You are Osyki, newly promoted Totemist and first line of defense for your village against the rabid Behemoths wandering the land. Your master, the previous Totemist, fell in a battle against a terrible Behemoth, leaving the duty of defending your settlement to you. Now, you and your assistant Quinn are in your workshop, speaking to the spirit residing within the Fanged Stalker pelt you recently claimed as a Focus. Earlier today, you spent time with Boand, the local spring spirit, to repay a debt to her. On the way back you were waylaid by two separate entities. One, a Nature Spirit who claims Boand as his "Trea", was dispatched easily enough. You did not catch the name of the second spirit, if indeed that is what the beast was, but it sapped the strength from your limbs for long enough to deliver a cryptic, foreboding message. It has warned you to expect it again when you have gained in experience.

What will you do?
----------

[[Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=totem ]]

>>20419791
No, you've been beyond satisfactory.

I like to promote having a good relationship with any spirits I have bound, ensuring that any requests they have can be fulfilled.

I wanted to know your name, if there are any items you are best suited for, that sort of thing. In addition if you could make it easier to do this next time I would talk to you.

Also I wanted to show Quinn how this was done.

>>20419965

"No, no." you say, shaking your head. "You've been more than satisfactory. I just like to promote a good relationship with spirits I have bound. If you have any requests, I'll do what is in my power to fulfill it."

"Very generous of you, Master Totemist." the spirit replies, leaning back into its personal shroud of concealment. "I am one who listens more than he speaks, but should I require something of you, it is pleasing to me to know that I have the right of audience."

You nod. Quinn, at your right, seems a little tense. This shadow-wrapped figure seems to put him on edge. You chalk it up to inexperience in the realm of the spiritual.

"I wanted to ask your name, and if you had any advice on what vessels best suit your abilities."

The spirit chuckles, a sound that conjures images of the dark honeyed mead you stole at the last village festival. You feel Quinn shift uncomfortably beside you.

"You may address me as Thane, if it pleases you. In regards to the matter of your use of my abilities, keep me close. The cloak was, if I do say so myself, an excellent start. I will keep you from prying eyes. Your secrets will always be safe with me, though I will sometimes request a price for keeping those delicate parcels of information secure."

You frown. "Is there any way we could meet again without the extended search? You're a difficult spirit to call." you say, gesturing to the Pelt Focus.

Thane shakes his head, a motion that causes the darkness wrapping his features to swirl and shift in ways that burn your eyes to watch. "A curse of my nature, I am afraid. I am in the business of being difficult to find."

>>20420132
It's perfectly alright, none of us can go against our nature, I do not fault you for it.

What sort of price would you charge for keeping my secrets?

Also Quinn, meet Thane, Thane meet Quinn.

rolled 3 = 3

>>20420132
I thought of the cloak being suitable as well. I'm glad I chose wisely. What if the price is too steep to keep the secrets? How would one as yourself let these secrets be known. I'm not implying that your price might be too high, but I'm simply trying to figure out how you might be interact with my plane of existence.

>>20420217

You shrug, your shoulders light now that Nocturne's Embrace no longer rests upon them. "I don't blame you for your nature. If I did that, I wouldn't be a very good Totemist, would I?"

Thane chuckles at this. "It is as you say, Totemist. Thank you for your gracious understanding."

You glance at Quinn, whose hand is rested on the pommel of his mace. "Ah, I'm being rude. Thane, this is Quinn, my... assistant, I suppose."

Thane gives Quinn a nod. "Hello, Quinn Terrick."

Quinn gives a start at your side. When he speaks, it is a voice filled to the brim with surprise, mixed with a pinch of outrage. "How do you know my name?"

"You were introduced. It is not my fault that you do not keep your true name concealed." Thane says with a small grin.

You recline against a workbench, growing more comfortable. "Tell me, Thane, what price would you charge for keeping my secrets?"

The Stalker spirit lets out another deep rich chuckle. "That, Totemist, would depend entirely on the importance of the secret. Generally I will ask a price in blood or power from you for as long as I hold the secret safe. More extensive forgeries and deceptions may require more complicated sacrifices. Why, did you have something in mind?"

>>20420330
While my intention was simply to know the prices should I have need of this now that I think about it there are things that I could request.

What would it cost to keep my true name concealed from those who I do not wish to know it?

While the village is already concealed from a certain someone are there additional steps you could take to shadow this place from its gaze? And of course what price would I pay?

>>20420420

You let your gaze wander between Quinn and Thane, pondering their interaction. Master Ayren taught you that in lands beyond the brush, names have power over those who bear them. If you plan to become as well traveled as your master was, you'll need to take some precautions.

"I was just curious." you mutter, rubbing your chin. "Although..."

Thane's smile grows slightly.

"What would it cost me to keep my true name concealed from those who I do not wish to know it?" You ask. Quinn shoots you a worried look, but Thane nods slowly.

"Yes, yes. A predictable request, but I am glad that you happened upon it, young Master. A name. Such a simple thing. And yet..."

The claw spinning in Thane's hand flickers, shifting into a scroll of ebony parchment.

"An important thing to keep safe. Yes, Totemist, I could keep your name safe. Any who you do not designate as trusted will not know it, through rumor or introduction other than your own. For this, I ask a regular sacrifice. A cup of your blood, boiled until reduced to a thick paste every new moon. A simple thing, yes?"

>>20420513
That is a rather simple thing.

How large of a cup? How powerful of a being would one have to be to break through the protection that you place upon my name?

>>20420548

"A simple thing." you agree. You glance at your spear in the corner, where Modi's Focus dangles in the dimmed firelight. "How large of a cup would it need to be?"

"A drinking glass or goblet, Master Totemist. I do not keep secrets for giants or mice, and so I do not drink from their cups."

"And how safe would this information be? How powerful of a force would it take to break this protection?"

Thane seems surprised at the amount of thought you have put into the matter, leaning forward to reveal that same amber eye through the cloud of shadows. "Only those who knew to look would be able to find where your secret is hidden, Totemist. Still, I am only as powerful as you allow me to be. At present, any force superior to your own spiritual power would be sufficient to break the bonds of secrecy. As you grow more powerful, so will the shadows that shroud you darken. It is the way of the Stalker. Only the strong vanish entirely."

>>20420623
I find your bargain acceptable Thane, I accept and thank you.

I shall offer you the cup of the next new moon. Will the protection begin before then or only once the first sacrifice has been made? What would be the price of breaking the bargain and no longer offering blood whether through accident or with clear intent? Could I at a later date negotiate with you to lift the protection for some reason or another?

>>20420623
Fill a cup full of blood then reduce it, or present you with a cup full of reduiced blood? There is a signifigant amount differene

>>20420662
"You would have me fill a cup with blood, then reduce it, yes?" You ask, rubbing your wrist unconsciously. "A cup of reduced blood is very different from a cup of blood reduced."

"It is as you say." Thane says, nodding. "A cup of blood, reduced to a paste. It would be counterproductive to drain my link to the World Without dry, would it not?"

>>20420688

You nod. "I think so. Very well, Thane. I accept your offer. I will present you with a cup of blood reduced at the next new moon."

Thane nods. With a flick of his finger, the ebony scroll in his hand flips across the room. It alights on the same workbench you recline against, unfurling to lay flat on the table's surface.

"Sign your name, then, Totemist, and our pact is sealed."

"When will the protection begin?" you ask, moving to find a quill in the mess that your workshop has become of late. "At the next full moon, or before?"

"I cannot work without reagents to do so, Totemist. It will begin when your end of the bargain has been fulfilled."

You finally rummage through a pile of books, retrieving an owl-feather quill. "And if I am unable to keep my end of the bargain at some point down the line?"

"Then our deal will expire, and my protection will come undone." Thane says, as though it was the simplest thing in the world.

>>20420770
All completely understandable and acceptable. I apologize for so many questions but I like having all the terms of a contract known beforehand if possible. It mitigates confusion. It would be troublesome if I thought that something was provided and it was not, or if there was a caveat I was unaware of.

Sign the contract.

rolled 53 = 53

>>20420848
wait wait wait, what about our sister, wouldn't it be good to use this and keep her safe instead? I mean, after all, we do have what's-his-name going for her.

>>20421017
You mean Elana, my memory could be wrong on this but I don't think anything is going after our sister.

>>20420848

You turn to sign the scroll, wondering silently how the black ink will produce any sort of impression against the pitch black scroll. "Understood." you say as you scrawl your name as best you can on the paper (or is it leather? It's difficult to tell,) in large, blocky script. "I apologize for the interrogation. I usually find that it mitigates any confusion about obligations and expectations that might crop up down the road."

"Not at all, Totemist." Thane says with a wave of his hand. "It pleases me to see that you are one who thinks his bargains through. Ah, good," he says as you finish signing your name. The paper lets out a soft cough of black smoke, and the ink you have signed your name with inverts to a stark white against the black slip. The rest of the paper quickly follows suit, the entire scroll dissolving into a cloud of black smoke. "I will expect your offering at midnight on the night of the New Moon. Now, is there anything else I can assist you with?"

Quinn nudges you. "Hey, don't forget that you've still got a lot of new totem ingredients here to work through." he says in a low voice, his gaze locked on Thane's form.

>>20421178
I can't think of anything. It was a pleasure to meet you Thane.

I'm going to rebind you inside the cloak, it is far too snazzy to not be upon my shoulders. If you ever desire audience please let me know.

>>20421210

You nod to Quinn, then return your gaze to Thane. "No, Thane, I think our dealings are at an end for today. Thank you for speaking with me."

"And you with me, Master Totemist." Thane responds. "I wish you the finest of days."

You allow the energy holding Thane's material form in place to lapse. The room instantly brightens; you had not realized how dark your study had become until the light returned. Now that you think back, the room was practically void of illumination while you spoke. It did not seem troubling... at the time.

You lift the Stalker pelt from its resting place in your arm-chair, quickly rebinding it to your cloak. Nocturne's Embrace unfurls in your hand, and you throw it over your shoulders without a second thought.

