[[As a reminder, this is the full list of Vestiges you now know how to summon:

-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 have discovered that you can, in fact, call upon them without the book. Though what the full limitations of this are remains a mystery.]]

bump

One more bump.

I know it's the apocalypse and all but there's gotta be some people up for a little questing. No better time than now.

rolled 14 = 14

I think we should summon Kuzo

rolled 10 = 10

Kuzo is still mostly unknown. Powerful, but unknown. Can't get a straight answer out of him since he doesn't speak.

We're already bound to Xepoch, but he'll probably want to see the entire process start-to-finish.

We don't want to give away knowledge of any Vestige they don't already know about. So, Seno/Eno, Narcosis, Xepoch, and Acheron.

I vote Acheron. We can fulfill our debt to her and give Leonard a good show.

[[Current vote is still in favor of Kuzo. Unless someone else opposes it or the poster changes his mind.]]

rolled 43 = 43

>>15002443

We already promised to summon Acheron again, so I don't see any reason why not do her.

Well, apart from her being a frosty, arrogant bitch who was about to kill us to hurry up the bargaining in her favor, but still.

Can't we just show him that we're still bound to Xepoc? Flash the gauntlet then draw a penis on his face or something.

You turn to face Leonard.
"Well see for yourself. I'm already bound to one right now." You hold up your arm displaying the gauntlet.
"Fascinating contraption. What does it do?"
You flip the switch to the left and walk behind the Baron, leaving him frozen in time. You flip the switch back and wait for the five seconds of payment to pass. You see Leonard look around the room, unsure of where you went.
"I'm right here."
He spins around and glances at you.
"True teleportation? But such things can't be done!"
"Not quite. The gauntlet is a conduit between me and Xepoc, a being with mastery over the flow of time. I actually just froze time and walked behind you."
"How marvelous! What and incredible tool! I had not realized that there were binders with such strange abilities. Can you summon one? A vestige, I mean. Can I meet one myself?"
"Of course," you say, remembering your promise.
But who to summon? And should you dismiss Xepoc first? You consider the enigmatic Kuzo, whom you still know so little about. You could also call upon Acheron again, though her costs are often very high and you don't fancy the idea of having to kill someone tonight.

rolled 29 = 29

Quorim?

We can dismiss them without making a deal ... though they might get annoyed after doing it so often.

Lets summon snake Sisters.
Leonard knows we know that Vestige so there is no harm.

rolled 4 = 4

>>15002476
No!

She might insist on battle to death with Rosemary.
We better summon her late, when we are alone.

rolled 73 = 73

Seno/Eno. Almost no cost, easy to control, and he's already vaguely familiar with her.

You decide to call upon Seno and Eno, as they are fairly reliable and won't ask too much in return. And if you do end up in combat with Rosemary at least you'll be able to reverse any damage you do.
"Now, normally a binding requires three things: a ritual, a seal of the pact, and an incantation. But for some reason I'm able to bypass the ritual and forgo the seal. Stand back, I'll need some room. And whatever you do, do not enter the summoning circle."
You walk to the center of the room while the other two stand back along the wall.
"Dichotomous serpent, Seno and Eno, I seek your wizened guise. Crawl again upon the earth alighting mortal eyes. Come hither and stand before me!"
Within seconds the large serpent comes slithering down the stairwell, as if from nowhere. It encircles you as Rosemary stifles a small gasp. Leonard merely looks on in curious wonder. The serpent rears up its heads and from its mouths comes forth the sisters.
"We answer your call again, pact maker. How can we be of service?" they say in a hissing tone.
"Seno and Eno?" says Leonard from the wall, stepping forward. "Please, tell me about the void! What is it like? How do you travel between worlds? Where does your power come from?"
You look to the serpent sister but they continue to stare at you. They do not seem aware that anyone has even addressed them.

rolled 46 = 46

>>15002730
Well,
relay his questions or ask them to answer him directly/

"Seno and Eno, can you answer his questions?"
"And what questions are those?"
You relay everything that Leonard just asked.
"The void is nothingness. It cannot be described because it is not. As for how we travel from it, that I cannot say. If we were but an avatar of ourselves, we would be created from the void within the heart of man, conjured from a piece of his or her essence. But as for us, we merely answer the call and we are brought forth. And our power... Well, the power of a God does not diminish so easily."
"Fascinating..." says Leonard from the side. He is walking around the circle, examining the sisters in great detail.
"Now, pact maker. What is it that you ask of us?"

rolled 79 = 79

>>15002730
"A moment, please. There are others here with questions about your nature and the void. Would you be willing to answer a few questions?"

rolled 93 = 93

>>15002845
"I wish a mere twenty minutes of bearing your mark, with the standard conditions."

And spell out the exact conditions so that leonard and rose can hear them.

rolled 27 = 27

Ask Leonard if he has any more questions.

if he has nay:
"For now, more knowledge" and repeat the questions.

If not, take a pact for half an hour, unless there are some special clauses she they demand. (iirc, the default pact is to give as much as you take)

rolled 96 = 96

>>15002877
Nah, don't do it.

I don't want Rose to catch on that we healed her that night... it might bring more questions from her. We don't want to admit that we were the one to hurt her...

>>15002910
[[Well what are you suggesting that you do then? Only ask questions and not make a pact?]]

rolled 96 = 96

>>15002981

Ask questions as much as we can till they refuse to answer unless we make a pact.
Then make the pact . Just say the same conditions as before unless they object.

>>15002910
we're going to have to make a pact with Seno and Eno. nothing we can do about it.

rolled 59 = 59

>>15002981
>>15003063
Maybe I wasn't clear.

>And spell out the exact conditions so that leonard and rose can hear them.
this is what I opposed. Not making the pact.

