>>39183121
You reel back as Ophi’s hand strikes your solar plexus, knocking the wind out of you. You land on your butt, gasping for breath.

“No! If I’d actually been holding a knife then, you’d be bleeding out. You always have to keep your opponent’s reach in mind when fighting or else you’ll just get surprised like that.”
Ophi stands over you. He’s smiling. He doesn’t help you up.

“But...But your arms are longer than mine,” you puff.

“Obviously. I have the reach advantage in a knife-fight. So that leaves you with a few options. You can stay back and wait for me to over-extend so you can step past my reach and get in close, reach won’t matter then. Or you can try to use your knife defensively and don’t target my body at all but try to slash up my arm when I go for you. I wouldn’t recommend that for a beginner like you, mind you. Or you could just run. But I’ll tell you what you DON’T do. You don’t just attack me like that because assuming we’re both of equal skill, which we aren’t, I’ll always be able to stab you before you can even touch me! And sure, you could always try to power through that and stab me anyway but while you’re doing that you’ll give me the opportunity to strike you at least three more times. If your opponent actually manages to cut you in a fight like this, that isn’t your cue to charge. It’s a sign telling you to get out now because you’ve already been cut once and blood doesn’t come cheap. Fighting a prolonged battle with a bleeding wound just makes you slower and lets them poke even more holes in you.”

You groan as you try to get up. You’ve heard this lecture before. Ophi has said something of this nature to you at least twice now, both times while you were lying on the ground in pain.
You’ve been training with him for almost an hour now and everything hurts. While the merchant hasn’t been using his own knife, he’s certainly no stranger to harsh lessons.
1/2

>>39183128
2/2

“Still,” Ophi says. “At least you’re a pretty tough bloke. That can take you further than you might think. Up for another go?”

Before you can answer, Ophi suddenly looks distracted by something.
“Actually, belay that remark champ. I’ve got to go. We can continue this another time.”
He opens his door and sidles out.

You sit there sweating for another minute or so, trying to recollect yourself. That’s when you hear footsteps approaching, stopping down the corridor right outside the cabin you’re in right now.
Someone knocks on the door.

> Answer for Ophi.

> Act like nobody’s home and see what happens.

> Other

>>39183180
He's already gone
read more carefully anon

>>39183146
>answer the door

>>39183146
> Answer for Ophi.

>>39183146
> Act like nobody’s home and see what happens.

>>39183146
>answer the door

> Answer for Ophi.

You get to your feet and open the door. Two redheaded girls stand before you, one of them still holding a fist up to knock.
"Ophi! Finally we can-"
Liss clams up when she sees you.

"Good morning Cennen," Aina pipes up from behind her.

"The same to both of you. I'm afraid that Ophi isn't here. You just missed him."

"Of course we did," Liss grumbles. "I don't know how he does it."

"Why are you here? If you don't mind me asking, that is." Aina says.

"Ophi and I were just sparring."
Yes. Sparring. That sounded much better than what had really been going on. More equal.
"So are the two of you still just trying to talk to him about Tedwell?"

"Not just that. We were just talking to the captain and he said that we're stopping by a town by the river for a few hours to get supplies."
Liss folds her arms and tries her best to look exasperated at a man who wasn't even there.
It's up to Aina to continue.
"Do you want to come into town with us instead?"

> "Sure, that sounds fun."

> You want to go but you'll do it alone.

> You want to go but with someone else.

> You want to stay on the ship.

> Other

>>39183423
> "Sure, that sounds fun."
bring hiss too if she wants to come

>>39183423
>>39183447
seconded

>>39183423
Cennen should be pretty suspicious of how Ophi knew the twins were coming

> "Sure, that sounds fun."

"Sure, that sounds fun. Why do you ask?"

"We don't want to go alone."
"If something happens the boat might leave without us!"

"Makes sense. Let me go ask around if anyone else wants to come."
And by 'anyone else', you mean Hiss specifically. She should still be in her room.
"Just wait for me out on the deck, I'll be right there."

You leave the twins behind and make your way towards Hiss' room. This takes a minute or so, leaving you with plenty of time to think about what just happened. How did Ophi know that the two girls were coming? Did he hear their footsteps from that far away? No, that'd be silly. Then how else?
Just one more mystery to solve.

You find Hiss still in her bed. You shouldn't really be surprised. She's not much of a mover if she can help it.
"Yes?"
Her warm semi-intoxication from last night is completely gone. She's fully awake.

> Ask her if she wants to into town.

> "We really need to talk about Ophi."

> Ask her about last night.

> Other

>>39183897
> Ask her if she wants to go into town.

>>39183897
> Ask her if she wants to into town.
and ask about everything that happened when we were passed out and she saved our ass from the children

>>39183897
> Ask her if she wants to into town.

> Ask her if she wants to go into town.

"The captain said that we'll be stopping by a town for a few hours to get supplies. Do you want to come with me? The twins already are."

"Would that involve...walking?"

You're not sure what to say for a moment.
"Yes? That's generally how we get around."

She gives a little groan
"We've been walking for weeks. I finally find something that lets me travel without having to do so and you want me to get up and do it again? Whhhyy?"

> "I just thought it would be fun."

> "I'll buy you breakfast while we're there."

> "No, that's fine. Liss and Aina seem happy enough to go alone with me."

> Ask her about Ophi.

> Ask her about what happened in Tedwell.

> Other

>>39184160
>> "I'll buy you breakfast while we're there."

>>39184160
> "I'll buy you breakfast while we're there."
> Ask her about what happened in Tedwell.

>>39184160
> "I'll buy you breakfast while we're there."
> Ask her about what happened in Tedwell.

“Tell you what. I’ll buy you breakfast while we’re there.”

She perks up as if by magic.
“What kind of breakfast?”

“I dunno. Something big? Whatever you want.”
You’ve certainly got more than enough money to do so.

Hiss gets out of bed quicker than your eye can really track. She’s already fully dressed you note. She even has her boots on. Was she sleeping in them? Then again, she never seems to take any of her outfit off except for that one memorable time in Melire. It appears automatically whenever she takes human form so you suppose she must be pretty comfortable in it. And yet it never really smells or becomes too dirty. You’re starting to have the suspicion that it is literally part of her human form.
“Let’s go, then. What sort of town is it?”

“I...don’t know. I just know it’s by the river and we’ll be stopping at it soon.”

“Your impressive reconnaissance is appreciated as always.”

While the two of you walk to the deck, you have time to ask a question that’s been weighing at your mind for the last day or so.
“So Hiss, what happened in Tedwell? While I was out of it.”

“Not much to say. I killed Boon. Then I killed the Master, who had you in his clutches. Then I rescued you. You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Yeah, thanks. But who was the Master? What was up with the Children?”

“He was some old spirit. Not very impressive. He’d been eating the souls of anyone in Tedwell who died for a pretty long time, just so he could keep them alive within himself as some sort of afterlife. But all he did was make them rot, the idiot. His ‘Children’ were just some of those souls in prepared bodies.”

