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[LEVEL UP: You have become better still at stealth, armed combat, and have gained a greater tolerance for mind-affecting substances.

When facing a matter where success is not guaranteed or terribly likely, failure has notable consequences, or I’d feel railroady making you fail or cheap forcing a success, I will roll dice. Currently, that is 1d20 for most tasks. You get to roll 2d20 (taking the highest) for tasks involving intimidation or overcoming the effects of inebriants. You roll 3d20 for matters related to dance, stealth, seduction or politesse, armed combat, and arcane studies. In matters of illusion, mentalism, or occultism, you roll 4d20. Combining aptitudes, such as seduction and politesse or emotion-affecting illusion, can secure you the coveted 5d20. This is based on choices you’ve made.

You also have an inherent bonus to disguise attempts when relevant, can use human magic items without your Reptilian race’s usual penalty, and you have a decreased difficulty to rolls wherein you fight an untrained opponent hand-to-hand due to martial arts training.

Having formed a symbiotic pact with the succubus Irinnile, you can also shapeshift (including to create wings or natural weapons), sense and influence emotions and even read surface-level thoughts or enter dreams, and you are seemingly immune to permanent injury as a result of fire and mundane weapons.

As a general rule, DCs are 15, but disguise, magic item use, and favourable melees as discussed have DC 10. Thanks to Irinnile’s powers, you also currently have this reduced DC of 10 for nighttime or shadowy stealth checks, seduction rolls, and single-target illusion or mentalism checks.

However, your demonic powers are not without a price: Irinnile has a powerful sense of <WANT> at her core. Every time you use her powers or deny her something she desires, the <WANT> grows stronger, increasing the DC of rolls to control her impulses. Should you fail, she will subsume your personality long enough to satisfy herself, sometimes at the cost of lives and the risk of exposure. However, having both humbled and befriended her to some extent, below a <WANT> DC of 18, she will no longer risk actions likely to get you killed or exposed. Your current level of <WANT> is DC 12.

You have also gained a one-time invocation of your Dark Gods’ <DIVINE FAVOUR>, and access to their <AKASHIC RECORD>, as mentioned before; the DC to access it varies depending upon how long ago the event took place, how far away it occurred, and whether you have a relevant focus.

Rolls will be used when relevant (though not necessarily for every pretty little lie or funny flirtation). Overuse of demonic powers may cause them to be more frequent than they would otherwise. Exhaustion can further impede your rolls.]


[ Previous volumes, for those of you just joining us, are at http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=reptoidqm ]

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Madam Mina sits behind her hardwood desk. You can see the markers of stress on her and around her: the wafting smoke from the pipe she smokes, always a sure-fire indicator that there is something eating at her, is accompanied by a certain harried, unkempt look about the fur on her face and neck, and the desk itself shows subtle marks where her claws, not fully retracetd, have scratched or scraped at it. Those weren’t present only a few nights before.

“How much does he know?” Mina eventually asks. “WHAT does he know?”

Well, that IS the question of the hour, isn’t it? How much does Felman know, or suspect? And what can be done about it, without drawing the Inquisition’s eye—or worse, the Paladin Guard of King Archois himself!—down upon you?

Do you…
>Reassure Mina that there is nothing to fear, and that the Inquisitor knows nothing damning?
>Appeal to Mina’s trust and affection, telling her that you will handle it and not endanger The Pretty Kitty
>Threaten Mina, intimidating her into silence and compliance with the force of your conspiracy
>Plead for Mina’s assistance in handling this—you’re in over your head, and you need her support
>Admit that things have gotten away from you, and offer to magnanimously step back from your Kamunu identity and The Pretty Kitty to spare her the Inquisition’s scrutiny, in exchange for her silence
>Write-in

>>5044437
>>Reassure Mina that there is nothing to fear, and that the Inquisitor knows nothing damning?

>>5044437
>Reassure Mina that there is nothing to fear, and that the Inquisitor knows nothing damning?

Rolled 2, 15, 19 = 36 (3d20)

>>5044685
>>5044740

>>5044777
“The Inquissitor iss none-the-wisser,” you lie smoothly. “I ssteered him away from thiss place and towards other, lesss dangerous liness of inquiry.”

Mina looks up sharply, ears popping up in a strangely-endearing way. “What—really? You’re sure of that, Kamunu?”

“Of coursse,” you say with a casual flip of your hair, leaning back In your chair. “I’m Kamunu, the Dessert Princcesss. You know how good I am at influenccing ssilly men. It’ss all part of the job!”

“Not your only job,” she notes, with narrowed eyes and a dark tone.

“It’ss usseful in that role, as well,” you say matter-of-factly. “But let’ss not disscussss that. I’ve handled matterss, and it will do neither of uss any good for you to know more than you have to about… Ssuch thingsss.”

Mina says nothing for a time, but then she surprises you by standing up and striding towards you. She rests a surprisingly-soft, but still leathery-palmed, hand upon your shoulder.

“Thank you, Kamunu,” she says quietly.

You wait, not certain whether to expect more… But when nothing seems forthcoming—no caveat, or condemnation, no ultimatum or request—you simply nod.

“Well… Yess.”

“I think I need to rest and think,” she says. “You can stay here tonight, of course. It’ss late.”

‘Prime hunting hours,’ Irinnile the Succubus chimes in, from her dark little den in the depths of you. ‘That Inqusitor ain’t exactly OFF the trail, right?’

“Thank you,” you say aloud to Mina. The truth is, while you’re grateful to have Madam Mina’s compliance, you WERE lying, and Irinnile DOES have a point. How log will you retain the brothel-owner’s loyalty, or her cooperation, if Felman and his ilk return to trouble you at work once more? Something needs to be done…

But what?
>Use Irinnile’s shapeshifting to swoop down upon the investigator in the dark of night, and assassinate him or scramble his memories
>Stay the night at The Pretty Kitty, and use the Akashic Record and dream-delving to invade the minds of those who interviewed you for The Grey Press—perhaps you can influence their recollections of you?
>Frame someone else for the crimes you committed—perhaps the small-time goblin gangsters you’ve recently had dealings with? This could throw the investigation off the trail.
>Meet with your Reptilian contact Roth—this requires a coordinated response, and the knowledge of a senior operative.
>Return to the Engel Manor—acting rashly, so soon after an investigation will only draw more suspicion, and this matter can wait until morning
>Write-in

>>5044788
>Frame someone else for the crimes you committed—perhaps the small-time goblin gangsters you’ve recently had dealings with? This could throw the investigation off the trail.

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>>5044788
>Meet with your Reptilian contact Roth—this requires a coordinated response, and the knowledge of a senior operative.

>>5044910
Last thing we need is fucking with our potential helpers that we ourselves have dealings with. Self-sabotage aside, what if they rat out our orc persona and we have Felman on her ass as well?
Think of someone who is not related to us.

I think we should visit Bianchi tomorrow to read how we can empower Irinnile and Tower's methods of protection. Just in case we need to "persuade" Felman again at some point.

Welcome back, RQM. Great choice of cat.

>>5044939
*and about Tower's methods of protection.

>>5044788
>Meet with your Reptilian contact Roth—this requires a coordinated response, and the knowledge of a senior operative.

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>>5045065
>>5044939
>>5044910

Having waited over two hours since Felman’s departure, there is little chance he is lurking, waiting to follow you. Still, you have a mystical sense and night-vision, courtesy of your own training and Irinnile’s possession of you respectively; you sue both these assets to make sure you are alone. Only then do you breathe a sigh of relief, and begin to long walk across Hawksong’s sprawling urban expanse to meet with Roth.

Upon arrival at the smithy where your contact makes his home amongs the humans, you go through the usual rigmarole: you announce your presence, the dragonblooded Reptilian answers the door in his guise as a dark-skinned human male, he grumbles about it, closes the door, unlatches his many, many locking mechanisms, and lets you inside where the two of you may speak freely in the True Speech of your mother’s tongue.

“The Inquisition?!”

His reaction is predictable: bluster and upset, accusations of incompetence due to your mixed, Degenerate heritage or your demonic familiar.

‘Actually, a familiar’s more of—’

You ignore Irinnile for the moment—you have more important maters to attend to. You notice that Roth’s rant has less bite than normal. Perhaps saving his life twice and earning the <DIVINE FAVOUR> of the Dark Gods has finally curbed his venomous antipathy towards you? Still, he can’t resist a final snipe:

“First you let the Devil-Zivic escape, and now you bring this down upon us…”

“I saved you from the Devil-Zivic, and neutralized the threat,” you remind him. “So too shall we manage this matter, Superior One.”

“How?” he demands.

“Suggestions are welcome, Senior Infiltrator.”

Roth grumbles and sulks, but by the way he rubs his chin—a surprisingly human gesture, indicating that perhaps you are not the only one affected by your time on the surface—you can tell he is deep in thought.

“Slaying him is out of the question,” he says.

“It’s risky at this juncture,” you concur.

“What of manipulating his memory?” Roth suggests.

“I hesitate, as I do not know the protections he may have erected since last time,” you explain. “He IS a magic-user.”

Roth nods, and tells you: “If you can capture this ‘Felman’ ape, and bring him to an address which I provide, another of our operatives may have the solution.”

“Do you care to elaborate?”

Roth scoffs. “No. I do not. Compartmentalization is VITAL, Infiltrator, especially when you are potentially compromised. It would be much easier if you would shed your endangered identities…"

>>5045111

Why don’t you?
>You think your current suite of identities is vital to your current mission
>You are enjoying surface-life and its pleasures as you are now
>You don’t want to lose the personal connections you have made in these identities
>Roth is right—you should really take a step back if this plan doesn’t pay off

What is your next course of action?
>Use the Akashic Record to seek out Felman’s location, and visit him in his dreams to plant the bait
>Coordinate a meeting with Felman tomorrow, promising the reveal important information on the case, but actually lay an ambush
>Assume a new disguise and pay a visit to the Twoer, frantically asking to speak to the Inquisition
>Simply visit him by night and snatch him u with demonic talons, to carry him to this place
>Ask Roth for further details and assistance [like what? Specify.]
>Write-in

>>5045111
>If you can capture this ‘Felman’ ape, and bring him to an address which I provide, another of our operatives may have the solution.
Based mafia shit.

>>5045113
>You think your current suite of identities is vital to your current mission
It's not like we have burner identity.
I asked this already in the past, but forgot - will Irinnile's changes to our body disappear if she's banished while we have them? Like, if we have horns will they disappear or stay forever?
>Coordinate a meeting with Felman tomorrow, promising the reveal important information on the case, but actually lay an ambush
Let's test our turbo seduction skills on him and then bonk him on the head.
>Ask Roth for further details and assistance
Ask whether he can help us with the ambush, since he's naturally stronger than us and Felman might sport antidemonic protection.
Also lower the want.

>>5045113
>You think your current suite of identities is vital to your current mission
>You don’t want to lose the personal connections you have made in these identities

>Use the Akashic Record to seek out Felman’s location, and visit him in his dreams to plant the bait

[Awaiting a tie breaker; will roll or compromsie if no one does so before bed.]

>>5045113
>You think your current suite of identities is vital to your current mission

>Use the Akashic Record to seek out Felman’s location, and visit him in his dreams to plant the bait

Neither option sounds good, but if we coordinate a meeting with him beforehand he'll leave info behind for his buddies 100%

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Rolled 20, 1, 8, 8 = 37 (4d20)

>>5045715
>>5045249
>>5045160
Once you have gotten the address in question from Roth, you get to work. In this instance, this means sitting down, taking a load off, and relaxing yourself into a meditative trance—the better to delve once more into the Hawksong dreamscape. After all, every identity in your collection is tied to some activity, or is easily connected to another—you cannot allow the Inquisition to discover the dark truth behind ANY of them. In dreams, you can appear as anyone, and no one; you can be a half-remembered, curiously-memorable figment flitting about his subconscious.

“What precisely is you plan, Infiltrator?” Roth interrupts.

You open an eye and glare at him testily. “I will create the illusion of a clue which he has missed, revealed in the epiphany of sleep, which he must investigate in the waking world.”

“I do not understand,” Roth admits, huffily. “You’ll make him hallucinate and imagine, as the lower races do, and he will… Accept that it is real?”

Alas, Roth is right: he truly CANNOT understand. Unlike your father’s race (or you, increasingly since you began to live among them and masquerade as a true human), Roth does not dream. Oh, he can be encouraged to do so, and in fact might be viewed as especially susceptible to such infiltrations in the moment, but no full-blooded Reptilian truly has access to that kaleidoscopic, vivid realm of mind-manufactured unreality. Even when their sleep is invaded or manipulated, the phenomenon of dreaming is such a rare and alien exception to their norm that they cannot imagine viewing it as an extension of their self—of intuition, subconscious realization, hidden and unconscious yearning or understanding.

You consider trying to explain the phenomenon, but you can’t give voice to it. The realization of just how bizarre your own mind must be to your full-blooded kin disturbs you. You dismiss it as human nonsense—an explanation that at least rings true to your childhood learning, and which Roth accepts readily—and you return to the task at hand.

First, you access the Akashic Record the Dark Gods: the illusory, extrasensory history which the spiritual masters of your kind have granted you unique access to. Therein, you have access to secret knowledge accumulated across time and space by any agent or manipulated mark of the Dark Gods. It is in this way that you hope to narrow down your quarry’s whereabouts…

[Rolling 4d20]

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>>5045760
[20]

Luckily, your glorious masters have indeed set sights upon the one who calls himself Felman. The Inquisitor has drawn close to the Grand Design once before, it seems—in his investigation of claims made by Lord Isaac Yosef. You see shadowy, flickering images of these distant days. These ashen memories, drifting list dust across the present and animated by the hazy recollections of the participants—Felman, younger and greener, given the obviously unenviable task of talking down a positively manic, haggard-looking Lord Yosef.

Yosef, of course, is the man also known as ‘V. Rilney’, the penname under which he wrote ‘The Protocols of the Learned Elders of the Coming Race’, a somewhat ill-researched (but dangerously insightful) polemic against the dangers of subterranean reptilian infiltrators, after one such being led to his son’s grisly demise. That was well over twenty years ago now, as the humanoids of the surface reckon time, but this memory is not so old. Though you cannot hear the words spoken—this incident must have only been related to an agent in vague details, not directly observed—you can sense the ripples of beleaguered disbelief emanate from Felman, and the sheer torrents of alarm and grief from Yosef. A temporal reorientation helps you to understand the likely reason for this fresh outpouring, what can be no more than ten years before the present: this memory takes place upon the anniversary of his son’s death.

“You’ll see!” you hear faintly, as if from a great distance, though Lord Yosef is shouting.

“What?” Felman demands. “I will see what, sir? That this person you accuse is… What, spying upon you? To what end? For whom?”

Yosef hesitates, then speaks more quietly, though still you hear it: “The ones who killed my son.”

“I am sorry, sir… But who are those ones, then?”

Yosef stammers, flails at air… Then grabs for his jacket and leaves, crying only that they “will all see!”

‘Makes ya’ wonder, if someone workin’ for those gods of yours knew about this, why Yosef’s not pushing up daisies?’ Irinnile wonders, leaning on the shoulder of your astral projection.

“Perhaps they heard about this, and looked into it,” you muse aloud, “But The Protocols hadn’t been published yet, and when they were it was without much success and under a pseudonym. It must have seemed an isolated outburst, and without any definite sign that he really knew anyway.”

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>>5045786
Still, it is fortuitous—fated, maybe?—that an agent at least paid attention to this interaction, however they heard of it. For this reason, an Infiltrator was dispatched to investigate Inquisitor Felman’s residence, finding it to be a small and humble apartment just beyond the common student housing the The Mages’ Tower—a place where he had evidently lived since before his own graduation, and where he was comfortable. You suspect, on your intuition, that he might live there still.

‘Ah shit,’ Irinnile groans.

You spy the source her frustration: the Reptilian agent of ten years hence, spying upon Felman through his window, was forced to duck down by the alerting of a ward in his window. Worse yet, as you see the memory-spectre of Felman lunge towards the window, his hand ablaze with mystic flame, you see a familiar item upon his chest: a silvered chain with a handmade charm of gemstone, bottled oils, and preserved herbs. It is a charm against demons and mentalists, and by its latticed vines, silver-flecked oil, and luminescent stone, it is a stronger one than that which you yourself once made and wore.

‘You don’t s’poose he, uh… Decided it was tacky and stopped wearing it?’ Irinnile half-jokes.

You do not laugh.

The memory fades from your mind, and none replace it. It seems that, after that night and that near-miss, the Infiltrator who had been observing him never dared draw so close to an Inquisitor again, nor did Yosef’s outburst seem to amount to much. The two figures faded from relevance for about a decade… Until you entered both their lives, and brought them to the attention of the Record once more.

You now know Felman’s likely location, where this very night he likely lays dreaming… But so too do you know that he is anything but defenceless. He is likely guarded physically by wards and alarms, while his mind is shielded by a charm against the very interference you seek to affect. While he was not wearing such a charm when you accosted him at the docks, you know he has done so in the past, specifically to sleep… And, having been attacked mentally by a demonic assailant, it would be foolhardy to assume he has not once more taken up that habit.

Truly, the Akashic Record’s greatest boon was to prevent you from springing a deadly trap!

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>>5045788
Still, that leaves you with a quandry: how do you get to Inquisitor Felman?
>Approach in physical form first, disabling his wards and spying upon his sleeping form—maybe even removing his amulet while he slumbers, if you can!
>Brute force his mental defences—you have become quite the adept mentalist, and you have a <DIVINE FAVOUR> in your back pocket fi worse comes to worst
>Abandon the pursuit for tonight—Felman is too difficult a target for this approach [specify if there’s someone else you’d like to target in dreams]
>Have Roth, or perhaps the goblins, sneak Felman’s amulet away in the dead of night while you focus upon the mental assault—teamwork, making the dream (infiltration) work!
>Write-in

>>5045790
Questions regarding teamwork:
Don't we have to take off the house wards before we send anyone in?

And at that point, can't we just simply tell Roth to bag Felman and take him to his contact so we can focus on doing something else?

Could grab some sleeping powder from Qicerys to make this smooth... unless we can assblast sleeping Felman into coma. Is that something Irinnile can do?

