>>40744877
You tap your foot impatiently as Tash’s soldiers and Ishmin do their best to barricade up the compound, having kicked the Satrap and his snivelling servants out but a few minutes ago. You don’t know what the hell is going on but the caravan outside has been in disarray ever since they took Cennen from you.
How dare they!

Your true name cannot be written or spoken by any human tongue (save one) but for the purposes of ease, you are often referred to as Hiss.
Right now you out in the courtyard, overseeing the attempts to fortify the compound in case Attaraan attacked.
“Come on,” you call out in Quedeshi. “Put your back into it!”
Tash’s Ishmin ignore you.

Where is Cennen anyway? You can’t tell if he’s hurt or not anymore and you’ve got half a mind just to march in there yourself.

> March in there yourself.

> Send a messenger to inquire in your place.

> Where is Tash in all of this? He’s been no help at all!

> Sit and wait, at least a little while longer.

> Other

>>40744886
> Sit and wait, at least a little while longer.

>>40744886
> Sit and wait, at least a little while longer.

> Where is Tash in all of this? He’s been no help at all!
Fuckin' guy. Seriously, who do you have to kill to get some decent help around here?

>>40744988
I'd like to add looking for oster to my vote, we haven't heard much from him for a while

>>40745106
This

>>40744886
>> Where is Tash in all of this? He’s been no help at all!

>>40744886
>> Where is Tash in all of this? He’s been no help at all!

>Sit and wait, at least a little while longer.
> Where is Tash in all of this? He's been no help at all!
> And where's Oster been?
> Why are all of my servants either absent or delinquent?

You sit down at the base of a palm and cross your legs as you slowly grit your teeth. You can wait a little longer, you suppose. In the end there's nothing you can really do but trust in Cennen and hope he hasn't ended up injured or dead.
Can you trust him though? He's been keeping secrets from you!
And what about Tash or Oster? Where have those two been? You strongly doubt the possibility that they've been conspiring together, Oster doesn't much like him. But damn it, you could use a sword and a fool right now.

You call one of his Ishmin over, the faceless soldier unable to resist a direct summons.
"You! Fetch your master to me. And find Oster too."
You watch him leave and sit back, making sure that you're out of the palm's shade. They have a very good sun in this land, you can believe that they never have to hibernate at all.
For now, you will hold impromptu court here with nothing but dust as your throne.

Oster and Tash both show up together, causing you to grow terribly suspicious for but a moment. Oster bends the knee immediately.
"Forgive me princess, I have strayed."

What?
"Strayed?"

"There was another snake and s-"

"The python, I know. We all know apparently."
You direct your best glare at Tash and are rewarded with nothing.
"Even if some choose to play games with the information."

"My sincerest apologies your Highness," Tash says, managing to sound eminently reasonable.
"I was busy attempting to stop Cennen."

"Stop him? Continue."

"I attempted to intercept his escort as they took him away but he bade me not to help him. He went out there of his own free will."

"Sounds like him!"
He'd said the same to you, more or less. You swallow, your mouth suddenly growing dry. Was that the last time you'll ever have spoken to him? Surely not. He's too foolish to die.
1/2

>>40745434
>"I was busy attempting to stop Cennen."
TAAAAAAASH

>>40745434
2/2

> Bid Tash to go sort things out.

> Ask Tash about Attaraan.

> Ask Oster where the hell he's been!

> You haven't pruned Oster for a while, maybe he's overdue for one. It should answer all of your questions as well.

> Ask Tash what happened with him and Cennen exactly.

> "Cennen has no right to speak for me!" March out and settle things yourself.

> Other

>>40745505
> Ask Oster where the hell he's been!
I fucking hate tash, I'm pretty pissed that we have no choice but to stay with him while in quedesh

>>40745505
> Ask Tash about Attaraan.
> Ask Oster where the hell he's been!
> Ask Tash what happened with him and Cennen exactly.
then
> "Cennen has no right to speak for me!" March out and settle things yourself.

>>40745505
> Ask Tash about Attaraan.
> "Cennen has no right to speak for me!" March out and settle things yourself.
Also shit, this guy really is going to look weak, his men couldn't even properly make an example of us without us escaping. Hes either going to bluff our death which is a terrible idea in general or try to place blame on hiss and start a vendetta, which hiss can also use to repeatedly embarrass him repeatedly until someone decides hes weak enough to overthrow or he angers someone important who kills him (he'll keep escalating, hes already almost caused problems)

>>40745434
> Ask Tash about Attaraan.
> Ask Oster where the hell he's been!

>>40745592
From what we know of him, I say the vendetta thing is more likely, although I get the feeling we're not going to like getting on his bad side

>>40745727
The thing is, we don't need to personally kill him, we just need to fuck him over and embarrass him enough that nobody takes him seriously, or that people flat out decide hes not worth the trouble and have him offed. Once nobody takes him seriously the assassins will come swarming like... well those Ishmins really.

> Ask Tash about Attaraan.
> Ask Oster where the hell he's been!

You let yourself grow still as you consider the situation. Why must all your servants be absent, delinquent or both? Looks like you're going to need to settle some things with both of them.
Oster first. You almost want to inspect his soul but you'd sort of promised Cennen that you wouldn't eat more of Oster. Well, not really a promise but you know Cennen wouldn't like it. And despite his base treachery you still find yourself caring about what he thinks of you.
"Alright Oster, where the hell have you been? We could have used you!"

"I'm sorry your Highness, I was waylaid by a serpent. I believe it was the al-"

"The albino constrictor, I know. She's meddling in ALL of my servant's affairs, it feels like. Just wait until I get my hands on her. But what did she do to you?"

"Well," Oster pauses. "She asked me to play a game with her."

You stare at him.
"What?"

"A card game, more specifically. She called it Tash and I sat with her for a few-"

"Is that it? It's that what you've been doing all this time?"

"You had left with Cennen and you hadn't left any orders, princess."

"No, nevermind, by all means Oster, go back to gambling. You fucking idiot. Any one of these Ishmin is probably more useful than you. Hell, I could probably give some beggar a sword and pay him in crumbs and he'd be about as useful as you. So please, tell me why I keep you around?"

You watch every insult strike home, Oster taking it all to heart. He doesn't respond outwardly but you can almost see something inside of him crumple.
"Go carve some masks or something you imbecile. Get out of my sight."

