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>>31892326
Current Date and Time: Early afternoon on September 2nd, 1952PC

It’s not long before the sounds of the battlefield fade behind you. The shouts, screams and clashing of metal had already become background noises and then they turn into nothing. All that surrounds you is the oppressive silence of this forsaken city.

You’re reorganising Vitria and have angered many of the nobles. Darlesia is a ruin, filled with people struggling to keep going. And Taour… Taour is a monument to human suffering. You’ll truly have your work cut out for you as an emperor after this, you think. You hope once more that the Taourans in the tunnels don’t offer too much resistance – too many charred corpses will be bad for public relations.

Glancing around at the wealthy merchant houses for watchful eyes, you flick open a small magical fob watch. Only a couple of hours into the afternoon. You’re nearly where your map suggests the vampire mansions are, so you won’t need to worry too much about nightwalker ambushes right now. Not that you can tell if they’re weakened at all in that walking coffin armour of theirs by the daytime.

>continued

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>>31892352
“Where’d you get the watch?” Mal asks absent-mindedly. “You usually have a good sense of time or just ask me to tell you.”

“It was a gift from Grandmaster Toren’s daughter,” you say, smiling slightly. “For keeping her father from getting himself killed by fighting me.”

Vad snorts. “When you get back to Vitria, you’ll pay her a personal visit to thank her for the gift and add another notch to your bedposts, right?”

As the others put on looks, ranging from amusement to annoyance, Lynn gives you an odd look.

She says, “Is it really that bad?”

“No,” you say.

“Yes,” says everyone else.

“Free executions for all,” you mutter as you direct everybody to the right. Felix gives you a pat on the shoulder and a grin. You hear Gnome telling Lynn about your conquests.

“Honestly, only fifty, Talon? You disappoint me. I thought you had at least double that,” Mal says, grinning ear to ear.

Idly tripping the smug bastard and giving him a slight push down the hill, you step into the central plaza of Taour. From here, judging from your map, you’ll need to travel in a different direction for each mansion. As the rest of your party gathers, you consider in which direction to venture forth.

>1. Lady Irris’ mansion. The notes hidden in her study may provide you some clues as to Blackwater’s immortality or at least about vampires in general.
>2. Blackwater’s mansion. Tsucchi suspect he had to be keeping his secret lady, who may be the key to his immortality, nearby. His mansion may provide clues if not the secret itself.
>3. Continue scaling the city to reach the government buildings.
>4. Visit another mansion or place. <write-in>

>>31892372
>>1. Lady Irris’ mansion. The notes hidden in her study may provide you some clues as to Blackwater’s immortality or at least about vampires in general.

>>31892372
>1. Lady Irris’ mansion. The notes hidden in her study may provide you some clues as to Blackwater’s immortality or at least about vampires in general.

>>31892372

1

>>31892372
>1. Lady Irris’ mansion. The notes hidden in her study may provide you some clues as to Blackwater’s immortality or at least about vampires in general.

>>31892372
>1
We need to solve that Immortality bullcrap first. They likely cleaned the lady's place out, but that doesn't mean we won't find anything within.

Also yay I can participate today.

>>31892372
>>1. Lady Irris’ mansion. The notes hidden in her study may provide you some clues as to Blackwater’s immortality or at least about vampires in general.

Hey guys. While waiting for a update I''m going to bring up a magitech idea I had. Make a device that can manipulate the ground. Kind of like how Gnome can build walls then give it out in standardized amount to the soldiers.

That way we can have any mages we have focus only on forting the walls and could do crap like build a fort wall around our armies when we encamp. Forcing pretty much most battles where foes are after us into a siege battle.

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>1.

Heading west towards Lady Irris’ mansion, you keep your guard up even as you move quickly. This area of the otherwise palatial upper grounds is noticeably more run-down. Some buildings show signs of recent construction while others still how broken windows and walls that lay in rubble and splinters. You can sense something lingering nearby. Many somethings. They scratch lightly against your sense but never seem to come any closer.

You call a halt when you catch wind of many of them moving ahead. The rest of your party comes to a halt, looking at you curiously, except for Vad whose ears are twitching as he remains alert.

“Talon, we need to keep moving quickly,” Gnome starts before you cut her off.

“There’s a lot of things moving ahead,” you say, straining your senses to see if that helps you detect the things better. “We should see what they’re doing.”

“Talon, it’s just a bunch of soldiers,” Mal says. “WE can just push through them.”

You frown. That doesn’t seem right.

“They’re not human,” Vad says suddenly. “They’re nightwalkers.”

You nod slowly. For whatever reason, you’re able to barely tell the difference between nightwalkers and regular humans. This should be useful. You’d guess there’s about forty or fifty of them.

If you’re not wrong, the nightwalkers appear to be hurrying on in a direction you don’t want to travel. You…

>1. Engage the nightwalkers. If you take care of them yourselves they won’t trouble your men. This may let any Taouran forces around know you’re here, however.
>2. Ignore them and push on to the mansion.
>3. Split up and send some of your party to fight the nightwalkers. Given the numbers of the enemy, this may go against you.
>4. Custom

>>31892702
>1. Engage the nightwalkers. If you take care of them yourselves they won’t trouble your men. This may let any Taouran forces around know you’re here, however.
Sala, Roast them

>>31892702

>>2. Ignore them and push on to the mansion.

We Stealth Now

>>31892733

Sala is in the tunnels

>>31892702
Hm...
Help our forces, or stealth...

Gah. I say we help our forces.
>1
Please don't do 3 though. That is asking for trouble.

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>>31892733
Sala is the only party member absent. I really should have mentioned that in the opening post given most people would have forgotten in the last week. Sorry about that.

Rolled 4

>>31892702
>>1. Engage the nightwalkers. If you take care of them yourselves they won’t trouble your men. This may let any Taouran forces around know you’re here, however.

>>31892702
>1. Engage the nightwalkers. If you take care of them yourselves they won’t trouble your men. This may let any Taouran forces around know you’re here, however.
Need to have our men surviving.
we are up here primarily to assassinate the daywalkers

>>31892702
>1. Engage the nightwalkers. If you take care of them yourselves they won’t trouble your men. This may let any Taouran forces around know you’re here, however.

This will be a lot easier for us to handle ourselves with all our hero units

>>31892702
>2
Our current mission is too vital for Blackwater to figure out what we're up to.

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>1.

“Gnome, Undine, Lynn – see if you can’t cut them off as they head south,” you order hurriedly. “The rest of us will try to get their attention and keep them busy while you flank them.”

The three girls nod and, briefly using their sorcery, jump atop the nearby rooftops and disappear. You turn to the others and direct them forward. Breaking into a light run, you should be able to catch the vampires before they disappear. You just know if you ignore them they’ll end up killing many of your men.

“We’re really going to fight fifty nightwalkers?” Vad asks.

As Felix and Mal give you a surprised look at the numbers, you reply, “Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine.”

“You know what the best part of you is, Talon?” Vad asks, grinning. “The fact you don’t seem to comprehend danger. Makes this a lot more fun than my old enforcer missions.”

You round the corner and spot the vampires gathering into a small mass at an intersection ahead. They don’t seem to have noticed you. You draw your bow and prepare an arrow, after signalling to the others to cover you.

It’s not like there’s a better way to get their attention.

[DC11/16 Archery]

Rolled 5

>>31892954

Rolled 5

>>31892954

Rolled 19

>>31892954

>>31892964
>>31892967

/tg/ dice is the worst thing ever

>>31892977

Never mind!

>>31892977
Just got here and great job anon!
>>31892964
>>31892967
You two, however need to get it together.

>>31892939
What? That we're coming to kill him? He's probably figured that out by now.

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>Higher target met

You steady yourself, focusing heavily on the only task that matters. You line up the bow. You take a breath. You see the target. You see yourself hitting it. As energy swirls within you, building in and around the arrow in your hand, you block out the world around you. All that remains is you, the arrow and the target.

You see the arrow hitting the enemy. The energy flares off in a magnificent burst of energy. The damage will be immense.

Then you loose. The world comes back to your senses and you barely notice Vad trying to say something to you. The nightwalkers, in that magical plate that seems to protect them from the sun, are moving – most likely they spotted you. Not that it matters.