>>5045790
>Have Roth, or perhaps the goblins, sneak Felman’s amulet away in the dead of night while you focus upon the mental assault—teamwork, making the dream (infiltration) work!

>>5045790
>>Have Roth, or perhaps the goblins, sneak Felman’s amulet away in the dead of night while you focus upon the mental assault—teamwork, making the dream (infiltration) work!

>>5045790
Okay, since it's getting close to post hour and no response
I'm (>>5045879) voting for
>Visit Felman's house with Roth
>Use magic to try and disarm the wards and alarms
>Send Roth inside to bag Felman and take him to his contact

Rolled 18, 9, 12 = 39 (3d20)

>>5046095
>>5046092
>>5045945
You open your eyes, and Roth immediately looks your way.

“You have returned… Quickly.”

“There has, regrettably, been a complication,” you say, and explain the situation.

Roth huffs. “Then we will take a different atck.”

“No, this can still be done,” you insist.

“How?”

You relate your plan, as follows: you will bring Roth—not the goblins, for while they are deniable, their agreement and silence is not certain, and you would waste precious time—to Felman’s residence. You will attempt to disable his wards and, if successful, the pair of you will work together to counteract any other measures which the mage-agent might employ, as well as to remove his charm. Then, you shall do as you did before: invade his sleeping mind—or even his wakeful one if you must—to plant this hint within his subconscious, and thus to lure him to Roth’s desired location.

“And if you should fail?” Roth presses.

“Then you will bring a sack,” you say simply, “and shove him in it.”

Roth grins wickedly. “Simple, but effective. I almost hope your first plan is unsuccessful.”

Unfortunately, Roth’s amulet is not so versatile a disguise as your pact with Irinnile: he has only a single human form behind which he may hide. Normally, only a Serpent priest themselves would have access to your sheer array of humanoid forms! Of course, his appearance in the Felman residence as a great, red-scaled Reptilian is unthinkable—failure is always a possibility, and you don't dare imagine the consequences if the Inquisition were to be tipped off to the nature of the threat facing Hawksong at such an early hour. Luckily, Roth is not ignorant of more traditional methods of disguise: a change of clothes, a hood, and a scarf will suffice.

‘That reminds me,’ you muse so that Irinnile can hear it within your shared mental realm, ‘What happens if, for instance, you were to be banished while we were in disguise?’

‘Banished?’ Irinnile yelps, then titters nervously. ‘Feeling a little antsy there, Lispy?’

‘Irinnile, answer the question,’ you say, employing her true name like a slave collar.

She grumbles, but obliges, replying “I dunno'. Nobody's ever… Uhh… Been possessed by me for anything like this long. Or this, ya' know… Intimately.’

She seems… Flustered? You feel her embarrassment and what you THINK is some form of affection.

Irinnile continues, explaining that she THINKS that the results depend on the extent of the changes made, low long they have been maintained, and the exact method of her exorcism.

“But, yeah… Like I said, I really can't be sure. This… You… It's all kinda' a first for me.” Irinnile laughs. “Who woulda' thunk I'd still have a cherry left to pop, huh?”

Do you…
>Tease her about it
>Admonish her for her ignorance
>Assuage her ego
>Just move onto more pressing business without comment

>>5046132
With your plan of attack decided, the two of you set forth. Roth locks his base of operations up tightly, and the two of you follow a winding route towards the Initiate's Village, the area of Hawksong's old city dominated by eldritch decorations and housing for staff and students of Tge Mages' Tower. There, on the outskirts, you find the humble homestead which you spied in the Record. It is packed tightly among other such freeholds, each taller than wide and with minimal garden space.

“Do you see any signs of these wards?” Roth whispers.

You squint your eyes, focused your mystical sense upon the place… And indeed you do! However, they are only placed upon the shuttered windows, with the door protected by whatever mundane locking mechanism it may boast and by a simple alarm spell to notify the occupant of unwanted entry…

And the chimney, though a tight squeeze, seems unguarded.

Do you…
>Attempt to disable the more powerful wards on the windows and to slip in silently
>Disable the alarm spell and have Roth force the door
>Attempt to shift your shape slimmer and to enter through the chimney, while a Roth waits outside to provide backup
>Attempt to lure Felman outside by faking distress and calling for help
>Other

>>5046132
>Tease her about it
>Remind her we have a more pressing business now
She should stop crushing over our superior half-reptilian body and focus so we don't get caught.
>Attempt to disable the more powerful wards on the windows and to slip in silently
Let's examine the ward as best as we can.

Maybe even use Akashic Record to see what ticked it off in the past, if it's not too much to ask under current circumstances.

Also tell Roth that door is guarded by an alarm spell and what to expect from Felman should he wake up.

>>5046132
>Tease her about it
>Attempt to disable the more powerful wards on the windows and to slip in silently

>>5046133
>Tease her about it
Playfully tease though

>Disable the alarm spell and have Roth force the door
Can he try picking the lock before forcing it open…

>>5046132
>Tease her about it

>>5046133
>Attempt to shift your shape slimmer and to enter through the chimney, while a Roth waits outside to provide backup

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Rolled 10, 1, 4 = 15 (3d20)

>>5046618
>>5046362
>>5046209
>>5046147

‘Alright, it’s time for the moment of truth,’ you send the psychic signal to Irinnile. ‘Can you get over your crush long enough to get your head in the game, succubus?’

‘YEEEEAAH yeah yeah,’ Irinnile replies, but you can practically feel the demonic presence inside you blushing. ‘An eldritch terror gets a little vulnerable one time, and THIS is what she gets?’

‘Oh please,’ you tease, ‘you know you like it.’

The demon’s silence is all the confirmation you need, and you’re not about to pretend that you don’t enjoy it, too. However, you are—as always—a professional. You turn to Roth, and speak aloud your plan:

“I’m going to disable the wars on the window, so we may enter silently. You will take the amulet from his neck, should he be wearing it.”

“Without waking him? That could be difficult,” he notes. “Can you even disable his spells? You are… New at this.”

“Not so new anymore,” you counter, “and quite practiced. Do your part, Infiltrator. I will do mine.”

Still, you are perhaps not QUITE so confident as you approach the window, and its faint aura of arcane energy. Peering with sight beyond sight, you can just faintly glimpse the chalk sigil traced on the other side of the shutters. Your glimpse into the Akashic Record told you something of its function: if the shutters are opened, the glyph will be split, and its rupture will release a shock of electric and kinetic energy and a loud sound. You cannot let that happen if you hope to maintain the element of surprise.

Luckily, Ismena Rosgard is dating an amateur-expert in magical theory!

Remembering what Edwin and you learned in your readings, and augmenting this with Bianchi’s less-legal library and ITS teachings, you carefully trace your fingers over the symbol’s location in the reverse of the movements which—in theory, you THINK—formed it. So too do you move your other hand to form a symbol for unwinding and erasure, while you whisper the words necessary to focus your energies and direct them towards undoing the magic…

[Rolling!]

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>>5046689
[1]
You are ready for this—studied, learned, practiced, gifted, and divinely-inspired!

…But you are also only about a month into your mystical career.

Despite your studies and your advantages, Roth is proven correct: your half-formed understanding of runic theory is simply no match for the practical learning of a Tower-educated field-operative, specializing in matters of arcane subterfuge, with all the time in the world to prepare his home defences. You SAW the rune on the other side of the shutters fade—you KNOW you did!—but when you push them in you do not find Inquisitor Felman asleep in his bed. You find him inches from your face, his golden-green gaze locked with your own, WIATING for you.

‘Oh fuck oh fuck OH—’

Irinnile’s mental exclamation is cut short by a blast of aethereal lighting which strikes you in your core. Your limbs spasm as you fall back, your entire body contorting in agony. You’re no stranger to pain, and you hold back your scream, but you are helpless upon the ground, unable even to call for help. You are no fool, either: you arrived in disguise, shapeshifted ever-so-slightly and wearing a more mundane—but not so readily dispelled—scarf, as Roth himself did…

“Let me guess,” Felman begins, leaning out of the window, “One of the cat-creature’s demonic henchmen, sent because I was getting too close? Or perhaps I’m dealing with ‘Isabelle Romanov’ herself?”

You are helpless, and Felman is already beginning to trace the form of a binding spell, meant to more permanently incapacitate a being. No, not just ANY being—a demon!

‘Lispy, WE’RE a demon!’ Irinnile whines. ‘We’re fucked!’

The only saving grace you can see is that Roth has not yet moved—not to attack Felman or to save you. The Inquisitor’s predatory eyes are fixated on his prey—you—and without your gift of night-vision he seems ignorant of your dragon-blooded cohort. You can JUST about squeak out a single reply, or take a single action.

What do you do?
>Shout to Roth to take Felman down
>Shout to Roth to run—you cannot let Felman catch you both
>Draw your magical bone-dagger—stolen from goblins, who stole it from your occult adversaries—and slash desperately at Felman
>Attempt to break your pact with Irinnile—the spell he is weaving is specifically for containing DEMONS, and if you sacrifice your succubus you may just escape it
>Call upon your one-time <DIVINE FAVOUR> to save you
>Attempt to croak out a surrender, and to initiate parley
>Write-in

>>5046710
>Draw your magical bone-dagger—stolen from goblins, who stole it from your occult adversaries—and slash desperately at Felman

>>5046710
>Shout to Roth to take Felman down
or
>Draw your magical bone-dagger—stolen from goblins, who stole it from your occult adversaries—and slash desperately at Felman

I just got back and we're already one foot in the grave. It's been a lovely quest lads.

>>5046715
>thinking that I would ever
let you off that easily

>>5046710
>>Draw your magical bone-dagger—stolen from goblins, who stole it from your occult adversaries—and slash desperately at Felman
Inquisition dungeon episode soon

>>5046710
>Attempt to croak out a surrender, and to initiate parley

>>5046710
>Draw your magical bone-dagger—stolen from goblins, who stole it from your occult adversaries—and slash desperately at Felman
Throw it if he's out of reach.

Roth better Mortal Kombat this retard soon. Letting Ismena get captured and Felman continue his investigation is not an option.

>>5046715
Welcome back, anon. I had two moments like this in the previous threads.
Are you the one who left after the Fox murder?

File: Screenshot 2021-11-04 074210.png (592 KB, 1093x611)

592 KB PNG

Rolled 14, 1, 5 = 20 (3d20)

>>5046711
>>5046715
>>5046746
>>5047018
>>5047074

[DC 16, +1 for your recent electrification]

Rolled 17, 5, 1, 9, 3, 11 = 46 (6d20)

>>5047135
[1]

You force your twitching muscles to move towards your dagger. Letting yourself get captured and Felman continue his investigation is not an option. If that means ending Felman here and now, so be it!

The Inquisitor lowers himself down from the window, taking his time with arrogant surety. Well, you’ll show him: you draw your dagger and—

“AAAAHH!”

You hear a scream, and only belatedly realize it is your own voice. You feel… Distant from yourself, removed, as you lay upon the ground. You are aware of tremendous pain in your arm. You look to the side and see that you have dropped your dagger, clattering, to the cobbles. Your arm is pinned by Felman’s boot, which only now do you see how its very soles carved with runic patterns meant to elicit pain and submission—an enchanted item meant to disable those who attack him-casting. When did he arm himself with all these trinkets?!

“SUBMIT.”

Felman speaks the word softly, but it booms nearly as loud as the voice of the Dark God did when you received the Akashic Record. It echoes through you, and your tremors turn to frozen immobility. You cannot speak, and every sense seems dulled, as if you were swaddled in layers of fabric. Somewhere, you can hear Irinnile whimper. You are helpless.

It is good, then, that you didn’t come alone!

[2d20 for Roth, 4d20 for your will save]

Rolled 5, 11, 3, 9 = 28 (4d20)

>>5047147
[17]

Roth takes the opportunity to act, crashing into Felman from behind and disrupting his concentration. He struggles with him upon the ground, wrestling with him in a grunting mass as they tumble end over end. You long to join him in avenging your poor performance… But you cannot. You CANNOT act against Felman…

Because he has bound you.

[1]

You remain helpless, barely even able to understand Why you are helpless. You feel as if the whole of the world is a great stone carving, into which you are etched. Even in the depths of your mind, you are adrift in a void, where any attempt to swim free of the black lake of your consciousness is stymied by the lack of media.

‘Lispy… Babe… I’m sorry…’

The speed with which the Inquisitor mastered you in mind and body is a testament to his skill, but you have been affected by mind-magic before, in your training. This feels different. Your domination is utter, and Irinnile’s apology gives you an explanation as to why: it is because you have allowed yourself to be possessed by a demon, and just as amateurs like yourself and Lord Bianchi could bind her, so too can YOU now be easily bound by similar methods!

You can’t respond to Irinnile—not to issue commands, offer reassurances, or to berate her for giving you such weakness against Felman’s spells through your bond… But you can feel those emotions, in silence, and with the intensity of one who can do naught else BUT feel.

Do you…
>Forgive her, this time
>Resent her, and desire to break your bond 9at least in this instant)
>Love her, and fear for her safety
>Write-in

[Rolling for a background event that you can scarcely perceive.]

Oh, and feel free to vote now. No more posts coming until after work!

Actions won't be accepted for write-ins... Except the Divine Favour, should you choose to employ it.

File: 1636044047340.gif (268 KB, 546x546)

268 KB GIF

>>5047155
>Resent her, and desire to break your bond (at least in this instant)

But in case other anons got used to Irinnile and would get pissed off by that choice, I'm going with:
>Don't really care, it's your fault for choosing your body to be her vessel
*sigh*

>>5047155
>Resent her, and desire to break your bond (at least in this instant)

definitely just in this instant
we'll remember how useful she is when we're not standing by helplessly as Roth shows us up

>>5047155
>>Resent her, and desire to break your bond 9at least in this instant)

>>5047155
>Love her, and fear for her safety

I am beyond furious at the situation we're in though. Three 1s in a row? I'm gonna burn the man's face off, or make him turn tricks for us on the street, if we ever get out of this mess.

>>5047074
Ye, though it was more related to family stuff this time. Still, what a shit time to come back. Seems like I brought bad juju apon us lads, I'm sorry about that.

File: 1636053372430.gif (1.87 MB, 300x220)

1.87 MB GIF

>>5047334
>I am beyond furious at the situation we're in though. Three 1s in a row? I'm gonna burn the man's face off, or make him turn tricks for us on the street, if we ever get out of this mess.
I really want to let Roth take him. Our mindfuckery can't be worse than whatever reptilian mafia shit they plan to do to silence him.
Besides, we're out of order for now and will need rest and recovery instead of diving in his head and fumbling more rolls.
...I sure do hope nobody in this magical district heard Ismena's scream.

>Seems like I brought bad juju apon us lads, I'm sorry about that.
Nah, it's just our local succubus not focusing on her damn job.

I'd also like to use this post to point out that if Roth saves Ismena's ass tonight, it's still 2:1 for her and she was paralyzed on the job because of her demonic disability as opposed to being captured in sleep in a locked-up house. Twice. *cough*

>>5047155
>>Love her, and fear for her safety

>>5047155
>Forgive her, this time
>Love her, and fear for her safety

A spat of bad RNG isn't anyone's fault, and we knew the risks when we took her on. Next time we meet a ward though, we either train beforehand or just avoid it entirely, as wards are becoming the bane of our Infiltrators existence.

>>5047147
>Love her, and fear for her safety

Honestly, I like her as a character and she’s proved very useful in many situations before.

This is just a spate of bad luck on the RNG front.

Would anons be open to us using our <Divine Favour> to get out of this…? It’s a pretty bad situation desu

>>5047370
Let's see if Roth can solve this without us burning that resource. If it doesn't go well for us, then I think we use it- we have to keep Felman from raising awareness about the Conspiracy.

[Post may be late tonight. Date night with the S.O.!]

>>5047222
>>5047270
>>5047304
>Three for resentment, 1.5 half-hearted

>>5047334
>>5047355
>>5047360
>>5047370
Four for love and fear for safety, with a side of forgiveness

You aren’t sure how to reply to Irinnile’s cocnern. You can feel… Something. A shift in your posture, momentum as if thrown or pushed or carried, but you can’t discern what is happening. Is your body, so very far from your consciousness, being carted off for interrogation or study at The Tower’s facilities?

‘It’s alright,’ you reassure Irrinile, echoing a memory of the last words your mother spoke to you before the two of you parted, and your formal training as an Infiltrator began. ‘It’s going to be okay.’

>Irinnile Affection: 90%

Both of you know you are lying. You don’t know what’s happening, where you are, whether Roth or Felman is winning the struggle in the streets. You are fibbing by omission, out of ignorance, if nothing else. Still, you feel Irinnile’s spirit nestle into yours, cradled in the cocoon of your body and soul as the two of you ride out the storm. She accepts the lie, and the two of you are happier for it, if not necessarily safer. You wait, in darkness and numbness.

And then, suddenly: light!

You awaken, physically and mentally, in daylight. You blink blearily through crusted eyes in unfamiliar surroundings. You see old, worn furniture, still plush with carefully-refreshed stuffing and with quality hardwood underneath the padding. High ceiling, stained-glass window details stand out like beacons of alien comfort. A thick quilt, almost a carpet, swaddled you still-tingling form.

“Where…?”

>>5047743
“Ah, you are awake” says a voice—a feminine voice, speaking your mother’s own tongue.

You’d like to say your head snaps towards the source of the voice, but it doesn’t. You turn slowly, groggily, still almost helpless. Still through foggy-but-sharpening vision, you recognize the speaker. So, too, do you suddenly come to recognize her home.

You are, for the second time, in the home of the Reptilian Infiltrator known as ‘Dame Albacete’, who styles herself a teacher of etiquette and dance among the human sheeple.

“What… How did we…?”

“Easy,” she says, standing from her chair and stepping slowly towards you. “Your contact brought you here. IT was quite the surprise—I haven’t so much as spoken to that fire-lunged son-of-a-drake in two dozen years, and yet he apparently thought of me when looking for aid. We live such isolated lives in this cruel, sun-baked land… I wonder if I was his closest friend?”

Albacete laughs a humourless, bitter laugh.

“Where is Roth?” you croak.

“Sleeping,” she says, then sighs. “Dying, maybe. I’m trying my best, but… You have been unconscious a day, and as you recover, he does not. He lacks your… Advantages.”

