>>44115078
You sit in your hut surveying your creation. Hiss had left to get some sleep, leaving only a kiss and a sharp reminder to make more Serpentbanes and you had quickly hustled Eva II inside before anyone could see. She’d (It?) followed you wordlessly and without trouble.

Outside your window, the night is dark and the moon is waning.

Eva II sits on the floor, having stolen a living corpse for its host. But already the young woman seems to be changing, her skin a far paler shade than it has any right to be. You can see through it, spying individual veins and sheaths of muscle. She stares at you, her eyes perfect circles with black sclera and nothing else.
Who are you?

Zigzag snores in the corner, drugged and oblivious to what is going on. You’ve claimed her as your assistant but so far she’s only been good for reagents and eating your creations while you slept. She’s absolutely filthy.


>Attempt to communicate with Eva II

>Show them your lab.

>Wake Zigzag up.

>Brew.

>Get somebody else’s help (Specify)

>Make a wish (Specify)

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>44115086
>Attempt to communicate with Eva II
We could probably use a bloodkin to communicate directly. Or use wordtheft on her to learn her strange language temporarily.

>>44115086
>>Attempt to communicate with Eva II

>>44115086
>Attempt to communicate with Eva II

>>44115086
>Attempt to communicate with Eva II
Say Hi.
Ask if she has any memories, our, Hiss' Zigzag's, the corpse's, etc.
Ask how can she understand us
Ask her how she feels

>>44115086
>>Attempt to communicate with Eva II

>>44115086
>Attempt to communicate with Eva II
She should be like a newborn right? How does she know whatever language she's speaking and how to walk/ do anything?

>>44115117
I'd rather use wordtheft to avoid creeping her out by becoming a voice in her head

>>44115086
Communicate.

> I'm your dad. The sleeping snake is your mother. Sort of. We didn't have sex.

> I'm very happy to meet you Eva.

Then wake ZigZag up and tell her she has to take responsibility for getting you pregnant.

Also welcome back!

>>44115086
>>Attempt to communicate with Eva II
i guess cennan doesn't know about spoiler tags

possibly let her wordtheft zigzag if that's fruitless

>Attempt to communicate with Eva II

You stare at Eva a little more, trying to catch even a little bit of body language you could understand. But she's completely still, like a snake in a human body for the first time. When she moves she does so in little bursts of hyperactive motion.
She's talking but you can't understand her. The teeth inside her mouth are sweating, a slurry of semi-liquid enamel.
Why?

There it is again, that babbling. There's almost an order to it. But what kind of language could she possibly know? Actually, how does it know how to walk in the first place?
If it is a real language you could use your Wordtheft to gain an understanding of it but that would deprive her of being able to speak for the duration. Not much use there. You'd have to get someone else to donate their language to her.
"Hello? Can you understand me? My name is Cennen."

What?

"I sort of created you. If you can understand me, that is."

Who are you?

You have no idea if you are getting through or not, the homunculus remains motionless. They're not even blinking.
Actually, do they even have eyelids left?

Eva opens its mouth, exposing gleaming plates of fused teeth. They've stopped dissolving, her gums coated in them.
Help

This doesn't seem to be going anywhere.


>Have Zigzag donate her ability to speak to Eva.

>Try the Bloodlink.

>Use some Dream Oil.

>Touch the homunculus.

>Just keep talking to it, maybe it learns.

>Other (Specify)

>>44115479
>Use some Dream Oil.
Spooky time

>>44115479

>>44115479
>Have Zigzag donate her ability to speak to Eva.

Not like she sues it

>>44115479
>Try the Bloodlink.

>>44115479
>Try the Bloodlink.
I wonder what would happen if we used a bloodkin brew linked to us while creating the soul?

>>44115479
>Touch the homunculus.
>Just keep talking to it, maybe it learns.

>>44115479
>Try the Bloodlink.

>>44115479
>>Have Zigzag donate her ability to speak to Eva.
bloodlink is going to have be a last resort because this is pretty spooksvill

>>44115479
I'm not sure I understand what's happened to her teeth. Also, dont physical changes due to magic overload usually make it easier for your body to handle that magic? These changes seem less purposeful

File: hissyfit.gif (853 KB, 346x313)

853 KB GIF

Calling it for the Bloodlink. Writan'

>>44115705
>Hissyfit
kek

>>44115690
Yeah she's filled with soul magic so are these changes making her more soul-like somehow? The Duke became more like a forest and the Snakecatcher became more like a snake for his snake arts.

>Try the Bloodkin

You set your pack down and rummage through it, locating the bottle of Bloodkin quite quickly. This should establish a mental link between the two of you but is it alright to use this with your Bane? Hiss certainly didn't like it.
But maybe it'll be different with her. You're not sure if you want to thaw yourself just yet.

