>>14346194
FUCK! :V

You're late, VKO.

Also, a gift from a friend of mine.

>>14346194
Punch dragon in the balls and do a moonwalk.

>>14346226
NO

Make smalltalk for a bit, thank him for his service to the cause, then, let's find Alger's grandson whose name I can't remember.

>>14346216

I know. My meeting took a long time today. That and I had acute nacolespy after eating a delicious sandwich, so I slept through the start time. Either way, that makes me happy. :3

Getting gargoyle quest started now, intro just takes longer because synopsis.

>>14346194
Do we know anything else about this guy?

"Well...I suppose you can help with some of the lifting..."

After that, since he makes us so uneasy, let's put him in one of the farther wagons.

>>14346413
It's not dragonmen that make us uneasy so much as it's Dragons themselves, due to shenanigans involving them secretly mind controlling the guys who come to them who want to be a badass dragonknight.

>>14346441
Are we insecure enough to project that image onto this relative stranger? I guess not...

While not sending him to a distant wagon, we'll keep him on the same duty: lifting.

Just to clarify, where are we now exactly and where are we going?

>>14346260

"So what are your, uh, hobbies?" You ask, grasping for something to resolve the situation.

Ritter raises a scaly eyebrow at you. "Why're you so intrested in me allava sudden?"

"Well, I obviously didn't know you very well before. Any harm in getting to know you this time around?" You say, trying to be polite.

The big lug shrugs. "I read, keep fit, play dice." He pauses, looking out the window. "I guess I don't have all that many hobbies. I used ta do alchemy when I had tha coin."

"I studied alchemy when I was at the academy." You say.

He shakes his head. "Nothin fancy like that. We used old booze bottles, medicine bottles, materials on the cheap. Never had my own alchemy set."

"Cagrazod has one, if you'd care to use it." You tell him.

"Well, I wouldn't want ta use it while he's doin something important." Ritter leans on one of the unoccupied bunks on the wagon wall. "When it's free I guess it wouldn't hurt ta brush up a bit."

You nod. "That would be good. I have my old books if you'd like to borrow them."

The draconic face stretches into a grin. "Really? I'd like ta read 'em even if I can't do alchemy."

"That's good. You can stop by my wagon later today and pick some up, I haven't touched them in years."

"I'd like that, miss Kiried." He nods, which looks a bit odd considering the length of his neck. "Thanks. You can borrow some a mine if you want."

"I don't have much time to read, but perhaps I'll take you up on it." You say, stepping off the wagon and waving. "Later today, then."

"Sure, sure." Ritter says, waving with one hand.

You head over to the ripouse wagons, looking for Paima.

>>14346471
We are now heading north, torward Kresis's warband. Kresis was the lizardman whom took Alger's leg, whom we, as Alkenin Kurejed, subsequently made take his own leg at the same place so he could become a test subject for prosthetic replacement.

It's still not been fully explained how Algers and Kresis are alive after 300 years, but they are.

>>14346488
*Murejed

fucking keyboard.

>>14346471

You are currently in the central plains. You are heading east, to the swamps where the larger lizardman tribes live.

>>14346499
>>14346502
Cool.

The ripouse are still setting themselves up. You see some arguing over where they're going to be staying, but they quickly start getting along once they see you.

Paima and the other five honor guard are in three larger wagons that have been reinforced. You can see that the two female honor guard members, one an archer and the other a spear-wielder, are chatting quietly as another female ripouse guides the horses for their wagon. A large-bodied ripouse male is hammering a stand for his weapons into the wall of one wagon, and Paima is at he last with a lanky looking ripouse in red and white tattered robes who seems to be his roommate. He is chatting up several of the ripouse women, who you recognize as the associates of Yumea. All of them seem to be a bit larger than him.

"Naturally, I was up front. The gnolls were a bit surprised once I launched a blast of flame next to one of them. I could smell the stink off him from about thrity feet. So, axe in hand, the rest of them creeping up behind him, he looks over at the spot where I hit the ground and sneers 'You missed.'"

He grins, the two women seeming to be neutral to his stories. "I just asked him back 'Did I?' and then raised a big ol' curtain of flame on top of him. He screamed, the lot of them were completely scattered, and we won."