>Three days until the Tower Gala

‘Hehehe,’ Irinnile titters. ‘I guess I’m still good for something, huh, hotstuff?’

>WANT: 15

“And the Inquisitor?” you ask.

Albacete is still for a moment, then shrugs. “Who can say? This ‘Roth’… His disguise was intact, even as his guts were spilling, when he arrived. No Inquisitor has yet arrived at my door.”

You breath a sigh of relief, even as you understand that this doesn’t mean that you’re yet in the free and clear once more.

What do you do?

>Speak with Dame Albacete [about what?]
>Ask to see Roth
>Leave as soon as you are able—you must return to Edwin of Engel and make up for lost time in your various missions!
>Access the Akashic Record, to see if you can glean more information about what happened last night, and the day thereafter
>Summon Yemrep the Imp to send a message [to whom? About what?]

>>5047745
>Ask to see Roth
>Access the Akashic Record, to see if you can glean more information about what happened last night, and the day thereafter

I know that fucker ain't dead, and we just tipped him off that he's on the right track. I'm so furious that losing two days is just a minor annoyance.

We might as well see if we can also save Roth's life while we're learning about what the hell happened while we were out.

>>5047777
>quad of 7s

Holy shit, the Dark Gods haven't abandoned us yet!

File: 1636097355306.png (140 KB, 330x332)

140 KB PNG

>>5047745
>Speak with Dame Albacete
Are there no reptilian medics in Hawksong? Is she one? Is the mess that Roth left cleaned up in case people come for her human lessons? Tell her we mean no disrespect by the last one, just being precarious.
We can't exactly ask any humans to help Roth without risking detection or suspicion, right?
>Ask Irinnile if she's capable of shapeshifting items at this state and without rituals
Just in case we need something
>Ask to see Roth
>Access the Akashic Record, to see if you can glean more information about what happened last night, and the day thereafter


>Dying
>his guts were spilling
Fuck me. We should've just smashed that window and stabbed the faggot in the head.
Gonna need to get some anti-antidemon items if we're to survive here.

Also RQM, If we see a sudden surge of weird 1ID votes, please make sure that the quest is autist-proof. Saying this because of >>5045953 Royal Rumble and >>5047617 asoiaf. Both picrel.
I can just trip if necessary.

>>5047789
As much as I appreciate the dedication, I'm certain that Hostile Anon hasn't migrated into this quest, and there hasn't been a Trick sighting since the autism which ended Joffrey SI Quest. I'm sure that we're safe from those autists.

I will say, Hostile Anon's posts really gave me a chuckle every time he popped his head out to sperg. Shame it killed Royal Rumble, but considering how Scary Quest ended, it may have been a blessing in disguise.

Anyways, any ideas on how to get us out of our current mess? I would suggest some options, but you lads either killed them all or refused their assistance.

>>5047745
>Ask to see Roth
Lol so much explaining to do

>>5047837
>any ideas on how to get us out of our current mess?
*which* mess?

>The inquisitor
We first need data from Roth or AReco
>Roth
Healing magic, assuming that everything conventional medicine can do has been done. Finding a healing demon, maybe?
Divine Favor if all else fails.
>Edwin
He doesn't matter for now. We have higher priorities as a reptilian servant of the Dark Gods.
We could use Albacete to help cover our ass, say we attended a solo lesson with her or something.
>Mina, TPK, Investigation
We 100% need to show up to work tonight. Too many things can go wrong if Kamunu is missing after last night.
>Ismena
Ask Irinnile for a report on her state, check if we're still bound by Felman or affected by his magic.
Assess our physical damage and do whatever we can to be able to go to TPK. Shirin might help.
Would be great if we could actually attend the dancing lesson today to make Edwin think everything is fine.

These are from the top of my head. I'm not paying much attention to the shirin business and what we need to get done for the tower so please update me if I'm missing anything.

>you lads either killed them all or refused their assistance
Ouch. Well, we have goblins and Yemrep, although considering our position goblins might not be usable at this time.

We should ask Yemrep about his abilities, actually. He was a great tracker the last time, but maybe there's more specific things he can do?

>>5047865
>*which* mess?
The Inquisitor, though Roth is still important.

I like the solo lesson idea, but I'm not sure where we'll be able to heal Roth. I don't know what we're doing to do with the goblins, unless Felman decides to investigate Goblintown again. We also have other demons available to us, though the only viable one that anons here may go for would be the loyal savage. I'm partially thinking we should cause a race riot in Goblintown just to divert attention away from us, maybe use an orc or minitour as a host body for the savage demon to stir up some chaos. I'm thinking we can get a goblin or a hobo for the imp (the were-rats would've been a perfect host for him I'd bet).

>>5047876
>The Inquisitor
First we need to know what happened to him. No need to think ahead because it's pointless.

>I'm not sure where we'll be able to heal Roth.
Divine favor, then. Realistically we wouldn't use it for anything important anyway.

And if you think this would not align with reptilian agenda, remember that Roth has been in Hawksong for decades and is important to the cause even if just for the network and knowledge he has built. It would also look really bad if a senior infiltrator died as a result of our incompetence and weakness coming from literally being possessed by demon.

>>5047777
>>5047781
>>5047843

“Senior Infiltrator,” you begin, looking back towards Albacete, “surely there are Reptilian agents versed in healing, somewhere in Hawksong?”

“There are,” she volunteers readily, smirking very slightly.

You take her meaning, realizing: “You are one.”

“Yes,” she acknowledges.

“…Yet Roth is still mortally-wounded?”

Albacete nods.

“Did you make sure to clean up his spilled gore, at least?” you say.

“Degenerate,” she warns, addressing you by your half-blood status for the first time, “I would watch your tone and implication.”

“I apologize,” you say, bowing beneath the scold. “I… Mean no offence. I just wish to make sure no humans learn of us. The great conspiracy, The Grand Design… It takes precedence over all else.”

“…And you worry you have compromised it all,” she finishes your unspoken thoughts. “That you have weakened us from within, by inviting a demon within you and botching your retrieval mission.”

You say nothing, but you feel the old shame of your accursed birth, your lesser and diluted blood, your strangeness and wrongness.

Dame Albacete just laughs, a song equal parts good humour and mockery.

“Please, young one. The Grand Design is more resilient than to be undone by a single actor. The Dark Gods plan better than that! Their coils interweave in such mysterious ways, in such complexity, that we cannot even understand them in truth, and their works are mighty, and subtle.”

You remain silent, but nod.

“Would you like to see your contact?”

You nod again, and as Albacete leaves the room, you follow her. She takes you to a guest bedroom—her home is reasonably well-furnished and spacious, to have two such rooms in this part of town, you note. The door is shut and, as she opens it and you step inside, you understand why: Roth is barely conscious, and it his true form. His red scales look grey, ashen around the edges. His eyes are milk, glazed over.

“I gave him sedatives, and anti-inflammatory drugs,” Albacete says. “A healing potion ma help, but they are not easily acquired by one outside the Tower’s purview, I am afraid… And there are limits to what even they can accomplish.”

You step closer to Roth’s bedside, and greet him respectfully. He wheezes disdainfully, and you smile slightly. He is still the grumpy old male he has always been.

“What happened?” you ask.

More to come but have to head to work! Will try to post the rest before my shift.

>>5048006
“I saved your pathetic self,” he groans. “But in the struggle, the human mage found your dagger, and he was able to stab me repeatedly. I was forced to retreat with you, so neither of us would be captured. The Conspiracy…”

“It remains intact,” Albacete assures him.

“You know, I’ve still saved you twice for your one heroic act, Dragonblooded One,” you tease.

Roth looks to her, then to you, and scoffs. “I will die surrounded by females, in fine linens, and yet I do not feel especially ennobled or privileged. Ironic.”

“One is a mere Degenerate,” you note. It gets a laugh.

You look at him and feel… Loss. Personal, maybe. Professional, definitely. If he perishes, as seems likely by his frailty, his laboured breathing, the lump of bandages protruding from his gut even beneath the blankets… Decades of experience, intelligence, and contacts will be lost.

‘The double dragon dick was nice, too,’ Irinnile notes.

‘Irinnile,’ you send the psychic message, ‘I feel a… Closeness in our bond that was not there before. Can you manifest materials or items without a ritual yet?’

‘H-huh?’ The demon is caught off-guard. ‘Uh, no, prob’ly not. Maybe? I dunno'! We'd need to be somewhere dark, and a ritual would definitely HELP. But… I honestly couldn't tell ya'. That's a tricky thing to do.’

‘What about binding a demon to Roth?’ you ask.

‘Pretty sure he'd hate that… But yeah, it could work! Probably!’

You continue to run through options in your mind, all the while debating whether THIS was why you were given the <DIVINR FAVOUR>.

What do you do?
>Find a dark place, scour the Akashic Record for a ritual, and attempt to use Irinnile to manifest a healing potion without aid
>Summon a demon [which one?] to possess Roth, in the hopes the bond will help keep him alive
>Send Yemrep the Imp to fetch Lord Bianchi—he knows the ritual necessary to summon forth astral items, and you cannot afford failure
>Call in the <DIVINE FAVOUR> to save Roth
>Let fate take its course, giving Roth your thoughts and prayers; you will focus on avenging him, and hope his survival is part of the Dark Gods' plan
>Consume his soul to sate your WANT, and to carry a piece of him with you as you avenge his death
>Write-in

>>5048026
>Find a dark place, scour the Akashic Record for a ritual, and attempt to use Irinnile to manifest a healing potion without aid
If Irinnile fails, then:
>Call in the <DIVINE FAVOUR> to save Roth

I don't want to possess Roth with another demon, unless it's just to use its energy to heal him and then banish it.

THAT MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT DAGGER.

>>5048026
>Find a dark place, scour the Akashic Record for a ritual, and attempt to use Irinnile to manifest a healing potion without aid
If it fails, then
>Send Yemrep the Imp to fetch Lord Bianchi—he knows the ritual necessary to summon forth astral items, and you cannot afford failure

Better to exhaust our occult options before we attempt to use our Dark Favor, assuming we want to waste it on saving Roth.

>>5048073
Okay, I can second this logic desu.
It will tip Bianchi off about our lies but we can just lightly brainwash him after, so whatever.

If that fails, <DIVINE D100>.

>>5048026
agree with >>5048098
try everything else, but divine favor if we have to

>>5048107
I would like to avoid the permanent demonification option, though. Even at the cost of Divine Favour.

>>5048109
would it be permanent, or could we do a temporary possession deal where it's in just long enough to heal him?

If permanent is the only way then yea divine favor instead

>>5048111
We don't know, it was only mentioned as a permanent thing I believe.
I'm only up for using a demon if we can use its power to heal Roth (this includes temporary possession) and then banish said demon.

Now that I think of it, couldn't we just make Irinnile hop between us two? If we need another person to perform thr ritual, there's always Albacete.
This couldn't be any harder than summoning a second demonic entity and would be much safer.

>>5048073
Supporting

But we may actually want to go to Lord Bianchi‘s manor rather than bringing him here…

>>5048237
If you wish to do so, you may, but Roth's perforated organs are being held in by gauze, cloth, and sinister snake-prayers

>>5048237
What does it matter? We will have to wipe his memory if end up having to use his help in any capacity. Not bringing him here wouldn't change anything.

>>5048026
>>Find a dark place, scour the Akashic Record for a ritual, and attempt to use Irinnile to manifest a healing potion without aid

File: dc-Cover-dpk5v6brrqee0np3(...).jpg (61 KB, 800x448)

61 KB JPG

Rolled 11, 2, 2, 10 = 25 (4d20)

>>5048098
>>5048073
>>5048237
>>5048107
>>5048525
>Find a dark place, scour the Akashic Record for a ritual, and attempt to use Irinnile to manifest a healing potion without aid

>>5048607
Welp. time for Divine Favour.

>>5048607
Though some thrown blankets and carpets help to blot out the sun from the room where you hope to perform the ritual—not where Roth lays in a state near torpor, for you do not desire to trouble his rest or suffer any distracting heckling—you find no luck. You delve into the Akashic Record, but if any agent of The Dark Gods has explored Lord Bianchi’s peculiar get-rich-quick scheme, you cannot find their exploits. Worse, what you do find makes it clear that such a ritual would be best executed at night, or in true, deep darkness. Transporting Roth to such a permanently-shadowed abode seems all but impossible, while you are not sure that he will live to see another nightfall without intervention.

“What good is all of this magic if I cannot preserve a single life?!” you demand of nobody in particular.

‘Lispy, if you wanted preservation and healing… I dunno’ how to tell you this, but you went WAAAAY too far in the opposite direction,’ Irinnile says, matter-of-factly.

‘If you have nothing useful to say, say nothing,’ you command.

‘Hey!’

You sigh, take a moment.

‘We could get Bianchi?’ she suggests. ‘He knows how to work this dream hoodoo.’

You nod. You can think of no other solution but the <DIVINE FAVOUR>, and you cannot bring yourself to give that up until you have exhausted all other options… Even ones such as this, which bring that repulsive (albeit useful) filth-eater Yemrep into your life once more, or which force you to invite Lord Bianchi (however briefly) into the conspiracy. So, swallowing your pride and your distaste, you slice open your palm with your trusty knife and draw the circle by which you may summon the squat and unpleasant form of Yemrep the Imp.

“Mistress calls upon Yemrep once more, does she?” he croaks. “How falttering, how humbling. What does she want of me? How may I serve? What forbidden and seedy orifices of this ripe world shall I explore?”

You instruct him, briefly and succinctly, to seek out Lord Bianchi and to SUBTLY and INCONSPICUOUSLY ask him to come to Dame Albacete’s residence to perform the ritual.

“Are you certain of the value in this?” Albacete asks after Yemrep departs on his task.

“It is no matter to clean his brain of such remembrances, or to alter them to remove knowledge of the conspiracy when I am done with him,” you say.

“Have you done so before?”

You pause. You haven’t—not with any great precision, not really. You were able to remove some memories from Bianchi’s recollection, render him suggestible. You know the theory… But you also knew how to disable those runes at the Inquisitor’s window, in theory. Have you come to rely on your magical gifts too wholly?

“If he cannot have his mind scrubbed clean, are you prepared for what must be done?” Albacete asks seriously.

>>5048623
It is scarcely an hour and a half when the faded and ephemeral jelly of Yemrep’s ectoplasmic form oozes into the room.

“Well?” you demand, before he can say anything unpleasant and vividly evocative.

“The human lord comes as swiftly as he may. His wounds, beneath the skin… He swells with lymph, with fluid. He bruises so beautifully…”

You’d almost forgotten that the occult-minded young lord was still mending from the specific events which had necessitated your meddling in his memories to begin with. Well, no matter—it merely leaves him more vulnerable. Still, Albacete’s words of caution—gentle admonishments, even as she allows you to do what you will—echo in the back of your mind.

What do you do?
>Meet Bianchi at the door, and bargain for his tomes and his knowledge, but do not allow him inside or involve him directly
>Welcome him inside, tell him everything he needs to know, and let him lead the ritual—you can erase his memory later
>Mesmerize Bianchi with glamour and Irinnile’s succubus abilities, then invite him inside as a puppet and a thrall
>Lord Bianchi is no ally of the Paladin King or Tower—you can trust him without all this subterfuge
>Forget this, send him away, and use the <FAVOUR>
>Write-in

>>5048624
Wish pacts existed between humans so we could make him forget stuff.

Aren't we supposed to just summon a magic potion? Can we just
>Guide Bianchi to an empty room without showing Albacete and Roth?

If that's impossible
>Meet Bianchi at the door, and
>Mesmerize Bianchi with glamour and Irinnile’s succubus abilities, then invite him inside as a puppet and a thrall
after all is done
>Erase his memory

This way we will have a weaker mind to work with as well as less intense reactions to what he will see.

>>5048624
>>Forget this, send him away, and use the <FAVOUR>

>>5048703
+1

Rolled 2, 4, 20, 9, 12 = 47 (5d20)

>>5048883
>>5048819
>>5048703

You instruct Albacete to stay out of sight—something she does despite this being her own home, displaying a certain wry amusement at the request—and you head to the door. Opening it, you find Lord Bianchi in his usual all-black attire, with his dark carriage well back from the home to afford the two of you privacy. The young nobleman has adopted a further affectation, though likely out of necessity: a darkwood cane, topped with a knurl and set with a polished stone, supporting his weight.

“Lord Bianchi,” you greet him. “Thank you for coming here on ssuch short noticcce.”

“You have a demon,” he notes, without pleasantries. “You have found another true-name, then? More than one?”

Ah, yes. You suppose Yemrep WOULD be news to Bianchi… And perhaps you shouldn’t be surprised at the mix of excitement and fear that characterizes his aura, and his tone. He has long been obsessed with matters occult, but his most recent foray ended in (secretly thank to your own brutal intervention) disaster.

“I have,” you acknowledge. “And I think we may have the meansss to perform the ritual which you uncovered… The one to ssummon materialss composed of ectoplasssm from the realm of dreamsss!”

“But Irinnile was destroyed,” Bianchi says matter-of-factly. “Another succubus, then?”

That’s right—Bianchi has no inkling that it was YOU who stole the succubus Irinnile from his clutches, and bound her to your own being. And, as you recall, the true-name of the demon used to perform the summoning is necessary to perform it.

‘Maybe just give him the ol’ razzle-dazzle?’ Irinnile suggests.

You sigh internally, and decide to do just that. You roll your neck and shoulders, and shut your eyes for a moment.

“Ismena? What are you…”

When you open them, you will surges forth, glamour ensconcing your intent like charismatic armour.

[5d20, thanks to prep-work put into conditioning Bianchi to trust you; we'll count this as emotion-affecting illusion]

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>>5048928
Bianchi’s stiffness and confusion melt away as you take him by the hand and by the heart. You guide him into Dame Albacete’s residence, and shut the door behind him.

“Don’t I know this place…?” he mutters. Perhaps he does: Edwin took lessons as a young man of standing from Dame Albacete, and Bianchi is a nobleman, too. Luckily, he can hardly tear his eyes away from yours to examine his surroundings more closely.

