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pls took RTU

That's... not a lot of writing!

Ahh well.

>teleport to Yacobe's field after max shadowmeld AND regenned mana

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Purchased:

>Sleep Gas - Release a sleep-inducing gas to knock out your foes. The gas is potent, but isn't useful in battle or against powerful enemies.

>Monstrous Vigor - You are not just any shadow; you are -the- Shadow. You are immune to all ailments.

>Automaton - Given materials, you can create a stronger golem of made of metals. With Machina Loqui, it can be programmed to take more complex orders, and will resist takeover attempts. Lasts until destroyed. (8 mana)

Unlocked:

>Mighty Regeneration
>Machina Vita
>Shadow Totem
>Machina Loqui - You can speak the language of machines. Allows you to program complex devices, interface with machinery, and give more complicated orders to constructs. Your constructs are resistant to outside influence.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE COMPLETED MUH POISON TREE!

>Pestilence - Enemy physical strength is halved and all regeneration halted until they are touched by light magic. Applies to first target Shadow touches after activation. (7 exp)

Purity of Order (passive bonus)

- All allies that Shadow is in physical contact with share his invulnerability to ailments. Servants and higher ranks always have this, regardless of Shadow's presence.

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>>27509568
>CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE COMPLETED MUH POISON TREE!
Oh, SM.

>Purity of Order (passive bonus)
Worth it. Ila, Adavan and Abby now cannot be poisoned.

>>27509540
>>teleport to Jacob's Field (after max Shadowmeld)

>>27509568
>Pestilence - Enemy physical strength is halved and all regeneration halted until they are touched by light magic. Applies to first target Shadow touches after activation. (7 exp)
I guess that would be kinda useful against other shards. Pretty useless against angels

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>>27509540
hello again SM

>>27509540
>Abby stands with her arms folded, casually hiding where her hand was severed, and looks back.

Y'know.
It just occurred to me how absurdly strong of a character Abigail has. I mean, given what she's been through at such a young age, with parental betrayal and recent injuries, she's not melodramatically angsty outwardly at all.
I mean, holy shit.

>>27509568
>>Mighty Regeneration
Fuck, Also go to jacobs field.
>Machina Loqui
This sounds pretty good.

>>27509710
I know I'd be a sour asshole if I spent half my life in the magitech matrix shithole that was the Archonium

Also we now know where the Wrath shard is, beyond Vampiria to the frozen north.
But fleet said they didn't know where the last shard was... hmmm.

Either Isle Imil, Elven territory, or Kan-Abar, would be my bets.

>>27509568
now we just need a scenario where that passive will be useful

I am NOT advocating fighting them now, but I wonder how we stack against the demon lords. Like, 1v1, 2v1, 3v1, 4v1 etc.

Remembering that Hectate had trouble against a group of them when she was at full power.

>>27509745
We broke it when we ate Darkxis

>>27509760
Yeah. FUCK NO. Das what I think.

I'd like to sort Temerity-A-Shit out before having to deal directly with the demon lords, or Kan-Abar.

<I'm going to Jacob's Field,> you say.

"I should come with you," Ila says. "I could - "

<If there is a demon lord on the other side of this passage,> you say, <I will -not- be able to protect you. I am strong...but I'm not all-powerful.> You can't help but glance at Abigail. <I learned that the hard way.>

"...I see." Ila steps back. "Stay safe. Stay silent."

"Good luck, Shadow," Abigail says. "I'll be waiting."

Flint nods to you. "I've been wanting to spar with that bag of bones. Good luck."

<Thank you.> You step into the mana pool and press your senses forward.

You feel lines...deep lines. Tunnels of power. And along those tunnels, points like stars in the darkness - places you've touched, where you've left a mark.

You find the one you're searching for.

When you open your eyes, you're standing in the Spirit mana pool under the keep in the Old Forest. The round, stacked-stoned room is nostalgic. You were so ignorant back then...so...young.

A sharp presence of spirit lingers in Adavan's chamber; the room you know doubles as the entrance to Hecate's tomb. The power of the mana pool muffles your senses, however. You can't get a good reading on it.

What do you do?

>sneak into Adavan's chamber
>sneak out of the tomb and up to the mausoleum entrance
>some other strategy
>

>>27509749

such as a surgical strike against a Demon Lord of Plague mayhap?

>>27509760
It took Auriel, Flint and ourselves to deal with one demon lord, however we have all leveled up since then... though I am not sure if summoned Demon Lords can level or if they are at a fixed level from the summon...

>>27509775
But it's gotta reform somewhere!

And those are the places we haven't been able to check for shadow mana pools. And, well fuck, of course Vampiria.

>sneak into Adavan's chamber

>>27509791
>>sneak into Adavan's chamber
Also use shadow meld.

>>27509791

have a strand of shadow snake under the door to take a look. If he is home, telepatically knock, if it is someone else... try and ID them as friend or foe...

>>27509818

It's been used as maximum power, I just didn't write the fluff.

>>27509791
>sneak into Adavan's chamber

>>27509760
I think we could take one if it was only one of them fairly easily and nothing else. The Black Hand monstrosity was probably stronger.

>>27509568
>Machina Loqui - You can speak the language of machines.
Shadow confirmed for trying to talk at dwarven robots with various degrees of success for an entire thread again.

Also you misspelled Pestilence on the tree itself, just fyi.

Pestilence might be one of the most worthwhile XP skills so far, even in spite of its high cost, mostly because it seems like an incredibly useful way to nerf Legion into the ground.

