>>5109195

The training… Suddenly, the attack that the two of you spent countless days breaking wooden dummy after wooden dummy floods your mind. The two of you have it down to a perfected science, so now is the time to utilize all that effort on these motley set of bandits. You’re about to call out to her to signal your plan when she turns back to shoot you a feisty look in her eyes.

She has the exact same idea.

You charge in first, as you practiced. Your boots smack hard against the cold cobblestone as your focus your attention on the leading brigand waiting for his reaction. His eyes show the surprise at your sudden movement, but then he quickly collects himself and winds his sword for a wide horizontal slash. He’s too easily read. You easily block his slash and forcefully pin his sword down on the snow covered stone. His slash is weaker than you had expected, but there’s no time to think about it.

You can hear her rushing forward already.

From pure adrenaline, you let out a fierce shout at his shocked face, as you stomp the sword out of his hand. Hearing the rusted metal clang onto the ground, you take grip of the collar of his armor, and with all the force you can muster, fling him behind you.

The force sends him into a toppling run, but instead of meeting the hard ground, his face is caved in by Seo’s charging attack. His body topples back from the impact, as Seo twists on the slick stone, barely able to maintain her footing. Your arms move for you at this point as your sword swoops to carve deeply into his broken body. He finally crashes to rest between you and Seo.

The pink, red, and purplish contents of his being splatter from the holes in his body like macabre fireworks splashing onto the two of you. A gut-wrenching gurgling spews forth from the fissure in his head as the pressure of his body, no longer held back by intact flesh, forces fluid sputtering forth. He spasms at random before seizing up to let out a horrifyingly desperate wail before finally being silenced by his own blood.

Seo gasps and drops her mace to the ground as she stares upon the impact crater she created. She stumbles on her rear, and crawls back from the body. Your chest fiercely rises and falls with great steaming breaths as you stare upon the person you killed but feeling the heat of the crimson fluid dripping from your hands and blade your chest seizes mid breath. Your senses are overwhelmed to point of blurring.

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>>5109200


“Fuck!” You hear one of the brigands shout at the sight. “Just get the fucking horses and run!”

You senses come rushing back to you as you feel them charging past you.

All of your limbs tingle as your heart slam inside your chest, causing your blood to surge and audibly pound in your head. “P-Pick up your fucking mace!” You hoarsely shout at Seo, the dryness in your throat prickling with each word.

Seo stares at you with horror struck on her face before clenching her eyes shut and shakily standing. She lifts her blood-stained mace from the ground before the two of you hastily turn to the remaining two brigands.

___________________________________________________________

Luca:
>HP: 28
>LP: 8
>Stamina: 19
>MP: 0


Seo:
>HP: 19
>LP: 6
>Stamina: 21
>MP: 0

The two remaining brigands have given up trying to fight you and are attempting to steal your horses. Both Luca and Seo are shaken up from their kill, but are still willing to fight.

>Write in movements/actions for both Luca and Seo

(This thread is picking up directly from: >>5060599 which is very soon going to reach the bump limit.)

lol dumbass kids
I have not paid any attention to the combat mechanics of this quest though so I leave that to someone else

>>5109328
If you're interested, I'd be more than willing to walk you through the player end of the combat mechanics. No pressure either way

>>5109209
Seo goes for a Limb smash on one of them, while Luca goes for the other one with just a Focused Slash with the longsword, try and get their attention back on the threats, or get them to bail....without stealing our horses.

>>5109209
support >>5109577

This was their first kill? crazy.

>>5109209
Again, I'll go for the blades, as it's harder to run with a knife in the leg. Seo I don't fully trust, for this turn, but I guess she can go for the bandit closest to her, or whichever bandit dodges the blades.

Rolled 1, 4, 9, 5 = 19 (4d10)

Heyo everyone, I hope that you're all doing well this Wednesday.

Thank you all for the votes, we're going ahead with:
>>5109577
>>5109588

>Seo to limb smash one of the brigands.
Stamina Cost: 6
Total Physical Amplification: 12 + 6 = 18
Rolling 4d10 to see if connected (first two dice)
30% Chance of Evasion and Physical Amplification Reduction


>While Luca heads off the other with a focused slash with his longsword. Overall intent is to drive them off without losing any horses.
Stamina Cost: 4
Total Physical Amplification: 12 + 6 = 18
Rolling 4d10 to see if connected (last two dice)
Bleed Chance 10%

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>5110031
CR for both of them was 6 as it was for the first brigand. So, Seo's attack fails to connect, while Luca's connects for damage.

Rolling for bleed chance from Luca (1d10, 1 = bleed)

Rolled 10, 7, 6, 6 = 29 (4d10)

>>5110033
No bleed is inflicted. Now for the brigands:

Rolling 4d10 for strike on Seo. (First two dice, CR 8)
Rolling 4d10 for strike on Izurin (Last two dice, CR 9)

>Writing outcome!

>>5109341
Couldn’t hurt. I was wondering why you made a slab of meat the OP picture though lol.

>>5110154
Sorry for the delayed response, I'm currently at work.

Here's a quickish summary of combat:

Combat in my personal opinion is a balance of utilizing the skills your team has in order to achieve whichever goal you think is best in that moment. It could (and often is) trying to maximize damage output to eliminate opponents, but unique situations arise where you need to think about more than just damage output (e.g. the battle with the wyrms in the Slaver Arc where you had children to protect).

So when you've decided what exact goal(s) you want to accomplish in a given situation, you should reference the character sheets of the individuals you are in control of (in this case Seo and Luca) and see which skills they have that could best meet your given goal. Each skill that you use comes with a stamina and magic cost that needs to be considered, especially for combat situations that might be extensive (take a lot of turns.) Of course, you can pair a movement with the skill however you see fit, so long as it's within the realm of possibility for the situation.

Combat Rules for additional Details:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1peKn2-vZzeDmAXhy_ZlifFA9nOMlaEs3PK7hgKSel3M/edit?usp=sharing

Once a set of actions has been selected through a vote, I perform the necessary rolls. For almost every attack I roll to see if it connects first, 2d10 vs. enemy's evasion. If it does connect, then your attack (represented by Physical Amplification, see char sheet) is subtracted by the enemy's defense (represented by physical resistance, unique to each type of enemy) to equal the resulting damage done to the enemy's HP. (Enemy stats are unknown to you.)

Lots of different effects can also have a chance to activate, depending on the skill. Bleed chance is so far the most common, which you'll often see me rolling the relevant die relative to the outlined chance of activation (%chance in skill description).

From all of that, I write the story to reflect the results of the chosen actions and rolls.

Perhaps a little longer than I had expected, but I hope that it serves to clarify anything that may have been unclear. I'm always willing to answer questions if any should arise.

Speaking of which, the slab of meat is tied to my desire to pick an OP picture that is reflective of the overarching story at hand. It's also not only meat in that picture!

Back from work and hoping to have the update posted in about 30 minutes

>>5110036

You immediately dash toward the two brigands heading for your other companions and horses. One is clearly faster than the other, so you signal for Seo to attack the lagging figure, while you attempt to head off the other. You must keep them from taking your horses.

As you surge past with your longsword held low, Seo sprints toward the closer bandit, and manages to cut him off. She strikes low at his legs with wild, and heavy swings. She attacks hastily, without any measure of where her opponent will move next. Panting she swings and swings again, while the brigand clumsily manages to keep one step ahead of her attacks. Losing patience, she lunges without regard to her footing and slips on the cold stones. Her body falls out from underneath her as the bandit jumps back fearfully as if she were still in pursuit. A small cloud of snowflakes are flung into the air as she lands hard on her arm. The bandit quickly seizes on the chance, and violently hacks downward with his chipped weapon. The rusted sword both slams against the hard stone road and her upper hip as she screams in pain with blood leaking from her wound.

Instinctively, you look back to catch her slam a foot into her assailant’s stomach and break free to regain her footing. Turning back, you’re immediately distressed that you won’t head off the bandit in time before he reaches your horses.

“Hold him off!” You shout desperately at Misha who shakily stands to the side with the blade still sheathed, as if merely a concerned spectator to the whole affair.

Your jaw clenches as you strain your thighs to propel you forward as fast as they can take you.

The brigand locks his sights onto the horse, blinded to Misha standing frustratingly inactive nor the small figure that foolishly moves into his way.

He slams into Izurin, tumbling onto the hard ground with her in a hectic crash. As they both slide on the cold stone, he scrambles to reach for his weapon which lies next to Izurin’s small body. The bandit unsteadily rises to his feet using his sword to push off the ground and in impotent rage, stomps his leg into her stomach, causing her to cough forth blood. Enraged, he slashes at her, which she barely shields with her small arms causing a long crimson line to open on her forearms.

>>5110383

You hold nothing back as you furiously swing your sword into his unarmored back and feel it slice through tough muscle and chip into the hard bone. With a hard kick to his rear, you free your sword and roughly shove him away from the Elin.

The brigand gives panicked swings at the air between you and him to hold off your advance. With both of you heavily breathing in the cold afternoon air, you size each other up as you pivot to put yourself between him and the injured Elin on the ground.

He’s badly injured, and you’re confident that you can take him down with a couple more successful strikes at most. With that thought in mind, you clench your sword tightly to steady your anxious shaking and breathe deeply to calm your racing thoughts.

The horses are secured, but both Seo and Izurin especially need first aid, so the sooner this encounter is finished the better. Now, how to best accomplish that?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Luca:
>HP: 28
>LP: 8
>Stamina: 15
>MP: 0


Seo:
>HP: 15
>LP: 6
>Stamina: 15
>MP: 0

Cut off from the horses and enraged by the flurry of battle, both brigands are still willing to fight. The brigand facing off against Luca is injured, but still poses a threat. A tension courses through the lull in the battle as both sides watch for the next move.

>Write in movements/actions for both Luca and Seo

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>>5110390
Forgot to include the map of characters!

>>5110390
Fanned Blades both of them. That'll give Seo enough leeway to finish the job herself, and if the guy in front of us runs, then we can just keep throwing knives until he's dead.

If the brigand sticks to Luca, good. That keeps this encounter short and sweet.

>>5110406
A bit late for those imo, but supporting still.
Seo should just bash.
>>5110154

I'll add to this. Stats don't matter beyond those for our chars we see each turn, since we lack enemy and NPC info.
Worry about these:
HP: General health. 0=Incapacitation or serious wound.
LP= Life points. 0= Death.
Stamina= Mana for physical attacks.0= No physical attacks, but no effect of movement (Note: Has never happened)
MP: Actual Mana. 0= No magic.
Tips: Bleed deals damage based on max health. It puts a 6-7 turn death counter on what you hit. No stack, but get it on though targets.
As I've said, daggers bypass armor, which may come in handy.
You will generally be able to give commands to NPCs after fighting with them a few time.
Here, Misha is surprised and Izurin is both a non-combatant and somewhat aloof.
With Elewyn, we used the area protection so much it's been made a passive, so we tend to stay in a formation. As you've just seen, no doing tend to lead to issues. Keep in mind who is best to make a target for the enemy and who to protect.

From this quest's first fight, we've been looking at it from a support's pov. It's turned battles into a resource management. You've seen it with Elewyn's mana at the beginning o fthe arc. Sundowning is a guaranteed stun, but at 10 mana, it's a risky investment, and a one time trick. Do you overcast your heal ? Do you use your wind to reposition yourself or the enemy ? And where ?
Support MCs I don't see often, and not many people choose to get involved in this quest's combat. No sure if it's because it has no prompts or because the sheets are offsite.

Rolled 9, 3, 10, 5 = 27 (4d10)

Heyo everyone, I hope you're all warm and well as winter takes hold.

>>5110862
This is also has a lot of good information about combat stats and combat from the player's perspective (especially with insight for using the MC in combat) that I definitely recommend reading through. Thank you for putting it together!

>>5110406
>>5110862
Luca to use fanned blades on both brigands and Seo to keep up the attack with a bash.

>Luca to use Fanned Blades to damage both brigands
Stamina Cost: 3
Flat Damage: 4
Rolling 4d10 to see if connected (first two dice, CR 6)


>Seo to use Discerning Bash on her target to keep up the assault
Stamina Cost:4
Physical Amplification: 10 + 8 = 18
40% chance of Physical Resistance Reduction
Rolling 4d10 to see if connected (last two dice, CR 6)

>>5110892
Both attacks connect, rolling for armor break(physical resistance reduction) on Seo's enemy. (Rolling 1d10, 1-4 = reduction)

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>5110895
I have to forget the dice at least once per thread.

>>5110897
No armor breaking, and no attacks roll from the enemy this round.

>Writing!

Back home, so update soon! (15-20ish minutes)

>>5110899

With the horses out of reach, injuring them both would deflate their will to fight and would hopefully be enough to drive them away. Striking using your fanned blades will not only damage them both, but provide Seo with an opportunity to capitalize with a follow-up attack.

You slowly step toward a better angle for your thrown weapons, all the while pivoting your sword to not reveal your intended attack. Your opponent does much of the same, but winces in pain as he tries match your last position.

Now!

You grip the pair of small knives on your hip and lunge forward, and with boots scraping hard against the stone path, you fling the blades at the two brigands. Surprised, your opponent jumps back, believing you intended to strike with your sword only to be met with a dagger embedding itself in his stomach. He howls in pain as you watch the other blade find it’s way into his companion’s thigh before he had the time to slide away.

As her opponent loses his footing, she rapidly advances upon him to brutally bash her mace against his shoulder, with both hands gripped tightly around the handle. The crunching impact against thin metal and bone echoes across the desolate cold road, and flecks of blood cling to the flanges of the mace as she pulls it away from the brigand’s torso.

Sensing your upper hand and that their fervor has faltered you call out to both bandits. “Enough!” Your breaths are heavy from the strain of battle. “You’ve both lost this fight, so leave now while you still have your lives to lose.”

They both gawp at you as if they’d never expected you to say such a thing. However, once you raise your sword and show that you still have plenty of fight within you, they lower their weapons.

“Fuck.” The closer bandit curses dejectedly and furiously turns to his companion. “Come on, you useless shit…Couldn’t even take down a woman.” Vitriol courses through his words as you carefully watch them trudge a bitter retreat into the snow-covered hills.

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>>5111286

The blood still pounds in your head as you’re finally able to take stock of your group’s condition. As you wipe the caked drying blood off your weapon, you see Seo gripping the injury on her hip to contain the steady trickle of blood that leaks down her leg. She limps slightly from the pain now that the adrenaline has begun to wear off, and heads toward the horses likely to find bandages to plug her wound. You quietly sheathe your longsword.

Speaking of wounded, you glance among the legs of the horses for the Elin, but only find a small blood trail leading toward the edge of the road and back to where you first encountered the brigands. It’s there, close by the body of the bandit, you and Seo unexpectedly obliterated, that you find the Elin. Perplexed, you head toward her and observe from the blood on the stone that she painstakingly crawled her way over to his body. Once near, you find her covered in blood-stained snow and dirt from the road, but tenderly holding the hand of the brigand that was left here.

“He’s in pain.” Izurin states quietly behind her the mess of hair that clings to her face.

“He’s dead.” You reply flatly, tapping his foot with your boot for emphasis.

“No.” Her voice unusually firm as she leans in close to the gaping hole of gore that used to be his face. “Listen.”

Tensely, you kneel closer and hear her steady breathing and then suddenly…a faint rasping gurgling emanating from his wound.

You stand back in shock, and instinctively reach for the handle of your longsword. “Shit!” You curse, confused at how such a broken body could cling onto life. Even if it was a fight, why must his body pass with such an ignoble and violent manner? Why couldn’t he die cleanly?!

Izurin hums a quiet melody to interrupt your thoughts, as she reaches for the brigand’s dagger secured to his side. With deliberate and unhesitating movement, she settles on the ground and slides her lap underneath his gore-ridden head. She sits, unfazed in a pool of crimson as she rests her free hand over the mangled eyes of the bandit, and with the other, inserts the merciful blade where his head and neck meet.

You’re paralyzed at the bizarre scene playing out in front of you until her watery-blue eyes meet yours. “Now he is dead.”

~

>>5111293

~

Lacking the time and the right tools, you can only drag the brigand’s body to the side of the road, at the Elin’s behest. He’s much lighter than you would expect for someone of his stature, and your fingers dig into a bony torso as you drag him.

She carefully wraps his head in a large cloth he had on his person to preserve some of his dignity before standing and turning to you.

Her face is pale, and body unsteady as she seems to struggle to focus on you. It’s now that you recall the injuries she sustained during the fight, and that the blood that’s on her body is not only from the brigand.

She bleeds, just like the human he was, and just like the human you are.

You angrily grip her upper arm and lead her back to the horses. “You’re an idiot. A dense disappointment that almost got themself killed.” The vapor from your heated words forms long clouds as the sun is beginning to cross the horizon. “He was more than twice your size, you idiot.”

“You said to ‘hold him off.’” She explains hazily.

She’s falling behind to the point you’re dragging her across the cold stone.

“That’s when you manage to follow my words?” You impatiently pick her up and carry her with her head slumped on your shoulder.

As you approach you find Seo already dressing the wound on her hip and Misha solemnly approaches you. “I-I’m sorry, Luca. I couldn't...I just froze up.”

Part of you would like nothing more than to berate him on how shamefully he acted as a Velikan man. But you’re exhausted and he wasn’t brought here to fight. For now, you need to get moving again to clear out of the area in case the bandits decide to bring reinforcements. “We’ll talk about it later. Right now, I need you to retrieve the bandages. I have to make sure this fool doesn’t bleed out.”

Misha hastily follows your orders and heads to the flank of your horse where your supplies are contained. “Should I get the potions as well?”

You quickly think on his question. Seo’s wound weren’t too serious, but it will take time to heal fully that could be cut short if you give her a healing potion to consume. The Elin’s wounds are more serious, but she’s not going to be doing any fighting, so dressing them may be sufficient.

How should you use the healing potions?

>Save them for now.

>Administer one to Seo.

>Administer one to Izurin.

>Write in.

>>5111295
I will add that you currently have two healing potions as a reminder

>>5111295
>Administer one to Seo.
Keep her fighting-fit as much as possible, especially if he doesn't actually know that Elewyn is a healer, or if we have complications actually getting to her.

>>5111295
>Administer one to Seo.
We don't even know how strong the potion is

Rolled 1 (1d2)

Heyo everyone, I hope it's all going well for you as the week wraps up.

>>5111304
>>5111574
Administering one healing potion to Seo to keep her in fighting shape. (Healing potion has a healing recovery range of 2-3.)