The rest of the day is yours to do with what you wish, Totemist.

>A list of your obligations and to-do's from a previous thread:
Your current obligations:
* Repay your debt to Sylviannis through an unnamed, but soon to be revealed favor
* Negotiate with the Rain Spirits for a good harvest this season
* Pay a visit to the spirit of the mountain, in regards to this "Deal" (s?)he brokered with Ayren
* Use Tryd and/or Boand to identify a child with potential to become your new apprentice
* Pick up order from the Blacksmith's shop
* Speak with the small Nature Spirit about Boand

To-Do
>See if we can make something useful for the villiage, from the monsters that attacked
>Spend time with Elana and Aurora
>Keep training Quinn
>Continue training with the Slayers

>>20421359
So Quinn, how did you like this demonstration in spirit negotiation. Always remember to define the contract carefully, Thane was quite polite and straightforward, many others won't be and will have hidden caveats and downsides in the deal.

Give me your opinion on the interaction I just had, ask any questions you have about it, point out any flaws or things I did well, I want your honesty as I'm still learning.

What time is it?

>>20421412

"So?" You say, turning to face Quinn. "What did you think of that? That's probably as pleasant as negotiating with a spirit will ever be. Thane seems legitimate in his dealings, and he hasn't asked for anything too distasteful."

Quinn shrugs, though his face is wrapped in a grimace. "As long as you're sure about feeding that thing your blood, Osyki. It gives me a chill just to look at it, if we're being frank, but I trust your judgement."

You glance out the window, attempting to gauge exactly how much time has passed. Based on the shadows in the street outside, you'd guess it's a few hours before sunset yet.

>>20421565
We're Totemists, blood and other body parts is the keystone of our power. You get used to it.

I think we should visit our little sister and the rest of the kids. Bring Tryd and Amal with. During this play Tryd should see which ones among them have the most spiritual potential. Once he narrows it down to a few we'll bring those to Boand to help us in choosing our apprentice. But we're also there to visit our sister.

>>20421630

"Blood. Bone. Sinew. These are the hallmarks and cornerstones of our power, Quinn. You must be comfortable dealing in them and handling them. They are part and parcel of our trade."

You put a stress on the second to last word, and Quinn's smile grows an inch for it.

"Now, I'm off to the Raising House. I've a few potentials to look over, and I miss my sister. You're welcome to join me if you like."

Quinn shakes his head. "If it's all the same to you, Osyki, I think I'll try to make some more progress in the Almanac. The more prepared I am for what we have to deal with, the less chance I'll make some critical blunder."

You grin. "You'll blunder. Trust me. It happens to the best of us. And me." You add with a wink, heading for the door.

Quinn's laughter echoes at your back as you make your way down the road. Fishing Tryd and Amal's foci from your sleeve and neck respectively, you call upon your twin advisers.

"Gentlemen," you begin as you walk down the road, "I think it's time to pick our apprentice. Or a few potentials, at least. Tryd, Amal tells me that you have an eye for that sort of thing."

Tryd shrugs, scratching a few motes of soot from his head. "I s'pose. No better or worse than any other spirit, really. Amal here's just blind as a bat. That's what happens when you lack eyes." he says, leering at your prismatic companion. Amal, to his credit, remains silent.

"So what's the plan, Osyki?" Tryd asks, lazily tossing a spark from hand to hand. You are nearly at the Raising House now. "Any plans for a special entrance? A few flashes, perhaps? Some sparks?"

>>20421790
Well I do have this snazzy new cloak of darkness.

So we sneak into the Raising House, I appear out of a shadow and before she knows what happened my sister is slung over my shoulder and is being tickled like she has never been tickled before.

>>20421839

You shrug. "Fire's not exactly what I had in mind." you say. Your cloak ripples around you at the movement, and you smile. "With this, I'm a ghost in the shadows. I figure I'll steal into the Raising House through the kitchens and have Aurora in a tickle-fit before the Matrons can blink. It will be very impressive, I'm sure."

Tryd chuckles at this, and if Amal had eyes you have the sense he'd be rolling them.

"Very well, Osyki." Amal says good-naturedly. "We'll stay out of sight until you call for us then, yes?"

You nod, and at the movement the two spirits fade from sight.

You spent the earliest years of your life in the Raising House. You know it like the back of your hand. Sticking to the shadows, you draw the hood of Nocturne's Embrace over your head and vanish.

(Cont)

You creep around the Matrons, silent as an owl's wings, through the cupboards and under tables. None spare you a glance as you wind your way from shadow to shadow, eventually making your way to the door of the main room.

There are no proper shadows from your current position the where Aurora sits, writing in a small journal and speaking with another girl her age. You will have to be quick to escape her notice; she may be young, but she's not unobservant.

>Roll 1d100 for pounce.

rolled 90 = 90

>>20422036
Rolling for tickle pounce.

>>20422049
>90

You crouch in the doorway. Cloudwalker's Stride crackles at your feet, and though the sound draws the attention of a young boy, his eyes glaze past you as he searches for the source of the noise.

You rocket forward, leaving a small scorch mark in the doorway as you hurtle across the room. To her credit, Aurora looks up in time to see your grin as you wrap your arms around her, lifting her bodily from the floor with the force of your momentum. She lets out a squeal, at first of surprise, and then out of reflex as you tickle her mercilessly. The children explode into chaos around you, swarming you with cries of delight and surprise. From the kitchen you hear a dish shatter as a very surprised, very displeased Matron Liska strides across the room toward you. You grin, Aurora tight in your grasp, and give her a nod.

"Good afternoon, Matron."

>>20422111
Matron Liska. As you can see I was providing the children with an impromptu lesson in ambush tactics, one that ought to serve them well in the coming years.

Isn't that right kids?

>>20419741

I am extremely pleased to see that you have returned Diarca. Your quest is one that I've been waiting for quite some time.

It's.. hard to express how excited I am.

>>20422121

"Osyki." she says, her mouth a hard line. You return her grimace with a wide smile.

"As you can see, I was providing the children with an impromptu lesson in ambush tactics, one that ought to serve them well in the coming years. Isn't that right, kids?"

The children around you let out a cheer. A few attempt to hoist you into the air, but you are far larger than they are, and the effect is comical at best. You chuckle, patting Leo's head.

"And what a sterling lesson it was. I do hope that there was some point to this other than scaring me witless."

You nod. "I had planned to spend some time with the children today," you say with a significant look. "Maybe see if they get along with my friends."

The matron nods, though she does not look entirely pleased.

"Very well, Osyki. In the yard, if you please. If there's to be a mess," she pauses as a general cheer rises from among the children, "I'd like to keep it out of the house."

>>20422281
[[ Good to be back. I missed running the quest. Now that I'm not on knock-out pills anymore, it should go a lot smoother. ]]

>>20422300
Of course Matron. Beside it'll get them out of your hair for a while.

Take the kids to the yard, give Tryd a chance to narrow it down and find the best candidates.

Let the kids play with Tryd and Amal, have them show off any visually impressive tricks they can do. Show them the Cloudstrider boots but don't char too much of the yard and be extremely careful that there aren't any kids near when we make them go spark or near where we're going to land. Play hide and seek, use Nocturne's Embrace sparingly for an unfair advantage. Relax, we've had a long day.


I should probably reread the archives, it's been a while. Just to refresh myself. It's damn good to have you back.

>>20422352

You clamber to your feet, Aurora still clasped squirming under one arm. "Of course!" you respond. "Wouldn't dream of smudging up the place. I know how to pick my battles."

Matron Liska looks as though she is trying very hard to keep a stern expression plastered across her face as you lead the children out into the yard, a parade of chattering youngsters.

You lead them out to the fenced-in yard in the back of the Raising House. The yard itself actually dwarfs the house, a large plot of land cleared of weeds and entirely allocated to giving the children space to play and train. You mount the stump that has been collectively decided as the Speaker's Stump, facing your crowd of adoring fans. Aurora finally manages to wriggle free of your grasp, taking her place at the head of the crowd and shooting you a withering glare.

>Do you have a specific game in mind, Totemist?

>>20422432
A few possibilities.

All of them vs. us, they have to catch and tackle us and pin us to the ground. This'll force them to work together and cut off our escape routes to allow enough of them to grab onto our legs to slow us down enough for more to pile on. A good variation on this is that we're trying to get to the Speaker's Stump and they have to stop us or they're trying to force us to it or one of a number of other landmarks.

Calvinball, have a small set of rules about whoever has a ball or something like that making their way around the field to various points and accomplishing tasks on the way, the rules can change randomly.

Any of 1000 variations of tag.

I like them trying to tackle us. It'll tire them out enough that the Matron will appreciate it.

After they're tired out some we can move to visually impressive tricks from Tryd and Amal and us showing off the Cloudwalker's Stride to the amazement of the children.

>>20422300
I thought you left us high and dry Diarca. So glad to have you back but I feel like it's been so long that I'll need to refresh my memory now.

>>20422529

[[That's the impression I'm getting from a lot of folks. Hopefully between now and Thursday people will have some time to archive binge. There aren't a whole lot of threads to go through, all things considered.

Post incoming shortly.]]

>>20422500

"Boys and girls," you begin, crouching down to get closer to their level, "I think it's time we played a game. Some of you have already met Amal, my Nature Spirit."

Perfectly on cue, Amal shimmers into existence over your gesturing hand. He rotates slowly, his prismatic form reflecting a deep golden color. Some children "oooh" appreciatively, while others wave.

"I'd like you to meet my other companion. This," you say, gesturing to the ground in front of the stump, "Is Tryd."

A rune to match the charm around your wrist suddenly burns itself into the grass at the base of the Speaker's Stump. In a small gout of flame Tryd leaps from beneath the ground, his ashen body aglow with streaks of red and yellow.

Always the consumate showman.

The children back away from the sudden pyrotechnic display, but surge inward to examine Tryd once the sparks have cleared.

