Glowing runes and wards sear across the walls of the inside of the vault, to your enchanted, magic-seeing eyes. You'd seen most of them before, when the vault was being made, but.. there are more runes, extra layers, and spells laid upon the walls, ceiling, and ground- ones you'd never seen before, made with a strange, maddened fascination and obsession. It's making it impossible to sense anything through the wards, even with your communication ring.

"Zeke?!" Raziel calls, falling to her knees in front of her battered brother.
"Just a broken wing." He snarled, his fists clenching. You'd rarely seen Ezekiel like this- when he was angry, it was like a switch was flipped in his head, making him terse, and impulsive.

He pushed himself to his feet, and you see that his beak is badly cracked.
"Kristoph... cast a spell, then killed my magic." He snarled, spreading his hands into some kind of casting stance. "He even did somatic components."

Raziel put her hand on the vault to open it, and you see a spark of magic from her, but the thick, heavy vault door stayed shut.

Yay.

rolled 49 = 49

>>20773182
We have magic overwrite, or something. We can just break the spell on the door and cause all the alarms to go off. Rolling for it.

Try and open the door.

>>20773182
"I'm glad it's only a broken wing, Zeke. I was worried he had done something worse to you."

"Do the two of you have any idea what kind of spells were added to the vaults? I'm afraid I can't recognise them."

rolled 97 = 97

"Kristoph? No, that my friend was 'Vanko' or should I say Gareth. Back from beyond the veil to be a nuisance once more.

"I'm glad it's only a broken wing, Zeke." You say. "I was worried he'd done something worse to you."

You reach out with your hand, putting your palm on the door, and you try to open it, the same way Raziel did. it sparks, but the door insistantly remains locked. Gritting your teeth, you decide to use one of your signature spells- control magic. You put your palm against the door, and slowly start to peel away the wards-

And something explodes, throwing you back. Your armor drains itself keeping you safe, so you're still unarmed- but the wards are guarded against tampering, it seems.
"Ishelda?" Raziel ran to you, pulling you to your feet.
"Do the two of you have any idea what kind of spells were added to the vaults? I'm afraid I can't recognise them."
Raziel whispered a spell, and her eyes gleamed with divination as she looked around.
"He added more wards?" She asked.
"Evocation wards." Zeke said. "Whoever that was, it wasn't Kris. It wasn't the work of a novice. There's also wards on communication, and it seems, strong abjuration magic, focused on locking us in. Stand back, I'm going to blast out of here."

>>20773244
"Wait a second, let me try something else first."
Try to contact Kal's ring. If it's an artifact that's somehow attuned to us, we might somehow get around the wards.

rolled 45 = 45

If >>20773275 fails, put a ward around all three of us, since explosions in small, confined spaces tend to not be safe.

At least it's not Eidolon. He's happy with his wife doing what have you in the wherever.

>>20773311
>happy
>even his soul is destroyed
Uuuh sure

rolled 99 = 99

>>20773289
A pitiful ward like that could hardly protect an ant.

>>20773324
Erm, no. At least as far as we know, he's happily reunited with his love in the afterlife.

>>20773324
Nah man, Eidolon didn't do no blood magic. We have no idea if the VQ got him.

"Wait a second, let me try something else first." You say... and you remove your communication ring, dropping it to the ground. You close your eyes, and reach out, toward the wards...

And you hear a heartbeat, far above you, strong and powerful. You hear her say something to you, but the words are muffled, difficult to understand- and you're not sure you can respond. She says something else.
You try to respond, but whatever message you send her gets stopped at the vault walls itself. You open your eyes, sighing.

"Raz." Zeke said. "I'll need some chalk."
"Why?" Raziel asked. "What do you need a ritual circle for?"
"Charms. Every charm I know." He said. She relucatantly gave him a piece of chalk, and he started scribbling runes all over the ground.

Your arms blaze into green energy, and you raise them, bringing forth your magic. Like long cables, the spells wrap around you, Raziel, and Zeke, the power coiling around, and locking into place.
"This will take some time." Zeke said, still writing.

>>20773338
"Raz, you better start preparing for an exorcism, our old friend Garreth has returned."

rolled 37 = 37

>>20773338
ISHELDA! THERE ARE FLUFFIES OUTSIDE YOU NEED THE FLUFFY. BREAK FREE AND GO TO THE FLUFFY

>>20773338
"It's not like we have any other option. If I can help you, just say so."

>>20773338
"Take your time, it's best to get out in one piece so we can deal with
whoever did this."

"Raz, you better start preparing for an exorcism, our old friend Gareth has returned." You say.
"Gareth?" She asked. "But how could he possess Kristoph? He has anti-magic!"

You turn to Zeke. "It's not like we have any other option. If I can help you, just say so."
"You need to find out the truth, with Raziel." He said, his voice starting to warble. "You already used a powerful ward to protect us from the backlash, so you've done all you can. This spell is the most powerful I've made. It will cut through the door."

>>20773385
>"You need to find out the truth, with Raziel."
"You will be alright, Zeke? If this is going to hurt you, I won't allow you to cast the spell."

>>20773385
"Right. Mirror time again."

>>20773385
"He has anti-magic, and he's been training up that anti-magic by exhausting himself of it until he has none left."

>>20773385
Raz, could Gareth have used some of the times that Kristoph's anti-magic was off to sneak back in and lie dormant? If he hid in someone else we could have noticed but Kris acted as obfuscation for it. Because it's only recently that he's been exhausting that talent, he hasn't had a chance to do this before.

>>20773385
"He said he followed me. That would imply he returned after we revived Cassiel, when the veil was thin."

