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>>45446712
"Step right up!" the barker calls. "Ring the bell and get a prize!"

"What're the rules?" Amy asks.

"As long as you don't summon nothin' and don't use kinetics? Just about anything legal goes! That gentleman over there is the sorcerer keepin' all the games fair today, young lady."

"That's fine," Amy says with a grin. She points at a large stuffed griffon, more of a pillow than a doll. "That one."

"If y'can," the barker agrees. "If y'can."

Amy bends at the knees and /leaps/, sailing high into the air.

At the top of her arc, the barker looks at the sorcerer, and the bored man announces in an amused voice that she's technically in the rules.

Amy comes down on the hit plate for the bell game like a ton of bricks. The bell rings loud and clear, and the barker hands over the griffon with a good-natured grumble.

You hug your new stuffed animal, feeling like a teenage girl again.

"So," Amy teases. "Since we've established that I'm doing the cute things for /you/ this date, you ready to keep goin'?"

> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
> Propose something else (what?)

AND

> You are River la Croix
> You are Jewel
> Remain Brianna la Croix

Alright folks, I need to go be Gainfully Employed. The vote will be called a bit after midnight EST.

Questions, comments, discussion, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated. Hopefully we can kill this damn interlude soon and MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES WHY IS PART FOUR SO LONG.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>45446802
>> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
> Remain Brianna la Croix

>>45446802
>> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
>> Remain Brianna la Croix

>>45446802
>Let Amy call the Shots (with helpful suggestions as it is her first fair).

>Remain Brianna la Croix

Shankbird Day has been a long time coming1

>>45446802
>Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
>You are Jewel

>>45446802
> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night

> Remain Brianna la Croix

>>45446802
>> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
>AND
>> You are Jewel

>>45446802

> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night

>> You are Jewel

It seems interesting.

>>45446802
I kinda like how horribly sappy this is. It's a nice reprieve from Nates inevitable meet with his mother.
> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
> You are River la Croix

>>45446802
> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
>Remain Brianna la Croix

>>45446802
> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
> Remain Brianna la Croix

>>45446802
Shankbird Day is just so cute and adorable and snuggly, I fucking love it. We should totally do something similar for Nate later.
>Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night.
AND
>You are River la Croix.
Let's go check up on best adopted sister. Maybe we can see what Robert's been teaching her, or what she's learned from that Imp. Has she hooked up with Lark yet?

Bump for the lich.

>>45446802
>>Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night.
>AND
>>You are River la Croix.

>>45446802
> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
> You are Jewel

>>45446802
> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
> You are River la Croix

Two hours and change to call.

So do we split the party or wait for Nate to get back before we do the Roost?

Off work, calling soon.

>>45446857
Goddamn, doesn't it seem that why Brianna is so averse to being praised for all this positive stuff is because deep down she really does think it's not just standards everyone should aspire to, not just what everyone is capable of if they try, but should genuinely be the least people should do? Nothing worse than being praised for meeting the minimum requirements of being a good and decent person.

>>45452647
>Nothing worse than being praised for meeting the minimum requirements of being a good and decent person.

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that most people meet those standards.

>>45452665
So does Brianna.

>>45452665
Me, or Brianna. And those are the standards she expects of herself and hopes for in others, or at least how it seems for me. I mean, if you really believe people are capable of acting like that most of the time than it follows that really they should act like that.

So when they don't, you can forgive them and work to help them be the person who does, but it doesn't mean you don't think it isn't the minimum. Just that people have trouble sometimes seeing that and can get caught up in thinking they can't do it.

>>45452647
Some people are also just uncomfortable with praise.

>>45452665
Having them be the minimum standards doesn't mean everyone will always meet them. It just means we have more work ahead of us to help people be able to meet those standards more often.

>>45452647
>>45452786

But Brianna is not doing the minimum. Or even what I would inherently call 'the right thing' in some of her actions. There is a point where subjugating one's own well-being and happiness for others is more indicative of a lack of a sense of self worth than it is admirable.

>>45452786
>>45452837

I've just learned to always expect the worst.

If you do that, you're never disappointed and often pleasantly surprised.

>>45446802
>> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night

>> You are Jewel

goddamnit, I'm normally averse to playing as children, but the temptation to play as a child who seriously knows how to fight and has already skipped past all the broken parts is too much.

I need references

>>45452886
welcome to 4chan where there's practically an entire board dedicated to a lack of self worth.

>>45452647
Well there's more than one way that Bri could be looking at it.

We already have the stated "I want to leave the world a better place than when I went in".

There is "I deny this reality of standards" that you are talking about.

And there could also be "This is the kind of person I identify as, and NOT doing it wouldn't be....me."

The main intersection of most of such reasons is that they are ultimately selfish in nature, and therefore "not worthy of praise".

>>45452995

I thought we weren't allowed to talk about /mlp/...

>>45453034
...I didn't even know that was a thing when I said that.

>>45453059
/trash/ is also a thing, and people regularly visit it.

It should not have taken me this long to get home.

I'm gonna secure some dinner, grab my last hard soda, and then call and update.

Interesting discussion thus far.

>>45453297
So, are Bri and/or Amy pregnant yet?

>>45453498
They are not. Though both have an interest in having kids for Various Reasons, now is so far from being the time that it's not even funny.

>>45453297
Its been awhile since i caught a thread but they made love yet?

>>45453767
It would also completely fuck everything over to the point where the party splits up because amy wants to keep it and Bri becomes an emotional self destructive wreck because she chooses to abort the kid and finish what she started.

>>45453796
Vigorously.

>>45453896
>>45453896
when?

>>45453898
I want to say three and seven threads ago, but i could be wrong.

>>45453896
Vim-erously.

There has been at least one threesome.

Amy and Nate have fucked once one on one.

Nate and Bri have fucked once one on one.

But we have yet to get lesbian 69ing cunnilingus while airborne, which is a shame.

>>45453936
Soon.

>>45453936
when was this?

>>45453996
At some point in time, you should be proactive and check the archives. Rather then expecting strangers on the internet to spoon feed you the answer.

Votes called to a very narrow victory for staying with Brianna's PoV. Writing.

>>45453996
Threesome was post Brigette's defeat.

Amy and Nate was after the assault on The Baron's Shaft (hehe).

Nate and Bri was like two minutes later or something.

>>45454097
thanks.

Fuck it, I can't write. I thought I was gonna be able to when I got home but work kicked my ass harder than I thought it did. Folks, I am /sorry/, beyond words.

I'll update first thing in the morning. Votes are re-opened, discussion remains welcome.

>>45454675
Do not fret, fair lich. Though the world is dreary and bothersome, we remain faithful in you, our skeletal liege.

i.e. Go the fuck to bed Vox. You can continue to entertain us later.

>>45446802
> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night
> Remain Brianna la Croix

this is really nice, i want to see more of this kind of interaction so lets stay as brianna.

> Let Amy call the shots for the rest of the night

Can't decide who to be... hrm. They're all good places to be at.

>>45452647
It seems to me that there is a lot of Vox in her. Not as a concious self-insert, just his character:
>>45446036
>you've chosen compassion and self-sacrifice and then act confused when people like you for it.

>>45452925
Word.

