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>>44390878
"What was your last bet?" you muse. "Twelve? I think I'll raise fifteen. Nice, even forty cuts ought to do us just fine."

"You'll bleed to death," the Poet says in astonished shock.

"No," you murmur. "I really won't. Death is my friend, Brigette. This doesn't end well for you either way."

The sliver slips towards the chain. Brigette looks at it, open panic on her face, and turns her eyes back to you. You can see her face set in fury.

"You're bluffing. I'll match."

The crowd of demons hushes and leans in. You take the pipe out of your mouth and sigh.

"I meant what I said, Brigette. I'm going to do everything I can to get you out of this alive."

"You can't save me," she whispers. "The angel will kill me, and that'll be that."

You turn over your hand, and Brigette winces. She reveals the Ace of Spades and the Jack of Clubs.

"You're bad at poker, aren't you?" you murmur sadly.

"Fucking terrible," the red-haired woman sobs.

The knife floats up from the table and dives for her. On instinct, Brigette staggers away, holding up her arms to protect her face. Cloth parts as she's cut; red, red blood soaks her clothes and splatters the floor.

She can't hear the chain shatter past the screaming.

Freezing fog billows onto the stage, and Lora steps out with a cold, grim look on her face. She ignores Brigette and plunges her sword into the table; it stands straight up, with its tip in the wood.

The cards move back into the deck and shuffle themselves, almost furiously.

"How much steel do you have behind those convictions?" Lora murmurs, her eyes dark with hate. "What'll you bet, to save her life?"

> What do you say?

>>44390970

"What's needed. To do what's right."

>>44390970
>"My faith."

>>44391009
She's kinda asking for a declaration here, anon.

Also remember to greentext your votes please.

>I bet your freedom form the Master

Honestly she needs to accept this because if not we can as well just barricade ourselves in the Library, cutting the access to the next floor of the Dungeon and stop trying to free her which would be bad for her

>>44390970
>Saving a life is what's right. I'd bet my life, even if you weren't going to bring me back. I live my /existence/ paying bits of my own for the sake of others, this is no different.

>>44390970

... what should we offer? Maybe five years of service to her, to delay Brigette's sentence for five years?

>>44390970
A fixed bet - something Lora can't do without. Our willing service.

Lora has appointed us as a free agent, sort of, and we are allies. If she wishes to reduce the efficacy and faith of her most useful and successful play so far...

> 'I'll bet that you agree with me when you think about it, because to go against me is not worth it to you right now.'

>>44391034
That's the thing. We can't. Death is our job, freeing Lora IS fixing the death in the Dungeon. One way or the other, the job has to get done, even if she offs the Poet here and now.

Hence my vote for >>44391030; she's a Death Angel. Death is supposed to be fair.

>>44391034
This.

"I do not remember asking to be made Heritor"

>>44391034
>>44391040

> A combination of these.

> I'm the one who's tapped to save you, and this is how I do it. See this woman here? This is what happens when a job, a duty, a task, overcomes love, compassion, and perspective. This is what happens when the right reasons motivate the wrong actions.

> Do you want to be her, Lora? Do you want me to be?

>>44390970
>Nothing.

>>44391088

> "I never asked for this!"

>>44391030
>>44390970


> My faith in you.

>>44390970
>"What'll you bet, to save her life?"
>Nothing. Let her die.

>>44391092
Hmm, appeal to humanity to a ... death choir? All that does is make Lora believe that we believe, but she knew that already.

This need to be of something of value to Lora - more value that her immediate desire to brutally flay one of her tormenters. Nothign short term'll do it, so it'll have to be something long term or irreplacable.

>>44390970
>"Fuck this sacrifice bullshit. Let her die."

If we do this right, if we can save Brigette, we need to play it up to the demons. Tell them to spread the word - that we defeated her, soundly and bloodily, with a calm face and a surety of purpose - but that it didn't have to come to this. That we offered mercy every step of the way.

That we will offer mercy when we can... and if you don't take it, you will drown in your own blood.

>>44390970

I support this
>>44391040
>>Saving a life is what's right. I'd bet my life, even if you weren't going to bring me back. I live my /existence/ paying bits of my own for the sake of others, this is no different.

and this write-in
>>44391092

but not the "freedom from the Master", because that is the prime objective (freeing Lora is the same action as defeating the evil and liberating the dungeon)

>>44391120

If she feels rage, anger, and vengeance, then it stands to reason she can feel the other emotions too. She's not simply a specter of death, she has desires and personality.

Given that, yeah. Remind her of what's right, remind her of what we are, and remind her that we're her ally in this, and this is an intrinsic part of who her ally is.

>>44391148

Theoretically, we COULD hold the chains ourselves; get rid of their holders but not shatter them. Leave Lora bound while liberating the sungeon, at least for long enough to make our point.

>>44391092
I heartily support this.
> I'm the one who's tapped to save you, and this is how I do it. See this woman here? This is what happens when a job, a duty, a task, overcomes love, compassion, and perspective. This is what happens when the right reasons motivate the wrong actions.
> Do you want to be her, Lora? Do you want me to be?

Brianna wants to help Lora, but she isn't going to sacrifice who she is and what she believes in to do it.

Called, writing. Looks like we've got a couple of good ideas that dovetail well together and have multiple votes.

>>44391131
>>44391117
>>44391098
> "Hey you know how I made you angry just suggesting this?"
> "I'm gonna go ahead and pussy out like an honorless coward and completely lose any respect you might have had for me."
> "This ends well."

>>44390970
> when the caretaker was bound to your service, he got his sanity. now you've bound me to serve, tied me to duty and denied me even the right to die, and I have done your will. but I am not a slave, any more than you are. nothing in life is free, not even good deeds. I wager my payment for three chains broken.

>>44391233
Too late!

>>44391201
Dammit why do I still have petty mortal needs like sleep I missed the vote.

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>>44390970
You hold the angel's gaze; you can see her hand shaking on the hilt of the sword, the tremble in her arm as she restrains herself.

"You want a reason, don't you?" you murmur.

"Answer the question, heritor," Lora snarls. You hear Amy squeak in fear.

"You chose me, Lora," you murmur. "I didn't volunteer. And I'm going to assume you chose me for a reason."

Behind Lora, the knife finally stops cutting. Brigette curls into a small ball on the ground, blood pooling beneath herself, and sobs in pain. Nathan takes a step forward and is stopped when the angel glares at him.

"Do you want to turn me into her?" you ask. "I can do that. I can lose sight of my virtues and do whatever it takes to do your will. And when I'm done, I'll take my payment, and you'll have created a new monster for your Dungeon. But I don't think you want that. I think you know better."

You pick up the still-lit pipe and put the stem in your mouth. "You want to know what I'm betting? I'm betting my faith that you're someone worth saving. Because by the gods, if you're going to look me in the eyes and tell me she doesn't deserve the chance to make it right, I'll leave. And I won't come back."

The silence is broken only by the sound of the sobbing, weeping blade.

"Does that really look like your enemy?" you murmur, almost pleading. "You don't want to do this, Lora."

"Don't tell me what I want," Lora snaps. She rips the blade from the table and turns, pointing the tip at Brigette. Your heart leaps into your throat.

|<[Stay]>|

The language is the same, but when Lora speaks it, it makes Brigette's attempts seem like a child's babblings. The word hangs in the air with a sense of utter finality.

"She has broken the laws of the gods," Lora says in a hard voice. "I cannot make her un-learn what she has learned, so she will stay here, in my library, forever. She has stolen what is not hers, but she will not profit from it."

> You can't do that!
> I understand.
> Thank you, Lora.

>>44391437
> I understand.
We might not like it but it is a good compromise

>>44391437

>I understand.
> Thank you, Lora.

>>44391437
>You can't do that!

>>44391437
>I understand.

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>>44391201
>lose any respect you might have had for me
>caring what the angel thinks

Called, writing.

>>44391495

It's utilitarian. We have to work with her, our working relationship matters. Respect is capital.

>>44391437
>Thank you, Lora.
Shouldn't push our luck. Bridgette is lucky that she got this much.

>>44391598
Fuck respect.

>>44391637

Spoken like a neet.

This is how working relationships function. In order to say "Fuck respect," you've got to be the mad genius who can get amazing things done, and have at least one person who appreciates you enough to run interference for your terrible personality.

>>44391718
Alternatively, you have to be boning the personification of the concept of Respect.

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>>44391437
The angel turns back to you and sheaths her sword, standing almost...defiantly.

"I understand," you murmur. "She won't let you down."

"She'd better not," Lora growls. "I don't forgive her. She lives by /your/ good graces, heritor."