“So they had been humans after all?”

1/2

>>39184808
2/2

“Of a sort. Not much of that left, most of them had been dead longer than they had ever been alive. No wonder I was so sick, it’d be as if you tried to eat something that had been dead and rotting for weeks!”
She sticks her tongue out in exaggerated disgust, unable to resist tasting the air out of habit as she did so.

Well, you’ll get the full story out of her later.
“So you saved me.”

“Was there any doubt? I still hold wish-bond with you. I’ve certainly done it enough times already. Who are you?”


That last part is said to Eugene, who is blocking the entrance to the deck.
“Hm? Oh! You must be Cennen’s companion he’s told me so much about! I have so many questions to ask!”

He leaps forward to shake Hiss’ hand but she reacts instinctively, punching him in the throat. You can see her fangs already starting to extend as she bends down but you wave her off, catching yourself at the last second before you lay hands on her.
“Hold it! He’s harmless. Mostly harmless.”

The wizard is lying on the floor choking.

> Help him up.

> Leave before he can get up.

> “I may have lied to him about you.”

> Other

>>39184828
> Help him up.
Yeah she's very touchy about personal space. Very, very touchy. How about you go rest. If she feels like talking I'll let you know.

>>39184828
> Help him up.
I'm still pissed at that one anon for making up a stupid lie about hiss for no real reason

> Help him up.

"Oh, sorry about that."
You take the young wizard's hand and pull him to his feet, patting him on the back as you do so.
"She's very touchy about personal space. Very, very touchy. Why don't you go and rest up a little? If she feels like talking, I'll let you know."

You know full well that Hiss will never ever feel like talking.

Eugene takes your advice and staggers off down the corridor, wheezing. Hiss looks at him with bafflement.
"Who was that?"

"Eugene the Dandelion Wizard. Don't ask. Wizards do weird things, everyone knows that."

"No more so than the rest of you humans, as far as I'm concerned."

The two make it up to the deck where the twins are already waiting. The boat is slowing down and up ahead along the incredibly wide river you can see a great cluster of buildings and a large dock. There are other boats around now, skipping up and down the river in defiance of its prodigious current.

"There you are, Cennen." Liss says. "And you must be Hiss!"

"Yes. And you are the useless girl Aina. We have already met, idiot."

Oh dear.
"Actually I'm right here," Aina says. Hiss starts, her eyes wide as she looks at both of them together.
Liss is getting dangerously close to her, her hands balled up into fists. You can see Hiss getting ready to strike due to proximity alone if nothing else.
"What did you call my sister?"

> Push them apart.

> Push Liss away but don't touch Hiss.

> Try to drag Hiss away before something happens that you'll regret.

> Try to defuse this with words alone.

> Stay out of it.

> Other

>>39185429
> Push Liss away but don't touch Hiss.
Hiss hasn't been feeling well since the incident and she's been cranky. Also she is very touchy about personal space.

>>39185429
>> Try to defuse this with words alone.

>>39185429
> Try to defuse this with words alone.
and stand between them

>>39185429
>Push Liss away but don't touch Hiss.

Rolled 2 (1d6)

Looks like a tie. Evens for words, odds for pushing Liss back.

> Try to defuse this with words alone.

"Woah!"
You try to sidle in between them before Hiss can kill her.
"Hiss, PLEASE calm down. You too, Liss. She didn't mean to say that."

"Yes I did."

"She's just been feeling unwell since the incident back in Tedwell and she's been cranky. And she is also very protective of her personal space so please keep that it in mind."

It's strange, you'd gotten so used to Hiss that you hadn't even thought about her some of her ...idiosyncrasies might come off to all the people you're now travelling with.
You didn't have this problem between her and Ophi, more's the pity.

"She sounds like a real jerk!" Liss says, not caring that Hiss is almost right next to her.

"She isn't really," you lie. You're about to say something when you feel a sudden hand on your back. You go cold instantly, understanding what it meant. Hiss had just tried to kill her but had stopped at the last moment because of you being in the way.
"Hiss...no. Just step back please."

You can feel her presence recede as you look Liss in the eye, some of your abrupt fear communicating itself to her as she takes a step back and stares at Hiss.
Aina tugs at her hand, trying to pull her back further but Liss is still staring at the woman behind you. She must have seen the aborted murder attempt.
"Who is she?"

> "Just a friend."

> "Somebody you're better off steering clear of."

> "You don't want to know."

> Tell her.

> Ignore her and talk to Hiss.

> Other

>>39185979
> "You don't want to know."
It involves magic, enough said.

>>39185979
> "Somebody you're better off steering clear of."

>>39185979
> "Just a friend."

"Somebody you're better off avoiding. You don't really want to know more."

"Yeah, I think we'll go." Aina says. "We can go into town on our own, it'll be fine. Come on Liss."
The two of them move off to the other side of the deck as far away from the two of you as possible.
"Fantastic. I hope you're happy."

"I am!"

"We'll be lucky if those two ever speak to us again."

"Good."
You give her a Look but she is unaffected.
"What? Just because I'm stuck with having to put up with you doesn't mean I have to tolerate other fools. And those two girls are useless. Irrelevant."

"Well can you at least remember to control yourself while we're in town?"

"Cennen, please. I remember Lesser Arlinton. I know how towns work now. We'll be fine until we uncover or anger the strongest thing in town, at which point there'll be a fight and I'll kill it."

"That's not what usually happens in a town" you say weakly.

"Isn't it? It is to us. I don't think you people are very good at making anything that doesn't have something that wants to kill us somewhere within it."

"That's just coincidence. This time it'll be different. Now come on, I'm just as hungry as you are."

You two are far from the only people disembarking. The two girls are the first off, still keeping a fair distance from you and the rest are sailors and crew eager for dry land and a place to empty their purses.

You deliberately steer Hiss away from the more populated places until you find a smaller tavern off of the main street. 'The Siltwater' isn't a name that inspires much confidence but you enter anyway, Hiss turning heads as usual.

> Ask for a regular meal.

> Ask for something frugal that will spare the rest of your signets.

> A lot of food.

> A lot of food and ale also.

> Other

>>39186604
> A lot of food.

>>39186604
>> A lot of food.
Ale for Hiss if she wants it we're good.

>>39186604
> A lot of food.

>>39186604
>> A lot of food.
Much as I want to see drunk Cennen, that choice ends in a strange place.

>>39186655
adding to my vote, let's get some ale for later to pass the time on the boat

> A lot of food.

You're certainly hungry enough and in your experience Hiss prefers to eat as much as she can in one sitting and then just never eats for the rest of the day.

You take a small table over in the corner, what few patrons there are looking at Hiss and more or less ignoring you. Which is fine with you, as long as looking is all they want to do.

