"I won't allow it," comes the grumbling reply. "And there is nothing more I have left to teach you. Your abilities already far exceed my own. I may have survived their first attempt on my life but there will be others. It's only a matter of time. I have lived a long life, but my research is not yet complete. You must take it and hide it, Rosemary. But most importantly, you must live. I cannot let you die to protect me when my days are already numbered and your whole life is still before you. Now listen closely..."
But his speech is interrupted by a loud crash from the floor below.
"Rosemary, scry the house. Quickly."
You hear a muffled sound of the elvish tongue.
"There are two others. They're in the house."
"Then we have one intruder. Come with me and be on your guard."
You pull your ear away from the wall and consider your next move. Arnold is downstairs, and the sound was likely him. Rosemary told the Baron that they had two others but he said that meant only one intruder. What could he have meant? The two have left the room and the window may be accessible. But there is also a wooden doorway that might lead elsewhere. You plan your next move carefully.

rolled 14 = 14

Hmm

intriguing

Ask Acheron if she can feel other Vestiges ecept Arnolds nearby.

Lets check out wooden passway

"Acheron," you say wordlessly to your inner presence. "Are there any other vestiges nearby?"
**There are in fact. Two other vestiges are nearby. Are you going to send them to me for judgement?**
"That remains to be seen."
Two vestiges? Gourmander and Arnold are certainly the first but who could be the second?
You walk to the wooden doorway and place you ear against it. You can hear quiet footsteps and the creak of stairs. It seems to lead into an upstairs hallway within the manor.

>>14957389
I say we take the wooden passageway.

rolled 56 = 56

>>14957549
rolling

rolled 30 = 30

>Are you going to send them to me for judgement?
What do you mean judgement? ... Well, I understand what you mean... but you can kill Vestiges too?
If we kill a vestige, will it be impossible to summon them again?

rolled 54 = 54

"Acheron

From the perspective of the Order, I am completely unaware of Vestiges and summonings. They believe that I stumbled on the knowledge just recently and have no experience in it.
But then they send YOU as my trial, to find out if I can summon Vestiges.
What do you think? Could it be that they wanted to get rid of me? They know that you are very dangerous to pact-makers... So why would they give me you, instead of, say, Gourmander"

You push carefully against the door and find it to be unlocked. The door swings open easily with a small creak. You wait but the two occupants don't seem to have noticed and have already disappeared downstairs. Is Arnold in trouble? Hopefully he's taken the form of something more subtle.
"Acheron, what did you mean by send them to you for judgement. Can you kill a vestige?"
**In a sense. The vestige itself has no life and will exist forever but when its binder dies its avatar dies with it. And then they are both in my hands.**
You look about the small wooden hallway in the dark. There is little light, only that cast from the fire burning in the room to your left and that of the lantern illuminating the stairway from below at the end of the hall. There are two other doors closed along the right wall, possibly locked.
"Acheron," you ask cautiously as you creep down the hall, your hand on your icy saber. "From the perspective of the Order, I am completely unaware of Vestiges and summonings. They believe that I stumbled on the knowledge just recently and have no experience in it. But then they send YOU as my trial, to find out if I can summon Vestiges. What do you think? Could it be that they wanted to get rid of me? They know that you are very dangerous to pact-makers... So why would they give me you, instead of, say, Gourmander."
**It is because they know I am the most compatible to your spirit. You share the blood of one that has been bound in my service before. Now cease your foolish questions. I granted you your desire for power, not wisdom.**

rolled 72 = 72

Check the doors.
If they are locked, make compatible use keys with your powers.

We should move faster.
Hmm, where are the other Vestiges I wonder.

You walk to the first door and peer in. It is the study you saw through the window before. There is a desk, a few ornate wooden seats, a colorful hand woven rug, and several drawers. Beside the fireplace there are two bookshelves, but nothing else of note is in the room.
You turn to the other two doors and quickly try each finding them both locked. You try to turn the mechanism with some carefully shaped ice but you can't figure out the apparatus without seeing what you're doing. You could try to force the lock but it could damage the door, possibly making sound or at the very least leaving a sign that the door was forced. And even if you choose to do so which door to try first? The one closer to the balcony or the stairs?
The lantern light has diminished almost completely now. You hear low voices from below, but it doesn't sound as if they are alarmed, just conversing.

>>14957718
>>14957611
Forgot your trip?

rolled 15 = 15

>>14957611
"Ahh, but knowledge IS power. The more I know about the Order, their motivations, and their secrets, the more powerful we both are, so long as we share this body."

Enter the wooden passage slowly, listen carefully for creaking boards or other tell-tale signs of movement in an old house.

rolled 65 = 65

>>14957718
balcony

>>14957611
>>14957650
Oops, yeah. These are me.

rolled 75 = 75

>>14957756
Seconding the one closer to the balcony, we can escape faster from that one if they notice us.

>>14957611
>You share the blood of one that has been bound in my service before.

That was probably our father. Now I'm really curious who the hell our old man was, cavorting with elves and binding dangerous vestiges.

>>14957778
This also means that the Order knows who our father was. They know we may well be as powerful as he was. So they officially know more about us than we know about the. We need to rectify that situation.

You walk to the door further from the stairwell. You flood the lock mechanism with water and then quickly freeze it. The lock bursts with a tiny clank and you quickly withdraw the water. You run your hand down the door, smoothing the splintered wood, then turn the handle and open the door.
Inside is a strange collection of things. It seems to be an observatory as much as a laboratory. You walk in, ducking under a large mobile that seems to detail the motion of the planets through the sky. A large tube shaped metal instrument is centered in the room and is pointed towards what looks like a latch opening onto the roof. There are benches and strange flasks and beakers all along the walls, stacked upon the tables. On the remaining wall there is a large glass case that seems to hold ingredients with labels upon them.

rolled 66 = 66

>>14957810
[trip fell off again.]

Listen carefully at the floor again, see if we can pinpoint any movement nearby.

rolled 18 = 18

An! We should have listened in on the voices.

Anyway, this looks like his study. But we can't spend entire day rummaging through his shit.
Quickly look around to see if there is that thing he showed you and for any documents which could hold information needed,

>>14957810
Damnit, sorry about that.

rolled 25 = 25

>>14957832
also, we can sense the unnatural. We could sense the object Leonard tried to tempt us with days ago, faintly. So we should be able to close our eyes and get an impression of whether or not it's within a few feet of us. No need to rummage through everything if we can narrow our search.

rolled 6 = 6

If there is enough light to make out the writing on any notes, then skim through them. If not, go back to the corridor and if they are still occupied below try the other door.

rolled 40 = 40

>>14957810

Look for the thing from before, the one Leonard showed us.

You stop and close your eyes trying to focus. You reach out, feeling for the same presence you felt when Leonard showed you the crest the day before. But there is nothing that you can feel. It is not nearby. You walk the room again trying to sense the distinctive aura, but nothing comes within your senses. Only the small golden seal of Acheron hidden within your robes.
You look about by hand, trying to at least find some notes, but there doesn't seem to be anything on the subjects of your interest here. There are a few papers on one of the tables but they all seem to talk about stars and planets. With only the dim light from the fire across the hallways it is difficult to read in much detail.
You leave the room and close the door, returning to the door nearer the stairs. You wait and listen but you can hear no voices. You repeat your technique of bursting the lock and slip silently into the room.
It seems to be a bedroom. There is a large bed covered in furs and a lit candle and a closed book on a table to it's side. Shelves of books line one wall, and a glass display case sits open between them, its contents absent from the velvet pedestal.
You hear a creak from the stairs behind you. You turn and see the lantern light coming back into view. You only have a few seconds to make your decision.

rolled 10 = 10

>>14957917
HIDE IN A CLOSET!
Is there a closet?

Anyway, hide somewhere.

rolled 70 = 70

>>14957917

Silently close the door into the bedroom behind us. Watch who is coming through holes. If this person tries to enter the bedroom stun it with a well aimed blow with a club made of ice.

rolled 52 = 52

>>14957917
We look like a skeletal corpse, right? Lay down in the nearest closet and make all the water in the aura around our hands into frost underneath the bed. We can't hide, so we'll 'play dead'. If they look in the closet, they find a corpse. If they don't we can listen in on their conversation.

You take a silent step forward and pull the door shut behind you before releasing the handle. You take the saber of ice, which has started to drip from the warmth of the manor, in your hand and reshape it into a blunt club.
Kneeling down you place your eye, or rather your empty eye socket, to what was once a key hole. The now bent lock is quite easy to see through and you see Rosemary coming up the stairs with the lantern held aloft and her palm held out before her. She reaches the top of the stairs and turns heading towards the balcony. She doesn't seem to notice any damage to the door as she passes.
You consider what to do. You can't move quickly or else the sound of the old floor boards will surely give you away. You could lash out at Rosemary to knock her out and stow her away while you finish your investigation. Or you could wait to make your move.

rolled 36 = 36

>>14958019
wait a moment. Observe. If we have to move, form water/ice into lateral strips spanning multiple floorboards to distribute our weight evenly to prevent creaking.

rolled 53 = 53

>>14958019

Stun her quickly. With her gone there is only Leonard and the other vestige binder to worry about. And we need to help Arnold soon, her going around will only be trouble.

rolled 46 = 46

Quietly open the door and see where she goes.

rolled 69 = 69

>>14958032
That is to prevent making noise?

Excellent idea, sir! I approve

>>14958052
well, thieves is some ancient cultures used a similar trick with strips of hardened leather or cured soft-wood formed into a kind of 'snowshoe' design. This does the same with what we have on hand. Gotta make do, right?

How would you knock her out?

>>14958113
Open door, bash her on the head with the ice club?

Not attacking her would be more prudent though.

rolled 45 = 45

>>14958113

Blunt trauma to the head. Either with our ice club or with a quick burst of water changed into ice before hitting. Second option potentially more dangerous.

>>14958140

But if we allow her to move freely she may cause us trouble later. We know she knows magic and apparently she is good at it. If she finds us later we may be forced to kill her...

rolled 43 = 43

could we form ice around her neck like a sleeper hold? Choke her out without hurting her?

rolled 45 = 45

Lets not hit her or take her out

I am instrerlsted in following her to see where she goes

rolled 49 = 49

>>14958157
There is a third guy with a vestige in the manor, possibly someone who came to make an other attempt at Leonard's life. We really don't want to leave her lying around unconscious and completely helpless.
That, and sounds of struggle could alert Leonard and the third binder.