The blast is exactly what you saw in your vision, just with the added special effects of gore and metal flying everywhere. The battle quickly turns into a field hospital, with dozens of dead nightwalkers and the rest either injured or panicking. You see several of them howling as their armour has been damaged and the sun is getting in. Some of their comrades rush over and try to move them into the shade. You guess even vampire’s feel fellowship.

Gnome, Undine and Lynn run up on the other side but hesitate as they see what’s happening. Felix, Mal and Vad do the same on your side.

“Bloody hell, do we help them or kill them?” Mal says.

“What do you think?” Felix says rhetorically, hefting his blade and preparing to move in and finish them off.

Vad looks unworried but Mal looks at you, waiting for your direction. You decide to…

>1. Take no prisoners. Kill all the vampires here.
>2. Leave them. They won’t be trouble.
>3. Try to round them up and take them prisoner.
>4. Custom

>>31893158
>3. Try to round them up and take them prisoner.

Rolled 9

>>31893127
he means that as far as the daywalkers think, we are with our army.
now they will know we are with an elite team deep in their territory and may respond accordingly

>Blackwater strength is his woman
I wonder if she is some sort of non human, like a fae or a demon or something whose blood empowers him. (or maybe a more traditional blessing without bloodsucking)

>One of the daywalkers is a master of enthrallment and can enthrall via her voice
Splitting up is bad idea, I don't want any of our friends to be enthralled

>>31893158

No time, gotta go fast. Their morale's broken and they won't be an effective fighting force. We should move onto to the mansion already

>2

>>31893158
>1
Thralls can be healed. Nightwalkers can not

>>31893158
Round them up. Perhaps once we have both sides of the equation, they'll be useful in figuring out the Thrall problem.

>>31893158
1

>>31893158

>2

>>31893214
I am sure there are more nightwalkers about the city that can do that. in fact we already have some nightwalker prisoners from last thread, some of them surrendered and were taken captive by our men

>>31893203
>>31893214

We can capture other nightwalkers later, taking prisoners is going to take longer than moving on or just killing them all.

Speed is important here, we want to get to the mansion before Blackwater burns down the mansion or ambushes us

>>31893208
if we leave them be, they will mostly recover in the shade
also, while many were harmed, a good number were not and could still do tremendous damage to our troop in their HMK

Rolled 4

>>31893158
>>1.

>>31893158
>1
No recovering for you

Now that we blew our cover, I am tempted to go after blackwater.

Also, I would like to point out that my number 1 goal is killing the daywalker with the voice enthrallment so we can avoid having anyone important enthralled mid battle. Then finish off the other 2 and put all 3's heads on pikes to break the enemy morale

>>31893158
>1

>>31893158
We don't have time to take them prisoner, might as well be kind and make it quick.

>>31893407
Yeah but the problem is, I bet the enemy are gonna use the voice enthraller as a harpy, and keep her up out of harms way, and protect her while she sings songs n' shit to us while the others attack and protect her.

Not gonna be easy.

>>31893481
If they are smart, they probably would, yes.
Just saying that we should prioritize her.

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>1.

You draw your sword and move in with Felix. Vad catches up in an instant as Mal fires off a sending to the girls to let them know. The butchery itself is quick and simple. Very few of the vampiric knights fought back, many trying to flee or just having given up. Afterwards you sheathe your sword and quickly gather everyone together to try to make up for lost time.

“Was that really necessary?” Undine asks as you jog towards the mansion.

“I wasn’t going to risk them regenerating and surprising us or my men while we’re busy,” you say. “This is war. Acts that would otherwise be atrocities are commonplace, Undine.”

She falls silent and the trip to Irris’ mansion is both short and quiet.

The mansion itself is run-down. The gates are blown straight off their hinges, and many sections of fence have been similarly damaged. Windows, doors and walls have been damaged or destroyed. You don’t know if a battle took place here or if this is just the result of simple looting. Perhaps both, given that many of Irris’ servants would have been in the mansion when the other vampires announced she was dead, if Dorman was right. You can’t sense much, as there’s a lot of ambient magic floating about, but Vad’s tails twitch a bit.

“There’s a bunch of thralls coming our way, boss,” he says. “Might be something else but I can’t get a read on it.”

You frown. That something else may be important. You direct the others to prepare for a possible attack while you focus your senses.

[DC18 Detection]

>>31893158
>2. Leave them. They won’t be trouble.

>>31893522
I suggest astral arrows to take care of her.

We're getting damn good at doing it.

Rolled 19

>>31893548
ASTRAL DICE GO!!

Rolled 6

>>31893548

Rolled 13

>>31893548

>>31893562

Dice Gods have been kind thus far

>>31893562
Whoa...uh...
T-thanks for the roll, Talon...

>>31893591
praise be their name

>>31893548
>Bunch of thralls
oooh, maybe this is their siren

>>31893557
Good suggestion. kill her at range, kill her hard, kill her fast.

>>31893630
Yeah, I'm in agreement with this sentiment. That detect will help us see her coming. don't let her get a word in edge-wise on any of us.

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>Target met

“Two daywalkers trying to escape out the back,” you say. “Undine and I will head them off. I trust the rest of you can handle a bunch of thralls?”

Gnome gives you a strong nod in reply and you duck off with Undine in tow. If you move quickly you can catch the daywalkers as they make their escape. You hear some rumbling and screams from behind you – it seems odd that the thralls would attack like that rather than surrender, but they may be under orders. Vad seemed certain they were thralls, but that was definitely too large number of them in one place.

You thrust the thoughts out of your head as two men dressed in fine black clothes jump out a window in front of you. You draw your sword in a flash, running the blade against the metal on the sheathe to make your presence clear. They spin towards you, snarling, before freezing.

One of them, wide-eyed and going pale, stutters out, “You’re Imperator Talon, aren’t you?”

“Sure am,” you say, your voice coming out deep and artificial from the voice projection in your helmet.

“Any chance we can make a deal?” asks the other, licking his lips nervously. “We tell you everything we know, you let us flee the city?”

“That would depend on what you know,” Undine says, several of her icicles tinkling in the air beside her.

“Our master. And everything we’ve found out about Lady Irris,” he replies hurriedly, eyeing your Champion nervously.

>Your response? Indicate if you intend on double-crossing them in your response.

It just occured to me, we should secure their magitech foundry before they destroy it to deny us

>>31893746

(1) Only if they tell you something useful
(2) After getting the information, demand that they surrender and that they won't be harmed and will be allowed to go after the conflict is over

>>31893791
I'll second this with the stipulation that upon their release, they be expelled from our lands.

Rolled 2

>>31893791
this

>>31893746
"Speak now then, and hurry. I have wasted enough time with vampires and their tricks. If you waste more, than I will be certain you never do again."

>Get info
>Proceed to pummel them into bloody pulps.

Sorry man, but free vampires in my kingdom are a big no.

>>31893791

Addition to the idea:

This is really just to postpone the decision until later and perhaps use the Daywalkers to help cure the thralls or dispose of them when shit's not going down.

This should only happen after we get the information. If they refuse to talk without getting guarantee of safe passage, promise then later mention that they'll get safe passage after the battle is over

>>31893746
First order your thralls to stand down, I don't want to needlessly slaughter them. Then start talking.

>>31893849
that is a possibility. they are young, underpowered, and suitably cowed

we could use them (in secret) and their thralls in our thrall cure research. they could feed exclusively on those existing thralls with orders to never enthrall another person.
When/if we cure thralldom we then we could decide whether we let them escape, kill them, or what.

Although honestly I am leaning towards executing them after we get anything useful out of them because they are the protege of one of the ruling vampires (their master) of taour and we know for a fact they enthralled a LOT of people (mindrape is a crime) and ordered them to make a suicide charge to give them an opening to escape (murder)

There is zero reason to let two Day walkers free. At all.

>>31893837

Acting dishonorably in front of Undine again in such a short period of time seems like a bad idea.

If we must, provoke them into attacking by demanding that they surrender and promising safe passage.

Best case scenario: They surrender and we can dispose of them later

Worst case scenario: They attack and we kill them without pissing off Undine

>>31893895
night walker thralls are zombies anon, unless we are talking to day walkers that is.

