Make friends.

Eat them

who are those figures ?
What can we guess of them by looking at them ?

Move towards them

CONSUME

Paint figures. Don't thin your paint first.

>>18637593

You glance at them. They... appear to be human. Hated, changeable humans!

They are approaching you, slowly. You feel a bit of your power coming back, but you are still merely a wisp in the clear air, vulnerable even to a strong wind.

Action?

>>18637608
Make friends.

>>18637605

> Get the hell outta here! No, just kidding.

Try to talk to them. Maybe they are food?

try to feed off them, maybe consuming them if we can.

FOOD

See if they are armed, how do they look? Are they robbed cultists or armored paladins?

>>18637610
>>18637619

You muster your concentration and penetrate their minds, and then you realise you are mistaken. These are not humans, but hinlings - simple, weak folk of the forest and mountains.

'Who are you?'

'I... I... Daku, he Sadu.' They are clearly terrified. The smell of their fear is amusing.

> Action?

Eat dirt.

EAT SOME DIRT!

>>18637642


Eat them

ask them about where their town is, try to sound nice, like some nature spirit or something. Weak folks might be good to start getting power back.

My diaphanous form swirls and surges across dew wetted grass. A haunting cold breath emerges from between smoking ash cloud lips as a fierce death soaked wind.

"Feet asleep! OH god! PINS AND NEEDLES! Pihihihihihnnnnnnns and neeeehehehehddddlssssss"

My body slumps and falls to the soggy ground as I roll around whimpering and rubbing and slapping at my unreal ankles.

>>18637659
We need power, feast on them

>>18637625
What the fuck is that?

I swear to god. I stop refreshing for two minutes to read Prequel and eat chocolate and you all ruin the chance to make friends forever. This is why nobody likes you. You eat them. People don't like to be eaten by dark spirits who recently escaped from jar prison. I bet that's why we were placed in there in the first place. We're a god damn recidivist.

>>18637651
>>18637644

You look down at the dirt under your form. Hmmm. Then you bend down and sample it a bit.

There's an earthworm in it, but you also can feel the presence of other animals and sentients who have travelled around here. Mostly hinlings, and their prey or animals. The occasional deer...

>>18637664

> Going with this because reversible, continue discussing

'Do not fear me.' Your voice sounds a lot more pathetic than you remembered it. Lack of practice... 'where is your town?'

'Town? Town... no town. Clan over there in small hovels.' One hinling points towards the east, at the foot of the mound where you clearly were imprisoned.

> What do?

>>18637659
>>18637666
We don't even know where we are if there is anything nearby, i think we'd better play a bit friendly until we know where we are.

Also, you can see them a little more clearly now that the sun is lower in the sky. They aren't armed, except with staves.

>>18637670
A candwich. A sandwich in a can with a 30 year sell-by date.

>>18637717
The two on the left terrify me but the one on the right with CHICKEN? I don't have words to describe the feelings that evokes.

>>18637693

We can only feed off the energy of living things ?
I'd say we follow them to their clan, don't start killing them to get their energy unless we need to, knowledge might be more useful in the near future

>>18637738

You can eat normal flesh to give yourself corporeal form and physical strength, but magical ability comes from sapping the spirit of sentients. Bending them to your will.

So, what do with the figures? They are still held immobile, partly by terror - and partly by your power, to be honest. It's a bit tiring though. You've really weakened.

tell them to take us to their clan.

we'll use them as slaves.

We need to get stronger. if we try to eat them one may get away and warn their clan. i say we find something else to eat, unless we can get one on their own.

>>18637828

Seconding this! Slaves!

tell them to get us to their clan, see if we can find something other than them to eat for now, we'll need to be able to get them one by one until we're strong enough to make sure they won't flee.

'Take me to your clan. Now.' You try your most commanding tone; it's still nothing like you're used to, but then it works for the hinlings.

'Y... yes, yes...' one of them prods the other with his staff, and they walk slowly down the hill, following a winding forest path. It's beginning to get darker now.

Soon you reach the clan's hovels; it's a small circle of huts, with smoke rising from some fires in the central space. You can sense the presence of animals - chickens, goats, pigeons.

> Action?

We don't have to eat everything, do we? I mean, what else can we do with sentients?

>>18637890
Ask >>18637782
for a sacrifice of some animals, so we can get some strength going in us.

Also
>>18637924
see
>>18637782

Wait. Who are we? Why were we imprisoned?
Did these people let us out? Why are they here anyway? Did they come to us specifically or just stumbled here?

>>18637924
>>18637933

You follow the hinlings into the vicinity of the hovels, and quickly scan the area for sentients. Hmm. There are some 20, 25 of them. The light of the fire is a little annoying.

'I want meat. Give me meat.' You speak to the middle of the few gathered hinlings who come out and see you.

'What are you, foul spirit?' The person in the middle replies. He sounds old, but full of anger. 'You will have none of our sustenance! Be gone! Be gone!'

He waves a stick at you. You feel distinctly unthreatened.

> Action?

>>18637951
Can we disintegrate his stick?

What can we do at this power actually?

>>18637981

At your severely depleted state, you can try... roll d100 for it. There will be a deficit.

For now it seems what you can do is restricted to holding people's attention, and instilling a little fear.

>>18637986
If we fail it wont show, will it?

also, mind answering these questions >>18637942 ?

> Who are you?

You don't know. You can't remember yet. Or perhaps it is lost forever, and you will have to rename yourself. This probably has been done before.

> Why were we imprisoned?

The only thing you do remember, because it was a part of you, was your desire to dominate. You needed the power. You needed to spread yourself over the mountains and the rivers and the plains.

But you were stopped. There was a war. And you were stopped. You lost, and you fell. But how can mere mortals destroy you? So they sapped you to the point of dissolution, and locked you away.

> Did these people let you out? Why are they here anyway?

You don't know. They probably live here. Hinlings are not known to be fussy about where they settle.

rolled 54 = 54

>>18637986

Rollan! Give us strength!

rolled 65 = 65

>>18637986
>>18637989

Oh well, lets roll.

>>18637989

> Won't show as in...?

>>18638034

> Near-miss!

You reach out to destroy that staff which the hinling points at you, only to realise there is a magical force within it. Damnit! You twist and push at it, but it pushes back, until you gather all your strength and force yourself at it...

An arc of what seems to be blue fire shoots from the tip of the staff, lighting you momentarily a bright white, before setting a shrub on fire.

'I... I...' the hinling lets go of the staff, which is now smoking hot. They back away as you approach.

> Action?

Take the staff as your own and see if you can't take the magic in it to strengthen you.

>>18638046
>> Won't show as in...?

As in, people around us will not notice that we tried something and failed.

>>18638046
Demand meat again, tell them you wont ask nicely again again.

>>18638066
and this

>>18638073
>>18638066

> Gained item: Hinling Chief's Staff.

You reach for the staff. Despite its heat, you take it in your ghostly hands. You... can't seem to move its magical abilities, though.

'That's the chief's-'

'Give me meat. Now. This is the last time I ask.'

So they do. They slaughter five, then ten, then twenty chickens, weeping as they do; then you demand a goat, three goats, five goats. Only after eight goats, twenty chickens, and ten pigeons are you finally, reasonably, satiated.

> You have regained a vaguely human form. Describe your form, or reject it and take on another one.

> You have regained a vaguely human form. Describe your form, or reject it and take on another one.

Just go like the picture in the OP, that ominous robed look. I think it's good enough. Scary as fuck, dark and mysterious.

Also, what do we need to do to get powers back? Can we just kill creatures and eat their souls?

>>18638110

Only sentient beings have souls, some of which are more potent than others. You can choose to consume souls directly, or - by exerting power over a sentient - drain them gradually.

Naturally, the more power and followers you have, the more you are able to bend reality itself to your whims. You have to provide for those under your command, of course, but its a small price to pay, much like farming.

>>18638142
>Naturally, the more power and followers you have, the more you are able to bend reality itself to your whims.

How does that work? Do they have to 'worship' us or what?
Can we make these hindlings our followers to get power from them? And what are hindlings anyway?