>>45453032
My personal opinion (since I read an article with that train of thought) is that everything can boil down to selfishness: Being nice to a beggar -> I want to feel good(/superior). Giving money to charity -> I want to feel good or I want other people to see me as a good person. Giving presents freely -> I want to be know as generous. Catching a bullet for another person -> I want to be remembered as a hero.
Of course, for some actions it might be a bit of a stretch, and maybe it is my cynical side speaking, but if you just think about it it fits more often than you believe at first glance.

>>45455663
That's part of what i mean. The main problem is getting from that point to "it's okay to be praised for being 'selfish'" part, because it clashes with the person's sense of conscience/guilt.

>>45452925

When I try this, I very often still end up disappointed. Turns out I'm apparently not creative enough to anticipate anything nearly as bad as ends up actually happening.

>>45455663
Um...don't forget, anon, that a significant percentage of the choices being referenced there are *our* choices.

So to some extent, it's a lot of *us* that has gone into Bri's personality.

>>45456709
I wonder about that. I personally felt a little disconnect during the time when Amy was rescued, anyway.

>>45457347
Why?

>>45457771
It felt more like both parties were half-sure of what Bri's personality was and voted/wrote in the manner they thought the other party thought about it.

>>45458199
Well, that's about to be expected at the beginning of the quest, with the MC not yet completely established, isn't it?

I'm alive. Morning shit, then re-calling and writing. Thank you all for your patience.

>>45459639
IT'S ALIVE!! AHAHAHAHA!
*ahem*
I remember we said we voted to spend some more time learning under the Caretaker. Are we going to learn some more nifty ancient secrets from the undead clean freak? Or are we going to invent some new shit?

>>45460258

I think we kinda did that stuff already.

Remember him chasing us out with a broom because we refused to take a break?

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>>45446802
You take your hat off and put it on Amy's head. "Lead on, O glorious shankbird."

You and Amy find games that you can play together. Mostly, you lose. Sometimes you win, though, and you come out missing entirely too much money and with the sort of cheap, glitzy prizes that had fascinated you as a little g irl.

And, as it turns out, still fascinate Amy. She has little pins on her cloak inside of a minute and won't stop touching them and chirping happily.

You watch a lion tamer give rides to small children, see a sorcerous jester prank people through the crowd with a wink and a smile, and twist the wrists of countless pickpockets until they start warning the rest.

You get dinner as the sun sets. When you hear that someone's selling kebab, you /insist/. It is somehow both better and worse than the descriptions you've read in family diaries.

"We do need to get back early," Amy tells you. "We can fit one of the night shows in before we ought to get some sleep...especially if we're stopping on the way home."

You grin, giddily. "Well, let's..."

> See the fortune teller
> Watch the fire dancers
> Just talk for awhile
> Write-in?

>>45460320
>> Just talk for awhile
I may be projecting too much of myself onto Bri, here, but I feel like as much fun as she's having, she's also probably pretty worn out by now. Some quiet time with the girlfriend would be a nice change of pace.

>>45460320
> Just talk for awhile

>>45460320
>you as a little g irl.
When I first read that I read it as 'you as a little gangster in real life.'

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>>45460320
>> See the fortune teller

>>45460533
That is the reason I can't vote for the fortune cookie.
>>45460320
>> Watch the fire dancers

>>45460320
> Just talk for awhile

>>45460320
>Watch the fire dancers

Just talk for a while would also be good.

>>45460320
>> Watch the fire dancers


watch the fortune teller end up being natalie

>> watch the fire dancers.

no exposition 4 u

>>45460320
>Watch the fire dancers.
Sounds like something exciting, and possibly romantic. A good way to end the night.

>>45460320
>> Watch the fire dancers

Because talking... well, it can be done on any other night. And I don't think a fortune teller will do us any good. Not if we can die, and yet live.

>>45460320
> Watch the fire dancers
Romantic and unique. Perfect.

Called, writing.

>>45461703
The only person we know of who can see the future with any clarity is Natalia, and..well...

Knowing the future fucking sucks.

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>>45460320
"Let's watch the fire dancers. The posters said no magic, which I've /got/ to see. That seems like it'd be horribly dangerous."

"Like the acrobats?" Amy asks, with a wide, eager expression.

"Exactly!"

It's both more intimate and more intense that you expected. The performers - just two - dance and juggle with burning torches, but they go so much further; they draw lines of flames along their arms, swallow burning torches, always moving across the stage with the grace of serpents.

"I wish Nate could see this," Amy murmurs.

"Don't give him ideas," you murmur back.

When the performance concludes, leaving the audience in darkness, you and Amy find your cots, push them together, and snuggle down to sleep.

Lora is waiting for you with the /biggest/ grin.

> Every night I show up and this faggot angel makes this faggot face at me...
> How'd she even - you /really/ hear prayers?
> Just 'cause I had a good time doesn't mean you get off the hook, Lora.
> Write-in?

>>45463273
> Just 'cause I had a good time doesn't mean you get off the hook, Lora.

>>45463273
How come you are so fucking smug? And how do I not care right now?
>> How'd she even - you /really/ hear prayers?

>>45463273
>> Just 'cause I had a good time doesn't mean you get off the hook, Lora.

>>45463273
> How'd she even - you /really/ hear prayers?

First option seems really OOC.

>>45463481
I don't think it would be used verbatim. maybe.

>>45463273
>> How'd she even - you /really/ hear prayers?

>>45463508
It would not be.

>>45463273
> How'd she even - you /really/ hear prayers?

>>45463273
>> How'd she even - you /really/ hear prayers?
>>45463481
It's a reference to a pic with a dog that I'm currently too lazy to post.

Called, writing.

Thing is, if she reaaly does hear prayers, we have to wonder why the hell she didn't know who Vicky was

Or at least why she didn't ask Brige why this one random lady was constantly mentioning her in her prayers

>>45464824
Neither Victoria nor Bridgette were praying to the angel of death that they helped imprison. It would be rather awkward to pray to the person you imprisoned who really really wants to kill everyone involved, to not kill somebody.

It was much easier and safer to just never bring up Victoria because Lora can't hurt what she doesn't know about.

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>>45463273
You can't keep the grin off of your own face. "How'd she even arrange this? You /really/ hear prayers?"

"Of course," Lora tells you. "We don't often answer them, since that's not generally an angel's job, but...well, it'd be a little shitty of me to not help out my first real friend. And it looks like you had a great time."

"...Okay, but why'd you notice Amy's and not - you met Amy before," you finish, answering your own question. "You could pick her voice out."

"Got it in one. Are you cuddling a stuffed griffon?"

You hug the small animal to your chest. "Amy won it for me," you murmur, a little dreamily. "...Thanks for helping her do this for me."

"It's the least I can do," Lora demurs. "I think Natalia will make her move soon. She's growing...agitated."

"Are the hostages okay?" you ask.

"That I am aware of, yes," Lora confirms. "But we can speak more of sorrowful things later."

> What say/ask?

>>45465056
>> What say/ask?
Do you want to cuddle the plushy?

>>45464911

Fuck, thought Vox had mentioned Vicky praying to Lora but turned out that was Vicky mentioning Brige praying to Lora. My bad.

I'd like to point out at the beginning of all this one of those things that screamed it was a trap involving amy was the fact that she appeared to be an angel, because who would be dumb enough or strong enough to trap an angel in a cage and use it for bait.

What if Lora is bait and we're the target?