"He has anti-magic, and he's been training up that anti-magic by exhausting himself of it until he has none left." You say.
"Wrong." Zeke added. "After the first few days, he came to me, worried that without his talent he'd be unable to protect you. Since then, we cut down the training so that he could keep his resistance."
"I..." Raziel said. "Mirror time." She said.

She opened it, and cast the spell. Looking over your shoulder, you see her and Kristoph kissing, Her pushing Kris against the wall. In the present, Raziel's eyes were wide.
"Th-that wasn't me." She said.
"So... what brought this on?" Kristoph asked, in the past.
"I can't stop thinking about you." Raziel, in the past said, a sultry, silky tone in her voice.
Raziel peeked ahead a bit, and then closed the mirror. Despite that, you still hear Raziel's voice, in the past.
"You know what really did this to me?" She asked. "The memory of you... as a kalak."
"Oh no." Raziel, in the present, said. "No no no."

>>20773451
"So he possessed you, and then used you to get to Kris."

>>20773451
"But wait, Kristoph said that didn't happen to. So either Kristoph isn't the real kristoph, or you're not the real Raziel, or this isn't real and it's a dream... or... or..."

>>20773451
"Raziel, we'll deal with your romantic inter-personal issues later. But for now we need to look through this and find any hints or clues as to how this happened.

Oh, and could someone find me a brick? I have the feeling that I'm going to need to kill another immortal."

I remember this one anon pointing it out how Raz called us "your highness" earlier.

>>20773486
Wat. Kristoph isn't the real Kristoph, hence him attacking Zeke and locking us in a fucking vault.

>>20773486
First Raziel was possessed, then whatever was possessing her possessed Kristoph. Raziel has no memory of it, and whatever is possessing Kristoph was making him lie.

>>20773494
sup

huhwha? Raizel, what's going on?
I am now imagining that OOC chat with Kell from SCQ coming to life. "dem pinfeathers mmm"

>>20773451
Give Raz a hug.
"It's okay. We'll figure out what happened."

>>20773451
>>20773486
"Obviously the kiss was when he transferred from you to Kristoph. That would explain why 'he' didn't 'remember' it."

rolled 49 = 49

Conjuration: 'Brick-kun'

"So he possessed you, and then used you to get to Kris." You say. She gulped. "Raziel, we'll deal with your romantic inter-personal issues later. But for now, we need to look through this, and find any hints or clues as to how this happened."
"R-right." She said, opening the mirror again.

"Well..." Kristoph said, somewhat uncomfortably. "If that's what turns you on... I guess I can spend a little bit as a Kalak. As long as you don't make me fly."
"That's fine." Raziel responded, putting a hand on his chest. "Your species of kalak can't fly, anyway. Now go on and let me shapeshift you."
"Well, okay." Kris said, and concentrated.

Raziel collapsed. Kris looked down at his hands... and then left the area of the vault, coming back with the Fell on his hand. He slipped his armor back on, his gauntlet hiding the ring from view, slung Raziel over his shoulder... and left the vault.
"... I..." Raziel said. "He..."

She covered her face.
"... Why do I remember walking to my room?"

>>20773545
"Magic."
"Zeke?"

>>20773545
"Because your memory got messed with. Because all of our memories got messed with.

Focus, we're on damage control, we need to find out exactly when you got possessed, we need to know when this happened, how it happened, and how to reverse it."

>>20773545
"Whoever has control of him now, probably falsified your memories." Place a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll get through this."

rolled 11 = 11

>>20773545
"Implanted memories? I remember him telling me, as Vanko, that you can't be sure if you erased someones memories completely. Let me try reversing it."

Rolling.

Timing is easy. Its from when we died and Raz pulled us back.

rolled 73 = 73

>>20773582
You'll just make it permanent with a roll like that.
I have a good feeling about this roll. It totally won't be under ten... definitely not.

>no one has pointed out Sorceress Quest 69
>69

File: 1347993426116.gif-(930 KB, 200x133, Good one.gif)

>>20773599
Ahhh! And this is probably the thread we fuck Kaliel too!

>>20773545
"Because Gareth is good at mental manipulation. It was his 'thing.'"

"Because your memory got messed with." You say. "Because all of our memories got messed with." You say. "Whoever has control of him now probably falsified your memories." You say, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll get through this."
She nodded. "Right."
"I remember him telling me, as Vanko, that you can't be sure if you erased someone's memories completely." You say. "Let me try reversing it."
"G-go ahead." She said.

You put your palm onto her forehead, and bring forth your magic. You feel an intricate lattice of her mind, sparking and spasming as she thinks, and.. you find a very well hidden, camoflagued lattice of enchantment magic, layered there. Gently, ever so gently, you peel it away, careful beyond reason. When you open your eyes again, Raziel's own are wide.
"I... The last thing I remember is being at the table." She said. "After you called the fell. It was all dark... and then it went golden, and everything went... dark." She said. "And I woke up in my bed, a day later."

>>20773633
>"After you called Kris to take care of the Fell. It was all dark..."

>>20773633
"We should definitely integrate some mind protection spells into the communication rings after this."

>>20773633
"At least he didn't force you to do anything as terrible as he has done to Kristoph. He'll feel horrible once he finds out he hurt Zeke, even if it was while being controlled."

>>20773633
"I... I noticed you were acting a bit strangely, but..."

"I... I noticed you were acting a bit strangely, but..."
"But he used me to lie to you, probably." Raziel said.
"At least he didn't force you to do anything as terrible as he has done to Kristoph. He'll feel horrible once he finds out he hurt Zeke, even if it was while being controlled."
Raziel frowned. "If only I'd finished the mirror earlier..." She said.