>>14346678
Let him have his fun. Let's enter the conversation on a less embarrassing note.

>>14346709
Seconding this.

>>14346709

The two women look over at each other. "So you're saying you just surprised them."

"C'mon, it was hilarious." Paima says, gesturing his arms outward. "You missed!" He says in the imitation of the gnoll's voice. Then he makes a "fwoosh" sound, raising his arms up and shouting "Aaah! Aah!"

"Yes, but someone else made the kills, did they not?" The other woman asks.

"Well, yeah but-" Paima starts, being interrupted by the other one.

"So you are trying to take their credit." The other one says.

"No, no of course not, I was-" He begins.

"Where are some of these other men you described? Mhigrer, I believe? He sounds handsome." The first one says. "And like a real fighter.

The lanky gnoll points over towards the wagon where you saw the honor guard putting up a weapon stand. "He's over there."

"Thank you." The woman says, smiling to him as she and the other female warrior walk past you.

Paima sighs, his hand on his chin as he slumps. "No one appreciates a good bit of comedy nowadays."

"Don't worry Paima, you'll always have me." The lankier ripouse says, patting him on the shoulder.

"That's what I'm afraid of, Nabur. You chase all the women away!" He says, looking over to you. "Except for our fearless leader, of course."

>>14346786
Cute; anyway, let's see how our recently rejected friend is doing.

>>14346811

"You look like you're settling in alright." You say, looking back at the ripouse women as one of them steps up to the other wagon and asks to be let inside.

"Yeah, I have everything set up. Real nice of you to get us these." Paima says, gesturing back to the wagon.

"You need somewhere to sleep, and I thought that Algers wouldn't want to hear about his son staying somewhere tiny." You answer.

"Preferential treatment, Paima." Nabur laughs. "And you said you'd be treated normally anywhere else."

"I hoped. I hoped." He says.

"If you really want, I could put you in one of the other wagons..." You say.

"Ah, no thank you, ma'am. If he's not here, who will keep me warm at night?" Nabur says, shaking Paima by the shoulders.

"Oh stop it." Paima says. "No, thank you, really. I am grateful." He stands, bowing to you. "It's just I can kind of get annoyed at being treated specially sometimes."

>>14346889
"I can understand, believe me."

QQ:were our parents nobles, or just running in the right circles to hobnob with them?

>>14346933
This.

Also, ask him if anything is going on that is of immediate concern. If there's nothing, then either shoot the breeze or go check up on person #X.

Also, did we ever have our cleric give that old ripouse merchant magic eye-surgery?

Sorry to intrude, but can I get a quick summary about what the purpose of this quest and who the players are?

I'm enjoying the way the characters have conversations. Makes them feel more alive.

>>14346933

Nobility works a bit differently here, but yes, basically.

"I can understand, believe me." You say. Being from a rich family, your every whim was pandered to. Or at least it was according to your parents. You remember some of your victories feeling empty, because the possibility that you had glided on your family's reputation was one you couldn't shake from your mind. Being rich and knowing magic is enough to get the "esteemed" title of nobility, but your family was very well established. No one would be willing to go out of their way to get on their bad side.

"I like losing women every once in a while. Makes me forget my grandfather and grandmother have a several hundred year age gap." Paima says, shrugging.

"On a less disturbing note, anything to report?" You ask him.

"Oh, nothing much, really. Spirits are high from what I can tell, there's a certain heroic aspect to slaying a dragon I think many of them have gotten caught up in." The ripouse says, hopping down to walk with you.

"Dragons are nothing to get heroic ideas over. They are deadly." You say.

"Well, you try getting their heads out of the cloud then. I've only seen one up close." Paima says.

The old riposue merchant? You remember his actions at the meet: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14290836/#14293633

>>14347002

I shall do so in short order, esteemed scholar.

>>14347002
Oooooh boy! well, quick rundown:

Melane Kiried - Us - Powerful sorceress with mild temporary amnesia. Slowly remembering stuff while being chased by a dragon who controls our former lover, as well as being chased by the other half of the cult we used to belong to.

Alkenin Murejed - Our ancestor 300 years ago, whom we played in the first thread via the memory of a dead god. An even more badass sorcerer with a penchant for heavy-duty magical research. Most powerful spell sucked the knowledge out of our foe via Things Which Exist Beyond The Boundary.