>>45465056

The only thing I can think of is "How's everything going with Brigette and Victoria", which I'm sure speaks wonders for my social awareness.

>>45465177

>[shadowruns intensify]

But yeah, that's been burning in the back of my head too.

One of the more common ideas I've seen regarding this is that Dick needs the rest of the chainholders dead / chains broken by someone who isn't him. So he has Lora (who might be a willing partner with him, given that we have no idea whether any/all of her interactions with us have been an act) contact someone, grant them immortality, and promise them the Dungeon if they help her out...

>>45465354
Loras going to be another Sif style scenerio isn't she...

>>45465056

>Is anyone allowed down with Nathan other thsn me, or is he the only one?

>>45465472
?

>>45466064
You've never played dark souls? Thats probably for the best.

>>45465472
>>45466100
Neither have I.

>>45466108
Giant wolf, his master gave his life up to protect him.

>>45466108
>>>45466064
>>45465472
>>45466100
Sif was the wolf companion of a warrior named Artorias, who tried to banish the Abyss, or at least stop it from spreading, in his failed attempt he became corrupted by the dark and driven bad by it, in his last moment of sanity using his shield to protect Sif from that corruption. After you rescue sif in this area, he howls and disappears, and becomes summon-able during boss fights.

Once you reach the shrine dedicated to Artorias, sif confronts you and bars your path, wielding a giant sword in an attempt to stop you. This is because Sif would rather you die than become corrupted and insane in the abyss. Its widely considered one of the most depressing boss fights in Dark Souls.

Basically, Sif got in the way and you end up having to put him down Old Yeller style. Someone else can probably clarify this and correct it better, I'm not that great with DS lore.

Called, writing shortly. Getting More Coffee.

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>>45465056
You look down, then hold out your stuffed griffon.

"...Why are you offering me your stuffed animal?" Lora asks, in confusion.

"So you can hug it while we talk, just throw Feathers back at me before I wake up."

"Brianna, that's extremely silly."

"Hug the damn griffon you overblown gardener!"

Amused, Lora takes the stuffed animal and hugs it.

It's subtle, but you catch the surprised comfort in her eyes before she looks back at you.

"Do you know if /everyone/ but Nathan is forbidden in New Hell?" you ask.

"I'm...legitimately unsure. Natalia seems obsessed with you not entering. Maybe every future she sees when you, personally, enter New Hell ends in her defeat? But she's very, very mad, heritor. I don't know what will or won't set her off. She is...honorable, after her fashion. If she hasn't specifically forbidden someone else, she'll likely honor her word. She'll also use her abilities to plan around them."

"Fuck," you say, with a sigh.

"...You're going to ask me to spare her, aren't you?"

> I...yes.
> I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call.
> That depends, really. Who is she, to you?

>>45467521
> I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call.

She's too dangerous to keep alive in my personal metagaming opinion.

>>45467521
>> I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call

>>45467521

> I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call.

"You two are the ones who have baggage with her."

>>45467521
>I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call.
I love how there's no "no."

>>45467666

"That depends" was probably intended as it.

That and Nate's given no indication he really wants her to live.

>>45467521
>> I don't know. I think that's between you and Nate.
Lora should have a say in this. But so should Nate. Ideally they'd talk it out, but I realize that's not super easy to arrange.

>>45467666
I've taken popular write-ins before, Satan. Often specifically because I didn't think of the thing that anon did.

THE TRIPPPPSSSS

>>45467521
> I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call.

>>45467521
> I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call.
In the end I doubt I'll would be making the decision.

>>45467521
>No, it really does seem like she should be put out of her misery. But euthanasia, not execution.

>>45467521
>She's ultimately not in control of herself, or in her right mind. She's hurting others and herself, but I really don't know if it would be right to kill her.

>>45467704

I'm just imagining Brianna repeatedly knocking herself out to act as a gofer between them.

>>45467666
I mean, honestly, there's never been a time when killing a dude's mom ups the prospects of your relationship.

>>45467521
>>She's ultimately not in control of herself, or in her right mind. She's hurting others and herself, but I really don't know if it would be right to kill her.

This seems pretty reasonable. Unlike Brig, who at least had some support, once we rip the chain out from under her, she's going to collapse. Completely, absolutely, and entirely. Unlike Brig, she didn't even try to moderate herself. She saw herself doing bad things, which convinced her to do bad things, so she did the things she saw. She was trapped in this absolutely shitty loop for a long time.

If she 'loses', there's good odds that, even if we don't kill her, she'll off herself. Given that there's still the guns in New Hell, she even has a convenient quick way to off herself. And this assumes she doesn't invent a contrived way to 'make' Nate kill her. Like, poisoning the both of them and then having only enough antidote for one person on hand.

And even a 'win' in this case means a very, very long time in therapy. Because, you know. All those things she 'had' to do... she didn't have to. She could've walked away a long time ago.

... Unless she's playing a longer gambit, and knows that her losing to Nate and Bri is necessary for them to beat the Master for some bullshit reason. But that's getting way too far into prophecy and fate for my tastes.

>>45467521
>>She's ultimately not in control of herself, or in her right mind. She's hurting others and herself, but I really don't know if it would be right to kill her.

>>45467521
> That depends, really. Who is she, to you?

>>45468057
>Like, poisoning the both of them and then having only enough antidote for one person on hand.

Um, yeah, about that...*what's* the description that's constantly used of Nate?

Do you really think that if his mother was dying of poison in front of him, our resident Hero wouldn't at least *seriously consider* giving up his own chance at survival to save her?

>>45467521
>> I don't know. I was going to let Nate make that call.

Lora's call, Nate's call...definitely not Bri's this time.

>>45468324

>assuming she wouldn't knock him out and force the antidote down his throat

>>45468346

She, or whatever party member(s) we send with him.

Alright, I'ma call for a combination of Nate making the call and the write-in.

Writing.

>>45467748
>>45468057
Both of these are good points. Too late to make it an official vote, so this is just a comment, but I'm thinking we should push for going ahead with killing her, but reforge instead of sword torture, or give her the option of such if there's an opportunity to make it her choice between them.

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>>45467521
You sigh, but hold Lora's gaze. "That's not my call to make. In all likelihood, I won't face her. Even if I did...she's Nathan's mother. I have no right, no right at all, to interfere in what's between them. You have that right, and Nate has that right, and no one else. But the root of your question is correct, yes. I feel some sympathy for her."

Lora squeezes the griffon in her arms. "At some point in this chain, Natalia is reponsible for her own choices. She started herself down this path. She chose to throw herself deeper into prophecy. She chose to involve herself in this conspiracy. She chose to take her anger at herself out on me and on innocents."

You wince. "She -"

"Not the point," Lora cuts in. "The point is, at some point she is responsible. And I do not think I have it in me to forgive her."

"Like I said," you murmur. "It's not my choice."

"I appreciate your respect for that, heritor. Here, have this back."

You take Feathers from Lora. "Thank you for listening. And for offering your side."

"I do as I can."

* * * *

The Caretaker wants you to do a project.

> Hunt down that fucking boar
> Create a group of witch-bats
> Transform the sheath of your sword-cane into a necromantic implement

* * * *

> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"
> "Odd to see you in the Atheneum, River."
> "How're you holding up, Silence?"