It only takes a few minutes before the innkeeper's daughter drops a large platter full of sausages, fried eggs, bacon, potatoes, stewed beans and a large black pudding sitting on the top. The entire thing has had a thick brown sauce poured over it and it's for both of you to share.
It certainly didn't come cheap so it better be fantastic.

Hiss doesn't even bother with the wooden utensils, grabbing a piece of the black pudding with both hands and trying to do her best to swallow it whole before evidently remembering that humans are supposed to chew things.

You do your best to pick at it, suddenly not feeling quite as hungry now that you are face to face with this frankly quite intimidating pile of food. That and also because Hiss is on the other side of it and she'd probably try to eat your fingers if you got too close right now.

As you're about halfway through and already full you start to hear some sort of commotion outside. There's a lot of shouting but you can't quite make it out. You try to ask Hiss about it but she's lost to the world.

> Go out and check.

> Stay inside with Hiss.

> Ask the innkeeper about it instead.

> Other

>>39186953
> Ask the innkeeper about it instead.

>>39186953
>> Stay inside with Hiss.
Be prepared to bolt.

>>39186953
> Go out and check.

>>39187036
Changing to
> Ask the innkeeper about it instead.
to break the damn tie

> Ask the innkeeper about it instead.

You leave Hiss to her meal and sidle up to the innkeeper instead, a fat man with only a small touch of gray to his auburn hair.
"You know what all that's about?"

"Of course!" He says with the geniality you know is reserved only for his most expensive customers.
"That'll be the hunt they're organizing. They say there's a beast out there in the swamps."

"Sounds like an awful big hunt for just one animal."

"Well it's not just any beast now, is it?"
The innkeeper taps his pudgy nose.
"Been having people streaming in from the outer villages saying they've found bodies with their throats clawed out. Nothing else. It didn't eat them. Just mad for blood."

You're fairly sure that Hiss had not left the boat at any point prior to this or otherwise you'd be having a nasty suspicion right about now.
"What sort of critter do you think it is?"

"No idea son," he says. "We normally get nuttin' but wild boar round these parts and this ain't them. Some people are saying that it's the Bunyip, out to kill us all."

He laughs. You don't.
"Bunyip? Don't believe I've heard the term."

"Oh just some magical beast that went extinct centuries ago. People still wag their tongues about one living in the swamps but if there was one, it's long gone. Never put much stock in it myself. This monster might be magical but he sure isn't one of them."

> Go out and inspect the hunting party.

> Ask the innkeeper about bunyips.

> Go back to Hiss and tell her what you just found out.

> Other

>>39187422
> Ask the innkeeper about bunyips.
Would they happen to be poisonous or have scales?

>>39187422
> Ask the innkeeper about bunyips.

> Ask the innkeeper about bunyips

You have an idea.
"These bunyips...would they happen to be poisonous or have scales?"

He shakes his head.
"Nah, of course not mate. Everyone knows that bunyips are big hairy things that live in swamps and waterholes. The kind of thing that you tell your kids about to scare them."

"What sort of stories?"

"Oh just the usual. Don't go out into the swamps alone or it'll eat you right up! A nice way to teach kids not to mess around in those places, they're bloody dangerous. But that's all they are. They wouldn't rip open a throat anyway, everyone knows they're large enough to swallow you whole."
He laughs again.

> Go outside and take a look.

> Go back to Hiss.

> Other

>>39187757
> Go back to Hiss.

>>39187757
Bunyip? Like a bunny mixed with a Corgi or something?

> Go back to Hiss.

>>39187757
> Go back to Hiss.
Question, your dad have anything that likes tearing throats out of people and leaving an unreasonably long trail of corpses even by your standards?

>>39187422
>> Ask the innkeeper about bunyips.
Prepare the holy hand Grenade

> Go back to Hiss.

You turn around to go back and sit down with Hiss but there's already a man there with her! You almost break into a run as you cross the room before the man turns around and winks at you. It's fucking Ophi, the merchant having stolen your chair while you were talking with the innkeeper.
Hiss looks thankfully oblivious to his advances.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hey Cennen, sorry, didn't see you there. And why else would I be here? I was checking out the town for the same reason as everyone else when I saw this beautiful lady sitting unattended and decided to rectify that."

You slowly grind your teeth together before replying.
"That's my seat."

"Oh? My bad."
He doesn't move.

Hiss looks up from what's left of the platter.
"Get up and let him sit down."
She talks slowly, her words carrying a lethargic feel to them. She's gorged herself again and lost her hard edge. More or less as you had planned.

Ophi stands up and you sit down in the newly vacated seat, directing a smug look up at him as you do so. He doesn't seem to notice.
"Say, Hiss," you start. "Do you know anything about bunyips?"

"Bunwhat? Never heard of them."

"Well, what about the kind of things you had back home. I mean, d-"
You stop. You had been about to ask her if her father had anything that might suit the description but at the last possible moment you remembered Ophi standing over you.
"Could you please just go away?"

Hiss yawns.
"Leave."

"But what ab-"
Hiss holds up a hand and Ophi shuts up instantly.
"Leave."

The merchant does so with no small haste, departing from the inn entirely. You're sort of impressed.
"You were asking something?"

"Did you father have anything that likes tearing out throats and leaving a really long trail of corpses? By uh, by your standards I mean."

Her eyes threaten to slide close but she flicks them open just beforehand.
"Nope. Doesn't ring a bell. Are you asking about the hunt?"

"Yes actually and uh..hold on. You know about that?"
1/2

>>39188067
2/2

"Naturally. Ophi was just telling me about it. He wanted to join the hunt for it but I told him not to. The boat would leave and it'd be a bother for him to catch up."

What?

Hiss blinks in surprise, clearly not having intended to say that.
"Anyway, Cennen," she says, changing the subject. "I doubt it's some sort of snakecatcher. And my own people wouldn't leave."

> Ask her if she wants to go out into the swamps just for a look around anyway. You have reagents to gather.

> "No seriously, what is between you and Ophi?"

> Tell her to get Ophi back in here.

> "Why are you sure that one of your own people wouldn't leave Snakehome?"

> Other
>

>>39188142
> "No seriously, what is between you and Ophi?"

>>39188142
> "No seriously, what is between you and Ophi?"
Why does he obey your every command without question? Why is he so fiercely protective of you? There's something really weird about that guy, I don't think he's told me the truth once

i really think cennen should be able to figure it out by now but whatever

>>39188142
>> "No seriously, what is between you and Ophi?"

>>39188142
> "Why are you sure that one of your own people wouldn't leave Snakehome?"

> "No seriously, what is between you and Ophi?"
He follows you every command, he's skilled with a blade, he has magic......... He's a bodyguard loyal to you isn't he? A former snakecatcher maybe?

>>39188142
How long does he intend to stay with us?

>>39188229
+he seems to treat you like royalty or something

> "No seriously, what is between you and Ophi?"

"Alright, that's enough of this. Something's clearly up with you and Ophi."