As a reminder Seo was dealt 4 damage in the encounter. Rolling a 1d2 to determine the total healing with a roll of 2 resulting in greater healing.

>>5112039
>Seo's Total HP: 15 + 2 = 17
Her wound will heal and seal for the most part with only minor effects lingering.

>Writing!

Finally back home! It was a hectic day, so I wasn't able to have much down time to write, so update will be a few hours out. I'll post again when it's almost done.

Update in about 20-30 minutes!

>>5112041

The brutality and desperation of the fight you experienced has thoroughly ilucidated the importance of making sure you two are in fighting shape. If Seo wasn’t present with you to dispatch the first bandit and then hold the attention of the other, you would have been dealt a three on one encounter. The situation would have been far more dangerous and could have very well cost you your life. If preventing such risks only costs a potion, then that's a price that you’re more than willing to pay.

“One will do.” You instruct Misha as you place the wounded Elin on the ground, and then turn to Seo. “How’s your injury?”

She doesn’t look away from attending to her wound. “It’s starting to sting rather fiercely, but I’m more worried about how well it will seal while we’re traveling.”

“I had a similar thought.” You respond while taking the potion and bandages from Misha. “Here.” You call gently out while approaching Seo. “It’s a healing potion… Misha and I bought it last night. It will at the very least help seal up the wound cleanly.”

She turns impatiently to eye the potion in your extended hand, and then glances at your face. Her expression seems to soften after seeing your concern. “I don’t imagine it will taste very pleasant.” She responds lightly with raised eyebrows while taking the potion out of your hand.

“I don’t think you drink it for the taste.” You follow up, eager to keep the mood light between the two of you.

At this moment, neither of you need to dwell on what you witnessed…or did to that brigand earlier.

You watch as she pops the cork off the bottle, and sniffs to inspect the contents. With only a quick sigh to brace herself, she quickly downs the entire thing in a few large gulps. “Oh, that’s awful!” She gasps as she pulls the empty bottle away from her mouth.

A few moments later she grips the site of the wound. “It’s feels very hot…” She explains with an uncharacteristic note of worry.

You step forward, but she holds up a hand and then pulls away the blood-caked bandage from the wound. The skin appears thin and irritated, but certainly sealed. You both marvel at the effectiveness of the healing potion.

“I’ll have to give my regards to the alchemist that brewed this.” She laughs awkwardly as she tenderly touches the skin. “It’s yet painful to the touch and upon movement, but I’m impressed with how well the wound has sealed.”

“You meeting with her would be something I’d like to witness.” You state before walking away, and sharply feeling the last of the adrenaline wear away.

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>>5112824
Once you sluggishly turn toward the blood-covered Elin on the cold ground, you’re reminded once again that no matter how many jokes you make that corpse is still barely buried behind you. “Come on, you... Let’s get you patched up so we can get moving already.”

She wearily lies on her side all while slowly dripping blood on the the stone road. After a few seconds, she responds by gingerly sitting up and quietly allows you to wrap the bandages around her arms. She only winces as you cinch the knots tightly using the space between her thumb and finger as the anchor point. The procedure only takes you a few minutes, but by the time you stand you notice the loss of light as sun sinks behind the distant hills.

Not much time to find an appropriate place to set up camp, but with the blockade successfully out of the way, you can focus on putting distance between yourselves and this blood-stained site.

“Let’s get the hell out of here.” You announce as you hoist the Elin onto your horse, holding her steady so she doesn’t fall off. “We’ll stop at the first sign of decent cover.

~

You’re fortunate to make camp in between pair of hills that merge into one another. Together, they form a cleaved crevasse that shields you from being spotted from the road, and partially from the elements. With the amount of outdoors experience both you and Seo have, setting up the two tents and cultivating a campfire in this spot were tasks that went smoothly despite your group’s fatigue. Misha was eager to assist in whatever way he could, likely to make up for his inaction in the earlier encounter with the brigands, and before long you group had settled before the campfire into a tense silence.

>>5112826

The three of you eat into your food supplies with only the crackling fire for noise. The cold seems to have driven the fauna you’d expect to hear into their warrens. Even the horses have settled into a silent repose, curled next to each other and eager to rest under their blankets from the day’s long ride.

Seo sits a few feet to your left with feet close to the flames for warmth. You read her pensive silence as her dwelling on the gruesome sight from today’s battle. Her demeanor was heavily changed from how she walked into that battle.

Yours was changed as well. You’ve read of violent duels and wars, you’ve even fought off thieves in your travels with your grandfather in the past, but you’ve never witnessed anything as violently poignant before.

The deconstruction of his bodily form reemerges every time you close your eyes, and the unhesitating way the Elin dispatched him shortly follows. You turn to her.

Izurin blankly gazes into the light of the fire, unmoved from spot that you left her. She didn’t react to the offer of the horse grain for her to eat, so it might be that fatigue has overcome her appetite.

You sigh quietly as you watch her. If she had any special magic within her, she surely would’ve used it to defend herself when she came under attack. You’ve resigned that she’s not the creature you hoped she would be, but perhaps in her lethargic state it would be easier to extract information from her.

Is that your own tired delirium making you hopeful? Or is it making you cruel to the poor Elin?

You clench your eyes to ease heaviness contained within them, but are greeted with the image of bubbling, gurgling hole wear a man’s face should be. Hell, you can’t recall anything of how his partially covered face appeared before.

You open your eyes. That's enough self-pity. You're in charge of this trek to Impel, so you need to help ease the tension that's weighing on your group. Morale is just as important as health.

You glance over your companions and feel the weariness from all of them. You'll do your best with a talk with one or two of them, and then you'll head to sleep. Now, who to talk to?

>Talk with Seo alone about how you and her feel after the battle.

>Talk with Misha alone to assuage his guilt after failing to defend the horses.

>Talk with both Seo and Misha about the rest of the journey, and try to lighten both of their spirits.

>Talk with Izurin to see how she's holding up after the battle.

>Write in/Write in anything you'd like to say in the above options.

>>5112832
>>Talk with Seo alone about how you and her feel after the battle.

>>5112832
>Talk with Izurin to see how she's holding up after the battle.
Ask about her experiences with death

Heyo everyone, glad that we could all make it to the weekend!

The vote currently sits at a tie, so I'll leave it open for about an hour or two longer to see if we can get an additional vote or two. I'll be keeping an eye on it, and I will tally after the time has passed or we get a tie-breaking vote.

>>5112832
>>Talk with Seo alone about how you and her feel after the battle.
We'll get to Misha later, he'll get his chance to prove himself. No shame in freezing up.

>>5112863
>>5113347
One on one talk with Seo to sort out our thoughts after the battle.

>Writing!

Update in about 20 minutes!

>>5113893

Since the battle was a shared experience, talking with Seo would help sort both of your feelings at the same time.

Once your food was finished, there was an unspoken consensus that it was time to head to sleep for the night. While it is still very early in the night, the nonstop events from the past two days have left you and your companions tired in both body and mind.

“Come on, Misha.” You carefully lead him to the tent as you've allowed him to nod off to sleep. As you pass by, you signal to Seo with a passing glance that you’ll be right back upon getting Misha settled.

His light body is barely responsive as you pluck off his boots, find a good place for his eyeglasses, and toss a blanket over his small frame.

He really wasn’t made for this, was he?

All his life, he’s known nothing but his warm manor, luxuriant bed, and the safety of the indoors. Yet…here he is, right alongside with you and all without a single complaint. You wonder, what’s going through his mind? But there will be time for that later, as you’re sure there will be time for him to prove himself. For now… you’ll keep protecting him.

You exit the dark tent to find Seo still sitting by the waning flame, staring into its ever-shifting shape. The soft light suits her, and the colorful reflection in her eyes serves to complement their vibrancy.

If she didn’t want to speak with you, she would have already headed into her tent, so you settle on the ground next to her, and across the Elin who has fallen quietly asleep by the flame.

Talking with Seo has always come naturally despite the massive disparity between your social status, and yet when it comes to broaching the subject of the battle today, you’re struck with unexpected hesitation.

“Thanks for having my back today.” You awkwardly start after staring at the flame with her for a few minutes. “It was a rough battle.”

She lets out soft laugh. “Is this your way of checking how I’m faring?” She quickly sees through your intent.

“Partly.” You admit honestly. “Is it wrong of me to worry about you?”

“That would entirely depend on what the other part of your motivation to speak with me, Luca.” She quips, as she usually does.

You can’t be bothered to return her banter at this point, but you’re not going to be deterred from speaking with her.

>>5113921

“Look, Seo…” You sigh which your body twists into a yawn midway. “I’m obviously too tired to participate in our usual verbal dance.” You place a hand on your chest. “I’m checking to see how you’re doing because…of how you acted in that battle. I’ve never seen you react the way you did today… Nor do I suspect you’ve seen that side of me.”

You brace yourself for a retort that doesn’t come, instead Seo silently ponders over your words.

Her silence compels you to continue. “Right now, I can’t stop thinking about the whole encounter. Those foolish idiots attacking us when they had neither the training nor the equipment to stand a chance… The awful fucking mess of a wound. The other bandit’s wanton attack that that Elin. None of it will leave my mind. What the hell would make them risk so much?” You rub your forehead to work through the fatigue.

“They didn’t allow us the opportunity to ask them, Luca.” Seo replies softly to your spoken thoughts. “I…believe that it’s better that we don’t know what drove them to ambush us. We defended ourselves, as was our right.” Her intertwined hands fidget slightly. “Yet, I still take the fact that you balked…that we balked at that gory sight along with it sticking in our minds as a sign that we have a proper conscience. It’s a sign that we’re human, Luca. I only wish that... I didn’t go as far to drop my mace and cower.” She turns her face away from you. “It was unbecoming of me as a noble.”

Ah.

She’s right. It’s a good sign that the brigand’s fate weighs upon you, even if it was completely justified. This is a sensible world where those sorts of occurrences should be appalling. You're sure in time...these feeling will pass. Yet, she’s still unfairly measuring her reaction to her constant need to carry herself with the dignity of a noble of her stature. Her words and your concern for her finally helps calm your thoughts.

“I suppose we didn’t call these lands uncivilized without good reason.” You lean back on your palms and gaze upward at the dark clouds blocking the night sky. “It will be better once we make it to town, and… don’t dwell on how you reacted. How many nobles can claim they’ve been in a real fight in this time of peace and prosperity? Despite how well-bred and fed they all are, put most of them in that situation and they’d be running for the hills. The most important thing was that you picked up your mace…” You turn back to her with a grin on your face. “But you were very cute plopping on your rear like that. I wish I could see it aga-OW!”

>>5113932

She glares at you after she lands a solid blow to your arm.

“What the hell happened to caring about actions unbecoming of a noble?” You exclaim more than you ask as you rub your tender arm.

Man, she can punch hard.

“I can always make an exception when it comes to you.” She replies with her hand wrapped around her closed fist and a devious smile.

The two of you share a quiet laugh as the campfire is reduced to its last smoldering embers.

“Thank you, Seo.”

“Thank you, Luca.”

There’s a long pause between the two of you as hardly a sound can be heard other than your soft breathing.

With a long and tired sigh, you rise to your feet. “Time for sleep, I suppose.”

She rises as well with your help before nodding. “Long overdue for us all.” She crosses her arms as she looks across the fire. “What should we do about her?”

Izurin lies unmoving on the ground beyond the extinguished fire. From how little she stirred your whole conversation, you had forgotten that she was there in the first place. Just as you forgotten to consider sleeping arrangements between the two tents.

Given your own reluctance to sleep in the same tent as a non-human, you know that neither Misha nor Seo would desire to do so in the slightest. But you brought her along and you're in charge, so you’re responsible for finding a place for her not to freeze overnight.

>Set her down near the two horses. Their large bodies emit plenty of heat.

>Work out a different tent arrangement. (Write in)

>>5113935
>Bring her to your tent. She can hardly swing a sword, and that was before getting bandaged up.
>Leave your weapons with Seo just incase.
And Misha's, of course

>>5113947
+1 to this- Seo, you’re with Misha
You brought her along Luca, she gets to hang out in your tent

Heyo everyone, seems like we have a consensus with:

>>5113947
>>5114248
>Bringing her inside your tent, but ensuring that your weapons are stored elsewhere.

>Writing!

Update to be posted in about 45 minutes!

>>5114558

The sense of responsibility you have for bringing the Elin along on your journey outweighs your hesitation to sleep in the same tent as a non-human, if only barely. However, the memory of her unflinching kill makes you wary to keep any weapons in the same tent.

You begin to unclip the sheathe of your dirk from your waist. “We’ll have to keep her in our tent for the night, but away from the weapons.” You announce as you hand Seo your dirk and throwing knives. “I’ll get the rest.”

You two quietly transfer all of your group’s weapons to the far side of Seo’s tent, making them nearly impossible to retrieve without rousing her first.

“Alright.” You wearily kneel and pluck the limp Elin off the ground. “You’re lucky you’re small enough to fit with the two of us.”

Izurin doesn’t respond from being moved, and her arms hang loose and her head bounces as you carry her back to the tent.

“Should I wait here for you to lead me to bed, since it seems you’re offering that service to everyone tonight?” Seo smirks as you pass by her.

“Good night.” You grumble, ignoring her comment as you head into the tent, careful not to catch the Elin’s body on the flaps.

After getting her settled inside, you pry off her shoes only to have one of them fall apart in your hands. With little other option, you set the broken pieces aside. You’re surprised as you feel a thin trickle of hot fluid dripping from her foot. The smell of blood fills your nose as you imagine that her bruised feet have been rubbed raw from her journey, and you prying off her shoes was enough to split open the skin.

With a defeated sigh, you find a small cloth that you daub with water to gently clean off her battered feet. Unthinking, you pass the cloth over and over her skin until a sudden wave of shame washes over you that makes you glad for the cover of darkness and great distance from your home.

What are you doing?

>>5115155

If any of the nobles in Velika witnessed the act you perform now, it would utterly destroy the social standing of your house. If Misha saw you, if Seo saw you…if your grandfather saw you, what horrible things would they think about you? You turn in silent suspicion to the entrance of the tent and thankfully find no one standing there. You take solace that even if Misha were to be awake, he wouldn’t be able to see without his eyeglasses.

Ashamed, you allow her leg to fall out of your grasp and brood. Izurin finally stirs slightly before slumping asleep once again. In the darkness of the tent, with only the sounds of soft, steady slumber, her shape appears no different than a young girl. Her animalistic ears are lost in her mess of hair, and she doesn’t have any special magic coursing within her. She’s no different.

What are you doing?

You clench your tired eyes and set about removing your heavy gear. Once finished, you squeeze your larger frame between the two sleeping figures, toss over the traveling blanket over you and the Elin and sink into uneasy repose.

If only humans still had the gift of magic, then you wouldn’t have to suffer through this whole endeavor…

~

>>5115158

~

You idly passed the afternoon hours assisting with the maintenance of the tavern. During that time you were able to devise an act of stating the cocktails were lacking vague elements of taste that allowed you to sample a steady stream of test drinks prepared by Grygas. While you were limited to the most fleeting of sips and had to act as if you did not savor the flavor, each drink was secretly a pleasant surprise. He has talent, given the limited resources he can pull from to create his new concoctions.

“You didn’t stick yer tongue out on that one.” Grygas points jovially while selfishly taking the rest of the drink for himself. “Ohhh. Good balance, and the alcohol is mellowed out in this one. That means I use less.” He whispers.

“Meaning you can save money.” You reply with your hands on your hips.

“Ain’t you a sharp one.” He reaches to rub the top of your head before stopping himself. “Ah, sorry about that.”

“You better be!” Cyrene announces as she enters the kitchen with a pile of clean rags to use for tonight’s service. She swiftly places the rags on one of the counters before pulling her father by the waistband. “The clothes are all dry now, so help put them away before the customers get to see your underwear.” She teases.

“Alright, alright.” He places down the mug before allowing himself to be towed by his daughter. “Hey, don’t act like they wouldn’t see yours too.” He laughs to himself. “I still remember the time you got mad at me this past summer when you told me to set them out to dry.”

“That’s because you hung them out front for the whole world to see!” She smacks his hip before turning to you. “Can you believe him?!”

“Absolutely reprehensible.” You tease before turning toward the back of the tavern. “I would help, but you’ll have to excuse me for a few minutes.”

“Ah. No problem. Just make sure you don’t fall in. You…really wouldn’t want to.” He laughs mirthfully despite his daughter’s protests and heads out of the kitchen.

You sigh quietly you’re left alone. Playing this role isn’t unpleasant in the slightest, but you must never forget that’s it’s only that, a role. You don’t really belong here.

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>>5115165

With a few spare rags in hand, you pull the hood of your coat over your head as you move toward the back of the tavern. With the snowfall faded, the afternoon sky strings thin cloths of yellow-green haze across the immobilized town. A bloated setting sun drenches you in the last droplets of cold sunlight as you carve your way through the white powder to find the bubbling flesh parasite you discarded here a few hours ago.

A few furtive moments of digging reveals the blackened bundled buried within and staining the surrounding powder. For the time being, you secure it with the spare rags you brought and carve your way to the outhouse standing in the far back of their property. It takes some time to clear away enough of the white powder before the door allows access inside, but you finally manage to pry it open to slide within the small structure.

Despite the frigid cold outside, the wood enclosure is unpleasantly warm and humid. The stench is worse. These sensations paired with the actual purpose of the building makes you recall you ventures in the Velikan Sewers…

Hopefully Ruby is finding herself under more agreeable circumstances. At the very least she’s somewhere warmer. You could easily imagine how she would complain about the dismal food supply if she were here.

You place the bundle on the wooden board that serves as a seat with a large hole bored out the center. You…certainly could fall within, so it appears Grygas’ comment was only partly in jest. After unwrapping the ruined shirt, you gaze upon the remains.

In its act of self-defense against your magic, the slab of flesh has managed to dissolve a significant portion of its mass away with its noxious black secretions. What’s left is poorly held together by thin strands of orange tissue and fat. The caustic black fluid has been exhausted, and in its place thin streams of yellow-white pus ooze from the carved pores of the meat.

Ah. This corruption. It’s highly reminiscent of the affliction that Hraska the Devan had on the hand you amputated, albeit less severe in scope. The color, the secretion of pus, and even the fetid aroma easily cutting through the stench of the outhouse, they are all the same. Then, the punishment that was he was subjected to for smuggling food to his kin… was to be slowly and tortuously fed to the meat he hoped to abscond with? Perhaps. You suspect something at the very least very similar occurred, but you won't know unless he tells you. Carving off a piece of the flesh to take with you when you return to the barracks could very well instigate him to speak more on his capture, but given what happened earlier when you tried to sneak the intact meat into the house, you're wary to say the least.