The form of a man, whip-thin, mostly skin and bones clad in a white robe.

Act kind towards them, thank them, for now...

>>18638151

You could call it worship. Basically, if you get them to follow your leadership, and let you lead them around and dictate what they do. That gives you power over them.

Hinlings are similar to humans, but they are small, only about four foot tall on average, and overwhelmingly carnivorous. They like going about on all fours as much as walking upright, with the result that despite their mostly humanoid looks they are normally treated like animals by other sentient races.

Do they have anyone very sick or very old? If so have them present them to you as sacrifices. In return you will promise prosperity and protection to their clan.

Also ask them of any other sentients that may live nearby. If we gain more power from worship we can start raiding.

>>18638168
Cool, lets take over them now. Declare that you're their new ruler.

Then we need to do something to provide for them. Find out what problems they have we could quickly resolve. Also, find out of any other nearby settlements.

>>18638161
>The form of a man, whip-thin, mostly skin and bones clad in a white robe.

Scratch that, use our mind-prodding powers to figure out Perfection looks like to Hinling, then we use that form.

>>18638200
What? Why?

Screw hindlings. They are just a ramp for our path to glory. Lets not make ourself into their liking.

Better make ourself into someone tall, imposing with powerful aura. A body that oozes strength.

>>18638180

You can sense no old ones. You can, however, sense an infant lying in one of the hovels.

>>18638200
>>18638185

You searched the minds of the Hinlings. You don't really know what Perfection looks like to them, but the form you have right now - a torn cloak, wreathed in smouldering flame and living smoke, draped over thin air - approximates pretty close to their vision of Terror.

'You are now... under my command,' you say.

They stare at you, petrified, unable to resist; and then you feel a trickle of sustenance begin to flow into you.

> You have gained: 22 Hinling Thralls
> Action?

>>18638224
I presume because if we derive power from control then assuming a form that they're more likely to obey is the key to gaining more power quickly. Since we can change form there's little reason to not pick the form most suitable to the situation.

Ask them of the surrounding land and any who inhabit it.

>>18638239
>and then you feel a trickle of sustenance begin to flow into you.

Fuck year! Do we get any powers yet? Can we use the stupid staff?

>Action
Ask them if there are other hindling (or other) settlements nearby. Would be great to subvert more of them quickly.

>>18638224
Baby steps, baby steps. First we make ourselves their god, if they actually WORSHIP us more than just fearing us, that ought to give us more power. Power being something we lack atm.

>>18638239
Make them perform an improvised song and dance routine for our amusement.

>>18638257
Screw that. We aint here for FUN. We're here for Business, and by business I mean POWER.
No time for lollygagging.

>>18638242

It depends how you wish to impose yourself. You could impose yourself as something to be desired, or as something to be feared.

>>18638253
>>18638251

The hinlings tell you about the lands. You appear to be on a sort of peninsula - long, stretching southwest to northeast. A chain of hills runs down the middle of this peninsula, and you are near its tip.

You hear of other hinling settlements, but many of them are larger than yours. Besides, being semi-nomadic, the hinlings move around all the time.

> Action? I'll look into their weaponry and crops...

>>18638294

So.. how strong are we right now? And can we use that damn staff?
Also, can we instill a portion of our power into our followers? I feel kinda bad for eating pretty much all of their food reserves. We could give some power to their hunters so that they can hunt better and they will be able to recoup their losses with the added benefit that we can get more meat to eat to gain much more stronger corporal body.

> Status report:

Sentients:
- Hinling thralls: 23

Animals:
- Chickens: 28
- Goats: 15
- Cattle: 6
- Donkeys: 4

Buildings:
- Hinling mobile tents: 9

Weapons:
- Bows: 4
- Hunting spears: 8
- Staves: 20

Are we strong enough to hunt/kill? We could "repay" them by giving them some food. Are we not a kind and fair God, little Hinling?

Do we have any powers other then being utterly terrifying now?

One thing I can think of is to get these Hinlings fighting as a small army instead of a mob. If they are as primitive as I think most tribes will respect a new tribe that can defeat them and follow you.

So the first order of business is uniting the Hinling tribes on the peninsula. First by proving our military might. After that it depends on what we can do with them

>>18638310

You are still very weak, though by the end of the evening, when you allow your hinlings to sleep and rest, you are capable of raising a small flame from the staff. It's not a very strong staff itself, anyway.

You can instill strength, yes, or weakness, or strong emotions within your followers. Any time you'd like to do so, roll d100 and tell me, and I'll roll and compare the results.

You can also move things around in the material world, though admittedly that is a bit hard. Basically, the harder you attempt to twist reality from its normal state, the more energy you have to expend. Setting wood on fire is easy. Setting stone on fire is difficult. Setting a lake on fire would be one hell of a show of force.

can we set them to build stuff?
maybe some better housing or something useful like a primitive armory?

rolled 63 = 63

Empowering hunters.

rolled 100 = 100

>>18638334
>You can instill strength, yes, or weakness, or strong emotions within your followers. Any time you'd like to do so, roll d100 and tell me, and I'll roll and compare the results.

Can we instill a kind of power that lets hunter be better at their job? Like better perception, hearing, etc?
If so, then do that and get them to hunt. Also give them a slightly better stamina so that they can hunt more than normally.

>>18638161
i think this would be for the best, better look like a nice guy, won't stop us from being dangerous, but it will allow us to blend easier with people than a half-dead lich looking guy.

>>100
Nobody else roll. I think we just created a legend

>>18638334
Where is the nearest hindling settlement anyway?
The more followers we get, the better.

>>18638370
Agree, change form and start making inspiring speeches about Hinling superiority, how you are their creator god and such. Earn their love, their trust and their complete dedication.

>>18638370
>>18638392

I like the form we have right now just fine.
Lets be a benevolent dictator but not downright goody two shoes.

>>18638326

You have not yet gained total dominion over these thralls. But certainly, owing to your terrifying form, you can force and coerce and inspire them. Discipline, however, will require training.

>>18638337

> What would you like to build?

You can give orders for them to shore up their houses, for example, or build a palisade. Give a suggestion and I'll tweak it according to reason; these are halfling-like beings in a dark age setting, there will unfortunately not be (non-magical) stone towers of doom.

>>18638362

.... You spend the whole night slowly draining them of their life force as they sleep. You are careful to keep it beneath the rate at which they regain it, just so you do not destroy them.

But with one you were not careful. In the middle of the night, the infant's breath hitches and catches, and he struggles to breathe. You realise it is futile to attempt and save it, and take his entire soul.

A surge of power spreads through the tribe, and in the morning, when a low keening wail of grief rises over the huts, it is yet buffered by a sense of strange, renewed purpose. They bury the infant, then look at you, their eyes glowing and ready.

> You gain more control over them
> They gain intense stamina

> What action?

Gather your thralls in the morning. Thank them and tell them you are stronger now. In return you shall gift them with power to gather more food then ever before and in return for their servitude you shall lead them be greater then any other Hinlings before them.

Lets have their strongest start training to fight as a unit. 12 of them fighting all together would make a formidle force.

How about the form of a thin, long black haired warrior in shiny armor?

If that's too much, a thin fit man wrapped in a black robe that hides his face in shadow with perhaps some

>>18638406
Poor babby.
Get the hunters to hunt. We need more sustenance (right? our body can still become stronger with more meat, right?)

> What would you like to build?
I don't see any reason for them to build anything. they have lived nomadic lives all their life, lets not try to get them build a grand fortress or something.

>action?
Get someone to lead you to the other nearest settlement.... Actually, after the hunters get back with some bounty, take them all and go there with more people... just in case.

They're nomadic?

hmm, how about just set he rest of them to make bows and arrows

>>18638406
i'd say we send a few hunting since we ate a lot yesterday.

Maybe we should see for a few scouts or whatever to try to find other campements / a good location to settle, nomad lifestyle won't work that well in the long term if you ask me.
Same as for before making good buildings, make sure we are in the"best" location around there before starting building

>>18638407

> Arm them with the spears and bows? That will give you 8 Hinling spearmen, 4 Hinling bowmen.

