle. Tear the fabric out of the nest.
>Perform a Miracle. Distract the birds while Plume snatches the fabric.
>Write-in.

>>3359649
Wait, is she the girl from the war tale?

>>3359658
Dawn, yeah, looks like. I don't like the idea of distracting the birds anymore, since Starlit Path will splode Macaron too and Stella is likely too tired to otherwise put up a fight. Fuuuuck.

>>3359658
Dawn, was not it?

>Perform a Miracle. Part the petripedes so Plume can get the petrified thaumaturge.

"Plume, try snatching that sword! I'm sure it still works!"

I'm kissing Rye next time we see her.

One thing we COULD do is explode the branch holding the nest with a Prismatic Burst, and then Plume could run up with Peerless or ideally Untouchable, but if grabbing the fabric didn't do anything immediately everyone would be fucked.

I wonder though if we can part the petripedes... maybe trick them with Illume somehow?

>>3359649
>go for the sword
swords are instruments, right? Clearly, that makes Stella a swordmaster!

>>3359670
>>3359671
>>3359677
I think this is a tie? I'll leave the vote open for 5 more mins before rolling. Maybe I'll smash them together. I wonder how that will turn out.

>>3359671
I'm not sure anymore if the cloth is important, maybe try going for both? Plume sword, Stella cloth?

>>3359678
>Maybe I'll smash them together
just don't smash macaron

>>3359670
lewd

I'll second parting the petripedes to go for the sword.

>>3359683
To correct myself since I'm real retarded today, I meant we part the 'pedes and Rye grabs the sword.

>>3359681
>>3359670
>>3359683
>>3359677
Whatever this is!

Writing.

>>3359688
Of course, leave Mararon in a safe place.

You ask Plume, “Do you think you can get the statue?”

“Do you even have to ask?” she says. Good, she’s finally a little more recognizable again. “What do you have in mind?” Perhaps that’s for the worse. You need her at her best, and a fading trance is not it.

“I’m going to part the petripedes. You grab the sword. It’s probably what is keeping them out.”

“Better than no plan at all,” she tells you, “What about the thaumaturge? If it is as you say, then if I leave her without her sword, she’ll be overrun by these damn insects instantly.”

“Maybe...” you mumble, detailing some of the scenarios. Well, just two, actually. You’re not about to leave the statue to be eaten.

With Macaron lying on the ground, you had to stop her from rocking in her strange position at the cost of your nerves. As Plume takes both besoms, you rekindle your concentration. An instant. That’s all you need.

You superimpose reality, and hazy burst of light strikes at the pit. White miraculous fire kicks outward surrounded by scintillating colors, countless squirming bugs thrown into the air. Plume performs a Miracle of her own, speed forward in an instant. Feathers are audibly ruffled as they are shocked by the sudden event.

In the moment where only the two of you have clarity, Plume closes into the statue and...

Stops.

She slows as if her besom has stopped working, the other about to clink onto the floor before she snatches it out of the air. Kicking forward, she lands onto solid land, and for a moment, it seems as if she’s about to fall backwards. A foot slamming onto the stone behind her stops it, though she seems to be leaning back. Her hair is blown back, as if she was experiencing a harsh wind.

The devourers above finally collect themselves, many leaping off their perches to circle above. All their eyes are trained on either you or Plume. She tries to reach for the sword, but she stops right before touching it and is forced to recoil backwards. Once more, she goes for the entirety of the statue, but this time, she doesn’t come half as close.

Around her, the petripedes move with a frenzy you’ve never seen before, crowding, huddling around Plume, but her Miracle keeps them at bay. They can only slide around her feet, never truly touching her.

In this moment, all things are at a standstill. You watch Plume in horror, who returns only a shocked gaze.

You had made a false assumption. Who was to say that the statue was repelling immiraculous beasts alone? In this state of half-awareness and understanding, you have acted upon something that you thought so strongly to be true, and yet, you had tested it with Plume herself.

You can’t.

You can’t leave her be, can you?

You need to perform a Miracle, now.

At any cost.
>Arm.
>Leg.
>Eye.
>Nothing.

File: spaghetti.jpg (356 KB, 1056x1504)

356 KB JPG

This will be permanent. Pick carefully.

I'll be back tomorrow for a half-session. Thank you for playing.

>>3359732
>>3359737
>>Eye

Oh, fucking hell. I was imagining a beautiful scene.
At least one of us will get a sheet eyepch.

>>3359745
*sweet

>>3359737
Thanks for running you cruel bastard!
Good night.

>>3359732
>Leg
Let's not take Stella's eye, she needs her depth perception to use her particular miracles most effectively. Legs are the most easily prosthetic'd anyhow.

