>>39245427

The Ms Hetty pulls to a stop amidst the cries of gulls, the river-barge having navigated itself to the far eastern side of the huge Kuri river. A pier sits here but there’s no settlement here, only a single building with a stable next to it. A well-polished sign hangs next to the building, marking it as the ‘Sickly Baron Inn & Coach Service’.
“Alright,” the Captain bellows. “Last stop! Only coast and ocean up ahead! Get the passengers up here!”

You’re already standing on the deck, Hiss standing a few paces away. Liss and Aina are the first up, Aina giving you a warm look even as Liss steers her to the far side of the deck and as far away from Hiss as possible. The couple you never really talked to is next, followed by Eugene the Yellow. The wizard sees you and makes a beeline towards you before Hiss gives him a look which forestalls his advance and leaves him wandering in a sort of wide orbit across the deck, never getting close enough to say anything.

“Looks like we can hire a coach at the Sickly Baron,” you say to Hiss. “Shouldn’t be too expensive.”

“I’d prefer to walk,” she says, surprising you. Since when did she like walking? “Look,” she explains. “This ‘stagecoach’ isn’t private, is it?”

“No? Oh.”

Hiss stares darkly at the twins, Eugene and the other couple.
“We’ll be crammed in with the useless girls or the wizard. Not to mention what room we’ll have to make for Oster.”

“Where is he anyway?”
Ever since you found out his secret, “Ophi” has been pretty scarce. You have the feeling he’s started to avoid you in the same way he weaves his way around the twins.

“He’s already disembarked, swam across hours ago. I told him to scout ahead to make sure there are no more nasty surprises awaiting us before we reach Taldenral. I have instructed him to find his way back to us on his own initiative.”

1/2

>>39245435
2/2

“He will. He knows better than to fail me.”

You don’t say anything, opting to continue looking out over the rail as the Ms Hetty finishes docking. You spy a dark shape off in the middle distance of the river behind you, the Bunyip doing its best to remain hidden. Hiss follows your line of sight and scowls.
“You’re going to have to leave your pet behind.”

You’ve fed the Bunyip a few more Beastmaster Brews over the past day or so, turning it very friendly. It’s been tailing the boat very well but you realize that Hiss might be right. He’ll be much harder to hide if he’s travelling over land.
Unless...you didn’t have to travel over land at all.
“You know Hiss, the Captain DID say that the coast was just down the river from here. I was talking to him earlier and there’s a small shipping settlement there. If you don’t want to take the coach, we can just walk there and cover the rest of the distance to Taldenral by ship. A proper sea ship even, not a river barge.”
And that way the Bunyip should be able to follow you.

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Why not?”

“The road from here leads straight to Taldenral! If we take a ship we’d have to make a considerable detour to even just get to the ships. And then we would need to spend some more of the money just to book passage. Ships cost a lot more than coaches!”

“Well it’s not like we’re using the money for anything else.”

“Is that what you really think, idiot? How do you think we’re going to get to Quedesh once we get to Taldenral. We need to save the money for that. And it's not like the creature can follow us into the city either way!"


> Take the stagecoach.

> Walk

> Make the detour to the shipping settlement.

> Other

>>39245484
> Make the detour to the shipping settlement.
We still have more fabric we could sell in the city. Plus I want to see if there's some way we could use Bunyip hair or something to make a powerful healing potion. It'd be great to get some form of permanent regeneration somehow

>>39245710
Yo Ouro are there any alchemical brews with permanent effects?

>>39245484
> Walk
Remind her Wizards and Alchemists can get away with a lot of shit when properly prepared. Also How exactly will she convince the constrictors when they hate her father, know he dotes on her, and haven't tried to take back snake home on the own even when they have far more men and resources than her father does at snake home?

>>39245776

A lot of them are permanent. Injuries or afflictions healed by healing potions and/or cure-alls don't come back when the potion wears off.
In the same vein, a living thing grown with Treebrew isn't going to suddenly shrink at some point.

>>39245841
So would it be possible in theory to imbue Cennen with some of the bunyips regenerative ability? Or would it just make a really good healing potion?

>>39245908
It could do either. The former brew is more of a master-level concoction however.

>>39245948
In other words we need to master the journeyman shit and get some more alchemy gear for science before we can try.

Can we buy a collar for Bunyip? If he has a partner/owner would they attack on sight?

>>39245986
>If he has a partner/owner would they attack on sight?

I don't think I catch your meaning here.

>>39245948
How far are we from master level?

>>39246032
Basically if he acted if not tame, at least under someone who is magical's(alchemy counts) direction? Would he be safe?

>>39245710
Changing this to walk as long as we can say goodbye and harvest some ingredients from bunyip painlessly

>>39246032
How long do shapeshifting potions last? Maybe we could disguise the bunyip as a dog and bring him with us as we walk

>>39246152
We only have the one though, and can't yet make more.

>>39246203
We have 3 doses

>>39246230
Still won't be enough to get him in and out of the city unless he form locks after it wears off.

>>39246152
I'd rather become a bunyip instead.

In fact, fuck it.

This quest is no longer Snakecatcher Quest.

THIS IS NOW BUNYIP QUEST.

ROLL TO HUG YOUR PREY TO DEATH.

>>39246264
Yeah I wish we knew how long it lasts

>>39246287
I was thinking of suggesting that the next time we get ourselves into an awful combat situation but I don't know how long the transformation takes or how long it might last. we need to test it out sometime

>>39246152
Or we could disguise bunyip as a young girl who is much nicer than Hiss..

