>>33648060

You don’t need to pay attention to your senses to be aware of their struggles and accomplishments, if you just concentrate on that part of yourself. You’ve never really done this before, but it seems like a natural thing you should be able to do, for some reason.

And then you sense something that definitely isn’t a part of the local ecosystem. Something big and predatory, coming toward you. Something with a fiery heart.

Ah, Ranthix. He’s trying to sneak up on you. It wouldn’t be the first time. It’s part of his training you, or something. Something about teaching you to be aware of your surroundings and be vigilant and stuff. Well, luckily for you, being on land you’ve mastered gives you a couple different ways to notice the things going on around you.

You kneel down by Reeber. “Go get Ranthix for me, okay boy?” you say, grabbing both sides of the hellhound’s massive head and looking into his bright, lively eyes. “Go on!” You point him in the right direction and let him go, and Reeber bolts off through the woods, on a mission.

You follow after him, staying low and minding your step. After a few moments, you pick a spot and scamper up the side of a tree, making liberal use of your claws to assist your assent. It’s way easy going, with the bark being just soft enough to allow you purchase, but hard enough not to break under your weight. This is probably how cats feel when they climb stuff, you think to yourself.

>>33648065
In short order, you’ve scaled the redwood about twenty five feet, and that’s where you bide your time. You notice your tail swishing playfully, and force it to remain still along with the rest of you. Getting the jump on Ranthix is a hell of a lot harder than a deer when he’s on the prowl.

Your body tenses. It’s no small effort to stay plastered to the side of a tree, but you’ve got endurance that probably rivals most Olympic athletes, so it’s not too much of a trial to maintain your grip.

A minute later, you hear Reeber’s deep, grating barking as he comes running back. You don’t hear anything with him, but that doesn’t fool you. You can easily imagine Ranthix following after the hound but staying back maybe thirty feet, moving low and fast with liquid grace, like a freaking jaguar or something.

You’ll only get one shot at this, so you steel yourself. If Ranthix gets any grip on you, you won’t be able get out of it. And he’s not going to go easy on you.

Reeber stops at the base of the tree and turns around, probably to look back at the Infernus following him. It was a good idea to send the hellhound – his body language is giving you something to check to guestimate where the demon is, even when you can’t see him.

Reeber’s tail starts wagging. That’s the go signal.

You heave sideways off the tree, and push off with your clawed feet, launching yourself into the air.

>>33648095

Then Ranthix steps into view below you, crouched and careful, scanning the foliage for any sign of anything that’s you.

Only the quiet whoosh of moving air could warn the demon of your imminent attack, but it’s already too late.

You slam into Ranthix’s back, hooking your arms around his neck and using your momentum to heave the demon over. You both smash into the ground, you coming out top in a crouch with him in a headlock, and your claws pressed to the sides of his leathery, bone-plated neck.

A second passes, while Reeber sits and regards the both of you with vague interest.

Eventually, Ranthix speaks. It pretty much ruins the whole peaceful early morning thing the second he opens his mouth. “SO SPAWNLING,” Ranthix says, remaining completely at your mercy, “WHEN EXACTLY DID YOU BECOME A MASTER HUNTRESS? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME NOW THAT YOU’VE LET ME MOLLYCODDLE YOU THIS WHOLE TIME,” he says, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he cranes his head to try to get a better look at you. He scowls. “I DON’T MOLLYCODDLE ANYTHING EVER.”

>Let Ranthix go free.
>Tighten grip your grip. This may probably never happen again.
>Actually, now that I’m thinking about this, it seems kind of like a fluke, so, don’t read too much into it. Please don’t read too much into it.
>I AM A MASTER HUNTER. HUNTRESS. I AM A MASTER HUNTRESS.
>Don’t worry, it happens. You underestimated me. Fair mistake.
>Mollycoddling isn’t too bad, Ranthix. I liked it.
>Other (?)

>>33648107
>>I AM A MASTER HUNTER. HUNTRESS. I AM A MASTER HUNTRESS.

>>33648107
>I AM A MASTER HUNTER. HUNTRESS. I AM A MASTER HUNTRESS.
>Honestly though, I got lucky this time. Or guessed well. Or something. I need to get good enough to guess well every time. Then I won't have to be lucky.
>Let Ranthix go free.
>Mollycoddling isn’t too bad once in a while, Ranthix. I liked it. And what happens if you have a kid one day?

>>33648107
>Don't worry, it happens. You underestimated me. Fair mistake.

>>33648107
>Mollycoddling isn’t too bad, Ranthix. I liked it.

>>33648107
>I AM A MASTER HUNTER. HUNTRESS. I AM A MASTER HUNTRESS.
>Don’t worry, it happens. You underestimated me. Fair mistake.

>>33648107
>Tighten grip your grip. This may probably never happen again.
>Actually, now that I’m thinking about this, it seems kind of like a fluke, so, don’t read too much into it. Please don’t read too much into it.
Mention how this probably wouldn't go so well ever anywhere where you're not the master of the land though.
He knows we're the landmaster of this forest, right?

>>33648191
This one is nice

>>33648107
>>Let Ranthix go free.

>>33648107
>>I AM A MASTER HUNTER. HUNTRESS. I AM A MASTER HUNTRESS.
>Laugh loudly.
>Seriously though, don't read too much into it.

>>33648107
Aside from
>And what happens if you have a kid one day?
I like this post >>33648191

>>33648107
>The forest decided to lend a hand. Or something.
>SO I AM A MASTER HUNTER! ... HUNTRESS. AT LEAST IN HERE. PROBABLY. YEAH.

Adding
>Mollycoddling isn’t too bad once in a while, Ranthix. I liked it. And what happens if you have a kid one day?
from
>>33648191
to my
>>33648326

Implying Ranthix wouldn't be twice the hardass on his child.

>>33648191
Second

>>33648107
>Landmaster weirdness. I think the woods decided to start mollycoddling me, 'cause it totally just snitched on you.

>>33648191
>>33648214
>>33648328
>>33648343
>>33648347
Do we really want to say the "mollycoddling ain't too bad" thing? It can go three ways

1) He laughs and says the "you may be infallible but you still say stupid things sometimes" thing
2) He gets all offended or something that we don't think he's a good teacher (unlikely, but still.)
3) He somehow interprets it as an order and lightens up, meaning less effective training.

>>33648403
Damn right we say it. Harder training leads to better results.

I hope.

>>33648403
Yeah, I don't think we want to mess with his training attitude, which, being the infallible spawn of the infallible Imperiate, we probably would if we mentioned something like that.

>>33648418
Except him making the training harder is the least likely outcome from this.

If we wanted him to make it harder, we should not say the mollycoddling ain't too bad thing. We should smirk at him and respond to what he just said with "I wouldn't have it any other way".

>>33648455
We'll see soon enough.

>>33648403
I honestly only added it in as the most available lead-in to another topic of conversation. If we said it stand-alone, I would expect the first.

>>33648107
>>I AM A MASTER HUNTER. HUNTRESS. I AM A MASTER HUNTRESS.
>Tighten grip your grip. This may probably never happen again.

>>33648107
"Must be time to kick it up a notch...BAM!," you say, as your fire whip pops into existence in your hand.

