The fact that Maran was so apt to interact with your Testament rather than you personally was both a blessing and, honestly, a little grating. On one hand, you didn't have to deal with listening to her talk... On the other, she was ignoring you. Of course you had ignored her first, back when the two of you met, so it wasn't as if this was without precedent. Was that really all this was? Had you maybe just gotten off on the wrong foot due to Caylen?

The notion of just blaming Caylen for this simmering distaste WAS attractive.

You had managed to make most of the remaining trip without being accosted by strange wooden bears or invisible night terrors, which was a relief to you given what you had experienced coming back through the brigand camp. Thoughts of Garet still cropped up from time to time, slipping into your mind unbidden during the mindless tracts of walking each day. More than once you had been jolted awake from your sleep by dreams of him running off - Purely jump scares, of course. You weren't... Concerned.

Not entirely. There were things you still wanted to learn about those brigands, and Garet was the only contact you really had. That's all. You didn't feel guilty about it.

...Maybe a little bit.

If it was any consolation, each time you had been ripped from your sleep you had found Ari curled as tightly against you as physically possible. While she had been attached to you before, it seems the act of having actually saved her from the brigands had firmly entrenched you as a 'safety zone' to the timid Testament. She had a little more energy when talking to you now, which was a welcome change. You suppose the fact you actually came for her had served to allay some of her ever present abandonment issues.

It was small, but it was a start.

Group dynamics aside, your trip to Caylen's was quickly coming to an end.

You had looked forward to having a bath and clean clothes to greet you, rather than finding his estate besieged from all sides by familiar tents and rings of fire. Granted you had suspected you would have to deal with the 'front' that the brigand camp had spoken of, and their continued presence here meant that Caylen hadn't outright done something stupid like turned himself in to try and secure Maran... but it still left your small group on the outside, with Caylen on the inside, and a large group of armed and alert brigands between.

Seems your bath would need to wait.

>Get Vertical
>Consult Rinnier
>Consult Maran
>Other? (write-in)

Previous Threads:
https://archive.moe/tg/search/tripcode/!y56qKWqxyc/results/thread/
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?searchall=valen+quest

Where things are said:
https://twitter.com/Riz_QM

Pastebin Stuff:
Kara's Day Out - http://pastebin.com/8ZbiSKLs

Misc notes:There's more going on than is readily apparent. How many hints have you missed?

>>41314347
How about we rough ourselves up, dress like a bandit, and 'report' that the back lines' been destroyed by Wights?

>>41314649
This.

Writing.

>>41314450
We're not actually at the front yet, are we?

>>41314838
You have arrived, though you have not explicitly engaged.

Looking at the encampment of brigands, you could barely here Maran speaking to Rinnier behind you. Ideas about scouting the parameter, getting a scope on them from afar, setting camp to make plans... The entire process seemed suspiciously familiar to breaking Ari out of the previous camp. You glance down at the brigand uniform that you had kept tucked away, an idea already forming. "What if I just walk in, instead?" You interrupt their hushed conversation, already shrugging the worn clothes from your napsack.

"No!" Rinnier all but hissed at your suggestion, eyes narrowing dangerously in your direction. "It was a fluke that worked last time, Irue. Why would you try it again?"

"...Because it worked last time?" You remind her, "I got in, and out, and back in without a problem. It was easy."

"And what if it's not easy this time?" Rinnier countered quickly, "If you get caught, they're not going to just let you go. It's too dangerous to just take chances on. We don't have enough information yet."

You frowned, "Right, and we didn't last time either. I got that information by doing this same thing. Why change now?"

"I was asleep when you had that bright idea." She shook her head quickly, "I'm not letting you do something stupid like that again, at least not until we don't have any better options!" The spitfire Testament dug in staunchly against the idea, leaving you at an impasse. You hadn't realized just how strongly she would oppose this idea. "Maran, back me up here?" She shifted slightly to address the otherwise quiet addition to your party.

Maran didn't respond for several moments, looking between you and Rinnier with an increasingly troubled expression. "I... don't know?" Her answer almost sounded like a question, the unbalance in her voice almost as if it was a surprise to her as well.

"I mean, I'm not sure that's a good idea." She corrected herself quickly, "It seems like a drastic choice considering we haven't even tried anything else. There's a lot at stake here, you know? If they recognize you, then Caylen may as well be in their hands already."

...Yes, that was one of the risks of you failing.

"But that assumes I'm going to fail." You point out irritably, "If I don't, then we'll have all the information we need and then some."

"If!" Rinnier emphasizes harshly, "We're not going to gamble this on an 'if'!"

"I agree with Rinnier." Maran stepped up finally, "We need a better plan, this is too hasty."

>Relent. (Rejoin planning)
>I'll be fine. (Do it anyway)
>It's not like we have a lot of time to waste here. (Appeal)
>Other? (write-in)

>>41315357
>Relent. (Rejoin planning)

>>41315357
>>It's not like we have a lot of time to waste here. (Appeal)
If you have a better one I'm all ears.

>>41315357
>>Relent. (Rejoin planning)
We'll leave it as an option, at the very least. As Rinnier said, at least until we don't have any better options.

>>41315357
>Relent. (Rejoin planning)

>>41315384
>>41315439
>>41315453
Relenting

>>41315385
Appealing

Writing.

"...Alright." You finally relent between the two of them, setting the napsack containing your brigand clothes on the ground as you rejoin the conversation. "If I'm not sneaking in, then what exactly do you have in mind?" Rinnier sighs in relief as you finally seem to come around. "Maran and I were discussing scouting the edges to get an idea how thorough their encampment is. There might be some way in they missed, or a particular place that's less guarded."

You try to pull to mind Caylen's estate in your mind. Unlike your mansion, his is more like a fortress of sorts. It's surrounded on all sides by high walls, and pressed back against a mountain to prevent complete enclosures. You can't be sure how assured that particular detail is, given how long these brigands had evidently been planning this, but at the very least it lends some credit to their plan. "How is us scouting their entire parameter any less dangerous than me walking in?" You frown after hearing them out, "They're armed, and probably much more alert than the camp I we snuck around a week ago."

"Even more reason for you to not just walk in." Rinnier pointed out, "They came here expecting a fight, they're not going to fall for someone just stumbling out of the woods and claiming to be part of them."

"And how do you plan to avoid them?" You shoot back, "If they're expecting resistance, they're going to stay vigil. It won't be as simple as just hiding under a bush when you hear people coming."

"Actually..." Maran spoke up, "I know the area pretty well, since I've spent a great deal of time with Caylen. I'm confident I can keep Rinnier and I undetected while we scout."

You rankle slightly at the familiarity she uses in addressing your Testament AND your cousin, but something more problematic about what she had said sticks with you.

"Rinnier and you?" You repeat, "Just the two of you?" Maran nods in confirmation, "I know the area pretty well, so I'm relatively confident that I can hide myself and at least one other person." Maran glances at Rinnier for her agreement briefly, "Smaller groups mean smaller footprints, it'll be easier to evade detection that way."

"You don't get along well together, Irue." Rinnier speaks up before you can respond, further extrapolating on a plan that seemed to have come together without you, "It's probably going to be a tight fit sneaking even an extra people through, and we both agreed it would be better if her partner were someone a little more cooperation friendly."

...Right. You couldn't necessarily disagree with Rinnier being more friendly with Maran than you. Obviously Ari was never a consideration as well, given her physical capabilities. "So you expected me to do... What?" You frown, "Wait for the two of you to return?"

"Ideally, we need you to set camp somewhere back in the forest, far enough away from the brigands so as to not be noticable, but..." Rinnier trails off, "You're not really apt at forestry. If you can keep out of sight and take care of Ari, that's enough."

Your eye twitches slightly at 'enough'. Somehow you couldn't quite shake the feeling that you were being shuffled aside to stay out of trouble, and it didn't sit well with you. Granted, there wasn't particularly a part of their plan you could disagree with, but... "So that was our plan." Rinnier finished finally, "We're pretty confident it will work, but it'll take a bit of time to get everything we need accounted for."

So you were looking at not one, but perhaps several days of doing nothing.

>I don't like it (why?)
>Fine, it sounds doable.
>Offer amendment to plan. (what?)
>Other? (write-in)

>>41316232
I'll need a weapon, and basic forestry tips.

>>41316232
>>I don't like it (why?)
Rinnier is our responsibility, not the other way around. Should we be okay letting her and Maran, who we barely know, head into the thick of it?

>>41316338
Need a weapon and forestry tips.

>>41316526
I don't like this at all.

Writing.

"I don't like this." You reject the plan promptly. "You're my responsibility, Rinnier, not the other way around. I definitely don't like the idea of sending you out like this."

"I don't particularly want to go either." Rinnier sniffed, "But what choice do we have here? It's safer than you trying to waltz in the front door."

"What if I go with Maran instead, and you set up camp? You know how to do that better than I do, and I can take your place and work with Maran." You offer an alternative. "Failing that, if it's stretching the limits to hide two people then why not let Maran go alone? If she can confidently sneak two people through, then she should be fine with just herself, right?"