"Os-Ophi? Nothing. He's just infatuated with me. Much like you but more tame."

If that was a deliberate attempt to throw your thoughts off track, it was very nearly successful. Infatuated? You? What does she know about these kind of things?
But you don't let it distract you this time.
"No seriously. He says he's a merchant but that just doesn't add up! He's skilled with a sword, has magic of some sort, does whatever you tell him..."

A sudden certainty smites you. How could you have been so blind? Had you been so caught up in the jealous fantasy of him desiring her so much that you hadn't seen a much more probable motive?
"He's an old bodyguard, isn't he? Someone you knew back home. Did you call for him or did he just come on his own initiative?"

She stares at you for a few seconds before laughing right in your face. Not an outright malicious laugh mind you, more of a sleepy chuckle.
"Not...hehe, not quite Cennen. He's a snakecatcher for my father. He was here to kill you and take me back home. I didn't even know him that well."

You whirl around, trying to pick him out from the surroundings but he is nowhere to be found.

"Relax, Cennen. Unlike some, he knows the right way to treat a princess. I have broken his allegiance and tamed him. Even though he rebels within his heart against my father, he knows the proper place humans deserve. He needs one of my kind to serve."

"Why didn't you tell me?"
You almost can't believe it. And yet of course now it all makes sense. You think back to how many times he must have had the opportunity to kill you and you feel a little sick.

"His idea."
Of course it was. She yawns again, clearly feeling the effects of her feast.
"Nothing to bother your pretty little head about."
1/2

>>39188512
2/2


> "What?"

> "No. You should have told me."

> "What do you mean, the 'proper place humans deserve'?"

> "What else have you kept from me?"

> Other

>>39188529
>> "What do you mean, the 'proper place humans deserve'?"
>> "What else have you kept from me?"
I can already feel the hurt oozing off the words.

>>39188529
> "What do you mean, the 'proper place humans deserve'?"

>>39188529
For all your self assurance, you still don't get it. I think I'll go look around the swamps, clear my head.

>>39188529
> "What do you mean, the 'proper place humans deserve'?"
> "What else have you kept from me?"
What makes you so sure you can actually trust him?

>That feel when hiss thinks your pretty.

Thanks hiss.

>>39188638
She meant that in the way you talk to a child anon.

>>39188722
Are you sure? She always seems very literal.

At the very least saying it might fluster her.

>>39188745
Not the time for cute anon. And that could easily be a figure of speech she picked up from someone she ate, which means condescension.

>>39188722
I believe otherwise.
Cennen is very attractive for a slow, weak, stupid thing with too many limbs.

>>39188819
Have you really never heard that phrase sued before?

>>39188854
I have.
Your view of its utility is narrower than the reality of its use.

>>39188912
That phrase is condescension 101 anon, in pretty much any way it is used.

> "What do you mean, the 'proper place humans deserve'?"
> "What else have you kept from me?"

"What do you mean, the 'proper place humans deserve'?"

She sighs, clearly unwilling to go through this.
"Are you really going to make something out of this? Is this what we're doing now?"

"Yes. This is exactly what we're doing now."

"You don't have to sound so offended! I mean, let's be honest, your kind have no real worth apart from sheer numbers. It's honestly where most of you belong, serving some kind of superior being. Whether that be snakes, spirits, tree moss...there are a lot of superior creatures out there."
She sees your expression and changes tact.
"Present company excepted. But you have to realize it by now. The current hold your people have on the world is one accomplished through swarming alone. You're just objectively a lesser race, I'm sorry."

Is that how it is? Is that how she's always thought of you? Well actually that's not a huge surprise about you personally but it still cuts deep to hear it said out loud.
You've been helping her try to accomplish her mad goal, her coup of Snakehome but what would Hiss do with that power? Would she expand the borders, gather up more human slaves? And slaves are probably what would they be. She's always referred to them as 'servants' but you have a sudden doubt that the humans living in Snakehome are allowed to do anything else.
Do you really want Hiss to be Queen of anywhere, particularly with those thoughts?

"So I guess you didn't need to tell me about Ophi or whatever his real name is huh? Because I'm just some human?"

"I said 'present company excepted'! I can't believe you're actually offended by this. I didn't even mean you, just most of everyone else."

"What else have you kept from me then?"
You don't know where you're going with this and you don't care.

"Nothing. I mean, not much."
She yawns.
"Can't you just be calm about all of this? You're the one who kidnapped me, after all."

1/2

>>39188954
2/2

"Yes, I kidnapped you so you could go on an adventure you already wanted to go on! I'm so SORRY about that."

Your sarcasm is thick and bitter enough that if she was fully alert, you'd have some sort of altercation on her hands. But she just looks wearily at you.
"Can't we do this later? I want to go back to sleep."

> "Fine."

> "No."

> Other

>>39189023
> "Fine."
You obviously don't care, don't know why I bother.

Just walk away, maybe see if you can find some ingredients nearby in the swamp keeping the village in sight of course.

>>39189023
> "Fine."
Go pick some ingredients nearby and try to stop being so dramatic

>>39189082
This

>>39189023
>> "Fine."
...I keep forgetting Cennen kidnapped her. They really do deserve each other.

>>39189023
> "Fine."

At least she thinks we're pretty. Maybe we can even say that.

>>39189125
Anon stop being retarded.

>>39189114
Yeah pretty dick move, but she did fuck with his head prior and He thought he'd get wishes like a genie and not what he got.


>>39189082
>>39189106
So basically smile and nod and let Hiss get her way?

>>39189051
Passive aggressive much?

>>39189192
The only thing she did wrong was not telling us about ophis true identity. We're overreacting

>>39189242
>Waifu goggles.

>>39189265
Sorry to disappoint you anon but I don't really feel like arguing with you right now

> "Fine"
> Go outside to cool your head.

"Fine. Go back to the ship with Ophi."
She's certainly not going back with you. You get up and stride out of the tavern.
"Oh Cennen, stop. Come back here. Don't be that way."
She doesn't sound particularly urgent or worried so you just keep on walking.

The square outside is empty, the hunting party clearly having departed into the swamp while you were talking. And you know what? Maybe you should follow them. A bit of a walkabout, maybe even find some useful ingredients, it should all clear your head. You need to stop being so dramatic.
But ugh. You can still feel all those words inside you as swallowed bile, burning unpleasantly in your chest and abdomen.

"Well...at least you said I was pretty," you mutter back in the general direction of the tavern. It's a pretty weak rejoinder and you're immediately thankful she couldn't hear it.
You really really hope that didn't count as a prayer of some sort. That'd be awkward.

Bah! No time to let your thoughts be clouded by anything so foolish. You stomp off into the swamp, doing your best to keep the town in sight. You don't even know what the town is called.

The swamp is actually a lot more pleasant than you were imagining. A lot of long grass, muddy ground, pools of water sparsely spotted by squat trees. Large and colorful flowers bloom invitingly.
It barely even smells bad at all.

