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Recent Events Summary:

You have defeated Erebus, and regained your old self. Now it's time to put things right, once and for all.

The plan to heal Venia is almost certainly lethal to both yourself and the other elemental lords. You have convinced two of them...and now you need to convince Leviathan.

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Ability Tree

GREEN abilities have been unlocked and learned.

BLUE abilties are unlocked, but are not yet purchased.

RED abilities are revealed, but locked due to prerequisites.

UNDERLINED abilities are active-use, as opposed to passive. Not all active abilities require mana.

All Revealed Ability Descriptions:

http://pastebin.com/LMq32gnV

Books the Main Character has read:

http://pastebin.com/dAXR00gP

Character Sheet including learned abilities and other important information:

http://pastebin.com/fparJYat

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Current Statistics:

HP: 81/81
Mana: 90/90
EXP: 10

Shards of Order and Chaos:

(Retribution) - Resonant
(Maker) - Resonant
(Silence) - Resonant
(Peace) - Resonant
(Breeze) - Resonant
(Hammer) - Resonant
(Ardor) - Resonant
{Resolve} - Resonant
{Humanity} - Resonant

--Summoned--

-none-

--Automatons--

-none-

--Equipment--

-none-

--Inventory--

-none-

--Teleport Anchor--

Arland

--Current Location--

On the shore of the Eastern Wasteland

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

Known Mana Pools:

Jacob's Field - entrance to Hecate's tomb - Spirit
Jacob's Field - Hecate's Chamber - Spirit
Tarun Gakth - Under Refuge - Shadow
Palthair Mines - Magnock's Lair - Spirit
Archon - Spirit District - Spirit
Archon - Shadow District - Shadow
Archon - Earth District - Earth
Archon - Water Distric - Water
Haven - Shadow
Abbotsford - Shadow
Aurora - Water
Va'ad - South Generator - Earth
Va'ad - North Generator - Earth
Arland - Dryfeld - Water
Kan-Abar - Royal Gardens - Earth

SM, I missed the last thread, I'm sorry.
But I just wanted to thank you for all that you've done.
Through this ride together, so much has happened. I've grown as a person. I've laughed, I've cried, I've lost weight. It's been one hell of a ride, and I just wanted to let you know, that you are amazing.

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>Last time...

It isn't long until Hecate appears. She nods to the two of you. <Leviathan will be here soon.>

"Soon...is now." He rises from the ocean, an flowing wave that never crests. "So then, Shadow. What begs this meeting of the minds?"

Hecate and Geb wait for you to speak.

You contemplate how you're going to word this. It's a shot in the dark - you don't know what to do. So you decide to take the middle.

You get to the point, and keep your words firm, but not harsh. The plan is simple, and lethal. To all of you.

Leviathan stares at you. "You expect me," he says, "after having woken up from an excrutiatingly painful 700-year slumber, to throw myself into the breach, into death? For what?"

"For Venia, and all the people on it."

"I cannot abide by this. There must be another way."

"There is no other way," you say. "I've looked for other ways. If there was another way, I'd jump at the opportunity. There isn't." You close your eyes. "A huge amount of power is needed. A stable connection between the Core of Chaos and the universe - that's us - is required to rebuild the barrier in a way to preserve this world. This is the only means of doing so that does not sacrifice millions of lives in our stead. There are no substitutes."

"And what," Leviathan says, "if this is yet more treachery?"

"What?"

"Yes, we cast ourselves into death for your noble goal," Leviathan says. "What if you only pretend to share that burden?"

"I would know if he lied," Hecate says.

"You should have known when Erebus lied!"

"That was Erebus. This is Shadow. Why would he bother telling us the risk in the first place if it was not so very real?"

"To fool us!"

"Your captivity is making you see enemies where there are none," Hecate says. "You must be able to feel the ley lines. The flow of mana is reversing. The Core is gathering itself. Venia will not survive its next attempt to break the barrier."

Leviathan hestiates.

Roll 1d100

Rolled 80

>>32988614

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Rolled 68

>>32988614
Knobs.

>>32988592

Thanks, anon. I hope the ending is up to par.

Depending on events in the immediate future, the thread count might change, but I strongly predict less than you can count on one hand.

Rolled 49

>>32988614

Rolled 95

>>32988614

For ABBY-SABBY!

Rolled 82

>>32988682
Damn it, why are all the great quests stopping? Deniable Assets is paused until September, Banished Quest is going on a month-long haitus, and SQ is finishing. I officially declare this as the Summer of Suck.

>>32988784
Cheer up. Aspirational and AEQ is coming back in a week or so.

"No," he says. "No. I will not."

"Leviathan - "

"I said no!" he shouts. "I will not walk to my death! How many lives will it take, Shadow?"

"...we can't kill that many people."

"I am more than happy to offer up the descendents of the higher elementals. It's the least they can do for slaughtering mine!"

"The elementomachy is over."

"Maybe for you!" Leviathan says. "For you, it's history. For me, for us, it was yesterday! Just moments past! How dare you ask such a thing of me?!"

"Hmmmmmm." Geb steps forward. "Water. We must do this."

"Geb, I cannot -"

"We," says Geb, "are out of time. We are out of time to choose, and we are out of time ourselves. This is not our time anymore. Our time is past. We should be dust." He gives a long, rumbling sigh. "We have used up all our time. We should be dust."

"Speak for yourself."

<...he is correct,> Hecate says. <We are beings out of time. And they don't need us anymore. They don't. In days past, we were gods. We were guardians. But now...they rebuilt the world. They took the destruction we wrought and thrived upon it. We...are no longer relevant, Leviathan.>

"That isn't true."

"You can't hold the descendents of your enemies responsible for what their seventh-time forefathers did," you say. "We need you for this. This is our purpose, now. Not to rule, but to give ourselves back. It is time for the lesser elementals to bury the title of 'lesser' once and for all. Please, Leviathan. We cannot do it without you."

>con't

Leviathan turns away from you. He hovers above the edge of the beach. A thin line of water washes over the sand with the latest wave, then slowly drifts back out. And then another wave laps at the shore, and then a third. The sound is gentle. Contemplative.

"...how soon?"

"As soon as possible," you say.

"...then I will wait in the Tairns. Call me...when..."

His voice drifts off. His body looses its form, and the water that once held him patters to the ground, staining the sand dark. He is gone.

You glance at Hecate. "...I did not expect you to say that. But thank you."

<...the truth,> Hecate says, <is usually the thing we are most loathe to admit. I will await you in Arland. Let us to the breach when your Vigil is ready.>

She vanishes. Geb just nods and rumbles, and then he sinks into the ground.

What do you do?

>depart on Vigil for the breach in the core
>do something else before leaving (specify)

>you have three or four days before the core reaches the point of no return, should there be any outstanding things you want to resolve or any people you'd like to talk to. Otherwise, I'll get writing.

Well, I guess there's not much to do but go forward with the plan as stated.

I'll be writing for a bit, I expect this description to carry on for a bit with minimal choices other than things I might use to buy time.

Rolled 54

>>32989129
Rolling for SM giving us free Arbiter

>>32989129
We're using the Skysever as fuel for the outer core valve right?

Rolled 51

>>32989129
Rolling for SM giving us free Arbiter

>>32989129
you saying this is more Shadow Story Time than Shadow Quest now?