"Leonard, do you have any more questions to ask?"
"Many, but nothing right now. I want to see her power in action."
You turn back to the sisters. You decide to make the first pact again, with their power over vital force.
"I ask for your gift for twenty minutes with the same conditions as the first time if that is acceptable."
"Very well. We agree. And so it is done."
The sisters again coil around you until the seprent merges with your skin, leaving the emerald tattoo of the serpent along your arms and back.
"Incredible. Simply incredible. It's just like when your father returned, the same markings. Can you show me what they can do?"
You freeze. You feel mentally compelled to use your power at this instant. You had forgotten what exactly the terms of your very first pact with the serpent were. In addition to always taking as much life as you give, you also agreed never to pass up a request to use your power by another. You are bound to the will of any that posses vital force. You feel the coiling presence about your heart. You know that must use your power right now or else some terrible fate will befall you. You look around, desperately trying to determine how to use it.

rolled 67 = 67

Remember how you tried to snuff out the campfire? Do that with a candle.

or

Find something wooden in the room with some scratches and cracks (table for example)
Then find something else wooden (chair). Transfer "vital" force from chair to table.

Take two papers. Shear one in two and transfer the damage to another paper.

or

Make a very shallow cut on your hand. Barely enough to draw blood. Then transfer it to Leonard. Or vice-versa.

or

If all fails.
Transfer the scars on your face to Leonard and back.

rolled 28 = 28

>>15003106
how about finding a scratch in some stone somewhere and transferring it to another stone?

Immediately after inform Leonard that he should not speak to us unless we speak to him while summoning. Some vestiges can be influenced by the others, and some are hard to control and will take advantage of us if we are distracted.

rolled 7 = 7

>>15003167
That works too

smashing a dinner-late and transferring the damage to another dinner-plate

rolled 21 = 21

>>15003167
"by the others" I meant by other people around us. not other vestiges

You turn about trying to transfer essence between things as you spot them.
You try to transfer the vital essence of the flame of one torch to another but it does not seem to be possible. You look to the cracks in the stone and try to transfer the damage to another, but there does not seem to be vital essence to grab. The serpent emblem shimmer in its mocking green coloration upon your arms.
You walk to the table and, unable to stop yourself, cut a small gash in your hand so that it begins to bleed. You then turn and point your palm to Leonard and pull the essence from him to repair the damage.
You look at your palm and find it completely mended, the dripping blood pulled back into your hand. Leonard, seeing this, opens his own palm and finds a freshly bleeding wound there.
"You can transfer wounds, it would seem. How strange a power. I'd imagine..."
"Leonard, stop, please. I must ask that you not say anything else so freely. There are strange conditions placed upon those bound to a vestige and if I were to falter it could cause danger to you or myself. Please, I must ask that you do not ask anything of me. At least until the Pact has run it's course.
Leonard seems about to say something in response but stops himself. He mutters something and you see the wound in his hand close up, leaving a thin scar.
You stand in silence for a short before Rose steps forward. She walks over to you and looks at you, curiously. She twists her hands and you see a tiny flame dance from fingertip to finger tip. Her intent seems obvious. Had you not just said to ask nothing she would likely have plenty of questions for you now. But what can you say?

rolled 87 = 87

>>15003244
I will explain more about this to you both when the pact is over. (see if we can end the pact now?)

When the pact is ended, we should be honest if asked about our scar from Tenebrotep. But we shouldn't reveal anything about the book of true binds

rolled 40 = 40

They just need stop asking us to use our power, right?
Or I we bound to do whatever someone asks of us?

Anyway, tell them to wait for 20 minutes.

Hey, we still have Xelocs watch glove.
Lets store those 20 minutes then. sit in a corner first and tell them what you are going to do.

You need to end this pact now before trouble really begins to brew.
"Please wait twenty minutes. Once the pact has expired I'll explain."
You turn away and close your eyes, flipping the switch to the right to freeze yourself in time for twenty minutes. The snake marking fades away and you are left with only your pact to Xepoc as you flip the switch back to the neutral position, now with twenty minutes stored.
"There, I have dismissed the serpent."
You turn to see Rosemary is still looking at you intently.
"Gregory, that wound on your face..." says Rose tentatively. "It used to be on mine, didn't it?"
"Yes, it did."
"And you took it upon yourself, along with whatever other wounds I might have had that night?"
"What are you talking about?" interjects Leonard.
"Not now uncle. Answer the question, Gregory."
"Yes I did."
"I think you better tell me again what happened in the woods that night."
You had been dreading that this moment would come. Rose has finally put together all the pieces and likely suspects everything. But do you tell her the truth or continue to lie? And if so, how much of a lie do you tell her?

rolled 76 = 76

Aww dang it.

Say

"I might have omitted the fact that you were grievously wounded to your chest and had scars along your face"

"I may have omitted the fact the you had grievous chest wounds and your face had been scarred. You can understand my need for secrecy."
She seems to accept this for now, turning away and walking back across the room to take a seat. You sense she is indignant about her compromising her own identity to save you when you did not do the same in return. But this result was inevitable and with luck she will forgive you in time.
"Anyways, enough chatter. You seem to have several vestiges waiting to be bound to you. Is that normal for a binder?"
"I'm not sure but I don't believe it is."
"How many vestiges do you possess? What are their names?"
Another question that you aren't sure how much to answer. How much do you wish to trust these two with?

rolled 6 = 6

>>15003571
Leave out Tenebrotep and Mora.
I don't see any problem with divulging any others... though tell him that you will not make any new pacts, you don't want to make any payments now.

Oh, also ask for a random book to borrow so that we can give it to Xepoc.

rolled 11 = 11

I also want to ask them some questions.

What happened to our father. I am not sure if he is dead, we were told so by Chaplain, but perhaps he was lying (or he has been lied to).
What kind of progress he made.
Ask for more information about the Order.
Ask him what they intend to do. The Order has their sights on them, and I doubt they will not investigate further.
Oh... ask what he learned about the artifact.

rolled 13 = 13

I'm also very curious to hear about dad.

