>>44546370
>>"They aren't going to get the jump on both of us."

>>44546370
>"Would you like me to hold your hand?"
>"They aren't going to get the jump on both of us."

We'll protect you poor widdle doggie, kek

>>44546436
>>44546531
Russel notices your tone and sighs. Without a word, he picks up the pace. With the two of you moving at a good clip, your travel time is cut impressively.

A few hours go by, and you rest occasionally, but the forest seems deathly quiet. Russel mentions that his pack was instructed not to travel far from their hiding place until he returned in person, and so the odds of running into them anytime soon are low. When you ask about the hiding place, he refuses to describe the location, for fear that ears may be pointed at you. It seems his paranoia is pervasive.

Sometime after noon, you spot something odd. One of the trees seems to have been stricken with a weapon, and quite recently judging by the amount of sap securing the damage. When you step forward to investigate, Russel reaches out a hand to stop you.

>Ignore him, he's being difficult
>Perhaps it's best to keep your distance
>Tell him to investigate it
>Other

>>44546572
>Other
"You think it's a trap?"
Just watch it from afar and see if you spot anything weird nearby

>>44546572
>>Other
We'll investigate first, have him stay behind.

>>44546614
The two of you kneel in the grass and try to tune your senses. As you close your eyes and focus on the sounds and smells around you, you are almost overwhelmed by the number and intensity of sensations that come to you. You hear everything from the feet of a ladybug crawling along a blade of grass, to the distant wings of a falcon in search of a meal. You smell both Russels musk of dirt, sweat, and blood, and the pile of badger dung forty or so yards to the north.

You also hear the beating of a heart. A small one, but a still one. The creature in possession of it must be predatory, since anything afraid to be eaten in the daylight would need to be ready to dash at a moments notice.

You open your eyes and search for a sign of the creature, but you can't seem to spy it through the leaves and brush.

>Point it out to Russel
>Approach the sound
>Get away from the sound
>Other

>>44546714
>Point it out to Russel
>Approach the sound
Curiosity killed the cat (and the dog)

>>44546714
>>Approach the sound

>>44546738
You tap Russel on the shoulder to signal him to follow. He does, though not without whimpering slightly.

You both move carefully, keeping an eye and ear out for any sudden movement. Russel goes so far as to sniff the air, for what good it might do. Then, as you near a tree, the leaves high above you rustle and dance, as something moves along the branches and away from you.

>Give chase
>Let it go

>>44546820
>Give chase
It's a traaap!
Look, if Wren votes not to give chase then I'll change it to that. But if he agrees then yeah let's go with give chase.

>>44546820
>>Give chase

>>44546838
>>44546842
The two of you shift into a sprint, attempting to keep pace and direction with the shaking leaves. Russel's fear seems to melt as his more primal instincts take control of his movement, and in a few moments he is smiling like his old self.

This ends when a whistling shaft of wood and iron comes ripping through the trees and impales his calf, knocking him over. You come to a stop as well, sliding on the damp grass when you try to brake, and running back to check on Russel. When you reach him, you are treated to a powerful kick in the stomach which sends you soaring backward. You hit the ground hard with your hind end, just as three more shafts pierce the ground where you would have been if not for Russel's less than gentle hand. The two of you find your feet and stand back to back just as three figures descend from above. Each if draped in a green cloak and roughly made leather armor. Two of them bare obsidian swords, and the final wields a club made of wood and studded with obsidian spikes.

"Well, get busy talking or get busy fighting." Russel taunts you as he picks up a stone and squeezes it in his fist.

>Tell them about your past as a Ranger
>Take Russel and flee
>Draw your weapon
>Other

>>44546999
>>Tell them about your past as a Ranger

>>44546999
Nice trips
>Tell them about your past as a Ranger
smell my delicious dragon musk

>>44547011
You call to them, letting them know of your previous enlistment in their order. This proves to be a fatal mistake.

"We thought you looked about right. Bit bigger, but close enough."

"Now we know for certain. For killing our brothers and sisters, and for putting the forest in grave danger without it's protectors, you will be executed."

"Any last words?"