>Deposit the entire dissolve flesh parasite into the outhouse pit.

>Take a portion with you back to the Devan barracks.

>Write in.

>>5115182
(This is one of the three images I considered for the OP. It was just a little bit too direct to win out.)

>>5115182
>Deposit the entire dissolve flesh parasite into the outhouse pit.
Dump it. This 'meat' just gets more and more terrifying, and I want to be in contact with it as little as possible.

>>5115182
he just clammed up last time elewyn tried to push him, so I don't think 'threatening' him with this will get her anything? though having access to this would help her 'I am totally from the sanctuary' act with the foreman...
eh maybe worthwhile
>Take a portion with you back to the Devan barracks.

>>5115182
>Take a portion with you back to the Devan barracks.
May as well show it to Luca at least

Heyo everyone, back to another week of the grind for me, but it's still quiet around here, so I can chip away at updates. Anyway, to tally our vote:

>>5115376
>>5115381
Taking a portion of the dissolved flesh parasite with us, while trying to be in contact with it as little as possible.

>Writing!

Finally back home, update coming in about 20-30 minutes!

>>5115826
Wary as you are of the chunk of corrupt flesh, there may still be uses other than intimidating Hraska to talk. You suppress the urge to do away with the entire thing, and carefully pull away a handful sized piece with the spare rag. The flesh separates easily from the rest of the mass, and with an echoing plop, the bulk of the flesh is deposited with the other gifts patrons have left over the years.

Conveniently this flesh piece fits snugly in your coat pocket, even wrapped twice in protective rags. The acrid stench still lingers from the exposure time, you suspect anything with a keen nose might sense the strong aroma beyond the rags.

Time to leave.

Slipping out of the outhouse once again into the nauseating light of the setting sun, you think ahead of what the cover of darkness might elucidate of the Sanctuary’s machinations that yet remain unknown to you. The location they bring the corpses will will involve this “refinement” they’re working towards. You also surmise that the tower cannot be that place as it would be far too risky of to parade dozens of Devan corpses through the town. It must be somewhere hidden from plain view. Somewhere you couldn’t call for help, even if you wanted to.

Not spotting Cyrene nor Grygas upon entering the tavern, you quietly head upstairs to retrieve the rest of your belongings. As you begin head back downs, your animal ears pick up a soft murmuring from beyond the ajar door at the end of the hall.

It’s almost certainly not any of your business, but you must be sure. With agile and silent steps that come easily to most of your kind, you sneak closer to pick up the low whispers.

“…watch over us both for tonight’s service.”

“And Elly!”

“Of course…We miss you dearly, but…we’re also thankful that you don’t have to suffer through these trying times with us.”

Ah. You suspected as much, given that Cyrene never mentioned a mother.

You slip away to return to the main floor of the tavern. A few minutes later two sets of footsteps can be heard rapidly descending the stairs.

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3 MB JPG

>>5116639

Cyrene catches sight of you first, and spotting that you’re packed up to head out, looks suddenly downcast. “Ohh, you have to go already?”

You nod softly. “It’s the reason I came to this town.”

“Now, now, don’t pout.” Grygas lifts his daughter into his arms. “Everyone has work to take care of, you know. It’s not as if we’ll never see her again.”

She makes a wistful face at her father’s last words before squirming out of his grasp and heading over to you. “You’ll be back, right?”

“I made a promise, didn’t I?” You smile cheerfully. “It might be late, but I’ll come back here-“

You suppress the instinct to dodge as Cyrene hugs you tightly before letting go with a bright smile. “We’ll be waiting!”

Grygas crosses his arms with a firm smile on his face as well. “Watch yourself out there, little one. The snow can be treacherous, especially after dark.”

“Thank you, both. I’ll keep my eyes open.” You bow before setting out into the cold dusk of Impel.

~

With your travels you’ve pieced together a mental image of the surrounding area which is mostly covered by dense trees, but some notable locations come to mind. There’s no sign of any of the tracks that you or others carved out of the woods this morning, meaning that you must take a longer path to return to the barracks, lest someone take note of presence. Thankfully the trees make for good cover, and you’re quickly shielded from the sight of the town.

A sense of urgency is present in each of your laborious steps through the high snow. There’s no concern with you making it before nightfall, however… you’re ill at ease. Perhaps, it’s the impending return of the true cold that night brings, or perhaps it’s the impending knowledge that it brings. The growing number of those you can help rests on what you learn and how you wield that knowledge into the future.

The barracks come into view as the aching numbness in your limbs causes you to pause for a rest. So long as you have a sliver of mana coursing through you, your body will self-repair any damage from the cold, but that comes at the cost of additional fatigue and the constant pain of healing. You know there will much more to come tonight.

You proceed via a roundabout path to the entrance of the barracks and with a deep breath to steel yourself for the potent suffering found within, you cross the threshold and into the building of fetor decay and death.

~

>>5116649

~

“Two more we lost, madam.” Nento informs you as you take in the sight of sick Devan, which if not for the thin strips of faint light pouring in from the broken windows, could easily be mistaken for a memory of the previous night.

“Were any of them the patients we treated last night?” You ask as you find a place for your belongings.

“No, madam. Both from sickness and cold.” Nento explains wincing as he hobbles toward you. “We no last much longer without more food and better barracks.”

Their fate is entirely according to plan for the Sanctuary, for them to succumb to slow suffering…

Ah. Is it connected? The starvation of the Devans and the famine the humans are suffering through in the city...are they both engineered? The parallels are clear, but how would the Sanctuary ever affect the surrounding oceans to the point where so much of the usual catch is corrupted? Could they merely be taking advantage of a coincidence?

Hard to say without more information, for now you’ll follow through with this line of questioning.

“Where would better barracks be located, Nento?” You ask, taking a mental tally of how many Devan yet remain in these barracks.

“Near shipyard, madam.” He scratches the back of his head. “But only healthy working Devan are allowed there.

Thirty-three.

You turn to Nento once you finish counting. “Who’s gives the say of which Devan is healthy or not?”

His nose puckers as if in disgust. “Foremans say so, madam.”

Yet the foremen take orders willingly from the humans of the Sanctuary. So that could be a temporary means providing better shelter to those Devan most in need, if you play the situation correctly. The Devan near the shipyard could also provide insight into the strange affliction affecting the local sea life, but gaining access for yourself might have to wait.

“Has anyone here worked the shipyard recently?” You press.

Nento thinks making audible noises before answering. “The boy, madam. The one you cut open his head to help. He was only supposed to be here for a day to help, but then he got hurt.”

Which would have resigned his fate to be stacked on the frozen pile of corpses, but now you can make use of him to perhaps learn more of about what's happened to the surrounding waters. Otherwise, the foreman or Hraska could be of use to sort out a means of help for the Devan, or to learn more about this place of refinement you'll be heading tonight.

Time is short before the Sanctuary will arrive for the corpses. Who will you speak with?

>Speak with Hraska to extract more information about "the refinery"

>Speak with the foreman to instruct him to transfer the weaker Devan to better barracks.

>Speak with the young boy to learn more about the affliction affecting the ocean's catch.

>Write in.

>>5116649
(By the way this is a personally created general map of Impel and the surrounding area that's known to you. The lone building to the southwest is the barracks that you're currently in.)

>>5116658
>Speak with Hraska to extract more information about "the refinery"
>Hint to Nento that you found more things in the Sanctuary. It's not that they don't care for the dying Devan, they want them to suffer and starve. Ask Nento if their suffering really ends with death.

>>5116658
>>Speak with the young boy to learn more about the affliction affecting the ocean's catch.
so many pieces of the puzzle evade us still...the docks are the part of town elewyn has the least info on though, even though they're the most universal piece of the situation

Heyo everyone, hope you're all doing well!

A quick tally has us at a tie between speaking with Hraska and the young boy, so I'll leave the vote open for a while longer and then tally what we have then, rolling if necessary. Any side comments/actions such as >>5116783 quickly speaking to Nento will be included regardless of the main choice.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

Rolling 1d2 to decide which choice we proceed with:

>>5116783
>Speaking with Hraska = 1

>>5116883
>Speaking with the young boy = 2

Either outcome we'll speak to Nento briefly as well.

>Writing outcome!

Hey guys, I came home with a strong stomachache so I will be taking it easy tonight with writing. This means that the update will be postponed until sometime tomorrow morning (US time).

Thank you for your understanding.

Heyo everyone! I'm still dealing with lingering aches today, but I'm aiming to have the update posted in about one hour.

>>5117457

The ocean and its gifts were central to both the wellbeing and the economic activity of this town. Coincidence or not, the Sanctuary has skillfully taken advantage of the water’s deterioration to assume control of the inhabitants’ health and livelihoods. By such means, they bestow their own gifts and demand their pound of flesh for it. All this suffering originated from the ceaseless tides that disgorged their poisoned catch, therefore you’re certain the Sanctuary are doing their utmost to maintain the status quo.

You’ll use the opportunity to gather whatever information you can about the waters surrounding the docks from the Devan boy you saved last night. But first, you need to start taking a more active role in sabotaging the Sanctuary’s plans. Continuing to nurture the seeds of insurrection among the Devan is a convenient place to start.

“Nento…” You start with a more hushed voice. “What do you suppose will happen to the boy now that we’ve saved his life?”

“Huh?... He be put back to work when they find him.” His eyes furtively glance around as if detecting the intent of your words.

“Even if your masters knew that he had went through an intensely delicate surgery, and needs days to recover at least?” You speak with quiet graveness.

He swallows but it seems to catch in his throat and make his voice hoarse. “It is so, madam. He work to be safe.”

“Nento, if they truly desired only work from you, then why are they subjecting you to conditions that you will all slowly die from? Why do they care so much to prevent you from burning your dead?” You lean in closer and whisper now. “The Sanctuary is far worse than we imagined this morning. They desire this outcome, Nento. They desire this suffering. I must go now, but Nento, if they’re keeping you from burning your dead, will your suffering truly end with death?”

Even hunched over, he stands taller than you are, but you’ve pushed his back against a wall with your questions. Nento stands with mouth slightly agape, and brow furrowed as you leave him, knowing that no one has ever spoken to him in such a way in his life.

You confidently move through the barracks as if there isn’t a reason you shouldn’t be there. From his cot, the foreman already noticed you upon entering, but given how you handled him already, he makes no fuss about your presence. Hraska lies on his cot much like you left him, idle and unmoving. He could be mistaken for a corpse if you weren’t already sure of his condition.

You approach the makeshift cot with the young Devan boy lying idly at the edge of the bed with his arm dangling and swinging. Upon hearing you approach; he startles and looks upon you with fear.

>>5118605

You settle on the edge of his cot without any hesitation and turn toward him. “Pretty boring around here, huh?”

He gazes upon you silently for a while, before stiffly nodding his head. He reaches up to probe the cauterization scar while still staring intently at you. The boy has long since done away with small rags that were used as bandaging.

“Does that bother you?” You ask gently while leaning in for a better look.

Given your less than ideal tools, the sealed flap of skin is a twisted purple ridge of hard skin. Flecks of burnt hair still stick to the outside.

“It itch bad.” He complains while lightly pressing the skin between his fingers. “But scratch hurt too.”

“That means it’s healing.” You reach over and pull his hand away from his wound. “So do your best not to touch it for at least a few days.”

“…yeah.” His hand already goes up to probe the wound again, but he stops himself and turns more toward you. “You the lady that cut open my head?”

“That’s right.” You answer with a firm nod. “I needed fix the damage after your head got hurt.”

“Really, you?” His eyes narrow as if you’re about to tell him it was all a lie. “You so small.”

“I saw your brain, you know.” You narrow your own eyes mischievously. “I even touched it.”

“No way!” The Devan boy laughs, if only a little.

“Go ahead and ask Nento or anyone else that saw. I swear.” You place your hand on your chest. “My name is Elly, by the way.”

“I’m Lokas. What brain look like, Elly?” He leans forward inquisitively.

You describe in detail the procedure you performed on him, not sparing any description of the wound you attended to for hours.

“That so gross.” He frequently states, with his nose wrinkling as he laughs. “It sound so different to fish brain.”

There’s your opportunity to begin your real line of questioning.

“Oh, do you work the docks?” You’re quick to ask.

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>>5118607

“Yup.” He lies flat on his back, his hand goes up to touch the wound again, but he settles on probing his budding horns. “I clean ships and move box of fish, but the humans no use the ships too much anymore and fish is bad now.”

“Bad? What do you mean?” You ask already having heard of the misshapen and pustule covered fish being caught.

He looks up toward you before averting his gaze. “They real ugly. Got stinky black and white juices inside, and the guts look like meat. Sometime you catch a fish like that, but only ever once a year, they say. Now it every day, and almost every fish, the fish-er-men say.”

Their intestines resemble meat? This is the first time you’ve heard such a description.

“Does any of the fishermen know what’s causing it?” You guide his hand yet again away from the wound.

His hand idly clasps onto your own as he continues. “Some say it have to happen one hundred years every time, some say its a curse from an angry witch in town, I think…” Lokas’ eyes dart around to see if anyone is listening. “I think it something they eat. Mom always say fish are what they eat. And…I keep one bad fish one time. The only thing it ever want to eat is other bad fish and…”

“And?” You press.

He fixes his solemn gaze at your torso. “One time drunk person fall in water near bad fish…Only bone left.”

There are parallels between what Grygas told you about the ill-stricken townsfolk and what Lokas describes about the fish’s behavior. But what does that mean about the ultimate fate is for those in town, and how would the Sanctuary be affecting so much of the nearby waters?

You smile gently at him and rub his hair with your free hand. “The fish may be sick now, but they will get better. I’ll try to fix them, like I fixed you.”

“Really?” His eyes widen. “You do that, Elly?”

“I’ll do my best.” You smile once more before standing up from the cot upon noticing how dark it has become.

Those from the Sanctuary will be here soon. You need to warn Hraska and stay out of sight. You turn to the cot where he was lying when you entered, but it’s completely vacant. Has he already fled? In which case you get out of sight immediately, but has he gone?

>Quick inquire the nearby Devan about Hraska and ensure he has left.

>Trust that he has gone already, and quickly get out of sight.

>Write in.

>>5118612
>Quick inquire the nearby Devan about Hraska and ensure he has left.
If he’s gone, good, if he isn’t, well, we’ve done all we can.
Also I guess we might be able to find something about potential ‘bad times’ where flesh eating fish popped up in some sort of record office of the town? Maybe in a more civilized place we could track the worst export years of the last century, but I doubt there’s anything like that here, with easy access.

Evening everyone! I'll be leaving the vote open until morning to allow more time for posts and to get us back on the usual schedule.

>>5118612
>Check if the amputated arm is disposed or unrecognizable, then leave
Asking now will just rat him out

Heyo everyone, I hope that you're all doing well. Let's quickly tally the votes so I can chip away at the update.
>>5119178
>>5119326 (Very good catch)
I think to synthesize these two votes we'll: ask Nento if Hraska has left or not, and then check if the amputated arm is disposed of properly. Then we'll leave immediately. This will keep from drawing too much attention, and allow us to leave quickly. Also checking if there are any town records that might help our investigation is definitely something that can be attended to the following day.

>Writing!

Back home now, and hoping to have the update posted in about an hour and a half!

>>5119857

There’s not enough time to search for him yourself, so asking one of the nearby Devan could save you time. However, inquiring about Hraska now that the Sanctuary approaches could put both of you at risk if the Devan has no reason to stay silent, so your best option is to ask Nento if he witnessed anything.

You turn back to the Devan child and pull the mottled sheet over most of his body. “I must go now, Lokas, so listen to me. Stay out of sight of the humans tonight and tomorrow. You need to rest until you’re better, understand?”

Unfortunately, you have little time to soften your words.

His eyes widened as you spoke to him with sudden gravity, but he rallies with an energetic nod. “I do that, Elly. You come back soon?”

“I’ll be around for a little while longer, don’t you worry.” You pat his head and then cover his small frame more with the sheet.

With measured and steady steps, you move toward Nento, but along the way you recall a crucial detail from the amputation surgery and instead make for the cot where Hraska had laid. The space is already occupied by another Devan eager to have room to spread her limbs, but she doesn’t notice as you crouch low to search for the amputated hand. If anyone from the Sanctuary found it, they would know that Hraska had been here and that someone aided his affliction via surgery.

Still wrapped in loose rags, but now having leaked vile humours on the ground lies the rotting extremity that you cut from Hraska last night. Burning it inside the barrack would cause a stench and likely a commotion from the other Devan, so you have little other option other than to take it with you. With a new set of rags, you extract the putrid hand, and like a macabre collector, secure it inside your coat along with the chunk of flesh.

Afterwards, you collect your belongings and quickly locate Nento, who crouches and gazes into a small, weathered truck near his cot. Upon sensing someone nears, he turns towards you with a suspicious glare before his expression shifts to surprise, then shame. “Forgive me, madam. I not know it was you.” He shuts the trunk tightly.

“That is of no matter, Nento.” You kneel closer to him. “They will be here soon, and Hraska is nowhere to be seen.”

His gaze turns to the same cot you just visited before looking back to you. “He still somewhere here. If he went outside, I see him.”

In that moment, your animal ears pick up a faint group crunching noises from outside. A large group is approaching the barracks. There’s no more time.

You pull Nento’s arm to have him look you straight in the eyes. “They’re here now.”

>>5120382
The severity of your tone spurs Nento into standing, pulling you up with him. “Too late for outside.” He whispers. “I know place you hide.”

He’s right. Between securing the amputated hand and speaking with him, you’re left with not enough time to exit the barracks without being spotted. You must hide within this building.

“Which way?” You calmly pull yourself free to not alarm any of the other Devan.

“Across. Over there.” Nento nods toward the crumbling wall near the collapsed storage room.

“I’ll lead then.” You nod and with a deep breath head away from Nento’s cot.

You move toward your target with steady steps, all the while hearing the series of crunching noises grow closer and closer. From the sounds, you deduce that the approaching group is clearing the white powder at a rapid pace as they proceed, likely to make passage easier for someone.

“Here, madam.” He huffs as he motions to a shattered dark opening in the barrack’s wall that the collapse opened. “This best place to hide.”