>>3359732
>Leg.
LIGHTER TONE
I
G
H
T
E
R

T
O
N
E

Man, I only realized while Riset was writing, we should have brought the fuckin' cloth to Dawn.

I still wasn't running on full until after the vote closed though

So Confetto, one reason I elected not to try and go for the fabric initially was because I didn't think that we could do it with the Miracles we have available -- but Stella DID heal herself with a Miracle this thread. What kinds of things can Stella do with miracles that aren't explicitly abilities, like with general miracles?

>>3359810
I answered this in the first thread. You can perform any Miracle given enough time, effort, and unbroken concentration, although the combination of all three might prove to be extremely difficult. You can do anything. In fact, if you wish to perform a Miracle outside of the scope of what is considered familiar, I will write it. Just know that any interruption will fizzle it, and if you demand something that is not only complex but foreign to Stella, she will take a long time to complete it.

>>3359814
Well fuck me, I guess I should've paid more attention archive-reading thread one.

I've been trying to solve every problem with just the four miracles we mechanically have so far, so being freed from that misconception should majorly increase my planning ability.

let this maiming be the last

or like closeish to the last lol

>>3359814
No interruptions are not a option right not. If we can pay the price and levitate the cloth to plume I'm voting for that.

>>3359831
jesus christ it's hitting me now just how fucking bad this misconception was

oh my god

so many options i didn't think were viable, actually were

>>3359732
>Eye

>>3359846
nooo don't go for the eye, Stella depends on being vaguely sniper-y with the range that Prismatic Burst has, and I think it's entirely possible that she has difficulty with ranges if she just has one eye.

The temptation for Punished Stella must be great but resist itttt

on the bright side, now that i know how the basic core rules of magic use in the game actually work, my votes should be muuuuch better-considered now

>>3359732
>Leg
Would have preferred a missing arm, but losing an eye is significantly worse for Stella.

>>3359732
>Eye

Welp, again missed most of this. At least I'm here for absolute horrorfest at the end. This is certainly a ride.
Don't worry about less images, Confetto. Its still a fun read, and the quality of the OP is really good.

>>3355537
Even our portrait is different. Scary.

>>3359732
I don't really feel comfortable being the deciding vote. A body part for 2 lives is definitely worth it. No way we are not doing nothing.
On the one hand, legs are pretty fucking important for running away, doing everyday life, or exercise. We can fly, sure, but it would be harder to hang onto a besom if it goes all the way up to the hip. Plus, with how depressed Stella is already, losing the ability to walk and run would probably ruin her attitude even more so.
On the other hand, an eye, we can still see. We'd have a harder time with depth perception, but then again, magic is more about perception or reality rather than how far they actually are. If we simply believe we can hit an enemy, or bob our head to achieve some depth perception, we can still cast just fine. Plus we get kick-ass eyepatch.
Funnily enough, I feel like an arm might be the best bet. Since it might not effect our spell casting that much, so we can still manipulate the world as we please. And we don't ruin our ability to move or see.

How advanced are thaumaturgic prosthetics? Can we replicate an eye that can see? Or can we get a leg that is more or less the same.
Would losing an arm be a serious detriment to our spell casting ability, or can we overcome that with some training?

>>3360200
A arm can temper with our ability with struments. We don't have much going for us and I really dont want to loose that.
I also really can't stand seeing a child losing a leg.

>>3360208
But you can stand seeing a child lose an eye?

>>3360218
I studied with a one eyed girl in primary and found her again in highschool.
She seen to had a normal life or at leat I never noticed anithing.

>>3360208
That is a fair point, but a wand is 1-handed isn't it? It'd only ruin our ability with more complex instruments. Though really, if this was a spur of the moment thing, where we didn't have a ton of time to make this call, I feel an arm would be the first thing a lot of people would give up. Its the main thing in their vision, so its first on the mind. Plus, we are at school to learn more technique. Nothing would require the forgoing of instruments if we give up the ability to use them.
I'd still go arm, but I don't think enough people will change their votes for it to matter.

>>3360200
I guess since we still have this deadlock between votes, I'll go
>Eye
We'll just replace our eye with a star. Who needs an eye when we have literal starlight shining out our head. It'd be thematic, and look cool as hell.

>Alternatively, can we cast our signature spells with a twist? Without the risk of bodily dismemberment?
I'm thinking: cast Illume on Plume. But tweak the spell so instead of making her perception of us seem farther, we make her seem farther to everyone else. That way, both the repulsion aura stops effecting her, so she can grab it, and all the enemies will be out of range to kill her.
It's mostly the same spell, so it should be familiar and easy to cast, just with a more useful twist for the situation.