>>39246320
I think it would still lack the intelligence required to act even remotely human.

>>39246089
It would depend on the people. You'd have to do a lot of convincing to let people shrug it off, he's a scary looking beastie.

> Walk but say goodbye to the Bunyip first.

"Fine. We'll walk but I'll have to make some preparations first."

You get off with everyone else and watch as Eugene and the twins load themselves into the Sickly Baron's stagecoach, the coach already moving in the direction of Taldenral.
But you don't go anywhere. Instead you wait for the Ms Hetty to leave and then walk down the shore until you're hidden by a grove of gnarled mangroves.
The Bunyip surfaces there, wading its way onto the beach to greet you.

"So that's what it looks like? What an ugly beast."
Hiss steps in behind you. The Bunyip reacts immediately, a low ground shaking the water as it lunges forward ready to bite!
"No! Stop!"
The Bunyip halts right in front of Hiss, the princess not even having time to react properly. She trips over her own feet and lands in the mangrove roots.
The Bunyip whines and looks at you imploringly, doing its best to stand between you and Hiss at all times. It looks like it recognizes her or at least knows the similarity between her and the monster that had attacked in the swamp.

"I thought your human form was supposed to be magically impenetrable."

"It is!"
She gets up, smeared with mud. You half expect her to do something stupid like attack the Bunyip but she refrains.
"There's nothing I can do that actually hurts this brute, is there?"

"Probably not."

She settles for hissing at the Bunyip instead with her fangs bared. It raises a huge foot in response and she quickly steps back.

> Say goodbye to the Bunyip.

> Do your best to painlessly gather some alchemical reagents from the Bunyip.

> Tell the Bunyip to follow you.

> Feed the Bunyip a dose from the shapeshifting potion. Lasts for one day.

> Other

>>39246423
How long should the walk to taldenral take?

>>39246423
Is Bunyip big enough to ride?

>>39246423
> Do your best to painlessly gather some alchemical reagents from the Bunyip.
Then rub his belly. WHO'S A GOOD BUNYIP, WHO'S A GOOD BUNYIP?! YOU! YOU'RE THE BESTEST BUNYIP EVER!!
> Say goodbye to the Bunyip.

>>39246423
> Feed the Bunyip a dose from the shapeshifting potion. Lasts for one day.
> Tell the Bunyip to follow you.

Totally not losing the Bunyip.

>>39246511
About a day's walk. The coach gets there in an hour or two.

>>39246541
Yes but it is not shaped comfortably for such in the slightest.

>>39246423

> Do your best to painlessly gather some alchemical reagents from the Bunyip.

> Tell the Bunyip to follow you.

> Feed the Bunyip a dose from the shapeshifting potion. Lasts for one day

>>39246423
> Do your best to painlessly gather some alchemical reagents from the Bunyip.
> Tell the Bunyip to follow you stealthily
>Shapeshift it into a dog once we get close to the city

>>39246566
>>39246717
It be smarter to save it for the city where his disguise actually matters instead of wasting a dose for the walk there

> Gather reagents and shapeshift the Bunyip.

You pat the Bunyip's foul-smelling side down, checking him over as you do so. All of his wounds have fully healed, leaving no scarring.
You then draw your knife and start to cut off some hair. The Bunyip chuffs a little at this but has been fed enough Beastmaster Brews at this point to allow it.
You don't know what this'll do but you know it'll be strong. All magical creatures have strong natural reagents, they live and breathe magic itself. You stow the hair in your pack.

You then pull out the shapeshifting potion. You have three doses left. You'll have to be careful to make sure the Bunyip doesn't quaff down more than one.
"What's that supposed to be?"
Oh right, you don't think you ever told Hiss about selling her old skins to Master Yolan.

"You'll see."

> Feed the Bunyip one dose (Specify transformation)

> Decide to wait until later.

> Other

>>39246910
> Feed the Bunyip one dose (Specify transformation)
>10/10 woman.

>>39246910
> Decide to wait until later.
Are there trees surround the path or any other way for the bunyip to follow us stealthily?

>>39246986
Dude make him a dog if anything. He's not smart enough to act like a human

>>39246910
> Decide to wait until later.
Something master Yolan made. If I need to I can show it to you later.


Who's a good Bunyip!

>>39246991

There is no shortage of trees and bushland along the route but the Bunyip is very large and not particularly stealthy when moving on land.

>>39247053
Maybe he could travel along the coast and meet us near the city

> Decide to wait until later.

"This is just something I got from that alchemist back in Melire. The one I told you about."

"What does it do with this ugly thing?"

"Nothing. Or at least, not yet."
You stow the potion back into your pack and pat the Bunyip on the head.
"Good boy. Follow us but try to do it as stealthily as you can?"

Hiss laughs.
"Stealth? From this? What's it going to do? Tiptoe through the forest?"

> "Yes. That is exactly it."

> "I'll send him down the Kuri and across the coast I guess."

> Other

>>39247346
> "I'll send him down the Kuri and across the coast I guess."

>>39247346
>> "I'll send him down the Kuri and across the coast I guess."
See if he can manage it, if not use the potion cause seriously Bunyip is awesome.

>>39247346
> "Yes. That is exactly it."

> "I'll send him down the Kuri and across the coast I guess."

