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>>44162495
...and you know what, you're okay with this. Amy sleeps better with someone to cuddle with. She tries - sweet Ancestors, she tries - because she doesn't want to feel needy, or weak. But the half-harpy has bad dreams and bad nights, and you've sang her to sleep on more than one, reminding her that it's okay to cry.

They can have their moment.

You sit up, earning a glance from Nathan, but you shake your head and click your tongue softly for Fetch. The helmeted undead chicken knight hops into your lap, and you remove his tiny helmet so you can stroke his head with your finger. He streches and snuggles happily into you.

Looking around the camp, you catch Miranda's eye; the armored dwarf sits in a chair, patiently weaving together a chain-link net with a pair of pliers and the steadiest hands you've ever seen. You see black iron links, amidst the steel, and nod in approval - that'll pin the dead, amongst other things.

With you awake, Nathan drifts off to sleep. You make a pot of the rose hip tea and settle in to wait, thoughts drifting.

> "Shadows," Grandmother said, "are among the most useful of servants."
> "Names might not be sorcerous, girl, but they're definitely magical," your grandfather said gruffly.
> "Take cover," you shouted to the soldiers. "I've got this!"
> Quit with the flashback shit, Vox.

>>44162523
Your SOUL, ANON!

But nah it's cool, I understand about school. I just thirst for feedback and to know the minds of my readership. Thanks for reading and participating, anon.

>>44162725
Speaking of that, is fetch a recycled chicken soul, a fragment of our own soul, or some weird amalgamation of magic and our own life force?

> "Take cover," you shouted to the soldiers. "I've got this!"

>>44162725
>"Names might not be sorcerous, girl, but they're definitely magical," your grandfather said gruffly.
does amy lose anything if she gives the feather?

>>44162725
> "Shadows," Grandmother said, "are among the most useful of servants."

>>44162725
>> "Shadows," Grandmother said, "are among the most useful of servants."
>>44162784
thank YOU for running, Vox. I don't know what I expected from this quest, but I'm super glad I've stuck with it.

>>44162805
Not at all.

>>44162804
Closest to the third one. Fetch is sapient but dependant on Brianna to exist; he is separate from, but informed and defined by, her.

>>44162828
So waifuing him only counts as masturbation and not necrophilia! Good to know.

>>44162869
>That awkward moment when we subconsciously make Fetch a hot human body to occupy

>>44162725
> "Shadows," Grandmother said, "are among the most useful of servants."

>>44162869
You know, I've been pushing this OT3 thing pretty hard, but adding Fetch is a bit much, even for me.

>"Names might not be sorcerous, girl, but they're definitely magical," your grandfather said gruffly.

>>44162805
I don't think so. It's holy energies were already used to speed up her recuperation (at least physically speaking). We can probably just hand it to a leading cleric of the Rose Cult and they'll verify it as belonging to an angel.

>>44162725
>"Take cover." you shouted to the soldiers. "I've got this!"
I would've gone for the Shadows option, but it seems like we're going to be entering combat soon, and against competent foes with magical talent. We're gonna need to be able to hold our own.

Calling in four minutes.

>>44162869
Sir Fetch could never marry the Queen of Life and Death, his creator, O lady of the black feather. How could he, a mere knight, be worthy of such glory?

In any event he also couldn't ensure she passes on the family name, and Fetch is rather concerned about that.

>>44163097
our cock is very concerned out our intake of.... well, yeah

Called. Writing.

>>44163097
>ensure she passes on the family name, and Fetch is rather concerned about that.
Well looks like our failure will be shipping us with Nathan rather then Amy.

>>44163354
*familiar
Ser Fetch is most certainly not a failure.

>>44163354
Or both. And if they both take the family name, we can have twice as many little la Croixs running around!

Okay, I'll stop. For now.

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>>44162725
The smoke had stung your eyes.

This was to be your first major reanimation, and the first time you killed a man. Grandmother la Croix had made the arrangements months ahead of time, starting the moment the murderer had been convicted. She'd asked his victim - nevermind her death - to confirm his guilt, and the man sat in chains in her house, with the night down over the marsh and smoke burning from braziers.

"Shadows," Grandmother la Croix said, "are among the most useful servants. They are loyal, obedient, inventive, and difficult to kill. They may slip through small spaces and go places where you cannot. But each necromancer may only maintain one at a time. Your own shadow is an essential ingredient in its creation."

Through his gag, the murderer moaned in fear.

Aunt Carol's had hat seemed so heavy on your head.

"Why is he here?" you asked, at last, in a bare whisper.

"Any death could create a shadow, but any iron could create a blade. You want a good death, from a sapient being. Their soul is not involved; you need their death, their emotions. They, inevitably, color the shadow you create. This coward will make you a fearful, craven servant as his last act."

Your eyes had flicked from your grandmother to the murderer. "Does it have to be a sacrifice? This...this is cruel."

"Aye, 'tis," Grandmother la Croix agreed, softly. "Any death will do, if you are close enough, and if you can catch it fast enough in your spell. I've asked you to wield the knife tonight, but not to teach you cruelty. I've asked you because we have a hard duty, and in the course of it you will have to take life as well as save it. I want you to remember how it feels to weild Death's sword. I want to see it in your eyes, and know if I should continue your teaching."

You had swallowed. You remember it, for some reason, with painful clarity. The lump in your throat, like a choking fist, and the tears in the murderer's eyes.

>>44163543
Worst. Christmas. Ever.

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>>44163543
The law had appointed the la Croix its instrument, but this was not justice. You picked up the knife, an old, well-kept thing with a polished bone handle, and put a hand on the back of the murderer's head.

"You remember the incantation?" Grandmother la Croix had asked.

The man in front of you sobbed through his gag.

"Yes, Grandmother. And I've the silver, here in my hand." You could feel it against your palm, little nuggest of the precious metal, like an accusation.

"End his fear. Make it clean, Brianna la Croix. We are not torturers."

The knife went up, just under his chin, and pierced the bottom of his brain. You chanted and swore in a dull voice, an ache in your chest like heartbreak, as you felt the life flee from your victim.

Your shadow flickered and stretched while the blood splattered your pants in hot bursts. Your grandmother's eyes bored into your own, grey and serious, full of sympathy and a sort of watchful, wary attention.

And then he was dead. Bleeding, yes. Warm against your stomach, with his last breath rattling out of his lungs. But dead, with the soul fled from the body, and his terror bound into the shadow cowering at your feet.

Your arm dropped, dully, and he hit the floor with a hollow 'thunk'. What kind of sound was that, for a person to make? Someone with a life, with dreams, with hopes, with a soul? A thunk of bone on wood, like a fucking door knocker, and no one to mourn him.

The tears welled up in your eyes, and your grandmother swept you up in a hug.

"It's a hard thing I asked of you," she had murmured. "You did well, Brianna. You woulda done your mother proud."

"Never again," you whispered.

"Sweet child," the old woman said, sadly. "I can't promise you that."

> Wake Amy and Nathan, offer them tea and breakfast.
> Talk to Miranda.
> Ask Fetch how he'd feel about you acquiring a shadow.
> Write-in.

>>44163810
>> Wake Amy and Nathan, offer them tea and breakfast.

>>44163810
The death is important, not the soul. But I suppose it is disrespectful to use something like that messenger?

> Talk to Miranda.
they'll get up when they're ready while we talk about family

>>44163810
> Ask Fetch how he'd feel about you acquiring a shadow.

We'll need the minion, certainly, but we don't want our dear knight to feel unappreciated.

> Ask Fetch how he'd feel about you acquiring a shadow.

>>44163884
The thing is, that zombified /thing/ involved the agonizing torture of a person, followed by imprisoning their soul within their body.

Bri could theoretically make a shadow while passing a dying drunk on the street, if she has the silver and the energy.

>>44163968
Presumably that would not make a very good shadow. Which brings up the question, what kinds of deaths make for good shadows?

> Wake Amy and Nathan, offer them tea and breakfast.

>>44163997
Depends on what you want it for. Many necromancers looking to create a strong shadow will haunt battlefields, waiting to capture a furious, dutiful, valorous death. Others look for deaths that involve many emotions, casting their spells at the sides of sickbeds or within hospitals. Generally, strong shadows require strong emotions to color the death.

>>44163997
Strongly emotional ones. Which emotions you want depends on what personality traits you want in your new servant. I'm thinking a death in battle is likely to provide a shadow useful for this kind of circumstance, provided Bri's strong enough to command one that lacks the cowardice of her first one.