Lora steps back into the fog, and the moment she's gone, Nathan rushes to Brigette's side, a freshly-mixed potion in hand. He holds her head up and forces it down her throat; you kneel next to the Poet and brush her hair back from her face.

"My work," the Poet sobs. "...For nothing. All of it for nothing."

"No," you murmur. "Not for nothing, Brigette. You've got the chance to make it right. When you're feeling a little better, show me how to activate the letter, and I'll go get Victoria for you."

The Poet weeps like a babe, and you sing her a soft lullaby.

END PART 3: DAUGHTER OF BABBLE

There will be a two hour break before I begin the third interlude.

Alright folks. That's the Atheneum; a bit shorter but it's also one of the more straightforward floors.

Thoughts? Feelings? Questions? Critique? Your feedback, as always, is appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

I'll be starting the interlude in about two hours.

>>44391437
> I understand

>>44391863

A bit short, like you said, but a straightforward fight with the boss. I would have liked a little more struggle on the way to the boss, a little more work to get in front of her.

Good characterization, nice lore, liked it as a whole.

>>44391863

So.... what are the chances we can pick up some God Words? I suspect this is one of those Things Man Was Not Meant To Know, but then, necromancy.

Probably something we cant all of, but if we can get at least one Word, awesome.

>>44391863
Awesome, with a capital A, if shorter than the first or second arcs. Can we stay a while and study under The Caretaker and learn more about the rest of the Dungeon?

>>44391863

The Realdeath option felt like a bit of a paper tiger threat - not a lot of likelihood of it happening, unless anons went Full Stupid.

Thinking it over, it felt like the real challenges here were moral and emotional; Brig was just a catalyst for some of that, but really not a threat on her own. Brig did Bri a favor, in the end, by being that catalyst.

>>44391863

I liked it. Nice to have a 'moral quandry' enemy after two 'obvious asshole' types.

The only complaint I might have is how many new characters were introduced (Cherry, the Caretaker, Isoldt) in so short a time. Given how much you fleshed out Bridge, they seem a bit flatter than the characters you've previously introduced.

That and the abscence of Sir Fetch the Nightfeather, slayer of demons and guardian of hens.

>>44392561
True, but it doesn't seem like the other anons were very interested in fleshing out the other characters. Maybe we can spend more time learning about them during the interim?

>>44391863
Now, the Caretaker mentioned the next BBEG, this Baron asshole, and the Mine. Are we going to discuss him at any length, or will he try to gank our hero squad before they feed him his teeth?

>>44391863
technicallly speaking her work isn't in vain. She can now complete her research

>>44392907
>Spend life creating Angelic/mortal dictionary
>Get's stuck in the restricted section where only angels can check it out.

>>44391903
Noted. I appreciate the feedback.

>>44392178
Something to ask Lora. The laws have been re-established in the Atheneum now, so the books won't be any help.

>>44392213
Definitely a thing that can happen.

>>44392250
Noted.

>>44392561
You'll have the chance to talk with them more if you like. You do need to do /something/ with Isoldt.

>>44392849
Something that can be done, yes.

Interlude being written...now.

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It's been two days, and Lora still hasn't spoken a word to you. At one point you tried taking a nap to talk to her on purpose and the angel stared at you for three hours, doing nothing but light and smoke cigar after cigar until you woke up choking on lungs full of clean air.

Brigette has been dismissing her demons, one by one, with the aid of yourself and the Caretaker. The Poet is obviously miserable; she moves through the halls like the ghost of autumn, pausing only to find the demon she's figured out how to unbind and send it back to Hell. It's needful work, because one of the others might try to claim them, but she's clearly just going through the motions.

You're debating between going to bed and staying up - depending on your patience with Lora's petulance - when the sound of quiet crying draws you into a study. Brigette sits at a table, with what was probably once a full bottle of brandy and is now an empty glass vessel. Her letter to Victoria, still unopened and unused, sits at the table in front of her.

There's a knife stabbed into the table, inches from her wrist.

> Ignore her
> Need to talk?
> Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.

>>44393307
>Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.

>>44393307
>Ignore her

>>44393307
>Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass
>Ask Brigette what she knows of the Caretaker.

>>44393307
> Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.

We saved her; we're partly responsible for her. Now would be a good time to bring up Vic; maybe? Brig kept her promise - she stayed alive.

>>44393307
>Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.
Time to put on our spiritual adviser hat.

>>44393307
>Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.

>Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.

>>44393307
> Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.
Spiritual advisor mode, activate.

>>44393307
>Sit down, open one of the other bottles, and pour yourself a glass.
She's definitely in need of an ear. I also think that Lora's been making her feel like merry hell, even more so than she did already.

Called, writing.

Now with more caffeine.

>>44394006
Saw your quest yesterday and read the entire thing today, your writing style is truly enjoyable to read. I can't participate at this time but thank you.

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>>44393307
You take a seat opposite from Brigette and pop the cork on something you suspect is rum. Your suspicion, when you pour it, turns out to be correct.

"Long day?" you murmur.

Brigette nods, miserably, but she doesn't stop you when you take her hand. You take a sip of the rum - 's some good shit - and pour her a cup before setting it down.

"I thought you gave this stuff up?" you continue, soothingly.

"Wanted to make poor decisions," Brigette mutters into the table. "It's all gone, Bri. Everything I worked for. Everything I sinned for. I..." she clutches at the letter with one hand, like she's afraid it'll go away. "She was so understanding. I didn't give her the attention she deserved."

"Ten years is a pretty long time for humans to stick with someone," you point out. You take another sip. "She been with you that long?"

Brigette nods.

"Then maybe her version of events isn't quite the same as yours," you murmur. "You should ask her to come home." You wrench the knife from the table and set it down. "You wanna talk to me about that?"

"I didn't do it. Didn't even.../really/...try. I. I've had a bad few days. I've had a bad few years, Bri."

"You've got the rest of forever to make something better of it, Brigette. Lora will come around."

"She shouldn't."

> That's no way to talk
> That's between you and her
> Why don't we talk about something else?

>>44394755
> That's between you and her

>>44394755
>> That's between you and her
I am, however, content with all votes, as I am confident they all lead to heartbreak.

>>44394755
>that's no way to talk

>>44394755
>that's between you and her

Were mainly here to stop either party from enslaving or murdering the other.

> That's between you and her

>that's between you and her
I have given you your life back to the best of my faculties, and now it's up to you whether to fill it with love or misery.

>>44394755
>That's no way to talk

>>44394755
> It's your responsibility, now, to convince her to. And if you do it, you'll convince yourself she should.

>>44394755
> That's between you and her
though I would like to add >>44395087 's general sentiment
> It's your responsibility, now, to convince her to. And if you do it, you'll convince yourself she should.

>>44395087
Seconding.

Votes called.

Writing.

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>>44394755
"Brigette, that's between you and her," you tell the scholar. "It's your responsibility to convince her to. And if you do, I think you'll realize that you should. You've...you've both got the opportunity to come to grips with this."

"...I suppose so. Why'd she do that? Why stick me with her forever?"

"Maybe she wanted an out too," you murmur. "She's fighting her own battle, Brigette. To not become someone she isn't."

"I know who she is," Brigette whispers. "...Being someone else might be better for her."

> Tell me
> She'll tell me when she's ready

* * * *

You've had some time to think about your training.

> Seek the Caretaker's training
> Continue training with Nathan
> Learn something else

* * * *

Regardless of your training, you'll have some free time this initial week.

> Talk to Brigette and the Caretaker about the Mine
> Spend a day with Nathan
> Spend a day with Amy
> Visit River
> Talk to Cherry
> End your exile

> Tell me
> Continue training with Nathan
> Talk to Brigette and the Caretaker about the Mine

>>44395880
> She'll tell me when she's read

> Continue training with Nathan

> Talk to Brigette and the Caretaker about the Mine

>>44395880
>> Tell me
We might be able to help Lora in an unsuspected area.

>> Seek the Caretaker's training

Alright folks, I have to drive back home. Vote extended while I handle it.

>>44395880
> She'll tell me when she's ready
We're acting as a shrink, here. And shrinking is only effective when you build trust, which does not involve going behind people's backs.

> Seek the Caretaker's training
I realize our sword skills will probably diminish, but the party has a lot of physical combatants already. What we really need is some better necromancy.

> Talk to Brigette and the Caretaker about the Mine
Let's get this out of the way so we don't forget to do it later.