You wait and watch her through the door. She makes her way to the balcony through the hallway.
As she passes you open the door, quickly encasing the hinges in water to dampen the sound. You step out on a web of ice, spreading your weight across the floor through the sheets and muffling your steps. You make your way to the stairwell, withdrawing the ice back behind you. Just as you begin to slide over the stairs you turn to look at Rosemary.
The door! You left the door to the balcony open. She makes her way cautiously out onto the balcony stopping and looking at her feet. "Why is it so wet here?"
You look to the floor. There is a trail of water on the ground everywhere you've been. You could withdraw it with a quick command but it might draw her attention. You could also use your power to encase the girl in ice and suffocate her into unconsciousness with equal ease. Or you could impale her or push her from the balcony and have no more to do with her.
Or you could just flow down the stairs on the water as you had intended.

>>14958221

I dont feel attached to her but killing her right is not needed. Since she is going to discover us in a matter of seconds we need to stun her. Hit with the club or suffocate, whatever works faster.

Then move and search for Arnold, Leonard and possible third man. Remember to withdraw all of the water with us.

>>14958146
>>14958140
That's as likely to crack someone's skull as it is to knock them down.

Or maybe that's too realistic for this fantasy game, in which case I apologize.

rolled 15 = 15

>>14958253

My bad, here is my roll.

We could try to withdraw some of the water, not enough to get her attention but like the stuff behind her she wouldn't notice. I'd prefer we not have to hurt her, it doesn't make sense in character for us to kill her in cold blood like that.

rolled 7 = 7

Evaporate the water in one minute.
Remove all water trails which she cant see
wait till she resumes whatever she was doing and follow her

rolled 92 = 92

>>14958254
you're right, a club to the head can do a lot of damage. Best to move on, unless we can close the door and lock her out on the balcony from here.

>>14958296
She could use her magic powers to get back in.

If we wanted to knock her out I guess the best approach would be to choke her. Pressure in the right places for a few seconds and she'll be out for the time being.

Or dead.

Arnold said the ritual was why Acheron could freeze us during the negotiation. What about if we summoned her without the ritual?

>>14958333
Well see, the ritual involved standing in the river and since Acheron has control over water... she decided to put us in the hot- er cold seat to expedite "negotiations".

>>14958333
I don't think she or Arnold know that we can whip her out whenever we want without a ritual. And without the ritual, she can't pressure or hurry us into anything.

With a silent command you withdraw all of the water on the floor that's not immediately visible to the Rosemary. As it withdraws you form a hand of ice and close the door behind her, sealing the lock with ice and then the rest of the door. The lock will stay shut for quite some time this way.
You hear a startled sound of surprise, but nothing else beyond that. It seems she want to remain as quiet as possible, perhaps to avoid drawing attention to herself.
You turn to head back down the stairs but hear a crack and dull roar. You turn back around and a second later the burning remains of the door swing open and Rosemary walks through the doorway, her hand pointed at you.
"You have five seconds to explain who you are and why you're here. And don't try anything or I'll blast you to..."
But she stops moving forward, terrified by your image. She staggers backwards a step her hand still raised but trembling in fear.
"Who... What are you?"

rolled 2 = 2

Hello Rose, you're looking well. Can't say the same for myself though, what with the scar first and now this. I'm sure this looks bad but if you'll give me a bit of time I can explain.

rolled 25 = 25

Distort our voice so that it is not recognizable (or is it already not recognizable)

"Death"
Step towards her.

Make have a stream of water run from you behind her so that she can't see it. Form a dull club/blackjack behind her head so that we can knock her out if needed.

"What are you doing here, little girl, you are not supposed to be here...."
Talk very slow and with prolonged sounds... just as you would imagine death to talk.

rolled 23 = 23

>>14958375

Told you guys it was a stupid idea to let her be conscious.

Fire ice shards towards her legs, hands and heart, aim for vital areas. Fire an ice spear towards her throat.

(Now we have to kill her, no other choice, not with how we look right now. And she blasted that door within seconds - she will blast US this fast too. Surprise is our advantage now)

rolled 51 = 51

>>14958414
No.
Don't reveal yourself!

Shit man, we can't go around exposing ourself to anyone.

rolled 37 = 37

>>14958421
Fuck no!

We are not killing her!

rolled 33 = 33

>>14958416
This. Try not to kill her.

rolled 45 = 45

Besides.

Acheron told us that she is invulnerable. She has no weaknesses.

So whatever Rose can throw at us will do nothing.

rolled 41 = 41

form the ice into a scythe (grim reaper is a very evocative image). Let some fall from our mouth as a chill fog. Intone in our deepest voice "Not your time yet." then turn and walk down the stairs.

>>14958459
Acheron thinks SHE is invulnerable. But we're not her, we just have one of her powers until sunup. Don't get cocky.

You realize that you are in the position of power. You step forward towards her and she steps back. Unseen to her the water of your armor flows along the floor and rises up to form an ice wall behind her.
Distorting your voice to be as intimidating as possible you pull back your hood to reveal your head and speak the most terrifying answer you can thing of.
"Death"
She stumbles backwards, her hand falling back behind her. She backs into the wall and you have her. The ice licks outwards and traps her, encasing her arms and legs and covering her mouth to stifle any screams of terror.
You walk forward and transform your icy weapon into a scythe before placing the edge against her throat, ever so carefully.
"It is not yet your time," you say as you breathe a thick mist through your teeth.
You see her eyes widen in terror before rolling back up into her head. She has fainted. You remove the ice covering her mouth so she can breathe again before turning back towards the stairs.
**You're all talk. Why pass up such a golden opportunity? How cowardly of you.**
You could retrieve the ice holding her to reform your armor before proceeding but it might be safer to leave her restrained.

>>14958518
Respond to Acheron: "Her death profits me nothing. She still thinks highly of me and doesn't recognize me in this form. that makes her a valuable source of information that I am not ready to sacrifice just yet. Besides, I went through a lot of effort to save her life a few days ago. I dislike seeing my hard work undone."

Withdraw the ice wall and leave her bound in thick frozen manacles. Gotta conserve water for the moment.

Head down the stairs.

rolled 69 = 69

>>14958518
>**You're all talk. Why pass up such a golden opportunity? How cowardly of you.**

I know her. I better not kill her if I can help it, besides, I have a mission to complete and killing her will not help it.

>You could retrieve the ice holding her to reform your armor before proceeding but it might be safer to leave her restrained.
Take a handful of water which we can use as projectile in case of emergency. I'm sure, we are to find water in this house a bucket of water in kitchen... actually, feel around to see if there's water anywhere.

Proceed down the stairs.

[[Whole new meaning to "Don't waste water, huh?" Conservation is a bitch.]]

rolled 92 = 92

Hopefully she wont freeze.

rolled 87 = 87

>>14958591
We clearly need a stillsuit.

rolled 86 = 86

>>14958563
derp, forgot my roll

"I have a mission and killing her does nothing to further it," you retort. "Besides, she might know something. I did not save her life only to kill her now."
You withdraw as much of the water as you can into armor again, leaving thick manacles of ice binding her hands and feet. Hopefully the ice won't leave any lasting damage.
You descend down the stairs flowing silently on a rush of water, not even stepping upon the creaky wooden stairs. You are in a foyer and there is an open door to each side of you. The front door is closed and likely to still be locked. You listen but can hear nothing. Your supernatural senses don't give you any indication either.

rolled 38 = 38

>>14958656
Search for cellar.

If you can find kitchen it will surely have water which is a plus!

rolled 67 = 67

>>14958671
agreed. Take a look through keyholes if available. Cellar entrances are usually adjacent to kitchens, to ease travel time between food storage and food prep. Can we see a dining room nearby?

>You and Arnold only need to run reconnaissance for the Order, gathering enough information for them so that they could eliminate the Baron without the possibility of losing the trail to his sources.
>I have lived a long life, but my research is not yet complete. You must take it and hide it, Rosemary.
I strongly suspect that Rosemary has access to all the information we desire. That said, if we're shooting to get her on our good side, then killing the Baron would not be ideal, nor would even handling him particularly roughly in order to extract what he knows.

Worse, he might recognize us- if what Acheron says is true and using this vestige is in our blood, and the Baron truly knew either of our parents and knows of magic, then he might well know that one of them used Acheron and make the logical connection that we do as well. So we'll need to play this carefully. Ideally we'd get the chance to interrogate him without Arnold present.

rolled 92 = 92

>>14958749
Aw
Dang it!
We should have searched her body,
Maybe she had something on her?

rolled 8 = 8

>>14958749
that reminds me. While roseary is out cold (no pun intended) frisk her for the seal we're looking for.

>>14958774
>>14958785
Delightful as it would be to paw at the unresisting body of a beautiful young woman, somehow I doubt that she was actually carrying critical items or information on her. And surely we'd have sensed the crest. I meant more that if we captured and interrogated her she could tell us everything... but of course, we'd completely alienate her if she ever finds out it was us.

Thinking that Rosemary may have held something of use you return up the stairs, quickly searching her. You find nothing of use except for a small set of keys, but you return them to her as she probably needs them more than you and locks have been no obstacle to you yet.
Returning to the ground floor you quickly glance into the two rooms, starting with the one to your right. The first seems to be a combination of a dining room and a guest room, currently empty and there's no light to be seen anywhere, aside from the moon through the tall windows.
Turning to the other room you find a small kitchen, similar to the one in the castle. There is a pan sitting on the floor in front of the open window, likely what caused the crash earlier and probably from Arnold's intrusion. Walking to the water-barrel in the corner, you remove the lid and add all of its contents to your armor, again completing your protection.
"Hey, it's me." You turn and see a mouse standing upon the table, it's nose twitching about. "You find anything?"

rolled 80 = 80

There is another Vestige nearby. Can you feel it?
Leonard knows we are here.
There is laboratory upstairs but I didn't find anything substantial.