You tell him a of all of your Vestiges, with the exception of Asam'Ano Mora and Tenebrotep, as their existence might reveal more than you are willing to divulge.
"Now I have a few questions for you. Let's start with my father. Is he still alive?"
"I wish I knew myself. We drifted apart over the years. He spent thirty years on his blasted crusade before he came back. Something gave him a change of heart and he wanted nothing more to do with it. As for his fate, well. I heard the same story as the rest. He died defending this little town from the Zarian army, standing shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of men who wanted to defend the only town left where elf and man could coexist. Of course, you know how that ended."
"What about the Order?What else can you tell me about them?"
"Not much really. I only know that they're the puppet masters pulling the strings of the nation to move their little agenda forward. They draw everyone in to whatever side they believe in most, when really the Order holds all the cards."
"You know the Order will eventually come for the two of you again. What will you do then?"
"I haven't yet decided. Maybe I'll return to the capital. They'll never be able prove my sullied heritage, though I doubt I'll receive a warm welcome. Assassinations are much harder to pull off when you're sitting in the public eye, though, so the safest thing might be to head for the eye of the storm. As for Rose..."
"I can take care of myself," she says in a pleasant tone.
"Right, that you can my dear." He pauses for a moment, his eyes moving up and down the gauntlet upon your arm.

Now then, my boy. While you are still bound to a pact I would like to try something. I took a sample of the blood of the captive that I had here until recently. I have been using it to work on an instrument that might allow me to forcefully expel a vestige. It would truly be a marvelous thing to be able to do. If you would be willing, I need a new test subject for my continued research. However, I know not what effects it may have upon the binder himself. I'm still working out the details."
You aren't sure that you like the sound of this proposition. It seems like it could be dangerous to agree to.

rolled 88 = 88

"Effects on the binder aside, you are proposing to something that could potentially free a vestige into the Mortal world. Xepoc would be undone due to his specific situation, vestiges like Narcosis and Archeron want nothing but destruction and murder of people.
Aside from that, my vestiges differ greatly from what you have seen. Normally, people bind an Avatar of the vestige, while I make a pact with the original Vestige itself. Whenever this test of yours works or not, it will wield you no results as they would be inconclusive with other binders.
Also, I am not sure I want to see what will happens to me. If what you say works, then I will be undoing a contract. This can only lead to horrific end, possibly my death or of the Vestige"

Nope, not doing that

"It sounds too risky. By expelling the vestige you'd be breaking our pact. That could have terrible effects on both me and Xepoc here, possibly destroying one or both of us. And as I have said before, my bindings are different from those of normal binders. Whatever you would find there would be no guarantee that you would get the same effect from a normal binder."
"Ah, you're very right. Makes sense after all. Oh well. Maybe if I'm lucky the Order will send me another test subject soon enough. Hopefully the next one doesn't nearly kill me. Anyways, this discussion has been very fruitful. We should converse like this more often."
"Are you going to take a look at the artifact I brought you?"
"Oh yes! Of course!" he says as he strides over to the table and opens the case.
"I can't say I've ever seen anything like it. I'll take a closer look later. But for now I think the two of you had best be off for the night."
"If that is your wish, uncle."
Rose turns and heads up the stairs, pausing at the foot to wait for you. If there is anything else you wish to ask, now is the time.

rolled 80 = 80

>>15003847
agreed. though that comment about our ability to perform true binds might by best omitted. it could possibly clue him into that we have the book of true binds. he may not be aware of any such thing now, but it could fuck shit up in the future

rolled 19 = 19

>>15003930
"Rose, I'm sorry I deceived you."

>>15003789
lolnope. Like hell we're letting this guy test weapons designed for us, on us.

"Rose, I'm sorry," you say, but she turns anyways and walks up the stairs. With nothing left to say you follow behind her.
You reach the top of the stairs to find the passageway door ajar. You look about but she seems to have already left the room. You turn to climb the ladder when you hear a call.
"Gregory, this way." You turn and see the cellar doors to the back streets are unlocked and Rose waiting for you, holding a door open. You turn and follow her out into the cool early evening streets. She walks off in one direction and you silent follow until you catch up and walk beside her.
"I don't accept your apology because there is nothing to forgive. I should be apologizing to you. You saved my life and sought only to protect your secret. Just as I did my own. Now, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, there is something I wish to show you."

rolled 9 = 9

>>15003952
In our defense, we didn't know she was an elf or that she was going to use magic to heal us

rolled 94 = 94

>>15004036
Okay. There is no need for her to apologize (inb4 we try to out-apologize each other)

Anyway, lets see what she has to show us.

rolled 88 = 88

>>15004133
agreed

"Of course I do."
"Good, then follow me."
She leads you through the streets and towards the monastery. You walk together through the quiet streets. You check intermittently to be sure that you gauntlet is completely covered by your robes, but Rosemary assures you that no one will notice.
As you approach the hill rising up to the monastery the two of you turn, taking a different route. You suspect you know where you are headed but you don't ask. You enter the graveyard to find it completely vacant. You've only been here twice before. You can to search for your father's grave both times, but never found it if there even is a grave here to find. Rose leads you to a tree and stops, kneeling down. She places her hand on the ground and a snow-white flower rises up from where here palm rests.
"This is where my mother lies, in an unmarked grave. I don't remember her very well. She died when I was very young, only a babe. She died in the same battle your father did. My father used to tell me she was a fearsome warrior and was never bested by any man while she had a blade in hand. Not until that day anyways."
She turns and looks up to you. There is no sadness in her eyes, only a faint gloss of reminiscence. You offer your hand and she takes it, rising from her knees with your aid.
"We are so very much the same, you and I. We were born of two worlds and yet we have walked upon the same path. Which is why I want you to promise me that if you leave this place, no matter what cause you follow, that you will bring me with you."

rolled 30 = 30

Hot damn!

We have unwittingly scored a hot babe!