>>27509791
>>sneak into Adavan's chamber
Maybe Shadow Periscope beforehand, as suggested by >>27509826 just to see whether or not the figure is someone we recognize.

>>27509791
>sneak into Adavan's chamber
Try to get close enough to talk to Hectate. If Addy ain't here, we can at least ask her if she knows the location of his phylactery or where he would keep it.

If not, we get to talk to Hectate for a bit.

>31 xp until we can afford Hydra

>>27509872

This was attempted a long time ago. It won't work.

-----------
-----------

You climb out of the mana pool and sidle up to the door.

The air is still. The pool keeps you from sensing anything specific beyond the door. Someone is definitely there, though.

You poke a tendril underneath the crack between the wood and the cobblestone, moving your "gaze" to the edge of that limb. You sweep back and forward...but you don't see anything.

What do you do?

>enter the room
>enter the room guns blazing (specify)
>leave; this seems suspicious

>>27509797
The demon lords powered up collectively with each new one summoned, which was how they were able to originally persist on their on and without summoners, which caused a greaaaat big mess before.

And the force that was attacking Kan-Abar before was just an advance force. Not very meaty...

>SM tell me if I passed that lore DC

>>27509911
>enter the room
Super duper Sneaky like. (Compress)

>>27509911
ink under door

>>27509911
>enter the room

>>27509911
>>enter the room
Compress.

>>27509911
>enter the room guns blazing (specify)

Titanic

>>27509911
Thought project a code word into the room.

"Shadowy Wings Carry Great Burdens." or something equally generic and silly.

>>27509945
>using up exp while hydra can be unlocked

>>27509911

throwing my vote in with these two;
>>27509925
>>27509935

>>27509949
That is far too imaginative.

The code word is "code word".

>>27509949
Ahaha that's so stupid

>>27509920

You're not wrong. They feed off one another, certainly. Obviously they serve Kan-Abar...but only as a means to serve themselves.

As far as being able to take one on...remember that Auriel was fully powered up as Angel #5, and bombarded the demon with an airship's cannons, and she still couldn't take it down alone. Though, it wasn't until the demon lord cast its anti-magic spell that she was really taken out of the fight.

>>27509960
Eheheheh, ya. That is better.

Shame I have to go with the sensible options;
>>27509925
Let us become the mouse!

>>27509960
Oh god. Shadow is one of those chucklefucks that uses "password" as his password.

>>27509976
Also that Flint's magic was free from his parasite at the time so he was at full power.

Everyone except for are actually weaker than they were back then.

>Pillar of the Earth - All allies within fifty yards gain protection and adamantize, but without the movement penalty or extra weight. It can last indefinitely, but while active, the caster cannot move or use other abilities. Allies must stay within the spell radius to keep the buff (15 mana)
Thats a surprisingly good power if there is a fight going on.

>>27510002
>Everyone except for are
except for us*

OH WAIT

SHIT

Adavan knows shit about magical detection barriers right? Because he helped Hecate seal herself?
Make sure we ink UNDER the door. Don't wanna break any enchantments he has on it.

1d100 to BE THE MOUSE

Rolled 83

>>27510034

Rolled 84

>>27510034

Rolled 54

>>27510034

Rolled 14

>>27510034
What does the mouse say?

Rolled 43

>>27510034

may the zeros roll...

>>27510052
>>27510055
not bad.

Rolled 17

>>27510034

>>27510052
>>27510055
>>27510058
We are mousy.

>>27510059
>What does the mouse say?
<SQUEAK, SQUEAK, SQUEAK.>

>>27510052
>>27510055
But I guess we know better than that.

I'm really interested to find out what all the different elemental lords used as their main form.

Aeoulus was dragon, but we really don't know what the others looked like.

SM, we have a LOT of mass.

So when we compress, does that mean it's almost impossible for people to pick us up because we're so heavy?

Because we could totally just sit on peoples feet with the concentrated weight to trip them over.
Dunno why I thought of this though.

>>27510098
Hyperion was a greeeaaaaat big arsehole, so everyone in the Empire of Light could brownnose him 24/7.

>>27510098
We don't really know much about the Elemental Lords except that the top three jerks are Erebus, Aeoulus, and Hyperion.

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>This is Shadow's form

>>27510115
As an add to that thought,
can we HEAVY METAL while in mouseform?

>maybe you can tell where I'm going with this

Rolled 6

So what are the chances of us getting Machina Loqui after getting hydra?the second we can i want us to upgrade our construct or make a second robot

>>27510139
What if all of them were jerks in their own little ways.

Still got a keystone in Atlantis to free after all.

>>27510115
inb4 a "Shadow Quest physics are best physics" type explanation. Fucking magic.

>>27510139
Rajin was a pretty big dick too.

Hectate frequently tried to negotiate peace with the higher elementals, and Hyperion, Logi, and Aeoulus were cool with her more or less, but Rajin just straight up attacked her because PARANOIA.

>>27510172
>>27510162
I actually kind of hope that Leviathan is a bit of a jerk. Maybe they don't need it with Erebus being the biggest jerk of all but the Lesser Elementals feel too "good" to me and that just isn't something I expect from Shadow Quest.

>>27510162
I think the keystone is Leviathan somehow transformed into the form of a volleyball.

I just wanted to say that our ship's name should be Eclipse.

>>27510291
I want it to be named Nemesis.

>>27510291
>>27510299
I was thinking we should stick to Greek dieties related to Erebus.

Nyx, Aether, Hemera, Hesperis, Erytheia, Geras, Nemesis, Adrasteia, etc.

