We should have experimented more before doing time-lapse.

Why the hell did we do contract with Kuzo without cheking out his abilities?

Anyway, the last time we stopped time and started it again, the book we left in mid-air seemed to fall much harder than it should.
Take a bottle and lift it a little bit of the ground, like 20 centimeters or so, at this hight it shouldn't break. Stop the time and let go off it, wait for a minute or two and start it up again.

I want to see if the huge force the book fell was just our perspective or if it happened for real.

rolled 86 = 86

I say we 'stop time' and catch a five hour nap, since we have six hours 'banked'.

>>14914565
I think it's just our perspective.

Our pact with Kuzo has lapsed since the moon set, I think.

rolled 89 = 89

>>14914580
Okay, someone explain this system to me.
I don't think I understnad.

Also, can we reverse time? The time we had "banked" at least?

I would like to go back an hour and experiment with Kuzos powers.

Thinking to spend your banked time to catch some much needed shut eye you flip the switch to the left to stop time. The left clock immediately stops, just as before and the far right meter slowly begins to tick down.
You spare enough time for one more experiment first. You grab the book and place it in the air again. Then, flipping the switch back to the center, you watch the book fall at a normal rate. Nothing like the loud bang before. It seems that its speed was just a matter of perspective before.
Flipping the switch back to the left to stop time you look longingly at the comfy bed before you. Ever since you first saw it you've wanted to spend the night in this luxurious room but feared being caught absent from your room. But now it is already morning and if anyone were to notice your absence they would have known for a long time now. The cautious answer might be to return to your room and sleep in your own bed. But what does it matter when time stands still?

rolled 11 = 11

>But what does it matter when time stands still?

Oh boy we are going to oversleep aren't we?

But still, see if you can reverse time too. Just for experiment sake.

rolled 18 = 18

>>14914610
It's a save/spend system. we can fast-forward time, losing it for ourselves but 'banking' it to be used later, or freeze time to use up what we've banked or go into time-debt.

>>14914623
I say we make for our room. Time-stop is the ultimate stealth, so we don't have to worry about running into anyone. And we really don't want to push ourselves back into owing more time than we can afford to lose.

>>14914685
You look at the mechanism upon your arm again. The switch is flipped to the left and the two buttons below the gauges remain undisturbed. Deciding that caution has served you well so far, you reluctantly hide everything away again and leave after locking the cabinet and the door.
You walk down the hall but stop when you see a bustling crowd heading out to the morning service. But not a single one is moving, all frozen in the grip of time. The bell must have rung while time was passing you by, as it normally rings with the rising of the sun.
You could try to make your way around them, but it's a tight fit. What would happen if you were to touch one of them? Alternatively, you could start time again and try to blend in long enough to slip back into your room.

rolled 98 = 98

>>14914719
Better don't touch them. Who knows, maybe you will get them into your private time-stream?

rolled 51 = 51

>>14914719
Hmm.... is there a way around? Possibly through side passages or the kitchen?

rolled 53 = 53

But we still need to repay Xeloc.

What will happen when use the safety-word? Will xeloc take over our body?
I'm not sure on the specifics on the contract

You decide that coming in contact with another being might have unintended consequences, and you begin to look around for another route. You could try circling around the long way to the dining hall and out into the courtyard. But that would take you past the chaplain's hall, around the inquisition's tower, and through the guard's barracks.

rolled 16 = 16

>>14914843
Oh well, lets start the time and wait till they pass or go through them. The stop it again.

We should experiment what the consequence of touching a living being while stopping time is

rolled 84 = 84

>>14914870
I kind of got lost in thought.

I wanted to say we should experiment on an animal.

>>14914870
agreed. Find a way to integrate ourselves into the crowd without drawing attention by suddenly appearing in front of the group, then sneak off into the kitchen for breakfast like we normally do. Once out of sight, make for our room.

rolled 71 = 71

>>14914958
Rolling.

>solleat against
Yes, captcha, i am completely against eating souls.

