>>5044717

You’ve decided what you’ll make out of this creature’s stubborn last will. A small gift of revenge, borne from the suffering that this creature will endure in the final agonizing seconds of its life. A metamorphism of emotion, crafted by your experienced hands. A means to take back control, you hope.

“Yuna!” You call out from your elevated position, not being able to turn all the way to see the ship. “Kill it now.”

Ahh, given that repulsive taunt this creature gave to Yuna earlier, you’re sure that his ears have been privy time and again to her helpless screams. The favor will be returned. The high elf’s weapon of subjugation, somehow crafted in this era so heavily depleted in mana, will be destroyed by his tuned instrument. Was this his intention all along?

Your vision is distorted as her blood magic directly impacts the chimeric beast's weakened body. It no longer has the strength to resist the malicious pulse of energy and gives one last tortured roar into the careless night before its structure disintegrates in a violent red-colored explosion. All around you are remains of the former prodigious beast, now reduced to irreconcilable gory chunks of offal that rain down with you. The force quickly propels you back to the deck, and it's only at the last moment that you can partially break your fall with a gust of wind.

You slam back into the ship to rejoin your companions.

You wish you had the time to let your body stop aching, but you get up and hastily stumble over toward Aloé and Phillia. Aloé silently weeps on the ground as she bites down hard on a piece of leather, reeling from the pain of the cauterization deeply dug into her arm to purge the noxious venom.

You nod your thanks to Philia who kept focused on the crucial task despite your predicament. You kneel and pull forth your mana to soothe and heal the damage done to Aloé’s left arm. It will unfortunately leave a scar on her, but you’re glad that the venom didn’t have the chance to spread any further than it did.

You loathe this venom, this horrid type of attack, with every fiber of your being.

>>5044721

Thankfully, your healing magic has brought her relief from the pain, and you lightly pat her head as she begins to drift off to a merciful sleep. You know you will have to wake her soon, but you don’t have the heart to do so until necessary. Suddenly, another hand softly finds its way to sleeping head and simply rests there.

You lock eyes with Yuna, who with a pale and exhausted face, bleeds steadily from her nose. She looks ready to challenge you if you tell her to leave, but you’re more intrigued than anything. Her ethereal eyes look upon Aloé with pity as she seems to glean something about your sleeping companion’s actions tonight.

Another creature comes to stand vigil over Aloé’s sleeping form. The small creature she rescued from the desert scurries forth from a pile of cargo Aloé likely stowed him away in for safe keeping. It nestles close by her head, unafraid of you and the others nearby.

“I suppose we have another passenger venturing with us.” Philia wearily laughs.

“She’ll take care of it just fine.” You achingly stand to your feet and look upon the horizon the ship lazily drifts toward.

As the sun begins to make itself known with softening hues of blue, you spot the vessel that was supposed to take you home. You suspect that it kept its distance not knowing who was onboard until the battle had concluded. Aloé’s cohort of royal guard initiates kept their promise.

You’ve managed to rescue Yuna and safely get your companions out from the slaver’s camp. But there’s still one last responsibility to take care of now…

“Assist them with boarding when they get here.” You instruct Philia while looking around for Ruby.

You spot her standing over the remains of the chimeric beast, looking intently at a portion that you vaguely recognize as the neck and base of the head. Curiously, she reaches in and pulls off a thin coat of gleaming blood-stained scales. They glimmer strangely in the light, as the gossamer structure lets light pass through where blood is absent. Despite the destructive end the creature met they seem fully intact. It likely served as means to protect its vital vessels in its neck from being easily severed with a rogue arrow or something similar.

Perhaps some protective coating could be fashioned from it?

An idea to attend to at a later time. For now, you beckon Ruby toward you, and relay the instructions to help the royal guard initiates boarding the ship. You move toward the opening to head below deck, and sense that she intends to follow you.

>>5044728

You turn to gaze back at her and feel a thin beam of weak sunlight fall upon your face. “Don’t, Ruby.”

She stops in her tracks and stubbornly stares at her feet. “I can help you…you know. You don’t have to be alo-, you don’t have to do that alone.” She finally looks up at you. Her usual vibrant energy is muted.

You smile kindly at your young companion. “Thank you, Ruby, but you’ve helped me already.” You turn back and move on. “It’s my last order for this mission. Stay here.”

~

The horrendous warmth of that cursed cellar wraps around you once again as you seal the door behind you. Your light is weak as you have hardly the mana to maintain it, and hardly the energy to keep moving. But you do. As you always have. As you always will.

You kneel and feel the soft, ragged breath of both the gravely afflicted Elin on your hand. It’s faint, but still there.

This long day isn’t over yet.

Yes, there’s still more yet to do…In that nightmare, you find the dropped sword of the fallen guard and grip it tightly. Your heart flutters uneasily as your hands tingle and shake.

You hum a gentle song that you remember from when you were young and still in Pora Elinu.

Breaths come unstably as you reach down and place your hand on the back of one of their necks. You focus the sword to come down on the spot that will bring an instant end to their suffering.

The light from your staff flickers as you lose focus on channeling your mana. Your breaths are heavier and faster. Your heart races as your stomach sinks low.

You bite down hard on your lip as you bring the sword down.

Once you withdraw the sword, it clatters to the ground as you feel a weak stream of hot blood soak onto your knees. Your hand shakily find the stained weapon again as you shift over to the other Elin.

You repeat the process and drop the sword for the last time.

There's no more light from your staff. No more humming. No more sounds of their faint breath.

Only quiet sobs in a dark room.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

That concludes this first arc.

To those of you who have read to this point, I thank you from deep within me for allowing me to share this story with you. I know that it isn't a cheerful read most of the time. I tend to embrace the kinds of themes found here in the quests I've run in the past. That said, I truly believe that it makes the end result worthwhile or cathartic, if it can be reached.

That aside, I do intend to post updates on the falling action leading from the escape. These updates will feature votes, the choices of which will influence the future arcs. Also, if there are any lingering questions about what has been written so far, please let me know, and I'll do my best to answer.

>>5044752
How do you feel about us not using sundowning immediately? It sounds like we made the fight a lot harder for ourselves trying to make sure it didn't run

>>5044754
While I honestly was expecting Sundowning to be cast, I enjoyed the strategy you guys employed overall. Although it may not be blatant as a Sundowning, but many actions made things easier on you as well.

While it may have been harder on you for making sure it didn't run, the effort and risk put forward will benefit you in the arcs to come as I plan on letting you chose an armor to be fashioned out of the gossamer scales collected from the chimeric beast, which will be an upgrade for whoever you choose.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope that everyone is well, and has managed to migrate to this thread without any issues.