>>27510318
>Nyx, Aether, Nemesis.
I like these ones.

Rolled 90

>>27510318
Shouldn't it be short and simple?

>>27510291
I like it.

>>27510299
>>27510318
Regardless of its mythological connections, I just don't like Nemesis as a name.

>>27510335
Half of those are short and simple.

>>27510291
Eclipse seems to be the most fitting.

>>27510335
Look at all the other airships. Noraleiv, Ragnarok, Cirrus. Those are the kinds of names you give airships. Not something like Eclipse.

>>27510291
Either Eclipse or Umbra would be good.

>>27510349
Well Nyx is the greek Goddess of night, and a protector -of sorts-, and our Ship is a Carrier Class vessel...

>>27510368
i don't like eclispe, but i'm trying to think what would shadow pick/call it.

>>27510394
SS Ship

>>27510368
When has Shadow cared about big flashy names, when something short, simple and to the point works just fine?

>>27510394
But we already got told off for being bad at names over what Shadow would normally pick.

>>27510368
This ship isn't like the others, it's Shadow's ship. And Shadow likes silly names such as Eclipse. Since it's a huge ass black ship that blocks the sun when it passes and stuff.

>>27510383
How about using Eclipse for the name and Nyx for the carrier class? (I admit no expectation of ever building another.)

>>27510413
More in character though.

>>27510430
Still isn't a fitting airship name, though. Hell, SM could just have it been Abby helping Shadow pick a name like she said she would. The in-character decisions aren't going to stick.

Alright everyone, I know how to do this.

We'll rename the Cirris;
The Eclipsy Ship We Got Out of Wind Hell from With Our Dearest Friends Nyx Aether Nemesis Oh God What Am I Doing ABBY-SABBY!

>>27510453
This would be great and we could get SM input.

>>27510453
How about The Rainbow Doorknob

>>27510372
Penumbra would be better than Umbra if we're even slightly concerned with symbolism.

>umbra
>a conical shadow excluding all light from a given source

>penumbra
>a space of partial illumination (as in an eclipse) between the perfect shadow on all sides and the full light

See which is more symbolic?

I still like Nemesis I wouldn't have kept mentioning it if I didn't, though I'm not sure what would drive us to name it this in-character without the greek mythological connection.

>>27510483
>I'm not sure what would drive us to name it this in-character without the greek mythological connection.

We can say that one of our shards had the temerity to name a ship better than us.

With demon lords in play, you can't take any risks. You Compress yourself to the size of a small mouse and creep under the door. Shrouded in shadows, your aura safely bundled tight, you're confident that not even Yi Fang could pinpoint your exact location.

You enter the room, and find it empty. Strange. You glance around, taking in the monotonous walls of cobblestone, the three alcoves in the back of the room. The center one belonged to Adavan, you remember; the other two held the skeletons he was using the first time you encountered him. They rest there now, carefully placed back in their positions, hands folded over their chests.

You glance up.

Adavan is suspended from the ceiling by ropes of spirit magic. A spell hovers in his hands, ready to fire. You stare at him, uncertain as to what he was thinking.

After a long moment, he relaxes. The cords of magic lower him to the ground, and the spell in his arms fades. He paces briefly, then sits down against a wall and leans his head between his knees.

You decide that it's safe enough to decompress.

<Adavan.>

The lich leaps to his feat, Spirit energy surging to his fingertips - and then he hesitates. "...Shadow?"

<The one and only.>

Adavan squints at your position. "...your namesake is no lie. If you hadn't spoken, I wouldn't have...but then, I could have sworn I felt something." Adavan sighs and sits down. "I don't know if you can sense it, but I've been down here for over a day, now. I've been feeling out the surface for some time. The Kanians are trying to gain entrance to the crypt. Luckily, I was able to take the keys out from the front of the mausoleum and seal it up again. Hecate's own magic won't be easily breached." He looks at you curiously. "Actually, how did you get in?"

<Teleported in through the mana pool.>

>con't

>>27510501
None them speaks to us anon.

>>27510140
So Shadow looks like Jesus if he braided his beard?

Adavan slowly nods. "...your powers are returning swiftly. That's good. We'll need them." He chuckles. "I'm always taking all the shit, huh? That hurricane really, really hurt. Is Abigail alright? Are the others on Xile? Did you find a pool there?"

You fill Adavan in on the particulars.

"A Great Carrier..." Adavan rubs his chin. "We always wanted to try and capture one of those. They were used to haul other airships, small ones, or those that needed repair. Could be useful. We've got an airship that isn't working, too. It should be plenty big enough to house everyone in Haven as well. Hell, even with that, it'll still feel empty."

<I suppose so.>

He falls silent for a while. You glance at the alcoves. <...who were those skeletons? If you don't mind me asking.>

"...two of me men," Adavan says. "Good friends. They came down here with me of their own insistence." He shifts on the stone a bit. "You see...as I told you before, I never was a commander of the undead." He points to his skull. "My specialty is up here. Mind magic. Lichdom was my only way to preserve myself for the goddess, but those in our faction that might have taught me the particulars were scattered. So...we had to piece things together the old-fashioned way, using the little bits we'd picked up here and there." He looks to his old allies, taking in the dusty bones. "They volunteered to go first with our hack-job spell. I didn't like it, but they said I was too valuable to be the guinea pig. I knew they were right. If one of us survived, it had to be me. I was the strongest. Most like to succeed...when the time did come."

