>>29009614
Hopefully more people will show up this time.

In the ruins of the city, you and Reina stumble upon the remains of a Whole Foods, run through by waters, left standing only just barely against the force of the sea.
The salt in the air burns the hole where your eye used to be, forcing you to grit your teeth against the pain.

There's a plaza here this close to the beach-side district, though on the upper grounds. Aside from the Whole Foods, there's a Home improvement left partially standing against the surging waters running back to the sea, carrying sea life and pedestrian alike. Overturned and drowned out cars useless as the water damage has run its course.

The two of you tread carefully, averting your eyes to the dead in the streets. It would do you, nor her any good to think of them after all.

"Think we'll be seeing some kind of rescue?"
Reina wades ahead through the murky waters, seeking the promise of food that lies ahead.

You flex a hand before holding a palm out, the nerves flaring up before taking on a dim glow, the waters mind you a personal space around a few inches, giving you a dry way to walk through. There's a slight burning in your nerves and a pressure in your head.
Still kind of hurts a bit.

"Unlikely, but here's hoping." She pries open the door with her own might as you approach,"We'll just need to hold out until this water clears up at least."

The Red-haired woman eyes you up and down, a sort of melancholy in her expression. Whether it's because you get to be dry, or you failed to give her hope, you can't quite know.

The inside is flooded, the deli area a mess, right along with the breads and produce floating around everywhere, sodden or bagged airtight.
The lights are out too, the evening light your only guide through this sunken grocer.

Reina squints, trying to see something and you take heed of the direction.
"What is that?"
She whispers.

There's a large glossy construct towards the corner of the store, closer to the meat and seafood department. It's out of place in that it's unnatural, a strange sort of distortion to it.

>[] Investigate the construct.
>[] Ignore it, get food, cans should work, or maybe some sealed breads?
>[] Split up, one of you investigates, the other gets food.
>[] (Other)

>>29009887
>[X] Investigate the construct.

>>29009887
[X] Investigate the construct.

Keep our distance, observe it, maybe throw a bit of water at it from a distance and see how it reacts.

"Let's check it out." You break the silence and force away water as you walk through the watered aisles.

Shopping carts, and the bodies of many nameless people line your way. You try not to look at them, as you move them away with the rest of the water. You start to get a strange sensation that this place. Well, it just feels wrong.
There's a torpor in the air bearing the echoes of what was once a daily moment in life, reduced to nearly stagnant saltwater ripening with death.

It's such a godawful feeling you could just about damn puke.

As you get closer to the glistening construct, you begin to see that there are icicles hanging from above and frozen sheets blooming from below. You couldn't have noticed the chill in the water, though the nip in the air bites at you some. Reina trembles hard enough to leave ripples in the water, her chartreuse glow glow cascading through her bones.
"More nonsense isn't it? It w-wouldn't get like this f-from a broken f-freezer, w-would it?"
You shake your head slowly, as you lean closer to the ice," No, I don' think so..." You speak calmly, rather comfortable actually. Your nerves burn a little more than before.
"Let me try something." You reach out with your right hand, a surge running up to your palm as you grip a globe of water from the mire.

"A-Asher?"
You shush the woman before giving the globe a good swing to slam it into the construct. The orb freezes on contact, splashing across the exterior of the thing. There's a weird feedback as something within you double-takes the event.
"It, froze?" You shake your head a little. No, that was quick, that was way too quick to ever occur naturally, no. It could only be explained away by these ridiculous abilities.

You peer closer to the glossy construct, Reina standing back to keep from freezing in the waters.
You see a hand.

>[] Have Reina get a go at it.
>[] Hit it again.
>[] Touch it.
>[] Leave it be.
>[] (Other)

>>29010261
[X] Leave it be.

Whatever it is we should probably leave it alone. I don't want to think about it being alive, and if it's a dead person there isn't much we can do.

Best not to rouse the creepy construct.

Get some food.

>>29010261
>>[] Have Reina get a go at it.
Better her than us.

>>29010261
>[x] Touch it.

For science

>>29010261
>>[] Have Reina get a go at it.

>>29010261
>[] Have Reina get a go at it.

Slowest fucking quest. God dammit.

You back away from it, a little uneasy from seeing a hand trapped within the ice. Then again, it's not the first body you've seen today.
Within, you see a few more forms that appear to be people trapped within the frozen construct, more a wall now that you see it reaching to the floor and ceiling.
"Well..." You take a step back, better be careful about this one. "There's people inside."
"There are?" Reina comes forward, wading through the ice-cold seawater with some hesitation.
"Are they alive?"
You look back to her, an annoyed expression spreading across your face," No, i don't know of anyone that's lived through being turned into a popsicle. If you want to mess with it, you can. I'm going to dry out some food."

You march away, the nerves in your hands starting to get a bit uncomfortably hot, kind of starting to hurt, the pressure in your head's started to build into an increasing headache too.
Nothing compared to what you feel from your destroyed eye though. Damnit.

As you move away from the Meat and Seafood towards an aisle with some canned goods, Reina approaches the construct, touching it with some hesitation.
"Oh my god, there really are people in there."

From another aisle you call to her after wrestling a shopping buggie to a proper upright position.
"That's what I told you, didn't believe me?"

"The ice. The ice isn't cold."
"What the hell are you talking about, of course ice is cold."
You force the buggie through the water, shoving as many things from the shelf as you can in there. Better you get it than other looters. Likely they'll be here eventually. Likely they'll be strange just like you.

"No, really, the ice isn't cold, I'm going to try hitting it!"

You hear the flailings and splashes from your scavenging "partner." You kind of wonder at why she's even bothering with that thing and push the cart closer to her, getting a look at what she's doing.

She's on the frozen wall, moving and doing just fine unlike your globe of water. With a little flex you grab a small little splash and splat it against the thing. Freezes instantly.

Reina looks back to you, her power shining through her soggy clothes as she strikes the thing, undaunted by whatever pain she should be feeling in her hands,"It's breaking! Just a little, but it's breaking! They're moving in there!"

>[] Touch the ice yourself.
>[] Try to move the ice.
>[] Leave it to Reina.
>[] Throw a globe at Reina, freeze her to the thing. She won't slow the group down anymore.
>[] (Other)

>>29010739
>>[] Throw a globe at Reina, freeze her to the thing. She won't slow the group down anymore.
Wow. What a dick move. Voting.

>>29010739
"Reina, they're trapped in a creepy construct with magical properties that freezes everything and could do a lot of other things.

I'm not entirely sure letting them out is a good idea. We have no idea if they'll be friendly or violent, and my guess is that their psyches aren't completely intact."

>>29010779
Snapping back to thread one and some established base that this MC isn't exactly the nicest guy.

>>29010739
>[] Leave it to Reina.
she's doing fine on her own. don't want us freezing our asses off by trying to interfere.

>>29010779
I'm actually going to change my vote to leaving. Let's just find food. Fuck this place. Fuck these ice people. Let's bounce.

>>29010875
big wierd thing that acts completly unpredictably and you don't want to poke it? What's the worst that could happen

>>29010784
>>29010875

With these two, it seems that the consensus is to leave.

>>29010784
Voting for this

>Writing for departure.

Twitter, because I forgot to post.
>https://twitter.com/Overhuman_Quest

>>29011027
Followed.

"This whole thing doesn't seem weird to you? Freaky ice in the middle of a Whole Foods that freezes everything? We don't know what else it might do, we need to go before you mess with something that'd be better left alone." You shove the Buggie through the water to make a point, the rolling water and heavy clinking cans get stuck on a body bloating in the water.
"Goddamnit." You swear under your breath, the pressure in your head worsening right along with the burning throughout your arm. Your neck's starting to hurt a little as well.

Reina stops at your word, looking back to you understanding your position a little. "Y-yeah. I uh.." She unlatches herself from the ice, keeping a hand on it. "I don't really know what came over me, I guess I just though we might be able to save someone.."
She looks to the ice again.

"Hey look, it's fine. You just need to remember that we need to worry about ourselves first. You die, I die, no one gets saved. We get out of here- now." You let go of the buggie to get close enough to grab her, pulling only for her to remain in place.
Following her gaze, you see that she seems a bit entranced.
Looking up, you see a reasonably sized hole on the ice that she must've made. "Come on, let's go."

She snaps out of it," Yeah, l-let's."


You push the buggie out of the store still sloshing through the water as your hands begin to tremble with erratic patterns of your cyan glow. It's really starting to hurt about now.

> - Beachroad Plaza-

From here you see the Whole Foods that you've just looted. Your cart bears enough canned goods to last your group well through a week or even two.

You see up atop the home improvement from across the street that "those" people gather. Three of them looking down at the two of you, mumbling amongst themselves. You aren't quite sure if you want to stick around long enough to find out.

Your arm's really starting to burn.

>[] Call out to "Them."
>[] Loot the home improvement store, might be able to find some tools.
>[] Return to camp, you got what you came for.
>[] (Other)

>You may make magic and other non-conflicting choices in tandem with your vote. Asher's nerves are starting to really hurt from his magic use.

>>29011485
>>[] (Other)
Go to a vacant place and practice your magic in silence

>>29011485
[X] Loot the home improvement store, might be able to find some tools.