How about you?

rolled 54 = 54

>>14958840
"study upstairs. Lots of astrological instruments. Nothing else of interest up there. Have you checked the basement yet?"

rolled 31 = 31

>>14958840
tell him about our close call with Rosemary. tell him there is another vestige around. ask him where Leonard is.

hows that sound guys?

>>14958840
"He was in his bedroom. Used some kind of spell to detect vestiges and found out that there were intruders; there's one here that's not one of us. Acheron confirmed it. Then he rushed off; I didn't want to engage him then. I searched the upstairs; lots of papers, no crest."

I am reluctant to mention Rosemary... as much because I don't trust the order as anything else. But is that unwise? The knowledge that someone else- capable of magic, no less- was here and saw us is rather critical.

rolled 23 = 23

>>14958902
>>14958887

We could omit the fact that she is a magic user.
Just that we brushed with her ..... oh right. What would SHE be doing here of all places?
Yeah, leave her out of this

>>14958913
If we don't mention Rosemary, then we will have to deal with her personally when we are done here. If we take care of the Baron in any fashion she'll follow his last orders and run for it, making us lose access to whatever information she had. Plus a beautiful girl who was well disposed towards us and versed in magic. And if she does something rash that reveals we lied to Arnold, we'll default to hostile towards the order, as well, which would put us in deep shit there- we're already hiding things from the Inquisition, and they don't even know what we can do. If the order decides that we're not serving their interests, they won't hesitate to assign enough power to the job to successfully off us.

"Study upstairs had a lot of weird instruments. I think he knows we're here." You decide to omit Rosemary from your story. No need to get her any more involved than she is and you don't know how Arnold would react. "And there's another vestige nearby, can you feel it?"
"What? Let me see... Gourmander confirms it. It's close. I came in through the window but I accidentally knocked a pan over. The Baron came to investigate and went down into the cellar. I came out of hiding and went to take a look down there but he's gone. Vanished into thin air. I searched everywhere else on this floor but didn't find nothing."
You look around. There is indeed a cellar door open and a ladder descending into it on the opposite side of the room. Could the Baron have fled? Or is he still here somewhere? And what of the third binder?

rolled 73 = 73

>>14958944
Look for a hidden door/passage.

rolled 19 = 19

>>14958944
>>14958944

There must be a secret room in here.
Keep searching. Maybe you could change into something with better sight and pick see the portions of the wall which look different from others?

>>14958944
>Could the Baron have fled? Or is he still here somewhere? And what of the third binder?
The Baron will not have fled as long as Rosemary is still here. He wouldn't abandon his niece to the tender mercies of an Order hit man.

I suspect some kind of invisibility power, or possibly vestige with such. Ask Arnold if he knows of any that do that.

Can our vestiges sense anything about the other vestige other than its presence? Distance and/or direction would be nice, could help us locate it.

If not... the Baron will probably be slinking around behind us, grabbing Rosemary, and fleeing. The best counter I see is to go back, grab Rosemary first, and take her for interrogation, preferably where the Baron won't be able to find her- and possibly without Arnold.

Alternately we could go into the cellar, see if we notice anything new, maybe check the walls for secret passages with crazy water-senses.

>>14958974
>Maybe you could change into something with better sight and pick see the portions of the wall which look different from others?
Better sight? Try better -scent-. He has a dog form, and that should be able to track the Baron's trail by smell.

rolled 15 = 15

>>14958944
"I'm betting hidden passage."
Go down into the cellar, run a thin sheet of water along the walls, pushing. Any spot that the water can easily traverse more than eight inches, or hits open air on the other side of the wall, should be a sign of a hidden passage.

rolled 13 = 13

>>14959008
that works too

You descend into the cellar and look around, with Arnold following behind you. It seems ordinary enough, the stores of grain, fruit, and water all spread about the room. The stairwell out to the backstreet is closed and with a nudge you find it is locked from the other side.
"There must be some kind of passage here somewhere."
You look carefully along the walls, following the trace of the stone to find a seam. But nothing becomes apparent. You step back and consider your options.
"Arnold, are there any vestiges with invisibility powers?"
"Might be. Hell if I know, though. Only seen a handful myself."
"Have you becoming a dog again and tracking his scent?"
"I did but the jerky in here makes it too hard to pick out."
Thinking quickly you spread your water into a thick mist about the room. Then you wait, spreading your sense into it. You feel a tug, as the water is pulled into a tiny crack you had missed before. Pulling all of the water back into its place you examine the crack. You can see a faint light on the other side.
You push the thin edge of your saber into the crack between the wall and it rotates out of place. Sure enough, there is a spiraling stairwell leading down and what sounds of a crackling fire below illuminates it with an orange glow.
"Ah hell. We could be walking into a trap." says Arnold cautiously. You turn and see him in the form of a large wolf with teeth bared.

>>14959071
grab a gourd or other large vegetable from the shelves in the cellar. Use some of our water to construct a crude skeleton beneath it and send our puppet down the stairs six feet ahead of us as we descend. It should take the brunt of any traps.

rolled 20 = 20

>>14959071

Gather all of the water in this place, form a web of icy threads moving before you.

Descend on the stairs quickly.

rolled 100 = 100

>>14959108
Was gonna suggest something similar too.

rolled 94 = 94

>>14959276

With a roll like that you can suggest whatever the hell you want.

But I agree, it sounds like a good plan.

You walk around the room and Open a few casks of water. Gathering up as much of it as you can you spread it around the walls of the passage. You walk down the stairwell with your icy wave crawling around in front of you, prodding into and out of every crevice it can find. Arnold turns back to his human form with a sickening sound of crunching bones, his hungering chest exposed, and follows behind you.
You reach the bottom of the stairs and stop. Across the room is the Baron with his back turned towards you. In front of him is what looks to be a large and muscular bullheaded man engulfed in fire chained to the wall with his head down as if in exhaustion. The Baron is muttering something but what you can hear of it seems to be in the elven tongue.
On the side of the room is a table with strange instruments littered upon it, including what looks to be a the crest you have been seeking and a couple of others like it.
Do you move into the room and take action or fall back and wait? You have only a moment to decide.

rolled 62 = 62

>>14959356
QUICK!!!

Flow the water to him to shut him up! He is doing some heathen ritual. Probably going to sick that Minotaur on us!

rolled 13 = 13

>>14959356

So, our dear Baron is torturing a pure and true human with elven magick? Considering we have Arnold at our back...

Capture him immediately. Encase him in ice like Rosemary.

Then interrogate the chained man. While looting the room.

rolled 49 = 49

>>14959377

We don't know that.

I vote for waiting to see what's going on before charging in.

You quickly lash all of the ice along the walls forward and encase the Baron in a prison of ice, his mouth and hand bound. He falls to the side, unable to move and barely able to breathe and you walk into the room.
"Quick and effective, that was," says Arnold as he enters the room and sees your work. "But now we know what happened to the last agent of the Order.
You walk over to the minotaur and look up into his face. "Are you alright?" you ask the man.
He looks up at you, seeming to regain consciousness, and locks eyes with you. He then swings his head back and slams it into yours sending you sprawling to the floor. "Well well well, if it isn't Tarrant the blood traitor. I've got a score to settle with you."
The bull man yanks his chains uselessly, then flares up into an explosion of flame and the liquid metal drips to the floor. "I been waitin' a long time for this," he says as you struggle to your feet and regain yourself.

rolled 27 = 27

>>14959382
I vote this. We don't know if this is the case but whatever he's doing, we can bet that letting him do it will make matters worse for us

rolled 45 = 45

>>14959476
tarrant is our father right?

I say we ice this nigga and restrain him

rolled 23 = 23

>>14959476

Back away a little while telling the man that he must have mistaken us for someone else, call out to Arnold so he can confirm our story. He thinks we are our father.

At the same time use our powers to encase him in ice too. But without losing consciousness. We need to talk with him, he has a lot of explaining to do.

rolled 96 = 96

>>14959476

"You have me confused with my father. I am no such thing."

rolled 96 = 96

>>14959476
>"Well well well, if it isn't Tarrant the blood traitor. I've got a score to settle with you."
The shit are you talking about?

Regain all your water and encase his legs in ice.
If that doesn't work, lob heavy ice boulders at him.
And sharp ice shards.

Use water/ice sliding to evade his attacks.
Use ice beneath his feet so to hamper his movement.

Maybe we should pay Acheron her due and kill this dude?

rolled 91 = 91

Also

Blood Traitor?


Wasn't the Order against the policy of House Sol?
This smells fishy.

rolled 82 = 82

>>14959515
Nah, don't say that yet. Leonard will know it is us then.
We shouldn't let anyone know who we are, even our enemies.

rolled 95 = 95

>>14959543

we know our father was a Binder, something that requires very pure human lineage to be able to do. I think "Blood Traitor" refers to Tarrant's... consorts with elves, the product of which was our half-brother and our father's execution.

rolled 62 = 62

>>14959551

Ah, point taken. I forgot he was still conscious.

In that case, just say he has us confused with someone else.

rolled 66 = 66

>>14959570
I understand.

That makes still no sense. The Order is not supremacist... at least we were led to believe so.

rolled 70 = 70

>>14959606

The KKK isn't a white supremacist organization to the casual members, just a Fraternity order of silly robes and cool rituals.

Seeing as the only people who ARE able to bind have to be of really pure human blood, I can definitely see how the core of the Order would be concerned with human supremacy.

"I think you have me confused with someone else. Arnold tell him." You turn around but Arnold is standing there, staring at you and backing up to the stairwell.
"Oh no, I know that voice anywhere. I've been hunting you a long time Tarrant. They told me you were dead but I didn't believe them. If anyone was going to kill you it was going to be me."
He gathers up a dangerous looking ball of fire in his hands and steps forward, but stops, turning to see his leg still chained to the wall.
Seizing the opportunity you draw ice from your armor to encase his legs. But he turns his gaze forward and the ice bursts into steam. You throw the rest of your armor as a volley of impaling shards but the monster throws his ball of flame, engulfing them, leaving the room shrouded in a thick fog.
You fall back to a corner and gather your wits, without your armor a single hit of the flames could be fatal. But the fog is all that keeps him from blasting you right now. There is a pool of water on the floor and you can barely make out his glowing figure by the flames upon his arms. But risking an imprecise attack could imperil one of the other two people within the room, if Arnold hasn't fled by now.

rolled 39 = 39

>>14959606
but our father MAY have been a traitor to the Order, as well as the Crown.

