>>45927130
You steeple your fingers as you take a seat and for some reason you can’t help but wonder just what Cennen has been up to lately. You’ve been keeping an eye on him of course but you don’t always understand what he’s doing when he gets it into his head to obsess over something. He has a habit of getting carried away. But still, Cennen has a good track record with these sort of things and remains under your supervision so you’re not too worried.
What was it anyway? Something to do with souls?
Bah, he could just come ask you! You’re pretty sure you’re the ultimate authority on that matter.

Your true name cannot be spoken by any human tongue nor can it be properly reproduced by any known alphabet. But you’ve come to accept that ‘Hiss’ is a passable translation. You are the current Serpent Queen and this is less fun than it sounds.

You are currently sitting in Lord Branth’s drawing room, ‘awaiting his pleasure’. Lord Branth is one of the most influential nobles in Melire and the most likely candidate for the new Mayor-in-Standing. His political tussling with a small number of other nobles in the city is what has lead to Melire’s current degradation, helped along with yours truly. He’s also staggeringly rich which is nice.
You’ve already started assuming control over Melire but as more of your troops and agents arrive by the day you’ve decided that it’s finally time to let what passes for the city’s rulers to know of your arrival. You’ll be charitable and even give him the chance to bend the knee of his own free will first.

If he ever lets you see him, that is! He’s had you sitting in this drawing room waiting for him for several minutes now. This is just unacceptable.
“I’d like to see his lordship now please.”

1/2

>>45927152
“I’m sorry ma’am,” the guard by the door says. He’s a pretty big guy and you get the feeling that he might be some sort of personal servant or bodyguard as well. “You didn’t schedule an appointment and his lordship is expecting a privileged guest soon.”

You roll your eyes. Humans. He doesn’t even know how many ways you could instantly render him insignificant. It depends on just how ...forceful you want to get and how well-known you want your exact powers to be.


>”He’ll be waiting for some time then because I ate the previous guest.”

>Just let yourself in. What’s he going to do?

>Readjust the guard’s loyalties.

>Offer the guard money.

>Try to intimidate the guard.

>Redistribute his soul into a more fitting form.

>Rattle.

>Cennen gave you a potion that might be useful for this.

>Kill him.

>Other

>>45927195
>Cennen gave you a potion that might be useful for this.
Tired of soul stuff Ouro?

>>45927195
>>Cennen gave you a potion that might be useful for this.

>>45927195
>Other
>Edit lordly drawings

>>45927195
>Cennen gave you a potion that might be useful for this.

>Cennen gave you a potion that might be useful for this.

You might have advertised yourself as a witch but that doesn't mean you have to act like one all the time. There's no need to let yourself get carried away and expose more of your powers then you have to. Not when you've borrowed a few brews at least.

Besides your mandatory Serpentbane you've only got one potion on your person right now. Fortunately it should remove this little obstacle quite handily.
What is it?

>Thoughtbrew

>Love potion

>Shapeshifting Brew.

>One of Eugene's rejects.

>Acid.

>Rumpleskin

>Knockout Brew

>>45927480
>Shapeshifting Brew.
Turn him into a newt or frog or something

>>45927480
>Shapeshifting Brew.
Cat.

>>45927480
>Shapeshifting Brew.
Mouse

>>45927480
>Shapeshifting Brew.
Hog

>>45927269
A little, figured it would better to let it tick in the background. Besides I haven't made any pointless perspective shifts for a while.

>>45927523
>>45927551
>>45927571
>>45927577
The dice gods will be pleased with this offering

>>45927480
>>Shapeshifting Brew.
I'll second cat i guess

>Shapeshifting Brew.

You stand up and approach him as you reach into your jacket. If he's intimidated by your abnormal height he doesn't show it.
"I'm going to step into Branth's office now."

"Oi, I c-"
You wait for him to open his mouth before jamming the bottle into it and pouring it down his throat. He splutters and coughs but you just hold his mouth open.

"Whatever you do, don't think about cats."

He groans and starts to shrink, his skin sprouting patches of fur right before your very eyes. You pick up the little black cat and carry it underarm. He scratches you but you don't feel it.
"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

As far as anyone else needs to know, you did this all on your own with your own power. Keeps them guessing. Keeps them afraid.

You step out into the hallway and wander down it until you find Lord Branth's office. It's not bad! All very expensive and fancy, the back wall dominated by a large portrait of himself.
He's not here so you settle for tipping over one of his ink pots and drawing a crude phallus over the portrait's face.

When Lord Branth arrives just a few seconds later he finds you sitting in his chair with your legs up on his desk, having kicked everything else off of it.

He goes a very interesting shade of red and splutters for a little bit before he calms down. For a certain value of 'calm' anyway.
"And just what do you think you're doing?"


>"Hi, I got sick of waiting in the drawing room so I turned your guard into a cat. Let's talk business."

>"I'm sorry? This is MY office."

>Make your demands, no small talk.

>"Don't bother calling the rest of your guards, you won't like what happens."

>Hypnotise him.

>Ignore him completely.

>Pretend to be lost.

>Other

>>45927937
>>"Hi, I got sick of waiting in the drawing room so I turned your guard into a cat. Let's talk business."
>"Don't bother calling the rest of your guards, you won't like what happens."

>>45927937
>"Hi, I got sick of waiting in the drawing room so I turned your guard into a cat. Let's talk business."

>>45927937
>"Hi, I got sick of waiting in the drawing room so I turned your guard into a cat. Let's talk business."
>"Don't bother calling the rest of your guards, you won't like what happens."

>>45927937
>>"Hi, I got sick of waiting in the drawing room so I turned your guard into a cat. Let's talk business."
>"Don't bother calling the rest of your guards, you won't like what happens."

>>45927937
>"I'm sorry? This is MY office."

>>45927937
>"Hi, I got sick of waiting in the drawing room so I turned your guard into a cat. Let's talk business."
>Ask who made the portrait, for we should have one of those

>>45927937
>>45927960

File: 20160307_111912.jpg (777 KB, 2048x1152)

777 KB JPG

Here's census snek

Dude's working on Ziggy and Aash right now, I'll scan everything once they're done, probably

>>45928232
Nice.