Rolled 34

>>32989285
>>32989263
Guys, it's not going to happen unless you count Dave

>>32989271

The skysever breaks down close to the barrier, but Fang will do the best he can to help.

>>32989296

There is just going to be a several-post update as we travel from point A to point B. I was just saying that so people didn't wonder if I fell asleep or something.

>>32989296
>implying it hasn't been for the last 100 threads
>implying this isn't CHOO-CHOO quest
implying I'm not shitposting

>>32989335
>so people didn't wonder if I fell asleep or something.

SM if you fell asleep during the finale lead-in you'd have an angry mob with torches on your doorstep by morning. Probably.

From a story perspective, it would make sense to spend some down-time with Abby and Flint, but let's just get this over with.

>>32988890
We should spend some time with Steward, just to say goodbye to him and stuff.

>>32989363
>shitposting by telling the truth
A hundred threads is pushing it. Vonnegut was the first time I noticed SM forcibly keeping us on the rails, and that wasn't that big,

>>32989427
Steward? Really? Out of all the people Shadow is close to, you think Steward is the one that needs a dedicated goodbye?

>>32989439
There's a difference between railroading and having a plot. Certain things were going to happen one way or another, and this isn't a TRPG where the players fuck around doing whatever and the GM has to try to slip something of relevance in. It's a quest, something with a predetermined plot, and SM's already made a lot of changes to the world based on our actions.

I'm not saying he's not controlling things to an extent, but railroading implies that the players have no say in the course of the story. We can't do anything to change the situation now, but we're here in the first place because of things we've done in the past.

Keep in mind that destroying Erebus instead of consuming him was always an option, which would have prevented the entire "oh no erebus ate shadow we need cooperate pls" section.

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You open your portal back to Arland and step through.

You should leave now, really. But something stops you.

You fly to the top of Arland's castle. It's a beautiful land. It's no wonder you tended to wind up with Donovan either in the gardens, or somewhere high up. The view is excellent, from here, and from the top of the Silent Hills.

Your memories turn. It feels like you've lived five lifetimes since you first came to awareness, ignorant, crawling from a dark cave in a cold corner of the world.

What are you, exactly? A bit of power gone awry? Erebus spoke of plans, orders, programming. It occurs to you that you might not be that much different than Steward...just a lot more organic.

You watch the sun peak in the sky. You've always preferred dark places, but at the moment, the sun seems wonderful.

You set yourself, leap down from the tower, and gather your allies. You'll have to explain the plan.

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

Everyone rides the Nemesis back to Vigil, which is still stationary, high in the atmosphere above Venia. The airship docks with the massive cruiser, firmly locking into place. Auriel looks a little worried as the controls jump out of her hands and begin steering themselves.

>Awaiting commands.

<Vigil,> you say aloud, <start the plan. Take us to the core.>

>Understood.

You get the strangest feeling, as if you're outside of yourself, looking down at your body - and then the ship jumps. A moment later, Vigil floats in the great space between the Venian plate and the massive barrier. Even the mighty Vigil is just a pebble compared to the huge boulder of Order that contains Chaos's entry point into your universe.

>con't

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZt2Ep-mGOc

The crack in the barrier has grown tenfold. Where before it was a throbbing wound, now it is a pulsing, oozing infection. Lines of white energy snake and crack through the black wall, spidering out from the center. As you watch, the core pulses. The lines flash bright. When next you look, it seems as if the hole has grown, as though the lines have stretched farther.

"My god," Hemmelus says. "What have we done?"

"It's a lot worse than when I saw it last," you say.

"A hundred times moreso than when I patched it."

The Black Lady nods grimly. "We have come very close to something very dangerous."

An alert from Vigil pops into your head.
>Note that sentient Venian existences should not enter the core proper unless properly shielded.

<...alright, who does that include?>

>Common names: Abigail Fang, Lien Adavan, Ila Miller

So, you can only take people who are your servants into the actual core...everyone else, aside from the elementals, will have to remain outside in the Nemesis. It occurs to you that you have the power to make another person your servant, should you choose.

Abigail is insistent about sticking to you, no matter what.

You might have to throw her out of harm's way at some point, whether she likes it or not.

But would it be better to take more people, or fewer? What you're about to face won't be just any fight.

What do you do?

>make someone new your servant, and take them along (assuming they agree)
>Take only Abigail. You two are the only ones tough enough to survive what's coming, besides.
>take some or all of your current servants
>take no one; use Vigil to keep Abigail from following you into the inner core
>some other strategy

>>32989711
>Take only Abigail. You two are the only ones tough enough to survive what's coming, besides.

Last thread vigil said we could either use the elemental lords OR like a million people to fix shit...
Does it have to be strictly people we use? Because we could use the vog to lighten the overall load. In the case fang's "that" isn't dave, couldn't we use it to contribute to the energy cost?

Another thing, could we do anything with more artifact juice? Since our shards are indestructable, could we wedge them into our ordered artifact gate to keep it open and take advantage of that? Also, couldn't we just get the lords and dave to give only their powers so they can live on normally?

>>32988890
>>you have three or four days before the core reaches the point of no return, should there be any outstanding things you want to resolve or any people you'd like to talk to. Otherwise, I'll get writing.

How did this just get overlooked?!

Hell.

Other ways to succeed. Investigations into the skysever, and david.

Search for other massive sources of mana - Fang's Soulbox may or may not be roughly equivalent to the skysever, we should ask him for it.

Talk to abby and the others. Say our goodbyes. Get everything we wanted to say to Ila about paths untaken off our chest.
The angels, that will live in a world free of erebus.

And lastly, get with , auriel, and flint - our last gift to auriel will be restoring her wings, but fueling it entirely with the light magic of sir flint - we just provide the framework, he'll fill it.
Steward should be able to assist, given he observed the servanting process. May need to nick a light dynamo for him tho

What else?

>>32989531
>There's a difference between railroading and having a plot.
Sure. It doesn't look good when every idea is shot down and the players are effectively told to shut up and sit back because the ending was already locked in.
>something with a predetermined plot
U wot m8? If it has a predetermined plot, it ain't a quest. It's a story. Hell, this quest didn't even have a predetermined plot in the beginning.

>>32989711
>take no one; use Vigil to keep Abigail from following you into the inner core

If we don't hear anything from the High Elementals, I will raise a total bitch storm.

>>32989752
>OR like a million people to fix shit...
>Does it have to be strictly people we use? Because we could use the vog to lighten the overall load. In the case fang's "that" isn't dave, couldn't we use it to contribute to the energy cost?

Keep in mind there's that spacefaring society outside the barrier.

>>32989763
I doubt Auriel wants to be immortal again now that she is with Flint.

>>32989763
With this guy

Looks like you MIGHT have jumped the gun a bit there, SM.

>>32989774
What I mean by predetermined plot is one that was decided a while ago, but not necessarily before the quest started. Bad wording on my part.

But my point is that yes, the players are more or less supposed to sit back because the ending is locked in, but that ending is locked in because of actions we took in the past and as a result of how we approached things. It's not like SM just decided to end things this way arbitrarily. Of course there's going to be parts where we can't change anything, but that doesn't suddenly mean "OH NO WE CAN"T TRY A BILLION DIFFERENT PLANS THAT WON'T WORK BECAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE OR TAKE TOO LONG, YOU'RE JUST DENYING US OPTIONS BECAUSE RAILROAD."