>>33648107
>I'm a fast learner

“YES,” you should into his ear. “I AM A MASTER HUNTER. HUNTRESS. I AM A MASTER HUNTRESS. THAT’S ME!” You briefly relax your hold on him to allow him to escape.

Ranthix immediately breaks out of your grip and rolls to his feet faster than you can stand up. He’s pretty spry for a guy like, twice… three times your size. You brush the dirt off of yourself from where you were on the ground, and get up. “But about the mollycoddling thing. It’s not too bad,” you say, smiling to yourself. “I kind of liked it.”

“THAT’S BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW ANY BETTER,” Ranthix counters, cracking his neck to the side. He intertwines his claws and stretches his arms out before him, and a series of muted pops sound from all of his joints, from his shoulders to his fingers. “MOLLYCODDLING DOESN’T MAKE YOU STRONGER. EVEN IF IT SEEMS NICE AT THE TIME, IT MAKES YOU SOFT AND SLIMY. DO WANT TO BE SOFT AND SLIMY, SIERRA?”

It takes you a second to figure out an answer. “Well… soft is kind of cool, I think,” you say. You like soft stuff. And that’s part of the reason you use like, moisturizer and stuff. “Maybe not the slimey part. Unless you’re talking about like, figurative softness, because screw that. And I don’t even know what figurative sliminess means, but I don’t think mollycoddling ever made anybody slimy before.”

“TAKE MY WORD,” Ranthix tells you, “IT MAKES YOU SLIMY.” The full, smoky feel of anger wafts off of him as he tells you this.

>>33649093

“What about when you have kids?” you ask him. “You can’t not mollycoddle kids.”

Ranthix glowers at you. “I WAS BORN IN A PIT.”

“Uh…” you reply. What do you say to that? You kind of shrink away from him. Maybe showing this guy up wasn’t the best move. “Uh. Just so you know, the only reason I got the drop on you is because I’m like, the landmaster here? I mean, I was kind of just zoning out and stuff, and then I felt your presence like, kind of in the mystical sense, I guess,” you say. “So… don’t read too much into it.”

His anger turns instantly to hilarity, and he laughs at you. “YOU HAVE FIRE IN YOU. NOT REAL FIRE YET, BUT WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT,” he says, his eyes and mouth glowing inwardly with burning light. “YOU ARE LESS STUPID THAN I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE, SO THAT MEANS I CAN BEGIN TRAINING YOU FOR REAL, NOW.”

Wait. Did he just call you stupid? You frown.

>Did you just call me stupid? That’s kind of a jerk thing to do.
>You said pretty much the same thing to me over the phone the second you could walk around on your own again.
>Well, we’re only like, a few days of training in, so to be honest I was kind of expecting things to ramp up anyway.
>What’s real training entail? I thought the yoga and weird chanting was intense already.
>Whatever. Let’s go back to the cabin.
>…were you really born in a pit? That’s harsh, man. And I have pretty harsh standards.
>Other (?)

>>33649111
>Bring it on big guy.

>>33649111
>“I WAS BORN IN A PIT.”
>“YOU ARE LESS STUPID THAN I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE, SO THAT MEANS I CAN BEGIN TRAINING YOU FOR REAL, NOW.”
k fucking ek

Holy shit Ranthix is probably the most entertaining yell-talker I've seen in a quest so far.

Anyway, I think I'll second >>33649134

I'm too giddy to be mad about Ranthix calling it like it be.

>>33649111
>>Well, we’re only like, a few days of training in, so to be honest I was kind of expecting things to ramp up anyway.
>>What’s real training entail? I thought the yoga and weird chanting was intense already.

>>33649111
Do we want fire shining out of us all the time? Seem like that would make it harder to do shadowy things.


Also, how much PP does Ranthix have?

>>33649111
>Did you just call me stupid? You're stupid!
>What’s real training entail? I thought the yoga and weird chanting was intense already.

>>33649111
>Well, we're only like, a few days of training in, so to be honest I was kind of expecting things to ramp up anyway.

Adding
>>33649134
to mine
>>33649194

That Anon knows what's up.

>>33649111
>[Offense-taking dissipates]
>We've been doing hot yoga and chanting a lot. I wasn't sure if this was some sort of karate kid "wax on wax off" crap or if you were actually going to teach me something useful!

>>33649111
>>Well, we’re only like, a few days of training in, so to be honest I was kind of expecting things to ramp up anyway.

>>33649111
>You said pretty much the same thing to me over the phone the second you could walk around on your own again.
>Well, we’re only like, a few days of training in, so to be honest I was kind of expecting things to ramp up anyway.
>What’s real training entail? I thought the yoga and weird chanting was intense already.
Childhood talk later after training.

>>33649111
Throw your jacket off in one smooth maneuver and yell, "Let's kick it up a notch!" You summon your fiery whip from a hellish plain and aim to wrap the business end around Ranthix's neck. If it connects, you get to yell out, "BAM!" in excitement.

>>33649295
>"Let's kick it up a notch!"
>"BAM!"
Stop suggesting that. It's really dumb, and not in the fun way.

>>33649295
We are not a bad action movie character.

>>33649330
>>33649364
It's just a suggestion. If Lawnbro doesn't like it he doesn't have to use it. I'm just letting off a little silly steam, ok bro? Chillax.

>>33649111
>Well, we’re only like, a few days of training in, so to be honest I was kind of expecting things to ramp up anyway.
>What’s real training entail? I thought the yoga and weird chanting was intense already.

File: 1402342556606.gif (467 KB, 475x614)

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>>33649231
Actually, what if hot yoga for infernus is a little... hotter than for mortals?

>>33649378
And I'm just giving you feedback on how fucking lame and annoying I find it. Chillax, bro.

>>33649399
I thought that was a given

>>33649411
Brohan. I am Chillax to mizzax.

>>33649411
And I just give my girlfriend severed plants to celebrate the rotation of the earth going in 360 degrees since we met.

Reductionism is fun.

>>33649444
You are so smart that I don't get your joke.

>>33649466
He offered her flowers to celebrate their one year anniversary.

>>33649541
I got that much, just didn't get how that related to the post that was quoted.

>>33649563
None.

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>>33649444
>Reductionism

“Did you just call me stupid?” you ask indignantly. There’s a lot of insults you can handle, but you don’t like people you know calling you stupid. You already know you’re not the brightest, sometimes, but that’s just cause you’re like, imperceptive or something. (+2 Stress: 0/100)

He smiles balefully at you. “YES I DID, AND I’LL DO IT AGAIN,” says Ranthix. “YOU ARE STUPID. ALSO, YOU LACK JUDGMENT.”

“I’m not stupid, you’re stupid!” you argue, spreading your claws without thinking about it. “Don’t call me stupid!” (+4 Stress: 4/100)

“IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, STUPID,” Ranthix yells, an overexcited delight in his eyes. He steps up to you and delivers a swift blow with the flat of his hand, right in your shoulder. The minute movement for him sends you sprawling backward into the dirt, and you fall over. “GET UP, SPAWNLING,” Ranthix goads. “YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING SITTING DOWN.”