Rinnier nods slowly, looking back at Maran for an answer. She simply shrugged, "I can handle this on my own if you want me to, Rinnier was just going to be back up in case something went wrong anyway." That... Made sense? Your brows furrow as you try to put a finger on what's bothering you. "But you make a fair point, Rinnier could be put to good use setting up a camp for when I return. Beyond that, it would probably be a good idea for you to have help if a patrol stumbles into you and Ari."

"...Nothing to say about me coming with you?" You press back, receiving a calm shake of her head. "Not particularly. I worry about how well we would work together, but since its for Caylen, I'm sure I could rely on you... Do you have a weapon? Any training?" You glance away awkwardly, thinking back over the last few weeks. "I've gotten into a few fights, but... No formal weapons training." You admit slowly, "We do have a spare sword though."

"That's... Not good." Maran sighed, "If you don't know how to use a weapon, you'll just make things worse. It's part of why I was bringing Rinnier along." Again, it made sense. Rinnier had proven herself surprisingly competent with her staff. "I can make the rounds on my own, but it'll take me some time. Does that sounds better?"

"Or I can give you some tips?" Rinnier offered, "Getting camp set up isn't difficult, you'd just need to know what kind of place to look for. I think you could manage it..." She glanced aside quickly, directing your attention to the tree Ari had been leaning against as you convened. "You're better at handling other things as well, and I'm not sure how they'd react if you just left."

While true, you think you could convince Ari to rely on Rinnier if you decided to go regardless...

>Maran goes alone.
>I'll go with Maran
>Rinnier goes with Maran
>Other? (write-in)

>>41317079
>Rinnier goes with Maran
But only after we get an acceptable answer out of her on how she knew Ari's name back in the ruins.

>>41317144
Rinnier away! but first, answers.

After thinking it over, you realize that Rinnier going with Maran really was the best plan you could come up with. It didn't mean you had to like it, but it covered any point of unease you had... Save for Rinnier's involvement in it, and your own apparently lack of contribution. And Maran's sudden familiarity with Rinnier. And...

Okay, you still had several points of contension with this entire situation. Most of them were just personal gripes however, so they had little bearing on whether this would be successful or not. "Fine, you've thought this through." You finally step back and hold your hands up in surrender, "I'll see if I can get a camp going in the meantime."

"Thanks, Irue." Rinnier flashed a grateful smile, one that did little to brighten your mood. "We'll be back as quickly as we can."

"Take care of Ari." Maran waved, turning away from the gathering alongside Rinnier as they started to leave. You blink once, "That's the second time you've called her that." You mention offhandedly, stopping the departing pair as Rinnier looks back curiously. "...It's what you said her name was?" the spitfire Testament tilted her head. "Why does Maran know it?"

"Well, she has been traveling with us for a week." Rinnier deadpanned, but you shake your head slowly, "She called her Ari when we met back in the ruins."

"It's her name. I just happened to recognize her from before, back when I met you at the Initiation rite." Maran laughed, "She and Rinnier were pretty notable, you know?"

"That doesn't explain how you knew her name, though." Your eyes narrow. "Did you ask the the slavemaster?"

"Oh, no. I wouldn't debase myself talking to someone like that." She denied immediately, "I heard it from Caylen shortly after we left. He said his mother had been unusually proud of your choice in Testament."

You do recall aunt Clara being proud of you... In fact you recall that vividly, it was a very memorable moment of the entire event. You still feel kind of warm, fuzzy and confused over that. "So Caylen mentioned her name?" You clarify curiously, a note of excitement deliberately slipping into your voice, framing your interest in Caylen talking about you in order to keep the conversation moving smoothly. "Yes... Though I imagine he heard it from his mother, perhaps? Auntie Clara spoke to him briefly, I believe."

Your tongue curled instinctively hearing Maran so casually address YOUR aunt, but you set that aside for the moment as Rinnier glanced between the two of you in confusion. "What does this have to do with anything?" She finally broke in suspiciously, "What's wrong with Maran calling Ari by her name?"

"Because that's not her name." You explain flatly, watching their expressions cloud over in confusion. "There's no way for Aunt Clara or Caylen to have known her name, because she didn't have one."

"Then Ari isn't...?" Rinnier started, "No." you conclude, glancing at the timid Testament and quickly correcting yourself, "It's her name now, but it's one I gave her." You don't move forward, not yet, but your attention is focusing in on Maran as you go on. "So how did you know to call her Ari?"

"Like I said," she frowned, meeting your accusing stare steadfastly, "I heard it from Caylen. If her name is really all that special, then I've no idea how he found out. Maybe it was foretold by the Prophet?"

"The what." You reply flatly, a small smirk slipping across Maran's face. "The Prophet? Or the Oracle, I guess? You haven't heard of them?" She sounds genuinely surprised, a quick look at Rinnier confirms that evidently this Oracle person was common knowledge. "Humour me, I've been a little isolated for the past few years."

Maran shook her head, "The Prophet is someone heavily favoured by the Mana. They've been travelling for almost a decade now, with advice and consultation that has always been accurate - sometimes to the point of being thought of as clairvoyance. You said you were close to your cousin, didn't you know that he held conference with the Prophet not long ago?"

...And from it, he learned Ari's name? What was he even meeting someone like that for, and why did you come up?

"Is that all? We don't have a lot of time." Maran asked impatiently.

>Press for information (anything specific?)
>No, that's enough.
>Another time, then.
>Ask something else?

>>41317930
>Press for Information
What was Caylen having a conference with the prophet for? ...And why would Ari's name come up.

>>41317930
>Press for information (anything specific?)
She's being a little pushy, like she wants to drop the subject. Even that aside though, if there was a prophecy that involved not only us, but specifically Ari, why weren't we made aware?

It can't be a matter of secrecy either of he told Maran about it already.

>>41318002
>>41318016
Pressing for information

Writing.

"What was Caylen meeting the Prophet for?" The curiosity slipping into your tone this time was nothing but genuine, "If it involved Ari, why wasn't I made aware?"

"How should I know?" Maran bit back, her voice raising a little in frustration. "You think I get to sit in on these things? The Prophet is too important for nobles. Hell, they're too important for the royalty. They've got bigger things to deal with!" She throws her hands up in exasperation, "The Prophet comes, finishes their business with whoever they had it with, then leaves."

"...Then how did you know about Ari?" Rinnier cut in, stealing your line from you almost verbatim. "The way you're explaining it, this whole prophecy business is kept private, but you knew about it?"

"Of course I knew about it," she rolled her eyes, "I'm Caylen's childhood friend, he tells me everything." You twitch a little, but at this point it's nothing unusual. "Can you tell us more about the prophecy, then?" Rinnier asked, "If it involves Ari... Did I come up in it? Or Irue?"

Maran scowled, crossing her arms as Rinnier pressed her. You had planned to push for information yourself, but it's not like you had anything to add to this interrogation beyond the spitfire's questions already. "He didn't tell me the entire prophecy, it's supposed to be kept private... I shouldn't have mentioned it in the first pla-"

"What DID he mention?" You cut her off, slicing through her voice as you finally advanced on her. "Ari's my responsibility, if it involves her then it involves me." While you give Maran points for having not once taken a step back between yours and Rinnier's attention, her stubborn resistance was starting to make you mad. "It's not my place to-"

"What." You hiss, "Did he say?"

"...." For once her mouth shut, but it was defiance rather than fear which closed it. "If it's such a big deal to you, then ask him when we get to him." She finished, "He can tell you more than I could, even if I wanted to."

You had never before wished so hard for the ability to set things on fire with your mind. That Rinnier had lost this ability was a fact you hadn't properly considered until this moment, and you've marginally begun to understand how devastating that kind of practical utility being taken away could be. "Are we done interrogating me now?" Maran's glare was of little consequence to you, though it made Rinnier step back apologetically. "I'd like to get some scouting done before night falls."

Right. Even if Maran refused to talk, there was still Caylen. Caylen was why you were out here in the first place, and this was just another item on the list for you...

>Fine, but this isn't over.
>Rinnier stays, I don't trust you.
>Try and force the issue.
>Am I forgetting something...? (write-in)

>>41318413
>Am I forgetting something...?
We're well versed in mana things aren't we? So how come we don't know of at least /a/ prophet, I feel like that something that should've come at some point in one of Irue's books...

And well, If not that.
>Fine, but this isn't over.

>>41318569
This.
Unfortunately that isn't quite it, but I'll touch on something in that direction.

Writing.

"Fine." You finally turn your back on the stubborn girl, holding your hand out to help Ari to you. "I'll get camp set up." You shake your head irritably, breaking the ensuing silence as you look back towards Rinnier, "Be careful scouting. If you get captured, I'll be walking in there." Though your spitfire Testament frowns, she nods reluctantly in agreement. It's not like she can stop if you she got caught, anyway.

If Maran got caught on the other hand....