I'll be posting an update on the resulting events immediately following your escape from the slaver camp. This hopefully will serve as a means for you to know your companions reactions to the events that took place and wrap up loose threads in the story. There will be choices in this epilogue. Occasionally, I might be jumping ahead chronologically, but not in any major way.

There's also the question of what to do with the reward for killing the Chimeric Beast. I've already stated that it will serve as an armor upgrade, with exact stats forthcoming. I think I'll ask you guys soon to choose how it will eventually be used.

>Writing!

>>5044754
I was a supporter of Sundowning, but I agree we made quite a good show even without it.
In hindsight, I should have lobbyied to have it cast right as the beast shook off the tarp,but I thought it had more fight left in it and wanted to save the spell to create another opening later, which proved superfluous. Aloé got a (possibly removable) scar out of it, but it could have been much worse.

I hadn't realized we were on page 10. One problem with using latest reply.

Back home now, and hoping to have the update posted in an hour or so

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Sailing north along the coast of the Val Aureum desert, your party basks in the growing sunlight as the morning gains more purchase. The tall sand dunes slowly roll by like the ocean waves and within the cool morning air and from this distance, have an appealing quality.

You stand alone at the front of the ship, cleared from the remains of the chimeric beast. Only thick oily stains of its blood, and the heavily damaged deck remain of your battle. The salty air fills your nose as your companions enjoy a humble breakfast, courtesy of the royal guard initiates that steer the two ships to your destination. Under such conditions, you would enjoy wandering over the endless ocean to give yourself a chance to clear your head. Traveling along without a goal mind, simply being able to breathe in the surroundings would be a welcome change of pace from the constant racing thoughts of strategizing and planning. A forest would be preferable for such a meditative journey, but when was it that you last had the time for such an idle break?

“A word?” An offering of a plate of breakfast comes into your periphery.

You turn and lock with the azure eyes of Philia who smiles at you cordially.

“A word is fine.” You respond holding your hand up to decline the food.

“Have you not eaten this entire time?” She asks with a note of concern and curiosity in her voice.

“Is that the word you wanted to have with me?” You motion that you’re ready to move on if that is the case.

“No, not quite.” Philia retracts the plate and idly pokes at the items on the plate. “We’ll eventually sojourn to the outskirts of the Velikan lands…” She continues after seeing you nod. “From there, you four will return to the city proper and then…?” She places the item on the ground nearby.

>>5045735

You sigh before starting. “I’ll start with the easier answers...Aloé will return to her duties with the royal guard, as all of this mission was done in her free time. I suspect she’ll be kept quite occupied between her position and looking after her new pet.” You glace sidelong at Philia whose expression easily betrays her doubts. “She is in the royal guard of the human princess Cecelia, second child to their king. Even if you don’t dwell in the human cities, I’m sure you’ve heard her name. The humans take royal hierarchy seriously as this age of prosperity has left them assured that their leaders can take care of them. She’ll be well protected being so close to the Princess, and I’m sure she’ll do her best to protect the Princess as well.”

“It's of some comfort to know that. Aloé's earnestness is the kind that could be taken advantage of...Regardless, I seem to recall hearing about Elin royalty when I was young. I wonder whatever fate they met…” She glances at you observantly.

“I wonder…” You hold your gaze with her before she eventually looks toward the rolling dunes. “Ruby is almost certain to leave Velika, if that’s of assurance to you as well.” You turn back toward the helm of the ship to catch her enthusiastically chatting up the royal guard initiate steering the ship. “She needs time away from there. With any luck she’ll settle into a phase of life that’s to her liking.”

“She comports well with humans, maybe even better than she does us.” Philia muses as she observes your red-headed companion.

“It’s to her advantage in these times. I only hope that she meets those that fondly have her best interest in mind.” You smile as she playfully punches the arm of the royal guard initiate.

“I hope you know who she’s fond of, despite her exterior façade.” Philia crosses her arms.

“That truly wouldn’t be to her advantage.” You turn to Aloé quietly chatting with Yuna far away from the single human on this ship. Yuna is cloaked in a dark cloth and gazes upon her surroundings with a deep suspicion. “Our new ward remains an open, and difficult question.”

>>5045742

“As I feared.” Philia slowly nods in agreement. “Her rehabilitation will be a long and difficult path.” Her azure eyes gaze past the sand dunes at the lands the lie beyond. “It would be to her benefit to remain in the forest… The brambles and roots she will have to stumble upon, she will resent. The distance from her desired revenge, she will rebel against. But on that path, she would a better chance to find something at the end of it all. It would be to all of our benefits to follow her, frankly speaking.”

You laugh softly to yourself. “Colorful, but if you think you could get our kind to stay hidden in the forest, then it is you that will stumble endlessly on that path. With her…perhaps if you found her before all of this took place, you could have kept her there. But it would have only been for a time. Now, the seeds have been sown inside her. She'll want her revenge.”

A flash of anger along with a pulse of azure light come upon her eyes. “Colorful, indeed, Elewyn. You will not stop from trying to save our kind in my own way."

You wave her off. "I had no intention of doing so. We all have our paths to follow, and yours could be the best one after all." You shrug noncommittally. "I also aim to save our kind in my own way, which doesn't conflict with your plan. It's only that Yuna is certainly a more nuanced case."

"Then what do you intend for her?" Philia presses.

Whichever path, either of you will do your best to ensure her well-being.

>Let Philia take her to the forest. Not likely to Yuna's preference, but it's a seat far removed from her revenge.

>Let her settle in Velika. Likely to Yuna's preference, as it's an excellent seat for her revenge.

>Write in

>>5045757
>>Let Philia take her to the forest. Not likely to Yuna's preference, but it's a seat far removed from her revenge.

>>5045757
>>Let Philia take her to the forest. Not likely to Yuna's preference, but it's a seat far removed from her revenge.

>>5045757
>Let Philia take her to the forest. Not likely to Yuna's preference, but it's a seat far removed from her revenge.
>Send her off with some Velika books, good AND bad ones.
>Tell Yuna that you have one more secret to share next time we see her, provided she can buy something from a human without looking like she's going to kill someone.

>>5045757
>>Let her settle in Velika. Likely to Yuna's preference, as it's an excellent seat for her revenge.

Heyo everyone, we have a good amount of votes/suggestions already, which I'm glad to see. I'll leave it open for a couple more hours since I won't be able to start writing anyway until later today.

>>5045955
Not sure what kind of secret you're talking about, but I suppose some incentive should help. We don't want her to forsake revenge so much as we want her taking a break to try and pull herself together.
After all, most of what Ewelyn just did was at least partially out of revenge and guilt.

