>>39696226
You don’t want to wake at first. It’s too comfortable, too warm. Hiss’ touch, while once icy, has thawed somewhat during the night. You feel like you could lie here in this bed forever.

Too bad about the screaming.

Hiss drags herself out of bed before you do, looking a little dazed from lingering warmth but otherwise focussed. By the time you get up she’s fully dressed and peering out the window. You join her shortly afterwards.

You haven’t been sleeping for that long it seems. It’s still dark, only a tiny amount of light on the dawning horizon serving as the advance warning of the sun’s approach. And that rising light is almost completely eclipsed by the angry orange-red light bathing the cityscape before you. You can hear scores of people shouting and screaming, some of them from the very inn that you are currently occupying.
Taldenral is burning.

“Good morning,” Hiss greets you.

You make a small motion at the awful view in the window.
“Is it?”

“I’ve had worse.”
The right side of her face is turned away from you. It must be hurting though you know she’ll probably never admit it.

You dig up your cauldron from your pack and mix up a healing potion, quick and cold. Hiss takes it gratefully, not hesitating to drink it down.
"Ugh. How did you know it was stinging?"

"Something like that? I figure it's always stinging."

"You're not far off."
She grimaces. The burn scar down her right face has receded quite well, subtly shrinking with each potion she's drunk. Unfortunately her right eye isn't becoming less unsightly and no amount of your healing potions will help with that.
1/?

>>39696237
2/?

"You should be probably be covering that, it might heal better if you stop getting gunk in it."
Lacking anything else on hand to give her, you pass her a small strip of the expensive black fabric you still had from all the way back in Melire.
She wraps it around her right eye and ties it along the side of her head in what is probably the most expensive makeshift eyepatch in the world.
"How does it look?"

"Striking."

She doesn't look too happy about your choice of words.
"Still, at least it doesn't differ from my royal colors. I'll have to figure something out next time I change."

“I think it’ll grow on you. So…”
You look back out the window. You can’t tell how far the fire’s been spreading but you wouldn’t be surprised if the palace is burning.
“Do you think this is our fault?”

“It’s not impossible.”

“Maybe that was one spirit too many.”
You don’t know how you feel about the possibility of actual divine retribution.

Hiss shakes her head.
“I think in that case we’d be the ones burning, not the city.”

“Reassuring. Well, I’m going to go check on the twins. Coming?”

"Who? Oh right, the useless girls. Why do we need to get them?"

You sigh.
"They deserve a little help, they've been through a lot. Sometimes you got to look after people who can't look after themselves."
Hiss looks spectacularly unconvinced so you try a different tack.
"And besides, wouldn't all that work we put in to save Aina's life back in Tedwell go to waste?"

"...I suppose so."

"And try not to call them names or attempt to murder them this time. You didn't leave a great first impression."
With that, you open the door and make your way down the hallway. Luckily you made a note of what room Aina was sleeping in and you're banging on it in under a minute.

Aina opens it, looking very sleepy. She looks up at the two of you and rubs her eyes.
"Yes? Is something wrong?"

"The city is on fire, let's go."

>>39696259
3/3

"What?"
Her shriek as she looks out the window wakes up Liss, who had been sleeping in the same bed. Both of them are already fully clothed. You don't think they actually own any others.

"What's going on?"
Liss wastes no time.

"Don't have the slightest clue. But we need to leave. Now."
Neither of the twins argue with that so it isn't but a minute later that all four of you are running out the front door of the inn. Downstair had been chaos but you’d been able to push through without any trouble.
Hiss has kept her mouth firmly shut the entire time, a mixed blessing.

There aren't any carriages, even though there is a stable just next door. Looks like everyone's done a runner. Not that you can blame them.
But where would you even take them? The palace, where Oster probably is? If he’s still alive at all. Down to the docks of the city to take to the water? The Trebain House, to pick up Eugene and his mother? You’ve grown fond of them but that’s quite a detour and the last time you saw it an exceptionally dangerous monster had taken up roost there.
Or maybe just flee this city right now since it’s filled with people who hate you and is burning down anyway. You don’t know if Hiss and the twins will like that though. They all have reasons to stay, at least for now.

> We need to get to the palace.

> We need to get down to the docks.

> We need to get to the Trebain House.

> We need to get the fuck out of Taldenral

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39696272
> We need to get to the palace.

>>39696272
>> We need to get down to the docks.
Scope out the Trebain house on the way. Leave a note here for Oster

>>39696272
> We need to get to the Trebain House.
> We need to get down to the docks.

>>39696272
> We need to get to the palace.

>>39696399
>>39696402
We can't just ditch ophi. We have no means to write him a note either

>>39696476
Thing is we can't stay here. and Cennen can find a piece of paper. If he's alive he'll find us if not us being proactive is best.

>>39696272
> We have to get to the Trebain house

Will help with

> We need to get to the palace

if we have a Noble and a Wizard with us.

> We have to get to the Trebain House.
> Either the palace or the docks afterwards, depending on what we find.

You mull it over for a few more seconds before making your decision. The docks or the palace seem like your best destinations but you think you want to stop by the Trebain House first.
If Oster manages to escape, that's probably where he'll look first and you might be able to leave a message there. And getting Eugene and Lady Trebain's help might turn out to be exactly what you need.
And the Snakecatcher is...probably not still there. You hope. But even if it is, you have the potions to supposedly deal with it. You hope.

But do you know the way from here? You think back on your carriage trip from the palace to here, along with the trip to the palace from the Trebain House and the general surroundings.
...Yeah, you think you have it. It's quite the distance on foot though so you better get started right away.