>>45469870
damn, the hardest of choices
>witch-bats


>> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
>Transform the sheath of your sword-cane into a necromantic implement
>"Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
gah so many choices. I'm genuinely interested in all of these
> Hunt down that fucking boar
> "How're you holding up, Silence?"

>>45469870
>> Hunt down that fucking boar

Hail Satan.

> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
> Create a group of witch-bats

> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
>> Hunt down that fucking boar
>> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
>> Hunt down that fucking boar
>> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
>> Hunt down that fucking boar
> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

So, undead boar minion?

>>45469870
>> Hunt down that fucking boar
I would like us to get some real undead muscle (and a mount for fetch)
> "How're you holding up, Silence?"
haven't really seen her since the battle. Would like to know how she's getting along.

>>45469870
> Transform the sheath of your sword-cane into a necromantic implement
> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
>>Transform the sheath of your sword-cane into a necromantic implement
>>"Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45470266
>>45470283
Not even trying to hide the samefag? Fuck I sound like a twat with that accusation, but come on mate.

>>45469870
> Transform the sheath of your sword-cane into a necromantic implement

> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"
^ The prettyboy, with a riding crop, in Larks barn.

>>45470311
isn't there a 2 minute buffer before you can post again? But even if there isn't, I've copy pasted a vote I agreed with before just cuz it's sometimes easier.

>>45469870
> Transform the sheath of your sword-cane into a necromantic implement

> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

Tempting to check on Silence, but really want to find out what Jewel got up to.

>>45470350
I'm pretty sure it's a straight 60 seconds

>>45470311
different person genius.

>>45469870
> Hunt down that fucking boar

> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45470371
You can take a name on and off, Anonymous

>>45469870
> Transform the sheath of your sword-cane into a necromantic implement
> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45470387
They know! Shut it down!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkqR0DCIJRM

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>>45470472

>>45469870
>> Create a group of witch-bats
>* * * *
>> "How're you holding up, Silence?"

>>45469870
> Create a group of witch-bats
The boar is /really/ tempting, but if we're gonna be in the Roost, I can't see it doing us much good.
> "How're you holding up, Silence?"
Silence is golden. Literally and figuratively.

>>45470362
It's 100 seconds for me.

>>45470592
there are other levels to go through. sometimes you have to think longterm.

>>45470618
not that anon but I want witchbats because I like the idea of Bri having a horde of small ridiculous minions. Swarm of bats, flock of skeletal chickens, pair of undead hands, half a zombie snake, etc.

>>45470618
True, but the boar also isn't going anywhere. Presumably we'll have another interlude before we launch into a more... terrestrial level.

>>45470660
that is an assumption. The Dungeon changes, it's one of it's defining characteristics. There is no guarantee the area of the dungeon the boar was in will still be there or that if it is that it will not have fallen prey to something else or a trap that has since melded back into the dungeon. Not saying we HAVE to get the big pig (the thing I love most about this quest is the writing is so above average i still enjoy it when the options I vote for don't win) but there is a chance it won't be there forever.

>>45470774
Um, I believe that just the mine was changeable all willy nilly. The only other one that changed that I can recall is the labyrinth and that was because the walls were mechanical and could move. Everything else is either a town/settlement that has been there for generations of the lichyard which is a graveyard for even more generations.

>>45470889
from thread 5

Amy looks over the map and points. "Okay, so Lakehallow's here, and there's the Oubliette. We've got three basic approaches to the Vintner's domain, and none of them are pretty. This passage near Lakehallow, off of the lake's cavern? That's the Obstacle Course. Been around for years, never consistently mapped."

"How bad are we talking?" Nathan asks quietly.

"The traps rearrange themselves on a monthly basis, don't target the monsters native to the Obstacle Course, and the least lethal one in living memory involved sharpened pendulums and flamethrowers."

"Who builds this shit?" you ask in exasperation.

"The Obstacle Course? No one knows," Amy admits. "Legend has it that it was trapped before it was mined out, and that it killed three digging teams before anyone realized it was cursed."

>>45471002
Hmm re-reading that, it doesn't target animals native to the course, eliminating 2 of my concerns. Disregard my objections.

>>45469870
> Hunt down that fucking boar
> "Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?"

>>45469870
> Create a group of witch-bats
Going to be more useful in the Roost than the boar.

> "How're you holding up, Silence?"
Best supporting character coming through!

>>45470350
The timeout is 60 seconds.

It's 5 minutes for exact copypase, but that second one has extra >'s

>>45471341
That's what I thought

>>45469870
> Hunt down that fucking boar
> "Odd to see you in the Atheneum, River."

So, Vox, if a chainholder can sense Bri entering his domain, would he sense her minions and/or familiar as part of her? Feel the connection?

>>45471960
They're an extension of our soul and life force. Its probably a bad idea.

>>45472037
This about what I expect and fear, but if there's a distinction somewhere it could prove very usefull.

Called, writing.

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>>45469870
Coaxing the boar from the Obstacle Course had proven much harder than killing it, as it turns out. Five and a half hours of your life, dedicated to trying to lure this thing out without setting foot in the deadly, trap-infested hellhole.

Once it came charging out, actually killing it was as simple as throwing Vim and Vigor and staying the fuck out of the way.

The skeleton you raise, bound in strips of braided flesh and hair, is massive enough that you can only move it through the main thoroughfares of the Atheneum. The Caretaker inspects your work and deems it well-made.

"He'll come in handy in the Cornucopia and the Broken Jaw," the lich opines.

"Good to know."

* * * *

Your death sense twitches while you're studying. You raise your head, because something is incredibly off. It feels like a ghost, sort of, except it's not nearly as dead as a ghost ought to be. You're not even sure if you have /words/ for this sensation.

You open the door to the room you're in and catch Jewel mid-flail, like she was trying to grasp the knob.

The teenager is entirely spectral.

"Jewel, what the fuck did you /do/?" you ask, in stunned irritation.

"...You know how you said Cherry could possess me?" she says, sheepishly.

"Yes," you confirm.

"We wanted to see what would happen if /I/ tried to possess /her/."

> ...Wat
> Acquire whiskey. Bellow for the Caretaker
> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

Goddamnit Vox, making us choose only one.

>>45472562
>> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
>...and where might /Cherry/ be right now?

>>45472562
>> Acquire whiskey. Bellow for the Caretaker

>>45472593
Possessed.

>>45472562
> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
>> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
>> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
>Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
>what stupidity possessed /you/ that you decided to possess a ghost?

>>45472562
>> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45472562
>Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

Hold the fuck up, this could be very very useful to us!
depending on safety of course.

>>45474222
It could POTENTIALLY be our way in to the hostages, where we unpossess, bust out some family assistance, and hightail it out.

But, uh, we would need a willing ghost.

I don't think bringing Jewel would be a good idea at all, unless she remembers how to lockpick like a god.

>>45472562
>> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

‼︎SCIENCE‼︎

>>45474271
I wonder if you can predict ghosts.

>>45474317
I'm hoping that since ghosts are technically everywhere, they're ignored.

There's also Natalia's loopy issues concerning guilt and dead people.

>>45472562

> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

Guess what Jewel? Welcome to the family.

>>45472562
> Well. You've just advanced the art of necromancy. You fucking idiot.

>>45474271
Why not just get the hostages to possess a bunch of ghosts instead.