>>3360218
Either of your options makes it harder to either stand or see. Arm lets us do both just fine.

>>3355428
Man, Psychic Shock would've been good to bring. Even if Macaron isn't the best fighter, Plume would've been great to carry the Drowser, drain it enough that it just can't cast the sleep spell.

>>3360228
[Stella the Lone Star of the Country]

I hope we get a chuuni eyepatch.

>>3360256
Honestly, I think becoming a chunni would be a decent way to cope with everything that's gone down. It makes people feel less pitiful for us, since we act like nothing is wrong. And it might trick stella herself into believing the chuuni act a bit. Better to be a bit delirious, rather than suffer from this clinical depression and general shittiness that she's feeling right now.

>>3360270
But is it chuuni if your eyepatch really does hide a forbidden power (of Starlit Path)?

>>3360200
>How advanced are thaumaturgic prosthetics?
Since Instruments are handcrafted, or rather, hand-shard-crafted, it'll be an expensive endeavor. Very unlikely that you'd get one.

>Can we replicate an eye that can see? Or can we get a leg that is more or less the same.
No, and no.

>Would losing an arm be a serious detriment to our spell casting ability, or can we overcome that with some training?
Losing an arm won't be a detriment to performing Miracles. Thaumaturges proficient in psychokinesis, like Rye, would barely feel the effects of permanent limb loss.

Y̡̬̬o̵͙̬̟͚̦u̳̭̟̘̤͔ ̵s̩̩̞h̻̫̯̤̬͓͕͞o̸̫̻̯ṷ̞̙̼͍͜l̶͓̩̻͚͓ͅḍ̞͖͓̻̼́ ̛̘̮̰̙j̰̖̭͍͞ͅú̱s̯̻͚ṭ́ gi͚v̴͙ẹ̴ ̤͎͓̹̤͡u̷p̯̜̮̗ ̬̟͎̰̙͎̹S̖̺̰̗͖ͅt͞ȩ̞̱͙l̜l͓͈̜͖a̗̥̱̕ͅ.̞̭ ̣̳̝͎̝̖ͅA̡̠̩͇l̞͙l̗͖͈̼͚̖ y̙͉̩̕o̰̹ụ̜̥͝ d͖ͅo ͉͔͍̠i̼̩̻̗̰̞̹ś̺̗ ͔̬͙͙g̸ȩ̝͉̣̗̰̥t̺̟̤͘ ̯̘̬̤͔͖t̹̝̣̥͜h̴͙̤͚̳͎̙͓ę̺̗̩̞ ̝̘̘̠p̻͈̟̣̳̖̩e̫̮͟ó͔̦p̳͘l͍̯͟e̟͙̩̖̘̝ ͍̩̘̱͚̪̠a̝͔̥̗̦̟r͇͓͕̬̪ͅo̢̺̝͓̗̥u͠n̺d̰̙ ̸̭y̥̺͚o̦̞̩u̠̝̙ ͉͍̰̕h̳̰̱̗̯̺̬u̶̠̘̰̤̫̖ŕ̜̟ṭ̨͔̰̮.̩͎̦̤͕͙̱

>>3360793
Gumby?

File: Spoiler Image (56 KB, 450x300)

56 KB GIF

Stella's so sad I think she could use a good fuggin to cheer her up, don' you think so?

Plume’s Miracle fades. You can see it. You can feel it. Reality always returns to normal. Fluctuations are crushed until they are indistinguishable from the real.

The petripedes close in. You look up, staring into the splinter of the world. A revelation falls on you. What is the difference between you an immiraculous beast? You can perform a Miracle just as well as they can. Any distinction is crude and arbitrary. That is why Plume failed to touch the sword. And so, you understand.

The self is one with the being. You will it, and the body obeys. It is as simple as that.

A universal law. If the body refuses, then you superimpose the reality in which it acts. The easiest solution.

The issue lies within your ability to will it.

Words you can’t form, memories you can’t recall, dreams you can’t shape.

The self is one with the being. If you cannot will it, you will use your body to do so.

You concentrate, and in this fraction of a second, in this moment in time, you allow your being to be something else’s.

Your body is an Instrument.

Flesh twists and contorts not out of focused will, but raw, unfiltered intent. It will be something for perception to run through, like shaping a soap bubble. And your body, it is knead like dough, carving lines and arcs, allowing your subconscious to carry you into an transcendental dance.

You—
>Kill.
>Save.

>>3361400
>>Save.

Stella already killed enough.

>>3361400
>Save.
If only there was a lighter tone to hold you to.