You put a hand on Bunyip's massive snout as you do your best to relay your commands. It whines again, obviously not wanting to leave you alone with something like Hiss.
But in the end it slides back into the river, already swimming north. You watch it until it descends out of sight.
"I hope it'll be alright."

"Who cares?"

"I care."

Hiss puts a hand on your shoulder.
"Right. It could be useful. But for now, it's just the two of us. Let's get going."

"...Right."

You make your way back down the riverbank to the road. By this point the coach is long gone.

> Follow the road.

> Walk near the road but a little out of sight from it.

> Check out the Sickly Baron Inn first.

> Other

>>39247651
> Follow the road.

>>39247651
> Check out the Sickly Baron Inn first.
Juts get enough food for the day and
> Follow the road.

>>39247651
>> Follow the road.


>>39247871
His eats one big meal and gets sleepy afterwards, we can deal.

>>39247651
> Other
Find food to shove down Hiss's facehole to make her less bitchy.

>Follow the road.

You leave Hiss outside while you go into the Inn and buy some food for the day. You don't really check the whole place out, you're only here to get supplies.
With that done, you lead them into your pack and rejoin Hiss as the two of you start trekking down the road.

"Just like old times, huh?"
Hiss remains oddly happy about walking.

"Pardon?"

"Just the two of us, walking our way down the road until the next town. No boats or carts or merchants. Like it was before Melire."

"That was only a week or so ago."

"Yeah I know...it feels longer. Still, we had fun didn't we?"

You're not sure if you'd class it that way but you nod anyway.
"Why bring it up, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well," Hiss starts but then stops for a good minute. "It's just that our walking days are nearly behind us, aren't they? Taldenral's the last stop and from there it's the ocean itself. No more walking. Good riddance."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Oh? Why not?"

"Getting a ship to Quedesh isn't going to be easy. Or maybe even possible."

"They have an ambassador coming to attend the treaty. We can just ask them!"

"Nooooo. No, we can't do that Hiss. Ambassadors are very important people."

"So am I."

"Do you even know if Quedesh can really help you? Or more specifically, why they would even want to?"

"Look, it's a place to go isn't it? Because I'm not going home and neither are you."

"I could go home," you protest. "I could go home anytime I wanted."

"Really? For what? Your old master? The village that doesn't even like you? Your dead parents?"

"Oi, there's no need to bring them up."
Your mother died years ago, you barely remember her. And your father...your father...did something. Or went somewhere. You think? He must have left when you were very little, you can't remember him.

Hiss smiles.
"You don't have any ties there Cennen, that's not the kind of person you are. Isn't that why you've come with me all this way?"

1/2

>>39248300
Did she take the memories of our father?
That bitch!

>>39248371
Yeah. It was before she knew us or much of anything about humans though

>>39248300
2/2

Yeah, you guess she's right.
"I still stand by what I said. I don't think you should pin all of your hopes on these 'constrictors'."

"Oh you fool, you're much too late to give me that advice."
The insult is not spoken unkindly.
"But what else can I do? Travel in human lands forever until I diminish to nothing? I won't stand for it."

The two of you keep on walking, the road heading further and further into a more heavily wooded area. The trees grow tall and the canopy threatens to darken the sky over the path. It reminds you a little of home, though that's probably just because of what you'd been talking about.

Hiss is walking ahead and so your first warning is when she draws to a sudden stop. The road in front of you has been interrupted by something bizarre. A giant dandelion, almost twice your height has burst from the ground, yellow petals turned towards the sky.

> Look around for Eugene.

> Harvest that sucker!

> Best to ignore it and keep walking.

> Other

>>39248501
> Best to ignore it and keep walking.

>>39248371
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/38877733/#p38883094

>>39248501
> Best to ignore it and keep walking.
I'm tired of that damn wizard

>>39248501
>> Harvest that sucker!

>>39248590
Exactly. Stealing a whole goddamn thread with stupidity.

>>39248501
> Best to ignore it and keep walking.
>Must be Eugene's doing. Let's keep going. Hey not mad but did you eat memories of my dad that first time we met? And on a completely unrelated topic anything else about spirit bane I should know? Like for example a giant kill this heretic sign on me for spirit's? Cause that'd be my luck right about now.

>>39248644
I'd be fine with asking about the spirit bane thing but I don't think there's much point about asking about our dad. It's not like she can give us our memories back

> Best to ignore it and keep walking.

Oh hell no. The coach must have already passed through here. You aren't in the mood for more Eugene shenanigans right now.
Hiss cautiously touches the stem of the giant flower as she passes but nothing untoward happens.

"I wonder why he created this?"
No need to say who 'he' is.

Hiss shrugs.
"Wizards."

You make your way through the woods without further incident. Inspired by Hiss' previous words you are thinking over your entire adventure so far, something about Melire springing back up into your thoughts.
"What happened when I killed that spirit, exactly? I felt something and you said something about Banes yesterday?"

"Hmm? Yeah. You've got the marks of a spirit's death throes on your soul. Makes you immune to having it be tampered with further!"

That's good, particularly considering who you're traveling with. That must have been what she meant when she spoke about the trance that the snake-man tried to pull you into.

"On the other hand, it makes most spirits want to murder you on sight. You're really lucky that the Master was too old and tired to hate anything. He didn't have it in him."

Well that's...less good.
"So now we just have to assume all spirits are our enemies? Great."

"Not much of a difference really. They already hate me. If one of them attacked me, you'd help me defend myself and make an enemy of them anyway."

