>>28803562

>"But I wanted to wear my nice dress"

>>28803562
Take the armour. It's going to be nice having protection.
We might want to visit our prisoner and probe her for info.

>>28803562

>nice dress
>suggest that you be included in the studies/interrogations

>>28803562
>"What's this about a new project?"

The fact that they brushed off the question probably means it's something we should know.

>>28803562
>> Suggest things the priests should ask of Iltani while they're trying to figure out what her deal is.
-[x] She mentioned Pasusu and its return.
>> "The armor should help remind everyone I mean business. I helped make some peace tonight, but it might not last."

File: 1386804045324.jpg-(110 KB, 640x640, 67f066418264eba835f015a6a(...).jpg)

110 KB JPG

>>28803562
"But... there's that dress I like..."
He rolls his eyes. "Look, for you, this will be a political matter. You're not a silly little girl playing in the streets and waiting for handouts anymore. You will show yourself to the people and put the fear in them. But I'm not your mother. However you dress yourself, you *will* try that armor on tonight so I know whether to bleed that armorer dry for incompetence."
You ask whether you can help question Iltani. The Blood Priest shrugs. "Al the same to me. If you want to hassle her a bit before bed, no one will stop you. Just watch your head in those low archways." Aww. He does care about you a little, even when he's being all villainous.

In the vaults, you see servants putting the array of mismatched equipment in more of a logical order and arranging them on new wooden racks. A thickly-built man in a short beard shows you how to put on your new armor. It fits much better than the other stuff you've been wearing, and it even includes barding for your scorpion half. The heavy polished bronze somewhat muffles your scorpion half's book lungs, but you can still breathe comfortably in the human way. The bracers are too tight, though.

> Inform the armorer of his mistake
> Keep silent for fear that he'll be inordinately punished
> Talk to Iltani tonight
> Leave it. Just tell Nakurtum what a good job you did and get some sleep. It's late.

Man I didn't even see this quest had started.
>>28803562
>B-but can't I wear my nice dress to a festival?
>We're not going to fight anybody, right?

>>28803858
Talk to Iltani.
Shit always happens during festivaks.

>>28803858
>> Inform the armorer of his mistake
>> Talk to Iltani tonight

>>28803858
>inform the armorer of his mistake
>keep silent for fear he'll be inordinately punished

I... fuck.
Can we ask the blood priest to NOT KILL THE ARMORER, BECAUSE HE DID REAL GOOD WORK, and then tell him about the bracers?

>>28803858
>Inform the armorer of his mistake
Armour that restricts our breathing will probably get us killed. We don't want to be on the verge of suffocation the next time we try and charge an enemy.

>Talk to Iltani tonight
We can exchange a few words before bed.

>>28803949
yeah, we need our scorpion-breathe-holes open and free. It's really important.

The bracers fixed would be nice too.

oh, is this the place we discover we have book lungs?

>>28803858
> Inform the armorer of his mistake
Armor that's too tight does not protect you, we need this fixed if we're going to use it.

>>28803858
>Inform the armorer of his mistake

>Talk to IItani tognight

File: 1386805127976.jpg-(40 KB, 500x323, giant_desert_hairy_scorpi(...).jpg)

40 KB JPG

>>28803858
You politely point out that the bracers are too tight, and you'd like there to be a way to let air in on those particular spots on your flanks. The armorer nods and looks around to see who was listening. He seems to fear his employers more than he fears you, which you suppose you should take as a compliment.

As you take the armor off, you see that the barding has some metal rings built into it, perhaps to strap baggage to, or even a small howdah.

You crawl down into the dungeons, where the ceilings are indeed very low, carrying the magic torch Dadanum had used this evening, the one that made you glow. Iltani's cell is near the bottom center of the pyramid, its bars locked and chained shut multiple times over. She beams when she sees you. Her eyes are mostly black now, and there are still some faint black traces under her skin. It must have been a side effect of surviving your poison. "I knew you'd come! I still have so much to teach you..."

"Uh... right. I wanted to hear anything more you know about Pazuzu."

She reaches out to touch you. You don't get close enough for that. "Aww... Well, I told you the important part. He's coming, and it will change everything. His name is a charm, because it causes fear in those who remember. He's a power beyond anything else. They couldn't kill him. Gods can be killed, but not him. I see it all at night. I think he likes me because I'm smart enough to love superior things rather than fear them. We have to make this city a good gift for him..."

> "Wait, you're on his side? You're more sick than I thought. I hope you have fun when the priests cut you open to see how you work."
> "You don't know how powerful he really is. Just wait till I defeat him, then you'll see."
> "I can prove that Pazuzu doesn't exist. I'll bring in people who know these things. It's all just voices in your head."

>>28804065
Well, I'm sure Hunzuu noticed she had air holes at some point in the last few weeks.

I doubt she knows anything the underlying anatomy though.

>>28804178
>"you don't know how powerful he really is, there must be some way to stop him"

>>28804178
>"Wait, you're on his side?

She sees him at night? Visions? Ask about that.

>>28804178
why do they fear him, what did he do, what the fuck are you and why would i give him the city im suposed to protect?

>>28804178
"I don't think that's true. I think you think he likes you because you're afraid of what will happen if he doesn't. Do you really think a creature that could stand against the gods will see you any differently from the way you saw your fellow footmen?"

>>28804178
what's a "howdah"?

also
"Wait a minute, I thought we were trying to beat pazuzu?"

>>28804201
How does one "notice" they have airholes?

Get a grape caught in there or some shit?

>>28804522
Probably the first time you get sand in there. Very dusty out in the desert.

>>28804522
I can feel it when I inhale through my nose or mouth.

I'm guessing that at some point Hunzuu would have gotten used to her new anatomy and been able to notice.

Or maybe a hole got clogged and set off a coughing fit of some kind.