You look up and nearly jump back, startled as Eva is now sitting right next to you. You didn't even see her move. It's hard to tell just what she's looking at without pupils or irises but you think she's focused on the bottle in your hand.
Contains blood. Yours and hers. Ingredient substitution for lesser reagents. Powerful. A link?

She tries to grab the bottle out of your hands and you lean away. She is undeterred, ignoring you entirely and instead looking into your pack.
Ingredient substitution. Elemental substitution. Acidic. Ingredient substitution. Scales? Explosive? Ingredient substitution. Art. What is this one?

You yank the pack away from her and she returns to her frozen state.
Why?
What is she muttering? Maybe it doesn't mean anything at all. But still, that was an interesting reaction. Her ONLY reaction thus far.

>Try to feed her the Bloodkin.

>Give her the Bloodkin.

>Show her your pack again.

>Give her a potion (Specify)

>Brew

>Other

>>44115944
>Give her the Bloodkin.

>>44115944
>>Show her your pack again.
you like alchemy?

>>44115944
>Give her the Bloodkin.
Alchemy assistant acquired?

>>44115479
>>Try the Bloodlink.

Jeepers, I hope she isn't hurting. What is with the dissolving teeth anyways?

>>44115944
>Give her the Bloodkin.
I'm getting spooked

>>44115944

Fuck, let's go with wordtheft. That whole bane thing freaks me out. Or let's at least be prepared to break the bloodlink if it does hurt Eva.

>>44115944
>Give her the Bloodkin.
drink a bit first and indicate that she do the same. her soul should be protected from our bane due to her soul guise. did we really create a sentient identification brew?

Calling it for giving her the Bloodkin.

In lieu of a gif, have a video depicting the nobbling of Hiss' real-life visual inspiration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pCzh9OzpFg

>>44116135
>If Cennen was a hunter

>>44116135
we can only dream to achieve such a mastery of snake nobbling

>Give her the Bloodkin.

Does Eva recognize the potions? It certainly seems interested in them. Can one creation of alchemy recognize another? You suppose that when you think about it, these brews might be the closest thing the homunculus has to kin.
It couldn't hurt, could it?

You hold the Bloodkin out, letting them snatch the bottle from your hands.
Link? Link. A melding. Who?
The homunculus seems to sniff at it, muttering nonsense words beneath its breath. It uncorks the top and sips just a little.

Then she sets the bottle down. Is it offering it to you?
I will need your blood.


>Drink the Bloodkin.

>Offer it a different potion. (Specify)

>This is starting to make you uneasy. Maybe you should leave and get some fresh air for a moment.

>Show it how to brew.

> Other

>>44116290
>>Drink the Bloodkin.

What could go wrong?

>>44116290
>Drink the Bloodkin.
nothing ventured nothing gained

>>44116290
>Drink the Bloodkin.

>>44116290
>>Drink the Bloodkin.

>>44116290
> All these "are you sure" flags.

Re-iterating that we should be prepared to break the alchemy if needed. Maybe brew up a quick dispel potion?

But fuck it, I figure if she can see potions than she can also see our bane.

>>44116290
>Drink the Bloodkin.
drink soulguise first just to be safe

>>44116290
>>Drink the Bloodkin.

>>44116290
>>44116337
We should have a way to break the bond at hand

>>44116358
Probably a good call.

>>44116358
I might just be immature but I think it's kinda funny that we invented what essentially amounts to a soul condom

>>44116290
Third/fourthing >>44116358

>Drink the Bloodkin.

That's it, you're going to do it. You'll never know otherwise! But that doesn't mean you're not going to take precautions. You find your bottle of Soul Guise and drink it first, wreathing yourself in the protection of a false soul before establishing the link.
And then you pick up the Bloodkin and drink it, trying not to taste it.

That should do it, a direct tether leading from the artificial soul of the homunculus to the fake soul wrapped around you. And yet you don't feel any different.

Eva opens her grotesque mouth and speaks.
"Who are you?"

You feel a little sick.

>Introduce yourself as her creator.

>Introduce yourself as just an alchemist.

>Ask her the same question.

>"Do you recognize this potion?"

>"What do you see?"

>Die

>Other

>>44116513
>>"What do you see?"

>> I'm your Dad. It's very good to meet you.

>>44116513
>"What do you see?"
>I alchemized your soul up with Zigzag's blood and my art.

I wonder if we should talk to Hiss about our whole deal with the Empress and making her a body, and whatnot.

>>44116513
>Introduce yourself as her creator.
>Ask her the same question.
>"What do you see?"
Be ready to drink a dispel brew if we start feeling totally awful.

>>44116481
I think condoms haven't been invented yet, but when they are, they'll be advertised as dick soulguards

>>44116613
this

>>44116513
>"What do you see?"

>Ask her the same question.

>>44116513
>>Introduce yourself as just an alchemist.
>>Ask her the same question.

>>44116613
Seconding this. I'm a little worried about that die option

>Introduce yourself as her creator
>Ask her the same question
>"What do you see?"