>>32989668
>A bit of power gone awry? Erebus spoke of plans, orders, programming. It occurs to you that you might not be that much different than Steward...just a lot more organic.
>implying Shadow isn't Erebus's own shard of humanity
>implying making an AI wasn't illegal and potentially impossible due to Vigil's programming
>implying Erebus's dialogue makes any sense if we aren't an actual shard
>implying Erebus didn't just have part of himself emerge from the Archonium

>>32989763
>Fang's Soulbox may or may not be roughly equivalent to the skysever
Where do you people get this shit?
>uriel, and flint - our last gift to auriel will be restoring her wings, but fueling it entirely with the light magic of sir flint - we just provide the framework, he'll fill it.
That's not even close to how Servanting works.

>>32989790

oh you'll hear about them

>>32989845

I asked if people wanted other stuff. No one said anything for 20 minutes.

>>32989763
>Other ways to succeed. Investigations into the skysever, and david.

Skysever will help, it's already accounted for.

David is inside the barrier somewhere, Vigil can't give you more data on him as things stand.

>Search for other massive sources of mana - Fang's Soulbox may or may not be roughly equivalent to the skysever, we should ask him for it.

Fang's soulbox has 'subsumed' 234 people. It is very powerful at what it does, but isn't much compared to the skysever itself. (think of it as a heat-seeking missile of sorts, with less explosions and more screams)

>Talk to abby and the others. Say our goodbyes. Get everything we wanted to say to Ila about paths untaken off our chest.

Do you really want to tell Ila about 'what might have been?' We've been trying to get her to move on from us, it seems.

If there are other brief conversations/goodbyes then I could write them quickly, but we've kinda been posturing that we won't need 'goodbyes', in order to get Abby to go along with things. Donovan already knows what's up, so...you know, we're pretty good as far as I can see.

Happy to write something specific, but I do want to move on now that we're right here at the cusp.

Well, who do we actually have with us that would make good servant candidates that aren't already?
Anyone who uses higher elements are obviously out, because it would overwrite their own alignments
Fang would be good but he'll be busy working the skysever
I always thought that Melody would be a logical choice to make a Servant, because she's already basically our greatest literal servant in the world, considering she literally rules a nation of "our" followers; it would just piss Fang off if we asked her come with us though.
The only good one I can think of would be Steward, but he's A) The ruler of a non-shadow people(?) and B) A fucking robot

>>32989791
>Keep in mind there's that spacefaring society outside the barrier.
The main reason Venian humans could be used in place of Elementals is because of their underlying Chaotic element.

The people from beyond the barrier were substantially less chaotic than those on Venia proper (other than the few aberrations like David who ended up ostracized), which means it would take a prohibitively large number of them to substitute for a single Venia-bound human.

>>32989711
Melody coming along would be incredibly useful since she was actually responsible for helping to mend the barrier the first time around, and her element is far more compatible than Hemmelus (who designed the patch) is. Getting Fang to agree might be an issue, unless we also consent to Servanting and bringing him along as well.

I still don't know how Adavan's going to take it if he's with us when Hecate goes all sacrificial without breaking it to him first. Either he goes off the deep end and ends up jeopardizing the operation when she goes to do it, or they both get some closure from being together when she goes. It really could go either way.

>>32990000
>Vigil can't give you more data on him as things stand.
I know I suggested Pocketing a splinter of Vigil as a way to test the waters behind the barrier before we reach the point of no return, but I'm not sure what the verdict on that was.

>>32990000
Can we summon Xella and give her a speech about paths untaken?

>>32990076
+1 upvote please support

>>32989711
Quickly check with Hecate if it's okay for us to bring Addy. If so, ask him and Ila if they would like to join us.

We're going to want someone with us who can grab Abby at the last minute.

As for who we're taking, there's basically no way we're not taking Abby, but the other two probably couldn't handle it in there, unless Adavan wouldn't mind likely having to rez back at his phylactery.
Actually, is there any chance all the chaos and shit in there would fuck with that if he went down?

>>32989914
If you fail to see the issue with the current lock-in in light of one QM acknowledged massive fuck-up with railroading and another recent shitstorm that gutted the playerbase, then I doubt there's any point in conversing.

WAIT
CAN WE ASK FANG TO LET US EAT HIS BOX
WE COULD REALLY USE SOME LAST MINUTE JUICE FOR FINAL BOSS
PLS
IT'S NOT LIKE HE NEEDS IT OR ANYTHING, HE'LL BE OUTSIDE ANWAY

>>32990000
Could we eat the Soul Box for one final injection of EXP?

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>>32990204
>If you don't use past mistakes as a bias for judging the current situation there's no point in conversing.
O-okay.

>>32989711
>Ila Miller
>The QM doesn't even remember her name right
Being Ila is suffering.

>>32990049
>I know I suggested Pocketing a splinter of Vigil as a way to test the waters behind the barrier before we reach the point of no return, but I'm not sure what the verdict on that was.

I suppose you could. I don't think it's needed.

Here are the exact physical mechanics of the plan.

The barrier is a shell. Then there is another great space, and then an inner shell that contains the actual core. So, two concentric spherical shells.

Vigil is going to open the barrier from where it is broken and you and the elemental lords will be taken inside, along with whoever you choose to go with you.

Vigil will activate enemy countermeasures if required.

The three elemental lords will remain with one half of Vigil at the outside of the barrier and begin preparing. You will travel with the other half of Vigil along with whom you choose to bring to the inner core.

Vigil will open the inner core, and you will enter it to keep chaos subdued while Vigil prepares.

Once Vigil is ready, you activate the remodeling process. Vigil can first ferry anyone back out of the barrier.

That's the current framework. So, knowing all that, you can modify specific stages of the plan, if you choose.

Aside from the portion in which you have to physically enter the Inner Barrier, Vigil is going to do the heavy lifting, and it's extremely powerful. Hence my earlier description of my writing several paragraphs describing traveling from Point A to Point B, after which you'll assume direct control.

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

>>32990140

He's shielded, so his magics wouldn't be influenced by the core. However, Hecate would probably not want him to be directly involved. We could go ask her about it if you'd like.

>>32990236
>>32990239

Sure, why not.

>>32990236
>>32990239
>we spend four days just gorging ourselves on magical items
I like it. It's hilariously meta.

Speaking of meta, can we have Vigil print out some scientific materials to jump-start the Venians? I'd hate for them to get annihilated by the people from the other two islands in a couple centuries (you gotta figure they'll stop worshipping Erebus eventually).

>>32990262

heh, sorry. talking on phone wtih my sis

>>32990261
>not ignoring the past is bias
Are you for real?

>>32990268
Actually, even better
If we servant someone but take it back later, their alignment goes back to normal right?
We could literally use the soulbox juice to servant EVERYONE that wants to come help fight, and take it back later once they're clear and we start the repair process

>>32990262
Nah, she and Hamil obviously had a shotgun wedding right before we left.

Vigil officiated.

>>32990301
>I'd hate for them to get annihilated by the people from the other two islands in a couple centuries (you gotta figure they'll stop worshipping Erebus eventually).
This is actually a good point, not because they'll stop worshipping Erebus, but because they still sort of are.

They were told to destroy anything exiting the barrier, and now that the barrier is gone entirely, they're almost definitely going to come and investigate.

>>32990338
>take it back later
Pretty sure it doesn't give us back the XP, it just reverses the Servant process.