>>45475097
We would need a lot of ghosts

>>45472606
So Jewel's body is currently conked out in the corner, Jewel's consciousness is riding around Cherry's... ghostbody? And Cherry's consciousness is in the backseat of that?

>>45475097
these plans are totally safe, guaranteed.

You know, we don't even know if this is ethical or not yet, theres so many things we don't know that make what Jewel did so pants on head retarded, because for all we know this could've just flat up killed her and binded her ghost to another ghost to form some form of fucked up voltron of spookiness.

>>45475342
We have a large family. And we can just negotiate that the hostages give the ghosts equal possession time.

>>45475353
It's just an option, throwing out possibilities. Natalia will never see it coming! Hrm.

I'm totally not trying to spot ball far too many plans for her to prepare for them all including some bleeding edge nutty ones so that we can choose super close to the time when we actually conflict with her so that she can't defend against it.

>>45475415

By us, Nate, Amy, River, the Caretaker, Kells, Silence, Lark, Jewel, Bridgette, and Victoria all combining our spirits in possession of cherie, we could do it, we could form a very very spooky voltron. Which we could then use to outspook Nates mother. Nothing can go wrong.

That feel when I went to make my going-to-sleep post but 4chan was kill.

Morning shit, then will call. Thank you for your patience.

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>>45472562
"...Well, congratulations on advancing the art of necromancy. What the fuck possessed you to do something this stupid?" you ask, in exasperation.

"Well, Cherry likes it when I let her possess me -"

You pinch the bridge of your nose and sigh heavily.

"-and she wanted to know what it was like, so I tried to possess /her/. You know, how she does it - I kinda ran into her and tried to overpower her mind."

"...And now you're in her body," you say flatly.

"I think? You've seen this before, right?"

"NO I HAVE NOT SEEN THIS BEFORE!" you exclaim. "WHO THE FUCK THINKS TO POSSESS A GHOST? GHOSTS POSSESS THE LIVING! HOW IN THE FUCK IS THIS MY LIFE NOW?"

"I'm stuck!" Jewel protests. "I don't know how ot ghost properly and I can't get back out!"

"/Maybe you should have thought of that before you just went around fucking possessing people/."

"Briiiii," Jewel protests.

"Okay. Radical idea here, I'm gonna try exorcising you."

"You mean like exorcising a ghost?"

"No, I mean like exorcising an impulsive teenage girl. Should I wave a mop at you? Chase you with a contract for an arranged marriage? Threaten you with a social engagement?"

"Briiiii!"

You reach for your silver, pause, and set it back down. Silver's generally for the dead, but Jewel is alive, which would account for the weird fucking feeling she's giving off. You take up your cane instead and begin muttering, swearing in a steady rhythm.

When you whap the sorta-kinda-but-not-really ghost, she shivers in the grip of your power, and then separates back into Jewel and Cherry's ghost, though the latter rapidly fades from view as the haunting grips her.

Jewel rubs her forehead. "Thanks, Mo - Brianna."

"Got some leftover Cherry in your head?" you hazard.

Jewel nods.

"C'mon, let's go tell teacher what you did and figure out how to safely experiment with it. I'm gonna bet you wanna try it again."

"...Yesssss...."

"Dumbass."

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I think Jewel and Cherry might have just stumbled onto one of the secrets of the dead. Y'know, the shit that even under pain of torture and servitude they wouldn't share.

I don't know whether to squeal with girlish joy or scream in absolute terror. Both? Both.

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>>45476330
It's quickly theorized by the Caretaker that the particular connection of the haunting is what's permitted Jewel to attempt dematerialization - you /refuse/ to call it 'reverse possession' - and that, in theory, anyone with a strong enough haunting and a willing, or weak, ghost could try it.

"Your sister, for instance," the Caretaker opines.

"...I'm not sure anyone wants that happening," you muse, distantly.

"Either way, I'll keep an eye on Cherry and Jewel and help guide them safely through exploring this phenomenon. You can tell your sister, if you wish. You'll get full credit for discovering a treatment, of course."

You bow, humbly.

> Tell River
> Ha ha, fuuuuuck that.

* * * *

The Caretaker's training is bearing fruit.

> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
> Potence; necromantic spells are more effective
> Virulence; enhance your knowledge of necromantic toxins and curses

* * * *

> Split the party (handle the Roost and New Hell at the same time)
> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell
> Go into New Hell with Nathan anyway (condemn the hostages to death)

>>45476434
> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell

We're gonna want Nate there for the Roost shit, methinks.

Oh, right, before I forget:

Since you apparently count the interludes as extentions of their parts, Part IV is now more than 50% of the quest by thread count, in addition to time here (which was earned in thread 37), though I suspect word count isn't quite there.

>>45476434
>> Tell River
> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell

>>45476434
> Tell River
> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell

>>45476434
>> Potence; necromantic spells are more effective


Fuck efficiency, we can die if we want to.

Also.

> Go into New Hell with Nathan anyway (condemn the hostages to death)

Sorry Natalia, I don't negotiate with terrorists.

>>45476434
> Tell River
She can figure out proper usage if she decides she needs to.

> Virulence; enhance your knowledge of necromantic toxins and curses
I figure this would buff our chicken squad, right?

> Split the party (handle the Roost and New Hell at the same time)

>>45476434
>> Tell River
>* * * *
>> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
>* * * *
>> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell
Though I kinda feel we should ask Nate what he wants.

>>45476434
>Tell River
> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell

>>45476434
> Tell River

She usually doesn't do dumb stuff. So knowlege's good.

> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force

> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell

Because fuck letting him go alone. Give him as much support as possible, ie. let him take whoever he wants with him. He'll need the edge. Also, maybe try and cook up some trinkets or something for him. Talk to the smith, or make something, if we've got anything that could help?

>>45476434
How does spending life force work anyways?
Does it age us every time we do it, or does it just take away x amount of time at the end of our life?

That is would a zombie army necromancer be the oldest looking young guy, or would he just suddenly fall dead at 30?

>>45476434
>Tell River
She really should know her options, she's gonna find out eventually anyway, and she should hear it from Bri. Also, possible shenanigans abound if she and Robert take over primary necromancy services for the party while Bri is sidelined.

>>45476434
>Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
Spend less life force is nice, really nice, but other commenting anons seem to be underestimating the impact of being less exhausted. Right now, even if we are willing to kill ourselves over something, there's a limit to how much necromancy we can do in one stretch before we pass out, and this extends that limit.

>>45476434
>Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell
Just cause we're banished from the front lines doesn't mean we can or should just be on vacation. This is kinda a darkest-hour situation for Nate, and even for those who go with him (assuming at least Amy, and probably others whose IDs are TBD), its kinda a big-deal mission, and we should still be on stand-by, ready at a moment's notice to do whatever we can to support our friends and SOs.

>>45476434
>Tell River.
Just make sure to emphasize that this is NOT a toy to fuck around with.

>Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force.
Well, fuck yes. How many times has Brianna almost keeled over from using just /one/ of her spells?

>Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell.
There's little Brianna can do without Amy and Nathan. I mean, it's not that she doesn't have the know-how to handle herself, but I'd rather see the Roost done with the main trio than half-assed on our own.

Maybe we can spend some more time training with Caretaker? I like having new spells to play with.

