>>39997378

You pull away from your breakfast. “You were found out?”

“Not necessarily…” Marissa replies. “The guild children were participating in some crafting event for the upcoming festival. I thought it would be a good time to follow up on that lead about Sayuline…” She looks down.

“Unfortunately if I stuck around I would have been…recognized by some of the people supervising the event.” She quickly finishes.

You sigh disapprovingly. “A dead end.”

She nods meekly.

“Can we go to the market and see what the other kids are doing?” Izu suddenly turns to you and asks.

You’ve been trying to cut down on your visits to that damned place.

“Sure we can!” Marissa wraps around one of the boy’s arms. “We’ll have a lot of-“

“Weren’t you just saying you couldn’t be seen near the guild?” Izu astutely asks.

Marissa’s lip quivers. “I could do my hair differently! Maybe even disguise myself with makeup.”

Izu gives her a skeptical look.

You can practically hear him thinking. “I wasn’t asking you in the first place.”

He turns back to you with big pleading eyes.

You wanted to get some practice in before your delve today, so maybe not. Plus, if Marissa disguises herself well enough, and takes Izu along for added effect, she may be able to continue her investigation. Then again, it's obvious that he wants you to take him, for whatever reason.

>Refuse, tell Marissa to take him.

>Agree to take him.

>Write in.

>>39997420
>>Agree to take him.
I'd rather you not take the chance Marissa, your name has become rather well known. The merchant lords were speaking of hiring your "services" after the meeting concluded.

>>39997420
>Agree to take him.

>>39997420
>Refuse, tell Marisa to take him.
Strengthening for delves is always important

>>39997420
>Refuse, tell Marissa to take him.
wow this kid is annoying
why didn't we trade him away for an artifact of boundless power again?

Hello again everyone and welcome to the 30th thread! Not much different from any other thread actually...

And a tie, I'll do a tie-breaker if necessary in a couple min.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

Agree=1
Refuse=2

>Writing the winner

>>39997637
Cause it was a trap option and Izu would have followed us back bringing a world of hurt with him unintentionally? He's a Haemonculus of us anon. Meaning instead of being a bitch he's just annoying.

>>39997763
Would he have brought the hurt or would the hurt have followed him?

>>39997763
>it was a trap option
>he would have brought a world of hurt
More like you guys chose the trap option, and threw away the chance to both get a powerful artifact and Izu later.

>>39997793
Both possibly he's a dead ringer for our dad and has some fairly unique and potent innate magic.

>>39997823
>Get kid lose ring
>net gain kid
>Get Ring lose kid
>Accidentally a planar invasion

Remember the only reason we're not swimming in monster is because most of them don't know how to get there. The kid would have accidentally shown them the way.

>>39997873
>The kid would have accidentally shown them the way.
lol ok, I love the certainty with which you say this.

Lemme fix that consequence chart for you too.
>Get kid lose ring.
>No ring, pissed off homunculi creator
>Get ring lose kid
>Kid eventually ditches creator and finds us anyway, we now have both ring and kid and no pissed off homunculi creator.

The bad decision was made, man. Just accept it was a mistake and stop trying to justify it with bizarre hypotheticals.

>>39998012
Anon it's been repeated multiple times we need to be careful to not show them the way in which is why SAyuline is such a massive problem.

>Get kid lose ring.
>No ring, Dead Haemonculus creator
>Get ring lose kid
>Kid eventually ditches creator and finds us anyway,we now have both ring and kid and hunters searching for him or worse a gate leading into our home from another world that they can follow.

>>39998159
And you seem to think Izu would somehow be leading a warband. If multiple delvers travel back and forth daily one kid crossing once is gonna make no difference. He's not gonna fail to notice an army following him, kinda tough mistake to make lol

>>39998335
All it takes is one person following realizing what a fucking gold mine it is and selling the secret. Delvers are careful not to be seen or caught by the outsiders for good reason. DO you not remember way back when we met teat mysterious girl in the market and the warning she gave us?

>>39998422
Funnily enough wasnt that girl sauyuline?

>>39998444
I don't think so. If it was when we find her we really should use the ironic echo.

>>39997701

The market crowd bustles with activity as usual, people bumping into you and then apologizing profusely or simply staring at you in awe.

Every visit you make to this place you feel like you’re losing some sort of unspoken battle.

Wow, that is a lot of kids.

It’s hard to say for certain given how fast some of them are running around, but there’s easily over a hundred here, all either making some paper craft, painting something, or just screwing around.