Slow down on the magic for now, our nerves are hurting, give them a chance to recover. We really don't want to be in a situation where we want our magic but are too exhausted, magically speaking, to do anything.

>>29011537
Oops. Thought it said that our nerves hurt because we WEREN'T using our magic. Changing vote to loot the store.

>>29011485
we should probably stop hurting ourselves with magic, especially since we are just keeping ourselves dry which we can just do quickly later

>>29011485
>[X] Loot the home improvement store, might be able to find some tools.

Later we should improve magical stamina, burning nerves after a few water orbs is pretty crappy.

You forsake using your power, whatever exactly it is for now in favor of your nerves not fraying. You look at your hand and Reina bears down upon you with some concern.
"You alright?"
You nod, the pressure on your brain leaving, the painful sensations in your body already deafening.
"Just getting used to all this I guess." You look her over, she's not using her power. When she uses her power, her bones light up, same for that woman. You frown a little and look forward to the home improvement store.
"Look, let us know if you start to hurt from using that power or whatever."

Reina looks to her own hand, with a nod, her sodden red locks matting against her face, getting crusty from the salt,"Ah, uhm.. Alright?"

You point at the store, disregarding the people from above,"We're going there now. Tolls can help us fix up that shack a bit more. Beats worrying about it falling on us in our sleep."

Reina looks to you with a little curiosity standing out in this dismal sunken waste,"Say, Asher, do you know how to build things?"

>You look to her and say...

>[] "Not really, I'm better at working with small things." (Leaning towards more delicate spellwork and applying intricate properties./ Tinkerer background)
>[] "Not much of a carpenter, always preferred to read." (Leaning towards mythos and thoughtforms/Student background)
>[] "Yeah, I helped my Uncle with some construction projects now and then, went to trade school. (Leaning towards constructs and their integrity/Carpenter background)
>[] (Other following relevant format.)
The Home improvement run will be quick, nothing but tools there.

>>29011853
>>[] "Not really, I'm better at working with small things." (Leaning towards more delicate spellwork and applying intricate properties./ Tinkerer background)
This will be useful for any artifacts that we discover. If there are any in this world.

>>29011853
[X] "Not much of a carpenter, always preferred to read." (Leaning towards mythos and thoughtforms/Student background)

"But I'm figuring someone else in our group might know what they're doing. Worst happens we wasted a bit of time picking up tools."

>>29011853
>[] "Not much of a carpenter, always preferred to read." (Leaning towards mythos and thoughtforms/Student background)
I wanted to go with Tinkerer at first, but this should be okay.

>>29011853
>>[] "Not really, I'm better at working with small things

>>29011853
[X] "Yeah, I helped my Uncle with some construction projects now and then, went to trade school. (Leaning towards constructs and their integrity/Carpenter background)

Because I want to make thousands of spears of water someday, and this seems geared towards that.

>>29011853
>[] (Other following relevant format.)
Keep it to ourselves.
>>29012040
I don't really think this has anything to do with our magic. Just a little bit of our background.

>>29012040
It sounds to me like the first option will probably provide the most varied options, but be slowest in doing so, whereas the second will provide the most powerful options, and the last will be the most consistent and reliable. That's just a rough outline of my reasoning here.

>>29011853
>[] "Not much of a carpenter, always preferred to read." (Leaning towards mythos and thoughtforms/Student background)

>>29011853
>(Leaning towards mythos and thoughtforms

>>29012107
>Leaning towards constructs and their integrity

What do you think that means? That we build really nice houses, or that our background as a carpenter means the large scale constructs we make with FUCKING MAGIC are more solid and intricate?

>2 Tinkerer(Spell properties/delicate spellwork.
>2 Student( Mythos/Thoughtform creation)
>1 Carpenter( Constructs/Integrety)

To be fair, the Carpentry relates to making things solid and sustained.
Example would be to create a globe of water that feels and hits like a brick through its stability.

Mythos/thoughtform involves creating temporary servants, though possibly belligerent.
Example of this would be summoning a spirit, dubbing it Undine and requesting it to act autonomously in slashing someone's ankles with blades of water.

Delicate spellwork/ Applying properties basically involves making something that can be triggered based on conditions, or follow through certain conditions.
Example of that would be making a water trap that pulls someone down and holds them there until they stop struggling. Though it'll still take some work for that.

Choosing any one of these will not hold you out from any other possibility.

>>29012195
Count was old, and now wrong. Sorry. I'm going to count up here. Seems we've got more people now.
Exploding with glee here.

>>29012195
>>2 Student( Mythos/Thoughtform creation)
Voting. All the spells are belong to us.

>>29012212
Ah, unless there are people that have reconsidered.
Tell me if you have.

>>29012290
I think I should switch Student to Carpenter. It sounds like it's the most useful for direct effects.

>>29012119
This is actually a good assessment.
>>29012334
It would definitely increase initial spell stability along with a preference for it.

>>29012195
>>2 Student( Mythos/Thoughtform creation)
I want to become an Elder God.

>>29012351
I mostly just want to blast people with lightning, but if you said I was right, then I'll keep that vote toward Student.

>>29012195
I'll vote for tinkerer

>Mythos comes out in the lead by one vote. Creatures of lore and legend are within your mind.

"Wasn't ever much of a carpenter, always preferred to read." You admit, as the two of you slough through the grim waters, approaching the Home Depot with your eyes on the people above.
Their condescending gaze from above looking down on the two of you like grim specters. You know what they've done, and they know what they've done.

Reina seems to be trying to ignore them," What did you like to read about? You know, before today?" She rubs at one of her arms tenderly, trying to get rid of some of the cold along with apprehension.
You think for a moment, you read a lot of books. Some closer to life with crazy situations, others for school, crummy old textbooks written by people looking for a grand paycheck.
Then there were older ones. Fairytales and greek myths and legends. Thinking on it? The tales of those books, with crazy things happening from page to page. People coming from grand or uncertain circumstance. It's really not quite unlike what's going on now, only that you're living it.

"A lot of different things. It's kind of a bother to list them all, though my favorites had to be mythology and tabletop lore. Seeing all this, it's terrible but..." You look to your hand, your thoughts lingering on the strange ability. No, more like "magic" that you've gotten.
"I think I'm starting to believe this all a bit more."

"I..." Reina begins, yet then she decides to close her mouth, sighing. You two don't exchange many more words from some time within the store. You manage to come away with nails, screws, hammers, screwdrivers, and leave the other things that you can't quite figure on.

Shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

The sun is beginning to set by the time the two of you start to leave the store, and you are stopped by three of "them." standing just outside of the front.

Two of them bear pulsating patterns like veinwork, the middle, a steady illumination throughout his bones.
Two of you. Learned, yes?" The middle one points, speaking with teeth like knives through strained words. He bears a thick accent, clearly not knowing all that much English.
All three of them, Bones and Veins stand atop the water, barely distorting the surface. Another implausible thing before you. Shit really is like a work of fucking fiction.

You hesitate in speaking, as does Reina. Your eye begins to throb again with the beat of your heart, and the dull ache of your nerves from their prior strain brings the situation into focus.

The man grows impatient," Learned. Yes? Answer."

>[] Run, you can't deal with these people right now.
>[] Nod yes?
>[] Lash out at him!
>[] Speak...
>[] (Other)

Magic:
>[] Strike with a whip of water.
>[] Create an orb of water.
>[] Create a mist!
>[] (Other)

>>29012686
>>[] Speak...
"Fuck off."

>>29012686
>[] Leave, you can't deal with these people right now.
>[] Create a mist!

>>29012686
>[] Nod yes
Get ready to mist.

>>29012686
[X] Speak...

"Yes, we have learned, I'm missing my eye for a reason."

And don't pull up a mist quite yet, but be ready to at a moment's provocation. Running is our best option if things go wrong.

>>29012686
I think that's a yes.

>>29012762
I think Learned is a noun, proper, even.
Second, though.

>>29012686
>[] Nod yes?
Then fake him out with
>[] Strike with a whip of water.

You feel your mind whir like a computer booting up as you consider your options here. Attack them. No, probably a bad idea until they make a move first. Escape? How? Need to blind them, a mist should work, though could you make one?
Could isn't even a question here. Go with that.

You slowly grip your hand, ready to conjure a blinding fog at a moment's need.

Slowly, you nod your head,"My eye's gone from you people if that's what you're asking."

One of the men of the vein glare at you,"Stop."
You're taken aback a little bit," What?"
"Stop. Magic." He enunciates that "magic" part a bit hard. You look to your hand, it isn't even glowing yet, how?

The middle man, the bone one smirks, a showing his teeth that bear a similar lumen, standing out like distant stars in the dim light of the night sky, wait. Dim?
"Learned. Yes. Go to light." He points over, above and past the two of you. There's a light floating amidst the nightly aurora, beaming down into the ruined city like searchlights. The spot sticks out a like a sore thumb red and swollen from abuse.
How could you have not noticed it earlier? Or is it new?

"Tell others," The man to your right instructs, as all three of them bring a hand across their heart in a simultaneous move.
"Walk in peace." They say the phrase you've heard every single fucking time from them, and you grit your teeth with some rage, exploding water around you into a misty steam.