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>>31893791
Clarification: How do you want to try to take the prisoner? Are you going to take them with you, try to restrain them here or send them back to your men with somebody (or just on an honour system)?

I'll probably call a vote after this as to whether to kill them or take them prisoner as that will probably be contentious. The ideas for how to take them prisoner may impact this vote.

>>31893939
You really think black water is behind this?
I think its the chick that can thrall any one with her voice, and the other whimp day walker.

>>31893956

>“Two daywalkers trying to escape out the back,” you say

So we're agreed then
>Get info
>Attempt to 'guarantee safe passage'
>Capture them with this promise
>Use to research thralls and vampire secrets
>Release if they cooperate, but expel from lands
>If they don't cooperate, research anyway, if we can get alive
>Kill if they attack us, or try to flee

Yeah?

>>31893975

Honor system and promise to personally hunt them down if they don't honor that promise

Sending anyone back to the men would put that person in danger and weaken our strike force. Restraining them would provoke an attack.

>>31893956
>unless we are talking to day walkers that is.
we are talking to pair of daywalkers
remember that taour had about a dozen daywalkers. 6 rulers, rest apprentices
we just caught a pair of apprentice daywalkers

>>31893977
>Chick with voice
they are both male daywalkers

>>31894022
I was talking about how one of the rulers is a female daywalker that thralls people with her voice.

>>31894009
I am actually not sure about anything of the "capture" variety.
How do we capture them? we need out full strength to fight blackwater and they could backstab us when we encounter him because they are emboldened by the odds.

>>31894045

My recommendation is this >>31893791 and >>31894014

Worst case scenario: They decide you are bluffing and leave the city after they give you the information

Best case scenario: They surrender without us having to babysit them or worry about being backstabbed

>>31894045
>How do we capture them
...
Hey, can Undine Cryo freeze em?
Nah probably not. Sounded cool in my head tho.

Can Gnome do earthbender cuffs from Avatar?
Or are Daywalkers strong enough to break those?

Just some ideas.

>>31894042
What seems more logical

A: Pair of daywalkers have no thralls at all. Ruling daywalker creates a fuckton of thralls, order them to serve 2 apprentice daywalkers, orders them, to make a suicide rush to distract us for the daywalkers to escape

B: pair of daywalker apprentices have a bunch of thralls between the two of them, order their own thralls The ruling daywalker created a bunch of thralls. Ordered their thralls to cover their escape with a suicide rush

>>31894100
I'm not arguing with you, just correcting what you said about how the voice whimp day walker is a male.

>>31894014
we could have them hide up in the manor of the dead daywalker lady until we come back for them.
worse case scenario they run away, enthrall some of our commanders, get a bunch of them killed, and escape the city.

>>31893746
Tell them that we can't let two daywalkers go free into the world, but if they surrender themselves without a fight, and assist our researchers in curing Thralldom, they'll earn brownie points for when we renegotiate their situation.

>>31894131
>you said about how the voice whimp day walker is a male.
No, I said the two daywalkers we caught are male. so they can't be the daywalker siren, because she is a female

>>31894100
You do know that out of the ruling Day walkers the one that can make thralls with their own voice would have the most thralls.

>>31894164
Of course she would. I am just trying to understand why you think these two daywalkers have no thralls of their own, and why the thralls covering their escape must be someone else's thralls instead of their's

>>31894161
Yes, but i was talking about the army of thralls.

Here is an idea. we have them hide up in the mansion until after battle. We then do a sending to tsucchi and consult with her. Based on results we can decide if to execute them or what.

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“Better deal,” you say, holding your sword in front of the two menacingly. “You talk, I take you prisoner and decide whether to keep you locked up or let you free later.”

“Uh, then you kill us? That sounds terrible,” one says, gathering some strength in his voice.

“It might help you if you pay attention to what I say – I didn’t say I would kill you,” you growl and they lose their growing confidence again. “Of course, if you refuse my generous offer then I will kill you. You also might want to call off your thralls.”

They eye each other nervously. “Okay deal. ‘Cept we can’t call off the goons because they’re not thralls. They’re just under the effect of our master’s weird powder.”

“Talk,” you growl and they do.

>continued

>>31894182
told you

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>>31894276
“Err, our master is Lord Farsool. He helped design and build the bloodfarms and this city. He also developed this weird powder that we – uh, daywalkers, I mean – can use to kind of enthral people. It makes them obey our first order – supposedly the stronger daywalkers can make them obey several orders. It only lasts a few hours, too, then they go back to normal.”

Well, that explains the strange behaviour of many thralls. It also raises the question of whether there was a daywalker nearby when you fought at Fort Locke. Not that it matters now.

“Where is your master?” Undine asks forcefully, stealing the initiative from you.

“He fled the city along with Lord Noln when he heard you killed General Volante,” one explains. “Only Lord Blackwater and Lady Terce remain of the rulers. I don’t know where they are. We’re still here because our master wanted us to secure Lady Irris’ safe. We can’t find it but we know the combination.”

They tell you the combination, then insist they don’t know anything more of value despite some more threats made towards them. That leaves you with one final choice.

>1. Kill the pair of them, violating your promise with Undine as the sole witness.
>2. Try to secure them using magic to be picked up later. Given the strange abilities of daywalkers, this may be a bit chancy.
>3. Intimidate the daywalkers into surrendering to your troops voluntarily, or else you’ll personally hunt them down.
>4. Custom

Tsucchi isn't easily contactable right now. She would most likely want them taken alive, given the way researchers tend to be.

>>31894307
>>3. Intimidate the daywalkers into surrendering to your troops voluntarily, or else you’ll personally hunt them down.

We are the scariest

>>31894307
>3

>>31894307
>3. Intimidate the daywalkers into surrendering to your troops voluntarily, or else you’ll personally hunt them down.

>>31894307
3

>>31894307
3

We did make a promise, and an empire runs on the Law working correctly. If we break the law, how can we expect the people under us to listen to the bureaucracy?

>>31894307

>3

Rolled 13

>>31894307
>3. Intimidate the daywalkers into surrendering to your troops voluntarily, or else you’ll personally hunt them down.

But also we should assure them that if they be good, we will hold up our deal

>>31894307
>“He fled the city along with Lord Noln when he heard you killed General Volante,”
told you guys we should have tried the outer provinces.

>>31894307
eh, lets try to channel astral energy into our voice as we bind them with an oath.

>>31894372
how would we have caught them?
told you we should have attacked right away to catch them so they don't escape

>>31894307
>3
Warn them of our prowess so they realize who the fuck they're dealing with.
We killed your best general in single combat
We've ripped the lord of Shadows straight from his own shadows.
Unless you think yourselves great enough, I would stay here, were I you. For when I hunt down those other Daywalkers, I will be coming for you as well.

>>31894307
>Master fled to countryside
>Don't know where he is
>We’re still here because our master wanted us to secure Lady Irris’ safe
How were you going to return the vault to him after securing it?

Also, aside from intimidation we can dangle some hope in front of them in the form of
>Vampirism itself isn't a crime
>As apprentices you haven't had a chance to do anything really bad.
>Helping us research a thralldom cure would be a good way to ensure your long term survival.

>>31894307

Just reminder to all:

>“Noln is a fat vampire famous mostly because he’s still unalive. He runs Taour’s bureaucracy. He’ll likely flee at the first sign of trouble.”

>“Farsool is a madman. He was responsible for Hiien and the bloodfarms there. He was supposedly a mage before becoming a vampire. He may have been responsible for other nasty tricks by Taour.

>>31894473
>Helping us research a thralldom cure would be a good way to ensure your long term survival.
I can dig this. Maybe we can even find a cure for vampirism in general?

Who knows.

>>31894492
Aw fuck, Farsool was the crazy one that did the bloodfarms?
Well we're definitely gonna need to hunt him down.

>>31894492
ooh, thanks for the reminder.
And hey, he IS responsible for another nasty trick, namely the powder

actually, I want to know if they are carrying any

>>31894505
vamperism isn't bad actually just a different being, that just feeds on human blood.

>>31894505
>I can dig this. Maybe we can even find a cure for vampirism in general?
actually, I am ok with that.

>>31894492
wait, so their master is the crazy evil guy who did the bloodfarms...
what do you want to bet his apprentices are total sociopaths? I don't see him apprenticing some nice goodly people.