You watch him leave, a frown on your face. That usually makes you feel a little better about yourself but you felt no such thing just then. Tash nods in his direction.
"A rather interesting way of treating your servants, my lady."

"Oh I'm sorry, did you have something to say? Some criticism perhaps? By all means speak!"

1/2

>>40745798
He was going to execute us just to send hiss a message for being rude, probaby wants to skin Ash alive.
This guy's not a silly villain of the week we can make a fool of. Hiss made it out of the meeting because he wants to lure her into his game, and Cennen walked out alive and with all his members because he delegated our execution to his henchmen and wasn't counting on our alchemy.

>>40746106
Each time his plans fail or his ""example of us"" to hiss ends up making a mockery of his men we make a fool of him. If we simply make enough of his plots against us fail people will begin to think he might be slipping and try there luck at getting his job.

>>40746153
We beat him at the game of politics by making a mockery of him for not being able to deal with 'barbarians' rather than actually through using said politics ourselves.

>>40745986
2/2

Tash falls silent and you grit your teeth. Getting him to be quiet doesn't make you feel like you've won anything and it's familiar feeling. Asserting yourself over Oster and even Cennen is both fairly easy and satisfying but Tash, even when he follows your every command, feels like biting empty air.
"Why are you named after a card game anyway?"

"A long story. But if you insist..."

"No, I don't really care. Just tell me about Attaraan. What's he even trying to do here?"

"I believe his original purpose here was nothing more than to capture one of his errant wards, an albino that fell under his dominion as a suzerain of the Compact."

You shake your head.
"A serpent that had only escaped in the first place because of you?"

He spreads his hands in a gesture of defeat.
"Rightly so. What could I do to refuse her demands?"

"Yes, I'm sure you're blameless. Now tell me about this prick."

Tash chuckles at your choice of words.
"As you wish. He is here because I called upon him, arranging for him to pick up the albino now that I had returned. Not him specifically perhaps but his order in general. He was the closest. If I had known it had been Attaraan I might have reconsidered."

You mull things over.
"Not very sympathetic to the snake then, if you called for her capture so quickly."

"There are rules, your Highness and I cannot ignore them. But anyway, Attaraan is young and bold. Not quite as bold or as young as you but-"

"You don't know how young I am!"
Nobody knows, you're fairly sure of that.

"I'm sure I don't. But regardless, Attaraan is somewhat of a novice when it comes to politics. His efforts of dissembling only give him a blank face, he can only hide not truly disguise. I believe that is why he became a suzerain for it surely wasn't faith."

"His faith seemed strong to me."

Tash shakes his head.
"I'm not sure if Attaraan truly believes in anything."
2/3

>>40746153
>>40746212
This isn't politics. He wants Hiss to give him an excuse to punish her, he's a sadist, he wants us to humiliate him so that he can take offense and fuck her up in the most creative ways.

>>40746260
3/3

"From what I know, he was schooled and disciplined several times by his elders before he left the subtlety of the courts behind for a life in the clergy. And he was done so not for over-reaching but because his schemes had no substance, no vision behind them. He throws himself against others for the sake of it, for the fight rather than any personal gain. It made him too easy for others to use him as a tool."

"So...what you're saying is that I can use him as such?"

"Forgive the bluntness your Highness but no, absolutely not. He doesn't have a cause and when once that made him weak, here that makes him powerful. There's nothing you can strike at because he's not doing this for any reason save the thrill. He's been trying to draw you into his game and so far you've shown him up. At this point I think most would simply save face and retreat but he has no true face to save. If you continue to push him he will only ever push back harder."

"And," you say icily, "when you were going to tell me about this? Because it wasn't when I asked your advice before meeting him!"

"You didn't ask at the time and I thought it wiser not to influence your reactions during your audience with him by telling you such."

> Attack him nonfatally. "Do not presume what is best for me ever again if you value your life."

> Kill him. Do it. Do it. Do it.

> "So what will he do with Cennen?"

> "Well then Tash, maybe you should go meet him yourself."

> Other

>>40746398
yes, but there IS politics involved in getting him removed without putting us at risk for murdering him outright.

>>40746438
>> "So what will he do with Cennen?"
then

> "Well then Tash, maybe you should go meet him yourself."

>>40746438
> Attack him nonfatally. "Do not presume what is best for me ever again if you value your life."

>>40746438
> "So what will he do with Cennen?"
Dunno if attacking him, may be in character for Hiss but I doubt it'll have the intended effect on Tash

>>40746438
> "Well then Tash, maybe you should go meet him yourself."
I thought we were gonna timeskip past this boring business

>>40746664
>Hiss
>Ever being boring
The only thing more glorious than Hiss is Cennen making Hiss proud.

> "So what will he do with Cennen?"
> "Well then Tash, maybe you should go meet him yourself."

You do your best to bite back on injured pride and force yourself to back down, holding yourself back from the attack.
"Fine. But don't ever presume what is best for me again."

Tash nods, your threat suddenly sounding ineffectual as it echoes around the courtyard, the tantrum of a child.
"Of course. I hope you can bring yourself to forgive me."

"No, not really. But maybe I can forget. So what do you think is happening with Cennen?"

Tash shrugs.
"He's probably trying to torture or execute him."

You nearly bite your tongue.
"What?"

"What indeed? It's not like he has any real rights compared to Attaraan. And it works either way for him. Either he gets to provoke you or you back down in the face of it and he claims victory. It's what I truly believe he would do."

Cennen dead? No, you refuse to believe it. His fate is tied to yours, a passenger upon your grand voyage. You know that he will die someday but you had always imagined it to be in some grand gesture. To die completely out of your sight to no avail, killed by some insignificant human-loving worm while you weren't even paying attention? You feel sick.
"He wouldn't."

"He would."
Tash steps forward, overshadowing your sitting form.
"You cannot let him win, your Highness. You must strike him down, you must do your best to destroy him! Otherwise you will never find peace from him and Cennen will not know rest."

The world spins, as if Cennen had always been some sort of secret compass anchoring it around you. But you find focus in the man before you and his words.
"So Cennen can find rest? Tash...since when have you ever cared about Cennen?"