Who knows?

File: 1386806498693.jpg-(201 KB, 559x360, scorpion.jpg)

201 KB JPG

>>28804178
"When you see things at night, what exactly do you see?"

She sits down right up next to the bars, in the hope that you'll get close enough for her to touch your leg or claw. "His shadow covering whole villages. His wingbeats can bring storms when he likes, or drought, or locusts. I see him wading into a sea of human armies, stepping on them, killing them with his eyes. It's beautiful. Then I feel him, stirring under the earth and the sea. Knowing him must have made me strong. It's a sign I'm doing something right."
"He doesn't sound like he likes anybody. He'll just step on you like everyone else."
"But maybe not! There's no chance of beating him, but there's a little chance of pleasing him. And it would explain me..." She grins and flexes her muscles.

> "Were you always this crazy?"
> "Tell me the best way to kill Ninurta-Nasir. In case he keeps being an asshole."
> "If I should ever decide to let you go, will you do what I tell you?

>>28804504
It's like a little carriage you put on an elephant or camel, for holding riders.

>>28804522
You felt yourself breathing through them. It didn't take long.

Can we ask the priests to exorcise the spirit possessing the crazy girl?

>>28804637
>"So the footmen didn't work any magic on you to enhance you? This happened naturally?"

>>28804637
>how the hell did this even happen?
>you seemed less... like this last time I visited

>>28804637
>"Tell me the best way to kill Ninurta-Nasir. In case he keeps being an asshole."

>>28804637
>> "Tell me the best way to kill Ninurta-Nasir. In case he keeps being an asshole."

All we have to do is resurrect our Scorpion god to defeat this thing, right?

>>28804850
Maybe.
Also possibly a bad idea.
I don't know how horrible scorpion god is.

>>28804637
>> "Tell me the best way to kill Ninurta-Nasir. In case he keeps being an asshole."

File: 1386807299877.png-(117 KB, 250x345, 250px-Giant_Scorpion_Figure.png)

117 KB PNG

>>28804637
"So the Footmen didn't work any magic on you to enhance you? This happened naturally?"

"That's right. Their magicians couldn't turn cream into cheese. Their power is the dull, small kind of power, the power of little men marching side by side so they don't feel so small. It was a first step. But now I have you..." She says as though you didn't have her locked up in a cell.

"So they have a lot of men, but not any good magic. Do they guard their commander well?"

"She smirks. "Not well enough. You'll often find him in the solar on warm nights, sleeping off all his wine and beer. Faces a little courtyard. Only guarded on one side. Near a guard tower on the city walls. If you let me go, I'll give you that present I promised..."

"If there's a way to make you well, I'll ask the priests to do it. Because right now I don't think there's any getting through to you."You shake your lead and leave. Iltani asks to touch you before you go, but her pleas echo unanswered in the dark halls. It's probably quite late by now.

> Give Nakurtum the full report
> Just have some quality time with Mr. Clicks and then get your beauty rest.

not that I'm poo-pooing the conversation, but don't we already know how to kill that guy?

Also, where's the friends the footmen said they'd give us? I Don't see them yet.

>>28804637
>"Keep your hands to yourself. If you touch me, I will rip your arm off"

>>28804883
>> Give Nakurtum the full report

>>28804883
>Quality clicks time
>also no reason not to let the insane girl touch you

>>28804883
we should really tell -someone- about all this prophecy ancient god bullshit.

Can we make it quick, and then go to have clicks time?

>>28804883
>> Just have some quality time with Mr. Clicks and then get your beauty rest.

>>28804883
>> Give Nakurtum the full report

>>28804929

The centaur guy. He'd believe it, I'm certain of it.

The priests, maybe, but it's unlikely.

>>28804929
So an ancient deity-killer is coming back to fuck us up and I'm being tempted by greater powers to doom the world by unleashing a hellish tide of scorpion-people.
Sleep time now.

>>28804883
>Just have some quality time with Mr. Clicks and then get your beauty rest.

I suspect a full report and discussing our options will take some time.

It's already late, get some sleep and do everything else in the morning.

>>28804996
yes. This is the status report we should just dump on someone's lap.

>>28804996
When we give a report (now or later) we must use this.

These exact words.

>>28805060
They're the best words. Though I already said this once.

>>28804996

Hmm, it seems that Pazuzu is sure plot. A pity, I'd prefer warring and politics than saving the world.

File: 1386808036362.jpg-(167 KB, 1086x858, 1385354370597.jpg)

167 KB JPG

>>28804883
You return to your room and gather up the pile of sleeping mats that you like to burrow into at night. You tell Mr. Clicks about your day as he crawls into your hand to eat a freshly-killed locust. The way his little black eyes are placed, he always seems to be looking up at you. You wonder how much normal scorpions can think and feel.

That night, you have another dream of the dead scorpion-people. They're in the underworld again, mulling around in a grotto, glowing blue from the cracks in the floor. They seem to be waiting impatiently for something. There's a scorpion-woman carrying five little scorplings on her back. She calls them forward one by one, cradles them, and whispers in their little ears. You like to think she's saying something nice, but something tells you she promising them a chance for bloody revenge.

> Try to ask her a question
> Turn your back on her. These aren't your people, not really.

>>28805124
me too. Maybe pazuzu will just sort of hit a few towns and then go back to sleep.

Or maybe he's a lesser spirit who juiced up some chick to try to get her to convince everyone pazuzu is a super badass so he gains more spiritpower.

>>28805137
stand and wave. We don't need to turn our back on them, but we don't need to join them either.

We're in that greasy weird area between races and sensibilities.

>>28805137
>> Try to ask her a question

[x] When is my turn?

>>28805137
>> Try to ask her a question
What did they do to us?

Why is flesh so delicious?

>>28805137
Who are you?
Where am I?
What the hell is this place?
What?