>>31894492
Well, time for our first Imperial Bounty on Noln and Farsool. Farsool is definitely the larger problem, though, since he can whip up a vampire army with only a little preptime.

>>31894517
>powder
?

>>31894538
>that just feeds on human blood.
that is really the key problem.
I guess developing a way to feed on animal blood would work too rather then an outright cure.
I would still prefer to unvamp or kill them all because, seriously, vampires. Undead who can convert others, mindrape, and must feed on the blood of sapients

>>31894563
its from their interrogation. their master invented a powder that allows rapid enthrallment

>>31894574
and live forever, and can grow crazy powerful like general volante.

>>31894574
They can't feed on animal blood, we either have to make an alternative or run them out of our territory.

>>31894599
Oh you mean the temporary enthrallment power.
>>31894574
>blood of sapients
Eh this is a loose term since we are in a magical setting, but yeah i agree their image is horrible.

>>31894307
>It only lasts a few hours, too, then they go back to normal.
Have undine let the others know to just knock out the thralls and keep them alive, since they are under a "temporary enthrallment powder that will wear off in a few hours".
I bet tsucchi would want to any samples of the powder these guys have still remaining on them, as well as their knowledge of it, as well as getting a hold of some of these temp thralls before they revert to observe the reversion

>>31894553

It was mentioned that this isn't likely the last time we'll be dealing with a vampires. Looks like there's our plot hook.

I'm not surprised but vendetta Daywalker army does not doing fun.

>>31894574

I don't see why we can't just have volunteers give some of their blood for pay.

Having powerful vampires as a potential weapon would surely be worth a Blood4Gold scheme

>>31894605
Only ways to deal with vampires right now are to kill them. If they want to cooperate, then we might be able to find a way to cure them, or force them out of our territory (Though, that just means they'll start causing chaos for the ML or the RSK)

Personally I'd rather kill them, unless research is an option.
Also pissed Farsool got away.

>>31894605
>They can't feed on animal blood,
I know, I implied as much when I said it is more practical to develop a way for them to feed on animal blood than a way to transform them back into humans.

>>31894652
>Though, that just means they'll start causing chaos for the ML or the RSK)
Thats bad for us why?

>>31894648
It's really really not.
Vampires impact morale horribly, not to mention public order, when one of our main claims to fame was to stomp out the vampire menace.

>>31894646
Not really a plot hook, more like they become allies of future enemies.

>>31894678
>>31894652
If anything, we should expel any Vampires that won't cooperate with us in the direction of the RSK, since the ML is somewhat on our side at the moment. they probably wouldn't like a sudden plague of vampires coming at their capital from our lands.

>>31894690

That boat already sailed when we offered Aladria her castle

We don't have to advertise it, we can keep it discrete and eliminate it if it becomes a political liability.

>>31894690
>Vampires impact morale horribly, not to mention public order
I agree with you, but where did you hear this exactly?
I would like to hear it from the word of god himself.

>>31894678

Both are well aware we're at war with Taour and running a "crush the vampire menace" campaign. It'll look like sloppy work on our end. Especially to the ML who are ready to cut a deal with us post Taour and RSK general chomping at the bit to be let off his leash to fight us.

>>31894709
ML is just as bad as the RSK.
If you check out the pastebins on them.

File: 028.jpg (104 KB, 550x825)

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>3.

“How were you going to return the contents of the safe to your master?” you ask.

“We can contact him by sending but we don’t know where he is. He would have used a drop of some sort if we escaped,” one explains.

“Now, the two of you are going to walk on down to where my troops are conquering the city,” you explain in a level voice. “You’re not going to cause any trouble. You’re going to give your powder to me instead of trying to use it and getting turned into cinders by a great fire elemental who is immune to it. You’re going to surrender and be good little prisoners.

“Because if you don’t, I will personally find you and show you the depths of my rage. I felled two of the greatest daywalkers alive and I was very calm when I did so,” you continue, voice still level. “When I find your master and that fat bastard Noln, I will not be calm and they will regret ever being so foolish as to waste my time by running. Do you want to be one of those fools I need to track down? Do you want to find out how terrible my wrath will be if you break your word?”

The two shake their heads and you finish, “Then do as I say.”

With shaking hands, the two hand over a couple of small pouches that feel like they’re full of powder. You're careful with them, even though they should have no effect as you’re not a daywalker. Then you send the two on their way while Undine uses a sending to warn your officers. In the mean-time you receive some feedback on how things are going as you head into Irris’ mansion.

[DC11/16 Take the Second Layer]

[DC12/19 Flushing out the underground]

Please roll 2d20 each.

>>31894720
It's not so much that we offered Aladria her castle as it's the fact that we're not strong enough to force her out of it. She'll definitely be a thorn in our side in the future.

>>31894640
>Eh this is a loose term since we are in a magical setting
we actually asked, they can't feed on dumb animals.
Although there MIGHT be some magical beast somewhere whose blood can feed vampires who isn't sapient

>>31894648
1. Hiien, we got 30 thousand people telling stories of the horrrors of vampire rule
2. Darlesia - just got sacked by vamps
3. Vitria - nobles hate us, we claimed our right to rule comes from stoping the vampire menace
4. Magi - loathe the vamps, too busy to kill them, but wants them dead
5. Tsucchi - dedicated to vamp slaying
6. Several members of our cabinet - want all vamps slain
7. Rebellion brought low darlesia, brought low RSK, is going to bring low the magi league. we can't afford to lose the support of the people and have a bunch of rebellions going on.
8. We are denying the magi league's inquisitors who want to "investigate" our mage towers based on the hiien atrocities.

Any gain from vampire soldiers is massively offset by the loss of popular support and the tons of shit we face.
Also, vampires are really not all that impressive.

>>31894720
>Keep vampires in our army a secret
How?
It's gonna seem kinda weird when Jeffery keeps asking to stop after a big fight to 'hug' all the enemy bodies that are still alive.

And no, I don't think bloodbanks will work because that's kinda suspicious as hell.

>>31894722
I inferred it, because it makes logical sense.

I mean, does Aspir really need to tell us "Vampires scary yo"?

Rolled 13, 6 = 19

>>31894754

Rolled 16, 19 = 35

>>31894754

Rolled 5, 7 = 12

>>31894754

>>31894780

Based Dice Gods

>>31894780
Fuck yeah
>>31894767
>Tsucchi - dedicated to vamp slaying
I thought she just researched them?

>>31894720
>That boat already sailed when we offered Aladria her castle
we did no such thing
we told her messenger to threats, he replied with "she is super powerful and laughs at threads from the other daywalkers" and then we decided to not deal with her until after the war.

>>31894780
Based anon bringing the heat.

>>31894754
>Talon being this boss
God damn Talon, you're cool.

>>31894780

You're a good person anon.

>>31894767
>>31894772

Those are good points, I'd rather table the issue until we find out whether there's a really safe way to keep them out of public eyes.

If not, then I agree that vamps are not worth it

Rolled 9, 16 = 25

>>31894754

Anyone else notice we didn't need to roll to keep the Daywalkers in line?

I think our terror level went up

>>31894861
I still think keeping the lady in her small plot of land is ok, since no one knows she is a vampire except her few servants, and it seems she gets her source of blood from some one else.

>>31894873
No, they gave up the second they found out who we were.

>>31894885
The more I think about it, the more I want to know what the hell her deal is.
Like, not even hostile like, I just wanna go see her and see why she's apparently so badass that all the other Daywalkers are afraid of her.

I smell Ancient Vampire there. Possibly mother of them all.

>>31894914

It was explicitly mentioned that going to see her at her castle would be a terrible idea

Unless we can come up with some countermeasures, we have no business being
anywhere near her

>>31894767
>7. Rebellion brought low darlesia, brought low RSK, is going to bring low the magi league. we can't afford to lose the support of the people and have a bunch of rebellions going on.
To elaborate on this
The magi league was formed by a rebellion against the RSK and is now equal to it in side (it has been some decades though).
RSK is about to lose 2/7th of their current territory any day now to their ex archmage that is rebelling now but is NOT part of the magi league and forming his own domain. Vitria used to be part of darlesia, but it rebelled some years ago and became independent nation (general pharas was instrumental in that). Taour used to be a part of darlesia too before it became independent and then later on vampire infested...
Yea, rebellions are a total fucking bitch and a half

>>31894961
>It was explicitly mentioned that going to see her at her castle would be a terrible idea
No it was said busting inside her castle, we can still visit, with our hero characters.

