Oh, and the archive can be found here:
>http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Trickster%20Daemon%20Quest

>>23503474
We need a game plan for dealing with these wolves, or at least a way to disguise the scent of our sacrifice so we can ghost through there.

Let's so to Rin's house and sort through any supplies he might have there, he won't be using them anymore either way.

You are the scum of /tg/

Please leave.

>>23503474
How many will the village spare to get the job done?

>>23503577

Whoever is willing. Considering this is a top secret mission to the place that just killed Rin for reasons that are not clear during a time of imminent war, that probably means no one.

>>23503474
We need escorts. We can help them by providing easier prey to distract the wolfs (injure some deer or play catch like we did in the cave) but ensuring the safety of the child alone is not possible.

>>23503667
We are about to free the villages guarding, the spirit that is important enough there are several people (shaman and at least one apprentice) whose only job is talking with him despite him not being around for a hundred years. If this is not important enough to send some people nothing is. At least the shaman and his apprentice should be more than eager to come along.

>>23503711
This is a good point also, let's try egging the shaman and his apprentice along if possible. After all, if we fail his job will basically be pointless.

>>23503734
Yes, great idea. He is going, and he is performing the sacrifice as well, because come on "spiritual leader", you really leaving that to someone like US?

>>23503711

You've been pretty explicit about not letting anyone actually know about any of that, so unless the escort you were hoping for was the shaman, none of that does you much good.

>>23503734
He doesn't trust us to be telling the truth. Trying to get him to go along would just make him even more suspicious.

>>23503773
Well we COULD stress the importance and attractiveness of the mission to a few people...

we could pick the manliest looking guys and delusion them with "you are feeling incredibly heroic" so they'll volunteer.

>>23503813
Don't think we can tell people how to feel. But we can make them believe that "Deepwell is doomed if the mission fails" or that "They will be celebrated as heroes if they perform this mission"

>>23503766
I don't care who makes the sacrifice. The shaman doesn't fully trust us so I understand him not wanting to.

>>23503773
This is an interesting point. 1) I don't think we actually care if they know what we are about to do. The shaman wouldn't want to admit that he didn't actually do anything important because there was no spirit to talk with in front of the village though. 2) Even if the rest of the village doesn't know about it the shaman does. There is no need to tell them exactly whats going on. Given what happened the last time having to able-bodied adults should be enough to have a safe enough trip. I'm sure the shaman could convince at least one or two persons to help him survive the week-long journey through the dire-wolf infested woods. Unless the rest of the villagers don't care about their own shaman they won't let him go on a suicide mission. Which it would be from their perspective.

>>23503848
This could work. Backing this line of thought, we don't even have to say that its for a sacrifice. We could just tell people that we need the presence of a pure soul to free Olberek or some bullshit.

>>23503848
we can make them believe they are fearless heroes so they'll suppress any feelings of fear, i guess.

>>23503880
Thats absolutely unneccesary. The shaman already knows what's up and the rest only need to know that there is important spiritual business to ensure their guardian will help them.

Question: Can't we just get a horse and just try race to the shrine?

>>23503916
Shit's overgrown as fuck, I don't think a horse will move much faster there than a person on foot.

We just need to get a couple men to believe something long enough for them to want to volunteer. once they've already said they'll go, they'll be obligated to.

Looks like conversation is stalling, but I can't tell exactly what the plan here is supposed to be. Let's go with the usual d100 die rolls, then. Highest wins.

Rolled 35

>>23504136
Gathering support via the heroic delusion inspiration method.

Rolled 37

>>23504136
Suggest to the shaman that since he's suspicious of us (yes yes, he never said that but aside from eavesdropping we're not retarded), he and/or his apprentice should join the mission. Also, try >>23503848
to acquire fighting volunteers.

Rolled 10

>>23504136
Use delusion to make a few men believe that volunteering to escort would be in the villages best interest.

Rolled 70

>>23504181
>>23504200
Voting/rolling for both of these

Rolled 89

>>23504245
Given that this seems to have won I propose one minor change: ">since he's suspicious of us" should be changed to ">because it is his job as a shaman to at least help in freeing the spirit he is a shaman of"

Computer is running really slow right now. Responses may be slower than usual until I finish with some processor-intensive stuff. Until then: What exactly do you plan to say to the shaman?