"I admire his tenacity, if nothing else."
But there you spot it, a hesitation, a minute flaw behind his masked face. He's lying.

"Tash," you say slowly. "Why do you want me to fight Attaraan?"

"I beg your pardon?"

1/2

>>40746861
2/2

"You didn't warn me about him. In fact, the major thing you did before Attaraan showed up was tell me about the albino, something that you must have known wouldn't have put me in any good state to talk. And now you keep suggesting all these inflammatory things. Did you even really try to stop Cennen from being arrested? Tell me!"

"Your highness, I fear that you have jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"Tell me!"

"What can I say that would calm you? It would all be a lie in your eyes. Please, stay your hand. Striking me down would not bring Cennen back and-"

"What do you mean, I'm right here!"
You jump up at the sudden voice. Cennen!

And it is him, standing behind Oster back at the doors to the house.
"Sorry Hiss, I may have screwed some things up. I had to hide. Thank you for sending Oster to find me."

"I-"
Oster? Why did he do that? You had sent him away!

"As you commanded princess," Oster bows. "I jumped the walls and found him coming out of an alleyway and brought him back around the backstreets."

As you commanded?
"Cennen...did Tash stop you from being arrested?"

The alchemist shakes his head, his beautifully unharmed head.
"No. He had a blockade ready but he stood aside and let me be taken."

You can see Tash back away in the corner of your eye.
"Not so fast! Tash, why don't you attend to the matters of diplomacy yourself?"

He goes to say something further but you rise and he stops, silenced. His Ishmin gather around him but none of them dare to raise their sword at you.
"Get out of my sight."

>>40747096

Your name is Cennen. It has never been anything else, or so you hope.

It's been three days since the confrontation between Hiss and Attaraan. You had managed to convince her not to escalate things further, that to sneak away and leave after sending his caravan into disarray was victory and humiliation enough.

You sit on the back of the wagon that Oster is driving, his face hidden by a new Quedeshi mask. Hiss is beside you, Ash sitting further back.
And that is all. You haven't seen Tash since Hiss threw him out. He and his Ishmin have vanished like dust on the wind but...you have found another guide.
Aashenpreet smiles tentatively at you and more openly at Oster. She seems to have taken a shine to him. You never wished the boy's soul out of her but she seems to have gotten better at bearing it. She is guide enough for now, and that may be the only reason that Hiss hasn't thrown her out as well.

But you have not been idle in your journey. What have you been doing mostly?

> Just spending time with Hiss (A new Snake Art for Hiss)

> Experimenting (New Brews)

> Reading your book, now that you finally have the peace for it. (Attempted Mastery)

> Other

>>40747247
> Just spending time with Hiss (A new Snake Art for Hiss)

Time to make up for being secretive.

>>40747247
>> Reading your book, now that you finally have the peace for it. (Attempted Mastery)

>>40747247
>Reading your book, now that you finally have the peace for it. (Attempted Mastery)
Go big or go home. Imagine what we can do with dispel potions and shapechange/dragon form potions on tap.

>>40747247
>> Just spending time with Hiss (A new Snake Art for Hiss)

>>40747247
> Reading your book, now that you finally have the peace for it. (Attempted Mastery)
Aim high bitches

>>40747247
> Reading your book, now that you finally have the peace for it. (Attempted Mastery)
Damn, I want to spend time with hiss too but who knows when we'll get a good chance to read again?

>>40747247
Wait, I'm >>40747319, what about talking to Aashenpreet to try and learn some quedeshi/constrictor/compact related stuff?

>>40747311
>>40747247
Actually, I'll swap for spending time with Hiss. We just soloed the biggest, meanest, fighter in probably the whole quest. Hiss needs a power up to deal with constructors and we need to make up for being a bad boyfriend.

>>40747247
>> Just spending time with Hiss (A new Snake Art for Hiss)

>>40747359
That's under Other

> Just spending time with Hiss (A new Snake Art for Hiss)

You can read the book anytime you want, you decide. But you won't always have Hiss. She's initially much cuddlier than she usually is after escaping Lombai, no doubt due to her scare after thinking you dead but that wears off quickly.
You tell her about everything that happened with Aashenpreet and she seems pretty happy about the wish-bond now.
"Someone needs to look out for you," she said. "Even if it isn't me. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry about letting you go off alone."

"Don't be. That was my choice."
You don't tell her about the Ishmin Trap.

As the days go by, she actually lets you help her in her clandestine practice. She's been feeling ready to grow, she claims, ever since she threw back Attaraan. She's just not sure where.

In the end, you help her achieve the following Snake Art:

> Scales. Currently your scales are weak. By improving this, you can become briefly impervious to most weapons at the cost of being visibly inhuman.

> Camouflage. You can cease all movement and blend in with your surroundings, no matter what form you are using.

> Shed Skin. You can improve your skin-shedding, allowing you to mix traits from your assumed form with that of your snake form freely.

> Death Rattle: You can strike a sound that warns off all creatures and inspires fear in all who hear it.

> Growth: The same Art that allowed for both the size of the constrictor and the Snakecatcher alike. Permanent.

> Snake Eater: You can devour the souls of other snakes.

> Soul Gullet: You have vomited up your souls and swallowed them back down again. You now have greater control of them and can access their physical skills.

> Shallow Bite: You can control the lethality of your venom.

>>40747653
> Soul Gullet: You have vomited up your souls and swallowed them back down again. You now have greater control of them and can access their physical skills.

>>40747653
> Soul Gullet: You have vomited up your souls and swallowed them back down again. You now have greater control of them and can access their physical skills.

>>40747653
> Snake Eater: You can devour the souls of other snakes.

Next Soul gullet and we begin levelling exponentially

>>40747653
>> Soul Gullet: You have vomited up your souls and swallowed them back down again. You now have greater control of them and can access their physical skills.
This would be nice for a few reasons.

>>40747653
> Soul Gullet: You have vomited up your souls and swallowed them back down again. You now have greater control of them and can access their physical skills.

>>40747653
>> Soul Gullet: You have vomited up your souls and swallowed them back down again. You now have greater control of them and can access their physical skills.

> Soul Gullet: You have vomited up your souls and swallowed them back down again. You now have greater control of them and can access their physical skills.