>>45476750

The latter. Lifespan lost is taken off the end. It was previously mentioned that reaching that point in your life that you've spent the end of your life back to, is /really/ unpleasant, so most necromancers make a point of dying of something other than age.

>>45476434
>>Tell River
>> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
>> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell

Honestly, I'd love to find some way to sneak somebody extra down into New Hell.

It's a bit of a long shot, but while Natalia's distracted by Nate, they could run and try to find the Chain. Ordinarily, there'd also be the issue of destroying it, but this is New Hell. There's probably a convenient vat of molten steel around or something it could get tossed into and melted.

Of course, as much as I'd love to save her, like our conversation with Lora went earlier, it's not our decision.

>>45476869
Why would the chain be anywhere other than with Natalia, on her person? Also, what makes you think dropping it in a vat of molten steel would necessarily destroy a chain crafted to restrain an angel? There's a bit more to these things than just a bunch of interlinked bits of iron.

>>45476434
>> Tell River
>> Efficiency; be less exhausted, spend less life force
>> Wait in the wings while Nathan and anyone he brings with him handles New Hell

>>45477026
Because for a profession warrior, engaging with a chain wrapped around you adds weight and loose bits to throw you off? This is on top of that fact that hitting it with Verve has a decent chance of damaging it.

But Natalia's also ludicrously good, so this is something that she actually could do. You bring up a good point.

As for whether or not this would destroy the chain, I don't know. Of the four take downs, two have been kills, one has been by Bri just holding the thing and saying 'I release you from this bond', and the last was being struck by a sword that damage souls. We don't exactly know the precise limits here.

Even if the Chain is made to be unbreakable, it doesn't do a lot to protect it from melting. And if that doesn't work, well. Then you've dropped the chain in a vat of molten metal. Getting it back out could be problematic. Which at least means no new abuses going down in New Hell, or direct Angelic Intervention while they're fishing it out.

>>45477026
That, and considering /where/ Natalia does her thing, the chain is likely made of something magical. Like more elemental iron.

Actually, it would make sense for each of the chains to be symbolically linked to the level of the Dungeon its on, and to the Chain-Holder who carries it.
>The Basement - Poor iron.
>The Lichyard - Desecrated gold?
>The Atheneum - Silver?
>The Mine - Strong but simple steel or heavy iron.
>New Hell - Demon-Forged Iron or Steel.

It would explain why The Vintner's chain shattered easily, but the Baron's was strong. The strength of the chain is determined by how much control they exerted over Lora.

Or maybe its all bullshit. *shrugs*

Morning shit handled and I've got an entire pot of double coffee inside a single mug. There's no possible way this ends poorly for my health.

Called, writing.

>>45477689

>entire pot inside a mug

I didn't know applied physics breaking was a part of lich magic, Vox.

Unless you made double coffee then concentrated it, in which case Jesus fuck please tell me you aren't home by yourself.

>>45477739
You think Vox drinks from a normal sized mug?

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>>45477739
ye of little faith (notably is technically a plant pot)

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>>45476434
River blinks at you. "I can do what?"

"Potentially become a ghost by, ah, possessing Robert," you repeat. "And then un-possess him to be living again. The Caretaker is helping to experiment with it, so, y'know, don't go wild trying it out before we all know what we're doing. But as someone else who's potentially capable, I thought you'd have an interest."

"Robert's avoided possessing me because he feels it would be unhelpful to my training," River muses. "But I'll talk to him about it. And the Caretaker."

"...You're gonna miss that ghost when he's gone, aren't you?" you ask.

"Yeah," River agrees. "...But I won't be in a hurry to get him back either."

"Ha! Preach it, sis."

* * * *

You are Nathan Bookchild, frequently accused of being a Hero, and Brianna is explaining your options as best she can.

"Big groups don't fare well trying to siege New Hell," your lover explains; she's brought cold coffee, and the two of you pass one of those godawful cigarettes back and forth while you sit on the stairs that divide the Lichyard from the Atheneum. "It's too easy to get divided by the safety doors or falling traps. Some of those rooms are rigged to purge themselves with flame or release molten metal, so you kinda...don't want that to happen."

"That's insane, by the way," you point out, taking a drag and passing the cigarette to Brianna.

"You're not wrong," she agrees. "I went and got advice from Lora, Brigette, and Kells. A small team is probably best."

You nod thoughtfully. "I think I'll take..."

PICK UP TO THREE OF:

> Amy
> Fetch & the small minions
> River la Croix
> Scribbles
> Silence
> Lark
> Larry
> Korl
> Jewel & Cherry
> Aria la Croix

>>45478276
>> Amy
>> Fetch & the small minions
>> River la Croix

>>45478276
> Amy
> Fetch & the small minions
> River la Croix

>>45478338
Oh yeah river has demons. We should tottaly tell her about Miles. Poor Lark is gonna be heartbroken but such is life.

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>>45478394
Maybe not. How badly do you think River really wants a bad boy?

>>45478276
>> Amy
>> Fetch & the small minions
>> River la Croix

Traps and locking doors? Seems like a good chance to use some of those Dungeon Breaking skills and experiment with Ghosting through things.

>>45478276
> Amy
> River la Croix
> Korl

I don't think sending Jewel & Cherry in there is the best thing at the moment—Cherry's just a little girl, and Jewel, for all her skills and once-adulthood, is...not exactly a full adult right now.
There's a significant danger of sending Fetch in, too, that Natalia will believe he's Bri, and kill the hostages without checking to make sure.

Korl, I think, is the best of the remaining options.

>>45478276
> Amy
> River la Croix

Not really sure for the third; I'd say Silence, but given the sheer volume of iron there it's too risky. Fetch and the minions might trip Natalia's Brianna sensor. We don't really know Aria or Larry well enough, and bringing Larry would distract both him and Amy trying to keep the other safe. Lark and Scribbles are not what I'd call combatants. Jewel and Cherry... no. Korl would honestly be our best bet, but I'm not certain enough of that to actually vote for him.

>>45478276
>> Amy
>> Fetch & the small minions
>> River la Croix

>>45478466
Don't know. How long has it been for her? You know since she lost her privacy. Besides girls always want the bad boy.

>>45478466

Is Miles a bad boy? He seemed to be genuinely nice with Amy, not "I'm only nice to friends" or "I'm being nice to gain your trust".

>>45478276
>Amy
Because we're obviously not going to leave her behind. And I NEED to see those wings in action.

>River la Croix
She's got experience in battle, and she still has Robert with her if she needs any tips or tricks from a dead guy.

>Fetch & the minions.
Does this include our new battle bone boar? He's big enough that Fetch and the other chickens can actually ride around /inside/ of his ribcage like a skeletal Trojan horse.

I want to find another weasel to reanimate and name them Timon & Pumba.

>>45478276
>> Amy
>> Fetch & the small minions
>> River la Croix

Unless we have any reason to suspect that Natalia could possibly maybe misjudge and assume fetch to be be Bri. Because the minions are expendable, which would probably help against a wicked good swordswoman.
If we have reason, then not them. Maybe Korl instead.

>>45478565

It specified the /small/ minions.

>>45478276
> Amy
> River la Croix

I'd just go without the third if being split up is a concern, Amy and River cover most of the support they'd likely need.

>>45478565
Boar is TOO HUEG to fit in the passages. We barely got it down through already conquered levels.