> Ask Fetch how he'd feel about you acquiring a shadow.

> Ask Fetch how he'd feel about you acquiring a shadow.

Sidenote, can we have more than one shadow at once?

>>44164209
As mentioned in the flashback, no.

>>44164235
...Would it help make this less stupid-looking if I said I was distracted by cute girls?

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>>44164293
yes

Votes called. Writing.

>>44164350
I find this image appropriate.

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>>44163810
You rub Fetch's feathered head and cuddle him close. The undead bird is...oddly comforting.

"My lady?" he asks, his noble voice full of concern. "Are you well?"

"I always get...my past catches up to me, here in these places where we build our shrines to it," you confess. "And especially here, with this graveyard being so desecrated, I'm remembering some of my harshest lessons."

"You have a noble soul, O my queen. You are not like this wretch that has defiled this place."

"I know," you murmur. "I just need to keep why in mind, sometimes. Heh. If I could just...if I could express this to Amy, maybe she'd get why I'm so reluctant."

Fetch is quiet, not knowing what to say, but you can feel his love and loyalty, running alongside your old sorrows.

"Fetch," you say at last. "What would you think of me getting a shadow? They're not much for conversation, but they have...well, thumbs. And they're harder to kill."

"...Has my service been inadequate?" Fetch asks, his tone unreadable.

> Not at all! You triumphed over a /demon/!
> No, it's just we need all the help we can get.
> Dear heart, you're still just a chicken.

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>>44164377
good

>>44164558
> No, it's just we need all the help we can get.

>>44164558
>> No, it's just we need all the help we can get.

>>44164558

> Not at all! You triumphed over a /demon/!
>Does a true knight perform /every/ service for his Lady? Or does he allow her other servants take the tasks he is ill-suited to perform?

>>44164558
> Not at all! You triumphed over a /demon/!

Nooooo Fetch you're great.

>>44164603
Indeed.

>>44164558

> No, it's just we need all the help we can get. Cool though the Defeat of Miles was, he wasn't really trying that hard, not that we need to get into the specifics of why it's not the first option.

>>44164558
>> Not at all! You triumphed over a /demon/!

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>>44164558
>No, it's just we need all the help we can get.
Fetch may be a chicken and a big ham, but I don't think he is dumb enough to be defeated with platitudes.

Also, I like this. >>44164659
>Does a true knight perform /every/ service for his Lady? Or does he allow her other servants take the tasks he is ill-suited to perform?

>>44164768

>chicken and a big ham

And he'd probably be rather beefy if we'd gone with the durability upgrade...

>>44164558
> Not at all! You triumphed over a /demon/!

>Does a true knight perform /every/ service for his Lady? Or does he allow her other servants take the tasks he is ill-suited to perform?

> Not at all! You triumphed over a /demon/!

>Does a true knight perform /every/ service for his Lady? Or does he allow her other servants take the tasks he is ill-suited to perform?

Calling in five.

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Right, I already voted, so here's some pics Vox might be interested in.

> No, it's just we need all the help we can get.

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>>44164982
Numero deux.

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>>44165007

Called. Writing.

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>>44165031

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>>44165053
And for the meeting with the Rose cultists...

AND OF COURSE WE ARE FUCKING TIED!

Thankfully anon's additional suggestion has given me a compromise idea.

Wriiiiiitiiiiing~.

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>>44165075
And the one I forgot because I'm an idiot!

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>>44164558
"...Fetch, if I asked you to manage my purse and accounting, and run my estate and lands, would that be fair to you?"

"I - what?" the chicken asks, in confusion.

"If I asked you to work a fiery forge, making silver ingots for my arts?" you press.

"I could not do such a thing, my lady," he admits.

"Would it be right of me to ask you to?" you continue, still gently stroking his feathered head.

"It. O queen, I would do it without question, but it would...not be your wisest decision."

"So too the shadow," you murmur gently. "Not to replace you, but to work with you; to be strong where you are weak, and extend my will. We're facing a lot of enemies, Fetch. I need all the help I can get. And think of how surprised your foes will be when what they think is your shadow throws you into their faces."

Fetch lets out a tiny squak of excitement.

"I thought so, brave little guy."

Amy stirs awake just as you're putting Fetch's helmet back on his head. Her eyes flutter open dreamily, and she looks at Nate with a warm expression.

Then she spots you, and it goes instantly to panicked guilt.

> Do I look mad?
> Sleep well, Ames?
> Shoulda thought of that before you did it.
> Wake him up too, will you?
> Write-in.

Choose up to two.

> Shoulda thought of that before you did it.
> Wake him up too, will you?

>>44165311
> Wake him up too, will you?
> Write-in. Hold hands with Fetch out of fake-spite. Stick our tongue out at her.

>>44165311

> Do I look mad?
> Like you said, we're all adults.

Also goddamnit Vox I envy your writing speed

>>44165339
...? But I'm moving slow?

>>44165351

It takes me over an hour to write 100-200 words.

And you're a damn sight faster than most QMs.

>>44165339
>Do I look mad?
>Like you said, we're all adults.
Best choice

>>44165311
> Do I look mad?
> Wake him up too, will you?

> Do I look mad?
>Like you said, we're all adults.

>>44165414
> Do I look mad? (Make clear this isn't because there's no interesting though.)
> Like you said, we're all adults.

I can get behind this.

>>44165458
...Interest, damnit.

Votes called. Writing.

>>44165311
> Do I look mad?
> Sleep well, Ames?

>>44165661

Bit l8 there m8

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>>44165311
"Do I look mad, pretty bird?" you say softly, warmly. Her guilty, fearful look turns embarassed. "I can't exactly fault your taste. I did kiss the guy."

"I haven't yet. I mean. Ididn'tmeanitlikethat."

"He is pretty handsome," you suggest, and Amy ducks her head to look at the floor of the cave.

"He's kind, and...and smart, and a good listener when I've had bad days, sorta like you are. And he goes rowing sometimes, without his shirt on, and...yeah. But. It was just. I was having a bad night and he -"

"Amy, you're the one who told /me/ we're all adults here. It's not like we're villagers, leading simple lives, with engagements and declarations. We're adventurers. We're in a dangerous profession, and..." you shrug. "I'm not about to endanger our friendship by being a jealous asshole. We'll figure it out as we go along."

"How did you get so calm about almost everything?" the bird girls asks in amazement.

"You can't put a guy's severed head back on his neck properly when you're panicking."

"Ewww....did he make it out okay?"

"Yeah, he went home to his family. Wake Nate up, will you?"

Soon enough, the three of you are sharing breakfast and a pot of your /precious, precious fucking coffee/.

"Much as I hate to admit it, we probably need to go see my family," you say heavily. Miranda catches your words and looks over.

"Be needin' an escort, la Croix?" the dwarf asks.

> Yes
> No

Along the way you

> Avoid conflict
> Look for an opportunity to create a shadow

>>44165707
> No
> Look for an opportunity to create a shadow

We'd probably upset her if we made a shadow along the way.

We should probably check how well he'd handle it, but we may need some help and protection here.
>Yes
>Avoid Conflict

>>44165707
> Yes
> Look for an opportunity to create a shadow

>>44165707
> Yes

> Look for an opportunity to create a shadow

the Mercs are still fair game, right? our escort wants them dead, and we get close to a battle. everyone wins.

> Yes

> Look for an opportunity to create a shadow

> Look for an opportunity to create a shadow

> Yes
> Avoid Conflict. We can make a shadow later; if nothing else, we can kill someone, or go picking the trenches on our own. Coming there with MORE necromancy, and fresh, is a Bad Idea.

>>44165707
>Yes
> Avoid conflict
Play it safe for now. Lets make us some friends before we make "friends."

Votes called. Writing last update of the night, and then I need to sleep some. I'll be up at 9:00 AM EST or so.

Is anon liking the flashbacks thus far? As Bri noted, one of our themes down here is the past coming up into the present; here, in the place where people bury those they miss, or fear, the past can be closer than the present. But if they're annoying I can ease off.

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>>44165707
"I'm doing some minion acquisition," you warn. "Within your rules, but..."

"See, now I /have/ ta send someone," Miranda complains. "Just t'make sure yer as good as yer word."

You sip your coffee, making a show of thinking it over, and then shrug. "Fair enough."

"...Yer not gonna yell at me fer not trustin' ya on the name alone?"