You brew up some more Dream Oil for the two of you and cautiously invite yourself back into the Hiss' soul, a pathetic and ravenous thing with so many others chained to its command. You know almost all of them off by heart by now, after all you fed them to her last time.
And she had eaten you.

But you don't do any such defiance now. You carry them back through the void to her, the shadow-snake lurking in the depths to caress. She reacquaints herself with all of them and with your help, grows the bond stronger than ever before.

This is a brand new Snake Art, she tells you, one never learned or devised by any other. Indeed, she can only do it because of the reforged connections that resulted from the lightning spirit's attack and your own alchemical healing.
But now her souls are a part of her and moreso than ever before. They aren't just there for their knowledge and memories, she can relive them and call upon their physical prowess and talents. When she wakes from the oil-slumber, she briefly speaks with the voice of many and laughs.

"So, that should prove useful."

She laughs again.
"Oh Cennen, you don't even begin to know."
You may have just unleashed a monster but she's your monster.

You spend the next day of your trip

> out looking for targets for Hiss to devour and use with her new Art.

> Learning about the Compact House with Aashenpreet.

> Reading your book.

> Seeking the closest village for rest.

> Other

>>40747991
> Learning about the Compact House with Aashenpreet.
Knowledge is power.

>>40747991
> Reading your book.

>>40747991
> Learning about the Compact House with Aashenpreet.

>>40747991
> Reading your book.

>>40747991
>> Learning about the Compact House with Aashenpreet.

>>40747991
>> Reading your book.

>>40747991
>Reading your book.

>Reading your book.

Hiss is a little miffed that you're not helping her grow even stronger immediately by feeding her more people but she doesn't bother you too much about it. She doesn't even come close to saying it but you think she's noticed just how close her usual forceful approach nearly led to complete ruin with Attaraan.

So you spend the next day wrestling with the book you bought off the old lady back in Taldenral. You've read it cover to cover several times now and yet the essential understanding seems to elude you! You nearly had it a few days ago back in Lombai but Hiss had interrupted you.
Not now though. You aren't going to put this goddamn book down until you've figured this out. You have some of the best reagents in the world, damnit! If you can't become a master, who can?

"Hold up," Oster says as the day draws on. "Looks like there might be trouble ahead."

The four of your are currently travelling down a dirt road through a plain covered in long sweeping grass. Shek, Ash had called it. Poisonous to ingest and almost impossible to stop from growing. It's part of the reason why this part of Quedesh lack so much farming land, the Shekfields claim it all.
The road you are on is a narrow one and blackened, a strip burned right through the field. It must have been set alight recently but you can still see new shoots sprouting up.

And up ahead, crouching among the tall grass is a motley assortment of men. Some of them are wearing vetti, the others robes or pants and strange leather strips. You can see metal gleaming in the sun.

They seem to notice that they've been spotted and suddenly burst forth, swords and spears raised high!

> Keep reading. "You guys can handle this right?"

> Use a Potion (Specify)

> Run

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Draw your sword.

> Other

>>40748433
> Use a Potion (Specify)
This seems like an ideal situation for the snakebreaker brew as long as we're safely outside of the blast radius

>>40748433
Heft a standard explosive. Have Aashenpreet or Hiss tell them unless they want to be the victim of an Alchemist's bomb they should start running, now. Especially since whoever lives through it is snake food.

>>40748433
> Other
Let's try and talk to them.

>>40748433
Throw something explodey, then go back to reading.

>>40748433
Snakebreaker.

>>40748501
>>40748600
Standard explosive would be safer. Snakebreaker ahs a much large blast radius.

>>40748433
use a snakebreaker but try to leave one alive for hiss to eat

>>40748547
You can't be serious

>>40748636
Just use a regular explosive, a snake breaker could hit us? Remember when we threw it at the snakecatcher and the fragments nearly hit us?

> Use the Snakebreaker

"Bandits huh? Let's not waste time. Everyone get down!"
You pull the Snakebreaker Flask from your pack and toss it as best you can, trying to arc it as far away from you as possible before diving back.
You're pretty far away and the cart should absorb the odd piece of stray shrapnel. Hopefully.

But as you throw, the Shekfields suddenly bend back as the wind changes and turns against you! The Snakebreaker Flask is caught by the wind, threatening to be blown off-course!
Roll a d100 to see how strong your throw was.

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>40748730

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>40748730

Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>40748730

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>40748730

>>40748789
Nice roll.

This is why we should have used the standard explosive. We could easily party kill with a snakebreaker.

>>40748789
>these based rolls

>>40748671
I was thinking we could recruit them, start our army.
Hiss could put some of the souls she has to good use, like the major's.
Also, we should have an inventory of souls for future reference

>>40748789

The Snakebreaker still strikes home, your throw punting it through the wind to land amidst the bandits. You close your eyes for the flash and when you open them again, the group of Quedeshi men that had been standing there are no more.
Instead there is now a wide circle in the Shek that has been shredded and cleared back and the men can only be identified by the long red streaks dragged out across the ground.
Scales fall from the sky gently like rain, some of them covered in blood.

Aashenpreet pales.
"What was that?"

"That," Hiss smiles smugly, "is how one is supposed to deal with inconveniences."

"Yeah," Oster says. "Imagine the sort of hassle we'd have to go through if we had to chase them off. You did good, Cennen."

"Thanks."
You try not to look at the bloodstained crater gouged into the earth as the cart passes it. The stench is particularly awful and now that you're this close you can see the scattered piles of minced meat.
And still, so many people, all with lives and dreams of their own...reduced to nothing but scorchmarks and stains so easily. It makes you feel a little scared of yourself but at the same time, it makes you feel a little satisfied.

"Oh nooo," Aashenpreet moans.

"To be fair, I doubt they had good intentions for us."

The constrictor sits back at the furthest end of the cart, as far away from the rest of you as possible.
"You're all monsters."

"Whatever," Hiss says. "You're lucky I need you."

> Keep reading.

> Maybe you should comfort Aashenpreet before she gets any foolish ideas.

> Start brewing a replacement Snakebreaker Flask.

> Stop the cart and go investigate the remnants.

> Other

>>40749060
> Maybe you should comfort Aashenpreet before she gets any foolish ideas.
As much as we'd like to perform diplomacy and all that jazz, these people clearly intended to ambush us and probably murder us for our money.