You gather them after they have mourned and beaten their chests. 'You have done well. The infant is at rest. And you are strengthened.'

They know it to be so, themselves. They stare at you, their expressions fearful and entranced at the same time. You give your command.

>>18638407
>>18638438

'I want you to gather food. You have mouths to feed.' You decide, for the moment, to hold off on the rest of their livestock.

'I also want you to go and find other hinlings for me.'

> Divide the hinlings to tasks. Male and female hinlings have very little dimorphism, but fyi, you have 10 males and 13 females. How would you plan your hinling search?

> Oh yes, let's make that a general rule: since we have 23 hinlings at any one time right now, assign numbers to any tasks you might have.

> You can then move on to your personal me time, and see what you can do. You are a spirit of great power yourself, cultivate it!

>>18638314
>>18638488
>>18638501

Imma go ahead and warn you to not make the game too crunchy. It can quickly get out of control and you wont be able to keep up anymore.

Send 6 spearmen (3 male, 3 female) and 2 bowmen (male) to hunt. Take 2 spearmen and 2 bowmen (all male) with us when going to visit other settlement.

Have 5 female make more bows and arrow. The rest will do whatever other menial tasks there are to do.

>>18638488

8 hunters, 4 with spears and 4 with bows.

Then 4 scouts with spears. move in each direction, go in a big circle. Note other hinlings, do not approach them. Come back to me.

does their race have any special features?
like being unnaturally good with bows or slings or spears?
something?

>>18638473
I'm not really sure why we should focus on hindlings so much.
When we gain enough power, we could subvert more "civilized" races.

Unless you want to root for the underdog or something.

>>18638522

> Will take note. In fact, I'll scrap assigning genders for now, so never mind that in future.

So you decide to go and search for settlements yourself? While you send them off to hunt, you slowly take your followers and, tasting the dirt along the way, attempt to track and sense other hinlings.

By mid afternoon, you find yourself quite sure of the presence of at least two other hinling settlements within 10 miles of your location. One lies to your east, and is rather larger than your settlement - when you focus on it you sense at least 40, even 50, presences. You ask your hinlings, and they cower momentarily.

'Cowards!' you thunder. 'I will give you something to fear if you like to fear so much.'

'Y... yes master! Great master! We fear nothing with your protection!'

The other settlement is to your northwest, near the coast. It feels about the same size as your bunch... but there is something strange. Another presence there. A potent one.

> Action? The hunt is still going on.

>>18638540
>>18638555

Well... as hunters, they're reasonably good with bows, and they are stealthy owing to their size and natural shyness. They are good at seeing when people might be noticing them, and buggering off before that happens.

Is it stronger then us? If so we should wait outside the encapment and ambush a hunting party to learn more. Ask your Hinlings if they know of it as well.

>>18638584
Lets not go to the settlement with a potent presence.

We should do the same thing we did when we got to the first settlement. Just stroll in, intimidate the shit out of them and tell them that we are their new ruler. Just turn up the intimidation a notch.
Can we appear even more terrifying to the hinds than we are right now? First impressions and such.

>>18638606
I think it's better to avoid confrontation for now.

>>18638606
>>18638612

> So... avoid the potent presence?

You don't think that potent presence is another spirit. So it must be a soul... a sentient.

Meanwhile, you move upslope, slowly, to the settlement; but then you start feeling the force of their wills pushing against you even as you reach out to attack them first. Damnit! It appears they are all gathered now, and when that happens their wills, mutually strengthened, are resisting your advances. Your show of force last night surprised the hinlings and made them yield en masse, but you will have little power to use against 50 hinlings standing together.

> Action? Hunt is still going on. 2 new bows have been made.

I think the best way would be to ambush hunting parties of both tribes. Force them to join us then once both are weakened sufficiently take down the rest all at once.

go to the other village, that soul might strengthen us

>>18638676

This. Let's go alone, at night and quietly. Just see what it is.

>>18638659
Retreat back for now. We will come back with bigger force and their willpower will help to negate the willpower of this tribe.
Besides, we will get more food and will be able to harvest more life-force during the night to strengthen ourself or our followers.

>>18638673
>>18638676
Don't be so hasty, please. We can take things slowly at the beginning while no one knows of us yet.

>>18638673
Seconding. Capturing the hunting parties would leave them without their best fighters. However, we'd have to do something to get their attention. Could you influence the hunter's minds to bring them to you?

>>18638696 Here.
Changed my mind.>>18638708 has a good idea. Lay low for a few days and gain power.

>>18638696
>>18638673
>>18638708

> Launch solo scout of the unknown presence?

You will need to split the hinlings up if you are to conquer them separately. But you wonder how to do that.

As you wonder, though, good news! Your hunters have returned.

They come back with 5 deer, 16 hares, and 22 pheasants and other birds. They look as if they have run for miles and miles, but their eyes remain glowing and bright, and they stand straight and hardly pant.

'We have been relentless, master. We did not stop. We did not pause for breath. We chased, and we stalked, and we killed, master.'

'That is satisfactory.'

> Action?

>>18638734
Launch scouts confirmed.

>>18638708
>>18638732

Note: you can always use non-magical, real world provocations to try and get other hinlings into a compromised situation. Be tactical!

Also, what do you do with the game, for starters?

>>18638734
Commend them on their good work.
Use the half of the bounty to empower our body. Take the rest back home.
Retreat back to the settlement. We will wait a few days, harvest more life-force, make more bows and spears. Then come en masse, to have willpower of our followers on ourside.

Could we create the illusion of, say, 20 hinlings to chase the hunting parties into a valley? And then tell them to surrender or die?

>>18638762
for now i'm thinking about taking over the 2 villages.

Anyway, i think the best for us would be to try to ambush hunters from other villages, i'm thinking the one with the strong presence, because it's about the same size as ours. if we can take out a hunting party of 5-10 hindlings we should be able to overpower the village easily.

>>18638792
>>18638805

That is within your power. The problem would be finding hunting parties and rounding them up. For obvious reasons, hinlings don't hunt in large noisy packs.

The very next day, however, you sense two changes. First, someone has moved within the radius of your senses. Secondly, it seems the smaller hinling tribe is moving. Or at least part of it is... and the presence seems to be moving with it.

> Action? If you wish to attack, assign and plan. Describe what you might do with your powers to aid the attack, and I will permit or modify according to reason.

>>18638771

Assign your thralls, master.

> Current weapons:

Weapons:
- Bows: 6
- Hunting spears: 8
- Staves: 20

You have not assigned any weapons to any particular hinlings; as a result they are blessed by relentless stamina, but none have particular specialisation.

>>18638821
Wait, I was going to suggest harvesting more life-force during the night!
Did we eat the meat and get better body?
Also, we should distribute food through the settlement, so that our people are fed and healthy.

Anyway check out what has moved into our radius of senses.

>Assign your thralls, master.
Lets have them make more weapons. Spears, bows and arrows.

>You have not assigned any weapons to any particular hinlings; as a result they are blessed by relentless stamina, but none have particular specialisation.
Haven't they been using those weapons before we took over them?

How long will they take to get here?
You could wait another day, drain more power, and power up the hinlings again. The assign the bows and spears and leave a skeleton crew back at the village.

>>18638862

How long will who take to get here?


>>18638848

You are never not harvesting life force. It's in your nature, don't worry. Right now your life force harvesting is set to sustainable. This means your recovery will be slow, but your thralls won't be killed or weakened.

You could always harvest faster or slower if you like.

So you're assigning the entire tribe to make spears and arrows? All 23? That's acceptable.

> 100 on spear-making! Choose between one more spear (7 to 8) or making an unusually good spear.
> 97 on bow-making! Ditto (5 to 6).

As for specialisation, I mean they know how to use them with reasonable skill for hunting. Fighting is going to be rather different.

assign as many bows to them and to keep using them and give the rest spears/pikes and whatever weapons are around.

tell em the weapons are now theirs
overpower the single hindling to our side , with fear if you have to and give chase to the moving tribe and attempt to surround them

>>18638882
Also, tell the hinlings to practice their archery and spearmanship.