You scowl up at him, your shoulder burning from where he unexpectedly laid hands on you. (+3 Stress: 7/100)

>Stand up.
>Say something clever.
>Is that so? (Use shadows)
>What the hell do you think you’re doing?
>Wait. Is this the real training thing deal, now? Am I supposed to learn something from this?
>Other (?)

>>33649606
Piss on him. Literally.

>>33649606
>Is that so? (Use shadows)
>Stand up.

>>33649606
>Stand up.
>Get ready to dodge the followup smacks.

>>33649606

this sounds good; >>33649626

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>>33649622

>>33649606
>>Wait. Is this the real training thing deal, now? Am I supposed to learn something from this?
>Stand up.

>>33649606
>Stand up.

>>33649606
Remove jacket.
Then get up using shadow assist.

>>33649606
>Is that so? (Use shadows)
>Stand up.
>"Have it your way then!"

In that order.

I see what you're doing, Ranthy mah boi, and I like it.

>>33649606
>>Stand up.

>>33649606
Before I vote, did he say he was going to teach us infernus stuff or did he say he was going to teach us demon badassness in general?

Because that affects whether or not I'm willing to vote for shadows, and I have a major hardon for shadows.

Roll dice for standing up action.

>>33649606
>Is that so? (Use shadows)
>Stand up.

Rolled 11

>>33649775
In the LAWN I trust

Rolled 82

>>33649775
DODGE, SIERRA!

>>33649606
>Stand up.
No shadows. This is Infernus business.

Rolled 37

>>33649775

Rolled 100

>>33649775

Rolled 36

>>33649775

Rolled 4

>>33649814
YOU, AGAIN

>>33649814
>4th roll
Oh man that was close

>>33649814
So glad you were late

>>33649798
Good job, the LAWN gives you strength

>>33649814
Wow, just fucking wow

>>33649814
Haha, holy shit. I'm glad that doesn't count.

>>33649814

That would have changed the scene somewhat.

>>33649814
See, fools. Embrace the LAWN, and you shall be as I am, >>33649798 rolling well in order to save others
And also, how the fuck can you critfail standing up?

>>33649814
>>33649890
>Sierra stands up
>immediate her legs explode in fiery burst

>>33649916
Oh lawd, that's hilarious.

>>33649606
>say something clever
>clever
>Sierra
>Inb4 "My name... is Neo."
In any case, "Try to remain standing" is a lot more hardcore than "try to snatch this pebble from my hand."

Rolled 88

>>33649890
>decide you're gonna show him what you're made of
>your shoulder still hurts though
>try not to cry
>cry a lot
"NO, SPAWNLING, CONTROL YOURSELF, STOP, PLEASE, BEARSPAWN, WHERE ARE YOU"

>>33649916
>legs explode
>Sierra gains rocket propulsion
>fails so hard she succeeds
>falls so hard she flies

You’re about to prove him wrong about not being able to do anything, but then catch yourself. This isn’t an argument, or even Ranthix bullying you. This means something.

You look up at the huge demon guy, and you feel a sense of calm. He’s trying to bait you into losing control. This is all about discipline. (-5 Stress: 2/100)

Warily, you get to your feet.

And, as you expect, Ranthix lunges forward and shoves you again, harder this time. You fall backward, you were expecting something like this. You turn your fall into a roll, and then spring back up, trying to get space between you and him.

A massive strike catches you between the shoulderblades, and you’re smashed down into the dirt for a moment, the air knocked out of you.

“STAND UP, SPAWNLING, GET ON YOUR FEET!” Ranthix bellows, releasing you.

You suck in a breath and kick out from under Ranthix’s watch, rolling to the side and leaping off your back and onto your feet, just in time to catch Ranthix’s shoulder in the gut. The shadows dull the impact, but it’s like getting hit by a truck. (-2 HP: 25/27)

You flip over Ranhix’s head in a daze, but you recover, and time slows down enough for you to get your feet under you before you land.

>>33650282


You drop to the ground in a crouch, while Ranthix is still turning around. He may be big and fast, but he’s got a lot of momentum to work against. As he charges you again, you straighten your legs and stand up. “Ta da,” you say, presenting yourself like you’re the coolest thing since sliced bread.

And then Ranthix tackles you to the ground. This is almost as bad as that one time Borislav tackled you to the ground as a bear. (-1 HP: 24/27)

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING, SPAWNLING?” Ranthix shouts in your face.

Ranthxi has you pinned with an arm laid across your throat. You’re going to have bruises from this, for sure. And even if you do get this is an exercise or a lesson or something, you don’t like being physically entrapped. (+3 Stress: 5/100)

>Get off.
>I don’t know. What do you think I’m doing?
>You proved your point. You’re like, way stronger than I am.
>I’m being disciplined. No shadows, see?
>How do I deal with somebody like you? You’re too huge.
>Do something cheap.
>Other (?)

>>33650303
>I’m being disciplined. No shadows, see?
>Now get off.

>>33650303
>I don’t know. What do you think I’m doing?
Bait him.

>>33650303
>>You proved your point. You’re like, way stronger than I am.
>Do something cheap.

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>>33649967
>Borya: Yes? Is there problem here?
>Ranbro: I BELIEVE I WAS A BIT TOO ROUGH WITH OUR CHARGE
>Borya: Ah, I see, yes. Come come, dyevushka! No tears, yes?
>Ranbro: *FUMING SILENTLY*
>Borya: Do not cry because of d'yavol, here! D'yavol do not cry because they have fallen, yes?
>Ranbro: ACTUALLY, INFERNUS DO NOT HAVE TEAR DUCTS. THAT WOULD BE A SIGN OF WEAKNESS.

>>33650303
>Ta da!
Goddamnit, Sierra.

>I don’t know. What do you think I’m doing?
Would it be possible to use the shadows between Sierra and Ranthix to pry him away from us with great force, kind of like with a crowbar? If so, do it!

>>33650303
>>I don’t know. What do you think I’m doing?
>>I’m being disciplined. No shadows, see?
>>How do I deal with somebody like you? You’re too huge.

>>33650303
Terrorizing glare?

>>33650303
>Actually try to fight him and learn from the fucking master

Lets use this opportunity and use a combat specialist to teach us combat

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>>33650378
I like you.

>>33650303
>>Do something cheap.

>>33650303
>I don’t know. What do you think I’m doing?
>You proved your point. You’re like, way stronger than I am.
>Do something cheap.
He just praised us for being a "MASTER HUNTRESS". We're supposed to understand that we can't take guys like him head on in what he's strongest in.

>>33650303
Ok. I'm guessing that he either doesn't like us not taking things seriously or he doesn't like that Sierra isn't doing Verw/Belph stuff.

>>33650303
>How do I deal with somebody like you? You're too huge.

>>33650452
This

>>33650303
>Erm... keeping my cool? I thought this was, like, composure training... it isn't?
Try to get out from under him though, use your tail or something.

>>33650378
Also, regardless of its actual intent, treating this as an opportunity to learn seems like good practice in distancing ourselves from stressful situations and keeping our cool/reigning ourselves back in if we do start to slide.