>>40749060
> Keep reading.

>>40749060
>> Maybe you should comfort Aashenpreet before she gets any foolish ideas.
They were going to kill us. And this way they died quickly enough that I doubt they felt any pain.

>>40749060
> Keep reading.

>>40749120
Yeah, thats a pretty painless way to go

There was certainly a massive but very brief amount of suffering for all of them

>>40749060
probably will fuck us up, but
> Stop the cart and go investigate the remnants.
and
> Maybe you should comfort Aashenpreet before she gets any foolish ideas.

>>40749060
Why do I have a feeling this was some whole intended thing to learn local culture or to learn of an enemy conspiracy or a bandit problem or something?

>>40749091
>>40749120
Guys pls we're so close to reaching mastery and I can't handle another interruption

>>40749060
>> Maybe you should comfort Aashenpreet before she gets any foolish ideas.
>> Start brewing a replacement Snakebreaker Flask.

>>40749060
> Maybe you should comfort Aashenpreet before she gets any foolish ideas.
while we
> Start brewing a replacement Snakebreaker Flask.

Aashenpreet they were going to hurt us. Their deaths were quick and painless, far more so than anything Hiss or Oster would let them get away with. While I do not like killing, I won't let my friends get hurt when I cans top it. That was me stopping it.

>>40749060
> Keep Reading

>>40749195
>>40749060
Supporting. They were almost certainly very similar to Aataran.

>>40749060
>Keep reading.

>>40749341
In what way were they similar?

>>40749091
>>40749195
>>40749341
>>40749120

We can do better than that, right? Cennen's not yet at the point where he just murders several people with a frag grenade, rationalizes as a preemptive strike and goes back to studying without giving it second thought, right?

>>40749152
Because you're probably right. This was probably going to be something important and plot related

>>40749423
Oh he's disgusted. He did the right thing though, like killing those rapists in the puppet village.

>>40749423
Well, they had weapons out and were charging us brandishing them. It wasn't going to end well for at least one of us. Better us then them.

> Maybe you should comfort Aashenpreet before she gets any foolish ideas.

You sigh and leave Hiss' side to sit by Aashenpreet once more. Hiss looks askance at you but doesn't stop you and Ash doesn't move.

"Look, they were going to hurt us. That was an ambush. And this way their deaths were quick and painless, way more than anything Hiss or Oster would have given them."
You stop to think.
"Well, mostly painless. But that doesn't mean I LIKE it, it's just the job and the situation that the world has given us. And it's better than letting Hiss or Oster or you getting hurt."

She sighs.
"I know. But surely there could have been some other way. Maybe they were sick or poor or needed money, it could have been done some other way."

Hiss groans.
"We're not here to help people. Rather the opposite in fact. If you don't like it, you can leave."

"Really?"
Aashenpreet looks from you to Hiss to you again.

"No," Hiss cuts her off. "That was a figure of speech. You can't actually leave."

Aashenpreet sighs and you try to pat her on the head, the python batting you away.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it'll all turn out fine."

You roll back along the cart back to Hiss' side and look at her reproachfully.
"You're not helping, you know."

"Why do you care how she feels?" Hiss retorts.

"Sometimes I am hamstrung by my own better nature, whether I like it or not."

"Hah," Hiss says. "That's a flaw I am unhindered by."

"I'm well aware of that."

You go back to reading but something sticks in your mind as you leaf through each page. The scent of the burned flesh, the seared mince, the single instant that separated a group of real, living humans from a crater...it inspires you. You've never really seen or done anything like it before. And as much as you hate to say it, it could even be a lens of a sort. A way to see things in a new light.
This is alchemy in its purest, most destructive form. The transformation from the living to the corpse, from the whole to the broken.

1/2

>>40749423
There's nothing wrong with killing bandits with weapons drawn against us

>>40749577
2/2

The words on the page before you swim and you're not even looking at them but PAST them, back into your memories of reading this book countless times.
Were you just not reading them correctly? None of it had made sense to you but now lingering in the disgust of alchemy's triumph and desecration, you almost feel a sort of connection.

To break and to hurt, to make things lesser than they were before. A power for change and for restoration certainly but strongest when it is tearing everything else down. Is not the Snakebreaker the most potent of your brews, is not the philosophy behind it the most stark and elegant thing you could conceive?
Is this it, is this what alchemy is to you?

> Attain Mastery

> Close the book and put it away for now.

>>40749572
He was certain that time, and the situation was much more dire.
>>40749585
>>40749511
These guys we're probably no threat for us, Hiss alone might have been able to subdue them.
The point is that "Kill them all" is becoming our first option.

>>40749640
> Close the book and put it away for now.
Creation is better than Destruction. Making something beautiful is always better than destroying it. True Art Is in the making.

>>40749640
>Attain Mastery

Just to forestall confusion, remember when I said that Cennen needed more than just book-learning to achieve mastery? He needed a more instinctive leap of knowledge, something to open his eyes. Much in the same way that Hiss often learns her Snake Arts.

This is the first of such moments really. Attaining mastery through this understanding won't limit you to only making explosive potions or whatever but it will make it your strongest field and it will change how you can best use alchemy as a whole.

>>40749640
> Close the book and put it away for now.

>>40749640
> Close the book and put it away for now.
Seems like a pretty awful mindset to do this sort of thing in.

>>40749640
>> Close the book and put it away for now.
No. Let's not become that person.

>>40749640
> Close the book and put it away for now.

>>40749640
> Attain Mastery

>>40749696
By the way you just wrote it I get the feel it will also affect our psiche, like it's some sort of step we're giving, right?

>>40749640
> Attain Mastery

>>40749696
Does this happen to all alchemists?

>>40749640
>> Close the book and put it away for now.

>>40749640
> Close the book and put it away for now.
Destruction is not the right mastery.

>>40749744
Sort of, yes. It's a revelation, something that impresses upon you a direct understanding of not just the dry mechanics of alchemy but the natural Art of it and it's power upon the world. It won't stop you from making healing potions but it still defines you as this being the moment when you stopped and truly saw the effects of alchemy upon the world.

>>40749766
Yes. All alchemists need this sort of revelation to attain mastery, to cross the boundary line where they start to draw power truly from their own Art instead of just from the ingredients around them.
Hiss has the same sort of system but for all of her Snake Arts because she's 100% inherent magic.