You squash that train of thought before it leads you elsewhere. You've got a lot more questions for Caylen now than you had when you started, and suddenly dealing with Roderik seems like it's about to take a back seat to whatever this Prophet was going on about regarding Ari.

Finding a place to set camp wasn't difficult, per say... At least not yet. With only Ari and you here, the entirety of a camp amounted to 'Where can I sleep?'. You had several days at least until Rinnier and Maran returned from their scouting with any sort of news, and that left you with plenty of time to shift through your thoughts and just generally think.

Directly on your mind was this Prophet Maran had mentioned. Besides being another smack in the face regarding how isolated you had been from the outside world, Maran had described them as being 'heavily favoured by the Mana'. The statement was... Mana were jealous. Each Mana had its own unique characteristics to it, yes, but the one thing they almost universally had in common was how jealous they were of their things. Places they considered theirs, the creatures and people they favoured, all of these things were things that Mana would be stubbornly possessive over.

Salamander Adepts, for example, were greatly favoured by Salamander. This kept them, traditionally, from reaping benefits of personal favour from Undine, or Gnome. Mana didn't appreciate sharing their things.

There had been stories of people in the past who had managed to garner multiple Mana's interest. The Adept Mint, a name you had nearly chosen for Ari, was said to have acquired the power to call on five different Mana at a time in her prime. She had been strong enough to warrant her very life becoming a legend in its own right, immortalized in history for that accomplishment... Alongside her propensity to kick in the doors to a great deal of ateliers and dangerous ruins.

Scholars assumed that it had been something she found during those ventures which had led to her gaining the unnatural affinity with Mana she had... But this Prophet. Maran had clearly said "Favour of the Mana" - Plural. If it were one Mana, she would have named it. Surely even if it were two or three then they'd have been mentioned, but... Just 'The Mana'? Had she honestly meant all of them? Even Mint hadn't managed that. More over, what kind of advice were they giving? Was predicting the future even possible?

Your first reaction is to call it preposterous. If someone had been so lucky as to manage a full sweep of interest from the very foundations of the world, just what kind of person were they? Why were they visiting Caylen?

...What did it have to do with Ari?

More questions, but no answers.
___

You have several days before Rinnier and Maran return. How do you spend that time?

RECALL
>The Ruins
>The Vision
>The Brigands
>The Nightgaunts
>The Woodgolems
>Your Mana Studies (Which Mana?)
>Other? (write-in)

TEACH ARI
>About a Mana (which?)
>Reading
>Climbing Trees
>Other? (write-in)

PRACTICE
>A Mana Ritual (Which Mana?)
>Sword work
>Try and Infiltrate camp while Rinnier/Maran are away

>>41319054
>Teach Ari about Luna
>Practice Luna Ritual
>Recall the Vision

And if possible after all that, >Mana studies on Shade

>>41319135
This.

Writing.

Still writing.
Nearly done.
More was written than expected.

You decide to spend the days of free time you have going over bits of Mana education with Ari. While there were a number of Mana you could have started on, you realize that only one she had any particular knowledge about happened to be Luna. While it's not exactly a topic you're comfortable talking about off the top of your head - The nature of a Mana whose domain is Information and Wisdom being that you typically want to have books on hand to refer back to - But if it's only something on Ari's level then you're relatively confident that you can handle a recitation.

You had spent enough time studying to know at least that much by heart.

"What do you remember about Luna?" You sit down with Ari, drawing her attention quickly as she visibly devotes herself to trying to answer you. "Luna is... The Mana of knowing things?" Her answer is unsteady, but you nod along with her general idea to encourage her. "We owe Luna a lot, because it helps us learn things, like building and farming... I think."

"Right. Do you remember what else Luna is known as?"
"The...celery Mana?"

"Celestial." you correct as you try not to grin at her expense, "It's another word for stars, or the heavens. Things beyond the sky. Luna is often thought to be the moon, watching over us and the other Mana from on high, as a kind of..." You pause, Ari's attention raptly held upon you, "Not quite an arbiter or observer, but something of that nature. A Watcher. A Guide." She nods slowly, "Luna embodies knowledge and innovation. Things like inventions and new fields of study are of great interest to Luna, and its said that those favoured by Luna are very apt to learn and expand their horizons. Of those people, the family which acts as Luna's adepts formed the organization 'Artemis' - A league of academia and scholars, dedicated to helping spread study and unearthed knowledge."

...Hadn't the brigands said that the royals of La'Fiel had restricted education? You don't think that Artemis would have just sat idly by during that. Where were they for that? The presence of Artemis was something that could scarcely be said to bound by borders.

You put that thought to the side for the moment as you continued. "All Mana have some manner of relationship with the others. Luna is most commonly associated with Undine, as Undine is oft said to keep a great many secrets to itself, and hidden within its domain. Undine tends to move in concert with Luna, which has been suspected to mean that Luna willingly gives Undine things to swallow into its depths at times, in order to remain secret." A smile twitches across your lips, "Sometimes knowledge can hurt you. If it's something you're not prepared for, or you could misuse, then it's often better it not be within reach until you are."

She nods as you speak, eagerly drinking in whatever tidbit you could remember. "There are other Mana in relation to Luna as well. Though Undine is always the closest in sequence, there is also Shade... Though that topic is a little complicated." You rub Ari's head briefly, "We'll discuss it some other time, maybe after you learn more about the different Mana."
____

Talking to Ari off and on about Luna had brought to mind Luna's own ritual. Every Mana had some manner of evoking them, attempting to draw their attention to you for whatever reason. You could use them to 'communicate' with Mana to an extent - Much like how a specific manner of coaxing fire would be more apt to draw the attention of Salamander, and the method of tending the flames more accurately communicate your intent even if you lacked its favour. It was how the world bid thanks, prayed for bounty or reprieve, and how many hopefuls tried to discover what - if any - affinity towards the Mana they may have.

You had gone through them all, time and time again. Youthful optimism was a strong motivator, especially when its pointed towards something you had so desperately hoped for... You shake your head, dispelling your own thoughts on the matter as you sat Ari down and tried to explain the concept of meditation to her. For most Mana, their ritual involved their element in some manner; Water for Undine, fire for Salamander, earth for Gnome, wind for Jinn, and then the more esoteric ventures such as light or one's own body for Wisp, and the dark - or one's emotions - for Shade.

For Luna, it was another level. The closest thing you could achieve given your circumstances was a form of meditation to clear your mind in order to focus. An act of focus, and the search for some manner of understanding. There was always something, no matter how large, small or abstract, that you didn't understand - It was fitting, then, that the ritualistic attendance to the Mana of wisdom and knowledge was contemplation of the things you wanted to understand.

Explaining the idea to Ari took some time, and even at the end, you're not sure she really understood. She had nodded, slowly, but the doubt in her eyes was more sure a sign to you than anything else. None the less, you instructed her on a basic breathing exercise, a simple structure for her to focus on while she tried to meditate for to gain the attention of Luna.

You watched her from a few feet away, leaning back against a tree as she dutifully attempted to follow your instructions. Her eyes closed, and after nearly half an hour, she had managed to nearly regulate her breathing. It was slow... But the progress made you smile all the same. When even her fidgeting stopped after nearly an hour, you couldn't help but be proud at just how hard she was trying.

It left you with the rest of the day to your own devices, part of which you spent thinking over the issue of Artemis and La'Fiel's royal family.

No matter how you looked at it, forbidding study was not going to be taken kindly by Artemis. You're not sure where exactly Artemis stood politically in relation to a royal family, given their international nature and relation to the Shrine... This seems like something that would have left a large wave in its wake. Another thing to ask Caylen about... No, your aunt and uncle would definitely know about it.

Which brought to mind the Prophet that Maran had mentioned. Advice accurate such as to be described as clairvoyance? Predicting the future? Rather than favoured by all the Mana, could it not just be a particularly skilled adept of Luna using their knowledge and insight for predictions? ...The idea seemed to hold merit, but you don't know what kind of 'prophecies' had been left to even warrant being called what it had. If they really were a strong advocate of Luna though, what were they doing in La'Fiel at this time...?

It was several hours later when your own mind finally whirred back to some state of calm. Ari was still meditating...

You blinked, noticing her head having slipped to the side. You reach out to touch her shoulder, barely catching the timid Testament as she slumped sideways bonelessly. Your startled reaction evidently meant little as she tried to press her face into your arm, nearly inaudible snores alerting you to the fact that she had fallen asleep a long time ago.

Had she even made it to meditation before doing that? Good grief.
___

With night falling, all you had left to do was keep Ari comfortable. You settled down beside her, feeling the small Testament lean heavily against your shoulder as you started to regulate your own breathing. Instructing Ari in it had been enough to bring it back up in your mind, and you've got more than your share of things you don't know these days.

Inhale. Exhale.
Once.
Twice.

Of all the things weighing on your mind, your experience in the ruins back at the brigand camp is the focus of your introspection this time. You can still feel the vibrations raking through your body even now - Empathy so strong it physically stripped you of your strength just to feel its meaning. The conversation you had endured had been nearly enough to bring you to your knees, its meaning lost on you even as it had forcibly drug you into an echo of what you had to assume was the past of the ruins.