>>33650303
Telling him to get off or asking him about his motives isn't really helpful here, he's just going to tell us we're not ready. Complaining will only debase us. We must be clever and
>Do something cheap.
>Invite him to look down at where your claws (or maybe footclaws? He's tall) are poised to remove his liver.

>>33650378
Yes. This.

>>33650513
>>Invite him to look down at where your claws (or maybe footclaws? He's tall) are poised to remove his liver.
Dude, we can barely puncture his skin with momentum, we can't gut him in an awkward position while being held to the ground.

>>33650303
Maybe we should try a one of our [BE] powers? I remember how he seemed pretty damn impressed with Mum smacking him with Inflict Pain that lasted for 3 days.

Dice for cheap stunts.

>>33650303
>>Do something cheap.

Rolled 80

>>33650622

>>33650378
Yes, let's actually fight him, I didn't think chosing [Stand up] would involve letting him throw us around like a ragdoll with any resistance

Rolled 8

>>33650622

Rolled 58

>>33650622

Rolled 86

>>33650622
CHEEP CHEEP

Rolled 28

>>33650622

Rolled 46

>>33650622

>>33650639
Not too shabby.

>>33650597
Nah, might get him a little too excited, if you know what I mean.

Rolled 79

>>33650622
>spit in his eye with poison, climb a tree, jump from tree to tree
>>33650639
bnice

>>33650638
Well, he vastly outclasses us in a melee using passive powers only. He's 3 times our size easily and that's before you factor in the super strength, massive durability, unnatural stamina, etc.

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>>33650666
>if you know what I mean

Why do I have this nagging feeling that things are about to get really, really stupid.

>>33651183
When it comes to Ranthix it's hard to tell whether he appreciates cheap tricks or not. It might also depend on the kind of trick we do.

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>>33650666
>Trying to stop it.
I will not fall for your tricks Satan.

>>33651304
All I'm saying is that Ranthix practically worshiped our mother, and one of his fondest memories was her using painful gaze on him.

And now he has the daughter of the woman he loved pinned beneath him: squirming to try and get away and then using a pain-causing power on him could sen entirely the wrong message.

>>33651446
I don't think it was that kind of love Ranthix felt towards our dreaded mother but more akin to a love a... soldier feels to his leader... or something.

>>33651490
You could be right Anon, but: do you want to risk it?

Rolled 100

>>33651517
I do.

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>>33651446
>Wrong message.
>Wrong.

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>>33651517

>>33651536
>100

This was your seduction roll yes?

>>33651536
>100
No you don't.

>>33651517
I do, of course.

Also I think Languid isn't too eager to go to the lewd territory - yet.

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>>33651536
>100
We really need to stop this line of thought.

>Almost an hour since the roll
This is either about to be really good or really bad.

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>>33651611

>>33651671
I think he prefers romantic things over lewd things. But cool things over romantic things.

You fight against his hold on you. “I don’t know,” you say from between clenched teeth. “What do you think I’m doing?”

“I THINK YOU’RE NOT STANDING UP, THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE NOT DOING,” Ranthix says.

“I just did!” you reply. “Just there!”

Ranthix gives a broad, toothsome smile. “SO? WHY DID YOU STOP, THEN? DO YOU WANT ME TO MOLLYCODDLE YOU FOR FALLING DOWN, SPAWNLING? HUH? IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK YOU WANT?”

If you needed permission to use your other, more fantastic abilities, Ranthix just gave it to you. You stare into Ranthix’s fiery eyes and force a cold, tight fear into your gaze.

Ranthix starts laughing, despite you pouring terror into him through the unbroken eye contact. (+2 Stress: 4/100) (-2 PP: 25/27) You change your tactics. You pull darkness around yourself, and focus it all between you and Ranthix as you suddenly ball up and set your feet against his bone-plated flesh, and then explode outward with both with your body and with the summoned darkness. (-5 PP: 20/27)

You don’t quite sent Ranthix flying, but you do force him back up onto his feet and enough off balance to give you time to run for the nearest tree. You almost make it.

The process repeats itself. You run. You fight. You do everything you know how to do, and then you do it again. But whatever you do, Ranthix is just too much of everything. It goes on until the darkness gives way to light.

>>33651703

Before your darkness runs out though, you eventually actually do make it to a tree, and get high enough to sit down on a branch.

You look down at him, your feet dangling below you. Sweat drips from your brow, and your breathing is labored. You’re pretty beat up and tired, like, physically. Your muscles protest when you move, and you sport several minor and some not-so-minor injuries. (HP: 23/27; PP: 18/27)

“I DON’T SEE YOU STANDING,” he shouts at you, bracing himself against the redwood with an arm.

You could just sit here. He doesn’t do anything unless you stand up. You smile sadistically, and, minding your balance, you get your feet under you and slowly stand up on the branch, careful to mind your balance. “Well what now, huh?” you call down to him, bracing yourself for his inevitable onslaught.

If this is the game, you’ll play it. You’ve fought ferociously, and even Ranthix has a couple cuts on him from trying to keep you down. You smile. And then you stop smiling.

Ranthix bars his teeth and starts scaling the tree after you. He shoots up the tree like a spider monkey., way faster than you could go. He climbs with technique and skill that escape you.

A minute later, you’re laying flat on the ground, panting. The world swims above you. As soon as it stops spinning, you’ll get back up. And it stops, and you go to stand, but Ranthix steps into your field of vision, towering above you.

>>33651728
>towering above you.
HAHA YOU WRITE INTO MY FETISH

>>33651728

You keep getting up just to spite him, but then he pushes you back down with a clawed foot.

“ENOUGH TODAY, SPAWNLING,” he says, removing his foot suddenly. “YOUR INEXPLICABLE APTITUDE TO WEASEL OUT OF EVERYTHING WILL SERVE YOU WELL.” Then, surprisingly, he offers you a hand. You have trouble reading the emotions coming off of him. But they’re… positive, somehow, you think. Like… maybe pride? Maybe?

You put your claws in his, and then Ranthix heaves you effortlessly up off the ground and onto your feet. The contact allows you to sap more of his power to yourself. (+5 PP: 23/27) (+1 Stress: 21/100) After a moment of dizziness, you remember how to stand again. You almost forgot what it felt like.

Reeber walks over and presses against your side, looking up at you with a relaxed dog grin.

>Thanks for the compliment, I guess?
>Am I doing something wrong?
>Admit it, I’m good, aren’t I.
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.
>Other (?)

>>33651703
>>33651728
The spirit of this reminds me of my time in boot camp.

Good job.

>>33651764
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.

>>33651728
>And it stops, and you go to stand, but Ranthix steps into your field of vision, towering above you.
Fellatio time?

Alright, I'm done, I'll stop now.

>>33651764
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Am I doing something wrong?

>>33651764
>Am I doing something wrong?
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.
>Goddamn you can move fast for a guy your size.

>>33651764
>>Thanks for the compliment, I guess?
>>Am I doing something wrong?

>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.

>>33651764
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.

>>33651764
>>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.
Fucking BBQ time, straight off the grill.

>>33651764
If you ever make one of those drawings of Ranthix like you made of Moriah and Sierra, I hope he's wearing a drill sergeant hat.