>>32990374
>the barrier is gone entirely
It's not. If it was, we'd be fucked.

>>32990374
We don't need the XP back, we're going into Final Dungeon anyway; what we need is as full a party as we can get

>>32990268
If we can manage to scrounge up enough xp, Fang, Melody, and elf queen are all acceptable servanting targets.

>>32990338
>We could literally use the soulbox juice to servant EVERYONE that wants to come help fight, and take it back later once they're clear and we start the repair process

Heh, that sounds just ridiculous enough to work. Well, everyone that's a lesser element, anyway.

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

You approach Fang on the bridge on the matter of servanting equating to 'shielding' while within the core.

He seems interested, but begs off when he realizes that you want to eat his box. However, after reminding him that he'll be able to be on-the-ground with his niece and that the fate of the world itself hangs in the balance, he reluctantly pulls the small, hinged token from a gap under his armor.

Roll 1d50

Sum of first three rolls = EXP

Rolled 46

>>32990493

>>32990386
I mean the skysever one that was erected post-Elementomachy, not the Core Barrier.

>>32990404
It's mostly that there's no real reason to want to take it back once the expenditure has been made. (Unless it's on someone who would get their innate abilities neutered by the Shadow infusion, and at that point I'm not sure it'd be reasonable to bring them along to The Most Dangerous Place In The World.)

>>32990493
GIMME DAT EXP
UPGRADES CALL

Rolled 4

>>32990493

Rolled 18

>>32990493

Rolled 11

>>32990493
>He seems interested, but begs off when he realizes that you want to eat his box.
lewd

>>32990527

what a great roll!

>>32990546

the law of averages strikes again

>>32990550

meh

Current EXP: 78

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

Part of your deal was to servant Fang, for the time being. Who else do you servant? (7 EXP a pop)

Note that servanting those of Higher elements (Donovan, Auriel, Hemmelus) is pretty counterproductive and won't accomplish much good anyway. They're relatively sidelined.

You could also buy upgrades, too.

>>32990529
What if we servanted Donovan, and undid it after the fighting was done?
He barely knows any actual light magic, and most of his power comes from his XBOXHUEG mana, which wouldn't be effected negatively, and might even be boosted a bit, if I've read things right, so he'd be just as effective with basic shadow magic as he would be with basic light

>>32990527
Well, that's not too-

>>32990546
>>32990550
FUCK

>>32990616
Servant Melody. Maybe the elf Queen.

We could then Chosen Melody or Fang.

Or maybe instead of that we could complete the Shadow Magic tree. You know it would be damn useful for this fight.

Or we could Arbiter Abby.

>>32990616
>78
>Just barely not enough for Vigil
FUCK
In any case, we're obviously servanting Melody too, and maybe elf queen or Steward
After that, we've got like 50-something exp, enough to maybe finish the shadow magic tree or Arbiter someone

>>32990616
Arbiter Abigail pls

>>32990667
I'd support Chosen'ing Melody. She knows how to use shadow magic, and thus amplifying her abilities would work more in our favor.

Rolled 49

>>32990667
Servant Melody and Fang, and Arbiter Ally; I'm sure Fang would appreciate us increasing his niece's power any way we can if end up, well, y'know...

>>32990616
Melody, Young Bull, Wisp

>>32990616
use Arbiter on Abigail

>>32990616
Servant Melody, Arbiter Abby, get Tree Gift and use that to give Abby and Ila the Shadow Magic tree. We'll need the firepower.

Oh wait. We can't. We're 1xp off.

Fucking fuckity fuck fuck fuck.

Or we could top off our resistances. Earth+Wind and the last Spirit resist could go a long way.

Sounds like servanting Fang, Melody, and putting Arbiter on Abigail is the most popular combination.

If we go with that, it will leave you with 14 experience. Who else will be servanted, or will you purchase some other ability?

>>32990772
Can't we eat like, a spare Dynamo or something?

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>>32990772
>1xp off
SM pls

Rolled 42

>>32990794
Fill out some of the Servant tree, I guess. Might as well

>>32990794
Young Bull and Wisp-Bro.

>>32990797
Wait, don't we have that Shadow Dynamo we used to turbocharge the eclipse in our Pocket?

SACRIFICE.

>>32990830
YES.

Rolled 33

>>32990772
Do we have shit in our Pocket to eat? I'm sure we can request to eat a spare dynamo, if it's to spare the world and strengthen it in the coming changes

>>32990616
Melody's a no-brainer.

>>32990667
>Maybe the elf Queen.
This is a pretty reasonable option as well, but I'm not sure we should be bringing along all of the reliable governing figures for all of the lower-element aligned nations. Seems a little risky from a reconstruction standpoint.

>>32990723
I'd go with Great Tree over Young Bull if we were going this route, if only for the fact that he's going to be less impulsive. Not sure we know enough about either of their skillsets to make this an obvious choice, though.

>>32990830
Erebus took all our shit when we fucked up. Our pocket is empty. Our inventory is empty.

That asshole took our leather fannypack.

>>32990772
SOMEONE has to have some magical swag on them they're willing to give up. Melody and Fang are the most likely candidates, but Hemmelus might have something hidden up his sleeve too.

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>>32990849
>That asshole took our leather fannypack.
He deserved to die.

If we were going to Chosen anyone at this point it'd really have to be Melody, once again mainly because she's literally spent hundred(s?) of years leading a nation of our "followers".

I'm more of a fan of Arbitering someone though, and personally I've always liked the idea of Arbitering Ila, as sort of a "passing of the torch" sort of thing; she's always wanted to be able to help us and what we stand for more than anything, and what better way than to have her sort of carry on what we stood for after we were gone. Abby on the other hand, as much as we love her, has her own life to lead and her own goals to follow, as the new leader of a whole nation which itself doesn't belong to shadow.

If people really want to Arbiter Abby though I'm fine with it, I'm just making a case here.

>>32990849
>team belt disbanded
;_;

>>32990794
When we use Arbiter, is Chosen going to get cheaper the same way that Servant did the first time we used Chosen?

If it does, we could Chosen Melody after this.

>>32990830
TIME TO EAT THAT DYNAMO

>>32990772
>>32990809

Eh, well, I guess I can give you a little wiggle room after all this time.

Let's say you ate one of Fang's Charge Wands and gained a point of EXP.

>79 EXP

Does this change everyone to:

>Servant Fang
>Servant Melody
>Arbiter Abby
>Tree Gift Ila and Abby

Pretty solid lineup right there.

>>32990920
>Tree Gift Ila and Abby

>>32990920
Y

>>32990920

That uses every drop of EXP, too. It soothes my OCD...

>>32990869
>IA pls go
Realtalk though, I think we've all heard enough off the Abby V Ila thing and everyone's made their points, thanks for not being a dick about it.

Personally, I still stand by the whole idea of the immortality and more elemental nature being something that would almost be cruel to give to Ila because it separates her so much from anyone else, while it would make Abby more like Shadow, which benefits the both of them.

Of course, at this point, at least if we don't factor in meta knowledge, we know we're gonna die, so it might actually be out of character for Shadow to give Abby Arbiter and then leave her forever.

But whatever, votes are already leaning toward Abby Arbiter anyway.

>>32990920
Based SM

>>32990920
Sounds good.

Shadow tree for them, yeah? Or were we still going to go for the Earth tree for Abby?

I have to say, the Earth Tree seems rather useless in this situation.