<...what happened?>

>con't

"We had only a few weeks water and food," Adavan says. "We waited until it was almost gone to try. So, the pressure was on, let me tell you." His voice grows quiet. "Harlad died on our first attempt. Usip and I...we failed again. He died too. And then I was alone, trying to figure out where we went wrong. Wondering if it was all a pointless effort, anyway. If they died for nothing." He sighs. "...and then I put myself in a coma. And when Abigail's magic stimulated Hecate, for lack of a better term, I woke up, but the aftershock of my efforts started turning the townspeople into mindless undead. It took weeks to get it under control. And then you showed up." He sighs, and shakes his head. "By the elements. You think you know everything, Shadow...and then you realize you're just a fool after all."

<...I'm sorry, Adavan. I pushed too hard, back on Xile.>

"...I should have spoken louder," he says. "Sometimes, the only way to learn a lesson is the hard way." He sets his legs straight. "But enough of the past. We have plenty on our plates as it is." He crooks a finger. "You can't underestimate the advantages of a mobile base. That was Xile's whole strategy, really. By the way, where did Vonnegut end up?"

<He took his share returned home. I suppose he'll be wanting a favor at some point, but - >

Adavan leaps to his feet. "What?! He knows Haven's location! As soon as he pops up on the radar, every angel in Venia will be asking after Lucifer!!"

<I assumed he'd be making himself scarce.>

"They control half the continent! It's not a risk we can take! I thought he would shelter in Archon!" Adavan paces back and forward. "Shit. Shit. Alright. Chasing him...no, he'll be long gone. We cloak Haven as best we can, and we get everyone on board the Cirrus. We stay mobile, check in on Haven later. If it's safe, we can set down again, but not until we're absolutely sure."

What do you do?

>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan
>go back to Haven, try to catch Vonnegut

>>27510572
>>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan

>>27510572
>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan

Honestly, I'd be surprised if the Cirrus didn't have stealth capabilities. Super Shadow enchantments are on it after all.

>>27510572
>>>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan

>>27510572
>>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan
I fucking new we shouldn't have left that fucker leave.

>>27510572
>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan
>go back to Haven, try to catch Vonnegut
Honestly, we can do both. What can we really do to expedite the packup?
Maybe we should just wait until he removes hat and jam a shadowy appendage through the back of his head.

And we get a free hat out of it.

>>27510635

In all likelihood, he's going to sell us out to the angels. He knows that we're Erebus reborn.

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>>27510526
>>27510572

>MFW I just realized we're having a heart to heart with what was going to be one of the first villains in the game, in the place we met him and entrusted Abigail to him, and he's now planning out how to better protect Haven and us from the place that he was going to try getting revenge on the world from, perfectly symbolizing a complete turnaround of character direction.

P
R
A
V
U
S H A D O W M A S T E R

>>27510572
I think we should also tell Adavan that chaos will soon destroy the world.

>>27510572
>>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan
>>go back to Haven, try to catch Vonnegut
We can do both.

>>27510572
>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan
I hope we can conceal Haven well enough. Because otherwise that's 15 exp we mostly wasted on that mana pool if our position is compromised.

>>27510652
Actually he was supposed to be the first ally back when we were going to be the villain.

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>>27510572
>Create Shadow Mana pool in Haven
>Let Vonnegut leave Haven
>"Everything is fine guys, really!"
>5 minutes later
>"GUYS GUYS ABANDON YOUR HOMES AND FLY AWAY ON THIS AIRSHIP BEFORE EVERY ANGEL IN VENIA DESCENDS UPON US!"

Shadow Quest: A veritable bastion of long term planning.

>>27510666
>close enuf

>>27510666

Flint might have become the first antagonist.

Hey, Maybe Adavan can fuck with Vonnegut's memories?

>>27510683
Good idea.
MiB him.
You didn't see anything

>>27510683
We'd have to find him. He was going to Maven Lake. Maybe we should head there and talk to Obis and Blackwater while everyone packs up.

>>27510572
Would Vonnegut really sell us out though?

He saw us in action. He knows we'd come for him if he sold us out, surely?

>>27510572
>>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan
>>go back to Haven, try to catch Vonnegut
While Addy evacuates everyone, lets go search for that fucker.

How the fuck are they gonna eat on a mobile base.

And isn't that mobile base something that Temerity tag-locationed the other shards?

I swear if wrath comes after Nyxystix Abby-Sabbatical Airship #6, then you're going to hold a lot of my sperge SM.

>>27510708
It's a precaution.

>>27510708
To save himself from the angels he would

>>27510708
The angels are in major power and the only reason he ran out of favor on them is because he saw his position with them dwindling, and now he has Erubus location and a camp of shadow mages location.

>>27510718
He tag-locationed us.

>>27510718
Wrath is waiting in the Palace of the Frozen Hand, dummy.

God damn it SM.

You said you wanted to have a recurring villain.

But it's starting to look like we might not be able to let that happen.

>>27510752
Shoulda killed him ages ago.

>>27510140
>That masculine muscular mist-arm grabbing his dick.
I'm not so sure, Tim.

>>27510572
>>get back to Haven, follow Adavan's plan
>>go back to Haven, try to catch Vonnegut
Both, everyone chills out on the airship while we deal with the Penguin problem.

>>27510740

>Shadowruns intensify

>>27509540
Yeah, it should be easy enough to catch up to Vonnegut in Maven Lake, seeing as we can travel faster than he can.

Should probably prepare to get out of Dodge Haven in case he managed to flee the coop either way.