>>44395880
> She'll tell me when she's ready

> Seek the Caretaker's training

> Talk to Brigette and the Caretaker about the Mine

>>44395880
>She'll tell me when she's ready

>Seek the caretakers training

>Talk to Brigette and the caretaker about the mine

>>44395880
>Tell me
Damn you curiosity always getting me into trouble.
> Seek the Caretaker's training
Skellybro probably knows some awesome tricks.
> End your exile
As much as I'd like to have more character interaction not being able to freely access the surface has already bitten us in the ass once already so this seems like a very practical thing to do.

>>44395880
> She'll tell me when she's ready

> Seek the Caretaker's training

> End your exile

>>44395880
> Tell me
> Seek the Caretaker's training
> End your exile

>She'll tell me when she's ready.

>Continue training with Nathan.

Having a recourse that isn't literally using up your life force is really fucking useful.

>End your exile.

Practicality. The more freely she can move, the more effectively she can solve all this. Plus, better access to resources from the surface.

> Tell me.
> Continue training with Nathan.
> End your exile.

>>44395880
> Tell me
> Seek the Caretaker's training
> End your exile
a) Are we ever going to get a chance to actually talk to Nathan and Amy about relationship things? b) We should bring them with and do something fun in Glen once things are sorted.
>>44395984
I think that "she" is Lora, not Brigadoon.

>>44395880
>> She'll tell me when she's ready

>> Seek the Caretaker's training

>> Talk to Cherry
> End your exile
We're not going to the mines until Cherry's issues are dealt with. Lora needs some time to think, and Caretaker's lessons will take time, anyway.

>>44395880
> She'll tell me when she's ready
I think right now is not the time to push the issue

> Seek the Caretaker's training
We're good at the rituals but where's the shadow bolts or negative energy attacks

> Visit River
Bring Cherry. Get Cherry meet your sister. See if River knows a way to help.

> She'll tell me when she's ready
> Seek the Caretaker's training
> Talk to Brigette and the Caretaker about the Mine

I think we ought to give Lora a chance to decide who she wants to be, before we press for /who/ she is. I doubt she was nice, given that her domain was the dungeon.

I'm not entirely sure we're going to get out of this Heritor business alive, either.

But, we're here to do what's right and what's needed. And if that means giving an angel of death a shot at being something other than what she was, I see no reason to not try to give her a chance to be better.

That said, I really think we need intel. But I'm caught. We have time, so we should /probably/ do something about Cherry. We can't just keep bringing her into danger,

Also, I'd really, really, /really/ like a shot at knowing what the actual fuck is going on with the Master's plans, before he sends someone up to kill Brigette.

>>44397545
>I'm not entirely sure we're going to get out of this Heritor business alive, either.

My impression was that it's a lifetime or even lifetime-plus appointment, so...yeah, till death do us part or even then some.

>>44395880
>Tell me
>Seek the Caretaker's training
>Visit River and the family shrine with Cherry, on the way to the surface to end our exile.
One of our honored dead can probably help Cherry more than we can.
And if we don't have time to go all the way up and train with the Caretaker both, we'll send nate. He'd probably like to visit them, and it's safe enough from the lichyard to the surface.

Called, writing.

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>>44395880
"She'll tell me, when she can," you murmur to Brigette. "If she wants to."

Brigette chews her lip for a moment. "...The Traitor. She can't speak her name as long as the Traitor holds a chain."

"Understood. And thank you. Mind if I stay and get a bit drunk myself?"

"Sure."

* * * *

Nathan understands, though he's a little let down, when you tell him you've elected to train with the Caretaker in preparation for the assault on the Mine.

"...I don't like the idea of you killing yourself /faster/ for this," he admits.

"It's my life, and I'll spend it as literally as I damn well please," you remind him. "...Besides. I'm being careful."

The Caretaker's tutelage is not like your grandmother's; it is much more intensive with regards to theory and the creation and modification of necromantic spells. You learn to wither living flesh, manipulate bone still inside a person, and other, more painful arts applicable to your immediate situation.

"You know why I am trusting you with this power?" he asks you, when you begin.

"I know," you answer, solemnly. You shudder as you retract the spine of bone you'd grown from your wrist; the needle point slips under your skin, like water, and leaves just the faintest beading of blood.

* * * *

It's a beautiful day in Glen, despite the crossbows pointing /right at you/.

"Holllld up," you note to the militiamen. "I've got the jewels. Right here. Literally right here in this bag. You can even look."

Miller takes the proffered sack and chokes when he checks it. He looks at the jewels, then you, then back to the jewels. Finally, he sighs and hands the sack back to you.

"My men will escort you to the Unlucky Bastard. If you'd be kind enough to not leave it while we summon Marsh? It could take a day or two. If you need to visit the town, the militia will mind you."

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>>44398141
"Sounds reasonable," you say agreeably. You're escorted to the Unlucky Bastard, where you're given a table because of, among other things, the close proximity to lunchtime. The militia men that escorted you remain in the inn; one leans against the door, the other stands near the bar.

You sit down...

> With Nathan
> With Amy
> With both Nathan & Amy
> By yourself

>>44398169
> With both Nathan & Amy
Obviously.

>>44398169
> With both Nathan & Amy

>>44398169
>> With both Nathan & Amy
Best lover-friends

>>44398169
> With both Nathan & Amy

> With both Nathan & Amy

Also, yay. Traitor holds the Name. We're slowly learning things about people /before/ we have to rush off to kill them in their episode.

>>44398169
> With both Nathan & Amy
Yessss

>>44398169
>With both Nathan & Amy

>>44398169
>With both Nathan & Amy
As if it needs to be asked.

>>44398169
>By yourself
If only to oppose unanimity.

Well that shower was refreshing.

Votes called, writing.

>With both Nathan & Amy

Question about the setting: are Death and Entropy closely enough linked that we can affect the death of non-living things? Or even of more abstract things, like "the state of being wounded" or "the distance between my knife and their throat"?

Alternatively, can we call up the ghosts of objects or events, then use the objects or view the events?

Is there any way of charging objects with deathly energy so that we can use the ambient energy of the Lichyard to fill batteries we can use elsewhere in lieu of our own more finite lifespan?

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>>44398169
You sit down with Amy and Nathan and give them both a grateful smile for coming up with you. The barmaid that comes to your table lights up when she sees you. "You're that Dungeoneer, right? The exile? What're you doin' back up here?"

You give her a broad smile and hold up the sack that contains the jewels. "Sentence is up. Turning in my bounty to Marsh."

"Kyle!" she calls. "Kyle, one actually made it out! She's gonna be /free/!"

You give Nathan a sidelong look. "This happen a lot?"

"No," he says frankly. "Which is why we make a big deal when it does."

After that there's absolutely no talk of you paying for your meal or your drinks. "I'd give you the room," Kyle admits, almost apologetically, "but it's not like there's anywhere else for you to stay, so that'd be free anyway."

"I appreciate the thought," you tell him, genuinely grateful for the thought.

And so it is that you have coffee and tea you didn't need to make yourself, a good lunch, and some good conversation going. The militia members go from tense to relaxed pretty easily; every now and again, one throws in an interjection to the conversation.

"So, two things," Amy says, a bit of rare steak on the end of her fork ("I swear this will be the only time I say this to your wonderful chef, but just this time, /this/ time, when I say 'rare', I mean 'open the oven to scare it a little, then throw it on the plate'."), "One, you have /a/ room."

"And two," Nate says, a little seriously, "I...got left something, by my mother. Besides Verve. A letter. And I promise I'm not depressed about it, I'm not trying to drag the mood down, but at some point I wanna talk about it with the two of you."

"Told Amy already?" you ask.

Nathan shakes his head. "She knew I wanted to talk but I don't really want to have this conversation twice."

> Cuddle pile
> Get your own room(s)

And

> Hit the town (pick a destination)
> Stay in to talk
> Discuss Nate's letter

>>44398955
> Cuddle pile
> Discuss Nate's letter

>>44398955
> Cuddle pile
> Discuss Nate's letter
Nate sounds like he wants to talk, so let's talk.

>>44398955
> Discuss Nate's letter

Nothing in it will make us question him, and its honestly not our place to judge his mother.

> Cuddle pile
> Discuss Nate's letter

what happened to nates dad?

>>44398955
>Cuddle pile
This is not a choice. When one of the options is cuddle pile, it's not a choice.

>Discuss Nate's letter

>>44398955
>> Cuddle pile
>> Discuss Nate's letter

>>44399007
No one, including Nate's mother, is entirely certain who he is.

>>44398895
Necromancy's fairly focused in on the living and the dead, and transition between the two, including suspending, encouraging, or even delaying/reversing death. Limited psychometry is possible, especially if the object in question was used to cause (or prevent!) death; likewise, you can hold death off of folks, though that's less healing and more "it takes more killing to turn you the same amount of dead".