You pick your direction and start running down the street, Hiss keeping pace with you easily while the twins lag a bit behind.
"Where are we going?" Hiss asks.

"Back to the Trebains. They're probably our best bet right now."

She looks doubtful.
"You think so? I've never seen a wizard make a situation better."

"Trebain? Who's that?"
Liss pulls in beside you, holding Aina's hand.

"Some people we know. It's not important."

"But we need to find Ophi!"

"He might be there!"

"Why is he still with you guys anyway? What's going on?"

> Tell her the truth.

> Lie outrageously.

> Half-truth.

> Ignore her.

> Promise to tell her later.

> Other

>>39696691
> Lie outrageously.

>>39696691
> Promise to tell her later.
It's a very long story, best to find safety to tell it first.

>>39696691
> Lie outrageously.

>>39696691
>promise to tell them later

>>39696691
>Other
Politely inform her that it's not your place to tell.

>>39696691
>> Lie outrageously.

We saved him from the village, but in doing so Hiss had to sacrifice some of her life force and now they share a metaphysical bond that drains some of his life to keep her from dying. Hopefully, the wizard can study it and restore her vital essence.

Until then, Ophi has pledged himself to repay her by protecting her until then, as well as being available in case he's needed to break the bond.

It's all very tragic and romantic.

>>39696691
> Promise to tell her later.

preferably when we're in a place that's not burning down around us

>>39696712
>>39696761
>>39696812
Cennen is shit at lying you do realize that right? They won't buy it.

>>39696691
>Promise to tell her later.

>>39696823
He lied pretty well to that spirit earlier.

>>39696843
One time out of how many? Every time he lies it either goes badly or is rendered irrelevant by other's actions immediately afterwards.

>>39696812
Dude. What kind of lie is that

>>39696812
Ouro please don't use this awful write-in

>>39696884
an outrageous one. Since it's lie outrageously stuff like that is par for the course. Stupid ain't it?

>>39696812
>>39696884
>>39696896

See

>>39696911

I know Cennen is shit at lying, you see, and it DID say lie outrageously. Honestly, I don't even think it's outrageous enough since there was a spirit eating souls and spitting them into animate puppet children bodies in that town.

>>39696939
Why would we lie but still give them more evidence that suggests that hiss isn't a normal human?

>>39696961
It's Lie outrageously anon. Meaning it's a stupid fucking option. Like Kissing Hiss after the mood had passed.

>Promise to tell her later.

How do you best deal with this? Liss looks pretty determined right now and even Aina is leaning in as she does her best to keep up.
Part of you just wants to find a lie that can keep her off your back for now but what if she finds out? It'll just bring you back to this situation but worse. But now is not the time for anything even approaching the truth.

"Look, I promise I'll tell you later. I'm sort of busy right now!"

"When AREN'T you busy?" Liss complains. "There's so much ...bullshit going on right now and nobody tells us anything!"

"No, stop Liss," Aina says. "I'm sure they have a good reason. Th-they saved my life!"

Liss sighs and shakes her head at you.
"You're lucky that Aina's soft on you. But this isn't over yet."

"Honestly, both of you should just be happy with what you're given," Hiss snaps. "If it wasn't for us you'd both be dead. Or worse. Or would you rather be Children?"

"..BE Children?"
Aina looks confused but Liss just pales as she understands Hiss' implications immediately.

You do your best to salvage the situation.
"We really will explain it all later. I promise."

"I hear a lot of promises," Liss says but she doesn't give you any more trouble. She just clutches Aina closer.

Now, it should just be down this corner...You skid to a stop. This street is on fire, flames leaping from building to building and out onto the cobblestones themselves. Going through here would be crazy. But it's the only route you know, anything else could result in you going off-track and becoming lost in the rat's nest that is Taldenral.

> Keep going!

> Try to find a new path.

> Other

>>39697012
>> Try to find a new path.
Unless we can find some blankets are water to cover said blankets so we can run by.

>>39697012
> Try to find a new path.

>>39697012
> Try to find a new path.
Use the rising smoke coming from the two buildings as a point of reference to find the street again. Don't take your eyes off it

> Try to find a new path.

"Alright, I don't think we need to go through here."

"Where is everyone?" Aina is looking about.

"Beats me. Maybe there was some sort of warning that got everyone cleared out? Before...whatever this was happened. We can't afford to worry about them anyway."

Hiss puts a proprietorial hand on your shoulder.
"I'm proud of you Cennen."

"Eh?"

"Back when I first met you, you would have probably wasted so much time fretting about trying to help anyone trapped in there. You're much more sensible now."

...Gah. Not the greatest compliment. You do your best not to think about it as you lead them back, trying to find a different route. Hiss was in your backpack during the ride from the palace so only you know the entire route.
Can you use the pillars of smoke themselves as landmarks? You hope so.

You spend nearly half an hour running about in the warrens, doing your best to avoid the panicked citizens. You think you can see two alternative routes that should get you to the Trebain House.

One is much shorter but is packed with crowds of people thronging through it heading down to the docks. They figured out the same thing as you no doubt.
The second route is to go through one of the many rivers that snake their path through Taldenral. It's a winding, longer route but it's guaranteed not to be on fire at least.

> Through the crowds! Safety in numbers and the shortest route.

> Trying to follow the river is probably your best bet, even if it is a bit time-consuming.

> Back to the original route and fight your ways through the fires.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39697278
>> Through the crowds! Safety in numbers and the shortest route.
Keep a potion at the ready. Poison should do it.

