You captured the Phoenix Empire spy, Cai Wei Zhu, and took her to Stone Hall. There you found that Isen and the others had been rather busy. The restoration work was nearing completion, the Undercity had been opened up to habitation for all the monster refugees rescued from the Grove of Joy, Barney had established his Inventor's Guild, and it sounded like things were well in Bronze Peak as well. Most importantly Isen had gone to the mer, and was able to open up diplomatic talks with them, improving the relationship between Stone Hall and Coral Gate.

The down side was that the Staves Guild mages had nearly all left. Since Citadel had withdrawn all of its magic that it was pumping into the kingdom, a lot of wizards now found themselves powerless. The only ones left in the city were Sophie and a small group of young mages who were trying alternative power sources for their magic.

Cai was locked up in Stone Hall prison, and you got to sit down to a peaceful dinner with your family. Three lamias, a naga, a living swarm, a two-minded lich, a ghoul Mage, and Lea...your monstrous and exceptionally demented family.

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So, where where we? Probably still in dinner. We've got a full docket of things to do, but at least we get to have food.

I wonder how the phoenix empire's gonna come at us.

>>25475228
"Where's Dana?" Tricia asks as she munches on a salad as her swarm helps itself to some of the roast.

"Miss Dana's with Princess Mumei." Ssai says. She laughs. "She made a funny face when Awesome Uncle Isen introduced us."

Granny rolls her eyes. "The fool demanded that the girls address him as such. Also, she's still obviously a little unused to seeing our kind and not be under threat for her life." She shrugs. "Still, she kept it together to be polite...I think. I don't know much about the Empire, really. Still, she and the mer girl are getting along like a house on fire."

"You know, I always thought that idiom was strange." Mari says. "I never assumed that a house on fire was a friendly thing."

"A what?" Lea asks.

"Getting along li-oh, idiom?" Mari shrugs. "Its like a saying or an expression."

"What's the difference?" Lea asks.

"I don't think there is one." Mage says. "Or maybe it's like the difference between a monster and a construct both made of cor-"

"Don't you start that again!" Tricia snaps.

1. Get mage to look at the dagger
2. Visit Mumei with Peri in tow
3. throw our stipend at anyone in the group who figures they can buy some upgrades in this town and at Peri to get anything she'd really want for spymaster stuff.
4. Visit our Dorf friend
5. Maybe check up on the original players of Serpent's Trail.
6. Check Inventor's guild
7. Do autie things with the kids
8. Sneak meditation rock idea into mage's book

List of things we could do in Stone Hall.

>>25475329
"They're very different in a number of fundamental ways, but we've got to put that aside for good of everyone."
Visibly shift to talking to the little ones to change the topic
"So, your 'awesome' uncle Isen introduced you to Mumei? How did you like her? I hear she's working on some big things these days."

I'm gonna try to avoid the important empire spies talk during dinner, I think that's polite.

>>25475329
"I still say I'm in the right on that!"

>>25475410
we should also consider approaching someone to help with military work. Julian maybe? But Lea is both inspirational AND knows how to train people in martial arts.

>>25475410
Shit that should read auntie things...

>>25475329
Tell the little ones all about mud pluckin'.

I'm sure they'll be interested.

>>25475329
"You've all been out and up on the surface a fair amount, then, yeah? did that go well? How about the rest of our people, are they free to go among the humans yet? You know, accidents and misunderstandings."

>>25475681
How about the rest of the non-humans? They doing alright?

>>25475752
well, I assume the lizardmen who came with are all right.

But yeah, there was a lot of (misc) in there. I don't know how many of those showed up to stone hall. I think we got some minotaurs, if I remember right. I wonder how tara feels about that.

Oh how can I forget: stuff your goddamn face, this is a granny meal, it's made using ancient secret cooking techniques.

"I still say I'm in the right on that!" You snap. "But we've got to put that aside for good of everyone."

"Thank you." Tricia says.

"You've all been out and up on the surface a fair amount, then, yeah? Did that go well?" You ask.

"Eh, we had a few 'loose pets' comments, but things are working slowly towards acceptance." Granny says. "People have pretty much accepted that this is how life is going to be, and they can't stop it."

"How about the rest of our people, are they free to go among the humans yet? You know, accidents and misunderstandings." You ask.

She shakes her hand. "No, not yet. I want to make sure that they can talk at least, right now not ever Mage's Rosettas can bridge the gap. Tara's trying to talk to the Minotaurs, but mostly her negotiations starts with her pummeling their faces in. They've got a lot to go before the Citadel corruption wears off."

"Interesting." Mage says. "Oh, are the Rosettas still working?"

Granny waves her hands. "Mostly, there's been some issues."

"I'll look into it." Mage nods.

"So, your 'awesome' uncle Isen introduced you to Mumei? How did you like her? I hear she's working on some big things these days."

Ssah nods. "She's nice! Smells different than others."

>>25475410
Think the meditation rock thing can wait until things settle down a bit.

Also, lets not forget about those soul gems we stole from Tragedy. I wonder if we could hook them up with artificial bodies or something. Or at least something that would allow us to communicate with them to discuss their options.

>>25475876
I just piled up the stuff we figured out at the end of the last threads so we would have an easy cheat sheet to start this one off of. Also mucking about with the soul stones doesn't seem like a good idea

>>25475819
"Yeah, she does at that. She comes from very far away."
Make a realization, and then pat Ssai and Ssah's heads.
"You know, you've picked up the language remarkably. I had much more trouble with my esses. Granny must have been making you study hard, huh?"

>>25475901
>>25475876
we should probably muck about with those soul stones then, you've convinced me with your talk about it being a bad idea.

We'll get mage to muck about with them. There goes his day off. Maybe sophie too, but I am not sure having someone searching for power sources mucking about with soul gems is a brilliant move.

>>25475921
What if we got Barney to build some kind of metal frame to put the soul gems in?

We could add android golems to the increasingly bizarre population of Stone Hall.

Oh man, I still haven't caught up to the last thread.

>>25475876
>>25475961
We've got every other kind of monster under the sun, let's get some warforged up in this bitch.

"Yeah, she does at that. She comes from very far away." You say, and you pat the pair's heads, smiling at them. "You know, you've picked up the language remarkably. I had much more trouble with my esses. Granny must have been making you study hard, huh?"

They nod.

"It helps that they're so young, but lamia are quick studies." She nods. "Leviathan brain, I think. You ever wonder how you got proficient in spar fighting after just a couple of days of me showing you? Or how you could learn the Phoenix Tongue in a couple of months?" She smiles at points at your head. "You may be crazy, and end up talking to tree stumps later in life, but you have that misshaped thing to thank."

"Huh, alright. Oh, Mari. What about those soul gems we stole from Tragedy?" You ask. "I wonder if we could hook them up with artificial bodies or something. Or at least something that would allow us to communicate with them to discuss their options."

Mari shrugs. "If there's any sentience left in them. Being in a soul jar for years upon years with no sensory output at all can make a person really really crazy." She shrugs. "Even WITH a body, you lose a lot of physical sensation, s'why liches are so crabby the first couple decades."

"Then why are you two planning on becoming one?" Lea asks.

Mari shakes her head. "Different process. Long magic-babble explanation, but we won't be totally sealed. Just that instead of both of us feeling sensation, like we do right now, one of us will be on the bench and the other will be on the field."

"Alright. So what can we do about them?" Mage asks. "Do you need me to look at them?"

Mari shakes her head. "We know what we're looking for. We'll give it a go first. Nice thing is that these things are large, well designed, and have already housed souls before." She nods. "If we have to release one of them, no sense we can't use it afterwards."

>>25475994
We could also release to the journey. I don't think they would have a long road to the Light.

>>25475994
"Probably for the best we find a method of releasing them, then. I'd hate to do any damage trying to fix them in some way. Maybe you and mage can check in with sophie about that? You'll probably need leylines or whatever for the process anyhow."

"You know, I should get on over to barney's within the next few days too, he's moved out so I can't get my convenient update on his work. Have you girls met him? His machines are wondrous, I could take you with when I visit."

That shit is prime little-kid-visit material. Just stay away from whirling cogs.

>>25475994
Tricia please make sure I don't go TOO crazy, I'm partial to having rational thoughts.

>>25475994
"Well, I feel like we should at least check to see if they're still clinging to sanity before making the decision to euthanize anybody."

>>25476096
Rational?

Ah yes, I remember that. So long ago it was.

>>25475994
"You know, if I'm talking to a stump it's probably for a very good reason. All the crazy things I've done so far have been absolutely essential. Well, most of them. Some of them."

>>25476113
We have some of those, they are nice.

"Well, if they are beyond help, it's our duty to help them to their Journey. I don't think they would have a long road to the Light." You say. "Maybe you and Mage can check in with Sophie about that? You'll probably need leylines or whatever for the process anyhow."

Mage shakes his head. "I was going to start with HEKA fields and then move on to natural mana pools that form when..." He looks up at the faces looking at him. He sighs. "Skipping the magic-babble...yes, good idea, Ssen.