>>32990920
Y

Rolled 33

>>32990920
Yeah, that works

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>>32990920
Go for it

>>32990952
we better get some flavor text for that Arbiter SM.

>>32990963
Shadow tree for both!

>>32990938
Disregard this, I'm an idiot.

>>32990920
Yes.

>>32990963
I feel like we should give Ila something else just for the sake of flexibility, maybe water?

Rolled 85

>>32990794
can we please get earths gift

>>32990954
>Of course, at this point, at least if we don't factor in meta knowledge, we know we're gonna die,
No, we don't.

>>32991015
Water sucks and Earth is incomplete. The Shadow Magic tree is probably our most powerful magic tree.

Rolled 81

>>32990920
Thankyou SM, you truly are our benevolent dictator and always will be.

>>32991036
Let me clarify: Shadow does not think he's coming out of this alive.

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>>32991018
sorry Earthbro, this is the end for us.

RIP in peace whatever is behind heartstone titan.

>>32990954
I'm pretty sure that just a regular servanting already makes them immortal or at least buffs their lifespan by a stupid amount.

Servant is what Hyperion was using to make his angels and them niggas was unaged for 700 years.

>>32991082
It isn't the same ability, and implying that things that applied to angels also apply to servants is something that was already warned against.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if you were right. Getting all that ORDER in you is probably going to help the body not die for quite a while.

>>32991074
No... it can't be. Please, this can't be it. It can't be over like this. ;_;

>>32991082
>Abby wasn't spit out of the Archonium as a 20+year old little girl
>we didn't end up with an immortal loli love interest
Would've been worth it just to watch the anti-waifu and Ila crowds implode under the weight of their anal anguish.

>>32990920
If I understand the plan right, there's going to be a chunk of Vigil that survives.

Two questions for the ship.
>Can the small chunk restore itself to full size by doing Vigil stuff?
>Is it possible to register someone else as a User for Vigil?

>>32991180
>Immortal loli in my SQ
I don't know if I would've been able to take it.

>>32991160
>implying we won't be able to eat things in the core
We still have to take care of Dave. No telling what'll happen with him, but if it ends how I hope it will he'll be worth a lot of XP.

>We could have artifacted Ila's punch dagger if we'd rolled 10 better
Suffering

Rolled 94

>>32991114
It certainly kept Erebus alive for a long fucking time.

>>32991221
>Is it possible to register someone else as a User for Vigil?
This! We should try to have Donovan, Adavan, and Abigail entered as users upon our death ha.

>>32991281
I'm gonna say no to Adavan.

>>32991268
Haha, shit, I wasn't even thinking of that.
He WAS a normal human at one point.
None of these people are even human, technically.

I feel like we all kinda brushed over that without really taking it in because there were a hundred other bombs being dropped at the same time.

>>32991291
>hating on the most reliable character in the quest

>>32991291
what's wrong with a lich controlling a near infinitely powerful machine?

>>32991221
>>Is it possible to register someone else as a User for Vigil?
>>32991281

If nothing else, it should probably be possible to register Abby post-Arbiter, but I dunno if it'll recognize the others as being potential Users. Worth checking, at least.

>>32991268
He was already effectively the Terminator before he turned into an order blob.

I also doubt that the Servantings will stick around after we lose our powers. At least, I hope we aren't going to end up dying of old age while Abigail is forced to live on forever.

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>>32991291
>implying

>>32991366
You seem to think that Shadow is going to turn into a human or something. It really doesn't make any sense for that to happen.

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>>32991366
Where the fuck are all of these assumptions coming from?

>>32991393
SM, if Adavan doesn't deploy Turbo Extreme Siege Mode before the end of the quest, or as some sort of callback in Edgy Quest in the future I'm gonna be so disapponted.

>>32991330
>doubting the integrity of Adavan
The nigga gave up centuries of warfare and personal sacrifice to go innawoods with a nine-year old because a sentient elemental asked him to help her.
>>32991361
I want to ensure that at least one new user won't be part of the mission. Ergo Donovan.

>this happens before boarding the Nemesis/Vigil

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

After rather little ceremony and to-do, you empower your allies.

Fang examines his black, feathered wings. "Hmm. Bulky." He wills them to vanish. "I suppose they might be handy in a pinch. You look lovely, of course, darling."

Melody rolls her eyes.

Abby smiles. "You two are rather friendly lately."

"Well, it is the end of the world," Melody says. "I can't be stubborn forever."

"I always did pounce when my enemies were weakest."

Melody slaps at Fang's shoulder, but it's definitely a playful hit.

You stand with Abigail at the edge of the Shadow mana pool. You've saved this for last.

"So...what will happen?" Abigail asks.

"You know...I'm not all that sure."

"Um." She holds your arm. "Well."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGsAtVVO5B8

You do as you've done many times before - you channel Shadow - what you know now is Order - and press it upon Abigail.

Maybe it's your enhanced understanding of the real process behind it, but you can feel things now as if you hadn't felt them before. With each servanting, each choosening - you realize what you were doing when you 'layered' Shadow on their souls. Venians are mixtures of Order and Chaos, a soul of Chaos, a shell, a body, of Order. In pressing your power into them, you strengthened the shell, aided it in controlling and stabilizing the soul, and allowed them to draw upon the side of order more strongly.

You imagine, then, that Hyperion did the reverse - he made their souls burn brighter, for longer, so that their shells did not eventually snuff out their lives. Either way, it's less the perfection of the balancing act, and more the destruction of it, until it's not an act any longer.

>con't

Rolled 58

>>32991366
Why wouldn't it? The angels got to keep all their power after Hyperion was sealed, and our energy is technically going to still be around. I don't think gifting powers works on ontological inertia

This time, you don't just heap Shadow onto Abigail - it enters her, mixes with her soul. It feels like when your Artifact power stained the dynamo of Wind. In the same way, you stain her soul black, draw her through the tide of Order and forge it around her like armor. You feel her left hand - the hand you healed. You spread that power out, thinning it somewhat, but also adding it to her in totality.

You realize your eyes are closed. When you open them, Abigail has changed.

Her armor is no longer the spiked, intimidating force that it was. It's...shiny. Smooth. In a way, it reminds you of Steward - no. It reminds you of Vigil.

Plates of armor articulate as she moves. There are no gaps in her armor. Her wings are now fully armored fins. Bright energy glows at the end of those wings, and at her feet. A long purple visor covers her face. She looks like a missile made of black steel.

"Abby?"

<Shadow.> She raises a hand to her head and taps the helmet covering her face. <...this is new. I can see things on this. What...is this what Vigil tells you? What's HP? There's something that says 'mana', too...> She flinches slightly. <Wow. I can see a map of Arland, just by thinking it. It even shows people! Oh, there's Joey...how is this happening? Is this magic?>

"I would probably say...yes. Sort of."

Guess you'll have to explain a few things. It seems like Abigail has some level of access to Vigil's core system functionality. That should be useful, especially if you're...incapacitated.

You instruct Vigil to allow her to control it unless it contradicts your own orders - though it seems you have to approve Abigail's orders first, because you are the system 'administrator'. Whatever that means. Vigil starts getting into the details of permission-based files structures, and you sort of tune out a bit.

You do pay enough attention to ask Vigil if it can register anyone else as a 'sub-user'. However, it doesn't even recognize anyone aside from Abigail.