>>5046170
the whole dead goddess thing. Ultimately, there's a good chance that she will find out on her own, with the way she is now. Better it happens on our terms, and not some dark elin trying to recruit her.

>>5045782
>>5045814
>>5045955
>>5046170
Letting Philia take Yuna to the forest as well sending her off with some incentive to follow, context, and insight for our decision.

>Writing!

>>5046259
Finally back home. I'll do my best to post the update in 60-90 minutes!

>>5046701

You offhandedly point to Philia at your side. “My intention is for her to accompany you. To have a break from being part of this madness, and a chance to pull herself together in order to pursue her revenge with a more level head. Also, I admit it would give me more freedom in the days to come.”

There are information sources that need to be checked to make your next move.

“Even if you just now stated that you believe she’ll eventually venture away from the forest on her own?” Philia asks impatiently. "Wouldn't that be nothing but mere carelessness?"

“I know she will venture away from the forest on her own...” You finally turn to stare Philia squarely in the eyes. “This is something you need to learn, Phillia. Her will, for that matter, any of our wills cannot be contained. They can only be guided or killed. I’m not letting her will be killed, Instead, I’m putting my faith in you that you can guide her so that she can take care of herself. Teach her to control and channel her anguish and teach her to survive.” You place your hands on Philia’s shoulders. “You’re old enough to have this responsibility, but not old enough that you will not learn something from it as well." You place a hand on your chest. "I will do my best to impart what I can through teachings and readings, and I’ll talk with her soon about this. But until the day she leaves the forest you must help her.”

Philia weighs your words for quite some time. Eventually she pulls away from your hand and clears strands of hair from her face. “I’ll defer to your wisdom for her case. But I will not reconcile my beliefs to fall in line with yours. There are far more Elin out there than the two of you. Far more reasons to live other than her revenge or your…”

“Someday, you’ll figure it out.” You give her a faint smile.

“I hope that I have many, many more years to solve that riddle.” She gives her usual playful smile in return.

~

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>>5046817

Aloé hurriedly beckons to you as you pass by her and Yuna. “Ah, Elewyn! Do you think you could uh, stay here for a little bit while I go check in with Nay-…I mean the person at the helm?” She worriedly fidgets waiting on your response, afraid to leave Yuna alone.

“Go on ahead, Aloé.” You nod to her as she smiles gratefully. “I wanted to rest my legs for a while anyway.

She gives a quick, polite bow before turning to Yuna. “I’ll be right back, okay?” She rushes off, nearly losing her balance as the ship rocks over the waves.

You settle next to the dour and guarded Elin cloaked in a large cloth. With only her face and feet visible, one wouldn’t know of the many scars she carefully hides. Far more than anywhere else, she constantly adjusts the covering over where her animal ears used to be. She stared at you silently with her ethereal eyes as you settled, and now stares off into the distance without acknowledging you.

The vast sea to the west muddles into her gaze, both are calm currently, but that is simply one facet of their true nature. Who knows what the tides of the future will bring with them?

You finally decide to break the silence. “She’s sincerely kind, isn’t she?” You watch as Ruby and Aloé get into some type of spat, much to the helmsman’s amusement. “Easy to tears, so don’t be mean to her. Genuine and…”

You spot the thick bandages wrapped around her upper arm.

“Naïve.” Yuna crosses her arms on top of her knees.

You smirk at her astute contribution. “I was going to finish with brave, but yes, that too. At least that’s what you and I would call it. After coming to know her better, and taking a step away from myself, I can also view it as optimism. You know, she’s gone through her fair share of…experiences as well.”

“Hmm. I see.” Yuna tightens her arms even more. “It’s not as if I was going to treat her poorly…Anyway, why did you really come over to me?”

>>5046820

You sigh to yourself and lean back on your hands. “Straight to the point. Well, I came here to tell you that you will travel with Philia after we dock. She will escort you to the forest north Velika, where you will have time to recover from your injuries, and plan…I suppose.”

“Whatever.” She replies coldly. “You may not take me seriously, but I will carry out my revenge.”

“Oh please. If I didn’t take you seriously, I would not have called on you to kill that chimeric beast.” You quickly retort. “They may underestimate our kind. They may see us as mere children, or objects to satisfy whatever twisted desire they may have, but I don’t. I’m not here to placate you. Nor am I here to coddle you. If you want actual revenge instead of being hunted down like a dog after a few kills then it would be in your best interest to actually listen to me.”

She finally turns toward you, and your eyes lock with her opalescent gaze.

You continue. “I’m glad that you’re finally willing to take me seriously...As I was saying. You'll recover there, and learn from both me and Philia. I've got other matters to attend to now, so I won't be able to head there with you, but I will have other means to teach you in the mean time, such as readings. Listen well to Philia and when I visit, which I shall, I'll have other crucial teachings to share with you."

She considers your offer for a time before looking back to you.

"For my own teachings...I've seen humans venture into the forest alone before... Many dangers lurk within for them, and many lost their lives from being lost or from vicious animals. If I was free to practice my magic, then I might consider following along with your plan."

She does seem earnest in her offer, but you have to consider both what would be best for her, and for Philia.

>Agree, set the terms that she has to do so subtly and infrequently.

>Disagree, those vicious animals will be sufficient for her practice.

>Write in

>>5046855
>This isn't a negotiation. There are many secrets about your magic, and your best bet aside from myself would be the very figures that commissioned your torture.
>One way or another you will need to blend in with society to make any headway with your vengeance. Let that be done BEFORE you start killing any stray human who crosses your path.

>>5046855
>Disagree, those vicious animals will be sufficient for her practice.
Ethics aside you never know when one of those humans may have more/stronger friends than you would expect. Indiscriminately killing strangers is a good way to get your vendetta derailed by incurring someone else's

>>5046855
>>Disagree, those vicious animals will be sufficient for her practice.

>>5046855
>>Disagree, those vicious animals will be sufficient for her practice.
>>5046889
As he said. No need to get herself in any more trouble. Witch hunts aren't pleasant affairs.

And we're back. No more namefagging for now.

Heyo everyone, thanks for your votes and write ins. As you might have noticed, the check-in/updates have been posted increasing later in the day. With stuff from work, they've slowly drifted to a point that I'm going to take a day off from updates to regroup, and have a bit more breathing room to write these next few updates.

I'll be around to answer any potential questions, and I will tally the vote tomorrow morning (US time). Thanks for your understanding!

Happy Friday, everyone. I'm excited to see how this chapter resolves over the weekend

>>5046881
>>5046889
>>5046899
>>5047302
Unanimous decision to disagree with her offer.