>>3361400
>KILL

>>3361400
>>Save.

>>3361411
>>3361433
>>3361440
this
>>3361439
that

Writing

>>3361400
16 minute late symbolic
>save
vote

It was hardly any choice. You gaze at the shard, and in kind, it returns the gesture.

Flowers bloom on you. A brilliant variety of all shapes, sizes, and colors pops out one after the other.. Your skin melts and hardens, shimmering and dulling. In the eye of the shard, all things are refracted and bled together. Reflected upon you are cold stone and shuffling carapace, so that is what you become. You are one with the world, joined hand in hand. Perception expands as you touch the edge, sight bleeding into a blinding, muddy blaze. It is then that you lose all vision in your right eye.

You did not notice it at first. Those who can see don’t know that can’t do not “see black”, but rather, they see nothing at all. It is the lack of perception. Instead, at the edge of your new field of vision, you can see something expanding out, the metallic flower weeping and melding with the feathers sprouting on your skin.

“Stella!” Plume shouts, leaping on top of the statue. By sheer gravity and momentum alone, she lands on top, hooking herself down. The petripedes leap at her but are forced back, and the devourers, seeing this, hesitate. She has bought you time, and with it, your eye darts to the fabric at the nest.

Your perception of reality overwhelms all, and it rips down the cloth to Plume who catches it, and when she brings it close to the other, petrified half, the stone crumbles.

Color washes over her, dying skin and cloth alike. Her movements transform from stiff to fluid, and she lives. She cries out, “No, don’t—“ She stands on a single foot, balancing on the tip of her toes as a devourer begins to swoop down. She looks up for a second, sees Plume, and wildly grins. “Ha, thanks. I thought I was done for!”

There’s a wild glow of light as the thaumaturge draws her sword in an instant, throwing herself into the air. With one foot, she kicks a besom underneath her and another to Plume. Her balancing act is cut short as she reverses her spin, a flashing cut that cleaves the bird into two without ever even touching it. It crashes onto the ground a smoldering mess, scattering the insects underneath away.

“What a face you’re making!” she asks Plume, “Worry not, you can leave the rest to me.”

Her sword is her wand, and her wand is her sword. It splinters and bleeds as it points toward the shard, and in that instant, it was as if the sun itself has descended to this pit. She throws her fabric over Plume, casting a deep shadow as everything disappears within the blazing light. A warmth you’ve never felt before washes over you, and before you know it, it has taken you.

The last thing you see is a single swing of her sword before the ceiling is reduced to dust.

[1/2]

>>3361519

What a strange dream. As frightening as it was to experience it, it ended on a note so sweet that you wish you could go back to see what happened next.

When you open your eyes, you find yourself in a cot you do not recognize, in a room you do not recognize, beside a person you do not recognize. A man garbed in mud-soaked clothes puts his book down as he notices you stirring, and far too loud for your comfort, he shouts, “She’s awake!”

Or so you thought it’d be, but really, your ears are ringing. You can barely move, and everything, quite frankly, hurts. You cannot stress this enough. Every time you test that your limbs are, in fact, there, a numbing pain is there to greet you.

Someone enters the room. You find that is Plume only after she comes close enough that you can see her without turning your head. She lets out a breath of relief. “Thank heavens, you’re up. How are you?”

You’re confused. “Could be worse, I think,” you answer, “Where am I?”

“Aegra,” she tells you. She rubs her brow with a hand. “Where do I even begin?”

The man that was by your bed gets up, cutting into the conversation. “We’ve ought get going. I trust I can leave this place to you without finding it burned down when we come back?”

“Of course,” she answers, “It isn’t as if we’re going anywhere anytime soon. And thank you again, your kindness will not go forgotten.”

He chuckles, “I haven’t done anything. Take care now.” He leaves before she can say anything in return, his boots loudly connecting with the wooden planks with every step.

Plume folds her skirt against her legs before sitting where the man was. “Where do I begin. Oh, care for some tea?”

You feel like moving.
>Get up, stretch your body.
>”Gladly.”
>”Maybe another time.”
>”Can you sum it up quickly? I think I might fall back asleep at any moment.”
>Write-in.

Pick one to NOT discuss.
>How you got here.
>Where the thaumaturge went.
>Who the man was.

>>3361553
>Get up, stretch your body.

>Where the thaumaturge went.

>>3361553
Assuming stretching our body just has us moving around while talking to Plume...
>Get up, stretch your body.

I also would figure out what the hell happened to Dawn, so:
>Who the man was.

>>3361553
>Get up, stretch your body.