"It is done." Zeke said. "Stand behind me."

Zeke raised both arms, pushing his palms toward the door, and started chanting. It was eerie. He'd never chanted before.
His chanting suddenly grew... and split, into two different words, two parallel chants, weaving and balancing with one another, complimenting one another, his body perfectly still.

His chant grew louder, and more powerful, even to the point that you could feel the vibrations in your chest, and his voice split again, into three chants, each saying different words of power at the same time..
And as the magic whirled around him, he grinned, savagely, took a breath, and cast a single spell.

Light.

A white-hot beam of light shot out of his palms, toward the door, making the wards instantly hiss and flicker, the magic coming from the wards pulsing, and ebbing, as the beam of flaming light tore out of Ezekiel's hands, his chanting calm and measured.


Finally, he fell to his knees, panting.
"No good." He snarled, as the wards continued flickering, before coming back.

You hear a loud clang outside, and what sounds like the two skeletons in combat.

>>20773810
"Raz, can you disable the skeletons from here? Whoever is trying to get in, isn't our mysterious enemy."

rolled 28 = 28

>>20773810
I guess we'll have to show him how it's done. We do have a lot more raw power.

>>20773810
"You did well, Zeke. That was one of the most impressive spell I've ever seen."

rolled 88 = 88

>>20773864
With shit like that?
Please.
We do this shit like a queen.
and maybe borrow some from the void

rolled 38 = 38

>>20773810
Okay if we can't go through the door we go around. We hit the places the wards don't cover, whether it be ceiling, wall, floor, or anything like that.

>>20773889
why would there be some kind of stupid oversight like that?

>>20773889
>implying there are places where the wards don't cover
We did actually design these vaults slightly well.

>>20773889
Yeah, Gareth thought of that, mate.

File: 1347994928817.jpg-(217 KB, 450x2800, worldisgoingtohell.jpg)

>>20773889
>mfw

"You did well, Zeke. That was one of the most impressive spells I've ever seen."
"Not impressive enough." He said.
"Raz, can you disable the skeletons from here?" You ask. "Whoever is trying to get in, isn't our mysterious enemy." You say.
"I can't." She said. "I can't communicate outwards at all."

As soon as it started, the combat stopped, and there was a loud crunch. And then another. And then a third, and the vault door itself dented inward. And then outward.

Suddenly, the wards shattered, much more vulnerable from the outside. two, very different pairs of claws rended through the door, peeling it away, as the spell quickly alerted Nahzit, and Redglare, the closest two things you have to a military commander. They'll likely be on their way down here soon.
"Ishelda!" Kaliel called.
Grayson, next to her, huffed at you.

"What went wrong?" She asked.

rolled 7 = 7

>>20773909
rolling for constructed weakness for emergency situations such as this.
>inb4 nat 37

>>20773963
"Gareth followed me back, the same as I followed Cassiel back. He's posessing Kris through the Fell."

>>20773963
The wards are down, the rings are back up. Broadcast <Kristoph is now an enemy. If you see him, tell me. Do not try to fight him alone, he's incredibly dangerous.>

"Kristoph is apparently being possessed by an evil ghost."

"Someone possessed, got Kris to exhaust his antimagic and now possesses him. The Fell was also stolen and might what caused this. Alternatively someone used the chance to come back from the dead."

>>20773963
"Old enemy is back, probably Gareth. He's possessing Kristoph, he has the Fell. He came back when we broke the veil bringing Cassiel and me back.

Grayson, we're going hunting. NOBODY does this to my knight and lives."

We are not just mad, this is righteous fury going on here, our eyes are probably glowing purple and we have sparks dancing from our finger tips.

>>20774029
Modify 'an enemy' to 'possessed', and 'fight' to 'apprehend'.

>>20773963
<Mar, we need you help. Zeke's been wounded.>

>>20774039
We saved him from being destroyed by the Compact several times. Then we let him go with the third wish that he'll stay dead and not cross swords with us again. Then he does this.Damn right we're furious. If the Compact's not going to enforce itself for some reason then we'll hunt him down and annihilate his soul ourself.

You snatch up your ring, and broadcast. <Kristoph is now possessed. If you see him, tell me. Do not try to apprehend him alone, he's incredibly dangerous.>
"Old enemy is back, probably Gareth." You say. "He's possessing Kristoph, and he has the Fell."

You take a few steps forward. "Grayson, we're going hunting. *nobody* does this to my knight and lives."
The bear nods, and huffs.

"You're hurt." Kaliel said, putting her hand on Zeke's wing.
He clenched his fist, and you hear the strange rhythm of heartbeats emanate from Kaliel, and his wing snaps back into place.

<My soldiers tell me he left the city to the north.> Nahzit responds. <On business, for you. We can send some longstriders to pursue him, your majesty.>

>>20774102
<Please, attempt to track him.>
"Kal, can we use the Sparrow?"
That's the fastest thing there is, we should be able to catch him.

rolled 96 = 96

>>20774102
<That isn't required.>
Let's tear reality a new one and teleport the gang aboard Jormungard and us and Kaliel to Sparrow.

>>20774102
<Track him, but do not make yourselves known to him.>

>>20774141
Ok that works too.

>>20774141
Well... okay then.

>>20774141
Yay. Although they still should track him.

>>20774102
>You're trying to post spam.
Gee, thanks 4chan.

Try to keep an eye on him with magic. No soldiers, way too dangerous.

<Track him, but do not make yourselves known to him.> You say.
<Yes, your majesty.> He said.

You grit your teeth, and clench your fist. Lines drift down from your arms, ever-spiralling and colorless...