"Wow, my cousins /are/ assholes down here, huh?" you ask sympathetically. For a brief moment you detect a kindred spirit in Miranda, and then she scowls at you.

In the end, you get a pair of humans, both of them with rough scars and tense, quiet postures, and you go picking your way through the no-mans-land.

The goal isn't to avoid fighting, precisely. But you do want to have a fight on your terms, if you're going to have one. The group moves low, and fast, with no banter to break up your march.

Then a pained groan, shot through with death, disturbs the immediate peace.

Slumped against the wall at the bottom of the trench is a tan elf, female, in chain armor. Her cloak fastened to the armor with circular clasps emblazoned with the coin on a table - the same as the seal on Lisa's letter.

She is dying.

She presses a hand against a piercing wound in her ribs; you can see a bloodstained spear fragment on the ground next to her, slathered in her still-leaking life's blood. Her lips are stained with it, and she chokes back a sob.

"Gods, please," the elf croaks. "I don't want to die."

> Save her.
> Ask Nathan to kill her.
> Ask Amy to kill her.
> Kill her yourself.

Any of the 'kill her' options leads to shadow.

>>44166230
> Kill her yourself.
Shes a merc right?

> Kill her yourself.

>>44166230
>Save her.

>>44166268
Available evidence suggests yes.

I need to go to bed. Archiving thread now.

>>44166230
I don't think a death like this will make a great shadow.

>>44166230
I am torn. On one hand, she could be a potential party member (and I doubt she has anything to do with the Lisa's foul desecration of the Lichyard). On the other, we are looking to create another minion and we don't want to get caught in a weakened state by any of Lisa's mercs.

Okay. I vote:
>Save her.
But if the majority votes to kill her, Brianna should do it herself, quickly and mercifully.

> Save her. She's a mercenary. They work for who pays; her employer may be a despicable person, but her service, from what we've seen of it, is nothing more than any sellsword might do. And even if it has been, we don't know that. Killing her in cold blood, when she's offering her surrender, is not justice. Neither our Aunt Carol (for all her sins) nor our Grandmother would approve. (Besides, from a purely pragmatic point of view, information is more valuable than another body right at the moment.)

>>44166230
Any backpack on her? Any information she can give about the Moneylender? Our guides, they know the elf?

But if she's one of the mercs, I would like to ease her pain.


> Kill her yourself.

>>44166230
> Save her.


We can't be judge jury and/or executioner without any actual evidence other than her being a mercenary, which, frankly, isn't that huge of a sin. Also we're not an actual authority down here.

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Thread archived folks. See you in five and a half hours.

MFW people call me mad.

>>44166354
>I would like to ease her pain.
See the thing is that its a fantasy universe with healing magic. With a settlement nearby, I don't see the point in that. Distant battlefield? sure. Here? naw.

>>44166354
If they knew her, they would've said something, if only because that would mean she's done something to earn the Keepers' especial contempt. She does indeed have a pack on her, currently leaning against her uninjured ribs and clutched close by her other arm.

>>44166294
There's that, too. We'd get a hurt, frightened thing full of despair and betrayal. That sounds like a /horrible/ minion.

Oh, also, further pragmatism, showing mercy helps cement us as a Good Person in the eyes of the Keepers.

>>44166230
>Save her.

>>44166230
>Save her.
I don't want her in the party, not alive, nor as a shadow. Information on what the mercenary deal that was made would be helpful, though.

Definitely have her bury her share of the gold as soon as she stops bleeding. Yes, stop bleeding, not healed ribs. The pain is a lesson, one intended to show what the theft meant to the dead, but one she must survive.

>>44166230
All these save her votes. I mean I'm all for compassion but I kind of suspect that the vote would be rather different if the merc was male.

Anyway we came out here looking for a shadow and here one practically falls into our lap I say minions before waifus.
>Kill her yourself.

>>44166371
The joke

Your head.

>>44166378
Well we could help her by bandaging her wounds and making her comfortable and then killing her when she feels at ease. But I doubt people here would not like it. Its a waste of resources I know.

>>44166449
I'm all against waifus, but I do NOT like the emotional vibes I'm getting from this one. Desperation is important, but if it's the ONLY emotion, then there's a lot more to be had.

>>44166449
>Implying there are male elves

>>44166230
> Kill her yourself.

>>44166449
In my case I am a healthcare worker. Kinda against everything I am to leave a dying person that wants life.

>>44166449
I'm voting for what I think Bri would do, in my opinion. Would it be different if the merc was male? No; Bri is not, from what we've seen, the type of person who will slaughter someone for personal gain or just because they're working with an enemy.

>>44166230
>Save her.
Intel and friendship!

>>44166449
Oh. Sidenote. I've also listed several pragmatic reasons that we should keep her alive. So it's not just 'Be compassionate!', and all of those also apply just as strongly to a male merc.

Saving merc
+Waifu
+Waifu
+Possibly not betrayal at some point

Killing merc
+The right thing to do
+Shadow minion

>>44167263
+Bri's Shadow husbandos Nate's Shadow.

>>44167263
Merc probably knows some ussefull stuff about their forces/entrenchment/plans and might just share them with the kind lady which saved her life.

>>44167263
'Right thing to do' is fluid here. Yes, she's working with Lisa. On the other hand, we have no evidence she herself is in fact involved in the desecration proper; she's just a mercenary. Who are we to pass final judgement on her? Death is not something to hand out lightly; that's been a subtheme this whole quest.

>>44167481
To clarify, 'pass final judgement on her now'. If she later proves to be someone we shouldn't let live, that's a different matter.

>>44166230
>Save her.

Death is cheap down here. We can get a shadow elsewhere, and putting aside the morality question, she might have some info.

>>44166230
>Save her.

>>44166230
She's a mercenary. While she's not responsible for Lisa's atrocities, she's still a murderer for hire. But... judgement isn't ours to pass, and death is awfully final.

> Save her.

>>44167263
Anon, if it was as simple as the right thing to do we wouldn't have these options. This isn't a paladin quest and we aren't a paladin, hell we aren't even technically lawful good.

We're a necromancer with basic human empathy skills mixed in with there teachings, as opposed to the normal necromancer training that consists of kicking puppies to death and reviving them only to kick them to death again so you can make a magical abomination against the world.

>>44166230
>> Kill her yourself.

>>44166230
>Kill Yourself

What is reading comprehension?

>>44166230
>Save her

>>44166230
Get a better feel for her first before deciding whether to kill her or not.

I mean she's not an active threat to us so it doesn't feel right to just shank her

Check her wound first, might be she's dieing already and we can ease her through the last of it

>>44168813
also we can pump her for information on what's going on in the lichyard

>>44166230
If we can,

> Save her.

If we can't,

> Kill her yourself.

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TFW morning chores interrupt the update.

Votes called. I have to say, one of those moments where anon has surprised me.

Coffee.

Writing.

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>>44166230
You bite your lip and sigh. The others look to you, and you take your hat off, put it over your face, and take a deep breath.

You're not casting a spell. You just need a semblance of privacy for a moment.

The dying elf's sobs become desperate, miserable things that float up out of the trench like funeral lanterns.

You put your Aunt's hat back on your head, pick your way under the barbed wire, and turn to face your compatriots.

"Stay here," you order firmly, before you slide down the trench wall.

"Bri!" Amy calls out, her voice shot through iwth worry. "Bri, what the fuck are you doing?"

"My job," you mutter. The elf's eyes are wide and fearful as you approach. You sling your backpack from your back and hold it in one hand; you stop, about three feet from her.

"Bad day?" you ask gently. She swallows, blinking at the mundane question, and nods. "Yeah. I've had real bad days myself. Listen - I'm going to help. And before I help I'm going to take the weapons I can see on you away. But you probably have a boot knife or a bolt in the lining of your cloak or something, and I'm not going to stop to look for them. I'm gonna trust you here."

The elf nods, weakly, and you approach. Divesting her of her visible weapons is easy enough. Getting her out of the mail armor so you can look at the wound is harder, but you manage it; she bites her lip hard enough to draw blood to keep herself from screaming.

It's bad. But salvageable.

"Lisa doesn't issue the materials for healing potions?"

The elf shakes her head, and you frown. "Kinda seems like a bitch. This part's going to hurt a lot. I need to sew up what I can before I give you the potion." You hand the elf a polished wooden cylinder. "Bite that."

Green eyes wide with fear, she slips it into her mouth and bites down. She screams around it while you work, with no time to numb her with whiskey or any of the half-dozen other things you could do to ease her pain with more time or materials.