>Who the man was.
We can just ask the man himself when he comes back

>>3361565
>>3361553
>”Gladly.”
(also let's get that tea while we're at it)

I guess either Dawn didn't notice we were there or we fucking morphed to look like a devourer or something -- I'm guessing Stella is all beat up besides her eye because she got fucked up by Dawn's light and the ceiling dropping on her

>>3361400
>What is the difference between you an immiraculous beast?
Considering how immiraculous beast seems like another word for monster, this is perhaps not the best revelation for our delicate little PTSD magic girl to have.

>>3361589
I'm thinking that too. Or at the very least, when we started seeing everything, Dawn casting a sun in our vision would not go over well.

>>3361553
>”Gladly.”
We already sound better. At the very least, near death this time has shaken us out of our normal slump.
>Who the man was.
I'm more immediately curious about what happened between then and now, and the sword-thaumaturge.

>>3361562
>>3361565
>>3361570
>>3361572
>>3361595
Smashing together whatever these are

Writing

>>3361589
>ceiling dropping on her
It was vaporized.

We also sprouted feathers, which is a point in the "briefly turned into a devourer" camp, along with the whole thinking about how she's not far from being a monster. So I'm going to go with that as my working theory

“Gladly,” you tell her. For some reason, your mind feels refreshed even if you don’t physically feel that way. “Nnngh.” You can’t help but let out a grunt of pain as you throw your sheets off and move your legs off the cot. You take a good look at your body, and grimace. “I need new clothes. I think it fused to me.” Also, you reek. The humidity here is baffling.

You appear to be in some kind of cabin that’s barely holding together. In a spare bedroom, to be exact. Past the open door, you spot a charm stove and a kettle as Plume leaves for a moment. You can barely make out the sound of shuffling and talking as multiple people leave the house.

You check on yourself. There seems to be an attempt at bandaging your many, many cuts, but the carapace and feathers got in the way. You get up and almost fall over, surprised at the strange distribution of weight.

Plume comes over while you’re testing out your balance, handing you a cup and saucer. You reach for it and grab air. Confused, you take a step closer and this time, you take it. “Oh, right,” you mumble.

“No worries,” she tells you, “I’m confident the leechcraft staff at the Anlaecende can fix it.” Intentionally vague, but you already know, and you doubt it. Coming in contact with the shard like that must’ve scrambled something in your head. You can’t remember how it was like seeing with two eyes, much less conceptualize the idea in the first place. A gap in perception, much like the other one you are fully aware of. “So, where to begin?”

“How about how we got here?” you ask, “Why aren’t we in Inops?” You take a sip of the tea. You almost choke. “This is awful.”

“I know,” she replies, nodding.

[1/2]

>>3361669

You bite your lip as your force yourself to walk around the house. It’s furnished with barely anything at all. It seems like a place where people stop for the night before leaving. Lying on the floor, far, far away from everything is Macaron, just as you last saw her. Except a little charred.

She’ll be fine.

Plume pours another cup of tea for herself. She hesitates before filling it anyways. “We left up the summit and made it lower ground so we could send up a signal flare.” Protocol. In the case of an emergency, you would try your best to create a visual or audio cue of some sort to broadcast your condition or location, presumably Morse code for the former. Or she could’ve drawn letters into the sky. “We were told to get somewhere safe and move as little as possible. They’re going around the drowsers, and so we decided to meet up in Aegra.”

“Makes sense that they’re coming to us,” you softly point out, “It would be difficult for you to carry me and Macaron in tow.” Limping around, you start opening cupboards.

She nods, “Indeed. We looked for nearest place we can take shelter in, and we found this. Luckily, the people who were already here gladly took us in.”

You stop, giving up that you will not find any sugar and even if you did, no amount would cover up that overwhelming aftertaste. Instead, you go over to a window and look out to find the Mountain of Tomorrow surprisingly close. You’re also sure no one calls it that here, if there was anyone that actually lived so deep in these wetlands. Regardless, you realize you see something strange about the summit.

“Plume,” you ask, “Is it me, or is there no shard?”

“Yes,” she stiffly answers, “I didn’t want to mention it, since...”

It’s impossible. Shards don’t move.

Where did it go?
>”Did that thaumaturge do something?”
>”We probably just can’t see it from this angle, that’s all.”
>”I guess it just fell after that attack.”
>”Oh, right, where did she go?”
>Write-in.

>>3361689
>”Did that thaumaturge do something?”
other options are silly

>>3361689
>”Did that thaumaturge do something?”

I wonder what the hell is gonna end up happening with the carapace and feathers. Is Stella gonna keep 'em? Are the leechcraft people going to be capable of getting rid of them?