>>18638882
For now we need quantity. I say 8 spears and 6 bows instead of something really good... Unless that means they will be able to replicate the good quality weapon in the future. Could you clarify?

>>18638882

Quality over quantity. Make a good spear and a good bow.

Keep them, and say they will be rewarded to the best hunter and the best fighter.

seven and five and then choose 2 champions to weild the stronger bow and spear

>>18638882
>>18638933
Also, what about consuming meat? Do we still get more powerful body?

>>18638904

... What on earth are you on about?

I think we are sufficiently armed. Let's get the hinlings to practice. Assign weapons to all of them.

Also, where is that hinling detachment moving?

>>18638938
>>18638937

You decide to assign weapons to your hinlings, and command them to train. You then judge the best archer and the best spearmen among them, and present them with the good weapons.

You now have:
- 11 Hinling Bowmen (1 with Strong Bow)
- 12 Hinling Spearmen (1 with Long Lance)

Unfortunately the art of creating better weapons is not replicable at your level. You will need to create better equipment for smithing or crafting, so that quality is less a matter of chance than skill.

>>18638939

Yes, yes you are. Your form gets more corporeal with time; the smouldering flames redder and hotter, the smoke around you forming into a dense dark wreath.

For the next five or six days you command and monitor your hinlings to train, sending them out to hunt as necessary. Meanwhile you realise the single presence is carrying out a patrol, it seems, around its hinling tribe.

The larger hinling party to your east is sending out occasional parties, which you monitor.

Meanwhile, another company of hinlings has moved within your radius, but they appear not to stop. They skirt the edge of your sight, on the sixth day of training.

> Action?

>>18638999
>Meanwhile, another company of hinlings has moved within your radius, but they appear not to stop. They skirt the edge of your sight, on the sixth day of training.

How big are they?

Also, can we try to upgrade our followers again?

>>18639006

That band appears to be about 25, 30 strong.

You can upgrade them, but only with more extensive training, or battle experience.

By the way, how harshly do you want to train them? And for how long more? You've pushed them moderately for 6 days so far.

>>18639006
We should send out some scouts. Well armed scouts, so they can fight their way out, if need be.

>>18639020

> In which direction? Or with which goal? Pray elaborate.

>>18639013

Let's give them 3 days of hell, then two days of rest. Then we start to go on the warpath.

>>18639013
Okay, how about we try to take over that group. It doesn't have some strong presense leading them and it is not as big as the other one.

Gather all of our followers, form a war-party and intercept them. Hopefully, we wont have to resort to violence and will be able to subvert them with intimidation and fear alone.

Also, do we have any powers yet? Can we look more terrifying that we are right now when we meet that group?

>>18639045
Seconded.
Also, great quest idea, op.

>>18639045
seems quite dangerous, but if we pull it off right it might just turn the tables of power to our advantage.
Also, we should lead it and look as dangerous as we can while sending fear to the enemies.

>>18639061
>>18639045

> Thank you, appreciate that.

Well, in terms of actual magical fearsomeness, you can project a smoke screen from your staff, or strike blind terror into the hearts of 3 or 4 at a go. If you have any other suggestions for how you would like to frighten them, tell me. Hinlings are frightened by much the same things humans are, so run wild.

> When you give a suggestion, roll d100.

Meanwhile, you gather your men; the blessing of Stamina has faded by now, so would you like to prepare them in any other way?

> Make a suggestion as well, then roll d100.

> Any other action suggestions welcome.

rolled 82 = 82

>>18639089

A smokescreen sounds excellent. Can we also simulate battle drums and the roaring of an army? Just to surprise and dismay the hinlings?

rolled 56 = 56

>>18639089
>Meanwhile, you gather your men; the blessing of Stamina has faded by now, so would you like to prepare them in any other way?

How about a blessing of Presense? Make our minions looks more fearsome, bigger and scare than they actually are. Perhaps have an illusion on them that make them have similar fire and smoke come out of them.

It's better just to have the other force shit its pants and surrender immediately instead of fighting. That way, we will have more followers.

>>18639123
You've got the idea.

rolled 56 = 56

>>18639089
Using our senses direct our followers to encircle the other group so that when we appear before them, we appear all at once, seemingly materializing out of nowhere.

>>18639123
lets see if this roll is better.

rolled 8 = 8

>>18639123

Rolling for this, hope for better results...

rolled 50 = 50

>>18639089
We could conjure up some shadow beings made out of smoke, should scare them.
Or if we can be good at illusion, make it looks like we have a few more hindlings.

> Nice suggestions!

You gather your men in the afternoon and simply gesture toward the northeast, and they follow you wordlessly. You attempt to have a stealthy approach before you spring your plan... but things don't go as you hope.

As you approach the camp, you belatedly sense the presence of two hunters returning to their camp who also notice the force of hinlings marching on them with spears held forward.

'What? People? People! Help! Attack coming!'

Shit! You quickly create your smokescreen, and huge thick billows of grey-black smoke waft in and surround the camp completely. You then order your men to yell the battle cry, and amplify it with your power, until the roar of hinlings reverberates through the forest.

> Roll d100!

rolled 29 = 29

rollan

rolled 53 = 53

Hopefully a better roll

rolled 37 = 37

Rolling Rolling Rolling Yeah!

rolled 97 = 97

>>18639182
rolla

Also, tell them to stand down if they don't want to be hurt

rolled 47 = 47

Come on! Capture!

rolled 43 = 43

Oh, fuck. Maybe I can save us.

rolled 99 = 99

>>18639182
rollan !

>>18639217
CRITICAL WIN!

>>18639196

> 4th of first 5 rolls accepted!

97 vs. 14-10 = Critical Success!

'HINLINGS! SURRENDER... NOW!' You catch one Hinling running through the smoke, out into the open, but quickly your archers aim his way and several arrows are sticking out his back.

Then you order your own hinlings to charge in and surround the camp, whereupon you clear the smoke, appearing to the terrified and surrounded tribe in all your smouldering glory. They cower before you, and to a hinling they take your offer to live as your thrall. Only one defies you; he stands up, yells at you, but three words in you smash his body and drain his soul in a single blow, spattering all your hinlings who cheer.

'You are now mine. Do not resist.'

'We are now yours, Master.'

> Obtained new thralls: 22!
> Battle results incoming.

rolled 89 = 89

>>18639241
Sweet.
What kind of shit did this group have?
We need to integrate them with our group.

Spend several days consoldating our power then march on the smaller tribe with the empowered soul.

> Describe how you intend to put them under your will, by the way. You now have willing assistants, so go wild.

>>18639241

Our Dark Magnificence shall rule this world!

Also this is what I imagine what our battle shape is.

rolled 55 = 55

>>18639272
Also, make weapons for new arrivals.

We will need to give a blessing of somekind so that they are stronger than the other group.

>>18639291
What do you mean, aren't they our thralls already?

> Well, I'll use the 99 as a looting roll. This clan is unusually rich!

Your possessions (new loot in brackets):

Hinling thralls: 55
- Bowmen: 11 (1 with Strong Bow)
- Spearmen: 12 (1 with Long Lance)

Chickens: 102 (+74)
Goats: 49 (+24)
Cattle: 11 (+5)
Donkeys: 8 (+4)
Horses: 2 (+2)

Buildings:
- Hinling mobile tents: 15

Weapons:
- Normal Bows: 15 (+4)
- Strong Bows: 5 (+4)
- Hunting spears: 18
- Long spears: 9 (+8)
- Staves: 56 (+36)
- Magical Staff: 1

Treasures:
- 32 silver coins (+32)

>>18639310


Food! FOOD FOR EVERYONE! BUT MOSTLY FOR US!

since the other settlements with a soul or whatever it is was as the same size as ours before i think we could try to take over them now.

>>18639291

> Oops. That was my note to myself.

Where would you like to set up your base now, by the way?