>other things?

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>>32991409
>>32991424
How else do you see this ending? Us turning human or dying are the only two endings that fit the narrative. Us staying as the elemental lord of shadow fucks up everything Geb and Hecate have been talking about. It also looks fishy as fuck as Adavan (of course, us coming out the other end at all will look fishy as fuck). It completes Shadow's transformation from a near mind-less blob of shadow into a person.

>>32991501
>What's HP? There's something that says 'mana', too...

My sides.

>>32991457
>choosening
this is a silly word

>>32991501
So, just hypothetically of course, how much exp would we get from consuming Joey?

>>32991580

"chosening". Mispelled that.

Choose-ening is indeed silly.

>>32991597
Negatives.

>>32991597

roll 3d .00000045

>Shadow stained Abigail's insides with his color
Just like my Chinese cartoon porn.

>>32991542
I'll agree that it makes sense as an ending, yes, but that's just one possibility, and assuming that's how it's gonna end up without thinking that SM might end it differently is kind of silly, considering that he's the kind of guy who revealed that what we thought was a fantasy setting was really sci-fi all along.

>>32991501
>What's HP? There's something that says 'mana', too.
Now we teach the waifu how to metagame.

>>32991468
I was basing my ideas around Auriel having lost her powers to anti-magic. This new descriptor makes the Servanting process seem more like a weaker version of what was done to Erebus. Which makes the fact that Auriel lost her powers a bit strange.

>>32991635
I think its kinda funny
>Erebus: Man, eternal guardian of the universe sure is boring. I wish life were more like a video game
and then life was a fantasy setting

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>>32991634

>>32991631
Well you asked.

>>32991635
Do you have alternate ideas that make sense for the narrative given everything we know? I don't, so I'm assuming it'll be one of the two I listed.

>>32991669
Yesssssss

Rolled 1

>>32991704
That ain't working, let's just roll a d3 and do some math.

>>32991542
The 'Shadow becomes human' end sorta got fucked when this was revealed as sci-fi all along.

Shadow's a blob of order being piloted around by an AI which is run on a little crystal computer/energy core thing. It makes zero sense for him to become human from this process.

Rolled 1

>>32991727
.00000045 XP for eating Joey.

Worth it.

Let's go.

>>32991728
Even if some magic reversed his hard link to order energies, he was like 99% robot before that happened anyway

Alright, I will start writing then.

>>32991727
>>32991755
typical

>>32991728
Order and Chaos are still, for all intents and purposes, magic. The technology level on the Vigil might as well be magic. If a man can be turned into a sentient blob of loogie, then the reverse could very well be possible.

>>32991781
yeah, even without the "magic" shadow would still be an immensly powerful, immortal, sentient nanite cloud.

>>32991894
>nanite cloud
There's nothing to imply this. He was only ever depicted as a humanoid.

>>32991894
Nanomachines, son.

>>32991501
we gave both Ila and Abby Shadow magic with the tree gift right?

>>32991972
>Shadow
>Humanoid

Erebus was the human, anon.
We're the subroutine, program, whatever you want to call it that he made.
Shadow was only ever depicted as humanoid when he decided he wanted to look like one.
Our most natural state is a formless blob.

>The skill tree doesn't even get an update for this.
Man...

>>32991987
yeah, we want that triple void bomb/eclipse capability.

>>32991972
I assumed based on the "blob that consumes things to gain power" bit.

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>>32991809
Heh heh, luegie.

>>32991501
>Erebus actually programmed himself to see things in terms of HP, Mana, and EXP.

God damn were we the hugest nerd.

>>32992014
We're never getting heartstone titan.
Or grabity control.

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>>32992025
getting to actually use the triple void bomb

>>32992032
Honestly, assuming that Shadow is a magic nanite cloud is just as off-base as that guy thinking he's humanoid.

>>32992058
>we
What quest have you been reading?

>>32992007
My mistake. I misread as Erebus because talking about Shadow as nanomachines is retarded.
>>32992032
Without magic, there is no blob.

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Adavan is my waifu.

SM I understand that you are writing a big long thing but I am still afraid, please assure us that your home did not suddenly explode.

>>32992086
eh, I could have misread, I just saw it as another step in the enhancement project, nanotech enhanced with order, but I am perfectly willing to admit that I could be wrong.

www.youtube.com/embed/K2_xFSL5H1o

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You gather your four allies - Ila, Abigail, Fang, and Melody - and prepare to cross the bridge from the Nemesis to Vigil proper with the elemental lords. The Nemesis will remain outside the barrier itself, where your allies will observe. If something goes wrong, at least they'll be able to respond quickly, if they can.

Donovan catches your eyes as you leave the room. He raises his hand. "See you soon, Shadow."

"...see you soon, Sir Flint."

The doors shut behind you.

You guide your allies into the core of Vigil's system, into the room where you once confronted Erebus.

The tiles of the central control console light up with a 360-degree view of your surroundings, as if you're simply floating out in space. Everyone panics for a bit - except for Abigail, who already knew what would happen - until you explain that you are still inside the ship.

Vigil moves forward.

A beam of opaque black shoots from the front of the craft and strikes the center of the cracked, pulsing breach in the barrier. The breach grows for a moment - but it's consolidating. Stabilizing. Steadily, a huge gap opens in the barrier, a smoothed, round portal that provides an entrance large enough for Vigil to pass through.

Vigil's though-speak echoes through the ship, reaching your allies.

>Countdown timer initialized. Current stabilization output can only be maintained for one-half hour. Remodeling preparations scheduled to complete in fifteen minutes.

>Now entering Outer Core

You enter the Outer Core.

It's a barren, rocky wasteland. Mountainous. Dark clouds scour the sky. As you watch, the terrain seems to erode in places, and grow in others, as if an invisible sculptor can't decide quite where to put the hills.

You didn't expect this - just more space. You have an intense sense of deja vu.

>con't

<...Shadow,> Abigail says. Her thoughts reach you as little more than a whisper. <Do you remember? This is the place from the Archonium.>

<...what does that mean?>

<I don't know. Was the Archonium linked to the Nether? Or the other way around?>

You can only shake your head, because you have no idea.

A sigil appears on the ground in front of you. It's glowing with white, pulsing light. It expands rapidly, rippling across the ground at high speed. It stretches across hills, over valleys and ravines, until it begins to overtake the mountains in the distance. It shines brightly.

<Vigil, what is this?!>

>Chaotic Entity is drawing upon power reserves. Brace for turbulence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcA7heHGRtY

Just before the sigil completes its turn, you realize it's a summoning spell - a mass summoning spell.

Demons begin to appear. Crow demons, sirens. Succubi. Wyverns, and dragons - hundreds of them, at least. You sense the heavy shock of Demon Lords blossom along one ridge. Their auras are familiar. This is where you banished them.

"There's thousands of them," Fang says. "Hundreds of thousands. Shadow, if this vessel can do something about those things, then it had better start. The skysever can't enter the barrier itself. I've been trying since we passed through."

<Vigil,> you say, <now would be a good time to act.>

>Decomposing flight units 0001-2048 from core structure. Target: Elimination of all Enemy Units

Vigil shifts. You hear a metallic sound reverberate through the ship. And then you see it, moving ahead of you - a massive wall of black steel, drifting over the landscape, each the size of a small mountain themselves. The wall breaks in two, and those two mighty halves split, forming four pieces. And then eight, and then sixteen, and they split again, and again, and again. Suddenly, a blizzard of airships fills the air in front of the demons.