In order to live, a human has to drink a certain amount of water per day. See if we can grab his bladder and squeeze from the inside. not enough to damage him, just enough to hurt him.

rolled 60 = 60

>>14959671

Keep him talking so we can get a better bead on where he's at to aim.

"Who are you? Why do you want this Tarrant dead so badly?"

rolled 23 = 23

>>14959671

He has a really good vestige it seems.

No time to lose, no sense in limiting ourselves too, its do or be done.

Unleash everything we have on him. Pummel him with ice shards, aiming at the glow. Control the mist to encase him in ice. Freeze water in the air and in his lungs. Actually freeze all the water in the room and make it as cold as we possibly can.

Can we freeze the blood inside him?

>>14959726
Or just make the water inside him explode

rolled 91 = 91

>vapour
>water

We should have totall control of the room.
Manifest thin needles of ice and impale them on his weakpoints, inside the ear into his brain and eyes

rolled 40 = 40

>>14959755
>>14959726
I was thinking more along the lines of the crippling pain that accompanies kidney stones. Once he's incapacitated, we can sort this out.

Also, see if we can scoop up the various seals on the tables. We can still cut-and-run, escape from here while he's blind.

rolled 54 = 54

>>14959810
At this point we should be suspicious of the true intentions of the order and this mission. I believe we should interrogate the old man since he is the only one who has not been outright hostile as of yet.

An idea strikes you and you mentally command the fluids within the body of the beast to freeze.
**No pact maker. That troublesome vital force prevents such things.**
Trying something else you begin freezing the room, drawing all the warmth out of it and into the super heated steam. You need time and a better bead on his location so you try to get him talking.
"Who are you? Why do you want this Tarrant dead so badly?"
"There you are!"
Seeing the flash of the burst of flame in front of you, you dodge to the side as the ball explodes into the corner where you had just stood. You escape almost completely unharmed but your cloak catches fire and you quickly rip it from your shoulders and toss it away as you roll.
You lay flat on the ground and look intently at the spot where the last orb flew from. You concentrate, continuing to draw the warmth from the room and cooling the steam.
"You think you can just turn your back on us, Tarrant? Your order, your kingdom and then your race? You broke your oath!"
Focusing on the spot where the sound is coming from you draw all the water to one spot beneath him. Then in an instant you coalesce all the mist in the room into a thousand needles, impaling him from every angle. You stand and walk towards him.
"I always keep my oaths. And I swear now to you," you say as you muster one last mass of water beneath him. "I'll see you in hell." And with the flick of your wrist a spike of water shoots up to the ceiling through his jaw, impaling his horned head.

rolled 33 = 33

>>14959832

I agree, but we're kind of busy with this guy trying to kill us right now. After we take care of him, we do interrogations.

rolled 73 = 73

>>14959842

Hot damn we are badass.

Ok, NOW make with the interrogating.

rolled 10 = 10

>>14959862
Right after we ask Acheron if this counts as payment for her due.

rolled 34 = 34

>>14959842
Impale the heart too. Sorry it had to come to this, but better safe than sorry. we don't know if head trauma will be enough to kill this guy in this form.

Then once he's secure, go make sure Leonard isn't going anywhere. And use the water to extinguish any leftover flames. We don't want to attract attention by burning down the house.

rolled 97 = 97

>>14959862
I think it's time to come clean to Arnold. We can't interrogate Leonard in front of him without revealing ourselves

>>14959912
me again

do you guys have any objections?

rolled 29 = 29

Talk to Acheron

seems like I didn't need to be that cautious during the pact after all, will you claim these? Can you get any information out of his spirit and share it with me?

rolled 20 = 20

>>14959912
Nah
lets just wait

Remember. Normally a person can have only one vestige, Leonard knows we use Eno and Seno, so he shouldn't think that sceletor here is us.

He was barely consious anyway

Just ask Arnold not to say our name when interogating.
And use distorted voice

You check to make sure the man is dead and find he is no longer breathing. You withdraw the ice into armor once again before turning and extinguishing your cloak and the corner of the table that the fireball seemed to catch. No need to set anything else on fire. You look about the room and see no trace of Arnold, not even as an animal. It seems he must have fled at the first sign of trouble.
"Acheron," you say mentally. "Is this adequate tribute to you in exchange for you power?"
**Indeed, it would be. But I'm afraid the terms were already set forth. This one is now mine, free of charge.**
You look back to where the old man sits, propped up against a wall. He sits still with hands bound, but his mouth seal has melted, probably from the intensity of the heat. He is breathing heavily.
"Thrice damned moisture," he spits. "I thought I was done with that when I moved up North." He looks up at you,"Please, Tarrant, tell me it's really you?"

>>14960007
Tarrant is our father right?

rolled 85 = 85

>>14960007
how about we say something like

"It isn't. Start talking. Tell me everything."

thoughts?

rolled 45 = 45

>>14960007

"You know Tarrant? How?"

Threaten him with an ice dagger if he won't talk.

>>14960050
[[You are correct.]]

rolled 53 = 53

>>14960063
In that case "No, but it would be wise to tell me everything you know about him."

rolled 56 = 56

Wait
lets pretend we are
at least do not deny

"perhaps
Leonard, tell me what happenex here?
What were you doing with this man?"
let him explain everything

>>14960098
he'd see through that instantly. both leonard and tarrant obviously know that man

rolled 100 = 100

>>14960117

Yeah, it's hard to impersonate someone who we know nothing about.

"It isn't. Start talking. I want to know everything."
"Ah, so then it is you, boy. As I suspected. You couldn't have just knocked?Or... How did I not see it sooner... They got to your first, didn't they? The Theurgian Order."

rolled 6 = 6

We don't know enough about our father to fake being him.
Grab Leonard by the throat. "You aren't that lucky, elf. Now, tell me what you were doing to him, how you acquired all those seals on the table, and why I shouldn't kill you and your niece."
I don't think we would actually hurt her, but the threat should be enough.
"Oh, yes, I know you've been teaching her magic. I know what the two of you are. And I know that you have designs on dragging Tarrant's boy into all this. Now, start talking, or i will keep you alive long enough to watch her die."
Smirk internally to Acheron --See? THIS is why I don't want to kill prematurely. You never know what will be useful down the road.--

rolled 70 = 70

>>14960185
Inquire about the order, don't get rough with him though. Remember, he has not done anything to us guys.

rolled 78 = 78

I say that we start out like this
>>14960058

then if he's not helpful we get threatening like this
>>14960193

rolled 79 = 79

>>14960185

"You still didn't answer my questions. How do you know Tarrant? What did he discover that made him break his vows?"

>>14960230
>>14960223
we have to throw him off the trail, make him think we're not greg. And that means being a bit of a dick.

rolled 41 = 41

>>14960230
wasn't paying attention

let's do this
>>14960223
and if Arnold pipes up and becomes an impediment to the interrogation we tell him to stfu

rolled 39 = 39

>>14960230
>threatening
We really really don't need to turn this guy into a complete enemy. He was neutral to us at the worst.

>>14960257
The cat is out of the bag as far as that's concerned unless the guy is deaf. The minotaur raged at us because we were similar to our father, and we just confirmed to the guy that we are not him.

rolled 19 = 19

>>14960257

He can tell we're Greg, I don't think playing coy is going to help us much here.

I have a feeling we're being played by the Order, and I want to get information from both sides before doing anything that might make us some more enemies.

rolled 11 = 11

>>14960223

Seconding.

>>14960296
>>14960297
There's an entire order of binders. Just because our father bound Acheron doesn't mean we can. remember, most binders pick one and stick with it, and Leonard already knows Greg is connected to Seno/Eno. He doesn't know we're capable of mixing and matching at this. We haven't admitted to being Greg yet.

>>14960350
I say, if we make anyone our personal vestige, it be dwarfbro.

"You still didn't answer my questions. How do you know Tarrant? What did he discover that made him break his vows? What exactly is the Order? What are their goals?"
"All very simple and the same answer. He discovered the truth about the so-called Order. They want to keep the greatest power in the world for themselves. And they want a puppet nation to do it. They tried to put your father on the throne as a boy-king and he didn't want anything to do with it so he fled and I helped him. In the ensuing power vacuum House Sol, one of the only Houses not controlled directly by the Order, took the throne. That was almost fifty years ago. They've been grasping at straws ever since and your father made it his life's work to fight back. That's how we learned about his exceptional power. One that you inherited too, no doubt." He shifts uncomfortably. "Look, I'm not going to do you any harm if you're not going to hurt me. Can you please release me?"

rolled 9 = 9

>>14960380

"Interesting story...but how can I know you're telling the truth?"

rolled 59 = 59

You people keep talking as if Tarrant is still alive.
Is he?

rolled 38 = 38

>>14960380

How about no? You stay chained there until you prove your worth. I owe you *nothing* and your very life depends on my actions right now. If you prove to be useful, be it with your knowledge or in other ways, you may yet live. If not... well you know too much about me.

rolled 65 = 65

>>14960374
Seno/Eno and Xepoch are pretty cool too. I'm in no hurry to pick one and exclude the others. As it stands, the only ones i'm not fond of are Acheron here and Tenebrous. The others have been very easy to get along with.

>>14960380
What was the name of the vestige that man was bound to? And where did you get all those seals?

rolled 92 = 92

>>14960380
His story seems the most believable imo because it explains the whole elf wife thing. He probably wanted to go live with the elves to settle down and get away from the order. Ask him to explain our first meeting before we release him.

rolled 43 = 43

Hey
bunch of seals?
Bunch of new vestiges!

Ask him why he helped father and who exactly he is to help him


Also Arnold is gone.
I dont like that. I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he wasnt lying to us, that he got fed the same story as he did us

rolled 37 = 37

>>14960463

Tenebrotep would at least be handy if we're expecting a fight. We were dumb contracting with him at first and now that we know more of what to expect when dealing with him, I think we can use his powers better to our advantage.

Acheron is a bitch though and I'd rather not deal with her again if we can help it.

>>14960531
She may be a bitch, but she's also an unbelievably powerful bitch. Also knowledgeable.