They scurry every which way, and you swear that one or two of them ran between your legs when you weren’t looking, almost causing you to lose balance.

Put down your right hand, put down your right hand…

“Wow, she’s sooo pretty!”

“She’s taller than my dad!”

“I want that hair color!”

Alright, maybe these kids aren’t so bad after all. At least your hand isn’t tingling with activity anymore.

A small and kind looking woman approaches you and Izu.

She smiles at the both at you. “Is here yours?”

He technically is you, but she doesn’t need to know that.

“Yes…” You reply stiltedly.

She leans forward to get on the boy’s eye level. “What’s your name?”

“Izu!” The boy responds proudly.

[1/2]

>>39998602

“What a cute name! How would you like to make some of the paintings for the festival? We need all the help we can get.” She looks up at you for your approval which you give with a firm nod.

He quickly looks up at you, and you give him the same nod.

Without another word, he runs off to join the other children, with the kind woman running after him dutifully.

…How long is this going to take?

You pass the time watching the kids perform the various tasks put in front of them.

Free labor, Ali is a sly one.

Fold paper, fold, fold, dump some junk inside, fold, attach handle, and turn it in. Repeated ad nauseam.

Yup, you want to go home.

“I’m not that young!” A chillingly familiar voice protests.

You turn to see Carmina side by side with a much older man whose face is out of view. He laughs heartily as an event organizer tries to recruit her help as well.

You almost run off to get out of sight, before you realize that you’re completely unrecognizable to the person that she knows as Sophia.

But they likely are both Occultists, so you shouldn’t draw any attention to yourself.

You make your way over to them slowly. The older man only continues to tease Carmina more before they begin to make their way into the market proper.

Not good. They don’t make their way to this place for no particular reason. Should you risk following them to figure out why?

You stare back at Izu, diligently painting away. He should be fine on his own for a bit.

>Risk it and follow them.

>Don’t follow them

>Write in.

>>39998643
>Don't follow them.
>>39998703
Why would we think that if we're not going anywhere?

>>39998703
>>39998802
Staying put.

>Writing~

>>39998643
>Risk it and follow them.
Think to Izu Glance at me if you can feel this, come get me if there is anything amiss

>>39998802
Miscopy

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>39998802
>>39998830
Okay, another tie breaker then.

Don't follow=1
Follow=2

>Writing the winner

>>39998643
>Follow them

>>39998643
It's times like these where it would be nice if Izu was dependable on the spying and subterfuge area.

>>39998854

Well, if he can feel your thoughts, now’s the best time to relay something to him.

You quickly think for him to stay put, but to come and get you if something isn’t right.

He glances up as if sensing something, but his attention is quickly grabbed by a young girl approaching him to talk.

Inconclusive, but no time to dwell on it.

You quickly pull up the hood of your cloak. Hiding in plain sight would normally be the best option, but given how conspicuous some of your features are, this is the wiser choice.

The necessity of stealth only lets you catch some of their conversation at a time.

“It’ll be harder than ever to find. This place is something out of a dream.” Carmina comments while taking in all the market stalls around her.

“Are you sure it won’t prove a difficult task because you’ll be distracted by the festival?” The unseen man quips.

Carmina crosses her arms and responds with something you only catch the end of. “…fortune smiles on me, so it does on you as well. Only if you’re on my good side, that is.”

Laughter, and they continue to tour the market.

“It would’ve been quite the travesty if those creatures were summoned now instead of earlier.” The man continues. “I suppose this time we’d know what we’re dealing with from the start.”

Why is he so hard to see? It’s like your eyes can’t focus on him entirely.

Carmina goes through a pensive silence. “Threats unseen like to give the false sense of security.” She states simply.

[1/2]

>>39999760

“What do you mean by that?” The man stops and asks.

She shakes her head. “Nothing. We shouldn’t speak of this sort of thing anymore, too many ears for just our eyes.”

The man quickly tenses, as do you. “Reason for worry?”

She's silent for a few moments.“…None. But keep on the lookout.” She pensively looks to the distance. “I’ve got some work to do. Fortune bless, you especially, Howell.”

Carmina is quickly lost to the crowd, and you suppose now would be best for you to leave as well.

You return to the children and collect Izu after he finishes his work.

You quickly return home, this new information requires action.

~

You immediately set Ellie to the task of informing Matthias of who you saw in the market, and now you tensely sit in your parlor room, listening to the ticking clock as you ruminate.

Threats unseen…

You’re wired, to say the very least. Above all else, you hope that this has nothing to do with you, but you can’t shake the feeling that it might.
Is there anything you can do about it at this point?