>>45928232
God dammit, too cute.
Will everyone have a lewd face

>>45928232
and Orange is both cuter and more feminine than Hiss, despite being a guy.

>"Hi, I got sick of waiting in the drawing room so I turned your guard into a cat. Let's talk business."
>"Don't bother calling the rest of your guards, you won't like what happens."

"Hi Branth, you don't mind if I call you Branth right? I got sick of waiting in the drawing room for 'your pleasure' and so I've come to adjust your schedule a little. It's time for our appointment."

He steps back into the doorframe.
"Right. You're that crazy bitch from the sticks aren't you? The witch?"

"Witch Queen. And yes."

"Where's Dray? How did you get past him?"

You yawn.
"Refer to your last statement to figure out how. He's a cat now."
You toss the black cat at him. It accidentally hits the wall instead.

He stares at the feline for a few moments.
"That could be any cat," he says weakly. "We both know witches aren't real."

He's right but that's not the narrative you're trying to tell.
"Don't tempt me into giving you more proof. Now take a seat and let's talk."

He stays standing, not yet sworn to obey you. You recognize that look on his face.

"Oh come on now. Don't even bother calling the rest of your guards. You won't like what happens."

You keep eye contact with him until he very slowly sits down across the desk from you. He's cowed but he's not beaten.
"What do you want?"

>"Just your co-operation and fealty as your new Queen."

>"You're going to make a very generous donation to Melire's restoration today. Give me all of your money."

>"I'll need a list of all your political contacts and friends in Taldenral as well."

>Play a little nicer and offer substantial rewards for subservience.

>Tell him the truth about what's happening and what he has to gain by choosing to bow of his own free will.

>Make the painting true to life.

>Other

>>45928356
>"You're going to make a very generous donation to Melire's restoration today. Give me all of your money."
>"I'll need a list of all your political contacts and friends in Taldenral as well."
>Play a little nicer and offer substantial rewards for subservience.
Think of it as a show of loyalty, refusing would be unwise. You are ultimately replicable, and if you continue to annoy me you will be.

>>45928356
>Play a little nicer and offer substantial rewards for subservience.

>>45928356
>>45928397
Alright

>>45928356
>"Just your co-operation and fealty as your new Queen."
>"You're going to make a very generous donation to Melire's restoration today. Give me all of your money."
>"I'll need a list of all your political contacts and friends in Taldenral as well."

>>45928232
Noice.

>>45928356
>"You're going to make a very generous donation to Melire's restoration today. Give me all of your money."
>"I'll need a list of all your political contacts and friends in Taldenral as well."

>>45928356
>Tell him the truth about what's happening and what he has to gain by choosing to bow of his own free will.
well not everything, but enough

>>45928356
>Play a little nicer and offer substantial rewards for subservience.

>"You're going to make a very generous donation to Melire's restoration today. Give me all of your money."
>"I'll need a list of all your political contacts and friends in Taldenral as well."
>Play a little nicer and offer substantial rewards for subservience.

"What do you want? I want you, Branth."
He gapes a little and you sigh.
"Don't take that the wrong way. But as far as I can tell you are the most powerful human in this city. And when I put it that way it sounds pretty sad."
You guess you can't really blame Melire for being a little pathetic in the leadership department right now. After all you've directly or indirectly killed both of their previous leaders and have had agents stirring up unrest and keeping everyone at each other's throats.
"I'm going to need you to spend quite a lot of money on helping restore Melire."

He blinks, your request apparently far more innocuous than he was expecting.
"That's it? And how much?"

"Oh, just all of it. Consider it an investment, getting yourself into my good graces will be far more rewarding in the long run."

"That's absurd!"

"Is it? Look me in the eye Branth and tell me that I won't be ruling this city within the week."
He tries to look away so you catch him by the chin and force him into your gaze.
"Tell me!"

You don't even hypnotize him. But you are the last scion of the only blood line that has ever mattered and you are clad in power. Branth isn't an idiot. A schemer like him, someone who spends their time in foolish games, must recognize that and he freezes in the same way a mouse does when the shadow of an eagle passes over it. And for much the same reason.
"Tell me."

"...I can't."
You let go of him and he sinks back in his chair, crushed by the weight of your royal presence.

"Subservience isn't so bad. Bend the knee willingly and you can keep everything you have."

"And if I don't?"

1/2

>>45928865
"Tell me, do you prefer being a cat or a toad?"
You pick up a letter opener and as he watches, you idly snap the steel in half.
He doesn't answer.
"That's what I thought. Sign this."

You already have the paperwork drawn up by your good friends at Jefford and Sons. He reads through it and his hands start to shake.
"A complete transfer?"

"When I said you can keep everything you have I didn't mean the money. That's still mine. But you should be able to stay afloat on liquidations until I can arrange your reward. Now sign."

He does so and you stand, rounding the desk until you're towering over him.
"Good. Now get to your knees, I don't have all day."

As he kneels before you, you lead him through an oath of fealty and induct him into your service. Now he is bound to you and your command.
"I'm going to need a list of your associates in Taldenral as well."

He starts writing it down before his brain even finishes processing your words.

>Take what you have and leave. Your work here is done.

>Abuse your power over him for shits and giggles.

>"I'm going to be using this mansion as my new base of operations by the way."

>Partake in some petty theft while he watches.

>Get him to summon up all of the staff and have them swear fealty as well.

>Other

>>45929020
>"I'm going to be using this mansion as my new base of operations by the way."
>Get him to summon up all of the staff and have them swear fealty as well.
All business, stay focused hiss

>>45929020
>Take what you have and leave. Your work here is done.

Places to be, people to Rule, Cennens to Fuck, we have a busy schedule and not much time to handle it all.

>>45929020
Can we still move into the mayoral mansion instead?

>>45929020
>>"I'm going to be using this mansion as my new base of operations by the way."

>>45929125
Hiss can have multiple mansions if she wants.

>>45929020
>"I'm going to be using this mansion as my new base of operations by the way."
>Get him to summon up all of the staff and have them swear fealty as well.
Just to get us out of the inn until we move into the mayors mansion.