You pat through your pack, making sure that a Dispel Elixir is near the top. You're not sure you like how you're feeling.
The night grows darker. The moon is gone.

"I'm your creator, I guess. Partially. I brewed you. What are you?"

"I don't know the answer to that."

"Really? Your name is Eva. Does that ring a bell?"

"I am a hole in the world."

"Uh...okay."
You're sweating a lot for some reason, you feel rather clammy.
"What about this hole? What do you see?"

"The origin. Would you like me to show it to you?"

A hand is extended, trying to touch you. The colors of your vision briefly invert before settling back to normal as you regard her.

>Take it.

>Push her away.

>Flee

>"Maybe later. Can you just tell me what you said?"

>Die

>Die

>Other

>>44116618
I'm not sure when it started but sheep intestines were used to make condoms a very long time ago.

>>44116825
>Take it.
HAHAHAHA

>>44116825
Drink that dispel brew pronto. Then
>Take it.

>>44116825
>"Maybe later. Can you just tell me what you said?"

>>44116825
>>Take it.

Bend over.

>>44116825
>Take it.
DRINK DAT DISPEL FIRST

>>44116825
>>Take it.
>Die

>>44116825
>"Maybe later. Can you just tell me what you said?"
Death is creeping trough our options, do we dare to gamble with it?

>>44116825

Hiss is going to shed her scales when we tell her we've found out how to kill God and get revenge on the creator.

I feel like we should tell her this away from the other snakes.

>>44116825
>Take it.
Shit, so she has alchemy-related and soul-related natural magic. I wonder if we can get any useful reagents from her.

>>44116978
She might be the key to making soul brews without snake blood.

>Take it.

You consider drinking your Dispel Elixir first but you can't do that, it'll break whatever connection she has to you.
The homunculus is creeping across the link, seeping through it like water.

You take their hand and their skin is suddenly permeable, your hand sliding up her arm as if it wasn't there.
The world disappears and you find yourself stranded in a spider's web of sparking threads suspended through out the void.

There are so many of them, each one ground itself in nothing and whirling back to a central point. There are some that end in...you, a dozen strands all winding directly through your chest, ending in some invisible spool in your heart.

You're pretty sure you're not actually here right now, you haven't been physically transported anywhere. This is just a delusion, a living metaphor. But one other thought keeps bothering you.
If this is a web, where are the spiders?

>I would like to go home now please.

>Climb on to the central point.

>Investigate the threads.

>Die

>Die

>Die

>Other

>>44117175
>>Investigate the threads.

>>44117175
>>Investigate the threads.
assuming ouro sticks to the number seven we got one more chance to look around after this

>>44117175
>Climb on to the central point.

>>44117175
>Climb on to the central point.
Let's not waste time here, pretty soon our only option will be >Die

>>44117175
>Climb on to the central point.

Yeah I guess we shouldn't waste any time.

>>44117175
>Investigate the threads.
We're going to fucking DIE, Zigzag should be starting to freak out right about now

Do they look like the thread godhiss had around our heart?

>>44117175
>I would like to go home now please.
What the fuck did we create bros

>>44117289
Something terrible. Or wonderful. Could be either at this point.

>>44117273
I bet godhiss would be very interested in our homunculi since she's basically the anti-creator

>>44117338
Cennan's been on a bit of a terrible streak lately. I'll try to stay optimistic though.

>>44117273
Nope. Snake oil prevents any wishbond protection since she's completely out of it.

>>44117175
>>Investigate the threads.
then
>Climb on to the central point.

>>44117367
We neglected one Hiss' errand to work on the other Hiss' errand.
At least one of them is happy

>>44117412
I'm not sure why I never considered this but maybe godHiss is actually in Eva already?

Jesus 3 spooky 5 me. I'm just gonna sit this one out.

>Investigate the threads.
>Climb on to the central point.

You don't move for a time, tracing the web around you with your eyes. It is not silk but light and you have a feeling that it might be something else entirely, light being the only means for your mind to perceive it.

It tangles around you, each thread stabbing through your skin seamlessly and without pain. It winds in and out as you breathe.

As you inspect the threads, you begin to spy knots within the web. You can't see anyone else entangled as you are but you see their shadows, innumerable invisible things that the threads lead in and out of. Their strands are different then your own and in a way you cannot fathom.
And in the far distance you spot your first spider, as invisible as the rest, a nexus of threads that actually moves. It picks its way across the strands, every kind of thread serving it.

You feel very ill. You are wasting time. You begin to climb.

You are climbing without climbing, moving without straying from your ordained spot within the web. The free movement of the spider is forever denied you.
And yet you grow closer to the center all the same.

The web spirals inwards infinitely and yet all the same you can see the exit, a tunnel of threads meeting in a single dense point. But you can't really see it. Rather, you see THROUGH it. There's something on the other side that you can't understand and this is but a hole in the world opening into it. The thing within trembles and for a moment the entire web shakes.