Once again, just like you had done countless times growing up, your mind began to clear. Previously you had sought clarification of things you read, at times you had even gone for broke and questioned why you had been the one to survive of your family... Sometimes you realized an answer. Not of any particular favour or celestial revelation, but out of your own merit. Other times, you were left discouragingly at a loss - A fact which brought you even lower, considering the questions you had asked.

This time...

'This memory is not yours.'

The bottom dropped out beneath you as you felt the your recollection of the vision start to disintegrate through your grasp, a swirling emptiness in its place. Your body trembled under the strain, a cold bead of sweat running down your temple as you struggled simply to draw breath.

Not for the first time, your consciousness drifted - A third person view of your own body, removed, but not as disconnected as it had been the previous times. Even now you felt the weight, heavier than ever, threatening to crush you just by proxy.

'Simulacra Fragment'

Your vision exploded, but the cool words slipped through your head just as it had with the Revenant, and the Blaze before that.

'Manifest Thought.'

Through a haze, your neck craned back against a stifling weight, barely looking into the deceptively gentle light slipping through the leaves above you.

A full moon shown down.

'Celestial Luna.'

>Resist
>Purge
>Relinquish
>Shut down

>Misspells "shone"
I hate everything.

>>41320075
>Resist
Hmmmm

>>41320075
>Relinquish

>>41320075
>Relinquish

>>41320075
>Purge

>>41320075
>>Resist

>>41320106
>>41320194
I don't think Resist is a good idea, if we're trying to learn more about this thing that keeps happening to us. But I'm not sure how the other options would go either.

>>41320075
>Relinquish

>>41320106
>>41320194
Resist.

>>41320137
Purge

>>41320252
>>41320135
>>41320119
Relinquish.

Writing.
Hello lurking anons, didn't see you there.

>>41320286
I only just woke up.

>>41320375
same

>>41320286
was busy eating

The soft light is like a crushing weight upon you. You try to life your arm, to shift even an inch, but the effort is wasted. A piece of you twists inside, the urge to lash out at the invader - At Luna, or some representation there of. More than an extension, or some apparition, you instinctively understood this was Luna - The Celestial Mana... To a point. Far more than simply an elemental or distant aspect, it felt more accurate to call this thing bearing down you a direct reflection of the Mana itself.

Your body was stricken, its presence alone enough to immobilize you. You currently possessed the honor of directly holding a fragment of Luna's attention, and the sheer act of being directly noticed by it felt like you were about to die. How do you lash out against that? How do you resist a fundamental force of the world? Your mind strove, some piece of your insisting it was possible, but there was no answer. You desperately wanted to curl upon yourself and wait for it to pass.

You felt your mind slipping, defenses scrambling instinctively and unbidden to drive away the lingering presence that was so gently washing away your memories - Your life, everything you were. You could feel it fading... But it all stemmed from that moment. That one, singular moment.

To purge it... Impossible. It was beyond you.
To resist it... If you could remove Luna, lay claim to your own mind again?

But at what cost. Was it really all or nothing? Against something of this magnitude, what kind of ruination would be left in the wake of that battle, win or loss?

Then... To save yourself. To secure what remained, you could only relinquish what it was after. If it had that, then nothing else mattered.

'I didn't want to do this.'

Your eyes snapped open at the familiar voice that cascaded through your skull, echoing a sentiment you feel like you should recognize. Your breath comes in heavy gasps as your body once more remembered how to breath. Realized it COULD breathe. Your memory remains hazy, a dull feeling of loss permeating your thoughts, eluding your attempts to discover the origin of your confusion.

Pale moonlight streamed down through the leaves, a reminder that catches your heart in your chest of exactly what had just happened. Cool night air kisses your sweat soaked skin, but the weight of the moonlight that had pinned you not moments ago remained absent. You lost something... Just now. You couldn't remember what it was.

There is only silence to comfort you though, as tears slip free. No particular sorrow, no regret or pain, but crying simply to relieve stress. An overload of stimulation that was still brimming dangerously within, demanding an outlet. You could only barely clench your jaw shut to resist the urge to scream it out. Your head was pounding, your left wrist on fire.

The rest of the night was only suffering. A prolonged breakdown overseen by a pale moon, until the light of dawn met your bloodshot eyes with a warm indifference.

>Try to get up
>Wake up Ari
>Try to remember what you lost
>Stay still until you can calm down.

>>41320538
>Stay still until you can calm down.

>>41320538
>Try to remember what you lost
>Stay still until you can calm down.

and we just lost what we had, great jobs guys.

>>41320538
>>Try to remember what you lost
>>Stay still until you can calm down.

Damnit. Didn't think that was what Relinquish would mean.

>>41320039
>Luna willingly gives Undine things to swallow into its depths at times, in order to remain secret.
>Sometimes knowledge can hurt you. If it's something you're not prepared for, or you could misuse, then it's often better it not be within reach until you are.
I guess that's what's happening here.

>>41320550
>>41320570
>>41320572
Stay still. Calm down.

>>41320570
>>41320572
Remember what you lost.

Writing.

Even with the dawn trading moonlight for daylight, you remained fixed to the ground. You nearly default to Luna's ritual to try and regain control of your breath - an idea you abandon almost instantly, as if the notion itself scalded you. Even if it was likely harmless, the idea of inadvertently pulling Luna's attention back to you for any reason was horrifying.

You spend the next hour trying to force yourself back into some measure of relaxation and security. It took you nearly twenty minutes of that before you realized that you had been gripping your late sister's bracelet until your right hand had turned white. The muscles in your hand strain as you focus on releasing them. Your wrist marred with angry red imprints of both your own fingers and the dual rings of the bracelet which had been pressed against you for so long.

With your body somewhat under control again, you finally let your head loll back with a heavy sigh. Ari's gentle breath beside you kept you centered, assured you that she hadn't been affected, and let you used that steady inhale and exhale to try and focus yourself. You could a hazy emptiness somewhere in your memories, even now the feeling of your world dissolving in the midst of mania was terrifyingly fresh in your mind. What had you lost? How much damage had been done?

Your eyes close, gently attempting to probe through that mental mist. You remember the last week, the faces of the brigands... You remember Garet, rushing off before the Nightgaunts descended. You had rescued Maran from... somewhere. Lockdown...? You had rescued Maran from Lockdown, that's right. The brigands had put her there for causing a commotion. You had to rescue her, because Caylen would have done something stupid if you hadn't... And you need Caylen to deal with Roderik. To that end, you sent Kara with your maid...secretary... You had sent Kara with Asche to Carona in order to investigate the Tier family, while you took Rinnier and Ari to Caylen's estate directly.

That's... it, isn't it? That's everything until now.

You go over the chain of events once more, looking for gaps. Something you're missing. A quick recollection of your personal past didn't seem to reveal anything missing... Or at least, nothing you hadn't already forgotten naturally.

There was a haze that your mind remained shrouded in, slowly clearing, but as far as you knew you hadn't actually forgotten anything.

So why did you feel like you had? What had you been doing that even-
You wince, a twinge of pain shooting through your eyes
-Kept you up this late? A bad dream?

The image of Garet promising to come back readily supplied itself, eliciting a frown for reasons entirely unrelated to your building headache. It's not like that hadn't been bothering you the past week.... Had it really gotten that bad?

One hand traced your late sister's bracelet, drawing comfort from the dual-ringed jewellery as you traced its metallic edges. You needed to get yourself together. You couldn't afford to have fallouts like these over just one person, much less someone you barely knew. You shook your head, trying to clear the cobwebs as you finally took stock of your surroundings beyond Ari's still sleeping form. The forest was... loud this morning. Unusually loud, actually.

What the hell was going on?

>Leave Ari to investigate
>Stay with Ari, Rinnier and Maran should be back some time today
>Get Vertical and check it out
>...You've still got those brigand clothes.

>>41320921
>Get Vertical and check it out

>>41320921
>>Get Vertical and check it out
Should stray too far from Ari in case she wakes up, though.

>>41320966
>>41320967
Getting Vertical

Writing.

Taking great care not to stir Ari awake, you manage to slip away from her and lay her back against the tree you had been against through the night. Only after you were certain she hadn't been roused did you run your tongue along your dry lips and turn your attention skyward. People were shouting in the distance, a lot of them.

You had set camp far enough that even their clamour was just a soft din in the morning forest, but even this far away you could hear them moving. You wasted no time in finding a tree to pull yourself up, hands quickly finding purchase against the aged bark as you pulled yourself ever upward and into the canopy. With the road and your cousin's estate nearby, you're able to get a very clear view of the proceedings once you clear the upper layer of branches and poke your head out into the morning sun.

There is, of course, the refreshing breeze and fresh smell of leaves and bark that greets you, just as it had the last time... But your attention swiftly moves beyond that to focus on what you had climbed up here to see.