For a moment you're taken back by her certainty. She really has no doubt that you'd help her, even against as something as powerful as a spirit. And why wouldn't you? You've already done it once before after all.

"Besides," she continues. "It's an excellent excuse to kill spirits. I love it when you do that."

Her words make you wonder if maybe killing another would be so bad. You're already marked after all.

1/2

>>39249037
2/2

A few minutes after this conversation, the two of you set down by a boulder to start eating. It's been hours and hours since you ate anything back on the boat after all and Hiss is similarly famished.

> Both of you should eat only what you need.

> Let Hiss stuff herself.

> Brew something up while you're here (Specify)

> Experiment with snake reagents while you're here. As long as it's not like the Oil you should be allowed to, right?

> Other

>>39249073
> Both of you should eat only what you need.
Save for a boat or some such right?

>>39249073
> Let Hiss stuff herself.
And then some.

For when she is bloated and overfed, we shall be free! FREE!

>>39249073
> Both of you should eat only what you need.
ask hiss if it would bother her if we
> Experiment with snake reagents while you're here. As long as it's not like the Oil you should be allowed to, right?

>>39249073
> Both of you should eat only what you need.
ask hiss if it would bother her if we
> Experiment with snake reagents while you're here. As long as it's not like the Oil you should be allowed to, right?
Also bring up the possibility brewing up a batch of snake oil just for the hunter thing, it took an explosive to the face and didn't even flinch, the oil may slow it down.

>>39249151
This plus awkwardly ask how she felt about the hand holding

> Both of you should eat only what you need.
> Experiment with snake reagents while you're here. As long as it's not like the Oil you should be allowed to, right?

You let yourself be stingy with the food and Hiss doesn't complain though you know she'd happily glut herself into inactivity if you'd give her the chance.
You sit there with her when certain thoughts begin to make their way through your head unbidden.

"So...Hiss, there's something I need to ask. A few things actually. Do you remember our first day on the boat?"

She stops eating.
"I don't really remember much. I was sleeping the effects of the Children off still."

"But uh...what about that night. When it was me and you. We had a talk."

"And?"

"Well I-I was just wondering how you felt about what happened."

"About what happening?"
She turns around and looks away from you, hiding her face.
"I was so tired. I don't remember any of it."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yes! Nothing!"

An awkward silence descends upon both of you as you search desperately for something to say. Do you change the subject?
"So you don't uh, mind if I use some of your reagents for experiments. For like...not the Oil! Something else."

"Sure! Go for it! Do what you want!"
She's still sitting with her back to you.

You set up a small fire and start your experimental brew. What reagent do you want to use?

> A few scales

> An entire shed skin

> Saliva

> Venom

> Blood

> Use the Bunyip's hair as well as whatever else you choose.

>>39249645
>Blood
>Hair

>>39249645
...when did we get samples of her saliva, venom, and blood?

>>39249645
>> Venom
> Blood

>>39249711
Those are going to involve some donation.

>>39249645
> An entire shed skin
> Blood
> Use the Bunyip's hair as well as whatever else you choose.

>>39249645
Make a healing potion beforehand if we're taking her blood. Unless it's just a pinprick or something

>>39249731
This. I really hope it's a badass regen potion somehow

>>39249645
I wonder if spiritbane blood has any special alchemical qualities

> An entire shed skin
> Blood
> Use the Bunyip's hair as well as whatever else you choose.

"Do you mind if I borrow a little blood? Just for the potion."

"No, no, go for it. I don't mind."
Hiss still isn't looking at you but she does take her jacket off and extend an arm towards you. You take her arm and she shivers.
"Actually Cennen, there is something I want to ask."

"Go ahead."
You take out your knife and make a small incision, causing her to suck in breath but nothing else. You let the blood slowly drip into your mortar.

"Humans really don't have seasons do they?"

"Seasons?"
You have no idea what she's talking about.

"Your bodies are just...just always on? It wasn't bothering me before but-"
She stops. You still don't know what she was talking about but you can feel her slowly calm down, confusion fading back down to the usual malevolence. When she next speaks, her voice is flat.
"I think I've been spending too long in this form. The brain wasn't affecting me much to begin with but I think it's really wormed its way into my mind. It wants me to do nonsense. Tell me when you're done."

You finish draining the blood and the moment you do so she starts tearing at her own flesh, the blood in the incision drying up to nothing as she disappears in a cloud of dust.
A black snake hisses at you before coiling up. It's about five feet long. That's...significantly larger than the last time you saw her snake form.

You still don't really know what she was talking about but if she wants to return to a form where she can't talk to you, can you really complain?
The view has gotten significantly worse now however.

You mix the blood in with a crushed-up shed skin and begin to mix. After a small amount of deliberation, you add half of the Bunyip's shorn hair.
With these many powerful reagents, it can't fail to be something incredibly potent, even in your hands. It'll be something benevolent too hopefully, provided you don't screw up entirely.

1/2

>>39250221
2/2

What you get is a viscous black mixture that gives off plumes of white smoke. You let it cool down but it doesn't stop smoking.

> Spill some out on the ground to test it.

> Test it yourself.

> Try and get the snake to have some.

> Just pack it up and save it for later.

>>39250289
>> Spill some out on the ground to test it.

>>39250289
> Test it yourself.
I have no idea what this might do but there's only one way to really find out. Surely one of our experimental potions will do something good for us

>>39250289
>brew identification potion
isn't this what we got it for

>>39250289
>>39250486
This!