>Writing!

Back home everyone. I'm wrapping up the update, and will be posting in about 15-20 minutes!

>>5048033
“Listen, you’re not in a position to negotiate here." You reply as you watch anger begin to flow into her eyes. "At this point, we won't leave killing up to your discretion, nor is indiscriminate murder a path that will lead you to fulfill your vendetta. You can leave that for the dangerous animals you mentioned.” You point at her and cut her off before she can object. "You aim to fight a war in the same way the humans would fight one, when such a battle is not to our kinds' advantage. Tactics, cunning, and subterfuge, are the only way we'll ever have a future. We can teach you these things. We can teach you to live, such that you can kill, but only if you actually listen to us." You stare at her for a moment before sighing and raising your gaze to the bright sky.

Yuna quietly broods as she thinks of an argument to your answer.

You eventually turn back to her. "If you think that we have nothing to teach you, at least allow us the chance." You raise two fingers. "You accompany Philia, and I will impart two lessons for you. Two blood magic lessons. If these lessons hold no value for you once through with them, then by all means leave and go where you wish. They won't take much longer than you would need to physically recover. Deal?"

She leans forward. Finally you've managed to pique an emotion out of her that isn't some form of disdain. "What would you even have to teach?"

"Lessons to help with your blood magic. I'm not lying to you, so, do we have a deal?" You extend a hand to her.

Her ethereal eyes fix upon your fingers for a while. She takes in the details of the structure, and of the subtle network of vessels underneath the skin.

Ah. She seems to be able to see something within the flow of blood. Intriguing...but it will surely need practice before anything worthwhile could be seen, at least from a less wary hand.

She weakly wraps her injured hand around yours. "Fine. Deal."

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>>5048511

"Alright then." You nod finally satisfied with her words. "First off is a reading assignment. A primer on the fundamentals of blood mana manipulation. Written by an unscrupulous scoundrel who had a talent for dark magic, especially blood magic. I'll send it your way as soon as I get back. It's the only copy so don't lose it."

Her brow furrows. "How did someone like you come to own it?"

You shrug. "Perhaps I'll tell you if you stick with Philia for a while... Perhaps I'll teach you other things if you stick around. Anyway, second, your spell cast needs significant refinement. It's too lengthy, it has far too much recoil centered around your head, and it has to immediately hit a target otherwise you'll pay quite the price. In essence, this leaves your only advantageous matchup to be a single target ambush..."

She'll need small steps to better shape her magic. You think for a while on how she might get away from her current turbulent method.

You eventually stand and walk around her to place your hands over her eyes, much to her displeasure. "Bear with it for a moment. Since you're allowing the volatile energy to accumulate to a breaking point, your current method of casting is the only potential outcome. There's many potential ways around this, but the easiest that I can imagine is to shut your eyes before you start invoking your spell." You press down to ensure complete coverage of her vision. "Robbed of a visible target to leap towards, your magic should break off earlier into a more stable form. You'll have to practice this, and manipulate whatever comes from it. Eventually, you won't have to close your eyes..."

Wordlessly, you keep your hands over her eyes until she finally realizes that you're done instructing. She vigorously yanks them off and glares up at you.

You put your hands on your hips and return a cheeky smirk. "We're here to help you. I'm here to help all of you."

Aloé returns from the helm of the ship with a quick jog. "Th-thanks for waiting. You two look like you were having fun!" She maneuvers around you to place her hands over your eyes with a small laugh. "What'd you guys talk about? Why were you covering her eyes like..." She seems to remember Yuna's eye and her blood magic and then quickly removes her hands from your face. "Ahh...Sorry, maybe I uh, shouldn't ask."

Yuna pulls the cloth tightly around her and looks off into the distance again, while Aloé stares at her feet uncomfortably.

>"We were only talking about getting Yuna settled when she heads off with Philia."

>"We were only talking about how Yuna could better control her blood magic.

>Write in.

>>5048517
>"Are you interested in teaching her swordplay, perhaps? It doesn't hurt to have some skill in non-magical combat."

>>5048517
>>>"We were only talking about how Yuna could better control her blood magic.

>>5048517
>>"We were only talking about getting Yuna settled when she heads off with Philia."
Reassure her.
>>5048550
I guess she could try ? I'm tentatively supporting.

>>5048727
Part of it is just to change the subject. If she disagrees with the whole blood magic thing, she should be doing more than just looking sad about it.

Happy Saturday everyone, unfortunately I have to head into work for a bit today, but I should still be able to get the update out just fine.

I'll leave the vote open for a couple more hours and then tally what we have then.

>>5048550
>>5048727
Changing the subject and trying to get them to lighten up.

>Writing!

Posting soon! Maybe 10-20 minutes

>>5049496

You turn and place your hand on Aloé’s shoulder. “We were only talking about getting Yuna settled when she heads off with Philia. Speaking of which…” Reaching down, you pull Yuna up by her arm. “Go on and tell Philia that you agreed to leave with her. I’m sure she’ll have plenty of wisdom to share with you as well. When you come back Aloé can perhaps teach you some fighting skills that don't take ten seconds to use.”

Yuna yanks her arm free and leaves with only a small nod to Aloé.

Once the cloaked figure walks out of earshot, you lean on the nearby railing and continue. “We’re hoping seclusion in the forest for a time will calm her attitude, at least so that she doesn’t do anything overly rash.”

Aloé walks over and joins you gazing at the passing landscape. “You won’t try to change her mind?”

You shake your head. “She needs to change her own mind, and with a will as strong as hers it will take time. Our optimal course of action is to make sure she can take care of herself.”

“Is that so…” Aloé broods over your words for a while before speaking again. “I, I don’t blame her for feeling the way that she does. I think maybe I…could have turned out the same way? Maybe.” She idly fiddles with her hands. “What happened to me wasn’t as horrible, but in those moments I felt kinda the same as she does.”

“But you don’t anymore?” You ask and watch as she shakes her head. “Why do you think that is?”

Her hands keep idly moving. “I, umm…I don’t know. I just want to get along with everyone. That doesn’t mean that I would never let anything like that happen to anyone else. But I just…don’t want to feel that way. To hate people like that without knowing them. You know? I just wish we could live peacefully…”

You capture one of her hands to cease their frantic movement. “I understand.” You smile at her and let go of her hand. “I truly appreciate your insight, Aloé. It’s refreshing, and…reminds me of myself from a long time ago.”

“What?!” She quickly shakes her head. “I mean, I’m sure that I’m nothing like that. You’re so calm and strong-willed. I wish I could be like that. All the other trainees say that I need to grow up…” She folds her arms and pouts.