>>28805137
>Ask her stuff
Ay gurl whats goin on here

>>28805137
>Approach them.

Ask them what to do. How to fight and how to think. How to mak enew poisons.

>>28805137
>Turn your back on her. These aren't your people, not really.

The goddess of the underworld promised *horrible* punishments for anyone that opened the gated.

Didn't say it was impossible. Didn't say it can't be done.

Just promised the one who did it would suffer.

If they had any redeeming qualities, one of them would have taken the hit and set their people free.

No, they won't do it so they're trying to sucker some mook into opening the gates from the other side.

Cunts.

>>28805247
but what if it's locked from the outside?

>>28805247

Doesn't mean we will. We can always make someone do it.

Like Dadanum.

Just hope that Mr. Clicks never learns of this gate.

File: 1386808885667.jpg-(144 KB, 476x706, 7f3baa8d420f2ec0474ff235b(...).jpg)

144 KB JPG

>>28805137
"What did they do to us?" You can only barely hear yourself speak.

She seems to think her little one was the one who said the words. "Something bad. But stay strong. Don't fade away. Soon we'll have our chance. Mama promises."

You try to find the words to say more, but the smell of cooked goat wakes you up. Nergal-Edir has brought you breakfast, and he's not included any more raw meat at your request.

You put your black dress on, along with the silver chain and a couple of rings you kept the last time you made a public appearance. The Festival of Shamash doesn't begin in proper until midday, so you have some time to get some things done before you need to show yourself. Businesses will be closed today, and no trade will take place, but some places will be giving away small items or the remains of their feasts to the poor. Large effigies if Shamash and his wife Aya will be carried from the pyramid to the old temple of Shamash, where they will be symbolically married and made to symbolically lie with each other. You're going to escort them and possibly carry them yourself.

> Talk to people you know within the pyramid until it's time.
> Go outside early to get a feel for what's going on in the city

>>28805404
>> Go outside early to get a feel for what's going on in the city

>>28805404
>> Talk to people you know within the pyramid until it's time.
Talk to blood priest!

>>28805404
Take a stretch outside for morning calisthenics, then go back inside to talk to people.

We need to give someone our report about ancient deities and shit, and then we need to be an adorable little girl at someone else.

>>28805404
>stay inside pyramid, but have a guard or someone inconspicuous go outside and tell us what it's like

>>28805404
>Talk to Nakurtum and invite her to go outside early to get a feel for what's going on in the city

>>28805404
> Talk to people you know within the pyramid until it's time.

File: 1386809707154.jpg-(138 KB, 392x500, fcc524af95492d8c8d835e349(...).jpg)

138 KB JPG

>>28805404
You take a stretch on the terrace. The streets look very quiet. Lots of people are probably sleeping in.

You find the Blood Priest in the solar trying on different kinds fo red finery and jewelry. He must want to make himself look more imperious than usual today. You tell him all Iltani told you about Pazuzu. He laughs. "I think Pazuzu's dead. Everything can die. That's a constant in all the old knowledge. Maybe some minor spirit of fear took hold of the girl, or maybe some special sickness is making her strong but also making her see things that aren't there. This bears further study."

Nakurtum is much more supportive when you catch her running around on the terrace. She hugs you to congratulate you for sorting that business out last night. "I knew there was something special about you, kid. Sounds like you handled yourself better than some adults I know. And you even got your friends back!"

"Well... they told me I would. I still have to check on that."

> Go check the poorhouse yourself, possibly with Nakurtum.
> Send Dadanum or some other guard to do it while you go chat up the centaur or the Sand Priest

>>28805645
>> Send Dadanum or some other guard to do it while you go chat up the centaur or the Sand Priest
I wonder what they are up to.

>>28805645
I'd like to go see our friends. We've sent guards a lot.

Let's go ourselves, but bring nakurtum and maybe a guard, and we'll have THEM tell the orphans we're coming and to not be afraid please.

>>28805645
>get them yoself
>they ur friends, you shouldn't sent some random guard to pick them up. Show that you care

>>28805645
Send Dadanum since we trust him and go talk to the Sand Priest.

>>28805696
I don't think we're picking our friends up, just checking them.

We should make sure like, a couple guards are watching them at the orphanage. Because seriously. Fucking footmen.

>>28805645
>Go check the poorhouse yourself, possibly with Nakurtum.

Let's go for a walk. Our friends might not be free yet, even if everything when right, but we can check.

>>28805645
>> Send Dadanum or some other guard to do it while you go chat up the Sand Priest.

If we ignore Pazuzu, it will go away.

>>28805757
Just don't say his name 3 time in a row.

File: 1386810630664.jpg-(38 KB, 317x400, barbranz2.jpg)

38 KB JPG

>>28805645
You go with Nakurtum to the orphanage. With nobody doing business out in the streets, you practically have the whole area to yourselves. It's a relief not to have to worry about what bystanders are thinking of you. You can even feel pretty in your fine dress - just as long as you don't look down.

You send Nakurtum to round the last corner so she can explain herself before you freak out all the children. She returns to you, saying that some women and children are there, apparently only the young children who were being kept in the barracks.

"Was there a blind nursemaid?"

"No, why?"

You rush toward the orphanage in a fit of anger. If they did something to Ettu...

As usual, the children scream and flee at the sight of you. One of the women explains that the older children were being kept far to the south of here, near the Deathless Delta, and are on their way. Ettu took a liking to one of the Footmen guarding her, and they might be getting married soon. This woman claims to be a slave of little value that the Footmen gave up as Ettu's bride-price.

> That sounds like a lie. Remind yourself that the footmen are still on your shit list.
> Lies! Scare the truth out of her.
> Aww, that's nice. Try to convince the kids that giant scorpions aren't so scary.

>>28805934
>> Lies! Scare the truth out of her.