>>39697278
> Trying to follow the river is probably your best bet, even if it is a bit time-consuming.
WE MUST FIND BROYIP!

>>39697278
> Through the crowds! Safety in numbers and the shortest route.
I would rather not encounter the snakecatcher monster. Grab hiss's hand so she doesn't freak out

>>39697303
Are we gonna force someone to drink it or what? Seems less than useful right now

>>39697278
>> Trying to follow the river is probably your best bet, even if it is a bit time-consuming.

>>39697335
>>39697445
The fucking snake monster is nearly guaranteed to be in the river right now guys

>>39697364
We have an acid designed explicitly to melt snakes.

>>39697466
He doesn't know we created a potion designed explicitly to melt his face, and hes likely over confident about his chances with surviving such a potion.

Also he was last seen AT our destination.

Rolled 1 (1d6)

Looks like a tie between following the river and going through the crowds. Evens for the former, odds for the latter.

>>39697493
You forgot he's so fast we don't actually see him move and has poison everywhere didn't you? also untested poison is untested.

>>39697512
Its acid not poison, we know how acid works. Presumably its just extra melty against snakes.

>>39697493
Ok so once we melt his scales what will we do? We don't have shit that can actually finish the job

>>39697540
Normal acid would just melt his scales, this shit should melt to bone.

>>39697663
No the normal acid didn't affect him at all. This Scalebane acid is said to only affect scales. which means we have to use something to finish him off once the acid eats away his impenetrable scales.

>>39697663
Normal acid didn't even affect him. We haven't tested it so how would we know the damage it does?

> Through the crowds! Safety in numbers and the shortest route.

"Alright everyone, link hands!"
Hiss and the twins just look at you.
"Have you seen that crowd? Let's not get lost from each other."

You take Hiss' hand and Aina grabs your other, Liss already holding hands with her. Hiss looks at the crowd with distaste.
"This is going to suck."

It sucks. It sucks a lot. The streets are absolutely packed here, everyone fleeing the flames down towards the docks. You and Hiss are able to hold your own but Liss and Aina threaten to be torn away from you every moment.
Eventually even you have to surrender as you are borne forward in a sea of panicked humanity. You try to shout out to your companions but the screams and shouts of the crowd drown you out. All you can do is just keep holding on and pray that you leave this with the same number of people as you came in with.
You catch a glimpse of Hiss' face as you swirl on forward and you can't help but flinch a little. It's dust, pure unalloyed disgust at everything all this crowd represents. She hates you, you realize.
Well, not you. She doesn't hate you at all. But she loathes humanity and everything about your species. She'd want nothing more than for the vast majority of the people here to be burned alive just so that you'd be able to pass without being inconvenienced. It's everything she can do not to bite, pressed in as she is by the crowd in every direction.
As you watch, she raises her other hand and sticks it into her mouth and bites down, blood running down her sleeve. She doesn't even seem to notice the pain, keeping it in her mouth as some sort of failsafe to prevent her from biting the women and children around her. She's reached her limit and the end is not yet in sight.

1/2

>>39697797
2/2

> Just do your best to reach the end, there's nothing else you can do.

> Try to retreat back into a less occupied spot.

> Get Hiss to drink a potion (Specify)

> Use a potion to try and scatter the crowd (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39697278
>> Through the crowds! Safety in numbers and the shortest route.

The other option sounds like a guarantee to run into the Snake fucker.

>>39697819
> Use a potion to try and scatter the crowd (Specify)

Do we still have that smoke potion?

>>39697876
Used it to give Ophi a fighting chance.

>>39697876
No. Check the inventory pastebin. The pastebins are posted for a reason anon.

>>39697819
>> Try to retreat back into a less occupied spot.


>>39697876
Used it to distract the guards wailing on Ophi/OSter.

>>39697819
> Just do your best to reach the end, there's nothing else you can do.

WE ARE NOT PREPARED.

>>39697819
> Try to retreat back into a less occupied spot.

>>39697819
>> Other

Alright, it might be time to start being a bit of a dick. Start waving our skinning knife around to get a bit of space, while also gesturing towards our suspiciously glowing wizard potions (made by Eugene.)

>>39697819
Hey, remember these?

>>39392784
There are seven potions here, all bright yellow and sparking. Unfortunately your identification potion has worn off.

They're bright, glowy, and even better, dangerous looking. Let's use them to bluff ourselves as a wizard on the job to put out the fire or something.

>>39697972
Screw it, maybe we should just toss a couple into the crowd. That would give us some more room to work with

>>39697995
And it would help us find out if they have to be ingested to work. Kind of a dick move though

>>39697925
>>39697972
>>39697819
Supportan'. We're a goddamn wizard! We ain't got to explain shit!

>>39697972
Oh my god! GENIUS! WE WIZARD NOW!

>Supporting this idea.

Call me pessimistic but I don't really picture this plan working out too well

> Start acting like a crazy-ass wizard to clear people out of the way.

Oh, you're not getting stuck by a goddamn crowd of all things now of all times. Not after all you've been through! It's time to do something a little crazy.

"Halt! Cease this foolishness at once! You dare trample me, ...Eithelwid, the Wise? Stand back or I shall unleash my wizardry!"
You pitch your voice into a screech, one that somehow carries through the crowd.

You let go of Aina for a moment to get two of your glowy yellow potions from your backpack, the ones that Eugene made.
"Yes! It is I, Eithelweld the Potion Wizard! Now get out of my way lest I unleash my concoctions!"