You think about your new tome. Getting stronger is always a good option for the interim if you can’t think of a plan. But for now, it would almost certainly be limited to improving your sealing, no sense in beating yourself up before a delve.

>Practice your sealing.

>Write in.

>>39999801
>>Practice your sealing.

>>39999801
>Note the inter-realm tunnels in the journal

>>39999890
>>39999897
Actual update to the pastebin will take place later.

>Writing

>>40000018

Inaction will lead you nowhere, at the very least you will have the strength for whatever may come in the future.

You head upstairs to collect your new tome for practice. Ellie and Marissa are likely to be busy setting up for the delve later, so you can’t set them to do anything else right now.

Speaking of your apprentices, other than the inter-realm channels that Ellie discovered, their delves have proven to be largely unfruitful. Or at the very least that’s how their reports make it seem.

If that’s what they’ve reported, then you better make note of it.

You head for your desk, open up your journal, and begin to make note of what Ellie described to you, and you speculation on the matter.

Very likely an errant result of The Broodmother’s intense presence if you had to guess. What her reason is for having those portals in the first place likely has something to do with the war occurring between the inner realms.

Now that that’s been dealt with, you turn your attention to the section of the tome on unsealing, since you’ve already mastered anything this thing might have to offer you on making seals.

Again most of the author’s tangents on the matter are redacted, but especially so for this section.

“And now we move onto breaking what is made. I have-----------numerous-------, and so might you while in my service, so preparation is of the utmost importance. A strength of a seal wanes with time as-----eons----but the process can be sped along. For much time sealing existed without its counterpart until I-----. The ----is to dominate over the seal created, to recognize the potential that exists locked away and assist it freeing itself.”

[1/2]

>>40000916

>”Maybe this will get my other pen out of the air…”

Stay poor at this Vicki.

“The identification of the potential locked away is the utmost important thing in breaking a seal.-------. So practice with each other seals, or if you’re brave enough, try breaking free from a seal placed on yourself.----keep the seals weak to start. Wouldn’t want anyone to die from panic.“

Damn, this poses a problem. This particular technique is intended to be practiced with others, but you’re the only one privy to this technique besides Vicki. So, that only leaves the option of sealing yourself if you want practice…

You close the tome.

Failing at this might prove to be catastrophic, but theoretically you should be able to stop the seal at any time since it is one of your own. Even if you’re unable to break it, you should be able to release it, probably.

This idea is sounding worse the more you think about it, but if you want to learn, then risks need to be taken.

>Practice on yourself.

>Forget it. (Advance to delve.)

>Write in.

>>40000963
>Practice on yourself.
Write a note for someone else out to find if we can't break it ourselves.

>>40000963
>Practice on yourself.

>>40000963
>Practice on yourself.
Make it a weak as possible and remember what you're sealing

>>40000963
>Practice on yourself.
Ask Laurent if he has any way of breaking us free if we can't do it ourself first though.

>>40001070
>>40001115
>>40001117
>>40001120
Very, very good suggestions.

>Writing

File: 1431401617539.gif (418 KB, 320x240)

418 KB GIF

Hello Auri!
>>39997420
>Unfortunately if I stuck around I would have been…recognized by some of the people supervising the event.
(Last thread intensifies)

>>40002251
Hello there, anon! Good to have you.

>>40001152

The prospect of learning something new is irresistible, but you’re not about to start without putting up as many safeguards as you can.

Firstly, a note. To your apprentices explaining the situation, and outlining what they need to try. If they fail, then they should kill you. Only after that will you be alright with asking Ali for assistance.

You really hope that it doesn’t come to that.

Maybe it doesn’t have to. You hurry off to find Laurent and find him repairing the walls of the pantry you burned so long ago.

“Ahem.” You try to get his attention.

He startles at the sound of your voice. He’s still a little afraid of you after all this time, how nice.

“Y-yes?” He continuously looks over at his work in progress, to seem busier than he actually is.

You cross your arms and try to seem as nonchalant as possible. “I wanted to know, if someone were to afflict me with some Occult art, would you be able to break me free?”

He thinks about your question for only a brief moment. “I’d kill that person, so yes.”

Good to know, but not quite what you were after.

You continue. “Okay…Let’s say I accidently afflicted myself with something. Is there anything you could do to help me?”

This one puzzles him for quite some time, he finally shakes his head firmly. “The most I could do alone is hurt you until you’re hopefully too weak to keep up whatever incantation. It probably wouldn’t work…”

That fact is a little less pleasant to hear.