Deciding that the long way around would only raise more trouble, you dart back into the stairwell from which you came. You peer around to make sure you aren't observed, then flip the switch back to the center position.
You round the turn and walk casually behind the other monks. As you come within sight of your room you see Arnold there waiting. You hope this isn't the beginning a of a long sleepless day.
"Morning Arnold," you say without an ounce of cheer in your voice.
"Morning. Up researching awfully early aren't ya? Or is it awfully late? Anyways, I may have a lead for you. Just got this this morning." He subtly hands you a tiny rolled up slip of parchment. "Take a look when you get a chance and get back to me on that."
And without waiting for a response he turns and strides off towards the morning service. You look at the tiny rolled up paper. There is a wax seal with a strange symbol on it that you do not recognize but it has already been broken. You look hungrily to the kitchen and back to your room. You can't decide if you want to sleep more or eat more. Or if you just want to know what's on the parchment.

rolled 3 = 3

>>14915006
Read the parchment.
Stop time.
Grab something to snack IF you can avoid touching someone.
Go to sleep, I guess.

(seriously. I'm still vary of paying what we own to Xeloc)

rolled 47 = 47

>>14915025
I agree with your course of actions, but.... I think he owes us, kinda. Since we gave away a lot of our time last night, I think. Not 100% sure.

You enter your room and close the door, unfurling the tiny slip of parchment before you. On it is written in tight, neat script a few simple words:

Did research. Found something that fits the description. Only mentioned in scripts as a 'vessicle'. It's dwarven.

The last line is underlined three times for emphasis. While you ponder this you slip time back to a stop. The crowd has parted a bit as they turn towards the courtyard. You make your way to the kitchens walking among statues and press the door open slowly. It bumps into the back of a man standing behind it, but nothing seems to change. You slip in and grab a few handfuls of fruit and cheese from the piles upon the table before turning and leaving closing the door behind you. You exhale slowly, your nerves quieting and stride back to your room amidst the silence, eating greedily along the way. You close the door and fall upon the bed, not even bothering to undress. You think if there is anything else you wish to accomplish before you get some much needed sleep.

>>14915088
I think that whether or not we have debt or surplus does not matter until it is time to cancel the contract. Still not sure either way.

rolled 93 = 93

>>14915100
Double check (for paranoia's sake) the dust-covered loose floorboard under the bed.
After that, rest is what's important at the moment. Can't do anything well while sleep deprived.

rolled 89 = 89

>>14915100
Does our XBOX HUGE gauntlet have an alarm?
How will we wake up in 5 hours? It is impossible... unless we ask Xeloc to do that, but he doesn't seem to answer us when we call him...

Sleep or eat first, doesn't matter do whatever feels more urgent.

You check the floorboard beneath which hides your brother's flute but the dust still remains undisturbed. In fact, it's beginning to collect some natural dust too.
Rolling back into bed you stow the slip of parchment away in your crowded pockets and check the gauntlet to be sure time is still at a halt.
Having confirmed this you roll over and fall asleep. You have many vague dreams of happy times. Travelling the town with Rosemary, gambling with the soldiers by fire light, laughing with the merchants as you help them understand simple words. But all of them ebb away as your eyes slowly pull apart. You glance to your wrist to see how much time you have spent.
Both clocks are even and tick at a regular pace. They both show it to be almost eight o'clock in the morning, only thirty minutes after you stopped time last. The switch sits again in the middle and inactive position. Could you have pressed it in your sleep? But what are the chances of it stopping so precisely? Perhaps the mechanism turned off on its own for some reason.
Regardless, you now have a whole day ahead of you and are fed and well rested. Your ordinary duties today would be to travel the town with the other monks and collect food and alms for the poor and the church. Of course, you usually ignore this duty and either read all day beneath a tree in the gardens or walk about the streets and teach the small children to read and write their names. But what will you do with your time?

rolled 100 = 100

>>14915208
....

So anyone for ending this contract?
We can't walk around wearing this huge-ass gauntlet.


Oh, eat the fruit and cheese.

Also, it seems like you have to "bank" the time first before stopping it for it to work properly.

rolled 24 = 24

>>14915208
I say we null our current pact, since we want to avoid detection. (I suggested the word 'Rutabaga' as a safe word as it's nearly impossible to say during casual conversation.) Then, we head to our work station to 'edit' more books. Instead, we'll search through them for
A: Anything of interest to Xepoc
and
B: any references to the thing mentioned in the note.

Also, I think we should check in on Rosemary sometime today.