You don't have a beard unfortunately. Or any other form of facial hair. Neither do you have a staff or robes or a wizard hat or even a pair of pointy shoes. But the potions are clearly magical and with Hiss by your side with her clear malevolence, much of the crowd managed to find a way to clear some space for you.
You reach out and grab Aina's hand again, having nearly lost them in the maelstrom as people press themselves away from you. A lot of them have been through hell and you figure the last thing they want right now is a dangerous magical practitioner of any kind waving glowy shit about.

You burst through the crowd and into a side-street, a mostly empty alleyway that should take you along your desired route.
And as you step out of the crowd, someone throws a rock and hits you in the back. You tip over helplessly, threatening to drag Hiss and the twins down with you.
The potion bottle goes flying from your hands as you grasp at it desperately. Shit!
You twist around but you can't keep it from dropping, you can only influence its final trajectory.

> It hits some part of the crowd behind you.

> It hits Hiss.

> It hits the twins.

> It goes right up and then lands back down on you.

> You do your best to send it forward into the alleyway where it won't land on anyone. You don't know what it'll do there though.

>>39698307
>> It hits some part of the crowd behind you.

FOR SCIENCE! AND MAGIC! MAGIC SCIENCE BITCH!

>>39698307
>> It hits some part of the crowd behind you.
These are the dandelion potions, right?

>>39698307
> It hits some part of the crowd behind you.

>>39698307
> It goes right up and then lands back down on you.

>>39698307
>> It hits some part of the crowd behind you.

>>39698307
>You do your best to send it forward into the alleyway where it won't land on anyone. You don't know what it'll do there though.
open da box

>>39698307
> It hits Hiss.
What could possibly go wrong?

>>39698307
>> It hits Hiss.

>>39698307
> It hits some part of the crowd behind you.

> It hits some part of the crowd behind you.

You come to a realization as you fall, a brief moment of crystal clarity suspended in the time before you hit the ground.
Man, fuck these people. You don’t care about them at all.

And with that, you send the potion flying into mostly innocent people behind you. The bottle shatters, sending glowing liquid splashing everywhere.

People are already screaming before any effects are visible, disaster apparent as you give an already panicked crowd another reason to freak the fuck out. You hit the ground heavily as the people behind you wail as green creeps its way along their skin and they begin to diminish.

Interesting...It does appear to have some effect on contact, though it is much less than just drinking it. You don’t really have any experience with anyone drinking it that wasn’t using yourself as the test subject however so you can’t be totally sure how much it differs.
And you don’t have time to figure it out as Hiss picks you up by the waist and bodily drags you down the alleyway before the crowd can get any worse.

“What was that?”
Liss and Aina follow up, Liss clearly beginning to regret her decision to ever come with you.

“Uh, alchemy stuff. I’ll explain later. You can let go of me now, Hiss.”

Hiss drops you onto the cobblestones, not being particularly gentle about it. And from there it’s only a relatively short and uneventful walk to the Trebain House. It’s quite the peaceful area, this district not yet being on fire. It probably won’t be spared for long though.

Hiss looks in through the gate and sucks in breath.
“This place is a wreck. Are you sure it isn’t still in there?”

“Probably?”

> Approach the front door.

> Try to sneak around the back.

> Loudly announce yourself.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Other

>>39698662
> Loudly announce yourself.
Hold the Scalebane potion, throw it if the snake monster comes out

>>39698662
>>39698725
This'll work

>>39698662
>> Approach the front door.

>>39698662
>> Approach the front door.

>>39698725
This

> Loudly announce yourself.

You pull the Scalebane Brew out of your backpack, getting it ready to throw.
"I think we should just announce ourselves. If it's the monster it'll attack but if it's just Eugene and his mum they might react badly to someone just barging in when the whole place has been banged up. We've got this to deal with the monster so what do you reckon?"

Hiss shrugs.
"Fine by me. It can't be worse than the spirit."

Liss and Aina just look at you, shaking their heads.
"I think you're doing it on purpose now!"

"Later!"
You cup a hand to your mouth as you swing the gate wide open.
"Cooee! Anyone home!"

Lady Trebain appears in the doorway, clearly relived to see a friendly face.
"Oh, Cennen! Sera! Thank the Creator that you're alright! You won't believe what's been going on!"

"Is Eugene here too?"

"You just missed him but he'll be back soon. Now look at this! Some hooligans have gotten into the house and have just had their way with the place, it's disgraceful! And poor old Drean is missing, I hope he's alright."

That must be the name of the doorman, who appears to be the only servant that she had. The one you found as mostly just mincemeat.
How do you tell her this?

You're trying to figure out the best way to say it (or maybe not say it) when she keeps on talking.
"It could be worse. All these nice guards have been a huge help. Here, Lieutenant Vickers! Here's the lad I was telling you about!"

A man steps in past Lady Trebain, dressed in the breastplate and uniform of some sort of city guard. There's quite a lot of men behind him.
He's quite short and slender, with a pinched face and a scruff about his chin.

You've never seen this man before in your life. But the way he reacts to seeing you and Hiss begs to differ. He draws his sword immediately, pushing Lady Trebain back behind him!

"There they are! Seize them!"

1/2

>>39698725
>>39698745
>>39698871
Idiots.

>>39699121
2/2

> Flee!

> Tell Liss and Aina to run while you and Hiss fight.

> See if you can talk to them about what's going on.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

>>39699141
> Flee!

>>39699141
> Flee!
Kite them out then wizard potion. Don't hit lady Trebain.

>>39699141
> Use a potion (Specify)
> Flee!
Throw the Scalebane potion at them.

>>39699141
> Nail them with a Eugene potion!
> Flee!