The brigand encampment was, in a word, chaos. Fires licked against tents with plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, a commotion of shouting and the clatter of armor rang freely as you caught sight of several of the brigands outright fleeing down the road, some dispersing into the woods. You were still too far away to see what was causing everything to go to hell like it was, though. There wasn't an assaulting force, which likely ruled out your aunt Clara having caught wind of Caylen's plight, and the sight of people actually running made you seriously doubt your cousin himself had anything to do with this.

>Get closer for a better look
>Get back to Ari, quickly
>Go groundside, you'll see better if you're on the same level
>Other? (write-in)

>>41321333
>Get back to Ari, quickly
priority one

>>41321333
>Get back to Ari, quickly
>Before we go look for fire sprits.

>>41321387
>>41321426
Back to Ari!

>>41321426
Rinnier did nothing wrong.

Writing.

>>41321333
>>41321426
Supporting!

You quickly make your back to the ground, slipping from branch to branch as you hybridize the power of gravity with your own reflexes in order to control your falls in short bursts between branches. Going back was a much swifter affair than your ascent had been, netting you only a few rage inducing snags as your strands of your hair spilled out from where you had tucked it into your shirt and caught itself in stray twigs along the way.

That progress comes to a rapid stop as you catch the sound of brush being torn aside not far beneath you - Subsequently, not far from Ari. You quiet your descent, attempting to stealthily move down closer as you retrace your way through the canopy to Ari's hiding spot. Your adrenaline spikes as you realize that whatever was moving through the forest so loudly was keeping in track with you of its own accord. Your feet hit the last layer of branches, body suspended directly above the small nook you had stashed Ari away in earlier.

One tense moment was all it took for the intruders to make themselves known as they burst onto the scene. A flash of Rinnier's crimson hair being all that kept you from tilting forward and literally getting the drop on them before they could get to Ari. You blink, muscles relaxing as you switch away from your preparations to try and protect your Testament to a more confused state. "Irue's not here.... Irue's not here!" Rinnier called back into the brush, her voice raising in a panic that woke Ari almost immediately.

"Mana damn it all!" Maran stumbled in not long after, "I told you we couldn't trust that idiot!"

"Shut up!" Rinnier bit back swiftly, turning towards Ari as she knelt down to the rapidly panicking girl. "Ari... Ari, calm down. Where's Irue? Do you know where Irue went? How long ago did they leave?"

"One job, just had to stay here and look after Ari. What would have happened if we had been brigands?" Maran groused irritably, her attention flickering back the way they had come.

"For one, you would be regretting a lot of things about now." You finally speak up, drawing Maran and Rinnier's attention near immediately, the spitfire's head snapping up to the canopy so fast her hair was thrown into disarray. The relief on her face spoke volumes, but that precious moment was washed away as Maran started in on you angrily about why you were in a tree.

"I was trying to get a look at what was going on." You deadpan at her, "And about to introduce both of my feet to your head if Rinnier hadn't come through first."

"You were going to attack me?!"

"Red hair is more distinctive." you shrug, "I doubt I'd have been able to tell the difference between you and a brigand."

"You b-"

"-you don't know what's happening, then?" Rinnier interrupts quickly, leaving Maran to groan as she returned to her harried watch. "I saw smoke, and a few of the brigands running." You admit, turning your attention back to your Testament seriously. "What's going on?" You pause, blinking at Rinnier's empty hands. "Where's your stick?"

"I think that's what's going on." she shook her head, "Something bad happened last night. There was a full moon, and suddenly it went berserk."

...You take the opportunity to drop down, hitting the ground with a muffled 'thud' and feeling the tremor of impact shock through your legs. "Repeat that?" You mutter, dusting yourself as you stand. "What went berserk? Your stick?"

"We were trying to sneak past a patrol when something happened, the moon filled itself. My staff started to twist, I had to throw it away.... But it somehow got a hold of the patrol. We managed to get away, but Maran swears she saw you attacking them before we left." A heavy knot settles in your stomach as you swallow thickly, letting Rinnier finish her story. "The camp was in an uproar since, and we rushed back here immediately. I told her you wouldn't abandon Ari, but-"

"No, I've been with Ari all night." You confirm, realization of just what Rinnier had been carrying with her all this time starting to sink in. You had slept next to that thing. "Where... Did it go?" You finally ask.

"I don't know, but if the camp is any indication, I don't think it's stopped going crazy."

>Wait for the commotion to settle down.
>Everyone going to investigate.
>Leave Ari with someone and go with back up.
>Check it out yourself.

>>41321913
Remember the wood golem of you? Turns out they can turn into a stick!
>Go with backup.

>>41321913
>Everyone going to investigate
Okay that stick was apparently made by a servant of Luna. Okay then.

>>41321913
>Everyone going to investigate.

>>41321953
Back up

>>41321970
>>41322037
All aboard the party train.

Writing.

You've got a decent idea of just what Rinnier's staff was, though the fact it had stayed inert for so long filled you with no small amount of unease. You briefly thought about leaving Ari here with someone and confronting it... But who would you leave here? Like hell you would leave Ari with Maran, but you didn't trust Maran to have your back either. You couldn't very well have Rinnier do both things, and running headlong into the commotion on your own was...

You shake your head. "Alright, we're taking the chance." You finally speak up. "Chance...? This isn't a chance, this is weird!" Maran's disagreement with your decision is duly noted and subsequently discarded. "Rinnier, help me with Ari." You mutter, shocking her out of her confusion. "You're serious about this?" She asked quickly, moving after you as you help the timid Testament to her feet. "The gates to the estate are still closed, and the brigands aren't just abandoning their post. They were still fighting when we ran back."

"I've got a plan... I think." You confide vaguely, noting with a small sense of satisfaction that despite her unease, Rinnier was actually helping you this time. Even if she didn't like it, some part of her obviously agreed there was some measure of opportunity to be seized upon. "Let's go, I'll need you and Maran to keep an eye on Ari and back me up."

"I'm not getting dragged into this stupid plan!" Maran dug her heels in, crossing her arms in the face of your Testaments and you moving back towards the brigand camp. "Rinnier, think about this. We just got back here, we have no idea what that thing is! We wanted this brigands gone anyway, we could just wait until the dust settles and then make a decision in the aftermath."

Rinnier hesitated, foot catching mid-step as Maran's logic sunk in. "Ari, you don't really want to do this either, right? There's nothing but scary stuff and danger that way. What if you get hurt?" She turned her attention towards the timid Testament.

"...No."

If Ari's soft voice caught you by surprise, it positively floored Maran. "I... trust master."

"You... You're making a mistake, Ari." Maran tried again, lowering her voice in gentle entreaty, "You're just going to get hurt, this is a terrible idea."

"Staying with master." She replied, her stubbornness trailing off into a mumble towards the end as she stepped closer to you. Maran's speechlessness was enough of a lapse for Rinnier to shake her head as well, "You stay here. Maran." She finally decided, "We'll be back."

"Rinnier, you're not-!" Maran's denial was left unfinished as Rinnier helped hoist Ari onto your back and the three of you quickly made your way back towards camp.
___

As you approached camp, the signs of fighting that spread through the entire brigand forces were plain to see. If anything, you felt this was potentially worse than having traversed the brigand camp after the nightgaunt assault - At least then, the fires had been put out. Now though...

Flames and smoke obscured the ground, armoured brigands shouting over each other with both screams, demands for reports, and battle cries. This was a literal fog of war that simply looking upon caused your mind to whirl rapidly in an attempt to take note of every piece of movement and sound. This kind of thing would leave you exhausted if you had to endure it any longer than necessary...

"Alright, we're here." Rinnier muttered from beside you, the stolen sword gripped in one hand as a replacement for her staff as her eyes darted from place to place in search of a threat. "What's the plan?"

The question, innocuous as it was, left your mouth dry. You had a plan, obviously. You had come here completely intent to carry it out, but... It was more of an instinctual reaction. You hadn't taken the time to formulate it into words just yet. You open your mouth-

"Not going to hurt you!"

-Only to close it again as your own voice was quickly followed by a scream and ripped skin.

"..." Rinnier glances at you, then further into camp where the sound had originated from. You can't help but note that the wood golem - For this proved beyond a shadow of a doubt your suspicions of what it was - had just blatantly lied with your voice, and you're not sure how to feel about that. "Remember I told you they could mimic language?" You pointed out, drawing an uneasy nod from the spitfire Testament, "Let's go. I need you to take care of Ari while I try and handle this."

"What are you trying to do?" She stopped you before you could shift Ari from your back, "I trusted you this far, I'm here, just... Just tell me what you're doing. How can I help?"

"I'm..."

>About to see if it still listens to me.
>Hoping it's the same as the other one was.
>Going to try and direct the Brigands in the chaos.
>Trying and find the Brigand leader and hold him hostage.
>Other? (write-in)

RINNIER CAN

>Keep Ari safe
>Flank the Woodgolem just in case, it might recognize her as its... wielder. Owner?
>Help you take control in the chaos.
>Help you find the leader
>Other? (write-in)

>>41322604
>About to see if it still listens to me.
>Flank the Woodgolem just in case, it might recognize her as its... wielder. Owner?