“Children telling other children to grow up.” You chuckle lightly. “If the royal guard were around then, they never would have chosen me to be a recruit, I assure you, so you’re fine just the way you are.”

She leans toward you, intrigued. “Oh, you're just being nice...But, really? No royal guard? No king?”

“Neither. Only the federation with military leaders of all races, taking the occasional order from Velik or other such goddesses.” You reply thinking of how things were.

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>>5049509

She looks up in thought. “Oh, I heard of her! The princess once told me about her and how the city came to be founded.” She turns back to you. “Did you know Velik? Did you ever meet her?”

Your heart skips a single beat before you craft your answer. “I may have met once. But that was so long ago that the details aren’t the clearest anymore.”

“Wow! Things were really different back then, huh?” She leans back against the railing and gazes up to the sky. “A world with gods and goddesses… I remember what you told me about our powers and our goddess. Did the humans have powers like ours when Velik was still around?”

Your eyebrows raise in surprise. “That’s a very astute deduction, but yes. Their magical powers weren’t as developed as ours were at the time, but they certainly could hold their own. I’ve fought alongside them plenty of times in the past.”

“Against Vergos?” Aloé quickly asks.

You recall the high elf from last night announcing your past battle for everyone to hear, and then you turn you memory to that battle from hundreds of years ago.

“That’s right. I and many, many others fought against Vergos in that last battle.” You turn and see a perplexed expression on her face, so you continue. “He was a colossal dragon. The largest there ever was. That being the case it’s difficult to describe how large he was, but easily several times longer than even the tallest towers in Velika. He terrorized the lands for years, killing countless until we were finally able to stop him.”

Her curiosity is less and less sated with every word.

“That big?!” She tries to picture it in the sky above. “But you killed him?”

You immediately laugh. “No, not me, I only helped.”

Of the dozens that started that battle, there were only two standing at the very end.

She steps forward, curiosity driving her. “Then who killed him?”

“The only person that I believe could have. She was incredibly skilled, brave, and…” Your chest tightens, but you still smile. “She…

“She? Oh wow! What was her name? Was she a human?” Aloé practically leans into you at this point.

Your misgivings for discussing that portion of your past cause you to hesitate, but at this moment, you can’t help but enjoy sharing more about her with Aloé.

Pulling a strand of hair aside, you smile. “Her name was Noire. She was of our kind, an Elin.”

It’s the closest match to what she was.

You continue this time before she has a chance to say anything. “She was really all of those things, but she was also stubborn in any argument, was atrociously lazy whenever she wasn’t on a mission, and she would always complain about how I crowded into her side of the bed…”

>>5049515

Damn it, you got carried away.

Aloé processes your words in confusion before her eyes go wide with realization. “Oh wow. You two were… Oh wow. Where is she now?” She asks innocently.

Your chest tightens even further, and you’ve lost all desire to talk about her any further.

“Not here anymore.” You answer simply and move very quickly to change the subject. “The human monarchy came around about three hundred years ago after the dissolution of the federation. There was no longer need to unite with the other races anymore as all the threats that would warrant such a union faded with time.”

She’s waylaid by both your response and your sudden pivot of subject and takes a moment to catch up. Tactfully she changes the subject. “Oh...uhhh. So…humans and the other races fought together in the federation, because they had something else to fight against…Could we start something like that again? If we had more chances to be part of the same team, we could maybe get along better?”

You're quick to answer to encourage the subject change. "Like it was in the past, there would need to be a force strong enough that the humans wouldn't be able handle on their own. Only then may something like that come to pass again."

"Does it have to be like that? Can't we join with them even if we're not fighting something? Can't we help the humans accomplish a goal, or help them build something?" Aloé entreats. "Like the five of us! Think about how much we could help their kingdom. If we're part of that, then our kind would get the same protections that they get. They would never be able to trade Elin slaves again, right? Right?"

You sincerely believe that to be an unrealistic goal for your kind as a whole. The human's rhetoric and attitude against the other races has slowly but steadily shifted into antagonism, and objectively, your kind seems to have some sort of morbid value to both them and the high elves. But is it that your view has been twisted by the horrible truths you've had to personally face? These truths may be part of the path you have tread and will continue to tread, but Aloé and other's paths are distinct from your own.

>Respectfully express your doubts that Elin can integrate in the current human society.

>Express a desire for Elin to find a place in the human dominated future.

>Write in

>>5049533
>>Express a desire for Elin to find a place in the human dominated future.

>>5049533
>Respectfully express your doubts that Elin can integrate in the current human society.
It'll take societal change. Having an Elin in the Royal Guard is a start, but that won't clear up human supremacist movements, and it certainly won't stop slavers.

Truthfully, it'll also take change on the part of Elin as well. Sudden wanderings as well as unclear age make Elin rather alien to humans. I think you will find difficult people to convince on both sides.

>Maybe in a few generations. When Elin are a little less popular as a commodity to purchase, and we have a veteran Royal Guard who has been serving since the king's grandfather held the crown.
I don't think Aloe would be keen on some grand quest to revive and/or gain the blessing of a new god for the whole race.

>>5049533
>Respectfully express your doubts that Elin can integrate in the current human society.
Time changes everything, however. The idea is to be around long enough for it to turn for the better, if that’s possible. Sometime we just have to muddle through

>>5049533
>Express a desire for Elin to find a place in the human dominated future.

>>5049533
>>5049574
By and large, I agree. It'll take time and effort. I'm tempted to use the plans I'd been making in the prologue. In a period of early industrialization, there's bound to be a demand for magic healers to remove workplace injuries. And only Elins have any magic left...

That demand will only grow once humans get factories. I can see low-level workers growing very protective of the one mage willing and able to fix their broken fingers, crushed limbs and nerve damage on the cheap. And the higher ups don't have to deal with unemployable crippled workers stirring up trouble.

I say there's a way. Who cares about bad race relations when you've got capitalism, really ? Offer a service no one else can at affordable prices, and become untouchable. If Elin healers rise in status, all Elin will be left alone as a result.

I agree it won't be an overnight, but a generation or two could suffice.

Heyo everyone. Happy Sunday, and to those of you with daylight saving time here's to that "extra" hour of rest.


>>5049574
Having to address the issue from the Elin side is a good point. As you've likely noticed, certain members of your own group would be better equipped to do that than others. But the idea that's taking shape here about an public face (one or many) for Elin to sway the hearts and minds of people is very intriguing personally.

>>5049650
Brings up a good practical point. The tides are certainly not in your favor right now, so a multi-faceted approach that underscores long term survival would be necessary.