>>23504275
Why not both?

Rolled 44

>>23504363
First emphazise how important this is. It truthfully will be the most important thing he did in his entire life. Additionally it's his job to take care of matters regarding spirits. His only job in fact. There is really no excuse for him not to come with us. Additionally this will most likely be a suicide mission if he is the only one who comes. There are freakin dire wolfs out there! You need someone to help you survive this!

If he decides to be continue being an idiot: Use delusions in this order 1) "This is you job." 2) If that didn't work: "This is necessary for the survival of your village!" 3) If he decided against taking at least two villagers with him do as >>23504200 says.

>>23504363
"Shaman, I cannot help but feel as if I am stealing your job from you. Surely you must wish to attend this mission or at the very least send a trusted apprentice to ensure its success?"

Okay. Got this thing working right again.

You appear in the shaman's shrine as the sun sets and he goes about some nightly ritual. "I'll need an escort," you say, startling the shaman a bit, "the sacrifice won't survive if she goes by herself."

"There are few who would dare. The last who left on my suggestion did not return, and none in the village know why he left at all," the shaman says, clearly not entirely satisfied with this turn of events.

"They'll come if you come," you say, "and returning Olberek to this world is the most important thing you will ever do in your entire life."

The shaman narrows his eyes, and after a moment says "trusting you could be the end of my life. Not all spirits are benevolent. Golgoth have their gods, and you arrived with them, and now you lead us into the forest one after another. Perhaps you mean to kill us."

"I'm telling the truth," you say, pouring on a bit of Dementation.

The shaman hesitates a moment. "Yes. I'll find someone to escort us," he says, finally, "I'll have an easier time of it if I'm going myself."

Thus it is that the next day you, the shaman, two young men of the village, and the sorry bastard what's getting her throat slit open head out for the falls.

>Anything you'd like to do before you reach Dire Wolf Central?

>>23505203
have them take an extra weapon one we know how to use in case we need to help defend them

>>23505203
How are they equipped?

>>23505393

Bows and axes, except for the sacrifice who is of course unarmed. The shaman also has his staff, which counts for something, I guess. Given his age and frailty, he probably won't be much use in a fight with a dire wolf unless you find him an AK-47, but those other two strapping lads should be decent.

>>23505460
what ? there are AK-7 here? or we just know about them could we make them or teach the humans to make them?

>>23505203
Use our hunting skill to acquire a large amount of meat. We need something to distract the dire wolves.

Rolled 63

>>23505513
It's called a joke dude.

>>23505460
That'll probably be fine. Do they have any spares we could steal in an emergency?

>>23505513
He's joking, and I pray that you are too.

>>23505561

No, but you could tell them to bring some.

>>23505524

What do you mean by "large?" More importantly, how much time do you intend to spend on this?

>>23505665
Well, our travel speed is limited by the old dude, and we don't need to sleep. So as much as we can reasonably acquire while they are traveling.

Rolled 35

>>23505704
This.

>>23505665

If we do that, we should place the bait a good distance away from us. We don't want the wolves to come close.

>>23505806
Fucking hell I wish the dice thing auto cleared itself between posts.

>>23505665
They should bring some. It wouldn't slow them down anyway.

>>23505704

Very well. You begin trekking across the wilderness again, though at a noticeably slower pace thanks to having brought along the aging shaman. For the first several days, the journey is just uneventful hiking through the wilderness, though you occasionally bring back meat for the others to carry in the dead of night (you, being incorporeal, can't carry anything).

You begin leaving the meat strewn about to serve as decoys or ablative armor of sorts once you enter dire wolf territory. Before long, you've reached the falls. The shaman has walked this road before and knows to offer several of the dead deer at an alcove to the side of the entrance cavern. The dire wolves feed well that night, and the following day permit the party to enter into the falls.

You are in the central chamber, the massive sigil of the oubliette sketched out on the floor. Up until now, this has been a standard, if off-season, journey for the shaman. But he's never sacrificed a human before.

>Do something? Or just let him wing it?