The new site is in a small clearing in the forest, near the sea and a road.
Your old site was in a clearing in a valley, next to a small stream.

If you have no preferences, you will default to going back to the old place.

rolled 37 = 37

>>18639310
>Horses: 2 (+2)

Do we have any hinlingsthat are good at riding? We could give them long spears and have some mounted units.

I see that this group has more advanced weapons. Do they know how to make them? Can they upgrade lower quality weapons to better ones?

>>18639333
>Where would you like to set up your base now, by the way?

Is the road well-traveled?

>>18639333
Are there any exceptional hinlings from the new group?

And can we use that damn magic staff yet?

I think near a water stream or something would be good. Also we might want to look into fortifying our camp once we chose a location.

> New Mechanic Introduce: Champions

You are now sufficiently powerful and with enough backing to focus some powers into a Champion. As your thralls increase, you will get more space for champions; right now you can have one.

If you'd like to create a champion, give him/her a weapon, and give an initial blessing. You need to prove your favour before your thralls.

>>18639334

You are not sure hinlings are good at riding. Thankfully these are ponies; you reckon you could train two people if you want.

Certainly the hinlings you've enthralled didn't intend to ride them; they probably were going to eat them.

You are not sure where they got the shiny better weapons from, but after some interrogation it turns out they got them on the other side of the mountain range. (Well, it's really a hill range, but it's rugged terrain and not very passable.)

'Who did you buy them from?'

'Full men... and Mathraim...'

Mathraim! Those sentients, long-armed and stout-bodied, are famous for smithing. You briefly remember having them in your service before your long imprisonment.

>>18639339

It's not particularly well travelled. It seems mostly Hinlings use it, but you reckon that if other sentients were to travel to these parts - though you can't understand why - they'd use this road. It's actually surprisingly well upkept, you must say.

> Action? You took two days to fully break your new thralls. You can now assign weapons to them as need be.

> You currently have:
> 11 Bowmen (10 normal bows, 1 strong bow)
> 12 Spearmen (11 hunting spears, 1 long spear)
> 5 normal bows, 4 strong bows unassigned
> 7 hunting spears, 8 long spears unassigned
> 2 horses unassigned

>>18639397

You've been shooting thick black smoke out of your staff that last battle. So yes, definitely.

If you'd like to build anything, do say so. You've defaulted to moving the 6 new mobile homes to your old camp for now, but they're mobile after all.

Also, to elaborate on the Champions: when you bless a champion it is permanent, and will have a bit more power and freedom to speak. They can thus advise, and command others, like a lieutenant of yours. For now, you can grant this champion one blessing.

rolled 61 = 61

>>18639403
Find the Hinling with the greatest bow skills, and make them our Champion. If possible, bestow upon them the blessing of extraordinary accuracy.

Next, set up a camp for everyone in the forest, and have them start fishing in the sea.

Finally, scout out as much as we can until we have a good idea of the peninsula. We need to expand to the sea and control as much as we can, and we can't do that until we have some information.

Is there any way, actually, to make our form more... beautifully terrifying? Instead of just pure terrifying?

I'm just looking forward and thinking maybe humans would go for that more easily, if they're more... intelligent than hinlings.

>>18639450
Second on champion.


>>18639403
We should have scouts along the road, beyond our scope of senses, so that they can notify us if someone is passing through.

>action
we 47 weapons and 55 thralls. We need 8 more weapons.
Have them work on bows (because we have more spears than bows)

The next couple of days, have them train and meanwhile harvest more energy-force (sustainable amount)

>>18639450

Do you mean, move your camp to a forest near the coast? That can be done, if it's your wish.

You're not near the sea now; it's about 8 miles away, nearest.

Also, you dispatch scouts while you consolidate your troops and forces and continue to replenish your power by draining them.

>>18639495
Yes, to the sea. It'll be easier for us to fortify our position and establish a stronghold if we don't have to worry too much about something coming from behind us.
Back to the wall and all that.

> Doing laundry, 10 min break.

>>18639453

Something like this bro? I use this picture as a "screen" when the Psuedo-BBEG talks to my group, he is both majestic and terrifying in mannerisms and looks like a boss.

No idea who the artist is sadly.

>>18639529

I support this as our "Lordly" form when we grow stronger, right now I think it fits that our weak-state is little more than a tattered cloak of flame and darkness.

>>18639507
Putting fortification in the sea might be hard, i think that if there is a large river with some strong current it would be better + we would be just near drinkable water.

>>18639591
Hm. You have a point. We don't have the resources to do my idea just yet.
TO THE RIVER.

>>18639507
Our original position has a stream. A source of fresh water is important.

>>18639529
>>18639554

Nice pic there. Will use that as our more complete form.

>>18639450
>>18639485
>>18639507

Days pass as you further break the thralls and ensure that their life force flows smoothly into your being. With flesh and spirit both flowing in, your form becomes ever more solid. The tattered robe that once floated in the air like a beggar's cape now nearly reaches the ground. The smouldering heat turns into flames, even though in your vicinity there is a feeling of chill, of being alone, of being forsaken and exposed.

You assign all your weapons, bent on having a proper army in the least time possible. You then order more bows to be made, and at the same time decide to move to the coast. Under your leadership, the train of packed houses moves through the forest cloaked in deadly silence. Where once singing and calls announced one team of movers to another, they now know where they are. And they know they are under your command, which is all they truly need to know.

Soon, you are established by the coast, and of the 8 bows you ordered, 4 are of good strength. This is satisfactory... somewhat.

> More to come. Meanwhile do think up actions.

> Order your thralls to move back to the old place again, or perhaps find a larger river? It is a rather amusing game, you must admit.

> Blessing roll: 100! Holy fucking-

You assign the weapons, and then give a strong bow to your best hunter, a hinling name Skada. You then lay a hand on him, and everyone watches as he screams, clawing at his eyes and writhing on the ground.

'Skada. Skada.'

'Master.'

'Your eyes are opened. They will always be open.'

'I see clearly.'

'Within a hundred paces, your arrows shall fly deadly and true. Sparrows shall fall. Running deer shall fall. Sprinting hare shall fall, and hinling, and man.'

'It is so, Master.'

> Action?

> Your scouts are still busy moving, by the way. You also reach out to the very skies, and ask the ravens and pigeons for aid, which some of them render. With these you can monitor nearby enemies and sentients more easily.

rolled 6 = 6

>>18639638
How large/deep was the river ?
also, rollan.

>>18639658
>>18639638
>>18639613

Badass.
Where's that other group of Hinlings we felt earlier?
We should probably do something about them.

>>18639638
>> Blessing roll: 100! Holy fucking-
We're getting pretty good rolls on blessings
>aw shit, don't jinx it!

How are the food supplies looking? They have enough to feed, right?

Anyway, a little bit of training is important.
Also, see what other groups are doing.

>>18639665

The old river was but a stream - maybe about 40 feet wide, and 2 to 3 feet deep. You wouldn't know; you glide above it.

Your scouts have reported to you the presence of two more rivers to the east. One is about 15 miles east, a fast flowing river, along which they have spotted hinlings, full-men, and Mathraim. There are some settlements of hinlings there, they say.

The other river is larger and slower, and about 25 miles east-northeast, almost near the tip of the peninsula. Along its sides, there are hamlets and cottages of full-men, and in a bend near its mouth stands a town of the full-men.

You consider this news calmly.

Meanwhile, you train your troops. You drive them before you in a disciplined terror, spears in front and bowmen behind. You lead them in hunts, as they surround huge tracts of forest and slaughter everything caught within the noose. You have plenty to eat, even without killing any of your livestock; your hinlings eat eggs and drink milk. You try drinking milk, but bleearrgh.

You can still feel the two settlements you felt before, and yet others have come. Two more hinling encampments, one with some 30 souls and another with about 40 and an even brighter presence, both to the north. But you are not sure those are hinlings. They settle in the mountain forests, deep in inaccessible terrain. You wonder.

rolled 93 = 93

>>18639701
seconded

>>18639773

>93 on training our army

Jesus Fuck.