Be concerned about her proposal but do not completely refuse it. Ask her what her uncle will think. Tell her that if you will leave this place, it is most probably that you will be running for your life or heading to somewhere dangerous, tell her that you don't want any harm to come to her.
And what about her father, is she going to leave him like that?

rolled 19 = 19

>>15004212
agreed

You try to contain your excitement. Your heart jumps at her words while your head tries to remain clear.
"What would your uncle think? Or your father?"
"I don't care what he thinks. He keeps busy enough in his own work anyways. And besides, he can take care of himself. As for my father... I think he always expected this to happen someday. He's always said I had my mother's spirit for adventure."
"It will be dangerous. And we would likely be pursued."
"Everywhere is dangerous and I have been pursued my whole life."
"I don't want you to come to harm."
"Then you'd better be ready to fight."
You are very happy with the way this exchange is flowing, even if you are being out paced at every turn.
"Alright then. You have my word."
"I'll hold you to it. And tighter than one of your vestiges ever will," she says with a smile. She leans forward to kiss you upon your cheek again.
"I need to return to my father. He will be getting worried if I am much later. Good night, Gregory."
"Good night, Rose"
"I hope you found everything that you were looking for tonight." And she turns and leaves. Head off back down the hill towards home and leaving you alone in the graveyard.

rolled 73 = 73

We have 20 minutes on Xepoc.

What do you suppose we do with it?

Call on Mora and make tunnels to Town?

Also, I need to bring this to attention. When we summon Acheron again DO NOT DO IT IN THE MONASTERY!
Have Greg make a mental notice [this, in case I am not there when summoning her and other players forget about holy grounds]

>>15004308
[[Don't worry. I'll be sure to remind anyone that suggests it next time.]]

[[Got to go. Have company. Probably be back later. If not back in four hours, archive it.]]

rolled 58 = 58

Anyway, since no one voices their suggestion.

Call on Mora with same pact as before.

Make a tunnel leading to town. When we get there, plan an entrence in a dark alley or other concealed place, turn on the time-stop, add Mora......

Aw- SHIT!!!

I completely FORGOT ABOUT THE SUNDIAL!!!
Call upon Mora.
Make sure to make a sundial in our secret room or in tunnels (it doesn't have to be under open sky right?)

anyway, back to the plan... when we decide on a place to make the secret entrance for the tunnels in town, turn on the time-stop to make it. Just in case no one sees us coming out of the ground (or walls)

then make another tunnel to Leonards secret room (make a secret entrance too)

rolled 87 = 87

>>15004382
if we need information on how to make a sundial we can use the library, and possibly stop time

rolled 50 = 50

>>15004404
I am pretty sure Mora knows how to make a sundial.
Or would that not count?

Still, he can give us pointers.

rolled 28 = 28

>>15004404
If we know what one looks like, Mora can make it. We don't know how to make trapdoors either but he still made them for us.

rolled 42 = 42

ok so let's summon Mora, should we go to our private room?

rolled 2, 1 + 3 = 6

>>15004574
Probably.

We need to put off our robes too.

rolled 89 = 89

bumpan

[[Okay, I'm back. Give me a view minutes to prep to continue.]]

yay

You quickly make your way back into the castle by your secret entrance on the north face. You stroll through your tunnels before emerging into your secret workshop beneath your room. You walk to the book and flip through, recalling what you still have left to accomplish.
"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?" says the voice of your companion.
"Same deal, Mora. Until I give the word."
"Done," he says just before exploding and reforming onto your arm. With Mora at your side you can now construct anything you wish.
"I need to make a clock or a sundial. Can you help me?"
#Sundials are easy. Clocks are nearly impossible with stone alone. But I like a challenge. Now, give me something to work with.#
You place your right hand upon the ground and instantly a large cabinet like structure begins to flow up from the floor. After a few seconds a face is carved into it and intricate gears and mechanisms can be seen taking shape within. Finally, a pendulum appears and the casing closes in itself, leaving only the standing figure of the clock.
#Go on, give that pendulum a swing. See if it works.#
You push the hammer-shaped pendulum suspended above the anvil carved below and sure enough, the mechanisms jump to life. The hands swing around to the current time and the minute hand begins ticking slowly around.
#Ha ha! Excellent. Never made one of those before.#
~{Mission accomplished. Outstanding debt repaid.}~
You feel relieved. Your debt to Xepoc has been fulfilled. You can relax easier now that you have no outstanding debts. None except the one to Acheron...

"Just when I thought you couldn't amaze me futher..."

anyway
dig tunnel to town
stop time
make secret entrance
dig tunnel to Leonards secrec room
secret entrance

see if your time with Xepoc is equal
go home
go sleep

"Mora, you are truly incredible."
#I know lad. I've had a few centuries to practice.#
"I want to build a tunnel all the way to town. Do you think you could help me do that?"
#It's a long way lad... I can't be sure you'll even have solid stone to work with the whole way. I may need you to dig some of it by hand. Of course, with my hand you should have no trouble.#
"Alright, Let's just see what we can accomplish."
You make sure you have your heading straight and walk through the tunnels until you reach a point that you think would be best to start from. Then you begin digging towards Leonard's cellar.
You make it a decent distance down, with Mora guiding you to reinforce your tunnels with pillars and arches, but eventually you run out of stone to work with and find only loose soil from the lowlands. You are only about thirty feet below the surface, the shallowest you can afford without risking the structural integrity of the structures above. You could dig deeper and seek bedrock further down or you could try to continue digging the tunnel by hand and export rock for support beams.

rolled 38 = 38

As long as we are noy risking anything continue to dig by hand and making pillars

if there is a minor rist for tunnel collapse, dig a bit deeper

[[Well crud. This quest might be dead now that there are 4 other more popular quests running right now. If no one is interested I'll just let it die and archive what little was accomplished.]]

>>15006439
I just got back from a run and I'll join. But it's fucking hilarious that 5 quests are running at the same time. You guys should really get together and put a schedule up or something, so you don't steal each other's posters.

Let's go back to the surface and grab some stones, or mine some rock from another section of ground, and use it to build supports for the earthy part of the tunnel. We'll dig it out by hand, then have Mora shape the rocks into beams and such.

>>15006439
Player II reporting in.