Deciding that you have no more need for the contract you speak the word quietly into the empty room. "Rutabaga"
~{Balance checked. All clear,}~ screeches a grating mechanical voice seeming to come from the gauntlet itself. ~{Releasing.}~ The gauntlet folds in upon itself, falling from your wrist and clanking to the floor. ~{See you next time.}~ And with a sound of coins clanking together the metal vanishes.
You are left alone in the room. The morning service should be over by now and breakfast should be well underway. There should not be anyone about in the halls if you should wish to go somewhere undisturbed and unseen.

rolled 16 = 16

>>14915353
OK, that was annoying. We definitely can NOT do that in public. We're vestige-free, at the moment.

I say we take a walk through the garden, say hello to Rosemary's father. If he doesn't have anything to say to us, we head for our spot in the south tower. Some light reading and editing, some moderate research. We could start putting together that fake report we promised Arnold.

rolled 72 = 72

>>14915353
Oh great.
Man, I was worried about this.
Xeloc seems to be one of the most easy Vestiges to deal with. We just need to get some books for him each time we call upon him.

Anyway, lets find Arnold and ask what his parchment was about cuz I personnaly can't make heads or tails of it.

Dammit OP, you're too active and frequent. I'm still trying to catch up from the third thread!

(This was a joke. Please continue at your current pace even if I'm playing catchup.)

You make your way to the southern tower in a calm and reserved manner under the pretense of returning to your busy work schedule. You round the stairwell and enter the room to see another scribe you don't know sitting there and working on the pile of books you had left there the day before. He looks up at your entrance.
"Oh, hello there. Did you need something?"
"No... Just thought I'd forgotten something," you say and hurriedly leave the tower. That is odd. The notation of required edits has always been a task reserved for you. Putting the thought from your mind you walk back down and back towards your room. Perhaps you should call upon Arnold and ask him more about the note or take a walk in the gardens to clear your head and shake off the last of your waking daze.

>>14915432
[[Well, I just happen to have a lot of free time lately. Not sure how much longer I can keep up this pace but when I no longer can I'll be sure to set up a strict schedule.

Also, sorry for posting that last one without waiting to see new suggestions. At least it didn't prevent either of them from occurring.]]

rolled 34 = 34

>>14915434
I say we go check on our hidden stash in the tower. See if everything is ok and undisturbed.

rolled 61 = 61

>>14915434
>That is odd. The notation of required edits has always been a task reserved for you.

Seeing as you will be busy with your research I think the chaplain put someone else to do this menial work.

Yeah, go and see Arnold, I want to know what that parchment is about.
If we can't find him, we should resume our research.

You walk down the hall towards the courtyard to make for the dining hall but spot Arnold as he sneaks out of the kitchen and into the hallway again. You wave to him and he waves to you to before beckoning to his room half way between the two of you. You follow his gesture and enter his room right behind him. He pulls a flask from his robe and sets it on the table. "Right, so I guess you got questions about the note then?" He reaches forwards and pulls back a square section of boards from the wall. Behind it is a small square storage space and into this he sets the flask before closing it up again.

rolled 17 = 17

>>14915491
"Just a few." we say sarcastically.
"But first, do you know anything about a new scribe being assigned my old duties in the editing room?"

rolled 6 = 6

>>14915491
"Wait... what are you doing?"

>Did research. Found something that fits the description. Only mentioned in scripts as a 'vessicle'. It's dwarven.

Alright.
Who did research?
On what exactly?
What is vessicle?
Do we have texts or books concerning dwarven language?

"Just a few," you say with marked sarcasm. "But first, did you hear anything about there being a new scribe set to my revision duties?"
Arnold looks at you skeptically. "I didn't hear nothing about you being reassigned or anything. I thought they wanted you to keep up the appearance of normalcy. Maybe you should speak to the chaplain about it. You too have always been pretty chummy, right? But whatever you do, don't go giving away nothing to him about what you know."

rolled 27 = 27

>>14915538
okay

now this
>>14915535

"What exactly were you just doing?" you ask, pointing to the secret hiding space.
"Just replenishing my supplies in case I need to call Gourmander again. Gotta have everything prepared."
"Ah, right." You pull out the note. "So what's this about? Who did research and on what?"
"That would be the archivist of the order. He's one of the big-shots among the lore keepers. And they were looking into the artifact of course. The first night I saw it I was still bound to Gourmander from the day before. I guess I used him to create a bird homunculus and send off a note about it to the Archivist. At least I think. That whole night is really hazy but it's starting to come back in pieces. I guess I had a lot to drink. That was when I lost my other crest too."

rolled 76 = 76

>>14915538
"Well, that much is obvious. I'll go speak with him in a bit. But first, ...." [ask the questions stated in >>14915535.]

rolled 67 = 67

>>14915601
so, the artifact you're looking for is Dwarven?