>>45478816
>>45478651
That must be a big piece of pork. I mean, holy shit.

Well, if its all the same, I'd still prefer the presence of Sir Fetch, proven demon-slayer and aspect of chivalry, to same folks who really don't have a place on the battlefield (I mean, WHY would we be taking Scribbles or Lark? They aren't fighters by any stretch of the word.)

>>45478958

Lark, because he's probably sold shit to these people and might have contacts among them still.

Scribbles, because she's a lore nut. She probably knows tons of stuff, and might actually know something about Natalia besides what we do. Hopefully, she has some good social-fu too. There's also the fact that she's a giant snake person, which probably has some side benefits.

But, these are just guesses. Vox wouldn't be that kind of asshole GM and give us options that would have literally no benefit, or at least I'm hoping he isn't.

>>45478958
Also I'd like to point out larks a cripple now.

>>45479333
He's got the same problem as Nathan now, right? I think it was his lungs that were damaged. Would have to go back and check.

>>45479405
His everything was damaged.

I'm gonna cook some food and then call the vote. It should be noted that Scribbles came to fight in the battle for the Mine and participated.

This is also a good time to offer some Q&A in the hopes that I can drive the last nail in this thread and start Part V in its own.

>>45479717
What are you having to eat?

Beside reading and writing what is Scribbles specialty?

>>45479769
Apparently she brought a crossbow and an improbably large number of bolts.

>>45478958

>must be a big piece of pork

Remember us riding it out of the Maze after our asshole cousin somehow got us in the centre of said Maze completely naked?

It's a damn big boar.

>>45478276

> Amy
Emotional support for Nathan, who'll certainly need it. Also stabbin' and flying and wings and stuff.
> River la Croix
Standin necromancer and stabby support
> Larry
Because wizard hax.

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>>45479769
...Chicken nuggets?

Anyway, Scribbles favors the crossbow for fights and isn't to be discounted up close, between constriction and shanking people like they disrespected her. She's smart, fast, observant, and has a snake-like sense of changing temperatures and body heat that helps her fight blind (though it'll take her a bit to get used to the living things being the /cold/ ones in New Hell). She may also be good for morale.

>>45479956
Pic related.

>>45479717
I was figuring that since Bri would be 'sitting out' of this battle Scribbles would probably like to take this opportunity to hear Bri's story as she has a fair bit of 'free' time now.

Alright folks. Vote called, writing. Your party for Part V will be

> Nathan Bookchild (PoV)
> Amy the Dungeonbreaker
> Sir Fetch the Nightfeater & the Small Minions
> River la Croix

>>45480290
>River la Croix
let's see what sis has learned

>>45480341
I don't think that was a vote, friendo

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>>45479717

>try to kill the thread

Well, with your permission...

I still don't understand why people were pissed at Amy about the Hunting Talon thing.

Victoria was entirely in the wrong for trying to get our help without talking to Brigette about her concerns.

Soaring Song is a way better name than Crescendo.

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>>45478276
The news from Brianna has made you tense; you can't help it. You keep expecting to get a message or, worse, a corpse, as the hours drag on. When you snap at one of your goblin students, all you can really do is excuse yourself, apologize, and retreat down to the Atheneum to remain near your loved ones.

Brianna understands your need for space. Amy, poor girl, is trying her hardest. You can't really bring yourself to be mad at the way you'll leave a room and come back to find coffee and little gifts. The half-harpy still has problems with the idea of people needing space and they express themselves as active avoidance, which you understand but...

Well, hell, it's frustrating. And finally, exasperated with her efforts at goodwill, you manage to catch her by the back of the shirt on her way through a hall.

"Hey Ames," you murmur. "Wanna ride a shaft?"

Ten minutes later, you're on your way down the Shaft while she fluffs her metallic feathers indignantly at your pun.

"Why're we heading into the Mine anyway?" she asks.

"Change of scenery, mostly. I'm going crazy in that library. Plus River's down here, and it would do to check on our backdoor tunnel in."

"True..."

> "Ames...I appreciate what you were trying to do but there's gotta be a speed between zero and full-tilt."
> "How're you holding up?"
> "Anything you want to do down here?"

>>45480573
Wait, but what is your opinion on how much Brigette deserves to die and should we have a re-vote?

>>45480590
>> "How're you holding up?"

who the fuck is aria la croix?

>>45480590
>> "How're you holding up?"


>>45480573
I agree with all your points, faggot

>>45480626
Brianna's cousin that leads the Rose Cultists in the Lichyard.

>>45480590
> "How're you holding up?"

Yeeees, be the Hero.

>>45480626

Aria's "la petite merde", the Rose cultist who was giving us shit back in part 2.

Thread archived, incidentally.

Alright - called, writing.

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>>45480590
"How're you holding up, Amy?" you ask. You blush faintly when she opens her wing and pulls you into a one-armed hug.

You can hear her feathers chiming a faint, rippling lullaby.

"Worried about you," Amy murmurs. "I'm glad you asked me to come with you, Nate. You and Bri both do that stupid thing where you reach your hand out for other people until your arm breaks."

"...I can't actually argue that..."

"I know. You don't fight me about it like she does" Amy kisses the top of your head and gives you a little grin. "Personally, I'm ready to keep going. I've hated waiting on my enemy's pleasure."

"I know that feeling," you agree. The lift shudders to a halt, and you find a middle-aged man in much-mended robes waiting for you, his eyes frightened and his cheeks sunken from malnutrition.

"Nathan Bookchild?" he asks, in a shaky voice.

"...Aye?" you answer, hesitantly.

"I - I was part of the Caretaker's staff. Your mother released me. To. To show good faith. She bids you to come into her domain and do battle with her. She says...she says that it is time."

You share a look with Amy, and then offer a hand out to the man.

"Come on. We'll get you to safety."

END INTERLUDE IV: NO REST FOR THE WEARY

Alright, I'm just gonna get myself into shit if I try to rush into starting Part V right now. I'm going to leave the thread open until I can get home at about midnight EST and give it the attention it deserves.

In the meantime, this seems like a good spot for Q&A and feedback. How was Part IV for everyone? How's the experience been with the quest to date? Everyone still havin' fun?

>>45481461

I've been here since thread 3 and it's been a blast the whole time. Keep up the good work.

>>45481461

It's been a nice break. We got to see more of the world outside the dungeon, dealt with some terrible shit, and then had some nice hope spots come along and remind us why we're doing all of this.

I'd have liked to find more ways to deal with the Sight, or prepare for the next level, but we can't have everything we want. As it stands, we stand on the precipice of the Fifth Level.

If I were to arbitrarily call this anything, I'd say it's the first dungeon of the second disk. It's ominous, and getting through it means a whole lot of plot will happen and the map will open up. But in the meantime, we have the path in front of us to focus on.

I like that we're having a complex moral issue coming up again too. People are conflicted, and unlike Brig, Natalia's more than a bit around the bend. I want to get a better look around New Hell before I make a serious judgement, but I'd still tentatively like to save her.

... Which is an interesting choice of words on my part, I suppose. Not 'beat' her, but 'save' her.

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>>45481619
Glad to have you here, my friend. It's been a helluva ride from this end as well.

>>45481735
Thanks for the feedback, anon. And you're kinda spot-on with the 'map' comment; clearing the Roost will let you do levels 6, 7, & 8 in whatever order you like rather than necessarily having to do them from the top-down.