>>15006439
player III reporting
i'd say this quest is pretty damn popular

Player III. Binder Quest made me want to run Totemist Quest in the first place, don't let me discourage you.

rolled 51 = 51

Hey
I am here
it is just hard to type from mobile, so it happens slow
besides I am following other quests too

"Alright Mora, looks like we'll have to dig manually from here on."
#Need a hand?#
You look as your stone arm reshapes into its original form: a large claw of granite prefect for shoveling dirt away.
"Very funny"
#I thought so.#
You begin to dig through the gravel, digging slightly down at Mora's instruction and occasionally carrying rock from back behind you to build support arches with. It's slow going but after several hours you think you're where you need to be.
"Alright, let's dig up and see where we are."
You fashion a stone ladder as you dig upward. After a short while you hit cobblestones, quickly securing them by having Mora meld them together. You create a tiny passageway to peer out. It is the dead of the night
"Mora, I'm going to stop time and try to bring you with me. I need to get my heading to direct my tunneling."
#Alright, but I ain't gonna like it.#
You click the switch, freezing time before punching through the ground above with your enlarged fist. You haul yourself over and glance about to see where you are. You're right down the street from where you need to be, able to see the manor from here. There's no one around but you can't be too cautious. You hold your left hand to your right and press the third button.
"Mora, you there?"
#I sure am boy. This is madness though. The stones aren't speaking to me. They're just quite. It's... odd.#
"Can you still work it? Seal up this hole?"
#I can try.#
You climb back down and touch the hole and it seals up again, complete with cracks of the cobblestone.

[More coming.]

And more proof that 'Mora is BRO-TIER ALL THE WAY.

Using your new point of reference you turn your tunneling in the right direction, tunneling towards where Leonard's secret laboratory lies. You continue to tunnel and reinforce your passages until you finally hit some artificially stacked stones, obviously placed there. You click to freeze time again and unfreeze Mora, your stored time ticking down at double speed. You place your hand upon the stone and create another secret passage, as well disguised as possible.
You push open the door and open it. You walk out of the wall where the Order binder was trapped just a short while ago. Sitting at his desk across the room from you is Leonard, with the replica artifact in a vise magnified several times by a looking glass and several texts scattered across the table. He seems to be hard at work at the task you left for him.
You consider for a moment closing the passage and conversing with Leonard to see what he has found. But you specifically omitted Mora's name when mentioning your Vestiges, wanting to keep him a secret. And besides, there are still other things you need to accomplish. Getting some sleep among them. Time continues to tick away on your wrist.

>>15006542
[[I like totemist quest a lot. I'm following it too as an Anon. I definitely recognized some parallels in the core ideas but I like what you did with them to make them your own. I hope your quest goes well. I'll be following it.]]

rolled 42 = 42

>>15006632
Did we leave an entrance open in/near town?
at that place make a wall seperating your tunnel between town entrance and leonards mansion.

If someone ever stumbles to our secret tunnels, I dont want them to get to the mansion.
In fact, did we bother to make secret entrance at the beginning of the tunnel too?

also get sleep after dismissing both vesitiges

>>15006684
This looks like a good plan.

>>15006684

Agreed. Then, let's fulfill our obligation time-wise to Xepoch. After that, maybe we can square our debt with Acheron. As I recall, being undead is a good substitute for sleep.

rolled 65 = 65

>>15006763
Bug I think it is getting close to morning now.... right?
We should call Ashy after the dark

You turn from the room and close the passage. As soon as you're certain the passage is sealed you click time back to normal.
You spend the better half of an hour hauling stones about to compartmentalize your tunnels, reducing the chances of the whole system being compromised by the discovery of a room. You make the tunnel door in Leonards manor seem to connect to the ladder up to the street, before hiding the rest of the tunnel behind another wall.
Exhausted, you return to just below your room and prepare to dismiss your vestiges.
"Thank you, Mora."
#Always a pleasure lad. Someday you and I will have to share a drink.#
"I'd like that. Farewell. 'Feldspar'."
Your arm shatters and Mora vanishes. You check your watch. You have two minutes left of saved time.
"Rudabaga"
~{Refunding excess time.}~
Nothing seems to happen but you suspect time has just frozen for you. You hold your lantern up in the air and sure enough it sticks it place. You watch for time to tick down, grabbing your lantern as time runs out.
~{Balance restored. Goodbye, pact maker}~
The gauntlet clicks off and falls to the ground and you are left unbound.
You consider calling upon Acheron. You need sleep but being undead seems to alleviate that need. And you do have a debt to pay. But if you were to do such you might want to leave the hallowed ground of the monastery.

>>15006804
In that case, why not dismiss Mora, store the next 12 hours with Xepoc and then call Achy

rolled 89 = 89

>>15006849
Then that means we have diaappeared without teace for entire day and that raises questions
lets just go to sleep and summon her next day

>>15006843
Might as well get all our debts out of the way.

Get off of holy ground. Acheron likes souls, doesn't she? See if we can't get to the less-than-reputable district of town so that we can off a criminal or two.

If we could get a brazier set up around our head, we could be hellrider.

>>15006890
Fair enough, hopefully we no one will mind our sleeping in. Should we sneak back to our room using the tunnels?

You climb up to your room with the intent of going to sleep. You know that you've been gone for the majority of the day and even though you have the excuse of attending dinner with Rose you wouldn't want to temp fate.
You enter your room and close the passage up again, leaving your room restored. But then you realize there is someone else in the room.
Or rather something. Sitting in the window is a tiny sparrow. And in its beak it has a folded letter clutched tightly. There is only one person who it could be from.

>>15006890
Fair enough, hopefully we no one will mind our sleeping in. Should we sneak back to our room using the tunnels? Also, we need to confirm if the Acheron that we met was not just an avatar, but the real deal.

rolled 43 = 43

>>15006904
What?
No

Greg is not a coldblooded murderer to just go and nonchalantly kill someone like that. Fuck we had trouble accepting taking 20 years

wbat time is it anyway

>>15006931
Jeez
that was dangerous
maybe we should have make a looking hole to be sure that no one is inside our room before going in.