You let your feet wander a little but do not stray too far. The town is just behind that copse, you only need to remember that.
You gather up a handful of sweet-smelling grass that you can't identify, along with several medicinal flowers. Nothing here is too special.

And that's when you see it. The tree is a large one, sitting out in the middle of a thick marsh. It's branches are springy and fall downward, the leaves around them creating a screen around the tree. It's this screen that nearly stops you from seeing it.
1/2

>>39189294
2/2

Something is lounging in the marsh just beneath the tree's cover, obscured by the leaves. You can't get a good look at it but it's big and black and moving, just a little.

It stops moving as soon as you see it and you know that it knows that you know about it.

But...does it know that you know that it knows that you know about it?

> Freeze.

> Run

> Get closer.

> Pray for help.

> Try to talk.

> Other

>>39189324
> Run

>>39189324
> Run

Big, and Black. Oh fuck full grown snake. Yeah fuck this. Cennan is outta here. Hope it just ate. Toss a Potion behind us, Anything will work for the fake out.

>>39189324
> Run
Get our knife ready just in case it follows and attacks

>>39189324
> Try to talk.
Sup.

> Run

You turn tail and run immediately and you hear the marsh behind you splash as the thing in it immediately comes after you!
It gallops through the swamp at a furious clip. The first you see when you look back is how huge it must be. It's at least three people long and almost as wide. A great black-furred behemoth with big stomping legs, a long fish-like tail and a blunt-snouted canine head. It doesn't roar or howl but instead emits a low bass whine that you can feel through the ground.

And despite all appearances, it is very fast. Far quicker than you. You have your knife out but you don't even know that's even going to do here.
You toss a potion of Treebrew at it, which bursts against his blubbery hide to little effect.

But then it whines again and slowly pulls to a painful stop and as it does, you can't help but notice that one of its four legs is nearly severed, hanging by only a strip of tough flesh. It would have caught you already had it not been for that.
And now that you've seen that, you find your eye drawn to nearly invisible wounds, dark blood against its dark bulk. It's flank is covered with long scratches and gashes, some of them stretching for its entire length.
One of its yellow eyes is dark and as it whines again, you see a slowly bleeding wound underneath its head. It's throat was a ragged mess of pulped black flesh and matted fur, where something had nearly torn the entire thing out. It's a marvel that this thing is still even alive.

It's clear to you what has happened here, though it's hard to believe. This beast had got into a fight with something. And it had lost.

> Leave it be.

> Approach.

>>39189640
>> Approach.

>>39189640
>> Approach
Did we ever master Beastmaster Brews? If so can we make one?

>>39189640
> Leave it be.
I'm almost tempted to try to give it a beastmaster potion but they're pretty much useless if they only work over an extended period of time

>>39189757
Although I disagree with your vote we might as well give it a healing potion too if we're going that route

>>39189640
> Approach

>>39189640
>> Leave it be.
I've seen this movie - the idiot dies first.

>>39189864
Don't worry we're not named idiot, our name is Cennen.

> Approach.

You slowly walk forward, pulling your cauldron out of your pack as you do so. The beast snuffles but makes no other reaction. You look it in the eye and blink. Is that a spark of intelligence?
It bares its teeth at you futilely.

You pull out your recently gathered medicinal flowers from your pack and prepare a healing potion with a cold mix. Maybe even a poultice of some sort?

You slide the cauldron across the ground towards it and it actually seems to recognize it for what it is because it ponderously lowers its head until its snout is dipped in. You hear a horrendous slurping sound as it drains your cauldron dry.
And then it kicks it back to you. The message is clear. Make more.

> Make another healing potion as requested.

> Try to slip it a Beastmaster Brew instead.

> Flee.

> Other

>>39189893
could we give it both, spike a healing potion with Beastmaster brew or does that not work?

>>39189926
Alchemy doesn't mix well. It'd either lose its strength (most likely) or become something else entirely different.

>>39189893
> Try to slip it a Beastmaster Brew instead.
Then do another healing potion afterwards

>>39189893
> Make another healing potion as requested

It seems intelligent, it might attack if we try to slip it Beastmaster's Brew.

>>39189893
>> Make another healing potion as requested.
If it's intelligent, I doubt the beastmasters brew would do much more than piss it off.

>>39189893
I totally can't decide because I can't see any other chance to use the beastmaster potion in the near future but I'm worried it's intelligent enough to recognize what it is

>>39190036
Well if you don't decide, it looks like a tie. I'll roll for it in five minutes or so if you don't.

>>39189893
> Make another healing potion as requested.
But first.

Nod twice if you can understand me. If I make this for you I want your agreement not to eat me. Fuck it all, might as well.

>>39190091
Oi did you vote twice and then delete them both to make this one?

>>39190124
Just once anon.

>>39189893
> Make another healing potion as requested.

>>39190083
Beastemaster Brew

> Make another healing potion as requested.

You decide against trying to surreptitiously drug it. But as you prepare the ingredients again, you decide to try something different.

"Can you hear me? Nod twice if you can understand me. If I make this, you don't eat me right?"

It doesn't react. Well, it was worth a try.

You mix up the next potion without incident and once more pass it over. This time the beast is a bit more lively, tipping the cauldron up over its face so it can quaff it down in mere seconds.
It rumbles, the sound rippling the water all around you.

It's wounds have started weeping, small beads of something viscous leaking out instead of blood. It's venom. Whatever attacked it had been venomous and while healing potions usually can't reject poisons this way, it seems to have bolstered its natural protections up enough to start rejecting it on its own.

From that alone you know it must be a magical beast of some sort, even if you hadn't seen it gallop about with a slit throat.
Is this the Bunyip that everyone's so afraid of?

And with a slit throat...it must have been attacked by whatever creature the hunting party was mastered for. A creature that was also venomous.
You have a very bad feeling about all of this. You feel the hair on the back of your neck suddenly bristle.

> Time to get out of the swamp. Now.

> Stay and tend to the Bunyip.

> Other

>>39190274
> Time to get out of the swamp. Now.

>>39190274
Just out of curiosity does the beastmaster brew have any noticeable effect after the first time it's given?

>>39190274
> Stay and tend to the Bunyip.
Hell feed it the beast master potion now if it won't dick with the healing potion.

>>39190274
> Stay and tend to the Bunyip.

>>39190368
It's already acting tame and manageable right now, which is the only effect of the beastmaster brew

>>39190363
Yes. It makes them friendlier. It just needs the extended treatment to become tame or domesticated enough to the point where it follows orders.

>>39190274
> Time to get out of the swamp. Now.

File: Bunyip.jpg (302 KB, 1024x732)

302 KB JPG

This about what it looks like?

Question! Why are we bailing on an animal we just healed when we have a chance to tame it?

>>39190274
>> Stay and tend to the Bunyip.