>Draw your weapon
>Refuse to fight
>Run
>Other

>>44547103
>Refuse to fight (unless they charge us)
"I didn't kill anyone, I was arrested alongside a witch and in desperation she slayed all rangers. She is now dead. Didn't you get to asking the survivors?"

>>44547103
>Other
Tell them that you're here to talk with Sophia, and that if they're looking for a fight, you can just as easily kill more of them again.

>>44547138
You try to treat with them. Somehow, your words get through, and they hesitate for a moment. You try to press your luck, but are cut off when another figure descends. This one is notably smaller, and carries two kukri, each carved clumsily out of obsidian and wrapped in leather. Blonde hair falls out from beneath the green hood, and you know quite quickly to whom it belongs.

"Don't listen to the traitor. She and her pet burned her own comrades out of spite and lust. She is the one who's presence rots the ancient heart, and when we kill her our order can finally be freed from our sickness, just as our leader says!"

With that, the others seem to be relieved of doubt, and bare malevolence in their eyes again.

"Fuck all of this, I'm getting out while I still have a working leg!" Russel looks for an opening and tries to break away.

>Stop Russel
>Speak to the Rangers
>Run
>Other

>>44547378
"Oh fuck you Sophia you know that isn't true. The leader even told me you pleaded with him to defend my loyalty. It's not my fault if he decided to do a stupid test for me and got everyone killed, it's not my fault if he decided to put a young witch in a situation where she thinks her only way to save the one she loves is to kill everyone else. What would you have done if I were to be executed back then?
If you hate me then so be it but stop lying to yourself"

>>44547378
>>Stop Russel
don't do anything reckless.

>>44547441
>>44547378
Oh yeah and
>Speak to the Rangers
>Stop Russel
(if we are doing this we are doing it together, if they attack our best chance is to fight two x 4)

>>44547441
>>44547491
"Slanderer!" One of the rangers bears down on you with his stone sword. Russel, despite his attitude, does not hesitate to defend you, and quite deftly uses his strength to catch the jagged blade, snap it, and bat the Ranger aside as if he were filled with straw and not flesh and bone.

The Ranger collides with a tree, and rolls down onto the ground. He groans in pain for a moment, then rises back up, mouth filling with blood, and looks at you with hatred. You hear a sickening serious of cracking and tearing noises as his chest and head go from caved in and cracked to their normal state.

"And so you see why they give us trouble." Russel jokes, looking at his bleeding hand.

"Don't listen to the traitors words! She would slander her backstabben allies for a few more moments of life!" Shouts one of the others, though you see they are less confident now.

>Plead with the Rangers
>Plead with Sophia
>Fight
>Run
>Other

>>44547615
>>Other
"You shut your whore mouth."
"Sophia, you and I are going to have our little conversation, or so help me, I'm going to ram that guy's bow straight up your ass!"

>>44547615
>Plead with Sophia
"You're not the little girl I grew up with, cheerful and willing to see the best in me and in others. You are bitter woman who regrets another's mistakes, which ruined your life, but don't try to pin it on me. I am as much a victim of fate as you are.
But if you decide to fight, then so be it, I won't back down on my objectives to help someone who doesn't want to help themselves"
We have lots of dragon charges already so we can probably fight but anyway

>>44547693
Let's go with this first.

>>44547706
Y-you too

>>44547693
>>44547706
Sophia winces, and looks down at the grass. Then, she snaps her fingers and the remaining three Rangers rush at you, weapons ready.

With Russel covering your blind spots, you evade the bulk of the Rangers' strikes, but a few clip you, or need to be blocked to avoid serious injury. The pain is lessened however, likely due to your imbibing of the Dragon's dripping blood. Your reflexes also feel sharper.

As you fight, gaining scratches and bruises steadily, you manage to glance over to Sophia. She is still rooted in place, kukri meekly dangling from her barely curled hands. Her eyes are focused on the grass, and seem very distant.

The studded club strikes your stomach, and though you trade blows with your dagger, the Ranger heals nearly instantly, and you find yourself bleeding through a few new pinholes in your abdomen. You weave away from the fray, and though Russel can hold two at bay with his strength, the third brings her sword to thrust, and you are backed into a tree.