>>44169165
No waifu left behind.

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>>44169320
"I know," you murmur soothingly. "You're being very brave." Your hands work patiently, steadily; you are intensely aware of the eyes of your companions on your back, and of Fetch's curious concern. "It'll be over soon. Just focus on my voice, that's a brave girl..."

The elf's hand, gripping your shoulder, is like a vice. You can feel her trembling.

"The heal shock is probably going to knock you out," you explain, patiently. "But it'll also save your life, long enough to get you elsewhere. You're working for Lisa, yes?"

The elf nods, her head bobbing as she clings to your voice to focus on anything but the pain.

"Then we've got some problems between us," you confess, in that same gentle, soothing tone. "But those problems can wait. I'm going to protect you. I need you to focus on getting better. And...maybe rethinking your life decisions." You break off the suture thread and tie it off, then flip the backpack open and get out potion materials.

When you take the wooden cylinder out of the elf's mouth, the first words she has are, "I'm sorry."

You shake your head. "You save that for when you're well enough to mean it. I'm Brianna."

"...River."

"It's nice to meet you, River." You put the potion, thrumming with energy and intent, to the elf's lips. "Drink."

A faint trickle runs from the corner of her mouth, but in the end River drinks the whole potion. She strangles a scream as it takes hold, doubling over with her hands on her ribs. You hold her close and hum softly.

Mercifully, she passes out.

You look up, to the unreadable faces of your companions.

> "Take her back to Miranda's camp. Don't kill her."
> "We'll take her with us to my family."
> "[Nathan/Amy], take her back to Lakehallow. I trust Meadows with her."
> Write-in.

>>44169414
>"AMY, take her back to Lakehallow. I trust Meadows with her."

Amy can make her lighter and can move faster than Nathan who is often short of breath. Amy can also return to us faster.

Bringing River to the other two places would probably not end very well.

>>44169414
> "We'll take her with us to my family."
Let them deal with one of my problems for once

>>44169414
> "We'll take her with us to my family."

Remember not to forget to have Amy give our family the angel feather.

>>44169414
>Amy, take her back to Meadows.
Best Bird can take her back, and Ms. Slaughter can post guards over her to match sure she doesn't try to run or do some other stupid thing liable to get her killed. Maybe introduce her to the giant undead crocodile/former pirate mayor.

Nathan and Brianna can continue on to the Rose complex and make the deal, then return to Miranda's camp and meet back up with Amy.

> "Take her back to Miranda's camp. Don't kill her."

>>44169451
>>44169477

>Oh look, It's our vile cousin, practicing the hated necromancy that is tearing our lands up, and who is here with her? One of mercenaries that are helping the intruders, and you'd like for us to take care of her? Don't worry, we have a pair of iron maidens just your size.
plz don't guys.

> "Take her back to Miranda's camp. Don't kill her."

>>44169477
Oh, crap, I'd forgotten that she's the one carrying it. Changing my previous vote to:
>We'll take her with us to the family.

Somebody got an extra cloak or something? Don't want the cultist's to see that Coin on her chest. And lets have Sir Fetch keep an eye on our new companion.

>>44169708
Ah. Which was your previous?

>>44169414
>"Take her back to Miranda's camp. Don't kill her."

>>44169414
The Rose Cultists won't be able to detect Nathan's nature as a Woundseeker, will they? hat seems like the kinda thing one can be burned at the stake for.

>>44169689
No worries. We are already planning to enlist the Cult to fight Lisa. Brianna's cousins should at least be cogent enough to understand that the faster she goes down, the sooner they can return to normal.

As for the elf, we can just tell them that she was an adventurer who got stuck in combat between the other mercenaries and the Keepers. We brought her along because the clerics can do a better job of healing her than we can.

>>44169732
This was me. >>44169663

Are we going to be going back to Lakehallow soon, or will we be stuck in the Lichyard for some time?

>>44169414
>We'll take her with us to the family.

For the sake of plot and convenience I'd say this one. Also it doesn't deprive us of our escort (which helps us from getting immediately shot), or our comrades.
>>44169760
That wouldn't be detectable, and I assume detect evil is bullshit in this setting as we can't even do that. Hes probably fine.

>>44169760

They are all religious zealots, uderstanding is not required in their line of work.
They might recognise the elf (or her gear), the guy who wounded her in the first place might still be around.

We get one guaranteed to be obeyed order from the feather, and I'd like it not to be "Don't kill us"

And now for our Extended Morning IRL Interruption.

We will return to our regularly scheduled questing...soon.

I am so sorry anons please don't kill me.

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>>44169689
>>44169798
I sincerely doubt Vox will drop us in front of a group of one dimensional smite-happy Lawful Stupid holy rollers with immovable rods instead of colons.

We are a la Croix and we have a duty. If they can't respect or understand that then what the fuck have they been doing down here all these years.

>>44169855
He did drop us naked in the middle of the Obstacle Course...

>>44170375
And that guy was one of the family, meaning he could be from this branch.

>>44169414
> "We'll take her with us to my family."

If they value life as much as they claim to, they'll look after her, enemy or no. They won't like it, but I don't think they'll want to be upstaged by a necromancer in terms of mercy.

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I return. Vote called, tallying, writing.

>>44170375
Ahahahahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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>>44170592
Mad Voxy returns!

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>>44169414
"Might as well take her with us," you say heavily. "Nate, grab her pack and weapons. Amy, can you carry her?"

"Miranda -," one of the escorts begins, as your companions hasten to obey.

"Miranda will execute her, and I didn't just save her life because I couldn't stand watching her die in front of me," you interrupt. Your gaze is steady, cold. "If I wanted her dead, I would have damn well killed her. If we've got a problem, I suggest you have it with me now, while you've got the high ground."

Fetch makes a noise, behind the two humans, and they turn their heads to see the formation of undead chickens within talon range behind them.

"...There is no problem," one says, at last.

"Smart boy."

Your family's shrine is large, as shrines go, but you find yourself agreeing with the terminology; though it has an impressive (and manned) wall of smooth white stone and several small buildings and crypts, the entire affair feels comfortable. Small. Through the wrought fence you can see a cottage at the center of the compound - probably the gravekeeper's house - as well as a garden, a small shed, and a fresher construction off to the side, a brick-and-mortar church whose thick oak doors are emblazoned with a rose.

"Declare yourselves!" the guard atop the wall demands; his skin is the color of creamed coffee, reminding you of some of your cousins back home.

"Brianna la Croix, of the Blind Marsh la Croixs, with my compatriots and an escort from Miranda of the Hallow Clan," you answer back formally. "I'm here to pay my respects to the dead, and to talk with my cousins."

The guard blinks, then turns to shout behind him. "Open the gates! A la Croix comes home! Open the gates!"

A mechanism shudders, and then the gates open silently inwards.

"You expect this to go well?" Nathan asks in a low murmur.

"I'm gonna get shot," you answer, your voice full of cheer.

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>>44170857
You're met at the gates by what you're pretty sure is a novice, unless the Rose Cult's taken to training eleven-year-olds to war. She grins, a little apologetically, and offers up a small wooden box.

"Please put your hand on the box," the novice asks.

You quirk an eyebrow and peel your leather glove off before setting your bare palm on the box. It pulses warmly, and then a cranky voice, like someone just woken up from his nap, issues forth from it.

"She's a goddamn la Croix, now stop /touching me/!"

You take your hand off of the box with a snort. "It's nice to meet you, cousin."

"The pleasure is all mine," the novice says warmly. "Please, the cottage has room for guests, and for your wounded. Make use of the medical supplies therein and the elders will be with you shortly."

"We," your escort says politely, "must return to Miranda."

"Of course," comes the polite answer; the novice bows to them, and they tip their hats before going back out the open gates. The iron shuts itself behind them. "Did you wish to pay your respects to the dead before you meet the elders, cousin?"

> I would. Family's family.
> I don't want to leave my patient.
> I'm a little mad at the dead right now, to be quite honest.

>>44170951
> I would. Family's family. But leave the party with River for now. We love them, but they're not family, and Amy has enough experience looking after wounded people to know if she needs to call us back.

>>44170951
>> I would. Family's family.

>>44171029
>>44170951
I'll support this. Maybe when things are better we can come back, pay our respects, and teach the others a bit about how to lay the dead for a proper rest. It'd be an alright bonding moment.