>>39190557
At best we could make it a bit friendlier to us before we have to leave with the ship in a few hours.

>>39190557
Because we wanted to waste a healing potion.

>>39190571
we could take it with us

File: you funny.gif (1.97 MB, 154x273)

1.97 MB GIF

>>39190596
This guy. This Fucking guy.

>>39190577
We can make more of those easily anon. We're an alchemist remember?

>>39190274
>> Stay and tend to the Bunyip.
I will regret this but the reward is to good

File: bunyip.jpg (73 KB, 494x268)

73 KB JPG

All these deleted votes make it hard to keep a proper count! But it looks like Staying wins.

>>39190476
Sort of. It's also black, blubbery and has a fishtail in place of a regular tail so it's basically a cross between your picture and this one.

>>39190274
>> Stay and tend to the Bunyip.

>>39190667
Fuck. At least try to make it have a beastmaster potion then

>>39190684
Yeah hopefully then it will defend us from the impending snake-man abomination attack

>>39190667
How long do we have until the boat leaves us behind?

>>39190706
at least long enough for use to make explosives

I wonder is the Bunyip another magical creature/fallen spirit thing like Snakes?

> Stay and tend to the Bunyip.

You feel like something's watching you but you don't let that scare you. It's probably nothing. And this creature needs your help.
Hell, you joke to yourself, maybe it'll also reveal the ability to turn into a pretty lady too and you can start a collection. No wait. You don't want a second Hiss. Hell no.

You shake your head of such silly fantasies and get back to brewing. But it's not a healing potion this time. It already seems to be slowly stabilizing. You're cooking up your best attempt at a Beastmaster Brew, which should make this thing friendly towards you and with enough treatments, completely tame and obedient.
It shouldn't matter that the Bunyip is a magical beast, the brew has the same effect on all non-human animals.

You pass the cauldron over and the Bunyip drinks it down. It gives a soft woof at the different taste but doesn't do anything else. You reward it with a healing potion immediately afterwards.
Its wounds are already closing up and you know that that isn't your work. You've just gotten it feeling better enough that it is regenerating on its own. It should be ready to walk soon.

And that's when you see it. It's in the marsh where you first saw the Bunyip. But that's all you can tell because you can't see it. Or more specifically, you don't want to see it. Your eyes just skip right over it, no matter how hard you try to focus. It isn't invisible or anything. Your senses are just refusing to acknowledge it, shutting down or diverting rather than behold it.

The blind spot in your vision is slowly rippling through the marsh behind the Bunyip, towards you.

> Another healing potion!

> Explosives and acid!

> Run!

> Pray desperately

> Other

>>39190749
Nope. There aren't any other fallen spirits. Bunyips are just regular magical beasts. Magical animals exist but they've always been scarce and are now almost extinct since they're body parts are near-universally useful for all forms of magic.

>>39190817

> Another healing potion!
>Point that out to the bunyip

>>39190817
Do we currently have any explosives or acid potions or is that option to brew them?

>>39190817
> Explosives and acid!
>Bunyip looky there.

>>39190867
To brew

>>39190817
> Run!
> Pray desperately
God damn it guys I hate it when you ignore obvious warnings

>>39190817
> Run!

>>39190900
Yeah we should have turn tail during that fight with the angel as well! We couldn't possibly do anything to win that fight! So many warnings!

>>39190817
> Explosives and acid!

>>39190854
>>39190817
Amending my vote to pointing it out to the bunyip and making an explosives/acid potion.

>>39190958
adding point out to bunyip

>>39190942
Too bad we don't have an instant win potion or Hiss this time.

>>39190982
frags and bunyips can work

>>39190817
>> Explosives and acid!

Sometimes I wonder if my fellow players intentionally put Cennen in the worst situations possible

For those who don't know this interlude is about what we're about to fight
Interlude 3

The woman screamed but the thing already had her. One scaled hand grasped her forehead and the other cut her throat, draining both blood and soul. It was over within moments.

The thing in the darkness considered the soul for some time. No clues here. The woman had never seen his quarry before. But others had and so the thing had made its slow murderous path through the human lands. Each soul was a clue, an arrow to point him to the next.

The thing had once been human but it did not remember that. It had been taken as a mere infant and raised away from the other humans who served the Serpent King at Snakehome. He had been branded with the King's mark over and over again for years, been overfilled with his Art and left to rot within a crack between the earth. He had become something both much less and so much more more than man, an amalgamation of two races and something different from either.
But now it was finally his time. The King had lost faith in his human servants and yet no snake desired to enter human lands.

So he had finally been released to do his work.

They had taken a boat. A boat down this river leads to...leads to...he ripped apart one of the souls within him for the information. Ah.
He only had to make it to Taldenral

>>39191030
Unintentionally probably.

>>39191086
Speak for yourself.

>>39191085
Yup, but explosions can still kill it, as can acid soooooooooo.

> Explosives and acid!
>Point that out to the bunyip

Fortunately the thing seems to be taking its sweet time, no doubt already convinced of its success. After all, had it not already defeated the Bunyip back when it had been in peak condition? What was so different now?
The answer is you. You're here.

Which is all very brave-sounding in your head but some treacherous part of your mind wonders just how much help you could give against something like this.

But you don't let yourself give in to the fear and instead start ripping up your surroundings and brewing as quickly as you can, preparing first an explosive concoction and then a flask of acid.

As you do so, you also do your best to point out the approaching menace to the Bunyip. The beast turns its head and growls, a sound so deep that you feel it in your bones more than you actually hear it.

You're working on your second explosive as the Bunyip rises, treating its almost-severed leg tenderly as it backs away.
And then all of a sudden, your eyes focus properly and you can see it. No doubt because it was this very moment it chose to attack.

A large black-scaled arm bursts from the swamp, each finger ending in a wicked looking claw. Those claws rake the ground where the Bunyip had been resting, smashing the soft ground to pieces.

The Bunyip rears up to stomp on the proffered claw but it whips back into the marsh, quicker than even the Bunyip could hope to be.

It rises from the water. It's immense. It must have been lying flat on its belly this entire time to hide under the water.
The clawed arm is attached to a hugely muscled humanoid torso. The head is misshapen, three fanged human mouths screaming silently.
But under that monster, there is nothing but snake. Instead of legs there is only a vast tail, one stretching at least twice as long as the Bunyip itself and wider around than your waist.

1/2

>>39191140
I doubt that but I suppose we'll find out

Ah I always wake up for the best part.

>>39191148
I wonder if this thing could be drugged by snake oil?

>>39191192
Probably, but we need Hiss scales and don't think she's giving them to us after what happened last time.

>>39191213
I bet we still have a few left over

>>39191192
Good idea, but if Hiss finds out, she'll be mad.

>>39191213
Maybe we still have some?

>>39191148
2/2

The entire monster is covered head-to-toe in black scales, the only variation being a streak of red the same shade as blood that starts at his neck, continues down his chest and coats the underbelly of the tail.