>>39699205
Scalebane works only on snake scales. Quit being dumb. I will never understand why the pastebins are ignored by most players

>>39699259
It'd require effort from them.

>>39699259
Sorry I was thinking of Snake Breaker My bad.

>>39699309
Used it on the spirit.

>>39699357
Yeah, for some reason I thought we had more than one of those. We need to brew up another one pretty soon.

>>39699411
Need time and scales.

> Flee
> Use a Eugene potion.

You push both Hiss and Aina back as the men advance.
"Run!"

Hiss shrugs and takes your word for it and it doesn't take Liss and Aina much to follow her as the other guards draw their swords.

You run along behind them, keeping your eye out as the men clear the doorway. You're still by the fence as you decide that they've cleared enough distance between them and the shocked Lady Trebain.
There's at least ten men here, all armed. You don't think there's any way you get them all with a splash but you try anyway, throwing another of Eugene's potions at the Lieutenant.

His sword whips out in an instant reaction, batting it aside and letting it spray on the ground beside him. You're not sure if he even got hit by a single drop.
Nuts.

And like it or not, throwing that bottle spent some valuable time. Hiss and the twins are quite a distance ahead of you now and the guards are only getting closer. One of them has a crossbow though he's still furiously winding it up.

> Run.

> Run in a different direction than Hiss and the twins.

> Try and surrender.

> Try and take a hostage.

> See if you can figure out a way to use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39699566
> Run.

>>39699566
Chuck the 2 Selective Poison potions. One at Vickers and the other at the crossbowman. Let's get them out of the way.

>>39699566
>> Run.

>>39699618
Poison only works if someone drinks it or it gets in the body through a cut. Why are the players so dumb today?

>>39699618
We only have one of those and that wouldn't work anyway.

> Run.

Nope, fuck all of this. Who are these people anyway? You don't know what they want from you but you have no intention of giving it to them.
You throw yourself out the gate and do your best to catch up to your companions, all three of them already well ahead of you. Hiss looks back at you, worried but not slowing down.

You hear a shout behind you.
"Bring him down!"

Oh shit, the man with the crossbow must have finally got it loaded.

Roll a d100

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>39699802
Got this.

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>39699802

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>39699802
I think we need more luck up in here.

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>39699802
DO A BARREL ROLL!

>>39699855

Do they really think that you'll fall to a mere crossbow bolt? You, who have stared down spirits and snakes and all sorts of other monsters?
Well yes, a single crossbow bolt is enough to kill you quite easily. But you're not going to let it happen.

You fall to the ground and roll, the bolt whizzing above your head. And then you're back on your feet again and you haven't even lost much speed!
You keep running, doing your best to keep yourself ahead of the guards. But you can feel yourself beginning to tire. You can't keep this up forever.
But you can keep it up for long enough.

Hiss, Liss and Aina are all still well ahead of you and you watch as they turn a corner and vanish from view.
...And then they all stumble right back into view, Hiss pulling the two shrieking twins back by their hair. What is she doing?

And then something follows them, something that your eyes refuse to see even though it fills the street.
Hiss stumbles back further before suddenly throwing both of the twins to the ground, pushing them in between her and the invisible presence as she abandons them and runs back towards you.

Oh shit, shit, why now? You recognize this camouflage, this inability of your eyes to behold the thing before you. It's the swamp monster, the Snakecatcher.

And behind you the guards are still coming, entirely unaware of what's ahead.

> Run towards Hiss.

> You need to help Liss and Aina!

> Try to force your way into a building.

> Fall back towards the guards.

> Fall back towards the monster.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39700033
Hey Snakecatcher! right here you ugly fuck!
> Use a potion (Specify)
Scalebane
then
> Fall back towards the guards.

>>39700033
>> You need to help Liss and Aina!
> Use a potion (Specify)
Scalebane time!

>>39700089
>>39700095
It's invisible right now, it will be really hard to hit

>>39700033
> Run towards Hiss
> Try to force your way into a building.
pour some acid on the lock if we have to

>>39700143
Only acid we have is scalebane which only works on sneks

>>39700114
and? glancing blow could do it with 10 guards.

>>39700169
Wrong. Check the pastebin again. It's the first thing on the list

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>39700033
Changing vote from >>39700095 to
>> You need to help Liss and Aina!
>>Taunt the ever loving shit out of it, call it out for failing to catch you once and claim it will fail again, call it an ugly mongrel snakedog, insult its mother and father, insult its masculinity, play any petty card to distract it
>Palm the scalebane potion for when it inevitably bull rushes us.

dice added on for taunting effectiveness.

>>39700169
Check the pastebin. We still have one flask.

>>39700033
Alright, so I'm supporting this plan: >>39700143 , with the addition that we taunt it before breaking into a building. Going to delete my other vote.

>>39700169
>This guys at least 50% snake. As pokemon dictates, a multi type pokemon that has a 1x modifier against it from one type and a 2x modifier from the other type gets the 2x weakness modifier. Hence, our acid is super effective.

Rolled 1 (1d6)

Alright, as far as I can call it looks like a tie between running for Hiss and trying to escape into a building or running to help the twins.

Odds for the former, Evens the latter.

>>39700373
Actually disregard this, I was counting one of the 'save the twins' votes twice when it was actually the same one changed.
Well, the Hiss option won anyway.

Whelp twins are dead.

>>39700373
>>39700413
Uhm ouro, I think your wrong on this one.

>>39700089
>>39700113
for distracting it and running too guards
>>39700205
for saving twins (counting same)


>>39700143
For going to hiss


thats a 3-1 vote.