Fereed Grignos - Alkenin's contemporary. The Mad Scientist of research sorcerers. Created the three currently living gargoyle species. (note to self: discover what happened to the fourth kind)

Algers - a genetically modified gnoll made by Alkenin whom was his head servant for decades. Lost his leg to a lizardman during a home invasion by an upstart wizard. Fereed helped us get him a new leg. 300 years later, Algers is STILL ALIVE (wtf?) and the patriarch of a nation of not quite gnolls called the Ripouse.

Kresis - Lizardman whom took algers leg. After defeating Kresis' master by mindrape, all of said sorcerer's earthly possessions became Alkenin's, including his slaves. Was forced to remove his own leg by Alkenin, and then made the test subject for the procedure that would give Algers a fully-functioning prosthetic. Also still alive 300 years later, leader of his own band of cold-plains dwelling lizardmen.

>>14347059
Well, maybe we don't want to drag down their spirits just yet with warnings. Instead, we should focus that high-spirited nature into training for fighting a dragon...assuming we know what it takes to fight a dragon.

Anyone else in the camp that we should check up on?

Our goals are

>defeat the dragon controlling our former lover
>expose the truth that the dragon-knight bonding process gives the dragon total control over their knights
>defeat the other half of the cult we used to belong to, since they want us dead too

>>14347059
"At any rate, I came because your grandfather said we'll need an event retrieved from his memory, and it's only something a relative could do. And you will need training to do it."

You are Melane Kiried. You are a sorceress from the Mandran city states, and a former noblewoman who joined a cult called Thungon's Teachers after her lover, Rufen Millen, suddenly became cold and distant after being bound to a dragon named Axlacresen. You realized that the possibility existed for the dragons to use this bond between themselves and the rider to control the rider.

Upon revealing this information to the cult, there was some infighting, resulting at the death of the leader, and the hand of a man named Jaquio Lerenid was not far from the knife. He took the main group, the Hand of the Masters, and went to prusue his own goals. Your group, the Legacy of the Aldini, was far smaller, until acquiring your new ripouse allies. Ripouse are related to gnolls, but not as freakishly strong and quite civilized.

You now want help to guard your message of truth as you search for a way to reveal the conspiracy to the city states.

You possess an orb called Dominion's Memory, which holds the memories of a great number of people from Aldini, the great northern city/kingdom that was toppled by the dragons and the city states 300 years ago, coming back from certain defeat. You take on the role of Alkenin Murejed, a powerful sorcerer who controlled the king and others from the shadows. His gnoll servant and close friend, Algers, lost his leg when a young upstart challenged him, with you in his shoes. This knowledge allowed you to confront him in the present, where he is the patron of a large group of ripouse.

Your current goal is to meet with Kresis, the lizardman who took Alger's leg and who still also lives. You know little about him at this time.

>>14347207

"At any rate, I came because your grandfather said we'll need an event retrieved from his memory, and it's only something a relative could do. And you will need training to do it." You say to Paima.

"Oh boy, what's involved?" He asks, a bit insincere.

"Meditation and being able to act a bit. You'd be living as your grandfather did 300 years ago, in his shoes." You suddenly realize most of the ripouse don't wear shoes. "In his position, I mean." You add, quickly.

"Oh boy, not only do I get to live in my grandfather's shadow, I get to live as him as well." Paima groans.

"I can only see what occurred as Alkenin. You might be able to see things from Algers' point of view, he was much closer to Kresis then Alkenin."

Paima shrugs. "Well, I'll try. Just need to clear the old head, right?"

"It's a bit more complicated then that. You need to learn how to act, improvise. Alkenin and Algers knew each other very well. If he thinks you're acting strangely, you could blame it on the drugs after having your leg attached..." You ponder this a bit.

"Wait, from then? I don't know if I like the sound of that." Paima says, cringing a bit. "He said losing his leg was the second worst pain he felt in his life, and that he felt it for a few days."

Are we going to have to drug him up?

>>14347103

Lemme post that amended roster.