With a flash of light, you and Kaliel appear on Sparrow, and Grayson, Zeke, and Raziel appear on Jormungandr.
<Go.> You tell Zeke, and he touches Jormungandr's crystal. The airship takes off, toward the north, and you nod to Kaliel. She does the same, and you shoot off toward the north, much faster than Jormungandr, even at maximum speed. You shoot over the city, tearing northwards, and you see hardly a glint of steel, near a small pile of boulders and brush.

Also fetch a sword, possibly one of the skeletons, rikar won't work on Kris.

>>20774213
Tell the guys on the Jormungandr to bring Marigold. I have the feeling her skills could come in handy.

>>20774231
Um....why not? It's still a rediculously sharp, diamond-hard blade.

>>20774237
because magic and anti magic

rolled 13 = 13

>>20774213
It may be a trap. Get closer but stay in the air, have a pile of earth elementals investigate further, see what's going on with it.

rolled 99 = 99

Hmm we need to restrain him, without magic. How about as a dragon? With Kaliel there will be two!

Once you're shapeshifted theres no magic involved after all.

rolled 69 = 69

>>20774213
Enhance that.

>>20774231
>rikar won't work on Kris
Why? It's still a sword even if the magic goes. And it's an artefact that can cut through time, I don't think a little antimagic's going to phase it anyway.

>>20774251
No, I'm pretty sure it'll still function as a mundane sword if we use Rikar on him. It just won't be able to transform or do any other wacky stuff on him.

>>20774237
The blade itself isn't a magical effect, though. The worst he could do is to lock it into form.

rolled 20 = 20

Rikar itself IS antimagic as well guys. Don't forget that.

>Kris's antimagic- when it's his own passive immunity- only works on things directly affecting him. Rikar won't be able to 'see' him, but it will remain sharp and indestructible. However, when he manifests his talent as an anti-magic field, it breaks or dampens enchantments. Rikar, even dampened, is much stronger and sharper than any mundane blade.

As you watch, cloth-covered lizardmen start running across the roads, their strange shoes padding loudly as they run across the road in a rough V formation.
<Bring Marigold.> You tell the crew on Jormungandr.
<Right away.> Zeke responds.

You clench your fist, and raise an earth golem to investigate the glint of steel, using it's sight as your own. And all you see is...

Discarded armor. Of course. You see the patrolling 'longstrider' lizardmen, usually used by New Arcturus and the lizardman empire as international couriers, spread out into the brush, examining behind boulders and brush, finding little.

rolled 49 = 49

>>20774299
Scry the Fell.

rolled 11 = 11

>>20774324
Antimagic remember?
Scry for a spot your magic can't see instead.

>>20774334
.... typical

rolled 48 = 48

>>20774324
Scry like you mean it, Queenie.

>>20774334
Kristoph's passive antimagic doesn't affect the Fell. That's why I said "the Fell" not "Kristoph".

Scrying, Never, Works.

rolled 6 = 6

>>scry for a roll >50

You close your eyes to scry the fell, and reach out with your magic...
But you sense nothing. Your spell gains no ground, no traction. You wipe your brow.
He's likely using anti-magic, so you have to... scry for a spot your magic can't see.

You close your eyes again, bring forth your magic, and Scry...

Suddenly, flashes of light burn into your eyes, your head pounding, magic draining from every inch of your body. Everything sways as your magic tries to see *everything*, for a moment, and you forcefully pull away from the spell, dazed, and breathing deeply.

Sparrow continues soaring to the north, reaching the enormous crater, covered in the low sandstorms that almost makes the inside of the crater look like it's filled with a sea of dust. Tearing out of the center of the crater was the enormous, ebonstone tower that made up Azariel's home. You keep examining the ground, but you haven't seen anything. How? He's just a human being, and you're in the fastest airship in the world!
"... He had too much of a lead." Kaliel said.

rolled 99 = 99

>>20774381
Tear the Void, Find the Fell

>>20774381
"Probably. I feel terrible for what has happened to Kristoph. Let's fly over his last position once more, pick up the lizardmen, and return to New Arcturus."

rolled 95 = 95

>>20774364
I'LL BE DAMNED IF WE AREN'T FINDING HIM.
SCRY FOR KRISTOPH'S ANTI-BEING. FIND THE HOLE IN REALITY.

>>20774399
>>20774407
Welp. the 90s keep on rolling

rolled 82 = 82

Do absolutely nothing. Your magic is obviously useless for finding him. Kristoreth is long gone by now.

>>20774381
Chances are, he's planning to destroy Azariel's totem. How about we move to intercept, yes?

>>20774443
If >>20774399 fails, sure

"I," You say, clenching your fist. Your head is still reeling from the scry, but you don't seem to care right now. "I'll be damned, if we aren't finding him." You say, snarling. You clench at ... something, reaching out, toward... toward the Fell. You grip something, and inuitively, you pull.

You pull yourself somewhere else, into a tunnel of un-colors, twisting through space, and you land, inside Azariel's tower.
Kristoph was standing there, sacrificial dagger in hand, his clothing and flesh flayed almost completely away from the buffetting sand below.

"Too late." He said, smiling.

The shattered Fell sat on the ground.
He turned to Azariel's totem, and raised the knife.

rolled 6 = 6

>>20774466
"Stop."
If dice fails, I suggest a fate point.

rolled 51 = 51

>>20774466
Cast the fireball spell with wizardry. Preferably without somatic or verbal components.

rolled 29 = 29

>>20774466
Take knife, fuck you bitch.

rolled 43 = 43

>>20774466
"Oh no, you don't!" Use wizardy to push him away from Azariel's totem.

rolled 73 = 73

>>20774466
For god's sakes, just tackle him! He's anti-magic!

rolled 35 = 35

>>20774481
Dammit /tg/ dice, stop that.

rolled 6 = 6

Make the ground beneath his feet vanish

>>20774486
Fucking THIS.