“Pleasse, Lord Bianchi, my friend iss very badly hurt,” you say, affecting grave concern and supplication. You are the damsel in distress, played to perfection, and he is your hero. “I need you knowledge, your expertise… I need to ssummon a potion to heal hiss woundss!”

“Friend? Wounded… Yes, Maybe I could also heal my own wounds?” he murmurs.

Huh. Well, you suppose he COULD, at that.

“I’ve never tried to summon anything magical… I’m not sure…”

His protests trail off as you touch his face and meet his eyes again.

“…It will be done.”

Good boy.

You guide Bianchi and Albacete both into the darkened room once more. You see no reason not to bring the female Reptilian any longer. THIS spell, you have mastered, and Bianchi is behaving as one drugged. Your control is complete.

“Who are you?” he asks her.

“She iss nobody,” you say quickly, “A servant beneath notice, who you will forget as ssoon as you leave thiss placce.”

“Ah, right then,” he says, nodding amicably.

“Impressive,” Albacete admits, admiring your mastery. “He really is your creature now, isn’t he?”

>UNLOCKED: You have further mastered mental domination. From now on, once a thrall has been successfully glamoured with a critical success, you will have total control over their actions unless they would obviously and demonstrably cause them or a loved one harm. You can even order them to forget key memories, purging them from their conscious mind. You also do not need to roll again to control them in the future, as long as they have not broken control or had your enchantment dispelled.

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>>5048940
With Bianchi utterly dominated, it is a simple matter have him instruct you and the other Reptilian in how to arrange the room, what symbols and latticed circles to chalk upon the floor, where to light candles to better contain and channel the power—and to keep away hostile entities from outside the ritual, who might otherwise invade and commandeer its energies. You hadn’t even consider THAT possibility. Bringing in someone more studied in the field, even an inferior mammal-male with a habit of recklessness, truly has proven worthwhile! With preparations made, you begin the ritual in earnest.

“Now,” Lord Bianchi says, “you must sleep.”

Right—Lord Bianchi had taken a pinch of a poisonous plant to knock himself unconscious, when you and the fox-woman and aided in summoning and binding Irinnile. You briefly wonder if a meditative state might be sufficient, but Dame Albacete saves you the hassle of experimentation: she leaves the room, and returns almost immediately with a steaming cup of fragrant liquid.

“Tea,” she explains, “with a sleeping drug.”

Experienced and established operatives truly are a valuable resource! All the more reason to preserve your own crotchety old contact. You take the cup from Albacete, step gingerly into the centre of the circle, and take a seat. Once comfortable, you imbibe the warm drink, shut your eyes… And begin.

It takes a moment, but before long the darkness gives way to the dreamscape. It is not as it has been lately, though: no misty land full of luminous sleeps, no guiding guardian demon with your hand in hers. Instead, you find yourself in a chaotic cauldron of memories, passing fancies, anxieties and desires you have felt. You are in your OWN dreamscape, rudderless aboard a fragile vessel of consciousness in the deep well of your unconscious mind. You are lucid, but utterly disoriented.

“Irinnile?” you call out.

No bubbly succubus appears, foul-mouthed and thirsty for sexually-charged mana, to offer you teasing reassurances. You look about somewhat frantically, seeing and hearing flitting remembrances of her—her voice, her laughter, her golden eyes, her red skin and expansive wings—but the demon herself does not manifest. You suppose that, with the ritual underway, her smoky true form must have been drawn out of you and made manifest in the waking world, as it was when you performed the ritual to summon her. You are alone in your body and soul once more.

What do you do?
>Focus upon healing potions, and your desire for Roth to be well
>Guide your dreaming mind to manifest some other item [specify what]
>Explore your memories—you have never lucidly dreamed in this way before, and it may be your best chance to explore deep and repressed memories of childhood
>Panic and force yourself awake—this isn’t what you expected, and you fear for Irinnile and for possible betrayal
>Write-in

>>5048943
>Focus upon healing potions, and your desire for Roth to be well
Make a couple spares as well.

>Explore your memories—you have never lucidly dreamed in this way before, and it may be your best chance to explore deep and repressed memories of childhood

This as well.

For other magical items, I say a recreation of the magical dagger, that magical tiara that improves mental clarity and focus, and a couple bundles of that magical fabric for Paula's dress and ours for the Gala.

>>5048943
>Focus upon healing potions, and your desire for Roth to be well

If we make one we can divert to our memories

>>5049048
+1

[May hold off until tomorrow. My fiance is out of town, so I got pretty deep into tequila and reread Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, and now I am sad-drunk.]

>>5048943
>Focus upon healing potions, and your desire for Roth to be well
Thirding the spares. I was thinking of giving one to Bianchi, since his messed up legs are of no benefit to us. Especially if there are complications.
>Guide your dreaming mind to manifest some other item [specify what]
Try to get an item that will protect from anti-demon magic. It's worth a try, right?
>Explore your memories—you have never lucidly dreamed in this way before, and it may be your best chance to explore deep and repressed memories of childhood

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>>5049678
>>5049118
>>5049048
The mission comes first, of course: you need a healing potion to restore Roth, and perhaps Bianchi as well if you are able to produce multiple! You begin to focus upon the tincture, upon the effect it might have—that you DESIRE it to have, Irinnile being a demon of desire after all. Your will made manifest will mend the males!

…But out of the corner of your eyes you catch sight of something, and you lose your concentration. You can hardly blame yourself, though: you can scarcely remember the last time you saw your mother.

You recall her fondly, of course: the smooth Silkscale skin of her arms, the elegance and precision with which she always moved and acted, her calm voice with which she always held your attention and easily manipulated you (always for your own good). Only now do you recognize the sadness in her eyes. About your existence? For your fate? Who can say.

In this memory, she is not smooth, or subtle, or sophisticated. She is… Dismayed, hissing angrily. You remember now, as you haven’t for so long: she had instructed you to remain in the small, barren room of the cramped cavern which the two of you had been allocated. You see it now for what it is: a cell, a place of banishment and confinement for the crime of your unauthorized birth, and for your mission having been cut short.

>>5049909
“I must remain here!” your mother demanded of a bulky Steeltalon trailing a long, fat constricting tail.

“You are not,” he repeated. “You have been assigned to the southeastern lands of the surface.”

In the dream-memory, you are small again, not even having developed your mammalian secondary sexual characteristics yet, as you observe from where you hid. You had disobeyed your mother, following her. You always preferred being close to her, for though you had not realized at the time that your room was a place of detention, you had no toys or amusements save her, and all other adults were distinctly unfriendly towards you. You were without playmates. There was little else to do, when she left, but to sleep or to sit in silence.

“That makes no sense,” your mother protested. “I know Hawksong and the northwestern lands.”

“You will be retrained,” the Steeltalon explained.

“But I already have connections, knowledge of the northwestern mammal cultures and languages. Am I not more useful there?”

The Steeltalon rejected her appeal—“I am not the one who devises the assignments, obviously,” he said—and your mother eventually relented.

“But… It is so far from this place,” she said. “May I bring my child?”

The Steeltalon was taken aback. “Why would you need to do this? The Degenerate is nearing its first decade since it hatched.”

“Humans develop more slowly,” your mother tried to explain.

“Well, regardless, no. A half-formed mutant hybrid is of no use, and of great liability, when you are infiltrating.”

“But I will need time to learn the new language, and to be briefed on the cultural quirks of the region’s mammals…”

“The Degenerate will distract from that, also,” he noted. “The answer is still no. It is not my call, or yours.”

“Then what shall become of her?” your mother asked.

“It is time to begin the Degnerate’s training, to prepare it to Infiltrate.”

“Infiltrate… Where?” your mother asks.

“Hawksong,” the Steeltalon answered. “It has been decided. Your spawn will be used to clean up your mess, I am told.”

“…The Yosef bloodline?”

The Steeltalon voices ignorance and disinterest, but your mother’s guess shocks you—now an adult, now knowing what it meant. The Dark Gods… Had they planned to use you for this purpose already, well before uncovering Lord Isaac Yosef’s crusade, before ‘earning their favour’ by returning the staff to them?

Your mother is silent for a time, then asked: “Do I have leeway in when I must depart? May the decision be appealed?”

She was met by silence.

“Of course, I understand,” she replied. “Please, allow me to spend a rest here, and to tell her of the plans myself?”

“That is fine,” he said, turning away. “Be ready in eight hours.”

Rolled 13, 17, 5, 18 = 53 (4d20)

>>5049911

As your mother turned away as well, you had become fearful of being caught. You fled back to your room. There, your mother entered looking weary, with that sadness in her eyes. You awaited her explanation, afraid to ask about what it meant—about whether you would be separated, about what was in store for you. Despite her words with the male, however, your mother never did tell you of her reassignment.

She just held you, closer than you had ever been held until you met Edwin. She held you for hours and then, when she believed you to be in a state of torpor, she left. You could not rest, though. You saw her leave, heard her say those final words—not to you, but to another:

“I am very sorry, Hirschel.”

You didn’t know the meaning then, but you do now, and the shock knocks you out of the dream. A part of you had suspected, of course. The stories had similarities, the timelines lined up, but you had buried the notion. You believed yourself to be twenty-five years old, whereas this would imply you were actually at least twenty-seven… For that was when Izirina—the infiltrator who had failed in her mission to gather information on Lord Isaac Yosef’s family almost three decades ago—had become pregnant. That was when she had fled and Hirschel Yosef, pursuing her, was slain…

Burned to death by Roth’s own dragonfire.

You bury the conflicting feelings this revelation—or confirmation of secret fears—elicits in you. The shame of your mother’s failure, the uncertainty of what it means to be OF the Yosef bloodline which you are pledged to extinguish. Instead, you focus again upon your desire to succeed, to prove your worthiness… You will not summon forth the potions alone, but a whole armory to eliminate your enemies! You will not be a failure, a Degenerate child of two shameful lineages!

>>5049913

When you awaken, you are sitting cross-legged, and before you rests a bottle of an Irinnile-red liquid, as well as one other item which you have manifested, that which you desired most in that moment:

>KINSLAYER: A dagger which warms in the presence of the Yosef bloodline and which always strikes truly against them

>CLARITY: A diadem which shields your mind from outside influence, and which protects you against spells which bind you

>REPRIEVE: A wand which, once per day, may be used to mend even severe injuries

>VENGEANCE: A sword, etched with images of the fall of The Green Dragon, which burns red-hot in the presence of Reptilians and can inspire fear in reptilian beings by its mere presence

>Write-in [subject to QM modification/approval]

>>5049925
>REPRIEVE: A wand which, once per day, may be used to mend even severe injuries

>>5049925
>>CLARITY: A diadem which shields your mind from outside influence, and which protects you against spells which bind you
To avoid another will crit fail meltdown. Plus diadems are cool.

>>5049925
>>CLARITY: A diadem which shields your mind from outside influence, and which protects you against spells which bind you
Could we have made this one to look like an ordinary circlet? Surely a product of Ismena's mind would be an easy to conceal thing to better fit with our job.


We don't need an antiyosef knife to end their family. Considering our legendary lack of luck we'd just end up fumbling and truly striking Ismena to death.

Mfw my conspiracy book write-in from the first thread was a part of Dark Gods' plan.

>>5049913
>CLARITY: A diadem which shields your mind from outside influence, and which protects you against spells which bind you

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>>5050190
>>5050075
>>5050039
>>5049989

You turn the diadem over and over in your hands. It is a simple thing—not particularly ostentatious, as was the sapphire one which you forwent those weeks ago at the adventurers’ party. All the better for your purposes, you suppose! On impulse, you place it upon your forehead and immediately your grogginess dissipates and your vision seems… Crisper, clearer somehow, reflecting your desire to see and understand this increasingly complex web of grudges and connections with true <CLARITY>.

One thing you notice in this new state of heightened sensory perception is how DULL your mystical senses are. Further, your body feels different, too: your bust and ear end returned to their original proportions. You look about, and there you see her: Irinnile, a swirling mass of dark smoke with only the faintest silhouette of a form within it. She seems… Thinner than when last you saw her like this, whispier, less tangible. Perhaps making the magical items took a toll upon her energies?

Without a succubus inside presence within you, and with the aid of your diadem to notice the small differences, you realize your body is cooler, your thoughts more organized, your libido and even your more traditional hunger less urgent. You have full command over yourself.

Of course, without her presence, you also cannot shapeshift, your psychic abilities are lessened or dulled, and you cannot delve into dreams or easily sense the emotions of others; likewise, while you are no longer vulnerable to silver or anti-demon enchantments, you ARE once more vulnerable to mundane weapons and flames. You are less stealthy than with Irinnile’s aid, and cannot see at night, but daylight no longer weakens you.

Also, you kind of like her a little. Maybe more than a little. Already, you find yourself longing for the warmth of her presence and the intimacy of her voice in your mind… But with the diadem upon your head, you also realize that at least PART of this is her addictive, desirable nature as a succubus.

What do you do about Irinnile?
>Re-establish your pact and allow the succubus to possess you once more [+affection]
>Perform a ritual to grant Irinnile a separate body of her own [If you have any specifics for what you/the Infiltrator would desire, please specify—it will affect her form]
>Place Irinnile within another vessel [Bianchi? Albacete? Roth? Someone else?]
>Bottle Irinnile up for now, to find her a host or decide what to do with her later [-affection]
>Dismiss Irinnile for now—you will summon her again if you require her [-affection]

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>>5050210
You also become keenly aware of Lord Bianchi’s glazed expression. He seemed normal enough earlier, albeit suggestible, but you are suddenly quite aware of his state—he is almost sleepwalking through life, his ambitions and personality subsumed by a neutrality, a willful docility. The surface-ape: domesticated! Perhaps is might be useful to have such an obedient slave highly-placed in society, uninterested in acting except in service to you. He CAN get himself in trouble with his meddling when left to his own devices, after all…

What do you do with Bianchi?
>Leave him in this dull-minded thrall state indefinitely
>Purge his memory of the day’s events, but return him to normal until you need to ‘reactive’ him
>Modify his personality or behaviour is some way [how? Please specify.]
>Command him to do something for you [such as?]
>Write-in

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>>5050212
And, of course, there is the potion… For the Reptilian who you now fully understand to be the male responsible for killing your father, condemning your mother, and petitioning your abortion. Your partner-in-crime and fellow operative, who saved your life and who ahs even been your lover… But also an abusive symbol of the old thinking which renders you a despised, untouchable among your mother’s people. And you only have the ONE potion, between he and Lord Bianchi. With the clarity of the diadem, you see that the damage to Bianchi’s back and leg is unlikely to ever mend properly without mystical aid—he will limp forever, until age likely worsens his condition and he can no longer walk at all.

Lastly, what do you do with the potion?
>Save Roth’s life
>Restore Bianchi’s mobility
>Keep it for yourself—you may yet have need of it, and neither male deserves it

>>5049925
>VENGEANCE: A sword, etched with images of the fall of The Green Dragon, which burns red-hot in the presence of Reptilians and can inspire fear in reptilian beings by its mere presence

Honestly, this has the most character of all the items.

>>5050210 (You)
>Without a succubus inside presence within you
[Jesus, that sentence. Well, you get what I meant.] Btw, sorry about flaking last night. I hope these updates have been meaty enough, and without enough choices, to make up for it.

>>5050215
[Sorry bud, juuuust missed it. Clarity was winning, anyway.]

>>5050214
>Re-establish your pact and allow the succubus to possess you once more [+affection]
she's useful

>Leave him in this dull-minded thrall state indefinitely

>>Save Roth’s life
Bianchi doesn't need to walk good when he's a thrall. Roth made mistakes but they were in the past. I'm sure he's seen the error of his ways given how great we turned out.

>>5050210
>Re-establish your pact and allow the succubus to possess you once more [+affection]

This isn't just because I like the gal, but because we still have an Inquisitior to mindfuck (and maybe Mina to seduce after). I will say though, this might be a good opportunity to separate before the Gala.

I do wonder if Irinnile could feminize other males if we placed her in a male vessel.

>>5050212
>Purge his memory of the day’s events, but return him to normal until you need to ‘reactive’ him
>Modify his personality or behaviour is some way [Make servicing and following our commands pleasurable]
>Command him to do something for you [Search more demon names, and find out the Zivic-demon's true name]

I don't wish to subsume this daily life, especially since he's more useful to us coherent and cognizant in what he's doing. Just set him on some tasks for us, and we'll be on our way. We can probably make more shirin this way, and I wonder if we can further our psychic abilities though magical items.

>>5050214
>Save Roth’s life

We'll make one for Bianchi later (because a mobile thrall is always better in an emergency), since saving Roth's life takes priority. We will be getting back at him though, for what he put our family through even if it's just making him subservient to us and pregging his ass for dear ol' ma and pa.

As for the magical item, Vengeance would've been a wicked storyline to go down. If ya ever feel like doing a sister story to this RQM, just start out here but Vengeance chosen instead of Clarity, as fulfilling our Yosef bloodline would've definitely have made this a different level of excitement.

>>5050210
>Re-establish your pact and allow the succubus to possess you once more [+affection]

>Purge his memory of the day’s events, but return him to normal until you need to ‘reactive’ him

>Save Roth’s life

>>5050210
>Bottle Irinnile up for now, to find her a host or decide what to do with her later [-affection]

>>5050212
>>Purge his memory of the day’s events, but return him to normal until you need to ‘reactive’ him
>Modify his personality or behaviour is some way [Make servicing and following our commands pleasurable]

>>5050214
>>Save Roth’s life

>>5050268
>>5050288
>>5050481
>>5050493
>Re-establish your pact and allow the succubus to possess you once more [Irinnile Affection: 95%]

It’s no good: even if being alone in your body and mind WOULD reduce certain risks as the Tower Gala approaches, Irinnile is too useful in the interim to forsake her benefits. Besides, you miss the comforting feeling of her. Especially after that dream of your mother, you are loathe to return to loneliness. Edwin is nice, of course—more than nice, if you’re being honest—but he is human. By necessity, you CANNOT share the whole of yourself with him, can never feel FULLY embraced by his despite his honest effort. Irinnile, though… Despicable and dirty-minded creature of darkness that she is, she knows you inside and out in a way perhaps nobody ever could.

“Return the ssuccubusss to me,” you instruct.

“Whatever you’d like, Ismena,” Bianchi says easily.