>>45929020
>Take what you have and leave. Your work here is done.
>Partake in some petty theft while he watches.
Take his fancy pen after he's done writing as a gift for Cennen

>>45929020
>"I'm going to be using this mansion as my new base of operations by the way."
>Get him to summon up all of the staff and have them swear fealty as well.

>"I'm going to be using this mansion as my new base of operations by the way."
>Get him to summon up all of the staff and have them swear fealty as well.

You sit back down behind his desk and slam your boots up on the expensive wood hard enough to splinter it slightly.
"I'm going to be using this mansion as my new base of operations by the way."

"B-but you said-"

"When I said that I'd let you keep everything, I meant besides your money AND your house. And anything else you own that I take a liking to. But you still get to live here! Just not in the master bedroom."

You get to watch him visibly wilt before your very eyes but what can he do, say no to you? Not after he's taken the oath. It wouldn't be very wise anyway.
"That's...that's fine," he mutters. "There are some guest bedrooms."

"Those will probably be in use as well actually. But I'm sure there's somewhere in the servant's quarters that can accommodate you. Oh, don't look like that. It's only while I stay here. Now, go get all of your guards and staff."

You permit yourself a small chuckle as he walks off with hunched shoulders. To think that his spirit is broken already. Pathetic. You haven't even hurt him.

You look over the bank transfer notes and go a little cross-eyed. With both this and managing all of the staff, you're going to need someone a little more bureaucratic. Fortunately, Orange is never far from your side. Literally. You stuffed him down your tunic. What use is a personal servant if you can't take him everywhere?

You unbutton and pull the little snake out, setting him on the desk as he begins to shed. Before long Orange's human form is sitting atop the desk facing you.
"Yes, your Majesty?"

"Handle all of this."
You stifle a yawn as you sit back and let Orange do all of the work. You had a brief moment of fun there but now your work continues.

You hope Cennen is having more fun.

...

>>45929525
>Hiss has a snake in her pants.
LEWD

Sorry about being so slow by the way, I'm a little rusty from not having threaded much in a while. Hopefully that'll change.

>Cennen

Your name is Cennen and you are completely unaware of what Hiss is doing right now. If someone was to tell you however, well, you wouldn't be too surprised.

You've been keeping yourself busy today. But with what?

>Teaching Hom.

>Messing around with soul theory.

>Experimental brewing.

>Caster brewing.

>Studying through notes or books.

>Making another homunculus.

>Spending some time with friends.

>Other

>>45929595
>Caster brewing.
We've been neglecting this

>>45929525
>Cleavage snake personal assistant
Very innovative Hiss. Cennen is probably jealous as hell if he knows.

>>45929595
>Studying through notes or books.
for 3 hours then have Hom get our attention so we can
>Teaching Hom.
for 2 hours
then
>Spending some time with friends.


We said we would be above standard alchemist myopia.

>>45929595
>Studying through notes or books.
Moldruns notes

>>45929595
>>Spending some time with friends.
THE ABSOLUTE MADMAN

>>45929595
>>Caster brewing.
hopefully we can make this really useful

>>45929595
>Studying through notes or books.
With hom unless Moldruns notes are inappropriate

File: hissfanart.jpg (691 KB, 2048x1152)

691 KB JPG

>>45929578
>pants
I don't know if you know what tunic means, anon.

Calling for studying through notes or books.

>Studying through notes or books.

You've been spending the day reading through Moldrun's notes, scattered as they are. The first task was simply to render them into a more readable format. They're messy and smudged with unidentified fluids.

Most of the notes deal with the creation and maintenance of Tatterdemalion. That wretched false homunculus. It describes the effects of his initial treatment upon the deformed infant, something regular healing would never be able to cure. It also describes what you can only call the assimilation process as Moldrun had slowly but surely dosed the rest of the family and let them meld together with their child. He even kept a diary of the process along with his half-insane mutterings about Tatterdemalion's providence.
At least one page is nothing but amateur poetry about the broken thing and it reads suspiciously like a love poem.

You gain access to the following brews!
1/2

>>45930153

> Stage I Solution: This brew can be administered through the mouth or injected by a syringe. It calms and numbs the patient for an hour and induces an emotionless apathy that can last for nearly a day.

> Stage II Solution: This brew must be administered to the bloodstream directly. Once circulating it fools the body into forgetting its exact boundaries. The subject's skin becomes permeable and semi-liquid. This makes for ease of operating and for later processes but once must be sure not to let them absorb random detritus lying around.

> Stage III Solution: This brew can be administered through drinking it or through the syringe. The patient is subject to a slow dissolution that takes the course of several days. By the end of it they are a nonsapient pile of meat goo but if they come in contact with a patient under the effect of Stage II they will be absorbed harmlessly and begin to reconstruct themselves inside the patient. Moldrun notes that after the woman absorbed her liquified husband, his daily vivisections showed the husband's neural structures growing and reforming within her internal organs.

>Stage IV Solution: This brew can be administered through drinking or the syringe. If given to a subject that is already sufficiently permeable, this begins the breakdown of the human form they probably still mostly keep to. Moldrun's notes mention fronds and strands as the most common structure to emerge and states that such new forms can be influenced by placing subjects in a mould. New forms are extremely hardy but the process is still imperfect and require daily Stabilizer Fluid to keep themselves proper.

>Stage V Solution: This brew must be administered through a syringe. This solution hollows out a subject's body, likely killing them if they aren't already fluid or permeable from previous solutions. It creates a false womb and restructures the subject around it and allows the subject to breed new creations.
2/3

>>45930289
This would be great for making a body out of meat bits.

File: what the fug.jpg (35 KB, 500x375)

35 KB JPG

>>45930289
>these brews

>>45930289
His notes mention that Moldrun was planning a new array of Solutions that would be able to manipulate what the homunculus would give birth to but these were crossed out with the note that Tatterdemalion had yet to process beyond stillbirths.

>Stabilizer Fluid: This brew can be administered through mouth or syringe. It slows biological instability and restores any shapeshifted creature to its natural form. A supplementary note mentions that the flesh-shaping accomplished through the Stage I-V Solutions count as being the subject's new 'natural form' for the purposes of the Fluid and any other effects like it.