Suspicious.

>>28805934
>> That sounds like a lie. Remind yourself that the footmen are still on your shit list.

>>28805934
Ask where Ettu is now. We'll be sure to visit her.

Then try to convince the kids that we aren't so scary.

>>28805934

remain skeptic, but for now, we must imbue the virtue of how not scary we are/can be...

>>28805934
Not sure if I trust that, but we should try to convince the kids that we aren't so scary.

>>28805934
>Aww, that's nice. Try to convince the kids that giant scorpions aren't so scary.

Good for them. Of course, we'll have to visit for ourself at some point. If this is a lie and they hurt her....

>>28806053
we'll be sure to visit her before the wedding. Heck, we might go to the actual wedding, depending on panic.

File: 1386811372195.jpg-(43 KB, 400x460, Giant_scorpion (1).jpg)

43 KB JPG

>>28805934
You want to hiss at her and call her a liar, but you manage to let her off with just a curt "Really. How odd."

Still, she cowers in fear that she's offended you. "That's what they told me! I don't know, I didn't see her much! She must still be in the barracks! Please, mercy! They told me that you wouldn't hurt me... that you'd protect us..."

"And I will! You didn't do any of this. Come on, everyone, come back. I'm not a monster! Well, I kind of am, but I'm a good monster!" You point at one of the kids hiding behind a large urn. "You, I remember you! Atama, right? It's me, Hunzuu!" That just makes Atama run for a better hiding place, though.

> Take as long as it takes to win over these kids
> Just tell them you'll be sending a guard detail and get back to the pyramid in time

>>28806161
>> Just tell them you'll be sending a guard detail and get back to the pyramid in time

>>28806161
sigh and be a bit miffed.

Tell them we'll be sending a guard detail, and that we're very sorry the footmen snatched you all away like that. We've got to get back to the pyramid, but we're super glad these guys are still okay.

(secretly worried about the ones who aren't here)

>>28806161

I would say taking the time with these kids is a good idea right now. They need a hero, and so do the people of the city. To Hunzuu they are precious friends. To the hero of the city, they are a vital building block to gaining public support. This is worth the time. Maybe she could even get the priests to clean some of them up for PR's sake and show them at the parade. Send a guard to ask them about that, maybe?

>>28806161
>Chase them down and give them clawhugs.

>>28806161
>> Take as long as it takes to win over these kids

They will spread the word of our goodwill

>>28806161

> Take as long as it takes to win over these kids
>
> But don't be late, take them with us so that they can see the city and so that the city can see us with them. The time has come for Hunzuu the Merciful.

File: 1386812293129.jpg-(265 KB, 768x768, XXX_L20091601_A.jpg)

265 KB JPG

>>28806161
You tell them you'll be sending guards to help protect this place and tell the younger kids to enjoy the festival. You leave, still worried about the older kids. Anything to do with the Deathless Delta sounds rather spooky.

You return to find everyone preparing for the ceremony. Shamash and Aya are waiting near the antechamber at the top of the steps. They're six and seven feet tall, with wicker bodies full of straw and faces made of holy cedar wood. The servant woman who's still afraid of you is touching up some of the paint on Aya's face. Dadanum tightens his cape and asks you whether the way he wears his hair looks too feminine. Even the centaur Soul-of-Lightning is there, in that spiked breastplate that fits him so much better than you. "There you are, Hunzuu! They tell me they usually carry these things on a chariot, but they want to use us instead. Take Aya and I'll take Shamash."

> "All right. Fair warning, people are going to beg favors of you as you pass them by. You don't have to grant them."
> "Why, just because I'm a girl? You take Aya."
> "I'll take them both at once! It'll show how strong I am."

>>28806433
>> "All right. Fair warning, people are going to beg favors of you as you pass them by. You don't have to grant them."
LEts not be a spoilsport.

>>28806433
>Ok. People gonna ask dem favors doe.

>>28806433

> I don't know how things were for you last time you were around, but the people of this city are desperately afraid of monsters. Try to be nice. Also, they ask for lots of things, but you don't have to actually do anything.

>>28806433
>fair enough, watch out for the people

also

>uh, what happens if I drop one?

>>28806433
>> "Why, just because I'm a girl? You take Aya."

ROW ROW FIGHT THE PATRIARCHY.

>>28806433
If we carry them, that doesn't mean WE'LL be symbolically married or....?

>Dadanum tightens his cape and asks you whether the way he wears his hair looks too feminine.
Tell him he looks great. Very pretty.

>>28806591
super pretty.

File: 1386812973767.jpg-(20 KB, 432x432, centaur1gold.jpg)

20 KB JPG

>>28806433
"All right. Fair warning, people are going to beg favors of you as you pass them by. You don't have to grant them."
He laughs. "I just might have tried! Being back in the dying world feels so good, it's not easy to notice when people ask more than they're owed."

The five Great Priests show up a few minutes later and organize the procession for you. They have a large phalanx of guards lead the way, including both Nakurtum and Dadanum. Then the priests themselves will follow, followed by you and the centaur, with a few guards and any other nobles or acolytes who want to be part of the event. You see that Tabni-Ninsun is part of this group. She's looking less haughty than usual. She greets you simply and glumly before taking her place. "Hi, Zuu."

Soon, the gates pull open and it's time to emerge from the pyramid. A small crowd has gathered at this point, and people will be watching and cheering on Shamash and Aya for the whole length of the journey. It's also custom for the men to make crude jokes about the gods' impending nuptials.

> Be the friendly scorpion. Talk to people, try to convince children to touch you, actually listen to people asking for favors
> Be polite but regal. Do nothing that might compromise the sanctity of the ceremony.