For example, Master Yolan back in Melire first touched upon the bounds of his mastery back when he was tending to plague-ridden and despite all warnings, he stayed by one woman's side and somehow managed to save her life despite his own Master giving up on her.

>>40749803
It seems like the right mastery for our inevitable fight the snake king

>>40749843
So at this point any extreme situation involving alchemy is a chance for mastery?

>>40749640
Attain mastery

>>40749640
>Attain mastery

>>40749915
Sort of. It has to have some sort of strong emotional resonance. It doesn't even have to involve present use of alchemy really.
For example, coming back from Quedesh to find that Liss is alive and well thanks to what you gave Aina would be another such moment.

>>40749852
This will probably affect our role in Hiss' destiny.
Judging from Cennen's personality at the beginning of the quest it seemed we'd act as a moral compass for her, but I wasn't counting on Hiss' impact on Cennen. If we take this path we'll end up acting as a weapon and Hiss will be a more ruthless leader, sort of what she's planning right now

I'm gonna be so pissed if you guys wanna get some shitty mastery like healing or something

>>40749640
>Close the book and put it away for now.
We can fiind better ways to master alchemy.

>>40750027
I'm holding out for some kind of soul-related mastery

>>40749640
> Close the book and put it away for now.
Alchemy can affect the natural world in way more interesting ways than blowing it up. Shapeshifting, banishing spirits, spontaneously bursting into flowers. This seems like the alchemical equivalent of choosing to BE the boring bandits on the side of the road.

Also
>other
Can we get out and snag some grass for later experimentation? Seems like an interesting ingredient.

>>40750027
>Implying It won't be Creation
>Implying we won't make works that cause even the Creator hirself to look at in awe and wonder.

>>40750027
I'd rather get something with more utility like augmentation.

>>40750072
Oh shit that would actually be awesome considering that soul alchemy is something that we invented

>>40750027
Healing let Yoan devise the shapeshifter potion that kill what Snakebreaker couldn't .

>>40750113
That had nothing to do with his healing specialization though.

>>40750162
Unless his innate understanding of mending the body, let him alter the body with a potion easier.

> Close the book and put it away for now.

You shut your eyes and slide the book back into your pack.
"No, not yet," you mutter.

"Pardon?"
Hiss looks at you inquisitively.

"Nothing."
You can't imagine her being sympathetic to your dilemma. In fact, you can imagine her being quite furious at the idea that you had nearly attained power and then turned it down. No, this isn't for her to know.

You reach out idly and pull out a handful of Shek as the cart passes by and slide them into your pack. These have to have some sort of magic to them after all.
But you do it on autopilot, your mind consumed by the temptation that you had just faced.

Was that not what you have been seeking all this time? Or are you not ready?
No, no to both of those. You are seeking mastery but not in that vein. There are so many things to do with the world than just blow it up, even if you don't choose to nurture or help people who need you.
Didn't you just tell Aashenpreet that a few days ago? Your one hope sometimes these days is that you and your work build more towers than they knock down, that at the end of things you leave the world a better place than when you entered it.

The Snakebreaker is powerful, that cannot be denied, but it is not your pinnacle. Does that position not belong to the Dream Oil or the Soulbrew or even something like the Collapsible Brew? All of those things have so more potential than just tearing things apart.

So no, you don't want it. You shut your eyes once more and shake your head, doing your best to forget all traces of that dread understanding and banish it from your memory for good.
There'll come a day when you are worth the rank of Master but it isn't like this. Not yet.

> Brew (Specify)

>>40750274
Can we experiment with snake blood?

>>40750274
>> Brew (Specify)
Mix snake blood and Bunyip hair together, see what we get.

>>40750312
Yes.

>>40750274
Replacement snakebreaker, to start with. Then we can start experimenting.

>>40750313
Fukken this

Speaking of which, what do we know of our bunyip?

>>40750274
I wanna see what brewing just snake blood will make

>>40750274
Something to kill only Shek.

Wait so why didnt we get this when we used Dream Oil to help Hiss learn a Snake Art just before?

>>40750385
Because it has to have some sort of strong emotional resonance

>>40750274
>>40750351

Also, let's compare Hiss and Ash's blood/skin

>>40750351
You think he's still back in Lombai, you can't be sure because you Hiss insisted you leave the ship in her palanquin.
You've been sort of a neglectful pet owner in retrospect.

>>40750385
Because in essence you'd already sort of done that once, back in Taldenral when you shepherded her souls back the first time. It's become business.
But this was the first time you've ever just casually removed a group of people from existence. That's sort of a big deal.

>>40750274
Try some snake blood mixed with our own blood

> Snake Blood

Now, you're not going to let yourself be all maudlin and shit over what you just gave up. It's time to get back to work.
Come to think of it, you've really been neglecting your experiments lately.

You unpack your cauldron and start preparing a cold mix right on the back of the wagon as it continues moving. Aashenpreet eyes with badly concealed interest while Hiss yawns.
"Hiss, could I borrow some more of your blood?"

"If you must. But be sure to make something good out of it, idiot."
She bites her thumb, spilling a small trickle of blood into your cauldron.

Taking a swig from your last remaining Identification Potion, you get to work.

What do you mix it with?

> Just base snake blood.

> See if you can get some of Ash's and mix them together.

> Your own blood.

> Shek

> Your venom.

> Hiss' venom

> Aashenpreet's snakeskin.

> One of the brews you have in your pack (Specify)

> Other

>>40750623
> Your own blood.

>>40750623
> Shek

>>40750623
> Aashenpreet's snakeskin.
> Your own blood.

>>40750623
>> Your own blood.
> One of the brews you have in your pack (Specify)
Treebrew

>>40750623
> Aashenpreet's snakeskin.
> Your own blood.

I really wish we could do more than one experimental brew at a time

>>40750737
Maybe we could learn more than one by identifying it after each ingredient we put in it

>>40750623
> Your own blood.

Rolled 2 (1d6)

Alright so I waited a while to see if we'd get anything else but it looks like a tie between your own blood and blood/Ash's skin combo. Evens for the former, odds the latter.

>>40750917
Couldn't we just add our own blood first to see what it makes and then add the snakeskin?