>>31894780
Betterthenexpected.jpg

>>31894961
all we were told is that touching her door handle disintegrates people. probably warded up the wazoo, i bet if we surround it with our army we can have a hundred or so mages form a big old ritual circle around it and crush its defenses.
... or astral arrow the door.

>>31894914
Hah. That's how we get into her castle. We show up with a shit-ton of people, she sends out a servant to find out what our deal is, and she's prepared to tear us to shreds.

Our response? "i'm not even angry; i'm impressed. Ma'am, I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter."

>>31894991

If busting inside her castle will get us fried, what's stopping her form taking us out with those very same traps when we are "invited in"?

Her goodwill? We know nothing about her, it's a dangerous move until we find out more about who she is and her motivations

>>31895008
alternatively.... wait 6 months for her stored blood bank supplies from the farm dries up, then surround her castle and catch her when she goes out to feed.
she could feed on her followers, but they would starve soon enough without regular supplies from village.

>>31895008
or not tip off the populace of what she could be,plus i feel like sending an army instead of our hero characters is a waste.

>>31895035
that is another option. she can have her village, for now. we will deal with her someday.

>>31895031
>alternatively.... wait 6 months for her stored blood bank supplies from the farm dries up,
Its not from the farm, though.

>>31895055
IIRC we were informed that she recently received a 6 months blood supply from the blood farm right before we sacked it

>>31895089
>from the blood farm
We didn't know the source, actually we guessed it could be from the farm.

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>Take the Second Layer: Higher Target Success; 13, 16, 5
>Flushing out the underground: Higher Target Success; 6, 19, 7

As you trudge into Lady Irris’ ruined mansion and meet up with the others, Undine rattles off a report as to what’s happening underground. The flanking attack was successful and your heavies and noble knights managed to keep many of the foe from retreating into the underground. Most of the Taourans fled, or tried to flee, instead of fighting. Lots of prisoners, though Parras reports he’s fighting something of a running battle as the remainder pull back into the upper reaches of the city.

Salamander, on the other hand, hasn’t had much to do. The people in the tunnels had given you information on where to look so your troops have been slowly flushing out the Taouran soldiers out. Aside from an underground guard station of some sort, which Sala apparently turned into an elaborate pile of ash, most of the enemies have simply surrendered when uncovered. The operation is still ongoing and will be for days but this is a good start, you think.

Afterwards, you explain your discovery to the others.

Felix clicks his tongue. “I don’t mind slaughtering foolish soldiers, but men who have no choice but to fight? Such a waste of my effort and their lives.”

“So does that mean we’ve been killing people who would have otherwise surrendered?” Lynn asks, looking surprised.

You shrug. “Most of the soldiers who we’ve fought to the death have still been soldiers. Everybody has mothers and fathers, or sons and daughters. That’s just war. That the vampires force them to fight to the death is just a step further than most other nations can actually take. I’d bet most would take it if they had the choice, though.”

Things fall silent as you step into Irris’ ruined study. The wallpaper and all furniture has been destroyed or ransacked. Aside from one wall-to-ceiling painting.

>continued

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>>31895305
“Didn’t you say there was a painting here, Talon?” Mal asks, looking around. “Because it was probably stolen.”

You look at him weirdly, before stepping up and pulling the painting open. Behind it sits a safe. You deftly enter the combination, having done this a few times before, and open it up. Removing the contents, a small pouch of jewels and a memory crystal, you turn back to the others. They all stare at you in shock.

“It was just there,” you say. “Not my fault you’re all bloody blind.”

“You just made a goddamn painting and safe appear out of thin air, Talon,” Vad says. “That’s impressive, even for you.”

You flick the crystal over to Mal, who recovers from his shock enough to catch it. He focuses a bit of sorcery into it and some pictures flicker up, lighting up the dim room, your helmet automatically adjusting to the new light level to keep your vision clear.

“Pictures. And a tiny bit of text that says Lady Marianne,” Mal says as you look at some pictures of an elegant-looking woman in front of a mansion or some furniture, depending on the picture. “Architecture looks Farlounian. These are old pictures, Talon.”

You frown, putting the pieces together. “That they are. Or maybe they’re not – it’s not like somebody can’t build a place that looks like something from old Farloun, right?”

Mal nods, looking confused. You explain Blackwater’s missing lady and things become clear. This Lady Marianne is, combining Tsucchi’s and Dalrec’s knowledge, the secret behind Blackwater’s immortality. Except your only clue is that she is either from Farloun or resides in a building that looks like one. If this is all Lady Irris could dig up, you doubt you’ll find much more unless Blackwater is stupid enough to keep her in his mansion.

Mal pockets the crystal as you head out.

>1. Head to Blackwater’s mansion.
>2. Head to the government buildings.
>3. Head back to your troops
>4. Other place

>>31895329

>1 Head to Blackwater's mansion

Tough choice, but I do think we need to keep the initiative.

Would be open to being persuaded otherwise

>>31895329
>2. Head to the government buildings.

>>31895329
>1. Head to Blackwater’s mansion.

May as well check it out. Who knows? Maybe someone was stupid or we're just that lucky.

>>31895329
>1. Head to Blackwater’s mansion.
if she is really the secret to his immortality, she is either in his mansion, or with him.
Only way I can think of for her to be a source of power for a vamp is if she has super blood, like if she is a demon or dragon or angel or fae or some such...
OR, he made some elaborate ritual to make her his phylactery like a lich and respawns near her. Regardless, we need to find her and take her captive, then kill him.

>>31895329
>1. Head to Blackwater’s mansion.
Never assume some one isn't too stupid to do something.

>>31895329
I think we should check the Gov buildings. There might be clues to this Farloun woman there in Census stuff.

>>31895329
I can't think of what Blackwater would keep at his mansion...
>2

>>31895329
>1. Head to Blackwater’s mansion.

>>31895428
>Blackwater is using her to become a Lich
Aw shit, I could totally see that being a thing.

So I'm still a bit lost. We know that lady Marianne is the key to blackwaters immortality right? Do we need to kill her or does she just hold some secret? Either way there isn't any need to check on the troops.
>2. Head to the government buildings.
I think.

>>31895472
We have no idea, anon.
We're just sorta praying the secret is in the city so we can actually kill Blackwater.
If she's not, we're not gonna be able to beat him. Or we will, and he'll respawn later, twice as strong or some shit.

>>31895428
>Phylactery

DINGDINGDINGDINGDING. Someone get this man a cookie, he just solved the puzzle! Blackwater's trying to be a Vampire Lich.

>JESUSCHRISTHOWHORRIFYING.webm

We can kill him here, but he's going to respawn somewhere else. I bet that respawn point is where Noln and Farsool are headed, so that they can all restart Taour. This building probably isn't even in the Darlesia region. We need to hunt it down immediately. That Inquisition idea from before sounds like a good solution to finding this place.

>>31895329
>2. Head to the government buildings.

He most likely already knows that we're here, so we've already lost the initiative; therefore we might as well search the govt sector for this building.

>>31895329
>>1. Head to Blackwater’s mansion.

>>31895472
>Do we need to kill her or does she just hold some secret?
we don't know, it is his most closely guarded secret

>>31895550
>I bet that respawn point is where Noln and Farsool are headed
those two vamps we captured can send them a sending saying they managed to escape and loot the vault, that it contained some gems and memory crystal. then set up a meeting. only we show up instead of them :)

Blackwater should be able to at least be critically injured putting re-spawning aside for a moment. Otherwise he would have been on the front lines when we attacked the city.

File: 035.jpg (267 KB, 720x1100)

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>1.

The trip to Blackwater’s mansion is short, aside from scaring a hundred or so Taouran soldiers who had retreated to the plaza as you passed through. You’d just charged through, ignoring them, and they’d started running away. Parras can take care of them, particularly as you didn’t sense any vampires with them.