>>5049702
To become an invaluable asset would guarantee your place in any society, more so if you can get support of an entire class behind you. The creativity of this idea sparks my imagination for potential future bits of the story. But, I will caution issues regarding the quantity of Elin healers relative to the rest of their kind, and also relative to the amount of humans there are.
Overall it seems that we've settled on giving advice about a long term integration, emphasizing that many things need to change in order for that to be successful.

There's no exact right answer for this wide-reaching of a question, only a conversation between an experienced veteran and someone near the start of their journey. I do enjoy the nuanced opinions about this.

>Writing!

Update in about 15 minutes!

>>5049953

Despite your doubts, it’s not as though you hadn’t thought about the logistics of how integration for your kind might take place. It’s certainly more suited for these younger Elin, as they can adapt and change better than someone as set in their ways as you are.

After deliberation you gently place a hand on Aloé’s shoulder and shake your head. “I don’t believe it’s so simple. As things stand in the capital, there’s a fomenting antagonism building against the other races that shows no signs of waning. Ideas and sentiments spread from that locus and find their ways into smaller cities and settlements. That’s not even mentioning the terrible things that are happening with the slavers and to Elin in the capital itself.”

She clearly wants to object, but broods over your words first.

You give her a playful shake as you see her expression sadden. “That doesn’t mean the situation can’t improve, Aloé. We can shape the ideas that spread out from Velika. You serving as the first Elin on the royal guard for their beloved princess is going to sway some hearts and minds. Slowly, you can bring about positive change for us Elin. Though it will take time and effort, with more and more of the humans on your side you can help create a proper place for our kind.”

Finally, she smiles wistfully at your words as she places her own hand over yours. “I like to believe that most of the humans are nicer than that, but…I agree that a lot of work needs to be done. But you talk about it like you’re separate from all of it, but you’re going to be living in Velika right with us, right?”

You ruffle her blonde hair with your free hand. “I’ll be around, don’t you worry. I only meant that you’re better at taking care of that side of things.” You motion to the ship around you. “Leave these sorts of mission to me, only…take care of yourself in case I need your help again, please.

She frees her hand and crosses her arm across her chest. “I will be your vanguard that guides and protects.”

You’ll have to do your best to protect her and the others from what twisted forces lurk unseen.

~

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>>5050361
Ruby stretches and yawns loudly. “We almost there yet? I could use a damn bath like yesterday.”

“I already told you that we have still another hour of sailing at least.” The royal guard trainee glares at her, clearly having to dealt with the same question several times before.

“Stop pestering him, Ruby.” You call out as you approach and watch her jump at you suddenly appearing. “He must be tired of having to deal with your stink as well.”

Ruby humorously switches from an expression of surprise to anger in only a second. “You’re the only one who stinks here, you old fart. But I can kick you into the ocean since you need a bath.”

“Oh?” You pull your staff forward and stare her down. “Care to try?”

Unsurprisingly she fails to hold your gaze and crosses her arms to pout.

“Ugh.” You and Ruby both say.

She holds her stance. “Is that all you wanted to say?” She doesn’t turn to look at you.

Alright, now she’s starting to become truly angry, so you ought to ease off her.

“No, I came over because I wanted to thank you for coming along on this mission. It wouldn’t have gone nearly as smoothly without you help.” You motion for the perplexed red head to join you near the railing, out of earshot of the royal guard trainee.

>>5050363

Once she finally approaches, you continue. “I won’t act as if we didn’t have a mercenary contract, but you saw it through even when you had free chance to leave. You disagreed with my approach many times, but you still followed my orders. So again, thank you, Ruby.”

She scratches the back of her head while looking everywhere besides at you. “The hell…I mean. No problem, I guess…Ugh, geez Elewyn can’t you go back to acting normal?!”

You cross your arms and lean back against the railing of the ship. “How would that be?”

“Ya know, like bossy and calculating. That sort of stuff.” She shrugs.

You motion to the rest of the ship. “The contract is over now, Ruby, we’re on the return trip. You’ll get the rest of your pay once we get back to Velika, I assure you, but I’m not here to order you around anymore.”

“Man, I don’t even know what you mean by that, but so long as I’m getting paid…” She crosses her arms and looks up in thought. “Anyway, why did you hire me anyway? I mean, the other two weren’t doing it for pay, so I get why you picked them, but you could’ve hired any merc for this job right? Like...it’s weird, sometimes I get the feeling like I’ve met you before…So, why me?”

Ahh, it’s not a surprise that she might pick up some fragments of memories and begin to wonder why the party was put together as it was. Honestly, you picked her to kill two birds with one stone. To have another capable fighter on the team for this mission, and to closely observe Ruby’s mental status after her previous mercenary unit dissolved.

You should be delicate about what you reveal to her at this moment. But if she's starting to recall small pieces of her past, would it be better to not leave her completely in the dark?

>Explain that since the mission required saving enslaved Elin, you knew that such a sensitive task would be better handled with your own kind.

>Explain that you have been keeping an eye on her, in order to make sure she was safe with everything that is happening in Velika.

>Write in

>>5050371
>Explain that you knew her before she lost her memory, and now happened to be a good chance to check on her.
>With her budding magical talent, it seems like it was the right choice
time to prepare the "you didn't ask" card

>>5050371
>>Explain that since the mission required saving enslaved Elin, you knew that such a sensitive task would be better handled with your own kind.

>>5050371
Supporting >>5050381
Seems like as good a time as any to see if dropping it on her has a positive result

Morning everyone, looking ahead at a busy work week, but I definitely want to finish the rest of this arc without breaks from the usual posting.

As per usual, leaving the vote open for a few more hours before tallying what we have. Thank you for the votes so far!

>>5050381
I'm not sure about that one, but since it's going to win, I'll add that we should limit ourselves to things she already remembers. Let's avoid a psychotic breakdown, please.

>>5050381
>>5050761
We'll begin to explain that we known her before the mission, and we thought to check on her at this point, but given that the goal here was to be "delicate with what you reveal" at this time, we'll limit the extent of what we tell her about her past. Also, she didn't reveal her magical talent until the mission was already underway, so we won't be able to use this part.

>Writing!

Finally back home, and hoping to have the update posted in about an hour

>>5050980
>so we won't be able to use this part.
I don't get it, but it's not important

>>5050980

If she’s beginning to piece together memories from before, then it would be prudent to provide a foundation that might help her handle the horrific trauma she will have to face. You’ll have to be very delicate in your word choice, and also prepared to deal with the consequences of revealing that you left her in the dark.

You cross your arms in thought. “I selected you for a few reasons, actually, since you’re so curious. Firstly, I needed another party member that could handle their own in a fight. Asking other mercenaries before the mission, and everything that you showed me these past few days indicate that you were the right choice.”