You peer to your left and right to look for a direction to evade. To your left, Sophia seems to have finally gotten through to herself, and is charging with her weapons. The right is open, but moving this way will mean being on your back foot even longer.

>Evade right, and try to outmaneuver them
>Evade left, use Sophia's momentum to her disadvantage

>>44547880
>>Evade left, use Sophia's momentum to her disadvantage

>>44547880
>Evade left, use Sophia's momentum to her disadvantage

>>44547899
>>44547904
You move left, and reach out to grab Sophia. You realize however, that though you feel yourself in better shape than ever, you still started your training three years after her, and haven't been rehearsing your basics for over five. And so, it takes but a swift turn and a shove to send you tumbling over Sophias hip, and into the dirt. You prepare for a harsh blow, but are shocked to see Sophia instead turn her momentum and speed into a powerful slash, which cracks open her comrades skull. She then deftly disarms her, and impales her, pinning her to the tree you just recently had at your back.

Across the battlefield, Russel slams a Ranger into the ground, and is tackled by the other. Sophia shoves two fingers into her mouth, and whistles so loud that both you and Russel wince.

"Enough! Return to camp and report that we've captured the traitor." Sophia looks down at you, giving you a look that screams, but not in a language you understand.

>Stay still
>Get up
>Other

>>44548121
>Get up
AAAAH AT LAST I TRULY SEE
YES I HAVE BEEN OF CAPTURED, LETS FOLLOW RUSSEL
>be "captured"

>>44548121
>>Stay still

>>44548149
>>44548121
Wait I misread
It's
>stay still
I think that is the "be captured" option yes? So that.

>>44548174
>>44548184
You remain on the ground as the Rangers bicker. Eventually, Sophia convinces them, and they dash away, even the one which need to be pried off of a bloody tree trunk first. Sophia reaches a hand down toward you.

>Take it
>Refuse it
>Other

>>44548367
>>Take it
"Well, nice to see you, too."
"You know I still need him, right?"

>>44548367
>Take it
"So you captured Russ too right, niiiice catch"

>>44548393
Sophia hoists you to your feet, and puts you back on the ground with a hard punch in the stomach.

"Go on. Now you do me." Sophia stands over you, looking at you with all the love of a baker to a rat. Russel stands now too, and approaches nervously.

>Hit Sophia
>Ask for Russels help
>Other

>>44548532
>>Other
"I still need you, too. You sure about this?"
If yes, the hit her.

>>44548532
"D-do you? What for?"
"Oh"
>Hit Sophia

>>44548579
>>44548585
You stand and dust yourself off, then hit her square in the jaw with a cross, knocking her back and into the dirt as well. Russel seems relaxed as he reaches the two of you.

"I get it, you guys are bonding. We do this all the time. My boys and I that is." Russel tries to land a hard blow to the chest, but you turn it aside. Knowing him, he'd crack your ribs. Sophia rises, and rubs her chin as she speaks.

"So, if you're here I assume you have a reason."

>To save Russel
>To ask for Sophias help
>Other

>>44548750
>>To ask for Sophias help
>To save Russel

>>44548750
"Help my boy russel, meet you again, and see if either of you could help me out with taking down the false king. But now I see you need help too, Sophia. What happened?"

>>44548781
>>44548786
Sophia ceases nursing her jaw, and crosses her arms as you and Russel settle down.

"I don't remember much. Everything's been hazy since you left. I remember everyone being really sick for a long time. Most of us couldn't even get out of bed. Then one day we started getting better, one at a time. The Head Ranger brought us food and medicine, and as soon as one of us was strong enough to stand again, he'd start us training right away. Everyday was pretty much the same. We hunted, scouted, all like usual. But then about a year ago, we started getting sick again. One of us got so bad he didn't recover, and the Head got real upset. Then he started ordering us to hunt down the wolves that had been culling the animals too much, and as soon as we started doing that most of us felt much better."

Here, Russel seems to prickle.

>Steady Russel
>Let him speak
>Other

>>44548996
>>Let him speak

>>44548996
>Let him speak
"Wait maybe Russel knows something about this"

>>44549021
"Well, I'm glad we provided you guys with a nice little training routine. I guess the only thing I regret is that a handful of us weren't quite quick enough on our feet, so maybe they didn't provide you with much of a challenge!"