>>44171029
Seconding. We don't want the elf to wake up and start trouble in a panic. That, and we might learn something or get something nice from our dearly departed relatives.

>>44171192
That sounds like a wonderful thing to do for the next interlude. Not a date, exactly, but a... closeness.

Vote called for paying respects but leaving the party with River.

Writing.

>>44170951
>> I would. Family's family.

Family is family, regardless of whether they leave you naked in a giant death maze or not. Or if they technically took your virginity while you were unconsious which sounds a lot more fucked up when I word it like that.

>>44171336
There's a reason la Croix necromancers learn to be so chill about everything.

The other option is going insane and raising zombie hordes, and that shit just never ends well.

>>44171363
Are we sure what we're smoking in our pipe is actually tobacco?

> I'm a little mad at the dead right now, to be quite honest.

> I'm a little mad at the dead right now, to be quite honest.

>>44171363
Maybe that's part of what made Aunt Carol go full-tilt cliche evil villain. She got tired of dealing with Mark's bullshit.

>Mark's ghost shows up under the auspice of helping out, only to screw things up even more than they already are.
>Lol, problem cuz?

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>>44171363
You can stop caring or live long enough to die a villain.
Man, Bri's life was fucked long before dungeoneering.
Actually, coming down into the dungeon has probably improved her life, given that most everyone is too busy struggling to survive to bother persecuting some over a bit of magic.

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>>44171363
Behold, the la Croix family attitude towards everything.

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>>44170951
"I think I do," you agree. "Amy, Nathan, go ahead into the cottage without me."

<Fetch, when they're safely inside, remind them to get that cloak off of River, along with anything else incriminating. I don't need her killed before I've had the chance to learn anything.>

<As you command, O my queen> your knight answers dutifully.

The others proceed into the cottage while you take a small stone path to the graves. They take up most of the walled shrine, and have clearly been kept with love and care. Many of them have beds of flowers, or small rose bushes, growing from the earth before the headstone.

You take a deep breath and sigh, unsure of what to say.

> "You all don't know me, but..."
> "I'm probably going to have to punch your gravekeepers. Please, /please/ don't be mad."
> "Shit's fucked. How's everyone else doing?"

> "Shit's fucked. How's everyone else doing?"

there could be no better introduction

>>44171531
>> "Shit's fucked. How's everyone else doing?"

The La Croix way of greeting the dead.

>>44171531
>> "Shit's fucked. How's everyone else doing?"
I'm guessing we're too tired of this shit to stand on formality, huh?

>>44171531
> "Shit's fucked. How's everyone else doing?"
Only one possible choice.

>>44171531
> "Shit's fucked. How's everyone else doing?"

I imagine this is the standard greeting for any and all la Croix family members

Votes called. Writing.

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>>44171531
A family graveyard. It's been awhile; the last time you were in one of these you had to bury a whole lot of people in it. That one will probably go to ruins now, you realize with a soft pang. There's no one left to tend to it.

But you take what you're given, when you're dead.

You pack your pipe and light it, taking a puff and letting it out through your nose.

"Shit's fucked," you say frankly. "How's everyone else doing?"

"Preach it," a tired voice says from one of the tombstones. A ghost drags itself from the earth, followed by one, five, dozens more. Soon you are surrounded by your fallen relatives, each eyeing you with varying degrees of interest and, in the case of the former Rose cultists, contempt.

"Where are you from, dear?" an older woman with a noose still tight around her neck asks.

"The Blind Marsh," you answer politely. "I was Madeline la Croix's student. My name's Brianna."

"Maddie!" one of the fresher ghosts calls. "I saw the old girl when she died. She still remembered me, bless her soul. Are you the only one who made it out?"

"Afraid so," you agree, shrugging your shoulders. You take your hat off. "...Rest of the town drowned too. The river didn't really discriminate."

"That's the way of things, dear child," a cousin consoles. "Life for the living, death for the dead. Them angels sing when they ready, not when you are."

"Have you come to oust the defiler?" one of the Rose cultists asks; his chest is pierced through with spears.

"Definitely. Family disagreements or not, this is sacred ground, and I won't let her touch it," you vow. "...And I may or may not be tangled in some fucked shit relating to the Dungeon in general."

"Ye've got an angel's hand on ya, girl," one of the ghosts, in a dark shroud with a deep hood, mutters in a hollow voice. "Of course you're in some fucked shit. What do you intend on doing about it?"

> What's needful.
> What's right.
> Whatever gets me out of this mess.
> I don't fucking know, spooky.

>>44171942
>> What's right, or right enough by the standards of people who raise the dead.

>>44171942
>What's right.
Angel timeshares are immoral!

>>44171942
>> What's needful.

It's probably close to what's right, but we're not here to get tangled up in right and wrong: we're here to do what *has to be done*.

>>44171942
> Whatever gets me out of this mess.
> Although I wouldn't be against doing some good along the way

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>>44171942
> What's needful.

>>44171942
Hard question.

Saving the elf, putting the head back on that dude back in the Glen? Stuff like that is right.

Putting Kells in that croc? Aunt Carol going her own path, knowing she'd be hunted down? That was needed.

I could see Bri going either way with her philosophy.

I'll lean
> What's right.
and if we aren't good enough for that,
> What's needful.

>>44171942
>The hope is to do what is right, but right now Mr. Spooky, I don't have a fucking clue. Any suggestions?

> What's needful.

>>44171942
> What's right.
It's not always simple, and it's definitely not always pretty, and we don't always agree on how best to do it, but doing right by the world is the la Croix way.

>>44171942
>> What's needful.

>>44171942
>>44172046
Maybe something along the lines of
>What's right. And if I can't achieve that, I'll have to settle just for what's needed.

Having some issues connecting to tg on PC. Vote called. Writing when I can.

>>44172152
COMCAAAAAAAAST!

>>44172175
The angel is representative of Vox's internet and the chains are ISP's

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>>44171942
"I intend on doing what's right," you answer firmly. You take the pipe from your mouth and gesture with it. "Something's wrong with the Dungeon. The people who live here are in trouble, and for some reason I've been elected to help. Which, fine. Let it never be said a la Croix shirked from their duty just because we didn't pick it out. That's quitter talk."

The ghost congregation chuckles.

"If there isn't a 'right' to pick out," you continue, feeling the exhaustion creep into your voice, the soul-deep tired that had been with you ever since you came home to find the water above the town walls. "...If there isn't a 'right', then I'll do what's necessary. Because someone has to. My grandmother told me, 'Everyone says someone should do something, but no one ever thinks that someone ought to be /them/.' But we are the someone. Aren't we?"

"You'll do us proud, girl," the shrouded figure says. He puts a spectral hand on your shoulder and leans forward to kiss your brow; his lips leave only the faintest of feelings. "You've the family's blessing, Brianna. Is there aught we can do for you?"

"...Send someone besides Mark next time I come calling," you request. "And. Will you tell Mom that I was thinking of her, and that I miss her?"

"Aye," the old woman with the noose promises. "We can do that."

"Come back some time," the Rose cultist asks. "You carry some heavy weight. Grieve for the ones you did what was needful for. We have a mourning stone, for you and for others who had to leave without saying goodbye."

You put your hat back on your head and swallow the lump in your throat. "That'd...thank you."

"Family does for family."

The ethereal congregation gives you their hugs and their well wishes, and eventually sinks back into their graves. You stand for awhile, head bowed, smoking your pipe, before you tap out the spent tobacco and head back inside.

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>>44172381
"Was that your /whole/ family?" is the question from Amy that greets you when you get inside.

"Nah, just the ones buried here," you answer; you hang your hat up on a rack and take a seat. Someone hands you coffee. Glorious fucking coffee. You take a long sip. "Can you save questions about that for later? It's...dead relatives tend to be an emotional event. Even when you can talk to them and have them talk back."

"Oh," the half-harpy says in a small voice. "I'm sorry." You see her move out of your peripheral to behind you, but it isn't until she starts stroking your hair that you realize what she's after.

Fuck it. This is kinda nice. You snuggle back against the bird and look over to your sleeping patient, stripped of her armor and now in clean linen clothes.

"I get this feeling like I'm gonna end up having to kill her," you say with a sigh.

"...Been thinking the same thing," Nathan admits.

The door opens, admitting two adults with that same cream-and-coffee skin that are far too young for you to think of them as 'elders' - they're maybe late twenties, early thirties, on the outside and to be frank if someone told you that they were only three or four years older than you are, you'd believe it.