He has to carry around a giant hunk of treasure, so odds are good he has to arrange for transportation either way, and that's going to take time.

>>27510752
Sandalphon is kind of recurring

>>27510763
Would you prefer I post more dolls instead of Shadow Jesus?

>>27510752

I wanted him for Xile. What happens now is up to you.

--------------
--------------

Looks like consensus is for trying to hunt him down while Haven prepares for evacuation, sitting on-board the ship.

>writing

We should offer to put his phylactery in our pocket

>>27510799
no its pretty safe on where it is.

>>27510799
Oh, this. So fucking this.

I guess the fact that we consumed Lucifer didn't phase Vonnie.

Well then. Too bad for him.

It's not like Adavan will try taking control of our ship and forces while we're off fucking around and perform a perfect 180 to fulfill his spiritual destiny and this is just a distraction for his greater nefarious plots.

>>27510799
What if the nether energy fucks with his soul?

>>27510799
Why?

So he can REFORM IN THE NETHER WHEN HE GETS EVISCERATED AGAIN?

>sidetracking our objective again
I hope this is fast.

>>27510814
No it isn't. It's surrounded by demons.

>>27510843
I wanna go put a smackdown on Temerity. Then fix Hammer. Then apply Hammer to Wrath.

>>27510850
In a sealed temple, with magic from an elemental.

>>27510814
I think we should at least offer it, see what hethinks

pls listen i added a new rule pls

10. pls don't let known villains go pls

>>27510843
Hey, we could have stopped Vonnie from leaving ourselves and prevented this. We're not being sidetracked so much as we're dealing with a consequence.

>Allow Vonnegut to leave
>No allies have any problem with this
>Find Adavan
>"SHADOW, WHAT DID YOU DOOOOOOO!?"
>Backtrack like a motherfucker and try to find Vonnegut

This has been a huge waste of time.

>>27510883
Nah, it's SM's fault.

He distracted us with shiny XP, and because of that, no one wanted to talk him into staying and instead let him go. So really, it's all SM's fault.

>>27510572
Hint: Adavan is playing you all like cards.

>>27510883
This i voted for keeping him in haven and kept bringing up the fact that he knew too much.

>>27510894
We've only been here for like, ten minutes man.

We got Adavan and that was our intention, so it's not a wasted trip.

Now we gotta figure out how to track him.

>by his hat

>>27510818
Oh yeah, and I bet Flint is secretly planning to murder us as well. And Abigal as well. And Auriel is still loyal to the ring city. And this entire thing has just been a plot orchestrated by Sandalphon.

>>27510899
Didn't Auriel specifically say that Adavan headed fuckhuge undead armies?

I think those two dudes weren't his friends, they were ingredients (sacrifices) for the blood magic that we know is required to make a lich.

>>27510899
There's no way Adavan will betray us! EVER!
Screencap this post as proof.

>>27510899
I'd like to trust him. He's given us absolutely no reason to doubt him thus far.

Maybe a spirit mage good with minds is also good at manipulating others and their emotions.

Maybe we SHOULD be suspicious of Adavan. After all, everything he's done is to get Abby closer to Hectate, and keep her safe.

Shadow Master is that anonymous QM in the QTG that was talking about a character the main character didn't suspect as a traitor at all.

Mark my words.

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>>27510946
>I think those two dudes weren't his friends, they were ingredients (sacrifices) for the blood magic that we know is required to make a lich.
[paranoia intensifies]

>>27511008
I knew you were that guy from that QTG I was arguing about this with before. I knew it.

>>27510986
>You can withdraw the power you've granted a servant at any time, but you don't regain your experience points.
If he stabs us in the back, we withdraw his servant powers and then utterly annihilate him and all he stands for.

I say we should talk to the others before we start running after a top hat, we have enough on our plate.

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There's so much paranoia going on in this thread.
And the worst of it?
I'm starting to believe it too.

>>27510946
How about we ask Aby or Auriel on how does some one becomes a Linch.

>>27511008
There's absolutely no way an anon could go into a qtg and pretend to be a QM saying that in order to steer a quest the way they want by revving player paranoia

>>27511023
The thing is,
what if this is the tipping point?

We go after Vonnie; his plans succeed. We're nowhere near him to stop whatever he does.

>>27511044
SM told us before that it's blood magic and it requires human sacrifice.

>>27510946
He just explained that that was what happened. They volunteered for it.

>>27511053
He doesn't have all the keys yet, we still need the fire key. Therefore he can't yet free Hecate.

>>27511065
Lets ask them to be in character anyway.(plus to see if our suspicions were right)

>Abby hated us for abandoning her, but Adavan fucked with her mind to make her adore us because he needs his sacrificial lamb to crack open Hectate's tomb.

Shit. Everything we know about Adavan comes from Auriels hear-say, and Adavan himself. Who knows everything about steering other people. I understand it all.

This is why he still considered Flint only an acquaintance.

The only other character from us he's connected with is Abigail and Fang. Maybe guilt from how he thinks he may need to use her to power up Hectate?

>>27511066
>Nobody ever lies ever. Why would they do that?

>>27511081
Oh my fucking...

...and we would have no way of knowing.

>>27511066
No, they volunteered to be guinea pigs for the spell to become a lich. They didn't agree to be sacrifices. Adavan's story is not adding up. We should ask him how he did it without the human sacrifice.

SHADOW MASTER!

ARE YOU ENJOYING YOURSELF?!

DOES THIS NOT ENTERTAIN YOU?!

DO YOU ENJOY WHAT YOU'VE WROUGHT?!