"We will play a game of tag with Tryd. Those of you who can last for five minutes without getting smudged by him will win a prize.. Be careful, though," you say, raising a warning finger. "He's faster than he looks, and tricky besides."

The children nod. You can already see the clever ones glancing about for obstacles that they might use to their advantage.

One boy, very young with black hair and green eyes, raises his hand. When you nod to him, he mumbles something to Aurora, who translates for him.
(Cont)

"Scales wants to know if we can hide."

Tryd answers this for you, black fangs bared. "If you think you can hide from me, boy, you're sorely mistaken."

Scales shrinks back behind Aurora.

"Ready?" You say, straightening to tower above the children again. "The game will begin in ten. Nine. Eight."

The children scatter, surging outward across the yard. Tryd chuckles to himself, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

>Roll me 2d24.

rolled 4, 21 = 25

>>20422668
Go for it Tryd. Identify good apprentices, and win, winning is also important.

>>20422676

You watch as the game progresses. Through use of his quick leaping movements Tryd manages to tag seven children within the first ten seconds of the game. After that the numbers dwindle more slowly, though not by much. At the three minute mark, there are ten children unmarked. At four minutes, five remain.

As Tryd materializes in the branches of a tree to surprise two children unfortunate enough to bunch together, you see the recruits with potential. A boy with short-cropped brown hair and freckles has managed to stay at the edge of Tryd's rapidly moving range since the game began. Your sister's friend Scales is nowhere to be found, though you occasionally catch glimpses of him ducking behind one object or another. Most impressively of all, a young lady with fiery red locks has been successfully dodging Tryd's leaps and jumps for the past minute and a half. Whenever he lunges for her, she always manages to roll just barely out of his grasp, or leap over a questing claw.

You hear a yelp as Scales is taken out of the running with thirty seconds left to spare. Tryd finally caught sight of him pressing himself to a tree across the yard, and once that bird flew there was no way the slight boy could outrun your imp. The girl with red hair sees Tryd turn his smoldering gaze on her fellow survivor and actually runs -toward- him, waving her arms and grinning. Just before the time expires Tryd manages to barely clip her shoulder, leaving the slightest line of black on her white top.

You gather the children again as the game ends, patting the brown-haired boy on the shoulder.

"Congratulations." you say, smiling wide. "You win!"

He looks at you for a long moment, then shakes his head. "Nope." he says, his voice determined. "She wins."

He points to the red-haired girl.

>>20422758
How so? I'm pretty sure I saw her get marked and I don't see any soot on you. Please explain your reasoning.

I have to say I love the setting you have crafted, I very much want to play a tabletop game set there.

Ask the boy what he means, if he says it's because the girl lost on purpose to save him then congratulate him on his honesty and declare a tie.

File: 1345650883393.png-(55 KB, 333x300, 1260120622265.png)

IS THIS THE REAL LIFE?
IS THIS JUST FANTASY?

TOTEMIST QUEST RETURNS FUCK YEAH

>>20425464
>IS THIS THE REAL LIFE?
>IS THIS JUST FANTASY?

>TOTEMIST QUEST RETURNS FUCK YEAH
>NO ESCAPE FOR HUMANITY...

>OPEN YOUR EYES, LOOK UP TO THE SKY AND SEE...

>>20425474
>I'M JUST A SPIRIT
>I NEED NO SYMPATHY

>BECAUSE I'M EASY COME
>EASY GO

>>20425493
>LITTLE HIGH, A LITTLE LOW

>ANYWHERE THE QUEST GOES, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO ME...

>TO ME...

>>20422798

You furrow your brow. "How's that, exactly?" you ask, looking over your shouder. The redhead looks just as confused as you do at the boy's proclamation.

"If Terra hadn't been distracting your imp, he'd have tagged me for sure. Only reason I got as far as I did is 'cause of her, everyone can see that."

Despite his impressions, none of the children around him seem to have any idea of what he's talking about.

"Give her the prize, Osyki," he says. "I don't mind."

You tap your chin at this. On the ground, Tryd mirrors your actions.

>>20425586
Give it to her, Osyki. Give it to her good.

rolled 15 = 15

>>20425586
Very well. Terra is the new apprentice.

Or some lesser prize.

>>20425586
If the two of them work that well together, can't we give the prize to both of them?

Holy shit Totemist quest! I thought this was gone for good. Gotta get caught back up.

>>20425618

You shrug, smiling. "Alright. If you insist. At least let me know your name, though. You did well, no matter what you say of the source of your victory."

He looks pleased at that, if a little embarrassed. "Warren." he says in a small voice. You pat him on the head, then turn to Terra. The girl skips forward, a wide smile on her face.

"Alright, Terra. Are you ready for your prize?"

She nods quickly, bouncing a little in place in anticipation. You scoop her onto your shoulder, crouching again on the Speaker's Stump. With a flex of your legs you activate Cloudwalker's Stride, sending you and the girl on your shoulder rocketing into the air in a shower of sparks. On the ground below Tryd throws his arms wide, absorbing the sparks into himself before they can harm any children.

Terra lets out a gasp of surprise as you land on the roof of the raising house. You leap again, sending the two of you higher in the air than you suspect she has ever seen. She lets out a soft "...Wow." as the landscape of the brush and the village is laid out below her, the sinking rays of the sun painting the landscrape a golden green.

"Congratulations on your victory," you say as you reach the apex of your jump. "You may have what it takes to be a Totemist yet."

She looks around at you, eyes wide, but her attention is quickly diverted as the two of you drop toward the ground. Her eyes are screwed shut, and she clings to the front of your tunic before you land, light as a feather, on the roof of the raising house. She cracks a single eye open as you slide off of the roof, landing again in a crowd of cheering children.

You deposit Terra on the Speaker's Stump, where she sits in stunned silence. You nod to Tryd and Amal, both of whom immediately begin moving to the center of the crowd of children.
(Cont)

"Now, Amal and Tryd are both spirits unbound. They remain in their Focii, outside of a vessel."

"Does that mean they're just allowed to run loose?" Scales asks in a voice you nearly miss. You shake your head.

"No. They are still bound to -me-. These boots are an example of a vessel for a spirit bound to an object. These are the tools of the Totemist."

"So why aren't these two banded in a tool?" asks a young girl.

You chuckle at her mangling of your explanation. "When a spirit is bound within an item, I cannot speak with them. Keeping Amal and Tryd in this shape allows me to confer with them when I need advice. In addition..."

You nod to Amal and Tryd, both of whom begin to radiate a flame around their bodies. Amal enshrouds his pyramid form in a soft blue flame, while Tryd is on fire in a more traditional orange-yellow glow. The children gasp at this, and Aurora smiles at you.

"Keeping them like this allows them to talk to all of you."

You continue to play with the children, showing off Amal and Tryd and astounding the kids with displays from Nocturne's Embrace and Cloudwalker's Stride. Terra, who finally speaks up a few minutes before you leave, tells you that she remembers when you drove back "The Bad Man with Four Eyes" with a kick from your boots.

Eventually, the Matrons come out to usher the children inside for washing-up and dinner.

>It is an hour before the sun sets.

>>20425891
Ask the "spirit council" their opinions on the children. Paying attention to what they think of Terra and Warren.

File: 1345656308316.jpg-(143 KB, 1600x1034, Thewalkingmountian.jpg)

Huh, where are you miserable dogs! Get in here! Bump for great justice and general awesomeness!

>>20426226

You relax in the yard as the children file inside for their meals, clambering into your favorite childhood tree. Reclining against the trunk, perched on a low branch, you call Amal and Tryd to your side.

"So?" you ask each of them in turn. "What did you think?"

"Yeah, yeah," Tryd says, arranging a few branches to make a chair for him. "Gimmie a minute."

Amal chimes in as your other spirit stalls. "From what I could tell, it seems that you've got three strong potential candidates."

You nod. "The last three that survived the game, yeah."

Amal rotates forward for a moment, then back in a strange sort of nod. "Scales, I think the boy's name was, is quite adept at avoiding notice."

Tryd snorts. "Damn right he is. Not a trace of spiritual mojo anywhere in the kid. I could barely keep track of him."

You frown. "Well, that's good for him, but not exactly what we're looking for."

Tryd shrugs, reclining in his net of thin branches. "From what I could tell, the brunette kid has the most potential out of all of them in terms of raw spiritual power. Far as knowing how to use what you've got though, that girl has spunk. Never thought she'd charge -me-, know what I mean?"

You smile at that. "She nearly outlasted you."

The imp lets out a small laugh. The leaves on the branches below him are beginning to brown. "Nearly."

"What do you think, Osyki?" Amal asks. "Which of them do you think would make for the better apprentice?"

>>20425891
Terra and Warren are both definitely candidates for Totemist apprentices. The question is now what our spirits think, and what the elders feel.

For now, lets run to the blacksmith. I'm eager to see how our order went.

>>20426359
Can we take both in as apprentices?

>>20426359
The girl obviously. You can't be a totemist and be always hiding. You also need to place others above yourself. Only one candidate there it seems

>>20426359
"I get the feeling that the worry with Terra would be her being too reckless, still, promising. If I could juggle three apprentices I would... I fear I'd be biting more than I can chew there however..."

"It would be nice if I could take on both, or perhaps all three as apprentices, but I fear I'd be biting off a bit more than I could chew with that."

Tryd snorts, emitting a small cloud of soot. "Save some kids for the rest of the trades, Osyki. Besides, you act as though raising one kid wont be challenging enough for you and your life partner -- excuse me, -assistant-."

You roll your eyes, shrugging off the jibe. "Well, one can't be a Totemist by hiding from the things hunting you all the time. Still, I worry that Terra might be too reckless for one so young. Something to think about, I suppose."

The light within Amal shifts to a sky blue as you say this. From your time with him, you know this means he is pleased with you. Your judgement must have impressed him.

"For now," you say, lowering yourself back onto the ground, "Let's go by Merich's. My orders should be ready by now, don't you think?"

Tryd hops from the branch to land on your shoulder. You pass the dark-haired Matron you originally approached with the idea of playing with the children on the way out, and she gives you a wave farewell before ducking into the kitchens.