As far as super abstract things, like distance, I'ma say 'no'.

The Lichyard is once again sanctified and is no longer particularly friendly to the practice of necromancy. That in mind, you can theoretically capture the deaths of sacrifices in vials/bottles much like the ones used to contain shades, ghosts, and demons; if you have some prepped, you can do this with battlefield deaths as well. The Caretaker's instructions will prove helpful in developing this technique.

> Cuddle pile
> Discuss Nate's letter

Like we were going to do anything else.

CAlled, writing.

>>44398955
> Cuddle pile

> Discuss Nate's letter

>>44399067
Thanks for the answers.

Another question I just thought of, while contemplating the downsides of the various forms of undeath: is it possible to create something like the Igors from Discworld? Both in the "take body parts from those who don't need them anymore and put them in people who do, potentially including yourself in that second category as bits stop working due to aging and damage" and the "put your brain on ice and wait for a suitable body to end up brain-dead" senses?

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>>44398955
"Room's easy," you say with a shrug. "Cuddle pile, obviously. As for your letter...this the kind of conversation that needs a drink?" you ask.

"No," he answers. "...Though weirdly I wanna ask for one of those horrible cigars Brigette gave you."

"I know, right?" you say, digging out the case with Lora's image emblazoned on it. You offer Nate a cigar and the lighter, then decide you'd...well, not /like/, but you'll take one yourself. Amy, as usual, declines.

Mm. Gotta - love? - the way every puff feels like a personal violation.

Nate takes an envelope from his pocket. At first it looks almost unopened; he's kept it fresh and preserved, and the seal is still attached, if broken. He takes it out and smooths it down with a heavy sigh.

Nathan smokes silently for a long minute before he starts to read out loud.

"Dearest Nathan," he murmurs in a low voice. "If you are reading this, I have failed to defy the fate laid out for me, and must play the hand dealt me to its bitter end. I am sorry, for so many things. I am sorry that things turned out this way. Applegrove is a good woman, and will see that you have a good life. They say that seers are unreliable, but I have Seen, and I say that there is no escape for me. I will see you in the Dungeon, when you have become a man. Do what you must."

He takes the cigar out of his mouth and takes a deep, heavy breath. "Your loving mother, Natalia."

> Welp.
> No, this is definitely a drinking-class conversation.
> What can we do to help?

>>44399810
>> What can we do to help?

>>44399810
Fuck, she's one of the chain holders.

>>44399810
> Welp.
That's a thing that just happened I recommend just sort of staring slack jawed for a bit and then going "huh".

>>44399810
>What can we do to help?
She's a chain holder, isn't she Vox?

>>44399632
This is the sort of research the Vintner was attempting. The biggest trouble is that it's hard to keep the stuff you cut up and off "alive". It could be done, in theory, without the level of blatant cheating the Vintner was attempting, but no one's really lining up to volunteer for it and doing it to prisoners is considered needlessly cruel. Ultimately, undeath is seen as both easier and safer.

>>44399810

> Welp.

>I have Seen

I distictly remember there being a Seer on the list.

Fuck.

>>44399810
> No, this is definitely a drinking-class conversation

>>44399923
What's the full list again?

>What can we do to help?

>>44399930
Will go retrieve.

>>44400000
Czech'd

>The Vintner (Deceasedish. Residing in Lora's sword.)
>"The Traitor."
>"The Pallbearer."
>"The Moneychanger." (Deceased.)
>"The Poet." (Alive, but stripped of her chain and serving Lora. Permanently. As in, for all eternity, do not return to the world until the next multiverse is created, permanently.)
>"The Baron."
>"The Librarian."
>"The Diviner."
>"The Debtor."
>"The Lush."
>"The Wyrm."
>"The Daughter."
>At last, her fingers go to the leash at her neck. "The Master."

>>44400048

Lora did a similar thing to Lisa's soul as she did to the Vintner's, last I checked, so I'd say they're both deceasedish?

Also just a warning Vox, Lisa's listed as the Seeker rather than the Moneychanger in the charsheet.

>>44400080
Aye. Her given name was Lisa the Seeker; "Moneychanger" was on her letter, as one of her professions. You'll note as well that the Vintner's title was given to him by the Basement residents, while Brigette's was given to her by her lady love?

Votes called, writing.

>>44400080
Oh, did she? Alright. I thought that Lisa had just been devoured by the wards. Fair enough.

>>44399810
> Welp.
So my best guess is she's either the Diviner (for the "Seen" thing) or the Traitor (for the as-yet-unknown atrocity she committed that left its mark on Nathan).

>>44399856
Yeah, my guess, too.

>>44399810
>> What can we do to help?

>>44400146

Ah, that makes sense.

Kinda got confused given that Poet, Traitor and Master all seem to be used amongst the group itself, though I have to imagine that the Traitor calls themself by some less-negatively-connotated name.

(and also given that they're called the Traitor and Bridgette REALLY didn't want them getting her research, I'm guessing they're some sort of 'fallen' angel or uberdemon.)

>>44400386

>fallen angel or uberdemon

Might also be a la Croix who's WELL AWARE that they're violating their family's name by doing this shit.

That'd be a neat little twist.

>>44400427
Unlikely, as we have confirmation that, though they may have hired them, none of the other chain holders are necromancers.

>>44399810
>> No, this is definitely a drinking-class conversation.

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>>44399810
You move to a chair next to Nathan and put an arm around his shoulder. For some reason he offers you his cigar - you still have your own - and for some /further/ reason you actually take a puff on it before he takes it back.

Amy gives you a look like she just saw the cutest fucking thing.

"What can we do to help?" you ask.

"Right now?" Nathan answer. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I. Have complicated feelings about my mother and they just got even more complicated all of a sudden. So don't prod me about it, and let me digest this on my own. Okay?"

"I promise," Amy says in a small voice. You squeeze Nathan around the shoulder and let him go.

"I know about needing space," you agree. "Thanks for telling us."

"...You two deserve to know. You're. You're very special to me."

The smoke trickles out of your nose as you hear the opening in the conversation.

> ...Speaking of.
> (Amy/Nate), can I talk to you for a moment?
> Actually, maybe now's not the time for relationship stuff? (suggest another topic)

>>44400622
I'm completely indifferent, Other than my interest in the inevitable smut because /tg/ has corrupted me, and will leave this to the people who actually give a damn. Try not to cause a ton of waifu drama

Besides, everyone knows Fetch is the one true waifu

>>44400622
> ...Speaking of.

>>44400622
>...Speaking of.

Alright folks. I need, badly, to pass out while I pray this feeling in my stomach is not the flu. Leaving the vote open.

As always, discussion, questions, comments, critique, and criticisms are welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>44400622
>...Speaking of.

"So we may need a second room after the three of us break the bed in the first one."

>>44400699

Its probably just all that damn coffee, I sure as hell know it fucks my stomach up royally.

As for critique and criticism, all I can say is

Needs more cowbell

>>44400654
I appreciate your honesty anon.

What I said before about depicting poly romance holds true; my goal, if it's chosen (and let's be honest, I find it likely that it will be) is to handle it with some degree of dignity, accuracy, and respect. I don't write harems, and I'm not making one.

Now I really am gonna go to sleep.

> ...Speaking of.

"So we may need a second room after the three of us break the bed in the first one."

Amy making us weigh less should help with that.

>>44400622
> ...Speaking of.
It is time to have a serious relationship talk. We've dated casually, cuddle piled, fought side by side, and at one point we masturbated loudly within earshot of Amy, but at no point have we figured out what this *is*. That needs to change, or at least one of us is gonna get hurt.

>>44400699
Vox, I just finished binging your webcomic. I like it, although I don't really understand the mechanics. Looking forward to the new stuff.
The alliterative item names are horrible though

>>44400699
I've been sick for pretty much this entire run, so I hope you don't catch anything through the internet.
Get some chicken noodle soup, sleep well, and make sure your Johns wear a condom before boning your bones.

>>44400622
>...Speaking of.
also not really interested either way. I could quite possibly be a soulless husk.

Vox, you've been hiding the truth all along, haven't you? IT IS I WHO IS THE LICH, BUT I ONLY NOTICED NOW!

> ...Speaking of.

>>44400805
As someone else who's read through the comic, I think that the alliterations are actually awesome. Yes that was on purpose. No I'm not sorry. Okay maybe a little.

Anyway, this has been a fun quest so far, and I look forward to seeing what you have planned in the future.

Is it bad that I want to see what would happen if we died?

>>44400622
> ...Speaking of.

>>44400549
But there are LaCroixes who aren't necromancers! The entire Rose Cultist branch, for one!