<Come on, I can take us back!> You grab Adavan and drag him into the portal room. You pause. <Wait. What about your phylactery?>

"It's a rock embedded three feet in the damn wall," he says. "No one will find it in a hundred thousand years. Let's go!"

You grab Adavan and teleport through the portal.

Abigail and Flint are still there, watching the mages around the pool adjust the machinery. They reel back in surprise as you fly in with Adavan.

"Shadow? Adavan!" Abigail flies up to the lich and grips him in a hug. "You're ok. You're ok! I was so worried! I'm sorry, I should have - "

"Abby, it's appreciated, but we don't have time right now!"

"What?"

"Vonnegut!" Adavan shouts. "He knows our location! We've got to get everyone on the carrier and out of here before we have a battalion knocking on the walls!"

Flint starts laughing.

"What on earth is so funny?!" Adavan shouts.

"Oh, come on," a voice calls. You all turn. Auriel strides up the corridor, leans up against the wall, and plants a hand on her hip. "I know you're the enemy and all, Adavan, but you didn't think I was that stupid, did you?"

Auriel is certainly not stupid. So she had a plan? <...what's going on?>

"Hamil let me in on a little something before the thief sliced off his part of the treasure," Auriel says. "He's established a contact spell with Blackwater's office in Maven Lake. You know, the Vidar Blackwater. Arch-enemy of Damian Vonnegut?"

Adavan slouches in relief. "He's being intercepted."

"Of course. I figured once we had our mind-mage back, we could tinker around with him and send him on his way with a convenient story." She glances at you. "Didn't you know? Flint didn't even try to stop Vonnegut leaving. After all that self-righteous knight-talk." She grabs Flint's cheek and tugs it. "He is just so cute sometimes."

>con't

This rampant paranoia is only going to end badly. I refuse to buy into your lies.

>>27511120
Master of Shadowruns

>>27511115
The best part is that they are making sesne

>>27511081
That is the most insane thing I've heard. I highly doubt that kind of manipulation would have lasted throughout her entire stay in the Archonium considering what it is. Now you're just saying paranoid shit for the sake of paranoid shit.

>>27511101
Sure we would. Adavan would tell us after killing her.

>>27511081
No need to go that far, I don't think.

Even if treacherous Adavan be, that amount of shadowruns seems ridiculous.

Flint peels himself away from her hand. "It isn't knight-talk," he mumbles. "He was in violation of the law. He ought to be hanged. And I don't think Blackwater is much better, either."

<Well, why didn't anyone tell me?> you ask.

"Flint was supposed to tell you," Auriel says.

"Uh," Flint mumbles, "I forgot."

<You forgot.>

"...yep."

You sigh. <Well...and then, there's that. And here I am, ready to hunt Vonnegut down and defend Haven from Sandalphon...because you forgot.>

Flint coughs awkwardly. "Uh...sorry, Shadow."

You have to chuckle. <I suppose I can find it in my heart to forgive you.>

---------
---------

You and the party reach Maven Lake in short order. With the promise of getting immediate and pointed revenge on Vonnegut, Vidar Blackwater is all too happy to personally escort you to where they're holding him.

Vonnegut's expression is not happy. He's gagged, and a huge set of mana-absorbing stone bracers hold his hands far apart. There isn't much he can do. He sits in the corner of his cell, staring at you.

"You know what?" Vidar says. The old man scratches his beard. "I say we go one further. Ah...Adavan, was it?"

"Yes."

"If you can tinker with minds, why not set this one straight? Make him an honest man. It would do a lot of people a lot of good."

"...doing more than necessary...has certain ethical implications," Adavan says slowly.

"Ten thousand slaves or so would thank you from the bottom of their hearts," the man shoots back. "If it were me, I'd kill him right here and now."

"We need him to have a story," Auriel says. "Lucifer found a way to Xile, and he and his went there. They sent Vonnegut home, task completed, pay in hand. For all Sandalphon knows, they're still in the skysever."

Blackwater folds his arms. "Hmph."

What do you do?

>just implant the alternate story in his mind
>change Vonnegut's personality for good
>kill Vonnegut and end this problem permanently
>some other strategy

>>27511101
Oh for fucks sake.

If we assume Adavan is lying to us at this point then we might as well assume that everyone is lying to us.

Let's just not trust anybody ever and consume everything. While we're at it, let's patch things up with our ol' pal Temerity and cast the world into the endless nothing, because he's the only one who's been honest with us.

>>27511139
...I kinda just want to kill him.

>>27511139
>take his hat

>>27511139
>just implant the alternate story in his mind

>>27511139
>just implant the alternate story in his mind
Also, take his hat.

>>27511153
Temerity IS the only one who has been honest with us.

>>27511139
>>just implant the alternate story in his mind

>>27511160
THIS

>>27511139
TAKE HIS HAT
WEAR DAT SHIT
DECIDE LATER

You all know I can't comment on player theories, no matter how incredibly accurate or entirely ridiculous they may be.

>>27511139
>>change Vonnegut's personality for good
Take his hat.

>>27511158
I know what you mean...

>>27511169
He's also a fucking douchebag. Do you not understand sarcasm. I know it can be hard to see over the internet but that was pretty obvious.

>>27511109
maybe they counted by proxy seeing as they died in the pursuit of the same goal so it indirectly counted?


>>27511139
Let Flint decide. He declared Vonnie a criminal who should be sent to the noose. Let Flint decide his fate.... If it is death, he can choose us, or Flints Blade...

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>>27511124
Oh shit, our party compensated for our retardation!