"Not just yet. I'm still not sure I can trust you and I still have questions. Why did you say you wanted my help the other day? You said you needed to complete some sort of experiment?"
"Yes, my life's work. I'm trying to discover what exactly it is that gives humanity such a potential to call forth beings from the void where others cannot and why their blood must be so pure to do so. With this I may be able to find a way to fight back against it with elven magic."
"Where did you get all of these seals from?"
"Most of them were given to me by your father. When he would return from his travels he would often leave them behind with no explanation except to use them for my research. But since every vestige must have a master, it's obvious what he did to obtain them. I think he sought to collect them to keep from those who would use them for ill. The charred one I showed you came from that Sanctified One, though," he says with a nod towards the minotaur upon the ground. "Pulled it off of him myself."

rolled 80 = 80

>>14960531

Tenebrotep is the stealth assassin not a warrior type. Using him in combat, with lights and shouts is a bad idea in general. Infiltration and subterfuge yes.

>>14960463

All vestiges have their uses and we shouldnt limit our options.

It seems we are going to have and pick a side soon. Or at least pretend we do. I vote for the Order right now, they seem to have enough backing and power to provide us with knowledge, safety and time we need. Even if they lie to us (and most likely they do) we also lie to them. As long as we get more from this deal than we give its fine for me.

rolled 75 = 75

>>14960574
Elevated to Potential Brotential status. Release him.

>>14960593
[[Hello quest fag guy. As much as I enjoyed your quest, it seems to be sitting in the middle of mine right now.]]

rolled 82 = 82

>>14960574

Ok, let me see if we can put all this together.

When we first came to Arthur, he was concerned that the King was wanting to use the seals and summoning magic as a weapon, and that the Order wanted to keep it our of his hands (for the greater good of course).

Leonard told us that the current ruling house is not directly under control of the Order, so it would make sense if the Order's true intentions were to keep this power for themselves that they would NOT want it in the hands of the King.

Hmm, this story seems to line up. I suspect we may have gotten involved in the wrong side, but I don't think we have all the pieces yet.

>>14960628
that was my mistake, I was reading yours and put it into the wrong form.

My deepest apologies.

rolled 29 = 29

So is our father alive or dead? I am confuz

say
While I do not actually know that much about the Order, do you have any evidence of what you say about then?

>>14960636
[[No trouble at all. Good luck with your quest.]]

rolled 14 = 14

Finding out where Arnold went and making sure Rosemary is alright should be high priorities right now.

rolled 26 = 26

>>14960574
"I want your notes on Vestiges. All of them. I may or may not return them later, depending on how this plays out. If I even think you might betray me, i will return with more power than Tarrant ever wielded, and when i'm done, you will forget he, I, or vestiges ever existed, as i will rip the knowledge from your mind myself. I will take your notes, and the seals, and leave. I will release you as I leave the building. Go see to your niece on the second floor. She should need some soup and a warm blanket."
-Ask Acheron if she can modify memories the same way Tenebrotep can.
Turn and take all the seals, as well as all the notes and journals we can find, using our cloak as a makeshift sack.

rolled 25 = 25

>>14960574

Take his seals and notes, ask for explanations.

After that take him with us and move back upwards, keep him bound in ice at all time. Check up on Rosemary and Arnold.

rolled 2 = 2

Oh
ask him about the artifact
maybe he knows something about it


"And Rose? How is she involved in all this?"

rolled 33 = 33

I think Arnold went to send a report.
We should catch him before he does it, bring him here and ask have him explain his side of the story.

"What proof do you have of your claims."
"None at all. But I give you my word. Your kind values those, right?"
You draw the ice from his hands back into your armor and help him to his feet.
"That's good enough for me for now. I'll need all of your notes and collected seals. Then I'll leave you be for now. If you betray my trust, I'll return and make you forget any of this ever happened. You should make sure your niece is okay. I left her in a similar state upstairs."
"Ah, so you bested her did you? Can't say I'm surprised. She's always been a bit impetuous."
He walks across the room and picks up five seals from the table as well as a small stack of notes and placing them in a small case. He turns and hands them to you. "This is all I have. It's not much but its yours."
"Alright, now hands behind your back so I can be sure you haven't got any tricks up your sleeves." He does so and you seal them together in ice after pocketing the case of seals and fetching your tattered cloak. "Let's head back up."
You walk up behind Leonard until you reach the top of the stairs. There in the cellar is Arnold, pacing back and forth.
"Oh thank goodness you're all right. I'm sorry, I panicked. I ain't never been in a fight before and... I didn't want to fight no other agent of the order and... But at least you're alright, right?"

rolled 67 = 67

>>14960786

Ahh Arnold, good, we will talk about your... performance in this encounter later. For now please take care of Leopold while I go fetch his niece.

Go fetch his niece. Be careful in case she is conscious again.

I think we should imprison Leopold in our chambers under the monastery, get his knowledge.

rolled 58 = 58

>>14960786
"For the moment. But I don't like being set up. The Order sent me a dangerous seal as likely to kill me as bind with me. Sent the both of us against an elven wizard who had bested their agents before, agents far more experienced than the two of us. So, now I want answers. First from you: Did you know any of this? Did you know Tarrant's history with the order? were you really sent to look for your artifact, or to keep an eye on me?"

It seems to me that Leonard is being extraordinarily cooperative with us. It would be useful to gain he and Rosemary as allies, rather than sniping at them both verbally than magically. Be sure to present some modicum of decency to them. I'd rather compare notes with the old man than beat information out of him.

rolled 14 = 14

>>14960891

Whoops, here be my roll.

rolled 40 = 40

>>14960837
Wait no

we cant let know Arnold that Rose is involved in anyway, if he sends a report in future she will be in it. I dont want that.


Also, we all should have a sit down and a nice chat. I want to know how Arnold stands with this, how he will react to Leonards story of the Order

"We'll talk about your performance later. Right now I need to know something, Arnold. Things aren't adding up. Did the order send you here to keep an eye out for an artifact or to keep an eye on me?"
"What? How did you find out..." He says scratching his head, puzzled. Despite having horrifying gaping jaws on his chest he seems remarkably pitiful in the dark cellar. "Both actually, to be entirely honest. They told me to look after you and make sure you stayed safe but never told me why. I always just assumed you were someone's relative in the high ranks or something."
You aren't sure how to proceed. Arnold seems to be trust worthy enough, but you've been fooled by his ruses before. Can you trust him with the truth of the order? Or would he betray you and sell you out to them?
And Rosemary might still be unconscious upstairs. But you can't tend to her until you've dealt with Arnold.

>>14960983
If he sells us out, we can easily kill him or rip out his memories.

>>14961034
If he sells us out dealing with him will be the least of our worries.

rolled 29 = 29

Arnold is relatevly low on the food chain. It is quite likely he doesnt know the true version either (if it is true)
I want Leonard to give us concrete evidence on his version of the story, something at least.
Ask Arnold why he joined the order, does he truly believe in their "noble" goals

rolled 10 = 10

Can we ask Acheron if we can bind someone to the terms of an oath by having them swear on a vestige? If so, I say we swear Arnold to secrecy. Have him swear on Gourmander's name, on pain of being devoured or some nonsense.

"Acheron, can you bind a human to his word?"
**There may be some way to do such a thing, some hidden and forgotten knowledge. But I know only of the bonds between pact maker and pact giver that are so strong as to never be broken.**
You turn again to Arnold. "Arnold, why did you join the order?"
"Well, it's like I told ya. I used to be an officer in the army. I was born a noble so my father gave me the post when I was old enough. But I couldn't stand watching good men killing each other because of my orders, so I quit became a monk. That's when I met others like me, that wanted to see an end of war. That's what the order stands for, you know? We take up the sword so that one day there won't be any need for swords. ...Should we really be discussing this in front of him?" he says, pointing to Leonard.
Ignoring his comment you continue to push the point. "Do you you really believe that Arnold? Do you really believe that an organization like that would gather all that power for purely benevolent reasons? Is the order that incorruptible?"

"Well..." he says. You can see the doubt in his heart. You know that you have to tell him.
"Arnold, there's something you should know." You tell him everything you learned from the Baron. How the true purpose of the order is domination. How they are gathering the secrets of the power of binding to ensure they will have no opposition.
"And what's more," says Leonard, giving his input. "They instigated the entire war. In fact, most of the land wars for the past five hundred years have been their doing, starting with the elimination of the dwarfish people. Only recently have they turned the nation against the elves, but the threat to their few pure bloodlines left is obvious. As long as there are people that don't bow down to the order, there will always be wars."
Arnold seems extremely shaken. "I... I need some time to think about this."
"Arnold wait!" but in a second he has turned into a crow and flown up out of the cellar and presumably out of the kitchen window. "Well that could have gone better."

rolled 67 = 67

We should consider summoning Kuzo to go after him.

rolled 26 = 26

Go and see to Rosemary.
Ask Leonard about the artifact, he could know something.

I am at a loss here.
I want Leonard to give at least some kind of hard evidence ... at least something about Tennart. Ask him if your father is dead, alive or missing. Heck, ask him to tell you about your father.

rolled 21 = 21

>>14961522
I hope Acheron doesnt freak out at the prospect of double binding.
Besides, I want to see her surprised face when the next time we summon her without the ritual where she cant just freeze us.

I doubt he is going to send the report or whatever. He just abandoned his mission for thinking time.

rolled 49 = 49

Leave Arnold be for now, though be cautious in the future for he may go talking to the Order. I think we should see to Rosemary, and ask Leonard about our father.

rolled 19 = 19

Oh wait
We are still in skeletor form, right?

I dont want to reveal ourself.