>>39700496

Except one of those posts you are linking for running to the the guards has been deleted in favor of this >>39700206

Which makes it 2 for Hiss, 1 for the twins and 1 for the guards.

So even if you count the guard vote as being the same as the twin vote, that's still a tie in which case we go back to that dice roll.

>>39700561
Although that changed vote still supports distracting the dangerous snake.

>>39700589
We're already it's main target man I don't think distracting it is necessary

>>39700656
If we want to pull agro to save twins we do.

So, anyone saw the Avengers yet?

> Run towards Hiss
> Try to force your way into a building.

You nearly falter for a moment but in the end you don't stop running as Hiss charges back towards you. But you aren't going to run towards the monster, hell no.
Even though Liss and Aina are lying on the ground directly in front of it, thrown there by Hiss in an effort to save herself. You remember what that thing can do, you remember having to do your best to creep by it, knowing that any moment it could casually destroy you at a whim. You don't want to fight that. You would be perfectly happy going your entire life not having to fight that.

But you're not going to just let them die when there's still something you can do. Hiss grabs your hand while you stop briefly to shake your fist at the presence, your other hand pulling your only flask of acid from your pack.
"You're a big ugly motherfucker, aren't you? You weren't able to get me back in the swamp, why even bother trying again? You're just going to fail! Uh...Your mum's a whore!"

Hiss looks at you in sudden confusion.
"Cennen, what are you doing?"

You hear a strangled scream, one choked out by three seperate mouths as the Snakecatcher's veil is discarded and it reveals itself in all its abominable power.
Liss and Aina scream as it knocks them aside, Liss pushing Aina aside as she's casually swatted into the wall with a nasty crack. The monster ignores them afterward, barreling towards you!

The guards behind you scream and fall back as you smash your acid flask over the doorknob, melting it and kicking the door open in a single motion.
You drag Hiss in with you, finding yourself in a crowded room filled with benches, distilling equipment and various flasks. Is this...Is this an alchemist's workshop?

A crash behind you reminds you that you only have a few seconds to move.

>>39700783
2/2


> Head up the stairs, it probably can't come up here!

> Fling open the trapdoor and head into the cellar!

> Stay where you are and pray it doesn't find you.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39700802
> Head up the stairs, it probably can't come up here!
Have Scalebane ready.

>>39700589
Yes and it will be incorporated.

>>39700762
Yeah, I saw it over a week ago. It was alright.

>>39700802
>> Fling open the trapdoor and head into the cellar!
Thats where all the good reagents are at. We can almost certainly barricade long enough to get him.

>>39700802
> Head up the stairs, it probably can't come up here!
It would probably be tough to climb stairs with a massive snake body..

>>39700802
> Fling open the trapdoor and head into the cellar!
Close the trapdoor behind us if possible

>>39700802
> Head up the stairs, it probably can't come up here!
Ready up Scalebane. Inform Hiss of what we're planning, and to stay out of the way.

>>39700989
What are we gonna do after we destroy the scales with acid? Poison our dagger and kill it that way? We don't have many options here unfortunately

>>39701120
Either us or Hiss can do it with poison.

>>39701132
We should both attack at once. We can poison our dagger with our own hand venom or the poison. We have two daggers so maybe we could poison both and give one to hiss too just in case but I don't know how much time we'll actually have

>>39701120
We give it the traditional greeting of a rival prison gang. Which means we shank it until it stops moving.

> Head up the stairs, it probably can't come up here!

You kick a bench aside and run up the stairs, dragging Hiss behind you. She seems suddenly reluctant to run all of a sudden but she follows you all the same.
The flimsy wooden stairs open up into what seems to be some sort of empty loft, containing only a mattress and a fully stocked bookshelf of alchemical treatises. They're tempting but you have bigger things on your mind right now. You draw your Scalebane Brew from your pack and get ready to throw. If it tries to come up the stairs and they miraculously don't collapse underneath its weight then you should have a clear shot right into its ugly mug.
"Stand back, I'm only going to get one chance at this."

Hiss paces behind you, looking worried.
"That..was not a snake."

"No shit."

"No, I mean after your description back on the boat I thought it must have been an expert at skinshifting or the like, having frozen itself between two forms. But that ...thing isn't one of us at all! Didn't you see its eyes!"

You didn't actually but you still remember them from when you met it in the swamp. Six snake-like eyes staring ahead flatly while a single human eye framed above them twitches frantically.

"And the colors! An abomination like that DARES to take the royal coloration?"
Her fangs are extended and while her eyes are still human, there's a savage look in them.
"We need to kill it. We need to kill it now!"

"Sssh!"
You manage to quiet her just before you hear the front of the room beneath you burst open, the Snakecatcher throwing itself through the wall with ease. You can hear it moving around, each shrug of its tail throwing benches about and shattering flasks.

And then it stops and all goes quiet. You keep your eyes on the staircase, your potion ready. Surely it must know where you are. It'll be coming any moment now. Any moment...

You hear a crash from below and the whole building shudders. What?
1/2

>>39701195
2/2

Another crash follows and then another, each one shaking the walls and floor of your temporary hiding spot.
And then the next crash doesn't stop, an extended cacophony as the building starts shuddering. It just keeps going on and on, the sound dragging from one end of the building below you to the other as the Snakecatcher writhes in uncontrolled fury.
What the fuck is it doing? Hiss looks just as confused as you.

And then the floor begins to tilt, the entire loft swaying to the side. And it doesn't stop.
He's bringing it down. He's smashing apart the building beneath you so that the whole damn thing collapses.