You fools! HE'S ANTMAGIC! STOP TRYING TO CAST AT HIM!

Stop rolling bitches, >>20774486 do this if we can, otherwise fate point.

rolled 2 = 2

>>20774466
Magic-stab Gerry's spirit with the knife without touching Kristoph.

>>20774466
Haha, time for bricks.

>>20774486
.... oh ya supporting

>>20774475
>>20774476
>>20774481
>>20774484
>>20774488
>>20774490
>>20774496
HE.
IS.
ANTI.
MAGIC.

What part of "antimagic" you don't understand?
Violence is the solution for everything. If violence doesn't solve it, you're not just violent enough.

>>20774466
It's Kris, so using magic is useless.
<Kal, you're faster than I am. Get Azariel's totem before he can destroy it.>

rolled 48 = 48

>>20774466
Intercept knife with earth elemental

>>20774499
No. He's still in Kristophs body. Bricks come later.

>>20774508
Why? That seems so unnecessarily complex when we could just tackle him old fashioned like.

>>20774502
My take knife suggestion was not use magic to take knife suggestion.

>>20774507
>get azariels totem
>get a throne built into the fucking tower
are you fucking serious

>>20774466
>>20774502
Dammit, people, just TACKLE his ass.

"Oh no, you don't!" You cry, and bring up one of the first evocation spells Zeke taught you, just yesterday. Force. You start to cast, saying the word, and he grins, raising a field of anti-magic around you.

So you tackle him to the ground, knocking the knife out of his grasp.
He continues laughing as you pin him down, completely maddened.
"Well." He said, chuckling. "I'd best give you your knight back."

His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and the knight fell back, unconscious. With the dregs of your remaining divination spell, you see something pure black, flicker and vanish.

rolled 92 = 92

He might be anti-magic but can't we just blow up the floor around him? Or does his whole anti-field thing still kick in.

rolled 69 = 69

>>20774519
That's fine, too. Just get him from the side, so he doesn't go into the throne with the dagger.

>>20774525
Well, she managed to tear a hole into the vault doors.

>>20774530
<Mar, we need you. Kristop is hurt, badly.>

rolled 2 = 2

Oh no he doesn't. Bind him to the knife he tried to use. It should have lots of power from that sacrifice

rolled 38 = 38

>>20774530
Reach out for Gareth's soul.
Destroy it.
I bet I get... 37.

>>20774530
"Kal, can you do anything for him?"

Everyone's getting mandatory mind shielding.

rolled 43 = 43

>>20774530
<Mar, get here. Make sure Kris is okay.>

Track that motherfucker down. BIND HIM TO SOMETHING. He does not get to escape from us.

I was so close.

>>20774556
Close!

fate point to burn his sorry soul?

rolled 36 = 36

>>20774530
<Kal, I need you inside. Gareth walked Kris through the sandstorm.>

>>20774554
NOT the bloody knife, but bind him to something, yes. Something non-magical, if available.

rolled 57 = 57

>>20774568
I like the binding idea. let's bind him to a brick.

rolled 16 = 16

>>20774530
Grab the slippery bastard with sorcery and throw him back to the afterlife. Maybe use fate point if this roll sucks

>>20774575
If at all I would use the fate point to make sure Azrael is alright. Hopefully that is not necessary however.

Calling for
>Fate Point
use to bind whatever spirit was possessing Kristoph into something mundane and harmless!

>>20774604
Like a brick

>>20774575
Nah, let's not waste our FP on this.

Shouldn't we save that for... life and death maybe?

<Mar, we need you. Kristoph is hurt, badly.> You say.
<R-right!> She responds
You grab the knife, and turn to the small, black, flickering being, and you reach out with your magic...

And the flickering being burst into anti-magic, slapping down your spell. Exhaustion suddenly takes you, your arms and legs weak.
He...
He's using Kristoph's talent.

Your blood goes cold, and you feel translocation magic, as a small portal opens, a word of power emanating from the small wraith.

>FATE POINT VOTE? You only have one remaining.
>[] (Yes) Seal the spirit
>[] (Yes) Destroy the Spirit
>[] Nope.

rolled 92 = 92

>>20774556
You aren't me! You aren't allowed to roll 37s

>>20774623
Yes, destroy it. He got two chances. He fucked up both.

rolled 21 = 21

>>20774623
Yes, seal the fucker.

>>20774623
Blow his sorry soul to smithereens

>>20774623
>[] Nope.

>>20774623
Going to go with destroy.

rolled 19 = 19

>>20774623
(Yes) Either one works but i prefer destruction here.

>>20774623
Seal

>>20774623
Hate to waste a FP on this...

rolled 12 = 12

>>20774623
Nope.

>But if the yes wins then seal, don't destroy.
>he can be destroyed later after information is gotten.

>>20774623
Seal it if you have to. Destruction of souls is something Ishelda should not get into at all.

>>20774623
I WOULD vote no, but as Consensus is already against me...

>Seal the spirit.

>>20774623
Definitely not worth a fp.

>>20774657
Actually this could turn into something interesting.

changing my vote to nope

If we use it it should be to destroy him. This guy stole his talent and thats soul deep.

>>20774623
I would rather not waste this, but i don't want to destroy him.

>>20774623
Either seal it, or don't use the FP. Whichever is closer to winning.

>>20774676
>>20774678
>>20774668
Ah, nevermind.