"You know, I should get on over to Barney's within the next few days too. He's moved out so I can't get convenient updates on his work. Have you girls met him? His machines are wondrous, I could take you with when I visit." You say.

The girls grin and look please. Granny shakes her head. "You know, King Fool says he's planning on renaming the land when Coral Gate gets a representative to the Council that he's making." She chuckles. "Says that since people keep calling this place a Menagerie, then that's what it should be called."

Tricia shrugs. "Better than naming it after himself."

"True." Lea says. "He's making a council from other cities?"

"Yeah," Granny says. "He's got Ambrose on stuff about old council laws from the Tribe days, voting and representatives, and stuff." She shakes her head. "Anything he can do to get out of having to rule."

>>25476171
After these extended 'cooking dinner for Father's-Day' messages, we'll be right back. Also, Happy Father's Day.

>>25476185
I love you. All the homo.

>>25476185
That's fine. Gives more people time to show up. Also oh crap it's father's day I need to go make a phone call

>>25476185
I'm sad the thread's moving slow, I'm still catching up to the last thread so I can't even help.

>>25476214
I am but one man, and I feel guilty if I write too much dialogue.

Speaking of, I should think of some. This council shit is interesting. Also, I'm unsure about the new name, but whatever, names are a secret power that is beyond our realm.

Also, I'm curious if white tree is going to be on the council. And what we plan on doing about first wood, given we don't want to start a war amongst ourselves in this time of hardship.

>>25476246
We leave first wood alone until Mab gets shit under control. White tree might solve itself if her holy bitchness recoverers from the citadel

>>25476171
I would actually name it The Union of Peoples, or something to that effect. After all calling something a Menagerie carries connotations of instability, not something you want when youre just starting out.

>>25476350
That connotation would serve as a pretty good deception if we can keep it tightly knit though. Make people underestimate us. Which has worked in our favor before.

>>25476171
"Well, it's a better name than I would have come up with, that's for sure. Though I don't see what the problem with Stone Hall is. as for the council, is it just the three eastern cities, or have we gotten white tree and purple sands aboard too? If dear ol' Isen wants to properly pass off his duties, we'll need a properly large council. And an evil vizier, I'll be on the lookout for one of those. One with a pointy beard, or maybe a goatee."

>>25476366
This isnt about a person though, this is about a nation. We need to sound tough enough to take the abuse that will inevitably be visited upon us or we get invaded like every other week, which last time i checked was a VERY BAD thing.

>>25476405
oh, three things I just realized.

1. mage has been getting "the look" from ladies ever since the female acolytes at purple sands.

2. We just sent mage off to work with sophie indipendantly.

3. Ssah and Ssai are overhearing SO MUCH adventurer talk right now, this must be better than storytime for them.

>>25476300
I don't think she will. I think Citadel was the only thing keeping her from being a bitch in th first place.

Which I guess means we need a new HIS. We could probably just politely ask her to retire and she would.

>>25475994
Don't we have the empty gem Tragedy tried to seal us in?

And while not relevant until we get to Bronze Peak, don't we also have his sword? Wasn't that thing made from corrupted First Lantern metal, like Soma? Would give us more to work with for party upgrades.

>>25476171
"Well, as much as it may be done for partially selfish reasons, I think it's a good move. With Citadel being as it is, there needs to be another authority to make decisions, and while Isen could do that as king, I really think there's a risk that once we get citadel fixed up and the rest of his family is back, any policies decided by him could more easily be called into question than those made by a council of leaders from the areas affected."

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>>25476502
I dunno, she didn't seem nearly weary enough to just take a retirement. Though, I do sort of want to prop Lea up as a motivational and inspirational figure. Somehow. I mean, she sings, she preaches, she punches holes in heads, that's perfect.

"You know, I've finally got some time off, but I keep talking about world affairs and how things are run. I've forgotten to keep my eye on what's important.

Mage, can you pass me those crab things, they're almost all gone."

>>25476171
"Mage, have you heard anything from your sister or the ghouled people of Stone Hall?"

>>25476792
oh, a good question to ask somebody. I don't know if mage would have heard, since we're all adventuring fools, but maybe granny can pick up the ball again.

you know, now that I think of it, I don't really have much of an idea of what "auntie things" are, since I didn't have one. I assume aunts do things like take their nieces to invention workshops. I would take them with to see mumei too, but we're going to be talking spytalk to her with peri. They're a bit too young for spygames.

>>25476836
Teach them all the leviathan jokes.

>>25476852
I don't think Ssah gets those yet. Or she doesn't like them. I worry about little Ssah. Ssai seems to be growing up all right. Ssah is probably just young.

Either way, I approve of teaching them the bad habit of leviathan jokery very young so that granny is driven insane in an appropriate manner. Though, Dana might be better at it.

>>25476877
Ssah just needs some healthy parental love is all. How convenient for her that Ssen is around, truly.

>>25476897
Granny is more parental substitute than we are. We've be stuck in the aunt role.

>>25476877
Let's teach ALL of our people Leviathan jokes. They shall be the most feared adventurers in all the world.

>"Did you hear what they did to [town]?"
>"Yeah, it's terrifying. Rumour has it that they still can't create or maintain a rational train of thought."
>"Truly the most horrific fate known to man."

We have not even BEGUN to Leviathan.

>>25476897
well, at least until we slither right on off again. I think the best we can shoot for is cool aunt, given how far away. Though they're in pretty good hands- Granny's doing the motherly thing quite well.

>>25476939
She did the motherly thing pretty well for us, even in the relatively short time we've known her.

I'm sure they'll be fine. But we need to be there or they won't get to experience proper leviathan parenting.

>>25476923
I dunno, most of the more mathematical jokes just go right over people's heads. Like mine. They're probably some kind of silly high comedy antihumor. They will, however, be very good at addling opponents with puns while mud pluckin'.

>>25476975
We'll have to tell them about some of the impossible things we've done, then. Or take them along for one.
Are any of the impossible things we've done appropriate for children?

>>25477038
Is killing god appropriate for children?

How about breaking destiny?

Destroying paradise?

>>25477064
I have decided we are probably bad role models.

>>25477084
Depends on how you spin the stories, really.

>>25477084
Of course we are! You can't bring you your kids thinking they can just become a pro sports player or an actor or a godkiller!

>>25477100
bring up your*

fuck

>>25477098
>>25477100
We could probably tell them how we saved stone hall from the ghouls and got lizardipendence, but that story involves a bit of boring politics.

>>25477167
We probably shouldn't go into it to much at all actually. Answer their questions if they ask but other than that keep mum on it. No need to go full hero worship on them until they put it together themselves. Focus more on just proper upbringing.

>>25477212
Or rather, no reason to have them go full hero worship on us.

>>25477212
We'll need to think of more clever ways to teach them how to get away with doing stupid things then. That will come later, I suppose.

>>25477239
We don't have to corrupt our nieces, we can save that for our own kids!

Unless we're dead set on our kids have playmates that are corrupted to begin with

>>25477239
Leviathan brain should cover that for them, I think.

Getting away with doing stupid things is practically an instinct.

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>Finally have internet good enough participate in the quests. Last time I participated was right before the Adahn fight.
Now to share in the dread rather than read about it in the last 20 or so threads.
On an unimportant note.
>Echo hasn't responded to a suggestion email in 30 days and I don't want to outright go pls respond
I don't know if it was something I said or what, but if my ideas were shitty I'd at least like to hear a 'fuck no that is terrible never email again.'

"Well, it's a better name than I would have come up with, that's for sure. Though I don't see what the problem with Stone Hall is. as for the council, is it just the three eastern cities, or have we gotten White Tree and Purple Sands aboard too?"

"We're waiting to hear back from Purple Sands, but White Tree." Granny shrugs. "Isen says that Toll is just doing her job, but her job right now is to humor the Purists that are there. A lot of the former First Stone Hall people went there before things imploded." She nods. "Your old friend Billings too. White Tree's welcome to them, I say." Granny says. "But it's not just the big cities, the Fool says that he wants a rep from the smaller fishing villages, also that he wants those places to not be so small any more. Anything to ease the population crunch here."

"Well, If dear ol' Isen wants to properly pass off his duties, we will need a properly large council. And an evil vizier, I'll be on the lookout for one of those. One with a pointy beard, or maybe a goatee." You say with a smile.

"I was thinking more of a beautiful seductress with a monstrous 'secret' beneath her long dress." Granny says with a wink. "I've waited too long for a chance to have our people free. I'm not going to let it slip by, especially when I can get it with ease now."

"Mage, have you heard anything from your sister or the ghouled people that are in White Tree?" You ask.

Mage nods. "They're all mostly better. A few nightmares, and cravings for regular meat, but that's it." He nods. "My sister...well, I don't know. They say that she's no longer openly aggressive, but you know that she's not stupid. I'm afraid that when they let her out she'll bolt and spend the rest of her days in the woods jumping travelers for supper." He pushes his salad around. "Haven't...really...talked to her yet. Not sure I'm ready, or will ever BE ready."