Tukon Reid, human duellist
Cagrazod, Marteau technologist/warrior
Marred Khess, Human Priest of Thunlin
Orpheus, Kapoacynth Spy/Shadowdancer
Ritter, Mandragon Dragonblooded Warrior
Jethar, Ripouse Artisan (And Family)
Rejek, Gnoll/Ripouse halfbreed (unknown skills)
Yumea, Ripouse Fighting Woman
Paima, Ripouse Fire Elementalist/Thief

Riposue Honor Guard: 5
Nabur
(other names unknown)

Ripouse: 65

28 humans (3 injured)
11 gargoyles (1 injured)

Total: 119 (4 injured)

Important Possessions: Dominion's Memory
Aldinian Leather Talent

>>14347408
Second?

What was the First worst?

>>14347492

Drugging him up would do little good. Drugging him up in the memory would work just fine, though.

"Alkenin should have some medicine to relieve the pain." You say.

"Well, I guess I'll have to take that as soon as is possible." Paima says.

>>14347509

"He said that was the second worst pain. What was the first?" You ask.

"He wouldn't say. And I always got scolded if I asked." Paima says.

>>14347519
"Well, it could only be one of two things: whatever spell let him and Kresis stay alive all this time, or Alkenin dying. Pain dosen't have to have a physical source, afterall."

>>14347569

"Well, it could only be one of two things: whatever spell let him and Kresis stay alive all this time, or Alkenin dying. Pain dosen't have to have a physical source, afterall." You point out.

"I suppose." Paima says. "I never asked when I got older, just out of respect. Don't tell him I said that, though."

You laugh. "You respecting him? I like that. He'd love to hear it."

"Hahah, no I'm serious, don't." Paima says, pointing at you sternly.

"I won't... If you do this for me." You say.

"Blackmail? How classy." Paima says, sighing. "Fine, fine I'll become my ancestors or whatever those priests keep going on about. But I reserve the right to complain."

"Fine. Let's start your training at lunch." You say, wandering off.

You spend some time doing improvisational acting exercises with Paima when the host stops for lunch. He seems to think they are incredibly silly.

"Broadening one's horizons never hurt anybody. That's how you get the girls, Paima."

>>14347696

"Broadening one's horizons never hurt anybody. That's how you get the girls, Paima." You say.

"Yes, I'm sure they'll be impressed by my falseness. Why are you pretending to be Algers, again?" He asks. "I don't mean to pass judgement, but spots would go horribly with your dress."

"So you can get down Alger's speech patterns." You say. "If you sound authentic, everyone will treat you properly. From what I gather, if you do things outside the 'walls' of what Algers would have done, you won't get shunted out like I did, but the memories will deviate from what actually occurred."

Paima twirls his braids, the beads jingling as they hit each other. "So I shouldn't say, punch the slaveholders in the face at the earliest opportunity?"

"No, not unless there's another reason for it." You say. putting your hands on your hips. "Now then, Algers."

You playact a bit of a limp, walking over to Paima. "Good morning, master. I have here for you these messages that have arrived just recently." You place an invisible letter on an imaginary table by Paima. "Would you like me to set out some clothing for you?"

He snickers.

"Come on now, be serious." You say. "Say something Alkenin would say."

"Alright, alright." Paima clears his throat, assuming a deeper, more aggressive voice that sounds little like Alkenin. "Why aren't my robes out already? Where's my breakfast?"

You feel a bit of anger, but try to stay in character. "I did not know what you wanted to wear, master. Your breakfast is downstairs, kept hot just the way you like it."

Paima paces like a general inspecting his troops. "Throw it out and have them make it again. I won't abide eating food that isn't fresh."

"Hold on." You say. Paima looks over at you, feigning surprise.

"Something the matter?" He asks.

"You're not being fair, here. Alkenin wasn't unreasonable. He was kind to his staff." You say.

"His servants. His slaves, you mean." Paima says, with a smug tone.

"Yes, the same. He's- He wasn't abusive." You stammer a bit. "He really loved-"

"If he loved them, then why did he keep them as slaves?" Paima asks, stepping towards you and lowering his face to yours.

"It's not that simple. He would have lost everything if he'd done that." You say, feeling yourself grow angrier.

"Oh, what a shame. Never mind the hundreds of lives he's sitting on, he'd lose status." Paima says, walking away from you a bit.

"You don't get it. All of the Aldini had slaves by that point. If he'd let them go, they would've ruined him." You start, before Paima interrupts you.