>>39250486
oh shit
you are smart anon
this so hard

>>39250486
FUCKING THIS

>>39250486
>>39250289
Yes, let's do this. I don't want to die.

> Spill some out on the ground to test it.

You slowly drizzle a little bit of it out of your cauldron, letting it drip onto the ground. It bubbles when it touches the dirt and then promptly evaporates, turning gaseous and vanishing.

Well, no matter. You have the recipe for identification potions. You whisk one of those up while the snake watches you, make a clear sparkling liquid that you drink down while it's still hot.
You nearly forgot you had this!

After having drunk it down, you see the brew with new eyes. It appears to be some sort of transformative potion, one that frees the soul from the body to a more spirit-like state, much like the being that snakes used to be like.

From looking at it, you learn the following about the reagents involved: Shed skins in a brew make it always transformative in some way, snake blood is linked to the true spiritual essence of snakes and Bunyip hair is excellent for anything involving the body.

You have no bloody clue how this interacts with your Bane.

> Try it.

> Let's not.

>>39250486
you might have just saved our ass anon. I totally forgot that we learned how to brew that

>>39250637
> Let's not.
save it for when we're in a bed somewhere safe

>>39250637
> Let's not.
>Look at other reagents while potions is still up. Or brew a few more Ids just in case.

>>39250637
> Let's not.
Damnit I really want regen powers someday.

So would Venom and bunyip hair equal poison blood?

>>39250637
>>39250727
Supportin' productivity.

>>39250816
Who knows? I want to make some extremely potent poison with her venom sometime though

>>39250811
Maybe snakeskin+healing ingredients+bunyip hair would make a regen potion. I have no idea how to go about making it permanent though

> Let's not.
>Look at other reagents while potions is still up. Or brew a few more Ids just in case.

You look through the other reagents that would have been possible, subjecting the snake to your investigations. It rears up and tries to avoid you touching it but you grab it anyway, knowing that it can't willingly hurt you and that you've given enough warning that it can't do it accidentally either.
The snake coils around your arm and chest in displeasure as you peel its mouth open and look at its fangs. You're only a little bit terrified.

The stray scales of the snake allow for potions that affect snakes themselves, both mental and physical, the exact effect depending on how they are brewed.

Venom is a very nasty reagent, capable of killing a man in seconds and producing a poison just as nasty.In addition any potions with it as a major ingredient are guaranteed bad news, warped to something that will absolutely be bad for the drinker no matter what.

The snake's saliva is...well it's just more venom. You didn't know that before. It's lucky that you didn't decide to use it.

The snake won't stop hissing at you, obviously enraged by your sudden inspection.

> Put it down.

> You might as well carry it. Snakes are way too slow, you're not traveling alongside one.

> Other

>>39251003
Unless you want to take up human form I will carry you ok?
> Put it down.

>>39251003
> You might as well carry it. Snakes are way too slow, you're not traveling alongside one.
Tell her she can switch back to human and walk if she likes

>>39251003
> You might as well carry it. Snakes are way too slow, you're not traveling alongside one.

>>39251003
Examine some of our own blood, i bet the fact that we're a spiritbane could give it some qualities harmful to spirits

> You might as well carry it. Snakes are way too slow, you're not traveling alongside one.

You just keep walking, letting the snake writhe angrily in your hands. You're not really afraid of Hiss anymore, not while you still have one wish remaining. And maybe not even then. You know her pretty well.
"Look, I'm not going to travel alongside a snake. You're too slow. So you can switch back to human and walk if you want to or otherwise just deal with it."

The snake slowly calms down, wrapping itself around you further. It's rather uncomfortable but it doesn't stop you from walking on.

Five minutes later you realize that you've wound up carrying Hiss while she doesn't have to walk at all. Damn it.

You dump the snake into your backpack so anyone you might happen to pass won't see it but that doesn't stop it from occasionally poking its head out of the pack and over your shoulder.

The ground before you begins to slope as you keep walking, the sun having passed its zenith and now slowly scaling back down towards the horizon.

There's a man lying by the side of the road, his hat over his face as if he had chosen here of all places to sleep. You know he's not asleep though.
"Hello, Ophi. Or Oster. Or whatever."

He lifts his hat and rises to his feet, patting himself off. He's still wearing that dumb poncho.
"Ah, I was wondering when you would catch up. Where is the princess?"

> Motion towards your bag.

> "She's injured back a few miles. You need to go get her right away!"

> "Elsewhere."

> Other

>>39251322
>"She got tired of walking"
>Motion towards your bag.

>>39251322
> Motion towards your bag.

>>39251322
> Motion towards your bag.
thank god posting is back

>>39251322
> Motion towards your bag.
>Said some nonsense about seasons and being human too long, and I wasn't about to let her slow me down by "walking" next to me.

Hiss only liked Cennen because she was human "too long." She'll go back to hating him shortly and have Oster kill him.

>>39251416
nah let's keep that a secret anon
it means she's feeling attracted to cennen

>>39251448
you are incorrect

>>39251448
We'll see.

>>39251480
He might not be sadly.

>>39251448
>>39251512
her human form is making her want to do naughty things with cennen and that makes her uncomfortable. that's it

>>39251555
Here's hoping.

>>39251555
I don't think it's naughty things. I think it's human things. Compassion, friendship, etc...

> Motion towards your bag.