You quickly find your way to Merich's forge. He is hard at work hammering away at what looks to be a plow when you enter the shop. You wait until he has finished raining blows onto the iron to cough. His head snaps around, and a smile stretches under his impressive mustache.

"Welcome back, Totemist," he says with a small bow. "What can I do for you today?"

>>20426511
"Evenin', Merich. I'm here to pick up that order of mine, so long as it's ready."

>>20426537
Is there anything else we want made? Like a big lance or something? I don't know.

>>20426557
>A Big lance

See, now that reminds me of the Prelude quest and the Lance of Lions. We should see if we can find that.

>>20426648
>Implying we shouldn't try making a Lance of Manitcores

>>20426713
>Or a Lance of Chimeras

>>20426537

"Evenin, Merich," you say, returning the bow. "I'm here to pick up that order of mine, so long as it's ready."

"It is indeed, my boy," he says. He walks to th back of the forge, bringing a hefty wooden box to the front counter. Laying it on the surface with a soft 'clink' he begins unpacking the contents.

The first thing to come out is a pair of gauntlets, followed by a set of bracers. Merich's crest is engraved on the back of the hand, his initials encircled by a ring of hammers. Shortly following that is a shirt of fine chain, and then a pair of metal tubes. One looks to be about a third larger than the other, and both have caps that seem to screw off.

"As requested, Osyki," he says, gesturing to the assembled items. "You let me know if the armor fits strangely in any areas. It's an easy enough thing to fix."

You lift one of the gauntlets from the counter. It's heavy, but the possibilities for channeling through it are well worth the weight.

"Thank you, Merich." you say with another bow. "Your work is of exceeding quality, as always."

He chuckles. "Save your praise for when the armor saves your life, my boy. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"

>>20426748
I have to wonder:

We have our spear, but we don't have anything for when a hostile gets inside of our spear range.

Perhaps a dagger, or something similar? Ooh, or maybe a long range weapon. There are plenty of possibilities for binding as well.

Thunder Bow.

Some metal balls for a sling would be good.

rolled 13 = 13

>>20426792
Thunder Boots are far superior. I support the close range weapon though. A sword, perhaps.

>>20426792
>>20426748
"Well I feel like my spear is my primary plan of attack at the moment but I'm unsure aside from giving my enemy a good kick what my plan is if they get too close. Maybe a dagger... with some of those indents for breaking blades, might come in handy. Do you happen to have a bow and arrows handy or should I go ask the fletcher about that?"

>>20426873

You think for a moment as you slip the gauntlet off of your hand. Your recent battle has given you some insight into how helpless you might find yourself if your spear should ever fail to strike home, or abandon you once again.

"Perhaps a dagger or a sword would be good, for if something gets past my spear. One with one of those hooked indents, for breaking blades. Do you have anything like that?"

Merich shakes his head. "Not in stock, no. My weapons are primarily supplied to the Slayers. I can see about making you one, soon as we get our next shipment of iron in."

You nod. "That would be most appreciated, Merich. Tell me, do you happen to have any bows handy, or should I ask the fletcher about that?"

He looks at you for a few moments before responding. "I think perhaps it'd be better if you asked the fletcher for aid on those matters, boy. You may be Totemist, but I don't know if you have the strength in those arms to properly draw one of my bows. Not many men do."

>>20426925
Fair enough. What time of day is it? If it's still a little before dusk, we should go talk to the fletcher just to get an order set up.

We should also set up a training regimine. After all, the stronger we are physically, the better we can protect everyone.

>>20426925
"Thank you. I'll go see the fletcher then."

I don't think there's too much more time in the day, after seeing the fletcher we should either go see Elena or just head to our hut where I suspect we'll encounter that nature spirit from earlier.

You nod. "Fair enough. Thank you again, Merich. I'll go see him soon."

The smith nods, packing your order back into the box. "Think nothin' of it, Osyki. It's the least I can do to keep the lot of us safe."

You give him a smile, lifting the weighty box with a small grunt. You'll need to stop by your workshop before you go to the Fletcher's. You wouldn't relish the idea of hauling this box of metal across the village.

As you head down the street toward your workshop, a familiar face steps out of the clothier's home. Elana gives you a wave, jogging up to walk beside you.

"Evenin, Osyki." she says cheerfully. "What've you got there?"

You show her the box of Merich's work. She nods appreciatively.

"Good. Glad to see you've got the sense to protect yourself. Maybe now I won't have to be patching you up so often, eh?"

>>20427112
Drop the box and keep walking.

>>20427112
Maybe more of the time I spend with you I'll be conscious. Say, I'm dropping this off at my hut and then stopping by the fletcher's. Would you like to come along and then have dinner with me?

>>20427389

You shrug. "Maybe now more of the time we spend together will involve consciousness on my part. Say, I have to drop this at my shop and stop by the fletcher's. Would you care to join me, maybe have dinner together after?"

Elana smiles, and a faint pink tinge colors her cheeks. "I've actually got to get back to work in a little while, but I'd love to join you for dinner. I'll come by your place a little after sundown, alright?"

You nod, your smile growing. "Sounds good to me. About time I repaid you for that meal you cooked for the Elders and I."

She giggles at this, and gives you a hug you are unable to properly return before turning and walking back toward the Healer's. Whistling a tune, you make your way to your workshop.

Amal opens the door for you, burdened as you are. Quinn sits inside, his nose buried in the Greater Almanac. He glances up when you set the box of armor down, eyebrow arched.

"How'd it go?" he asks.

>>20427612
"I've got brand new heavy things to bludgeon people with. Also armor."

>>20427612
Three potential apprentices.

>>20427612
"Well. The equipment seems perfect, I still need to try it on though. I've decided I could use some long range capabilities so I'm stopping by the fletcher's to ask about a bow. Think I should go for a long or short one?"

>>20427746
I think we don't have the choice of Long, seeing as how MC hasn't trained with Long bows from as soon as he was able.

I still think a sling would be better, but that would be me.

>>20427800
My only problem with using a sling is that I think the bullets for one are more unwieldy than arrows. Although you're right that if we haven't had any of the training to use a bow then it's not the best idea either. Maybe a crossbow?

>>20427838
Explain "unwieldy". Slings are horrifically deadly if you have the right bullets and training - the question being, how well can we use it?

"Three potentials," you say, unpacking the armor onto the workbench. Quinn places a marker into the book, moving to help you organize the bench to make some room. "Two of whom are strong contenders. Stopped by Merich's, got myself some proper protection."

"So I see." Quinn says, holding the chain shirt up to the light. "A nice piece of work. Merich knows his trade. What do you plan on doing with them?"

"Wearing them, for a start." you say with a wry grin. "Focus-wise, I'm not sure. Some experiments will likely be in order. I'm off to the fletcher's, to pick myself up a bow."

Quinn nods. "Shall I start on some dinner for us?"

You stop unpacking at that. Feeling your face heat slightly, you shake your head. "Actually, I've invited Elana over for some dinner later."

"What, to this place?" Quinn asks incredulously, sweeping his arm to the workbenches piled with totem parts. "Damn, Osyki, that's gotta take some stones."

"What do you mean?" you ask, trying your best to be offended.

"This place is... well, it's a workshop, mate. Not the best of places for a dinner date." He cuts of your reply with a hand held up and a shake of his head. "I'll see what I can do about tidying up around here. You head to the fletcher's."

>>20427855
>>20427838
There is the added bonus that we can shove spirits in big shots, Arrows on the other hand, we can't really get away with shoving.

If all else fails a sling can be used as an effective melee weapon too!

>>20427855
Awkward to carry with you. Certainly not to the point of being a major detriment but where arrows are carried in a quiver I'm assuming ammo for a sling is carried in a pouch? Yeah, I've heard that slings can be devastating if used correctly and are I assume easier to learn than a longbow would be. That said if we're coming into this with no experience and merely want an auxiliary weapon I'd say something like a crossbow would be a good bet. Although I'm not sure crossbows even exist in the setting, if they don't I'd be cool with using a sling but would love to have us invent them.

>>20427902
Em. You do realise that slings are made from ropes right. Those with sticks are pretty shit.

>>20427949
Yeah, but what do you have if you put a shot in the sling, but don't throw. You have a club. A club is an effective melee weapon. I wasn't talking about sticks mate!

>>20427937
I'm pretty sure 20 arrows takes a lot more space than 20 bullets. Not to mention you can pick ammo off the ground in a snag.
>>20427949
By "shit" you probably mean "slightly unwieldy" if anything, because the bigger ones can throw heavy shit very far. A rop one would be more suited for thicker terrain though.

>>20428000
I'll defer to you on that then as I'm just going off my impressions of things I'm unfamiliar with. How about we hold off on deciding until we've spoken with the fletcher though? That way we know what all he has and we might be able to get some advice from him.

[[Going to take a quick break here to go get myself some lunch. Back in ~30 minutes.]]

You give Quinn a thankful duck of your head, adjusting the cloak on your shoulders and heading toward the door. "I'll be back in a bit. Elana's supposed to arrive just after sunset."

"I've got my work cut out for me, then." Quinn says, looking dismayed at the disheveled state of the workshop. "I'll try not to blow the place up while you're gone."

You snicker at that, glancing at Master Ayren's chest of drawers, still sealed with arcane sigils. "I trust you. Just keep out of the library."

He nods, and you make your way out of the tent and further toward the brush where the village fletcher's workshop rests. You knock twice at the door, and are immediately greeted by a boy two years younger than you.

"Ho, Ried." you say, giving the boy a nod.

"Evenin, Osyki," he says, returning your nod. "What can I do for ye?"

>>20428769
I'm looking for a bow. You have any lying around? And arrows, those are also important.

I'd prefer a shortbow, recurve if you do those. Compact, can be used on the move.

I'll also have to learn how to shoot a bow, some pointers would be appreciated.

>>20428769
I'm looking for a ranged weapon. I don't really have any experience with such though, would you have any advice on the matter?"