"He could've let them go in secret, say that they died or got sick. He just didn't want to. That's how much that bastard cared about them." He responds, wagging his finger at you as he paces.

"You've never even met the man! You have no idea what you're talking about." You cross your arms, stewing.

"He was a slaveholder, that's all I need to know. That I get to embrace the role of a ripouse whose sole purpose in life is to lie down and let him tramp on me and the other slaves so he can reach the top." He snaps, getting a bit closer to you.

"That's it. I am not going to stand here and act a slavery apologist so you can berate my ancestor." You turn and walk away, fuming.

"I'm sure he was a great man, aside from that little part where he enslaved people!" Paima shouts at you.

You feel your anger come to a boil. You turn back. "If you want to meet him and decide for yourself instead of drawing a crude caricature of life three hundred FUCKING years ago, you can go get Dominion's Memory and see for yourself. Though you should pull your head out of your own ass first, because obviously all you're seeing right now is all the shit you've kept pent up that I am NOT dealing with!"

You storm off.

>>14347728
"Why do you think Algers is capable of walking today? Would someone who cared nothing for his servant even bother to keep him around after being crippled so severely?"

You are now Paima.

You have just gotten your ass handed to you, verbally, by Melane Kiried, who is walking quickly off towards her wagon. You are standing alone in the middle of the plains, surrounded by wagons. Some of the ripouse look over at you and whisper.

Was it something you said?

What will you do?

And this is why I should refresh before posting.

We feel like a shitheel, that's what we do.

Probably best to wait a bit so Melane colls off before we say anything to her.

>>14347888

Additional to: >>14347872

After:
"You've never even met the man! You have no idea what you're talking about." You cross your arms, stewing.

"Why do you think Algers is capable of walking today? Would someone who cared nothing for his servant even bother to keep him around after being crippled so severely?" You add, hoping he'll see reason.

"Well, he has to look after the appearance of his house, doesn't he? After all, I'm sure it was bad form back then for a slave to get his leg hacked off and leave it lying there. The first thing he probably asked grandpa was to dispose of it, once he could walk again." Paima sneers.

"You have no idea how much he cared for your grandfather! You saying this sickens me." You practically shout.

"No, I have no idea how much you 'think' he cared for grandpa" Paima says, a bit mockingly. "He was a slaveholder, that's all I need to know. That I get to embrace the role of a ripouse whose sole purpose in life is to lie down and let him tramp on me and the other slaves so he can reach the top." He snaps, getting a bit closer to you.

>>14347925

Yep. You feel kind of terrible. But talking about slavery gets your temper rising quickly, and a Quick Temper is a trait of your family. The thought of having your life in someone else's hands and being forced to act as they want you to is disgusting. You just can't see how anyone who wasn't evil at heart could justify such a practice.

You have fought wars against gnolls many a time. The slaves' beaten bodies, their eyes devoid of all hope, even after being freed are what you think of when you imagine life as a slave. You know that the Mandran city states have kept slavery illegal, but you jut kind of lost your temper there. Algers, your grandfather, is a phenomenal man. The thought of him groveling at another's boot makes you cringe, and makes you hate the one that would do such a thing to him. The one who would do such a thing to your people.

But obviously she doesn't see it that way. And on top of that, you were an ass to her. Bugger.

She's going to be mad for a while. What should you do until then?

We obviously have the need to burn off this anger. Combat drills, or drinking.... maybe both at the same time.

Perhaps to understand the whys of this situation, Paima needs to see how it started. Let's have him use Dominion's memory to see Alger's early days.

>>14348067

You wander off into the fields. You drill a bit with the collapsible short spear you keep on you, but that only serves to make you madder. You snarl, flinging off a blast of flames to the blue sky above you, the fire flowing from your palm and making a reddish cloud in the air for a short time. You feel a bit better.

"Had a bit of a disagreement?" Nabur says from behind you, sighing as he walks up.

"Yeah, I flew off the handle a little." You say back to him.

"I know. The whole pack of us know." He shakes his head. "But if you need us, we're with you." He says.

"No, I was... I was overreacting. It was stupid of me." You say, a small, bitter flame burning in your palm.

"Well, then quit acting stupid and tell her you know how dumb you are." Nabur says.