"Fuck you! Why do you all keep saying that!" You start to pant hard, the feeling of your nerves sizzling from the sudden explosion of magic.
You hear a scream, with the mist clearing shortly after, the three men are gone, and you see Reina holding her hand, trembling and looking at you with her eyes wide as saucers.

"You b-burned me."
"I'm sorry.. I just.." You offer apologies, and Reina backs away, a primal fear within her eyes, the burn hurt more than just her body.
"Stay away!" She holds out a hand, her phalanges a verdant, nearly yellow green against the growing dark, "Just stay back! Please." She begs, as she hyperventilates, her panic mounting against her logical mind.

>Spell unlocked: Steam: From water, you may summon a burning blast of steam to sear and burn your enemies, With some effort and practice, this may be directed and maintained.

>[] Let her calm down, waiting.
>[] Get on ahead back to the camp with the supplies. She'll find her own way.
>[] Head to the light, see what that's about. She can figure out what she needs to do.
>[] (Other)

>>29013244
>>[] Head to the light, see what that's about. She can figure out what she needs to do.
I'm sure she'll be fine.

>>29013244
>>[] Let her calm down, waiting.

>>29013244
>[] Head to the light, see what that's about. She can figure out what she needs to do

>>29013244
>>[] Head to the light, see what that's about. She can figure out what she needs to do.
Might as well.

>>29013244
[X] Let her calm down, waiting.

Stick together, in case there's something we need a meat shield.

Stay back from her, if we can try to talk her through it.

>>29013244
>[] Let her calm down, waiting.

>>29013244
>>[] Head to the light, see what that's about. She can figure out what she needs to do.
Does she have two working legs? She'll be fine.

Your emotions still running hot, you stare at Reina, her loss of "self" at the moment doing you now good. Just the same, the group isn't doing you any good.
They don't have the answers, you don't have the answers.

Those fuckers have the answers.

You steel yourself, donning some iron-wrought determination with a glare at the panicked woman," You, do whatever the fuck you need to. Take supplies back to the others, I don't fucking care." Your gaze travels from the dark rippling water to the light coming from beyond the store, and you stab a finger in the direction of that source.
"I'm going to find out what the hell is going on here. Finish your little panic attack, I'm leaving."

She shivers into the water, staring at you ripe with unreasonable terror, mumbling,"Go away, just go away. Away, away."

As you abandon her and the cart, you spare one backwards glance before you slip into an alley," Sorry for hurting you."

______________________________________________

The night isn't quite so dark with that light filtering through the city. The closer you get, the more it becomes like a visible lead, or a fragrance in one of those old cartoons. Except it doesn't have a scent, only a weird way about it that makes it seem like its alive if that even makes sense.
Out of curiosity, you gesture your magic against the stream, and it bends visibly against your will. Distorting only to snap back into place when you give up.

Strange forces at work here.

Closing in on the source through the city-scape, you're tired and beat against the drying streets, finding the newest college campus in the area completely and unbelievably untouched. Buildings not even eight blocks away from the place are just as ruined and waterlogged.

There are other people that follow that trail of light besides you. From the distance, you can't quite tell if they've been "learned" as those people have said, or whether they're, and you really hope not, being drawn there against their will.

You didn't feel any hint of that, so maybe not?

The source of the light seem to be people that stand about the perimeter of the school, their eyes and hands luminous from the forces they're manipulating. Others walk the perimeter, challenging those that approach before letting them in.

If their methods have spoken of anything, they're likely to let you pass so long as you show them that you have power.

To the northern march of the campus there are dry cars, and tents set up likely from some kind of festivity earlier in the day...

>[] Walk in peace, enter the College.
>[] Check out the fair grounds.
>[] Speak to one of the people making their own approach.
>[] Return to your group, they might need to know about this.
>[] (Other)

>>29013758
>>[] Walk in peace, enter the College.
Main objective.

>>29013758
[X] Return to your group, they might need to know about this.

>>29013758
>>[] Return to your group, they might need to know about this.

>>29013758
>>[] Speak to one of the people making their own approach

>>29013758
>>[] Walk in peace, enter the College.
>[] Speak to one of the people making their own approach.

>>29013758
>[] Walk in peace, enter the College.

>>29013758
>>[] Walk in peace, enter the College.
I want answers dammit!

You swallow hard, a lump the size of your fist going down your throat. Your hands, feel clammy and cold. Between the water of the city and the stress of your gouged eye, your city devoured by the sea, and these people the cause of it all.

You want to scream, yell, and murder them for all that you've lost. The one thing they've given to you is this power.
You clench your fist, trying to tap into that cold resolve from before.
Like Heracles against the Nemean Lion, you're entering the den of a beast that is by all means, and in all likelihood invincible.

A foot forward from your place of thought, and another forward from the first step of what my be one of your last.

You approach the College.


One of the men roaming the border greets you, a deep sapphire blue glint among his schlera twinkles at you, his veins shimmering at his every movement.
"Welcome to the College." He bears an accent much lighter than his colleagues, his clothes reasonably ethnic and far more formal than the near rags and tribal wear of his associates.
You stare him down, holding back your need to punch him in the damn face, as much as you'd like to right now.
"I was told to come here." Neutral words, the extent of your polite response. The man smiles with teeth whiter than god's shoeshine.
"Indeed you were my friend," He opens the door for you, a ripple of blue traveling through his body before a constant lumen persists. He's ready for you to lash out. You feel how his eyes see right through you. Your anger, your stress. Or maybe it's not something that requires magic to be seen?

You step through the door and the man calls after you,"Walk in peace the path of blood. You will find your answers there my friend."

He shuts the door after you and your every fiber of your being starts screaming at you to run away from these people. Your heart beating so hard that you feel your eye begin to bleed again through your cloth.

The man's words were not a cryptic message. There are wet trails of blood through the hall, bloody fingerprints on some doors. Broken lights, gashes of dubious origins ranging from gashes to claws, to outright holes.
There were people here that struggled.
There were people here that did not walk in peace.
You walk in peace.

Walk in peace man. NEVER STOP WALKING IN PEACE

>>29014137
Walk the fuck out of there.

>>29014176
we need answers and we are going to get them. as long as we don't bug out we should be fine. hopefully

You find yourself in an auditorium watched by many of the "Followers." Many people sit among the rows and columns of seats. Tired, weary and wet. None of them seem relaxed, if anything they seem more like a captive audience awaiting a performance.
Awaiting the scarlet curtain to open up for a play.
A doorman with wolfish, and I don't mean "like" or "as," features. His eyes are piercing blue, his body covered in short, clean and almost "sharp" fur. His ribs and arms bear a near constant illumination, a dusky azure."
"Take a seat. A Hand of Susej will speak soon."

You sweat a little bit, cold. "When will it start?"
The wolf-man bears his teeth, bearing a perversion of a wolf and man's dentistry,"Soon."

No longer wanting to bother the extremely polite and friendly werewolf, you seek out a good spot to wait for this whole thing to start.

Up in the front row, there are a group of people all sitting together, out of place among all the others in this room. Likely, they came here together.
In the middle rows, there aren't quite many people that stand out, though there are a few you may be able to sit next to, notably a girl with a missing eye. Her face is wet with tears, though not much else about her is. She's dry.

In the rear rows, there are people that look far more nervous than they have any right to tolerate being here. One in particular stands out here, a man with a bandage around his face, staring dead at the curtains with conviction. He isn't here on a whim.

>[] Sit with the group up front.
>[] Sit by the girl in mid row.
>[] Sit by the man in the back.
>[] Sit alone.
>[] (Other)

>>29014350
>[] Sit by the man in the back.

>>29014350
>>[] Sit by the man in the back.

>>29014350
>>[] Sit by the girl in mid row.

>>29014350
>[] Sit by the man in the back.

You deign to sit be the man in the back, shuffling past the other nervous wrecks that eye you warily. You'd swear that some must be searching for god in you, or for anything. Or maybe it's just the madness of today?

You sit a couple seats away from the mysterious man with a bandage over his mouth, and you try to relax, try to get comfortable, but it just isn't happening.
You cough to try to get his attention, drawing the gaze of one of the supervisors, not yet their animosity.
The man looks to you with a grizzled and weary stare. His clothes still wet and heavy from the conditions outside.
He holds a baseball hat to his chest, nursing it tenderly.
When he speaks, he's just as tired as his look. though here with conviction, it carries not to his words,"Another sheep stumbles its way into the lions' den." He smiles with pain splayed across his face, his bandage soaked through.
"I'd say it is by the grace of god that we survived this day, though I sincerely wonder that at this time." He stiffens into his seat, eyes forward again, glued to the curtain.
"We are both here for answers, aren't we?"

Your eyes linger upon his baseball cap for a moment longer. It's too small.
You look away from the man, casting your gaze to the velvet curtains,"Yeah, I suppose I am."

>Have you anything more to say to this man?

>[] (Write in)
>[] No, await the curtain.

>>29014649
>>[] (Write in)
"What is this? All of this?"

>>29014649
>[] No, await the curtain.
Let's see what happens.

"What is this?" You shake your head, taking your eye off of the curtain to cradle your face in your hands.
"Do you know? Does anyone here that isn't a damn murderer know?" You begin to plead, letting out some of your pent up stress in the form of tears.
You're a man damn it, but this is just too far.