>>20428804
Addendum to this.

If we can get one made out of bone, preferably Rock Turtle Bone and retain similar levels of effectiveness that'd be even better as it would then make a good focus for both the Rock Turtle and the Bone Warden.

>>20428804

"I'm looking for a bow," you say with a smile, leaning against the doorframe. "I don't suppose you might have one or two of those lying around."

Ried looks up to the sign hanging above the door, then back to you, incredulous.

"Some arrow would be of help too," you add.

He rolls his eyes, ushering you inside. "Master's stepped out for a minute, but I think I might be able to scrounge up what you're looking for."

You step into the workshop. The air is heavy with the scent of polish and dark wood, and bows of various heights line the walls.

"Got anything more specific in mind than 'a bow', Osyki?" Ried asks. He walks across the room to one of the walls, gesturing to a line of shortbows that look to be about your size. You frown, examining the work carefully.

"Something small enough to be used on the move. No straight bows, I can't have my arrow falling off the string half the time I shoot it. Honestly, Ried, I'd appreciate some input. I've got exactly no experience with ranged weapons."x
(Cont)

>>20429075

He glances to the wall of weapons, then nods. Standing on his tip-toes he brings down a short bow of dark red wood. The ends curve away from the holder, and the limbs of it look vaguely pyramid shaped.

"This may be what you're in the neighborhood for," he says. You take the bow from him. It's shockingly lightweight, though the wood seems firm enough. You draw the string back to your ear, then slowly ease it back into resting position. The draw's tough, but you imagine that with some practice you could get the hang of it easily enough.

"Would it be possible to get something like this made from a Rock Turtle bone?" you ask. Ried frowns, considering this for a moment.

"Maybe," he responds uncertainly. "I'd have to ask the master when he gets back."

You nod. "I'll be needing some pointers with this, if you wouldn't mind."

Ried jerks his thumb over his shoulder toward the back of the store. "There's a practice range out back. Why don't you take a few practice shots while we wait for Duryn to get back?"

>Roll 4d100 for innate archery

rolled 31, 65, 7, 91 = 194

>>20429148
Thanks Ried, I appreciate it. I figured that there may be situations where it's best not to be right next to a giant monster.

>>20429166
Seconding this dialogue.

That 7. Dat 91.

Rollan!

Also seconding >>20429275's seconding of the dialog

rolled 71, 94, 57, 3 = 225

>>20429362
I'll retry that

>>20429166

>>20429166

"Thanks Ried, I appreciate it," you say, following him out the back door. The firing range is set up with its back facing the village wall. A number of targets are arranged at varying lengths along the narrow strip of land.

"I figured that there may be situations where it's best not to be right next to a giant monster."

He gives a sharp laugh at that, handing you a quiver with four arrow in it. You attach it to your belt. "Okay. Show me how this works."

He steps up beside you, correcting your stance with a nudging leg and straightening your posture with a firm hand on your spine. "Stand straight. Legs apart. Shoulder width. Don't grip the bow too tight."

With a number of minute corrections, you draw the arrow and focus down the range at the target. After Ried teaches you the importance of a proper follow-through after a shot, you loose your first arrow.

>31

The arrow falls drastically short of your target, sticking into the ground a good ten feet in front of the target. You groan, but Ried encourages you to try again. "Remember, the arrow doesn't fly in a straight line. There's a curve to its shot."

>65

Your next shot slams home, landing in the outer rim of the target with a satisfying 'thunk'. You grin, lowering the bow, and Ried nods approvingly.

"There you go, Osyki. Now, up and to the left."

>7

"A bit too far up and to the left, Osyki," Ried says with a grin as your arrow entirely overshoots the target. You sigh, wondering whether perhaps a sling might be more your speed. Still, you decide to try once more.
(Cont.)

You take a deep breath as you draw the string. You've never been much of a hunter, but if that was what you were meant for, you'd have been apprenticed to a hunter. You're a Totemist. Perhaps it's time you use that skillset.

Your eyes flutter closed, and you hold your bow. You can hear Ried shifting from foot to foot beside you, perhaps a bit nervous about the way your eyes do not open even as you raise the bow to fire. The wind presses against your back, the breeze ruffling your hair. You extend your senses outward, attempting to -feel- more than see the target. In your head, a hazy image slowly forms. The grass beneath your feet fills in first, then the trees beyond the wall. Ried's nervous form fills a blank space in the canvas of your mind's eye, watching you carefully. You allow the entirety of the scene to fill your shrouded vision, pointing your bow toward the arc that will lead your arrow to the glowing center of your imaginary target.

You suck in a deep breath, hold it for a moment, then exhale as you loose the bow's string.

>91

You hear Ried's soft grunt of surprise. Your eyes drift open to find your arrow in the dead center of the target, quivering slightly.

"A fine shot, boy," comes a voice from behind you. You lower the bow, turning to find Duryn, the village's fletcher and bowyer, standing beside Ried.

>>20429526
Thank you Duryn, though you wouldn't be praising me if you saw the first three attempts.

Would it be possible to make a bow out of Rock Turtle Bone and sinew?

>>20429619

You smile, allowing the bow to dangle from your grip. "Thank you, Duryn, but you'd not be praising me if you had seen my first few shots."

The bowyer chuckles, waving you toward the door. You explain what you're looking for to him, and he nods. "It seems Ried's chosen a good fit for you, then."

"Tell me, sir, is it possible to make a bow out of Rock Turtle bone and sinew?"

The bowyer shakes his head, scoffing. "Rock Turtle bones are the least pliant material I've had the displeasure of trying to work. If there's a way to make them pliant enough to bend without snapping, I've yet to discover it. Like trying to carve a bow out of rock, appropriately enough."

He looks you up and down. "Now then, will you be interested in that bow you've got there?"

>>20429723
I like it. It fits well in my hand, shoots well, the draw and size are such that I could use it on the move once I've practiced enough.

What will it cost me?

>>20429761

"I like it," you say to the bowyer. "It fits well in my hand, shoots well, the draw and size are such that I could use it on the move once I've practiced enough. What will it cost me?"

"A favor," Duryn responds. "Since your master's passing, a number of the totems he provided with me have gone defunct. Most importantly, the charms that ward my workshop from flame and keep my saws sharp have cracked in two. Promise me replacements, and the bow is yours."

You know that the former charm will require a scrap of Drake's wing, which you have a small supply of. You'll need to research the latter.

>>20429869
I can do the flame one easily enough. The other one may take a bit longer. I will have to sift through my master's books to find the totem in question and it may require materials I do not have at the present. But I promise they shall be replaced as soon as I can. Could you get me the broken ones that kept your saws sharp? It would make replacing them easier.

>>20429927

"The flame charm will be easy enough. I can have that for you by tomorrow, most likely." you say with a shrug. "The blade charm is one I'm not familiar with. I'll have to do some research, gather materials. I promise they'll be replaced as soon as I have the resources to do so.

Duryn nods. "Then I hope your new weapon serves you well, Osyki."

He hands you the two defunct charms, mumbling something about not keeping junk in his shop. The drake-wing totem is scorched black, and the other that you assume to be the saw totem has rusted over. It is a circular disk of what was clearly once very highly polished metal, mounted to a back of some substance charred to unidentifiability.

>>20429927
Seconding this.

I think we're nearing another experimenting session what with all the gear we've just gotten. I'll go make a list of all the combinations we know so far. We can probably deduce the likely effects of some bindings.

>>20430134
Okay, let's get some testing in before we head back to our workshop for dinner with Elana after sunset.

What spirits do we currently have bound to what items?

>>20430188

>Currently on your person:
Rock Turtle spirit bound to your boots, producing Cloudwalker's Stride
Bone Warden spirit bound to the Verdis Wyrm stinger, making Cerberus Fang
Fanged Stalker spirit bound to cloak, producing Nocturne's Embrace

>>20430214

Quickreply ate my trip.

>>20430218
We haven't really tested Cerberus Fang IIRC, so we should probably try it out.

List of things to test it on, something inanimate like a rock. Something like a tree or plant, both small scratches and full stabs and slashes. Then lastly on something like a rabbit, mouse or anything like that.

I'm pretty happy with Cloudwalker's Stride and Nocturne's Embrace as they are but it might be interesting to try binding the Bone Warden to our new bow.

I think you should buy some arrows and ask about training in using the bow.

> Rock Turtle Focus:
Mace: Thunder Hammer, causes lightning to strike what the mace does
Buckler: Stormcloud Buckler, fires lightning from the edges when thrown
Charm Bracelet: Ixion Charm, forms launchable balls of lightning
Boots: Cloudwalker Stride, enables powerful jumps [est. 20 feet straight up], safe landings
Rope: Heaven's Chain, a whip handle, forms lashes of lightning when swung

> Bone Warden Focus:
Mirror: Mirror of True Sight, pierces illusions and reveals spirits
Cloak: Ribcage Wrap, conjures a sphere of darkness around you. Lightning only seems to brighten this sphere slightly.
Boots: Skeletal Step, carries walker twice as far with each step, makes noise of clicking bones
Fruit: Heart of Darkness, did not test further. Deep red fruit, covered with spines. Unbound quickly.
Amulet: Warden's Ivory, disables the wearer's ability to feel pain. Does not resist damage in any way.]


‘You glance around at the assembled items, deciding on one more experiment before you return to the forest to speak with Boand, the Spring Spirit. You pick the Skull Focus from the pile, holding the long scrap of Drake Wing in the other hand. Speaking the Ritual of Binding, you close your eyes. You've become accustomed to the blinding light that accompanies these combinations.

Glancing down, your eyebrow arches in surprise. The scrap of wing has extended to a full-length skeletal wing, about the size of your arm. You hold the long bone of the wing in your hand, turning it over. You swing it about, attempting alternately to slash and flap with it. You even attempt to connect the wing to your own shoulder-blade, without much success.’

[[If you intend on being back in time to cook for your dinner with Elana, you have time to experiment with four combinations.]]

>>20430445
Just copy pasted this from some of Op's previous posts.