Read letter, I assume it is fron Arnolf?

rolled 37 = 37

>>15006931
Pat sparrow lightly, take letter and read.

>>15006994

>Read letter, I assume it is fron Arnold?

i don't think arnold would bother when he lives in the same monastery as us, im thinking this is from our half-brother...

You walk to the sparrow and take the letter from it's mouth. The sparrow gives a small whistle but waits on the sill. You pat its head and it tilts its gaze, but continues to wait.
You open the letter and see the stylish script of your brother's hand. The letter is short but it's meaning is clear.

Brother,
Our spies tell us the forces of Zarus are preparing to mount an attack from Nordrime. We have guarded our location with great secrecy but it seems the inquisitor himself has come to raze the forest and burn our homes. We are many and our defenses are strong but there are too many women and children. We cannot flee. We will be forced to stand and fight. I want you to remember me. I cannot leave my people in their hour of need. This may be my last message to you. You will always be my true brother, regardless of mother. Do not forget me.
-Forever your brother, bound by blood, Talon
PS. My companion Avi will carry a message from you back to me. I must know that you are alive and well. It will give me comfort in my most dire hour.

You place the letter on your desk letting the full meaning of this wash over you. You are awe struck. All that is going on and now this. How should you respond?

>>15007102
I must've been a quest or two because I don't remember anything about a brother.

We could conceivably use Xepoc again to freeze time and get on over there, and personally evacuate him.

Then again, if the Inquisitor "is come" to burn the place down, he's probably already there, and your brother is dead. This raven might have been sent by someone else to determine your location.

Ignore the bird. Our dead brother won't benefit from knowing we're alive, and anyone trying to find us won't.

rolled 80 = 80

>>15007102
FUCK DA POLICE! Lets go save our brother!

rolled 97 = 97

;_;

How far is Nordrime anyway? How long does it take for the messenger bird to get there?
How long to get there by land?

>>15007185
[[Nordrime is the city you live in. Your half-elf half-brother has been in correspondence with you for years. The letters from him are stored away in the workshop below along with the flute he carved for you. He was first mentioned very early in the quest. In chapter #3 if I recall.]]

rolled 55 = 55

>>15007163
It has our bros handwriting...

But just to be safe.
Take other letters and compare them

rolled 98 = 98

>>15007209
Oh?

Where is the forest they live in then?

>>15007102

I'm not okay with leaving him to die. Can we get there?

>>15007209
We live in the same city?

Well fuck, call Xepoc back and let's get on over there.

"Hey Xepoc, sorry to disturb you so shortly after a binding, but something just came up. I'm gonna need you for a bit."

Freeze time, leg it over there, pick him up like luggage, and get him to safety.

Sucks to be everyone else.

Alternatively, we could Call Acheron and murder the Inquisitor...

rolled 48 = 48

>>15007268
Do HONESTLY think he is gping to leave everyone else behind?

You rush back downstairs and grab your past letters from your brother but you only confirm what you already knew. It is indeed your brother's handwriting.
You return upstairs pondering how to act. You must do something. Your brother is the only family you have in the whole world. Even though you haven't seen him face to face in almost fifteen years you've still remained in close contact for that entire time. Even though he is twenty years older than you, you feel as though you were as close as if you had been raised together.
You would run to his aid but what could you do? It sounds as though would never willingly leave the defense of his people while they yet live. You don't even know where the village of the elves is hidden. Your brother always said he couldn't say in the event a letter was ever intercepted. That's always why he's never used your name. Although you may know someone that knows how to find the elves...
You could stop time to rush to his aid. You could be there in literally no time at all. Or you could stop the war from ever coming by stopping the inquisitor. You could use Acheron... and maybe kill for the first time, dirtying your clean hands.
You return upstairs and find the bird still waiting. Your brother is waiting for a reply from you. Something to reassure him. But is that really all that you can do?

>>15007298
Do you HONESTLY think that we can lug away an entire forest's worth of people and stash them someplace safe? We'd end up like a week indebted to time, and that would be fucking lethal.

Killing the inquisitor as Acheron is a better plan, I think. It's not like they'll recognize our face.

>>15007336
"Have friends, will help. Lots of powerful friends. Give directions."

rolled 2, 21 = 23

>>15007352

Dont know if we should say that.

[[The vote seems to be split between going to your brother and fighting off the forces with your powers or trying to assassinate the inquisitor. Please respond with what you would prefer and if you do want to reply to your brother what you want to say.]]

rolled 2 = 2

>>15007352
Sounds fishy as hell.

I am not sure whag to write.
Exprezs your worry, try to make him change his mind and evacuate.
Tell him you are alright nothig to worry about.

rolled 15 = 15

voting to assasinate the inquisitor with tenobrotep, then we can join the fight later using aschy if needed.

rolled 95 = 95

If we go to our brother to help them we will be gone for a long time, that will raise alot of questions and we will probably not be able to retuen anymore.
Also, we will have to take Rose because we promised.

Killing inqhisitor seems the best bet, even if that goes against Gregs nature

rolled 61 = 61

>>15007467
Why Tenebrotep?

If we decide to kill him better do it witj Archy.
We know where he stays, so we can dig a tunnel to his room.
We can wait till he goes to sleep by using Xepoc and forwarding time.
Then.... ah fuck, he sleeps in monastwry right? Are bareacks also holy grounds?

Killing the inquisitor won't stop the attack currently in place. Evacuating them is the best idea. We may have to help fight the attackers, though.

Use Acheron, and as payment give her the souls of everyone you kill?

rolled 93 = 93

>>15007506
Because Tenebrotep is PERFECT at stalking and assasinations, plus climbing, night vision... the list goes on.