>>28806633
>>28806633
>polite but regal

>>28806633
hi tabni.
>be friendly scorpion
>just DON'T DROP IT

>>28806633
>> Be the friendly scorpion. Talk to people, try to convince children to touch you, actually listen to people asking for favors
mascot time

>>28806633
>> Be polite but regal. Do nothing that might compromise the sanctity of the ceremony.

Dignity.

>>28806688
Go team blood, go!

>>28806633

> Be the friendly scorpion, but don't let it distract you from the solemnity of the occasion.

Do not drop the statue under any circumstances. Do not let go of it to wave to anyone or get overconfident while carrying it. Otherwise, smile and acknowledge everyone possible.

>>28806633
>> Be polite but regal. Do nothing that might compromise the sanctity of the ceremony.

Practice for ruling.

>>28806633
>Be the friendly scorpion. Talk to people, try to convince children to touch you, actually listen to people asking for favors

File: 1386813627088.png-(460 KB, 600x750, d9c563705e55f665acb40a2da(...).png)

460 KB PNG

>>28806633
Things seem a little less tense than the last time you went out into a crowd. They part for you a little more willingly and seem a little happier and less desperate. Maybe it's because of the festive occasion. Maybe it's because the footmen announced that people will be allowed to go out at night again starting tonight, in honor of Shamash. They must have done that to save face.

You wave to the people and greet every child brave enough to come close to you as you hold Aya in your claws. Sometimes you lean off to one side to brush somebody's hand with yours as you pass. You hear some favors begged of you. "Lady Scorpion, tell Shamash to make it a good growing season this year!" "Lady Scorpion, heal my son!" "Lady Scorpion, make Turtak pay us the tribute they owe! Then we can feast every night!" "Lady Scorpion, please make it so there's not another big worm attack!"

"You don't have to call me Lady Scorpion," you tell them. You're not even sure how that title got started.

> "My name is Hunzuu. I'm just a girl who wants to help people."
> "Behold, I am Hunzuu the Merciful, Savior of the City!"
> "'My lady' will do."
> Also roll 2d6 to NOT DROP AYA

Rolled 4, 4 = 8

>>28806872
>my name is hunzuu. I just want to help people

also
DON'T DROP IT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHY ARE THEY MAKING A 12 YEAR OLD DO THIS I MEAN SMASHING IS EASY BUT NOT SMASHING IS REALLY HARD

Rolled 4, 6 = 10

>>28806872
>> "Behold, I am Hunzuu the Merciful, Savior of the City!"
Truthful yet not too humble.

Rolled 4, 5 = 9

>>28806872
>Behold, I am Hunzuu the Merciful, Savior of the City!"

>>28806918
>>28806931
90% of the reason you chose that one is because it has "behold" in it, isn't it?

I, too, understand the compulsion to declare BEHOLD whenever possible. It's almost as good as GENTLEMEN.

>>28806872

Oh boy, here we go. Don't announce self as Savior.

> "My name is Hunzuu, and I am here to protect you."

A hero does not speak of saving anyone. They simply do it.

Rolled 6, 5 = 11

>>28806955
Yes

>>28806958
I agree, but I have already voted, and don't want to doublevote
>>28806977
It's very hard to resist BEHOLD!

>>28806955
no actually, I just wanted to sound impressive, rather than like a little girl

>>28807036
Exactly. You wanted to say BEHOLD!

Almost all statements precessed with BEHOLD are impressive.

>>28807082
I would have been ok with a similarly worded option that did not include behold.

>>28806872

I second:

> "Behold"

Under the condition that we follow it up with a more humanizing statement actually likely for a young girl. Something to the effect of:

> "I'm going to do my best to help everyone, and protect everyone I can. Please believe in me."

File: 1386814472870.jpg-(399 KB, 800x1200, d89b27da8323adc3671951354(...).jpg)

399 KB JPG

>>28806872
"Behold, I am Hunzuu the Merciful, Savior of the City!" You have to repeat it a few times as you progress, but maybe the epithet that Turtaki slave gave you will catch on. The Merciful. It sounds good. Believable. You're beginning to accept that you'll never be an ordinary girl again, but maybe you can be admired rather than hated.

Soul-Of-Lightning does not correct the people who call out to him as "Lord Horse" or "New Monster." He chuckles at their pleas. "Nice try. If there's good beer at the end of this walk, then maybe!"

You successfully keep a grip on Aya's curvy wicker body. People wave little miniature effigies they made of Shamash and Aya, sometimes banging them into each other. You remember sometimes finding discarded effigies and playing with them.

You reach the building dedicated to Shamash. For most of the year it's a counting-house, ever since all the places of worship in the city were officially replaced by the great pyramid. The king and his guards and retainers are there waiting. The king's heralds deliver a speech for him about how Shamash has seen that this city is a fair and just one, and that he will shine down and bring good crops this year. You take your place near him and hold up your effigy as you were told to do. People cheer. Many men order Shamash and Aya to kiss. You don't remember that happening in previous festivals.

> Make the effigies kiss anyway, just for fun.
> Do what's usually done, just holding Aya still until she's married and then taking her inside.
> Mess with the king a little by "reminding" him of something that never happened.

>>28807162
>many men order them to kiss
Just
>do what's usually done

The men are traditionally supposed to make bawdy jokes, this is one of them, and shouldn't actually be acted on.

>>28807162

Do not mess with the king or dishonor the statues of the gods.

> "Do what's usually done, just holding Aya still until she's married and then taking her inside."

Rolled 2, 4 = 6

>>28807162
>> Do what's usually done, just holding Aya still until she's married and then taking her inside.

>>28807162
> Do what's usually done, just holding Aya still until she's married and then taking her inside.

>>28807162
Do what's usually done

don't really want to upset the higher ups....

>>28807162
As much as I'd like to make the statues kissu -mwhah!- Lets just keep it normal and do what they usually do.