>>44399067
>if you have some prepped, you can do this with battlefield deaths as well. The Caretaker's instructions will prove helpful in developing this technique.

Definitely want to be developing this technique. Sacrificing people just to harvest them is definitely getting into supervillain territory, but harvesting from a death that was gonna be a death whether we harvested it or not, well, that's just good stewardship of finite resources.

>>44401329
Fair point and oddly something that has always struck me as applicable to cannibalism as well.

>>44401329
Why sacrifice people?

I mean yes, collecting battlefield death is worthwhile, but there's probably a way to set up a butcher's shop or a fishing boat so that every time they kill an animal it puts a bit of juice into a necromantic battery.

You could even get a bit from plants and fungi you harvest. Hell, the bacteria in the human body can provide a trickle of it.

Granted, you're not getting much energy from any one source. But given the number of sources, those trickles add up to a respectable amount of power.

Everything that lives is invariably steeped in death. Why not tap into that?

>>44400768
> This

>>44401517
Good points. Tough to set up most of that, though, what with all the butchers and fishermen being among the general populace that passionately hates necromancy. As for ones own body bacteria, I've kinda been assuming that all necromancers use that trickle already, anyway, but its just so extremely tiny that the reduction in the amount of our own life we use isn't enough to be worth writing about in the quest.

>>44401697
To be fair we could also tap into Amy and Nathan's... Also, probably-shitty idea: Liches can use their connection to death to fuel necromancy rather than burning life. Can we manage to non-harmfully tap /Cherry's/ connection to death to serve as fuel?

>>44401697
Lakehallow, the kingdom in the Maze, and whoever we save going forward.

Just caught up after a couple days of fairly diligent archive binging.

You're a hell of a QM, Vox.

>>44401865
I wonder if it's possible to completely drain a ghost's connection to death.

Would you get some sort of disembodied living soul if you did that?

>>44400768
Seconding this.

There's no point in delaying things; better to have them out and open for all involved. There's nothing wrong with the way you've portrayed the relationships between Bri, Best Bird and our fair Hero. Do things your way, Lord Vox. We have undying faith in thee, oh skeletal buttslut.

>>44398141
Also, I want to see our fantastic trio's playbook, since knowing what they can do might help in planning future battles. Like, for example, if Brianna can cause the muscles in a foes leg or weapon arm to spasm painfully and uncontrollably (it could be used to effectively hinder or cripple an enemy without being a huge drain on her stamina or life force).

>>44400622

> ...Speaking of.

Y'know. It occurs to me it's a very good thing we appear to be going Harem Route with this because Vox was extremely unclear about what pulling Nate or Amy aside would mean, and that could be "I'm sorry, I want the other one" or "I want you, if you'll have me".

>>44403708
He's already said no to harem's, anon. While I can understand and appreciate your fetish, it does not apply here. Even if they haven't consummated the act, the hero trio belong to each other in a fully romantic relationship.

> Get eight hours of sleep
> Feel like I could sleep more

Vote called in any event.

>>44403708
My apologies there anon.

As you can probably tell, I went back to sleep. Coffee, writing.

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>>44400622
Now's the time. If not now, when?

You've been putting it off anyway, not sure of how to say what you both feel and suspect (not that you could give the ratio of feeling to suspicion at swordpoint).

"Speaking of," you say softly, your tone not exactly sad so much as feeling your way through the words, "I've been meaning to talk to you. To both of you."

Amy looks at your face and scoots her chair around the table to sit on your other side. She takes your hand and looks up at you in quiet anticipation.

Damnit bird, you're trying /not/ to laugh.

"We've...we've been through a lot together so far," you continue. "We've fought at each others's sides, held each other up when we're down, shared some amazing good times. And...I mean, it's not like I'm unaware of how you feel about me. Sober or drunk."

Nathan manages the most dignified blush you've ever seen. Yeah, he remembers.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is...what I'm trying to say is when I think about the future, about 'when this is over', I imagine one where the three of us are still together. And it feels /right/ to me. And I'm asking if it feels right to you too."

Warm hands squeeze yours, and your companions lean against you. Amy chirps and trills while her head nuzzles against your shoulder.

"Ames, I don't speak bird," you say with a little chuckle.

"I think she said," Nate hazards, from your other side, "that you read our minds."

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>>44406732
There's an excitement in your chest for the rest of the day, a sort of giddiness and relief that makes you grin and laugh. The three of you stay up late talking and joking and sometimes playing chess. Nate, it turns out, has never played, and is a sucker for Amy's wide-eyed look of /total innocence/ even as she lures him into cheap win after cheap win.

You're still chuckling faintly when you drift off to sleep in the center of the cuddle pile, feeling warm and, well, loved.

Lora sits on the other side of her waiting room, smoking one of her horrible cigars and leaning forward with her elbow on her knee. You flash her a quiet grin, still feeling giddy, and she looks...less angry. Tired, maybe, but less angry, than the has lately.

> Light a cigar of your own and wait. She'll talk if she wants to.
> Ask if she'd like to talk.
> Attempt girl talk.

>>44406732

Obligatory squee of excitement and bird adorabibu.

Glad you're even willing to try writing the poly relationship, Vox. Given the quality of your writing and the care you put into this, I have little doubt you'll make it work.

>>44406796

> Light a cigar of your own and wait. She'll talk if she wants to.

>>44406796
>Light a cigar of your own and wait. She'll talk if she wants to.
She still needs time

>Light a cigar of your own and wait. She'll talk if she wants to.

>>44406796
> Light a cigar of your own and wait. She'll talk if she wants to.

>>44406796
> Light a cigar of your own and wait. She'll talk if she wants to.
> Do we have some of the good smoke stuff on us to offer?

>>44406796
> Light a cigar of your own and wait. She'll talk if she wants to.

>>44406796
So it's the poly route after all, if this was just about any other qm I'd be worried but I've got cofidence that vox'll handel things in a mature manner.
>Ask if she'd like to talk.
I kind of get the feeling she's waiting for us to make the first move.

Morning chores done, more coffee acquired.

Votes called, writing. Also archiving thread.

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>>44406796
You take out the case Lora gave you - it feels like a lifetime ago, now - and get out a cigar. You clamp it between your teeth so you can get out the clockwork lighter and light the tip.

"You still use that?" Lora asks, her voice small with exhaustion both physical and emotional.

"It's rude to refuse the gifts your friends give you," you answer, shrugging. The angel winces and sighs, thin trails of smoke trickling from her breath.

"I swear to the gods, if you say anything remotely cute or cliche at this I'm going to drop kick you back into the waking world so hard you'll fall out a window," she mutters, her heart not in the threat. "...I haven't had a friend, before."

"I might ask the Caretaker his opinion on that," you opine. "He might disagree with your version."

Lora sucks a drag and looks away from you. "...I've treated you badly. I - I am sorry, heritor. You're doing the best you can. You didn't do this to me."

"There's nothing to forgive," you tell her, leaning forward comfortably. "I understand. Letting Brigette go can't have been easy for you."

"No. It wasn't." Lora taps the cigar and looks back at you. "There's things I can tell you now, about the Mine. The Baron thinks himself invulnerable. He is not entirely wrong."

> Tell me
> If you're sure you want to change the subject...

>>44407462
>Tell me.

She can talk more about herself at length later, if she wants. She seems pretty closelipped in general, so we may as well let her take it at her pace.

>>44407462
>Tell me

And thread archived. I must get more coffee.

There must always be. More. Coffee.

>>44407462
>> Tell me
Though I'd like to add something akin to
>"If you wanna talk to me you know where I sleep."
when we leave or somesuch. Let her tell us what she wants when she wants to.

>>44407462
>> If you're sure you want to change the subject...

>>44407531
> This
My (extremely limited) psychotherapy training tells me we should let Lora know we're here for her, and we're willing to listen, but we shouldn't pressure her to reveal more about herself than she's comfortable revealing.

>>44407462
>Tell me
We should totally just combine both choices. That's how it works, right?

Votes called.

More coffee, writing.

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>>44407462
"I'm listening," you tell the angel. "...To anything you need to say. Not just job stuff."

"...I appreciate it," the angel says with a heavy sigh. "Almost wish you'd brought alcohol for this one. The Baron needs no laws broken to accomplish his goals or do his job; he serves the Master willingly, as a partner in his endeavor. But the law is broken anyway."

"How?" you ask.

Lora traces a line across her throat. "The Baron's slaves trinkets of lead and of bone, of rust and glass. These trinkets connect them to the Overseers and the Baron himself. Any injury you inflict on them instead goes to the slaves, wracking them with pain and death in the place of the one protected."