And then they're gone.

>con't

They reappear everywhere - they jumped. Two thousand and forty eight beams of black light fire simultaneously, vaporizing half the demon forces in one go. None of the ships hit each other.

With lightning precision, they dart about like flies. Despite still outweighing even the dragons nearly ten-to-one, they move faster. Dozens of explosions resound through the air as some of them erupt at supersonic speeds. Flocks of crow demons are scoured from the air. A wave of succubi fire is useless - the ships Jump past it, behind their targets, and fire once more.

Lightning from a Demon Lord flares out. One ship sparks, and starts smoking. It retreats back toward you. Ten others immediately converge on the demon. Another huge arc of lightning follows, clearly intending to blow away the grouped targets.

The ten ships have already moved. They've formed a conical formation - lines of black light connect them in a grid. You barely have time to register the movement when the lightning impacts them. But it doesn't hit them - it's sucked into the cone of ships, and there it lingers, flickering around like a trapped lion. It turns violet, and is shot back out of the cone of ships at twice the speed and a dozen times the power. A massive explosion blows away both the demon lord and the mountain it was standing on.

The rest of the battle is just as one-sided. The demons never had a chance. Within thirty seconds, they're completely annihilated.

>con't

"Hmmmmm." Everyone looks at Geb. "We are lucky...that Erebus liked to play games."

No one has a response.

<Vigil, is using that much power safe?>

>The mission timer has already been adjusted for predicted power output.

A moment later -

>All hostiles eliminated.

>Readings indicate power convergence on the core. The Entity is withdrawing to conserve energy.

>Scans indicate the prescence of [common name]: David to be located within the inner core. Also discernable are energy signatures likened to [common names]: Hyperion, Logi, Aeolus, and Raijin.

<The elemental lords are inside the core, with David? Can you contact them?>

>Contact has already been attempted. No response has been recieved.

Well, that's great.

The wall of ships reunites and vanishes from view as it -clunks- back into Vigil.

>Now commencing full system split. User Erebus, please move to the end of the bridge. I will provide further instruction to the three elementals as required.

You walk with Abigail, Melody, and Fang to the edge of the control console. <Good luck,> Hecate says to you.

You nod back to them. "Thank you. I hope..." You stop. "I'll see you all soon."

Leviathan doesn't react. Hecate just nods. Geb waves goodbye with exagerrated movements. He's an odd one. Sometimes wise, sometimes mighty, sometimes simple. Very much...like the Earth.

An opaque wall slides into place between your two groups. Your half of the bridge breaks away and cruises deeper into the wastelands.

>con't

A minute later, you come upon the inner core.

It's another black, spherical shell, sitting in the middle of a series of mountains. It's much smaller than the outer shell - only about the size of Vigil itself. But that still makes it one of the largest single objects in Venia. The black inner barrier expands to fill your vision as Vigil drifts closer.

It, too, has weakened. The crack isn't quite as forboding, but it's...neater, in a way. A ring of light is pulsing on one side of it. Vigil settles down around the flaw and locks itself in place. You bend your knees to absorb the motion as the ship settles down.

Another portal begins to open - and a tunnel leading out of the bridge and to the core forms in front of you. The ship is like moveable blocks - it seems to rearrange itself on a whim.

>The portal is prepared for entry. Remodeling construction is underway. Estimated time of completion is eleven minutes. A reduced level of chaotic radiation will be required to allow for the final step.

>Be advised that energy signatures within the inner core are condensing to one point. Readings indicate little physical distance between David and the other elementals. It is possible that they are collaborating to stimie our progress.

<...we're going to be fighting a hell of a fight,> you tell them. <You heard what Vigil said. I don't want anyone to - >

Abigail wraps her hand around your arm. <Don't even think about telling me to sit this out.>

<...right.>

>enter the inner core
>speech?
>something else?

>>32992730
>enter the inner core
There's not a whole lot else to say really, at least not to our party here

>>32992730
>enter the inner core
<Let's go.>

Well everyone.
This is it.
It is truly, and perhaps finally, Happening.
>enter the inner core

In hindsight.

We're bringing Abby with us, after making her Arbiter.

To where Dave is.

Yeah.

>>32992730
>Darkness Within

>>32992730
>enter the inner core

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>>32992874
It has been a pleasure, gents.

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>>32992918

>>32992902
Either he'll fight with us to seal away Chaos or he's too far gone and he'll just be attacking us anyways. I don't think Abby's arbiter status will matter. Hell, will David even be able to tell? He'll know she's strong, but I don't know if he'll be able to differentiate between different levels of Chaos/Order.

>>32992730
Time to put the lights out on this show.

>>32992730
Consume Abby for EXP

Rolled 4

>>32992730
Summon wispbro

>>32992997
Supporting.
Wispbro has come this far with us.
Wispbro deserves to be there in the end.

>>32992997
Hell yeah, fukkin' wispbro.

Wait, isn't he an entity of chaos?

Rolled 80

>>32993041
he is an entity of brotherhood

>>32993041
Wispbro is pure ORDER concentrate.

>>32993041
Who cares? Hes our bro and that is all that matters

>>32992730
>speech?

"We have to speak with the other elementals first. If they ever cared for the people of this world, they may still help us."

Yes, it's a long shot, but we've done long shots before.

>>32993075
Yeah, because talking with our enemies has worked out so well in the past.

>>32992730
>something else
summon wispbro
kiss Abby
put on sunglasses
say: "its shadow time!"
Enter happening

>>32993075
I'm going to assume you're talking about the higher elementals trapped in the core, right?

Honestly, not as much of a long shot as you might think, since it was mostly their followers being dicks after they left that caused problems, but we just might not have to time to prove to them that shit's changing.
We're on the clock now.

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>>32993075
>>32993094

So what are some biting one liners we can throw at the higher elementals?

You march forward with Abigail on your arm. Fang walks at her side, with Melody just behind him. Ila is at your left shoulder.

You pass through the portal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZt2Ep-mGOc

You're washed over with the sensation of huge amounts of mana. You can sense the four higher elements the strongest, toward the center of the room - layered over a tiny core of Shadow. And above that, like a tidal wave crashing down over a river, is Chaos - pure energy.

You manage to pry your eyes open. The space is blindingly lit. Your eyes adjust slowly. You're standing on the rounded edge of the barrier wall, just where it grades down to a flattened bottom.

A crack hangs in the air in the center of the space, as if light itself decided to carve a hole in the sky. The jagged hole hangs like a fruit from a growth. The twisted plant has grown down to the base of the barrier, and its set down roots and shoots all across the inside wall. They're concentrated at where you're standing, hard at work trying to wedge themselves through the weak point.

'Plant' doesn't really do the thing justice. Neither does 'fungus'. It moves. Every time you look back, something has changed, something is different - but you never actually see it shift. The center pulses regularly, beating against your chest like an ugly heartbeat.

You sense a presence there. It has a will, but what it wants, you do not know. You know it senses you, too. You feel its attention sitting on you like an itch on your skin you can't scratch.

Huddled at the bottom of the sphere is what appears to be a man. He is the source of the Shadow, as well as the other four elements. He seems to be scrabbling for something at the base of the growth's trunk.

<What is this?> Ila asks.