You briefly entertain the notion of telling him that Hiss is somewhere she's not so you won't have to deal with him but you decide to let honesty rule the day.
"She got tired of walking."

The snake pokes its head out of the bag and Oster moves immediately, pulling the snake out and setting it on the ground reverently.

The snake rears up and looks him in the eyes and you watch him slump to the ground. The snake slithers atop him, coiling on top of his chest as its head hovers over his.
Really, it'd be much more inconvenient if she was human and could thus, you know, talk. You have to wonder just how the humans of Snakehome get anything done if this is their only means of communication with their masters.

They're like that for some time. What is she telling him?

> Stay here and wait it out.

> Brew something else. (Specify)

> Scout out the road ahead.

> Other

>>39251599
check the alchemical properties of our own blood with an identification potion

>>39251599
> Brew something else. (Specify)

Some IDs, some knockout poisons, maybe an acid.

>>39251599
> Stay here and wait it out.

>>39251625
>>39251647
These plus a healing and explosive potion, depending on how much time we have

> Brew something else.

You sit down a fair distance away from the two of them and start brewing. Who knows how long they'll be?

By the time Oster awakens, you've brewed up one Identification potion, a nonlethal poison, an acid and a healing potion. They must have a lot to talk about.

Oster slowly rolls to his feet.
"Her highness has concerns for how we will be approaching the city."

> Tell him that if she just turns human again then we shouldn't have any problems.

> Stow her in the backpack and hope.

> Ask about sneaking into Taldenral.

> Suggest splitting up.

> Other

>>39251839
> Tell him that if she just turns human again then we shouldn't have any problems.

>If she prefers we can chance the backpack.

>>39251839
> Tell him that if she just turns human again then we shouldn't have any problems.

>>39251839
> Ask about sneaking into Taldenral.

>>39251839
> Tell him that if she just turns human again then we shouldn't have any problems.
unless something has changed. That makes you think it isn't possible. Besides if she stays in snake form any seer worth his salt and any wizard who can use divination will find her if she enters as a snake. She said her human form was a disguise to that when we first met. If she doesn't want to change back she could always go back into the backpack and we can hope no one looks too closely.

> Tell him that if she just turns human again then we shouldn't have any problems.

"What's the problem? All she has to do is turn human, right? She reckons that protects herself against the Sight and we've never been caught so far."
Though the Bunyip had known somehow.

"Her highness does not desire human form right now."

"Well what else can we do? Are we going to try and smuggle a magical beast into Taldenral itself? Will the princess use her great and mighty magic to render us invisible?"

Oster's smile fades and he reaches towards his sword.
"You forget yourself. I don't have to tolerate you speaking ill of the princess any longer."

"Contain yourself, servant. He's right."
You jump a little before turning around. It looks like the snake had transformed back into Hiss while both of you had been caught up in speaking with each other. She has a strange look on her face that you can't identify.
"This insistence was my mistake."

"Your highness! You can make no m-"

"Oh hush! I have decided that admitting mistakes and showing humility at times greatly befits a royal personage. And believe me, mine is a vast and powerful humility far greater than any mere human."

"Of course, your highness. Your humility humbles us all."
His hand slides off the hilt of his still-sheathed sword.

"I have decided to come to an epiphany," Hiss continues, as if it was something she had been merely putting off. "Cennen is only an idiot about half the time. The other half he has been an ever-useful source of direction and advice. He is a human worthy of servitude."

The last sentence is said with a rhythm to it that suggests that she is merely repeating something she had heard said many times before. Oster's eyes suddenly widen in comprehension and he suddenly kicks you in the backs of your knee, forcing you to kneel.
What the hell is going on here?

> Ask them just what is going on.

> Stay kneeling.

> Genuflect.

> Other

>>39252209
> Stay kneeling.
oh shit we're about to get some snake powers or something

>>39252209
> Stay kneeling.

>>39252209
> Stay kneeling.
Hiss really likes to hold hands apparently.

>>39252209
> Stay kneeling.
inb4 spiritbane makes us no sell it.

In other news, Hiss' 'Basic Princess' skill in her character sheet has finally been upgraded to 'Standard Princess'.

>>39252261
i just noticed the baneposting in ophi's character entry as well

>>39252235
who doesn't?

> Stay kneeling.

You decide not to question whatever is going on and just kneel, looking up at Hiss standing over you.
"I have deemed you a true exemplar of your kind, one who is both fit and willing to serve me with a prowess I approve of. I give you the honor of becoming my loyal servant, my sworn fang to do my bidding in both Snakehome and the world beyond."

Uh...you're in the 'world beyond' right now. But you guess she's just repeating entirely by rote.

"You shall and forever shall be my tool and I shall and forever shall be your master. I have judged that no finer servant can be found and if any disagree, they may answer to my fangs alone! Now...swear yourself to me and receive my Art."

She holds her hand raised above before suddenly striking down. It's too quick to be avoided.

> Swear fealty

> Are you kidding me?

Hiss grabs you by the:

> Forehead

> Hand

> Chest

> Scalp

>>39252414
> Swear fealty

> Hand

or

> Scalp

>>39252414
> Swear fealty
> Hand

>>39252414
> Swear fealty
> Hand
Because holdholding

>>39252414
> Swear fealty
> Hand

>>39252414
>> Swear fealty
> Hand

> Swear fealty
> Hand

"I swear myself to you. I am your loyal servant."
You sure hope these aren't magically enforced or something. But you doubt because your soul is supposed to be protected against such things and Oster certainly didn't seem too restrained by such an oath.