>Mutagenic Medicine: This brew focuses not on curing or restoring but on a more proactive healing. Heal-alls will only restore after all but that doesn't do anything if the state you're being restored to is the problem. You can't cure deformities with Heal-alls but you can with this. Moldrun notes extreme mutagenic properties as a 'side-effect' and states that it has equal effects on dead organic matter.

>Anatomic Recreation: This brew requires a sample of the subject's body but it can be as small as just a skin scraping. Once properly brewed it will form a liquid that can be administered best through syringe. Whoever injected with this over the course of several days will become pregnant with the flesh of the ingredient donor. Moldrun notes that this could allow infertile couples to breed but he had only used it to fuse himself with Tatterdemalion's tumour-child.

Choose two

>>45930477
>Mutagenic medicine
>Anatomic Recreation

>>45930477
>Mutagenic Medicine: This brew focuses not on curing or restoring but on a more proactive healing. Heal-alls will only restore after all but that doesn't do anything if the state you're being restored to is the problem. You can't cure deformities with Heal-alls but you can with this. Moldrun notes extreme mutagenic properties as a 'side-effect' and states that it has equal effects on dead organic matter.

>Anatomic Recreation: This brew requires a sample of the subject's body but it can be as small as just a skin scraping. Once properly brewed it will form a liquid that can be administered best through syringe. Whoever injected with this over the course of several days will become pregnant with the flesh of the ingredient donor. Moldrun notes that this could allow infertile couples to breed but he had only used it to fuse himself with Tatterdemalion's tumour-child.
Can we improve these since we actually have access to snakeskin and he incorporated a cheap knock off in his brews?

>>45929860
Hey, are you confirming Hiss doesn't smuggle more useful snakes in her clothing?

>>45930477
>Mutagenic Medicine: This brew focuses not on curing or restoring but on a more proactive healing. Heal-alls will only restore after all but that doesn't do anything if the state you're being restored to is the problem. You can't cure deformities with Heal-alls but you can with this. Moldrun notes extreme mutagenic properties as a 'side-effect' and states that it has equal effects on dead organic matter.
>Anatomic Recreation: This brew requires a sample of the subject's body but it can be as small as just a skin scraping. Once properly brewed it will form a liquid that can be administered best through syringe. Whoever injected with this over the course of several days will become pregnant with the flesh of the ingredient donor. Moldrun notes that this could allow infertile couples to breed but he had only used it to fuse himself with Tatterdemalion's tumour-child.


>>45930540
I hope so.

>>45930477
>Mutagenic Medicine
>Stabilizer Fluid

>>45930554
that is super hot and super weird also she could just reach into her tunic and throw them at people like the crazy cat lady in the simpsons

>>45930477
>Stabilizer Fluid: This brew can be administered through mouth or syringe. It slows biological instability and restores any shapeshifted creature to its natural form. A supplementary note mentions that the flesh-shaping accomplished through the Stage I-V Solutions count as being the subject's new 'natural form' for the purposes of the Fluid and any other effects like it.

>Mutagenic Medicine: This brew focuses not on curing or restoring but on a more proactive healing. Heal-alls will only restore after all but that doesn't do anything if the state you're being restored to is the problem. You can't cure deformities with Heal-alls but you can with this. Moldrun notes extreme mutagenic properties as a 'side-effect' and states that it has equal effects on dead organic matter.
Wtf. Let's get back to Hom and soul stuff. There's a good idea for making homunculus bodies on the ask.fm.

>>45930554
Neither confirm nor deny. I will however state that Hiss likes to keep talented snakes with Arts she wants to copy with Royal Blood around at all times.

>>45930540
It depends. They were made to replicate the effects of snakeskin but they do it through an entirely different process (rooting around the body and breaking it down into something simpler before it can be reshaped).

>>45930596
>Cennens face when he puts a hand on her thigh and feels a bulge

>>45930645
>cennen puts his hand on her back
>fangs shoot out

>>45930477
>>Stabilizer Fluid
>Mutagenic Medicine

>tfw caster brews never

>>45930477
>Stabilizer Fluid: This brew can be administered through mouth or syringe. It slows biological instability and restores any shapeshifted creature to its natural form. A supplementary note mentions that the flesh-shaping accomplished through the Stage I-V Solutions count as being the subject's new 'natural form' for the purposes of the Fluid and any other effects like it.
>Mutagenic Medicine: This brew focuses not on curing or restoring but on a more proactive healing. Heal-alls will only restore after all but that doesn't do anything if the state you're being restored to is the problem. You can't cure deformities with Heal-alls but you can with this. Moldrun notes extreme mutagenic properties as a 'side-effect' and states that it has equal effects on dead organic matter.
Why do you guys want the H.R. Giger-tier brew

Rolled 3 (1d6)

Looks like a tie between Stabilizer Fluid and Anatomic Recreation. Evens the former, odds the latter.

>>45930711
Fluid got in 16 seconds ahead of your post Ouro.

>>45930711
Oh never mind, Stabilizer it is. Last second votes and all.

>>45930711
i wanted >>45930738
half snek babies

>>45930645
>implying that the bulge will be a snake.
Hiss is a shapeshifter

>>45930701
Our homunculi need a way to reproduce. We've created a new type of organism! When we die no more homunculi would be created without it.

>>45930765
>implying that it's the only bulge

magical realmfags out in full force today

>Stabilizer Fluid
>Mutagenic Medicine

You'll admit that the Stage I-V Solutions might be useful in shaping new bodies for future homunculi but right now you find them just a touch unnerving. Better to take the brews that promise a more immediate use.

You're showing Hom Moldrun's notes and guiding him through the theory when the door opens.
Eva II marches into the room, her hair frazzled and her clothes dirty. She looks a mess. Way more so than usual that is. Her blank black eyes seem to ignore Hom almost completely, fixing on you and your cauldron.
"I have arrived. Excuse me."

She takes your now empty cauldron and starts to brew. Looks like a Serpentbane.
You spot a girl you don't recognise standing by the doorway looking sheepish.

>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.

>"You can stop brewing Serpentbanes now, it's fine."

>Introduce Eva to Hom.

>"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

>Let her brew in peace.