>>33651764
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.

>>33651764
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.

>>33651764
>Am I doing something wrong?
>You're not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.

Rolled 40

>>33651814
I know he doesn't look like it, but I can't help but imagine Ranthix as some impossibly muscled guy with huge hands and instead of a head, a flaming stag skull. Without antlers.Maybe with movie-hellboy horns. It doesn't even make sense, yet it feels so right.

>>33651764
>Thanks for the compliment, I guess?
>Am I doing something wrong?
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.

File: excited.gif (334 KB, 256x202)

334 KB GIF

>Ranthix steps into your field of vision, towering above you.
>he pushes you back down with a clawed foot

I like where this is going

>>33651764
>Am I doing something wrong?
>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.

>>33651764
>Did anyone get the license plate on that truck?
>Are you hungry? I'm hungry. Let's make, like, 50 hamburgers.

>>33651764
>>Thanks for the compliment, I guess?
>>Am I doing something wrong?

>Thanks for the compliment, I guess?
>Am I doing something wrong?

>>33651764
>>>Am I doing something wrong?

>>33651764
>>You’re not even breathing hard. Man, that's... you're pretty crazy. Like... in a good way.
>>Are you hungry? I’m hungry.

>>33652515
We just ate a deer or something. We should not be hungry for a while?

Rolled 9

>>33652567
Reebs did most of the eating. We kinda just...sucked its blood.

File: 1405346286143.jpg (82 KB, 740x1000)

82 KB JPG

>>33652567
That was like a day ago. We've been fighting all night. THE IMPERIATE'S DAUGHTER REQUIRES THE FLAME-LICKED FLESH OF CHATTEL.

>>33652567
That was just blood

>>33652634
Early morning. We've been fighting all day and now dusk is starting to settle.

Which is pretty fucking intense when you think about it.

>>33652690
>The process repeats itself. You run. You fight. You do everything you know how to do, and then you do it again. But whatever you do, Ranthix is just too much of everything. It goes on until the darkness gives way to light.

I think it's the reverse. Infernus are pretty fucking intense.

>>33652785
Oh, so it was. Well, shit's intense as fuck anyway.

>>33652690
>Start pre-sunrise with the deer thing
>Find Ranthix, it's still dark
>Commence training stuff
>It gets light out
>Gets dark again
>Now it's starting to get dark again

This fight has lasted for 2 sunrises. God damn.

>>33652822
>>Now it's starting to get dark again
get light again*

You push Reeber away from you, kind of playfully, but also kind of not wanting him in your space right now. He gets the hint and walks off into the woods, probably to eat a squirrel or something.

Ranthix turns and walks off back in the direction of Borya’s cabin, his tail swishing behind him, and you remember belatedly that you can walk with him. You stumble forward and eventually fall in line with Ranthix, limping as you go. “You’re… not even breathing hard,” you say, wiping your face with your shoulder. “If I did half the stuff I threw at you to… anybody else,” you say, “they’d be in a trauma ward or like, dead.”

“YES, I HAVE OFTEN CONTEMPLATED THAT MYSELF,” says Ranthix. “FOR EXAMPLE, WHY DO MORTALS TAKE SUCH CARE IN CRAFTING SUCH POWERFUL WEAPONRY WHEN THEY ARE SO EASILY KILLED THEMSELVES? CERTAINLY, IT IS A MYSTERY.”

You shake your head. “No, I mean, you’re like, crazy,” you say, struggling to find good words to describe this monster man thing next to you. He could snap you in half and wrap you around a tree if he thought hard enough about it. But he wouldn’t, like, ever. It’s awesome. It’s like having your very own dragon or something, even if you’ve never met a dragon before. A big, fire breathing, demon dragon that talks loudly, and wears khaki shorts and a gray tank top.

Khaki shorts and gray tank tops have never looked so badass.

>>33652894
Ranthix narrows his eyes, and looks over and down at you. “YOU ACCUSE ME OF MENTAL DEFICIENCY, BUT I ASSURE YOU I AM PERFECTLY LUCID AT ALL TIMES,” he says. You can feel a muted anger burning inside of him.

You snicker as you forge your way through a bunch of ferns. “No, I mean like…” you don’t really know what you mean, actually. You chew on your lip for a second. “It’s good,” you correct yourself. “A good crazy.”

Ranthix looks at you suspiciously, and you start feeling kind of awkward, so you bring up something else. “Was I doing something wrong?” you ask. “I couldn’t ever get the upper hand on you. You’re just too… much, all the time.”

“THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO SMALL AND WEAK, ALL THE TIME,” he says, twisting your words against you, even as he ducks a strangely low branch from a redwood. Well, maybe it’s not that low – he’s like, seven feet tall and has the huge horns – you couldn’t even jump and reach that branch if you wanted to.

“But what can I do about that?” you ask, looking at his huge, boney, leathery plated shoulder. Seriously, the top of your head doesn’t even break even with the tops of his shoulders, and his arms are bigger around than your thighs.

Ranthix already has an answer ready for you. “DON’T BE WEAK.”

>>33652919
>"How do I not be weak?"
>"DON'T BE WEAK."
o-ok...

>>33652919
You snort. “I can’t just stop being weak,” you say. If it was that easy, you’d have done it already. “I don’t know – maybe I’ll just get stronger one day. I mean, one day I just started having a tail, so I guess I just need to bide my time, right?”

Ranthix growls. “WRONG,” he shouts. “WEAKNESS IS A DECISION. A DOUGHY, LAZY, STUPID DECISION. HOW DO YOU THINK I BECAME STRONG, SPAWNLING?”

>You hit puberty when you were three and never stopped growing?
>You went to the Thultal academy and learned the art of being badass?
>You went on a series of adventures, each one teaching an even more profound lesson than the last?
>Uh. You made a decision?
>Are you saying I can dodge bullets? I mean, be strong like, you levels of strong?
>Other (?)
[It's around noon. You were up before the sun, and you fought all morning until it was light. Though six to twelve is still six hours.]

>>33652948
>>You hit puberty when you were three and never stopped growing?

>>33652948
>>Uh. You made a decision?

>>33652894
>Khaki shorts and gray tank tops have never looked so badass.
God damn it. I'm shipping Sierra with Wolfgang, but you're not making this easy on me.

>>33652919
>Seriously, the top of your head doesn’t even break even with the tops of his shoulders, and his arms are bigger around than your thighs.
Now you're just doing this on purpose

.>>33652948
>>You hit puberty when you were three and never stopped growing?
>>You went to the Thultal academy and learned the art of being badass?
>>You went on a series of adventures, each one teaching an even more profound lesson than the last?
Ranthix, you're alright. You were a slave-trading, innocent-abusing piece of subhuman trash, but you're alright. You're the honorable kind of pure evil.

>>33652948
>Uh. You made a decision?
Ok. I feel ya, Ranthix. We just gotta BE STRONG and then we'll stop being dough.

>>33652948
>You went on a series of adventures, each one teaching an even more profound lesson than the last?

>>33652919
Thanks Rant, real words of wisdom you offer.

>You hit puberty when you were three and never stopped growing?
>You went on a series of adventures, each one teaching an even more profound lesson than the last?
>You fought nonstop in a pit of hell?