I'm disappointed we chickened out of testing the fruit back then. It won't hurt the foci so there wasn't much good reason not to.

That bone wing that didn't have an apparent effect is interesting. Perhaps we did not test it thoroughly enough or it's effect was not applicable in that context?

Let's experiment mostly with the Stalker Hide foci since it's the one we've seen the least combinations of.

>>20430474
Okay things I think we could test.

Bow and Bone Warden

Stalker Hide and Boots

Stalker Hide and Chainmail

Bone Warden and Chainmail

Let's try the Hide foci with the gauntlets and bow.

>>20430507
I think we can deduce that the Hide with the boots will make us extra sneaky. Like no sounds or something, probably wouldn't leave tracks either. The Hide and chainmail will probably make us sneaky somehow but I'm less sure howso so it might be interesting. The other two sound great to me.

I'm guessing the gauntlets + Turtle foci might be something like the charm or boots(punches shoot lightning). Can't be sure without trying but it'll be hard to find a better combo for the turtle foci than the Cloudstrider boots. The chainmail might be worth trying with it though.

>>20430474
Okay, I really REALLY want to try the Tutrtle and the Bow. I know we like the Cloudwalker Stride, and I do too, but I just want to see what happens.

[[So far I have:

Bone Warden: Bow & Chainmail
Rock Turtle: Gauntlets
Stalker: Gauntlets and Bow

Shall we put it to a vote?]]

>>20430620
Thunder punches are cool, but the boots are most likely our best bet. Lets just do the other four.

>>20430620
Either that or have us roll for them like you did last time.

Being the anon who posted about the gauntlets I'd rather try the chainmail with the turtle than the gauntlets.

>>20430620
We don't really need to fiddle with the Rock Turtle Gauntlets right now, the boots are so very useful. They let us Totemist Kick things.

If we're voting I guess I'll vote for my favourite four in no particular order-

Hide + Bow
Bone + Bow
Turtle + Bow
Bone + Chainmail

>>20430694
Second.

So, I'm reading up in the archives. Where are quest 8-11? It cuts off at 7 and picks back up again at 12.

You pack your bow and a quiver of thirty arrows away, thanking Duryn and Ried for their help.

Using your Cloudwalker's Stride you quickly make it back to your workshop, leaping in flying bounds over rooftops to arrive at your workshop in record time. People below give you waves and shouts as you fly over them, gestures that you are only too happy to return.

Rolling to a halt in front of your door, you duck inside. Even in your short absence, Quinn has worked magic on the workshop. All but one workbench has been entirely cleared off, and there are bins stacked on the remaining bench filled with several categories of supplies. You note a box of pelts, a box of wooden objects, and a box of claws, teeth, and bone before Quinn gives you a nod.

"Hey man. I put your spear over by your bed. Got yourself a bow?"

You nod, holding up your most recent purchase. "Gonna pop out to the field behind the shop to do some work. The place looks awesome."

He grins. "It's just a lot of clutter to sort. I'm good at that sort of thing."

You give him a nod before snagging your chainmail from where Quinn has carefully folded it on your nightstand, ducking into the field behind your hut.

With a shrug, Nocturne's Embrace falls from your shoulders. You kneel beside it, intoning the words to free Thane's spirit from the cloak.

"Your purpose complete, your task well served. Release your holds now, spirits, and find respite in your Foci once more. This conduit is no longer your home, and it will not keep you. In the name of Osyki, Link to the World Without, may this be done."
(Cont.)

>>20430947

[[Sup/tg/ had some issues archiving them. They should be above the rest of the threads, for whatever reason.]]

>>20430947
It's organised weirdly. They're there but it's not all in order.

The black pelt bleeds out of your cloak like a black tide, landing in a neat heap on the ground. You lift it from the dirt, wrapping it around the shaft of your new bow.

"In the name of Osyki, Link to the World Without, I unite the spiritual and the mundane. Grant this conduit your blessing, spirit, and work through it to influence the material world," you chant, feeling the spiritual power flow through you.

The usual blinding flash of light that accompanies these infusions is notably absent. Instead, the stalker's pelt simply melts around the bow, spreading across the surface of the wood like ink. The recurve of the bow becomes decorated with a pair of matte black blades, and the general profile shift to a sleeker, more dangerous design. You pull an arrow from your quiver, aiming at a nearby tree. You take a deep breath in, focus, and loose the breath and the arrow as one.

The instant the bow's string snaps forward the arrow vanishes from sight. It reappears moments later, firmly embedded in the trunk of the tree. You pluck the arrow from the bark of the large oak, repeating the experiment.

>[[Binding Complete: Stalker's Caress. Any projectiles fired from this weapon are entirely invisible until they make contact with an object. The bow makes no sound as it is fired.]]

(Cont)

>>20431063
Neat.

>>20431063

You chant the ritual of unbinding once more, freeing the pelt from the bow. Deciding to save your energy, you leave it unbound from your cloak. Neatly folding the pelt, you place it on the ground beside you.

Cerberus Fang is the next to come undone. The Wyrm Stinger and the Cracked Skull Focus come apart in your hand, and you hold the skull's fragmented forehead to the bow's string.

This time, the flash of light does come. When your eyes clear, you nearly drop the weapon in your hand.

The bow has shifted to what seems to be a pair of ribs from a giant. The string pulses with an unheard heartbeat, and occasionally a droplet of pitch black liquid drips from it. The instant you nock an arrow in the string it too shifts, becoming a thin splinter of white bone. Acting on instinct, you aim away from the tree as you fire.

The bone shatters as the string snaps against it. A cloud of razor-sharp bone needles pepper the earth to the tree's left, impaling the ground with a field of ivory splinters. You swallow audibly. It's a bit more vicious than you expected.

(Cont.)

>>20431063
Interesting. Seems like it'd be good for hunting although I think the cloak would be better in that regard. Would make dodging somewhat harder. Awesome party trick. Might be some shenanigans we could pull with it.

>>20431134
YES. THIS.

>>20431134

>[[Binding Complete: Nether Storm. Fragments ammunition into a cloud of razor-sharp shrapnel. Accuracy is compromised for raw damage.]]

You're not unhappy to unbind Cordia's focus from your bow. Weapons that she crafts always unsettle you, even if they are on your side. You place to skull totem carefully atop the folded pelt, kneeling down as if to lace your boots.

It is a strange to feel the sparking energy leave the boots that you've kept bound for so long. Your boots feel leaden and sluggish on your feet as you hold the Crystal Focus parallel with the shaft of the bow. The words of binding are harder to say now. You can feel your energy reserves slowly draining from the rapid-fire binding and unbinding.

You have the good sense to close your eyes when you complete this ritual, and rightly so. Even opening them again seems to be a risky proposition. The weapon in your hands lets off a radiant aura, sparks of cyan energy leaping along its string every few seconds. The bow's structure has shifted to what appears to be polished ivory or marble, with golden filigree in the shape of turtleshell and stormclouds wrapping the bow itself. You fit an arrow to the string, watching as it glows suddenly with an inner light.

(Cont)

You aim high this time, toward a boulder some ways away from the village. It is perched on the mountainside precariously, resting there unsteadily since Magni's furious assault of the Splinter. You release the string and wince as a thunderclap echoes outward, nearly knocking you from your feet from the sheer air pressure released. The arrow flies forth as a streak of white light, nearly faster than your eyes can track. As it makes contact with the boulder it erupts into a sphere of violet and white light for a moment, then detonates outward with another massive boom. Electricity flies in all directions, and the boulder is reduced to so many pebbles hurtling toward the cliffside.

>[[Binding Complete: Thunderclap. Transforms ammunition into raw energy. Difficult to fire.]]

(Cont)

>>20431134
>>20431299
>>20431309
Ok of the bows the Turtle one obviously has the most raw power to it but it ties up our Turtle foci which has proven to be one of our best utilities. The bow + bone foci seems quite powerful as well, gives us some options against groups and should outright kill most none tough skinned enemies. The hide has great stealth utility with the cloak so I'm hesitant to dedicate it to the bow. So I'd say if we end up using any with the bow it should be the bone foci, although we may need the mirror of truesight in the future.

Nearly exhausted now, you convince yourself to push for one more binding. You leave the crystal focus bound into Thunderclap for simplicity's sake, sliding the chain shirt over your head. It's heavy, but not as heavy as you expected. The links are fine. You imagine that they wont stop the same caliber of assault that a thicker suit would, but you're able to move with some modicum of dexterity. You consider it a fair trade.

You lift Cordia's focus from the Pelt Focus, pressing the skull's forehead to your sternum. Weary but determined you chant the Words of Unity, eyes screwed shut.

You immediately feel a weight on your shoulders as the union takes place. You carefully open one eye, then the other, and glance down at your new suit of armor.

The chain suit is no more. An iron ribcage encircles your torso, the space between the ribs filled with what appear to be elongated, clenched iron jaws. One shoulder is topped by the Skull Focus, enlarged and converted to a pauldron, while the other remains unburdened. Most interestingly, you seem to have lost the ability to breathe.

This panics you for a moment before the dawning realization passes over you: It is not just that you cannot breathe. You apparently do not NEED to. Hesitantly, you raise a hand to your neck, checking for a pulse. It is there, but very faint.

>[[Binding Complete: Warden's Disregard. Obviates the need for breathing. Further properties unknown.]]

>The sun has begun to set. What will the final configuration of your bindings be, Totemist, and what will you choose to prepare for the Healer's apprentice?

>>20431425
Warden's disregard has some massive utility there and we don't know what else it does. As nice as the skull + bow is we should keep it like this for now to see what else it does. Although we will want to not wear it to dinner, we can take it off right? We should remake Cloudwalker Stride and the Hide + Cloak. Hold out for another foci for the bow or until we know what else this armour does.

We shall prepare our finest foodstuffs! Some venison and a salad with the good dressing.

>>20431425
I like having Cloudwalker's Stride and Nocturne's Embrace, they're very useful.