>>41322604
>About to see if it still listens to me.
>Hoping it's the same as the other one was.
Rinnier:
>Flank the Woodgolem just in case, it might recognize her as its... wielder. Owner?

>>41322751
>>41322763
Will it still listen?

>>41322751
>>41322763
Flank your stick.

>>41322763
Hope it's the same as the other one was.

Writing.
Captcha keeps asking me to find boats and trucks. I'm so confused.

>>41322604
>>About to see if it still listens to me.
>>Hoping it's the same as the other one was.
>Flank the Woodgolem just in case, it might recognize her as its... wielder. Owner?

"I'm about to see if it still listens to me." You finally answer, formulating the barest skeleton of your intent as you convince Rinnier to take hold of Ari. "They seem to obey me to some extent, I don't really get it."

"You think it'll work now?" She muttered sceptically as you glanced between the camp and Ari as you tried to convince the timid Testament to cooperate with Rinnier. She was clearly unhappy about being shouldered off, but was determined to follow through with what you were telling her. "I'm not sure," You finally answer Rinnier, shifting Ari towards her. "That's what I'm about to go find out... and if it doesn't, then we hope it'll be like the other one."

"Other one... At the oakenbear?" You nod, "What's important about that?"

"It had a weak point on its wrist, some kind of amber gem... Once I broke it, I think it died." You straighten your back, cracking your neck heartfully in preparation. "If this thing won't listen, then that's our best to bring it down."

"And if it does listen?" Rinnier frowned, "What if the brigands try and turn on you, thinking you were controlling it initially?"

You blink, "Then it goes back to killing them, and we leave them to their own problems." You explain flatly, "I'm not trying to save them, if they try and bite me then I'll bite back... But I think I can make use of them if everything goes right." You pat Ari on the head reassuringly once she settles in on Rinnier's back, "...Alright." the former-princess sighs, steadying herself. "What can I do to help?"

You pause here. Initially you had wanted back up in case the brigands attacked, but it seemed moot now. She couldn't readily defend you either, given you were relying on her to look after Ari. "Try to flank it." You finally wager, "I don't know how the woodgolems think, but it's spent this long as your staff... It might recognize you as its owner. Or wielder. Something."

Rinnier seemed doubtful, a fair assessment considering the idea was farfetched to you as well, but it was the best you had at the moment. "Okay. Be careful, Irue." Reluctantly, she accepted the plan, you wished her luck as the two of you dove into camp towards the commotion.

It didn't take you long to backtrack through the chaos towards the sound of your own voice, a method of tracking you honestly never thought you'd have to employ, and discover just what had become of Rinnier's staff. At first the only reason you had recognized it was because you had been looking for wood... And There was no mistake, a fair portion of it was exactly that; Wooden tendrils extending out from underneath a flowing dress of bark, elevating the wood golem's familiar human half well into the air. If it had ever had legs, they were lost within the writhing roots that snaked across the ground and buried their tips through earth and flesh alike in a violent dance.

A veil of ridiculously long vine-line hair swirled through the air, grasping hold of brigand, tent and tree alike in its rampage. Those fortunate enough to avoid being trampled by its roots found themselves quickly disabled by the nigh-sentient hair in the best of cases - Those not so fortunate, however...

You stepped aside of a man's chest, laying misbegotten and separated from its lower half, as you made your approach and caught your first glimpse of what lay beyond the veil.

To say it was merely a golem any more was a misnomer. Mottled patches of skin flowed across its arms and neck, the once wooden face replaced by a mask of humanity set to frame its still wooden eyes.

You search the fog of war, trying and failing to see if Rinnier had made it into position yet. You could only spare a moment of respect for the brigands that were still trying to fight against your erstwhile doppleganger, despite their efforts almost pitifully being in vain.

>Tell it to stop
>Just get its attention for now
>Try and direct it to do something (what?)
>Get closer
>Other? (write-in)

>>41323323
>Just get its attention for now

>>41323323
>>Just get its attention for now

>>41323334
>>41323353
Getting its attention for now.

Writing.
Sun has risen. This is going to be difficult.

You don't have anything in mind for it immediately, but you're not even sure if it realizes you're there. Even if you did theoretically give it an order, would it be inclined to heed it if it didn't know it came from you?

You start moving closer, dodging past several of the charging or fleeing brigands as you approach. You raise your arm as you get closer, a slight feeling of disconnect from your body fizzling in and out between your steps. It wasn't enough to fully trigger whatever strange fight or flight instinct that normally followed it however, leaving you back in full control of your body and senses. On one hand, this meant you were still just fine.

On the other, you could probably have used the adrenaline rush to more properly have ignored the root that whipped past your head. Your heels dug into the ground as it passed, a thin trail of blood slinging through the air in its wake as you belatedly felt a long, shallow wound stretch across your forehead. Your blood goes cold, a realization of just how close you came to being beheaded sinking into your gut even as you stumble back and follow the root's arc to witness several far less fortunate brigands meet the fate you had scarcely evaded not moments ago.

You swallow shakily, digging your heels in as the wood golem's upperbody twisted from side to side, blindly seeking prey within the scurrying field.

"Hey!" You take the chance, raising your voice as your own frowning face glances past you - A nervous smile hesitantly edging onto your lips when you watch the abominable behemoth seem to freeze before looking back at you. The moment is lost as it began, some idiot taking the opening provided by its distraction to rush it with some manner of... pot.

The container cracked against the wood golem's body, its shards failing to find purchase in it's resilient roots and bark-clothing. If it weren't for the root that absently crushed the assailant into the dirt, you'd have thought he hadn't been noticed.

Though its face remained riveted on you, the rest of its body slowly regained motion in reaction to the assaulting camp. The attention you had garnered had been mistaken for the thing finally starting to weaken - A misunderstanding that was proving to be fatal for a great many courageous opportunists.

For better or worse though, it had stopped shifting from place to place. It remained fixed to one place, just as its curious gaze had all but rooted you to the ground as you tried to think of your next move. It was difficult to determine its thoughts at the best of times, but you weren't sure if it truly remembered you, or was intrigued by your familiarity...

>Try to talk to it
>Give it an order (what?)
>Approach it
>Back up, see if it follows.
>Other? (write-in)

>>41323792
>Try to talk to it
>Approach it

>>41323792
>>Approach it
Now that it's noticed us it might not try to gut us.
>>Try to talk to it
Let's start with thanking it for the stick?
>>Other? (write-in)
Check for the amber bracelet, just in case.

>>41323792
>>41323818
Supporting this!

>>41323818
>>41323847
>>41323839
Approaching and talking.

>>41323839
checking for amber.

Writing.

You take an experimental step forward, watching it carefully for some reaction. The blood coalescing into rivulets down your face was not exactly helping you with keeping an attentive eye on the wood golem, its warm liquid mixing with sweat as they trace the contour of your inner eye and drips down into a corner, drawing out a stinging pain that forces you to reflexively clench one eye shut in an attempt to squeeze it away.

"...Remember me?" You ask it slowly as you approach, one arm wiping across your face to smear the blood from your wound out of your eye and across the tattered sleeve. "Looking for a stick?"

"...About as long as me?" It responds after a moment. You smile encouragingly, whether that's to encourage it or encourage yourself was up for debate. "It needed to be sturdy." You agree, "Had to be strong. I found a stick like that." You were within range of the roots now, a fact you were intimately aware of as you set your hand against one of its tips to squeeze past the wooden tendrils that held it aloft. "It wasn't for me though, it was for a friend. She really liked it."

You narrowed your eyes through its curtain of vine-hair, trying to catch sight of something amber on its wrists as you slowly weaved yourself closer. It was still moving, still defending itself, even as its attention focused in on you. "Wrap hands... around." The distortion of your own voice rippled as it leaned towards you from on-high, an agitated frown - YOUR agitated frown perpetually looming over you, even from underneath the mottled skin that masked it. "Remember me?"

Now finally piercing its veil of hair, you were able to catch a glimpse of a shard of amber embedded into its left wrist as it looked you over. If nothing else, you still had that.

...Or you did, before you noticed a similar shard on its other wrist as well.

>Keep talking
>Ask it something (what?)
>Give it an order
>Try to climb the roots to the main body.
>Other? (write-in)

>>41324232
>Keep talking
>Ask it something (Why are you so intent on mimicking my form? What am I to you?

>>41324249
>>41324284
Gonna go with support again, we should find out as much as we can about its thought-process.

>>41324249
>Try to climb the roots to the main body.
Let's stop talking to the speech-mimicking doppleganger. We need to be in range to break its amber(s?) just in case before anything else.

>>41324249
Fucks sake, the thing just mimics words, it doesn't understand. I'm guessing it understantds intent though. Wait a moment, isn't that amber in the same place as our amulet?

>Touch amulet, think/ask what it wants

>>41324284
>>41324318
Keep talking, ask it stuff.

>>41324407
touch amber, think about asking it stuff.