>>33652948
>Are you saying I can dodge bullets? I mean, be strong like, you levels of strong?
>Got any suggestions then? I can't just will myself to grow and become Sierrathix.

Fucking love you, Languid. All these choices are tier 1.

Also a less badass than a whole day but six is pretty badass still.

>>33652919
>“THAT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO SMALL AND WEAK, ALL THE TIME,”
Snort.

Rolled 56

>>33652948
>>Uh. You made a decision?

>>33652948
>Uh. You made a decision?

>>33652948
>You hit puberty when you were three and never stopped growing?
>You went to the Thultal academy and learned the art of being badass?
>You went on a series of adventures, each one teaching an even more profound lesson than the last?
>Uh. You made a decision?
>Are you saying I can dodge bullets? I mean, be strong like, you levels of strong?
>Other (?)
Combine the first three (e.g. began adventuring You bwith a thultal teacher once you hit pubarty, which was when you were 3 years old?)
But yeah, don't leave him enough time to get angry because of our STUPIDITY and REFUSAL TO NOT BE WEAK ALL THE TIME.

>>33652948
"Well, how much of it was physical training? Are you saying you just made a decision and SNAP, you were instantly STRONG? Or was there some kind of transition?"

>>33652948
>You hit puberty when you were three and never stopped growing?
I like this one combined with
>You went on a series of adventures, each one teaching an even more profound lesson than the last?

With sarcasm dripping from our voice

>>33652948
>Are you saying I can dodge bullets? I mean, be strong like, you levels of strong?
He's going all bald kid with spoons on us, then?

>>33652948
>Well you've clearly been eating your Wheaties.

>>33652944
That is the best advice.

It doesn't take more then actually trying to be strong to become stronger.

>>33652948
Supporting >>33653075

>>33652948
>WEAKNESS IS A DECISION.

This is the best advice in this entire quest.

>>33653132
Reminds me of Professor [forgot his name] from Academy Quest. His book on force magic was one page with "BE STRONG" written on it.

>>33653075
Physical strength follows mental strength.

Stick a Navy Seal in a morbidly obese man's body and he will exercise the fat away.

>>33653168
No, it was a normal sized book with BE STRONG repeating over and over for the entire thing.

>>33652948
"A couple decades of training, fighting, along with being made of huge?"

>>33653168
Haven't read that quest but that really is all you need, everything else is just semantics.

>>33652948
I'm so glad we didn't kill him

>>33652948
>Uh. You made a decision?

>>33652994
>You were a slave-trading, innocent-abusing piece of subhuman trash, but you're alright.
Yeah, I still haven't forgotten the particular operation he was involved in when we met him either. He may be unflinchingly loyal to us, but that doesn't make him any less of an awful, terrible, evil person.

>>33653345
He just grew up in a bad neighborpit.

>>33653363
Oh you

>>33653363
He was, just a few weeks ago, personally involved in a slave-trading operation that featured people beaten almost to death and handcuffed to radiators. An operation where he was perfectly content leaving those innocent people shackled up as the building burned down around them.

He's a TERRIBLE person. His single redeeming quality is loyalty.

>>33653345
Well, I'm pretty sure he was just the brawn of the operation, basically acting a security for whatever Meckor told him to.
Also, Sierra has also killed quite a few innocents, you know, even if not entirely intentionally.

>>33653403
>Well, I'm pretty sure he was just the brawn of the operation, basically acting a security for whatever Meckor told him to.
That excuses him how? He was directly and personally involved with a horrible, truly horrible slave trading operation, and saw zero problem with it.

>Also, Sierra has also killed quite a few innocents, you know, even if not entirely intentionally.
Ranthix does that kind of shit intentionally, and is totally cool with it. Don't get me wrong, I'm fine keeping him around. He's loyal, has saved our lives - he's a dude we need. He's just really blatantly callous evil.

For better or worse, Ranthix is someone I would call extremely Lawful Evil.

>>33653441
Genuinely loyal people who don't give a shit about normal people laws and morals are really good for getting shit done.

Ranthix is a good addition to team whateverwe'recallingourteam

>>33653494
>Ranthix is a good addition to team whateverwe'recallingourteam
Agreed. He's Lawful Evil - loyal beyond death and without a trace of morality to get in the way of that loyalty.

All I'm saying is that he's clearly and extremely evil, not that he shouldn't be our left hand man.

>>33653441
He's a different species.
Like, legitimately from a different plane of existence.
Slavery is terrible, yes. But expecting someone who was basically fringe involved in the slavery of a species that means pretty much nothing to him to care about it in the same way that a human does is pretty off.

>>33653441
Well yeah, he grew up in hell. I'm assuming they don't teach you to love thy neighbor there. Why would he ever have a reason to give a shit about humans?

>>33653546
I'm not saying anything about why he's evil. Just that he is pretty clearly evil.

>>33653534
We don't expect him to be 'normal'. Doesn't mean we don't retain our morality/ethics. Understanding why someone did something isn't the same as agreeing with it.

>>33653528
>>33653571
Alright, yeah, I'm pretty much down with that. I'm still really glad we've got him, but I agree that he's a pretty bad person.

Is anybody really honestly surprised or appalled that Ranthix is lawful evil?

>>33653571
I don't think you can assign a set morality to a being of a different species that has grown up in an environment extremely different to one humans have.

For all we know slavery of other species and each other is morally acceptable in hell.

>>33653587
Don't we tear through a group of civilians every other month or something?

>>33653826
Doesn't mean we like it our want to. Or two Blood Frenzies thus far have been due to others inciting it.

So we need to train and consider what powers we get next will allow us to take on big-bads.

>>33653826
We also sold drugs and were part of a gang. Remember how giddily we cut down all those crabs when we were going after Tweedy?

>>33653811
>For all we know slavery of other species and each other is morally acceptable in hell.
Just because something is culturally acceptable doesn't make it not-evil. Cultural relativism kind of goes out the window when you're involved in an operation that keeps women beaten half to death and handcuffed to radiators in burning buildings.

Again, I'm totally glad we have him, and trust his one positive quality - loyalty - implicitly.

But he's still a terrible person - possibly because of where he grew up - regardless.

>>33653927
This isn't even about cultural relativism. I'm saying you can't assign human morality on him because he's not human.

>>33653795
His creed is "if you're weak, you're meat." We are trying our damndest to be chaotic neutral

>>33654032
What? No we aren't, Sierra has been trying to do the right thing. Also, gtfo with that alignment bullshit

>>33653880
Blood Curse seems to be pretty much meant to take out big bads. It takes out any buffs they have, keeps them from regening, and makes them take more damage.

Inflict Pain also sounds useful for that.

>>33654005
That's your opinion. Our opinion (I say our because someone else started this about Ranthix being evil). Is that he is. I define evil here as selfish. Ranthix probably didn't care that much about the slaves (if they were strong they would be there).

>>33654067
Beyond that, we should consider which powers will hook later into stuff like that. And extrapolative/combo powers.

>>33654130
Wouldn't* be here, phone typing a shit.

>>33654066
Word, son. Alignments are for babies.