Whatever it is, you know that it is a mistake. A metaphysical gallstone of some impossibly great monster, eventually ejected and discarded. And the entire world has wrapped around it.

>Touch it.

>Die

>Die

>Die

>Die

>Die

>Flee

>>44117578
>Touch it.

>>44117578
>Touch it.

>>44117578
>Touch it.
welp we had a good run guys

>>44117578
>Touch it.
here's hoping that this is the >Live option

>>44117578
>>Touch it.
It's a gigantic monster beyond comprehension buried at the core of existence. Of course we touch it.
We've gone throuigh a lot of changes in this quest. A long journey from a humble peasant all the way to master alchemist and consort of the Snek Queen. And now, finally, we have officially become Steve Irwin.

>>44117705
Let's hope this metaphorical hole isn't actually a metaphorical stringray

File: weaver.jpg (31 KB, 736x524)

31 KB JPG

>>44117578
>Touch it.
Creation?

>Inb4 we find one of these

>>44117730
>making steve irwin death jokes in an aussie's thread
over the line

>>44117578
>Touch it.

So are we just so broken by what Hiss is doing that we're suicidal now? Or apathetic about death?

>>44118044
uhh... no. we're just about to be killed by exposure to the homunculus soul.

>>44118044
>implying we won't foil her plans with our army of homunculi
just playing the long con, senpai

>>44118044
We're seeing how far we can go in our quest for SCIENCE

>Touch it.

It makes you feel very ill but fuck it, you're not running away. You're just going to reach out and stick your hand in it.

The hole grows, filling your vision and you try desperately to shut your eyes as your mind is struck with information. Most of it you can't understand, a constant roar of ideas that are quite frankly, beyond you.

It's not alive. Is it an egg? No, your earlier comparison to a gallstone was more accurate. Something that had been irritating and painful and ultimately ejected.
The web is extruded from it, a by-product. No, more of a siphon. The constant venting of the excess energy that made it painful to possess in the first place. The countless threads are funneling it and spinning it out without disaster.

You can see the entire thing breathe and unravel before your eyes. It has had many hosts but it was a long time before there was anything numerous enough to keep it spent.

You see it being thrown to the world from Without, a nest of spiders placed inside of it. It was first suppressed underneath a suffocating blanket of power, something that overlaid the entire world. It didn't take long for its threads to begin to latch onto things, a variety of invisible shadows. Each one powerful, each one stupid.

There was not enough and so it remained suffocated but in the end, it found a new source to ply a thousand threads. A million threads.
And the spiders rejoiced and ran into the world riding bodies not their own and in time the suffocation lifted, the web large enough to funnel itself.

You have not been the first person here. Nor the last. People have come here before and in ways much more physical than you. You see hands through time beside your own, most burning and wasting away but a few that reach out, touch the heart and draw back with a fistful of new power in their hands.
And in each way, the web grows more varied and the spiders become stronger.

1/2

>>44118044
it'd be a bit irresponsible to make homunculi without doing what it takes to learn about them right?

>>44118126
Fucking Wizards. They're artificial people riding bodies and we just made a pure one.

>>44118126
>You have not been the first person here. Nor the last. People have come here before and in ways much more physical than you. You see hands through time beside your own, most burning and wasting away but a few that reach out, touch the heart and draw back with a fistful of new power in their hands.
Fuck yeah, finally learned the secret of wizardry

>>44118126
You don't think this is inside Eva, its bigger than her. You see what she sees. But why does she see this? Actually, why does she see anything at all? She's smart, she knows how to walk and talk. And she doesn't speak your language, it's not a method gained from the corpse she was placed in. She couldn't drag anything from that anyway, its soul had been eaten.
She is blood and Art and Art alone. So where did she come from?

Your vision warps back to the web and you suddenly find a spider squatting before you. It's invisible and has no threads woven around it like the last one you saw, this one has never known the real world. There are babies riding atop its shadowy back and a single long thread spooling from it back to the hole at the heart.
It pushes you back and you become very cold.

>...

>>44118191
>...

Fuck off spider we're frozen!

Interlude -1

You are sitting in a hut.

Your creator has passed out.

Your blood-mother is in a similar state of unconsciousness.

You are a hole in the world but other people call you Eva. Or maybe Eva II? You can't understand them.

The link between you and your creator has been broken. You really like the brew that made it. You want to make more but you need blood. Yours is not enough.

>Obtain blood

>Rummage through pack

>Attempt to wake creator

>Attempt to wake mother

>Explore

>>44118191
>...
the dreaded POV switch indication

>>44118191
SPIRIT BANE

We should see if our Homonculus is a spider. Or, you know

> Die

>>44118284
>>Attempt to wake creator
then
>Attempt to wake mother

>>44118284
>Rummage through pack

>>44118284
>Rummage through pack

>>44118284
>Attempt to wake creator
>Attempt to wake mother

>>44118284
>Rummage through pack

>zigzag is the mother
oh fuck hiss is gonna be so pissed

>>44118284
>Rummage through pack

>>44118284
>Rummage through pack
>Attempt to wake creator
>Attempt to wake mother

>>44118284
>>Attempt to wake creator
Mother will attempt to consume us. We should not bother her.