You feel your right hand yanked up as Hiss grabs onto it, holding it in both of her hands. She just holds it for a long second before digging her thumbs into your palm. It takes a few painful tries before her thumbnails rip open a flap of skin, blood welling up to cover your palm.

Ow. That really hurts. Way more than a cut that small should. You feel something like heavy liquid fire enter the wound and you can't bite back a scream as it moves further, forcing itself through your veins. Oh no. Oh no no no. She broke the skin. This is venom. You have to flee, you have to get away.
But you can't break her grip and it only takes a moment before you are transfixed, fire caressing your entire body and locking your limbs into uselessness. Only your chest remains unafflicted but you can feel the fire rising, licking at the bottom of your ribcage, circling around your heart like the coils of a serpent just waiting for strike.

Somewhere you find the strength to look up, looking right into the princess' eyes. You expected them to be snake eyes for some reason but they've remained human and they trap your gaze for a reason that has nothing to do with hypnosis.
She looms above you, somehow seeming infinitely huge while not changing at all. Her lips move but you only hear the words several seconds afterwards.
"This might sting a little."

And then the venom finally reaches your heart and your world explodes. For a time you cannot measure, you are aware of nothing but yourself and the scourging flame.

And then your senses reawaken and you find yourself in a freezing emptiness. There is nothing here. You are alone.

1/2

>>39252744
2/2

You flail out as you fall into the void and Hiss catches you. But not the Hiss you know. This Hiss is clad in a strange assortment of layered robes, each one a slightly different pastel color. You have to crane your head to look up at her because she is somehow at least twice your size in this realm. Her face is hidden by a solemn golden mask and two curled horns rise from her head. Above her head is a shining ring, an unbroken halo of white-gold.

Her arms wrap around you and suddenly she is gone and you are trapped in the grasp of a black and red serpent. It has coiled around you completely, it's tail curled around your left foot while its fangs are latched into the palm of your right hand. It won't stop moving, slithering across your body.
For some reason, one part of your body in particular is having the entirely wrong reaction to this and you don't understand why.

This mortification is as brief as it is humiliating because the snake is gone the next moment, letting you fall into the void.
No. You aren't falling. You are soaring, being thrown further and further aloft into nothingness.

A star appears above you and you are there within the moment, whisking you through a familiar forest. You are deposited into some sort of vast crater, a huge valley filled with large sheets of flat stone. The sun beats down from high to enjoyment of the inhabitants for they are all snakes.
Hundreds of snakes. Thousands? You don't know. They adorn every rock along the great stepped wall of the crater and for a moment your perspective inverts and you realize that this is a grand palace, one whose walls were raised by the anger of the Creator himself.

You drift limbless down the steps, snakes rearing up to let you pass. Are you really here? Is this a hallucination? You can't tell. But at the bottom of the crater is a crack, a chasm in the earth full of darkness that you cannot pierce.

And then the darkness moves.

2/3

>>39252942
3/3

A black serpent uncoils itself from within. It is the darkness and the darkness is it, for it had been occupying the full space of the chasm with no room for true darkness to trespass.
You only catch glimpses of it all the same but enough to know that even the monster who attacked you in the swamp is but a child. It rears up and towers over you, causing many of the snakes to hiss in displeasure and move as he throws them into shadow.
You fancy you see tiny stars speckling the darkness that the beast wears around itself like a cloak and after a moment you realize you are not wrong. It is dotted with tiny glimmering lights, each one a minuscule human face wracked in agony. There are thousands of them within the darkness. The King has gorged himself on souls.

And then even the Serpent King is gone and is replaced by another snake of identical coloration and majesty and then another, time itself unpeeling before your eyes.
And then all snakes are gone and the crater is sealed, the land is safe and whole. Instead you are whisked outwards to a city of some sort along the coast. It is built of rotting wood, the humans within living in poverty and fear of the things that rule the skies.

All of the stone has been put towards huge stepped pyramids and above each one a sleeping god, a grand spirit that rules the humans as chattel.
It hurts you to behold them for their halos are as bright as the sun. They are titanic reptiles, each one of them almost as big as the pyramids they crouch atop of. They have four legs and claws bigger than spears and a pair of leathery wings that granted them command of both the sky and the world below.
The humans had attempted to defy them but the scales of the spirits rendered them impervious and they bore a fire within them that could consume the world if given but the chance.

3/4

>>39253146
4/4

And then the light brightens and you are vanquished, scattered back into the void.

You wake with a gasp, your face covered in sweat. You're lying down on the ground with Oster in his Ophi-face kneeling over you.
"Easy there, it takes all of us like that."
He smirks.
"Or should I call you Brother?"

Your right hand itches. You turn it over to reveal the brand you knew would be there. The twisting black serpent devouring its own tail. This is it. You've become one of them.

"Wow! I can't believe it worked!"
Hiss is standing behind both of you, moving from one foot to the other in excitement.
"I mean, excellent. I have prepared you with my Art, servant."

> "What the hell was that?"

> Test it out.

> Ask her what prompted this in the first place.

> "Since when can you do this?"

> Other

>>39253245
> Test it out.
> Ask her what prompted this in the first place.

My laptop won't stop overheating and it's really making doing this a lot harder than it had to be.

>>39253261
at least you can use it to help with your pitiful cold tolerance

>>39253245
>> Test it out.