To those who dislike Ranthix's involvement in the whole slave trade thing: you can ask him when the opportunity presents itself. You can ask why exactly was he there. I'm a bit curious myself whether he regards humanity so lowly.

>>33654066
Just replying in kind to "lawful evil" guy. My argument is that we've been a shitty person for most of our life (source:prologue and the most recent flashback) and we've been trying to change our ways.

>>33654066
>>trying to do the right thing
>sell drugs
>kill crabs
>kill hired guards/crabs during operation Tweedy who probably had no idea what was going on
>endanger soccergirls because they stole a notebook
>kill goblins
>go on blood frenzy rampage and kill innocents (and no, this isn't excluded, as it is an Infernus trait and so Ranthix also has to deal with this, just because he does it better doesn't mean he is unaffected by it)

>>33654212
He probably decided that since Meckor was a general, that he's the one he should be loyal towards, after THE IMPERIATE passed away.
He immediately ditched him and his mission as soon as he learned about who we are (e.g. putting himself at our mercy, probably because he went against us in combat, which is TREASON) and only hung around to try and get Meckor and the others on our side, as it would've benefited our rise to power

>>33654212
At a guess?

They were weak, they should have been strong and fought back, or words to that effect.

>>33654301
TRYING, Anon.

Also technically we didn't endanger soccer girls since we didn't rage but almost drowned instead. Also who cares about goblins, or crabs for that matter.

>>33654390
>>33654396
Both makes sense when it comes to Ranthix. His moral compass is a very simple one, if a bit (a lot) archaic.

>>33654067
Blood Curse, Inflict Pain, and Stain of Sin are the three main boss hunter powers that we've seen.

IP is a defensive debuff, though it can certainly be used with offense in mind. Does nothing to passive armor but hinders action.
BC is an offensively minded debuff requiring more attacks to make the most of it.
SoS is a very offensive self buff for armour piercing. Most offensive of the three.


>Other potentially good things for boss types
Spell Eater would also be good for dealing with pretty much anything that isn't fucking huge inferni like Ranthix.

Bloodletting would be good for boss killing if it works with SoS. Applying DoTs on melee hits is good. Applying it through armor is awesome.

VoOTT would be kinda good. It's better for killing the caster types and mooks, but it could also be good on the tanky bosses sometimes. I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate having shadow razor wire rubbed in their eyes.

The blood drink thing is also sorta ok, maybe. It would be dependent on being able to actually kill a mook before fighting the boss or at least being able to cut the boss guy, but it could be good.

>>33654402
>Also who cares about goblins, or crabs for that matter.
Why should Ranbro care about some human slaves, anon? the goblins were obviously sapient, and only committed theft (heck, we don't even know if they actually stole it or just bought it from someone).
I insist that we did, endanger them, by the way. We decided not to contact the authorities/teachers, and instead went there alone, ignoring our friends' advice, fully aware of our own personality/situation. Even if we managed to avoid a school-wide massacre with incredible luck, we did attack first.

“Well,” you begin, “I was kind of thinking maybe because you hit puberty when you turned three and never stopped growing. And then you probably like, went on a series of adventures, each one teaching you an even more profound lesson than the one before,” you say aloud, converting your thoughts directly into speech. “But to do these adventures, you had to like, learn to overcome obstacles, like not being strong enough, but then you realized in the end that real strength comes from the inside, not the outside?”

Ranthix considers what you said for a moment. “THAT’S STUPID. EVERYONE KNOWS REAL STRENGTH COMES FROM BEING STRONG EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME,” he says. “GUESS AGAIN, IF YOU DARE.”

“Uh,” you begin. There’s about one answer that’s probably the one Ranthix wants. “I’m guessing you… made a decision?”

“NO!” Ranthix yells. “THE SAGES MADE MY DECISION FOR ME, BREAKING MY BONES WITH CHAINS AND OPENING MY FLESH WITH WHIPS OF ICE, UNTIL WEAKNESS WAS NO LONGER A DECISION I COULD AFFORD TO MAKE,” he says. “CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO ENDURE NO SUCH SUFFERING.”

“Wait,” you say, catching the meaning of his words. “Are you saying that I can dodge bullets? I mean, get huge, like you? Like, you strong?”

>>33654301
Everything up-to and including Tweedy was before Sierra trusted the Hallows fully.

It was evil.

The soccor team is nice bait, we didn't hurt them beyond done minor stuff that would heal. We just wanted the notebook and their clique leader was bring a manipulative ass.

Goblins were trying to kill us, but we were on their territory.Then FREEDOM happened. Still, probably evil.

Blood Frenzy was out of Sierra's control, but expected. She didn't ask for that, though, and as her current Sanity attests, she isn't ok with it. Not evil, because their murder wasn't her direct choice.

>>33654548
“NO, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE SMALL, MAYBE,” he answers. “BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR INDOMITABLE SPIRIT, I SEE NOTHING THAT SHOULD STOP YOU FROM BREAKING YOUR INDULGENT WEAKNESS HABIT.” He eyes you with fierce pride. “THE BLOOD OF INFERIA RUNS THROUGH YOUR VEINS. YOU CAN BE STRONG DESPITE YOUR DECEIVINGLY MINUTE AND TINY FRAME.”

You don’t know whether you should feel complimented or insulted, so you feel both. “How am I going to get like that, though?” you ask. You can’t think of anything you could do that’ll have you punching through brick walls or throwing people around like Styrofoam blocks. “I mean, you didn’t just get like you are by working out, did you?”

“HOW ELSE DO YOU EARN STRENGTH OTHER THAN USING WHAT STRENGTH YOU HAVE?” he asks. “WHAT CAN YOU BENCH PRESS, RIGHT NOW?”

You don’t know. You’ve never worked out before. “Okay, I can see where you’re coming from,” you say. You’ve never really tried to push your limits, beyond your runs and stuff, but that was mostly aerobic kind of stuff. “So what you’re saying is I have to get a gym membership.”

>>33654436
I think his morality probably started as
>MIGHT MAKES RIGHT
and evolved only after his meeting with our mother into
>ALIGNMENT:LOYAL
with maybe a hint of the previous one left, but LOYALTY definitely overwhelms everything else.

>>33654511
Good point. Guess I'm not better than Ranthix then. Oh well!

Sierra isn't perfect but at least she tries. I mean, she did go after the soccer girls for Moriah, for a friend. At least her heart is in the right place, right? At least it's not filled with lawn.

>>33654548
“THEY COULDN’T SHOW YOU THE WAY. THEIR ARTS AND TECHNIQUES ARE FITTING FOR HUMANS AND HUMANS ALONE,” says Ranthix. “I WILL SHOW YOU A BETTER PATH.”

That sounds kind of cool. And kind of hard. And it kind of makes you hungry. “Before anyone goes around showing anyone else better paths though, are you hungry? Because I’m hungry.” You’re always hungry, though. And you’re way sweaty and gross. You could probably do a shower.

Ranthix chuckles heartily at you. “THE DRUID HAS PROVISIONS IN ABUNDENCE,” he says. “COME, LET US DINE TOGETHER.”

--End Part 43--

Next game Sunday at 5:00 PM MST.