"I'd better not right now. She really lost it." You say, flinging the flame away in disgust. "I'm going to have to go become my ancestor, I suppose."

"I can get Dominion's Memory for you. Just plunk back down at the wagon." Nabur says, patting you on the shoulder.

You look startled for a moment. "Wait, how do you..."

The skinny ripouse grins.

"Best ears in the Confederacy!" You both say at the same time. You laugh, slapping him on the shoulder, and you feel quite a bit better.

"You can tell the ladies I heard the gnolls coming next time you tell one of your stories." He says. "I've been getting lonely too, you know."

"What would I do without you, Nabur?" You say, chuckling.

You finish getting into a meditative posture with your legs crossed in a makeshift bed of blankets when Nabur gets back, holding a small wooden box.

"How did it go?" You ask him.

He smiles a bit uncomfortably. "Some, ah, unkind things were said about you. But she gave it to me." Nabur's thin hand grasps the box, opening it to reveal a black glossy sphere.

You take it in hand, weighing it. "Doesn't seem so special."

"Well, magical stuff rarely does till you use it." Nabur says, looking over at his bed. "You do know how to use it, right? Hey, my blanket..."

"Of course I know how to use it. Just have to imagine my grandfather after emptying my mind, which she said it was more complicated than." You say, feeling a bit smug as you put Nabur's blanket over your legs.

"C'mon, I get cold at night." He grumbles. "I'm nothing but skin and bones with a fine layer of meat you know."

"Shh." You say, closing your eyes as you set the orb down and begin to empty your thoughts.

"Easy for you to say, you're gonna be nice and toasty." He says.

"Do you mind? I'm not going to be here very much longer, but I would appreciate a little quiet." You say.

"Fine, but I'm taking the blankets back when you're in magic past land." Nabur says.

You empty your thoughts, and try to imagine being your grandfather, not long after he lost his leg. You feel a pull from the sphere, and then a falling feeling, into blackness.

HERITAGE CODE RECOGNIZED

You are drifting in a carriage along a wide path, a well-dressed ripouse at the head. He drives the horses onward through a large garden, beautifully sculpted ivy framing the pathway up to a large, flowery hill. A well-dressed middle-aged human with light brown skin, short hair and a few wrinkles on his face sits with a woman, her skin a bit darker than his, with curly brown hair and a pleasant smile. She stands as you approach, her long peach-colored dress skirting the ground as she clasps her hands. "Nice to see you, Algers. Thank you for coming by." Her voice is soft, gentle.

You realize that she's dead.

"Yes, thank you Algers. We'll be along in a moment." The man calls, his voice with a strange quiet richness to it. He grins, kissing the woman's hand as they march slowly down the path.

You feel yourself come to a blurry consciousness, the room around you cold and dark. You feel an ache in your leg, your left leg, and then a horrible stabbing pain a few inches above your knee. You hear shouting from the other servants from the exit to your cobbled room.

What will you do?

You stumble to your feet, realizing that your left leg isn't working properly as you fall and catch yourself on the wall. You feel dismay come over you. It was working fine yesterday. You reach for the crutch by your bed, hobbling out into the hallway to see what all the fuss is about.

"Damn lizard! Keep your caterwauling to yourself!" One of the ripouse shouts, standing in the hallway and leaning into the room you know Kresis is in, wearing only a pair of light cloth pants.

"Algers, are you alright?" He asks, walking over to you.

"It hurts, but I think I'll be alright." You say, limping off to one side of him.

"The idiot fell out of his bed, and now he won't stop whining." The ripouse says. You can hear Kresis hissing in pain from inside the dark room. "Sorry if it woke you."

bump

"I'll see to him." You say, limping towards the door.

"You sure? I'd prefer never to see him again if I could help it." The ripouse says. "If I was you, less so."

"A- The master has assigned him to me, he's my responsibility." You say, catching yourself.

"Alright, I'm going to get dressed then, I guess." He says, yawning. Yanra has your medicine if you need it."

"I think I will." You say, wincing as the pain acts up again.

Well Ima end it here for now instead of talking to myself like a crazy person for longer. Probably going to start the next chapter with >>14348350 on friday. 21:00. Be there.

Until then, may your gaze rest ever on your goal, never swaying.