"So what about Dwarven language," you continue. "Have you ever seen anything about it? I've never even found any texts on their culture."
"Nah, unfortunately pretty much everything about the dwarf people was destroyed in the old blood purge. That was, what, a couple hundred years ago? Anything left over probably got burned or broken down by the inquisition. You know how they are about those filthy people. Nothing good can come of their kind."

rolled 59 = 59

>>14915601
What artifact is he talking about?
The one King sent us?

"What exactly does he mean by a 'vessicle'?
"Hell if I know. Dosen't seem like he really knows either by the sound of it. Basically we still don't know a damn thing about this artifact."
"So by the artifact, you mean the metal disk right?"
"Yeah, what did you think...? OH right right. No, that other one that I'm supposed to keep an eye out for is way older than this thing, I think. Never seen it myself but it's supposed to be really damn distinctive. Like you just know what it is when you see it. Anyways, yeah. 'Fraid that's about all I can tell ya too. There might be more information on it in the order archives, but I doubt it. The Archivist would have said so."

rolled 7 = 7

>>14915694
"Okay, thanks.

I'll try to put this information to good use. "


Alright, we need to research more. But we come to dead ends all the time. We need to learn the language of the void, and now find the Dwarven language.
I wonder if we can find some Dwarven gods in the Void

rolled 4 = 4

Where have you already looked for that other artifact?

"Alright, thanks for your help," you say to Arnold as you turn towards the door. "I'll try to put this information to good use. See what I can find."
"Good luck to ya. Hope there's something worth finding"
And with that you step out into the hall ways again. The monks are returning from breakfast now, mostly heading to the library or collecting their tools before heading out into the town for alms collection. As you look towards your room you see a curious sight. The chaplain is walking from his quarters this way and he is talking to a tall and dark-skinned man with a shaved head in uniform wearing the crest of Sol upon his tabard. The dark man has a sword upon his hip and clearly holds some station of import.

>>14915745
What if the dwarven language and the language of the void are one and the same? Would need to know if he is referring to the Veritalignicon as the thing he is looking out for.

rolled 33 = 33

>>14915805
The Chaplain is clearly busy talking to someone with authority. Best if we wait until he's done. He did say that he'd be busy for a few days and that he might not have time for our usual sit-downs.

rolled 61 = 61

>>14915805
INQUISITOR!?

Lets get the fuck away from here.

Realizing that this man can only be the inquisitor you decide to hurry away before being dragged into a discussion you aren't yet ready to have. You need time to plan still and can't be left to make up a story on the spot. Besides, your face still has the blood drenched bandage upon it from the episode of the night before last.
You hurriedly cross the courtyard to the entrance hall and make your way out of the castle. You make it undetected, leaving with the rest of the monks as they go on their way to do their duties. But having cleared the gateway you wonder where you should go off to.

>>14915919
check in on the stash in the tower. If there's an unexpected guest, they may be set up with quarters there, since it is the VIP room. We need to evacuate our crap from there. The book and metal artifact, at least. Move it all back to our room. We may have to re-bind Xepoc to time-stealth us there, but save that for an emergency.

rolled 82 = 82

>>14915919
I am at loss for now, actually.

We could continue with our research or do .... whatever, I don't know.
Someone suggested meeting with Rosemary. We could do that, I guess

rolled 36 = 36

>>14915950
rolling.