The narrowness of the opening wouldn’t allow a fully grown human inside, but there’s more than adequate space for you after removing your pack.

The repetitive noises from outside grow louder and clear enough for you to recognize the sounds of individual shovels.

“I wish you leave when I said, madam.” He speaks in a hushed tone as you remove your pack. “Is dangerous in wall. Is dangerous be here.”

“Opportunities require risk, Nento.” You stand confidently in front of the crevasse. “You make sure to stay out of their way as well. Now go.” You usher him away as he looks upon you with sadness in his eyes.

The ruckus outside has grown loud enough that even the weakened and ill Devan within the barrack take notice. Eyes turn tensely toward the entrance as nervous murmurs spread from cot to cot. The sounds stop.

“Help me up!” The foreman barks at a few nearby Devan.

With the room’s attention all on the opposite side, you carefully slide into the dusty, crumbling gap, and feel frigid air blow over your body from the gaps in the rotting wood behind you. Your shoes reduce dried piles of ancient animal droppings to powder as you conceal your whole body within.

The doors open from the outside, and the murmuring ceases.

First, you hear grumbling from several new Devan as they enter the room.

Then, the foreman speaks first. “Master Archon! We not know you come here too.”

>>5120389

You recall mention of the Archon from the enforcers you encountered in the morning. Why would their leader deign to oversee the hauling of corpses?

“The bodies.” A new booming, deep voice reverberates through the whole room causing thin trickles of rubble to slide near you. “Where are the bodies, Devan?”

“R-right through there. All good and fresh like little la-“

“You lot.” The voice interjects luckily not interested in anything else the foreman has to say. “Load the sleds.”

“Yes, Archon!” Several robust Devan voices respond immediately to the order and move through the barrack with dutiful obedience.

“L-L-Lady Enais! You honor us Devan.” The foreman says with a note of unease in his voice.

Your jaw tightens as you lean closer against the dust-covered wall to not miss a single word.

“Thank you, Okymto. Whatever happened to your leg?” Her gentle voice reaches you easily.

“S-small thing, my lady! I still strong and work.”

“I’m very glad to hear that…It would be awful to lose your whole leg to such a small, little thing.”

“Enough pleasantries… Lady Enais.” The Archon speaks once again. “The runaway, Devan. What do you know of him?”

Enais sighs. “He refers to one of your charges, Okymto. Your brethren so helpfully identified him as ‘Hraska.’ He was in severe violation of the rules you Devan so deferentially abide by every day, and he has eluded the responsibility of accepting, the, consequences.”

“Hraska here! Hraska here, my lady.” The foreman huffs in pain as he moves across the room.

He’s going to the cot where the young Devan boy is hiding.

“Here!” He shouts triumphantly before shouting furiously. “What you do here, boy! Where Hraska?!”

“Okymto.” Enais calls out coldly. “Strike him in my presence and I will dole out a personal punishment.”

“Y-yes, my lady…” The foreman breathes heavily as he backs down.

>>5120398

“I hope we didn’t scare you little one.” Her footfalls can be heard making their way across the room. “My aren’t you a cute one…almost cute enough to eat! Oh, but what a nasty scar…” She sighs before speaking again. “Ahh, this has been handled poorly, you must excuse us… He’s not escaped the town, my dear Archon. No, I don’t suspect he’s very far at all. We can leave these poor, suffering souls to their rest.”

The Archon grumbles. “I will still have the patrols increased, even during the daytime.”

“Do what you think is best.” Enais responds lightly. “I have a much better sense of how he still has the capability to elude us, so I can attend to this matter with full focus by tomorrow’s breakfast. One way or another…” She inhales deeply. “Ahh, what an especially lovely aroma this evening.”

…She knows you’re here.

“We all done, my lord.” One of the robust Devans reports while heavily winded. “Twenty-four bodies pack.”

“Good. Let’s us hurry then, Lady Enais. Much work remains and little time.” The Archon calls out.

Their footfalls begin to depart from the barracks, and now is the time to finally figure out where the bodies are being taken. You'll covertly follow the-

Suddenly you hear a sound from deep within the wall crevasse. A few moments later you see the figure of Hraska emerge from the sheer darkness. His frame barely fits within the confines.

"I sorry how I am in morning, nurse lady. But...they no stop looking for me. I no can run." He clutches his stump as he slides closer. "I help because I can help. Like you say, nurse lady...Please...how I help?"

Now he chooses to help? Does he have an ulterior motive now that he realizes he can't escape, or has he truly found the will to help his kin? Either way, you need to follow the Devan corpses quickly.

>Tell him to remain hidden until you return tomorrow.

>Ask him to plan to move sick Devan from here to the other barrack with Nento.

>Write in.

>>5120419
>Tell him there is no time. Discuss with Nento and make their own decisions on how they can help.
I want to see what Nento will do. We can't be here long enough to keep the foreman in line, so any convincing needs to be done by Nento and whatever cards he can play.

Heyo everyone, I hope you're all doing well this Friday!

I'll leave the current vote open for another couple hours to see if we can't get one or two more votes. The window closes a little bit earlier than usual, as I should have plenty of leeway to write throughout the workday, and I'm eager to get to writing this next part.

>>5120419
>>Ask him to plan to move sick Devan from here to the other barrack with Nento.
If all goes well then both of our contacts will stay safe while doing this together...
>>5120581
I would not mind this course of action but I think it would only result in them moving sick Devan anyway

>>5120581
>>5120810
>Having Hraska discuss plans to move the sick Devan to the other barrack with Nento, as well as any other means that could help their kin.
The counter play begins.

>Writing!

Back home, so I hope to have the update posted in about 30 minutes!

>>5120898

Your ongoing efforts to disrupt the Sanctuary’s plans by instilling rebellion among the Devan slaves is the best place for him to be of any service. You’ll put him and Nento together to work toward that end and see what they can accomplish with each other’s help.

“Fine. Help me by working with Nento to find a way to move the sick Devan away from this barrack.” You lean out slightly to spy and assess if anyone is watching this wall, then you turn back to Hraska. “He’ll be willing to work toward that goal, but you also need to open his eyes to the fate you’ll all share if you don’t disobey.”

“I…understand.” Hraska nods firmly.

“There’s no more time. Stay here, and I’ll send him your way.” You slide out of the crevasse immediately upon finishing your last word and make for the entrance.

The foreman can be heard shouting orders from the altar room where the corpses were being held, so you increase your pace. Upon passing Lokas on his cot, you depart from him with a confident smile which breaks him out of his daze from the earlier encounter with Enais. You veer slightly to move past Nento, who stares at you with wide eyes. “He’s in the wall. Find him when it's safe.” You whisper without a break in your gait.

You have no choice but to trust that Nento will keep any plans safely out of the sight of the foreman or any Sanctuary member. You push against the cold, large steel door of the barracks, and enter that bitter cold night.

~

It’s been a long time since you were alone in a situation as dangerous as this. As you attempt to deduce how many different sets of footprints you see on the ground, you hastily dig into your pack to retrieve the thin membrane you received from slaying the chimeric beast. Attempts to puncture through the membrane were uniquely difficult, but a pair of skilled tailors were able to shape it into a lightweight tunic that should fit any Elin or even a human female. The cold wind brutally attacks your bare skin as you slip into it, and then redress. The material reacts to your warmth and compresses around your body slightly uncomfortably.

There’s at least twelve in the Sanctuary's convoy, perhaps more.

Finally, you slip off the cloth hood over your animal ears and let them stretch in the open air as the wind catches your long hair. With the wind picking up it’s more difficult to pick out sounds, so it’s a necessity. As you pick up your staff, you stare at your companion. How many long nights in perilous places have you spent where the only constant was you and this staff? You clench it tightly. May it protect you as it always has.

Move.

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>>5121398

Silently, you dash along the large path of cleared white powder. You keep your head low and strain your ears to pick up any sounds. Currently, there’s only twisted and bared trees around you. The nauseating, yellow-tinged night gazes between the interwoven canopy of spindly branches, watching as you sneak through the legs of the woods.

Will they cut off your head if they capture you? Or will they slice your body into thin slabs of meat for consumption? You can’t envision any way this ends well if you’re caught, so it’s simple isn’t it.

Don’t get caught.

The path they take now diverts from the cleared route to the northeast they must have taken from town. It now pushes straight north into a thick cluster of trees.

Once you sense the faintest traces of voices, you slow to a stop and steady your breathing.

“…won’t be visiting. You know how busy he is.”

“…won’t share in the resplendent glory? Damn shame.”

“He’ll feel it when it happens. His love is far greater than yours or mine.”

You stealthily pursue at a distance, carefully placing each foot down to minimize the sound of crunching icy powder. Thin, white flakes cascade from the sky once again, and cling to your hair and clothing. On contact with your skin, they melt. The voices become more distinct as you near their group.

“Ahh…She’s crying again.” You hear Enais muse with melancholy in her voice.

“Would it not be better for us to keep all of her out of sight, Lady Fleshepherd?” You hear a new voice ask.

“I’m in agreement. You bring far too much risk to our work and her by letting her out.” The Archon’s deep voice is unmistakable.

“You don’t understand the longing that can exist in a girl’s heart, even hers. The whole day she was inconsolable that not even Byrne could calm her, so I gave the order to let her feel the open air today. I believe she had an unpleasant dream last night, but it appears that even now she still has suffering to express.” Enais entreats to the group.

“Then let us do our part in making her whole again, and not tarry any longer.” The Archon relents as if he can’t argue with her reasoning on this matter.

Something greater, a benefactor, a girl… Are they all one and the same? If so, then all the events orchestrated in town are for one girl?

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>>5121406

You can’t dwell on the new information as a clearing in the tree line allows you to finally enumerate the Sanctuary’s group. Other than several Devans hauling sleds some distance ahead, the Archon and Enais have four additional cloaked figures in their entourage, all of them armed.

The Archon himself is difficult to see from this distance, but you can tell he’s a large man with a hefty sword, nearly as long as you are tall, clipped around his waist.

The clearing gives way to the unlit road across which the Devan struggle to haul the large pile of corpses. The Devans roughly tug and jerk at the ropes to slide the cargo across the cold stone. A pair of corpses fall from the pile, and onto the road. One belonging to a female Devan, the other very, very small…

“Drop another one, and I’m adding you to the pile. Pick them up.” The Archon coldly commands with hand on the pommel of his sword.

The Devans scramble to pick up the bodies and slam them back onto the pile.

“…A lot of commotion this time.” Enais looks on at the scene with her arms crossed. “Your presence is setting them on edge it seems.”

“This is one of the very last Refinements of her body, everything else will fall into place only once we’ve succeeded. I will be wherever I deem necessary.” The Archon asserts as the group begins to move once the Devans have pulled the cargo clear of the road. “You…Watch the road for any signs these slaves brought unwanted attention.”

The Archon directs one of the hooded enforcers to keep sentry of the road as the rest of the group proceeds into the dense woods north of town.

You loom concealed at the edge of the trees watching the enforcer’s actions. He impatiently stares primarily in the direction of the town but will occasionally pace in the opposite direction. There isn’t any cover between the tree lines so if you want to cross here, then you will have to rely on fortunate timing to make it completely undetected.

Otherwise, you will have to head further down the road to be completely out of sight, but it will take you precious time to regain the trail of the group, all the while you have to forego any information you could potentially overhear. How will you cross this cold road?

>Straight across. Sneak past the guard when his attention is toward the town. (CR 10)

>Further out of sight. Spend the extra time to ensure you remain unseen.

>Write in

By the way, there are two updates to the character sheets:
>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o_UUxh62Gj5_fMjlaRr5cn1BHBB3P8uLpnMy15XcJak/edit?usp=sharing

The first being the updated information on the [Chimeric Beast Integument] accessory to have the bonuses it provides.

Second, I have increased the stamina cost of Pursuer from 7 to 13 for both Luca and Seo. This is mainly to make the cost more in line with the damage output. I apologize for not setting the original stamina value to this value!

>>5121415
It's not unheard of for a large amount of snow to be blown from nearby trees, obscuring the road for a few critical seconds, no?
>Use Stellar Gale to knock some snow from the trees, then attempt to sneak across under the cover. Ideally, when he's not looking.

Probably for the best that you upticked the cost for Pursuer, otherwise you get Luca and Seo just repeatedly spamming their combo attack like Ice Climbers or something.

>>5121406
>Something greater, a benefactor, a girl… Are they all one and the same? If so, then all the events orchestrated in town are for one girl?
A goddess figure, most likely, who exists in parts but greatly reduced enough to be mortalish?
>>5121415
>>Straight across. Sneak past the guard when his attention is toward the town. (CR 10)
I'd rather avoid using magic while Enais is around, since she can...smell it or something else on Elewyn

Heyo everyone! I hope that all of your weekends are off to a great start, and that you're keeping warm. I'm certainly going to enjoy this weekend as I already know next week is going to be busy.

>>5121534
>Probably for the best that you upticked the cost for Pursuer, otherwise you get Luca and Seo just repeatedly spamming their combo attack like Ice Climbers or something.
This was essentially my concern, and I want to make all skills considerable depending on the situation at hand.

>>5122044
>A goddess figure, most likely, who exists in parts but greatly reduced enough to be mortalish?
Ahh, I can't wait. Also, you are currently far enough away from Enais that you don't have to worry about her detecting...what she can detect of you!


I'll keep the vote open for about another hour in case anyone else would like to vote.

>>5121415
>Stellar Gale
Yeah I don't really have any other plan aside from the stellar gale.

We could potentially plant the arm somewhere in sight to lead them on a wild goose chase, but I don't think they'd split off for that even if we pulled it off.

Rolled 10, 1 = 11 (2d10)

>>5121534
>>5122086
>Casting Stellar Gale to cause a distraction to be able to sneak across more quickly.
MP Cost: 3 (Deviation needed from linear vector to better conceal wind origin.)

Now rolling 2d10 to determine if we are undetected. (CR 8, reduced for strategic write-in)

>>5122158
Elewyn will get past the Sanctuary member undetected.

>Writing!

Heyo everyone, looking to get the update posted in about an hour

>>5122159

The steady drift of white powder gives you a flash of inspiration. There’s enough of it collected in the overhead branches to knock down and serve as a fitting distraction. Whether it be tears of some greater being or snow, it will fall to the ground all the same with your magic.

To properly conceal the recoil of the gale, you must head deeper into the tree line. This makes the trajectory slightly tricky, but it’s nothing you can’t handle given your experience.

Once more concealed, you raise your staff high and aim it toward a break within the trees, with your target still far to the right.

You calculate how much distance your spell will need to travel, now to pour a bit of mana into it…

Bracing the length of the handle against your back, you evoke your mana to unleash a concentrated torrent of wind. A flurry of white powder is kicked up behind you as you compel the blast to twist as it’s released and listen as it slams against the branches across the road.

A large clump of sand sloughs off the arms of the trees and makes impact with the ground with a sudden heavy thump.

“What the…” You hear the enforcer exclaim as you begin your dash.

The wind rushes across your body as you bolt soundlessly toward your target. His attention is still firmly fixed on the knocked pile of powder as your shoes contact the stone, he then eyes the branches hanging above as you reach the snowbank on the other side and trace the steps the Sanctuary’s convoy carved ahead of you.

“Damn wind…” You hear behind you as you immediately slip behind the closest tree, which is more than wide enough to conceal your frame.

With a smirk on your face, you press forward to close the gap. You note their trail heading hard north with a slight bearing to the west, which already limits the possibilities of their destination. The precipitous feet of the mountains ever looming in every direction except eastward form an impassible border for such cargo, caging both you and them within this isolated land.

The steepness you face with each step grows.

>>5122818

“…lagging behind schedule on that front, so a more aggressive approach will be necessary soon.” You pick up Enais’ voice first.

“I will supply you with more of our brethren to that end. See it done, unfettered.” The Archon grunts as the incline of the terrain grows. “I disagreed with his approach toward the townspeople from the very beginning.”

“He and I must consider the delicate sides of things.” Enais reminds him gently. “But I agree that guiding force is now needed. The seeds of blessing have already firmly taken root inside many of them, yet a firm hand will help with those who refuse the full blessing of our rations. How they ever managed to do so for long will also come bubbling to the very tips of their tongues.”

“A firm hand now will limit the steel that hand has to wield when the final hour arrives.” The Archon proclaims for the whole group rather than just Enais. “They must all reciprocate the gifts provided unto all of us by giving their forms. Devans, Elins, and even us humans!”

What sort of profane creature requires the flesh and suffering of so many beings? Your hand tightens further around your staff causing it to emit a pale and dark aura. What does this being have to do with the killings of so many of your kin?

Again, and again these sorts of proclamations have meant nothing but suffering for your kind. If only Noire were here…

…

You slowly let the anger subside and focus on what you can address in this moment. The aura dissipates.

They intend a more forceful approach in dealing with those who supply food other than themselves, as it’s been obstructing their plan for the townspeople. Meaning that the Grygas and Cyrene in the tavern will soon come to bear the brunt of the Sanctuary’s will, likely regardless of whether they serve any more of that strange fungus or not. Strangely, the Sanctuary is oblivious to the fungi’s origin, which warrants further study, but your priority upon returning will be to warn them.

If any of your kin are still alive within this land, then you will do your utmost not to repeat what happened in Tulufan.

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>>5122820

A long while passes where the utterances of group amount to little more than barked orders toward the struggling Devan.

The whole time you pursue them with cold purpose, as large boulders embed into the high white powder like parasites into skin with the proximity to the mountains.

The group stops suddenly, necessitating a deviation from their trail to ensure you're not spotted and to gain a better vantage point. You push carefully through the knee-high snow.

“Brethren!” The Archon calls out. “Assist these useless creatures with transporting the flesh.”

A small clearing in the thicket of high, spindly trees allows you to finally gaze upon their destination. At the bottom of a slope lies a series of tall mine entrances, whose aged surfaces suggest they’ve long been abandoned of their original purpose.

Belched forth from the darkness of the tunnels walk hooded figures of strange shape and stature. Some abnormally wide, others abnormally bulbous. You can only speculate what lay hidden underneath their large cloaks. Some of the bulkier figures replace the Devan and easily haul the heavy cargo into one of the tunnel entrances.

You’ve located their Refinery. Now the question remains if you can press any further to investigate inside.

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>>5122821

“Two of you come to me if you would.” Enais calls out suddenly to the malformed cloaked figures. “Please head back and watch this trail for me, blessed ones.” She directs them to the cleared path that both you and their group took, cutting off access.

You body instantly goes into high alert as she turns and looks directly in your direction.