The man doesn't look at you. He doesn't need to anyway to talk to you," I do not know, my son. Before this day all of our lives made sense. Now, it is all cast into confusion. I had supposed it a test of god until I saw his absence in the eyes of the ones that gather us here today." He clutches the hat a little tighter, his hands trembling, veins flashing through his skin with fury.
"I wait for answers as you do. For I have none to offer."

You hear a loud whistle, snapping you out of your little fit.
"Keep your power to yourself." One of the followers watching from the back gently warns.

The Man whom you've begun to assume now is a pastor settles himself down a notch, nodding and returning to his search for answers amidst the red velvet.

With nothing more to be said, you do the same.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
And thus, as more people filed in, the curtain did soon open when it seemed no more would arrive...

>>29014798

Anyone here?

(And Dranule, this quest seems to be popular on sup/tg/. Though I suggest you stop running it for a little bit to see how many people were actually reading and not playing)

When the curtains part, the man that met you in front of the college stands there with a single light upon him as the audience's dim as though a show were to begin.

This place actually has power. Generators, or something else?

The man struts forward onto the stage, no mic in hand or anything. Other lights come on, illuminating other people that stand upon the stage.

The Fish-woman that had claimed to save you, and another man that you haven't yet seen this night. They hold place at either side of this man of the vein as he stands in the center, holding the attention of this willingly captive audience.

"Welcome here." The man smiles, flashing those disturbingly white teeth. "Welcome to you," He starts pointing out people in the audience," You, and to you, and to you, and especially to..."
A glance over the lot of you, and he spreads his arms," Well, all of you!"
"I am pleased to see you all here, alive, well, and most of all, here to cure your ignorance." The black man's smile turns a cheerful sort of sinister for a moment, before he carries on, walking back and forth across the stage like one of those goddamn public speakers from junior high there to sell you some new brand of school spirit and awareness. Only. This shit is for real.

"I am sure you are all wondering these things, like." He postures, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow," What caused that enormous wave?" He taps a finger to his head," How am I still alive?" he does so again, leaning over and forward," And how am I doing these incredible things?"

You noticed that the man had no mic. You notice now that despite this, his voice booms through the room effortlessly. It reminds you of Alder without the flange.

"The answer, my friends, is simple." He waves a hand across the air with an almost sincere sense of wonder," Magic."
No shit, you think. None of this is new to you at this point, only confirmed.

"I will tell you something my friends. I was once like you, where you are sitting now. Unable to understand the extent of the truth that the man before me had decided to hand me. The extent that it is now true, that magic exists, and your leaders had kept it from you."

He waves a finger with a loud 'tsk tsk.'
"That was a bad thing that they had did my friends. A very bad thing. We do not know what your leaders have done with those that find it, though we are here to find out." He gestures to himself and the ones behind him.
"We are here to find out the where your leaders have taken, and to teach all of you this truth."

You feel a lump in your throat again with how badly you'd like to scream at this man, call him on his shit. This still doesn't make any sense, why would they-

"You must be wondering now-" He waves a hand about like a seesaw." Why exactly we, as a people have chosen to do things this way. The answer for that." He raises a finger to emphasize this point, the light following him still.
"It is the only way to ensure that you all learn. Here, we have two lessons to teach."

"The first, you must learn that Magic has been here since the day the sky has changed. Wars away from your lands have changed. They have changed and you are no longer winning."
What? What is he-
"The powers in this world have shifted. You Americans are not the superpower you had once thought yourselves to be. We are in control now."
You're... losing?

"The second, is the knowledge that our leader would have you learn. We are here to teach only one other thing. That thing is." He pauses, staring the audience dead.
"Suffering."

"You must all come to understand what suffering is, what we have gone through until magic came into our world. You will understand what we have gone through, and through that we will see through each other's eyes. We will all see, we will all understand and we will no longer fight our fellow man."

>>29015240

Oh, super long post.

Okay.

Jesus fuck this guy is insane. And there are THIS many people with magic? I assumed there would be a couple handfuls of people capable, but not THIS MANY!

We really need to kick-start our magic ability. We choose summing right? Better start working on summoning some cosmic horrors.

>>29015240
I don't like where this is going.

>>29015274
It's been a full year, they've had plenty of time to build up.

I'd start with Water Elementals of some sort, work with what we have.

And honestly, I'd go for something less psyche fucking than cosmic horrors, I like our psyche intact.

>>29015370
We'd be summoning it. Clearly we get some sort of summoners mind safety benefit.

>>29015370
You seem to be confused. Not all Cosmic Horrors are like H.P. Lovecraft's Elder Gods.

>>29015380
Let me quote the pastebin.

"Evoker Nerve: A type of Overhuman that is capable of changing the world around them with the power of their mind. By manipulating the parallel realm of thought, the real world reflects his intentions."

I'd rather not have our intentions reflect horrific cosmic beings, we have to conceptualize it to some degree. It's not as extreme as what happens to Invokers, but I don't think we'll be summoning cosmic horrors without some mental downsides.

Stick with something safer.

>>29015370
Didn't we pick the AT Field option? Let's mind fuck everybody we can.

"This is what we have come here for. This is the reason your city has drowned."

The man returns to the center of the stage, planting his feet there and every vein in his body comes to life with a pure azure luminance.

"We offer to give you three choices."

"The first, you walk in peace and resume lives with your ignorance forever gone. Though war will find you eventually."

"The Second, You let fester in your souls, minds and bodies your hatred for what we have taken from you. You may fight us now for satisfaction." He teeters off here, with a sardonic smile," Though you would die."
"Or you may wage war against us once your seed has grown."

"The third, and the last." He looks over the faces of the audience, searching the expressions of the people that have been rendered silent by his willful display.
"You may join us."

"The choices are simple. Walk in peace. The Path of Blood. And find enlightenment."

>Asher, what is your choice?

Your heart throbs in your chest. What the fuck did you just listen to?

>Asher, what is your choice?

Can you even make it? What if they're lying? They need to be lying, this is unbelievable. You can't just come in here and spout bullshit like this!

>Asher, what us your choice?

>[] Walk in peace, you don't want any part of this. If they're just going to let you walk away, you might as well take it, right?
>[] Path of Blood. Fuck these guys. They destroyed your home, your family, your city and took your goddamn eye! You'll kill them to the last one dead!(lash out now)
>[] Path of Blood. You'd like nothing more than to kill them where they stand, though your hands are tied. They pull out shit you barely started to DREAM about doing. You'll wait. They'll get theirs when you master this power.
>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

>>29015464
>>[] Path of Blood. You'd like nothing more than to kill them where they stand, though your hands are tied. They pull out shit you barely started to DREAM about doing. You'll wait. They'll get theirs when you master this power.
There's no question about it. We'll kill them as soon as we can, but hell if we're gonna kill ourselves now.

>>29015464
Ask Father what he intends to do.

>>29015444
Mindfucking is definitely a possibility. Evokers can definitely pick it up.

Note, it doesn't work as well on Invokers due to how their powers interact with each other.

>>29015464
>[X] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

They're strong, they can teach us a lot more than anyone else. And it was just an eyeball in exchange for super powers. I can deal with some amorality, they actually believe in what they're doing.

>>29015490
Voting for this. I want to know what the Pastor intends to pick.

Rolled 41

>>29015464
>[] Path of Blood. You'd like nothing more than to kill them where they stand, though your hands are tied. They pull out shit you barely started to DREAM about doing. You'll wait. They'll get theirs when you master this power.

>>29015464
>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

Survival above all else.

>>29015464
>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

>>29015380
>>29015401
>>29015429
To clarify: When an Evoker summons creature through the realm of thought (Also known as the flow where everything of the human mind exists) they bear a sort of psychic link with their creation to direct their will through the thoughtform.

More powerful thoughtforms/mythosAt times regulated by what the Evoker will give them. begin to develop intelligence and their own wills. Basically, he has the ability to create/contract/enthrall spiritual allies.
The downsides are:
>They must be "Fed" to sustain a physical form, though they can conserve and reserve power for later.
>They may turn on their master to gain freedom (when powerful enough/scorned or naturally shady/the master bears a weak will.)
> Invokers can drain their form, though it's quite a bit harder when they start to gain individuality.

The lesson: Don't piss them off.

>>29015521
They said we were free to go if we wish. We just don't attack them now. Their ridiculous desires and what they've cost us are something that should not be overlooked.

I'm not voting until we speak to the Pastor for his opinion.

>>29015593
We lost an eye, it sucks, but we have another.

They're offering a place on what looks like the winning side. They aren't going to have any beef with us in the future. And they know more about magic than anyone else we've met which means they can teach us and we can get stronger faster.

Long-term it seems safer than trying to be independent.

>>29015622
I can't agree with your assessment. Something loathsome will continue to be exactly that. And anyone preaching world peace and the end of all conflict is completely unreasonable. At best, I want us to only make use of their resources. Not to sincerely and earnestly side with them.

>>29015554
Yeah, let's try to summon things that are kinda friendly and open to negotiation.

>>29015651
We aren't a nice person, they're crazy, but I'd rather be on a crazy train than on the rails.

We can always join with the intent of skedaddling if things go really south.