>>25477640
No, your suggestions are fine. They just all dealt with inner citadel stories, and we set that stack of ideas aside. Sorry for not responding. I didn't think you were looking for one, going by the wording of your last missive.

>>25477640
check the spoiler if you want to be briefed and get HELLA SPOILERED
we killed the dramatae, citadel collapsed in on itself into a giant corpse wall sphere thing, elves took over first wood, the first wood refugees are angry at us and in stone hall, and the phoenix empire is sending spies at us now for some reason.

>>25477288
>>25477261
I think learning about the dragon/leviathan ancestral dichotomy has had the net effect of giving us an excuse to explain why we are doing questionable things.

>>25477693
Ah, such is the land of awkwardness. I'm basically in the Michigan equivalent of Metro 2033 sending distress calls to the surface, any contact is better than silence.
>>25477730
I've been following the threads on archive. My internet connections are spotty at best but when I do get on I get myself caught up. I was grinning like an idiot when one of my ideas was implemented while I was perusing the archive.

>>25477674
>"I was thinking more of a beautiful seductress with a monstrous 'secret' beneath her long dress."

I jumped to all the wrong conclusions when I read that.

>>25477674
"But I don't think you'd fit the goateed look well at all!"
"If you don't feel like you need closure, there's no particular need for you to visit. I might pop by myself some time we're passing though, though, to see if she's improved in any way."

>>25477848
I don't see what there is to misunderstand, she's clearly talking about the long snake she has down there.

>>25477848
I'm getting too chivalrous for this shit.jpg

>>25477674
"When have we been ready for anything?"

>>25477674
"I think pretty much all of these issues will pass with time. Much as I loathe the purists, our people *were* monsters under Citadel, and eliminating that prejudice is going to take a while. I'm sure they'll see the Light eventually, though."

>>25477848
"Don't you find me... Beautiful?"

>>25477674
"I'm almost certain talking to her would help alleviate your concerns on whether or not you're ready to talk to her. We'll consider it next time we're near white tree. We've other utterly vital concerns to keep you occupied until then, though. Like how granny would look marvelous in a flowing noblewoman number. We should get Gregory in on this."

>>25477848
Oh my~

"But I don't think you'd fit the goateed look well at all!" You say to Granny.

She just rolls her eyes at you. "I think I'd be okay with the eyeliner and dark lipstick though. Isn't that the usual thing for the femme fatale? That and the gigolo dungeon."

"What's a gigolo?" Ssai asks.

Granny winces and then smiles at the kid. "That's a good question, and one I'll answer later, but not at the dinner table. Okay?"

"Okay...so is it a dessert? She asks.

Granny facepalms, while Peri/Mari and Lea laugh hysterically.

"Mage, when have we been ready for anything? If you don't feel like you need closure, there's no particular need for you to visit. I might pop by myself some time we're passing though, though, to see if she's improved in any way." You say.

He nods. "I send her letters, but...yeah. Next time, if we can get inside, I'll visit."

(cont)

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>>25477848
>Signs you've been on 4chan for far too long

>>25478062
"Good. Anyway, I think pretty much all of these issues will pass with time. Much as I loathe the purists, our people *were* monsters under Citadel, and eliminating that prejudice is going to take a while. I'm sure they'll see the Light eventually, though." You say. "We've other utterly vital concerns to keep you occupied until then, though. Like how Granny would look marvelous in a flowing noblewoman number. We should get Gregory in on this."

"If we're going to make it look appropriately evil enough for His Audaciousness, we're going to need a lot of black and purple." Peri says.

"Ick, no purple." Granny says. "Clashes with my scales." She gestures to her scales, they're a deep dark red-black, and a crimson red on her stomach. "I was thinking a bright red."

"But blood red is so cliche." Tricia says. "We should try for better...white for irony?"

"Too much to clean." Peri says. "Burgundy would be nice."

"We'll ask Gregory." Lea says. "He has better style sense than the rest of us com-"

She's interrupted by a knock on the door.

Mage groans. "Ssen, just don't answer it. It's going to be bad and end up with us getting almost killed again. I vote you just ignore it, and we can continue having a nice quiet dinner."

>>25478072
"The voices in my head all vote answer it, you've been outvoted."

>>25478072
"Mage, you're absolutely right. If I answer that door there will be all sorts of disasters and chaos. So... you do it."

>>25478072
Ok then, you answer it Mage.

But really this shouldn't take five minutes

>>25478125
>>25478109
These are compatible and I'm all for poking fun at Mage

>>25478072
"Maybe it'll be something good today?

Oh, who am I kidding, it's never anything good. Defensive positions, everyone. Let's get this show on the road."

>>25478072
"No rest for the wicked!"

>>25478157
they don't know about the headvoices.
Let's just keep that one a little secret.

>>25478214
We're a lamia, insanity is the rule.

>>25478214
I'm pretty sure they've worked it out.

>>25478214
so when we surmise that we're a fictional character and achieve CHIM, it'll be a total surprise?

"Mage, you're absolutely right. If I answer that door there will be all sorts of disasters and chaos. So...you do it."

"Wha? But...ab...I..." He stammers.

"The voices in my head all vote answer it, you've been outvoted." You say and gesture him to go.

"Every day," Mage grumbles. "I wonder if my life would have been better if I had just run for it the moment my Uncle let go of that leash."

He opens the door.

"Oh, hello Grand Sorcerer Mage." You head Princess Mumei say. "I'm happy to see you back, and well."

"Is Ssen here?" You hear Dana's voice. "Do ever wonder what it would be like if words had carnal desires? You think the word 'rock' would have the same sexual urges as the word succulent, cause I'm thinking that 'rock' might be a bit of a slut, but slut would be a prude. We need to talk about the spy that you found."

A pause.

"Ssen! It's for you!" Mage yells.

>>25478214
>>25478109
So we're actually playing as the voices inside a half Leviathan brain?

How appropriately meta.

>>25478251
"DANA! WEIRD HIM OUT SOME MORE!"

>>25478251
"Princess Mumei! Dana! Get in here, you're getting hugged!"

>>25478251
"Grand Sorcerer. You're moving up in the world, brother."

>>25478260
Reminds me of Prequel if you've ever read it.

>>25478251
"I think succulent would be like a hopeless romantic.

Also, both of you need to get in here right now and join this wonderful family dinner before another disaster happens or something gets set on fire. Sideways is safely locked up, so spy talks can wait a few hours."

>>25478251
"See? I get the grand sorceror to answer the door, and nothing goes wrong. I've got this all figured out."
Excuse yourself, slide over to the door.
"Dana! Mumei! Glad to see you, how have you been? Would you like to come in and join us for dinner, or is there some pressing matter we must be rushing off to?"

>>25478251
How did we ever go without Dana for so many threads?
"I think rock would be pretty damn carnal indeed. Certainly the noun is a bit boring and pedestrian in meaning, but the verb is quite the wild thing! And of course, it looks and sounds positively scandalous. Not too sure about slut though, it's got that certain pizazz to it, it just feels kind of base, you know? I was thinking of bringing the spy up later, I'm assuming it's urgent?"

Hopefully that's too esoteric for the kids. And now it's time to sleep, good luck with the rest of the thread!

>>25478243
Chim is a different concept that only applies to the ES world due to the universe existing withing the Godhead.

Think more of Deadpool if you want to know the extent of just what finding out we're a fiction character would do

>>25478380
That's just terrifying.

>>25478327
succulunt DOES sound like a romanitic. You can simply imagine the verbose poetry it composes.

>>25478380
We arguably broke the third wall already, what with Adahn and his MMO shenanigans. Citadel was basically just a JRPG, and we're spontaneous AIs that have dicked the system over. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the penultimate encounter of the quest was us meeting the architect and getting the whole "IT HAS HAPPENED 500,000 TIMES, AND WE HAVE BECOME EXCEEDINGLY EFFICIENT AT IT" spiel.

>>25478360
Dana's pretty good, I admit. I'm glad we went down to the corals. We also got pineapples, whatever those are. I'm really glad we picked up Isen though, he's been proving invaluable.
>>25478072
"If you think rock's bad, think about all those vocal breaks people use- the um, er, uh, and hmms.

>>25478436
That was kind of Rage's job. I almost wonder if the fact that we're in the seventh "Age" (i.e. there have been six ages already, each with its own Lightbringer story) is an intentional wink on Echo's part.

>>25478436
but we broke that when we destroyed the array i think.

"See? I get the grand sorceror to answer the door, and nothing goes wrong. I've got this all figured out." You say as you get up and go to greet your guests.

"Grand Sorcerer. You're moving up in the world, brother." You say.

"Does that mean I can get paid more, sister?" Mage says.

"Dana! Mumei! Glad to see you, how have you been?" You ask.

"Quite well." Mumei says.

"I think the sky is getting a divorce from the moon...wait...how many do we have?" She asks.

"One." Mage says.