As the dark smoke is funneled into you, you feel your body spasm and jerk. For a moment, you feel as if you are suffocating. Then, you feel as if you are suffocating, and you kind of like it. A warm, tingling sensation fills you up until it is so constant that, save for the clarity brought on by the diadem, you’d hardly even notice it.

‘Ooo, that’s the good shit,’ Irinnile coos within your mind’s inner ear. ‘Heya, Lispy. It’s good to be back! That new accessory of your took a lot outta’ me.’

>WANT: 19

It really did. You immediately feel the warmth travel down your body, focusing between your legs and in your gut: desire for food, desire to fornicate. The ‘new accessory’ keeps your mind clear, but you know from experience that Irinnile’s urges cannot be denied indefinitely—one of the downsides of this alliance. Still, you can’t pretend that she isn’t worth it.

‘…A-aww, babe…’

>>5050701
>Modify his personality or behaviour is some way [Make servicing and following our commands pleasurable]
>Purge his memory of the day’s events, but return him to normal until you need to ‘reactive’ him

Perhaps it’s Irinnile’s influence upon you, but a wicked idea strikes almost a soon as she’s settled in. While of course you plan to purge Bianchi’s memories of this whole visit—perhaps replacing it with the memory of some more mundane consultation on matters arcane, or simply an empty gap in his memory which you instruct him not to worry about—that doesn’t mean you can’t make some changes to ensure his loyalty. Sensible enough, but the succubus-possessed side of your nature shows itself in the particulars: you make it pleasurable for Bianchi to serve and follow you.

“Good boy,” you compliment him as you stroke his face and hair, weaving the particulars of the spell into his mind.

“Ismena…” The moody young lord softly moans your name, squirming under your praise and your touch with obvious discomfort… And even more obvious enjoyment.

“Lord Bainchi, do you think you could do me another favour, while you’re here?” you ask.

“I… Yes, anything,” you gasps.

You smirk, letting your hands move down his body. Only when you remember that Albacete, too, is present, do you take his hand in yours rather than letting them stroke lower still.

“When we’re done here, would you be a dear and go straight home, to forget about all thisss?”

“Y-yes,” he answers through trembling, wetted lips.

“Good boy,” you whisper, and he practically collapses. You turn to Albacete, whose expression is one part admiration and one part disgust.

>>5050702
>Save Roth’s life
“Curious choice,” she murmurs

In answer to the senior operative's muted disapproval, you hold aloft the bottle. Materialized from your pure desire and will, it contains the healing potion.

“Unorthodox methods, perhaps, but effective,” you say in your shared native tongue. “Besides, my mother was a Silkscale, as you well know.”

Albacete is surprised by your sudden declaration, but you don’t explain further. Instead, you stride past her with the confidence of imminent victory, buoyed by Irinnile’s cheers and jeers for your ear only.

You enter Roth’s room, where he has fallen into an uneasy torpor, and you rip the blankets from him. The wounds is a nasty one—it is covered in wrappings and cotton, but it has begun to bleed through again—a deep, greenish red that is decidedly NOT normal to your race. You uncork the bottle. Magic potions are potent, but even a well-brewed one by a master of mysticism and alchemy can’t mend ALL injuries—not past a certain point. Your concoction, a product of dreams and demonic energy… Well, you have no time to waste, and you can only hope.

You pour it into Roth’s unresisting mouth, stroking his rough-scaled, frilled throat to force him to swallow.

‘Hehehe, would like to force this guy to swallow something else, if you know what I mean,’ Irinnile fantasizes aloud.

You shush her—for now, at least. You missed her, even her off-colour commentary, but this is time for focus and professionalism. You watch him carefully, eyes flitting from his sickly grayish countenance to her bulging, injured stomach…

Until, eventually, colour begins to return to him. His nictitating membrane slide open, unclouding his dark blue eyes, and they meet yours.

“D-Degenerate?” he groans.

“Infiltrator,” you remind him, daring a gentle smack upon his snout. What is he going to do—admonish you, after saving his life a THIRD time? Still, you brace for the ingratitude, even as you explain what has transpired.

Instead, you are met by silence, and then a slow nod. You feel shame in his aura, as well as the expected physical pain and discomfort, but also… Genuine surprise, and gratitude. He doesn’t say it aloud, mind you, but it’s more than you have come to expect.

“Well, it’s almost afternoon,” Albacete notes. “If circumstances were otherwise, perhaps I’d be expecting you and your other pet human to be arriving soon for your dance lessons.”

>>5050713
What is your next course of action?
>Send for Edwin of Engel to meet you here—you miss him, and you still haven't really mastered this strange, slow, stop-and-go paired dance popular among the human upperclassmen
>Monitor Roth for recovery and possible side-effects, and speak with him about your parents and what happened to them
>Plan with Albacete on how best to strike back at the Inquisition—they will pay for what they've done!
>Pay a visit to The Grey Press, to ensure they have not compromised your identity further
>Go somewhere private with your new slave, Lord Bianchi, to sate some <WANT>
>Write-in

>>5050714
>Send for Edwin of Engel to meet you here—you miss him, and you still haven't really mastered this strange, slow, stop-and-go paired dance popular among the human upperclassmen

And while he's coming...
>Plan with Albacete on how best to strike back at the Inquisition—they will pay for what they've done!
or
>Go somewhere private with your new slave, Lord Bianchi, to sate some <WANT>

The Grey Press is important, and so to is discussing our parentage with Roth, so I won't begrudge y'all from choosing either.

>>5050714
>Send for Edwin of Engel to meet you here—you miss him, and you still haven't really mastered this strange, slow, stop-and-go paired dance popular among the human upperclassmen

If we can get a quickie with Bianchi while waiting all the better

>>5050714
>>Send for Edwin of Engel to meet you here—you miss him, and you still haven't really mastered this strange, slow, stop-and-go paired dance popular among the human upperclassmen

>>5050789
>>5050825
>>5051137

“Lord Bianchi,” you say loudly enough for him to hear. “On your way home, just happen to passss by the Roya Library and, if you ssee Edwin of Engel there, tell him that you ran into me earlier, and that I’ve gone ahead to our danccing lessssonss. If he asskss anything elsse, you’re in a rush—as ussual—and have no further time for him. Then, forget all about why you were asked to do thiss.”

“Yes,” he acknowledges. “Of course.”

You and Albacete listen to his footsteps depart, silent otherwise.

‘Aww,’ Irinnile pouts in your mindscape. ‘I was hoping to suck him dry while we waited for Eddie.’

“It’s quite impressive what you’ve done today,” Albacete acknowledges in Northern Common-tongue.

“You see why I keep the succubus,” you reply in Reptilian True-Speech.

‘Hey, I resemble that remark,’ Irinnile grumbles.

Dame Albacete tuts. “You can’t revert to our speech so easily, young one. It’s why the accent is so difficult for you to lose, even as your mouth is better shaped for the speech of your father’s race.”

You narrow your eyes at the mention of your father. “Hirschel Yosef, you mean.”

Dame Albacete inclines her head. “I suppose you look you right age, if I’m a judge. I have seen many human children grow through their early phases to assume their adult forms, too, so I suppose if any of our race is a judge it is I!”

“You didn’t know when Roth brought me here?” you ask.

“No,” she admits. “How could I have? You don’t resemble her in the least.”

The comment stings.

“But I am a… I am half-blooded. Surely you suspected I must be the child of ‘Izirina’.”

“You are not the only Degenerate on the surface or below it,” she says casually. “Though most are more… Deliberately constructed.”

You suppose you knew as much, but still… You’ve never met another, and the impression you received was that your ilk were rare.

“There will be some time until your Edwin of Engel arrives,” Albacete says again, breaking the contemplative silence. “And I can see your mind is already there. You must have much you wish to speak of.”

You realize, with a start, that this is the nicest any Reptilian has ever been to you, and the most obliging... Well, except for your mother. Your kind are not fond of unnecessary niceties, social falseness. Small talk is unknown. You are immediately suspicious, but she SEEMS genuine. Perhaps this is a curious habit she has picked up among the natives of this city?

What do you ask about?
>Your mother
>Your father
>Roth
>The Dark Gods and The Grand Design
>Degenerates
>Albacete herself
>The nature of love
>Nothing, just wait it out
>Write-in

>>5051292
>Roth
Does he have an established role in Hawksong, like supervising new infiltrators or cleaning up, or did we just happen to see him work in those areas?
>Albacete herself
Kind of the same question, does she have a general role or nah?
>Yosef family
Intel people, intel.


Can we add a second healing potion for Bianchi to a to-do list for later? His disability is our disability and the like. I'd just like to put some resources into fixing him while it's still possible.

>>5051292
>The Dark Gods and The Grand Design

>>5051292
>The Dark Gods and The Grand Design
>Degenerates

>>5051527
>>5051519
>>5051450
“Actually, what I’d like to talk to you about is the Grand Design.”

Albacete tuts again. “In Northern Common, if you please. After all, the Dark Gods Beyond and Below would not permit degenerate outcrossings if They did not need infiltrators who were most convincing. Your accent is a liability.”

‘Now I kinda’ want you to keep it just to spite her,’ irinnile mumbles in irritation.

“Very well,” you acquiesce, switching languages. “But… Iss that the purposse for which I exxisst in the Grand Design, then?”

“Of course,” Dame Albacete says, seemingly a little surprised at the question. “Why else?”

You think back to your dreams of glory, your acquisition of the Serpent Priest staff even now stowed under your bed at Edwin’s home, the boons which the Dark Gods granted to you for finding it—a mission to exterminate the Yosef bloodline, the secret knowledge to do so, the still-unspent <DIVINE FAVOUR>…

“Ssomething… More, maybe.”

It is a shameful admission, but you have always had ambition. That in and of itself is no shameful trait among the Reptilian Master Race, for individuals ambition and vying for power strengthens the whole of the race… But no degenerate is permitted ascent and status, for how could they ever be as good, loyal, or true as a pureblood? That you still aspire to more is almost heretical, even as you remain undyingly loyal to your divine masters.

Dame Albacete looks at you, not unkindly, not in disgust or mockery. “Your mother, the agent ‘Izirina’, was one of my junior contacts… But in civilizations which we have infiltrated for longer, subverted to a greater extent than that of the Paladins of the North, the chain of senior operatives goes back lifetimes.”

“I don’t undersstand what you are getting at,” you admit.

“Hawksong will not fall today, or tomorrow, or even after you mission of the day is done,” the elder female says. “You may weaken it, martially or morally. You may throw it into chaos. Assassinate enough leaders, and a city may even fall into anarchy and drag its surrounding civilization with it… But total collapse takes time. The Grand Design is eons long, and though it nears completion, it may yet be a hundred years, or two hundred, before the Serpent Priests take their rightful throne by light of day.”

You nod, but say nothing.

‘So no being carried around by hunky orc guys while squeezing a handful of ripe elf titty?’ Irinnile laments. ‘You know, sometimes when you’re being all BORING and NOT fuckin’, I go back and look at that dream and…’

You silence Irinnile abruptly as Albacete begins to speak again. She explains further: “While the Grand Design is yet incomplete, we can all only fulfill our role, our duty. We can only play our part, and try to enjoy it."

>>5051565

You’re a little surprised by this. “ENJOY time among the apes?”

“YOU certainly have been, I gather,” Albacete points out.

Another shameful demerit… But true. Still, it’s a surprise to hear your prueblooded senior say as much.

“I personally admit that I have come to enjoy watching the young humans grow. Their skill at dance, their personality developing, their relationships blossoming. Perhaps this is why mammals keep pets?”
Albacete pauses to muse, before continuing.

“Sometimes… We may take it a little far, fall too deeply into our roles. Your mother certainly did. But now, here you are! A powerful weapon against our foes, as the Dark Gods themselves must have foreseen and ordained!”

Your shame lessens at this praise, but Albacete is not yet done.

“And though you seem to have Izirina’s… Weakness… Magnified by your impurity of blood I would imagine…” Albacete pauses. “You may yet have a full life ahead of you to enjoy once you have fulfilled your purpose. If your purpose is indeed a simple and direct one—to destroy a single target, to live in a single city and undermine its workings… I almost envy you that, Infiltrator. It means you can, in fact, build and enjoy an entire life… And as a half-human, perhaps you can enjoy life among these creatures in a way that a pureblood never can.”

As if on-cue, a knock comes at the door.

“Edwin,” you say, standing up.

Dame Albacete smiles, and stands as well. “Careful not to break your toy, Ismena Rosgard.”

The two of you open the door together, and Edwin smiles to see you with obvious relief.

“I swear to the Gods Above, Izzy, I am going to find a way to keep track of you. Are you alright?”

What do you do?
>Embrace Edwin, and the enjoyment of your cover identity, fully [+affection, +hedonism]
>Maintain emotional and physical distance—you will NOT fall into the same pitfalls as your mother, nor accept your human weakness [-affection, -hedonism]

File: Screenshot 2021-11-09 080831.png (13 KB, 251x252)

13 KB PNG

>>5051566

The two of you dance, under Albacete’s instruction. First, you dance with her, then with Edwin himself. The experience is undeniably a nice once: his hand in yours, his other on your hip. The two of you are awkward yet, stepping on each other’s feet or stumbling, losing the slow rhythm. Once or twice, you find yourself staring into his eyes and unable to focus on much else. Worse, when his body presses close you yours, you are reminded of…

>WANT: 19

…That, leading to a sensation of wetness and a squirming NEED that is hard to deny.

“I like the new… Tiara?” Edwin whispers as you dance.

“Diadem,” you correct, with a small smile. It is surely the only thing keeping Irinnile’s urges reined in. “Thank you.”

When the two of you are done, Edwin offers you a ride to work. Do you…
>Accept—you will head to The pretty Kitty next
>Ask to swing by The Enchanted Grove boutique first, as your modified and diluted shirin should eb ready by now
>Request to head home instead—you need an evening to relax and gather yourself
>Have him pull over somewhere private to sate some <WANT> first
>Decline—you have spycraft to attend to, and you worry that Felman may be waiting for you at your usual places
>Write-in

>>5051566
>Maintain emotional and physical distance—you will NOT fall into the same pitfalls as your mother, nor accept your human weakness [-affection, -hedonism]

fake it tho

>Have him pull over somewhere private to sate some <WANT> first

>>5051568
>Embrace Edwin, and the enjoyment of your cover identity, fully [+affection, +hedonism]
>Have him pull over somewhere private to sate some <WANT> first
a special dick requires special loving

>>5051292
>You realize, with a start, that this is the nicest any Reptilian has ever been to you, and the most obliging
Did the night with Roth not count because he was too rough?

>>5051566
I'll leave this to the others.

>>5051568
>Ask to swing by The Enchanted Grove boutique first, as your modified and diluted shirin should eb ready by now
Also to secure elf titty.

>Have him pull over somewhere private to sate some <WANT> first
To secure us from want.

We also need a plan to deal with Felman, and when I mean plan, we need a trapand some bait.

>>5051450
Ye, when our WANT is satiated.

>>5051568
>Embrace Edwin, and the enjoyment of your cover identity, fully [+affection, +hedonism]

>Have him pull over somewhere private to sate some <WANT> first

>>5051568
>Embrace Edwin, and the enjoyment of your cover identity, fully [+affection, +hedonism]

>Have him pull over somewhere private to sate some <WANT> first

>>5051630
I guess it depends of you count dominance-asserting, bloodlust-fueled hatesex which he later disavowed as 'nice'

>>5051566
>Maintain emotional distance—you will NOT fall into the same pitfalls as your mother, nor accept your human weakness
Embrace Edwin, but keep it cool with emotions for now, we certainly don't want Izirina's story to repeat itself.

>>5051568
>Tell him to wait outside and see if Roth is functional enough to speak
>(If possible) Ask Roth what happened to Felman and if he knows anything important
>Have him pull over somewhere private to sate some <WANT> first

>>5051758
He can disavow as many times as he wants. Doesn't change the fact that he put his dick in a degenerate.

>>5051856
I'll +1 the attempt to talk to Roth. We'll need to deal with Felman properly tonight or tomorrow, and we still have to case out the Tower and get Paula to get us inside.

I would like to get our shirin shit started today, as it would be a wonderful appeasement gift to Mina for our absence (and to explain it away).

>>5051946
I was gonna vote for visit at the boutique to get shirin and pull the elf into a threesome, but everyone already voted for somewhere private.
If Edwin's friends are gonna be at TPK, we'll miss out on opportunity to sell it to them or something, I dunno. I should be sleeping.

>>5051587
>>5051629
>>5051647
>>5051701
>>5051720
>>5051856
>3 to embrace, 3 for distance
>night-universal agreement for sex on the way to TPK

The ride to The Pretty Kitty—Edwin in unusually dressy attires for the dancing lesson, you in a borrowed, floral-printed peasant dress once worn by one of Albacete’s dancers to a dance competition—is awkward. It is periodically filled with snippets of small-talk, brushing touches, and stretches of silence as you pull back into contemplation. You care for Edwin, and you’ve missed him—a part of you just wants to throw caution to the wind, but then….

“I’m very sorry, Hirschel.”

…You remember your mother, and her shame, and her downfall. Your genesis. Even as the Infiltrator called Dame Albacete suggested you embrace your enjoyment of your false identity, she indicted your weakness—as a half-human, as a daughter of ‘Izirina’. You bristle at it, rage against you. You don’t want to repeat her failure! You don’t WANT her weakness!

“…Izzy?” Edwin asks, gently reaching out to stroke your hair. “Are you alright?”

“Sstop the carriage,” you say.

“What?”

“Sstop the carriage,” you repeat.

Clearly confused, he tells the driver to do so. Before it has even pulled over, you are already upon him, in his lap, kissing him. There is no tenderness this time, not outwardly. You subsume it into passion, letting Irinnile take control. You let your worries melt away into pure <WANT> as your body grinds into his, slides down between his legs. As one, you and Irinnile reach to part his robes, and to extract what lies within.

If you can’t give him you heart—not fully—you can at least give him head.

“Izzy, what’s come over—OH!... Ooh, ffff…”

Adorably, Edwin even now tries not to swear to loudly, to keep his voice down. You smirk at the futile struggle, and redouble your efforts until he is gasping, almost SHOUTING your pseudonym as if it were profanity, or maybe prayer. With Irinnile empathic link stronger than ever, and his mana pouting into you, every jolt of pleasure he feels sends an aftershock into you, such that when his climax occurs, you experience your own leg-shaking orgasm as a side-effect.