You pat his shoulder. “I’ll try to keep that from happening then. Keep up the good work.”

With that, you let him return to his work and head back upstairs.

Alright, little else you can do other than make the seal as weak as possible to start, and keep in mind what the author wrote about identifying potential.

You lie yourself on your bed. Here goes nothing…

[1/2]

>>40002270

Can’t breathe, can’t breathe, CAN’T BREATHE.

Your limbs all desperately want to jerk out in reflex, but an astoundingly heavy weight presses on all your limbs, presses down on every single aspect of your being, but seems to weigh down most of all on your chest.

So, this is what you’ve been afflicting on so many things….

Time for this to end, now… Now!

You’re still stuck.

Okay, calm down. If you truly couldn’t breathe then you’d have probably passed out by now. That fact is of little comfort.

Damn it! How dare this seal? Doesn’t it know just who it’s…

You suddenly roll out of bed heavily gasping for air.

After taking some time to collect yourself, you find that you’re laughing in relief.

With the knowledge that that was your weakest seal, you have a greater appreciation for how strong you are in this field.

That’s enough for today, and now you’ll know for the future if you’re ever sealed by someone else.

~

“Not going to get yourself killed this time right?” Marissa jabs Ellie with an elbow as they both put the finishes touches on the delving ritual.

Ellie quickly shoots her glare, but doesn’t lower herself to respond.

“Hurry up already.” You grab your candle and enter your tub.

Much to do, much to find out. The war needs to be learned about, Grivermillion’s status needs investigating, as well as finding a way into Kyraen’Asils since you’ve yet to even glimpse at what it looks like, so you can’t direct your delve there, yet.

Overall it seems like heading for the nobility of Impel is your best bet, unless you can think of a wiser choice.

>Direct your delve to Impel.

>Write in.

>>40002331
>>Direct your delve to paradise see if the broodmother can give us coordinates to our wayward home.

>>40002331
>Direct your delve to Impel.

>>40002331
which ones are the inner realms again? Paradise, Army town, and what?

>>40002331
>Direct your delve to Impel.

>>40002460
Paradise is where you met the Broodmother, Impel is the first inner realm you reached, the one with the army and the palace, and Kyraen'Asils is the inner realm you've yet to reach, last bastion of your species.

>>40002501
so Kyraen'Asils isn't at the very center.

>delve to one of the outer realms outside Kyraen'Asils and look for a tunnel there

>>40002440
>>40002469
Back to where it sorta began.

>Writing~

>>40002580
Kyraen'Asils is indeed not at the center. Most don't know what's exactly at the center...Or what may lie beyond that.

>>40002584

Impel seems to be the most organized seat of power you know of. There’s very likely to be a stronghold of knowledge within the palace.

You direct your delve to the giant stone structures of Impel, the strong smell of burning rock in your nose, and the beating march of the throngs of people there.

You gladly allow the darkness to envelop you, and carry you away to that strange place.

~

You awaken on the long beaten path that wraps around the palace. Thankfully for you, this time there’s no swarms of armies marching through here.

Although, given the freshness of the tracks, you’d say that they were here not more than a few hours ago. They’re very likely doing battle with the inhabitants of Paradise right now.

Hmm, which side should you feel bad for? A little more information wouldn’t hurt before you start picking sides.

You stretch out your long crimson wings and take off for the front of the palace, taking pleasure in the sensation of flight while you can. The limitations of the human world can be cruel at times.

Electing to land at the top of huge stone steps, the complex and beautiful stone carvings and statues are all the more exquisite now that you’re only a few feet away from them.

The hundred foot tall depiction a winged creature slaying a snake like beast towers over you. It could have been yours. Why isn’t it yours?

“Cease, go no further!” A brash voice announces to the side of you.

[1/2]

File: id2.jpg (6.71 MB, 3000x4000)

6.71 MB JPG

>>40003472

A large armored man approaches you. Flames emit passively from his body with great intensity and his eyes shine with the amber ferocity that you’ve only seen from one girl before.

Whatever he is, he comes from the same people that Aya does.

He points to you. “You’re a long way from home, Caulumnite. Identify yourself and your business here.”

Somehow you’ve made it this far without ever creating a fake identity for yourself. While you don’t know where this individual is from, your cover as the Kyraen’Asils representative for Grievermillion’s trial seems like the most logical choice right now. But on the matter of business…

>Identify yourself as the representative. Say you’re here for an update on the trial. (Make up a name if you wish. One will be made up for you, if not.)

>Write in.