"Right, right, then I think there was an affair with a comet that just came out." She smiles and hugs you. "The city feels better when you're here."

You hug Dana back. "Both of you need to get in here right now and join this wonderful family dinner before another disaster happens or something gets set on fire. Sideways is safely locked up, so spy talks can wait a few hours."

"Very well..." Mumei says, carefully walking inside. Her feet are still in that frame, and she uses a cane, but it's obviously a temporary thing. "But we need to talk if the Kingfisher's flock is here. That's not something that can be put off indefinitely."

"What do you think about word personalities?" Dana asks as you let go.

"I think succulent would be like a hopeless romantic." You say.

"Pfft, stereotypes. You can be rather bigoted." She warns.

"I'm not even phased by this." Mage mutters.

"Dana, you need to work harder and weird him out some more." You say.

"12/7ths!" She says to him.

Mage just shakes his head and goes back to his seat. Everyone making room for Mumei who nds up across from Mage.

Dana shrugs. "That was the weirdest thing I could think of!"

>>25478547
The name kingfishers is what I find quite odd. The one we captured was thoroughly terrified of me, especially when I spoke in the royal tongue.

>>25478547
>Dana shrugs. "That was the weirdest thing I could think of!"

Personally I prefer 1.61803398875 over 1.71428571429 any day of the week.

>>25478547
"So, since we'll talk about the kingfishers later, we'll talk of pleasant things and eat our fill until then. On that topic, I hear you were working on some wings. I'm quite impressed at hearing it."

If this family dinner just keeps expanding until all the leaders of the city are here eating our food and discussing all of our plans, I don't know what I'll do. Dinner is probably near done though, so I don't have to worry much about that.

"So, since we'll talk about the kingfishers later, we'll talk of pleasant things and eat our fill until then. On that topic, I hear you were working on some wings. I'm quite impressed at hearing it."

She nods and forces herself towards the topic. "Yes, the plans are very clear, since they're from the Empire. Although, I don't plan on jumping from the bluffs any time soon. I was hoping that your harpy friends could also help me."

>>25478547
Peri, show Mumei the blade you got off Sideways. So Mumei, any information you know about this dagger?

>>25478547
"Well, I suppose that'll do then Dana. What's important is you tried."

>>25478547
"We can do better!

(z2-z3)^2 = 4(z3-z1)(z1-z2) sin^2 alpha/2

x = –b ±√(b2–4ac)/2!a + (x3+bx2)+(cx+√d)cos^2 - x = 3√(2 + √–121) + 3√(2 – √–121)/e^ix = cos(x) + i^sin(x) //(x + yi)(u + vi) = (xu–yv) + (xv+yu)//

I HAVE NOT EVEN BEGUN TO LEVIATHAN!"

>>25478718
Well, after we finish up here in Stone Hall, we'll be going to Bronze Peak, so yeah, we'll be happy to take you there.

>>25478718
"Why, yes of course, it'll have to be thoroughly tested before you actually try to use it. I might need to bring along some extra octopus to grease the wheels, but I'm sure I can get the harpies to lend you a hand."

>>25478718
"I'm sure they'd be happy to help you, they seemed to like you if I remember correctly"

>>25478807
This is gonna be good.

>>25478807
THAT'S JUST CRAZY TALK

>>25478807
That's our speech to the mer-folk

"Alright, to business, I suppose." You say as Granny makes the girls clear the table. "Peri, show Mumei the blade you got off Sideways. So Mumei, any information you know about this dagger?"

"Sideways?" She asks.

"Cai Wei Zhu." Peri says as she hands over the dagger.

"Ah." She says. "That's a name of someone from the lower paper cage branches." She nods as she looks at the knife. "I think I know what this does. There's something you need to know, Kingfisher hand picks his flock, and he only picks murderers. That girl's got blood on her hands."

Peri does a 'yeah so?' shrug.

"No, there's a difference between killing someone and murdering someone." Mumei says. "Would you call a soldier a murderer, or a hangman, or a hunter when he has to snap the neck of a wounded elk?" She looks at the dagger. "Dana, please hold out you hand for a bit. I need to cut it."

Dana calmly does. Mumei does a light little cut against the ball of her hand, just enough to draw blood.

"Say anything Dana."

Dana's lips move, but no sound comes out. She shouts, but still nothing.

Mumei nods. "It's alright Dana, the effect will fade in a few hours." She sighs and hands the knife back to Peri. "That's a Kingfisher's weapon alright. They're all different, but you can usually tell the purpose. That's to make sure that no one screams for help."

>>25478807
look guy
I have no idea what that means
It's probably amateur hour shit to dana

>>25478955
"It's okay Dana, we can make up the difference in weird with you muted"

>>25478807
>Throwing quadratic regression and Eelers formula together along with a couple others I can't bloody remember
Son I as a physicist I am trying to figure what meaningful data will come of that, but I'm having a hell of a time doing so.

>>25478955
"... Well that's not creepy at all. Nope, no siree." I don't even want to know about the weird hold person/paralyze enchantment that they have on a chain or rope. or bag.

>>25478955
Oh god these guys are equipped with anti-Ssen weapons. One little nick and we can't quip or pun or anything. Worse than any poison.

>>25478955
"Well, I suppose that's one way to end a conversation. I'm sure Dana will manage without for a few hours, she's a creative one.
So, is there anything else to know about the kingfishers, other than their murderous tendencies? Do they always creep around in foreign nations, or does this mean something significant? Ways to fight them, perhaps? "

Maybe look at peri expectantly.

>>25479042
What's worse, Peri and Mari can shut us up whenever they want to now. A truly terrible tool.

>>25479106
On the plus, it also is a means of enforcing amazing silence when on the attack.

>>25479106
Quick quick will save us

>>25478955
"A leviathan's greatest weakness. How diabolical."

>>25479114
We need to develop better hand signs then, if we do that.

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mfw, my younger brother created Ssen.

>>25478955
"that is horrifyingly, though rather pragmatic"

>>25478955
Peri, if either you or Mari poke me with that, I'm giving you a dose of black.

"...huh, my greatest weakness." You say with a smile, and then you let out a long sigh. "Well that's not creepy at all. Although I suppose that's one way to end a conversation. I'm sure Dana will manage without for a few hours, she's a creative one."

Dana nods and gets to playing with the plate of berries that's been passed out for dessert for everyone but you. She's making little pyramids. You, Granny, and the grils, get a little semi-raw, lightly bloody, sweetmeat pastry with marrow...delicious, horrifying for others to watch eat as blood invariably always ends up trickling down your lips, and really bad for you, but the taste is heavenly.

"So, is there anything else to know about the kingfishers, other than their murderous tendencies? Do they always creep around in foreign nations, or does this mean something significant? Ways to fight them, perhaps?"

Mumei shrugs. "All I know is that the Kingfisher is considered to be the one man in the Golden Cage with no shred of honor. I would listen to the nobles speak, every year there is always someone who voices the idea that the Kingfisher should be executed, or taught a new song, or be clipped. No one disagrees, but every year, the Kingfisher stays and the one who talks usually disappears.

"I saw him once, two months before I was sent to here. He sat with me, drank barley tea, and made me...describe my training as a bride." She shudders. "He didn't do anything untoward, in fact he was quite kind, and I did that same description to others who were...crass about it. However, something about knowing that the Kingfisher knew ANYTHING about me." She rubs her arms. "I do know that his flock will do anything for them. He owns them. He saved them from the noose, and he trains them. The rest is rumors."

>>25479419
"Any rumors that stand from the rest? Those that are believed or repeated any more than the others?"

>>25479419
So what do you think we should do with our captive? Execute her?

>>25479419
Sounds like the Kingfisher survives by being too useful to kill. And dangerous to boot.

>>25479419

She said that she was getting observing and reporting merchant movements and wherever the Dawnchasers traveled. What could be done with those things?

>>25479513
We've still not likely gotten everything out of her. She's a valuable asset alive either way.

>>25479550
She reported our presence in River's Crossing, not our group as a whole.

>>25479419
Also do you know what this means?
>Repeat entire letter to Mumei, see what she thinks.

>>25479419
Well, carnivores gonna carnivore. Be sure to use a napkin after that cake.

"He seems like quite the troublesome character. The part about saving folk from the noose is even a little familiar, in a strange way. Peri, you helped me capture one already. How would you go about dealing with this rather sinister flock?"

>>25479419
"The Kingfisher is aware of me than, the spy was able to send a message before we captured her."

"Any rumors that stand from the rest? Those that are believed or repeated any more than the others?" You ask.

"They say that he's a bastard. That his mother was a Silk spy...or that his father was a Silk soldier...it differs, sometimes his parents are even from here." She shrugs.

"The Silk?" Lea asks.

"The kingdom that's on our other side." She sniffs dismissively. "Thugs and raiders. They squat in houses made of sticks and dung. They're ugly, hairy, never bathe, and have sexual congress with their horses. Their claim to fame was a...slightly successful...raider who managed to sack a few of the Empire's cities. Really just a gang leader...they're nothing." She shakes her head. "That's why people are happy to believe that the Kingfisher is from that foul nest."