Sophia takes a step back, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you on about?"

You feel a rush of wind as Russel steps past you, bringing a fist around to collide with Sophia's nose. She flies backward, landing on her back and rolling to a kneeling position. Russel follows her, but you grab him and keep him from continuing his assault.

"Let go! It's thanks to her and that stupid blood they're always guzzling that my friends are buried somewhere in this fucking forest!"

Sophia stands and rubs her face. "Hey, it's not my fault! We didn't know they were your pets!"

"They weren't pets!" Russel breaks free of your grasp and tackles Sophia, shoving her into a tree and pummeling her ribs with anger fueled fists. You try to pull Russel off, but he shoves you away and continues regardless.

>Grapple Russel
>Talk him down
>Other

>>44549194
>>Grapple Russel
>>Talk him down
Killing her isn't going so solve shit. Something else is at work here.

>>44549194
>Grapple Russel
>Talk him down
"Russel she nearly tried to kill me, it's clear they are being manipulated. We need to find why, why they were order to kill your family, find the leader"

>>44549230
>>44549352
You match Russel's strength with your skill and technique. It is a struggle to pull him away, but you manage it, and Sophia collapses into the grass as you try to convince him to settle down and take a breath. You continue locking him up for what feels like hours, but eventually he stops fighting you and you let him go. By then, Sophia is standing again, and popping her ribs back into place.

"You know, in these past few years, I never once wondered why we healed so fast. I guess I never was too thoughtful." Sophia stretches out to make sure everything is in it's proper place.

"Sure it's got nothing to do with eating that bleeding heart three meals a day for a half year?" Russel scoffs, but Sophia seems legitimately confused.

>Ask Russel to elaborate
>Save it for later, find the camp now
>Other

>>44549501
>Ask Russel to elaborate
Start walking as we talk, walk n talk gents

>>44549501
>>Ask Russel to elaborate

>>44549545
>>44549549
"I've seen that bearded weirdo trampling through the woods with a bleeding sack full of meat. Naturally, I had my boys investigate. He gave us a good thrashing, but when I peeled open the sack it was just a bunch of twitching, gross red muscle. Didn't take more than a few days to piece together he was carving up that beating hear underneath the waterfall. I don't know much about magic, but that sounds sick to me. Even we don't eat hearts. Although..."

"That's ridiculous. The dragon heart is sacred, and the Head Ranger believes that more than anyone."

"You're dense as a stone, you know that?"

>Side with Russel
>Side with Sophia

>>44549685
>>Side with Russel
Show Sophia to the heart if necessary.

>>44549685
"I've seen it Sophia, it has bren mauled. And he was desperate to save you... I woulf have done the same... But we need to confirm this Russel, I believe what you are saying but we can't come to conclusions without facing him before"

>>44549718
>>44549762
Your words are heavy on Sophia's ears. She doesn't seem to want to believe you, but perhaps there is still some residual trust left in her heart for you.

"Maybe you're right. But I do want to talk to him first. Oh! I never got a chance to ask, but where's Mona?"

>Tell her the truth
>Tell her it's not important
>Make something up
>Other

>>44549861
>>Tell her the truth

>>44549861
>Tell her the truth
Fucking false king is a dick

>>44549945
>>44549884
Sophia seems to shrink a bit. You find it hard to accept yourself. Russel is less affected, but is wise enough to feel the mood and says nothing.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I know you guys were, er, close. Anyway, I think I need to tie you both up now, is that okay?" Sophia produces a length of hempen rope, tugging it taught between her hands. "That is, if you're ready to head to the camp."

>Wait a little longer
>Head back now

>>44550130
>>Head back now

>>44550130
>Head back now

>>44550159
After being loosely bound with rope, the three of you trek through the dense forest, following a familiar path toward the Ranger camp. When you arrive, things seem quite different. Not only are many of the wooden cabins that serve as tenement and facilities reconstructed, the air all around is much thicker. It smells like copper and wet dirt. Nobody is outside, and in fact you hear very little besides a few bugs. Sophia stops you a few paces inside the perimeter.