Have Leonard look at her and ask him to send her away or tuck her in or whatever. tell him you dont want her to see you like this

rolled 20 = 20

>>14961692
Dont want her to connect the dots and come to conclusion that we had to do more with the forest hunt episode than she though either

You consider pursuing Arnold, possibly with the aid of Kuzo, but a double binding does not seem wise right now, especially when you barely know anything about Kuzo or the full effects of having more than one Vestige bound.
"Let's see to your niece for now,"
"I'll be needing my hands to climb that ladder then."
"Oh, right, there you go," you say, releasing his bindings again. You follow him through the kitchen and up the stairs to find Rosemary still laying on the floor. The Baron kneels and examines her after checking her pulse and breathing.
"She seems to be fine. Not a scratch on her, though she'll catch a cold if she stays in these damp clothes."
You walk forward towards the ruined door to the balcony preparing to leave as you came. You don't want Rosemary to know that it was you that attacked her. Twice now.
"One more thing. The king entrusted me with an artifact, one he believes from his own research to be related to binding in some way but I haven't been able to figure out what it is. Could I have you take a look at it?"
"Of course boy. Any time you please. If you like, I can send the girl to collect it from you at the monastery. Are you sure you won't stay? I promise she's actually quite a pleasant girl when she's not trying to kill you."

>>14961768
"Oh, I know that much already. I will come to see you- and her- soon, in case Arnold does something foolish, like call the Order. But I would wear my own face when I do."

Strip the dampness out of Rosemary's clothes and get going.

rolled 53 = 53

Nah, look at me. I am a walking skeleton, she will freak out. Besides I do not want her to know it wad me uder this form, I trust you wont tell her either?

No need to send the girl to take it. I will do it myself.

You probably know this, but there is an iquisitor in town. He said he was going to do his duties in town for a while.
And if the Order doesnt get the report from Arnold, they might make their move.


Then go and look for Arnold.
Using you vestige-sense

I still have one question guys. Chaplain is the one who refered us to Arnold and everything and said that he was involved. Just who's side is the Chaplain on anyways?

rolled 63 = 63

>>14961821
Agreed.

>>14961449
we'll handle Arnold later. I had planned on telling Arnold to send a message to the lorekeeper to meet us in a week, personally, but that looks like it will have to wait.

"I'm well aware of her kind nature. I'll come to see you both again once I wear my own face. I'd rather she didn't have to know that it was I who did this. Please, don't tell her. For now I need to make sure my accomplice doesn't do anything foolish like alert the Order."
You pause at the threshold. "Also, the inquisitor is in town and seems to be planning to make some sort of move."
"Do not worry. I have dealt with inquisitors since before you were born. He will not learn our secrets."
You turn and draw every last ounce of spare water from Rosemary's clothing and the rest of the hallway.
"A parting gift.
You step from the balcony, letting your quickly moving water slow your fall, and turn and walk briskly down the street towards the Monastery.
"Acheron, can you sense where Gourmander is going to?"
**I can only tell you he is very far away and getting further.**
You still have several hours until sunrise and Arnold could be anywhere. You could also try to sneak back into the monastery through one of your recently added secret tunnels.

rolled 6 = 6

>>14961926
Head back to the monastery. Slip in through our new tunnels, hide the new seals and notes, and then go check our Book, see if it has anything new to tell us.

>>14961950
Just to be sure, killing the minotaur guy did complete our end of the contract right?

rolled 39 = 39

Well
I guess we will not be catching up with him?

Go to your secret room and jave Acheron look at the artifact, ask her if she knows anything about it. If she refuses to tell, ask her if we could gain it through contract.

Then go to tje riverbed and mess around your powers like a little child. Also be on the lookout for Arnolds presence

>>14961991
Our contract requires us to keep Acheron until dawn and to summon her again within three days. That is all it requires, and we have currently met neither condition.

>>14961950
Sneak back to the monastery. Drop off these crests in a secure location, and see if the book has added any information on them. We won't be able to find Arnold if he doesn't want to be found, but check with Acheron as we move towards home anyway- if he seems to be getting closer, perhaps he fled back to a familiar location.

>>14961950
Lets ride a wave of ice in the direction that he flew off.

You head back to thew monastery, making for your secret entrance beyond the gardens. As you approach the gate though you stop.
**Your friend is most definately here but we cannot go any further. To do so would be to encroach upon holy ground.**
"What?"
**It is as I told you. The dead must respect the beliefs of the living.**
This is troublesome. All you wanted was to reach the secret storeroom beneath your room, but it seems like you will have to spend the night elsewhere. And on top of this, Arnold seems to have returned here, putting him completely out of your reach.
You sit by the sewer exit and play about with the waters flowing through, pointlessly. There must be a better way to spend the evening...

rolled 13 = 13

>>14962166

Oh hell, I had completely forgotten about that stipulation. Very well. We should spend some more time growing familiar with Acheron's abilities. It may be in our best interests to double-bind Mora and build ourselves a temporary shelter underground for the night.

rolled 68 = 68

Make an ice-fort

seriously I dont know. Have small talk with Acheron.

Okay stake out the windows of the monastery to see if Arnold sends a message to Order and if he does, intercept it

rolled 57 = 57

I agree with binding with Mora and building, but we should make more than one shelter if we have the time. We could make a ring of them around the town, so that there's always one close by.

rolled 12 = 12

>>14962186
Nah
Dont bind more, that will give our ability of free binding away to Acheron.

Besides, Mora said we shoukdnt tunnel further than sewer entrance

Though we will make saferooms and shelters in future.

>>14962254

Does each Acheron from different rituals and symbols share memories, because otherwise I don't think giving away the double binding or ability to bind without a ritual or symbol is a problem. Just thinking out loud here now, perhaps it is something we should study in the future? We could try using Gourmander at the same time as Arnold or something.

rolled 95 = 95

[sidenote: Could any of you guys join in Quest for Change? Almost no players at all and I'll be leaving soon]

>>14962166
Wait, it's "holy ground" to go -beneath- the monastery, even if we don't actually enter it? Don't our tunnels have at least one entrance outside of the building that we can use- I definitely recall wanting to tunnel clear to town.

rolled 24 = 24

>>14962337
Nah
that is not the problem.

She is expecting us to summon her in three days. She expects us to do the ritual and will probably freeze us again.
Summoning her like that will catch her offguard and we might get even better deal

rolled 59 = 59

>>14962378
I think Mora stopped us from that and limited us to just the immediate area around the monastery, but we could check, see how far the 'holiness' extends, though I REALLY don't want to go into the town proper. Too much risk of being spotted by the guards. With an inquisitor in residence at the moment, I really don't want stories of supernatural events reaching him. as far as he's concerned, this is a sleepy podunk town far away from heresy, other races, and weirdness. Let's keep it that way.

rolled 63 = 63

>>14962413

Heartily agreed. If all else fails, we can meditate on what we've learned somewhere within the forest and formulate a plan for tomorrow.

>>14962413
It is the middle of the night and we have a cloak to use. I don't think the risk is that great, if it can get us to our book.

But it's not a huge deal, I suppose. Do dead people sleep? We could catch some rest before dawn...

>>14962478
I agree with this. We could make a kinda thin igloo that will slowly melt as we sleep, if we end up doing that instead. To protect us from being attacked by wolves. Just assuming there are wolves because Arnold became one earlier.

You consider summoning Mora to aid you, making a shelter for the night.
**Would you really be so foolish as to seek another pact when ours is not yet up? I'll tell you now, a binding can only be performed by one who has the purest human blood flowing through their veins. And currently, you have none.**
You aren't sure whether or not you should believe her, but there would be little to gain from attempting it. Mora did say the bedrock did not extend much past the castle.
You walk to the river, out across its surface. You sit in meditation upon the water, staring into the black currents below.
**It reminds me of home.**
"And where would one such as yourself call home?"
**There is a world between worlds, where a great river of souls separates the living from the dead. I am the judge, who stands watch over the ferry and decides who is prepared to make the voyage and who must wait in penance. I carry those ready across the black and bottomless river, listening to their life's story. I exist forever to shuttle the dead from one shore to the next, never leaving the cold waters. I have heard the miseries of every man and woman that has ever lived. But no one has ever asked me of my own. Not until now.**
You wait for her to continue, but she does not. You sit in silence for hours, watching the reflected night sky in the waters below. When the moon finally sets and the first glow of dawn appears on the horizon you look up.
** I will see you within three days, pact maker. Do not forget or you will pay the price with your life.**
You walk to the rivers edge as your form begins to fade.
**And pact maker... You may call me Ash...**
Your feet fall through the surface as you reach the shallows. You have stepped again into the land of the living. The day is yours again and there is much to do.

rolled 46 = 46

>>14962505
Woops, wrong field there.

rolled 54 = 54

>>14962509

...Did we just make the ferry(wo)man of the river of souls tsundere at us?

What the hell.

Anyway, previous plan. Secret tunnel, check to make sure everything in our room is in order, then track down Arnold. We may want to have Seno and Eno or Xepoc bound when we do, since their marks are the easiest to obscure beneath clothing. Never hurts to have insurance.

>>14962509
Well, that was a little bizarre. Why the fuck would Acheron be apparently fond of us enough to give us a nickname?

Regardless, we have things to do. Into the monastery, find our book, read it. Find Arnold, talk to him. Have breakfast. Then go to sleep.

When we wake up this afternoon, we'll do things.

rolled 90 = 90

D'awww

rolled 94 = 94

>>14962509
Inside, store the recently acquired seals and notes, skim the book, then breakfast and a nap. I don't want to approach Arnold too soon. Wait, let him come to grips with what's happened. We'll approach him in a day or two.

>>14962568
Because she spends eternity listening to everyone else with nobody to talk to. I'm guessing most binders are all business with her as well. So to have a sympathetic ear is a change for her.

You enter immediately into the tunnels and make for your hidden storeroom. You place the case with the notes in it onto the table, along with the golden crest of Acheron, and walk to the raised pedestal where the book rests. You flip through the pages to see what has changed. But nothing is different. Everything is as it was. Strange, perhaps the power of the book does not function quite as you thought it did?
You return to your bedroom, pushing the bed aside and hefting yourself up through the floor before rearranging everything. You look at your bed and suddenly realize that you need not for sleep. It seems that spending the night as a corpse has left you as refreshed as if you had slept since dinner. And now thinking of breakfast, you're only ever so slightly famished.
You walk through the door just as the first bell begins to ring in the cathedral. Everyone is just about to awake so you make it to Arnold's door without incident.
You knock. "Arnold, it's me."
"Go away"
"Arnold, let me in."
"Please, I'm not going to do anything stupid. I already sent off a message saying we found nothing. Just leave me be for a bit, okay?"