“Dear Archon, is your Carrion Beast prowling around?” She asks calmly.

He quickly unsheathes his massive sword and hastily searches within trees around him. “We’re we followed?”

The four cloaked figures that escorted their convoy ready their weapons as well.

She laughs warmly. “No, Dear Archon. Only a precocious creature that I figured it would enjoy playing with.”

The Archon growls at her playful response before removing one of his gloves. “It’s not the time for your games, Enais.” He brings his hand to his mouth and whistles a high-pitched note.

You've already fallen back, when you hear it. From somewhere deep within the caverns an strangled shrieking bellow echoes forth and heralds the stomping of a hulking beast you can feel within your body. A grown Devan male cries out in pain as he's suddenly slammed into the ground by this massive creature. It moves quickly toward the slope with deadly purpose.

Run.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Elewyn:
HP: 11
LP: 15
Stamina: 15
MP: 36

You need to escape. You're heavily outnumbered and the high white powder paired with the many tall trees will make escape more difficult. You doubt they will allow the beast to pursue you as far as town, so that is your target. The path you took to get here will offer easier escape, but you will immediately need to get past the two cloaked enforcers first, and possibly the other you sneaked by. Otherwise, carving a straight path to town southeast will leave you to deal with the Carrion Beast alone, but will greatly reduce maneuverability, including dodging.

>Write in movement/actions for Elewyn.

>>5122837
She definitely knows, so there's no point keeping the arm. Do you think it would distract the beast if we lobbed it in the mouth?

Either way, straight path. Enais doesn't seem particularly motivated to explain our appearance to the others, so keeping us unrecognizable is for the best.

>>5122844
Since you asked, anything with a strong enough stench/aroma could buy you more time to progress.

Heyo everyone! I'm having some hot coffee and hot breakfast on this slow cold morning, so I really do hope that you can all spend your time doing something similarly relaxing.

Anyway, I'll be keeping the voting window open for a while longer to see if we can't get a few more votes. I'll be keeping my eye on the thread in the meantime

>>5122837
I think the arm or meat would be more useful as distractions if left as misdirections paired with breaks in the trail from climbing trees and leaping from branch to branch.
As for path, the Straight path will have fewer other smells, but more trees.
I think Elewyn should take the straight path, combining the use of her two pieces of dead, rotting flesh with Stellar Gale to propel herself through the tree branches and break the trail where she can and distracting the 'Carrion' Beast with...carrion

>>5122837
>Straight path
>Be ready to throw the arm if it gets close to maximize the chance of it getting distracted.

Remember anons, we know from the other threads that:
-We can use Gale to propel ourselves forward and avoid it closing the distance for only 2 mana.
-Using 3 mana on the Gale allows it to be directed somewhat, useful for pushing it to the side instead of back.
-We are in a forest, and fleshy thing do not like getting impaled on trees. There may be an argument to be maybe for using the environment here !

For that last part, I need to ask whether there are branches low enough so that we must watch our heads.
Any power not spent on pushing the Carrion Beast upward will be spent pushing it horizontally and will help cause more damage if we knock it into a branch and the tree behind it !

Never underestimate a support at full mana.

Rolled 1, 2 = 3 (2d10)

Taking the straight path southeast and combining the following strategic write ins:

>>5122844
Distracting the Carrion Beast using our pieces of rotting flesh.
>>5123464
Break the trail the best we can by climbing and using Stellar Gale to propel from branch to branch.
>>5123466
Maximizing our distance using our spells, distractions, and the environment. Possibly use the environment to cause damage.

Wow! I'm both proud of you guys for writing such detailed tactics and glad that I cranked up the difficulty with this battle scenario. Damn, I'm happy to write this quest!

>Elewyn to cast Steller Gale and use one piece of flesh to increase the initial distance from the Carrion Beast. Rolling 2d10 (CR 6, reduced from write-ins)

>>5123522
Those dice...

The Carrion Beast distance will close in, but will not be able to attack just yet due to our strategies.

>Writing

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oh no...
such dice...........many sad.............

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>>5123524

In the danger and darkness of this freezing cold night, there’s no need to hide what you’re capable of any longer. Magic and tactics are your gift, so you will demonstrate for this creature what that brute strength can be overcome.

To the earth-shaking beat of the Carrion Beast’s steps lumbering up the slope, you rapidly carve a path to the trunk of the nearest tree and firmly brace the tip of your staff against the sturdy wood. You quickly glance behind you to secure a target for your landing, and with a quiet note of exertion, jump out of the snow while at the same time channeling your mana to the tip of your staff.

A sudden cloudburst of white powder is left in your wake as you sail carefully through the air dense with tree branches.

Twisting in the air you watch as the base of the tree is punched through like a thin board, adding splinters of tough wood to the fog of white. Your hand quickly secures your desired branch as you quietly land within the low canopy of a nearby tree. You can finally gaze upon beast of exposed flesh and bone huffs and screeches in confusion as it sees nothing to tear into with its deadly hands. It stands twice as tall as a human male, and several times bulkier as hot steam rises from its heaving body. With brutish breaths it inhales deeply of the cold air before suddenly picking up a scent. Its dark, inhuman pupils fix directly upon you before charging to directly for the base of the tree.

Ah, so it can pick up on the acrid scent of the chunks of flesh you carry. You’ll can use this to your advantage.

The thin tree you just stood upon collapses to the ground as you’re forced to weave within the thick netting of branches to keep your distance. The light sounds of your shoes contacting each branch upon landing are immediately followed by a crackling boom of the Carrion Beast blasting through trunks unimpeded by their density or the thick snow at its muscular legs.

You only need to keep up this steady progress if the beast can’t reach you then-

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>>5123638

Enraged by your continued evasion, the Carrion Beast suddenly leaps from the ground, bursting with terrifying speed at the tree you were going to jump toward next.

It adapted!

Caught off guard, you’re forced to twist your legs into a sudden pivot and make a rushed leap toward a different canopy of branches much further away. With all the strength you can muster in your small body, you kick off the collapsing tree and soar with outstretched arms to the thin branch in front of you.

Ah…It’s too thin.

Within a fraction of a second of you grasping its frigid cold surface, the weak branch snaps from your weight and you tumble from the high canopy. The air suddenly rushes around you as you make an instantaneous decision to fling one of the two pieces of rotting flesh you have with your coat toward a tree behind the Carrion Beast. After, you have barely enough time to ease your landing with a hasty gale. A line of white powder is split and cleared ahead of you from the sudden burst of wind, covering the nearby area in a dense white fog as you make hard impact with the ground.

You’re jarred from your crash but know better than to express any sound as you listen as beast the huffs in the air and then fiercely pounces upon the flung chunk of flesh. The beast crashes into the tree with a howl of pain and primal fury. It's capable of hurting itself in hasty anger.

You lie in your sunken, cold crater surrounded by white, with the net of infinite branches blocking the night sky. Its speed and strength are far beyond anything capable of a human, you wonder how something of the sort was created, and what else the Sanctuary can make through their gifts. That thought is of little importance until you make it out of these woods, you’ve made good progress thus far, and while you a bit battered, you’re still unscathed.

The strategy of using the trees to keep your distance was effective, but the creature adapted faster than you expected. Now it looms close, and you need to regain the distance and continue your escape to town.

_________________________________________________________________________

Elewyn:
HP: 11
LP: 15
Stamina: 13
MP: 32

The Carrion Beast's adaptive killer instinct mixed with its supernatural speed and strength are not to be underestimated. Elewyn is unscathed and yet has one last piece of rotting flesh to distract it, but currently lies within a difficult position on the ground nearby the beast. You've made it approximately a third of the distance you need to travel.

>Write in movement/actions for Elewyn.

>>5123649
>Sundowning
We're gonna need to burn the MP to get enough leeway to safely throw the flesh. I'm worried it's not going to properly stop at the village, but we gotta prioritize not dying.

Heyo everyone, just checking in before I head off to sleep to say that I'll be keeping the vote open and see where we're at in the morning.

Have a good one wherever you are!

Morning everyone, back to it with a busy Monday.

I'll keep the vote open for about two hours longer to see if we can't get a couple more votes. I'll be back in short while!

>>5123649
>>Sundowning
Sundown it seems to be what Elewyn can do before continuing to run, even if it will produce a lot of light.
After that, though, she's nearing a ridge. I think what she can do is get under that ridge while the Carrion Beast is stunned, use her last piece of flesh, and then use Stellar Gale again to create a bank of snow-fog:
>A line of white powder is split and cleared ahead of you from the sudden burst of wind, covering the nearby area in a dense white fog as you make hard impact with the ground.
And hopefully that will create enough distance for her to make it the rest of the way back to town.
The other tactic that she could use with Stellar Gale is to blow away her own scent while leaving the flesh-piece's scent strong, and hopefully that will also help

>>5123649
Well, we gotta bank on Sundowning to work, yea.
>Sundowning

>>5123649
I'll support Sundowning, but with the write-in that we should try to get close to the Beast first.
I know it sounds counter-productive, but think: the Fleshcrafters built it, so it must be made in part out of the same flesh that they feed people. It's all on type of sentient goop. We know what happens to the meat with a Sundowning, so I want to try and use it offensively instead of distractively.
We're already close, so we might as well.

>Get close to its mouth or the biggest patch of meat we can see on the Beast.
>Cast Sundowning as close as possible
>Dodge with Gale as needed to close in and back out while its reeling.

Costly, but if I'm right, we can get some real pain in.

Also.

>>5123522
>Wow! I'm both proud of you guys for writing such detailed tactics and glad that I cranked up the difficulty with this battle scenario. Damn, I'm happy to write this quest!

Aww. Thanks QM, I like participating in this quest too !

>>5124838
You're very welcome. Thank you and everyone else for participating!

Let's see how we can synthesize all of the strategies we have here:
>>5123924
>>5124767
>>5124776
>>5124791
>Elewyn to cast Sundowning when the Carrion Beast is close to ensure maximum contact and get out of the tricky spot she's currently in. Then, she'll use the ridges in the terrain and Stellar Gale to cover her retreat/increase distance. Dodging with Gale when needed.
Immediate MP Cost: 12 (10 + 2 from Sundowning and Gale)

Nice plans that built off each other very well! The immediate Sundowning will go through, and keep the dice away, for now.

>Writing!

Finally back home. Hoping to have the update posted in about 45 minutes!

>>5124909

As the beast stomps and screams in its primal fury at your continued evasion, you’re reminded of the impotent writhing of the chunk of flesh when you cast your magic upon it earlier this afternoon. If these creatures are crafted of the same organic material, then you expect a similar self-destructive reaction.

Unfortunately, you’ll need to let him close to ensure that the spell connects with the frantic tantrum its working through right now.

With a deep breath, you quietly sit up in your pit of white powder feeling the biting cold powder on your hands. You can barely see over the top with how thick the snow is on this ridge, so with a sigh and aching limbs you stand to the point that you can push off your knees and study the formidable creature’s movements.

It rampages after having consumed the flung rotting piece of meat. Trees are broken like branches, as it bleeds slowly from the top of its bestial head, dripping a long and dark crimson crown onto its wide shoulders. With every frenzied turn it delicately flourishes red paint strokes onto the blank canvas at its feet. With a sudden pause in its wild movements, it silently turns its gaze towards you. Its dark pupils stare deep within you, its nostrils take in deep gulps of the surrounding air, and its profound and cavernous maw quivers rapidly as its finger-length fangs are suspended like precipitous icicles.

Then it charges.

Even while it’s running, you barely stand as tall as its waist. It brings all that it is with the sole intent of crushing, tearing, and grinding your body into irreparable meat.

“You’re not the first.”

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>>5125523

With your staff raised high, you take aim at its center of its large mass and invoke your mana to stun him in his tracks. Glimmers of bright light cut into the darkness of the woods. They illuminate your two figures as his sprint is cut immediately short, causing his bulk to topple over in front of you. The momentum hurtles his body meteorically toward you, and you instinctively dive out of the way, barely clearing the trajectory of his deadly inertia.

You uncontrollably slide on your stomach down the ridge with the cold powder beneath you scraping roughly against any exposed area of skin. Eventually, you’re able to secure a grip around a thin tree and stop your descent. But it isn’t long after you’ve risen to your feet that sudden ear-piercing shriek from behind you causes you to quickly turn.

A great pillar of steam rises to the canopies from the frame of the Carrion Beast as it spasms against your brutally constraining mana. It lets loose another pained and strangle scream as its body sags and its defined shape is lost before your eyes. Great chunks of its torso and hips are molted to the ground, melting the powder as they slump downward. The Carrion Beast burns with agony as its own body violently reacts to your dominating will.

Yet, it’s nowhere near its death.

At its feet, you see a number of the fallen chunks of flesh writhing with their own life. Even the bulky frame left behind begins to twist into a new adaptation of form. Yet another blessing afforded to it.

You don’t tarry until its finished to act. As you brace yourself with the thin tree at your back you take aim at the slope you slid from moments ago. The twisted, demonic forms of the shed pieces of meat rise from the cold mire of their births. With grotesque visages resembling a tortured man, they howl their first breaths as gangly claws of yellowed bone shakily pull their bodies to rise onto their meaty tendrils. Their eyes focus on you right before an explosion of white powder covers the slope in an opaque veil.

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>>5125527

Using the fog of powder as cover, you vault off the small tree onto your rear to slide down the frigid cold slope. You unsteadily pivot to dodge the trunks of thick trees, all the while hearing the inhuman cries of the newly birthed creatures pushing through the veil. When they finally do make it clear, you’ve already reached the bottom of the ridge and the tree line is beginning to thin. As you stand and run through the thick snow, you turn behind you to see three of the new beasts crawling and carving down the slope with their many limbs rapidly propelling them forward. The town is nearby, but there’s still grueling distance left to clear before you make it there.

_________________________________________________________________________

Elewyn:
HP: 11
LP: 15
Stamina: 11
MP: 20

The Carrion Beast has shed its deadly form into small creatures, of which three are in rapid pursuit of Elewyn. The status of the currently stunned creature left behind is unknown, but these smaller beings will catch up to you soon. Several thick, branching trees remain in the way of a clear open snow field, beyond which lies the crumbling and dilapidated wall of town.

>Write in movement/actions for Elewyn.

>>5125537
Throw the other piece of flesh, or maybe just hang it on top of a tree, then just keep running

Heyo everyone, I hope you're all doing well this morning! This is a quick check-in to let you guys know that I'll leave the voting window open for a couple hours longer to see if any more votes come in. As always, I'll tally what we have then. See you again soon!

>>5125537
>>5125556
I'm up for throwing the meat, but I also have a few ideas.
We know they'll run us down in snow, so we need to make use of the trees to move for as long as we can.
It'll also put us in a good position to throw the meat back. I actually want to spend a Gale to throw it further.
My plan here is to target the spawns directly. As in Gale the meat in their face, or whatever front-facing appendices they have. I'm counting on the things being as frenzied as their parent, but less clever. And since there's three of them...
Worst case scenario, we miss and they slow down to inspect the meat, and have to spend time accelerating again.
Best case scenario, they start savaging the one that smells of meat and buy us some time, maybe even do some significant damage. We won't be here to see it, because as soon as that meat is launched, we're moving along the trees up to the ridge, Gale-ing ourselves as far into the open stretch as possible, and them using more Gales to reach the wall by leap-jumping up to and over the wall. At which point we keep running until we reach the inn, lock ourselves in, and don't look back.

So:
>Gale up a tree.
>Gale meat into flesh spawn
>Use trees to move quickly to the ridge line
>Gale off tree and into open space.
>Leapfrog to the wall and over it using as many Gales as necessary.
>Walk into the snow as little as possible, focus on speed, not mana conservation.

Big plan, but I spent my day thinking it up. Take what you want, as usual.

Rolled 8, 5 = 13 (2d10)

>>5125556
>>5126136
These synthesize well into each other, so I'll be using the majority from this post: >>5126136
with the priority being running rather than doing damage as >>5125556 suggested.

Overall:
>Elewyn to cast Stellar Gale to get back into the tree line, another cast to volley the meat toward the three newly spawned flesh-creatures, and then Gales to escape the rest of the way past the wall.
MP Cost at least: 6

Rolling 2d10 first for the volley of meat: (CR 5 distracts one, CR 10 distracts two, CR 15 distracts all three)

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5126180
Two of smaller creatures are distracted. Now rolling 1d2 (1= still stunned) to see if the stun has dissipated from the main flesh creature left behind.

Rolled 2, 4 = 6 (2d10)

>>5126185
It's no longer stunned...

Now finally rolling 2d10 for a single flesh creatures attack on Elewyn: (CR 15-3 = 12, reduced from snowy terrain)

>Writing outcome!

Finally back home! Writing the update, and hope to have it posted in about 45-60 minutes!

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>>5126190

Their reduced size doesn’t leave these creatures lacking anything in aggression. With how frantically they claw and grasp their way forward, they’ll catch up with you eventually, especially if you carve through the thick white powder for the whole of your escape.

As you strenuously wade through the high powder to the nearest tree, you grasp the remaining piece of flesh in your coat pocket. It was the hand this whole time. You suppose it’ll finally have the chance to lend you one and distract these foul pursuers. With some effort, you pull your legs free as you brace the end of your staff against the solid trunk. Quickly, you vault yourself upward and toward the town wall. You coat billows as you sail through the whistling, chilly night air and land lightly within the canopy.

From this high vantage point, you witness the creatures furiously, clumsily, but rapidly carving their way to the bottom of the slope, affixed on your trail. With hardly any time to spare, you allow the soiled rags to fall off the amputated hand and be carried into the darkness. The blackened limb is difficult to see in the low light, so it will all come down to your timing. So, with eyes locked on the three beasts, you toss the rotted hand into the air.

This is your last piece of flesh, better make it count.

A concentrated beam of violent air shoots the corrupted meat directly between two of the beasts, causing them to suddenly double back upon sensing its acrid stench and fight with one another over their newly found prize. The one furthest from the point of impact is unfazed, so you must get moving quickly.

You deftly leap from tree to tree as far as the canopy will take you, until you’re left with no other option other than to jump forth using a gale to propel you far into the snowy field, and another to soften your landing with a great flurry of white proceeding you. Immediately upon making impact with the powder-laden ground, a gurgling bellow can be heard echoing from the slope far behind you. You hastily turn to see a tall thin figure of blood red and adipose white in the distance. Now unhindered by a great amount of flesh, the Carrion Beast adapted for speed and slides headlong with stunning agility. Its once massive limbs have split into smaller, disjointed tendrils which whip wildly in the cold wind.