>>25479595
>"He seems like quite the troublesome character. The part about saving folk from the noose is even a little familiar, in a strange way. So what do you think we should do with our captive? Execute her?"

Her eyes go wide. "By the Phoenix, NO!" She gasps. "You NEVER kill the Kingfisher's flock. Once a rival noble caught a Kingfisher chick in service to another noble...it's how things are done...and killed her." She shakes her head. "When the Kingfisher found out...they say his wife woke to find that only his head was in their bed...and they say that it took three weeks before that head stopped screaming in pain...and that it took even longer to die." She shivers. "The Kingfisher will pay ransom for her. Accept it."

"Peri, you helped me capture one already. How would you go about dealing with this rather sinister flock?"

"If he's the type who values his agents like that, then yeah...hold onto her. See what info we can get her to slip, and then pay the ransom." She nods. "I know who we need to talk to. She's still alive, thank the Elders, since she never leaves the field. Probably will be on Maxine's side too, regarding the clean up."

"Who?"

"Jesse-May Prosper." Peri grins.

"Who's that?" Lea asks.

Peri chuckles. "Ask Paladin Graves, but be ready to duck if he throws something."

>>25479804
Ok, so now we might have an inroad to both the elves and the Pheonix empire in one person. Interesting.

>>25479804
Ought we send her back without thumbs, then? Kingfisher gets his "chick" back but she'll never wield a blade again.or maybe just take her tongue. She'd never be able to infiltrate a community ever again if she can't speak.

>>25479826
"Well, it seems we have a lead. Think you can get in contact with her, or will we have to schedule one of our trips?

Oh, and mumei, out of curiosity- does he extend the same courtesy to prisoners as he expects? Or will I have to worry even more about anyone taken prisoner?"

>>25479933
nah. we'll just send her back once we've squeezed her a bit for information. Also I'm considering the prospect of fueling our economy by capturing and ransoming spies ad infinitum. Don't mind me.

>>25480000
I keep thinking we ought to execute her because it's the right thing to do, but then I remember that we have a flock now, too. If we don't want him targeting ours, unfortunately, we have to give him back his.

>>25479804
Sounds like someone's got a massive case of denial about the Silk...maybe we should look into finding them and engaging diplomatically with them.

>>25479804
>slightly successful raider
Hoho phoenix empire, you can't deal with huns.

"Well, it seems we have a lead. Think you can get in contact with her, or will we have to schedule one of our trips?"

Peri laughs. "Oh don't worry. She'll come to us. I'll write a letter." Apparently there's a massive joke that Peri's setting up.

"Mumei, out of curiosity- does he extend the same courtesy to prisoners as he expects? Or will I have to worry even more about anyone taken prisoner?" You ask.

"If Kingfisher has a prisoner, then he'll ask for ransom, and treat them well, yes." She nods. "There was a large scandal in the Empire when he let a captured Silk prince go on the promise that he would return with the ransom the Kingfisher asked for. The prince returned with only half the ransom, the Kingfisher then paid the other half and set him free." She shakes her head. "Of course, after he did that, four of his flock were captured...and the Silks treated them well, humanely, and then released them when Kingfisher paid the ransom...and then when one of the Hawk Legions attacked the prison where the Kingfisher's flock was held...they swooped in knowing the entire complex, secret passages, guard count, and other crucial information. At least, that's how the story goes.

"So, the Kingfisher will treat captives well...other Hawks or Raptors, I cannot make that same promise."

>>25479826
"I think I may do just that. Alas, he's not here at the moment, so you'll have to give me the basics until then."

>>25480130
Get them to smuggle Ryan's book into the Pheonix Empire thereby causing an uprising? We'll see.

>>25480156
"Yet I feel I may not have the same pleasure should it I be captured. Their name gives it away."

>>25479804
>Jesse-May Prosper
"Is that some sort of special spy name, or are silly names just a thing with the elves?"

"Yet I feel I may not have the same pleasure should it I be captured. Their name gives it away." You say.

"Well, you ARE a living nightmare to us." She smiles over a cup of tea. "So, there might be an overreaction."

"Heh, so Julian knows this Jesse-May Prosper, is that some sort of special spy name, or are silly names just a thing with the elves?" You ask.

"Oh, like the girl who's name is 'Name' is one to talk." Peri smirks.

>>25480150
I guess we'll just have to...get down to business.

>>25480156
Aha. Kingfisher used his captured-and-released spies to get intel on the Silk prison. I'm not sure what the "other Hawks or Raptors, I cannot make that same promise" means; does she mean that Hawk Legions do not treat their prisoners well? Either way, we should be careful about where we keep her, and what we give her up for.

>>25480156


"Well, I must say that's a pleasant surprise. Not only will I get some kind of elven spy's help, I get a reasonable opponent. Even if I'm facing a mortal enemy, I much prefer to be reasonable about it. I might have to give uncle Julian a bit of a talk after this. So, who are the hawks and raptors? Are they empire birds, or like the silks?"

>>25480156
Well, it looks like to me that the Kingfisher has no problems letting others do his dirty work by supplying them with information while leaving his hands clean. Either that or he has more elite agents at his service.

>>25480156
"Seems like a reasonable enough man, even if I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

I suppose Sideways will be sticking around, then."

>>25480312
"I thought we agreed that we wouldn't mention that. If we hadn't, we really should have! Besides, that's not even the issue at hand here. I'm glad to know more about my opponents, and how to deal with them. I'll even have a talk with Julian about it. My question is- why are they even here? Observing trade information and the like could mean lots of things."

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>>25480330
Well, there WERE a bunch of refugees who wanted to fight for their homes. And Lea is quite good at training folks to fight individually. I bet julian is too.

>>25480312
"The one we captured was certainly terrified when I sang to her when she hid in my birthplace. She was very much surprised at my knowledge of the noble tongue"

>>25480312
"Lamia don't have silly names, they have boring unimaginative names. It's completely different."

>>25480312
"That 'nightmare' thing might stick around for a while longer, I think. I gave her a bit of a fright to take her in. Seemed like the least damaging way to go about it."

>>25480458
we'll have to stop doing that "tongue thing"

except to Tricia

>>25480567
It's something we can't help as much as any other facial expression.

"I thought we agreed that we wouldn't mention that. If we hadn't, we really should have! Besides, that's not even the issue at hand here. I'm glad to know more about my opponents, and how to deal with them. I'll even have a talk with Julian about it. My question is- why are they even here? Observing trade information and the like could mean lots of things." You ask.

Mumei shakes her head. "No, it only means one thing. If the Kingfisher has placed his people here, then that means that a Sky Lord wants to invade. Or that one WILL ask." She shrugs. "Also, this girl will not have come alone."

"You mean another in River's Crossing?" Tricia asks.

"No, but I wouldn't doubt it if there were members of the Great Flock here in Stone Hall since the end of the Ghoul Attack." She says.

>>25480561
Kingfisher said a bit of torture would do her good. Wait until she gets back and tells him how she gave in and told us everything after a single papercut.

>>25480607
A single papercut and a 500 pound snakewoman acting generally crazy as fuck and dripping acid from her fangs.

>>25480607
Except she really didn't. She refused to tell us how poison factored into her mission, who she got it from, or any ciphers.

>>25480603
"A Sky Lord? How many are there and whom do you expect to invade"
>>25480670
We started at 600 and we've gained several feet of pure snaketail muscle. We're inching our way to a full ton of snake pally

>>25480603
"Wonderful! I was worried I might not have enough to worry about, an invading empire would do just the trick. Isen did well to gather up what military he could during the while citadel incident, I hope. We'll need to deal with actual armies, in addition to spies. I'm betting the armies will be a bit more trouble in the end.

>>25480603
"Does he take in Kingfishers from other Kingdoms?"
It's a bit racist but we could just investigate all the people with slanty eyes and weird names. I doubt there are that many Phoenicians in Stone Hall.

>>25480603
You know something I'm becoming slightly suspicious of Balles. Him having spent a long time in the Pheonix Empire, him getting the lists showing who is 'good' and 'bad' and especially him not knowing Bronze Peak was in an economic hole with all his paperwork. Seems a bit suspicious to me.

"A Sky Lord? How many are there and whom do you expect to invade?" You ask.

Mumei shrugs. "I know just what the washerwomen would gossip about since my room was next to the laundry." She says. "The rest of my knowledge of the Golden Cage and the Sky Lords is very very limited. I could tell you my Father is one of them, and my mother was one of his wives...and that's it. I'm sorry. I was chattel, a thing to be used in trade, not a person."

Ssah said princess mumei smelled different, would it be possible for us to smell if someone was from the phoenix kingdom? or have mage rig up a detection spell? he did say there were slight physical differences.

>>25480761
"I suppose the next step would be to ask about your father, if you don't mind."