The floor tilts further, the staircase splintering and breaking. Hiss throws open a window, breaking it in the process.
"Let's go!"

> Go through the window.

> No, that sounds way too dangerous. See if you can get down the staircase first!

> Grab some alchemical books, even if it means the building will come apart beneath you to do so.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39701308
> Go through the window.

>>39701308
> Go through the window.
Maybe we can find the books in the rubble later if we're really lucky

>>39701308
>> Go through the window.

>>39701308
> Go through the window.

>>39701308
Damnit I want those books so badly

>>39701308
> Grab some alchemical books, even if it means the building will come apart beneath you to do so.

Alchemy is more important than life.

>>39701436
It is the greatest struggle of our time.

Sayonara, Book-chan.

> Go through the window.

> Go through the window.

You slide down the ever-increasing slope of the floor, Hiss catching you as she leans out the window.
This entire upper floor is tilting, tiles raining off the roof as you look out the window. You can see the building directly behind this one, one that opens up into a different street entirely. It's roof is much lower than your current altitude but you are tipping towards it with dangerous speed.

Before you can make up your mind Hiss grabs you around the waist and pushes you half-out the window.
"Go!"

You leap out the window as it sinks further, only having to fall a few feet before striking the roof of the building behind you and rolling. Ow, that wasn't a pleasant landing.
And then the roof you're on now shakes as the top floor of the building you were just in slams into it.
Hiss lands gracefully beside you, having hopped out the window at the last second. She hadn't had to fall more than a single step.

There's no need to say anything, both of you are running across the red-tiled roof as the building behind you collapses into itself. There's a balcony halfway down on this new building, it should be an easy way down.

Or it would be, if it weren't for the guards milling about on the street below. Shit! They must have fled to this back-street to get away from the Snakecatcher. You can't see Lieutenant Vickers anywhere.

Well, that settles it. Going down there would be out of the frying pan and into the fire. Which just leaves trying to jump across to the next roof which is...harder than it looks.
The next building along is across a thin alleyway from the roof you're on, leaving just enough of a gap to make for a very dangerous jump. Hiss could probably make it but you?

1/2

>>39701558
2/2

> Get down along the balcony and just try to figure out a way to sneak past the guards.

> Make the jump!

> Just stay right here and hope that the guards don't spot you and that the Snakecatcher doesn't pursue.

> Tell Hiss to take the jump and get away while you stay behind.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39701571
>> Tell Hiss to take the jump and get away while you stay behind.
START BREWING

>>39701571
> Make the jump!

>>39701581
>>39701571
Supporting. We'll need either an explosive or smoke to get away with from the guards. Hopefully, we can nudge the Snakecatcher into those guys.

>>39701571
How many guards are there? Are they close together?

>>39701571
>> Make the jump!
>>Attempt to get the guard on your side
We have far more experience than they do against this damn thing, if anyone is going to get them through a fight against this monster, its going to be us, or they can run, running works too.

>>39701625
They're spread out all along the street. And there's ten of them.

>>39701581
>>39701623
You do realize it can take hours to make potions? And we don't have the water necessary to make any good potions? Not too mention the fire woud give us away.

>>39701571
> Make the jump!

>>39701637
The guard is absolutely not going to be on our side. Best we can hope for is that the snakecatcher gets distracted for a few seconds while violently dismembering them

> Make the jump!

You don't say anything, you can't afford attracting the attention of the guards right now. Instead you simply point at the next roof and Hiss nods. She takes a few steps back for a run up before silently sprinting across the roof and jumping across the alleyway and landing squarely on the other side.

Well, that made it look easy. You can do this. You can totally do this. Hiss motions at you, as if asking what you're waiting for.

Well, nothing else to do now. You run across the roof and as the alleyway approaches you, you close your eyes and jump.
Wait, why did you close your eyes? That's stupid. You open them again. What you see doesn't inspire confidence.

Roll a d100.

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>39701889

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>39701889
Goodbye cruel world.

Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>39701889

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>39701889

>>39701931
Fuck I hope that's good enough

>>39701975
>>39701918
>>39701905
There's some weird voodoo dice going on here.

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>39701889

>>39701931

You're in the air, helpless now to change your trajectory or to do anything but reach for the next roof. The alleyway is...a bit further away than you thought it was.
Oh no. Oh no. You can't fuck this up. Hiss reaches for you...

And you miss her completely, your hands curling around the very lip of the rooftop as your body slams into the wall beneath it. Fuck! You can't stop yourself from giving a reflexive cry as you do your best to hang on.
Your fingers slip from the impact but Hiss is already there, grabbing your hand.
"Hold on!"
She leans back and groans, trying to pull you up.

You hear shouting from below you. You don't know which sound gave you away but you don't seem to have gone unnoticed by the guards after all.
At the mouth of the alleyway beneath you, you spot that damned guard with the crossbow again. He's not aiming for you either. He's aiming for Hiss.

> Just hang there and let Hiss pull you up.

> "Let go!"

> Try to talk the guards down while Hiss pulls you up.

> Drink a potion (Specify).

> Throw a potion wildly (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39702151
>Try to talk the guards down while Hiss pulls you up.

>>39702151
>Yell THAT FUCKIN MONSTER IS BEHIND YOU OH SHIT while looking behind him with fear in our eyes
>Throw a Eugene potion at the crossbow dude

>>39702205
>>39702151
Supporting, without the potion chucking part.

We can't tell her to let go. That'd just mean she'd go jump down there with us in a bit because of the damn bond. It's a good thing we've actually a pretty reasonable charisma thingy.