>>3361689
>>”Did that thaumaturge do something?”
>>”Oh, right, where did she go?"

>>3361689
>>”Did that thaumaturge do something?”
also yeah lol i should probably vote

>>3361708
>>"Did she said you her name or who she was?"

>>3361695
>>3361699
>>3361708
>>3361713
>>3361715
This

Writing

So, just a quick clarification of our physical status.

Plume is just a bit roughed up, but nothing bad's really happened to her. Physically.

Macaron is mostly, or all, petrified? From what it sounds like Plume completely turned her to stone, but I thought we were going to leave her head fleshy so she keeps her brain.

Stella is missing an eye. Has a bunch of petripede carapaces and devourer feathers coating her (grafted to her?) Is moderately banged and cut up. And maybe still has a metal flower in her right eye socket.

>>3361747
Macaron is ALSO charred, and probably also dead since impact.

>>3361765
Since "She'll be fine", I'm thinking its just the stone that's charred. Like when you light a campfire on some rocks. That probably implies she's completely petrified, which coincides with the sections I just reread. Apparently, running on a few hours of sleep does not give one a good reading comprehension.

If she's stone, the fire won't hurt her. The only thing that really matters is if its possible to revert full petrification or not. Or maybe Plume had a clever idea, and just tried to petrify her outer skin and muscle, leaving the brain and organs fleshy. Or, maybe we can just do a Final Fantasy, use a golden needle, and everyone will be hunky dory.

”Did that thaumaturge do something?” you ask.

“You saw that blindingly bright Miracle, didn’t you?” she asks, “After that, when I looked up, there was... nothing.”

You snort. “Are you saying she destroyed it?” you ask, “Come on, you can’t just destroy something like that. How do you even touch...” you trail off, looking for the right words, “A distortion in space? I don’t even know.”

“Don’t ask me,” she replies, frowning as she tastes the abysmal tea once more. “Anyways, she left after escorting me to this place. Didn’t even enter; she explained she had somewhere to be and just left.”

“Wait, did you get her name?” you ask, “I could’ve sworn I saw her before.”

“Sola,” she replies.

“That’s not a name,” you reply. You say this knowing how ironic it is.

Plume runs a hand through her hair. “Probably isn’t. Most likely an alias, but I wasn’t about to press her for answers.”

“She charred Macaron!” you tell her. You don’t know why you said that or what point of it was, but you felt that it had to be said.

She waves the thought away. “It’s fine. I refroze her brain earlier. It almost melted because of her Miracle, so I had to be quick.”

“Her brain almost melted?!” you ask.

“No, that’s not—“ Plume stops and sighs. “Let’s drop it. In any case, I don’t think we’ve ever met her before.”

No, wait, you have an inkling of an idea.
>”She’s Dawn, isn’t she?”
>”She sounds awfully suspicious.”
>”Why didn’t you stop her from leaving?”
>”Sorry, I’m distracted by how awful this is. Did they soak some dirty socks in water?”
>Write-in.

The first option's only there because you all mentioned it.

>>3361775
Ahaha, well, consider that it's STELLA who said "She'll be fine" despite her having probably been dead for at LEAST a day and being petrified

i wouldn't trust it, petrified or no

>>3361781
>”She’s Dawn, isn’t she?”
well hehe if it's based off of our own conclusions i gotta go for it

>>3361781
>>”She’s Dawn, isn’t she?"
>>"I know se disapeared after the war, but how long it was?"

>>3361781
>”She’s Dawn, isn’t she?

>>3361794
>>3361803
>>3361808
This

Writing

You ask the obvious. “She’s Dawn, isn’t she?”

Plume blinks. “Who? I don’t remember a Dawn coming with us on the trip?”

“No, not a Dawn, the Dawn,” you explain.

She laughs. You don’t. She sees you not laughing and stops. She stares at you while you wait for a reply. You tilt your head, asking for an answer. “The savior knight of the resistance.”

“Yes.”

“The one that disappeared a century and a half ago.”

“That’s the one.”

“You’re saying she climbed up the mountain to get to the shard, got petrified, and waited for someone to drop by to undo it.”

“Well, if you put it like that,” you say, putting the cup of tea down. “Come on, is it that far-fetched. This isn’t even a question of whether or not she’s immortal. And there has been immortal thaumaturges!”

She frowns. “Stella, that is the wildest, strangest, most contrived thing I’ve ever heard. How could someone like her walked in without her weapon drawn and got herself turned into stone?”

“Maybe she made a mistake and was caught off guard?”

“It’s a pit filled with petripedes,” Plume retorts, “You don’t accidentally do that unprepared.”