>>23505970
i thought we'd be doing it. leave the others outside, delude the sacrifice to walking into the cavern and switch to our corporeal form to do the deed.

>>23505970
No need to traumatize the shaman, it would only anger the shitty spirit in the oubliette.
Ask them to leave the girl in here and we will delusion her to the alter and snap her neck or something.

>>23505970
How to delusion the girl.
"You trust me more than any person in the world,"

>>23506070
Going with this. The shaman has done his part of the deed, no need to have the blood of an innocent on his hands. Even if it is his "job".

>>23505970
There was no indication of any rules on HOW to perform the sacrifice or who should. It would be best if we did it ourselves, you know, to show Barry just how much we "care" about him. Besides, the shaman is uncomfortable.

"The taking of a mortal life is not something to be done easily. I would see you spared of the burden."

>>23505665
Basically zig zag alongside the main party and kill deer to the sides, to keep the direwolves away.

We could delude the girl so that she is calm during the procedure. Not sure how but it would be better for everyone if she went quietly.

Also, are we 100% sure that this will work?

>>23506070
Yep.

Make her stab herself on the sigil. Also perhaps make the rest of the party wait outside.

Unless there's some kind of trick to this?

>>23506305
OP said we know our shit when it comes to Oubliettes, and that's what this one requires. For better or worse.

Please be Olberek inside.

>>23506070

Delusion is not suggestion.

>>23506318

Delusion is not suggestion.

>>23506305
Well, we have been given no indication that it's anything other than a standard sacrifice, so just killing the metaphorical lamb inside the sigil should work.

>>23506318
No no no. We should absolutely do the deed ourselves. Shaman is welcome to watch, the rest should wait outside.

>>23506345

Yes, all you have to do to release the daemon is make sure a virgin dies on top of the oubliette. Details don't really matter. Technically it doesn't even matter if they die of disease or old age or something else not even caused by you.

>>23506343
"you are a follower of olberek"
"your deity wishes to see you"
or something like that

>>23506376
Okay fine.

Make her believe she is completely paralyzed due to nerve damage.

Then perform ritual sacrifice and free Olberek/The Red Queen

>>23506428
This should work given what he said before about the "legs" discussion, let's go with it.

Also adding in once the seal is broken we are very wary and 100% focused on identifying whether the thing inside is Olberek or not.

>>23506528
it's gonna be disoriented and weak so if it's not a friendly we can just decapitate it and take it out for long enough to decide what to do with it.

>>23506343
So making her believe that she trusts us more than anyone in the world is a suggestion?

>>23506597
So were we, but we still had enough juice to use unnoticed within moments after being freed. We have to be careful either way.

I do agree that we can probably easily kill whatever is inside if it isn't Olberek (And I would recommend draining its power if we can do that).

>>23506640
We were stuck for centuries. This one may have been there a much shorter time and be less affected.

>>23506635

Yes. You can instill a belief in facts, you cannot force an opinion onto someone.

>>23506428

You have the rest leave for the entrance cavern while leaving your paralyzed victim behind, and then you shank her with a sharp rock you find in the cavern. It takes her a couple of minutes to die.

When an oubliette is unsealed, it's immediately obvious because the sigil will writhe and die in a spectacular, magical lightshow. Of course, the sigil you're looking at is actually chalk, so you can't see anything. A nine-foot giant of a man with pale, corpse-like skin, armored in bark and moss, does appear, however. This would be Olberek. Score!

He'll need a couple of minutes to get through the chargen process, but it won't be too long before he's back on his feet again.

>wat do?

>>23506814
"A pleasure to meet you again, friend. It is I, Anomaly. I fear I find your company in dire times however."

Fill him in on recent events regarding Dominion and the villages north of his wood.

>>23506883
also move to shadow form no need to get shanked

>>23506814
Talk to him as soon as you think he can understand you. You don't have to tell him everything but he needs to know there is no immediate danger and his shaman is just outside. Otherwise he might think he wasn't intentionally freed and either attack or run away to regain his strenght.

>>23506814
"It's been a while, Olberek."

Revert to corporeal form as a show of respect.