>>14915957
with an inquisitor in town? Pass. We need to isolate ourselves so that suspicion cannot be drawn from us to others and vice versa.

rolled 35 = 35

>>14915950
Oh shit, you're right!

disregard >>14915957
Do what Magus says,

Looking out over the town you wonder where you should go, at a loss. Your mind wanders to Rosemary, but you quickly toss this idea aside. Why would you want to see her, other than for silly selfish reasons? With the inquisitor about you would only jeopardize her further. And you wouldn't even know where to find her during the day, though you've often seen her hanging the wet laundry of the castle in the gardens during your time there.
You think instead of the tower where all of your valuables are stored. Where important dignitaries stay during their visits. Important dignitaries like an inquisitor. And all of your secrets are hidden in that cabinet. Including your letters from your elf-blooded brother. A death warrant with your name on it.
You turn and flee back into the castle and to the courtyard. But the only ways to the eastern tower are back through the residence halls or around and through the barracks, inquisitor's station, and the chaplain's wing. You curse your luck at casting aside Xepoc's power when it could have aided you now.

rolled 19 = 19

Well,
put on your hood so that you are not recognizable and pray that no one stops you and you don't run into chaplain or the inquisitor.

Also, can't we just we the chant and summon vestiges or do we always need to have the book?

rolled 44 = 44

>>14916075
still
be careful to not run into them. Don't go running or anything but be on the lookout to them

You decide to take the quickest route back through the residence halls, pulling your cloak up about your face that you never bothered to remove last night. You stride from the courtyard and into the hall and glance about, but neither the inquisitor nor the chaplain are anywhere to be seen. You rush to the tower keeping cautious and pause just around the corner before the chaplain's corridor. Coming down from the eastern tower's stairway the Inquisitor and Chaplain walk out and into the hall before turning down the hall and making their way to the inquisitor's station through the next quarter. You catch only a snippet of the Chaplain's speech.
"I honestly don't know where the boy's gotten off to. Perhaps he wandered into town to actually do his work for once. Now tell me what has been happening in Solaria of late..."
But after that they are out of earshot and the tower is unobserved.

rolled 31 = 31

>>14916193
That's right, the Chaplain hasn't seen us in days, and doesn't know we've had our face messed up. change our bandages so they're clean, hide the book and our other contraband in our room, then go find the chaplain, say we needed to clean and re-dress our injury (using the same broken bottle cover story as before), and we're very sorry we've missed our usual sit-down with him.

rolled 38 = 38

>>14916193
No sense in wasting time, lets go check out our hidey-hole.

rolled 14 = 14

>>14916193
When you take your shit, hide it inside your robes so that if you run into them by accident they will not see what you are carrying.

rolled 30 = 30

>>14916242
agreed.

You rush up the stairway and unlock the door. The room is still undisturbed and you search about for anything you left out. You turn to the cabinet and unlock it, removing everything and wrapping it up as best you can in the leathers and twine. Then, stowing it back beneath your robes you make quickly for your room after re-locking everything.
You meet no resistance and no one interrupts your travel and you enter your room closing the door firmly behind. You toss the floor board aside, finally disturbing the powder that remained untouched for so long, and drop the package as a whole into it's old resting place. Feeling much more relaxed you now consider what you should do.
You still have the ripped clothes with which you could bandage your face anew. Or you could actually seek out professional help either within the town or in the watchmen quarters where the old castle physician stays.

rolled 15 = 15

We just need to get some clean bandages somewhere and apply them.

rolled 39 = 39

>>14916293
First, apply more dust to the board and smooth it over to make it look undisturbed. then head for the Watchmen's quarters to see the physician. Should've seen him yesterday, but we were busy, and the damage is mostly superficial.

Thinking where you can find something better to bandage your face you reflect upon the places you could find some stored. The monastery has a storeroom for supplies of this sort within the guard houses near the physician's room. The chirurgeon in town, who usually tends to those injured working the farmlands, would likely have some stored somewhere as well.
You re-dust the floor boards from the pouch in your pocket, then make for the guard's wing. It's about time you make your long overdue appearance there anyways.

rolled 99 = 99

>>14916379
Ehh, wouldn't guards question us about the injury?

Oh well, go there anyway.

>>14916441
We still have our cover story that has been working out pretty well

You travel through the courtyard yet again and then from the dining hall into the adjacent barracks. The guardsmen are likely all asleep in their quarters now, their night shift having run it's course and having had a bite to eat. The halls are distinctly less well maintained then those of the scholars. You walk undisturbed to the door with the physicians symbol carved upon it and knock.
"Enter," comes a dull voice from within.
You walk in and close the door behind, the physician looking up from his book as you enter.
"Ouch, nasty head wound. Looks like a decent job you did but I'll take a look. Can't be too bad if you walked in here yourself." The aging and wrinkled man, covered in patchy spots of age upon his skin, gets up from his seat and walks to a chest in the corner behind his desk. "Take those bandages off so we can see what we're dealing with. What happened to you anyways? It's been pretty quiet here since the other night's crowd left. You been making trouble?"

rolled 69 = 69

>>14916543
Use our cover story.
We must be consistent with out lies.