>>29015651
Agreed. Only on this side to learn how to use our abilities and what is going on. We can always leave or betray them later. I imagine whoever is fighting against this group would like having an agent who has ingratiated himself with the leadership. Supernatural spycraft sounds fun!

Rolled 48

>>29015622
Of course they're going to say they're the winning side. They're trying to get converts.

>>29015689
Turn off your dice, dude.

>>29015676
>>29015673
Alright then, magical espionage it is. The only concern is how hard it will be to get out once we really start getting competent, but there's no point worrying about that now. Something will probably come up.

>>29015464

>[] Path of Blood. You'd like nothing more than to kill them where they stand, though your hands are tied. They pull out shit you barely started to DREAM about doing. You'll wait. They'll get theirs when you master this power.

You look to the Pastor, his hand trembling with his veins bleating out the color of his power, his grip around that baseball cap tightening near-enough to rip it in half.

The man upon the stage has taken a sort of interlude for people to work their decision out amongst themselves. None of the others seem to have the balls to outright attack the "followers."
To those whom stay, those of either Enlightenment or the Path of Blood, he promised to teach them the basic principles of these powers, this "magic."

The lights come on, and you feel as though you have license to speak as some chatter picks up among the people in this room.

"Hey Father. What are you choosing?"

The man shudders, and he looks to you, the veins of his eyes flashing an ashen gray, tears welling within his eyes as he barely restrains himself, hissing his next words through his teeth," My son... The path before me has been made clear..."
He grips his collar, tearing into his shirt and ripping off a modest cross bearing the symbol of the lord Jesus Christ blessed-be-thy-name.
And tears it from his neck.
"I can no longer follow the son of god in good conscience ... For I will be walking a very dark path to avenge my own son as he must rest in heaven. These people will suffer for what they've done to so many innocents. I hope you are willing to do the same."

He hopes that you are willing to do the same...

The population of San Diego was One Million, Three hundred twenty-two thousand, five hundred and fifty-three as of the last census, 2012.

Of these many people, at least one million, three hundred thousand and counting are dead.

>Your choice, Asher?
>>29015464

These enlightened guys clearly know more about magic than we do. Can they help us master our water magics?

>>29015746
Well. If Father is going to fight against them, then my vote is set.

>>29015746
>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

But it's overall the most pragmatic choice. We aren't a nice person.

>>29015748
Of course they can. They made a fucking wave that destroyed the city, they could teach us, and they probably would.

>>29015766
We just met him, why does his opinion matter so much?

>>29015746
Wait, so they'll give the basics to ANYONE who will listen? Alright then. Path of Blood vote again.

>>29015746
>Fight against them.

>>29015779
Just the basics, you won't be able to kill them with the basics.

>>29015779
If you read that speech with their insanity in mind, you'll know why they'd do that as well.

>>29015746
>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

>>29015746
>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

>>29015806
Obviously. Nobody wants to fight them right now.

Also, consider the difference between surviving and living. Even if it's more dangerous, rebellion could be more fun.

>>29015775
>We just met him, why does his opinion matter so much?
Well. I don't know really. I like him. And besides. If we join with the enlightened, were do we go from there? Unless they plan on waging war against some higher higher power we aren't aware of yet, the quest is basically over.

On the other hand, I came into the first thread with the sole intention of survival and nothing else. And we'll most definitely survive if we join with them.

I'm torn.

>>29015464

>[] Path of Blood. You'd like nothing more than to kill them where they stand, though your hands are tied. They pull out shit you barely started to DREAM about doing. You'll wait. They'll get theirs when you master this power.

>>29015823
We work with them of course. They're probably up to all sorts of things.

I can kinda see where they're coming from.

>>29015840
As someone who normally prioritizes survival first and foremost, I feel like the most survivable option isn't worthwhile. So I want to know what about their position compels you, exactly?

I don't have any intention of us being loyal unless they are especially persuasive once we are accepted into the inner circles. We need to tread the line between True Believer and obvious pragmatist to move up in the hierarchy. Need to seem like we're loyal to the cause but sufficiently independent to be entrusted with leadership.

>>29015746
These enlightened sound like cult and I for one do not want to drink the cool-aid. We should fight as their goals sound somewhat sinister.

Fighting them from within is always an option.

>>29015746
>[] Find Enlightenment.

File: 1387701810546.jpg-(118 KB, 600x613, 1387273256195.jpg)

118 KB JPG

For those that have already cast your vote, I think discussion for this choice is receiving an interesting turn.
These people do not lie. Though that doesn't mean they need to tell the truth.
>>29015866
>Pic related, only it's more like lemonade.

Well... these guys did MURDER what? Like a million and three hundred?

Only around 22 thousand are still alive. Man oh man.

DON'T GET ME WRONG. I AIN'T A FILTHY PALADIN OR ANYTHING. I DON'T CARE ABOUT THOSE HOMOS. But, wow. That's a lot of dead people. Really want to join those kinds of guys?

>>29015902
Hell, I don't even care about all them corpses. I just plain don't like them.

>>29015850
They gave us a gift, sure it cost a pile of lives in the process, but they weren't us.

The government has been using magic users for their own purposes, if we weren't awakened now we might have awakened later and then dragged into a government facility, at least these guys are giving us a choice.

They're actually not happy with the government kidnapping either, so they show some sort of loyalty and honor towards other magic users, which means we may be able to trust them a bit, though they'll still withhold info happily.

We're magic now, our life is irrevocably different, we shouldn't carry all the baggage from old us around. Adapt to the situation and thrive.

Wow. I'm impressed, /tg/. You guys are actually thinking hard about this.

>>29015746
>>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?

>>[] Find Enlightenment. It sounds good. Going with them. You'd be spared from the brunt of their wrath, you'd be on the winning side but... Could you really join them?
Really. What do we have currently? A group that we really don't give a shit about. Magic, that we know next to nothing about and THEY DO.

>>29015888
Meant to say, that I'd like to hold off the vote for a moment.
get what you have to say out, make your case. It'll be time soon, or next thread if you'd all rather.

It's an important decision, and I have something for any of these paths.
Even the one where you attack them.

>>29015917
To be honest, I'm feeling concerned. They seem incredibly devoted. We would have to be careful to stay on target. And it's not corpses, or government, or mourning for old life. It's generally excitement and a drive for conflict. A position like this, well, it's perfect. Who could refuse? So I don't know why you want to play along. I just can't wrap my head around it.

>>29015913
I actually think they're pretty snazzy.

Sure, terrible people. But they have a sense of style, a definite flair for the dramatic.

>>29015464
>[] Walk in peace, you don't want any part of this. If they're just going to let you walk away, you might as well take it, right?
I guess I'm alone on this option. We're too weak. I don't trust these fags. I don't really want to fight them. Rather just survive with my water magic and demon summons.

>[] Path of Blood. You'd like nothing more than to kill them where they stand, though your hands are tied. They pull out shit you barely started to DREAM about doing. You'll wait. They'll get theirs when you master this power.
We could introduce Father to our group. Or we could break away and travel together.

File: 1387702715551.jpg-(229 KB, 800x600, 1372631095535.jpg)

229 KB JPG

Alright, for damage control.
Respond with the number of your choosing "#" no quotations and linking to this post.

>[1] Walk in peace.
>[2] Path of Blood(Attack).
>[3] Path of Blood(Fester).
>[4] Find Enlightenment.

Voting ends at 04:02 server time!

>>29016039
3

>>29015958
Because it's worth playing along, even if it's not forever. I trust them about as far as I can throw them, but that doesn't mean fighting them is a good idea. Or even holing up in a cave somewhere and not getting involved.

We'll probably end up involved in whatever they're up to even if we don't join them, even if we don't want to. Governments hunt down mages, at least that's what I gathered from what he said, and the Enlightened seem to operate on a large scale. I don't want to be stuck between them. I'd like to actually know more about what they're up to, what the plan is, and how not to die during it.

And I admit that I like excitement.

>>29016039
4

>>29016039
3

>>29016039
4

>>29015746
>[] Path of Blood. You'd like nothing more than to kill them where they stand, though your hands are tied. They pull out shit you barely started to DREAM about doing. You'll wait. They'll get theirs when you master this power.

This is the only rational option, given how weve been acting up to this point. We just BARELY avoided attacking these guys even knowing ourselves we'd die. They killed everyone we knew before now, and thousands more innocent people, just because they wanted us to see them suffer. They took our fucking eye, because they wanted us to learn a lesson. Well, all we've learned is that theyre either crazy, or that their basically acting like vengeful children with godlike power. Not someone any rational person would follow.
We'll kill them alone, or with others, but we WILL kill them

>>29016039
4

>>29016039
4

>>29016069
A lot of people seem to disagree with you.

>>29016039
3

>>29016039
3

>>29016039
3

Voting end.

Counting, and good to see you guys know how to do this.

>>29016039
4

>>29016039
3

>>29016108
GOD DAMMIT! So fucking clooooooooooose

>>29016044
>>29016051
>>29016090
3 for 3
>>29016049
>>29016061
>>29016070
>>29016071
4 for 4

Yes I'm rules lawyer.

4 wins out, though it's pretty mixed.

>>29016125
Rules lawyer some of that speech if they "don't lie."

This is going to be interesting.