>>18639770
Target the weakest settlement.
We storm them at night, shit smoke and fire, and subjugate them to our wills.

Oh fuck I forgot one sentence. Between

> one with some 30 souls and another with about 40 and an even brighter presence, both to the north.

and

> But you are not sure those are hinlings.

There is news of another settlement, this time to your south.

rolled 98 = 98

>>18639790
Rolling for this.

>>18639773
>>18639795


WE ARE BEST GENERAL!

rolled 17 = 17

As for a guideline of the next things to do i'd say to finish subduing the 2 towns near us and to settle near the fast flowing river, it should protect our back quite effectively and get us drinking water.
What do you think about that ?

>>18639795
OH FUCK WHAT HAVE I DONE

>>18639795
Oh shit yeah.

Make sure to have them surrender with minimal casualties though.

forgot to take off the roll :/

>>18639814

Which two towns?

I have a strange fear of those potent presences. We aren't sure what they are.

Let's attack the two tribes without any presences among them. Gather our little Hinling horde.

> Looking at rolls

What the?

Also, I'd just like to note: you also have the option of slaughtering the hinlings or whoever you capture if you wish, just to grab all their souls at once. Remember, just as goats are livestock to the hinlings, hinlings themselves are livestock to you. You are milking them of their spirit, and you can always slaughter them for their souls.

That said. Your army is all tense with anticipation. It's up to you what to do.

> Slaughter? Or keep?

> Also, wow, we've been seriously aggressive. There is an invisible line of infamy, please take note. Acts of slaughter and clouds of black smoke are not likely to go totally unnoticed.

>>18639856
>> Slaughter? Or keep?

Keep.

I guess we could cut down on smoke after we take over this tribe.

rolled 69 = 69

>>18639856
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD
WE SHALL SHOW OUR MINIONS WHAT WE CAN DO
KILL THEM
KILL THEM ALL

>>18639876
What? No.
Don't kill them. We need more followers.

rolled 34 = 34

We can afford to slaughter one town, harvest the souls from, and use them to grow more powerful as we take more secretive tactics afterwards.

Let the surrounding areas fear the coming calamity, and suffer in anxiety during the calm before the storm.

rolled 37 = 37

I think we should keep about two third of them and slaughter the rest, or just harvest souls during the battle if there are many casualties it should be enough in term of power.

>>18639892

Yeah, I don't like the idea of attracting a lot of attention to ourselves this early on in the game.

Keep them.

So far:

> 2 for slaughter
> 2 for keep
> 1 for partial

More suggestions and votes welcome!

rolled 35 = 35

>>18639900

Kill the old and weak, keep those that are most useful to us?

Sounds like a plan to me.

>>18639899
>>18639900

Consider the impact it could have on our own followers. we have been pretty benelovent so far.
I say we keep the slaughter for truly hostile enemies. I think we will have to resort to slaughter when we try to overtake Human settlements or others.

don't kill them

>>18639919

They're going to have to get used to the idea of fighting and killing eventually. If we want this horde to sweep and conquer and subjugate, we need soldiers who will not balk at bloodshed.

I propose that we try to alter these people forever.

We turn them into chupacabres, maybe living Ghouls, wretched creatures only fit to serve US that dwell in the hours of the night.

The greatest champions shall be turned into living shadows, similar to us but no where near as powerful or cruel.

This is all long term of course.

Keep them. We shall be a benevolent diety, and elevate the hinlings above man and mathraim (speaking of this, what are they?).

>>18639938
yeah but if this goes the same way the last time, we will be basically slaughtering a bunch of defenseless creatures. Besides, they are their kin.
Lets slaughter when we fight appropriate enemy. Also, we need more followers.

rolled 56 = 56

I vote for killing all of the ones that can't be useful to us otherwise, like what >>18639916 suggested.

Those too old or too young or weak to serve us alive will serve us as food.

> Keep wins

You put your hand on Skada. 'Skada.'

'Master.'

'Show me what I have gifted you! Show me its worth!' With that you raise your staff, and a great cloud of smoke again swirls over the camp all of a sudden. The cries of surprise and fear are quickly punctuated by screams and wails of pain as Skada, lidless eyes staring into the smoke, notches and shoots arrow after arrow.

'Charge! My hinlings! Capture them!' As you clear the smoke it is clear what Skada has done - most of the armed hinlings in the camp have had their feet nailed to the ground by arrows. The others are quickly rounded up, and a few remaining resisters brutally killed, their souls draining into your essence as you begin emitting a green light from your staff. You do not even need to speak; dragged to you weeping, the hinlings crawl to your feet and submit.

> Killed hinlings: 4
> Captured hinling thralls: 28

> Great victory! Roll for loot, results incoming.

Epilogue: In the wake of this battle you suddenly sense the presence in the north glowing stronger than ever. It lasts only an hour or so, but you are surprised by its intensity.

You are also surprised when that entire encampment quickly moves north, so two clans, both with a guardian of some sort, are now standing together.

rolled 18 = 18

>>18639972

We need a method of scrying to more accurately follow what's going on here. Because if someone is mobilizing against us, we need to prepare.

rolled 42 = 42

>>18639972
rolla

>epilogue
is the htread done for today then?

rolled 30 = 30

>>18639972

>>18639986

No, just for this battle.

(Sadly I don't actually know when I'm free to run this quest. I can't do weekends, since I'm running another quest then...)

rolled 74 = 74

>>18639972

Rollan for Lootan'

>>18639972

Sheeeeeeeit someone else is uniting tribes in the North in response to our conquest. We need to get a bead on this so we can either nip it in the bud or have enough power to counter them when they attack.

rolled 85 = 85

>>18639995

Which quests are you running?

Also looting GO.

rolled 82 = 82

>>18639972
>You are also surprised when that entire encampment quickly moves north, so two clans, both with a guardian of some sort, are now standing together.

We should send scouts to see what they are doing. Perhaps bless them with something to ensure better results.

>>18640001
For all we know, they could be fighting each other.

rolled 95 = 95

>>18639972
rollan

>>18640007
>>18640013
YES!

for now i am great at rolling for looting, other rolls seem ~meh to bad.

>>18640014
>>18640013
>>18640007
>mfw

3 below average rolls, 3 above average, one for SUPAH LOOTAH.

rolled 21 = 21

lets give our champion a pony and a lance.

come on, loot!

rolled 90 = 90

>>18640040
speaking of champions. Can we get another one. Or a new blessing for Skada?

> Give me another second please, I'm recalculating based on new rolls.

> Also, for weekends I'm running Nobleman Quest under the name of Xingzhe. (Do join in if you're interested!)

>>18639995
Do we have enough power to give Skada another blessing? If so, we should make him stealthy and appoint him as the head of a scouting party and investigate the large presence we felt. We can figure out what to do when we know what we're up against.

>>18640048

Skada definitely deserves some kind of recognition after that battle.

I don't think we need another champion so soon, but we should also be keeping a lookout for potential candidates in the future.

Hinling thralls: 83 (+28)
- Bowmen: 19 Norm Bow, 9 Strong Bow
- Spearmen: 18 Hunt Spear, 9 Long Spear

Chickens: 122 (+20)
Goats: 56 (+7)
Cattle: 12 (+1)
Donkeys: 9 (+1)
Horses: 2

Buildings:
- Hinling mobile tents: 22 (+7)

Weapons:
- Normal Bows: 23 (+4)
- Strong Bows: 9
- Hunting spears: 28 (+10)
- Long spears: 9
- Staves: 56
- Magical Staff: 1
- Iron Flail: 1 (+1)

Treasures:
- 1 Bolt of silk (+1)
- 6 gold coins (+6)
- 48 silver coins (+16)

This tribe seems unusually rich in goods and currency...

For Skada, you may grant another minor boon. Give suggestions, I'll judge which ones are suitable.

>>18640048

get a twitter or something?

>>18639995
oooh, another champion would be perfect, we could then give them both the ponys

rolled 39 = 39

>>18640080
ROLLING FOR STEALTH

rolled 63 = 63

>>18640091
Aw, crackers.

rolled 89 = 89

I second stealth.