So, voting to not use, with a secondary for Seal over Destroy.

>>20774623
nope

>>20774687
oh fuck
Oh FUCK Guys don't destroy him fuck if we do Kris might lose his talent

rolled 73 = 73

>>20774623
>[x]other. Use 100 to destroy Gareth forever using a >blunt-hook, iostel

>>20774623
I already voted but I want to add this: Remember when Azrael talked about how absolutly abhorrent bloodmagic is because it destroys souls? You want to do exactly that just a few hours later? Really?

>>20774623
[x]Nope

>>20774722
More like a day later, but I agree.

rolled 58 = 58

>>20774713
A fine try, chum, though I still don't think that destruction is the way to go. We aren't a monster, after all.

>>20774623
Let's not.

>>20774623
This could actually prove to be an interesting story arc. And I have to agree with >>20774722

Yeah don't destroy, especially with the soul deep link between him and Kris threatening Kris' talent

>>20774623
Seal the fucker.

>>20774623
[x]Nope.

>>20774623
>[X] (Yes) Destroy the Spirit

rolled 6 = 6

>>20774722
He's got a fine point. Seal the spirit, prevent it from doing any harm and doing any harm to it until we are sure Kristoph is absolutely safe.

>Voting complete!
>Now let me tally this stuff.

>>20774623

[x] (Yes) Seal the spirit

>>20774623
>Everybody wants to destroy a soul
>They have no idea who it actually is
>It would be too evil to fix a girl with multiple personalities.

HaHa. you guys sure are smart.
I'm going to have to say no on the FP.

>>20774722
Yes I do. We saved his soul from being destroyed, and this is how he repayed us. He's proved he can't be trusted. He's proved he can't be reasoned with. He's proved he'll keep getting in our way unless we deal with him PERMANENTLY.

>>20774778
Welp let's all take a moment and mourn Kriss' lost talent.

I'm going to say no fate point. Those things are way too powerful and this isn't a life threatening situation.

>>20774810
No, it's more like a world-threatening situation.

rolled 21 = 21

play it safe guys. go for seal. this is Gareth we're talking about. He would gladly die if it meant dicking us over via dicking over our knight.

>>20774830
Not really. We got rid of the spirit.

>Fate point is not used.

You reach out for the spirit, trying to bring forth your magic, but your limbs burn, wildly.

And the being whispers something to you.
... Your name. Identically to what you heard during the resurrection ritual.
It cackles, and the wraith slips through the portal, vanishing, and the portal vanished entirely.

Kristoph moans.. and moves.
Then he starts screaming in pain, his flesh shorn off.

Kaliel leaped in through one of the windows, still wearing her living armor.
"You just vanished!" she said. She ran to Kristoph, and touched him. The man's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he was once again asleep. "What happened?" She asked.

>>20774861
Yeah, just let him escape so he can try to take over a world again so the Void Queen will love him. That blood isn't on our hands.

>>20774790
You have to admit, she did commit a heinous crime in her country, and received the death penalty there, then she tried to kill the queen of the country that saved her, another heinous crime deserving of the death penalty. There is absolutely no reason to fix a person like that.

rolled 84 = 84

>>20774861
No we did not.

>>20774875
"The thing possessing Kristoph was trying to destroy Azariel's totem, and it managed to destroy the Fell. I managed to prevent it from harming the totem, but it managed to escape."

>>20774875
>Hooray for spam voting!

>>20774882
We don't really know if those multiple personalities aren't normal for her race. Like the wildness the orcs feel all the time.
Before we don't know more about her situation, I think being escorted by guards all the time is an adequate solution, for now.

rolled 67 = 67

>>20774861
What makes you think that? IT GOT AWAY, with Exabyte only knows what.

>>20774875
"I... I'm not entirely sure. Gareth, or whoever, left though."

"The thing possessing Kristoph, Gareth, or whoever, left, and was trying to destroy Azariel's totem. It managed to destroy the Fell." You say. "I was able to prevent it from harming the totem, but it managed to escape."

"I ... can't do much about what the dust did." She said, looking over Kristoph. "He also tore tendons in his legs, from pushing his body.. past the limit. We'll need a real healer for this, and Sparrow's just outside." She said. "I was able to kill all of his senses, though, so he shouldn't feel anything."

>>20774875
Goddamnit.
What's even the point of fate points if we never use them.

We need to find out if he used the knife to simply destroy it, or if he used it as a sacrifice.

rolled 36 = 36

Rolling to make all rolls able to function as mental \ possession wards.

rolled 84 = 84

>>20775006
was supposed to be rings not rolls... not that it matter with that roll hah

>>20774981
"Thanks, Kal. Marigold is on the Jormungandr. So it would probably best to meet up with them as soon as possible."

Don't forget to bring the knife, and the remains of the Fell. Also make sure nothing else in the tower was damaged.

rolled 41 = 41

>>20775016
That's...actually a good idea. Lending my support for this (on the way back to New Arcturus and Marigold onboard Sparrow.)

From what I can gather of the past quests with the main antagonists I cant say it is gareth or eidolon, why destroy the fell? why not use it like they tried to use other artifacts. It's possibly Ragnarok, come back after being released by the void queen. Either that or someone that is new from her past, possibly from arcturus, or a character that has been dead for a long time...possibly an ogre? just my take on it.

"Thanks, Kal." You say. "Marigold is on the Jormungandr, so it would probably be best to meet up with them as soon as possible."

You take the knife, and the remnants of the Fell, examining the rest of the tower.

You look down to the ring. Maybe...
You bring forth your magic, and your muscles burn. You fall, gasping, to your knees. You used up most of your magic today, it seems.