>WANT: 18

>>5052052
As you swallow every drop of mana, you wonder what the carriage-driver must think. You cast your senses through the thin wall to find him equal parts mortified and aroused, fantasizing that he were in Edwin’s place.

‘We should ask him back here,’ Irinnile suggests.

“Ha… Ah… Wow.” Edwin is still trembling. “Izzy, that was… Amazing! What was THAT for?”

“Jusst showing my apprecciation for everything you've done,” you say with a smile, licking your lips.

“Well, I don’t think you owe me any debt,” he says, “but if you’re at all worried, I’m certain you can consider it repaid!”

“Oh, that wass jusst the down-payment,” you hear Irinnile say with a giggle.

‘Wait…’

You feel her seize control of your limbs, hiking up the dress up to expose your lack of undergarments, while her other hand seizes hold of Edwin once more.

“W-wait…” he says.

But, possessed by the succubus, you do not. With the force of what comes next, you are certain the carriage itself is visibly, audibly rocking… And yet, swept up in the emotions and sensations, you cannot bring yourself to force the issue.


>WANT: 17

By the time you are done, Edwin is gasping, barely able to sit up in his seat for the exhaustion of his limbs and his mana reserves. Still, Irinnile was good, by her standards: she left him alive. Better yet, when she restores control of your body, you feel refreshed, invigorated, and ready to take on the world…

>>5052055

But maybe, alas, not quite ready for what awaits you at The Pretty Kitty. You are immediately put on alert by the presence of guards—more even than you’ve seen in recent days, all armed and, grudgingly or earnestly, at attention. Worse yet, the presence of at least two humans in robes and red, pointed caps denotes the Tower Inquisition is with them, and openly this time.

“Huh,” Edwin says, peering out the window. “Is something going on?”

“It’ss probably nothing,” you lie. “Wait here.”

You step out of the carriage and, avoiding close scrutiny by guards with a subtle glamour and Inquisitors through careful timing, to slip into the lounge. There, you see a female inquisitor supervising the guards’ arrest and removal of Konrad Brugaghson, the orc cook. Felia and the other staff are watching with clear unease, while rubberneckers aplenty have gathered around the entrances, pressing to be let in so they can get a drink while the watch the proceedings.

There is no sign of Mina—troubling in its own right, for she would never allow this to happen in her establishment without intervening.

‘This is bad!’ Irinnile notes unnecessarily. ‘This is veeery bad! We gotta’ go!’

What do you do?
>Sneak closer to ask Felia what’s happening, and where Mina is and what’s going on
>Confront the Inquisitors directly, protesting for them to free Brugaghson
>Silently observe for now—lay low, stay in the crowd
>Get back in the carriage and get out of here [specify if you have a destination in mind]
>Shapeshift into a demonic form and attack, then flee—perhaps you can create a distraction and draw them away from The Pretty Kitty
>Write-in

>>5052056
>Sneak closer to ask Felia what’s happening, and where Mina is and what’s going on

This is not poggers
This is not based

>>5052056
>>Sneak closer to ask Felia what’s happening, and where Mina is and what’s going on
woopsie doopsie

>>5052056
>Read surface emotions of the people around to try and figure out what's happening
>Sneak closer to ask Felia what’s happening, and where Mina is and what’s going on

Uhh, now that I think of it... didn't Felman see our face?

And was asking to see Roth again for information too much? He didn't pass out and it didn't seem contradictory to the other options and we surely could've masked it as wanting to ask Albacete about something. Only bringing this up because not asking Roth about details leaves Ismena in a worse position.

>>5052238
[Oh, right! My bad--yes, Roth is asleep and mending. I'd meant to include a throwaway line near the start.]

[And no, as far as you know, Felman didn't get a clear and direct look at your normal face. You shapeshifted it slightly and wore a scarf over the bottom. I figured a disguise was common sense, so I noted it in a post without anyone having necessarily brought it up.]

>>5052259
>[2]
Oh good. I sometimes forget the details like that and then don't wanna go looking for a line of text that might or might not exist.

>>5052238
>>5052163
>>5052075
With deliberate casualness and a measured gait, you use the cover of the crowd and your unfamiliar attire to slink closer to the females of The Pretty Kitty. The sheer lack of attention you are paid is notable in and of itself; while Felman didn’t glimpse your undisguised face during his assault at his home, he DID have a lengthy discussion here. If the Inquisition has returned, you’d assume he drew some connections… But then why Brugaghson’s arrest? Wy no guards with instructions to detain you, specifically? Hopefully Felia, Mina’s buxom right-hand woman, can lend some clarity.

“Felia,” you whisper when you’re close enough, giving her a nudge.

She turns around, and so too do Manuela and Helga, the closest girls. You shush their reaction before it begins.

“Sshh! What’ss going on?”

The three female mammals share a look, but it’s Felia who answers: “We’re not sure. I’m glad you’re alright, though. When he went missing again and the guard and INQUISITION turned up, we thought… Something had happened.”

“I wass… Busy with a perssonal matter. Unrelated busssiness.” You breeze past the implied question, substituting your own. “Why ARE there sso many Ccity Watch here? And why the Inquissition? Did they ssay what they want?”

Felia nods to Brugaghson’s situation. “Apparently there was some occult business in Goblintown involving orcs. Not sure if that’s why they had a guy here yesterday—that one you were talking to, actually! He came back today in a proper uniform. Anyway, he came here yesterday, asked some questions, and then today they have this story about charges of occultism, home invasion, assault… The works.”

You do not react. Mentally, you process this: Felman, having spoken to yourself AND Konrad before your assault on his home, must have assumed that the large male assailant WAS Konrad. You suppose it makes sense from a certain perspective: the Inquisition still (hopefully) has no inkling of a Reptilian element, but they know that the deaths and disappearances of late centre on three locations: Mina’s business and some clients thereof with connections to Konrad, Goblintown and occult operation run by a half-orc and a hobgoblin, and the stretch of sewer between the two locations…

As well as Zivic’s home, of course, and the Eastern Standard Silk Spice company’s temporary tent, both of which have connections to Madam Mina.

>>5052361
With a sinking feeling in your chest you ask “Where’ss Mina? Where’ss the man I sspoke to last night?”

Helga nods, and Manuela confirms your fears: “He’s in her office. Talking to her. And he brought back-up, like he was trying to head off a struggle.”

What do you do?
>Head up to Madam Mina’s office to interrupt the ‘meeting’ and lend what aid you can
>Send Edwin away, stay put, and keep your head low; you may yet escape suspicion
>Have Edwin spirit you away to The Grey Press—if you aren’t identified yet, their report of a lispy-accented bronze-skinned woman reporting on wererat happenings will surely identify you
>Leave now on foot, to return to Albacete and Roth—your Kamunu identity is compromised and your Rosgard one may be dangerously close as well
>Write-in

>>5052363
>Send Edwin away, stay put, and keep your head low; you may yet escape suspicion

oh god I dunno

>>5052363
>Head up to Madam Mina’s office to interrupt the ‘meeting’ and lend what aid you can

I honestly don't know what to do either, or the right call here. Shit sucks lads.

>>5052363
>Send Edwin away
Stealing
>Head up to Madam Mina’s office to interrupt the ‘meeting’ and lend what aid you can
Better than letting Felman tell her all about mysterious pair of assassins, one of whom was a demon, and risking Mina spill the beans. Plus we can play this into "solidarity with our boss" aspect unless situation doesn't allow for it or Mina tries to scratch our face off. Poor cat.

So were we unconscious for a day? I went back looking for gala counter and saw a jump between 6 and 3 days left. Not gonna reread everything to figure this out, sorry. Might have to start a mini calendar just for this quest, kek.
>>5023930
>It isn't an author insert.
Understandable. Yemrep's takes were pretty amusing.

>>5052487
>don't know what to do
Let's gather some data and try to defuse the situation as best as we can.
Full focus on proceeding with the gala shit and avoiding Felman for the next 3 days.
We need to figure out if our attack will affect Tower's approach to security on the Gala and assume that someone will tail or observe Ismena after tonight.

What else did we have to do? Besides seducing that one student for premium access.

Kind of a stupid question, but what are we trying to accomplish at the Gala and how are city defenses related to it, again, again?

>>5052363
>>Head up to Madam Mina’s office to interrupt the ‘meeting’ and lend what aid you can
Spread false leads all over the place. Make them chase breadcrumbs while we clean up the mess.

>>5052489
>I went back looking for gala counter and saw a jump between 6 and 3 days left.

[It was 5 days when you took Edwin for dancing lessons. A day or regular time went by, leading to 4 days at the start of the tread, and you were unconscious as a result of the loss against Felman for about 36 hours.]

>>5052504
>what are we trying to accomplish at the Gala and how are city defenses related to it, again, again?

[You have uncovered a plan by the Mages' Tower and paladins to use excavated materials and enchanted items from a dwarven ruin to create a mystical surveillance and security system including golems and other animated stone structures which pursue their objective (for instance, "hunt down all Reptilian shapeshifters") without the need for conventional senses, and who are therefore immune to illusion, mentalism, or other typical forms of misdirection. The most valuable and key magic items seem to have already been seized by the Tower, and are likely being stored inside their premises in a research laboratory. The Tower itself is normally forbidden to outsiders, and well-guarded with a variety of spells and countermeasures including rumoured monsters... But during the Galas, they open up at least a portion of it to the wealthy elite to schmooze for donations and political goodwill.]

>>5052623
Yeah well, it's going to be a complete disaster. Didn't we find an object related to city shifting in the warehouse?

Do we know whether Bianchi is going to attend the Gala? If he didn't plan to, could he manage get an entry?

>>5052647
[You are present Edwin of Engel's Plus One. Janus Zika or Lord Bianchi would both likely be able to gain entrance of you'd rather go with one of them or have them on-hand, though I don't believe you've asked either man if he plans to attend or has a date.

You did indeed find and steal a small, seemingly-enchanted puzzlebox-like object of some sort in the warehouse. You have done no real experimentation or study of it.]

>>5052670
Alright, then I think we should tell Bianchi to attend the Gala with someone so he can help us on the inside if necessary. The question is who.

Honestly, we could spend some time at Bianchi's place to convince him to go to the Gala, fiddle with the Sseplooss and see if a second potion is doable in one go.

Idk where to do the research about dwarven artifacts, though.

>>5052361
>Send Edwin away
&
>Head up to Madam Mina’s office to interrupt the ‘meeting’ and lend what aid you can

>>5052790
>>5052609
>>5052489
>>5052487
>>5052478
Be it a sense of loyalty, or pragmatic fear for what Mina might tell the Inquisition, you know you cannot let you cat-faced employer face Felman alone. You signal to the carriage-driver too take Edwin away from the ruckus of this place, and he obliges. If Edwin has any objection, you’ve left him altogether too exhausted to do anything about it. This matter handled, you step inside and ascend the stairs to Mina’s office.

Do you wear the diadem of clarity?
>Yes—its magic may prove vital to resisting Felman’s spellcraft
>No—it is a demonic, magical item which may attract attention

You do not knock, but instead open the door with force, stopping just short of smashing it into one of a pair of non-Tower guardsmen. With a start, your realize you recognize him, and his companion: Gaurdsman Tomas and Guardsman Levier! One is a tall, rural lad of hardy stock; the other, lanky, stern, and awkward. You have toyed with these two before, physically AND mentally—in fact, you insinuated feelings of resentment towards the Tower, built upon false remembrances and imagined slights you slipped into their vulnerable psyches! This could prove useful…

“Apologiess,” you say without much conviction.

“Apologies would be appropriate… Ah. Kamunu, was it?” comes a less-welcome voice.

You meet Felman’s eyes briefly as he looks disdainfully over his shoulder at you, before turning back to his primary target: Mina. He is standing, almost looming, before the madam’s desk, where Mina sits stiffly. His claws scratch idly at the wood of her desktop, while her eyes flit to you with a mix of alarm and confusion, and then back to the Inquisitor.

“Kamunu,” Mina croaks, “leave us, please.”

But you have already resolved not to. The question is… What do you do now? With every step up the stairs you were analyzing your possible approaches, from a storm of misdirection and false accusations to simply coaching and supporting Mina while gathering as much intel as you can. Of course, the guards present new opportunities…

What do you do?
>Spin an elaborate lie about where you’ve been this last long while, full of false leads to keep the Inquisition busy
>Offer your support to Mina’s innocence, offering up alibis (real or false) to help keep her out of the Inquisition’s crosshairs
>Tell them you’re just here because the girls are worried about Mina, and you want make sure she’s treated fairly
>Play the guards and the inquisitor against one another to distract them all from proper investigation
>Screw it—attempt to enthrall the guards into attacking and restraining Felman, so you can do what you should have done last night and rewrite his mind!
>Write-in

>>5052889
>Yes—its magic may prove vital to resisting Felman’s spellcraft
I don't think the diadem is any more demonic than our body while we're hosting Irinnile. If he can somehow detect it, then we were fucked either way.

>Tell them you’re just here because the girls are worried about Mina, and you want make sure she’s treated fairly
>Try to figure out the dynamic here, see what Mina thinks of the dragonstabber
>(If Ismena gets kicked out of the office) Demand to at least talk to one of the two guards you know to explain the situation. Enthrall him once you're out of everyone's view.

It's really hard for me to not vote to just slam Felman's head against the desk, enthrall the guards, tell Mina to stop clawing and rearrange the faggot's braincells.
The consequences of fucking it up in broad daylight as our everyday persona would be too serious, though.

>>5052889
>Yes—its magic may prove vital to resisting Felman’s spellcraft

I'm sort of hoping that it'll bring some clarity to the situation at hand.

>Tell them you’re just here because the girls are worried about Mina, and you want make sure she’s treated fairly
>Play the guards and the inquisitor against one another to distract them all from proper investigation

I think these options mesh well with each other, and a low key distraction is what we need atm. I'm curious though, could we attempt to stealthy enthrall the guards while Feldman is distracted with interrogating Mina? I'm uncomfortable with being so bold (or brash) as to openly attempt some shenanigans first thing, but maybe a decisive suprise attack is just what will win us the day, so if we can attempt to enthrall the guards without tipping Felman off about it, I'd be for it.

>>5052889
>Tell them you’re just here because the girls are worried about Mina, and you want make sure she’s treated fairly

>>5052889
>>No—it is a demonic, magical item which may attract attention
>Spin an elaborate lie about where you’ve been this last long while, full of false leads to keep the Inquisition busy
>Offer your support to Mina’s innocence, offering up alibis (real or false) to help keep her out of the Inquisition’s crosshairs

File: neverwinter-d20.gif (153 KB, 220x220)

153 KB GIF

Rolled 18, 10, 7, 9 = 44 (4d20)

>>5053023
>>5053074
>>5053140
>>5053153
>Yes to the diadem
>Tell them you’re just here because the girls are worried about Mina, and you want make sure she’s treated fairly
>Try to figure out the dynamic here, see what Mina thinks of the dragonstabber

[3d20 politesse, 1d20 mystery roll, post incoming!]

I hope the mystery roll was for Felman staying conscious.

>>5053238
“The girlss are worried,” you say firmly. “They want to make ccertain that Madam Mina iss being treated properly. Fairly.”

“That’s not your concern,” Felman says without turning around.

His dismissal plays to your advantage, at least. Though any mage, yourself included, has a sense for the mystical when they focus and utilize their ‘third eye’, Inquisitor Felman clearly holds you in such low regard that even your diadem, a concentrated manifestation of demonic ectoplasm and dreamstuff made manifest—doesn’t catch his attention as anything more than a gaudy proper for ‘Kamunu the Desert Princess’. More’s the better, as it allows you to with a concerned glance and a subtle turning of mental keys, rally the City Guardsmen to your defence.

“Aw, come on now,” Guardsman Tomas says. “We ain’t doing nothing wrong, so why not have a witness to that?”

Levier sniffs, less impassioned in his defence of you, but clearly still disdainful of the Inquisitor. “It’s unnecessary secrecy and obscurity that leads to the Inquisition’s reputation among regular people… Respectfully, sir.”

Felman drums his fingers on the desk, not turning around… But sighs, and acquiesces. Without formally acknowledging you or granting you permission to remain, he ceases trying to impress upon you to leave. Instead, he returns his undivided attention to Mina.

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>>5053270
It doesn’t take an empath to detect Mina’s fear, her discomfort. Again you are reminded of her youthful connection to Lady Zivic, the late, occult-dabbling noblewoman who now serves as thrall to an incubus and a persistent thorn in your side. What dark secrets of forbidden magical practice might Mina be privy to—have been PARTY to—that the Inquisition might uncover?

“I reiterate,” Felman begins, taking out his little book and his charcoal pencil as he had that night when you attempted to seduce him in the lounge of The Pretty Kitty, “how do you explain yourself? I came here to investigate the connections between your… Establishment… And the murders and disappearances which have plagued Hawksong.”

Mina says nothing.

“Shall I list them again?” Felman asks.

“No,” she growls, not making eye contact—not with him, and not with you.

You know them well: the wererats with whom Mina had obvious familiarity, who you framed for your crimes before utterly annihilating; Estesllia, TPK’s most popular dancer before you, whom you slew in the wererats’ sewer; the adventurer-chic young men and women who you recruited, drained, and left with their throats slit after you had sprung an Inquisition trap; Zivic herself, whose mansion you burned down.

“In addition to those incidences, I was attacked by one of your race while investigating a lead,” Felman says, alluding to your first encounter with him—not that he knows you are one and the same as his assailant, luckily. “Do you know how many catwomen are in Hawksong right now?

“How could I possibly—” Mina begins, glaring up at him.

“Take a guess.”

“…Less than a dozen.”

Felman writes something in his book, then turns it around. Mina’s ears flatten and her tail twitches.

“One. You. Not even your brother—yes, I know your connection to Cuggi of Eastern Standard—not even HE has a single female of his race in his blasted caravan of con-artists.”

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>>5053271
You feel compelled to interject at this point, raising your voice and correcting Felman: “One that you KNOW of.”

Inquisitor Felman rolls his shoudlers, adjusts his pointed cap, and looks back at you again. “I beg your pardon?”