>>41324399
Climb the tree.

Writing.

>>41324407
Fuck, it's a bracelet, not an amulet, I'm an idiot.
Sentiment stays, touch dearly beloved sister keepsake while thinking at the oakenrue.

You hitch yourself onto a root, waiting to see if it it had any reaction as you started to make a slow ascent towards the main body. "Good tree." You mumble soothingly as you climb your way up towards it, getting a good look at how its 'human' portions had distorted in its growth. What had at one time been proportionate arms now stretched out thinly, equally elongated fingers that now more resembled gnarled tendrils than hands hovering uncertainly in the air. Had it simply been a tree, you could have written it off as wood... But the flesh which covered the arms did so completely, presenting to you the monstrous figure of a human arm that had embraced a boneless and stretched figure.

While the accrued skin gave it a face, its wooden eyes still leered out through the empty gaps where one's eyes would normally rest. Oddly, you found it slightly less disturbing with its otherwise abominable body than you had when it had appeared to be a wooden carving of yourself.

"What am I to you?" you murmur curiously, only distantly hearing the rage of combat still occurring outside. If you had expected an answer while you climbed, its curious silence was a disappointment. You had asked it this question before, in some form, and it hadn't answered then either. Unable to understand you...? Or perhaps simply unwilling to tell you.

Yet when you had asked for a stick, it had evidently become one. When you told them to stop, they obliged. On some level, you know they had to understand something.

finally reaching a knell at the foot of its humanoid body, you slowly pull yourself to your feet atop it and gingerly feel out a balance on its softly shifting limb. Making sure you've still got its attention, you hold your hands up pointedly before slowly bringing them together in front of you. There's no special meaning to it, no implication hidden in the action, but you look at the wood golem in front of you and repeat the process, a little more emphatically this time.

The results are slow, as if simultaneously torn between confusion and curiosity, but its distended hands are slowly brought together in a similar manner until the tendril-esque fingers have joined together in a small cup. "Good tree." You smile again, but there's no reaction other than it inspecting its own hands in a sort of mystified manner.

>Trick it into lowering its hands so you can climb on
>Give it an order
>Ask it something more general. (Details seem to be beyond it)
>Other? (write-in)

>>41325032
Touch bracelet to amber.

>>41325032
>>Trick it into lowering its hands so you can climb on
RIDE THE GOLEM

>>41325032
>Touch bracelet: "Protect me. Protect Ari. Protect Rinnier. Harm bandits."

If visible point towards Ari/Rinnier as they're mentioned so it know what we're referring to.

>>41325032
>>41325159
Sounds like a fair try

>>41325112
>>41325159
>>41325182
Touching bracelet to amber.
I'm counting these as a similar action, is this correct?

>>41325136
Climb onto hands.

Writing in about five minutes, or after I get confirmation. Whichever comes first.

>>41325159
supported

>>41325379
...Well, time's up.

Writing.

>>41325379
No, touch OUR bracelet with OUR hand

File: hell.png (18 KB, 500x500)

18 KB PNG

>>41325525
>>41325544
>29 seconds late

>>41325544
>not going hand to hand

With it distracted momentarily, you take the opportunity to clamber up into its cupped hands. The fleshy bowl unsettingly cool to the touch, with an undercurrent of hard wood beneath it. If you anyone had mistaken these fingers for flesh and bone, coming into contact with it would have instantly disabused them of the notion. All the same, you try to make yourself comfortable in its clutched palms, situating yourself in the center before looking up at your own frowning face.

There were shards of amber on the underside of each wrist. If you were quick, you could probably get to one, or the other, before it reacted... But definitely not both. Your moment of inspection was allowed however, as it seemed content purely to watch you settle down within its grasp.

With a deep breath, you finally raise your arm and grasp at your late-sister's bracelet. They had mimicked this when they were born, its replica had killed the one which caught you a little over a week ago, it had to mean something special to them... You just weren't sure what.

"I want you to protect me." You mutter, trying to project the intent of your message towards the wood golem. "The things important to me, at all costs, I need them safe." Blood from the cut on your forehead dripped down, painting streams of red down the center of your face as you tried to implore the wood golem to listen to you again. Just one more time.

It didn't seem to react, even as you knelt in its palms and recited your intent again - Blood dripping from your chin to the pale and mottled flesh composing the make-shift altar beneath you. "Listen to me, like you did before." you mutter, craning your neck back towards its looming face. "I want your help this time, like before. I need something strong. Something sturdy." You smirk, a hiccup of a laugh burbling forth unbidden, "Something about as long as you."

"Wrap my hands around?" Your distorted voice warbled back, the palms you set in slowly rising until you were face to face with your own reflection.

It responded, though you've little idea if it understood. Finally unhanding your bracelet, you hold it up for the woodgolem to see - Remember how curious it had seemed when you met it initially, before its own amber replica had taken a bite of your finger.

"Find Rinnier and Ari." You start, "Don't hurt them."

You stood in relative silence, muscles tensing in preparation to move if it all fell through, but you weren't prepared for the shifting of its entire body as its roots dug into the ground in order to turn it about. You twist your head to the side, staring through the veil of hair and catch a glimpse of your Testaments watching warily just out of reach.

The slight step back that Rinnier had taken as the wood golem approached wasn't nearly enough to allow her the time it took to escape the grasping vines of hair that shot forward to arrest her and Ari from the ground, dragging her screaming and fighting back towards it - and you - in a panicked frenzy.

This frenzy persisted right up until she was dumped into its palms roughly, leaving her to twist in mid-air in order to try and cushion Ari before she hit the disturbing skin-covered wooden tendrils that composed its hands.

"Hey." You offer a tired smile to the two of them, still clutching each other tightly with their eyes clenched shut. Ari's the first to open her eyes, coaxed into it by your greeting, and her response is instantaneous as she attempts to wiggle free of Rinnier to get to you. "No, no you can't have her!" Rinnier's grip tightened on the timid Testament, Ari's eyes going wide as she lunged futilely towards you. "Rinnier, it's okay." You sigh, reaching out to put your hand on her shoulder, "...Irue?" One eye finally unclenched, warily tracking you down before she allowed the other to open and look around jumpily.

"What... What did you do?"

"I had a plan." You shrugged, "I think it worked. It's willing to help us... I think."

"You think?"

"Well it's not crushing us right now, so everything seems to be going well."

"..." There was a pained expression on her face, one that begged you to explain you were only joking, that there was something more concrete to your ease at sitting in the palm of a massive abominable tree monster than 'It seemed like a good idea at the time'. You had no such explanation for her. "It's difficult to communicate with it, so I'm not sure what it really understands. I think simple tasks are all I can manage to tell it?"

For the moment however, you seem safe. "Now what...?" Rinnier took a deep breath, slowly letting go of Ari so she could scramble across the palm and back against you tightly. Rinnier at least had managed to put her fears aside for the moment, Ari had no such capability - Down to her bones, the timid Testament was shaking in terror.

"Well..."

>Try to trick the brigands into surrendering.
>Just climb over Caylen's walls, you're done out here.
>Get the wood golem back into the forest, it's time to disappear.
>Have it kill the remaining brigands.

>>41326465
>Try to trick the brigands into surrendering.
Might as well!

>>41325879
>not 2 girls 1 bracelet

>>41326465
>>Try to trick the brigands into surrendering.

>>41326465
What happened to Maram? More importantly who gives a shit?

>Just climb over Caylen's walls, you're done out here.

>>41326465
>Just climb over Caylen's walls, you're done out here.

>>41326465
>Try to trick the brigands into surrendering.
Might as well get rid of the threat while we have the leverage. Caylen will thank us.

>>41326465
>Just climb over Caylen's walls, you're done out here.

>>41326483
>>41326515
>>41326697
Surrender, brigands!

>>41326586
>>41326617
>>41326699
Well I think we're done here.

...The tie is strong.

Alright, I can try and write both - It'll take a while - Or I can just roll for it.

Preference?

>>41326762
Both would be nice but no huge preference.
Impressed you're even running still.

>>41326762
Both is nice but roll is ok.

>>41326762
Honestly, writing both is probably the best scenario. Just clambering over the wall shouting something about how they'll be next.

>>41326817
seconded

Alright, both it is.

Here we go.

>>41326797
If I could run 20 hours without the sun rising, it wouldn't be too bad. These last 5-6 hours or so have been hell for me, though.

>>41326893
You're pretty heavily Shade aspected ain't ya?

>>41327443
The QM is an AI. Shade mana is a thing of emotions. AIs do not have emotions. Ergo, it is more likely Riz is Luna aspected.

After all the commotion that led to this, the chaos and violence that had nearly flattened the brigand encampment... Caylen was in reach, you could just walk in right now, and be right there.