>>23506814
Ehh, better just wait for him to get to right here, he might be the type that gets cranky in the morning. Stay corporeal so he'll recognize us, ready to disappear again if he's VERY cranky.

>>23506814
"Olbreck, glad to see you up and about."

>>23506814
"Olberek! My friend!"

yeah, yeah, we weren't great friends, I know but that kind of thing doesn't stop people from appearing enthusiastic.

>>23506814
How fortunate I found you Olberek.
Pun intended

>>23507063
Are we going to annoy him with puns at every opportunity?

I think we should.

>>23506814
"Seems you owe me one big boy"

>>23507102
>>23507063
Good idea.

>>23507102
tis our nature

>>23507144
we are member of the fortune court being annoying to other daemons is kind of given, let's make sure he isn't *too* cranky before pestering him with them kanda like >>23506940 said

Olberek grasps an old, knotted staff and pulls himself to his feet, somewhat unsteadily, stroking the mossy beard that dissolves into his armor as he does so, and listens patiently as you explain the situation to him. "It is fortunate that you were released when you were...Friend," he says when you've finished. He's a bit hesitant on that last word, though. "I knew that so long as the Red Queen was hunting me I would not be able to act against her. So I arranged for her to catch me in my lair and imprison me here, where my followers might leave a message behind, with which my allies might set me free. So far, the plan is working." Oh, but Olberek does like to ramble. "Dorrik is a graveyard of oubliettes," he goes on, "but barring those who have arranged to be sealed in some place of significance, there's no telling who's in which. It isn't worth the time to dig them up, I'd say. Not now, at least." Taking in a deep breath, Olberek lifts up his staff, and the gesture is answered by a chorus of howling wolves. Olberek laughs, loud and deep, and says "it may be that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but he's not like to forget the ones he knows in a hurry, either! Not the good ones, at least."

Olberek heads towards the cavern's exit.

>wat do?

>>23507285
Ask him about his thoughts on the villages going to war against Guille's fortress, and how we both might be of assistance in their efforts. I'd like to hear his wisdom on the matter, being that these are his lands.

>>23507285
follow him

>>23507285
"Then the fall of Dominion has begun? Better late than never."

Begin moving towards the door with him, but revert back into shadow form.

"There is a shaman outside. One of your followers. He can take you to the village of Deepwell, where the beginnings of a rebellion are forming."

>>23507285
he is aware of we've come with humans right? if not tell him, either way I think we should go into shadow mode again I mean they are thinking of us as a shadow spirit

>>23507285
"The natives seemed to believe you had driven the Red Queen from this land. They tell good stories."

We should taunt the shaman for not trusting us.

>>23507285
just go along for now

>>23507518
Would you trust us in the situation?

>>23507423

"It's past time someone pulled down that pile of rocks," he says. "The villages of the east aren't going to have much luck charging a wall, however. We'll need to find some way to bring it down..."

>>23507511

"If all has gone according to plan, she would have left after our last battle. I suppose that's 'driving off' in a way."

>>23507701
"I might be able to help you with the castle old man. At least weakening it. From the inside."

>>23507701
"Wall, you say? Many walls have gates. Tell me more of this wall."

>>23507701
"Guille Fortress? That was the next item on my shopping list."

I assume we are gonna head back to Deepwell to plan our next move, which I would say is going to involve shadowing into the fortress and murdering a lot of people. Perhaps also take Mari, so she can get some practical experience by taking patrolling guards down.

IIRC the way to bring down guille fortress is to starve the fuckers inside. but one thing at a time, let's see how this develops.

>>23507701
TM, I was wondering something. Can Olberek "re-teach" us something we used to know by chance?

>>23507849
We probably don't share any talent pools. I mean, he seems to have Animalism, some kind of animal control, and who knows what else.

>>23507899
TM said we used to know a bit of Animalism, so I was grasping at straws hoping he might be able to unlock that aspect or something else we could -possibly- share. Always worth asking, yknow?

>>23507849
If he can, I don't particularly want to ask him. God forbid we gave him a chance to call us even.

>>23507899
OP at one point said that we think we used to be able to some animalism, but we're not sure. Which of course is just an in-setting way to say we'll probably be able to pick it later but aren't forced to.