"That's odd. There shouldn't be this many people missing. Not unless that all got assignments, but then someone should be guarding the camp." Sophia scratches her head.


>Look around
>Head straight to your destination

>>44550331
>>Look around

>>44550331
>Look around

>>44550348
>>44550379
Sophia leads you around the camp for a minute, checking for any sign of the others. It seems that not only did everyone leave, they left without finishing tasks they were already involved in. Almost like an evacuation. However, you and Sophia both still sense someone in the camp.

You decide to go to the Head Ranger's quarters, and see if there is any clue there. When Sophia pushes the door open, you see inside, and spot a familiarly statuesque man slouching in a rocking chair. He is bundled up, and stares pensively into a dying lantern on a table beside him. He does not turn to you when you approach, nor does he make any movements when Sophia announces your arrival.

"Sir? I've brought the prisoners. Sir?"

>Speak up
>Let Sophia handle things
>Other

>>44550498
>>Let Sophia handle things

>>44550498
>Let Sophia handle things

>>44550619
>>44550815
Sophia approaches the Head Ranger, careful not to bump anything in the dimply lit room. When she is right beside the Head, he seems to turn in response to her voice, but not much.

"Sir. The traitor has returned. What should we do with her?" He is silent at first, but then grumbles something. Sophia motions for you to approach.

>Come closer
>Ask why
>Other

>>44550963
>>Come closer
>Ask why

>>44550963
>Come closer

>>44550981
As you near him, you can hear more of his strained voice. You are also surprised to see his face looking quite emaciated, as well as discolored. You kneel slightly to her him more clearly.

"Welcome home, Ranger." He wheezes. "Forgive my sorry state. It seems my refusal to imbibe has cost me dearly these past few years." You question his meaning, and he struggles to explain.

"The blood makes us what we are. But, the more we take, the more we grow to depend on it. You were lucky to have very little, but I... I have been taking it for years. Decades. And now, without it, I am withered." Even Sophia seems surprised to hear this. It seems she had no suspicion that his condition was any more than age.

"Listen to me. To treat the deathly wounds inflicted by your witch, I had to feed our order the very flesh of the ancient dragon. What this will do to them, I cannot know for certain. However I know now as I did then, in my heart of hearts, that they cannot be well without continued exposure. I spent these past years giving them purpose in undeath. But I can feel myself slipping away now. It is fate, I think, that you have come here. I have sent the brothers and sisters away. We will be the last of this order. You and Sophia are the only ones who still seem healthy enough to survive without the heart, and so I leave things to you." Sophia places a hand on her mouth. It seems she is overwhelmed by the sudden responsibility.

"Soon, you will be the only Rangers left north of the ice lakes. What you do is your decision, but I ask that you continue on our traditions." You listen a while longer, but the head has grown feeble in his sickness, and seems to e speaking in circles. When he finally tires, you turn to Sophia.

"I'm a Ranger to the end." She surprises you with such a sudden outburst.

>Agree
>Disagree
>Other

>>44551168
>>Agree

>>44551168
>Agree
"We will remake the order, strong and just. And we will save the kingdom in it's name"

>>44551239
>>44551284
Sophia is reassured, but her relief is short lived, as the Head Ranger begins shivering and coughing weakly.

"The others will be back soon. I'll help him to bed, and meet you two south of here, in the meadow we used to sit in. That is, if you want my help down there."

>"No, the Rangers need you now."
>"Thank you, we appreciate it."
>Other

>>44551414
>>"Thank you, we appreciate it."

>>44551414
>"Thank you, we appreciate it."
>"If we help them then maybe we can get help too, to rebuild this order we'll need some resources"

>>44551517
and we need allies for the coming fight.

>>44551537
Very true,

>>44551480
>>44551517
Sophia frees you and Russel, and you make your way south swiftly. It is long past sunset when Sophia finally finds you, carrying a pack over her shoulder which she empties before you. Inside is a new set of well crafted daggers to be thrown, and a woodaxe that lends itself well to Russels crude fighting style. Once everyone is packed, you make your way back toward the city.