>Rummage through pack

Now that your creator is unconscious, he is no longer there to obstruct you from viewing the interior of his pack. There is a lot of Art in there.

You pull the pack out of his hands and start to go through it. There's a lot of blood in here, none of it your creators. It's special blood too. What is it? Where is it from?

Your creator is a fan of ingredient substitution but what he doesn't substitute is strange. Blood from an unknown source, magical scales, the skin of something foreign. And venom!
You do not like to touch the bottles that contain the venom as an ingredient. You can feel it coiling within, malevolence and conquest. You would not like to meet the creature that this venom came from.

The woman smells like the blood and the scales and the snakeskin but not like the venom. She has a lot of Art in her, different from your creators. She is compromised, you can smell a brew inside her. It's made from her own scales. Incestuous.
You don't see any scales on her though?

Your creator only smells of the blood-brew and his own Art, one that matches you. Fire stolen from the gods long ago.
He has something else in him, something repugnant and awful. Like the woman but mixed with the venom to become something terrifying.

You decide that you really do not wish to meet that thing.

You turn back to the potions, your bottled brothers and sisters. This own dowses Art, this one inspires obsession. This one reduces and this one grows. There are many to do with the soul.
You do not understand why anyone would want some of these but it fills you with inspiration all the same.

>Brew

>Drink a potion (Specify)

>Drink a random potion.

>Feed a potion to your creator (Specify)

>Feed a potion to your blood mother (Specify)

>Destroy potion (Specify)

>Leave

>Other

>>44118721
>Brew
Our true calling!

>>44118721
>Brew
>Eva has entered a fell mood she is truly Cennen's daughter.

>>44118721
>>Brew
...daww. Our little abomination. Brewing her first potion.
They grow up so fast.

>>44118721
>Brew

>>44118721
Who's the woman she's referring to? Zigzag?

>>44118721
>Drink a soulsight and look around a bit
>Brew

>>44118843
Yes.

>>44118721
>Brew
Brew to help

>>44118721
>Brew
guys I'm so happy our unholy abomination daughter is nice and loves brewing.

>>44118721
>Brew

>>44118885
Good thing we didnt choose "Obtain blood"

>>44118904
Showing her a brew with our own blood as an ingredient was a questionable choice. I'm curious about that fact that her own wouldn't work, that must mean that it has completely different alchemical qualities

>>44118721
>Brew

>Brew

You find a cauldron that should help. The pack doesn't have very many ingredients in it but that should not be a problem for you.
You find a waterskin and use it, requiring a fire substitution. You feel your thread wind as you brew.

It is your turn to create.

Your first task is to copy the first potion you saw in the pack, a basic (but not actually basic ahahaha) acid. It doesn't take you long.
You decide not to bottle it and instead pour it on the ground, letting it etch markings and give off alchemical fumes.

You make a second acid, stronger than the first. But now you are uncertain on what to do with it. How is this acid different from you? You are both creations of alchemical Art, something that was bottled until it was time to be set free.
A minor difference in ingredients but you fail to see how you are different from this acid. Or indeed any of the potions within your creator's pack.

>Drink the acid

>Let your child go.

>Free all of the potions.

>Continue brewing. You want to replicate a potion (Specify)

>Wake creator

>Wake blood mother.

>Explore

>>44119083
>Wake creator
maybe he can explain?

>>44119083
>>Wake creator

>>44119083
>Wake creator

>>44119083
>Free all of the potions.

FLY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! BE! EXIST! YOU CANT TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I WISH YOU NEVER CREATED ME!

>>44119083
>Wake creator

Hm I should have figured she could only replicate potions she's seen, despite her natural talent for brewing.

Hopefully we won't need a potion to help wake Cennan...

>>44119083
>drink soulsight instead

>>44119153
The Acid could probably do it.

>>44119083
>>Wake creator
He should know of his acidic grandchild.

>>44119156
Drugs are bad m'kay.

>>44119083
>>Wake creator

>>44119083
> Wake creator

Ask for hugs to reaffirm we are a person and not a brew.

>Wake creator

You wake with a start from your strange dream, finding yourself lying in the hut just as you were before. Eva is bent right over you, blank black eyes staring.
You scramble away from her, resisting the urge to push her away.

Your name is Cennen and it mostly always has been.

You can't help but notice that your pack has been opened, the cauldron is steaming and the air is filled with the smell of acid.
The cauldron is filled with a clear fluid that looks very much like acid.
Eva looks at it and then looks at you.
What is this?

"What was all of that? What did you show me? What did it mean?"