The woman has the la Croix look to her features; the gentleman, you'd bet, is her husband and not of the family.

"You," the woman says, her eyes narrowing. "Get the fuck out of this sacred place, you necromantic filth."

Ahhh. Rose cultists.

> Well fuck you too.
> Family. Can't make me.
> Address only her husband and pointedly ignore her in the most passive-aggressive manner possible.

>>44172491
>> Family. Can't make me.

>>44172491
> Family. Can't make me.
The dead Rose Cultist was a lot nicer by comparison, huh?

>>44172491
> Family. Can't make me.

But in our heart of hearts, fuck her.

>> Family. Can't make me.

>>44172491
>"Family. Can't make me. Unless, of course, you'd like to take it up with them."
And then point at the many graves outside, where we just got the rest of the family's blessing.

>>44172491
>> Family. Can't make me.

Seems to me Bri is more aggressive-aggressive than passive-aggressive, but if she keeps harping on it, going the passive-aggressive route is definitely better than starting a fight here, of all places.

>>44172661
Eh, if she keeps harping on it, we can always pull the feather. She can be as hostile as she wants, at the end of the day she's helping us.

>>44172491
>You need my help whether you like it or not. You may not like my methods but I am here to ensure the sanctity of this place, same as you. Deal with it.

>>44172532
>The dead Rose Cultist was a lot nicer by comparison, huh?
No, the dead roses also were sneering. It's not just them in the crypt, a lot of other types.

>>44169855
It wouldn't exactly be "dropping us in front of" such a group, he's pretty much expositioned at length that that's exactly what they are, and given us plenty of chances to choose not to go see them.

I vote we side-quest to go with the girl back to base camp. We can try for a liaison with the Lawful Stupid branch of the family again later.

For now we have a terrific opportunity just dumped in our laps to prove our benevolence to the Arcadians, get a ton of good intel on the enemy, make a good impression on a potential defector to our side, and get, in that defector, a possible diplomat who can help us convince many more of the enemy forces to defect.

That's one hell of an opportunity, I say capitalizing on it, and protecting it, is *far* more urgent then having a chat with the Rose Cult.

>>44172857
You a little late, anon.

>>44172857
crap, that was *way* too late. I think I may have something screwed up in my cache settings

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>>44172857
late by, like, 4 hours

Votes called. Writing.

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>>44172491
"Family," you say with shrug, taking another sip of you coffee. "Can't make me."

"You are no kin of mine!"

"Your upset little wooden box seemed to think otherwise."

"MADE BY NECROMANCERS!" the woman yells. You note that her husband, behind her, looks rather apologetic.

"What family do you think you're from, anyway? We literally invented some of the key underpinnings of necromancy."

"You are not welcome here!"

"Tell that to the residents of your graveyard."

"GO FUCK A CORPSE!"

"You offering?"

Nathan puts himself between the two of you before the elder can lunge. "Okay, that's about enough," the Hero says calmly. "You're going to upset Fetch and I need to remind everyone that he shoots poison quills now."

"Envenomed with /justice/," the bird declares.

You finish your cup and set it aside. "I realize you're stressed," you say softly, "but if you try to kick me off of sacred ground again I'm gonna bring it up with the dead out there, and even the Rose faithful entombed out there will kick your ass so hard you'll bounce out of the afterlife and reincarnate. So sit your ass down, get a cup of coffee, and let's talk."

Outraged, the woman looks back at the husband, only to see him nod silently.

"...Fine. /Fine/." She takes the chair Nathan was sitting in, dropping into it with an angry huff. She folds her arms across her chest. "What is there to talk about?"

> I'm here to kill Lisa.
> I'm here to restore the Lichyard to its sacred state.
> Amy? Feather please.
> Write-in.

>>44172644
This

>>44173005
>> I'm here to restore the Lichyard to its sacred state.
That involves making Lisa so dead her ghost's ghost will be dead. So it works out, probably.
We should save that feather for when we actually NEED to force their hand.

>>44173005
>> I'm here to restore the Lichyard to its sacred state.

>>44173005
> I'm here to kill Lisa
She fucked up bad, and we're here to end it. If the Rose Cultists don't mind us sticking around, we'll help restore the Lichyard, because that's the right thing to do.

> I'm here to restore the Lichyard to its sacred state.
If we can persuade them /without/ using our mcguffin...

>>44173076
>>44173049
>persuade them
>remove lisa
>wag the feather as we leave

>>44173005
> I'm here to kill Lisa.

And afterwards, hopefully:

> I'm here to restore the Lichyard to its sacred state.

The first is what's needed. The second is want's right.

>>44173111
>put it in our hat

>>44173005
> I'm here to restore the Lichyard to its sacred state.

>Which also involves killing Lisa with extreme prejudice and throwing her soul to a disgruntled death angel.

>>44173134
Seconded.

>>44173005

> I'm here to restore the Lichyard to its sacred state.

Use the feather if she continues raising a snit, just as a "yeah, I'm sanctioned by an angel, so fuck you" way of shutting her up.

>>44173005
>Amy? Feather please.
>I have been called upon by the disturbed dead and a Seraphim of the Death Choir to bring justice upon Lisa and all of her allies.
>Now, it seems to me that you're left with only one option; Help me restore the Lichyard to its sacred state and restore order in the Dungeon. You can go back to hating me once I'm done.

All while petting Fetch in her lap.

>>44173005
If we do use the feather, word it that Lora, resident Death Choir, gave it to us so the Ia Croix family wouldn't be divided down here.

We're not using it to make them help us, we're using it because a Death Choir needs all the help she can get, and we're a part of that, just as they are.

> I'm here to kill Lisa.

> I'm here to kill Lisa.

Called, writing.

I'm gonna have to pause the thread at around 5:20 PM EST so I can go to GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. I will be back around 10:45 PM EST or so.

As always, taking questions, comments, feedback.

>>44173665
Is there anything else of interest in the Lichyard worth investigating? That town might be occupied by Lisa's forces, or it could be the Keepers base of operations. Maybe we can take a look.

Also, since we have permission to raise our dead foes as minions, does that mean we can get a troop of skeletal warriors to follow us around? Or can we be upgrade the plucky Sir Fetch and his fellows into undead raptors?

>>44173665
The fact that you capitalized GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT makes it seem like a perk.

>GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT: Allows for the conversion of Time into Money. The rate of conversion depends on the number of points invested in this ability.

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>>44173005
"Let's start with basics. I'm Brianna la Croix. You are...?"

"Aria. Aria la Croix," the woman answers sullenly. She takes the cup of coffee Nathan hands her, sips it, and immediately spoons in about eighty million tons of sugar.

Definitely a la Croix.

"Lisa sent me a message. She'd made an undead slave from one of Lakehallow's diplomats and sent the dead thing up to try to buy me off with gold stolen from the dead." You tip your pack and open the top flap. "I've come to return it, and to return the Lichyard to its sacred state. I've come to defend the family's sacred ground. This...this is unacceptable. It's base fucking greed, and I'm not going to stand for it."

"And what is it you intend to do?" Aria asks, swirling her cup gently. "Raise an army of the dead?"

"That'd be a bit counter-productive," you drawl. "I need information on Lisa's forces, her activities, her stronghold, and these oni I've heard about. Then we can formulate a plan."

Aria sighs. "...There's complications to that. We've pulled in to the shrine because she's got a dig team nearby. Mercenaries lead by an oni, peeling through the crypts for /something/. We need them gone before we can help anyone. If we sortie out, they'll hit us back like the fist of a god."

"My companions and I can scout them out. Maybe even drive them off. But I might need some time first. I've got a patient."

Aria's eyes flick suspiciously to the elf. "George and I will wait outside. When you've come to a decision or have a proposal, you let us know."

They leave, briskly, and you let out a long breath. "Cousins," you mutter, shaking your head.

> Stay with River
> Leave River
> Split your forces [propose a disposition]
> Write-in.

>>44174117
>> Stay with River

>>44174117
>> Stay with River

We'll question her for intel, she owes us that much. We also need to find out whether shes a murderer or not.

Once we've got that finished we can actually go ahead and murder us some mercenaries.

>>44174117
> Stay with River
Nate and Amy are with us right?
>Chat with Nate and Amy while we wait for the elf to wake up.

what's the range on Bri's link with Fetch? can they communicate telepathically over long distances?

>>44174271
About a solid mile.

>>44173838
There's the town, potentially other shrines like this one.

The chickens have one more upgrade slot left in them.