>>14962681
>Because she spends eternity listening to everyone else with nobody to talk to. I'm guessing most binders are all business with her as well. So to have a sympathetic ear is a change for her.
If she was so easy to manipulate that just being nice and listening to her talk about her feelings would make her like a binder, then one would think that someone would have figured it out before us and she wouldn't be such a ridiculously feared vestige.

>>14962686
>You flip through the pages to see what has changed. But nothing is different. Everything is as it was.
Well, that's annoying. Our pokedex is defective. We need to figure out how it works, one of these days... perhaps something for our next conversation with Acheron.

>Just leave me be for a bit, okay?
"...if that's what you want. But we will need to talk before too long, Arnold. We need to figure out what to do, and I don't think a note like that will hold them off forever."

Then... we go off and do normal morning things. Mass, breakfast, what have you. If nothing comes up between now and finishing those, we can perhaps speak with Rosemary and Leonard today.

rolled 2 = 2

>>14962686

Respect his wishes. Do some research on the notes we have and the new seals we've acquired, preferably with the book nearby while we do so. Probably down in the tunnels. Maybe we have to write in our newest ritual? Or maybe Acheron is too powerful for the book to contain.

>>14962509
[[For future reference, here name is Asch. Ash was a typo. Not of great importance though.]]

rolled 41 = 41

>>14962686
"OK, Arnold. But i would like to talk to you. Come find me when you're ready."

Go to breakfast like we usually do, skipping morning mass, then off to the library. We still have to put on a show of working on translations for the Inquisitor. This is a dangerous gae we're playing, balanced on a four-edged sword (our responsibilities to the Vestiges, and our tentative contacts with the Order and with Leonard, plus our responsibilities to the monastery) while the Sword of Damocles (the threat of the inquisition) hangs above our head. we have to be as subtle as possible here.

>>14962781
or the book has to be present when we witness a binding.

>>14962769
Except they'd have to get past the 'that bitch almost froze me to death to get a better deal in the pact ritual' thing. And they'd have to get past her constant hostility.

>>14962862
It's not like we really did anything to get past either factor. We just got bored and asked an idle question.

rolled 18 = 18

Didn't we get Gourmander by breaking the seal that Arnold had before?

"...if that's what you want. But we will need to talk before too long, Arnold. We need to figure out what to do, and I don't think a note like that will hold them off forever."
You stop abruptly as the first doors begin to open. You lead the procession for the first time, entering the chapel for the morning service and sitting near the back, as usual. The chaplain enters soon after and notices you while the room is still mostly empty, puzzled. He glances at you with a curious look of smugness.
"How nice of you to join us for a change, Brother Gregory. You might consider attending with us more often, my son."
You only smile and nod in reply, but he does not continue so you let it drop.
The morning service is over quickly and you head to the dining hall for a brief breakfast. You eat a small fill before excusing yourself and making for your room. As you reach the doorway, though, there is a certain someone waiting for you with a smile.
"Hello again Brother Gregory. My uncle sends his regards. Is there somewhere we can talk?"

rolled 69 = 69

>>14962913
Garden is too public, and I don't want her to know about our private labyrinth yet. The tower room?

rolled 81 = 81

>>14962913

Always time for an old friend. I suppose it would be improper for us to speak with her in our chambers. Perhaps in a secluded hallway of the monestary, or a quiet corner of the library.

rolled 9 = 9

>>14962940

Scratch that. This is a better idea. To the tower room we go.

>>14962913
>"Hello again Brother Gregory. My uncle sends his regards. Is there somewhere we can talk?"
I am torn. Secret underground base, or no secret underground base?

...let's not. Best to keep that card close for now. Let's just go somewhere normally secluded; an unused wing, courtyard, garden, whatever.

"Of course," you say in response. "Follow me."
You lead her to the eastern tower, closing and locking the door behind you.
"Now then, what is this about?"
"I would ask you the same thing. Here I thought you were just some random Monk and it seems you are in good terms with my uncle."
She looks at you with a curious glance. "No one is in good terms with my uncle. And yet here I am, on an errand from him to see you again, of all people. He has told me to seek you out and to ask you if you have something you wish him to examine."
She looks over the room around you. "And here I thought most monks were modest. This is quite a room for one such as you. Unless I am mistaken only nobles use this room. Why do you have a key?"

>>14962973
Never show the broad your secret underground base.

Ever.

Lets take a stroll in the woods with the lovely maiden instead.

rolled 69 = 69

>>14963028

Mention something vague about sensitive research for the chaplain. Don't get into specifics.

The question now is whether we reveal the Vertalignicon to Rosemary and her uncle. On the one hand, it is sort of our ace-in-the-hole, and if too many people find out about things will go tits-up for us very quickly. On the other hand, Leonard may have some interesting insight into the artifact, and he's obviously learned in the lore of binding, if not talented at it himself.

For now, I think, we'll just bring the original seal for him to examine. He may be able to tell us something useful we haven't gleaned.

rolled 51 = 51

>>14963028
"I do not rest here. I only come here when I need privacy to read or study quietly. My own quarters are, minimal, at best."
Crap... where did we leave the artifact? In the lair, or in the hidden compartment in here?

rolled 72 = 72

>>14963081
I ay we show him the artifact from the Chaplain and a few pages of notes on the Language of the Void. the book itself stays hidden.

We need more prep time.

Thinking quickly you spin a half truth. "My own quarters are actually quite small. I only work here. The key was given to me as a secure place to work on some rather sensitive research for the chaplain. In fact, that's what I have contacted your uncle about. I wanted to have him take a look at it and see if he could discover anything I could not."
"Ah, I see," she replies. She walks the room looking at the decorated walls and furniture. "So where is it? This thing for my uncle?"
You remember it sits in your hidden storeroom beneath your floor. "Oh, its hidden away somewhere safe. Why don't we meet up later and I can give it to you then."
"Well, alright then. If that's what you'd prefer. I'll be hanging the laundry in the gardens around an hour past noon. If you like you can give it to me then. I'll be going straight to my uncle's afterwards."

rolled 33 = 33

>>14963194

Sounds good to me. We'll meet her there then.

For now, we have a few options. We could continue our research on the seals, attempt to add our new knowledge to the Vertalignicon, investigate Kuzo the Storm Warden, work with Mora more to expand our underground lair further, or see if we can bargain with Xepoc to unlock secondary and tertiary functions of Rem.

So many options, so little time.

>>14963194
"I will be there."

Pause a moment. We should really break the news about the whole binding thing to her; this level of deception is ridiculous. "Rosemary... things have been going somewhat out of control recently. A week ago, you could have called me a random monk and been right, but now that's far wrong. And I find myself needing to apologize to you... for my actions last night."

rolled 69 = 69

>>14963194
Smile, thank her, and assure her that we will deliver the package to her this afternoon.

rolled 11 = 11

Yeah, meat up with her then. In the meantime, I suggest we try to add the new seals to the book; we can't risk binding Kuzo when we don't know how long he'll stick around with us. After meeting with her, sure, but not before.

rolled 31 = 31

>>14963255
woah, woah, IXNAY. If we reveal ourselves as a binder, DO NOT let her know that that was us. Pass it off as another binder if necessary. We want her first contact with our binding side to be a positive one, not a humiliating defeat and the knowledge that we could destroy her. No, keep quiet about last night. If necessary, bind Seno/Eno and explain that that is how we saved her life days ago in the woods, that all the wounds she healed on us were _her_ wounds we took onto ourselves. IF that becomes necessary. I still say we keep her in the dark for now.

>>14963299
Her uncle knows that we are a binder. He also knows that it was us last night. Keeping that a secret from her is a temporary thing at best. If you don't want to break it to her that way, then we damned well need to break it to her some other way, and fast, because Leonard isn't going to hold his tongue forever on our request. He obviously trusts Rosemary with a lot; he's not going to keep our abilities and heritage secret from her.

If we are not the one to tell her that we're a binder, things will go poorly. We are in a relatively secure location at the moment, and given that we need to give her this information, there is no reason to delay.

rolled 67 = 67

>>14963332
wait until later, at least. A day or two, when her uncle is present, when we're discussing it all together. Not when she's locked in a tower room with us without an easy escape route. Seriously, doing it now is BAD TIMING of the highest order.

>>14963384
Doing it now is not bad timing; delaying is only going to give the shit more time to hit the fan, and if it does when she doesn't know that we're a binder things will only get worse. Waiting a day or two will gain us nothing in terms of her reaction.

If you insist on delaying, then we should talk to her and her uncle tonight. Because this is the kind of critical information that could get us, or her, killed if it is not shared.

rolled 54 = 54

>>14963403
Take one of the duplicate sword-crests, hold it near the book, and break it. See if that triggers the book's power, or if it needs to be in the presence of a ritual while it is being enacted to function.

"Thank you, that will be perfect," you say as you unlock the door.
"Farewell, Brother Gregory"
"Farewell, Rosemary."
She exits the room and hurries down the stairs. You watch her go, then lock the door and make your way to your room.
You quickly descend to the hidden passage beneath, relighting the lantern within. You have placed a lantern in ever room of your tunnels, stolen from the stock room through your secret entrance there. You pour over the five new crests you have assembled, plus Acheron's, and compare them to the book.
Much to your disappointment you find that two of them are duplicates of each other, the same crest of interlocked swords and shields. Another one is identical to the pictured crest of the coiled serpents of Seno and Eno within the book and likely is used to bind them. One is the charred wood talisman that Leonard showed you in the streets. The last is a curious thing, like a lead gambling die but with twenty sides instead of six and a rune on each side.

rolled 10 = 10

>>14963421
Fine. Let's bind with seno/eno tonight when we reveal our powers to her. A serpent tattoo is a bit less intimidating than a talking skeleton.

rolled 21 = 21

>>14963425

>a lead gambling die but with twenty sides instead of six and a rune on each side.
>but with twenty sides instead of six and a rune on each side.
>twenty sided die

Oh god. We're going to have to be very careful with this one.

You recall how Gourmander came to be in the book. You broke the amulet that Arnold carried and it appeared the next morning.
You take one of the two crests of sword and shield and smash it in twain upon the stone pedestal of the tome. You place the two halves upon the book and it instantly crumbles to a fine metallic powder. Turning the pages excitedly you find a new entry has appeared.
-Quorim, the Stalwart Blade

>>14963443
Agreed.