>>29016125
These >>29016097 >>29016101 two should probably be counted to be fair. It's not good enough just to look at the minute, and there's no way they were duplicate votes by the time he closed the poll, since mine was the first and I wouldn't have had the time.

>>29016137
He never ruled out other worlds or places where conflict is happening. He says "Wars away from your lands.", that is a very vague statement. He even said that powers shifted "in this world", that doesn't mean it hasn't been shifted in other worlds, but the specificity may imply that there are other worlds and lands.

Which is important to know.

You struggle between your anger, your rational mind, and that dark blemish within every human's soul that craves the pursuit of power, and these people, these "enlightened" ones could definitely be a means to an end.

The Pastor seems to have given up his pursuit of godliness in pursuit of his wrath, yet he sits there right along with you mulling over the prospect of your respective choices.
What would it take. Just what would it really take to bring these guys down, even from the inside? A lot more than a blast of steam and a slap with some water.
What's even the extent of your power?

These are things you need to know if you're going to get everywhere.

Your skin crawls at what you had seen of the city. Rummaging like a rat through the flooded wastes of buildings and streets you'd have once known. Yet now you sit here, in an auditorium just short of being a full-blown theater.
It's just so out of place, yet the discordance of everything you've seen?
Magic.

You're not going to let these people do what they want, but you're definitely going to need their help.
You choose to seek enlightenment, if only to tear out their guts from the inside.

The girl outstanding from the middle row shakes near violently, the group up front bears a solemn sort of resolve in their unity.

The girl stands, glaring at the man that had spoken, she yells loud enough for everyone to hear," You fuckers are really going to give us that shit?!" The eyes of everyone in the auditorium falls upon her. she is undaunted, her veins glowing a bright scarlet red.

"Take my eye, take my family, take my city, and you just want me to roll over and join or walk away?! Fuck you pieces of shit!" The woman scream, a fury of red as she bounds off of her seat, flying at center stage in a single leap, her hands poised like talons to rip and tear.

>>29016329
Dis gon b good

>>29016329
Goodbye girl who we could've talked to but didn't.

>>29016350
Why the fuck do you always want to talk to the women? They never have anything interesting to say.

>>29016357
... I never said I wanted to talk to her. I was mentioning that we saw her earlier, and now she's a corpse. Such is life.

I wouldn't have minded talking to her, she could have been interesting, but I'm not upset that we didn't get a chance. We spent that time talking to someone else.

I like the Pastor, he's a interesting character even though my choice went against his.

The man steps forward in a flash of his Azure veins and effortlessly wraps his hands around the girls throat, parries a slashing hand, and brings her down to the stage by her neck with force enough to shatter the oaken boards.

The girl coughs up blood, struggling to breath with god knows how many bones broken from the impact, yet she still manages to move, though just barely, now ignored by the man.
The others at his side didn't even bother to move.

From there, the man steps forward," Anyone else?" His arms spread in invitation of attack.
With a smile, he folds his hands behind his back,"Good. I suppose you have made your decisions now. Go on, walk in peace, those of you that will. Go on now." He shoos away the audience like flies, though you see that no one in the audience has moves after seeing the display of that girl.
Surely they can't be-

"Good, seems that none of you are chicken. It is preferable this way." His face hardens, staring out to the crowd.
"Those of you that have chosen to join us, raise your hands now. Go on now, go ahead and do it."

His smile is bright and wide again as he scans the crowd.
The girl in the hole slowly gets up, shaking as her whole body lights up like a christmas tree.
The man looks back down to her, saying something that's not amplified to the crowd.
The girl spits blood at his face, and he only smiles again at that. "Girl has fire for the path of blood." you hear him say, the crushed boards bearing a subtle glow. The crooking of a finger as the boards pick her up and a point throws her back into the audience, caught be a member of the group in the front.

"Once more, who is here in hopes of joining us? Raise your hands, go on now."

You don't see anyone else daring to raise their hands. Don't they get it? They know that it's the logical choice, right? That's what you all need to do to survive..

>[] Raise your hand first.
>[] Wait for someone else to do it.

>>29016385
>I like the Pastor
I like him too. He's mainly the reason why I'm fine with either scenario winning. Enlightened, we survive. Fight them, then we train and hang out with Father.

Oh well. I Hope the next time we meet him it isn't on the battlefield.

>>29016401
Oh man oh man oh man. Sorry about this, Father.
>[] Raise your hand first.

Rolled 78

>>29016401
Who dares, wins. Raise hand.

>>29016401
>[] Raise your hand first.

>>29016401
>[] Raise your hand first.

>>29016416
>Sorry about this, Father.
This. Apologize to Father.

>>29016428
I'd rather not break the silence like that. We need to project confidence and conviction. We barely know the guy, even if he is interesting.

If we do go summoning I would suggest we aim for Valkyries.

We're good at mythos and thoughtforms, and we're missing an eye so we have a connection to Odin's myth that way. And the Valkyries were Odin's chosen.

They can have a variety of armaments, swords, spears, shields, bows, and probably more esoteric ones.

They seem to be the loyal sort, as long as we act properly leaderish and let them gather the bodies of the heroic dead I don't think they'll turn on us.

We can make them out of Ice and stick with the Water thing, and once we get good they might be able to change their forms to be advantageous, use water and steam forms to avoid attacks or as weapons.

>>29016498
I don't think we need to stick to water. Particularly since we decided to spy on the cult.

>>29016498
Something to think about.

>>29016509
We don't have to stick to it, but Water Control looks like it'll be a pretty versatile power, and I think it'll scales well.

We'll definitely want other tricks, but I think we can get a lot out of it. It can be used for attacks, defenses, summons, battlefield control. We'll want other stuff for the situations where we don't have any water, but I think we can manage.

And I kinda want to turn a river into a flood of murderous Valkyries riding horses at some point.

.Sorry Father. You apologize to the man you've known for all of around an hour, bearing the apology in your mind so as not to break the silence.

You raise your hand, you alone raise your hand and immediately you feel the scorn of everyone around you, and the amused clapping of the man on stage followed by the joining in of the fish-woman and the man with shining eyes.

The overseers here also clap, yet all the others in the room glare at you.

A few others raise their hand, yet just that only a few, some even withdraw their hands a moment after.

Yours hangs there in the air, stuck.

"Look at these ones. These are ones that must understand suffering and wish to end it forever." The Blue-blood takes on an almost mocking tone, looking to the others for a response to this inside joke.

"Look on at these people, those of you that have chosen the path of blood. There will be those among you that seek enlightenment, even within your darkest hour. You would do well to root them out and test them against their convictions." There's that blinding white smile again, as this man's next words consign you to your fate.
"Such as now."

Your blood runs cold, the pastor at your side glares angry ashen embers at you, a light in his eyes akin to brimstone.

>Environment lacks masses of water.
>Environment contains high humidity.

>[] Flake out, you didn't mean it, really!
>[] It's you or them. Attack the Pastor.
>[] Run.
>[] Other

>Limit point granted!
These points may be used up on the spot or stored for later. They allow you to go beyond what you'd normally be able to, increasing your number of dice (when narrative more free-form combat-based. Right now this is one big cutscene risk of death is low, but there.)
Currently you Limit point could be used to gain a new skill!
>Mythos Summoning
>Thoughtform Summoning
You may ask for more details or suggest another power that is a logical extension of a pre-existing one or affinity!

>Spells
>Water Orb
>Steam

>>29016556
>>Water Orb(Insufficient water- requires charge)
>>Steam(Ambient moisture acceptable)

>>29016566
>>>Steam(Ambient moisture acceptable)
Well, I guess we have to.
Sorry again, Father.

Rolled 76

>>29016556
>Valkyrie Summoning!
>Summon Valkyrie!

>>29016556
>[] It's you or them. Attack the Pastor.
>>Steam(Ambient moisture acceptable)
Blast steam into his face.

>>29016541
Also, we could probably grab other Odin related summons. His ravens for reconnaissance, his wolves, we might be able to use water as a scrying pool due to Odin's connection with prophecy and magic.

>>29016556
Okay, we need to get some distance from the Pastor. We're kinda squishy and we don't know what he can do.

So start by using Steam on him, try to blind him. Then back away from him, get distance, as much distance as we can reasonably manage.

Try to gather moisture to us, while getting distance if possible. Try out the Mythos/Thoughtform summoning, bring in a wolf to fight for us. I don't know if we could do Valkyries yet, but we might be able to pull a Water/Ice wolf in.

Wolves made of ice sound Norse as all fuck.

>>29016591
There's just not much water. Don't want to burn out, so steam is good for now. If it is raining perhaps we can break the windows.

His face was flayed so our attack might be doubly effective.

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>>29016556
Summon Kugutsu

>>29016612
We should totally summon demons from SMT.

>>29016591
Addition to my post.

The wolves names are Geri and Freki, getting at least one of them would be nice.

>>29016602
You might have a point. Though it said it was a pretty humid environment, there's a good bit of water, it's just scattered about.

If we can bring enough together for a wolf, awesome, if not then maybe a smaller wolf, an ice spike, a water ball that explodes into steam on impact.

>>29016618
Entirely possible from what I know of the magic system. Though it might be easier to draw from widespread myths.