>Other

>>45930955
>>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>>"You can stop brewing Serpentbanes now, it's fine."
>Introduce Eva to Hom.

>>45930955
>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>Introduce Eva to Hom.
>"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"
Teach them both a few brews too

>>45930989
This.

>>45930955
>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>"You can stop brewing Serpentbanes now, it's fine."
>Introduce Eva to Hom.
>"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"
If we brew together it enhances the strength of the brew right? Let's try it out.

>>45930955
>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>Introduce Eva to Hom.
>"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"
Can we get her cleaned up and clothed properly?

>>45930955
>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>"You can stop brewing Serpentbanes now, it's fine."
>Introduce Eva to Hom.
Uhh yeah I tried some new stuff with his body. He can't speak but he's just as smart as you or I
>"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Interlude 18

Melire has several guardhouses distributed throughout the city, each one home to its own peculiar local tradition. With the exception of one that had been razed in the local unrest, they are all kept fully manned at all times, particularly in these days.
If you'd asked Frahm yesterday he would have said that they could have kept out anyone.

Not today, evidently. Guards were scattered everywhere in various states of disarray, most of them out cold. Desks and tables had been overturned and thrown about, windows had been smashed. The ground was littered with broken swords and arrows that had splintered rather than pierce their target.
The culprit behind this one-man wrecking crew reclined comfortably atop a broken desk, her legs stretched out and draped across Frahm's chest and preventing him from moving.

"Remember me?," she said cheekily.

If only he could forget. So much had gone wrong in Frahm's once-comfortable life. Iana, Vickers, too many men who he didn't even know...
And here she was, the architect of all his woes. He knew what she was.

"Snake," he hissed through gritted teeth.

"You got me," she says. "Last time I was here an associate of mine acted like a moron and told a few people some very inconvenient information. Consider this cleaning up the loose ends."

The last thing he ever saw was her boot slamming down towards his face.

>>45930955
>>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>>"You can stop brewing Serpentbanes now, it's fine."

>>45930955
>>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>>"You can stop brewing Serpentbanes now, it's fine."

>>45931173
aw shit master yolan is so dead

>>45931225
We coulda saved him, but anons wanted to avoid him.

>Embrace her and ask her how things have been.
>Introduce Eva to Hom.
>"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Eva. Eva! Stop for a moment."
She looks up at you and you sweep her into a hug. She stiffens but only for a moment before returning the embrace.
"I'm glad to see you made it alright. What happened to you, you're filthy!"

Eva blinks.
"I am? I guess I forgot to take care of myself."

"You know better than that."
You push a wayward strand of hair back into place, trying your best not to look directly into her horrific eyes or the blank plate that passes for her teeth.
"And you have a brother now. Eva, this is Hom. Hom, Eva II."

The two homunculi stare at each other. Eva nods.
"We've met."

"He's a little mute but don't worry, he's just as smart as us. Smarter maybe. He knows a lot about souls."

Eva II perks up at that, peering at Hom and tilting her head from side to side.
What is wrong with you?

aaaaaa

You are wrong. You are a wrong thing. I hate you.

You can't understand them at all but they seem to be getting along well. You look back at the girl fidgeting by the doorway.
"Hey Eva, aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend?"
It's sort of amazing that Eva has made a friend at all. You feel sort of proud.

"Friend? Yes...that is a good term. This is my friend. She is called Blue."

Blue steps forward and shakes your hand. She's a rather pretty young lady in a very frilly blouse tied up with a corset and a short skirt over a pair of more practical leggings. Her hair is brown and tied into a bun.
"Hi, I'm Cennen. That's a very interesting name you have there."

"Thanks."
She doesn't sound all that thankful.
"You gave it to me."

"Oh."
Of course she's a snake.

"Yeah, I had a blue streak down my side and I guess you thought it was notable."

"Sorry about that. Thank you for taking care of Eva."

1/2

>>45931445
Damn Eva that's cold. She must be talking about the fact that he has his own natural body since it's more normal for art spiders to just take over existing human bodies.

>>45931520
Or the fact his long sojourn as a discorporated soul damaged him.

>>45931445
"It was nothing really. She was one of the last people in the village and I was lonely. And she wanted my blood."

"No worries. Thing is, I don't recall meeting you in the census."

Blue nods and blushes.
"I changed my human form later. The one you gave me was far too revealing."

You snap your fingers.
"Now I remember! Wow, yeah it was. And you had blue hair."

She doesn't look too happy about that.
"I thought it was natural. I don't want to talk about it."

"Well thanks again for giving Eva so much blood."

"It's alright. I don't even think she used most of it properly. She ran out of bottles."

>You need to get Eva to a bath.

>Talk to Blue more.

>Back to brewing.

>Look for someone else.

>Other

>>45931627
>You need to get Eva to a bath.

>>45931627
>Back to brewing.
Let Eva and Hom copy us and make their own versions of our brews

>>45931627
>You need to get Eva to a bath.
>Talk to Blue more.
Yeah I think she still has issues understanding concepts like Moderation or stopping. So I take is Snakehome is empty now?

>>45931627
>Back to brewing.
Caster brews?

>>45931627
>You need to get Eva to a bath.

>>45931627
>You need to get Eva to a bath.
>Talk to Blue more.
Poor blue, soon she will be able to return to her blue haired form.

>>45931627
>You need to get Eva to a bath.

>Talk to Blue more.

At least tell her that you think this form is very pretty too, although you kind of miss her blue streak.

>>45931799
>At least tell her that you think this form is very pretty
but why

>You need to get Eva to a bath.

"Yeah I think she still has issues understanding moderation. So I take it Snakehome is empty now?"

Blue nods.
"We're the last wave, the non-essentials. The Queen doesn't consider us very useful but we have to be here regardless."

"Not much use? How so?"

"I don't have much Art. Or anything really."

"You took care of Eva, that's more useful than any Art. And for the record, I kind of miss the blue hair.

"It was really just a blood supply," she mumbles almost incoherently.

You look back over to Eva and Hom who seem to striking it off.
aaaaaa

You are a mistake. You should have died the first time.

a

I know what you are. If I ever meet you alone I will destroy you.