What am I?
What differentiates one brew from another?
Help

She's mumbling again, nonsense words. You're no longer sure if they mean anything at all. You don't understand what you saw but you know something for sure.
Eva II is an abomination. Something like the Snakecatcher, a creature not meant to exist.

"So uh...you can brew. That's great."

I cannot understand you.

>Brew something in front of her (Specify)

>Tell her to leave you alone for now.

>Indicate to her her that you want her to brew Serpentbanes.

>Touch homunculus.

>Wake Zigzag.

>Actually you could use some sleep yourself, it's still so late.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>44119400
>>Touch homunculus.
>Brew something in front of her (Specify)
Wordtheft use it on Zigzag

>>44119400
>>44119443
This, though we need someone to take the words from

>>44119400
>Wake Zigzag.
Give her a wordtheft so we can speak with Eva

>>44119443
>>44119455
seconding

>>44119400
>Wake Zigzag.
Wordtheft. Let's help Eva through this existential crisis.

>>44119083
>>Explore

>>44119400
>>Actually you could use some sleep yourself, it's still so late.

>>44119400
>Touch homunculus.
I don't really understand why her skin, eyes, and teeth changed, let's check them out

>>44119400
> Give hugs

If that doesn't work, steal ziggy words

>>44119400
What is Hiss her mother or Zigzag?

>Wake Zigzag
>Use Wordtheft Elixir

You're not sure what Eva wants and you're damn sure you don't want to link with her again. Luckily you have other alternatives.

Keeping one eye on the homunculus, you creep over to Zigzag and wake her up. She opens her eyes blearily, still drugged into a stupor but beginning to come down.
You offer her the mouth of the Wordtheft bottle and she instinctively gnaws at it, letting you pour it down her throat. It's not very difficult to get Zigzag to put something into her mouth after all.

You withdraw the bottle before she finishes, Zigzag groaning in what is only a faintly conscious way.
You pass the bottle to Eva who sniffs it before imbibing. That should pass Zigzag's grasp of language over to her.

Your suspicion is confirmed when Zigzag thrashes a little, suddenly wide awake. She tries to say something but cannot, only uttering nonsense words. And not like Eva was either, there's no hidden meaning. She cannot communicate in any meaningful way and she certainly doesn't look happy about it.

Eva gargles, eyes unblinking.
"What is this?"

"What is what?"

"This is acid. What is it?"

"Uh...acid. You just said so."

"How is it different from me?"

"Pardon?"

"A minor difference in ingredients is the only difference. Both spun Art. What am I that this acid is not?"

> "A bunch of snake blood and other assorted reagents, a stolen body and a larger quantity of magic."

> "You're a person. The acid isn't."

> "It's just a brew."

> "I don't know."

> "What was that? What did you show me?"

> "Where are you from?"

> "The acid isn't a horrific abomination."

> "You're my child."

> Other

>>44119821
Zigzag is her blood mother.

>>44119821
Zigzag. Due to the blood used to make the soulbirth brew coming from her.

>>44119826
>> "A bunch of snake blood and other assorted reagents, a stolen body and a larger quantity of magic."

>>44119826
>The acid lacks self awareness and the ability to choose. It does what it does because it was made to do so and have no alternative. You however can choose things, thus making you different.


> "What was that? What did you show me?"
> "Where are you from?"

>>44119826
> "You're my child."
> "You're a person. The acid isn't."
You're my ultimate creation. I gave you life with my Art and the blood of Zigzag here. These brews can't see or feel anything.

>>44119826
> "You're a person. The acid isn't."

> "You're my child."

>>44119400
>Eva II is an abomination
Don't say that Cennan you little shit, I refuse to let this opinion stand.

>Brew something in front of her (Wordtheft)

>>44119904
>>44119913
Hiss gonna be piiiisssed.

>>44119925
Woah no more phone posting that was hella delayed.

>>44119826
> "You're a person. The acid isn't."
> "You're my child."

>>44119826
> "You're a person. The acid isn't."
> "You are far more complex than acid, that's the difference"

>>44119826
> "You're my child."
You can think and feel and live. You're the greatest thing my art has created yet.

>>44119932
But she already congratulated us on being a father! I know sarcastically, thinking we could never love this thing, but dammit I'ma try.

>>44119826
> "You're my child."
> "You're a person. The acid isn't."
These other brews could never wonder what they are. That's part of what makes you so special.

>>44119826
You're asking questions. The acid isn't.

Just because the process is similar doesn't mean the results are.

Would you like a sister?

Also remember to give zigzag shit about how if she learned from souls instead of shredding them this wouldn't be a problem.

>>44119826
I think therefore I am

> "You're a person. The acid isn't."
> "You're my child."

You blink. What a stupid question.
"You're a person, the acid isn't. All of these other brews, they can't wonder what they are and neither can they think or feel or live. Just because you share the same process doesn't mean the results are the same. You are so much more special."

Eva looks back down at the acid.
"And is thinking good?"

"Eh?"

"What is the value in possessing consciousness and self-perception?"