>>40003517
>Identify yourself as the representative. Say you’re here for an update on the trial. (Make up a name if you wish. One will be made up for you, if not.)

>>40003549
Wait, what if that representative already showed up?
We need a new alias, Anything but a representative, because impersonating a pokitical figure can't go well.

>>40003549
>>40003614
yeah, I just realized

>>40003517
>Write in.
A tourist, here to witness the trial.

>>40003517
>>40003634
>It took me a while to get here, is the trial already over? What happened?

Also appreciating the statues, implying that we wasted a lot of time looking at art, which explains why we're late.

>>40003658
Seconding this, and adding that our name should Aphios.

>>40003658
>>40003665
>>40003703
You think you're clever don't you?

Combining these and...
>Writing

File: 1431766935131.png (206 KB, 1616x886)

206 KB PNG

>>40003762
>You think you're clever don't you?

>>40003810
Haha, I was just referring to that person's suggestion for a name.
>Aphios---> Sophia

>>40003762

You do your best to seem like a startled bystander. “I was just looking at the art. I-I mean I’m just a tourist here to witness the trial. My name is Aphios.”

Aphios? Really?

His expression lightens only a fraction, the sternness of his voice entirely fitting for a guard. “The trial is at the court house…”

“Of course. I was only appreciating the intricate designs of these carvings. I’ve always appreciated the classics.” You quickly follow up.

He sighs wearily. “You should know that security has been more stringent since Grivermillion’s defection. You can’t just wander around here without proper escort.”

You look away meekly “Right. I thought I could get away with it since I’m just one girl.”


He thinks about your words for a moment and then lets out a strange sort of laugh. It’s really not suited for him. “You remind me of my niece. The princess is always in spell of trouble, they say that red-heads are the stubborn ones..” The mention of her lightens his mood significantly. "But she's got the strongest flame I've seen. Must be where her rebelliousness comes from."

You can’t help but let your mouth hang agape in surprise. No, it can't be.

He crosses his arms and nods. “Indeed, the princess of Kyraen’Asils is quite the troublemaker even now that she’s grown up.” He leans close to you. “Don’t tell anyone else, but she actually ran away from home a few weeks ago. My brother has been in an absolute rage since.” He laughs awkwardly again. “He even vowed to kill anyone who harmed a single one of her blonde hairs."

Oh no….

~

>>40004664
Okay, that's where I'm going to end it for tonight. I want to thank everyone that played! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the thread and I will do my best to respond to them.

If not, then as always, I wish you a good day/night and hope to see you again next time!

>(Twitter)
https://twitter.com/QM_Auri

>>40004725
Aya is the Princess, and she's the same race as us. Well that's fun. Oh Matthias you're in it deeeeeep.

>>40004725
thx 4 runin budi gud thred
We outrank Aya still right? Empress > Princess?

>>40004756
You're almost all correct in that statement. But it's so close to being all right. But indeed, he's in for it deep. Even worse if his fears come to fruition.
>>40004849
You're very welcome! The three inner realms govern themselves now, but if you were still Empress, then you would rule over them all.

>>40004725
Thanks for running Auri!

>>40004901
He wouldn't happen to be a secret Kyraen’Asils would he? Also how come Aya hasn't done anything when she saw us? Does she on us level recognize Izu?

>>40004921
You're very welcome!
>>40004954
Nothing so complex for this. Aya is a few years younger than you, and history is often written by the victors.

>>40005092
Still wouldn't she recognize our race if nothing else? Or does she just chalk it up to us being like Marissa and lucking out on an item?

>>40004725
At least we know Aya SHOULD know how to talk.

>>40005126
Combine two aspects: One being that Caelumnites no longer rule and they are in diminished number. The other being that even with a rebellious nature, her life has been largely sheltered.
>>40005132
Should being the operative word. Maybe something is holding her back...

>>40005316
It can't be....

>Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

>>40005394
It took me a while to remember where that's from, but yeah it does share a lot of commonalities.

>>40005457
>Aya is the little mermaid
>mermaid
>fire master

all the irony.

>>40005457
so we could theoretically id and break the seal on her?

>>40005532
but we have to be careful, incase this thing either allows her to exist in the human realm, or hides her existence and/or the method of travel from other demons.

>>40005532
If it is indeed a seal on her, if you know the nature of the seal, and are strong enough to break it.
>>40005587
Many other things to worry about as well, as this anon wisely pointed out.

I'll be stepping out now. Until next time!

File: 1431407656503.jpg (25 KB, 352x482)

25 KB JPG

Oops, missed the upd-
Oh.
oh god.
we're in deep trouble.