>>14963425
It suddenly occurs to me that if we let the artifact out of our hands this afternoon, then if the chaplain or inquisitor sees us and asks to see it we will be unable to produce it. We will need to be somewhere that we won't possibly run into them all afternoon in order to dodge that eventuality.

Or we could just hold onto the artifact and bring it with us tonight.

rolled 83 = 83

>>14963468

Oh shit indeed. Whatever vestige has a d20 as their seal is probably not going to be fun to deal with.

>>14963468
>>14963516
...do we of /tg/ hate and fear our own kind so very much?

rolled 100 = 100

>>14963500
... or bind Mora for five minutes and have him duplicate the relic in stone (just make the symbol of moradin one of the small runes on the edge). Be a good chance to ask hi about the runes on the edge, too, see if he can translate it. And the book.

Also, we need to break the other seals on the book to copy them in. Vestige-Dex go!

rolled 88 = 88

>>14963533

Poor Gregory does not know as we do the perils of grognards and neckbeards. We must tread carefully on his behalf.

rolled 47 = 47

>>14963533
[Beware the wrath of Ny'Heck Bee'aahrd, for he is pasty and reaks of cheetoes]

rolled 56 = 56

I think we should break all of the seals then, not like we'll learn anything about them that Leonard couldn't tell us as they are. We can learn their names and summon-line through the book.

rolled 23 = 23

>>14963562
agreed. Also, I'd like to make several copies of the Relic. one to give to Leonard, and one to break over the book. I would make a third to send to the Lorekeeper, but then he'd ask how we made them, recognize moradins mark, and guess too much.

rolled 37 = 37

>>14963584
I'm gonna guess that the book will only take the original relic when it comes to inserting cards for our deck. Maybe we could take a more mundane route, and sketch all of them? Get some ink, paper, quill, and set about it. We likely can imitate words well enough, having done so before our life was injected with awesome binding powers.

You break the seals one by one, having trouble only with the one composed of lead, which is too compact. But after a bit of finesse, you use the sharp edge of the metal seal to break it, and finally Acheron's. You look at the book and find the assembled names as follows:

-Xepoc, the Harbinger of Eternity’s Repose
-Seno and Eno, the Dichotomous Serpent
-Tenebrotep, the Lurker in the Night
-Asam’Ano Mora, the Architect of Misery
-Kuzo, the Storm Warder
-Gourmander, the Hungering One
-Quorim, the Stalwart Blade
-Narcosis, the Indomitable Force
-Red Jack, the Gambit of Buffoons
-Acheron, the Stygian Judge

You are quite pleased with the variety of options you now have set before you. You could call upon Mora and have him make a replica of the metal disk like you've been planning to do, or you might have time to experiment with one of your new conquests.

We really should summon up dwarfbro sometime and tell him about why his race was /really/ wiped out. I feel like he deserves to know.

rolled 34 = 34

>>14963653
I'm guessing Narcosis is the minotaur we fought, and Quorim are the sword-and-shield crests.

I say we call up Acheron. We'll wear her Mark for one hour, in exchange for her riding along and answering questions we ask. No powers, just her mark and conversation. That should fulfill our end of last night's bargain. Ask her about the book and the relic, and about other vestiges, but other than that, just relax. We have a little time to kill. An hour of pleasant conversation, then back to the linguistics books to create a fake translation for the inquisitor.

>>14963719
Let's not call up Acheron while underneath holy ground. We wouldn't be able to leave our tunnels until our binding was over, which means that our options for paying off bargains would be VERY limited. Potentially fatally so.

Calling up Mora and copying the artifact strikes me as safer and more productive. While he's here, we can ask him if he knows anything about the book or other vestiges, now that we have these names. And maybe he can fill us in on just what lets the vestiges know things- obviously they keep their memory of us from time to time; do they also remember everyone else who binds them? And if so, can they tell us about them?

rolled 94 = 94

>>14963719

We would have to be outside of hallowed ground, and I don't fancy traipsing about outside of the monastery in broad daylight with a skull-head.

[[Taking a break for some dinner. Will return in a while with continuation.]]

>>14963777
>>14963800
Ooh, I keep forgetting that stipulation. yeah, we'll wait till we have some privacy away from the monastery.

rolled 14 = 14

I love the titles given to each of the void-beings we have in the book. Bumping for appreciation of quest.

You stand back from the book and pick up the artifact.
"Great and ancient Asam'Ano Mora, the Architect of Misery. Raise you again your crafted works, engraved and carved for all to see. Come hither and stand before me!"
"Aye lad, I'm here."
"I need five minutes. The usual terms. Agreed?"
"Done."
In seconds you stand with the artifact in your arm of stone.
"Mora, I need to know what you can tell me about this thing. Is the script dwarven?"
#Nay lad, it's voidspeak. That's fer certain. But I been thinkin' about what it might be. Adamantine is rare, very rare. And only the dwarves know the secrets to its forging. But its only used in really important things. Like shovels or picks. That's 'cause it's the hardest material in the world. Nothing can penetrate it. Not even the eyes of the gods. So if I had to guess what that there is, I'd say it were a container of some sort. Something to hold a secret so powerful even the gods couldn't know about it.#
"Thanks Mora. That's a lot more helpful than anything else I've been able to find out. Now, Can you make me a few copies of it out of stone?"
#Coming right up.#
You touch the wall and draw two copies of the disk from it, leaving a small shelf in its place. You turn them over, but see the image of the angel now is a dwarf holding a hammer.
#Sorry lad. Closest I could get.#

>>14964254
>But its only used in really important things. Like shovels or picks.
Oh, dwarves. Such priorities.

Anyway, the new disk is fine. Hell of a lot better than nothing. Proceed to the questions from >>14963777:
>we can ask him if he knows anything about the book or other vestiges, now that we have these names. And maybe he can fill us in on just what lets the vestiges know things- obviously they keep their memory of us from time to time; do they also remember everyone else who binds them? And if so, can they tell us about them?

rolled 23 = 23

>>14964254
One: Ask 'Does the word 'vessivle' mean anything to dwarves?"
And two: ask if he could create two pieces, one a duplicate of one side with the Moradin seal on the reverse, and the other the opposite, and make them so that, when the moradin symbols are pressed together, they lock in place?

>>14964475
Well. Didn't mention the fate of the dwarves or discuss much vestige metaphysics with him, but I suppose neither is urgent.

We can do some more research in the library books until we're supposed to meet with Rosemary, I think.

Don't forget to inform Mora of the Order and their hand in wiping the dwarves out.

"I have been informed its a vesicle. Any idea what that might be?"
#Hmm, can't say that I have. Must be some kinda new age term.#
"Well, thanks anyways. Let's try making one in two interlocking halves. Then the symbols of Moradin can both be on the inside and both images can be preserved."
#Aye, crafty planning. Can't say I approve of hiding the symbol but if that's what you need, that's what I'll do.#
In a couple of seconds you have two interlocked disks made out of stone, perfect replicas of the original disk but obviously made out of stone.
#Just be mindful, those are pretty thin and they'll break if ye ain't careful.#
"I'll keep that in mind. A few more questions. Do you recognize any of these names?"
#Aye, I seen the Quorim 'afore. Strange lot they are.#
"What are they?"
#They're angels, lad. Not like any angels I ever known though. Can't tell you any more than that.#
"Thanks Mora, you've been a huge help. But there's something I need to tell you... It's about your people." You tell him about the eradication of his race and th Order's part in it.
#I'm glad you told me this lad. I'm glad to finally know what become of them. But as I said, they're gone. Revenge don't matter to me. I'm a builder, not a destroyer. But now our time is up. See you again soon.#
And with that, Mora leaves you and releases your arm. You look at the book, considering your options both old and new.

rolled 88 = 88

I suggest that we save any extraneous binding until we're done meeting with Rosemary. Don't want to meet her with a field of floating blades or some shit. For now, we should consider options for when we re-bind Acheron. She may be angry that we bound her without the proper ritual, and some preparatory measures to pacify her may be in order.

>>14964575
Back to research! Not enough spare time to risk experimenting with binding at the moment, Rosemary and her uncle are scheduled for later, Arnold is being solitary, so we might as well maintain our cover for the Inquisition.

rolled 53 = 53

>>14964648

I agree with some mundane studying for now as well.

Next time we bind Xepoc, we need to convince him to get some people together to resurrect the dwarven race, because Mora is infinitely too deep into the bro tier to leave hanging like this.

You return up above for now and continue to compile your research. You decide to add to the report some mundane talk of the myths of the country of its origin, trying to tie them to the disk anyway you can without mentioning any of your knowledge of binding. You find a lot of strange parallels between this and legends of cultural shamans that would "walk in the shape of the gods", including once legend of the two headed serpent of life and death. The obvious reference draws your interest, and after a little more research you find mention of Acheron in some more modern legends too, but with nothing you haven't already heard before.
You return to your room and add your compiled notes to your collection before going back to your secret lair. It is approaching the time of your meeting with Rosemary and you consider which you should give to Leonard for study: The real metal artifact or an imitation one of stone.

>>14965027
Imitation, definitely. Mention to Rosemary when we give it to her that it's a two-part replica of the original, though we don't have to be any more specific than that. We can bring the original by when we go to visit them this evening.

rolled 2 = 2

>>14965125
Second.

[[I think we'll call it a night here. A lot happened and I think this is as good a stopping point as any. No session tomorrow. Next one will be Thursday.]]

rolled 89 = 89

>>14965168
Alright, it was a good session. First one I've taken part in, glad to have been here, and thanks for running it.

>>14965211
[[Always glad to have new players. Hope you're enjoying the quest so far.

Archived:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/14957154/

As always thanks to everyone for playing.

rolled 85 = 85

[[Hey OP, I went to sleep in mid-session but wanted to say that I enjoy this quest. Thank you for entertaining us]]

Does anyone know where the first parts of this are archived at? I only have this part and the one before it.

>>14968403
All of them are archived on suptg

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Binder%20Quest

That has all of them. The first two which didn't get archived are posted as screen caps in #3.

>>14968539
Thanks

>>14969440
No problem.