"Ishelda..." Kaliel says, pulling you to your feet. It's awfully strange to see her with Kristoph slung over her shoulder like that. "Just... try not to use magic. You're wiped out. Do you want a spark?"

>>20775076
"No, I can manage. Do what you can for him instead."

>>20775076
"No, it's alright. I'll help myself to some tea on the Sparrow, and just focus on staying conscious."

"No, I can manage." you say. "Do what you can for him instead."
"There's little I can do..." She said. "But he's still conscious in here."
She touched him, and whispered into his ear.
"You'll be fine, Kristoph. I've disabled your sense of touch, but nobody else is harmed." She says, softly.
Kristoph gasped.
"He... hates you, Ishelda." He said, his voice hoarse. "He's... insane, so insane."
Kaliel, holding you up with one hand and slinging Kristoph over the other, the three of you made your way to Sparrow, which, surprisingly, has no tea on it.
Kaliel touched the control crystal, and Sparrow made it's way down to Jormungandr.

>>20775056
IF it's either of them, it's much more likely to be Gareth. Eidolon is with his waifu, and we mostly made peace with him. Gareth was an ass until the very end (And then some).

>>20775124
"I think you should have a ward for your mind when you go. I don't want anything to possess you when noone of us is there to help you.

>>20775124
Let's have a chat with Kristoph...
<Kristoph...>

>>20775130
Gareth is spiteful and petty. I would not be suprised in the SLIGHTEST to find out that his only goal in death was to fuck us over.

>>20775124
"It's okay, Kris. We're getting you to Marigold right now. I'm so glad to have you back. What would I do without my noble knight?"

"I think you should have a ward for your mind, when you go." You say. "I don't want anything to possess you when no-one of us is there to help you."
"It won't be a problem." She said. "I... fight off my passion every time I cast. It never comes at me the same way, so I've had to learn to fight it off. And I have a feeling..."
She looked down to her ring. The Soul.
"I have a feeling this will protect me." She said, amber eyes meeting yours.

You turn to Kris. "It's okay, Kris. We're getting you to Marigold right now. I'm so glad to have you back. What would I do without my noble knight?"
"Noble?" He asked, his eyes still rolled into the back of his head. He started laughing bitterly, self-derisively. "A noble knight wouldn't have dropped his defenses just to spread someone's legs."

You can't blame yourself for that. It was someone you trust. It was someone I trust. We both were fooled. If he hates me so why didn't he just kill me? Razial, You. It would be easy.

Nevermind, he wants to destroy everything I find precious doesn't he?

that's true gareth was a prick until the very end but this doesn't seem his kind of moves, unless he truly did come back for the sole purpose of taking everything we can use as a last fuck you. however, now that I think about it from what Exabyte wrote about the new wards that were placed on the door and the mind altering done to Raz it does feel like its being pointed at him. I just cant help but think it may be a twist.

>>20775249
>You can't blame yourself for that. It was someone you trust. It was someone I trust. We both were fooled.

Just this part.

>>20775190
"We all have our moments of weakness, you were just unlucky enough to have yours exploited. He fooled Raziel and me just as easily."

>>20775190
A noble queen wouldn't have let the powerful insane psychopath go and begin his plan of world domination because she's too scared of wasting a point which we're probably going to have to use to stop him later anyway seeing as he's incorporeal and immune to magic.

>>20775190
"Why do we fall, Kristoph? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."

>>20775190
"I would have let Raziel cast any kind of spell on mem without even asking why. So don't worry about it too much."

>>20775303
That's a tad too preachy for Ishelda.

>>20775303
Uh, no. We fall because there was a bit of uneven ground we didn't see. We don't fall on purpose just to get back up again.

"You can't blame yourself for that." You say. "It was someone you trust. It was someone I trust. We were both fooled."
"I knew she was acting strangely, but I still..." He shook his head.
Sparrow set down next to Jormungandr, and Marigold ... vomited off of the side of the ship when she saw Kristoph's flayed flesh, before immediately bringing forth her magic and starting to heal her.
"This..." She said. "This will take a while."

<Come below deck of Jormungandr.> A perfectly neutral voice said, keying into your ring. <You and I need to speak. In private.>

Dras'lea I presume.

>>20775360
"I thought of something wrong as well, Kris."
and down we go

>>20775360
Go. Let's have a chat.

>>20775360
"Sorry you have to see this Mar, but I'm exhausted and this is beyond Kaliel's powers."

"I noticed she was acting a bit strange, too, but didn't act on it either. Just focus on getting well, for now."

Well, time to speak to the Void Queen.

>>20775360
Get that spark Kal promised before going.

>>20775360
Get that spark from Kal and erect a mental ward first. Paranoia is a survival trait.

>>20775360
Tap into the ship and refuel ourself first. Magic getting low.

>>20775409
Rather from Jormungard, it has more.

>>20775409
I'd think the ward should still be in place. And we can get the magic we need from our ship.

"I thought something was wrong as well, Kris." You say, and turn to Marigold. "I'm sorry you have to see this, Mar, but I'm exhausted and this is beyond Kaliel's powers."
"It's... It's fine." She said. "I have to deal with these sorts of things sometimes."
You reach into Jormungandr's power, and quickly get as much as you can. You're still tired, but you have enough to cast a spell or two. Paranoid, you check if your mental ward is intact- and it is.

You make your way below deck, and Dras'lea is sitting on the power crystal there, the long, golden blade sat on top of her knees.
"The Wanderer." The woman said, her cloak covering her eyes. "Is my problem. This was not meant to happen."
She drew a small, pure black sphere from under her cloak, and held it out, for you to take.