>>25480771
nah, you can just sort of... look and see if someone is from elsewhere. You could with the smith, if you paid attention.

>>25480761
"Fair enough, it would be too easy to get the disposition of a kingdom from one person. We'll have to take measures. Inform the various towns, appraise Isen and the other paladins, and who knows what else. We've got no more citadel to stop them for us, should they come."

>>25480761
Smile at her. "So then at least we know that Sky Lords tend to be fools who grossly undervalue what is theirs."

>>25480847
oh, I like this one.

Mumei is a right asset she is, let her know.

>>25480830
Deduction from inference, could work.

"So then at least we know that Sky Lords tend to be fools who grossly undervalue what is theirs." You say.

"Here, here." Mage says.

Mumei blushes. {Thank you, my treasured flock.}

>>25480896
thirding.
thirding so hard it's becoming a fourth.

>>25480946
{And what of your father?}

>>25480946
{You've helped us a few times now. You're most welcome.}

"Pleasantries aside however, it's good you're helping us yet again. What kind of many was your father? If that's a question that is fair to ask?"

I really don't know what we can even do about these spies until such time as that expert arrives to finish peri's long joke. Neither do I know how the hell we're going to have anything that can even remotely stand up against the phoenix army.

Though, we MAY be able to sink their ships. I wish we had a port on the west coast.

>>25480946
I'm trying to think of some witticism about how a good flock recognizes its treasures, but I just can't think of it.

>>25481333
We still have the Leviathan, which is fucking huge.

>>25481429
yeah, but it's on the east coast too.
West coast is the one close to the phoenix.
Now that I think of it, the best way to deal with the rising empire is to get the menagerie in order and sail on over to the west and get the silks on our side. After that, I dunno.

>>25481429
unless they try to sabotage our most obvious war asset
"Peri, if you were going to take out the Leviathan, how would you do it?"

{You've helped us a few times now. You're most welcome. And what of your father?} You ask.

She shrugs. {Never met him, I know his face and name but...nothing more really.}

You nod and then pause and look at Peri. "Peri, if you were going to take out the Leviathan, how would you do it?"

"Sneak inside and light the black powder magazine." She says without a pause. "Easy."

"You still need to check in at Bronze Peak." Granny says. "Also, the spy girl is just one of your 'Greatest Hits' in the prison. You've got the dumbass boy...both of them."

>>25481665
"Is it wrong that I want to leave them both in there for a bit longer?"

>>25481665
"Oh, right, Adahn. Sorry story, that one. He was trapped in a storybook, I can't really blame him for going completely off the deep end. In the bad way, that is, not off the deep end in the leviathan way."

>>25481665
"I'm assembling a real collection, aren't I? I'll have to get out and visit them while I'm here. I'll also have to do something about that black powder, if it's that easy, not to mention checking in on Julian and Isen rallying troops. I have my work cut out for me before I make for bronze peak. When I get there, though...

Peri, would we be able to stop spies with more spies? If so, is an ex-assassin close enough? I think I know where we can find some."

>>25481769
Wasn't that group just named that but were just a bunch of mercs really...

>>25481769
actually, we can cut the "peri" part there and leave it an open question. Granny might know too.

>>25481797
Really? Huh. 24 pocket assassins would have been convenient.

>>25481916
I'm pretty sure they were all former (or at least most of them were) red's.

>>25481951
yeah, I had thought they were former soldiers who had learned sneakyness when they went illegal. I could be wrong.

>>25481665
"As always, so much to do and so little time to do it. At leas there will be a council to help with all the little things that need to be sorted, like famine and taxes."

>>25481976
Not from what I recall. Remember Citadel liked cool sounding names. Doesn't mean that they really were assassin/spy/rouge types.

>>25482088
Found something about their naming.
>"Oh, I know this one!" Isen says. "They call themselves that because their leader was thrown out of a window once, and has pieces of glass embedded in his face. They say he now has all of his people put a glass shard into their flesh as a piercing to show their loyalty." He grins.

>>25482088
well, we'll need whatever support peri's bringing in then. If Jesse-May Prosper is peri's elven code name, I'll be grumpy.

>>25482179
And the post with some more about them.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/24493659/#p24497215

>>25482208
yeah, I guess they're mercs. I wonder if we should still tap them anyway. Depends on what balles is doing with them.

>>25481665
"I wonder how billings did with my first dumbass boy. Hopefully Avery can fill me in on how that's proceeding, since you tell me Billings up and left."

>>25482179
...were any of those glass pieces from Citadel?
We saw what happens to people who put bits of Citadel in them. Then again it's pulled all of it's magic back into itself.

>>25482566
hmmmM. Shit.

Yo Echo you okay?

>>25482611
same thing happened to him as happened to all our usual namefags. Don't know what it is, but it happened.

"I'm assembling a real collection, aren't I? I'll have to get out and visit them while I'm here. I'll also have to do something about that black powder, if it's that easy, not to mention checking in on Julian and Isen rallying troops. I have my work cut out for me before I make for bronze peak. When I get there, though..." You sigh.

"As always, so much to do and so little time to do it. At least there will be a council to help with all the little things that need to be sorted, like famine and taxes."

"Well, we're with you all the way, Ssen. Darkness or Light." Mari says.

"The Elders know that someone's got to be able to translate your craziness." Peri says.

"Looked back on it and wondered a lot, sister." Mage says. "But I've never regretted a moment."

"It's true," Lea says. "Never felt that I wasn't where I needed to be. His Light works in ways known only to Himself, but I know this. I'm supposed to be here."

Tricia just squeezes your hand and then your cheek.

"And so," Granny says. "Off to work we go."

>>25482646
Yeah, sorry for the pause. Doing a few things at once here. Anyway, this is where we can jump around in time a little, seeing as we don't want to spend thread after thread on civil planning.

>>25482646
Aaaaand scene.

This was a dinner though, so we'll probably actually just go to sleep. But in the morning, WORK!

Or we could bring some leftovers to the prisoners and have prisontime.

>>25482677
A skip to the next day would be acceptable, I would like to spend some time doing some of the items of the list way up there.

>>25482646
Dana, get in here.Time to pose as a team.

>>25482677
I don't mind a little timejump here and there. I'd like a bit of a status report on barney (possibly on the little ones reaction to his new things). Peri and her new mysterious friend are interesting, so I look forward to that.

Oh, and we need to deal with those prisoners. We're letting one murderer go for a ransom, and they are going right back into a life of seedy espionage and possible poisonings. I'm feeling a bit more lenient on letting the robber boy go. Hopefully talks with billings helped.

Also, has Lily/Ava talked to Adahn? I wonder how that is progressing. He's pretty harmless now that dramatae are out of the way.

>>25482677
We can skip to Bronze Peak. Granny will be our voice here in Stone Hall and take care of all we have discussed with Mumei and Isen.

>>25482772
I would like to see the inventor's guild. We still have a bit to do here, we might as well spend this thread taking care of anything we want to do in Stone hall

>>25482788
Fair enough.

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>>25482697
I sort of want to check back in with Isen, but granny will inform Isen all about the spy junk.

I guess our major destination is the prison to talk to avery and prisoners, and a minor destination is the workshop. We can check on our stipend at avery's too, and see how we can distribute that best.

Which really only leaves checking in on the original immigrants we took here.

Maaaaybe getting a new dress with gregory in case we need to talk to some diplomats and not be in full armor. Maybe a cloak at the least, that might turn armor into a formal kind of deal.

>>25482677
Don't think we want to spend longer than a day or two here before visiting Bronze Peak. After we've finished our business there we can return to Stone Hall and start working on more long term projects.

>>25482826
We are a paladin, baring the most formal of occasions we should be fine being cleaned up, armor polished and our holy garments.

>>25482860
Unless we're trying to be intimidating. Then we come in with armor soaked in blood and venom.

{"Sorry I'm late. Had some sneaky little morsels to chase down."}

>>25482846
we need to take a quick trip to the coral gate to plant some black roses, and a trip to the coin's guild in bronze peak to pick up a manifesto. Both should probably be done in person.

>>25482846
what ARE our long term projects anyway? I don't even know what barney is doing any more. I think technology has passed us by there.

What things do we need to do? We need to at least get a diplomat to the phoenix empire, all the old ones were eaten by citadel. We should also probably assemble some kind of counterespionage agency. We need to figure out methods of making food, since apparently white tree can barely handle supplying itself at the moment, and I bet purple sands is just doing awful. We need to check on whatever armies we have, and gain information about the phoenix armies. We need to establish an ocean power on the west coast to replace the lost citadel fleets.

That's off the top of my head.

>>25482977
>what ARE our long term projects anyway?
Sunbathing on a warm rock.

>>25483108
That will be the ultimate culmination of the success of all of our plans. I want to hear mage's reaction on getting a boulder all the way up there at some point.

I also assume we just sort of have been paying our friends? We forgot about that.

>>25483108

That is very long term indeed.

>>25482977
The invention and mass distribution of Bicycles.

Alright, so here's a few highlights just to answer some questions and speed things along.