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>>5127178

Each deep breath signals your position with a tall pillar of vapor. Another blast of wind propels you roughly across the open white plain. The fine flakes don’t provide a hard enough surface to launch you far, and before long the undettered twisted creature closes the distance such that you can see the myriad of tiny, pointed teeth in its set of nested mouths beyond the haphazardly moving extremities.

It’s a disgusting amalgamation of various body parts stretched and distorted into a single form that resembles no type of natural animal. Your legs are weighed down with the thick powder as you carefully watch its wildly flailing limbs for any sign of how it intends to attack. Finally, as it nears you see it plant its two largest arms into the ground to propel itself into snarling tackle.

Rather than fight against the powder, you swiftly slump into it allowing the smaller beast to crash behind you with great eruption of white. You rise wearily to your feet once again and push forward while the smaller creature flails in pain. Each step takes you ever closer to the crumbling old northwestern wall of Impel. Not a single guard mans its collapsing parapets, but the edge of the town lies just beyond it cracked exterior. You see the faint light of buildings beyond the holes within its structure.

A heavy thud of something landing directly behind you causes you to stop and calmly turn back to observe the transformed Carrion Beast. While it stands much shorter than it once did, it still looms high above you with thick drooping tentacles chittering from its bizarrely circular mouth. It’s violently lost most of its intimidating bulk in response to your magic, yet now, it leers at you as if studying you. The heat emanating from its frame easily reaches you, while a thick sharply tipped proboscis deep within its mouth catches the low light reflecting off the powder and drips clear liquid onto the ground.

It is a stand-off, and you can sense its boiling rage ready to strike out at the first opening, at the same time the more senseless beast behind you stamps its limbs to return its body upright.

You sigh quietly as you slowly ready your staff.

_________________________________________________________________________

Elewyn:
HP: 11
LP: 15
Stamina: 8
MP: 10

This new form of the Carrion Beast looms only a few feet away from you, while the smaller creature looms farther behind. Both are ready to strike at any moment, while you stand within the distance of a properly propelled jump of the town's wall. Otherwise, the holes within the wall could be squeezed through by someone as small as you if reached.

>Write in movement/actions for Elewyn.

>>5127212
The creature runs hot enough that it has to be clearing out a sizable amount of snow, surely? And that means it's muddying the ground beneath it? Or if the air and ground is still so cold that it's still frozen despite that heat, then the liquid contacting the cold is freezing and making ice. So waiting is, while not strictly to Elewyn's advantage (since the other two might catch up soon if she dallies), at least not wholly against her either, since it's losing traction as time goes on.
I think the play here is to keep both options live - the continued use of Gale is, by now, what it expects and is ready for, so if Elewyn just flings herself she'll get intercepted again. But she's outsped and outnumbered on the ground so the option of flinging herself has to stay open, as she waits for the creature to lose a critical amount of traction, while backing towards the holes. If the big creature commits to chasing her low, then she can Gale up and its following jump will be impeded first by the ground and snow and then by the air blast below an ascending Elewyn - and if it nears her anyway then it is itself a surface for a second Gale to push against. If it commits to chasing her high then she can just no-mixup mixup it by simply going through the holes and Galeing away the small one while she clambers through
hopefully this makes sense

>>5127212
This is going to be risky, but
>Throw or drag the minion to the Carrion Beast's front
>Sundowning while it commits a big chomp to eat us both
>get through that wall

Heyo everyone! At work early today, but that will hopefully mean being able to leave earlier as well.

Currently we have two separate strategies suggested to get us past the town wall:

>>5127381
>>5127391

Each one comes with its own risks, but given the current amount of mana we have, they can't be synthesized into a single plan. I'll be leaving the vote open for a few hours longer, so feel free to post your own thoughts if you haven't already. Otherwise, I can decide with a roll. See you soon!

>>5127700
I'm not going to make this easier, as I have yet another plan to add. It's been burned by Sundowning before, so I'm hoping to take advantage of its instincts by using an almost forgotten spell: Brilliance.

>Point staff at Beast mimicking the casting of Sundowning
>Cast Brilliance to sell the illusion
>The Beast braces instead of reaching out
>We stop Brilliance, point the staff down and Gale away and over the smaller one, hopefully reaching the wall.

>>5127212
I would much rather have some scraps of mana left than betting it all on a sundowning working, and having nothing left for patching ourselves up.

Could we try to blind it with Brilliance, then Gale ourselves up over the wall?

Then again, I don't know if it even uses sight to see prey, or if our light would even be bright enough to flashbang it. Not to mention, it's definitely not exactly subtle.

We are running out of options and mana, though.

>>5127864
Yea, I'll support something like this
>Brilliance it as if we were going for a Sundowning
>Gale over the wall

Rolled 9, 7 = 16 (2d10)

Alright, so the main strategy that we'll go ahead with is
>>5127864
>>5127871
To open with a mimicked cast of Sundowning, using Brilliance to further sell the illusion then to Gale away as it braces.

As >>5127381 pointed out, we'll have to use the main Carrion Beast to provide a surface from which we can push against to get us over the wall after that creature commits to its action. But there is the small flesh beast to deal with as well, so when it attacks we'll aim to have it thrown ahead of us as in >>5127391 and into the Carrion Beast with an initial Gale, then another to propel ourselves upward.


Nice! There was a lot to pull from with these posts, and it turned out to work together pretty well. Now, let's see if the dice cooperate.

The first 2d10 roll is to see if the smaller flesh creature manages to strike Elewyn (CR 15-3-2+2 = 12, reduced from terrain and disadvantageous positioning, but increased from strategic write-in)

Rolled 5, 1 = 6 (2d10)

>>5127899
We will have to take the initial strike.
>Elewyn to cast two Stellar Gales and a Brilliance to aid in escape.
MP Cost:5

The main Carrion Beast will have a limited window to strike at Elewyn as she ascends. (CR 16, strategy causes no CR reduction from terrain and increases slightly from limited strike opportunity)

>Writing Outcome!

So much for getting home early. I hope to have the update posted in about 90 minutes!

>>5127903

Seeing that this flesh-crafted beast was tenacious and clever enough to hunt you this far and for this long there's sufficient evidence that there’s more than animalistic instinct driving its actions. In fact, this creature in front of you is trying to glean a sign of your next movement just as you do with it. Behind its otherworldly eyes, an uncanny intelligence watches you, ponders you, and adapts to you all with the intent of destroying you.

Unfortunate for it, you’ve still plenty of tricks to demonstrate for it, and its much more impulsive counterpart.

With the town wall close behind, this next strategy will get you over and away from these misshapen malignancies. In the exposed and open field of white powder, the freezing wind abates, and the serene silence is only punctuated by the low growling of beasts and your light breathing.

You keep your gaze fixed on the Carrion Beast.

Then, the frantic commotion of crunching powder grows closer behind you. Your eyes are still staring deep into the dark colored voids in front of you. While the gurgling and gnashing of teeth are only inches away, the heaviness around your legs won’t allow you to fully dodge without ruining your planned move. You pivot the best you can, but the flesh spawn lunging from behind snaps its pointed teeth into the right side of your coat, into your shirt, and finally into the thin skin around your ribs. The instant of sudden snarling, heat, and violence is over as soon as it began as the creature sails in front of you with a large piece of your skin in its teeth.

Your teeth clench and brow furrows, but though the brutally stinging pain you keep your gaze fixed on the Carrion Beast.

It looks away as it begins its attack.

Now!

With a sudden pulse of wind, you send the smaller flesh spawn crashing into the thick tendrils of the Carrion Beast. Its initial attack is immediately pushed back but rallies quickly. You stoically keep your staff raised and channel flickers of bright light beyond its tip. Fearing another bout of subjugation, the Carrion Beast screeches as it suddenly dives low to impale the flesh spawn on its spear like proboscis. Skewered, the smaller creature shrieks in agony as its limbs flail in every direction bleeding grievously onto the melting powder underneath.

You calmly step into the path cleared by your Gale as you watch the Carrion Beast suspend its flesh spawn in the air.

“A fine meat-shield… Now deflect this!” You taunt before charging to close the distance.

Too late the Carrion Beast realizes your bluff and attempts to spear you with the exposed portion of its razor-sharp extremity. The weight of flesh spawn makes its strike sluggish and your easily able to sidestep its attack before aiming your staff at the beast one final time.

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>>5128631

After a running jump and evoking your mana you swiftly rise high into the air in a large arc over the stone wall as the creatures shrink away into the distance.

The sky is clear, and the townsfolk rest in their warm abodes with steady streams of steam and chimney smoke rising.

You’re able to dissipate most of your momentum before you make impact with the powder on the opposite side of the wall, but you still crash with considerable force into dense white mounds.

Your blood steams crimson stains onto the flakes surrounding you as you reel from the arduous journey to get here. The Carrion Beast had the intelligence to know not to sabotage the Sanctuary’s plans by pursuing you this far into town and has since retreated into the dense woods. Now you can afford to finally catch your breath and let some of your mana return.

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>>5128636

Weathered homes lie only a stone’s throw from where you lie, your extremities burn raw red from the biting cold, and the searing tear in your torso draws pain every shivering breath. Yet, you continue stare at the countless stars frozen in the night sky in silence. Eventually, you ponder on your position relative to each different sized and different colored celestial dot. You ponder how you, laid bleeding near the terminus of a road that stretches hundreds of miles, might appear to those very stars. You ponder the stars you once saw when you were much younger, that are no longer flickering in the night.

How long have you been here?

White flakes suddenly appear above you, making ephemeral partners of the faint motes of light before settling onto your cheeks, melting slowly. The stars are unclouded by the descending powder, and for a brief moment of frozen time you’re caught in the very origin of those distant objects.

Ahh, is she crying again?

...

“You’re a bit of a crybaby, aren’t you?” You ask quietly as you finally rise to your feet with the support of your staff. With a concentrated burst of healing mana, you cleanly seal the open wound on your side. “Are you lonely?”

You gaze upward to the peculiarly unclouded snowing sky before traipsing your way into the town of Impel and back to the tavern.

~

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>>5128641

~

Between the now thigh-high piles of powder and the howling cold gusts that freeze the moisture at the tips of your eyes, your progress to the tavern is gruelingly slow. The hour is late, so there isn’t another soul to encounter on this last part of your journey for the night. You slip and stumble undisturbed and alone, until finally the building comes into sight. Once near the low light filtering from the window, you pause and take stock of your own appearance. Every piece of your clothing is ripped or stained to varying degrees, with your coat and underlying shirt displaying the worst of it with a significant chunk of cloth torn away by flesh spawn’s nested mouths. Below the opening, your right side is dyed a deep red to the toes of your stocking which all together certainly gives you a concerning presence.

Luckily drink service seems to have ended long ago as the nothing stirs within the main part of the tavern, but you hear rummaging from behind the building. A deep voice grunts as it moves a heavy object, before finally sighing. You recognize the voice to belong to Grygas. Still out of sight, you sneak to spy on him hauling a large bundle of firewood, and above him the warm light of Cyrene’s window is occasionally blocked by her small shadow.

Appearing in the tavern as you do now will certainly raise questions, but you could approach either Cyrene or Grygas alone to keep the other party unaware of your condition. Whose questions would you rather answer?

>Quietly enter through the front and sneak upstairs to Cyrene.

>Approach Grygas quietly from behind the tavern.

>Write in.

and

>Excuse your appearance by detailing an encounter with a very aggressive and injured patient you had to assist with.

>Write in an excuse for your appearance.

>>5128648
I don't see a need to be particularly subtle.
>Walk in and explain what the Sanctuary is planning to do to the tavern
>Your injuries came from overhearing them

Heyo everyone, I hope everything is going well for all of you. I'm looking ahead toward a rather busy pair of work days today and tomorrow, so it might affect the usual update schedule, but nothing is set in stone. I'll post more about that when I'm more certain.

Anyway, I'll be keeping the voting window open for a few more hours to allow anyone else that'd like to vote the opportunity. Be back soon!

>>5128641
I suppose Elewyn sees the same things as the Sanctuarians...simply reacts differently.
>>5128648
>>Approach Grygas quietly from behind the tavern.
>Excuse your appearance by detailing an encounter with a very aggressive and injured patient you had to assist with.
>>He woke up mid amputation and got a hold of some of the tools.
Grygas will want to keep Cyrene out of it, given the extent of Elly's injuries, and will also want to help what appears to him to be a young girl. Cyrene won't really know what to do with this kind of information I don't think, though she would probably be able to help hide the damage to Elly's clothes a bit better...
Elewyn has plenty of recent detail to help sell this lie, and 'Elly helps with amputations' will go a long way explaining her mature behavior to Grygas. Either one of these two are likely to want to prevent Elly from going back to 'work' but of the two Grygas is more likely to understand, I think, that being hurt is part of the job sometimes
>>5128856
Subtlety is required due to Elewyn being alone in Impel, against an organization. The townspeople will panic and start more bloodshed and more suffering if you bludgeon them like this
Elewyn has no proof, appears to be a child, and her only way to not appear to be a child is to become a nonhuman, which is worse for many of these people than the Sanctuary, who appears to be feeding them

>>5129318
+1 to this, good lie. The time is not right to attempt to go public, methinks

>>5129318
>>5129364
Proceeding forward by talking to Grygas first with the cover story of having dealt with an aggressive patient that needed an amputation.

>Writing! (Will post later in the day if I'll have the time to get this update posted tonight.)

Phew, finally back home. I haven't had too much of a chance to write so I'll estimate the update to be posted in about 90 minutes!

>>5129384

While she’s been through more than her fair share of harrowing experiences, having to witness you covered in blood and then conceal that from her nearby father is asking too much of a child. You promised to come back, and you have, but you and Grygas both would want to keep her in the dark about your “work.” A grown man of his temperament will understand much more what sacrifices “work” will entail sometimes, so a crafted story about a grueling night of labor will ease over your appearance.

Making sure to conceal your animal ears with a secured cloth covering and with heavier steps than you typically proceed with, you pass the side of the tavern and carefully appear before Grygas without surprising him in the low light.

His eyes still widen as he opens his mouth to speak, but you swiftly halt him by raising a single finger to your lips and motioning to move inside. Almost immediately he understands your intent and nods silently in agreement with a serious expression.

He carefully leads the way and holds the door open for you to enter the kitchen of the tavern. While it’s not as warm as you suspect the core of the building is, the heat immediately wraps around your body while your extremities all begin to tingle painfully with the blood rushing back within them.

Once he slowly shuts the door to the back, he turns to you with a serious whisper. “Elly, what tha’ hell happened to you? You alright?” With furrowed brow, he surveys the extent of your disheveled and torn clothing.

You calmly hold up a hand as you smile reassuringly. “I’m perfectly fine. Work was more eventful than I anticipated.”

“What do you mean?” He presses, still confused.

“I’m sure that Cyrene already told you that I’m a physician’s assistant. Well, tonight we had a seriously injured worker in the woods who needed immediate medical attention.” You groan lightly as you remove your pack and then your coat. “A badly crushed arm beneath an improperly felled tree. He vehemently didn’t want our treatment because… we needed to amputate his arm to free him.”

Grygas stares blankly at you with incredulity. “You had to amputate his arm?”

“I had to try to calm him down, or otherwise keep him sedated him with what little ether we had.” You flourish a hand to emphasize your battered body. “The sedation didn’t last long, and he fought back with whatever he could grab, our surgical tools included. Luckily, the blood loss eventually quelled his outbursts, and he’s now recovering as we speak.”

His rubs his forehead with his hand by the time you finish explaining. “Why would anyone ever make a little girl go through such a crazy thing? And you, don’t you have parents that would be worried sick about all this?” He quietly demands, clearly agitated.

>>5130157

Given that his parental instincts are causing him to become more emotional, he’s accepted your story as truth. Now you only need to calm him down.

“I do appreciate your concern, but I’m not as helpless as you might think me to be. I completed my work with what little resources I had at hand, and I did it as well as I could.” You assert firmly. “And… I’ll have you know that there are no parents to be concerned over me, so you need not bother me about that either.”

The concept of a parental love is familiar to you as you’ve witnessed it most of your life with humans and even other races in the past. You both understand and appreciate the importance of such affection, even if you’ve never experienced it for yourself, so recognize the gravity of losing such a thing at a young age.

Your words strike the expected heavy blow within his mind, and he shuts his eyes and sighs. “Yeah, I kinda figured as much from how you act.” He opens his eyes and looks at you for a moment before fixing his gaze at the door to the tavern. “I’m sorry, Elly. Like Cyrene told me already, I shouldn’t be acting like I’m your father. Just… I mean look at ya, covered in blood and bruises.” He shakes his head ruefully. “Ah, never mind. I’m getting myself worked up because it’s too easy to picture the kiddo in your place.”

You put your hands on your hips. “It’s nothing a bit of hot water wouldn’t be able to take care and she’s got a dependable father to keep her out of trouble, right? One that can help me draw a bath so our efforts not to alarm his daughter go to waste?”

He finally smirks and then shakes his head again and then heads across the kitchen to retrieve a sizable metal tub. “Kids these days… I was already heating the water for our baths, but you’ll go first.” He looks up to the roof of the kitchen. “She could be down here any minute, so you’ll have to wash fast.” He turns back to you for only a short moment. "Thanks for not wanting to get Cyrene worried about you, Elly."

~

>>5130161

~

After clandestine transfer of the heated water into the metal bath, Grygas departed upstairs with the promise that he’d distract Cyrene for a few minutes before sending her down with spare night clothes. You’re able to hide away bloodied stockings, shirt, and other items of your borrowed nurse outfit folded carefully within your pack. You have other articles to replace them with for tomorrow, but the coat will need to be mended.

Once bare, you quietly fill a bucket with the hot water, peer out to ensure privacy, and then step outside to hastily wash away the dried blood from your skin. Your feet tense with every frigid step, and your skin desperately tightens from the cold wind as you clean the brown-red stains your body. With depleted hot water already freezing on the ground and your teeth now chattering uncontrollably, you eagerly retreat indoors. You silently shut the door, and with quick and sharp steps you make your way back to the tub and dip into the simultaneously merciful and burning warmth. After several moments of the tingling pain from blood rushing into vessels they have long fled from, you're able to fully enjoy the bath.