When you arrive at the mansion, it’s in almost pristine condition. An elegant and modern mansion, built in very similar style to many of the newer buildings in Ahm, it exudes wealth and power. You stand at the precipice of entering it, knowing that there may be a fearsome battle awaiting you within. You signal to everybody to be prepared, and draw your own weapons. You step forward and the front door swings open. You tense, ready for an assault.

>continued

File: 036.jpg (182 KB, 1000x682)

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>>31895710
“Good afternoon, Imperator,” says the smartly dressed butler at the front door. “I bid you welcome to this mansion, though sadly my master is currently absent. If you wish, I can still supply with some afternoon tea. It wouldn’t do to leave such an important guest unattended.”

You almost stumble in surprise but catch yourself.

“Where is your master?” you ask cautiously, looking around for traps.

“He is awaiting you at Council Peak – it’s the circle of stones that sits atop the city. The councillors usually hold their meetings there,” he explains. “A fitting place for two rulers to meet. My name is Horace, by the way. I am Lord Blackwater’s butler. Do you wish to come in? I do not mind what you do, but I would prefer if you didn’t do too much damage to the mansion while doing whatever it is you wish. It will be a pain for the servants to have to fix any damage you do.”

You stare at him, and at the others. Vad nods, indicating he is a thrall, but seems as confused as you are as to what to do. The black-tailed fox indicates that he can’t find anybody else inside the large mansion from his scans.

>1. Step inside and talk with the butler more while your companions search the mansion.
>2. Step inside and search the mansion while one of your companions talks to the butler.
>3. Assume the mansion is a trap and enter with as much force as possible.
>4. Leave the mansion.

>>31895550
>He has a lich like respawn point outside the city
Not a problem
if we don't kill him, he can't escape, we just break his power. then imprison him within solid stone (gnome), leaving only his head exposed (and having seperate covers fro his ears and eyes that we can take off at will. his mouth is exposed so he can be force fed (to avoid death by starvation and respawn). we get our mages to set up a magic suppressing circle to put him in to avoid him using magic to escape. If we capture his lady, she is accomodated in a gilded cage nearby and their connection is studied until it can be severed, at which point he is executed.
He is now trapped, but alive. Immortality has now become a curse to him.

that assumes she isn't a daywalker too, in which case we execute her first (because she was part of taour's horrible vamp atrocity filled land)

>>31895703
>e able to at least be critically injured
when did he get hurt?

>>31895731
>1b. Step inside and talk with the butler more while your companions search the mansion.
>But personally participate in the search while talking to him

>>31895731
>1. Step inside and talk with the butler more while your companions search the mansion.

>>31895776
He didn't, anon is saying that if his power made it impossible for him to take injury he would have been fighting us on the front lines. Falling against us only to respawn and come back again and again

>>31895776
No idea, I'm just saying his absence from any of the fighting seems to imply he isn't immune to damage.

>>31895731

Hybrid of 1 and 2

Walk and Talk like they do in West Wing

>>31895731
is he a thrall?

>>31895731
>2
May as well check it out. I am suspecting Blackwater is less a 'traps traps traps' sorta guy and more a 'hide behind lots of minions' guy.

>>31895844

It literally says in that post that he's a thrall

>>31895861
oh, so it does.

>>31895731
Just in case you're wondering Aspirational, the small number of votes are probably coming from our uncertainty over blackwater.

>>31895731

I'm personally having connection issues to 4chan, and I'm one of the chattier people in these threads. I doubt that many others are having that kind of issue, though.

>>31895933
>>31896041

I voted but I don't have a whole lot to discuss right now since there's little information to go on

File: 037.jpg (289 KB, 1200x502)

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>1 & 2

You decide that things can’t be that threatening and take up the butler’s invitation. The cynical side of you expects the mansion to suddenly explode the second you step inside it but it remains standing and whole once you do so. You look around the entrance hall, taking in the sheer… expense of everything here. You could probably feed half the city with the four vases lining the hall. Shaking your head, you get everybody to break up into teams: you, Mal, Gnome and the butler; Lynn and Felix; Undine and Vad.

Of course, taking the butler with you to talk means he inevitably drags you past the kitchen, though you take the opportunity to check the kitchen for anything out of the ordinary. Given the food retrieved appears unpoisoned, you help yourself to it the soft cheese and blueberry muffins offered as you search and talk with the butler.

“Why exactly are you the only person inside the mansion, Horace?” you ask as you check a particular length of wall for a fake door.

>continued

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>>31896228
“Lord Blackwater asked all servants to vacate the premises, having anticipated your arrival but I insisted on staying,” he explains. “It wouldn’t do to have nobody present to greet such an important guest, after all.”

“Why is your master waiting for me at the top of the city?’ you ask.

“A result of his artistic bent, I suppose? I honestly do not know. Lord Blackwater is a difficult man to read,” Horace says. “Wise but confusing.”

“Is there anything in particular you want to tell me, Horace?” you ask in the end, having received no major information despite your insistent questioning.

“Nothing other than my wish that the courtesy you’ve extended to a thrall such as myself is extended to many of the other thralls in this city,” he says, voice dropping slightly. “I see the writing on the wall, as does my lord. All that I can hope for is that you do not succumb to the wishes of the masses in their lust for righteousness.”

You frown at the cryptic words, but Horace won’t say much more. You instead dedicate yourself to searching for something that Blackwater may have hidden.

[DC18 Search]

Rolled 12

>>31896249

Rolled 4

>>31896249

>>31896249
Forgot to update the DC. Should be 16.

Rolled 3

>>31896249

Rolled 10

>>31896249
pls

Rolled 11

>>31896249

Rolled 13

>>31896254
>>31896269
>>31896286
>>31896288
>>31896294

All good things must come to an end

>>31896276
>Forgot to update the DC. Should be 12.
Fixed that for ya.

Rolled 3

>>31896249
>you do not succumb to the wishes of the masses in their lust for righteousness
Huh i have a feeling that the people of the city who aren't thralls hate thralls as much as vampires.

>>31896254
>>31896269
>>31896286
eg, can't win them all. When blackwater is dead I am sure our men can CAREFULLY disassemble this mansion brick by brick. Works of art and the like can be sold to help finance the reconstruction. Any hidden treasure would be found then (if any exists)

Lets go meet up with blackwater then.

>>31896254
>>31896269
>>31896286
Too bad, mighta got some sweet loot or hints.

>>31896341
I was bettin' loot.
Aw well.

>>31896333
Unless it's something magical.
Or something that would only be able to help us in the fight and is worthless otherwise.

>>31896318
He would probably lowered the DC if we guessed the right location.

>>31896249
>I see the writing on the wall, as does my lord.
>as does my lord.

Fucker's going to surrender, isn't he?

>>31896249
>my wish that the courtesy you’ve extended to a thrall such as myself is extended to many of the other thralls in this city
We could tell him we intend to protect, and cure the thralls. It might prompt him to reveal something

>>31896381
hence the "if it exists". there is a good chance that all we would have found is some knowledge only useful in the short term

>>31896438
Better then nothing, the way things are going we are just going to stand around exchanging pleasantries till our allies are done wasting their time. Lets go with this.

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>Target not met

Unfortunately, for all your searching you fail to find much of value. Actually, you find a lot of value, plenty of expensive pieces of art and furniture decorate the mansion. Unfortunately, it’s not really what you’re looking for. You thought you may have found a fake wall somewhere, but sadly it was just hiding part of the plumbing. Gnome put the wall back together afterwards to assuage Horace’s sadness. The others found nothing either.

You do get one clue, however, when Mal shows Horace the pictures of Lady Marianne.

“Ah, yes, her,” Horace says, rubbing his chin. “She passed through the mansion ten years ago, shortly after I was promoted to chief butler. I’ve never seen Lord Blackwater show such emotion towards somebody either before or after. My understanding is that she resides somewhere to the north, near Shropham. Lord Blackwater goes on a long trip each year up there, so I don’t know what else he might be doing for such a length of time – though he might not remain in Shropham the entire time.”

Which means she’s not in Taour – or if she is then nobody knows where. Short of a miracle, you think you’ll just need to brave Blackwater as is. You sincerely doubt he has anything close to true immortality – fear does funny things to the powerful, for they fear their downfall even more so than those without power. Perhaps his reputation has merely kept the other sat bay.

Or maybe you should just stop being delusional, you think. This will be a hard fight no matter what.