We should try to incorporate hiss's venom with the snakebreaker brew to create the most sinister and destructive brew possible, only for dire emergencies

>>40751048
Problem is the blast radius on snake breaker is longer than what we can throw( shrapnel can still hit us) you really want to ad in something like venom to it?

>>40751081
Yes. For emergencies only.

>>40751097
Thing is given how anons are using our last resort bomb as a first resort it wouldn't be for emergencies.

>>40750917

You grab your knife from your pack and make a small nick on your forearm and start squeezing blood of your own into the cauldron. You're not sure what you're making here.
Regular human blood has surprisingly little alchemical potential but can often have strange results when contrasted with something decidedly inhuman. Hiss probably qualifies for that.
And for snake blood, the reagent of the soul? You have no clue how this is going to turn out.

You start brewing, doing your best to mix them, adding a few mundane ingredients at key moments as the brew starts to give off a dull red smoke.

"I'd advise against breathing this in, uh, just in case."

"Then why make it on the wagon! Ugh!"
Hiss doesn't seem very happy with you.

You let the Identification Potion do its work as you gaze upon your creation. This is a somewhat painful brew, the smoke irritating to the eyes. But it is more than just that. This brew can reach into a man's soul.
Anyone who drinks from the same bottle of this has their souls linked to one another for a full day, creating a constant sense of another and a telepathic bond.
You're not sure what to call it yet. SomethingBrew? WhateverOil? Maybe even SomethingPotion? The sky's the limit!

You're not actually sure how this interacts with your Bane.

You then stir some flakes of Aashenpreet's snakeskin, crushing it up with your pestle first. The potion changes slightly, simmering and smokeless.
This brew works upon much the same link as the former only it allows you to take on the exact appearance of anyone who drinks from the same bottle as you for a full day.

> Test the potions out.

> Keep Brewing.

> Read your Journeyman Books.

>>40751151
>> Read your Journeyman Books.

>>40751151
> Keep Brewing.

Snake blood/bunyip hair sounds interesting

>>40751151
> Read your Journeyman Books.
More basic brews to create combinations with would be nice.
Could we whip up a venom+snakebreaker brew first though?

>>40751151

> Test the potions out.
Those are pretty cool, let's see if they work with our bane, then
> Keep Brewing.

>>40751151
>Read your Journeyman Books.

>>40751151
> Keep Brewing.
Cennens nonlethal venom and the smoke cloud brew. We can make a knockout gas which doesn't affect us or hiss, could be useful in a pinch

>>40751151
>> Test the potions out.
Then
>> Keep Brewing.

>>40751353
that's actually a pretty great idea

>>40751353
Good thinking anon.

> Testing potions and brewing.

You spend what's left of the day brewing, experimenting further. You leave a trail of discarded duds behind you as you look feverishly into more mixtures. Nobody bothers you in your madcap dash for more power. Nobody dares.

Choose One:

> Snake Blood and Bunyip Hair

> Hiss Venom and Snakebreaker Flask.

> Your Venom and Smoke

> All of the snake reagents at once.

> Other Mix (Specify)

>>40751421
> Your Venom and Smoke

>>40751421
>Your Venom and Smoke

As much as I want to try ALL THE REAGENTS we need a powerful nonlethal brew for offensive actions.

>>40751421
Our venom and smoke

>>40751421
> Your Venom and Smoke
maybe add our nonlethal poison brew too if it would help

>>40751421
> Your Venom and Smoke
make sure to brew it downwind of everyone else with us

>>40751421
>> Your Venom and Smoke
Hey Aashenpreet made something to avoid the crater for next time. Hey Hiss made something to render people knocked out so you can eat them if need be.

>>40751421
> Your Venom and Smoke
We should try to get some snake flesh and bone in the future

>>40751497
It's not really that useful for that since she can already use her gaze. I guess it would be good for getting multiple souls at once though

>>40751529
If we had a knockout cloud she'd have glutted herself back there. The whole bunch a people thing was the draw.

>>40751421
Snake blood plus potency

> Your Venom and Smoke

You feel briefly tempted by the insane idea of trying to brew all of the reagents at once but you quickly shove that fool thought out of your head and settle on something a little more down to earth.
It takes you another hour or so and another quickly brewed Identification Potion but in the end you have come up with a whole cauldron of Knockout Brew, a mixture of your venom, the smoke brew and with a dash of nonlethal poison into the mix. It's bottled smoke of a kind that should prove quite overpowering to anyone who isn't you and Hiss. A selective gas bomb!

By the time you've finished this up, the sun has set in the sky and Oster brings the donkey pulling the wagon to a halt.
"Looks like we can make camp here for the night. Just like old times, eh?"
Oster chuckles, an action more reminiscent of him as he used to be.
"Though let's hope we don't get woken up by any Children this time."

You laugh and pocket the bottled Knockout Brew as you pile off the cart. Oster is busy lighting the fire and you probably should be helping him but you've just thought of a mischievous way of testing your new brews.

"Hey, come here and try this out."

You ask this of
> Hiss
> Aashenpreet
> Oster

and you give them the
> Bloodkin
> Shapestealer Brew

>>40751643
> Hiss
> Bloodkin
She mentioned that she doesn't like not knowing where we are if we're in danger

>>40751643
>> Hiss
> Bloodkin

>>40751643
> Hiss
> Bloodkin
inb4 her princess skill essentially lets her assume direct control through telepathy

>>40751643
> Hiss
> Bloodkin

Does it work with more than two people at the same time? Let's try that

>>40751643
> Hiss
> Bloodkin

>>40751727
Nope spirit bane ftw

>>40751643
>> Oster
>> Bloodkin
I'm a little worried about how spiritbane might affect it.

> Hiss
> Bloodkin

"Here, drink this. It's a new brew."

Hiss narrows her eyes at you.
"When was the last time you said this to me? The Snake Oil?"

"Oh come on, I didn't even do that. You wanted that one."

"Hmph," she huffs and sips from the bottle.
"I don't feel any different! What is this supposed to do?"

You just smile and take the bottle back before taking a sip of your own.
You feel the warm brew trickle down your throat and into your abdomen...where it freezes solid!