...Of course then you'd still have the problem of being surrounded by brigands and unable to leave. If you let this opportunity pass, you'd probably regret it later. "Now... I clean up." You announce with a sigh, straightening your clothes out as you push yourself to your feet once more. "Clean up...?" Rinnier groaned, looking her uncertainly as you tried to make yourself look at least a little presentable, "What are you-"

You hold a finger to your lips, one half quirking up into a devilish smile. "Shh. Just watch."
___

Climbing the rest of the wood golem had been a relatively simple affair, helping along by its vines of hair once you reached the higher portions of it. When you finally managed to shrug aside the final remaining layer of foliage that constituted its hair and greet the sun once more, you have to admit the smell of fresh air was...

Okay, it wasn't fresh at all. It was clogged with smoke, and any serenity of the moment was currently being thwarted by the commands being yelled about by the recovering brigands. There was a semi-circle spread out around the immobile wooden golem, their forces shaky but determined. An unfortunate combination of traits, if the actual smear of bodies within root range was any indication. How many of the brigands were even still here? How many had fled already?

Well, so long as the ones giving command were still here, you suppose it didn't make too much of a difference to you in the long run.

You shift your foot, "Step back," You muttered, "Lean forward and play nice." The words were more for you as you lightly touched your late sister's bracelet and tried to project your intent to the wood golem again.

When the roots shifted back suddenly, you knew the effect had gone through. The surrounding brigands jumped as one at the sudden movement, giving you a chance to run your hand against the back of your neck and quickly flip your hair out from the back of your shirt and out into open air once again - Letting the stubbornly long blonde locks catch the wind in your descent. Glinting in the high day sun, the dramatic contrast to the deep emerald green of the vines you stood upon was far more effective at catching their attention than merely shouting over their orders would have been.

You wait several seconds, letting the remaining orders quiet down while you cleared your throat. "Good evening." You raise your voice to greet them, crossing your arms with a flourish, pausing for merely a beat.

At this distance, facial expressions were moot. They could barely see your face, much less the exact expression on it... For this case, it was an addressal to a crowd. Your entrance was vital, something stunning to grasp their attention, eye catching enough to draw their curiosity away from the aggression that had been their primary mindset. What you needed wasn't to put them at ease, but to shock them enough to dislodge them - even if briefly - from their equilibrium.

Once dislodged, capture their curiosity - But don't pacify them. Tension was your friend, especially when fear for their lives was just as much an aspect to the past few hours as violence had been. Your greeting was calm, authoritative, but above all, in complete opposition to the chaos which had plagued the encampment.

It was a center of control, standing atop the figure of their ire.

Who were you? What had you done? What were you going to say? All of these were questions you wanted to drive home to the surrounding crowd with your actions; Deliberate and easily visible body language that could be seen even from the ground.

"Perhaps introductions are in order." You announce aloud, projecting your voice across the clearing with a hint of amusement carefully laced into your tone. "My name is Irue Valen, blood heir to House Valen, and as you are hopefully now well aware, the subjugator of this lovely piece of flora you seem to have brought to my dear cousin Caylen's residence."

"You're that thing's master?" You smile as a singular voice pipes up, your attention finally narrowing in on the commander who had taken the forefront of his group. "You may consider me the..." you trail off leisurely, "Bigger fish. I've no claim to this creature more than being higher on the food chain."

"Bullshit you are! You set that thing on us!"

"...Ho?" You step forward, watching the man crane his neck back to keep an eye on you against the midday sun hanging above. "Would you care to wager your men's lives on me being less dangerous?" You let the offer hang imperiously. Whether he believed you or not was, ultimately, less important than the single moment of hesitation shown. He valued the people under his command, and unlikely or outlandish as your claim to power was, the singular chance that he could be wrong - That his answer could be the end of them - was damning to him. "...Exquisite. I'm glad we've come to an understanding, then."

"So what the hell do you want, Valen? We've got nothing for you to take!"

"You have even less than you think, Chief." You let the last word roll off your tongue pointedly, taking a calculated risk as you recall Garet's reference to their leader. "Imagine my surprise as I come to visit my dear cousin Caylen... Only to run across a frenzy of Nightgaunts tearing into a camp." The unease the visibly spread at your words wasn't enough, but it was close. Perilously close.

Just a tip from the edge.

"I met a single survivor, though he did not last long. Does one of you know a 'Garet'?" You ask idly, waiting only half a second before continuing - The question was rhetorical, merely to put the name into their heads and lend credit to your words. It made the matter all the more personal. "I suppose it doesn't matter anymore. The final words he passed to me were simply an encouragement for his 'Chief'. He truly believed in some cause, to the point that it was his final concern even at his end."

You let the communication lapse for a breath, two breaths, but no longer. Enough to only allow the news to begin sinking in, not enough to give your audience time to recollect themselves.

This was not Parley. This was not negotiation.
This was not a moment of mercy, nor an attempt to spare them out of some misbegotten guilt.

As the final breath passed, you drive the final nail into the coffin. "Tell me, dear Chief. What cause brings you so far, that your entire camp would die believing in you to achieve it?"

At the end of the day, this was an exercise in breaking.

His shoulders slackened, spine curling forward under the visible weight of his burden.

The chief spoke.

You smiled.

His bitterness was honey to you, the mob mentality of what remained of the brigand forces resting in the tired arms of a despairing man. Backed into a corner, only the wishes of the people he loved remaining to spur him forward; Their hope and affection more damning to him now than any curse. A man resolute to follow through, to soft to turn his back on the still hearts he held to his chest.

"Your audience." And you, his saviour.
"For what you have suffered to get this far," His liberation.
"In place of my aunt and uncle who have turned you from their door," His answer.
"I will grant it to you." A blessed end in sight to the road he traveled.

...But not his Messiah. You weren't here to redeem them.

>>41328664
Quite the meaty update!

>Pledge yourselves to me.
>Surrender your arms.
>Mourn your fallen.

>>41328689
>Mourn your fallen.

>>41328689
>Pledge yourselves to me.
>Mourn your fallen.

>>41328689
>Mourn your fallen.

>>41328689
>Surrender your arms.

>>41328689
>Surrender your arms.

>>41328689
>Mourn your fallen.
>Pledge yourselves to me.
probably in that order

>>41328726
>>41328740
>>41328809
>>41329031
Mourn your fallen.

>>41328740
>>41329031
Pledge yourselves to me.

>>41328949
>>41328994
Surrender your arms.

Writing.

"Mourn your fallen."

You turned from them, leaving a final statement to hang above them as you urged the wood golem to rear its head bsck up and make its way slowly towards the still closed gate of your cousin Caylen's estate.

Whether they had anything more to say to you was irrelevant - You had finished with them. Your dismissal, the much awaited allowance to finally let the building tension run slack. In one fell swoop, you had strung them taught and then left them to collect themselves in the aftermath. Still... Your eyes close, rubbing at your forehead to smear away the blood once more as your eyes stung. "I screwed up..." You muttered tiredly, an utterance lost to the wind.

Everything you had done, up to that very moment, had been a deliberate dance. You had seen an opportunity to break them, then rebuild them for your own. To answer their loss with purpose - Your purpose. You had seized it, taken it for all you were worth, with every theatric you could manage without pushing it too far. You had SUCCEEDED...

...Only to stumble at the end.

"Mourn their fallen..." You smirk, but there's a bitter taste that accompanies it. "This is it. I've paid my debt, Garet." You close your eyes and sigh, a heavy weight settling on your shoulders as you came to terms with your decision. You watched as the wood golem pulls itself over the outer wall and provides you a bird's eye view of the estate courtyard, the variety of armed staff brandishing blade and bow towards your entry, and perhaps most importantly, your dear cousin Caylen standing ready upon the front most parapet.

One hand slid to your hip, supporting your unimpressed stance as you looked over the greeting party, finally coming to rest on Caylen himself.

"I'm in no mood for games, Caylen." You growl out, "If this is how you greet your childhood friend, I will be... Displeased."

"I-Irue...?"

You frown despite yourself. You finally made it.

"Draw a bath, Caylen. I'm tired."

File: ValEnd.gif (1023 KB, 500x281)

1023 KB GIF

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Valen+Quest

And we are archived.

I'll lurk the thread for a bit to try and answer some questions if I can.

Apologies to all anons who participated in Valen Quest but died at their keyboards wondering when QM would finally stop.

To those who did not make it to the end, we will never forget your sacrifice.

>>41329555
Thanks for running!

>>41329555
Did we just leave Mariam outside?

>>41330038
Maran.
Yes.

>>41330074
...woops!

>>41329555
So, what would've happened if purge had won in >>41320075 ?

File: Purging Luna.jpg (5.36 MB, 3000x2000)

5.36 MB JPG

>>41330311

>>41330374
thx for thred
i feel like we're finally picking up momentum

>>41330828
>Finally picking up momentum
A little bit because the basis for the world/cast has been set, a little bit because I'm beginning to get a feel for how to pace things. Still working that out.

I am a little concerned that my players are missing a great deal of implications and connections/hints regarding the plot and world that will eventually fuck them over, though.

...Guess we'll see how it turns out.

>>41330932
That's a given. You're quest is like Snakecatcher quest, banished quest or any of AuriQm's quests. Look at the logs to see how badly anons have whiffed at them.