Rolled 8

>>29016556

Can you explain the thoughtform power please.
Also,
>Steam

>>29016629
Yes I'm curious. There is difference between Mythos and Thoughtform? If we are not supposed to know that's fine. Just curious.

Limit point: Extended

>Mythos Summoning
Conjures a pre-existing creature/spirit/hero/god/demon from lore. Higher grade creatures will require a higher base power. Sacrifice relevant to the summoning can make it easier.
Be mindful that these creatures exist in their own realm of thought, and any pulled from that realm will have knowledge of the others. Certain beings may take notice.

>Thoughtform Summoning
Similar to mythos, thoughtforms are created solely from one person's mind bearing less similarity to other beings brought forth from human history and story.
Thoughtforms however, while untethered to other beings are tethered to you, and those that remain undissolved may seek the means to free themselves.

>>29016612
Persona!

>>29016640
>Persona!
Wrong series, dude. Don't worry, it's a simple mistake.

Rolled 2

>>29016640

Wait.
Yes.

We pull the image of the pastors dead son to attack him. We full mindfuck now.

>Thoughtform

>>29016639
>>29016629
It's basically:
>Mythos:
You buy a brand-name toy and if you take care of that toy/make it happy you might get others from that brand. Trash the brand and they aim to screw you over.
>Thoughtform:
You make your own toy, which is a bit harder, but it can be better, shittier, and you can scrap it to make another. Some can get pretty smart and in time rival even the mightiest mythos.
Though at that point the danger of handling both becomes equal.

>>29016664
We don't even know what his son looks like. I think direct methods will be more effective now. Need to get the first hit in.

Rolled 6

>>29016640

Or is this creation from our mind alone, sorry if this should be apparent.

>>29016668
So in SMT terms. Mythos are demons who join your cause after winning them over by offering them stuff

And Thoughtform are demons that you obtain from fusing two existing demons.

>>29016640
Okay, so I think Geri/Freki would be Mythos summoning.

A sacrifice might be helpful, and boy are Geri/Freki easy for that.

They're used in kennings for blood and carrion, this means they're associated with those things. Cut open our palm, gather water and blood, and think of Odin.

>>29016680
S'alright.
Your mind alone. No dominion over others' minds. Yet.

>>29016681
Mythos = SMT
Thoughtform = Persona.

>>29016694
>Mythos = SMT
>Thoughtform = Persona.
I don't get it

Rolled 12

>>29016668

Yeah... We should go for thoughtform. We can make some pretty sick shit to fuck people up with, even better than Old One-eye's crew

>>29016703
Personas were a reflection of the self, created of one's own self image/ideals and everything.
Demons in SMT are recruited through negotiation and summoning and such. They're very close parallels to the difference here.

Did you want us to roll?

>>29016703
Demons, or Mythos, are pre-existing entities you make contracts with. Thoughtforms, or Personae, are creations of your own mind given form, and are thus derived from you.

>>29016640
I wouldn't use the Limit point, save it for later. I think we can handle this.

>>29016703
Mythos means that we're pulling actual figures of lore to our aid, we're pulling a figure, for example, Odin's wolves, from a realm of thought and belief into this world to fight by our side.

If we are an ass to them then Odin, and other Norse summons allied with him, might be somewhat annoyed with us. If we get them corpses and the other stuff they want and play fair then Odin's crew will be happier to help us.

Thoughtform is we make whatever we think of, a thing dreamt up by us and bound by our imagination and ideals. It doesn't necessarily have any connection to humanity's myths and stories, but it's tethered more to us, but if we're an ass they still might shank us.

>>29016710
I'd personally stick with Odin. I have a pretty solid idea of how to work with them, but our psyche is kinda screwed in the head.

We're a survivalist who is throwing extremely hot steam in the face of a man who does not wish the death of millions to go forgotten. We aren't a nice person, we aren't the most trustworthy person.

Our creations reflect us.

>>29016771
>I'd personally stick with Odin.
I don't want to lock ourselves down to a single... deity.

>>29016742
Anyway, I'm not that familiar with mythology, and it might be hard to find cool things we are compatible with, so I am inclined toward Thoughtform.

>>29016792
We don't have to, I should have written Mythos, not Odin.

Though Odin is a good starting point, he branches out pretty well, and we'll get others most likely.

For the short term we should focus on Mr. Wednesday if we go Mythos, and branch out once we have a solid foundation.

>>29016771
>>29016792
We can take inspiration from a bunch as long as they fit together well. Peruse wikipedia for mythological figures. Just need to make sure they all tie in.

Let's focus on ending this man first. Need to get the environment on our side. I wonder if the plumbing is at all working.

>>29016771

And those creations would more than likely kick a lot of ass for us. Also, if these beings are formed from our own mind I'd like to think it'd be easier to form a rapport with them.

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>>29016771

>Mfw we talked about a villain character in Overhuman.
>Mfw we're playing an amoral asshole.
>Mfw I actually like writing him a lot as a protagonist.


>>29016792
It'd be the entire Norse mythos, at least, those aligned with Odin. Odin himself would be one of those terribly hard things to summon though.
Right now it's distance and steam-time.

Summoning ritual would take too long right here.

>>29016845

>Aim for his face

>>29016828
We have Aquatic Perception so it should be pretty easy to find out.

>>29016830
They're a reflection of ourself. And we're attacking someone we considered a friend right now. We walked away from Reina and all the others, we aren't the best at establishing rapports. We don't trust the people we're joining up with. I wouldn't trust something born from us to be any better at this than we are when it came to trust and working together with others.

>>29016845
I love our character too.

And no, we don't summon Odin any time soon. He's way too big. But smaller things, we might be able to pull that off.

>>29016845
>>29016792
>>29016828
I don't see why we don't just browse through the SMT wikia and pick the demons we'd like to summon.

Lower Monsters = Thoughtform
Deities such as Thor, Surt, Vishnu, Trumpeter = Mythos

It writes itself.

http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Shin_Megami_Tensei_Bosses
http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Bosses

Pick and Choose is always the best option.

>>29016872
How is he a friend, exactly? He's just some guy we met.

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Fuck Odin. Pussy nigga sweet. Nigga cinnabon. I wanna summon angels n' shit. Fucking this nigga. Guaranteed to scare the shit out of everyone.

>>29016872

>Knowing someone for about five minutes
>Friend

Eh.... Not really in character there, are we Mr. Paladin? And besides, the guy is obviously about to try to slap our shit.

>>29016874
There's a lot of lower level stuff that is Mythos. And to get in good with the big boys we'll probably want to start by establishing solid relationships with their underlings. We'll want a line of credit before you start calling in the big guns.

For Norse alone we have Wolves, Ravens, Einherjar, Valkyries. Ratatoskr as a messenger, maybe Thor's chariot and goats and some point, dwarves to craft stuff. And there's no end to all the big monsters available as well as a pile of gods.

>>29016907
Okay, we were kinda friendly. I was exaggerating a bit for effect, we still aren't anyone we would trust if we were someone else.

Everyone needs to calm down. The general idea is that we can pretty such summon whatever we want as long as we're strong enough. Which is how it should be.

>>29016874
'Cause I don't know your stinky animes. I'm fine with taking inspiration, let's just not arbitrarily limit ourselves. A little Odin. A little Perun. A little Karagugu or whatever fictional mythological figure you like. Just explain for those of us who aren't kawaii.
>>29016872
Yea, I think we should stick to Mythos
>>29016932
That ain't the ninja turtle.
>>29016951
Yea we're getting too far ahead of ourselves.

You're thankful for the fact that you're at least one seat away from this man as he leaps from his chair, swing his hand down at you with his veins glowing with a fiery ash.
The seat beside you smolders. Not burn, but smolder.

You tap int your own magic, your nerves flaring up through your arm into a burning cyan blue as you blast superheated moisture at that man's eyes, hearing a scream from him at once as he holds a hand to his face to shield himself from further harm. Your nerves hurt a bit, but it's not quite that bad yet.

You need a way to finish the man off, and you try to think of one quick, though you feel a fist swing into you from your blind-side, plowing right into your jaw, and sending you down multiple rows of chairs before you finally stop against one, your head ringing, and your back feels thrashed from these chairs. A look up, and you see that your aggressors are looking down at you, sparse others that had raised their hands are also now the subject of the "Path of Blood's" wrath. People that you had so recently been sitting with quietly are tearing into each other. Fire, cold, brute force, and every bit of "conventional magic" under the sun is getting thrown out.

You're lucky you took that hit with nothing more than a loose tooth, it displaced you from the middle of the people's rampage against each other.
You see people that hadn't even raised their hand taking hits. You'd know, because some of the back row assholes are beating into the pastor.

Some people are clamoring to get to you though...

>[] Play dead.
>[] Round two of steam to the face!
>[] Get up and fucking run.
>[] Gather ambient moisture.
>[] (Other)

>>29016962
I disagree. I think Thoughtforms are a much more solid investment. They can cover more area with less risk and complications.

>>29016949
Or Old Testament mythos. That alone we get Archangels, Angels, Principalities, Power, Virtue, Dominion, Throne, Cherubim and Seraphim. Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. Sandalphon. All I'm saying is that Norse is pleb shit.

I wouldn't limit yourselves to Odin and such necessarily.