You swear, long and loud and in many languages.

"The Mine is ever-changing," Lora continues. "The central area - the Company Store - remains steady, but as veins of material are tapped out and then abandoned, the rock slowly fills back in. My own work."

"Why?" you ask, curiously.

"I wanted to make sure the Dungeon was supplied properly. And I didn't like the thought of loyal people, who had given their lives to the Mine and their traditions to their profession, being forced out of work. There's rules, of course, but in general the Mine is a renewable resource. Now that resource has been turned to fueling the Master's plans. The fifth level - New Hell - works night and day, with hammers rising and falling to build the instruments he needs and to arm the forces below."

You blink and let out a puff of smoke.

> That was very thoughtful of you, Lora.
> You're right, this is gonna be a bitch.
> He has the staff from the Atheneum too.

>>44407985
> You're right, this is gonna be a bitch.

>>44407985
>> You're right, this is gonna be a bitch.
Are any of them ever not going to be?

>>44407985
> You're right, this is gonna be a bitch.
> Ask if poison will also be transfered

>>44407985
> You're right, this is gonna be a bitch.
Although this is definitely to do with life, death, and the transition between. I wonder if our newly-enhanced necromancy skills would help us circumvent the trinkets? Maybe we could steal one and study it?

>>44407985
"He has the staff from the Atheneum too."

What staff? What did I miss?

>>44408201
The Caretaker had assistants. When Brigette stormed the level, they fled to the Mine for safety, only to get caught by the Baron's slavers. Now they're stuck.

>>44407985
> You're right, this is gonna be a bitch.

Ask about loopholes on the trinkets, something that won't xfer - such as self mutilation or poison or soul rot, or such?

Can you just flay his mind and leave his body intact if it's not physical harm?

... alternatively, we know trinkets and connections of life. If we get one such, we might be able to reverse the polarity and make this easy.

>>44407462
>> Tell me

>>44407985

> You're right, this is gonna be a bitch.

Pacifist run on hostile enemies. Fuck.

>>44408313
You're just the slightest bit behind, good anon.

Votes called, writing.

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>>44407985
"Welp," you say at last. "This is gonna be a bitch."

"Yeah," Lora agrees. "The Baron has a necromancer that makes and maintains the enchantments, and may be of some use in undoing them. Mental attacks work just fine, but anything done to their bodies transfers, and I do mean /anything/. Alcohol, cigarettes, poison, anything that would push them closer to death."

An awful thought slithers through your mind. "...They get the slaves drunk and then beat them for slacking, don't they?"

"How'd you know?" Lora asks distantly.

"It's what I would do, if I were out for petty cruelty," you mutter. "The Roost does nothing about this?"

Lora shakes her head. "The Roost has no access to the Mine anymore. They walled it off, and now you have to try and make it through New Hell to ascend the Dungeon. Couple this with the alliances they've made in the Roost to disrupt attempts to move through it..."

You wince. "Chain bearer?"

Lora shakes her head. "No, just deals cut with particularly vicious murders of harpies. It's not necessary that you solve it...though you might benefit from taking the time to do so."

You nod, quietly, and take the cigar from your mouth. "I'm gonna toss this to you, because I don't want to light the bed on fire when I wake up." Lora holds her hand out, and catches the smoke when you throw it underhanded. "Brigette offered to tell me about you. I told her that was your business."

"...Heh." Lora gives you a grateful smile. "I appreciate it. Time's up."

> Go with Nathan to meet Harry
> See some other part of Glen (pick a location)
> Just wait for Marsh

>>44408606
> Go with Nathan to meet Harry
Since we're a thing now, we should meet our beau's not-quite-dad.

>>44408606
>> Go with Nathan to meet Harry
nowhere else in particular to go, so why not?

Right then. Votes called, writing.

Sorry for not posting, I just had to finish some family stuff.

>>44399067
>Necromancy's fairly focused in on the living and the dead, and transition between the two, including suspending, encouraging, or even delaying/reversing death. [...] likewise, you can hold death off of folks, though that's less healing and more "it takes more killing to turn you the same amount of dead".
If necromancy can prevent death, can it also prevent life? What I'm asking is, is there necromantic birth control?

>>44409257
There have to be dozens of cheaper, safer, and more ethical ways of doing this.

>>44409276
I'm not saying we lichify our gonads, I'm just wondering if there's something we could, I dunno, enchant into some jewelry at low cost.

>>44409257
"it takes more ploughing to turn you the same amount of pregnant"?

Real life got me, writing for real now.

>>44409257
>>44409276
>>44409307
>>44409360
Necromancy can be used as an effective spermicide and sometimes is, though not so much in Starfall. Generally it's considered cheaper and more common to use (sheepgut) condoms and drink moonbane tea (though for the person in a hurry you can just chew the leaves of the moonbane plant, which taste like devilry but work as a Plan B prevention option), both because they don't require having a friendly necromancer on hand and because necromancy doesn't prevent STIs.

>>44409527
The tea prevents STIs?

>>44409558
You'll notice he said "and", not "or".

>>44409558
That'd be the condoms' job, anon.

>>44409527
If you *are* a friendly necromancer, and neither you nor your partner have an STI, is it more or less trouble to cast Protection from Pregnancy (which I'm imagining as involving holding Bri's hat over Nate's cock) than to deal with procuring reputable condoms?

>>44409527
If a necromancer was familiar with germ theory, would they be able to kill/impede bacteria/viruses? Can they handle parasites?

As long as I'm pumping you for world building, could we use boneshaping to set a limb or would that just be an excrutiatingly horrible idea?

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>>44408606
You wake up, still snuggled in, and smile. The news might have been bad, but it was a good talk.

Unfortunately, you have to pee.

"Amy. Ames. Every morning with this Amy." Nathan stirs next to you, notices your attempts to wake up the bird girl, and slips off of his side of the bed so you can try to extricate yourself.

Your attempt results in you going from the center of the cuddle pile to the thoroughly-restrained little spoon while the dreaming harpy girl pets your hair and murmurs your name in her sleep.

"Nate. Help."

Laughing under his breath, Nathan pries Amy's arms from you and slips a pillow into her hug. He leaves a note for her while you throw clothes on and head to the privy, and the two of you go downstairs to grab some breakfast. The two militia members on the shift for watching you tip their hats and turn their attention to you.

"So..." Nathan says, a little wryly. "Harry wants to meet you. My master."

You quirk an eyebrow. "Taking me to meet the parents?"

"Too soon, Bri."

"Sorry," you offer, with a guilty grin. Nathan waves it off, so you take a bite of your breakfast and ponder it. "Y'know, I think I'd love to come meet him. You're sure he'll like me? I'm kinda. You know, a necromancer."

"Trust me," Nathan says fondly, "he'll like you."

The two of you finish your breakfast, down one last cup of coffee, and head for the forge with your escort in tow.

As usual, the forge door is open; you find Harry grinding a hatchet blade to sharpness, sparks flying from the metal. Nathan raps hard on the door to get the smith's attention; when he turns his eyes to you, he lights up.

"Nathan!" Harry booms. "And who is this?"

> "His partner-in-arms."
> "The necromancer that saved him."
> "One of his, ah, special friends."

>>44409958
>D. All of the above

>>44409958
>> "His partner-in-arms."
Although I think it is Nate's job to introduce Bri.

>>44409620
At that point it's generally a matter of both preference and whether or not you find casting before sex to be a turn-off.

>>44409646
Necromancers and people in general are aware that disease is a kind of life. Unfortunately, solving it with magic has proven troublesome, as it's difficult to kill the illness without also killing the patient. To this end, prevention tends to be the word of the day. Necromancers who care to prevent infections to themselves or in their work will use small pulses of death to sterlize tools and water, or else just boil the shit because honestly who doesn't have fire on hand. In general this means most places are clean or at least make a good effort to be clean and waste is disposed of properly. Water for travel is cut with brandy or another hard liquor to sterlize it and keep it sterile.

Boneshaping to set limbs is certainly possible and may even be preferable to setting them without boneshaping, but it'll hurt like an unholy bitch.

>>44409958
>E. "Nathan, who am I exactly?"

>>44409958
> "The necromancer that saved him."
But kind of tongue-in-cheek. Mock arrogance works for us. Real arrogance is bad.

>>44409958
>>44409983
Pretty much this

>E. "Nathan, who am I to you, exactly?"

Votes called. Since we have a tie I'm gonna go for the one that's /not picking all the options/.

C'mon folks, work with me here.

>>44410261
Never!

>>44410261
> Hire a group of Bri impersonators to take all possible actions in parallel.