And I'm actually surprised he hasn't questioned our motives. Guess he knew of our defeat and just assumed revenge.

>>23507899
Animalism might be our best bet to get temporary shapeshifting which would let combine having an actually useful body and remaining the little girl.

>>23508094
motives? you mean "we did it because we were bored"?

>>23507935
Checked. We had access to it right from the beginning, we just didn't pick it.

>>23507965
>>23508170
We had both been enemies of the Dominion for a long time. It's the only known reason we were allied in fact.

>>23507799

He just means the walls of the fortress.

>>23507849

No. For one thing, we don't even know if you did used to know Animalism yet. It was kind of a wild guess that you would probably pick it up since it's on the list of Talents you could learn as time goes on. But you might decide to pick other things, in which case it'll turn out you didn't know it after all. There's a reason your memories are vague.

>>23507815

Indeed. The shaman and the others are awed when they see Olberek emerge, and immediately obey when he tells them to return to the village. Along the way back, they are surrounded by an ever-growing army of dire wolves that remain just out of sight of the group (which in this undergrowth means about ten yards away). Olberek himself also remains out of sight of the mortals (though you can find him and chat him up if you want). By the time you reach Deepwell, the group is being trailed by at least a hundred wolves. Looks like Olberek has emptied his caverns and the woods for this.

He also discusses the attack on Guille Fortress with you. If you can get the gates open, he can send in a small army of dire wolves. That might not be enough on its own, but it should be plenty when coupled with the army Jens is raising, so long as no other daemons interfere.

Of course, you both fully expect other daemons to interfere, so Olberek recommends not wearing yourself out too much getting the gates open.

By the time you have arrived back in Deepwell, Jens is already there and has been for some time (the second trip to the falls took nearly two weeks, as you were slowed greatly by the ponderous pace of the shaman). The armies of the east are planning to gather just north of the Barrows, near the ruins of old Ironborn Village, in just three days, so Jens and nearly the entire able-bodied population of Deepwell Village are preparing to ride out the next day when you arrive back.

>wat do?

>>23508172
Animalism sounds mighty useful now that you made me go back and check. I wouldn't pick it over other available powers at a "level-up" point, but if we got the chance to learn one Nature power that would be my pick.

>>23508231

Also, I ran into the character limit, but suffice it to say that Jens and the elder take the arrival of a hundred apparently friendly dire wolves as a good omen. But the elder still tells everyone not to leave the village for fear of provoking them, because they're still dire fucking wolves.

>>23508231
We go to the castle to scout it out, we are perfect for that. Mention this to Olberek.

Also could we ask Jens to teach Mari the arts of war?

>>23508231
attacking the fortress is foolish. they probably don't even know yet that they should be on the defensive. we should draw them out and crush them on neutral ground.

then again we're not the commander. let's just tag along and wait for an opportunity to cause some mischief.

>>23508231
>Of course, you both fully expect other daemons to interfere

Do we have anything that would actually be useful in a daemon v daemon fight?

>>23508344
This. I don't feel comfortable scaling the walls of the fortress at our current level of power and dealing with all the shit inside. God knows what sort of anti-magic units might reside there, much less daemons.

Let's meet with Olberek again and ask him if the idea of bating an attack force out is possible.

>>23508344
>>23508402

Infiltrating Guille sounds much more FUN.

>>23508402
Why would we need to scale the walls? We could could simply slip under the gate. We are a shadow...

>>23508359
Not very. I had hoped that waking Barry would be one of those fabled points where we get to "level up"

>>23508453
It was being figurative, I realize there are a myriad of ways to gain entry.

>>23508478

Actually the first one of those is the fall of Guille Fortress.

So do we have an actual plan or are we just going to show up and wing it?

>>23508689
Our job is opening the gate. We can do that, pretty much every talent we've picked is geared towards a job like that. But we might want to admit to Barry that we're... rusty in that whole direct confrontation department.

Finding a way to bring Mari might also be good, I'm sure she's bored anyway.

>>23508689
We are first going to make sure Jens teaches Mari the Arts of War while he is out campaigning.

At least i would like this.

>>23508831
I second this, make sure we give Mari a abridged rundown of what's going on.