“Look, I don’t know! Maybe they weren’t there when she went there!” you throw out. “Okay, forget I said anything. You’re right—“ You hear some muffled shouting in the distance outside. Barely. “Was that what I think it was?” The men who just left.

“I was told they were a hunting party. I believe that is the sound of them finding their target,” she replies, “I caught little of the details.”

This time, a blood-curdling scream is what comes out of the trees. Furious shouts accompany it. You go, leaning against the glass. “Sounds like, uh, it’s fighting back.”

“I saw them packing charms. I doubt they’d find whatever it is they’re hunting difficult to down.”

If she says so.
>”Maybe we should go check.”
>”You’re right. The only thing we need to investigate is why this tea is so awful.”
>”One of us should fly over the area really quick. To be safe, that is.”
>”Wait, I think I know what’s going on...” (Write-in)
>Write-in.

>>3361884
>”Maybe we should go check.”
>A thaumaturge should always seek to help those who cannot into miracles... or something... like that. Yeah, we should go make sure those aren't death screams.

>>3361884
>>”Wait, I think I know what’s going on... Lavander said there is something terrorizing the lands around here.”
>>”Maybe we should go check. I mean, Aurora said it was our job.”

>>3361893
supporting

>>3361898
>>"Lavander, also said she would be here in Aegra with her family. Another reason to go."

>>3361893
>>3361898
>>3361915
>>3361924
This

Writing

“Wait, I think I know what’s going on,” you say. Lavender told you she was going on a trip too. She said the store had a request for a large amount of Splitter extract, and that it was to be delivered to Aegra. Something was terrorizing the lands here. You guess, “Are they hunting what’s been causing the drowser migration?”

“Doctor Aurora said there was an invasive species here, yes,” she replies, “You said ‘something’? As in, singular?”

“I could be wrong,” you say, “It would make sense, though. Maybe we should go check. Like the doctor said, the obligation of a thaumaturge, right? We should at least make sure they weren’t... death screams.”

“Hold on now, don’t you think you should stay and rest? You are hardly in shape to do anything dangerous.” She isn’t wrong. You don’t have your wand either.

You raise your arms, as if you were flexing them. “I’m healed enough to be able to run away.” You try not to wince as you say that.

Her eyes flickering to Macaron, Plume takes a moment before agreeing. “We leave at the first sign of danger.

“Great!” you say, grabbing your besom and missing. You get it on the third try. You’re the one who shuts the door as Plume flies into the air, and you double check to latch it properly so that nothing can get in. Macaron should stay safe in there. You quickly join Plume as she heads to the source of the sounds you and her heard. In the meantime, you scan the horizon and the mottled landscape. “We’re pretty far from Aegra’s shard, huh?” It’s closer to the coast than anything.

Her expression darkens. “We are.”

It takes you a second for you to understand what she realized. “You said they used charms.”

“I did.”

You stare at the summit of the mountain you left. Empty.

Without explicitly saying so, the two of you pick up the pace.

[1/2]

Can't find explicitly how charms work in the earlier threads, but I'm guessing that they take power from shards, and if that's the case and they're using powerful charms, well... either there's somehow some shard-stealing (if these things are this rare that they're one per country how the hell do both stella and skelly-hood-guy have them? are they just altered by shards, rather than possessing them?), or the "hunting party" has their own unnatural magic source

so there's near-explicitly-implied-basic-details 101 i guess lol

>>3361973
it was mentioned in this thread. Charms are shard powered in the same way you slap a solar panel on your phone charger.

>>3361973
Rather than a thaumaturge naturally casting and fueling their magic, a charm relies on ambient magic in the area to run.
The plus side is that it is a prepared and quick cast spell usable by anyone. Downside is it needs a powerful supply of magic in the area to run it. Like the Academy's grounds or the region's Shard.

The hunters were going to use the fact that they were right on the side of a mountain with a shard to blow their prey to bits. But using >>3361974's analogy, its as if the local sun was stolen.
So the charms the hunters brought are little more than glorified scraps of paper at the moment.

>>3361974
>>3361986
jesus, i was on the fucking ball in thread 3 but i'm forgetting basic setting details like crazy this weekend

>>3361955

“Do you see them?” you ask.

“No.” A flat denial.

You survey the area for the third time, failing to find anything. What’s worse is that you cannot stop sweating. The new growths on your body, or rather transformations, are practically cooking you alive. It wouldn’t be so bad if your sweat actually did something, but the sheer humidity here is suffocating. There’s no way you can keep this up.