>>39702205
This. If the distraction doesn't work throw the potion

>Yell THAT FUCKIN MONSTER IS BEHIND YOU OH SHIT while looking behind him with fear in our eyes
>Throw a Eugene potion at the crossbow dude.

"OH SHIT IT'S BACK, THE FUCKING MONSTER IS BACK!"
You do your best to sound scared as hell, shouting as loud as you can. The guards scatter, looking around for the Snakecatcher to suddenly manifest itself.
Unfortunately, your act is a little too successful as Hiss nearly lets go of you.
"Where? Where is it?"
She looks around wildly.

"Just keep pulling!"
You reach into your pack with the hand that Hiss hasn't grabbed and pull out yet another of Eugene's rejects and toss it at the crossbowman, who is turning back to you after confirming that the Snakecatcher isn't actually here.
The bottle takes him full in the face, spraying yellow ooze all over him. And in reaction, he fires.
Hiss yelps but otherwise remains silent, pulling you all the way to the roof in a sudden burst of strength.

You climb up as Hiss sits down, a nasty looking bolt sticking out of her right arm. She's looking increasingly pale.
Beneath you all, you can hear the guards spreading out, surrounding the building that you're currently standing atop of.

Hiss shakes her head, the bolt still sticking out of her.
"This...this hurts. Get it out."

> No, we need to keep moving before the guards can catch you.

> Do a hasty job of it and hope it doesn't make things worse.

> Take your time and mix up a healing potion for her as you take it out.

> Use a potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39702555
>> No, we need to keep moving before the guards can catch you.

I'm going to count for the Snakecatcher's mission to prevent harm from coming to Hiss and her capture to buy us some time.

>>39702630
>>39702555
Sorry, meant to vote for:
> Take your time and mix up a healing potion for her as you take it out.

>>39702555
Is there any kind of escape route from this roof?

>>39702555
> Take your time and mix up a healing potion for her as you take it out.
How the fuck did he still hit her? That crossbow dude is an extremely impressive marksman

>>39702653
Yes, you can keep running along to other roofs. That's what you'll be doing with the first option.

>>39702555
> Take your time and mix up a healing potion for her as you take it out.
I think we've got a bit of time since I don't see how they could easily get to the roof

>>39702688
Whoops, misplaced my trip.

>>39702685
He was already aiming for her and yes, he is very good.

My internet connection is not playing well with 4chan right now, I'll tell you that. Hence the delay.

> Take your time and mix up a healing potion for her as you take it out.

"Don't worry about it, just stay right there and don't move."
Hiss clenches her teeth, her fangs having retreated but says nothing while you do your best attempt at a healing brew cold mix under your current circumstances. You hear the guards still yelling to each other but you put them out of mind.
You can't worry about them. Not now. You pass her the potion and she takes it in slow sips as you reach down and grasp the bolt. You don't want this to break while it's inside the wound, that'll only make it worse. But it has to be removed now, the last thing you want is the healing potion inciting the skin to heal around it.

You yank it out in one go, blood spraying out as Hiss moans and nearly spills her brew. But she keeps drinking and you are quick on hand with the last of the fabric you bought in Melire, wrapping it across her arm.
It's an expensive bandage but the blood its keeping in is equally precious.

"The potion should fix it up in time," you reassure her.
She nods, a little of her pallor fading.

"These have not been a good few days for me."

"Can't argue there."

And then you hear a thump as Lieutenant Vickers pulls himself up onto the roof across from you. Where the bloody hell did he come from? He gestures at you with his sword.
"Come along now, you don't need to get hurt more. The Captain wants a word."

Any menace he attempts to convey is shattered by a thrice-spoken roar as the guards below scream. A black-scaled claw smashes into the roof behind you, the Snakecatcher dragging himself up through raw strength alone.
His seven eyes fixate first on you, then Vickers before settling on Hiss. For her part, the princess can only hiss her defiance back at him.

This is a bit of a sticky situation, you decide.

1/2

>>39703225
2/2

> Throw the Scalebane! And then uh, follow it up by stabbing him with your knife or something?

> Flee

> Throw Potion (Specify)

> Drink Potion (Specify)

> Give Potion to Hiss (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>39703256
Okay so vickers is on the roof to one side of us and the snake is on the roof on the other side?

>>39703256
>Scalebane
>ask vickers to help kill the snekcatcher first

>>39703256
Slowly and deliberately go to Vickers, pretending to be scared of the Snakecatcher. Keep scalebane on hand as stealthily as you can.

>>39703278
Yes.

>>39703296
So we're spread apart on three different buildings?

>>39703309
Oh no, it's all the same roof. And the Snakecatcher isn't really up on it as much as he's just dragged himself up the building.

>>39703309
So where are you going with this?

>>39703256
> Throw the Scalebane!
> Ask Vickers for help and apply poison to his blade
> Apply venom or venom+poison to dagger and stand ready
> Throw Eugene's potion at the snakecatcher

>>39703348
I'm just trying to be sure of the situation before I vote

>>39703361
This. We should also explain that the only way to harm the snake is by hitting the patches dissolved by our acid

>>39703292
>pretending to be scared
I don't think we have to pretend anon

Alright, the plan is quite clear at this point. But I am flat out of steam at this point and don't think I can really do this bit justice. I think the server thing sapped my enthusiasm at the end.

Yeah, this is a shitty place to end. But still, I hope you guys had fun with the action in this thread, it was a bit hectic. No thread tomorrow but there will be one the day after.

>>39703537
Thanks for running boss. Keep healthy.

>>39703537
Thanks for the thread

>>39703537
thanks for the thread buddy. did you get flooded?