“It sseemss to me that the Inquissition hass misssed a lot of thingss lately,” you note. “Wereratss in the ssewerss, for one.”

“Yes, there HAS been an uptick of violence and criminality involving beastmen lately…” Felman pauses, turning back to the catwoman. “All of it in proximity to this business or Eastern Standard, or involving known associates of yourself, your employees, or your brother. Much of it involving demons, and the occult.”

Mina is silent for a time. When he becomes clear she is expected to speak, she barely ahs time to get out a few words, saying only “I don’t see why that should mean anything to me.”

“Zumyno,” he says, speaking Mina’s birth-name like a magic spell. She freezes, as if paralyzed. It is so sudden and dramatic that you actually extend out your mystic senses, just for a moment, to make sure Felman hasn’t cast a spell upon her.

“We know about your involvement with the late Lady Kasandra Zivic,” he says. “Our investigators found evidence of occult rituals having been performed there, in her home, prior to the fire. The fire which killed her, and her household servants, some of whom had evidence of having been brutalized as if by CLAWS, Zumyno.”

Roth’s claws and Roth’s fire, you mentally note. Still, it paints a damning picture, and both Mina and Felman know it. He leans over the desk, getting into her personal space in a way you’ve NEVER known Mina to tolerate. This evening, she dares not even move back.

“We found the dead wererats in the sewer,” he says flatly. “They did not have claws large or broad enough to inflict the injuries we discovered, amongst the ashes. Besides which, with the wererats all dead, it doesn’t explain how the crimes continued”

Mina retreats to silence once more, taking in the scope of the accusations.

“Are you familiar with the rakshasa?” Felman asks.

“What?” Mina asks, confused.

“The rakshasa,” Felman repeats. “The catmen of the southeastern lands, demonologists or demons themselves. Occult entities, who manipulate and assault others, who amass little criminal fiefdoms and feed on their mortal subjects.”

“I…” Mina trails off, not sure how to respond to this apparent segue.

“I want you to know that I know of them, ‘Madam Mina’. Zumyno. I know what your kind are capable of, when establishing your little empires. It will NOT happen here.”

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>>5053272
You can’t deny that Inquisitor Felman has presence. Though small and slight of frame, his voice fills the room, crackling with the electric energy of a Serpent priest sermon, of a judge pronouncing sentence. The Guardsmen, though clearly not following his entire train of thought, are fixated on him and the fearsome ‘rakshasa’ he has built Mina into in their minds. Mina herself is cowed, as you have never seen her. She actually looks to you, eyes pleading, unusually expressive in their desperation. If you don’t find a way to stop this, Felman will take her away and interrogating her by magical or mundane coercion, and he will get what he needs to discover both you AND the broader nature of your conspiracy.

Your internal panic is interrupted by a knock at the door. Furious at the disruption, Felman turns around, but it is a fellow Inquisitor who opens it.

“Yes?” Felman demands, politely.

“There’s a bit of a problem, Investigator,” the other man says. “A drunk getting rowdy about the, ahem, delay in performances.”

“And?” Felman presses. “That seems like a matter for the City Guard, not—”

“The, uh, drunk IS a Guardsman. A… Mister Cross? He demands to speak to our lead investigator, sir.”

Ah, good old Guardsman Cross, perpetual lush and front-row attendee of every evening’s show. He’s bought you precious time! Exasperated, Felman leaves to deal with him. That still leaves two guardsmen in the room with yourself and Mina, but this may be the best chance you’ll get to interrupt proceedings.

What do you do?
>Mesmerize the guards, enthralling them to attack and restrain Felman upon his return
>Comfort Mina, and reassure her that you’ll get her out of this yet
>Intimidate Mina with Irinnile’s powers and threats of what your superiors will do if she talks
>Attempt to wipe or muddle Mina’s memories of your true nature and the conspiracy
>Stage an escape for Mina, and smuggle her away from this place—you need to get her out of town, and fast
>Leave—there is nothing more you can do for her here, and the longer you stay the more likely she will cave and sacrifice you to this dogged Felman character
>Write-in

>>5053274
>Mesmerize the guards, enthralling them to attack and KILL Felman upon his return; insert a shadowy monster bursting through the window and murdering Felman into their memories

>Have Mina escape through the window after the guards have gone to fetch help

>>5053274
>Mesmerize the guards, enthralling them to attack and knock out Felman upon his return
>Comfort Mina, and reassure her that you’ll get her out of this yet
>Attempt to wipe or muddle Mina’s memories of your true nature and the conspiracy

Tell them to to take his magical protections as well, we'll make it like he tripped himself and knocked himself out.

>>5053282
So Felman is killed in Mina's office after he went on a rant about how she's an occultist by a shadowy monster and Mina escapes in the immediate aftermath. That's more likely to implicate Mina than it is to clear her. While I like the boldness of the plan, I think we can take a more subtle approach, if possible. After all, Zivic has had a attraction with cat people before, whose to say Zivic didn't victimize another catwoman, who wanted to shift the blame on Mina and her brother?

>>5053274
backing >>5053294

>>5053274
>Mesmerize the guards, enthralling them to attack and restrain Felman upon his return and take his demonic protection off
>Assure Mina you can get her out of this if she cooperates
She's a scared cat and has no way to escape this situation without our help. Gotta make sure she knows the story we give to Felman.
>Brainfuck Felman into thinking cat people are innocent, send him after shapeshifting fox woman from Cuggi's camp instead.
Last time I remember they were chasing that fox who was involved in demonic shit and she is conveniently missing now. Foxxy also happened to be in this area and could shapeshift to attack him, then throw the blame on Mina, who is an easy target.
Felman isn't even sure if the person who assaulted him that night looked anything like Mina aside for being a cat, because if he knew how that person looked, he wouldn't be blaming Mina.
Now, if he DOES know it's not her, then he's desperately bluffing to try and get anything out of her.
And ffs how could that demon-possessed monster from the docks have been Mina - she's has no trace of demonic influence on her, brothel is clean too.
Besides, Mina haven't seen Zivic in a long time and it makes no sense for her to try and kill her former employer and slaugher dozens of rats ALONE just because one girl went missing, or whatever. In the years of her work at TPK she has never done anything like what he's accusing her of.

If he thinks that Mina and the orc were the ones who attacked him, here's why it's bullshit:
His demonic assailant from last night didn't have a cat tail.
The orc seems to be new here and works as a cook, doesn't strike him as a brute.
Felman expertly handled both of them give him just a biit of overconfidence and there are no bruises or bindings (or demons) on the cat, no lethal wounds on the orc.

>Make him doubt his knowledge
Tower didn't know about rats until someone took care of all of them. He isn't even sure if Mina is the only cat in Hawksong as he claimed.
He is out of his depth, let's make him question his skills, but don't push too hard - we want him to be demotivated, not do his homework on all species in Hawksong (especially not the reptilians).
>Plant a seed of doubt towards tower and other inquisitors

Damn, that faggot's logic is so flawed we could go full Ace Attorney on his ass without meddling with guards or his head or scaring Mina.

I'm impartial to meddling with the khajiit, but we should make sure she and the guards are on the same page as us and brainwashed Felman.

I'm really considering Ace Attorney route now.
Sorry for autism.

>>5053294
What do you think anon, can we get into a real argument with Felman and destroy him with facts and logic or nah?

>>5053341
If we were Mina, and Felman revealed all this information to her, I'd classify that as a maybe. Since we're Kamunu, just a concerned dance with no knowledge of what's really been going on, all it will do is paint a big target on our backs. We're better off manipulating things from the shadows, and I think it best that we don't directly converse with Felman and just blindside him when he isn't expecting it.

>>5053369
True. I wrote it all from the perspective of Felman and what he should know (since we're dealing with his memories and thoughts). Only later realized a lot of it could be rephrased and used as genuine arguments if we pretended to be fiercely loyal and advocate for Mina being innocent, challenging his accusations.

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Rolled 16, 2, 4, 19, 20, 14, 16, 16, 16 = 123 (9d20)

>>5053341
>>5053294
>>5053282
>>5053332
>Mesmerize the guards, enthralling them to attack and knock out Felman
>Comfort Mina, and reassure her that you’ll get her out of this yet
>Attempt to wipe or muddle Mina’s memories of your true nature and the conspiracy
>Brainfuck Felman (???)

[5d20 for the general success of this plan, 4d20 mystery die (not all of which may actually apply, depending on the results of the first 5)]

>>5053538
>nat 19, 20
>quad 16s, first and last three in a row

If we're brainfucking Felman, might as well make him susceptible to our command and suggestions in the future as well.

Also, what are those mystery dice for, generally? I've been seeing them for a while now, so I'm curious as to what they represent.

>>5053538
Almost as soon as Felman is gone—no, before he is even out of the room—you have set upon a plan of action. You know what you must do, and the bounds of what you CAN do. Felman’s line of inquiry must be ended redirected, Mina’s innocence and position in Hawksong maintained, and NEITHER may come to harm at such a sensitive juncture in The Grand Design. For Felman to be slain or disappeared, right in the midst of his investigation of Mina and with you in the room, would condemn you both. His mind must be changed.

So, too, must Mina’s.

The moment the door shuts

“Sso…” you begin, in practiced and sultry tone. “Guardssmen… It’ss been a while ssince we had a room to oursselves here, hassn’t it?”

“Well, I…” Tomas begins, flushing and scratching at the back of his head under his rounded helm.

Levier says nothing, but his eyes slide hungrily over your form. Irinnile lends her aid, drawing both of them into your clutches even as you advance towards them and project your glamour.

“We’re on duty,” Levier weakly protests.

“And, uh, ain’t your boss right there…?” Tomas adds.

Your eyes flit to Mina, still seated at her desk. Her eyes narrow, giving away nothing… But by her stillness, her lack of protest or admonishment, you can tell she will not interfere with your plan. Helpless to do anything else but give into the Inquisition, she can only hope you know what you’re doing.

>16

Luckily, you do. Both the male humans fall right back into your clutches as you flirt with them, stirring up resentments about Felman’s aggressive demeanor, pointing out flaws in his logic. Enthralled or enamored, they do not question how you came to assemble all these flaws as a mere concerned innocent—they simply take them in, accept them. You touch them subtly as you talk, allow them to steal kisses… And thus, seal their fate.

>>5053538
oh thank god

>>5053558
if RQM wanted us to know I think they wouldn't be called mystery dice.

>>5053560
“Pardon me a moment, boys,” you say, sliding easily from between the two slack-jawed thralls.

“…You’ve been using demonic magic,” Mina notes, somewhat disapprovingly. “I recognize it. I’ve… Been on both sides of it.”

“To ssave you,” you point out.

Mina nods slightly. “I am grateful… But what now? What am I—what are WE supposed to do when Felman comes back?”

“Leave that to me,” you tell her, sitting across from her. “Trussst me, Mina. Pleasse?”

Mina looks down at the table—at your outstretched hands, palms up. She takes a ragged breath, eyes briefly lingering on her pipe and ornate ashtray at the corner.

“What are you going to do to me?” she asks, keeping the fear from her voice even as you sense it in her aura.

You smile, and say truthfully: “I’m going to free you.”

The cat-madam’s continued knowledge of the conspiracy puts you BOTH at risk. Her involvement with Hawksong’s underbelly puts The Pretty Kitty and Mina herself at greater risk than perhaps even YOU. After all, you have Irinnile to shift you shape and shield you from consequence. You have The Reptilian Conspiracy behind you, to extract you from harm’s way and lend you aid. You have the <DIVINE FAVOUR> of The Dark Gods Themselves! In her partial enlightenment to The Grand Design, and loneliness in that enlightenment, Mina paints a target on her back for everyone involved.

Though you would have enjoyed earning her trust back in a more conventional way, Madam Mina must become ignorant once more.

>19

At last, Mina places her paws in your hands… And she is freed. Freed from the terrible burden of the Conspiracy. Freed from the truth of Estellia’s death. Freed from guilt. When she opens her eyes, they are slightly glazed with the power of your mesmerism… But there is peace in them, you’re sure of it.

There is only one tyranny left to free Mina—and yourself—from now: that of Inquisitor Felman. Right on cue, he opens the door. Your attention is still on Mina, and her soft-furred hands in yours, when it happens. You don’t turn around right away, instead smirking with well-earned smugness as the two glamour-addled guardsmen set upon him.

>>5053563
>14 vs. 16

Perhaps Felman might have one, even with his inferior physicality, if he had the chance to deploy his magic, or his arsenal of items such as he had when he laid the trap for you two nights ago. No amount of magic can prepare him for such an unexpected ambush, however. He is disarmed, wrestled into a prone position, and his voice muffled as his face is shoved into the floor.

You stand up, turning to face your adversary. How the tables have turned! Now it is YOU who looms triumphant, YOUR boot (well, sandal) upon his back!

“Almosst the opposite of our last meeting. Well, turnabout iss fair play,” you quip. “Who’ss on top now, Inquissssitor?”

“Y-you,” Felman has time to grunt in recognition as understanding of who his true foe was dawns.

You snap your fingers and Tomas slams the Inquisitor’s head into the floor, hard. His struggles cease.

“That’ss right,” you say. “Me.”

It is a simple thing to have Levier slip his hand into the Inqusitor’s robes and tunic to extract his silver-chained charm against demons. His hat, too, you remove. Then, with both hands upon his head, you set to work. This job is done with greater swiftness than you have ever attempted such an act of mentalism, even as you go into further detail than you ever have before—except perhaps with Mina, a moment earlier. Still, you wear the diadem of clarity, and you are determined.

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>>5053564
>20

Piece by piece, you extract or distort every remembrance or suspicion Felman’s human head hosted. With Irinnile your willing implement, you cast doubt, inject new and manufactured incongruities into events even as you elevate the true flaws in his understand to greater prominence in his psyche. You make him doubt, make him wonder, make him fear failure. You see in Inquisitor Felman’s mind how he hoped this case would mean his fame, prominence, fortune, promotion… And you take that all from him and cast him adrift, with a cruel satisfaction.

When you open your eyes and extract yourself from Felman’s mindspace, your <MASTERFUL DOMINATION> has left you the sole sentient being in the room. The Guardsmen, Mina, and Felman are all not merely ensorcelled… But truly, utterly dominated. Barring the magic being actively investigated and dispelled, they are all now ‘your creatures’ as much as Lord Bianchi has become. Not a one of them will remember what happened in this room, who or what you truly are, or why Mina was ever suspected to begin with.

‘Holy shit, babe,” Irinnile whispers in awe. ‘We’re a fuckin’ MONSTER.’

You smile, taking the demon’s comment for the compliment it is.

<WANT: 20>

What do you do with your thralls?
>Keep all of them as thralls, albeit in a ‘sleeper’ capacity, should you need to call upon them again
>Free them all from further domination, lest someone investigate this incident or those involved and detect your handiwork
>Maintain the domination in some, but not all [specify who]
>Make some further modifications and issue further commands, while you have them enthrall [specify]
>Write-in

What is your next move?
>Sate some WANT—your entire body and sole are ACHING after all that demon-magic! [with who?]
>Leave for the night—it’s not like Mina is going to begrudge you—and go attend to some matters of spycraft
>Drag Felman off to another room to interrogate about Tower defences
>Open the doors and get the usual TPK show started!
>Write-in

>>5053558
>>5053562
p+kfqNGx's right: it's meant to be a mystery. Usually it's for actions or random variables which may or may not come to pass, and are outside of your control, like enemy preparedness and countermeasures. In this case, two were for the Felman vs. Guards, and two were for possible consequences of you failing to mesmerize the parties involved or engaging in combat depending on results of the first seven dice.

>>5053564
>>5053565
holy fuck
poggers writing here RQM
it really feels like one hell of a crit


>Maintain the domination in some, but not all [specify who]
>Make some further modifications and issue further commands, while you have them enthrall [specify]

As much as it sucks, I think the only one we can safely keep enthralled is Mina. Felman is certainly too risky, and we have an easy enough time with the guardsmen that they aren't worth the risk. See if we can plant subconscious ideas that we and those we associate with are upstanding citizens that they shouldn't waste time investigating first.

>Leave for the night—it’s not like Mina is going to begrudge you—and go attend to some matters of spycraft

maybe drain some unlucky rando first, but we don't want to ruin what we just cleaned up by losing control here

>>5053573
>poggers writing here RQM

[Eh, if 4chan had an edit function or I was better at proof-reading my own work, it would be better.

"The moment the door shuts, you begin," I meant to say! And earlier, that his line of inquiry must be ended OR redirected! Sorry I'm so bad for typos and oversights like that.

Glad you're enjoying and that I got the general tone I was going for to land.]

>>5053577
while you're beating yourself up, I'm pretty sure in the options >Sate some WANT—your entire body and sole are ACHING

sole should be soul
unless magic is hard on the feet

>>5053565
>Keep all of them as thralls, albeit in a ‘sleeper’ capacity, should you need to call upon them again
>Make some further modifications and issue further commands, while you have them enthrall [Make following our suggestions and commands pleasurable, seed their desire for us in their psyche]

I think keeping them all will prove useful.

>Sate some WANT—your entire body and sole are ACHING after all that demon-magic! [Mina, Felman]
>Drag Felman off to another room to interrogate about Tower defences

Best to sate our WANT and learn about our main target at the same time!

Ah, thanks for explaining that RQM. I wasn't asking for specifics, just the general idea behind it.

>>5053573
I think having Felmen under our control (and thus the control of the Grand Design) is too much of an opportunity to pass up. We have an informant and potential agent with the very heart of the Tower and the Inquisition. It's too useful not to pass up. We'll take precautions, certainly. We can direct Felmen to Goblintown, make it seem like he got compromised there if anybody does any real investigation into this incident.

>>5053565
Fuck, add
>Make some further modifications and issue further commands, while you have them enthrall [Have Felmen teach us magic]
to the list as well. We need some proper magic education.

>>5053587
>sole/soul

[I also had...]

>one/won

[I'm bad for homonym confusion tonight.]

>>5053565
>Pet Mina while she's ensorcelled
I'mnot missing out on this opportunity.
>Maintain the domination in some, but not all.
Keep the guards and Felman enthralled, but make them act like usual. Release Mina.
>Sate some WANT—your entire body and sole are ACHING after all that demon-magic! [with who?]
Pussy, lmao.
>Instead of interrogating Felman tonight, make him return to TPK tomorrow night so you can speak with him
>Open the doors and get the usual TPK show started!
Overdue.