Long-term plans involve turning him into some sort of shadow wraith.

rolled 92 = 92

>>18640080

Skada shall be forever a shadow of his former self.

Literally, he is nothing but a shadow now, Stealthy as fuck and nearly invisible at night.

>>18640114
I was thinking of making him speedy and giving him superb endurance plus minor illusion magic so he can become our invisible agent in the field.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/18637565/

Archived for the glory of our dark overlord.

Loving this quest so far, OP!

>>18640127


Oh wow I actually did something cool for once.

>>18640127
>>18640114

It seems the dice agree on this account.

Skada shall be the shadow that heralds the storm clouds' arrival.

>>18640127

This, this so much.

Our champions shall be the Shadows that Lurk the Darkness, masters of the night and only bow to the Wraith King, the Grave Master, the Shadow Beyond Life.

>>18640160

>Wraith King, the Grave Master, the Shadow Beyond Life.

Change Grave Master to Grave Lord and you have yourself a deal.

> Hmmm. Shadow form is acceptable.

A few days pass from the battle, and - having built up your energy reserves - you summon Skada before the army again. There you summon your fire, and silently all the thralls listen as Skada screams while his flesh and bones are burned away.

'Forsake them! Forsake them! You are my shadow, Skada!'

'I am your shadow, Master!' By the time you are done, he is but a black, swirling mass, with several tendrils wrapped around his precious bow.

Do you also wish to give him a pony? He won't have a problem learning how to ride now, seeing as he won't fall off.

You could take a pony too, if you want.

> Actions? Or wait for more reports?

rolled 27 = 27

>>18640184

No ponies.

We can't look cool and evil while on a pony. But our other troops can make use of them.

>>18640184
>You could take a pony too, if you want.
God, I lol'd at mental image.

Does Skada need a pony? As a shadow, I assume he can move at incredible speed.

Have Skada scout the northern tribes and see why they have joined.

Also, how is the morale of our people? How is their happiness?

Also, auto-assign weapons and auto-upgrade?

You have three bowmen who can now be upgraded into archers, and 2 spearmen who can now be spearbearers.

I don't think a shadow riding a pony would look nice.

I'd rather get a cavalry started.

should we take the iron flail as our melee weapon?

... maybe we could tie it to the staff!

>>18640221
Yes.

Also, have the new people trained.

>>18640226

I agree.

Work on upgrading those who are ready and move in other individuals to take their place. It'd be great to have a rotating ladder of sorts, where the ones that improve into a higher class lead groups of the trainees underneath them.

who cares what you look like? it's the usefulness that matters.

anyone gives you any lip about it and you can set the fuckers on fire

>>18640240
>>18640250

This, and also make weapons. Or maybe we can buy them, is there any way to buy them?

>>18640273

Maybe we could try enchanting some weapons for our advanced troops like the spear-bearers and archers?

You have a shortfall of weapons. 14 hinlings are unarmed.

At the same time, you reorganise your army. The experienced archers are put in charge of the new thralls and bowmen, and same for the spearmen.

You are still considering whether you should move east, to the river 15 miles away; certainly your scouts have identified a suitable site.

The large encampment of 50 hinlings to your east has moved away, deeper into the mountains; meanwhile you receive reports that a full-man settlement is being opened in the hills right now. You also sense that full-men are approaching. Indeed, in moments of disquiet, you can even think you sense the Sukeji somewhere - those fearsome warriors, water-spirits, burning souls...

> Matrhaim are the dwarves of this setting. But they're about five foot tall, with long arms; and are of great and famous strength.
> The Sukeji are a water-loving race, with potent souls. They rely on speed and misdirection to overwhelm enemies.

rolled 97 = 97

>>18640331

Sukeiji sound a bit out of our league at the moment.

We can probably send some scouts out to poke around the human settlement and see if we could either take it, or insinuate our influence into it in some way.

We've been using smash-and-grab techniques so far, I'd like to try some sneakier methods.

I'd go for moving to the river east of our position.

>>18640361

Apparently we are the Night.

>>18640361
seconded.

>>18640331

Let's move east. It would allow us to face off against the full-men. Let's have a war, then.

Do we know how many settlements, and how big the settlements, are in that area?

Demand sacrefice in the form of gladiator bloodmatches. The looer gets its soul eaten and the winner gains our favour.

make the river area to the east our permanent base/town

rolled 19 = 19

>>18640395

How about we set up a more permanent camp at the river and make preparations to move against the human settlement once we've got our army better trained and more powerful.

>anyway op, do you have a twitter or something so we can see next time you run the quest ?

>>18640376
>>18640395

In the days before you move, you sense disturbing movements in the north. Yet another clan of hinlings has joined the two already encamped along the coast. At the same time, as if in a coordinated movement, no less than four groups of hinlings moved within your sensory radius from the southwest.

It seems clear that news has somehow travelled about your repeated assaults. You therefore choose to move east, along the river. Along the way, taking small routes and using the forest for cover, you manage to capture a hinling hunting party and enthrall them.

> 7 more hinling thralls!

You reach the site your scouts chose - an elevated ground, protected on two sides by steep slopes and the river itself. There you order the houses to be pitched. You feel a little bit more secure now, though you could probably stand to feel much more secure...

> My twitter is CirrusandN. I will use it for both this quest and Nobleman Quest, I guess. Unsubtle hint of promotion for Nobleman inserted.

> Actions? Also, scouts on the new human settlement(s) coming right up. You bloody dice-god favoured people.

rolled 91 = 91

>>18640472

A wall enclosing the part that's not protected by cliffs or the river might be a good idea.

I'm not much for defense tactics, so someone else want to suggest something?

>>18640472
I think we should get working on setting up some wooden barricades or something to protect ourselves from future enemies.

>>18640502
>not much for tactics
>gets a 91

God damn with my luck it was probably a bad suggestion too.

>>18640502

Enhance this wall with a trench filled with wooden stakes, several rows if possible, then if we can reinforce the palisade itself with stones.

Also, try and fill the INSIDE of the wall with dirt so that we have a high ground advantage at all times, if they get up on the wall at no point would they have higher ground.

Your scouts, aided by Skada, infiltrate the whole area using the cover of night with ease. Over several nights they report to you the things you can't sense precisely.

Turns out there are now two hamlets in the hills, which lie upstream of you, about 6 miles away. The men are woodcutters; the women gardeners, and altogether there are 11 households of them.

They've apparently heard about the strange menace to the southwest as well. Billowing clouds of smoke. Normally gentle and harmless hinlings, inoffensive slaves, suddenly organising themselves somehow into an armed force.

You even hear a bit of their history. Apparently it's been more than a hundred years since this peninsula was last settled by men or those races friendly to them, and about twenty years since this latest wave started. The men come from the west, settled all over the shore of this continent. Things are good.

Then, one day, they strike the jackpot. You feel a soul move among your thralls, and then a man and a woman are brought into your encampment, to cheers, and dumped on the ground. They have been tied up.

> Action?

rolled 86 = 86

>>18640533
Interrogation. They need to tell us everything about where they come from and what's been going on in the world at large.

Then WE FEAST.

rolled 19 = 19

>>18640533

Kill one, corrupt the other, and send it back to the human settlement as a spy.

>>18640533
bind them to our will with fear

>>18640569

>86
>For interrogation and feasting on True-Man Souls.

We are going to turn into >>18639529 relatively soon aren't we?

rolled 76 = 76

>>18640570
>>18640569

We can combine these two. Do the interrogation first, then only feast on one of them, the one left can be our in to seize control of the whole town.

You know, this whole quest reminds me a lot of Evil Quest. Which is a very, very good thing.

>>18640584
Sending one back when there's news out that SOMETHING is up with the hinlings may not be the best idea. It's too suspicious.

>>18640595

Yeah, I suppose you're right.

The information we'd gain from them and the power from their souls would give us a hand for when we do attempt to move against the settlement, at least.