"Just a drunk a with a bottle a couple of nights ago," you say, keeping your story consistent. "I tended it myself but it seems to be worse than I originally thought." You pull the bandages from your head and feel the chill air upon your exposed skin.
The physician applies a salve to your face, bandages you up in a much cleaner fashion, and send you on your way. The hall is still empty when you exit the room but you hear heavy footfalls echoing from the direction of the inquisition's tower.

>>14916543
"It was nothing, just a drunk with a broken bottle making trouble. It's not too bad. I would have been in here yesterday, but I had duties to finish before I had the time."

>>14916633
Head towards the chaplain's office. We have no reason to speak to the inquisitor directly, but the Chaplain is expecting us.

>>14916653

[[The shortest route to the chaplains office is directly past the inquisition tower, as the wings connect directly. Did you mean to do so by going towards the sound of footfalls?]]

rolled 11 = 11

>>14916684
away from the footsteps if possible

>>14916684
only if necessary. If the inquisitor happens to be along the way, we pass by him without saying anything. He's a busy man, and we must speak with the Chaplain.

You walk briskly towards the Chaplain's office and towards the sound of foot steps. As you walk closer the tall dark man appears from the adjacent tower ands stride from the stairwell in the direction from which you came. He casts a glance in your direction, but turns his focus back towards his destination.
You round the corner and come to the chaplain's office and knock upon the door. You hear the sound of motion and the door opens to the chaplain standing within.
"Yes, what can I... Ah, Gregory! I had been seeking you out earlier." He opens the door and beckons you in. "You seem to be a very hard man to find of late. You may not have heard yet but the inquisitor has arrived here and I had wanted to introduce you to him. After all, you two may have much to talk about indeed," he says with a knowing wink. "So, what have you found?"

[[Have to go away. This is probably the end of the quest for today. We'll continue it another time. Could someone see that it ends up in the archives?]]

>>14916820
wow. Into the lion's den. We'll have to think quick. the best lies are ones with a fragment of the truth mixed in. [a truth that's told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent]. Suggestion for next time, as I may not be here for it:
"I have been a bit preoccupied (tap the bandages on our face, telling the cover story if necessary), but I have little to report. The symbols are of no civilized language I can find. I will need more time to go through the archives and compare our texts of ancient languages, in order to build a translation. Also, I would ask your permission to bring the relic to a jeweler or silversmith, to identify what grade of metal it was made from, and where such metals or alloys can be found. I know little of metallurgy, and would seek expert advice. This could also help us identify the relic's age. Are there any more notes or journals of findings taken from where the relic was found?"

[thanks, as always, for the amazing quest thread. It's always a pleasure.]

rolled 48 = 48

Thanks,
see ya dude

>>14916820
We need to make sure that the inquisitor thinks that we're someone who was worth trusting with this job, so strive for a good impression. If he thinks well of us, it could result in being given significantly more authority and leeway in conducting unusual activities.

I would still spend most of our time talking about the various linguistic derivations of the symbols on the artifact; it's bizarre enough to make it clear that we've done quite a bit of research, but seems like a dead end to us so that information should be harmless to give away.

>>14917603
Well, linguistically, there is some importance. But we need to send the inquisitor down the dead ends we've been chasing, rather than let him find out the tiny bits of truth or fact that we've found. Maybe in a few days, we could give him a poorly translated and incomplete version of the one/many riddle we've decoded?

[[Glad to see I've generated some debate among you fellows.

I think I may resume the quest again in the morning, at least for a time.

If not, Sunday for sure and likely all day and into the night. I'm quite happy about the way things are heading. I hope things will become much more interesting shortly.]]

Morningbump

Bump

[[Alright, I'm back. Give me a few minutes to prepare and I'll start a new thread.]]

>>14923530
great

New thread is live.

>>14923850