>>44174117
What this guy says >>44174239

>>44174117
> Stay with River
I'd really like to not go in blind, and I'd really like to not get River killed by our idiot cousins. So yeah, staying is probably for the best.

>>44174315
Shouldn't one of the chickens have two slots left? Since we only upgraded one chicken's intelligence? I really kind of want to make them fully symmetrical at some point.

Is River in any shape yet to be interrogated? What about to be able to move around on her own? (Clearly not able to do things like fight yet, which is good, we can't really trust her to that extent yet anyway, but can she do basic self-care as she continues to heal? Can she feed herself? How close is she to being able to travel without someone carrying her?)

>>44174394
Ah, yes. You are correct.

>>44174117
> Stay with River
For now. She can tell us who she reported to, what her job was, give a headcount on the number of mercs, and maybe tell us about some of the more exotic forces.

Amy or Nathan (or both) could head out towards the perimeter, get some more information about what the Rose branch has been dealing with so far. Alternately, we could answer any questions they might have about the Ia Croix family while we wait. I'm sure they still have a few.

If we do split forces, definitely send Fetch with whichever side Bri doesn't go with, and stay within a mile, unless we are able to swing some other way to maintain real-time communications.

>>44174025
larry, how the hell did you get promoted? You've never been on time in the last four years?

- I sued my experience points to raise GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT after my last level

Votes called. Writing.

>>44174600
>Shove 80 points into GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
>Estranged uncle dies, leaving you millions
>Realize you capped GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT and got the EARLY RETIREMENT perk as a bonus, overriding the previous perk.

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>>44174117
"Nathan, you're all diplomatic. Can you go outside and let them know I'm staying with River for a bit?"

Nathan nods and heads outside. Amy rubs your shoulders, and it feels just. Fucking. Heavenly.

"What do we do with her?" the bird asks, concerned.

"We'll have to see," you say, with a certain amount of reluctance. "A lot of it is going to depend on her. She signed up for mercenary work. Even if by some miracle there's no blood on her hands, she agreed to commit these crimes - for money. She aided and abetted Lisa - for money. Not being guilty /yet/ doesn't sound like much of a defense to me."

Amy lets out a concerned chirp. Nathan slips back inside, and the four of you settle in to wait.

A pained groan tells you that either the elf is awake or Amy is the world's most erotic ventriloquist. River sits up slowly, her hair falling over her face, and tries to take a deep breath. She stops with a hiss of pain, clutching at her ribs, and lets out a small sob.

"Don't push yourself too hard," you advise softly. "Your body's going to be a bit messed up still. It was just a field potion. You need further care."

The elf is silent. You see her pointed ears twitch, then swivel subtly in your direction. "You saved me," she whispers. "Why?"

> What say?

>>44175018
> Because I don't know if you need to die yet.

>>44175018
>Because I did. Want me to undo it?

>>44175018
>It'd have been easier to kill you. Easy doesn't mean right, though. We'll find out what's right soon enough, after some questions.

>>44174600

How did you manage to serve legal papers to an abstract concept?

>"Once upon a time, the rope broke, when a man was hung..."
>"At first I was going to say 'if your life is going to end, it should end the right way.' But really, there is no right way, is there? Just wrong ways. That was one of them."

>>44175018
> Because I need information. And because too few people get second chances in this world.

Seriously, am I the only one seeing the potential Fell parallels here?

>>44175124
GM fiat

>>44175018

> Innocent until proven guilty - we're not murderers, and there's a chance you're not.

>>44175018
>You seemd to have had enough of graberobing for the day, and I need info. You get a second chance, I get /a/ chance, we get on with our lives.

>>44175145
Do you mean Kells? Because yeah, I felt that too--hell, from the way he told it, he was way worse, we just met him at the end of his path.

He was saved by strangers who owed him nothing and knew what he was. This could be another case like that.

COULD be. Let's be careful anyway, but no reason not to offer second chances to people who might actually take them.

>>44175124
In medieval Icelandic law, if your house was inhabited by a malignant spirit one could get a court ordered cease and desist order against it.

>>44175247
I do mean Kells. Whoops. Damned godawful memory for names.

>>44175254
Wonder how that worked. Was there someone in the Judiciary that mediated legal disputes on behalf of the spirits? Did they do a lot of drugs? So many questions, not enough answers.

>>44175247
This. Definitely this.

>>44175018

> After a moment of looking at her silently, "Because there were more reasons to keep you alive than to kill you. High up on the list are the fact that you've not yet done anything to me or my friends that deserves death, and the fact that I need information about Lisa and the shit that she's pulling here. So if you like staying alive, I'd advise keeping the first one of those true, and replacing the second with gratitude to you for giving me that information."

>>44175254
Yea, but those were incorporeal, not abstract. There's a difference.

They also weren't real, but a) the law in question didn't recognise that fact, and b) still not the same thing as being abstract.

Alright folks, I don't wanna try and update in the next 20 minutes. That seems like a thing that ends poorly.

So I'm gonna leave the vote open until around 10:45 PM or so when I get home. Hopefully the thread doesn't sage out before then but, eh, if it does it does. I'll make a new one when I get home.

Thank you again for reading and participating!

>>44175302
Just dug into this a bit, apparently there is precedent against moving a boulder if it is recognized as inhabited by spirits. Icelandic environmental groups have been able to use this to tie up construction firms for years in the courts.

That's right, elves are a protected species in Iceland.

>>44175566
Makes sense. Some ridiculously high percentage of Icelanders believe in elves. It's not too surprising there'd be legal protections in place.

>>4417556
Well, not related to the thread, but it'll keep it alive a bit longer.

So who had the authority to determine when spirits inhabited something?

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Oh man. One last thing before I go to work. Was peeling through the backlog and came on this gem: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/43914719/#p43922695

I'm laughing so hard right now anons. Just. God but I love running this fucking quest, so much.

>>44175617
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/mar/25/iceland-construction-respect-elves-or-else

In Kópavogur, south of the capital, a rock known as Elfhill has caused disruption since the 1930s, when attempts to build a road through it were abandoned after a series of accidents. Plans to level the hill re-emerged in the 1980s, but problems recurred and workers refused to go anywhere near it. Even TV crews said their cameras failed to record anything when pointed at the rock. A road was finally built skirting round the protrusion – drive along it and you’ll notice that the house numbers skip a plot, in deference to the invisible neighbours who ultimately had their way.

There are legal battles to be had, too. A conservation act was introduced in 1990 with a clause protecting sites traditionally deemed to have supernatural significance – on the proviso that they have been associated with such phenomena for at least 100 years.

Presumably, before this they just played it by ear.

>>44175607
When you realize that they live on an island made out of earthquakes and fire, the idea of 'don't build here or the elves will fuck your shit' suddenly makes a lot more sense.

>>44175929
Theres actually a very active Fumarole that is located on top of what was a farmhouse and farmland for over a hundred years. The people who originally settled down there did so because the ground was warm enough that the snow didn't stick. In only 350 years it went from warm ground to a toxic gas and boiling acidic water filled hell hole. Really was awesome to see though.

Whats even cooler about it is one small detail nobody notices. About 100 meters away from that site is a second far smaller vent that has been tapped for geothermal energy.

>>44175018
>I want information. What were the terms of the mercenary deal?
maybe we can cause contract violations
>What do you know about Lisa and the Oni?
then when we're done with all that,
>Get her to bury her gold, make her atone for learn to respect the dead. THEN we can talk about whether or not to leave her alive.

>>44177370
>make her respect the dead

Shit, let's go introduce her to the family, if that's not forbidden.

"Say hello. These are--some of--the spirits you just robbed. Eternally."

Three hours to vote call.

i'm going to air a suspicion that the money changer isn't Lisa

>>44178839
Why?

>>44178839
We know she signed a letter with "Moneychanger" (among other things), and while Lora didn't outright say her name, the beginning of our last conversation certainly suggested we were on track. I'd be interested to hear why you suspect otherwise.

>>44178879
>>44179224

I'll hazard a guess he's going on "it's too obvious" logic, and believes that one of the Rose cultists or the Keepers is the real villain.

>>44175710
It is our honor and pleasure to play in your world, senpai

>>44175018
>Make her respect the dead before we're willing to do anything.

>>44179680
Yeah that's my guess

>>44179829
I feel so loved.

One hour to call. Will be taking best suggestion or most clearly supported.

Calling for a combination of >>44175139, >>44175145, and the respect-the-dead line of thought.

Writing.