>>27511177
>no matter how incredibly accurate...they may be.
SM CONFIRMED PARANOIA THEORY YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST FOLKS

>>27511139
In all honesty, it's more than a little cruel to mess with his head like that. It's not in Shadow's nature to go back on his word either.

>Implant alternate story

And don't take his hat.

>>27511184
Do you understand I was cherry-picking your statement for the only part I agreed with?

>quit being so prickly anonymous

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>>27511177
>no matter how incredibly accurate
SHADOW MASTER
STAHP

>>27511139
>just implant the alternate story in his mind

Rewriting people puts us firmly in the evil end of the alignment pool, because it's basically saying that the end justifies the means, and narrative law says that you die if you utter that phrase or any variation thereof.

>>27511139
>some other strategy
Hat.

Other than reappropriating his hat, we should either just implant the alternate story, or we should kill him.

Changing him for the good will ALERT SANDALPHON. Sandals is a paranoid motherfucker and he will suspect mind fuckery, because he was alive to see it.

>>27511177
I'm fully expecting some manner of conflict regarding whatever Abby needs to do to awaken Hecate but I think that's going to be less nefarious plot and more major character decision.

>>27511160
TAKE THE FUCKING HAT. IT'S OURS.

>>27511139
We are justice. I have no idea what that means here...

>Change personality.

>>27511195
>>27511207
I FUCKING HATE YOU PEOPLE

>>27511230
We're being sarcastic. Or I am at least.

>>27511139
>>kill Vonnegut and end this problem permanently
Give us that delicious EXP for the hydra Party, also give us your hat.

>>27511223
>>27511178
That will tip off the angels. They know about mind magic. They fought a war against its users.

CONSUME HIS HAT

>>27511195
>>27511207
That is...

You know what. I'm just going to play the quest and not participate in this anymore. Everyone is acting ridiculous. Joke or not.

>>27511139
>kill Vonnegut and end this problem permanently
>take hat

>>27511246
Then just kill him since he probably can track his hat.

>>27511139
>Kill vonnegut
>HAT TEIM

>>27511246
But Auriel suggested it(mind manipulation), so she expects it to work against Angels.

>which she is not

>>27511139
>>kill Vonnegut and end this problem permanently
Gives us some exp and lets us take his hat with out problems.

>Being this greedy about the hat
SM's just going to throw it back in our face like with the dynamo.

>>27511139
WE HAT NOW

>>27511262
To change the story not his personality, just kill the man if you want his hat.

>>27511262
She suggested a subtle change of story. That will not tip them off.

What I said WILL tip them off is turning scumbag Penguin McSlaver into mr goody2shoes

>just implant the alternate story in his mind

Vote 1:
>implant Vonnegut with the new story, but otherwise leave him as he is. Anything else might make waves.

Vote 2:
>implant Vonnegut, take the hat

Vote 3:
>rewrite Vonnegut's personality entirely (taking the hat, by default)

Vote 4:
>kill Vonnegut (also taking the hat)

>>27511139
>>kill Vonnegut and end this problem permanently
Letting him live opens up too many problems.

>>27511296
4

>>27511296
1

>>27511296
1

>>27511296
2

>>27511296
4

>>27511296
4

>>27511296
1

>>27511296
1

>>27511296
2

>>27511296
2

>>27511296
4

>>27511312
you do know that he probably can track his hat, so unless you want him to find haven either change his personality or kill him.

>>27511296
1

Unrelated to anything, but we birthday hat now on the front page.

>>27511296
1

>Implying Adavan won't just rewrite him to suit his own agenda regardless of what we tell him to do.

>>27511296
4

>>27511296
4

>>27511296
Why bother? 4 will win mostly because all those who wish to rewrite will have 3 different options to choose from rather than just the single option to kill.

>>27511343
Quit it.

>>27511336
Not if he never remembers having this particular hat. Just give him a phony hat, and convince him that it ran out of juice somehow.

>>27511296
1

>>27511296
1

I still think we should end his life now since the angels wouldn't really care and think the robots did it or that he ran off somewhere.

>>27511296
Can we implant a feeling of intense loyalty to Haven?

>>27511365
That's NOT JUSTICE!

>>27511296

cutting off votes

>>27511296
1

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Why aren't we just making it part of his story that his hat got destroyed by the robots?

>>27511363
Thats because of the hat and this guy already caused too many problems for us and it isn't a far cry for him to find a way to reverse the mind magic.

>>27511360
Oh wait. 1 is winning. Guess there's hope for sensibleness after all.

>>27511373
Since when have we actually cared about Justice? We're Judgement, not Justice. Take the corn out of your ears and your head out of your ass.

we could always suggest that he could call in his one favor to have his life spared....

as is - 8

kill - 6

Understood.

>>27511301
>>27511314
>>27511318
>>27511331
>>27511352
>>27511356
>>27511365
>>27511371
>>27511336
>>27511297

See this shit?

This is not justice.

>>27511373
Judgment anon and also he is a criminal that should be hanged.

>>27511402
Who cares? We're Judgement.

>>27511382
Seriously. We trust the mindfuckery enough to keep Haven a secret, but we don't think we can make him believe the hat is destroyed?

Why the fuck didn't 2 win?

>>27511402
We are Judgment dumbass not Justice.

>>27511405
WE ARE

SOCIAL JUSTICE

WE MUST GIVE HIM A CHANCE

NO MATTER WHAT

ALSO I DON'T WANT SM TO GIVE US ANOTHER RECURRING VILLAIN BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THE PENGUIN ALREADY

>>27511418
Because SQ anons are retarded.