>>39253245
> Test it out.
> Ask her what prompted this in the first place.
> "Since when can you do this?"

>>39253245
> "Since when can you do this?"
> Ask her what prompted this in the first place.

>>39253245
Pray that your erection was purely metaphysical

>>39253416
wait fuck don't actually pray that because hiss would hear it

>>39253416
>>39253439
I'm sure Hiss would be comforted to know that the feelings are mutual.

> Test it out.
> Ask her what prompted this in the first place.
> "Since when can you do this?"

Oster helps you rise to your feet, while Hiss joins you by your side. If she was grinning any wider it might fall off her face entirely.
"Try it out."

You extend your right hand, palm against the world.
"What is it?"

"I have given you my bite. That is your name now, Cennen Snakebite."

Wait. Didn't you tell her that you thought that name sounded stupid? Is this her vengeance?
"That...that sounds like what Fel had."

"Precisely. It always struck me as useful."

You force your will upon your end but in the end nothing happens. You shake it and it's only then that you notice the tiny drop of venom manifesting from the center of your brand. That's it. No killing grasp like Fel had. Just the smallest trickle.
"What's this supposed to be?"

"What?"
Hiss is equally surprised.
"You should have the essence of venom itself imbuing your hand! How have you fucked it up?"

"Me? I didn't do anything!"

"If I may interject, your highness," Oster says. "While you are of course the true Queen of Snakehome, you do not possess your father's raw strength. So naturally, the Art of your servants are of...a somewhat lesser aspect."

She turns to him, one hand raised high.
"Just what are you implying, Oster?"
Her voice is a forced sickly sweetness.

"Merely the truth, your highness."

You stare at your hand while they bicker with each other. Or more accurately, she bickers the hell out of him.
Is this it? You guess you have a source of reagents?

"Since when can you do this, Hiss?"

She looks a little shifty all of a sudden.
"Oh, I've always been able to. Theoretically. This was just the first time and you must have accepted the Art wrong. I'm sure if you practice wi-"

"But why?"

She catches her breath and sighs a little.
1/2

>>39253507
2/2

"I realized..I have been acting foolishly. Not as fool as you but still the same crime. I've been, I guess you could say I've been afraid. Afraid of this body and what it brings. I've been pushing a lot of human things away because of that."

She takes your hand and for a moment you nearly question her before she realizes that she's merely inspecting your brand and the small beads of clear venom exuding from within.
"It was forcing me into a lot of unbecoming behavior. But after I had some to think it over and after receiving Oster's advice, I think I know the answer. I can't be afraid of being human or of knowing humans because these are the human lands and a Queen cannot be ruled by fear. I have to not only tolerate but embrace my situation. Every aspect of it. It's the only way we'll ever get things done."

"And so you tried to give me your Art because of this?"

"Mmmaybe. There are a lot of reasons for what I do and I cannot ask a human to understand them all. But perhaps you could consider it thanks for putting up with my fear."

She's forcing the words out near the end, loathe to admit any weakness despite having so many of them.

"I don't mean offence," you start cautiously. "But I'm not sure how useful this is going to be."

"Well, can you at least spray it at someone?"

You try but only manage the same tiny trickle.
"Nope."

"I'm sure this is your fault somehow."
You look past Hiss where Oster is slowly shaking his head behind her back.

> "No, I don't think you're strong enough for this yet."

> "Yeah. I must have screwed it up."

>>39253626
> "Yeah. I must have screwed it up."

>>39253626
>I'm sure as your power increases it will correct my shortcomings.

>>39253626
> "Yeah. I must have screwed it up."
Maybe my status as a spirit bane interfered a bit. I think I could still make it useful though

> "Yeah. I must have screwed it up."

"Sorry about that. I must have accepted it wrong. Maybe because of my spiritbane?"

She frowns.
"That could be it. Might explain a lot actually."
She takes your branded hand in hers.
"You'll have to prepare yourself, servant. Taldenral will likely have dangers of its own and I am trusting you to be my fang that strikes those dangers dead. But you'll need to be careful and you need to understand something...you aren't just fighting for your own survival. You are fighting to expand my reach."

"Pardon?"

"It means you'll have a lot more responsibility to keep yourself safe. And not just because you carry my wish-bond but because you now also bear my honor as well. Do you think I want to see my investment wasted? The Bane means that your soul is forever your own but your body-"
She gives your hand a squeeze before letting go, one strong enough to hurt.
"Your body belongs to me."

Brilliant.

>>39253626
> "Yeah. I must have screwed it up."
I get free poison for alchemy, that's neat.

>>39253796
Good thing that we can leave our body then

>>39253796

Anyway, that's that for today. I just want to apologize for how the updates have been today. A lot of stuff was happening but rather than abandon the thread so early I decided to keep to it in between various events. You guys didn't deserve the lowered time and quality.

Also good job on completely dodging the bandit encounter.

>>39253850
I still enjoyed it immensely. Same time tomorrow?

>>39253850
Thanks for running dude.

>>39253871
Same time tomorrow.

Also there was another thing I was wondering. I often get questions from you guys while writing and there's nothing wrong with that. But the thread might not the best place for them.

Do you think an ask.fm would be of use for various questions about the setting, snakes or alchemical minutia?

>>39253908
I know that I would use it at least

>>39253908
Sounds perfect boss. Go for it.

>>39253911
>>39253917

Here's where it is for now. I'll probably put it in the OP with the other links when the next thread comes around.
ask.fm/OuroQM