Keep the Warden's Disregard on, I'm interested what other properties it has.

For food. I'm thinking a hearty stew, some fresh bread to go with it and something for desert, maybe a cake.

>>20431496

You tug at the breastplate, but if there are straps and buckles to unbind it from your person, you are having a difficult time locating them. It is too heavy to simple lift over your heard, and you doubt you head would fit through the narrow neck hole.

Will you unbind it?

>>20431679
Keep it on for now. I'm interested in seeing its effects in relation to food and the like. We can still talk right?

Also it looks cool.

>>20431679
Yeah. That's just too constricting for the present. Will definitely be worth trying out in the future though. I guess that makes Nether Storm or Mirror of Truesight part of our loadout once we're less tired.

>>20431704
You sure? We're kinda about to have a dinner date. Not sure if showing up wearing skeletal armour is appropriate.

>>20431679
Unbind it because we are going to have dinner soon. We can do testing later

You attempt to let out a sigh, then remember that as you are unable to breathe in, breathing out is problematic as well. A momentary stroke of panic hits you. If you are unable to speak, how will you speak the words of unbinding? You try in vain to produce a noise for approximately a minute before slumping against your workshop wall in defeat. You would take a deep breath to steady your nerves, but...

Slowly, carefully, you quell the panic in your mind. You place your hands over your heart, thinking the words of unbinding as clearly as possible. The first try yields no success, but you persevere, and eventually there is the ordinary flash of light that accompanies your rituals. You suck in a greedy gasp of air, your lungs suddenly aching from underuse. After a minute spent coughing, you gather up your Focii and head inside. You will rebind them after you've eaten. You certainly haven't the strength for it right now.

Quinn looks at you, concerned, as you enter. "You alright?" he asks. "Heard some racket out back."

You nod, not quite trusting yourself with speech just yet. You place the focii onto a cleared workbench and begin pulling out the ingredients you will need for tonight's dinner. A venison stew with a salad, and perhaps some fresh bread. Your face lights up as you pull a collection of berries out of the cold-box your master used to store food, thankful that this totem, at least, seems to have survived his death. These will go nicely in the salad.

"Alright, I'll leave you to it." Quinn says, placing the Almanac under his arm. "Best of luck with your date, Osyki."

You give him a nod as he leaves, focusing on breathing and preparing the food.

>Roll 2d100

rolled 94, 23 = 117

>>20431996
Breathing, you never realize how much you miss it until it stops. The not talking thing is definitely a disadvantage.

rolled 10, 35 = 45

>>20431996

Wow. Warden's Disregard is serious stuff. I imagine it's got some serious power and utility but that level of restriction is pretty high.

>>20432038
I am glad you posted before me.

>>20432038
>94
Date Goes Fantastically.

>23
Village gets attacked.

>>20432180
Or
>94
Date Goes Fantastically.

>23
Food is spoiled. Spend 1d10+3 days incapacitated.

>>20432180
>94
Date Goes Fantastically.

>23
Sylvia decides to visit when things are all romantic, everything is going perfect, we're about to kiss, and have us make good on the favor we owe her.

>94
We breath like a motherfucker.

>23
We don't cook for shit cause we're too busy breathing up a storm.

>94

We make the best food.

>23

Elana is allergic to everything, find magic mushrooms to save her.

>>20432038

>94
You struggle to regain your nerves. You would be nervous even without the recent and utter cessation of one of your major bodily functions. Add that on top of the pile, and you feel your knees shake and your heart pound. Still, you do your best to prepare the food, and your shaking hands do not seem to affect your skill with a knife.

The stew is boiling and the salads are on the table when a knock comes at the door. You turn to face the door. Moment of truth.

>23

You've changed into your finest clothes, and your workshop is cleared of anything that might put someone off of their meal. Tryd stokes the fire while Amal light a few candles. You take a deep breath (and then perhaps another, thank god,) and open the door.

You feel your breath leave you again, for an entirely unrelated reason.

Elana stands at the door in a dress of deep blue cloth, looking at the ground in embarrassment. The source of her flush is obvious, and you do your best to scoop your jaw from the floor: the last time you saw her wear this dress was a few years ago at a village festival and she has grown somewhat since then. Where it was a little baggy a few years ago, it fits her quite well now. She looks up to meet your eye, and a tiny smile crosses her face.

Like an idiot, you stand there in silence for nearly a full minute.

She begins to look uncomfortable.

>1d100 to salvage this, and discuss plans for dinner and conversation.
[[Popping out for a bit to get some dinner of my own.]]

>94
Magnus becomes HIV positive.

>23
Date goes horribly.

rolled 14 = 14

>>20432342
Uh, sorry. I was testing my foci earlier and one of the bindings produced something that I haven't completely recovered from.

>10 and under.
Also you're hot.

rolled 75 = 75

>>20432342

Rolling!

rolled 77 = 77

>>20432342
I'm dreadfully sorry Elana, it is not often that you have your breath stolen from you twice in one day. Once by magic, and once by a lady whose beauty eclipses magic. Please sit.

Eat dinner, use the bread to soak up excess broth. Play footsie under the table if it looks like a good idea.

Talk about our day, don't talk too much about Boand but mentioning how she and Quinn are getting along would be good, how training Quinn is going, playing with the kids, which ones you think have potential, learning to use a bow.

Obviously give her a chance to talk about her day as well.

rolled 22 = 22

>>20432424
Damn.

>14
Why?

>>20432424
>14
Do fate points exist? Can we force a reroll?

How fucked are we?

>>20432826
a 23 caused us to stare for a minute. This is 9 less so things are probably pretty bad unless we get another roll and it is high.

>>20432424
>14

"I... uh..." you begin meekly, valiantly attempting to keep your gaze locked on her face or her wringing hands.

"I... was working with some new Focii.... uhm..."

She gives you a look with a raised eyebrow, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"Earth to Osyki. You alive in there?" she asks, waving a hand in front of your face. You blink rapidly, nodding.

"Yeah! Yeah. I just... stopped breathing. A bit. I mean, I'm alright now b-"

"What?!" she exclaims, eyes wide. You find yourself roughly hauled inside and deposited on your bed, food ignored or the moment. She checks your pupils and your pulse in the same motion, her face stern. "You've got to be more careful! What if you had been really hurt?"

You open your mouth to respond when a pair of shapes fills the open doorframe. The smaller shape resolves itself into your younger sister. Standing next to her is Sylviannis, dressed in a gown that appears to be made of flowing, rippling tree bark. She quirks an eyebrow, while Aurora giggles.

"Found you!" the young girl proudly proclaims.

Elana stiffens next to you.

>>20432956
Sylvia, lovely to see you. Rora, how did you and Sylvia come to be acquainted.

Would the two of you care to join us for dinner? I made stew.

>>20432230
>>20432956
DINGDINGDING

WE HAVE A CORRECT ANSWER

FUCK YOU DICE GODS.

>>20432956
fffff we jinxed it.

She's probably here for us to repay that favour. Wave her over and catch our breath. "I suppose you're here for that favour then?".

Depending on what it is we may have to apologies to Elena and reschedule.

"Sylvia," you say, inclining your head to her. "Rora," you say to your sibling with the same. You hear Elana give Aurora a small hello, and a bow to Sylvia.

You stand, moving to the door. Elana remains on your bed, her expression unreadable.

"How did you two become acquainted?" you ask, forcing a smile for your sister's benefit. Sylvia gives a small smile, looking to her. "I found this one wandering in my woods," she explains, "A taste that seems to run in the family. The wilds are not safe right now, so I escorted her back to the gate. We made our way here side by side."

Aurora nods, smiling up at you. "Miss Sylvia says you gotta do her a favor, Osy," she says, clearly considering herself the voice of authority on the matter. You force another smile, glancing over your shoulder at Elana.

"Now?" you ask, turning to Sylvia. She nods, looking a little perturbed that you would question it at all.

"Now." she confirms. "I've found a task worthy of the favor you owe. Pack your things. You're to be my emissary to the mother of the Swamps."

"... I don't suppose I can convince you two to join us for dinner." you say resignedly.

Though Aurora seems excited by this prospect, Sylviannis shakes her head. "I do mean -now-, Totemist."

>>20433172
May I have 5 minutes to bind Spirits to their proper place? And could you tell me about the Mother of the Swamps on the way?

Bind Rock Turtle to Boots, Thane to our Cloak for Nocturne's Embrace and Bone Warden to the Bow or the Mirror.

>>20433172
"Sorry Elena, can we do this some other time?"

Grab our things and go with Sylvia, hopefully this won't require much intense fighting or we'll have a chance to rest and bind beforehand. If not at least we have Modi

>>20433172
Sorry, Elana. Seems like you will have dinner with my sister instead.

You nod. "Give me five minutes to get my bindings properly arranged." you tell Sylvia. She nods, leaning against the doorframe.

You turn to Elana, crossing the room to sit next to her on your bed. You open your mouth to speak, but she cuts you off before you can utter a word.

"Totemist business. I get it. I'll see myself out, Osyki."

You make a noise of protest but she crosses the room in a few strides, stopping only to give Sylvia a bow and Aurora a pat on the head before she is off and down the street. You look around the room at the pot of stew, the salad, the bread, and sigh.

"Aurora, feel free to have some dinner here if you're hungry." you say, moving to collect your Focii from a bin beneath a table.

You pack half of the loaf of bread and some of the salad into a pair of small packages, then re-bind your Totems to their appropriate configurations. Aurora watches with rapt attention as you pull Cloudwalker's Stride onto your feet, throw Nocturne's Embrace around your shoulders, and strap Nether Storm to your back. Finally, you lift your spear from its resting place by the bed and throw your pack over one shoulder.

You are ready.

As Aurora happily slurps at her stew, you toss her your spare key. "Lock up on your way back to the Raising House. Don't get caught sneaking in."

She nods, licking her lips. "Have fun Osy!"
(Cont.)

You close the door behind you, walking side by side with Sylviannis down the main road. People seem to stay out of your way, sensing that this woman is not someone to be trifled with. She explains the situation as you approach the town gates.