Rollan for asssasinate with tenebrotep. (rolled a d20 last time)

You ponder your options carefully. You could find your way to your brother and lend your aid to him during the inevitable assault, but doing so would compromise everything you have here. Your absence would be noticed and it is likely you would never be able to return. And in that case, you would have to bring Rose with you, and it would surely be twice as dangerous having to defend her as well.
The most straightforward option seems to stop the assault here. Without the inquisitor to lead the march, the military assault may never take place to begin with. And you may be prepared to kill if it means saving the life of your own brother and countless others in the elven village.
But where would you find the inquisitor? Would he be in his quarters somewhere in the monastery barracks? Or could he be at the southern military encampment beyond town? Or is he still patrolling the streets as he was earlier today?
And even if you did find the inquisitor how would you go about incapacitating him? Would you ask the treacherous Tenebrotep for his power or would you call upon the macabre Acheron to repay your debt? But summon Acheron on holy ground may be a dangerous idea.

>>15007557
[[I saw your vote. If no one else responds I'll go with this.]]

rolled 70 = 70

>>15007553
How are we going evacuate them? There must be thousands of them there.
If you say to use Xepoc, we will have to repay several times worth of our lifetime.
>>15007557
So what?
Xepoc + Archy is even better and we are going to repay hee debt.

rolled 48 = 48

Go to sleep
fuck
invasion and the siege doesnt hapoen overnight

go to chaplain or anyone else to ask where inquisitor is staying.

>>15007630
[[If you do this, do you want to send a reply to your brother first? He is waiting for a response.]]

We don't have to kill the inquisitor. Remember, Tenebrotep can alter memories, and we can use him in conjunction with Xepoc's secondary functions to make us basically unstoppable.

Also, we have no idea if we can bind Xepoc and Acheron at the same time. Remember what she said when we tried to bind another vestige while we were bound to her? If we want to just go in and kill everyone though, Acheron will work fine. As long as we kill enough people to pay her price, that is.

rolled 45 = 45

>>15007557
How about we stop being a fucking retard and first coming up with aviable plan before going and binding Tenebrotep and inevitabely fuckingourself over?

We need more information:
where is the inquisitor
when he attacks
where he stays
his routine
WHAT THE FUCKING TIME IT IS

>>15007707
[[It is close to midnight judging from your last glance at Xepoc's clock-gauntlet. As for the other points, you don't know shit about any of them.]]

>>15007721

Hey now, we do know he stays at the barracks

rolled 28 = 28

>>15007683
We cant bind Acheron and then someone else
but I am sure we can bing someone else and then acheron.

besides, Xepoc is different. He is never bound to us l, he just leaves his gizmo. It would be the same if we went and took an iron sword while bound witb acheron

>>15007728
[[Fair enough. You HAVE in fact been told that he would be staying in the barracks. But that was days ago.]]

rolled 19 = 19

>>15007732
If we bind Acheron for this, we really don't need anyone else. We can just surf the damn river to get there fast. What we had last time was the tiniest fraction of what she had to offer. If we need to deal with an army, she is probably our best bet. And they apparently ARE using an army. So killing the inquisitor is no guarantee of stopping any of this. And it wouldn't be our first time killing someone. We just killed that Order guy in Leonard's basement.

Right

if it is midnight, go grab a book or two
call Xepoc again, apologize for calling him back riht after dismissing him.

give him books

then go to secret room and store 2 hours
stop time and go to look at barracks to see if he is staying there

also, when we kill him, make it loom lime he had heart attack

rolled 76 = 76

>>15007791

Do this!

rolled 24 = 24

>>15007789
no
we are not going to front lines
that is fucking retarded and pretty much invalidates the entire quest series, we spent so much time and effort trying to do things safely and not atteacting attention.

Assasinating Inauisitor to save our brother and countless innocents is the best bet and the safest

rolled 100 = 100

>>15007791
Forgot the roll.

If we do this and seek him out (if he is not in barracks then we will seek him at military camp) we will more info and could make a better plan

>>15007867
Assassinating the inquisitor might have helped earlier, but at this point it accomplishes nothing. They already have people here to kill the damn elves, killing one guy isn't going to stop them. Safest? Maybe for us, but if it is the only action we take, people are going to die.

rolled 22 = 22

>>15007914
Yes it will

he is the driving force here

and wtf makes you think they have alrwady begun the march. Maybe we should try to get more information before jumpinbto decisions like we did when we gave full release to Tenebrotep.

Fuck, no one even suggested we go see Leonard for advice

do that Go see Leonard

>>15007867
asassinating him might delay the attack, but it doesn't necessarily mean the attack won't happen, hell, it might encourage the commanders in the army to attack as soon as possible. thats the bad thing about asassinations, no garantee of the results we want...

rolled 47 = 47

>>15007972
If it does bring time, it's more time for the elves to prepare to run.

>>15007946
When someone kills an inquisitor, the reaction is not going to be "Welp, the people we are trying to commit genocide on killed one of our guys, GUESS WE BETTER GIVE UP!" and it is in fact you who is retarded.

[[Going to do the call Xepoc thing since that currently has the most votes and the highest score. But do you guys want to write anything back to your brother or just ignore his messenger waiting in the window?]]

rolled 75 = 75

whatever we do, we can't drop everything and go to kill an army. Aside feom being grosly out of character, it jeopredizes everything we have worked for

rolled 58 = 58

>>15008001
Tell him not to give up so soon, time may be on his side. Then send his bird and bind away.

>>15008001
yes, do write to him, tell him we are going to try and help him and his people, buy them time or something

rolled 73 = 73

>>15007996
So your best bet is to go full barbarian killing everyone without spending a single bit of thought or planning? You dont even KNOW if people here want to fight, maybe the local militia has been gauded against thsir will by the authority of the inquisitor?, You are just jumping to conclusions.

First we need to gather information ffs

also

>make it look like heart attack
or an accident

fuck
cant you guys think cereativily for a moment?