>>27511418
The fucker probably can track his own hat.

>>27511400

Quick Question SM, can we forcefully break our shards? Or is that not something we could do?

Shadow Master is giving you guys Experience on a Plate and you are fucking ignoring it for stupid ass reasons.

Fuck this, I'm outta here.

>>27511402
Eh. I'm all for killing him but taking out a crime lord is tricky business. I would have went for 4 but right now I'd rather not make more waves than necessary.

>>27511418

And how exactly would the hat have been destroyed? We'd need a plausible story.

>>27511418
If you wanted the hat, you should have voted for 4.

>>27511438
Why would he track his hat if Adavan makes him think a robot shredded it?

Why do you trust Adavan to make him forget Haven, but not to make him think hat is kill?

Why would he track a destroyed hat?

>>27511438
See:
>>27511361

>>27511447
>the entire plan of all our party members is to MiB him
>Obviously SM wants us to kill him

GUYS
FUCK
Right when we could've taken the hat, the front page is flooded with birfday hats! It would've been so perfect!

>>27511447
FUCKING THIS and he is also offering the hat right now.
>>27511448
What waves will it cause?

>>27511389
>>27511405
>>27511413
>>27511422
No. We're not justice. But that doesn't mean we don't fucking believe in it. Did you just start following the quest recently? Because JUSTICE was one of our main traits long before we even knew what the shards were.

As for the hat business, I'm iffy as to which one is better, but honestly I just don't think we know enough about the hat to make an accurate excuse for its destruction. Vonnegut might think back and suddenly realize "Wait, no, that couldn't happen!" and start getting suspicious and try to track it down. This is a REALLY big stretch, of course, but I'd rather err on the side of safety for now instead of try to get one more shiny trinket. Remember how useful that earth dynamo was?

>>27511472
We don't know what the hat can do for all we know it can give out our location to him.

>>27511489
JUSTICE in this case would be hanging him from a tree outside of town.

>>27511489
It would've been safe to eat him and leave not a scrap left behind.

>>27511480
A dead Lucifer means a failed mission into the Sky Sever. A dead guy who should have never even entered Xile is a lot more suspicious.

>>27511476
look
>>27511494

>>27511494
Eat the damn hat. See, solution!

>>27511489
He's a scumbag mobster slaver.

He kills people, sells people, and steals from people.

We should make him forget about his hat, and take it

>>27511489
Justice would be killing him instead of letting him run his filthy business.

>>27511498
Or forcing him to atone for his crimes without his consent. I doubt many of his victims freely and with full knowledge consented to his predations.

>>27511522
Too late anon, too many people didn't want free exp.

>hurrr let's leave a fucking horrible human being alive to temporarily cover our untraceable tracks as if sandy needed info from xile anyways he'll be scouring the great forest soon enough anways

He may of helped us out, but he's also a notorious slaver and backstabber.

His bottom line is his payday.

He would of sold us out in a heart beat. Never forget that.

>>27511498
>>27511520
>>27511527
Yeah, not saying he doesn't deserve it, it's just stupid that people are going HURR JUDGEMENT NOT JUSTICE.
Our judgement has often been in the favor of justice anyway, or at least our perceptions of it.

>all this arguing over Adavan
>all this arguing over Vonnegut
There's the SQ I've come to know. Those last few threads after that huge fuck up in Xile were like a dream.

>>27511558
And our perception of it wanted this man dead.

Don't agree with the tone of the post, but I do sympathize with its message.

You guys are missing the key point here: Him being alive will mean that when Sandles tries to question him, he'll end up being sent on a wild goose chase or otherwise be thrown out of the loop.

Hold your consumeboners, rewriting his memory is the smart play here. Be the mechanic, not a sledgehammer.

>>27511564
Turning down XP that's going to help us majorly in the upcoming conflicts is pants-on-head retarded though.

It's as stupid as digging under that cyclone or trying to force a cagematch top lel rule of cool shitshow.

>>27511548
This people think the angels won't be looking harder now that a ship left and an angel was attacked in that area.

>>27511584
Or it's intelligently turning away from greed and preventing disaster.

>>27511577
Should link >>27511548.

SHUT UP

FUCK

THIS IS SIMPLE

SANDERS KNOWS THIS FILTHY LITTLE FUCKER WAS WORKING WITH LUCIFER.
DEAR LUCY IS MISSING.
ONLY SCUMBAG MCSHADOWHAT KNOWS WHERE HE COULD POSSIBLY BE

DEAD PIRATE = A GOOD REASON FOR SANDALPHON TO SEARCH THE DAMNED GREAT FOREST. SHUT UP ABOUT THE FUCKING PIRATE OR THE ROBOTS. WE DONT NEED THAT KIND OF ATTENTION.

>>27511584
And now we got shameless hyperbole.

We really are back to the dark times of unnecessary vitriol and stupidity.

>>27511579
Thats the thing we don't know if will believe the story in any shape or farm.

>>27511601
>The dark times
Bitch I've missed this. Better than
>OH GOD WE FUCKED UP SHIT IT'S ALL OVER FUCK YOU SM

>>27511584
This so much.
>>27511598
He is gonna end up searching the area and whose to say he won't notice the mind magic bull

>>27511594
Nothing has been avoided. It's merely a delay.
Lucifer was SENT to the great forest. He was SENT to Xile.

Regardless of what we do with the criminal, Sandelphon is going to take a hard second look eventually.