"Hey Eva, we need to get you to a bath."

"I'm fine," she protests as you grab her by the sleeve and drag her out the door. She doesn't struggle very hard however.
Blue tails behind the two of you out of a lack of anything better to do.

You don't want to use the pig bath so you take some time in tracking down the bath the inn was using for general customers. You find it downstairs behind the old bar, steaming hot and ....occupied.

Zigzag is there and she's not alone. Aashenpreet and a snake you don't recognize immediately are jammed in with her, all of them blissed out on warmth and body heat.
Zigzag waves feebly at you while you do your best to avert your eyes.

>Actually baths can wait.

>Shoo them out.

>Use the pig-tub. It's clean. Probably.

>See if you can fit Eva in.

>Nobble.

>Other

>>45932003
>See if you can fit Eva in.
Eva can make some friends?

>>45932003
>See if you can fit Eva in.
resist the urge to look at aash, also known as best girl

>>45932003
>See if you can fit Eva in.

>>45932003
>Actually baths can wait.
Let's brew some shit and research souls/spirits/spiders more.

>>45932003
>See if you can fit Eva in.
Hiss knows your eyes are just for her. Clam down Cennen.
Introduce Eva to the snake reagents

>>45932003
>See if you can fit Eva in.

>>45932003

>Shoo them out.
Get out, reptiles, I have to wash my abomination

>See if you can fit Eva in.

"What do you lot think you're doing?"

"It's simple," Aashenpreet giggles. You do your best to look away from her because you know she wouldn't appreciate it if she was sober. You do this by staring at Zigzag instead since you've already seen all of that.
"I have to keep an eye on Ziggy," the priestess slurs. "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."
Big talk from someone who currently sounds even dumber.

"Alright Eva, you can probably fit. Make some more friends."

Eva is staring without hesitation.
"This water is alchemically rich in reagents."

"You better believe it is. Now go make some more friends."
You help her disrobe and she squeezes into the tub somehow. For some reason you're fine with looking at her. Probably because despite being a healthy woman-shaped thing, she just doesn't titillate for some reason. Quite the reverse actually. All you can think of is corpses.

Aashenpreet hisses at her disgustedly as she squeezes in next to her but doesn't do anything.

"I'll uh, see you later."
You walk back out, leaving just you and Blue. Time to find Hom and get back to brewing, you suppose. You are stopped by Blue tugging at your sleeve.
"Yes?"

She looks embarrassed but you're starting to get the feeling that this is a permanent state for her.
"I was wondering if you knew where my friend was? I'd like to go see her since I'm just sort of awkward otherwise."

"Sure. Which snake?"

"I don't really know her human name but I think she's called Elle? She went on a mission with you once."

Oh.

>Take her to Elle.

>Lie to her and say Elle isn't here.

>"Trust me, you don't want to see her."

>"How are you two friends exactly?"

>Nobble.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>45932251
>Nobble.
>Lie to her and say Elle isn't here.
>>Nobble.
>"How are you two friends exactly?"
>>>Nobble.

>>45932251
>"How are you two friends exactly?"
>Ready Ko brew just in case.
>"Trust me, you don't want to see her."

>>45932251
>"Trust me, you don't want to see her."
She was punished for treason. She's still alive but she's been changed.

>>45932251
>Tell her what happened
>Take her to Elle.

>>45932251
I can take you to her but she was caught conspiring against the queen and she's a bit worse for wear mentally now.

>>45932251
>>"Trust me, you don't want to see her."

>"How are you friends exactly?"
>"Trust me, you don't want to see her."

You stare down at her a little suspiciously and she seems to pick up on that, looking up at you with confusion.
"What's wrong. Her name is Elle. You've met her before."

"How are you two friends exactly?"
Could she be a traitor?

"I dunno, we've always just gotten along? Most people never really had time for me but Elle used to feed me when I wasn't able to hunt for myself."

You wince.
"Then trust me you don't want to see her. Not like how she is now."

Blue's voice catches a little bit.
"What happened to her?"

"She was caught conspiring against the Queen. She's still alive but she's been half-eaten. I doubt you'll find the Elle you knew there."

Blue covers her mouth with her hands, a surprisingly human reaction.
"No...No, I need to see her. Please take me to her."
Her eyes start to moisten.

She doesn't sound too shocked at the nature of Elle's crime.

>Take her to Elle.

>"Shocking crime, isn't it?'

>Nobble.

>"I'll only let you see her if you tell me the truth."

>Pretend to be taking her to Elle but take her to Hiss instead.

>Other

>>45932643
>"I'll only let you see her if you tell me the truth."

>>45932643
>>"Shocking crime, isn't it?'
>She tried to sneak up and enslave me, which is how she was caught. Funny thing, Snakes aren't the ones with Arts that can cause all sorts of unpleasant things to happen.
>"I'll only let you see her if you tell me the truth."
>Prep Ko brew

>>45932643
>>"I'll only let you see her if you tell me the truth."
>Nobble.
Under Nobble.
It's this or Hiss Girl.

>>45932643
>Inspect for human souls

>>45932643
>Take her to Elle.
Have we gotten any new soul brew ideas since we did all that research?

>>45932693
We don't really need to prep the KO brew. it's always instantly available in our bandoleer.

>"I'll only let you see her if you tell me the truth."

You stare Blue down, wondering how hard it would be to nobble her if you had to. You vaguely remember her census info. She has basically no Art to speak of. It shouldn't be too hard.
"You don't sound too surprised by what she did."

Blue seems to be picking up on your attitude and is backing away.
"She's always disapproved of the Queen, that's not a secret!"

"She tried to sneak up and enslave me. Wanted to make me a tool to hurt someone I loved."

Blue backs away further but her back hits the wall and she has nowhere else to go.
"I'm sorry? I didn't know any of that!"

"I'll let you see her if you just tell me the truth."

"Truth? What truth? She's my friend!"
Blue is practically wailing now.
"I just wanted to talk to her!"

"You didn't have anything to do with it?"

"Why would I? I looked after Eva, didn't I? Why would I do that if I hated you? I don't even know you!"