>Steady pace
>Rush

>>44551642
>Steady pace
On the way fill them in on the stuff that has been going on in the kingdom, where we have been etc.

>>44551642
>>Steady pace

>>44551685
>>44551721
You move at a good pace and reminisce just a bit. After nearly a week, you finally reach the city, just a before noon. Surprisingly, the walls seem entirely undefended. So much so, Russel probes the gates and finds them easy enough to slip through. Sophia however, feels uneasy about this.

>Enter through the gate
>Climb over

>>44551810
>>Climb over
Also, ask Sophia if we could convince the rangers to help out?

>>44551810
>Climb over
We need the surprise factor

>>44551823
I thought they were dying?

>>44551870
We could still use a few more hands in this rebellion.

>>44551823
As the three of you drag yourselves up the stone walls, you bring up the Rangers to Sophia. She admits that even with the Head Ranger's blessing, an order of that magnitude would be hard for her to convince the others of. The most she might be able to do, assuming she isn't challenged, is keep things going as they are for a long time coming.

You reach the top after Russ, but before Sophia, and the two of you look out over the city. You are taken aback, seeing a large number of buildings burnt or damaged, as well as dried blood and bodies shoved aside in the street. Things seem quiet now, but the outer sections of the city, primarily small shops and homes, seem utterly abandoned. Sophia approaches from behind and ponders the cause.

>Have Russel search for any citizens.
>Go down together and head toward the center of town
>Other

>>44551918
>Other
All three focus our senses to see if we sense anything. Then go down there.

>>44551894
True. Still a one week go one week return trip.

We could probably try to get one of those other relics the kid entioned before too.

>>44551918
>>Go down together and head toward the center of town

>>44551933
The three of you stand side by side, and tune your senses toward town. Between you, you are able to pinpoint every living thing for a quarter mile, but you don't sense another person for as far at the nearest market. There is seems a large number of them are concentrated underground, but how many and why you cannot say.

"I think they might be hiding." Sophia opens her eyes and rubs her nose.

"But there's nothing to hide from. It's more likely they're gathered to wait for something. You said this Annandale guy was some sort of tyrant right? Maybe he's called them to an assembly."

It seems Sophia is against going toward the citizens, where Russel believes it will net you more information.

>Avoid the people, find Esmeralda and Roland
>Locate the people and see what's happening

>>44552074

>Locate the people and see what's happening
then find esmeralda

>>44552074
>Avoid the people, find Esmeralda and Roland
"I think we should alert them we are here, then go with all five of us down there. Trust me, we will need to get together to win this"

>>44552127
The three of you descend the wall and begin moving toward the center of town. The streets are empty, save for blood and bodies. Many if not all of them seem to have been stricken down by sword or spear, and one or two has an arrow still sticking out of them. Russel doubts it was a campaign to harm them directly, judging by the inefficiency of the strokes and pattern of dead. Sophia thinks they still must have been taken by surprise, or much fewer of them would have been caught in the crossfire.

After a while you reach the market. The stalls are empty, but Russel detects murmuring beneath a grain storage house. The door is locked tight, but you're almost certain there are more then a hundred people hiding within.

>Force your way in
>Try to find another entrance
>Give up
>Other

>>44552267
>Try to find another entrance
Is it day or is it night?

>>44552267
>>Try to find another entrance

>>44552304
>>44552327
You leave Russel to watch the front while you and Sophia search around for another way in.

You find a rear door leading into an alley, possibly for large scale transport and delivery. The lock is clasped shut, but it is so rusted you think a good strike with a stone will be enough to allow you access.

>Break the lock
>Give up

>>44552382
>Break the lock
But get Russ first. No split parties.

>>44552397
seconding.

>>44552397
>>44552406
You call Russel over just before smashing a large rock against the lock, breaking it off in three swings. The back door yields with a shove, and the three of you enter. Inside the store room is dark, and the bags holding the grain seem to have split open in a few places, luring mice. You search for a way to the basement, but there appears to be no door. That is, until Sophia realizes that it is hidden beneath a sack that is filled mostly with loose straw, and only a bit of grain to hide it. Russel tosses aside the sack and tears open the wooden hatch, revealing a ladder, as well as a large huddled mass of people beneath. They begin screaming immediately.