>>28807162
>do what is normally done
>don't be a jerk to the king

>>28807247
yeah, no need to dick around with the king. Poor guy has a brain problem.
Don't mess with people with brain problems, it always sounds like it will be funny, but turns out to just be depressing.

>>28807162
>Make them kiss after the 'wedding'.

File: 1386815295798.png-(392 KB, 789x600, 789px-ScorpionMen.png)

392 KB PNG

>>28807162
You hold Aya upright as the five Great Priests take turns consecrating the effigies' union in the name of Enlil and Ninlil, Ishtar and Tammuz, Anu and Antum, Sin and Ningal, even Ereshkigal and Nergal. It takes a while. It makes you wonder what it will be like to get married yourself. Will you find a man you love one day? But probably it will be a political marriage. You might even have to marry the king who's standing right here with you! That might not be so bad.

Then a man in white and orange with a long curly white beard opens the door and escorts you inside. Everyone cheers again, and the men whistle loudly and crack their best jokes about how they bet that the wooden Shamash has wood, or something like that. The practical furniture of the counting-house has been cleared out, leaving only a fine but dusty bed. You lay Aya down, then Soul-of-Lightning lays Shamash on top of her. The old man then takes two wooden blocks and bangs them together loudly, which makes the crowd laugh and cheer.

You inspect the room. You see a very off carving on the wall. It's a male figure riding a sun symbol, almost certainly Shamash, flanked by things that might be scorpion-people.

> Huh? Ask the man what they mean. Do not conceal your enthusiasm.
> Don't look too vulnerable in front of the centaur. Just be cool and ask about the image later.

Rolled 2, 3 = 5

>>28807474
>> Huh? Ask the man what they mean. Do not conceal your enthusiasm.

>>28807474
ask about it with gusto. Centaur man knows we're curious and have crazy scorpion dreams. I mean heck, we told him.

>>28807474
> Huh? Ask the man what they mean. Do not conceal your enthusiasm.

>>28807474
Ask him.

>>28807474
>be cool
>BE COOL

>>28807474
>> Huh? Ask the man what they mean. Do not conceal your enthusiasm.

Scorpion people will save us from Pazuzu. Calling it now.

>>28807559
>fail at being cool

O-oh I am totally not interested in those paintings
Yeah.
II'm the most not interested, right centaur man?

>>28807474
> Huh? Ask the man what they mean. Do not conceal your enthusiasm

>>28807474
>Huh? Ask the man what they mean. Be cool about it.

File: 1386816079637.jpg-(10 KB, 253x199, images.jpg)

10 KB JPG

>>28807474
"Hey! Heyy!! What's this?! Are these scorpions?" You feel sort of the way you feel when you first held Mr. Clicks in your hand - not quite alone anymore.

The man stop banging his blocks together and shuffles over to the carving on the wall. "Oh! Well, I suppose they are! Usually this wall has a big shelf against it. And I'm not a proper priest, just a tax collector who gets to wear the nice robes and hat this time of year, but I do know some of the tales of the gods. Gilgamesh met Shamash and his scorpions, but I can't rightly say how Shamash came to have scorpions in the first place. Tiamat made scorpions at the beginning of all things. I wish I could be more help."

"Soul-of-Lightning, do you know anything about that?"

"I do not. Having flesh-eaters doesn't seem like something Shamash would do. His is justice, and the good aspects of the sun. I don't know what a Gilgamesh is either."

The old man laughs. "You must be as old as they say you are! I could tell the tale as I've heard it. My apprentices never let me tell them stories. They say they're too old for that."

> Stay a while and listen
> He doesn't know why Shamash has scorpions. He said so himself. Just go back into the crowd. Later you can find someone who knows.

>>28807749
> Stay a while and listen

>>28807749

stay and listen. Story time is best time!

>>28807749
I'm with Deckard Cain
>stay a while and listen

>>28807749
Storytime?
Nobody's told us a story in... a while. Do history tutors count?

>>28807749
Deckard Cain option

Rolled 2, 2 = 4

>>28807749
>> Stay a while and listen

ask horse guy if he minds us listening to the story. Our schedules are kind of tied.

Also, I guess keep clopping those wood blocks, if it's the kind of thing that happens in the festival.

>>28807749
>Suddenly Deckard Cain

Dam right we are staying

File: 1386816729084.jpg-(69 KB, 510x454, 4263796.jpg)

69 KB JPG

>>28807749
The tax collector dressed as a priest tells you and Soul-of-Lightning as much of his tale as you will permit to sit through. You lower your scorpion body onto the floor, doing your best impression of sitting. Soul-of-Lightning locks his legs to rest, occasionally looking around for something good to drink.

>If you want to hear it, it's at /watch?v=BHInCYIGq3E&list=PLB23274FB204AF43B . A good translation, narrated by someone who sounds just a little like H. Jon Benjamin.

When you've finished listening, you hear some commotion upstairs. The building is on fire! This has definitely never happened before. The old man shakes his head before fleeing the building. "Some spy from Turtak! I never believed it was right to keep them in thrall like this, but now that they are free, they want us to be the thralls! Old wrongs never heal completely. Good luck, Hunzuu and Lord Centaur." He is verbose even when fleeing a fire.

> Carry the effigies outside, in defiance of tradition, but at least preserving them!
> Let them burn. Get outside and tell everyone to flee!
> Find a way to preserve the effigies so you can bring them out unharmed later, to prove that they consummated their marriage.
> Run upstairs immediately and hunt for troublemakers

>>28807949
>hunt for the troublemakers

>>28807949
stay for like five minutes, and then pull a "This story is -really- long" and do something else.

In this case, dealing with fire.

GO GET THEM TROUBLEMAKERS.

Rolled 5, 3 = 8

>>28807949
>> Run upstairs immediately and hunt for troublemakers
Scorpion time

>>28807949
>>28807949
> Find a way to preserve the effigies so you can bring them out unharmed later, to prove that they consummated their marriage.