Barney's Inventor's Guild:
They've got a few big projects that Isen and the New Council is having them work on. 1) A way to pump out a good deal of the water in the ruins of Coral Gate, so that the place is inhabitable again, and they don't have to rebuild the entire city.
2) Indoor plumbing with Mr. Plopp's new water closet, in as many homes as it can be made affordable.
3) Blackpowder weapons. Rifles and hand cannons. This is once Isen gets confirmation that YES, the Phoenix Empire will be a problem.

Interrogations:
The First Stone Hall Zealot: He...really hasn't changed. Not in spirit. He's bitter, and wants to be free, but he still just wants to say a confession because he thinks it'll get him out. He still doesn't think that he's done anything wrong.

Adahn, you want to wait to get Ava, I assume.

Cai is something that needs to be played out.

Coral Gate:
While Isen is an okay presence, and the mer and a few hardy settlers/squatters/scavengers are making inroads into making the place habitable again, the mer are frosty to you. They're still sore at the Paladins as a whole. They sought Trevor for protection, he led them into war, you fought them, you were less than successful in stopping the kidnapping even though you promised, and while you did save them from the grove they see it more as a 'Okay, you fixed the mess YOU made, now we're even. Don't call us, we'll call you.' But, again, in typical mer fashion, they have a perfect disconnect between the Paladins and the new Kingdom.

Bronze Peak:
The bank is doing well, loans are being paid off, money is exchanging, still on a coin standard, but they're trying to move it to a smelted mix of Bronze and iron coins, seeing as Citadel had the most gold.

(cont)

>>25483162
damnit, what are we going to do about that zealot. He killed a man and isn't sorry. We're going to be letting an unrepentant phoenix empire murderer go. These two together just sort of grind my gears. Does that mean we let the zealot go? If so, then, what is the penalty for murder?

In short this is a real great fucking quandry echo, and we've still not found a satisfactory answer.

>>25483246
He's a nameless criminal and has no political value. Let him rot.

>>25483162
Balles' reasoning behind the good-bad list was a bit more sound than just his personal feelings or any Empire leanings. Toll is amazingly resistant to change. Her first reaction to anything different is to either shoot it with one of her arrows, or swear at it to go away. Holting on the other hand, appeared to be warm and welcoming to changes, and always asked to be informed about 'odd new happenings' so that he could 'help them if they needed a little funding here and there.' Which he did provide. The fact that Holting used that to mark targets, and Toll is just very protective of what she views as a very fragile City. (Which has started to become its own City State, much to her disgust.)

Purple Sands:
No word, yet. You'll have to go there, and that's a month's journey on Lightmare.

Old One
You can use Ted's secret teleport seal in his house to get there, and we can play that out.

Fey Court
It takes four months, but Mab is able to get control over her people. She claims she did it peacefully. Don't ask her how, and she wont have to lie to you.

People are welcome to return, IF they swear an oath to the new state of the Fey Woods. There's not much change, and the elf population is still very small. It's a pain in the ass, but Mab's got her own peacekeeping force. (Please don't use the words 'Secret police,' she dislikes it.) Troublemakers from either side of the conflict get snatched, bagged, and locked up for long periods of time, then released. She admits that she's currently running a bit of a police state, but it's working, and give it a few more months of integration, and things should be less bad.

Jeese-May Prosper's arrival we have to play out.

(cont)

>>25483289
I suppose a longer term of imprisonment is an option, but that really won't solve anything. We could kill him, but... fuck. I just don't see any good way to redeem him, other than I don't know, offering him a "join the X organization and work to pay back your debt to those you harmed". Probably something military. I don't know if that's a good idea.

>>25483360
Our job is to uphold the Light and the Law, not redeem every peasant and beggar we come across. We've done our part, let the local officials decide whether to hang him or conscript him when we go to war.

>>25483359
what about adahn?

>>25483246
Hes going to rot in jail for the REST of his natural life. There needs to be no retribution or release of that worthless runt.

>>25483162
We need to build an underground jail that we can blindfold and tie up PE spies and assassins in. Wheel them around deny them as MUCH sensory input as is humanly and magically possible. Mumei has proven that if we keep PE spies ANYWHERE near areas of interest they will give tons of information away about said area.

>>25483423
Eh, I suppose there's a point to that. Darn constant never ending guilt.
>>25483359
>no response from purple sands
All my worry.

>>25483438
We need to drag him off to Ava, or her to him.

>>25483423
Our Job is to seek out Darkness wherever it may be and bring it the Light.

We don't deal with this kid, we're not doing our job. That's how the Clear works.

>>25483359
Sophie & the Mages:
Mage has to deal with 'working with the ex' but she and the other remaining mages are able to set up a small Apparatus, that has a long string of magic babble, but that thing works for them the same way Mage's Dragon Servant magic works for him. So the magic is slowly, VERY slowly, coming back.

Phoenix Empire:
The really bad news: Jeremy Sandover remembers doing his appearance surgery to three people from the Phoenix Empire.

The WORSE news: He also sold one of the Empire people his book of techniques, and a set of his special surgical tools. He does this for a lot of people, so he didn't think it was strange.

The good news: From all that you can tell, the Phoenix Empire doesn't care one single speck about a flooded town, a broken town, or a broke town. Maybe Jesse-May will find out more, but your efforts over the months have showed that the furthest west that the Empire sent the Kingfishers, after getting what they needed from Barney, was Cai at River's Crossing.

>We're going to be letting an unrepentant phoenix empire murderer go. These two together just sort of grind my gears. Does that mean we let the zealot go? If so, then, what is the penalty for murder?
>In short this is a real great fucking quandry echo, and we've still not found a satisfactory answer.
You DO realize that that's the kind of thing that makes me cackle with glee in this game. Also, Cai's murder that got her into the Kingfisher's Flock, it wasn't in Citadel Kingdom. There's jurisdiction...also, she wasn't arrested on murder. She was arrested on attempted murder, and espionage, which means she's subject to POW laws...if you want to hold them up.

Alright, does that cover everything, or are the other stuff that you'd like a quick rushed synopsis of?

>>25483446
dude, retribution is kind of our deal. Release maybe or maybe not. And considering people worthless is something of a dangerous path. As for the spies, I'm more of the mind we should be misinforming them somehow before we send them back.

>>25483438
I wonder why Ava hasn't gotten here.

>>25483515
A pretty good summation of things, I think. We got a few summons from bronze peak. The dragon we can play out later, but how are the harpies doing? I've been wanting to check up on them.

And what did jeremy want, just to tell us about the surgery?

Might as well get another interrogation in on Sideways The little zealot bastard can rot and we can bring Ava back to talk to Adahn.

>>25483590
>And what did jeremy want, just to tell us about the surgery?
That came out when you were asking about the bank's status and the new money. It was more of a 'Wait? Phoenix Empire?'

"...what did you do Jeremy?"

"Nothing! Nothing...well...maybe not nothing..."

And it went from there.

>>25483515
We should be getting the Schola Clarus started.

>>25483628
Okay now I'm confused as to exactly where we are at in the plot right now.

I'm wondering at the proper order to do things. Do we want to take another crack at Cai tonight? Or do we want to wait until after peri's friend shows up to make it work better? We should probably do that.

Which means we'll be heading to bronze peak, talking to a dragon, picking up a manifesto, and dragging ava back here so she can talk to adahn. About right? I'm very tired, so I may forget things.

>>25483647
we sort of jumped around in the time a little for a general summary of things. Some areas of this summary are greyed out, as they are important enough to be played through.

That's how I'm reading this.

>>25483619
I don't know how we'll interrogate sideways properly though. I do mean an interrogation, I'd like to cut out the torture if I know my opponent isn't going to be torturing folks.

Oh well, I guess we'll just ask her some questions. We have no other spies to cross reference with yet, which makes it sort of a shot in the dark.

>>25483652
That's the long and short of it.

Seems Stone Hall and Bronze Peak are safe for the moment, and I doubt they'd be dumb enough to march their troops into Citadel, which means the Pheonix Empire is targeting White Tree or Purple Sands and...

>Purple Sands has gone silent

Fuck, they're intercepting messengers.

>>25483652
That sounds like a plan.

>>25483739
well, we need to spend a few days finishing up work here, and then immediately haul ass to purple sands I guess.

Also I may pass out, so apologies if I can't help with more planning.

>>25483739
Oh fuck.

>>25483743
oh, and we should check in with the harpies and that one guy who owns the blue smoke parlor. They'll both want to know about the dramatae passing.

>>25483619
>>25483506
>>25483423
>>25483289
If we don't make an effort to make him understand that Lizardfolk are people and killing them is wrong, how can we possibly try to sell that to the society that molded him?

This shit, right here is what will assure that the Purists will never go away.
Because they went wrong and nobody either out of hate or apathy made the effort to set them right.