"You uh, can do things. That you want to. And stuff. Isn't it obvious?"

"No."

"Well it is. And besides that, that acid will never be more than a simple process. You can be and are, so much more. You're my child."
You weird little freak.

"Are there others like me?"

"Not yet. But maybe soon-"

Zigzag writhes across the ground, doing her best to slither in a human body.

"Also I guess this thing is your mother? She's my assistant."

Zigzag looks like she's closing in to bite Eva.

>Pick Zigzag up.

>Brew more Snake Oil.

>Make a wish (Specify)

>Pull Eva back.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>44120336
>Make a wish (Specify)
Wish that Zigzag can never harm/eat Eva

>>44120336
>Pick Zigzag up.
Zigzag, no. Do I need to spend a wish to make you think and feel like a human? I really hate taking agency like that but I will. Also you're starting to smell, you need to bathe.

>>44120370
This. This is gonna be a recurring issue unless we burn a wish for it.

>>44120370
Might as well extend that wish to include all of our future homunculi just in case

>>44120336
>>Make a wish (Specify)
wish zigzags language abilities return

>>44120370
>>44120402
Why not make it extend to all our works unless we give permission then? Or make her think and feel like a human does?

>>44120370
Let's extend this to any more Evas we may create in the future.

>>44120370
This but she also has to protect her. I'm worried about the other snakes

>>44120336
>You weird little freak.
for fuck's sake cennen quit being shallow and take some pride in your creation.

>>44120336
>Pull Eva back.

File: thisishowitsdonemoron.gif (1.96 MB, 465x222)

1.96 MB GIF

>>44120336
>Make a wish (Specify)
"Don't eat any soul without my permission"

> doing her best to slither in a human body
She's so lovable in her own retarded way

>>44120336
"What is the value in possessing consciousness and self-perception?"

Being able to ask that question, for one. You get to choose what you do. Even if it isn't always easy. Even if you sometimes regret it. But making mistakes means you can grow, and do better, and learn .

And love.

>Make a wish

You sigh. You're not sure if she wants to eat her or if she's just feeling threatened because of the Wordtheft but this sort of behavior is not acceptable.
"Zigzag, I wish that you can never harm or eat Eva II or any of my homunculi and in fact, must protect her if you are able."

Zigzag stops moving, gazing up at Eva blankly. It must be strange for her not to want to eat something.

Eva doesn't even seem to have noticed her.
"What can I do?"


>Teach her all of your brews.

>No, just teach her one for now (Specify)

>Ask if she wants to brew many Serpentbanes.

>"That's up to you to decide."

>Ask her about what you saw.

>You're not great at this philosophy business, maybe you should hand her to someone else who'd like to talk about that stuff. (Oster/Aashenpreet/Hiss)

>Use Potion (Specify)

> Make a wish (Specify)

> Other

>>44120703
Well to start out you can be my first apprentice!
>No, just teach her one for now (Specify)
Serpentbane

>>44120703
>>"That's up to you to decide."
then
>Teach her all of your brews.
She gets to choose

>>44120703
>Ask her about what you saw.
>You're not great at this philosophy business, maybe you should hand her to someone else who'd like to talk about that stuf.(Oster/Aashenpreet/Hiss)
Aash, and let's hope she's cool with all this

>>44120703
You need to learn our language first. You can be my apprentice as well.
>Ask if she wants to brew many Serpentbanes.

>>44120703
>Ask her about what you saw.
Let's get an explanation before the wordtheft wears off

>>44120703

>"That's up to you to decide."
But if you want I will teach you what I can, deal?
>Ask her about what you saw.

>>44120703
Hugs

>>44120703
>Ask if she wants to brew many Serpentbanes.
We really need to get started on these

>>44120816
Lets not give her to aash to indoctrinate

>>44120703
>>"That's up to you to decide."
>>Ask her about what you saw.

>Ask her about what you saw.
>Serpentbanes

"You can tell me what the fuck that all was, first of all. What did I just see? What did you show me?"

"The hole in the heart of the world."

"Uhuh yeah thanks, that doesn't explain anything. What was it? What does it have to do with you?"

"It is Art and from where all Art stems. When you made me, you created a soul spun from Art with nothing proper to fill it. You stole me from the Art-heart before I was ever born."

"That still doesn't make a lot of sense."

"I cannot explain it any better. I am a hole spinning back to it, born and made of alchemy."

This is something you're going to have to think about a lot more. You'd ask Rock if she was still around but...you hope Rock is okay. And not sabotaging everything you're working towards.

"We can talk about it later I suppose. When we have some more common ground and understanding is easier."

"What can I do?"

An idea crawls into your head, remembering how disappointed Hiss had been with you.
"I might have something for you. Here, let me teach you how to make something called a Serpentbane..."

>>44121232
That's that for tonight I'm afraid. I didn't sleep much last night for reasons and I'd like to have a little rest before I go to work.
That's why I was updating so slowly too.