Ruby seems to light up with a bit of pride.

You sigh before continuing. “Second…that inclination you had that we met before is true, Ruby. While I can’t say that I knew you well, it was enough that I wanted to take the opportunity to check how you were doing and-.”

“What?!” She hastily interjects with a hard stomp of her foot. “You knew me before the boss found me? What was I doing? What was I like? What even happened to me?”

A natural string of questions to ask. However expected they are, it doesn’t make them any easier to answer.

Another sigh. “You were an adventurer, I suppose. Taking on jobs much like you do now to make ends meet, and that’s how we encountered each other. At that time, you were much like you are now: brash, hot-headed, and you gave your all in any fight. But as I said, I didn’t know you very well, and those characteristics make themselves known in a very short amount of time.”

You stop there for a moment to think on your next words and watch as she hangs on your every word with impatient demand. “For your last question…I don’t know exactly what happened to you as I didn’t see you again until you were with the mercenary company.”

>>5051243

The half-truth may be deceptive, but you truly believe that she isn’t ready to learn all of what you know about that night right now. As it stands, there are still details about that night that you need to finish investigating on your own. Lylia, the guild clerk from that time wasn’t truly Lylia, but a very capable imposter. The real Lylia’s body was found a day later tossed in an alley like refuse. Even worse, the facts you’ve collected thus far suggest that the sounds you overheard as you were leaving the guild that night weren’t from two willing participants. That being the case, you’ll stick to limiting the amount that you reveal to her.

“Fucking hell…” Ruby rubs her forehead, as if the information you’ve shared with her is causing her physical pain. “and you didn’t think it would’ve been good to tell me this sooner? What the hell is wrong with you, Elewyn?!”

You choose not to dodge as she shoves one of your shoulders, which she does with all the strength that hauling around that great sword builds.

She’s shocked as you fall hard to the deck on your rear. The others turn to watch in concern, but you wave them off to assure them that the situation is under control.

You stand, dust yourself off, and choose not to act upon her forceful push. “No, I didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell you sooner. You and I were on a mission and look how you decide to act now that I’ve shared this information with you.”

“Whatever!” She heatedly waves you off and returns to rubbing her head. “Whole lot of fucking good this does me anyway, right? Still so much shit I don’t remember, and you get to stand there and stare at me like I’m some sort of confused idiot.” She suddenly slams her hands on her knees and turns to you. “Why the hell can’t I remember, huh? You’re so damned smart, why don’t you answer me that?”

The two of you stare each other down.

>Tell her that while you're not able to answer that, it doesn't change that she's still Ruby to you.

>Explain the she needs to be the one that needs to figure that out on her own.

>Write in

>>5051256
>>Explain the she needs to be the one that needs to figure that out on her own.

>>5051256
>Do you remember what I told you about the book? If I told you, would you believe me?

>>5051256
>>Explain the she needs to be the one that needs to figure that out on her own.

>>5051256
>>Explain the she needs to be the one that needs to figure that out on her own.
We wish we could do something more, but we know for certain that she must do it herself. Just telling her won't work.
>I believe we're playing a very dangerous game here, but suit yourselves, anons.

Heyo everyone, pretty busy at work so just here to tally the votes real quick.

>>5051444
>>5051449
>>5051668
Letting her sort it out on her own.

>>5051446
I really appreciate this callback used for this dialogue.

>Writing!

Hi all, I'm working through a longer than average update, so I'm going to take more time with it and post it sometime tomorrow morning.

Thanks for your patience, and I'll see you then!

Heyo everyone, I'm going to try my best to post the update within an hour!

Undoubtedly, she’s not going to appreciate your answer, yet, if she’s going to head off to start a new life away from Velika, she’s going to have to stand on her own.

You calmly shake your head. “I assure you that I’m not doing this to ridicule you. But as to why you can’t remember, you need to be the one to figure that out on your own.” You push closer such that you stand only a few inches away from her. “Ruby, the memories weren’t taken from you. You said so yourself that you felt that you knew me from before, which indicates that you remembered that. So, you already have the answer you desire somewhere in your own mind.”

With that, you’re the one that breaks away first. “If you want some advice about your memories, think back to what I told you when you asked me about your book yesterday. Otherwise…” You turn back and unexpectedly catch an expression of forlorn on her face instead of agitation when you two lock eyes. “Thank you for everything. I’ll make sure that the coin owed gets to you.”

Now you want to be alone.

~

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>>5052589

You sit on the very front of the ship, legs dangling over the wooden edge, staff sitting in your lap, and the steady wind free to pass through your hair.

You were unable to save all three of the captured Elin, but at least you made sure to see an end to all their torment. In addition, the information gathered on this mission invaluably shed light on the disappearances plaguing your kind. The once amorphous shadows lurking out of sight and reach are taking shape that won’t simply slip from your grasp.

The high elves are contracting slavers to capture and ship primarily Elin slaves to the western continent. Given the varied resources the slavers were provided with, the high elves are an organized group that has access to a source of tradable commodities, a wealthy sponsor, or some other means of generating large amount of coin. In addition, they have access to renewed magical powers that shouldn’t be naturally possible for them. Unfortunately, even with all that information, the details about their goal are sparse at best. Most peculiar is what could be the fate of those they capture. They’ll take slaves of any sort of physical condition “to process” them, except for Elin who are instead “tuned.”

You close your eyes to sort through these facts.

At the very least you can deduce the order by which these pieces of information came chronologically. Whenever they returned to this world, the high elves would have needed wealth immediately to set their plans in motion. From there, the slavers would have provided their captures, which given their fervent desire to acquire as many Elin as possible, it could be reasoned that the slaves are related to the elves' renewed magic.

But how? It’s not as if you can simply rip mana from any entity. The best minds from the Age of Heroes tried and failed to accomplish the very same with magical beasts, and they had the backing of the Federation and the privilege to act in broad daylight.

You sigh and turn to the western expanse of open sea. Lorcada is cold and inhospitable land on the opposite shore that you haven’t thought about in centuries. Once the suppression of Kelsaik was completed the federation withdrew most of its forces, and the land was largely forgotten about. It seems bit more information gathering is in order to prepare for an eventual trip to learn more about what the elves hope to achieve…

>>5052607

You turn to the eastern front, and the sprawling land that stretches toward the opposite mist shrouded shore still scarce in settlements.