<This is Chaos.>

<That's obvious,> Fang says. He points. <Do you suppose that's your old friend, David?>

What do you do?

>approach the man alone
>approach the man together
>attack the growth
>some other strategy

>wisp is summoned

>>32993144
Just what the doctor ORDERED.

>>32993144
>Logi gets corrected or something
"Ooooh, burn!"
>Aeolus talks a lot
"Full of hot air I see."
>Raijin is cooperative
"How shocking."
>Hyperion isn't a douche, gives information
"Thank you for illuminating the subject."

>>32993166
>approach the man alone

>>32993166
>approach the man alone

>>32993166
>I have no idea what to do

>>32993094
>>32993106
Normally I'd agree, but this is probably the only chance of all the elementals coming out of this alive.

>>32993166
>approach the man alone
We either have a lot of apologizing to do or we're in for one hell of a fight

>>32993166
>some other strategy
>Consume Abigail
>Erasure the core of Chaos

>>32993166
>wisp is summoned
Wispbro has our back.

>approach the man alone

>>32993254
I don't think that's gonna happen, given the general consensus seems to be that they never had any business being alive in the first place.

>>32993166
"Rejoice, David! The promised time is upon us, and with it, your release from your duty."

>things not to say

>>32993353
>"Oh shit! You're still here?"

>>32993361
>"Do I know you? Have we met before?"

<Everyone hold here. Other people seem to make him...upset.>

<Yeah, I noticed that bit,> Abigail says.

You start forward, slowly.

At first, you think to pick your way across the vines and roots of the plant-thing, but each time you blink, they've already moved out of the way. Behind you, the path they're making closes neatly. It's either avoiding pointedly avoiding you, or allowing you to walk toward something very unfriendly.

The pulsing flashes of mana continue. Now you know what was echoing out of the core when you explored earlier. All this energy is coming from the growth, from the hole.

You reach the base of the tree. The man is hunched, bent over his legs. He's scraping at the bark, getting handfuls of the light, and bringing it to his mouth - and eating it. He's chews it down, swallows. And then he's scraping for more.

He notices you. He twists himself to look at you. He pauses.

"...Ere...bus. Eating...consuming...I ate them. I ate them. I'll eat it all."

He turns back to his meal and shoves in another mouthful. "I'm strong now." The words are garbled, said through a mouthful of chaos. "Stronger. Stronger. I'm stronger. I have Fire, and Wind, and Lightning, and even Light, even LI͞҉G͡H҉͜T͏, can you believe that?! Heh, Light...heh...heheheh..."

He raises his head back and crackles. And then he takes another bite from those roots.

It doesn't seem to really be hurting the entity much, if at all. Every time you look after he takes one of his bites, it's already grown back.

What do you do?

>write-in

>one more update and then I'm done for tonight

>>32993415
"David, I'm here to relieve you."

Rolled 74

>>32993166
>Approach David alone

>>32993415
>"David, Chaos is breaking free. In spite of your efforts, the barrier is about to fall. I need your help to prevent this."

File: (AGRESSIVELY CHICKEN DANC(...).gif (166 KB, 500x500)

166 KB GIF

>>32993415
this

>>32993415

Actually, I'm going to call it here. I'm pretty dang tired.

I hope to run again Thursday.

I will consult with responses that are written in this thread before writing the next update.

Thanks peeps. I'll see you then.

>>32993415
"That's... good, I suppose. Every bit of power helps, especially since I'm going to need all of mine, if we're going to make sure Chaos never escapes again."

>>32993415
<Vigil, is this... good? Bad? Ultimately insignificant?>

>>32993415
"David, I have a mission for you of utmost importance. You have done your duty well, but despite our efforts Chaos is ready to slip from its bonds and break out of the barrier.

We cannot allow this to happen."

>>32993473
Thanks for the thread, SM!

I need your help once more."

This is probably the saddest thing to happen in this quest, well, maybe tied with Flint's past.

Rolled 18

>>32993473
Hey, it would be so cool if you set up an AskFM like some other QM's so we can throw you questions that would otherwise take up thread-time.

Rolled 97

>>32993415
Touch his shoulder
"David... you have done all I have asked, thank you. I... need your help with one more thing, something only you and I can do. Together."

>>32993415
"While impressive, I fear it's possible that you might have been tricked. It might be that Chaos allowed you to consume the Elementals at this point in time for some unknown purpose. Considering I've finally arrived to trap it once and for all."

>>32993508
Huh, guess I should go to sleep as well.

>"David, I have a mission for you of utmost importance. You have done your duty well, but despite our efforts Chaos is ready to slip from its bonds and break out of the barrier.

>We cannot allow this to happen.

> I need your help once more."

>>32993415
Jesus Christ.

Dave is suffering. Pure undiluted suffering. I don't think I've ever felt this bad for a character.

So, uhhhh, what are the elementals doing right now? Just standing there watching Dave eat?

>>32993415
First, we should consult with Vigil on this.

Second, no substituting Dave for ourselves, if he is going be sacrificed for the greater good, we're going to be there right with him.

>>32993563
He ate them.

>>32993415
If he does notice Abigail, we do have one horrible excuse, we "merely" appointed Abigail to look after things while we're gone, we're giving David the much greater honor to die alongside us and accomplish our goal of keeping Chaos sealed forever.

>>32993587
More like he eats them.

>>32993415
><Vigil, analyze David's viability for use in repair of the inner core.>

>>32993563
He's making sure they stay sealed, while also literally devouring their power.

>>32993473
Thanks for the thread, SM! See you next time!

>>32993415
><Vigil, initiate self destruct procedures and allow chaos to spread throughout the universe. It's about time to jump-start the next iteration.>

>>32993415
I say phsyically touch him, because affection from Erebus is something he deeply wants. Then say this:

"David, you have exceeded every expectation I have had for you since the day I placed you here. I want to thank you, David, truly for what you have done for me. You are truly my strongest arbiter... but our work, David, is not finished. I need you for one last mission, and this one we will do together. Will you help me?"

I think this hits on a lot of things, acknowledging David's service, reciprocating his loyalty, praising his skill and ability and titaling him as our number one, and then offering him the chance to do one last mission with us.

>>32993772
Gah, too many trulys, but the jist is to effect some sincerity. I think Shadow would feel a little touched that David, in his own warped way, was trying to serve him like his predecessor wanted; David's existence helped Venia

>>32993772
Too cheesy and heartwarming; he responded better when we talked more like Erebus, just a little softer, like we did when he jumped out of Sandy's sigil.

Less gushy praise and asking nicely, make it a little bit more authoritative and to the point. Something more like:
> "I'm here David, as I said I'd be. You've done well holding down the fort here, and now it's time to finish up the job. Come, let's finish this."

Still appeals to his deep need for affection and approval, but actually sounds sincere and reasonably in-character, at least for the master he knew.

Hey guys? It's a crazy thought here and all, but.. if we somehow, SOMEHOW figure out a way to reboot/reincarnate ourselves using the [DATA CORRUPT] system on Vigil.. Do you think, I dunno, maybe.. just.. maybe.. we could do the same for the Elementals? Maybe the best way to do it would be to reboot ourselves WITHOUT any of our power. Sacrifice all of our energies in favor of keeping purely our consciousness, and embedding it into a human shell casing.

We could do the same for the Elementals. Imagine presenting our lich buddy with his very own Hecate without all the divinity and all-encompassingness.