>Jump down together
>Jump down alone
>Shut the hatch
>Other

>>44552482
>Other
Listen, are they screaming incoherent shit?
Normal shit?
Ask them if they're okay.
"WE ARE HERE TO HELP"

>>44552482
>>44552510
maybe we should ask what's going on first?

>>44552510
The people below, men, woman and children alike seem to be screaming in terror, but when you announce yourselves to be peaceful, and after they realize they don't recognize you, they settle down.

"Shut the door, you fools! The ghastly troops of the queen are among us! If they know we're here, they'll eat our flesh from our bones!" This causes the children to begin screaming again.

>Go down
>Shut the hatch
>Other

>>44552585
>Shut the hatch
We need to have a little talk.

>>44552585
>>Shut the hatch

>>44552617
You have Russel replace the door and stomp it shut. The three of you regroup amongst the grain.

"They're clearly afraid of something, and something real, if those bodies outside mean anything." Sophia plays with her hair.

"It can't be the Raven Queen. At least, not if her motivations are what she claimed." Russ tosses a bit of wheat into his mouth, then realizes it isn't very good and spits it onto the floor.

>Return to Esmeralda
>Reopen the hatch
>Other

>>44552692
>>Return to Esmeralda

>>44552692
>Return to Esmeralda
Just ask if there is another queen no need to mention this ordeal. Sense if anyone is tracking us, or was.

It could be a ploy by Annandale to sow distrust for the Raven Queen among the populace.

>>44552714
>>44552740
You and the others make your way quickly to the secret entrance to the Raven Queens hideout. Russel is very excited by the existence of both a secret entrance and a hideout.

You navigate the twists and turns of the sewers, until reaching the catacombs, and finally the ruined cathedral. When you reach the ruins proper, you are greeted by Esmeralda.

"Welcome back. The Queen's been wanting to see you desperately. Annandale's made a move."

>"Good, I need to speak to her too."
>"It can wait."
>Other

>>44552774
Makes sense, but it pays to be careful.

That said, Rags did describe it as slashes so... yeah. Also
>necromancy
Mona was possessed by... Oh.

>>44552835
>"Good, I need to speak to her too."

>>44552835
>>"Good, I need to speak to her too."
introduce our friends

oh, shit, what if Mona is the necromancer?

>>44552892
Then we kill her for killing innocents and not being the kind little girl we met and turning into a monster.
One genocide was the cap.

>>44552853
>>44552875
You introduce Russel and Sophia, and Esmeralda gives a rushed and token greeting before hurrying you all toward the Queen's chamber.

Down a few halls and a stairway you come to a basement. Only a few steps down you feel your boots sticking to the stone floor, and the smell of blood hits all three of you like a wave. The basement is lit well, by a chandelier hanging clumsily from the ceiling, as if by an amateur. In the center is a stone altar, surrounded by thick mud, or so you hope. Atop it is the woman in a mourning dress, kneeling down and dipping her hands into the mud, all while humming a slow dirge. When Esmeralda announces you, the woman pulls her arms out and smiles at you.

"Welcome! I'm sorry I wasn't able to receive you when you arrived before, but I was much to occupied preparing for the festivities. You see, while newborns are easy to maintain, they are fragile. I need a large number of well fed troops to finish off those rusty knights, isn't that right little one?" The Queen speaks to the mud, and a large, red arm reaches out and tries to graze her cheek, but she avoids it and gently guides it back down. "Now now, you still need more time."

You look to Esmeralda and the others. The former princess seems unphased, but Russel is baring his teeth, and Sophia seems uneasy as well.

>Ask about the citizens
>Ask about the mud
>Ask something else
>Other

>>44553044
>>Ask about the citizens
>>Ask about the mud
>>Ask something else
how about if we found another source of food for them to eat aside from people.

>>44553044
>Ask about the mud
>Who are you exactly?
Can we sense if anyone has been bewitched by a spell like enthrallment? I guess that'd be pushing our supersenses so not likely

>>44553093
You bring up the people hiding above. Esmeralda answers first.