>1. Go to meet Blackwater
>2. Do something else

>>31896566
>2. Do something else
Gov buildings.

>>31896566
>1

>>31896566
>1. Go to meet Blackwater
Brave the waters

>>31896566
>Which means she’s not in Taour
or that he lied and she is in a secret room under the mansion.
ah well. for later

>>31896566
1

but with a twist. We should find some place where we can get the high ground and spy on the meeting spot from afar.
Reason being is that he is there with the thrallherd if I am not mistaken. if so, I want to snipe her with astral arrows before we go speak to him in person

>1. Go to meet Blackwater
Has anyone with a name ever outright said he was immortal?

>>31896673
IIRC
>tsucchi said that rumors are that he is.
>Volante said we don't need to find out his secret, we can just brute force him
>that letter via messenger from the vampiress whom he killed that used to be on the council

>>31896669
Blackwater is on the highest spot in the city. You lack anybody with the ability to fly (except Lynn, but she would reveal her nature to Felix and Vad).

>>31896566
>2. Do something else

Super astral focus searc?

>>31896736
>that letter via messenger from the vampiress whom he killed that used to be on the council
Right, that was what I was trying to think of.

>>31896758
that requires we roll a nat20, or burn an FR point (no way, no how!)

>>31896736
>>31896778
IIRC that letter was also "rumors". nobody has ever gotten confirmation, only rumors.
I think we are being overly paranoid and just want to get it over with.
I would be ok with maybe taking him alive rather then outright execution in case he has lich like ability and a phylactery somewhere.
I am honestly more concerned about lady terce. I am betting their plan is to draw us to the circle and try to enthrall us. Which makes me leery about bringing felix with us in there.

>>31896873
?

>>31896873
The letter in full
“Irris,

I implore you to cease working against Perin. Not only do we not know his weakness, though he certainly has one, he is a master of gathering information. He surely knows what you are up to and if you continue down this path you will regret it.

Should you wish to continue then I tell you this: Perin’s weakness is his lady. Or so I believe. I do not believe he has sired any children, unlike myself with my beloved Aladria, but there is a lady of some form that is the key to his seeming immortality. It could be metaphorical. Or perhaps he has some woman locked up in a tower in the middle of Pharos.

Once again, I implore you as a friend to stop. I’ll return in a fortnight once I’ve thralled this Seraph general. We can speak more then.

Your friend,

[Illegible signature]”

And what fluffy tails had to say:

“Perin Blackwater,” you say loudly and she freeze. “Supposedly he’s immortal. What do you know?”

She frowns and then picks out several notes, hiding a smile poorly. “He sired a vampire less than fifty years ago – one Lady Marianne. That woman does not appear in any records or notes on Blackwater. I think she’s important as no other vampire can say this.”

You explain the letter you received and she nods along. “Most likely ‘his lady’ and Lady Marianne are the same person. He must keep her close if she’s truly a weakness. If not in the city then nearby.”

>>31896873
lots of good observations all around

>>31896941
Maybe his powers come from friendship and love?

>>31897000
>Maybe his powers come from friendship and love?
like all vampires, that is why they get their power from hickies

>>31897026
... I kinda want to run a game where Vampires are still godless bloodsuckers, but they get power from all the traditionally heroic emotions. It has a horrifically high chance of turning into twilight-level bullshit, but it could be really fun if done well.

>>31896744
we could go pick up sala for this

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>1.

It is late afternoon by the time by the time you reach the summit of the city. The Council Peak was a ring of stone columns on a suspended platform and the rest of the city lay on the hundreds of metres below you. The sun is shaded by clouds currently, but when it emerges you have no doubt this would make a truly beautiful spot to watch it fall below the horizon to the west.

The sound of your plated boots echoes around the circle of stones. A figure, dressed in white and with golden blonde hair, rises from where he was squatting at the other end of the circle. As the man rises to face you, he drops the almost lifeless body of a beautiful woman. You gives you a grin, barely noticeable at the distance you are from him. Your allies fan out behind you as you stop opposite him. Your senses are clear here, though you didn’t really need him. Both people up here, if you can consider them people, are daywalkers.

And it looks like Perin Blackwater just killed the other one by draining her dry.

“I hadn’t expected you to arrive so soon, Imperator,” shouts Blackwater, resplendent in his white suit as he leans lightly on his ruby-tipped cane. “I took precautions to remain up here to preserve the stage I desired this to end on, but had hoped you wouldn’t arrive until I had dealt with Lady Terce. My sense of decorum had guided me in setting this up and she wanted to ruin it. Has ruined it, sadly. Such a shame.”

You remain silent, summoning your power slowly as you match gazes with Blackwater through your helmet. Your armour hums lightly with the power within it and you feel similar slow burns in your companions.

Blackwater tilts his head, looking unsurprised by your lack of response. “If you won’t respond with words, perhaps you want to respond with action?”

You…

>1. Charge him. Try to take him like you did Volante.
>2. Shoot him with an astral arrow if he’s happy to leave himself so open and passive.
>3. Do nothing
>4. Custom

>>31897194
>2. Shoot him with an astral arrow if he’s happy to leave himself so open and passive.

>>31897194
>2. Shoot him with an astral arrow if he’s happy to leave himself so open and passive.
I wonder if she would already be sucked dry if we had come straight here .

>>31897194
>2. Shoot him with an astral arrow if he’s happy to leave himself so open and passive.
DC 16 here we go.

>>31897194
>2. Shoot him with an astral arrow if he’s happy to leave himself so open and passive.
Aim for the heart

>>31897194
>Motherfucker has a ruby cane
Oh god I am gonna love this fight.

>2
Testing the waters. With Volante we knew, sorta, what to expect. With him, we have no clue.

>>31897194
>4. Ask him why he killed his ally.

>>31897194
>Shoot him with an astral arrow if he’s happy to leave himself so open and passive.

>>31897194
>2. Shoot him with an astral arrow if he’s happy to leave himself so open and passive.

I notice the 'almost lifeless' there. I think that if Terce wanted to fuck up this thing for Blackwater, she's worth at least an attempt to save her for interrogation.

>>31897288
He just said because the bitch wanted to ruin his epic fight.

>>31897313
So he helped us out?
I assume she wanted to just thrall us and be done with it.

>>31897313
I thought at first there was some thing about the ability to steal the power of another vampire by drinking them dry.
but as you said, he already gave us an answer. We just don't know if it was the truth or not.

>>31897338
The more powerful a person is, the harder it is to enthrall him.
It would have been a desperation move on her part.

>>31897342
it could also be to ensure she doesn't blurt out his secret of respawning via phylactery (assuming that this is real and not just nonsense we dreamed up in our paranoia)

>>31897194
I am tempted to actually talk to him a bit, get more info.
We did learn he is an artist.

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>2.

You calmly sheathe your sword and put away your shield. You then unsling your bow and ready and nock an arrow. Taking close aim, you fall into your firing trance. Your allies tense, expecting a counterattack but Blackwater merely stands there, a small smile on his face.

You have the time to make this count, so you focus purely on firing your arrow with no need to rush. You move through each step, focusing your power into the arrow. You see the impact, just like you did when you destroyed those nightwalkers. You see Blackwater’s bloodied corpse, failing to regenerate itself after being split into so many pieces. You see his cane in splinters, ruby shattered.

Then you loose, expecting your vision to become reality.

[DC12 Astral Arrow]

Rolled 3

>>31897406
Oh, there will be mid-battle banter if we can get away with it. He's too flamboyant for there to be anything else.
>>31897383
Or she could have tried to surrender. She was an administrator, not a fighter. That would have fucked up his grand battle if his allies defected.
>>31897421

Rolled 17

>>31897421

Rolled 19

>>31897421

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Rolled 15

So who else thinks he looks like this?
>>31897421

>>31897455
>>31897444
Sucessful rolls makes for a happy Imperator and a happy Imperator makes for a happy empire.

Rolled 8

>>31897467
I do now

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So many of my posts today are just that little bit too long without much I can remove or add. It's annoying.

>Target met

Your arrow flies straight and true. For one brief instant, you feel it’s overwhelming power in this world concentrated in one small part of it. The power to realise your reality.