>>5053591
Anon, we have him enthralled and TPK is losing reputation for every minute the inquisifucks are here. Just make him return tomorrow and obey our orders.

>>5053620
Nice rolls.
Nice typose.
Nice writer's OCD.

>>5053698
I'll +1 the
>Pet Mina while she's ensorcelled
and I don't mind opening up TPK right now and sending the majority of the investigation team home, but I think learning about the Tower's magical defenses takes priority before we send Felmen off for tonight. We can pound our Pussy while Felman jerks it in the corner relaying what he knows about the Tower's defenses if we want to multitask rn. I want to check out the defenses in the dreamscape before the Gala, and I'd like to dedicate tomorrow to preparing for the Gala and successfully penetrating the Tower's defenses.

>>5053713
Weell fair, knowing it now could potentially give us some advantage...

We can just force him to give us a short report about the Tower and make him return tomorrow for the details and whatever magics you want from him.

After that, send them all off and tell Mina to start the night, announce that Kamunu will be performing last and then return to the office so we can burn some WANT with her before it's our turn to go on stage. Then burn more WANT.
We're at dangerous levels of blue balls.

Sounds like the most efficient way to do this.

>>5053716
I'm fine with that. I'm also thinking that if we get Felman a win on an investigation, we may be able to get our puppet higher up in his organization, which may prove useful to us later down the line. But that's a plan for after the Gala.

And if we want to burn off our blue balls, we do have access to a brothel full of prostitutes. Just saying ;^)

>>5053723
>I'm also thinking that if we get Felman a win on an investigation
Good, thinking.
But how do you plan to make him solve anything here? We'd need some clawed, shapeshifting, demonic individual and also an explanation for a failed kidnapping performed by two people.

Well, I guess we will first have to make Felman tell us everything he and the Tower knows and relate to this investigation, so that we can plan the course of action.

Blaming the incubus is off-limits, but we should look for some information about his actions and whereabouts. Not to interfere of course, just to stay in the know and not get backstabbed.

>brothel full of prostitutes
I'm pretty impartial to them all except for the twins and the furry, ngl. The state of coom in this quest. We went a long way to get to rock bottom.

>>5053565
>Maintain the domination in some, but not all [Felman and the guards]
Let them all go without a change in their behavior, except for recognizing and obeying our voice when we command them to.

>Sate some WANT—your entire body and sole are ACHING after all that demon-magic! [with who?]
Every fucking one
>Open the doors and get the usual TPK show started!

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>Who stays enthralled?
>>5053573
Just Mina
>>5053588
All of them
>>5053698
Guards and Felman, but NOT Mina
>>5053746
Guards & Felman, not Mina
>Seems like Guards & Felman have it!

>>5053713
>>5053698
>Plurality to pet Mina

>What next?
>>5053573
One to drain a rando and leave for sspy sstuff
>>5053588
One to drain Mina and Felman, then interrogate Felman and get magic training
>>5053698
One to drain just Mina, then have Felman come back tomorrow, then starting teh show
>>5053746
One for an orgy and then starting the show
>Averaging this all out to: Drag Mina and Felman off to sate some WANT, then sending Felman and the guards off under influence

[Writing up now, but I may not have time before work. We'll see!]

>>5053879
why is the chameleon broken

>>5053879
Damn, I really wanted to maintain control of Mina, since that effectively lets us control our schedule and her accumulated network of influential people.

>>5053565
>Pet Mina
>Keep all of them as thralls, albeit in a ‘sleeper’ capacity, should you need to call upon them again
>Sate some WANT—your entire body and sole are ACHING after all that demon-magic! [Begin pounding our way though the Pretty Kitty]

>>5053588
That is the state of coom questwide? Shameful display.

>>5053565
>Maintain the domination in some, but not all [specify who]
Mina and the Guardsmen - but in the ‘sleeper’ mode. It’s too dangerous to keep Felman like that.

1.
>Drag Felman off to another room to interrogate about Tower defences
Perfect opportunity to while he’s still dominated

2.
>Sate some WANT—your entire body and sole are ACHING after all that demon-magic!
The two guardsmen

3.
>Open the doors and get the usual TPK show started!

>>5053573
>>5053588
>>5053591
>>5053698
>>5053713
>>5053746
>>5053879
>>5054012
>>5054205
You scan the four blank faces, thinking. There are risks and rewards to maintaining your domination over any one of them, but ultimately the idea of having unthinkingly-obedient sleeper agents in the City Guard AND the Tower Inquisition is too tempting to leave on the table. You make subtle modifications to each of their spells, weaving in notions of trust, a sense of satisfaction and pleasure at following your instructions, and more. When the work is done, you pat each of the guardsmen on their rear and end them ahead, to begin spreading the news: the investigation of The Pretty Kitty is over!

Then, and only then, do you turn to Mina to free her mind once more… Only to find her face docile, her throat rumbling with a quiet purr. You fidget slightly, feeling Irinnile hot under your skin. Maybe… maybe just a little pat?

You reach out, patting your employer on her head. She instinctively nuzzles into your palm as you begin to work her ears, to rub her face and neck. She arcs her back, her purr becoming a moan as your touches intensify. Her inhibitions suppressed, Mina responds automatically to your surging, demonically-amplified desire.

“Mmm, good kitty,” you and Irinnile speak as one, guiding Mina onto the desk and leaning her back to really go to work.

It begins with fingers, and escalates—as your hunger does—until your mouth is involved, and Mina's claws are sunk into her desk for an entirely different reason.

Felman, too, is squirming on the floor where you left him, staring transfixed. Irinnile’s energies pour out of you now, your skin not just flushed but hellish red in a way that casts your humanity into doubt, but he hardly seems to mind at this point, if he even recognizes the change.

“P-please,” he begs, his hand moving frantically within his robes.

“No, I don't think sso,” you say with a smirk. “But there iss ssomething you can do…”

You beckon the Tower Inquisitor closer, on his hands and knees like a beast, and shove his eager face between your legs as you return your attentions to Mina. Once more. If anyone were to enter the office now, it would be quite the sight, and a damning one for Felman's career: a contractually-celibate Tower Mage, on his knees and orally servicing his own suspects!

<WANT: 18>

>>5053565
Just for the record, I'd also like to have Felman's professional opinion regarding the magical cube we found- this is our best chance to get an expert to examine our artifact as any.

>>5054286
You sigh in satisfaction as the last aftershocks of orgasm roll through you. Both of your evening's paramours yet live, though they are plainly exhausted and barely conscious. This is still an improvement from previous nights, when Irinnile at that level of hunger would surely have lost control and fed upon the pair of them until they were no more! Only now, with the fog of her lust abated, do you realize the risk you just took. You curse yourself for the foolish impulsivity.

‘Hey, you keep lettin' me humiliate virgins and eat this pussy's pussy and I'll be on my best behaviour!’

You roll your eyes at Irinnile's priorities… But perhaps there's some credit due to her increasing impulse control. Or is it the diadem's work?

You snap your fingers, awakening the pair of them from their stupor. Felman you pat on his face with condescending tenderness.

“You might want to wipe off your face before you sstep outsside,” you advise him.”Then, of coursse, you will be pursuing different avenuess of invesstigation.”

“…Yes, naturally,” he says, nodding slowly.

“Oh, and don't leave jusst yet!” you add. “Come ssee me after the show. We have more to dissscussss.”

With Felman gone, there is only you and Mina left. You help her adjust her elegant dress, her own hands still trembling from exertion.

“Kamunu, what… What happened? What did we… Did you…?”

Without any memory of your true nature or your occult dabblings, it seems she cannot make sense of what she just experienced; with your influence still upon her, clouding her perception of you, she cannot piece it together anew. While you'd initially been planning to return her to her regular faculties without any further manipulation, the look of puzzlement gives you pause. Mina is clever. What if she figures it out anew? What if she realizes what you did to her?

You pet her gently, shushing her instead. “Eassy now. You jusst resst. I'll handle thingss tonight.”

Mina stares for a moment, then nods meekly, settling into her chair and slipping into blissful unconsciousness.

“Perfect,” you say aloud. “Now, let'ss sstart the show!”

>>5054289
Felia and the staff are concerned, of course, and confused. One moment, it seemed their livelihood was in desperate jeopardy; the next, Inquisitor Felman was dismissing the other investigators and ordering Konrad Brugaghson's release.

“He's still sitting in the back,” Red Annie murmurs. “Staring at nothing like a fucking weirdo.”

“Nevermind him,” you say cheerfully. “He'ss harmlessss.”

“Where’s Mina?” asks Tricia.

“Is she alright?” her twin, Alicia, chimes in.

You reassure your coworkers that Madam Mina is merely resting, having had a stressful day. They seems concerned for her, but you reaffirm the need to get the show started. After all, The Pretty Kitty is her pride and joy! If anyone would want the show to go on, it would be her.

Felia remains nonplussed—something you take note of—but the others readily accept your logic and set to work.

Perhaps it is simply the high of your recent succubus-feeding, or the thrill of having so many new pawns to command, but you find yourself taking control of the schedule of dancers, suggesting modifications to their routines, and even take the stage in Mina's place to announce each dancer…

And things go well! Astonishingly well! By the time you take the stage in full costume (now with diadem), Kamunu's is truly a GRAND finale. You dance with rare skill, even by your standard, and with the glory and fervor of a victorious priestess—no, a goddess! The crowd, including those guards who remain and Inquistor Felman, cannot take your eyes off of you.

‘Nnn, fuck, Lispy, this is so good,’ Irinnile enthuses. ‘They love us! They want us! Let me have a little of it, wontcha'? Just a taste?’

>Allow Irinnile to feed upon the audience, sating WANT by siphoning energy from tge crowd [+affection, +hedonism]
>It's too risky—let her wait, but promise her a bit more of Felman after the show
>Ignore the request—you don't want Irinnile to get too spoiled or carried away in her appetites, and she's fed plenty today [-affection]
>Write-in

>>5054292
>Allow Irinnile to feed upon the audience, sating WANT by siphoning energy from tge crowd [+affection, +hedonism]

Just a taste, though.

>>5054292
>Ignore the request—you don't want Irinnile to get too spoiled or carried away in her appetites, and she's fed plenty today [-affection]

We already took a big risk with Mina and Felman just minutes ago. Literally minutes.

>>5054292
>Allow Irinnile to feed upon the audience, sating WANT by siphoning energy from tge crowd [+affection, +hedonism]
Only a taste though

>>5054292
>Allow Irinnile to feed upon the audience, sating WANT by siphoning energy from tge crowd [+affection, +hedonism]
>Tell Irinnile to try and keep it cool.
Only if she can do it stealthily and not knock anyone out.
Keep Felman out of it, though. We need him in a good shape. Well, his head at least.

We should sneak him into a guest room avoiding preying eyes and only then have a talk. Or alternatively ask if he knows any secluded places and lead us there inseen, using his trained skills.

Shame we turned Mina into a puppet as she was the closest thing we had to a non-reptilian ally. She was innocent, scared and could've just thrown us under the bus when we entered her office. Her whole lifr was on the line and she knew we are a shady fuck who dealt with Zivic.
Instead, she decided to trust in us, despite knowing well there was no way of knowing what the fuck will we do to her.

>>5054425
Think of it this way- we can always release her at a later date. I just want to make sure that there are no more distractions before the Gala.

>>5054435
You know it's not gonna happen unless it serves some purpose or is prompted by the events, like with Irinnile twice in this thread. It's just not how quests work and I don't wanna be too obnoxious with random personal requests. I'm already acting far too autistic as it is.

Oh, and I just realized something. We better make sure that if worried Edwin returns to TPK after our shift he doesn't discover us having a polite conversation with a Tower's inquisitor. Would be a tad bit awkward to explain.

>>5054292
>>Ignore the request—you don't want Irinnile to get too spoiled or carried away in her appetites, and she's fed plenty today [-affection]

>>5054453
Actually, now with the Inquisition and the investigation out of the way, I'm more open to going to the Gala without Irinnile in us. Granted, I think it'll be a major blow to our capabilities, but with most of our side projects out of the way (i.e. dealing with loose ends), I'm alright with going to the Gala unpossessed if the situation calls for it. I do got to ask though, why such an aversion to making allies or upgrading our capabilities? It seems like most of the time anons really shun what could be a opportunity for greater power and contacts that could actually be worth a damn if given a little investment. It seems to me that some anons want to revert back to when we still had a wererat and Zivic problem (pre-Irinnile), where we were less capable and shunning a lot of opportunities that kept coming around (Irinnile and Foxy being some of them, but I distinctly remember us having to go back for our serpent priest staff after voting not to get it, and even with Zivic anons were just as likely to destroy as they were to make a pact).

>>5054480
>I do got to ask though, why such an aversion to making allies or upgrading our capabilities?
It's not aversion, merely personal likes and some degree of caution-fueled paranoia, as I said in the past.

I backpedaled on the latter after the shitshow with the Fox. Since then we successfully used help of the goblins and Yemrep and did nothing to jeopardize the Goblintown connections despite having a few opportunities to use them to wipe out hands. Also Yemrep is devilishly good tracker, given how he handled his work with goblins.
That, or QM rolled him a couple 20s behind the screen.

Personal precedences are still present, though. I find demons incredibly cheesy and enjoyed the time with Ismena being this cool individual infiltrator, relying on her own skill, tools and environment. And ironically less on seduction.
The demonic possession not only removes that aspect, but also gives us several liabilities, equivalent of a cum meter and a shitty way to get caught. Especially irritating when you consider that the defining trait of our breed is being a half-mammal that doesn't rely on illusion and is undetectable by magic.
And yes, I'm aware that Irinnile gives us obscenely powerful abilities. I'm not downplaying those, just explaining where I'm actually coming from.

As for unfucking Mina, she practically had our back the entire time, despite everything Zivuncubus told her and how shady we acted. Despite being forced into a corner and blamed for what she pretty much knew we were involved into. Zinc told her about us killing Estellia, remember? I liked the idea of Ismena being able to be at least *somewhat* honest with someone who isn't a reptilian. Enthralling wasn't necessary here.

>but muh personal skedule
We could still tell Mina we were responsible for dealing with the inquisition and ask her to tweak our days a little.
Besides, Kamunu is like the best dancer of the bunch, easily the favorite of many and I imagine if she just starts appearing exclusively on weekends it won't help the establishment. Not that it will be the end of the wo- brothel, but certainly won't help.

I didn't trust the incubus, but packed my autism tight and threw it out of the window for making a pact with the crow as we can't exactly do anything better.
That being said, I still wonder if he'll be able wiggle his way out of our mutual noninterference agreement. I wish he didn't try, I really do. But QM himself said that these are the kind of demons that make pacts and look for loopholes to fuck your soul in the ass.

2623 characters lmoa

>>5054508
I understand the solo-infiltrator aspect, and can respect that.

I can also respect the Mina aspect as well, as I saw that in Foxy. Mina was a huge liability when it came to the conspiracy though, to the point where even the reptile dame even commented on it, and we only met her twice. We all knew (especially Mina) that if Felman decided to haul her ass away for interrogation, Mina would squeal, and even now she could still figure out the dots that would put us all in jeopardy yet again. It may not have been necessary, but neither was most of our actions in the attempt of paranoia-fueled secrecy, which ironically only led to greater Tower scrutiny. Consider it a victory that Mina didn't die over this, and that we can end her enthrallment whenever we want. We will get opportunities to do that, if Irinnile's opportunities to body-swap are anything to go by.

I can understand the distrust of the incubus, and that's gonna be why I'm not going to be for summoning the fallen prince demon in any situation, as I think that logic applies to them in particular. That being said, I don't think Zivic's incubus would want to intentionally fuck us over with the pack sorted out, and partially because I think he's honestly attracted to our ambition, the same way Irinnile is attracted to desire, which does give us some sort of advantage in potential dealings, assuming anons wanted any with him. I don't think an incubus would be the type to inhibit ambition, ya know?

>>5054524
>Mina would squeal, and even now she could still figure out the dots that would put us all in jeopardy yet again.
She already kinda did. Our past interactions showed she'd rather look the other way and not know the full truth as long as we don't summon Satan or put her business in danger.
I get that wiping her mind is beneficial, but keeping her enthralled is just unnecessarily shitty, given how much she trusted us on her own volition.

>Mina didn't die over this
She was nowhere close to dying here. Fox was killed because she was too shifty and dangerous to be trusted and I didn't know how effective the mind alteration was.
I was working around the possibility that demonic mind edits could be discovered and reversed by the Tower. Or that people could figure things out, if we didn't do a good enough job. That's why I wanted Fox gone and Bianchi lied to instead of relying on memory and emotional manipulation.
I don't believe it anymore, but do wonder if enthralled individuals can be broken out of our control by anti-demonic magic. Like, we took Felman's amulet off for this, what happens if he puts it back on? Won't others find it incredibly suspicious if he no longer wears it?

>We will get opportunities to do that, if Irinnile's opportunities to body-swap are anything to go by.
I'll second the vote to remove Irinnile for the Gala, btw. It's something I'd try to do if it didn't take like 3 posts to arrange and execute.

>Incubus
Given Irinnile's humanly behavior, I'd actually wanna find the incubus and talk to him again. Get some common grounds and mutual understanding, so he actually has no incentive to step on our tail and doesn't have to worry we will spontaneously try to break the pact ourselves. If we don't learn anything about him, we will just drown in paranoia lmao.

>I think he's honestly attracted to our ambition, the same way Irinnile is attracted to desire
Mind you that he is much, much stronger and smarter than Irinnile. She was scared of him on multiple occasions and never seemed to mind just riding along with us.
What I'm saying is, you can't compare a cowardly succubus willing to grab onto whatever good deal she can get, to a powerful incubus who seemingly broke free, manipulates multiple individuals, works on a big scale and hides his true intentions.

File: 240272.png (1.69 MB, 2500x3500)

1.69 MB PNG

Rolled 8, 11, 13, 17 = 49 (4d20)

>>5054296
>>5054337
>>5054373
>>5054425
>>5054470
>Allow (at WANT: 18)

Rolling for succubus control!