You’re quick to wash your hair first, knowing that you will have to conceal your animal ears at any moment. Despite your near-death encounter in that river so many years ago, you’ve never lost the enjoyment of submerging your body into water that all Elin share. Unfortunate that you can’t linger, as there’s something doubly enjoyable about being enveloped in such warmth after being deprived of it for so long. You emerge back into the air of the kitchen and settle against the edge of the tub working your fingers through your long hair and around your animal ears.

After a few more minutes of silent bathing, you hear a rapid set of footsteps descending the stairs, so you carefully wrap your damp hair in a large cloth and then settle again with your arms resting on the edge of the tub.

Cyrene’s voice starts before the entrance to the kitchen fully opens. “Gosh, Elly! You should’ve told me you were back.” She hastily dumps an armful of night clothes on the ground near the tub before abandoning her own clothing and then messily splashing into the hot water near you. “I’ve been waiting forever! I almost fell asleep!”

>>5130189

"Sorry about that." You slide over to accommodate her body in the now crammed metal tub. "I was freezing when I got back, so I couldn't think about anything else besides getting warm."

"Well, you're back and that's what matters. We're going to hang out all night tonight..." She yawns loudly. "Right?"

You grin to yourself knowingly. "If you say so."

The two of you talk casually for a while about how the evening service at the tavern passed by until the conversation begins to settle as she starts to drift to sleep on your shoulder. Amused, you watch her nod off, and then startle awake again.

It happens once more before she turns to you with glazed and dreaming eyes. "Elly...What's a womb?"

Your eyebrows raise instantly at the sudden question. Bewilderment gives way when you see that despite her speaking to you she's clearly half dreaming. Is she simply recalling having heard the word at some time in the past, but not having known its meaning? You could explain that part of woman's anatomy to her, or you could leave it to her father for another time.

>Answer her question in a brief manner before she fully falls asleep.

>Let her fall asleep and have her father address the question some day, hopefully soon.

>Write in.

>>5130193
>"The place which babies are born from, but should never return"

Heyo everyone, we're already at Friday, but it certainly doesn't feel that way for me. I hope that you all have a relaxing weekend planned ahead for you!

Anyway, to see if we can a few more votes, I'll be keeping the voting window open for a good bit longer(~4 hours) as I also will be headed into an extensive meeting in about an hour and won't be able to attend to tallying until its over. See you all later in the day!

>>5130193
uh oh...cyrene dreaming again........I suppose a motherless girl would be most susceptible to this line.
>>5130197
something like this would do. anatomy alone won't answer her questions, and this is more pertinent

>>5130581
(That was an excessively tedious meeting, that I'm glad to be away from.)

>>5130197
>>5130841
A simple and comforting response for a sleepy girl.

>Writing!

Back home and aiming to have the update posted in about an hour!

>>5130862

There isn’t a need to excessively elaborate an answer for someone that’s more asleep than not. A simple answer, a then a quick cleaning, and then off to sleep for this young one.

You grasp her under the armpit to keep her from sinking into the warm amniotic fluid of her dream. “It’s the place where babies are born from… but should never return. Now don’t go sinking into the water when you’re about to fall asleep” You explain as you gently work water through her dark brown hair. Areas of her scalp are showing signs thinning hair and your fingers only find skin and bone to push against in the delicately thin areas around her ribs.

Investigating the Sanctuary’s involvement in perpetrating this harrowing famine and the continued affliction of the ocean life will continue tomorrow. Making this a priority will elucidate the central structure of the Sanctuary’s plot for this town, and hopefully help those suffering from the lack of food.

Cyrene keeps sinking into the water despite your warnings, so you secure her arms over the lip of the tub and turn to washing her back. Her shoulder blades and vertebrae jut noticeably as you pass a soaked rag across her skin.

Then there’s this young one and her father to worry about falling into the Sanctuary's sight, the plan to transport the Devans you’ll need to manage, dealing with Enais’ morbid fascination with your supposed suffering, strategizing a mission to sneak into the Refinery, and importantly, verifying if there are any of your kin captured within this town.

You sigh quietly as you stop to enjoy the warmth of the water for a moment...You will keep fighting. You will keep searching. You will keep moving.

Thankfully, your assistance should arrive in town the day after tomorrow if everything goes according to the schedule. Then, you’ll have more options to help you achieve these ends.

After finishing cleaning Cyrene’s body, your wearily wash your own and step out of the warm water to dry off with clean rags. Cyrene’s night gown fits you well enough, but you don’t have the strength to pull the young girl from the tub and dress her, so you call her father down to assist you.

“No matter how many times I tell her, she almost always falls asleep like this.” He grunts as he kneels and easily fishes his daughter from the water. “Seeing as the whole night she was excited and all about when you’d get back, I thought it’d be different, but I guess old habits die hard.” She slumps in his extended grasp, and drips nosily over the water of the tub for a short while before he accepts a large rag to wrap her within. To his credit, he skillfully wraps her hair within a cloth to dry while all while having her slung over his broad shoulder.

>>5131549

You follow him upstairs with your arms full with your belongings, and with your bare feet rapidly sapped of excess warmth with each step. Once inside her room, the two of you manage to slip on a large night shirt over Cyrene’s body and when she’s finally deposited within the large quilts of her bed you and Grygas share a look of satisfaction.

He turns away while lightly scratching his rib. “Well, I’m beat. I’m going to go reheat the water, have me a bath, and then knock out…” He pauses for a while within the doorway of his daughter’s room before finally quickly turning back to gaze toward your legs. “She…uh, the kiddo was the happiest I’ve seen her in a long while. I mean, she’s always smiling, but I uh, can tell when she’s not really feeling it. Today was different.” He idly rubs his large hands together before he finds his words again. “There’s hardly anyone around anymore that’s close to her age, so uhh… thanks for hanging out with her and thanks again for keeping your work out of her sight, Elly... I really appreciate it.”

Seeing this grown man both clearly care deeply for his child, but also bashfully demonstrate his gratitude toward you can't help but make you smile.

His ears turn red as he locks eyes with your amused expression. “Ahh, shit…Night.”

“You’re welcome, and good night.” You call out teasingly as he quickly closes the door. The heavy creaking footsteps descend back to the first floor of the tavern.

The faint warm glow from a small lantern and the hearth cast long shadows in multiple directions in the humble room. The shapes of small, strategically placed carved animals are magnified as they are projected across the wood furniture and walls. They dance in beat to the flickering flames to create a fantasy image for a young child to dream alongside. Their repetitive movements and Cyrene’s steady breathing draw a deep drowsiness from your body, and after extinguishing the lantern, you find a space underneath the heavy quilts. Once satisfied that Cyrene’s hands are clear from her mouth, you settle down and stare silently toward the small window. While the night sky is clear, the fog of sleep creeps quickly upon you.

~

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>>5131562

~

You startle awake, but not truly. Immediately, your senses are assaulted by the impossible shapes of red, green, and yellow viscera twisted into cavernous lesions that howl with the moist breaths of unseen, unfathomable entity. A foul, dull greyish-brown blend of puss, blood, and other vile secretions ooze from the pulsing meat caves and splash down into creeks that collect into rivers even further below, terminating in a great sea of the fluid at fathoms you couldn’t possibly delve.

Once more, you're stuck in some unknown place within this abyssal dream world.

You hear no unsettling, serene song, but instead from your high vantage point, you spot two irregularities in the infinite fleshscape of this dream world. Two silhouettes of young girls. One with a watery-blue aura stands at the edge of a raging river of the bodily humours. She stares deeply at the rushing water, fixated. The other, of pure white aura lies supine and sleeping on a steadily-beating buds of flesh. One of these incongruous figures could provide better understanding as to the existence of this dream world or why you and they are found within. They’re both in nearly opposite directions in the far distance, and you have no idea of how long you might linger in this dream world, meaning that you may only be able to speak to one of them. Which will you head toward first?

>Head toward the entity with the watery-blue aura.

>Head toward the entity with the pure white aura.

>Write in.

>>5131571
>Check your mp, if you could forcibly cast Sundowning if you really wanted to
>Head toward the entity with the watery-blue aura.

>>5131571
>>Head toward the entity with the watery-blue aura.

>>5131571
>>Head toward the entity with the pure white aura.

Heyo everyone, I hope that all of your weekends are off to a good start! I'll be heading into work today, so I can leave the vote window open for about another hour in case anyone else would like to vote in the meantime. I'll tally what we have then

>>5131577
>>5131662
>Heading toward the entity with the watery-blue aura.
The question of stats and skills is trickier in this dream world, and the overall details can potentially be revealed with continued exploration. That said, you will proceed forward with abundant caution to not be caught off guard.

>Writing!

Back home and ready to finish writing. The update will be posted in about an hour!

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>>5132327

It’s difficult to determine which of the two silhouettes would be any more or less safe to approach than the other, but the pale-blue entity appears conscious at the very least. As you intend to discover what this realm is and why you’ve encountered it two nights in a row, a lucid answer within this dream would be valuable.

With tentative steps, you proceed toward the conspicuous light blue aura. Your eyes are continuously inundated by the intestine-spectrum palettes coloring structure, and with each footfall your skin squelches into the soft palate foundation of this world. The fleshscape reshapes in the softly observed periphery of your gaze, and to turn back is to look upon an entirely dissimilar version of the past, and to turn again is to be presented an alternative future. The only anchors in this realm are warped anatomical motifs, the bizarre impressions they constantly impart, and the strange, estranged forms of the effluvial figures in the distance, and yourself.

Your body and mind are thankfully whole and unaltered, but entirely bare and defenseless in this space. You’ll proceed with an abundance of caution as the availability of mana is uncertain and were it available the efficacy of magic would be severely limited without your conduit. Setting the unsettling impermanence of dimension and the instinctive revulsion of being swallowed into this world of meat aside, far aside, there isn’t a sense of hostility here.

So then, what is the purpose of this world?

You finally approach the pale-blue entity in the vague shape of a young girl. Her form is incomplete, and much like an image of a distant memory, only the bulk details persist. She doesn’t notice your approach as she’s entirely transfixed on watching the same rushing torrent of fluid which seems to have gained permanence from her observation.

“Hello.” You call out keep a slight distance between yourself and this entity.

“Hello.” She responds not looking away from the efflux of dark brown humours.

Your eyes turn to where her gaze is locked, and you spot a small and dark larval creature helplessly clinging to an outcrop of meat within the rapids. “What is that you have your eyes on?”

The small being trapped in the unrelenting flow almost seems as if it could belong within this realm if it weren’t so desperately fighting to keep from being swept away.

“He came here with me. Or maybe I came here with him?” She begins to turn toward you, so you keep an eye on the small creature to prevent the fleshscape from shifting. “Oh, an Elin! Did you walk here from Pora Elinu?”

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>>5133794

If she’s mentioning Pora Elinu, then she must be an Elin as well. She could be held within Impel somewhere and is encountering this realm as she sleeps.

“I don’t believe you could walk to this place from anywhere, much less Pora Elinu. I had only fallen asleep in a town named Impel. Do you know of it?” You take the turn watching the pitiable creature in the fluid stream.

“Do they have fish there?!” She asks offhandedly.

“They do, but they’re all afflicted with a disease right now, so they’re not edible.” You kneel to gauge the distance between the edge of the fluid and where the creature holds on desperately.

If she’s casually asking about fish, it’s unlikely that she’s in Impel, but she must be in the nearby area if she’s being afflicted by this dream.

“Aww…” She pouts as she kneels to turn her gaze back to the creature. “That’s too bad.”

“If you’re hungry, then you should do your utmost to avoid Impel. There’s no food to be had here.” You warn as you carefully study her aura, the pale-blue shape does have the faintest wisps extending where her animal ears would normally be.

“I want to share the fish with him.” She points toward the pathetic creature. “I don’t think he likes me very much, but he’s taking care of me. If I caught some fish, it would make him and his friends happier, I’m sure…” She places her foot in the rapidly flowing fluid and her vague shape is toppled off balance as she tumbles to the ground. “He’s going to be upset again since I can’t even manage to get him out of the water.”

Her incomplete form doesn't seem to provide her steady enough footing to make the journey to rescue the helpless being.

You sigh as you stare river of mixed bodily fluids. You would certainly have preferred to not touch it, but since that abject creature seems to have value to her, you will do what you can for your kin. Once you’ve rescued the creature, she should be able to focus more on your questions.

With shallow breaths directed from your mouth, you slowly wade into the nearly knee-deep stream by shuffling sideways from the shore. The hot mixture slides roughly against your bare legs, as you painstakingly slide the soles of your feet against the rubbery bottom. After several minutes of tedious progress, you reach the flesh mound on which the creature grasps. There, you secure yourself by holding the mound tightly with one hand, and with the other hand grasp the small larval by its nape and tow it back to the shore with you.

You lightly toss the creature on the flesh ground ahead of you before carefully sliding back onto your departure point and catching your breath. As you lie on your side, you finally have the chance to get a good look at the rescued creature. With helpless rubbery appendages for limbs, small cusps protruding at various points on its blotched body, and a twitching vertical slit for a mouth its reminiscent of the Carrion Beast creatures you encountered.

>>5133805

The pale-blue figure scoops up the twisted creature and cradles it within her arms. “You’re safe now.” Her figure turns to you on the ground. “Thank you for saving him!”

“Your thanks are appreciated.” You smile politely before sitting up. “I’m Elewyn, how about you?”

“I’m Izurin.” She replies happily. “I think I know you, Elewyn!”

Her name isn’t familiar to you, so perhaps she heard about you from another Elin.

You deftly rise to your feet. "How do you know of me?”

“I don’t know… But I know that I know you.” She explains emphatically.

You cross your arms and turn back in the direction of the torrent of fluid, only to find towering stalagmites of flesh instead. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, but first…What do you know of this place?” You motion to the fleshscape around the two of you.

“Hmm…” She considers your question for a long while. “It looks like the inside of a body and there isn’t any fish here.”

“If there were, you wouldn’t want to eat the fish from this place…” You pause to contemplate a simpler question for her. “Where were you when you fell asleep, Izurin?”

“Hmm…” Izurin takes her time to consider your words once again. “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me where we were going, but I do remember being very warm when I was falling asleep. Then we were here, but I don't remember walking here or being taken here, and I don't think he knows either....Are we lost?" Izurin asks worriedly, holding the larval creature close.

"I don't believe it would be very difficult for us to return to where we came from, especially now that you have your companion there." You answer quickly to reassure her.

Despite that, should you explore this place further? While you discovered more of the Sanctuary's plot yesterday, this abundantly related dreamworld remains nearly as enigmatic as it was when you first visited it. That said, while there's no bewitching melody ringing out tonight, there's no telling if it might begin again, and what the effects of staying here too long might be.

>Have both you and Izurin wake from this fleshscape.

>Have Izurin wake with her companion, and delve further into this realm on your own.

>Write in.

>>5133843
>Keep studying her companion, and delve further

>>5133843
>>Have Izurin wake with her companion, and delve further into this realm on your own.
Humans (unblessed) take rather strange shapes here...

Heyo, everyone and happy Sunday! I'll get to have a mellow morning before heading in to work, so I'll be leaving the voting window open for about another hour before tallying. See you soon

>>5133873
>>5133997
We'll take some time to study the strange shape her companion takes in this realm before sending them off and delving further on our own.

>Writing!

Update in about one hour!

>>5134697

While you’ve encountered this dream world two nights in a row now, you still aren’t certain how you’re being transported here nor what’s creating it. If it comes to pass that the Sanctuary has a means of keeping you from this place, then your opportunities could be limited. You settle to further explore this bizarre realm of flesh, but on your own.

You cross your arms as you carefully consider the distinct forms of these two, and how especially altered the larval creature surely must be. “I’m assuming that this little one doesn’t appear quite so pitiful in the waking world.”

Izurin takes a moment to stare at the small being and ponder. “No, he was a lot bigger than this earlier, and he could speak.” She gently strokes the back of the creature which seems to settle its writhing. “But I think he can hear us because he kept turning back to me when I was speaking to him earlier.”

Likely a human. You must wonder if he was brought along unintentionally as his form would hardly allow him to survive alone in this place.

“Hmm… Aren’t you lucky?” You poke the creature in his rubbery side. “She kept you company until help came.”

The larval creature’s mottled skin ripples and twitches from your touch and he flees further into Izurin’s arms.

You lean close to observe him wriggle away from you. “He’s acting rather instinctively. I wonder if his mind has been affected by this realm as well, and perhaps his senses as well...” You straighten yourself and look at Izurin’s aura. “You should try waking from this place. I’m sure it’s been especially stressful on him being here.”

“Wake?” The head of her aura tilts to the side. “You mean that I’m dreaming?” She laughs lightly at the thought. “This is a very strange dream.”

“That’s right. Now try to recall all that you can before you fell asleep and you should be able to wa-“ You begin to explain how she might be able to return when suddenly her aura disappears, dropping the larval creature on the deep red tissue network of the ground.

Fortunate for her she was able to easily leave this place, but now this one is all alone.

Kneeling near the larvae that frantically writhes for the warm comfort he lost, you ponder a method of how to wake him considering he might not be able to fully understand you in his altered form. “Take care of her.” You warn regardless of being understood, before giving his rubbery flesh a quick pinch, and then finding him vanished.

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>>5135865

When you rise again, the structure of the fleshscape around you has once again metamorphosized. Now thick and convulsing rugae stretch beyond the absolute limit of sight and as the ground beneath attempts to shift you into unified synchronicity. You stumble repeatedly in unintentional defiance, splashing into small pools of pungent brownish-green secretions as you push forward. As you make slow progress, you have ample opportunity to consider the reality you’re faced with.

Is it the nature of space being altered here, or has it been time this whole time you’ve been here? Would any of this flesh be present to be altered were you not here to observe it? Furthermore, you wonder why an ethereal low light is ever present as if emitted from the purplish red flesh itself.

It’s all been reactionary to your presence…

Before realizing, the ceaseless terrain of meat twists into coniform spirals stretching into tunnel-shaped simulacra of intestines. Along the path of digestion, your proprioception is assaulted as you walk with the sensation of lying on your side, being strung upside down, the other side, conventionally, and then a repeat of the unconventional again and again.

The divergence from the waking world intensifies the longer you travel. Then, does that signify there is a terminus to realm? By extension, does a terminus define a purpose? But if you and others, spatially apart in the waking world, are being pulled into this place, then there must be an objective guiding who’s brought here otherwise you would have expected to have seen far more entities here.

What then do you have to build from logically? Deducing what you can from what you have witnessed, you’ve ventured further into a manifestation of organs that loosely reflected the insides of an Elin or human… Now you move through a winding path of intestine to reach what exactly?