Just keep in mind that getting reinforcements through the Roost means negotiating with its residents.

I'll be available through my phone at work as much as I can be. I'll start Part V when I get home and get more coffee.

>>45482272
Oh, hey, that reminds me. Does Isoldt have any little ingots in the forge yet?

>>45482711
Isoldt is still courting Harry; she's being careful about it, because while /she/ knows what she wants, she doesn't want to ruin her chances either. Harry is very conscious of the power dynamic between the two of them and she's doing her best to slowly and steadily express to him that here interest is not coerced, because if he thought it was, in any way, she'd get absolutely nowhere.

TL;DR she's working on it.

>>45481461

> How was Part IV for everyone?

Long. Fun.

I don't mind the length, but if too many more parts are that long, it's going to take you till 2018 to finish this, and you won't have written a book, you'll have written A Song of bloody Ice and Fire.

>>45482272

>getting reinforcements through means negotiating

That applies to both us and Dick's forces, I'm assuming.

I'll reiterate my prediction that they're gonna prop up some 'King/Queen in the Roost' in order to try to unite the various murders under them and against us, and we're gonna have to do the same with our own King/Queen, and one of them is gonna be Hunting Talon.

>>45483588
>one of them is gonna be Hunting Talon

I knw this ain't what you meant, but I just got a vision in my head of us being introduced to "Queen Hunting Talon" when we get down there, with HT being in full-blown drag attire, and Amy very coincidentally getting the idea that she needs to dress Nate in womens' clothing at some point in the future.

>>45483754
I laughed too much at this.

So what do you think we'll find down there? Smith mafias? Elementals?

>>45486454
No, something even worse.

Unions.

Two hours and change to call. Questions, discussion, and feedback remain welcome and deeply appreciated.

>"The Vintner." - sworded
>"The Traitor." - next target
>"The Pallbearer."
>"The Moneychanger." - sworded
>"The Poet." - eternally bound to the Atheneum
>"The Baron." - sworded
>"The Librarian."
>"The Diviner."
>"The Debtor."
>"The Lush."
>"The Wyrm."
>"The Daughter."
>"The Master."

Updated Chainholder list.

>>45486688

>Double dubs

>>45487799

>Double dubs

And both of the second set are the next set of dubs from the first set.

What the christ.

>>45487799
The moneychanger didn't get sworded, she tried to use lora on us and dropped the chain, she then suffered heavy metal poisoning from a massive Gold overdose.

The Baron similarly suffered an acute lead overdose.

>>45487927

Their souls were taken by Lora's sword, though. Hence sworded.

>>45486688

So how did Diving Shadow react to Amy's new wings? Or did we see her reaction and I'm just having a brain fart.

>>45488115
It wasn't shown. Slipped my mind entirely.

Off work. Heading home.

Well that was a shitty-ass shift. Home, food acquired, writing.

Now is a good time for final questions/discussions for the thread.

>>45490279


You mentioned necromancers cache knowledge in certain drop points in case they all die, what would one of these caches look like, would it be a book in a tree kind've thing or a whole complex death maze/dungeon for forbidden knowledge?

>>45490378
La Croix dead drops have taken many forms, though the most common is buried strongboxes containing sealed books or scrolls. A close second-place involves stuffing a volunteer's ghost in a bottle and leaving it in a safe location. The family does not normally trend towards the creation of libraries or fortresses (that would require giving way more fucks than they do) but it is true that efforts are made to copy and distribute the information into various private collections, some of which are...quite large.

Remember that the dead drops are an emergency measure, meant in case something goes catastrophically wrong and normal lines of communication fail entirely.

>>45490279
If there was a gun to your head, would you fuck Amy, Nate, or Bri?

>>45490473
I'd give the gun a blowjob and dare you to go through with it after you spent all that time to make my creations real. Go on, kill me in front of them, see how that ends.

>>45490495
but would they even recognize you?

>>45490767
Do they need to recognize me to be upset about the execution of a random stranger in front of them?

>>45490772
depends on their upbringing. so, potentially.

>>45490767
They should at least recognize him as somebody of interest, given that he would know things they never told anybody, and know how they think.

>>45490784
this is true.

>>45490777

You think Bri or Nate would just stand by and watch some unarmed dude get shot without trying to learn the reasons for it? Amy might if she were alone, but she'd sure as shit help the other two stop the shooter.

>>45490803
I should explain what I meant by upbringing. are they still themselves. or are they blanks/clones, but not necessarily the same individual memory wise.

>>45490817

So... are they Vox's characters, or are they three random people.

Given the question was Amy, Nate, and Bri, I don't think the latter is applicable.

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PART V: TRAITOR'S ROAR

You are Nathan Bookchild, and these goodbyes are a little hard to watch.

Amy murmurs and chirps quietly to her parents. Diving Shadow, you can tell, is doing her best to stay cool and aloof, but the worry in her eyes is unmistakable. Larry gently advises his daughter, and she dutifully listens, because it's more for him than it is for her, and everyone knows it, even if no one is admitting it.

Brianna is in a low, practical conversation with her sister. River listens and nods attentively, her little kitten-sized imp sitting patiently on her shoulder. He won't be around for much longer, but you know that some of the new charms that dangle from thin chains at her belt are marked with demonic runes. The shy young elf is turning into someone both much more, and much less, dangerous than the soulless mercenary that Brianna took pity on.

"Ain't easy, is it?" a friendly voice says near you. You look over to your right, and find Scribbles there with her pen poised. That eager, journalistic pose contrast sharply with the genuine sympathy in her expression. "Would you mind history knowing how you're feeling right now?"

> ...I kinda would, yeah.
> Jealous. Sad. I never had what they're having, not really.
> That woman gave birth to me. That doesn't make her my /mother/.

>>45491303
> ...I kinda would, yeah.

>>45491303
>Jealous. Sad. I never had what they're having, not really. And here I am, about to confront my manic-depressive and violently unhinged birth-mother with prophetic powers.

>>45491303
> That woman gave birth to me. That doesn't make her my /mother/.

>>45491303
>I never had what they're having, but that's behind me. For the most part anyways.

>>45491303
> That woman gave birth to me. That doesn't make her my /mother/.
We were never a family.

On the one hand, vote's tied. On the other hand, I've had the most massively shit night and I need to go to sleep soon.

I'll be back in ten minutes to call and decide from there.

It is a /really/ complicated situation. Natalia /wanted/ to be the good guy, to use her visions to save lives. But every failure was stab at her heart, and when she finally went over the deep end and decided that performing human sacrifice to amplify her powers was worth the cost. Then, what she saw told her she /wasn't/ the hero, but the villain. And she accepted it.

Fast forward to now, where her son, whom she left behind to spare watching what would become of his mother, is going to (probably) have to kill her to /save/ her.

Vox, you sure know how to make things depressing. Holy shit.

>>45491636
I'm right there with you, Mr. Bones. Don't be afraid to vent if you need to.

Want a little good news? Tomorrow's my day off, so I hope to finish those two sketches and complete a few others.

>>45491652
's my quest, not my blog. And in any event is possessed of a few years of context that would be awkward to just spill to strangers.

Tomorrow is /my/ day off as well, though, which means extended running weee. Though it will be disrupted somewhat by homelessness prevention and also filing my taxes.