File: 1386817149930.jpg-(166 KB, 800x1000, 7c76266602b501a474191709c(...).jpg)

166 KB JPG

>>28807949
You skitter upstairs and hunt for troublemakers. Soul-of-Lightning, realizing how important this silly show is, bangs the blocks together louder and faster. He impersonates Shamash, calling out how his carnal passion is causing the building to smoke. He's a good sport.

The smoke is dense up here. Both your sets of lungs are irritated and in danger of choking.

> roll 2d6 to find your way while keeping your human half extra low

Rolled 3, 2 = 5

>>28808104
>> roll 2d6 to find your way while keeping your human half extra low

Rolled 4, 4 = 8

>>28808104

Rolled 4, 1 = 5

>>28808104
It's man-folk work to do the block clacking anyhow. Time to deal with smoke!
also fuck maybe it was a bad idea to run up in a burning building

>>28807949
>> Run upstairs immediately and hunt for troublemakers

File: 1386817520262.jpg-(28 KB, 480x640, 1477851_768756636474215_1(...).jpg)

28 KB JPG

>>28808104
You squint and feel your way around with your claws as your human half bends down. You cough, then your scorpion lungs make a strange fluttering motion that might be the equivalent of coughing. You are forced to hold your breath. You hear heavy wingbeats.

> Break through walls!
> You're not finding your way like this. Retrace your steps to go back the way you came.
> Also roll 4d6 to hold your breath

I wonder how well we do with these fires.
>>28807949
>exposing children to the epic of gilgamesh
My god, who knows how that child will develop

Rolled 6, 1, 5, 4 = 16

>>28808251
>wingbeats
They're outside! And we're fucking choking!

Can we take a drop from this high up? If we can, let's OH YEAH through a wall directly onto the getaway bird.

Rolled 2, 3, 6, 6 = 17

>>28808251
>> Break through walls!

File: 1386818227312.jpg-(144 KB, 900x647, lamm.jpg)

144 KB JPG

>>28808251
You're only one floor up. You think you can take a fall from this height. You break through the first wall you come to with a great crash. It leads to another room. You keep charging forward until you break into open air. You breathe deep of the sweet air. When you orient yourself, you see people running away in all directions. A few guards and other soldiers remain and try to throw javelins at the monster on the roof. It's a lammasu, a winged horror with a body like a bull and a face like a man. Its eyes glow, and it repels javelins without touching them or lifting its wings. "People of Ligish! Turtak has seen what you call your defenses. Your men are fools, and your monsters are weak and few. The time has come for justice. Your coward king must repay the tribute his father unfairly took from us. Ten years' worth must he pay. With gold, silver, ebony, and lapis lazuli must he pay."

> Roll another 4d6 to resist the impact of the fall.
> Reply to the beast
> Crawl up the building and challenge him
> Rescue people caught in the fire

Rolled 3, 6, 3, 1 = 13

>>28808500
SPRINT at that motherfucker up a building!

Get a flying charge at him going. If we can tackle him out of the air mid-speech, we will get so many heroism points.

Rolled 1, 2, 4, 1 = 8

>>28808500
>> Roll another 4d6 to resist the impact of the fall.
> Crawl up the building and challenge him

Rolled 6, 2, 1, 1 = 10

>>28808500
>fite me nerd

File: 1386818760340.jpg-(211 KB, 800x800, Lammasu_by_TheDjib.jpg)

211 KB JPG

>>28808500
You've taken harder hits. The wind leaves your human lungs, but your scorpion body is not so vulnerable. You feel all right.

The smoking building isn't very tall, but you're not especially good at climbing. You certainly can't compete with Mr. Clicks. Still, you dig your claws and legs into the bricks and try to scale the building without falling off or bringing the whole wall down.

> Roll 2d6 to climb and be the deft scorpion

Rolled 6, 3, 6, 4 = 19

>>28808500
"Well, that's full of bull shit and so are you."

hopefully somebody gets on the saving people from fire thing. I mean, monster takes priority, since it can make MORE fires, but I feel bad for hte burning people.

Rolled 1, 1 = 2

>>28808706
damn flying enemies get the hell down here

If we fall, grab a piece of the building on the way down to throw at him.

>>28808747
Fuck, the building is coming down. It can't support a scorpion.

Plan throw rubble is my suggestion.

>>28808710

Canw e use the 6s in this roll instead, please?

>>28808821
>>28808710
I, too, would appreciate that.

Though, if we can nail the guy with the rubble throw, the building coming down isn't such a big deal.

File: 1386819303801.jpg-(509 KB, 1280x960, Wallpaper_HuntedLammasu_1(...).jpg)

509 KB JPG

>>28808706
You can create footholds simply by pressing hard into the mud bricks. Unfortunately, you press into a weak wall. The wall crumbles, and you fall over backwards, followed by a huge cascade of bricks and dust. It hurts!

The lammasu stamps at the roof with its hoof. "Your boorish ritual is broken, and your harvest will be blighted. Consider the famine that will come to you as payment for the Turtaki blood you have shed. Bring this message in full to that boy king!"

You struggle to right yourself, then pick up bricks to throw at it.

> You now have 2 wounds instead of 1.
> Roll 2d6 to throw the brick skillfully, either with your human arm or your claw.
> Take a deep human breath and shout out to it

Rolled 3, 1 = 4

>>28808896
throw the brick with your claw. BIG brick. And many of them.

As many big bricks as we can wager.

Also fuck, the ritual, oh man oh jeez

Rolled 2, 1 = 3

>>28808896
>> Roll 2d6 to throw the brick skillfully, either with your human arm or your claw.
With our claw for strength

>>28808919
damnit what is wrong with my rolls?
>>28808921
What's WRONG with our rolls?