Then there’s a slight snap of power from Blackwater and everything is momentarily warped. A nearly invisible shield of darkness emits from his cane in the path of your arrow, blocking its path. The power in it is strong – strong enough to block an ordinary attack and it is most obviously not sorcery. What disturbs you the most is that the power was summoned from nowhere. There was no hint of Blackwater gathering his power or manipulating mana from the environment – the power was just suddenly there, as though he conjured not just the shield but the energy sustaining it.

Your worries are for naught, however, as your arrow shatters the shield with no fanfare. The vampire sovereign has a brief instant to express surprise before he is enveloped in the magical explosion. Your might strikes at him, and you hear the crack of stone shattering. The two columns next to Blackwater turn to rubble as the force blasts them into pieces, raining down on the ground below the platform. The platform itself appears to crack slightly, the stone underneath Blackwater cracking and turning to dust and the steel base underneath warping slightly from the pressure.

>continued

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>>31897728
But your vision isn’t reality. There is no gore. No flying limbs or screams. Vad lets out a whoop, but you calmly ready your sword and shield, knowing this isn’t over.

The smoke clears, and Blackwater appears none the worse for wear. His clothes are destroyed, as is his elegant cane and its ruby but he stands completely unharmed with little more than a look of annoyance on his face.

“That suit cost a lot, you know,” he mentions absently. “I can certainly see how you’ve been able to make it this far, though. Such power is exceedingly rare. I couldn’t match it, after all.

“Now, what will you do, Talon York?” Blackwater asks, leaning forward with a broad grin completely uncaring of his nudity.

>1. Charge him with everybody at once.
>2. Retreat
>3. Exchange banter with him
>4. Custom

>>31897741
>3. Exchange banter with him

HA! HA! TIME FOR WORDPLAY!

Rolled 7

>>31897741
>3. Exchange banter with him

>>31897741
>>31897728
Aw shit man, we have a mad nude vampire on the loose.
"You could at least conceal your modesty, 'master of shadows'"
>1

Also as a note: Holy crap astral arrows are more powerful than I thought. To do all that damage...wow.

>>31897741
>>3. Exchange banter with him
"You seem to have me at a disadvantage, you speak of ending this in preferred terms yet you know how this will end regardless. Tell me, what is it you seek to gain here if not your death?"

>>31897741
>3. Exchange banter with him
I want to see where this goes. Maybe we should have a rhyming contest? Beatbox? Dance off?

>>31897741
>3. Exchange banter with him
Banter like an imperator

Rolled 17

>>31897912
Rolling for BANTER OF THE IMPERATOR

>Bantering with a nude vampire
Let's just keep our eyes to his shoulders and up...and hope everyone else does too

Knowing our luck, he enthralls people with the D

Rolled 3

>>31897980
I told you about those love and friendship powers bro! I told you!

>>31897741
>Blackwater takes astral arrow
>Clothing damage and nothing else
fuck the phylactery paranoia. Dude is apparently super ridiculously uber durable. And that shield, that was something else too.
I am back to thinking his lady is a fae-pire or some such empowering him.

Alternatively, this could be an illusion to get us to kill each other (remember that roper in pop?)

Alternatively, that stone circle around us acts to shield him, maybe we need to smash them all to make him vulnerable... did the stones shatter from the blast directly, or from being overloaded while defending him...

>>31898129
Yeah honestly if it's mainly just durablity then it isn't as bad as a respawn.

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>>31897980
Nah, that's be how Talon would do it if he were a daywalker.

>3.

When all else fails, just talk. It will give you time to think of something or maybe he’ll just get bored and attack you. Given how much Blackwater seems to enjoy the sound of his own voice, you doubt the latter will occur.

“You know, if the suit was expensive couldn’t you have just worn something cheaper?” you ask, holding arms up in a questioning gesture, made all the more odd by the enormous sword and shield you’re holding.

“That would have ruined the decorum,” he explains, conjuring a replacement cane made of shadow to lean on. Once more you only sense the power the second he uses it. “I am the statesman, the man of words, where you are the warrior, the man of swords. Of course, if this were ancient Staropol I would be both, for the ruler held a sword that made them untouchable.”

>continued

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>>31898164
“I’d make a crack about your cane being such a thing but your cane has already cracked itself,” you respond. “Tell me, Blackwater, what is it you hope to achieve here? You seem to realise how this will all end – why waste your time here, waiting for me to enact your little diorama before killing you.”

“Because, Talon York, when I look back on my time in Taour I want to be able to say it had a memorable end,” he responds. “It had a memorable start, what with the rebellion I helped trigger that burnt it down to engineer to my own plans. The middle was nothing special, unfortunately. But the end… a grand showdown atop the peak of the city, where I once ruled as the most powerful person in the city and nation. To battle with the man who would sunder all of my dreams and close this chapter of my long life with a memory that I will never forget…

“That is what I hope to achieve here,” Blackwater finishes, fixing you with a serious gaze.

You meet his gaze calmly through your helmet. You respond with…

>1. A concentration on building atop his dreams. “I do not wish to destroy your dreams, merely build mine and those of others you would deny atop them. And I will deny you the chance to stop me.”
>2. Disregard for his twisted dreams. “I will not merely destroy this twisted city you endeavoured to build, but to replace it with my own dreams that will surely show you my superiority. Not that you’ll be around to see it.”
>3. Distaste for what he is doing. “Your dreams? This twisted little ruin of misery and death? I will see it destroyed and its toxins wiped from this world. Along with you.”
>4. A wish for balance in the future. “If your dreams had been more united in cause, and less about yours and other vampires superiority, perhaps this never would have needed to happen. Sadly, my dreams and yours are incompatible.”

>>31898164
>Nah, that's be how Talon would do it if he were a daywalker.
now I REALLY wish we could have played daywalker talon

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>>31898164
>Nah, that's be how Talon would do it if he were a daywalker.
You make a good case.

Rolled 3

>>31898178
>1. A concentration on building atop his dreams. “I do not wish to destroy your dreams, merely build mine and those of others you would deny atop them. And I will deny you the chance to stop me.”
>2. Disregard for his twisted dreams. “I will not merely destroy this twisted city you endeavoured to build, but to replace it with my own dreams that will surely show you my superiority. Not that you’ll be around to s

Rolled 1

>>31898178
>1. A concentration on building atop his dreams. “I do not wish to destroy your dreams, merely build mine and those of others you would deny atop them. And I will deny you the chance to stop me.”
We are the builder and the taker.
>>31898195
It's not too late anon

>>31898164
>>31898178
t-that's kinda gay, blackwater...

>2. Disregard for his twisted dreams. “I will not merely destroy this twisted city you endeavoured to build, but to replace it with my own dreams that will surely show you my superiority. Not that you’ll be around to see it.”

Break that vampire illusion of his!

Rolled 7

>>31898195
we still can.

>>31898260
>>31898251
no no. I wish it but not enough to disregard what we have going on, which is awesome.

>>31898178
>1. A concentration on building atop his dreams. “I do not wish to destroy your dreams, merely build mine and those of others you would deny atop them. And I will deny you the chance to stop me.”

>>31898178
>4. A wish for balance in the future. “If your dreams had been more united in cause, and less about yours and other vampires superiority, perhaps this never would have needed to happen. Sadly, my dreams and yours are incompatible.”
they could have made a vampire utopia

>>31898178
>3 & 4
Question why this 'dream' is so important, when all he has are cities upon cities of terrified people as his slaves. Not willing worshipers, not welcoming refugees, but terrified commonman.
This dream of his, if that is what he really desired, what this was all for, is disgusting, and we will not stand by to let him rebuild it on the broken backs and pools of blood of Taour's citizens.

>>31898276
we still can, and continue what we are doing.
Vampires aren't evil in Apsirationals setting.

>>31898178
>5. other

"And what were those dreams? A nation of cattle lorded over by an undying undead race? What would that have accomplished? You would have held your little fiefdom until the people rose against you, or the mages blasted you to pieces, or the Astral Adepts chose to conquer everything. Your dreams had no ambition, and that is why you will lose."

>>31898315
>Your dreams had no ambition, and that is why you will lose."
Thats what he wanted.
He wanted to lose in the end,

>>31898313
Give it up man.
It ain't happening. Too many consequences, not enough sweet forbidden power to make it worth it.

>>31898369
but the D, demands power anon.