You stop as your animal ears pick up the squelching of footfalls somewhere nearby in this labyrinth. Turning to determine if a path of retreat is available to you reveals only a tightly sealed sphincter only a short way behind you on the long path you traveled..

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>>5135869

With little other choice, you tensely approach the encroaching footfalls and then find a figure of another young girl staring suspiciously at you.

She’s unaltered, but not human. Her stature and her bare form resemble that of an Elin, but two twisting horns set upon her head would suggest otherwise. The horns paired with her pointed ears might make her a Castanic child…but her complexion is far too light. Given the extent of your exploration, you’re somewhat relieved to encounter her. Nevertheless, you know well enough not to lower your guard.

She smiles impishly as she places a hand on her chest. “I would have never imagined I’d encounter someone else in this terrible place, let alone an intact Elin. You’re an orchid blooming from the carcass of surreal dread.”

She’s not a child, and she’s encountered other Elin here.

You smirk at her words. “I’m as surprised as you are, but what you are, I can’t say. Therefore, I yet unable return a colorful metaphor for your appearance. Still, a pleasure to meet you.” You bow slightly.

She returns your bow and then claps her hands together. “Oh, delightful! Shall we make a game of it then?”

You hold up your hand in rejection. “If we were in the waking world then I might consider it, but I must pass in this special circumstance.”

“Understandable, but you mentioned a waking world…” She rubs her chin as she considers your phrase. “I can see why might think this a kind of dream, but trust me, this is a real place. Your surprisingly unaffected body is real, as is this altered state you see before you. The consequences of harm, and pleasure exist here. It's...more like a mirror. A mirror that is more warped for some than others.”

“If what you say is true, then how can our form exist simultaneously in the world we know and this ‘real place’?” You press.

She shakes her head lightly. "That, I sadly do not know. Try as I might these past few nights that is beyond me. I've settled on trying to find the origin of this place in our world."

You laugh lightly in response. "I believe I've come very close to pinpointing an origin, what I've been trying to scour from this place is a purpose."

Her smiles darkens. "I think I have your answer, if you'd be willing to share what you know..."

You cross your arms as you carefully consider her offer. It is strange to find her here, and for her to be as outwardly calm as you are. In fact, the peculiarities about her are numerous, as you're sure it's the same for you from her perspective. How should you approach this, and regardless of your response, is there anything else you should ask of her?

>Politely pass on her offer for now.

>Accept and exchange information.

>Write in.

>>5135880
>Accept and exchange information.
If she's the one they've been feeding bodies, she'd find the origin on her own just following the trail.

If she's looking for the girl they've been feeding....is helping her bad? Is she going to put a stop to it?

>When you say intact Elin, are you saying most come here with incomplete....qualifications? Or are they literally missing limbs both here and in the world we know?

>>5135880
>Accept and exchange information
An Intact Elin? Meaning she's expecting not-whole Elin creatures? Or expecting that something else already took parts off of said Elin?

I do like that Elewyn just instantly can make an educated guess at what see's looking at.

Heyo everyone, just a very quick check (another meeting soon) in to let you know that I'll keep the voting window open another two hours or so in case anyone else would like to vote. See you soon!

Accepting the offer to exchange information, while:

>>5135892
>>5136262
Pressing further on her comment about intact Elin.

>>5136262
Extensive experience is helpful in making educated guesses of this type. Writing the contrasting case with other characters is very fun in conjunction with this.

>Writing!

Phew back home, and the update will be posted in about one hour!

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>>5136484
Her non-human nature and her apt description of this realm suggest that she’s not affiliated with the Sanctuary. While that doesn’t inherently make her trustworthy, it does make the proposed exchange of information less likely to be of harm to you, but only less. Careful leveraging of your knowledge will help you identify her allegiances.

“Oh, I’m certainly not opposed to sharing what I know. But knowing what I know, I know that knowledge can be dangerous.” You return a playful answer.

Her hungry smile widens. “One can only know what they know, so does that make you dangerous? It’d certainly be a treat if you were. I thought dangerous Elin were a pastime only to be savored in the academy.”

Ah. The Eldritch Academy, a short travel from Pora Elinu, and has only ever catered to Elin, magically gifted humans, elven, and Castanic girls of the far distant past, and…

“My danger depends on the individual I encounter, but if I recall it was the Vampyr that had the notorious reputation in the academy. Truly briar roses among orchids.” You grin knowingly.

“How did you-“ She loses her composure for a moment before collecting herself. “The game is over already when I had hardly the chance to play.” She pouts. “Fine. I suppose I ought to introduce myself.” She squares herself directly across from you. “I am Sayazade Melia Alberfall, current duchess of the Sinestral Manor and Matron of the Vampyr.” Her moon-yellow eyes lock on with your own.

Her presence in this realm now begins to make sense. The shadowy Vale of the Fang where the manor is located juts right against the southern mountains of the Velikan Wilds. Memories exist of a rain cursed haunted land designed to deter any would be adventurer, but most it has long been lost to the encroaching woods.

This points toward an epicenter for this realm in Impel with a limited area of effect around itself. Has it grown such that this Sayazade has been swept in it as well? You’re not familiar with her, but the Alberfalls were made stewards of the manor after the Federation cleansed the previous leadership due to their ties with dark gods. The noble Vampyr have been especially reclusive since then, but this one is choosing to take a risk in introducing herself.

“Elewyn.” You announce simply and hold her gaze.

“Elewyn of the Holy Light?” She blinks hard, dumbfounded then turning sheepish. “My grandfather told me stories of you. I would never have thought-”

“Elewyn is fine, please.” You wave her off as you turn to the side and notice the dull illumination of the fleshscape is beginning to darken. The intestine walls are losing their rigidity as well. “It seems we haven’t much time, so tell me what you know of the origin of this place.”

>>5137271
Sayazade comes to the same realization and hastily clears her throat. “Very well. I’ll be as short…I've come to understand this place as a manifestation of a dream, an aspiration. In this manifestation, every path has led to the same conclusion, the same place every night.” She motions toward the dark passage of intestine that lies behind her. “Aspirations are desires for things we do not have, and this entire world is shaped around a void in this macabre world.”

A void? If this world is a surreal representation of anatomy, then the void that your journey is leading you toward…

“A womb.” Sudden realization dawning upon you at the recollection of Cyrene’s question. “Is that why she was crying?”

“A womb seems most likely, but you’ve met this creature?” Sayazade leans forward with suspicion.

You idly shake your head, still in thought. “No, I haven’t…”

That still leaves why you, her, and Izurin can encounter this realm as a mystery. However, that’s not everyone according to her earlier comment about you being an “intact Elin.”

The encroaching darkness makes her shape harder to see, so you step forward to get closer as she does the same. “I’m within the Velikan Wilds. The cause of this is most certainly here as well…There’s too much to explain now, but given the situation I face in our realm, I must insist that I take lead in asking questions now.”

She grins while twirling her long hair. “By all means. I’m always the one to take the lead, so it is pleasant to see how it is to submit.”

Your eyes narrow at the timing of such a comment. “Tell me of the other Elin you encountered here. Specifically, what exactly made them as you said…not intact.”

>>5137280

Sayazade takes a deep breath before proceeding. “First, they certainly didn’t have the complete bodily form that you carry. More so wisps or impressions of the usual shape of an Elin. But all of those I encountered were all…”

“Mutilated.” You say quietly.

“Precisely.” She whispers back. “I dare not go into detail as to what they were missing, since it seems you already know but suffice it to say they could not communicate. Instead they twitched, they were all irrational, panicked, and tortured. Husks. Their bodies shuddered with crying sobs, but I could not help them. I hope they met a quick and merciful end… Ah.”

…

She reaches and grabs your hand within hers. “I apologize! I should have put together sooner why you were here.”

“There’s no need to apologize.” You shake your head softly. “As accursed and unnatural as this realm and where it originates is, as terrible the truths I uncover are, as hostile those would would stand in my way are…I’ve come to the exact right place.”

She stares at you blankly for a long while before speaking, by now you can hardly see her face despite her being within arm’s reach. “As have I! ” She tugs your arm. "If we do not meet again here, please, promise me that you will come to my manor... and I don't believe it would be of too much trouble to also promise me to have a insignificant amount of your blood taken from your thigh-"

You immediately pull free from her grasp and sigh. Blood offerings to the Vampyr would make one their lifelong thrall, except Elin can't enter that sort of contract due to the nature of their creation. Her request is purely out of innate thirst. However, a visit for an in person exchange of information could be promising some time in the near future. Provided you make it out of Impel safely...

>Make no promises. Make it clear she'll have to help you in this realm if she wishes to see you again.

>Be open to the visit. Make it clear she'll have to help you in this realm regardless.

>Write in.

>>5137303
>Be open to the visit. Make it clear she'll have to help you in this realm regardless.
>But blood right now would probably be a bad idea, unless they purposely want to connect with this world the same way it's forcing its way into Elin

>>5137303
>>Be open to the visit. Make it clear she'll have to help you in this realm regardless.

>>5137303
>Be open to the visit. Make it clear she'll have to help you in this realm regardless.
>Chide her for asking for blood right now, though
Really, how many people go for that ahead of time?

>>5137303

Heyo everyone, I hope that your mornings are all off to a good start! We have a good amount of votes already, but I'll leave the window open for another hour and a half in case anyone else would like to vote.

>>5137705
I believe that you may have forgotten to post your choice, so feel free to add that if you'd like

>>5137310
>>5137647
>>5137696
Keeping an open mind to the visit, but keeping her bloodthirst in check from the outset.

>Writing!

>>5137748
woops
I meant to second chiding her, though so it works out

Heyo everyone, I'm back home from work, but there are a few personal things I need to take care of first. I believe that I will still get the update posted tonight, but it won't be for at least a few hours. I'll be sure to let you guys know!

>>5138426
No problem at all. I have forgotten to include the dice more times than I'd like to remember.

I hope to have the update posted in about 45-60 minutes!

>>5139248

You confidently speak to the darkness, assured that the matron of Vampyr of anyone would be able to linger within it better than anyone else. “The last I visited the manor certainly wasn’t for pleasantries, so I’m open to the idea of being hosted. This is provided that host continues to be as accommodating in this realm and outside and especially only if she knows to keep her greedy fangs to herself.”

After some internal deliberation, you hear Sayazade’s sulking voice respond. “Fine! I will accept those terms. However, be forewarned that the natural allure of my usual form might make you sing a different tune when you finally visit me in me our world. Or perhaps, you will be the first to get the upper hand… Please do stay safe until then, Elewyn of the Holy Light.”

The dark dissolution of the realm is complete just as the Vampyr finishes her final word.

What a mouthful… and what a handful. The matron of the Vampyr who’s taking proactive measures to investigate an encroaching threat to her people, and the Sinestral Manor that you haven’t seen in ages…

Sleep, real sleep finally takes hold.

~

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>>5139309

~

You and the blurred shapes of four other figures trek through a harsh rainstorm to proceed through the hostile Vale of the Fang to deal with the defensive encampments of zealous Vampyr. The goal is to help clear a way for a strike force to infiltrate the Sinestral Manor and deal with the dark cultists within.

“Hurry the hell up, rookie!”

“Y-yes.” You answer quickly while hauling a large pack of the group’s traveling supplies. “B-but, based on our ranks, I, I think I’ve been adventuring as long as you have…”

”And somehow you’re still a complete fucking rookie! Gods, why did we even have to bring her along?”

“True holy magic is rare, and these foul blood hungry creatures shrivel like wilting flowers against it. Unfortunate that the gift is wasted with someone as unreliable as her, but given our lower ranking, the Federation wouldn’t give us permit to travel here unless we had someone like her…”

Both sets of your ears burn hot, and you can hardly make it up the slope while carrying such a heavy pack. Your group moves ahead of you without noticing your struggle or caring.

”Unreliable?! Is that why you all insisted on bringing so many healing potions? Oh no…”

Maybe you should just quit already… No matter how hard you try, it’s never good enough.

Right?! Don’t worry, I made sure to pack extra. Making her haul them around will let her pull her weight.”

You lose your footing and stumble onto the rain-soaked earth, sliding messily into thick mud.

“Oi, you idiot. That’s my pack you’re getting dirty. Get up already!

You don’t want to. You don’t want to. You don’t want to… Why is always like this? Are you truly as useless as they say?

Get up. You’re only getting started.

Lamentably Noire is busy on a more pressing mission, but you already know what she would say to you if she were here. If not for yourself, then you can do it for her.

With considerable effort, and falling back down more than once, you finally push yourself out of the mud and rise shakily to your feet.

“Y-yes!” You call out clearing your face and rushing to catch up.

~

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>>5139314
~

Why can’t you move your arms? Where are your arms…your legs...Your body?! Your body has been reshaped into rounded, limbless uselessness. You can’t think. Think. Think? Your mind swims in the densest of fogs. What are you? What are you?!

Feeble squirming is the only means of expressing this agony. Every second is eternal in this vivid nightmare. In here your form has been violated and reconstructed into a rubbery, defenseless larval creature with only the basest thoughts driving you.

RED. WET. RED. EVERYWHERE.

Your blotched and hazed vision can only perceive the utter redness of the nightmare prison. Rushing fluid terrifies you with its speed, and your tense as you try to avoid being swept away.

SOUND. VOICE. VOICE. GIRL.

Someone calls to you, again and again. Their company is reassuring, but you desperately wish you could plead for them to save you from this terror.

GRABBED. GRABBED. FALLING. GRABBED.

You feel primal panic as something hoists you into the air. For the first time in your life, you come to know the fear that something might consume you. Try as you might, you can’t escape, but you’re dropped onto the ground only to be lifted once more.

“…safe now.” A soft voice calls out to you.

BLUE. BLUE. WARM. Warm. Safe…

If you must be subjected to this torment, then you want to stay where you are. Petted, warm, and safe. You attempt to flee from any perceived threats to your sanctuary. Suddenly, you drop to the ground once more, and the hopelessness of loss threatens to overtake you. Then, the last thing you feel…

PAIN.

~

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>>5139332

You shudder awake, heart racing, with a chilling sweat coating your body. Your leg jerks at your panic, and the relief you feel for having regained your body is indescribable. Yet, it’s short lived at the delirious paranoia that it might all be taken away from you again.

You realize suddenly that your head is wrapped gently in the grasp of a small arm, with the other delicately patting your head. The repetitive motions and the warmth calm you. The feeling of alarm slowly dissipates and you gain lucidity.

You’re in a tent. You’re on the way to a town called Impel for a mission. You just had one of the worst nightmares of your life. You’re letting a non-human that you met only yesterday cradle your head…

Her light resistance is broken, and her arms fall away as you quickly rise and sit up in the small tent. The faintest of blue light filters in from the thin slit of the entrance. You quietly ponder that sliver of light as you allow the shame to settle. The sun begins to gain more purchase, illuminating the whole tent in the soft blue of your dream.

The experience exists inside you more like a waking memory than that of a dream. Was it a dream? Why was she there to comfort you?

You finally find the will to turn to your side and find the Elin thankfully sleeping, but with a deeply furrowed brow. Her hair clings to her face as she sweats profusely, and she appears to be a great deal of discomfort. Tentatively, you place your own warm hand on her forehead.

She’s severely burning up.

If she has this strong of a fever, then it suggests infection. Her wounds are infected.

You're still nearly a full day's travel from town, and you're ill equipped to handle this type of sickness. You have a small amount of liquor that could clean her wounds, but you're unsure if it's too late for that or if might aggravate her weak body. In which case should rouse the others so you can get moving immediately and find a physician in town?

>Treat her wounds with the alcohol, and then resume traveling to Impel.

>Wake Misha and Seo immediately to pack up camp and leave for Impel.

>Write in.

>>5139347
>Use a potion. Warming if she's too cold, Healing if her body is still fighting.
>Make sure she eats

Heyo everyone, I do hope that you're all doing well. It's been a hectic past week for me, and it's not quite over yet. I might have to take today off from updating to catch my breath a little bit, and plan for the upcoming story elements as well.

For now, I'll leave the voting window open so that we can hopefully get at least one or two more posts, and I'll tally within 4-5 hours or so. I'll still be working on the update, if I do take the day off, just at a slower pace. Of course, I'll be around and checking in on the thread if you have any question you'd like addressed too.

>>5139347
Her best shot is finding a doctor asap, We Ride!
>Wake Misha and Seo immediately to pack up camp and leave for Impel.
Hell, it might be faster to just leave them a note, toss together our stuff, and ride hard.
This isn't quite like getting stabbed by a morgul-blade, but still life threatening. And at least we don't have Black Riders behind us.

>>5139347
>>Wake Misha and Seo immediately to pack up camp and leave for Impel.
I don't recall exactly how the function of the Healing potion was described but my general impression was that it was better for wounds, not infections or illness. I might be wrong

>>5139815
Most likely. She also happens to be severely wounded, which tends to be a problem for people fighting illnesses.

>>5139688
I like this colorful allusion! The parallels between the disparity of sizes of the humans and another other race also adds an amusing connection.

>>5139815
>>5139816
This interpretation is correct, the healing potion would seal any openings remaining in her wounds, but wouldn't provide any assistance against the infection.

>>5139688
Yeah, that sounds best. Get our stuff, wake the other two and tell them we have an emergency with the Elin, and ride ahead with her to Impel in hopes of finding a healer. Infection has set in, but one day without treatment should hopefully be alright. Just make sure we take one of the health potions with us in case she degrades too quickly.

Also, it was fun to see a Vampire of all things just go white in the face after realizing just who she was talking too. After all that time, there mustn't be many who could remember this Elewyn.

>>5139889
It was also fun writing the lead up to that realization as well!

>>5139421
>>5139688
>>5139815
>>5139889
For certain we will leave for Impel immediately, while quickly making sure Izurin eats and is warm on the trek(warming potion if necessary).

There's a tie in votes between:
>skip packing up camp and ride hard ahead of your companions
and
>Waking Misha and Seo to depart as a group

So I'll leave the vote open for even longer (~2 hours, as I will be taking the night off from updating) to perhaps allow the tie to be addressed without a roll.

(If we do depart alone with Izurin, the healing potion will be brought with us as well, but not used just yet.)

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5140037
First off, rolling to see which of the following options we proceed with as we quickly depart:

>Head off with Izurin alone, riding quickly to get to town as soon as possible. = 1

>Collect all of your companions to head off as a group. = 2

>>5140299
We will rouse the others, pack camp while we make sure that Izurin eats something, and ride off as a group directly for Impel while keeping her warm along the way.

>Writing!