"The Mother of the Swamp and I have long been at one another's throats. I find her method of cultivating power... unwholesome. Still, with my territory threatened as it has been of late, I think it time that I swallowed my pride for the good of those under my protection. You will travel to the heart of the swamp, to the Great Basin, and seek her audience under my banner. She would not dare snub you once you arrive, but she will likely do all that is within her power to keep you from reaching that point. You will need to be quick and clever to reach the swamp's heart. The journey will likely take you the better part of two days to complete."

You frown. "Two days? What of my village?"

"I will keep watch over your settlement while you parley for me, Totemist." she assures you. The two of you have passed the gates now, heading in the general direction of Boand's spring. "It will be an easy journey to the edge of my territory. I trust that you know your way to the edge of the swamp."
(cont)

You do indeed. As you grew older you explored more of the forest, but you have never been brave enough to attempt to explore past where the water floods the land and Ykree bigger than most men swim.

"Do this for me, and your debt to me will be resolved. You may communicate with me through Boand, as I know you have the capability to do."

You nod, using your spear as a walking stick. You wish you had gotten the chance to rest before you embarked. Your limbs are heavy, and you doubt you will be sleeping restfully tonight.

When you turn to address Sylvia again, she is stepping into the bark of a tree. "I will leave you to your task. Good luck, Totemist."

>>20433652
I am so very glad we have Nocturne's Embrace with us.

What does Sylvia want from these negotiations?

>>20433652
Well, off we go. Let's stick to the shadows where we can, might as well try to sneak past as much of the stuff the Swamp Queen throws at us since I bet we can't escape her notice.

Anything slow that notices us we should just jump away from and continue foward.

>>20433652
Welp, it's motherfucking quest time.

Nocturne's Embrace is the best thing right now. I'm also thinking we should keep our eyes peeled. We should rest early, since we're already tired.

At night, call on Amal and Tryd to keep watch.

You stand at the edge of the swamp. There is a short cliff where the land has crumbled into the murky waters below, and the transition from healthy forest to stagnant wasteland is so severe that someone may as well have drawn a line down the landscape. You draw Nocturne's hood up, preparing to descend when there is a rumble at your chest.

You reach into your cloak, producing the pearl Boand gave to you. Clasping it in your hand, you close your eyes.

"Osyki, stop." comes Boand's voice, uncharacteristically serious. "I know that Sylvia's put this on kind of a rush job, but do not under any circumstances start traversing the swamp at night. There are things that hunt there that'll eat you whole, impressive reflexes or no. Camp in the forest tonight and move out at first light. I'll cover for you with the Verdant Lady if I've gotta, but I don't want to see you get poisoned to death by something you never even see."

It's a sobering thought. Though you are hidden from sight, you know that not everything hunts by eyes alone.

>>20433863
We're no good to anyone dead. Let's camp here for the night.

>>20433863
And thus Boand proves my point. Rest here for tonight, still have Amal and Tryd watch. Tomorrow, we move fast and make it to the center in one day.

Also, sleep with Nocturne on so as to provide another level of protection.

How many arrows do we have?

>>20434034
Thirty, according to the earlier post.

>>20434075
Ah I missed that somehow. Thank you.

maybe we should consider switching to Warden's Disregard in the morning? I bet most of the stuff in the swamp is poisonous and therefore I bet a lot of it is resistant to poison. Warden's Disregard being made by a foci that makes most weapons poisonous might give us poison resistance but I'm not keen on testing that. The not needing to breath may come in handy.

You nod. "Alright, Boa. I'll find a place to bed down for the evening."

You can feel more than hear her sigh of relief. "Good. I'll send you a buzz by first light if you're not awake."

"I will be." you respond, letting the necklace and the link drop.

You clamber into a tree, careful to check for Ykree or stalkers as best you can before you find a wide branch to settle down on. Nocturne's hood over your head should keep any curious night-time critters away, and what that doesn't fend off, Sylvia's influence should. Allowing the bone-aching weariness to catch up with you, your eyes slip closed and drift out of consciousness.

File: 1345697620784.jpg-(434 KB, 590x1000, Captain.jpg)

You shuffle through the papers on your desk, rubbing your temple. The village is in good shape, but the news of another invasion building on the horizon does little to help your sleep habits. You tap your fingers restlessly against the hilt of your blade, glancing out the window for the fourth time in as many minutes. She should have been back by now. You'll tan her hide if she tries to sneak past you again.

Your lieutenant opens the door, looking sheepish. You give him a gentle smile. He always did need a bit of prompting when you were in a bad mood. Your grumpiness has apparently developed something of a legend behind it.

"The Totemist has been spotted to the east, moving toward the first gate, M'lady."

You sigh in relief. "Good. I'll go to meet her."

"C-captain, are you sure?" he asks, concern written all over his face. "I could send a team out to-"

"No." you cut him off, holding up a gauntleted hand to stem any further argument. The gem inset into the back of your metal glove shines, a badge of office as much as it is a lifesaver. "-I- will go to meet her. You stay here."

He meekly stands aside. You take the stairs down to the first floor perhaps a bit quicker than you should, moving out into the empty city streets toward the eastern edge of the walls.

Well Op, I've got to get to sleep now. Your quest is still awesome. Can't wait for more of it.

File: 1345698573865.jpg-(108 KB, 480x600, Head of the Guard.jpg)

You throw your leg over your horse as you walk out of the building, ignoring the alternating looks of surprise and incredulity from your subordinates as you do. You're off at a gallop as soon as you hit the saddle. Mara, it seems, has been impatient as well.

You ride through the city streets until you reach the first wall. The inner eastern gate is beginning to crank open. In a single fluid motion you dismount, walking at a brisk pace toward the crack in the towering doors.

The head of Eastwatch meets you halfway there, all business. She falls in step at your side, not a word uttered. This is why you keep Ma-Li close. She knows how to do her job without asking needless questions.

You see her slip through the gates, brushing a strand of long hair over her shoulder. The spear at her side pulses softly in the evening gloom.

"About damn time." you grumble as she saunters toward you, all smiles. "Where have you been?"

She has the nerve to giggle at that. "Got a bit waylaid on the road. Relax, Captain."

You roll your eyes at the way she inflects your title, but you know that argument leads nowhere fast. "What news?"

Her face sobers. "Speaker's on the move. There are tears all over the southeast, and Borath is having a hell of a time out there."

You sigh. You weren't expecting good news, but you had hoped.

"Oh," she says, almost as an afterthought, "And your dear brother sends his regards. Oh, smile, Rora! I thought that would make you happy."

>>20434619
>Female Totemist
>Rora head of the guard
>Perhaps in another village

Well, interesting turn of events indeed.

>Hey totemist quest is back!
Yay!
>Character switch in the first thread after 8 months.
Neat.
>Losing main chair in second thread after the break
I'm not sure how to feel about this.

>>20434739
>Losing main character

I think this is just a glimpse at the future, rather than a true character switch.

You awaken just before the first rays of dawn break through the canopy above. You shake the grogginess from your eyes, thanking the spirits for a dreamless sleep. You stretch your muscles, rolling to the right and off of the branch. Cloudwalker's Stride deposits you gently on the ground.

You go through your morning stretches quickly before scouting out the swamp ahead in new light. There seem to be two paths through the swamp that you can see. A path to the southeast will take you through the lower swamps, but you know it to be a more direct path to the swamp's heart. There seems to be a path through higher ground, but it loops away from your destination for some time before curving back on itself.

>>20434808
Does that mean we will be railroaded towards it?

>>20434830
Hopefully that was just a possible future.

>>20434856

[[As this anon says. No railroading in the quest. Promise.]]

>>20434869
Thank you, based OP. A rare thing in most /tg/ quests, these days.

>>20434819
Well, the more direct path is almost guaranteed to be harder; It's a given. However, we want to be at the heart of the swap before nightfall.

>>20434896
Agreed. If we can get to the heart before nightfall on both ways, use the longer path. Otherwise, the more direct route is the only valid choice.

>>20434819
Direct path. No matter which way we go we'll be delayed by whatever the Queen throws at us, but if we go straight we have a decent chance of making there before dark.

Norturne's Embrace ought to help, keep us concealed from a lot of things.

You drop down the cliff face, trusting Cloudwalker's Stride to keep you safe from the fall. Your entrance into the swamp makes little more than a slight ripple. The trees are sparse here, and you'll have to duck from shadow to shadow. It wont be a perfect run, but you're glad to have Nocturne's Embrace drawn over your head all the same.

You can see the smaller creatures of the swamp as you trudge through the brackish water. Snakes and toads swim in equal measure through the murky pools, and dozens of bugs crawl from algae puddle to algae puddle.

There are hints of larger things lurking below the surface of the water, though. Occasionally a ripple will pass through the surface without a clear source, a v-shaped wave of something larger below. The pools and soggy waterways are treacherous as well, some unstable footing concealing pools that could easily go over your head.

>Roll 2d100

rolled 79 = 79

>>20435146
I'll roll one of them.

rolled 53 = 53

>>20435146
Rolling the 2nd one

>>20435196
>79

Though the path is treacherous, you keep your footing well. You have one or two near mis-steps, including one point at which you think your heart nearly stops as you teeter on the edge of a very deep sinkhole, but you catch yourself in time and make your way on a wide route around the dangerous spot.

You're making good time, or at least you think that you are. It's difficult to tell here. The looming, swaying limbs of dead trees and the murky water don't lend themselves well to forming landmarks.

>53

You hear the splash in time to turn and bring your spear to bear before you are swept from your feet by a powerful chitinous limb.

Your back hits wet, yielding earth and your find yourself staring at a bug much larger than the mosquitos you have been swatting. Roughly the size of a runtish wolf, the thing unfurls a multi-segmented mouth and let out a low, buzzing drone.

Its call is answered by the swamp all around it in like tones.

[[And that's where we end for tonight. I should be back tomorrow around 5PM PST. Have a good night, don't forget to vote in the archive.]]