>>25483652
I pretty much agree with this. We have sometimes spread ourselves too thin and can only do complete one part of the mission like in Coral Gate. I think its best to consolidate on what we have now which is Stone Hall and Bronze Peak. Isen has Coral gate gradually coming to our side and he is good at handling the mer so that is settled. Now we just got to focus on our quests and promises we made.

>>25483812
I'd like to help him understand, but I have no motivational speech or moral lesson to that effect. I'm honestly stumped.

On second thought, I think I'm gonna vote to wait on sideways. Peri's friend is gonna help out a lot and if we find another spy it would help a lot.

Lets ride for bronze peaks unless anyone has any better ideas

>>25483867
I remember we wanted to talk to avery about something, but I've no idea what any more. It's probably not important now.

We able to sneak any combat training in for ourselves or the others?

Quick unsheathe & sheathe or at least Sheath & Dodge Ala Monster Hunter Lances would be neat.

Tricia seems to be working on something already

but what of the others?

>>25483633
>We should be getting the Schola Clarus started.

Gregory and Ambrose are all over that. Ambrose is being picky about recruits but Gregory, as Claigo Clarus' 'Steward' is a bit more sane. Right now, the goal is to look through all the histories of the Seven Ages, which includes the Newgates' history, the notes and ledgers you got from Holting's manor (Which is now emptied out. You got the stuff, White Tree got the land.) both Tragedy's and Rage's, and anything else written down, and make a SANE history of the kingdom.

Tragedy's Soul stones.
One soul is still sane. It's the woman who was Lady Glenn, the person who's body you killed. She's...non-plussed about that. You have the Schola, the Mages, and the Conclave working on solutions, and therapy.

The other souls were freed to go on their Journey. Mari and Peri are now wearing a pair of fetching necklaces. Mari's is a emerald and Peri's is a ruby.

And yes, that means what you think it means. Mari's body is out and walking about. They can't both be working at once, and the other rests in the stasis coffin when the other is up and around. Mari's still not ready for field work, since she's training her body and still only 14.

>>25483907
Wasn't it the list? I think it got explained.

Fuck we are sorta getting thrown through a loop a bit with the infodump.

What about the stipend we had? Can we buy anyone anything?
>>25483920
we can already quick switch weapons

>>25483920

oh fuck

carried over from /acg/

godamnit.
Might as well ask: what of the manifesto?

>>25483920
Peri and Mari have a few new surprises and tricks.

Lea's made her own pair of bracers, and her lamia form is finished.

Mage still has his bag of tricks that he makes from his mistakes.

Tricia has better control over her swarm so she can do the body-shift stuff in combat.

>>25483950
Can we quick guard from unsheathed though?

>>25483990
I don't even know

>>25483973

Trish's description sounds hella stretchable/vague

I like it. She'll turn into our own Bug-Nrvnsqr-esque Wife yet.

>>25483947
>mari got better
Shit, what did it? was it one of the leviathan potions? We were always going to read that, on a day we wanted to give you a whole lot of writing trouble.
Also, sorry lady glenn. We were much worse at this hero thing back then.
I wonder what the sane history will look like, and if anyone will believe us.

>>25483947
Our support guys are doing good, so we don't have to bother them.

Ok, regarding Peri and Mari, we might have to leave them is they want to be two bodies or let them stay in Peri's body for missions and quests.

>>25483970
>Might as well ask: what of the manifesto?

Right, you found Ryan's manifesto. It's a pretty well written piece of Marxist doctrine mixed with a touch of Nietzsche. It's thought-provoking, maybe ground shattering to the right society, also it turns out that Ryan really could NOT spell to save his life and had a loose association with punctuation.

You've also planted Jessi's black rose bush. It looks quite nice.

Am I the only one a bit lost with the time skipping? It's a tad excessive and feels a bit chaotic.

This is why I wanted to just go to the next day.

>>25484054
Okay. We need this to be proofread and printed
In Elven. At which point we will distribute throughout First Wood.

>>25484115
Can we not fuck with Mab's plans right now?

>>25484054
Elvish Editor? Somebody must have gave Ryan the ideas to write the damn thing.

Also Elvish Editor sounds like a M:tG card.
2G
Retun target instant that targets a single creature.
1/2

>>25484115
Not First Wood. The invading Pheonix Empire forces. See the mandate of heaven fall. And we're two-for-two for heavens destroyed.

I'm a bit lost too but I rather have this other than loads of threads until real plot happens.

part of me feels that this is wish fufillment on Echo's part so he can focus on plot and clip our checklist at the same time but if we can train up quick guard from unsheath and train how to at least QuickQuick to block a stray hit with our shield in full armor I'm not complaining (to attack with that is too broken)

>>25484054
Okay. I'm sorry about all this jumping around, but that should be it. We've got a few things to play out, and then the timeline will be correct.

It's either this or I spend two or three more threads on this stuff, and the quest has already stalled WAY too much. But after this things should be back on track and we're through the Hendersoning.

And as for your QuickQuick training, okay. You've trained it up so that you can use it with Clang and Beacon.

Oh, one last thing. Soma refuses to be purified. Quentin tries everything, but Soma will not become pure metal, nor can it me reforged. At all. There's a magic that's keeping Soma in its current shape.

But yes, this is a giant plot hedge trimmer so we can get to the plot.

>>25484170
I'd rather have played through them than deal with this increasing headache.

>>25484133
Are you so eager to dismiss the final request of a friend who gave his life for you?


There are people in power in First Wood who consider Ethnic Cleansing to be a viable political decision. That government has to go, and if Mab can get out alive, good on her.
That's more than Ryan got.

>>25484235
Could you at least give us a nice clean timeline and some rules updates? Also a physical for Ssen would be nice as a bunch of conflicting info has been tossed about and it's been ages. Our last length measurement was over 20 threads and probably half a year if not way more ago. Plus our weight never got updated if i remember right

>>25484235
I don't mind. A bunch of them we could have gotten someone else to do like Jessi's bush or just fast forwarded though like QuickQuick training. So its alright.

>>25484296
>Could you at least give us a nice clean timeline and some rules updates?

Give me a little time, and I'll hammer one out for next thread. Get everything in order.

>>25484235
I sorta want to plant it in a makeshift shrine for our father if it can't be purified but...

if its a plot token we should keep it on our person

Either could be in character [sentimental vs practical Ssen] but I feel like the latter is metagaming now..

>>25484324
Appreciated, and the physical?

>>25484345
Okay, congratulations, at the start of the new craziness, you'll be 20ft from head to tip (20 and a few inches, but you prefer 20.) and you clock in at 800...ish...but you tell everyone that it's just 750.

>>25484436
Are we getting any of the greyed out event tonite or is it too late?

>>25484324
>>25484235
I don't mind a bit of rushing until we get back to more plot stuff. I mean, I miss character interaction, but we'll get back to that soon enough. Also I felt like we were missing a few people today, probably because of the delay and date change. I hope.

>>25484436
Thanks.

>>25484460
>>25484436
It's pretty late, but we could probably talk to the harpies some. The next one of those events on our docket is talking to the old one, and well, that's gonna be a biggie.

>>25484460
We're going to take care of them right now. You want to do Cai's Interrogation, the reunification of the Lightbringers, talking to the Old One, or the arrival of Jesse-May Prosper, first?

>>25484493
>Old One
>Jesse-May
>Lightbringers
>Cai
In that order.

>>25484493
Let's leave off at bronze peaks after dealing with the people who aren't Old One and the haphies.

I agree, old one first.

>>25484510
Shit man, where have you been? I've not seen you in the thread much

>>25484493
We send the letter to Jesse-May now, and meet her when we return to Stone Hall, so...

>Old One
>Lightbringers
>Jesse-May
>Cai

>>25484493
What >>25484506 said.
Also is the Old One tonite or do we have time? Also, also since we are literally taking MONTHS off can we just time-skip the trip to Purple Sands or is that supposed to be a BIG dramatic reveal of DUH EVOL IMPIER!!!!!11111oneone?

>>25484436
man, thank the light we have a wagon, we'd never be able to do this shit in a coach. Also how dare anyone ask our weight. I don't even know how we check our weight, but how dare anyone ask.

>>25484493
>>25484506
Oh man, I don't know if I'm mentally prepared for talking to the old one again. So much dragonness. But we'll see
>>25484510
>>25484519
Yeah, that's what I was wondering. We've been missing some key players.

>>25484531
Wait......nevermind i must be blind. Okay so i agree with what>>25484506 said that is all. Imma go and clean my eyes out now.

>>25484531
I think we can proceed normally from Old One visit, as we'll have plenty of playable content to go through. Starting with dragging Ava to stonehall after chatting up the Harpies.

maybe catching another spy would be cool

>>25484531
we'll timeskip to purple sands once we get our current affairs in order.

I can bet with 80% probability it will be some adventure we weren't quite expecting. Evil empire reveal, but the twist is they are currently dealing with a zombie outbreak. Or something.

>>25484506
So basically
>Go to Bronze Peak
>See Old One
>Pick up Ava
>Get back to Stone Hall in time for the arrival
>Deal with people in prison
Efficient.