"I don't kno-"

You are interrupted by Blue stepping forward and jabbing you in the chest with one trembling finger.
"No. Take me to Elle right NOW."
She glares up at you with all the pique of a snake that has next to no Art and an attitude.

>Believe her.

>Take her to Elle.

>"Better safe than sorry." Nobble.

>Only if you give her Snake Oil first.

>"I'm sorry but you can't."

>Other

>>45932994
>>"Better safe than sorry." Nobble.
For protection from Hiss

>>45932994
>Believe her.
>Take her to Elle.
It's not like she's a threat anyway. Let's get this over with and brew some more

>>45932994
>>Believe her.
>>Take her to Elle.

>>45932994
>Take her to Elle.
Let's just keep an eye on them.

>>45932994
>>Believe her.
>>Take her to Elle.

>>45932994
>Believe her.
>Take her to Elle.
Sorry had to be sure, She nearly killed Aashenpreet and Zigzag. Me too. It's not going to be pretty Blue. Hiss was not happy, and she was in a particularly foul mood prior. All I could do to keep her from torturing Elle to death.

>>45933089
Dude. Mentioning the torture is an awful idea.

>>45931817
Because you're supposed to compliment a woman when she changes her appearance, you autist. It's polite. And also human, and we're gonna humanize the fuck out of these snakes.

>>45932994
>>"Better safe than sorry." Nobble.
>>Take her to Elle.

It's not like nobbling really hurts snakes, and we can use the wishes to see if we should let her go or not.

Make sure we tell her it's because she's friends with our daughter that we're doing this.

>Believe her.
>Take her to Elle.

You back off and let her calm down.
"Sorry, I had to be sure. She didn't just nearly kill me, you know. I had friends in danger as well."
Does Zigzag qualify as a friend? You guess so.
"I have to warn you, it's not a pretty sight."
That's not exactly true. Elle is actually a prettier sight than ever but only on the outside.

"I understand," Blue sniffles. You've never met a snake that actually cries like this before.
"What she did was wrong."

You lead her to Elle's room. It's technically a prison but it has no lock. All you have to do is tell her to stay. Elle springs up the moment you open the door and hugs you, her head nuzzling into your chest.
"Cennen! I missed you so much!"

Blue stares at her.
"Elle?"

"That's me. I think."

"You think?"

"I'm not very smart. I forget a lot of things."

"Elle, what did they do to you?"
Blue grabs her by the shoulders and tries to pry her away from you but Elle refuses to let you go.

"It's fine. I did a really bad thing but the Queen made me better. Who are you?"

Blue stops.
"It's me! Hs-"
She tries to make a hissing sound with a human mouth and just ends up coughing.
"The brown snake with the big blue stripe. They called me Blue on the census remember?"

Elle shakes her head.
"Nice to meet you Blue. Have you met Cennen?"

"I came in with him! Of course I did!"

"Oh. Yeah. Of course."
Elle looks briefly sad about something she can't quite place.
"That was silly of me. Nice to meet you Blue."

"You already said that," Blue says quietly.

"I say a lot of things. Isn't Cennen dreamy?"

"Elle! You didn't like him! You called the queen a deviant!"

Elle looks a little troubled.
"That was a bad thing. The Queen took the bad things away from me. And being a deviant is good, I can't help myself. Have you tried it?"

Blue turns away in disgust.
"I'm...sorry to have disturbed you. I was looking for someone else."

1/2

>>45933346
Elle doesn't seem to care about Blue leaving.
"You can leave now. That's just us then isn't it, Cennen? Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?"

Blue opens the door and is about to walk out entirely when Elle peers out from behind you.
"Wait!"

Blue stops.
"Yes?"
You can hear just a rising sliver of hope in her voice.

"What was your name again?"

Blue leaves and slams the door behind her. Elle stares at the wall for a bit.
"I think I hurt her feelings somehow but I don't know why. I'm too stupid. Why can't I know? ...At least I have you and the Queen to look after me, Cennen. I don't know what I'd do without you."

>Pry her off.

>"Don't you remember her at all?"

>Give her the antidote.

>"Do you ever miss who you used to be?"

>Leave.

>Other

>>45933420
Take her with us to brew

>>45933420
>Give her the antidote.
>Leave.

>>45933420
>Pry her off.
>"Don't you remember her at all?"
>"Do you ever miss who you used to be?"
>Mindbalm

>>45933420
>Give her the antidote.
>Leave.
Kinda feels unnecessary now

>>45933497
>>45933552
SO Mind break her even more and let it fester? Because once the anti-dote kicks in she's going to be pissed at us, and she will remember it.

>>45933461
This

>>45933420
Give her mindbalm and then reintroduce them properly

>>45933420

>Give her the antidote.
>"Don't you remember her at all?"
>"Do you ever miss who you used to be?"
Mindbalm, too

Calling it for Mindbalm and antidote.

Unfortunately, I have to end it here. I know it wasn't very long but I have a bit of early work to do and this was mostly just a continuation of the previous half-thread anyway.
The thread's been archived (by someone else), etc, check the twitter for the next thread, etc etc. Next thread will pick up directly where we left off and it should be either tomorrow or the day after as I get my schedule back into shape. Here's hoping.

Snakecatcher's one-year anniversary is approaching in a bit under two weeks and I'd like to be back to proper condition for a daily thread schedule again.

>>45933764
Thanks for running

>>45933497
>>45933552
>>45933689
Why antidote? She's just going to hate us then. Literally won't help her at all, it might even make her regress more with how fragile her mind is.

>>45933764
Thanks for running Ouro.

>>45933764
Thanks for running mate. Here's to hoping for a relatively regular schedule like the old times.

>>45933764
Thanks for running

>>45933817
Hiss took the hate from her, when we give her the antidote she'll be a blank slate

>>45933861
Hiss took the hate from her, when we give her the antidote she'll be a blank slate

She still remembers and adores us, and the hate could have just been alchemically altered. WE let it go it could come straight back. Not even mentioning this is one of her few reaming mental anchors left. Dropping it could turn her into a coma patient from cascade of loss.

>>45933972
Yeah and? She deserves it.

>>45934035
Just slit her throat and be done with it then.