The thread has just been archived and I hope you all had fun. I will be running at the usual time tomorrow, there will probably be some small timeskips involved as we start kicking things into gear.

>>44121272
Thanks for running!

Oh and also 2 interludes maybe.

>>44121272
>gear kicking

thanks for running

>>44121272
Thanks for running man, see ya tomorrow

>>44121323
>[Worrying]

>>44121652
Maybe there will be a positive one, like Liss and Aina using our old books to survive by selling brews?
who am I kidding they'll both be depressing and foreboding

Interlude 33

A relatively small period of time ago:

Sotur burst into the room, slaves pushing the doors aside just in time for him to lever his bulk through. His mouth firmly pressed to prevent his traitor tongue from reliving curse-filled days of long campaigns, he eyed his most recent charge.
Oh, how he'd like to strangle the rude little whelp. But even a distant cousin-ship to the Godling King gave him luxury and prestige both and Sotur, for all the honor bestowed upon him for his service, was still just a Mosafir from conquered lands risen to glory through long decades of military service. His days of commanding armies were long behind him and here in the heart of Khepri, he was considered this boy's inferior.

He'd been assigned to watch over him and protect him but the boy was nothing but a wastrel who spurned his services and spent his time alone save for the company of books Sotur couldn't understand and a multitude of foreign drugs.

And for that Sotur had been happy for the lad's company was both irritating and unwelcome. He had tried his best to simply enjoy the luxuries of his new post, no matter how much it may resemble a hound upon a leash.
But he had heard the sound of some strange thunder or wizard's explosion from his study and was forced by duty to attend as quickly as he could, no matter the fact that his charge probably brought it upon himself.

And unfortunately the boy was fine, sitting upright upon his low-legged couch. A heady stench and smoke permeated the room, confirming Sotur's suspicions. More drugs and means to cloud the mind, even though the boy had often defended them as ways to seek some sort of truth beyond the world. Bah!
"Sotur! You're rather late upon the scene, are you not? And you reek of alcohol."

"Tolemy! What happened?"

Tolemy smiled, bandaging his burned hands. There was no source of fire that Sotur could discern.
"I think I will be fine."

>>44122071
aw shit. thought he died in an explosion. I wonder what he would think of our disturbing version of homunculi?

Okay now one that actually matters.

Interlude 2

The spirit drifted high upon the wind, the forest laid out beneath it. This world was still as the Creator had willed it and it was beautiful. If it had not known anything else, it could have stayed and watched it forever.

But Rock was cursed with knowledge beyond her station and had little idea on how to use it. She knew that beyond the facade of the forest's canopy was a spreading death, one communicated through the Duke and into the roots of the land itself. It would not be relatively long before this was nothing but another wasteland in a world that already had too many.

But more concerning was the thing at the forest's heart, the coiled serpent Queen. Hiss. Rock didn't know what to do about her. She didn't wish to interfere, it was not her place and against the Creator's edict but was it not a sin to simply stand by and let malevolence be worked upon the world? Surely the watcher of those deeds is as guilty as the wrong-doer themselves. There is no virtue in inaction.

But how could she intervene? The Creator had spoken and it was not meant for spirits to interfere with mortal affairs. And besides that, how could Hiss be struck down without hurting Cennen or Aashenpreet?

Faced with a dilemma she was incapable of solving and feeling extremely weary from so long without the Dream...Rock went home.

...

Bands of ochre shifted and bulged throughout the sky as the spirit returned to its mountain, to slink away into the depths and to ponder perhaps forever.
But it was not to be.

Blood-red hands grabbed at her and tore at her, a multitude of them. A creature of hands that was large and old and had been waiting for Rock's return.
-You have been very foolish to return here, allegiance-less one. I had thought you wise.-

-I did too. Once.-

>>44122199
Surely this isn't the original Tolemy. Right? The pastebin does say that he was long-lived...

>>44122222
Nice quints. Also it sucks how things turned out with Rock, but I was worried she would go around warning everyone about possible infiltration by snakes and turn it into a real war.

>>44122244
I think the references to godkings and Khepri without a new or an old attached means that this was Tolemy and the interlude took place a long time ago. Not sure what the point was though

>>44122317
Might just be because we recently performed one of Tolemy's legendary feats of alchemy when we created life.

>>44122297
>Implying the hole Cennen ripped in the dreaming and The Memories of the dead Spirit Rock won't convince the spirits to come attack Snakehome en masse.

>>44122360
I'm looking forward to it. I have a possibly crazy idea about putting some of that spirit killing acid into our next homunculus to see what happens.

>>44122222
Ah damn, that's really sad.

>>44122360
who even knows at this point, i just hope this isn't the last we see of rock.

>>44122596
Don't worry, Rock is still alive. He's just bent to the other spirit's will now or something. They can't die in the dreaming.

>>44122396
Yeah if possible we should give each one totally different skills and roles