Hopefully it's enough to graze the guy.

Rolled 6, 2 = 8

>>28808940
ANd I'll roll double 6 on that one. TG dice is spiting me.

>>28808948
damnit /tg/ dice, work with us here

maybe we should yell for him to get down here and fight us like a man!
Well, a man and a little girl!

File: 1386819850245.jpg-(238 KB, 563x549, awbs_01.jpg)

238 KB JPG

>>28808896
Nakurtum has had you tossing heavy stones from one claw to the other as part of your physical training, so you feel somewhat confident as you take big, hard-edged bricks and lob them at the lammasu with your claws. Your bricks fly true, but not with the herioc marksmanship required of the task. He sees the first one flying at him in a high arc. His eyes flash, and he parries it with a silent spell, knocking it aside. His wings spread, blocking out the sun from your low point of view. With a loud rush of air, he takes to the sky. "Fight, and you will only create more crimes for yourselves to pay for!" Fortunately, he turns away from the cit center, to the city walls, and away into the countryside.

> Roll 4d6 to burrow through the burning building and rescue survivors
> Roll 2d6 to sprint into the building and look for survivors without causing further structural damage.
> You may also do something to the effigies in the bed, if you want.

Rolled 4, 3, 6, 4 = 17

>>28809062
>> Roll 4d6 to burrow through the burning building and rescue survivors
Lets try this one more time

Rolled 5, 3, 2, 4 = 14

>>28809062
Let's get looking for survivors. And dealing with those effegies.

Let's bury the effegies in bricks we get from burrowing through the building. It will protect them from the fire, and we can take them out tomorrow morning just fine.

Rolled 1, 2, 2, 5 = 10

>>28809062
Definitely protect the effigies

File: 1386820712383.jpg-(78 KB, 464x600, 6ab00db77493151f1397a631e(...).jpg)

78 KB JPG

>>28809062
In your frustration, you ram into another wall and tear a hole in it. It feels almost effortless. Holding you breath, you scour the old temple of Shamash, going from room to room, holding your breath, tearing up from the smoke in your eyes. You find two survivors, young scribes, faint from breathing too much smoke, who had hidden in a back room when they heard a monster outside. You sling one over each claw and lay them down gently outside. You go back in, search a while longer, and then use your burrowing instincts to dig into the floor and bury the effigies.

When you finish, the only ones who dare to remain in the open are Dadanum, Soul-of-Lightning, some temple guards and the king's Charioteers. There is a tense silence. You fear that they will think less of you for failing to catch the lammasu.

Dadanum speaks first. "She saved them! Praise Hunzuu!"

The roof collapses in a rush of flames. Everyone winces. But then others join in. "Hunzuu the brave!" "Savior of the city!" They are sick and fearful at heart, but still they can cheer for you.

> Be the modest scorpion. Turn away and blush blue.
> Silently raise your arms in triumph, such as it is.
> Immediately tell them what you think Ligish should do
> Get them to praise the centaur a bit

>>28809309
>blush blue
>raise an arm/claw

Can't turn away or it will ruin the moment, but we're embarrassed as fuck.

also we should go back in for the effigies after they cheer, in an "Oh fuck I remember now" kind of way.

>>28809309
>> Be the modest scorpion. Turn away and blush blue.
>> Get them to praise the centaur a bit

>>28809309
>turn away and blush
>give centaur some cred

>>28809351
no

>>28809405
no to what?

Rolled 3, 5, 5, 4 = 17

>>28809309
>> Be the modest scorpion. Turn away and blush blue.

>>28809419
the goofy go back for effigies thing
we can't look goofy like that

>>28809459
ah, okay, that's fine.

File: 1386821539105.jpg-(59 KB, 480x640, 1463189_771158346234044_1(...).jpg)

59 KB JPG

>>28809309
You're not sure what to do, and you're afraid that you're blushing in a manner unbecoming of the Savior of the City, but you raise an arm like a victorious athlete. "Th-thank you... I got some help from my centaur friend, too. And don't worry..." You trail off. Not sure what else to do, you lead the way back to the pyramid. After the flames have completely died out, you can return to get the effigies. Perhaps the people will take heart that they survived without burning up.

You lead a somber procession. When people peek out of doors and windows, you call out to them. "Don't be afraid. I will protect you." When you reach the pyramid's front gates, a single herald of the king is waiting for you. "His Majesty issues the call. Now is the time for Ligish to move in force as one. One army. One goal. One kingdom."

> I have to break here. Hope you enjoyed it!
> New archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/28803562/
> Next thread will be Friday or Saturday; I'm not sure yet.

>>28809540
well, see you at that time. Hopefully our performance here wasn't so bad our funding was cut by the council of guilds.
We need scorpion-com to deal with monster threats.
thanks for running!

we need to spend some time considering how we kill flying things.

Fucker won't come down.

Archery lessons from Cool Blind Archer Guy?
Finally convince someone to teach us magic?

>>28809696
yeah, we need to complain to the priests about this.
That guy can FLY! and cast spells!
We demand the ability to fly, the ability to cast spells, or rocks/arrows that can go through spells.

A quick not -- we at emlia.org really like this quest, and would like to contribute by making a pmwiki available for it. I've taken the liberty to copy over the pastebin stuff.

http://emlia.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=ScorpionGirlQuest.RecentChanges

Also the firewall at Applebees sucks :)

File: 1386830435161.png-(1.05 MB, 850x878, sample_579eb0a5e5621e1834(...).png)

1.05 MB PNG

>>28811213
>Neat! Thanks, I'm flattered! /tg/, feel free to edit this to your liking.
>Updated the pastebin and wiki with some characters I hadn't added yet.

>>28812495
Hey anu. I think you've made a good case for learning weapon skills this thread.

Stupid fliers. We should learn some harpoon skills.