>>33654548
>NO!” Ranthix yells. “THE SAGES MADE MY DECISION FOR ME, BREAKING MY BONES WITH CHAINS AND OPENING MY FLESH WITH WHIPS OF ICE, UNTIL WEAKNESS WAS NO LONGER A DECISION I COULD AFFORD TO MAKE,”
Christ...

>>33654572
>“WHAT CAN YOU BENCH PRESS, RIGHT NOW?”
tfw we don't even lift.

Thanks for running Languid.

>>33654557
>Sierra was evil before trusting the Hallows

The fuck? She was just some confused kid hanging out with gang since they were the closest thing to a family she knew.

>>33654603
Thanks for running

>>33654603
Oh god Ranthix gym montage.

Thanks for running, Languid. I'd have your babies if I was a grill.

>>33654603
Thanks for running Languid.
I have to ask, do you use caps lock for Ranthix's speech or do you shift key it like a badass?

A thought: What if we tried to use shadows to augment our own strength? Like power armor or something? Imagine that stacked on top of infernus super strong. That would be awesome.

Awesome thread lawngod

>>33654572
>“WHAT CAN YOU BENCH PRESS, RIGHT NOW?”
Ranthrix... What?

>>33654603
Thanks languid!!

>>33654603
>And then we ate a bazillion calories at borya's "cabin" which has running water and an internet connection.
Thanks for running, Lawn guy!

>>33654750
Hnn. I'd guess it could work, maybe. Expand shadows to help us lift things better, at least. Wouldn't be easy though.

That said, I'd love to see fit Sierra. My boner would pierce the hells.

>/fit/ - ALLCAPSDEMONS

>>33654750
Yeah, it'd be pretty sweet to be the thing that goes bump in the night - like as an expansion to our passive armor buff in darkness thing. Pick up expansions that do the same thing for brute strength, speed, and so forth.

>>33654750
We should get some power armor. Maybe hell has some living suits of armor or something.

>>33654833
I want Meckor's trident. That thing was fucking amazing and I'd be surprised if it got destroyed. Maybe Philo took it.

>>33654795
I just want us to do wall-crawling by manipulating the darkness between our hands/feet and the wall/ceiling. Might need that other shadow power first, though.

>>33654603
Been meaning to ask.

Does Stain of Sin work with Zelathis when it does the charge attack thing?

>>33654880
>Does Stain of Sin work with Zelathis when it does the charge attack thing?
I sure as fuck hope it does.

>>33654833
>living suits
Talk about getting frisky!

>THE DRUID HAS PROVISIONS IN ABUNDENCE
Oats?

>>33654926
GRANOLA AND JERKY MEATS.

>>33654871
Bogeyman tier, Anon, Spooky!

Not sure I want to be that close to a surface. Not befitting a royal such as ourselves!

>>33654880
Now that you mention it, we should probably meditate with Zelathis in our hands or something, maybe ask Ranthix/Isaac/Cowthers if they know anything about it, I recall we said we felt something beyond what we could understand at first.
I hope it has a personality and we can commune with it.

>>33654955
We could, probably, like, just walk on stuff? It might help us look down on people better? Also, don't tell me you want to be on the same level as the commoners.

>>33654989
That... sounds cool as fuck. Walk on darkness, dancing across an empty night sky. Of course, floodlights could cause us to fall to our deaths, I suppose.

>>33655029
Yeah, that's the only reason I suggested the walk-on-walls thing, as flashlights and such probably wouldn't be a problem if we do it right.

>>33654989
>>33655029
Yes, this is good. Sakheris the Umbral, Shadow Queen.

>>33655084
I want to go on a stealth mission under the open sky, get noticed by one guard, and then just nonchalantly fling him 3 miles in the opposite direction with shadows. I REALLY want this to happen now.

>>33655143
In time, Anon. In time we will fling all the guards.

>imagining the eventual shadow power thing that lets us make a massive tornado/hurricane/swirlything out of the dark.

>>33655522
>imagining the look on our face when the sun rises a minute earlier than we expected
>imagining how much we'll regret investing that heavily in Verwelken as soon as we're anywhere with bright lights

>>33655522
We could start out smaller, at first
>puncturing people's from from the inside
>severing optical nerve inside the cranium
>strangling people by applying pressure to the windpipe from inside the esophagus

>>33655638
>Not using the shadows underneath someone's clothes to fling them even though it's bright out
>Not taking the shadows inside someone's pants and ripping out their internal organs through their butthole

>>33655672
*people's lungs

>>33655672
>Get Voice of One Thousand Teeth
>Use it inside someone's stomach
All dat acid...

>>33655638
Unless we're fighting glass golems in a room with floor, ceiling, and wall based unbreakable light fixtures or something equally batshit insane there's always going to be shadows to some extent.

>>33655871
The question isn't whether there's shadows, the question is whether there's shadows sufficient to actually use our powers. Most of our Verwelken powers get incredibly limited or entirely unusable in conditions of partial light, let alone daylight.

>>33655945
Invisibility wouldn't. It's crummy, but it's the only [VE] power that doesn't require shadow at all. Pure speculation here, but it might even open the door to more [VE] powers that don't need shadows.

unrelated, but something that gives PP or HP regen in the dark would be cool

>>33654959

>Bleach-tier bullshit

No, just... no

>>33654603
I'll post more fanart next thread.

Anyone else read Ranthix like Destructor, from futurama?

>>33657012
Communing with a magic item to better understand and master its powers features in a lot more things than just Bleach, anon, but it's totally cool how you want to show us how you're not in middle school anymore and totally don't like the kiddie shows you used to by lashing out at things that remind you of them.

So, who else thinks our mom might have been Hellborn too? Since a non-exploding Verwelken/Infernus hybrid hellborn never stops growing stronger, it would certainly explain how she was so much more powerful than actual, normal hybrid demons. Hell, we might come from a long line of Verwelken/Infernus hellborns who have only the tiniest drop of demonic blood in them, and whose diluted blood doesn't mean shit since it always blooms into badassery due to its unique composition anyway.

That might explain why she was so down to bang a human.

I don't know, just a thought.

>>33657812
I don't think that's gonna be the case.

>>33657962
Yeah, I kinda doubt it will be too. I just thought it might be possible, and found the idea pretty neat.

>>33657985
Yeah, I'm not saying it's impossible, but I find it highly unlikely.

It's kind like the chances of me getting my dick ripped off tomorrow by an escaped gorilla. I mean, yeah, it could happen. Sure. Totally possible. I ain't gonna be planning my day around gorilla dick-rippings, though.

>>33658025
Heh. I find it slightly more likely than gorilla dick-ripping. But only about as likely as, say, finding out I'm actually my 'older sister's' child that she had when she was a pre-teen and raised by my grandparents as if they were my parents.

That's a thing that's a lot more common than dicks getting ripped off by gorillas, but still not at all common.

>>33658110
You'd be surprised.

>>33658025
the "was mom hellborn?" part is perfectly possible, i would eyeball it at 20 or 30 %

the other stuff has no supporting evidence so its unlikely, but still more likely than getting your dick ripped off by a gorilla, unless you live in a zoo or something