"Annandale has been searching for our newborn nests for a while. Every so often he finds one and clears it out. Usually its only a minor setback, but recently they've been finding them with much greater frequency. Because of that, we've had to pull back production. Then, yesterday, he found a nest we'd been hiding in an abandoned house, and had the nerve to raid it in broad daylight. The people panicked. Buckethead went to defend them from the knights, but things got out of hand. Eventually I had to join in too, or risk losing Roland and dozens of newborns and troops. Admittedly, I regret causing so much devastation, but at the time we couldn't see a way to avoid it. That's why we're sticking to what stock we have now, and preparing for one last push against the church."

"The mud, my dear, is not mud." The Queen speaks as she stirs the stuff with her hands. "It is a soulsand I've made from the blood of livestock and some handy bones from the catacombs around us. It nourishes the little ones. We used to simply let them rip apart any stray animals they found, but it wasn't enough to make them strong. Now, we've started giving them meat and yummy veggies from the market." Another hand rises, and is set back into the soulsand. "Of course, we could always start throwing those knights into the mix, couldn't we?"

Here, Esmeralda coughs. "No, I think it's best to do things as we've been until now."

>Agree
>Disagree

>>44553239
>>Agree
and by this, I mean just keep with the stuff they find in the market.

>>44553239
>Agree
With Esmeralda that is, bit ambiguous there lad
>Tell her the people seemed afraid of her, what is she gonna do abotu that

>>44553267
>>44553304
"They're afraid of what Annandale tells them to be afraid of. He blamed the whole ordeal on us. Granted, it's not like we made things better, but we didn't expect him to start a fight in the middle of the day. He's probably getting sick of us, and wants to try to weed out the rest of our nests with the help of the people. Unfortunately for him, misinformation is working against both of us. Now they think we're kidnapping people, children even, to make into thralls. Thralls aren't people. They're constructs.

"They're made of souls, dear." The Queen wipes her hands on a rag beside her.

"Yeah, but souls are weird. Either way, things are going to come to a climax soon."

>Ask about thralls
>Ask about the Queen
>Ask about something else
>Other

>>44553404
>Ask about thralls
>Ask how she gets souls we went through big trouble to get just one
>Ask about the Queen
>Ask what's the plan

>>44553404
>>Ask about thralls
>>Ask about the Queen
>>Ask about something else
what's our plan of attack?

>>44553438
>>44553443
You learn that thralls, like nearly all necromancy, are constructs rather than true reanimated dead. They are given form from soil and blood, and given motion through atmospheric souls. Souls of people and animals made restless. When the construct is destroyed or dispelled, the souls are released, but only in those circumstances. When you bring up the soul of the Necromancer, Esmeralda reminds you that she and her cousin were in search of a specific soul, which in many cases is impossible to distinguish from another without special training. Finally, you bring up the plan of attack.

"Roland is still on the mend, but if things go well we'll make a final push for the grand cathedral within the week. Our goal is to secure the true sword First Light, and show it to the citizens. It burns the hands of anyone who isn't an heir, and that should be enough to sway them. After that, it's only a matter of turning them against Annandale."

>Agree with the plan
>Propose a change
>Other

>>44553597
>>Agree with the plan

>>44553597
>Agree with the plan
>"While we are on the subject, any chance you know of a way to help undead people survive"
mention the ranger issue

>>44553706
You explain the situation with the Rangers to the Queen. She seems earnestly sorry for your and Sophia's situation.

"Hm. The mystic properties of a creature such as an ancient dragon are beyond my knowledge, dear. I sincerely wish I might help you, but disease and the like really aren't my field. I doubt there's anyone in the world who knows enough about them to tell you if there is a cure."

Sophia thanks the Queen on your behalf, and with the Queen's leave, all of you retire and prepare for the final push against Annandale.

That'll have to be it for tonight. We might wrap this story next week, or the week after depending on how things play out.

Thanks for coming by, contributors and lurkers alike!

>>44553819
thanks for running. see you next week, Rags.

>>44553819
See ya Rags, you rule!

>>44553819
Archived.
Also this seems to be our 85th thread?
Wow, that's very cool.

>>44553889
Awesome