Something with less sentience like "Leviathan" could definitely work. beast-kin are going to be your low-level friends.
Don't try a generalized dragon though. Do a thoughtform or pick a name.
Fae in general would also be feasible. You could operate they, and demons with contracts.

>>29016980
>>[] Gather ambient moisture.

>>29017013
The more powerful, abstract, and widely believed something is, the harder it is to pull out even at a minimum level.

A throne would be absolutely terrible for everyone involved,

>>29016980

>Gather that moisture

Isn't everyone soaking wet still, or at least a little wet? There are a lot of bodies in this theater,elet's make it rain.

>>29016980
>[] Gather ambient moisture.
Can we shoot steam with both arms? Just asking.

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>>29016980
>[x] Gather ambient moisture.
Also I hope it wasn't pic related that punched us.

We'll have plenty of time later to decide our summons and shit. So hold off on your angels and demons or whatever and try to get ourselves out of THIS mess that we're currently in.

Starting tor regret picking Invoker.

>>29017015
What would happen if we tried to summon a "thing"? Like, instead of Leviathan, we tried Laevatinn?

>>29016980
[X] Gather ambient moisture.

There's a lot of soaking wet people to take from.

>>29017015
Wasn't going to limit myself to him, but his domain is a good place to start, some good beast-kin are available.

And I admit I like the connection between us losing our eye in exchange for magic, and Odin sacrificing his for wisdom so I'm a bit biased.

>>29017013
It's not just about power. The bigger something is the harder it is to get. There's a lack of low level, pretty grounded, things in that list of yours. And those tend to have pretty undefined powersets, it's rather abstract and will be even harder to get because of that.

>>29017059
Invoker would've been what to become.
Animist would've just been crazy.

I want to re-emphasize this however.
>Summons can be drained by invokers.
>Summons can be increasingly needy and even stubborn.(This applies to thoughtforms too!)
>Some may even deign to fight you.

If you fight with only thoughtforms/mythos. It'll be funny when they turn on you.

>>29017097
It'd be a "not-leviathan." Though if it's allowed to persist it may gain intelligence enough to emulate the real thing or become something more.

The human mind is a dangerous thing.

>>29017117
Laevatinn was an object from Norse legend. It was Surt's sword or Loki's wand, I can never remember which.

>>29017109
Just regular angels would be easy enough to summon. Even Archangels could probably be summoned with considerable effort. Anything higher would need some serious training.

>>29017127
Ahhh, that's different. Depends on how abstract its properties are. It would exist so long as you willed or forever in the case that you fed it enough power.
Same applies to sentients.

>>29017131
I dunno nig. Seems like water-wolves will be hard enough for a first-timer.

We should keep in mind the others who raised their hands. Should get together for this fight.

>>29017117
He was referring to Lævateinn, a Nordic sword that is kept locked away by nine locks in a chest in Hel's domain.

>>29017131
Read >>29017035

Angels are both very widely believed in, and have very abstract and undefined powers.

We should start with something solid and understandable. I'm going for wolf because I like wolves, Geri is pretty much just a very archetypal and dangerous wolf, he's pretty well defined, not all that abstract or all that well known outside of Scandinavia.

>>29017131
Not saying that it's impossible, but its hard.

An encounter with an angel, or invoker channeling an angel would be a rather high level encounter best handled carefully.

SO ABOUT THOSE GUYS WHO ARE TRYING TO KILL US, HUH? PRETTY CRAZY, RIGHT? WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM

>>29017198
We already decided that we're gathering moisture. We need that in order to do anything.

The options we have available to us after that depend on how much water we're able to gather.

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>>29017152
I think we should probably try starting with something simple, and then work our way up.

You feign death where you are, hiding away your hands as you gather up ambient moisture from the people with dripping wet clothes, you feel a sudden movement though your water-screen and scramble out of the way, clambering over the theater seats, to see the one you'd laid in crushed by a Bone's fist.
These people are playing for keeps. What the fuck- Well, you did just throw steam at the Pastor's face.


And you're about to do it to these guys.You got what you needed.

You bring the orb of water before you, aiming it across the seats, You nerves flare up Vs. this bone as the older man charges at you.

>You...

>[] Explode a part of it into steam.
>[] Shoot the orb
>[] Retreat away from the guy, get him on someone else.
>[] (Other)

>>29017223

Or we could, oh I dont know, kill the guys that are presently trying to kill us.

This discussion has taken way to much time, and over something that we probably can't even do reliably right now

>>29017224
>>[] Explode a part of it into steam.
lpfbui

>>29017224
>this bone as the older man charges at you.
?
Oh, Bones can absorb power, apparently, so we shouldn't shoot the orb. We should either steam him or retreat.

>>29017252
You notice how he posted seconds after I did? You notice how we were waiting on that?

Here's a question, do you intend to actually finish any of them off?

>>29017224
Bone, balls, he's an Invoker. Which ain't good for us as an Evoker.

>[] Explode a part of it into steam.

In his face if possible. This won't stop his charge, but it should make it easier to dodge to the side and not get trampled.

We'll want to keep gathering water and if we can multitask get a fog up around us, we can operate just fine in the fog since we have Aquatic Perception, we'll know where people are, and they won't be able to see us.

>>29017293
There's a lot of people in a big milling fight. We don't really have the luxury to confirm kills, at least not most of the time. If we get a good chance to finish someone off without risking ourself go for it, one more person who won't regen and possibly attack us. Otherwise play it cautious, focus on evasion, blinding enemies, and gathering enough water for bigger things.

>>29017224

>Explode part of it into steam

Area attacks are our friend right now

>>29017293
If we get the chance. No dramatic 'finishing moves' until we've dealt with the threat, which is a lot of people.
>>29017312
This. Let's steam him in the face and dodge out of the way. Hopefully he bull-rushes into the crowd after we blind him. Takes a few out and gives us breathing room.

>>29017293
Finish them. Trying to just disable them will just make it more difficult.

In the man's charge, you convert a part of your gathered water into a smoldering eruption of steam, blinding him as you move out of the way, giving you a good birth as you hop down another flight of chairs to see him tumbling into another lot of people that turn on him just the same.

In his pass, you vaguely notice that your orb lost a bit more mass than you initially thought. You focus harder on gathering the ambient water to replenish it, even after that steam.

A gout of flame is launched at you from below and you reflexively shield yourself with your water, losing a bit more mass, and you see the source.
Some angry bitch shooting flames at you at your little performance.
It's your luck that those other assholes must of lost track of you in their riot while it's rotten that this bitch is about to kamehameha a charged blast of fire.

You hear a bolt of lightning shoot across the room, the discordant yells of the theater riot, and the breaking of numerous bones from all around.

>Immediate action: How you gonna deal with this bitch?

>Then:
>[] Head for an exit, get the fuck out!
>[] Head for the stage, they're just kind of standing there, lucid.
>[] Find another person that raised their hand?
>[] (Other)

Oh, after this scene is over, I'm closing shop. Didn't think this'd pick up so well.

>>29017428
Can we tell if the fireball girl is Vein, Bone, or Nerve?

I'm guessing Vein or Nerve.

>>29017448
She's a nerve.
Good slang, right?

>>29017428
>>[] Head for the stage, they're just kind of standing there, lucid.
Steaming bitches on your way down, obviously.

>>29017428
Dealing with this bitch? Stay behind cover and dodge her fire. After she shoots, globe her.

Afterwards, run to the damn toilet, maybe meet up with a person who raised their hand. We can take some tasty water from their.

>>29017455
Good to know.

I like it, makes distinguishing them fun.

>>29017428
I do believe we can still control water even if it becomes steam. It's still water, it's still moisture.

So just toss a pile of water at her and her fireball, it'll become steam which we direct on to her, we might not even have to heat it up, though we should add whatever heat we can, we can use her own heat against her.

She's a Nerve, an Evoker, like us, which means she ain't healing any time soon from what is hopefully a third degree burn focused on her face.

After that

[X] Head for the stage, they're just kind of standing there, lucid.

I'm hoping this gives us a chance to catch our breath and evaluate the situation. I don't think anyone is going to toss an AoE onto them.

When can we freeze the oxygen in peoples lungs?

>>29017428
>[x] (Other)
How far is she? How long would it take to charge it? We could just run forth and punch her in face and then finish her with a heel stomp or something brutal.

>>29017501
Thing is I think they'll kick us off. This is supposed to be a gauntlet. We should stay down here and team up with someone, or toilet.

>>29017443
Also going to abstain from running this late. It's crazy. And you guys are crazy for following so late.
We're all mad here.

>>29017506
That kind of thing will always require direct contact.

>>29017508
Few meters away. She's looking up at you from where you are.

>>29017531
If you're really exhausted you can just pick up later. Start in media res next thread. Wouldn't hold it against you. Would be fresher.

>>29017513
Possible, I'm not opposed to meeting up with someone else who raised their hand. Hopefully an Invoker, they make sure no one gets to us, we fuck with people at a distance and blind people coming in.

>>29017508
She has a pile of fire in her hands right now. She's going kamehameha, and she's facing us. Charging the girl with fire in her hands seems inadvisable.

Charging her means that we're easy to hit with the fire she's about to send out, and if we can't really get in melee effectively due to that same fire.

>>29017531
>She's looking up at you from where you are.
I take it as her being lower than us. Drop kick then.