The Bunyip musters itself and roars, a sound that you can't even hear but still rattles the land itself. The amphibious monster then launches itself at the snake-thing as it was still unearthing itself, clamping titanic jaws around the scaled torso and grinding as hard as it could, shaking the entire monster around as if it was a toy.

But it wasn't hurt. The Bunyip's teeth were sliding harmlessly off a coat of scales impervious enough to make even the finest blacksmith weep in envy.
The tail whips up and starts to coil around the Bunyip and the snake monster starts rending the Bunyip's back with its claws, dragging long envenomed wounds along it as it tries to make it let go.

> Toss the potions now! While it's immobilized!

> Try and wait until the Bunyip is clear first!

> Run

> Other

>>39191243
>lead with acid, Get some Distance "Bunyip Run!" Then explosive. Then run preferably with Bunyip in tow.

>>39191243
> Run

>>39191262
this sounds good

>>39191243
>> Try and wait until the Bunyip is clear first!

>>39191243
> Run

>>39191243
changing my origional vote >>39191289
to >>39191262

>>39191262
You realize that this will cover the bunyip in acid too right?

>>39191333
It has regen and the snake is a lot bigger. Besides acid will hopefully weaken the scales on snake man. I'm hoping we hit the snake in the face with it but eh, trying to do well.

>>39191333
Do you have a better idea? If we aim carefully we might be able to save Bunyip, but if we run or wait it's dead anyways.

We'll have to kill this thing sometime else either way so let's try to do some damage now.

>>39191333
we got good aim

>>39191362
>Do you have a better idea?
Yeah, run.

>>39191243
>lead with acid, Get some Distance "Bunyip Run!" Then explosive. Then run preferably with Bunyip in tow.

>>39191262
If the bunyip runs the snake is just gonna come after us

>>39191428
Acid to the face hurts, And it only need a half second head star for us to nade it.

>lead with acid, Get some Distance "Bunyip Run!" Then explosive. Then run preferably with Bunyip in tow.

You throw the acid first, smashing the bottle upon the creature's coils. Acid sprays over both of them, the Bunyip whining as acid seeps into its fresh wounds. The snake monster shuts all seven of its eyes and then keeps on attacking. The acid raises smoke as it dances off his scales but little else. Maybe it softened them up a little but that's about all. But maybe that's all you need.

"Bunyip, run!"

It actually seems to understand you this time, or at least your intent. It surges forward, ripping itself free of the tail and dropping the snake monster from its mouth.

Next comes the explosive concoction. The Bunyip staggers out of the way just in time to get clear from the potion.
Your aim is true, the potion exploding right in front of the monster's face.
It staggers back, smoke streaming around it. You've already begun to run as it surges forward, appearing completely unharmed. Even its eyes, six snake eyes and one goggling human eye, still seem to all be functional despite the potion exploding right in front of them.

The Bunyip is beside you, running faster than you despite its injuries. But the enemy is even faster, sidewiding through the swamp and carving a trail as it does so.

It lunges forward with one arm outstretched and the claws latched onto the Bunyip's long fish-tail. The Bunyip whines as it first slows, then stops and is then dragged backwards.

You don't have any more potions that'd be useful. You're going to have to abandon it, after all this time spent trying to save it!

And then you hear a great deal of shouting and a crossbow bolt ricochets harmlessly off the snake monster's back.
"I found it! I found it! I--What the hell is THAT?"

Oh right. There was a hunting party out today, wasn't there? But what are they going to do? Nothing they have could possibly harm this impossible monster.

1/2

>>39191467
2/2

And yet the snake-thing seems to be given pause by the sound of so many people. It hisses loudly, a discordant uproar sung by three separate mouths and becomes impossible to see once more.

The living blind spot retreats, fading into the background. Your legs feel weak all of a sudden. You're not harmed but you know how close you had come to the fangs of death itself only to be saved by...what?
Was it a shy monster? You find that hard to believe.

The Bunyip suddenly bends down and grabs you gently in its mouth before galloping in the opposite direction before the hunting party arrives.

You don't resist as you let it carry you away. What could you ever have hoped to do against something so ...elemental? And it wasn't dead. It was still out there. And you saw that single human eye. You know it will remember your face.

You feel rather tired all of a sudden. It's weird. You haven't felt like this...since...since you looked Hiss in the eyes for the first time.
Ah, damn it.

> Fall asleep

> Fall asleep

> Fall asleep

>>39191536
read books

>>39191536
>OH NO! STAY AWAKE! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK THIS SHIT!

>>39191536
> Fall asleep

>>39191536
>fall asleep

>>39191536
> Fall asleep

>>39191555
>>39191567
Wanting to open up to enemy mind rape.

>>39191576
Do you really think we have a choice? It's not a real vote m8

>>39191576
It's like 3 am here. So this vote is not even fair. It's what I truly wish to do.

>>39191576
We literally don't have other options. Also Bunyip is savior.

> Fall asleep

Your dream is short, dark and thunderous. Something indecipherable rages at you but you can't hear it properly. It's too far away, no more threatening than a stormcloud on the horizon.

When you wake up once more, you're lying in a bed. You're in a cabin.
A cold hand touches your forehead hesitantly, as if trying to confirm you were alive.

It's Hiss, who is still looking sluggish but worried. She then grabs you by the front of your shirt and lifts you up so you're face is right next to hers, her eyes staring into yours.

"What are you? What did you see? How much of him have you eaten!"
She shakes you violently.

> "Wh-what? Hiss, it's me."

> "Where am I? What happened?"

> "AT LAST! I HAVE AWOKEN FROM MY THOUSAND YEAR SLUMBER."

> Other

>>39191595
>> "AT LAST! I HAVE AWOKEN FROM MY THOUSAND YEAR SLUMBER."

>>39191595
> "Wh-what? Hiss, it's me."

>>39191595
> "Wh-what? Hiss, it's me."
> "Where am I? What happened?"
>I saw a snakecatcher that was more snake than man

>>39191595
>I THE SHAPEShIFTING MASTER OF DARKNESS AM READY TO UNLEASh AN UNSPEAKABLE EEVVVIIL!

But actually
> "Wh-what? Hiss, it's me."
> "Where am I? What happened?"

>>39191648
Hours ago a idiot wielding an alchemical potion stepped forth to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open his soul in time and possed him.

>>39191673
>possed
you seem tired anon

>>39191679
Indeed.

>>39191673
Does Hiss actually know about the Spiritbane thing?

>>39191691
We never voted to tell her so probably not.

>>39191691
yeah, the spirit in tedwell who made the children talked to her about it

>>39191691
>>39191697
She knows maybe, we don't.

> "Wh-what? Hiss, it's me."

For a moment you almost want to play an incredibly mean joke that would probably lead to Hiss maiming you if she was only able. But you restrain yourself.
"Wh-what? Hiss, it's me. Where am I? What happened?"