>>18640502
>>18640513
>>18640515

For five days on end the labour does not stop. You re-imbue your hinlings with relentless stamina and numbness to agony and pain, and they chop down hundreds of trees and dig a trench eight feet deep, working until blood instead of sweat is pouring off their arms.

Then they sharpen the poles and trunks, and erect a palisade fence behind the trench, on top of an embankment piled up from the earth. If you wish, you could even gather the water of the river into the trench, turning your plateau fort into an island.

Will you do that?

rolled 56 = 56

>>18640641
HELL YES WE WILL.

>>18640403
>>18640403
>>18640403

FINISH HIM!

rolled 27 = 27

>>18640641
>If you wish, you could even gather the water of the river into the trench, turning your plateau fort into an island.

Hell yes! I was just about to suggest that, but didn't know if it would be feasible.

rolled 5 = 5

>>18640651
>>18640403

Our slaves can prove their worth to us in other ways that are more productive.

>>18640569
>>18640583
>>18640595
>>18640626

You have marked them for death already. But before that you savour their life force, just a little of it. Compared to the trickle that issues from each hinling, the humans feel like a strong, steady flow of energy.

They say they are from the northwest, across the sea. That the many, many ruined lands of the world, around their kingdoms, will now be reclaimed. That Baheras, mighty kingdom with its mighty armies, will once again spread its seed over the surface of the world.

They tell you that humans are coming. The full-men will come in large numbers. They will work with the hinlings, and the Mathraim, and the Sukeji, and any other of the many races and sub-races that populate the world and are of warm blood and righteous temper. They will once and for all destroy the strongholds of evil that still hold these ruined lands.

It is admirable bravado, especially given you need only lay a finger on them to set fire to their veins and leave them screaming. But before that, anything else needs asking?

>>18640678

"What is a man?"

rolled 46 = 46

>>18640678
Ask them for details about their settlement, anything that could give us an edge in taking it out. Promise them we won't hurt them if they tell us the truth.

Then kill them anyway.

rolled 83 = 83

>>18640695

Forgot my dice.

rolled 81 = 81

>>18640678
>They will work with the hinlings, and the Mathraim, and the Sukeji, and any other of the many races and sub-races that populate the world and are of warm blood and righteous temper.

Ha, all we need to do is work to set the races and nations against each other rather than focused on us.

Breed hatred and distrust and paranoia among them, let them see our face in the face of their allies instead of where we actually lurk.

>>18640653
>>18640645

You hold back the earthen banks with magic while it is shored up, but unfortunately it isn't quite enough reinforcement the first time round. Three of your hinlings are swept away, despite the efforts of their comrades to rescue them.

> Lost three hinling thralls

The second time, you do it much more carefully, and it works. Water flows into the new moat, and you are now the master of an island.

>>18640678
>>18640695

What can change the nature of a man?

>>18640695

Sorry, what? But you already know what a man is - rather, a full-man. Please elaborate if you want to know more about something.

>>18640696

'We won't tell you anything!' the woman cries through gritted teeth. 'Jorah!'

'Krissa! Don't! I won't tell you anything elther!'

'It would not be anything I do not know, anyway.' You keep your fingers on them, burning their blood.

> More questions before you feast?

rolled 8 = 8

>>18640748

DO IT.

rolled 40 = 40

>>18640748
What's the most horrific way we can eat someone?
Whatever it is (and I do implore you to be creative), do it to one of them, and demand answers from the other. If they still say nothing, feast.

rolled 52 = 52

>>18640770

Rolling for this.

So i just read through this thread and it seems awsome, getting ready to jump in! Just to clarify, your twitter is CirrusandN, right?

>>18640748
>you already know what a man is
A MISERABLE PILE OF SECRETS!

>>18640770
>>18640798

You raise your fingers and the two full-men slump on the floor, tears and sweat puddling around them. You'd feast on the one with the long hair and the higher voice first - Krissa, you believe. She tastes better. Besides, you think the male can withstand torture for a little longer without being unable to say anything.

So, Krissa it is. You put both hands on her, and immediately she starts to tremble. 'Jorah! JORAAAAAAA-'

The screams echo around the hall as you slowly, steadily, boil the blood out of the woman. Her whole body rears up so hard that the ropes snap, and her arms - also broken by the exertion - flop around helplessly. Blood issues from every orifice, and it is at least half an hour before you finish draining her. It's not an efficient method, but by heavens it is picturesque.

Krissa slumps back into a puddle that is red this time. And this time Jorah spills the beans. He tells you about the fact that there are people from the river farther east who patrol the forest. That they come by the hamlets every three or four days. The passwords for the hamlet's watch. The best time to attack (night, but you already knew that).

You reward him with a quick devouring, his shattered skull lolling back from your hands when you're done.

> Action?

>>18640861
What is our magic power now?

rolled 68 = 68

>>18640861
We'll accompany Skada and our finest archers to ambush the patrol. We subjugate them and use them to infiltrate the hamlet with the passwords. Then they sabotage what they can in preparation for our attack the next night.

Blood will flow.

>>18640861

Looks like we will have to fight them, then. Organise the army, train, prepare weapons, and prepare to assault.

Let's prepare more spearmen this time. Can we make other weapons?

Maybe we should send out a party, with Skada, and try to capture one of these patrols, more souls for us, and putting fear into the hearts of men is always nice.

>>18640861
How many of them are there? How many weapons do they have?

>>18640914

It seems that the two hamlets together can muster perhaps 10 or 12 fighting men, with axes. These are lumberjacks, not to be trifled with.

Neither is the patrol to be trifled with. Jorah says they are rangers, skilled at tracking, deadly with bows. There are normally three or four of them each patrol.

> For any more questions do ask. But this thread might be running out soon.

>>18640725
>You hold back the earthen banks with magic while it is shored up, but unfortunately it isn't quite enough reinforcement the first time round. Three of your hinlings are swept away, despite the efforts of their comrades to rescue them.
>
>> Lost three hinling thralls

What? That's not cool.
Can we send a rescue party for them?

rolled 23 = 23

>>18640959
With us and Skada, a small group can easily overpower the rangers.
Let's do this.

rolled 13 = 13

>>18640959
We should take a lot of bowmen. Have them employ guerrila tactics.

Try to capture the hamlet alive and turn them into thralls.

Hey OP, long time lurker, first time poster (Yes, I enjoy Nobleman Quest, but Peony, with the razorwire? DAMNSHESCARY.jpg - I approve!) I dunno about the attack, but as a prelude I think we should billow smoke above the town, blot out the sky, and crash it down upon them. We lose surprise, but gain terror, and after all, we DO need them to surrender... Pic not even remotely related.

>>18640988

salvage roll!

rolled 48 = 48

>>18640988
>>18641009
>>18641021
Lets try rolla again

>>18640985

You tried, sadly; you even tried to hold back the waters so they could climb to safety. But you are not powerful enough yet for that.

Poor three guys. Well, hopefully you'll have more hinlings - and full-men - to replace them.

>>18641024

I failed misserably...

rolled 61 = 61

>>18641040
So they drowned ;_;
poor sods

Also, I don't think you answered my question I made an hour or so ago.
How is the general morale and happiness of our followers?

rolled 71 = 71

>>18640988
I'd like to try myself at rolling

rolled 10 = 10

>>18641054
¨
not even funny...

rolled 42 = 42

>>18641071
you aren't one with the spirit of rolls

rolled 50 = 50

>>18640988
>>18641009
>>18641028
>>18641065

Lets... lets just take a bigger force.

>>18641065

Happiness? *Loud chortling*

Seriously though... you aren't sure about happiness, and you're not sure you care. (Should you?) But morale certainly seems to be high, especially with the intensive training you have arranged.

You still have some unarmed hinlings, though.

Also, thread is autosaging, new thread over here: >>18641111

>>18641089

My roll-fu is tonight...

Anyway, I second the idea of sending a small party out and try to capture/ convert a small group of rangers, maybe using our MIND POWERS to make them come quitly

rolled 29 = 29

>>18641114
Did you archive the thread?