Hiss' eyes widen, her face paling.
"N-no. Cennen, stop it!"
She reaches out for you but her movements are slow, her hands shaking. Her teeth chatter and her breath fogs the hot night air. You grab her chest only to find that she's gone cold, colder than usual. She's slowly freezing from the inside out!

Oh no, oh no, what do you even do here? Is it just an initial shock or does it continue forever? Is this deadly?
Your thoughts are interrupted as Hiss slowly extends one arm, clenches a fist and then punches you in the gut. Hard.

The force actually knocks you back several meters and you land heavily on your back, gasping in pain and then coughing as you start to vomit uncontrollably. You empty the contents of your stomach and then some, gastric acid fouling up your mouth.
And with it comes the potion and the link is broken.

"Gagh," Hiss screams. "What was that?"

"Sorry," you barely cough out. Shit, there's blood in your spew. She must have ruptured a few organs with that punch. You drag yourself back over to your cauldron and start mixing up healing potions as quickly as you can while Aashenpreet and Oster watch in frozen curiosity.

Hiss stalks over to the other side of the fire and sits down, her back to you.

It takes a good few minutes but you eventually down enough healing potions that you don't think you're in danger of dying anytime soon. Fuck.

> Go reinvigorate yourself with some sword practice with Oster.

> Talk to Aashenpreet about the Compact and Quedesh.

> Talk to Hiss.

>>40751928
>> Talk to Hiss.

>>40751928
> Talk to Hiss.

>>40751928
> Definitely talk to Hiss

>>40751928
> Talk to Hiss.
Explain what it's supposed to do and apologize. She can still use it with oster I guess

>>40751928
>> Talk to Hiss.
...damn.

>>40751928
> Talk to Hiss.
Man, we fucked up

>>40751928
> Talk to Hiss.
lol that was cruel ouro, I was excited about that brew

File: Sad.gif (448 KB, 500x275)

448 KB GIF

>tfw the brew I thought of almost killed the waifu and is useless for cennen

>>40752012
Shit, man...

>>40752012
Actually if we drank some and put a bit on our sword we could freeze an enemy's soul and presumably kill them with one cut

> Talk to Hiss

You groan and hold your stomach as you stagger back upright, step around the fire and sit side by side with Hiss.
"Sorry about that. Shit, I didn't know it was going to do that. It's supposed to make some sort of link between souls."

"I know," Hiss says. "I felt the link, that's why I punched you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"So yeah, sorry. I didn't know it would do that."

She cracks a weary smile.
"You're repeating yourself, Cennen. It's alright, you couldn't have known. Well that's not true. You could have had a guess at least and you sure as hell didn't have to spring that on me out of nowhere like that."

"In retrospect, that was unwise," you breathe out. "Shit. I had my hopes up for that potion but I guess it's useless for me."

Hiss suddenly reaches out, her arm lashing out towards you! You cringe away but she only runs her hand along your cheek.
"...Hey, what was that? You flinched."

You had been fearing another strike, another blow. But you don't want to tell her that.
"Nothing really. Still just freaking out."

Her expression softens, locking eyes with you.
"Cennen, I wouldn't hurt you. Mostly. On purpose, I mean."

You don't think anyone's hurt you as much as she has. If you add it all up, you don't think anyone has been more dangerous to you. You don't say that, of course.
"I know."

"And besides," she says, lifting her tone as she latches an arm around your shoulder.
"I don't think that potion is useless."

"Eh?"

"You can freeze anyone with that, right?"

You hadn't thought of that.
"I guess so..."

"Well personally, I think that's pretty cool. Now if you don't mind, you left me feeling quite cold and I think it's your responsibility to fix that."

The rest of the night goes well.

>>40752152
That's that for today. Thanks for playing and I hope you guys had fun! Thread will likely continue tomorrow, check the twitter etc etc.

I will hang around to answer questions if you want, since this thread covered some alchemy stuff.

What would happen if someone drank Snakebreaker?

>>40752225
They would die due to having ingested a fluid containing multiple razor-sharp scales that will shred their insides something good.

>>40752206
Thanks for running! Would venom added to a snakebreaker flask just make the scales poisonous or what?

>>40752206
What does our blood do alchemy wise? What does then shek do? Aashenpreet annoyed by us And Hiss?

Well, bloodkin is still useful.
We should really try to learn more about the Compact. Have we told Hiss anything about it?

>>40752266
No, the Snakebreaker hardly needs more help in becoming lethal in that regard. It'd probably poison the earth so nothing would ever grow or live there again or make lingering poison pools that last long after the detonation.

>>40752272
You already know what your blood does. You haven't experimented with Shek probably yet but it likely seems to be a Tier-3 ingredient.
Aashenpreet is learning to live with it because it's not like she can leave. Well, she could try but she's too scared right now to make a break for it.

>>40752320
You've told Hiss what Ash told you about it, which isn't a whole lot.

>>40752376
How much of our journeyman book was rendered illegible?

>>40752376
Would cennen be able to use the instropection brew to examine his own soul?

>>40752376
Aashenpreet's opinions on all of us? How much trouble is Tash in? Oster's thoughts on this?

>>40752467
You mean because of the Bane?

>>40752494
Yeah. I'm trying to think of ways that he could get a soul related mastery

>>40752520
It is useful, but I fear it may be messing up our soul somehow.. We should check for that.

thanks for running, man, had fun

>>40752420
Just the back pages, mostly covering recipes you'd already learned. Mostly.

>>40752467
Nope.

>>40752478
Aashenpreet feels conflicted about you! On one hand she was basically predisposed to like you but on the other you do a lot of things she doesn't like. Currently Oster is her favorite.
You have no idea how much trouble Tash is in or even what he was trying to accomplish in the first place. He's just vanished in the wind, presumably back to his Lady's court.
Oster has made his peace with the fact that you and Hiss are boning and he likes that you've finally gotten away from Tash as he probably liked him the least out of any of you.
He's feeling a little freer, lately, thanks to you and Aashenpreet to the point where he even technically maybe-disobeyed an order so that he could go find you!

>>40752674
No worries.

>>40752785
Can cennen use the shapestealer brew without freezing anyone to death?

>>40752785
So are Aashenpreet and Oster playing Tash while Hiss and Cennen are occupied?

>>40752874
You haven't tested that one yet but yes. You could.

>>40752957
Yes.