>>44410261
But they aren't mutually exclusive options!

>>44410377
Does it count as zombie armies if we make all the zombies look like us?

>>44410379
But the one you take first sets the tone of the conversation and your first impression. Hence providing the options to begin with.

Update is written, Comcast fucking has me. Hold up.

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>>44409958
You grin, but let Nathan make the introductions.

"Harry, this is Bri. The one you've heard so much about."

Harry gives you a warm, two-handed handshake and claps you on the shoulder. "Thank you, for all you've done for Nathan. He speaks very highly of you."

"Saving his life was my job," you say modestly. "...I'll take the praise on everything else, though."

"And don't you dare start playing matchmaker, Harry," Nathan warns.

"Yeah, bit late for that," you note mildly, "considering we're already a thing."

The blacksmith laughs while Nathan gives you a Look. He'd probably meant to say it more subtly but, fuck it, why should it be subtle?

"What about Miss Amy?" Harry asks his apprentice. "She seemed quite taken with you."

"She is...also...involved," Nathan says carefully. Harry's eyebrows go up, but he doesn't comment.

"Please, sit! I have chairs somewhere..."

Seats are scrounged up, and the three of you sit down in a comfy circle.

"Hey," you pocket speaks up. "Is this a forge? I can feel forge-fire."

> Hush, Isoldt
> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.
> Why do you care?

>>44410709
>Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

>>44410709
>> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.
Aw, he'd probably have liked to meet (desperately checks the character doc)...incubus guy. Then again, that would have required us to break our agreement with him, so oh well. Maybe he can visit.

Also: can I just mention how hilarious it is that we (or I did, anyway) _forgot_ that we were carrying around a demon in a flask? Like, presumably she's just been sitting there for every one of the very personal conversations we've been having recently...

>>44410709
> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

>>44410709
> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

>>44410709
>> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

>>44410709
>> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

>>44410709
> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.
You know, we should probably let her out now. Since her boss is more-or-less on our side now and all.

>>44410810
We put a lot of effort into binding her, and Bridgette has just been dismissing her demons anyway. I'm not entirely clear on her living situation in the bottle or what we're keeping her from, but assuming it's nothing torturous, I feel that we can probably hang onto her for a bit.

Vote extended while I handle eating dinner and doing some dishes.

>>44410979
I mean, we /can/, I'm just concerned it doesn't really fit with us being, you know, ethical. Binding in general has been described as less than fun, and I can't imagine being bound into a flask is better.

So, facts we know:
- Binding Isoldt was a bitch and a half
- We've been dismissing demons as Brig figures out how, iirc
- Keeping succubi bound is a matter of making sure they don't find a loophole in their binding, cleverfucks that they are
and
>>44411086
>I mean, we /can/, I'm just concerned it doesn't really fit with us being, you know, ethical. Binding in general has been described as less than fun, and I can't imagine being bound into a flask is better.
She's sentient and stuffed in a tiny bottle that smells like brandy. She is _oddly_ cool with that, all told.

>>44411032
> Vote
> Wall of unanimous hivemind echoes

Voxxy, just got done archive binging.
first:
HOLY FUCK, GENGAMES WAS YOU?
I am in the presence of a higher power.

also adding to the hivemind
> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

So, are we going to go find Bridgette's lady love?

>>44411576
>> So, are we going to go find Bridgette's lady love?
...y'know, I think we asked if to activate the tracker thing and I'm also pretty sure absolutely nothing happened with that.

>>44408228
Ah. Thanks. Yea, I remember that part. Didn't make the connection because I was picturing a highly enchanted stick about the height of a person, rather than a group of people who work somewhere.

>>44411669
Uh, yea. What's up with that, Vox? Did we ever get the tracker activated?

As for my vote:
> Oh, right. Harry, this is Isoldt.

This is a forge, succubi have a thing for forges. Also, is Harry single? Maybe we can do some matchmaking of our own...

>>44411851
We don't know there's no Sorcerer's Apprentice shtick happening, to be fair.

>>44412218
The Caretaker has many staves on staff.

>>44412252
I'm sure some of his staff also fly, on staff.

>>44411576
Well, no. GenCrawl Gaiden was me; GenGame was before my time, and the original GenCrawl was entirely Domo. Gaiden, Tourney, and WorldGen were me.

>>44411669
>>44411851
You encouraged Brigette to make contact and left it in her hands. Developments have not yet had time to appear.

Vote called, writing. Thank you for your patience.

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>>44410709
You look down and fish the flask out of your coat.
"Harry, this is Isoldt. She's a succubus with a thing for fire. Like, more than the usual thing for fire."

"Charmed," Isoldt says from inside the flask.

"...Why is that demon in a hip flask?" Harry asks slowly.

"Because she's a little shit who can't behave herself," you answer cheerfully, "and because after all that time I spent binding her I'm not about to turn her loose for /nothing/. She's got centuries before it gets too annoying."

"It's annoying /now/," Isoldt complains. "I could assist the blacksmith! Everyone knows demons are good smiths."

"They are pretty good smiths," Nathan agrees.

"Whose side are you on?" you ask the Hero incredulously.

"No, listen," Isoldt says from inside her flask, speaking fast. "Harry can forge an oath-ring to keep me here assisting him. I'll serve a term at this forge and teach his apprentices and their apprentices after them. Think about it! Even a few of the secrets of Hell's forges could turn you a pretty profit, blacksmith."

"And I get what, a warm fuzzy feeling?" you challenge.

"...Yes?"

"I could use an assistant," Harry notes, rubbing his chin.

"There's benefits!" Isoldt says eagerly; then she starts yelling as you shake the flask vigorously.

"I realize you two will probably fuck if this happens," you tell her frankly, "but that's still fucking tasteless."

"Noted," the demon says, dizzily.

> Release her into Harry's custody
> Flatly refuse
> Try to press for some kind of personal profit out of the deal

>>44412713
>> Release her into Harry's custody

Is there any point to keeping her in the flask now that we beat Poet?

>>44412713
>> Release her into Harry's custody
Personal profit would be against Bri's character, although perhaps they could forge something useful. And I don't know what else to do with her.

>>44412713
>Press for an advantage

Come on, we need to get SOMETHING from this deal. Isoldt didn't even ask nicely

>>44412713
> Release her into Harry's custody
But!
Massive discounts-to-freebies on magic items we use for the Dungeon.

>>44412784
>>44412803
Bri's a noble person but this is really something else. I mean, come on, this is like just handing over an entire forge to the guy free of charge.

>>44412803
Bri helps people in need as her duty. These aren't people in need, this is a business deal.

Can we work out some armor/gear suitable for a necromancer of discriminating taste?

>>44412713
> Try to press for some kind of personal profit out of the deal
Nothing major, just, ya know, due consideration when we need new gear in the future. Between Harry being almost-adopted-father to Nate and us being with Nate, and giving him the free succubus slave, it shouldn't really need saying, but it seems fair to mention that, ya know, we're likely going to need new gear as we adventure.

>>44412713
>Try to press for some kind of personal profit out of the deal
Question of the night: can a master blacksmith and a succubus make a suit of armor worthy of an undead chicken?

>>44412713
>Try to press for some kind of personal profit out of the deal

>>44412713
> release her into Harrys custody

>>44412713
> Try to press for some kind of personal profit out of the deal

We've got a caaaarrrrot. Keeping her bound is plenty enough stick, and we've seen how that turned out.

>>44413217
> Don't press too hard for it, that might be a bit petty considering we're already pushing our luck a bit ethically with the slavery thing, but do mention that outfitting a certain noble knight with equipment befitting his loyal service would be greatly appreciated, as would any caster-suitable gear they could provide us.

> Try to press for some kind of personal profit out of the deal

>>44412713
> Release her into Harry's custody

>>44413614
Why do you have a name that's literally just a shortened version of the non-name 4chan gives us?

>>44413361
Nobody seems too worked up or concerned about binding demons into servitude. Maybe it's a normal thing for some reason?

>>44413706
Are you telling me it isn't a normal thing now?

>>44413706
As a part practical joke, part legit reasons, Demons keep up the facade of being horibly evil. So people do not care all that much as to what happens to them.

Also, they cannot get into this world aside from binding, so y'know.

>>44413706
It's weird, but a crucial part of an origin myth that Isoldt didn't correct was that demon's _taught_ humans how to summon and, presumably, bind them. I don't know if that makes it _less_ slavery, but...I dunno, Vox, could you chime in with how demons feel about being bound? Or how people think they feel about being bound?

>>44413940
That is a good point. I still hold by my vote of bringing up some things they could do in return, but not demanding any of them as a condition of allowing her to stay and serve at the forge.