>>15008052
Xepoc does not have the ability to make it look like a heart attack. Maybe Seno and Eno could manage that.

rolled 51 = 51

>>15008142
Xepoc is for scouting and gathering info

heart attack is for Archy or Tensbrotep

Acheron can definately make it look like a heart attack if the peraon is sleeping or is complefely still by flowing a thin strip of ice or water into the body and cluntching the heart or putting a huge piece of ice in it

>>15008142
true, but we could make it look like an accident, like for, example, the heavy ass stone clock we made could be dropped on his head from a loft or a high bookshelf

>>15008178
Acheron couldn't freeze the fluids in a person, so there is nothing saying that she can slide water down someone's throat or something and still control it. Maybe she can, but I wouldn't count on it.

rolled 58 = 58

>>15008142
Replacing the cigar he is smoking with a stick of dynamite
how about that for an accident?

rolled 37 = 37

>>15008216
Very looney tunes.

>>15008216
stone clock is more comical in my mind

and the OP never said whether or not there is gunpowder, blackpowder, or anything like that in this setting, so i would assume no, there is not, until/unless he says otherwise...

You pull your quill and parchment to the desk and quickly scribe a short note to your brother.
"Do not give up hope. Time may yet be on your side."
You fold up the note and give it to the sparrow, who turns and takes flight immediately after clutching it in his beak.
You turn to the matter at hand. You need more information. The death of the inquisitor might delay the assault, but not indefinitely. And before you can even make your move, you'll need to learn the inquisitor's location and habits.
You grab a few of your more interesting texts and slide back down into your tunnels and into your workshop, opening the book to call upon one of your most reliable vestiges.
"Xepoc, Harbinger of Eternity's Repose. Halt times's toils and cease day's woes. Come hither and stand before me!"
The clockwork spider quickly crawls out of the pages and carries Xepoc out before you.
"Hello again, back so soon?"
"Sorry to call upon you again so recently after dismissing you Xepoc but I need you again. I brought some books this time though to make up for it."
"Excellent. I had just finished memorizing this one. Also, very beautiful clock there. I think it's rotation cycles are two and a half seconds too slow, however. It's not perfect but very artful in design."
"Thank you, I had help from a master. Well here you go. Keep both of these books for now."
"Did you want to access the other functions of the gauntlet again?"
You consider the offer. Would you need the other functions?

rolled 84 = 84

>>15008291
We might. It's not much of a cost, so might as well.

rolled 72 = 72

>>15008291
Do the extra ones let us hurt people?

>>15008307
[[Essentially, yes.
The secondary function allows you to operate at ten times normal speed.
The tertiary function allows you to either freeze or unfreeze someone in time.
Under normal conditions, a frozen person's life force makes you unable to interact with them in any way.]]

>>15008368
but we can interact with inanimate objects, correct? i think we should just leave that stone clock we made sitting a few feet up over his head while time is frozen, walk out of the building, preferably to somewhere you can observe, and unfreeze time.

rolled 41 = 41

REMEMBER

if we use acheron to assasinate the inquisitor, a witness could make the connection it was us since our father was known for summoning acheron

rolled 6 = 6

>>15008410
Random stone clock seems really suspicious. But I'm sure there are plenty of heavy things over head in the barracks or wherever it is he's staying.

rolled 84 = 84

>>15008410
Whoa whoa

it was funny first time
bu we are not dropping an unique clockwork made out of stone on him
that is anythimg but accwdental

"Yes, Xepoc, I would like the extra functions again."
"Then the deal was the same as before. You must have constructed another timepiece of some fashion. Were all the other terms the same as usual?"
"Yes. Same word as always."
"Then we were all set."
Xepoc winks out of existence and the Gauntlet returns. You are free to wander about as you like without being disturbed. But first you decide to save up two hours of time to spend as you need.
You flip the switch to the right and watch the spinning clock carefully, stopping it again as you reach the two hour mark. It is now the darkest time of the night and very few will still be awake anywhere. You should be free to roam anywhere you like and you have two hours to act outside of time whenever you please, though you are currently back in the normal time stream.
Where should you seek out the inquisitor? In the barracks, the town, or the military encampment? And what will you do when you do find him?

The cost of activating the secondary functions is to make a clock within 24 hours of the pact's end. We decide when the pact ends. It is a very small cost, and it is better to have the functions and not need them than to need the functions and not have them. We can't use other vestiges while time is frozen without them.

[[Alright, It's getting late, I'm losing my focus, and the thread is losing steam. Going to go ahead and call it here for the night. Besides, these are still very big decisions and there seems to be a lot of disagreement on how to handle the situation. The quest will resume in the morning (afternoon?) later today (Sunday). Thanks for playing everyone.]]

[[Archived:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/15002071/
Hope you all enjoyed even if the quest was short today. Good night all.]]

rolled 5 = 5

We'd need to disable the entire attacking force. As much as Greg wouldn't like it, we're going to have to get a bit brutal. Summon Xepoch. Stop Time while the soldiers are all asleep in their barracks. Soak them all with lamp oil and/or hard booze. Light them all on fire. Hide and restart time. Do the same to the Inquisitor. Even if they survive, the burns will take months, if not years to properly heal, and the soldiers will not be able to participate in the siege. Some may die, but it's the safest way. I hate to cripple so many men, but if it's a choice between them and noncombatants and would-be orphans, then I don't think Greg could stand to see any more children grow up like himself and Rose, or face the sword for the crime of having the wrong parents.
[I wish I had been here sooner to suggest this, stupid work schedule]

rolled 20 = 20

>>15008780
Elven magic can summon fire, and with no other explanation, the inquisitor might conclude that elven mages have found a way to strike from far away.

>>15008795
>>15008780
[[Your suggestions have been noted. I'll likely continue the quest some time within the next ten hours. Sorry about your shitty work schedule. I know they can be a pain in the ass.]]

>>15008812
[Meh. I have to be back at work in 12 hours, so I might miss the continuation as well, but I enjoyed reading through and catching up. Wonderful quest, as always.]

[[Aaaaaand I'm up. Going to start a new thread in a short while to continue. Hopefully we can accomplish a bit more today.]]