On the verge of giving up, you open your mouth to suggest returning to the cabin. Your besom dips a little lower than you’d like it to, and you spot something strange. In the green, vegetation filled water, you spot a scattering wisp of red. “Plume,” you call out. She doesn’t answer. “Hey, Plume! I think I see—“

You turn to see no one. You hover there, still, in confusion. To yourself, you mutter, “Maybe she didn’t hear me.”

With nothing better to do, you descend carefully, methodically, waiting for something to ambush you. Nothing does. Only when you get close to the water do you see the trail left something, the tiny plants floating on top parted in a thick swath. You thought it was just nature, or the wind that blew them apart.

But as you get closer, you can see through the foul water that something had left deep, deep tracks. One after the other, you follow them, failing to notice how silent and still everything is. The footprints, when they are supposed to reach land, disappear.

It was as if it had vanished into thin air.

“Get away!” Plume screams, bursting out of a thicket. “Stop staring like a dolt and fly!”

She tears through the air past you and without waiting, you do the same. “What are we running away from?”

“I don’t fucking know—“

She’s interrupted by a disgusting belch in front of her, something that causes you and her to immediately jink and turn to avoid crashing into it. Something massive could be seen as you flit between trees. When you turn your head to look back, Plume screams at you, “Look ahead of you!”

You spot it.

A thick, bloated beast wading through water. Its mouth hangs wide, teeth on the verge of falling out as the flesh inside of it has already began to rot. The skin is bulbous and weeping with petals and pus alike, a continuous torrent that dirties the stagnant water underneath even further. Boils the size of your head adorn the entirety of its naked body, a putrid stench emanating with every movement. And on its bulging stomach, arrows, swords, and spears jut out, handles exposed. A single massive hand pushes away a tree and knocks it down, allowing it to lower its festering head to gape at you with a single good eye.

And you are going to crash into it.

File: kumo aa.png (201 KB, 865x386)

201 KB PNG

Sorry I can't finish this in a single thread, so I think I'll stop here. Also, it's Monday, so I have things that need to be un-procrastinated. Thanks for playing!

As always, comments, criticism, and questions are very welcome.

>>3362007
>>3362013
oh noes, stella is going to crash into kumo

stella's downwards spiral never ends, only returns in weekend intervals

>>3362013
There is rarely a dull day in Stella's life.
Do we count as full fledged adventurers already?
We did help clean a dungeon and we are already neck-deep in trouble again.

Thanks for running, man. Good luck with job and until next time.

>>3362007
Seems like either some sort of plague beast, or just a really really beat up troll.
Can't wait to run the fuck away now; cause unless our monstrous new additions have given us a stronger con/more powers, I don't know if just the two of us can handle it. At the very least, lets try to lead it away from people and maybe into some petripedes.

Also, I'm still game for getting a miniature star to put in our eye-socket.

>>3362013
Not going to lie, I do wish I could see some images of the monsters or more cinematic stuff that goes on. The Drowsers are super cute, and seeing Macaron trying to haul one around would be amusing. Or more censored scenes, cause those are eerily entrancing at times. But I fully understand why you have to cut back on them to keep the update speed and prevent burn out.

I do feel like I have to ask, from one author to another: How do you translate depression so well? Throughout the last few threads, I've been honestly concerned for Stella and I can just feel how she's breaking down. I was wondering if you had any tips for how to capture those emotions so well.

>>3362013
Poor poor Stella. She just can't catch a break.

>>3362182
Kinda hope she does at SOME point. Too much shit going down for too long can be exhausting

>>3362329
I'd argue it already has been too much for too long.

>>3362329
When we return to Anlaecende, we still have to get our charm back.

>>3362355
she can't get it back. It's busted to bits. She already mentioned that remaking it wouldn't be the same.

Although given her recent fleshcrafting experience, she might attempt again with pure MIRACLE power.

>>3362369
Even worse than that, our biggest ordeal still await for us: Finding our first job.

>>3362154
>I was wondering if you had any tips for how to capture those emotions so well.
You know what they say, write what you know best. In all seriousness, if it's too out of your element, just search up videos about advice on dealing with the topic or people sharing their experiences.

>>3362339
It was supposed to end this thread. Speaking of,

I'm going to continue this thread on this Saturday. Hopefully I can wrap this bit up by then but if not, then Sunday too. I'll start a couple of hours early. Completely unrelated, but please be a little mindful of untagged spoilers outside of these threads.

>>3362397
The chapter really doubled in length. I'm liking this format so far.
You should keep the reusable Vn sprites idea in mind. Or just draw the most important bits.

>>3362411
I'll draw for the next session

>>3362397
Is "Stella suffers every day" a spoiler?

We going to continue using this thread? Since we are only at page 6?