>>20775428
Right, point. So check the status of our mind ward, and then >>20775416 grab a pick-me-up.

>>20775439
Don't take it just yet.

"Gareth is very much my problem too right now. And that is? Nothing personal, but I'm feeling paranoid just at the moment."

>>20775439
"Could we discuss this over some tea? I don't mean to be impolite, but I think some delicious tea and company might do you some good. You always seem so lonely."

>>20775439
"May I ask what that is?" (pointing at the sphere)

"Why is he your problem? Considering he attack my friends. I think he's very much my problem also."

>>20775439
"And why can't you just stop him? You're insanely powerful and he worships your every word."

>>20775439
"Tea."
And when we have tea
"He's my problem as well. May I ask what's the sphere?"

rolled 55 = 55

>>20775473
I like this, say it after accepting sphere.

"Could we discuss this over some tea? I don't mean to be impolite, but I think some delicious tea and compant might do you some good. You always seem so lonely."
"..." She said, after a delay that felt much too long. "No. I am not lonely."
"And why can't you just stop him? You're insanely powerful and he worships your every word."
She doesn't respond- she just shakes the sphere.
"And that is?" You ask.
"I no longer need him." She said. "You would find him useful."

She drops the sphere, and it rolls across the floor, stopping at one of the corners of the room.

"He's my problem as well." You say.
"I will deal with him. Do not worry."

>>20775557
"Okay then, you're not lonely. Could I still interest you in some tea and company? Please?"

>>20775557
"Why are you helping me? What's the catch?"

AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!

YOU IDIOTS! YOU LET HIM GET AWAY?! THERE ARE LESS THAN TEN PEOPLE IN THIS QUEST MEANING THAT SOMEBODY JUST SPAMMED TO LET HIM GO!

Argh, now he's free to go fuck things up everywhere else.

At least ask Dras'lea if she's us.

rolled 64 = 64

>>20775557
"Dras'lea, before you go, I have just one question to ask."
"Are you me?"

>>20775557
Put your trip back on, Exa.

"You're not very talkative, are you?"
"What happened to make me like that?"

>>20775600
I'm pretty sure ALL options were spammed.

>>20775557
>"I no longer need him." She said. "You would find him useful."

Not much of a guess but...

"Ragnarock?"

Nice to clear that up here and now.

>>20775600
There's more than ten people in the quest. There are 9 of us give or take in the IRC at any given time, and quite a few more on top of that.

>>20775600
>less than 10 people in the quest
>the quest gets over 10 votes in the archive
>only a small proportion of people bother voting in the archive

>>20775638
You get one vote per IP address, so it's not like it stops people from voting multiple times, if there IP resets every day, or so.

>>20775638
Most of those votes are me using a proxy. I try to balance out the people who keep voting it down.

>>20775658
>Complains about people spamming votes
>Spams votes when people don't share his opinion

ಠ_ಠ

>>20775658
>complains about people samefagging a vote
>admits to using a proxy to influence a vote
So you're a big fat hypocrite then?

>>20775360
>>20775439
>>20775557
>Whoops, these are me.

"Okay then, you're not lonely. Could I still interest you in some tea and company? Please?" You ask.
"I am not interested." She said.
"Why are you helping me? What's the catch?"
She paused again. "The Wanderer is my problem. I will deal with him. Do not worry."

You look down to the sphere.
"Ragnarok?"
"Yes." She said immediately.
"You're not very talkative, are you?"
"No." She responded. She got up, off of the crystal, and started toward one of the walls.
"Dras'lea, before you go, I have one question to ask." You say. She pauses, and turns to you. "Are you ... me?"
"No." She responded, and then made to raise her arm-

Then stopped. And turned.

"Tell me of the Kalak woman." She said. "The red one."

>>20775710
"That's Kaliel. Why do you want to know?"

>>20775710
"Of course... over tea."

>>20775689
There's usually only about two negative votes anyway. Is it that hard to believe that a couple of people didn't like the thread?

>>20775710
"Kaliel. I love her."

That much is all but public knowledge. I wouldn't advise giving her any more than that.

>>20775658
>>20775696
There's a pretty big difference between spamming a vote in a thread which will decide our future course of action and spamming a vote in the archive to prevent deletion of saved threads.

>>20775710
"Kaliel? She's... I'm not sure if I could find the words. I love her. She's lovely, feathery and warm..."

>>20775748
Wrong, we tell her Kaliel's whole life story and teach her about love. Over tea.

>>20775614
Then you'd be wrong?
Seal and Destroy only had 5 votes, Nope had 9-10.
And there were also a bunch in-between where people were being wishy-washy about voting which is kind of aggravating seeing we could've probably stopped Gareth from getting away if more people just decided.

>>20775749
How am I supposed to know if he didn't just do what he is accusing other of, and simply butthurt because his choice didn't win?

>>20775738
There was a guy using a proxy to vote down the threads a while back. There was also a guy who was voting threads up to counter act it.

>>20775781
There was that one thread with Azure's merger which has tons of spammed votes. That's it.

>>20775776
'Cause I just joined the thread.

Also, a lot of the original following of this thread appears to have dropped off. Udz is one prime example.

>>20775801
>Udz dropped off
>five posts in this thread

>>20775801
I'm still here, I'm just busy with stuff.

>>20775793
There were a few after it as well. suptg was glitching out a while ago and a few threads were dropped.

>>20775801
See >>20774641

>>20775801
Man, I've been following Exabyte's quest since NFCQ thread 1. Most people don't trip/namefag.

>>20775810
>>20775812
Whoops, didn't mean Udz. I assumed it was him since another tripfag with no name also used to play.