>>44413706
>>44413883
>>44413914
>>44413940
>>44414468
Some of it is that demons can last a very long time in a binding without much worry. Additionally, unlike Miles' binding - which was partially a torture device - Isoldt is merely confined, with the ability to communicate and express herself. The /potential/ for isolation and cruelty is there, of course, but Bri's not been cruel, for the most part. The shaking and spinning is by way of inconvenience rather than actual harm.

Maybe more significantly, Isoldt is accounted for as long as she's bound; turning her loose means the remaining chain bearers might re-summon her and get information on Bri and her companions. Worse, she might volunteer such for better terms.

Last, but not least, this is part of the normal interaction between demons and summoners, which contains quite a bit of cheek and petty maliciousness. Much like best friends, except ending more often in murder or banishment.

Votes called, writing.

>>44414569
Thanks for the clarification. It's an interesting extension of demons essentially thinking of the firstborn as bratty siblings. Demons are _immortal_, right? As in, they don't age? So barring abuse, even long term binding (like our thousand years of service for Issy) is mostly just inconvenient?

>>44414714
Inconvenient and sometimes degrading. I mean, they wanna live their own lives and do their own shit. A thousand years is a long time to sweep a church floor when you were looking forward to advancing fire magic with your research.

>>44413704
because i felt like it. you're asking like you expect any other answer.

>>44415044
Well what if I felt like it

>>44415065
then good for you

>>44412713
>> Release her into Harry's custody

Eh, we don't have any real use for her otherwise and she isn't an actual threat to us. Her only real crime was being right next to where we warped into the library and then not succumbing to interrogation and spilling the beans on Bridgette. I fail to see how this could go that badly.

>>44415209
Obvs she's a teetotaller demon who takes being bound to a flask to be a moral insult.

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>>44412713
Your gaze flicks from the flask to Harry, and you lean back. "Can you actually forge this thing she's talking about?"

"Oh yes," Harry agrees. "It's a very old form of binding. One of the oldest, in fact, dating back to the origins of demon summoning. Back when demons were more curious and less malicious, they would be summoned without a binding in the spell circle, and would accept oath-rings to bind them into a service or prohibition while they walked the lands of the Firstborn. The only trouble will be getting her to hold still long enough to put it on her."

"I'll be good," Isoldt promises.

"You'll be good while Nathan holds you and feels uncomfortable about his erection," you tell her sternly, ignoring Nate's shocked sputtering. "But if I'm doing this, I don't think I wanna do it for free." You look up at Harry. "You're getting quite the legacy out of this."

"I'll teach Nathan the art of forging the ring," Harry offers. "And give you a comission free."

You mull it. "Deal."

You observe in fascination as Nathan strips out of his armor and shirt and throws on a leather apron and thick gloves. Gods /damn/, he looks /really good/ like that.

Harry walks Nathan through the process; the oath-ring is made of iron, and is an arm ring rather than a finger ring as you first thought it might be. The metal is worked with runes and quenched in water mixed with some of Harry's own blood, and sanctified with an oath in what you recognize - but do not understand - as the tongue of demons.

"Armor up, Nate," you advise him, with a certain amount of reluctance. He shrugs out of his apron - unnf - and gets his clothes and chain back on. The spellcatcher gloves come last.

"I'm ready," he tells you, so you point the flask at him and open it.

He catches Isoldt by one wing when she tries to run and pulls her into a crushing hug, right under her breasts. You hear the air leave her lungs in a hard woosh.

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>>44415262
"Had to try," the demoness croaks. Harry slips the arm ring over her hand and up her arm; it rests comfortably on her upper arm and pulses faintly, confirming the task.

"Seven generations of smiths in this forge, and then you go back to Hell," Harry notes. "I believe that's traditional?"

"Yeah," Isoldt agrees, in good-natured defeat. "Let's see...all pretty standard stuff...good explicit prohibition on breaking the binding myself or permitting it to be - aww, no indirect action either? You fuck!"

Harry folds his arms across his chest. "What kind of smith do you take me for?"

"I dunno, I was sorta betting on you being an ignorant backwoods hick, not a steel sorcerer," Isoldt grumbles. "...At least I can get laid. Tall, dark, and undead over there threatened me with /chastity/."

> Stick around to talk
> Leave so Isoldt can get settled in. Leave quickly so you don't have to hear anything that may or may not occur shortly after the door closes.

>>44415398
>> Stick around to talk

>>44415398
Nyeheheh. I'm fine with either vote, but I just wanted to say I liked the scene.

>>44415398
>Stick around to talk

>>44415398
>I'm not undead yet, hellspawn.

> Leave so Isoldt can get settled in. Leave quickly so you don't have to hear anything that may or may not occur shortly after the door closes.

how tall are we?

>>44415475
Six foot twenty

>>44415475
Five-nine or so; Isoldt's words were more by way of reference ("Tall, dark, and handsome,") than an actual description.

>>44415548
fuckin every mc taller than me, dammit

>>44415398
>Leave so Isoldt can get settled in. Leave quickly so you don't have to hear anything that may or may not occur shortly after the door closes.
Let's move on.We'll chat more when we come back for our gear.

>>44415398
>> Stick around to talk
Sit like we're blindly unaware of what's going to happen and continue talking like normal

>Stick around to talk.

Votes called, writing.

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>>44415398
"I'm not undead," you point out.

"Yet," the demon retorts.

You adjust your hat on your head and look at Harry. "So how's life been?"

Isoldt whines like a dog staring at a treat she can't have while the blacksmith takes his seat once more. "Well. My life has always been very well. The forge has seemed a bit lonely since Nathan left, but I'm glad to know he's in good hands."

Behind Harry, Isoldt is making frantic hand gestures that go from you, to the door, then back to you. "Business is always good in Glen," Nathan notes. "...Honestly, with an assistant he's probably gonna do a lot /more/ work. I remember how many projects I ended up on just because we had materials and space but not /hands/."

"And I'll need to hunt up a new apprentice, of course, not that it'll be difficult," Harry notes.

Isoldt realizes you're not going anywhere and fumes with her wings down against her back, pointing at her eyes and then at you.

"You speak demon?" you inquire.

Harry nods. "It's part of the classic education. I learned it from my master, and he from his before him. I was going to teach it to Nathan if he decided to stick with smithing, but it wasn't for him. Not that I begrudge the boy."

Nathan coughs. "Pretty sure I'm a man by even the most stupid definitions of masculinity at this point."

Harry ruffles Nate's hair. "You're still m'boy, Nate. What're your intentions with this girl anyway?"

You snort. "Wow, Harry. Look...we're all playing things by ear here. And there's the matter of the Dungeon to consider, what with the people who have defiled it and being locked into life-and-death struggles. If - /if/ - there is a wedding in the future, you'll be invited."

"But even if it doesn't work out," Nathan adds, "they're my closest friends."

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>>44416353
Isoldt is almost /pleading/ now. She makes a 'no' hand gesture, followed by making a ring with one hand and poking her finger through it, and then mouths 'Six years' at you. You quirk an eyebrow and get hit by the full force of the scholarly demoness making puppy eyes at you.

Fiiiiiiiiine.

"We'd best get going so Marsh doesn't have to hunt us down," you say politely. "Thank you for your help, Harry. Though I think you got the better end of the deal."

"Let me know when you have an idea of what you'd like," Harry rumbles agreeably. He stands with you and claps you into a firm hug, then gives Nate the same farewell. "Don't be strangers now."

"We won't," Nathan promises. The two of you leave, and you immediately hasten the pace the moment the door is shut behind you.

"Why are we -" Nathan begins.

"If you don't know, you don't wanna know, Hero."

"He /wouldn't/."

"You badly underestimate how much succubi like what they do and how little she's been able to do it lately."

"But Harry -" Nathan protests further.

"Is he sly?" you ask, pointedly.

"No, but -"

"He got a wife or girlfriend?"

"No, but -"

"He got a vow of chastity?"

"Okay you've made your point," Nathan exclaims. "Just. Wow. If I come back in a few years and there's part-demon kids in that forge I'm holding you personally accountable."

"Sounds fair to me."

You get back to the Unlucky Bastard - juuust in time to see Marsh go sailing, weightlessly, out of the open window. He bounces with an odd sort of majesty, skidding and rolling against the dirt, until his weight comes back all at once and he hits the ground on his back with a heavy "Oof~"

"THAT'S FOR ALMOST GETTING MY FRIEND KILLED YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!" Amy yells from inside, in righteous fury.

> Captain, I see you've met Amy again.
> She's from the Dungeon, she doesn't know about laws!
> Light your pipe and laugh.