>>23508689

Given that we can't plan how to open the gate, we can't really decide what to do till we've seen it. Best to go have a look soon.

>>23508857
"So we're assaulting that Guille place, supposed to be full of Golgothans. Wanna come?"

Well, if we take Mari she can probably take down the gate guards from afar, leaving us able to shadow form inside without being detected and open them.

>>23508831
>>23508845

So for both of those, what exactly do you plan to do? Generally speaking it'd be nice if you could provide actual actions and not just desired results.

>>23509208
For me part of trying to get Jens to train her, i say we simply approach him and ask. It would be fun watching him daring to refuse a Daemon.
Something like "I have taken an interest in the child called Mari. I would like you to teach her the ways of war while you are out campaigning. Do you refuse?"

>>23509306
This should be done in shadow form. Make sure he see the shadow.

>>23509208
If we're not leaving right away, I'd like to start by finding Mari and asking about her progress. Especially about how much she can do without without tiring herself out.

>>23509306
Yeah, but how will he react when Mari starts killing people with her mind?

>>23509474
We don't actually know what the natives stance might be on that. Could be that they just think it's useful if they're not worrying about Golgothans getting all over their case.

>>23509306

Jens turns about when you address him. "Who are you?" he asks.

>>23509381

Mari's progress is reasonably steady in terms of stamina, though she's made little progress with precision or versatility. As far as stamina is concerned, she is noticeably less exhausted whenever she uses her powers, but still exhausted enough that it would be unwise to use it over an arrow assuming both will kill the enemy just the same. Of course, since she's not amazing with a bow, the Fleshshaping has the benefit of being a guaranteed hit, as opposed to a bow and arrow, which is not only something she doesn't have but also something she can't reliably hit a moving target with.

>>23509822
"I am the one who got your guardian back."

>>23509921

"Why do you care about the girl?" Jens responds.

-----

Also: I will be going in about an hour.

>>23509822
"Names are meaningless. Let us say that I am one whose wrath should not be incurred."

I am moderately pleased with Mari's progress. It's definitely time she witnessed battle from a more dignified perspective.

>>23510090
"I am a daemon of fortune. Suffice it to say, her luck is... extraordinary. Unlike any mortal I have seen in my 6000 years of interaction with you folk."

>>23510090
"Why do you care why i care? Will you do this for me?"

>>23509921
I don't think the shaman wanted anyone to know that Barry was taken out in the first place, but okay.
>>23510197
That. If we don't have to tell him, we won't.

>>23510090
"She's interesting. It seems that fate smiles on that one. Don't read too much into it, hunter."

>>23510140
This is revealing to much,

>>23510197

"The girl is enough trouble as it is," Jens says, "I'm not her father and I'm not a shaman. Find someone else to care for your pets, spirit."

>>23510731
"So be it, human. I am not unreasonable, and the course of action you are currently on is of enough worth to me that I am willing to let this go.

You seem less fearful of the spirits than many of your kind. Why is that?"

Guess we'll just take her with us when we sneak into the fortress. Maybe she can kill a few sleeping soldiers as well.

>>23510731
"You are neither of those things, but you certainly are a brave one. A respectable trait. Another respectable trait I am certain that you possess is knowing the value of silence. Correct?"

>>23510929
She's probably not very sneaky, bringing her inside will likely be extremely risky. Still, she will see this battle, even if she won't march with the "soldiers"

Guessing next update will be the last for tonight? Seems almost nobody is around anymore either way.

>>23510929

Jens just shrugs. "Some men fear spirits. I've never seen a spirit swipe a man's head off. Seems to me bears are more frightening, and I've survived my share of encounters with them."

>>23511104

"I was never the type for idle chatter."

-----

Mari is pretty stealthy in the woods. Not so much in a fortress or a city, or even an unfamiliar sort of terrain like mountains.

>>23511250

Yeah, I need to be going right around now. So, tomorrow: we storm Guille Fortress.

>>23511288
see ya

>>23511288
>Mari is pretty stealthy in the woods

So we bring her, stealthily, just not inside. We can pick her up after opening the gate. And hopefully Barry can be convinced to keep his dogs in check.

Good night, OP.