"You don't know?"
She drops you back onto the bad.
"That's what I wanted to ask you! You just showed up unconscious on the edge of town, under a snakespell and you think you have the right to not know? Do you know how worried I was?"
She hoists you by your lapels again just so she could give you another shake.
"How dare you?"

"Oi, stop that! I think I know what happened."
You give her a brief recount of everything that had happened in the swamp.
"I looked into its eyes at the very end and it tried to grab me into one of your trances. But it didn't work for some reason."

She suddenly looks very sheepish.
"Oh right, you're a Bane. The Master told me that and everything. Right. Of course you're fine. The least you could do is at least be a little injured or something. Did you know how I felt? I was just trying to sleep back here on the ship when all of a sudden my bond was doing it's best to rip me to pieces, shouting at me to go help you! Did you know that it works at range? Because it apparently does and it's much more painful because of it!"

"Ow. Sorry, I guess."

"Thanks."

"It's pretty messed up that I have to apologize every time I nearly get killed though, for real."

"Well no matter. I have the perfect plan. It was working great before you got untied. I'm just going to die you to the bed again so you can't go shoving your face into danger."

You think she's joking until she pulls out a coil of rope. She isn't.

> Escape!

> Tell her not to.

> If you fight her off she can't since she can't raise a hand against you.

> Submit. You're tired anyway.

> Other

>>39191759
> Escape!
Too kinky hiss start slowly!

>>39191759
>die you to the bed

That should, obviously, be 'tie'. Wow. I am evidently very tired.

>>39191791
Sounds good
>suportan

>>39191791
>You give her a brief recount of everything that had happened in the swamp.

>>39191759
> Escape!
>>39191791
dude no. we already told her about that. also i think you're a huge faggot for typing like that

>>39191759
> Escape!

>>39191759
>> Escape!
> Tell her not to.
Tying me up will only make it that much easier for that thing to find and corner me. At the Very least my alchemy slowed it down, With some more time and study(strengthening explosive and acid potions) I might be able to hurt it. Besides knowing my luck the second you tie me to this thing the boat will capsize and sink. The creator seems to be gunning for me these days.

>>39191843
The Alchemy didn't slow it down though.

>>39191862
It did for a half second, sadly that thing was fucking fast. and tough, and mean, and magic.

>>39191759
>> Tell her not to.

> Escape!

You roll out of bed, landing face-down on the wooden floor.
"Ow."
You stagger to you feet but by this point Hiss has grabbed you around the shoulders and is trying to force you back down onto the bed. You'd get the feeling that you'd be enjoying this a lot more if she wasn't intending to literally imprison you.

"No, halt! Wait! You can't do this forever, Hiss! What if the boat sinks?"

"Then I'll just untie you from my bed, idiot! What a stupid question."

"Look, Hiss. Stop it. This is...uh, too undignified for you."

That seems to reach her even if nothing else did and she lets go of you.
"Do you know anything about the monster I just described?"

She shakes her head repeatedly.
"That's nonsense, Cennen. Just a myth. A myth of a myth."
She walks out of the cabin and you follow her all the way out onto the deck. The sun is setting and nobody else is here. The boat is moving, having left the town behind hours ago.
"It's absolute nonsense. I've never heard of something like that. Some of us are good enough at shapeshifting that we can suspend ourselves halfway between two forms. It must have been one of them you saw."

"I thought your people didn't leave Snakehome."

"Well one of us must have," she snaps at you. "And it must have a lot of gall to take on my father's colors like that. The red-belly black is reserved for royalty alone."

Ah right, the thought belatedly strikes you. The giant man-serpents coloration had been identical to Hiss' own.
You decide to drop the subject since the idea seems to be distressing her on multiple levels.

"Tell me..when you found me? Did you see a big Bunyip anywhere?"

"No. If I had I would have killed it on sight if it looked anything like the way you described it."

"I doubt you could have managed it."

"Pfft. More human foolery."
Saying that seems to strike some thought within her.
"Look...about that thing we were talking about earlier. I'm sorry about not telling you about Ophi."
1/2

>>39191980
2/2

"Oh no, don't worry. As long as it's just this once."
After staring death in the face (again), staying mad at Hiss feels somewhat trivial. She hadn't blown up or done anything stupid because of it either, though that was mostly due to having stuffed her face prior.
Maybe you should endeavor to keep her lazy and well-fed more often. It dulls her killing edge for sure, but getting a Hiss who is actually reasonable and not ready to attack on a moment's notice seems like a fair exchange. The idea makes you chuckle, just a little.

"Is something funny?"

"No. But what are the odds that we're going to have to see that monster again?"

"If it's a snakecatcher like you think? Probably close to certain. But we're only a day away from this Taldenral place now. If what you say is true and it doesn't want to reveal itself to people, then we'll be safe in the city. Easy. Solved all our problems with just about a minute's thought."

"All of them? Just how are you planning to get a ship to Quedesh in the first place?"

"The ambassador? I guess. I'll leave that to you, maybe. If I was allowed to perfectly scheme everything than I'm sure you'd feel useless. Just take it as a kindness."

You don't dignify that with an answer, look over the rails instead. There's a dark shape in the river beside you, just beneath the surface. It's following the boat.

You laugh and the Bunyip laughs with you.

>>39192060
yeah pet unlocked

>>39192060
FUCK YEAH BUNYIP

Anyway that's it for today. No thread tomorrow but will be thread the day after that. I hope you guys had fun.

>>39192060
We have magic creature as an animal companion, cool. (No Hiss doesn't count, she's basically a demon in this setting.)

>>39192098
Fuck imagine what potions we can brew with some of its hair!

>>39192060
Bunyip is fantastic. It should stick around just to dick with Hiss.

Also.. it's.. laughing?

>>39192097
great thread Ouro. I definitely wasn't expecting to use a beastmaster brew on something as badass as a bunyip when we first learned it

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>>39192124

>>39192124
The Bunyip can imitate the sound of anyone it hears, albeit with a lot more bass.

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>>39192150
CennenxBunwip OTP

>>39192165
I already like it more than Hiss.

>>39192165
>>39192170

aw shit is this the beginning of the waifu wars

>>39192165
I hope that it doesn't also eat humans

>>39192189
If it poly-morphs into a chick. Maybe...

Just kidding. That's more of a sibling/bro type thing. Hiss is adorable and might have feelings. Or.. it's just caused by the bond of the wish and once we spend the last one we'll lose those silly little trivialities and murder us.

>>39192189
who needs a tsundere snake when we can use a shapeshifting potion to become a bunwip and spend the rest of our days with it?

>>39192165
>Bunwip
fuck I meant to say Bunyip
i need sleep so bad

>>39192060
Fuck yeah, finally an awesome pet!

>>39192165
It's definitely much better than obnoxious tsundere snake.

>>39192060
Broyip unlocked