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>>44175018
You're silent for a long moment. And then you stand up, and you pour the elf a cup of the warm coffee, and wrap her hands around it. She holds it close, still hiding behind the red curtain of her hair.

"Once upon a time, the rope broke, when a man was hung," you say softly. "Once upon a time, a man who deserved to die was given the chance to live, and his life changed forever. Once upon a time, in the Dungeon, an old pirate gave his life for others, and asked nothing in return."

You brush River's hair back from her face with one hand and look her in the eye. "Once upon a time, there was a dying soldier, and she begged the gods to live. How the rest of this story goes depends on you, sure. But it has to get the chance to begin, before it can be told."

Fetch chirps softly, perched atop the back of a chair.

"...What can I do?" River murmurs.

"Tell me about you, River."

And she does. The elf tells the tale of a village in the trees, in a forest so ancient the sunlight never touches the ground. River was named for something she'd never seen. When the mercenaries came through recruiting, she had signed up to get a taste of the world.

River'd fought. She'd killed. For pay, and brotherhood, and vengeance. She had scars where death had kissed her, and old, bad memories.

"Somewhere," the elf mutters in a distant voice, "I put down the girl who sat in the sunlight, dreaming of a laughing stream, and I never picked her back up."

When Lisa had hired the company, River had thought nothing of it. Job's a job. Job in the Dungeon? Great, danger pay. Fighting some cult? Cults had good plunder. She'd dug up the graves. She'd fought the Keepers in the trenches. When you found her, she'd crawled away from an ambush, the only member of her squad still alive, and the only thought in her mind had been that she wanted to live.

The elf stares down at her coffee, ashamed.

"You should have left me to die," she whispers.

>>44182748
Holy shit, they pulled a mercenary squad that had no idea what they were getting into. None of those mercenaries understand who they are fighting or why. They think its a crazy death cult. We might be able to use that information to our advantage.

We find the captains and tell them they're being used, its possible the upper leadership is in leagues however but the lower probably isn't.

>>44182809
nah, they probably won't care. At best, we sow disarray between the lower and higher leadership

we need the terms. On what grounds is the contract void(and the mercenaries keep their pay until we get them to return it)?

>>44182809
That's a really good point. This is already turning out to be an intel gold mine. I think we made the right call in keeping her alive.

>>44182838
They think they're clearing out a death cult, it sounds like they are mainly just contracted fighters and not much more. If they find out they're being manipulated by a necromancer so that they can make a giant army of the long dead and get rich off of buried coin they'll be pissed. Remember, they've buried plenty of comrades of there own, they don't want them getting defiled.

>>44182882
That would require explaining the entire situation, in combat. Besides, should we even be telling people about the Death Choir?

Unless one look at the tortured constructs gets them to reconsider long enough to explain what it takes to make one of those, I don't see it happening.

And hell, they might not care about being paid with dead money. There isn't too much difference between mercenaries and "treasure hunters", and there's a wide variance in morals they could have.

Comcast got me again, post saved in a doc while I reboot PC.

>>44182967
We don't need to mention death choir, just that they're fucking raising the dead to make a damn army, this probably include the mercenaries own dead as well.

This is a big dungeon, theres merceneries somewhere in it, if these people were the ones picked its because they needed a naive group to work for her as nobody else would.

What happened to the bit about the soil here rejecting the shovel if it is used with ill intent? River says she participated in the digging, does she know how they got past the place's built-in protections?

>>44182976
>Vox didn't do the classic QM mistake of not having backups
why are you so based

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>>44182976
Vox, you're too good, I'm convinced this is all a fever dream

>>44182992
I wouldn't automatically assume any of that, aside from the raising an undead army part.

They could be called in from a far away location, but that doesn't mean they're naive. Just that they don't give a shit. It IS possible that they can be talked down, but don't go risking Bri's life for what you think is a 100% guarantee.

>>44182994
Thats a good question, theres a few theories I've got about that, such as how the spell works, whether or not its been sapped, and what the consequences of violating it are. Some wards will kill you instantly, others will hurt you, and weirder ones will turn all your descendants into scary murder things. We know of one of the last kind, even though we don't know what his mother actually did,

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>>44182748
You stroke the elf's hair, gently. "Too bad. You asked to live. Though you might just get your wish, River. You've defiled sacred land. The Keepers are going to want you dead. I'm damn sure my living family members will."

"...Living?" she asks, in confusion.

"Eh, the dead ones have dealt with worse than mercenaries who forgot what morals are," you say with a shrug, and she flinches at the casual words. "Are you willing to give us information?"

"...Aye," River answers, at length. "I owe you that much. I. Even if I die, I owe you that much."

"We're going to leave you alone for a bit," you tell her. "While we're gone, I want you to think on something. Someone has to judge you. The Keepers will just kill you out of hand, and they won't be wrong to do it. So I'm declaring this a la Croix matter, kept in the family. I saved your life. I'm responsible for you."

"Then - then what do I have to decide?"

"If you want to be tried by the living, or by the dead." You get up from the bed and motion for the others to follow you out; you take up your hat and coat, putting both on before you slip out of the door.

> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the living.
> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.

>>44183079
Yea,but this one, we already have been told at least part of the consequences, that the soil deflects the shovel, that it actually physically prevents you from carrying out the violation. River and company weren't physically prevented from digging, so why not? And does River know why not?

>>44182996
>>44183032
I did say I got some very good advice from more experienced QMs, anon. This might be my first quest but I'm far from flying blind.

>>44182967
Of course, if we were to have someone who could speak on our behalf and seek out those who WOULD have issues with it (or even simply suggest which companies might), then that might be more feasible. Far from certain, but hey.

>>44183111
> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.

>>44183111
> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.
Waifu get!

> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.

I agree, the dead sure 'sounded' like they'd judge River better.

>>44183111
>> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.

Her crimes are against the dead, not the living. In addition, this whole thing is due to the perversion of the death choir to begin with. So this is pretty much an entirely dead affair, with the living keepers such as our self and the family acting on the deads will.

Also the dead like us, and they know we're going to fix this shit.

Just don't let mark judge her.

>>44183111
>You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.
HAHA, MORE DEAD THINGS

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>>44183137
>>44183153
>>44183157
I bet they curse her and turn her into a drow

>>44183153
This seems like a good spot for Serious Talk Moment.

I'm trying to keep the main cast of characters - that is, the party - relatively small. I'll entertain *one* more member - just one. That doesn't mean other characters won't be, or can't be, significant, but if you add River to the party that's it until or unless someone dies - this'll be your group.

Think long and hard on that. And contemplate how badly you want to waifu someone who decided that murder was an acceptable career choice. Merc work isn't like soldiering for a nation, after all.

The dead. Defintely the dead.

From a pragmatic POV, Bri just straight-up told her that the living folks who she could choose to be judged by would most certainly want her dead, while the dead have a more balanced outlook and with them she might have a chance.

From a more philosophical POV, the worst of her crimes are committed against the dead; they *should* be the ones to judge her, given that it is a viable option in this context.

>>44183111
> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.

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>>44183182

>>44183182
So what, do we want to marry a drow?

>>44183183
We've got a waifu waiting in the wings anyway. We don't need a murderous elf.

>>44183111
> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.

Well, the nice lady who saved our life certainly seemed to think we'd be better off with the dead. I mean, that's scary as fuck, but still.

>>44183183
Personally, I don't have a ton of interest in adding River the party. I wanted her alive, because second chances and whatnot, but she can be alive and not a party member.

>>44183183
I just want to get someone loyal to us and the cause high up into that mercenery group. If we can spread discord and distrust through the ranks we can take a big chunk out of the moneylenders forces.

> You are River the Southhand, and you have chosen to be tried by the dead.

>>44183183
I'm not honestly sure I want her as a party member; I WOULD like the chance to give her a chance though. And the information on the mercs could help us turn away foes (whether through discord or simply getting them to break/alter contract).
Of course, she'd also make a more passable shadow at this point, if it came to that...

>>44183183

Does River surviving automatically mean River becoming a permanent party member? Any chance of her tagging along temporarily, just until the immediate issues settle down a bit, then settling into Lake-something-town and joining the cast of recurring characters allied to the protagonists, rather than actually being one of the main protagonists herself?

>>44183183
I don't want her in the party. At most, she gets to have a glorious death and we make her a shadow.

Otherwise, leave her serving the Rose whatevers or go back home and, I dunno, apprentice herself to a necromancer there or something.