First, you’ll have to take care of business comparatively closer to home. Aldo should be finished looking into that rumor of a body with a perfectly attached mismatched head washing ashore in the Velika Wilds. Peculiar as there shouldn’t be much out there other than a handful of port cities and fishing outposts…

On that note, you’ll need to assemble a new party for this upcoming mission. The selection criteria are going to be different this time round as taking a group of Elin, even disguised as young humans, will be far too conspicuous for the lands you’re venturing into. Meaning that you’ll need to call upon some old favors. With any luck, it wouldn’t have been so long that these favors have expired.

Finally, it will be beneficial to give your current companions some time to rest and reflect upon this experience, as they’ve come away from it with scars both on the inside and the outside. They will still need to consider the implications of those scars and how they will carry them into the future. In this world were magic has waned and desperate individuals scheme to seize the last remaining wisps, Elin as inherently magical beings need to remain vigilant, and continuously fight for their rightful place. For those that didn’t make it, a proper burial is all that you can provide now.

The staff on your lap quakes at the prospect of the events to come.

Ahhh, if only you hadn’t set all of this in motion.

_______________________________________________________________

This concludes the first chapter of Elin Veteran Quest.

I'm very glad and grateful to have had the opportunity to see it through to this end. I had deliberated for a long time about starting this quest, and I'm satisfied that I decided to put the idea to paper. To all those who've participated so far, I have a deep amount of thanks for both allowing me to share this story and helping shape it as well.

As to what comes next.

There will be an update soon about stat upgrades for Elewyn and Ruby reflecting growth from this mission. I'm still working through the numbers, so that might be later today or sometime tomorrow. I also very much would like to get started with the second chapter, but I also want to take a more extended break to come at it with fresh eyes and more fleshed out ideas. I'm estimating that I will be starting the next thread not this upcoming Saturday, but the next. I'll keep you guys posted.

Of course, I'll still be around this thread to answer any questions or discuss any feedback or such. It's always great to see what you guys are thinking.

>>5052625
I haven't been able or interested to vote on everything, but this is a story that I find really interesting. Combat's still wizardry to me, but the world and evolving plotline have me hooked.

And an old favor by Elewyn standards, or by human standards? So....Another Elin, or some other really old being, or is this going to be her wandering into a throne room, and going "Your parents owe me, gimme a ship and some men for an expedition"

So, with their goddess dead, and no more Elin being pulled from lake, they're basically a dying race? There's no other source of Elin, period?

>>5052625
Hmmm, alright here's my crackpot theory to send the chapter off.

Different races are processed into meatbags to maximize suffering and helplessness. Elin are tuned specifically to activate their potential for Blood Magic. Then one or more of both are physically fused together as chimerae in order to break their minds.

Rather than take in that mana into themselves, the elves can use the chimerae as external batteries for whatever spells they please. Or they just offer them all to a dark god and/or try to make an artificial one by combining enough sparks of divinity together.

>>5052709
Thank you for your interest and feedback! I look forward to continuing to evolve the world and the story. Also, I will be sure to reexplain the mechanics of combat for the upcoming arc.

To give you some hints about the upcoming chapter, the favor would be old by human standards, but there would be great difficulty in getting any leeway making demands from royalty at this point. Those particular debts are very old by human standards, and old by Elin standards.

All Elin are fragments of their goddess' (Elinu, in case you're curious) spirit. With her being dead, the amount of new Elin pulled from the lake diminished as her influence waned until the point in the story where no new Elin have been born for decades. All Elin come from her, in some way, so with her actively being dead, there is no source of new Elin.

Good questions!

>>5052760

*Takes notes*

Only kidding, but speculation is definitely one of my favorite types of posts to see.

The power and influence of emotion is certainly a core theme that I want to explore with this story, as well as the differences in emotional experience that Elin have versus humans, for example, is also central.

That much I'll tell you now, sorry to be vague, but please keep reading to see how your theory turns out!

>>5052625
It's been a good ride so far, QM. This has been a consistent enjoyment for me over the last month. I'll be waiting for the next thread with great interest !

>>5052709
Unlike you, I found the combat to be quite logical after it was solidified after the prologue. I think that's mostly due to QM drip-feeding us control and abilities. We started out with a couple of skills for 2 characters, and when we worked out the best way to play them, we got more control over the other two. Small increments worked very well.

As someone who's had time to play around with the system, is there something you want me or the QM to explain ?

>>5053175
We severely miscalculated the chimera's total hp, so maybe that's something to think about.

>>5053175
Thank you very much for your participation and your enjoyment thus far! It's been mutually enjoyable writing for you guys.

>>5053175
>>5053181
I appreciate your feedback about the combat system. The depiction of damage to enemies is something I consistently think about how to improve, yet I definitely want to keep it in line with the reality of story (i.e. no HP values for enemies while fighting them.) I will do my best to evaluate how to improve that the delivery of that aspect and implement that in the next chapter!

>>5053181
All in all, I would rather overestimate than underestimate, and that's what we did. It's quite logical than we had trouble getting a good read on it, since it was an amalgam on several things.
I'm amused that in all of this, the only time were the combat state became bad (the CR+1 thingy I don't recall the name of) was not on the final boss, but on a small encounter. Because we didn't have Elewyn. I chuckled when I realized that. It's part of why I enjoy this quest. Support is essential in fights.

>>5053221
Also,I'm going to sound off-topic, but what was the Goddess called ?

>>5053243
I'm glad that you caught that fact about the elevated risk combat status, and I certainly plan to keep using it if the story calls for it.

There were multiple gods and goddesses, of various natural aspects of the world. The goddesses mentioned thus far in the quest were Velik, goddess of the hunt and patron of the humans. Elinu is goddess of nature and natural beauty and is the literal creator of Elin. I hope that addressed your question!

>>5053255
I have just belatedly realized that Elewyn= El-ew-(i)n and needed the name of the Goddess to see if there had been something huge like that staring me in the face this entire time.

Hi all, the stats for Elewyn and Ruby have been updated, and the character sheets now reflect that as well.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o_UUxh62Gj5_fMjlaRr5cn1BHBB3P8uLpnMy15XcJak/edit?usp=sharing

Changes in summary:
>Elewyn
HP: 8->11
MP:30->39
Physical Resistance Base: 1->2
Magical Resistance Base: 8->9

>Ruby:
HP: 12->15
Stamina: 25->29
MP:3->4
Physical Amplification Base: 5->7

Hello all,

Thank you for your continued patience. I'm feeling well-rested, inspired, and very eager to continue writing this quest.

That said: Elin Veteran Quest #2 is set to being in approximately 24 hours. It will be a new thread, which I will also link here, so keep an eye out!

I look forward to working with all of you again, and I suggest that you bring a sweater!

>>5059776
Elin Veteran Quest #2 begins here:

>>5060599

>>5062314