>>45934035
its going to be more trouble than its worth, and anyway this is interesting test case, how much can we restore a person who's been mind pruned to a functional state. Her being alchemy induced to do this silly shit won't be of much interest.

Reminder that I fucking warned you guys so many times about Hom and now we're fucked because you're fucking morons unless you want to be meta-fags about it.

I hope Eva II can kill him for us.

>>45934079
We never kill anyone we resolve to kill. Remember when everyone was saying we needed to kill Zigzag?

>>45934279
that was like one or maybe two guys

>>45933972
>Dropping it could turn her into a coma patient from cascade of loss.
what? Why would that happen? Her mind is already broken, she only thinks she loves Cennen because of the potion.
Her current state is pitiful. We either give her the antidote and treat her with mindbalm or do as >>45934079 said and mercy kill her.

>>45934279
Not everybody said that.

I was consistent about voting to try and humanize her. After all, if she's as snakey as a snake can be, having her on the queens side should undermine her detractors that the queen isn't snakey enough.

I feel we should tell Blue that we're helping Elle as much as we can, but she can't go up against the Queen. We should also find out if Blue is weird for a snake with her emotions and shit.

>>45934500
>inb4 Blue is so emotional and teary for a snake because she's actually just a good actor working for the traitors and is going to backstab us all

>>45934541
THAT'S WHY I SAID WE SHOULD NOBBLE HER, goddamnit it doesn't hurt and she is a known affiliate of a traitor and a FUCKING SNAKE.

Hiss, whom we have worked hard as hell to humanize and actually feels bad about shit, is just barely not instinctively homicidal and really only when she remembers it bothers us.

Every other snake we've met has been infinitely worse, even Aash who is politer but thinks less of humans than any other snake we've met so far.

I hate this player base so fucking much sometimes, but goddamn if it doesn't result in a fleshed out and flawed and fuck up of a retard of a main character when Ouros writes your autistic flip floppiness.

So, despite my hate, you guys do keep the story interesting.

#ShouldhavekilledHom #SnakeKingwouldhavebeenaBro #YouLetRockDie #HashtagsTriggerYouHeyFaggot?

>>45934267
You realize that we have no idea why she hates him if or Ooc. It could be as simple as him not being able to speak makes her want to kill him.


>>45934662
It was a hypothetical anon chill. The reason we didn't nobble her is because it pisses snakes off. That said we should not have shown her sell and let her leave like that since she's emotional now. But we had no chance of that.


I do agree on Rock and the Kid my though. Freaking anons who can't read subtext.

>>45934662
I can't help but think that most of our fuck-ups and atrocities have been Hiss' fault rather than our own.

>>45934775
No, no. I'm almost enjoying my hate.

Also, I stand firm in my decision on killing Hom. Originally I pushed for rescuing him, but after a while it became worse than Tatterdemalion, pretty much the inverse of it.

And Anons refused to admit the horror they had committed out of being a fucking retard once again, and went all stupid gooey like those parents that smuggle Meth to their kids while they're dying in the hospital from drug abuse, and made him into a physical as well as a psychotic abomination by being extra-special retarded.

Don't get me wrong, I like how Ouro lets us have consequences for our fuck ups. And I've long given up hope for anything resembling a "Good End".

I'm here to watch this fucker burn and see Hiss ascend the throne and hopefully Cennen fucking loses everything and dies like the broken sack of shit he's become.

>>45934876
No most of them have been Cennen lacking the halls to tell Hiss no. Even when it'd benefit her if we did.

>>45934876
> Blaming the NPC instead of the MC in the quest

Anon, don't try to shove this off.

>>45934956
>Also, I stand firm in my decision on killing Hom. Originally I pushed for rescuing him, but after a while it became worse than Tatterdemalion, pretty much the inverse of it.
Dude what? He isn't. He's a damaged homunculi, that's it. Eva doesn't like him because he can't speak. We have no indication IC or Ooc of that shit you're saying.


As for anons being spineless thoughtless waifu flags who are too weak to say no? I agree. But wishing for that sort of ending is just being a spiteful shit. At that point drop the quest, it's better for your health that way.

>>45934957
I think Ouro said at some point that he hadn't planned for Hiss to be the waifu but he saw the signs early and adjusted. Makes me wonder what Hiss was originally intended to be. Were we supposed to disagree with her and become enemies at some point? Or use the wishes to bring her into line?

>>45935046
>Eva doesn't like him because he can't speak
...Anon. I'm not sure how to break this to you.

>>45935046
Enjoying. My. Hate.

You don't understand, I don't hate the quest. I hate the MC. I hate who people have made him. But I can enjoy hating a character as opposed to a mary sue that the QM lets get away with everything because "muh good rolls".

I love this quest. I hate Cennen. I find him despicable. He's not evil, just weak. He's not good, just a coward. He's honestly pretty fucking terrible and I feel he's a good representation of the audience here.

>>45935055
Given he expected us to be assertive the last probably. She was so young and inexperienced she couldn't even rules lawyer out of the wishes properly.


>>45935082
Sadly I agree he's weak. Anons made him a pussy whipped coward. Still hoping to salt the earth and make everything suffering and pain isn't healthy.

>>45935123
Hoping? More like anticipating.

Anons made the MC a bitch in a world of competent people. Except Aash, but she's an autistic albino, fundamentalist religious upbringing snake. Who is actually growing by experiencing the outside world, unlike Cennen.

I'm not hoping for Bad End, because I think it's only from Cennens PoV that it's going to happen. But I am going to enjoy it when it all goes wrong and Anons go "How could this happen".

FYI, I really enjoyed the end of Hollow Quest Redux.

>>45935273
>Cennen
>not competent
We've got the alchemy game on lock.

>>45935316
Yeah, we're a regular fucking rainman.

We're amazing at alchemy, we're not really competent at using it though. We just roll well. and brute force situations using our amazing alchemy bullshit.

Remember when Tani was going to skull fuck us until Hiss saved the day? Despite being wish-bound? How did our Alchemy help us then, Anon.

Or how Moldrun almost skull fucked us, because he was an actually good Alchemist despite not having MC autism powers?

>>45935357
Nearly getting skull-fucked by Tanni isn't a point against us. I get the feeling that she could do that to nearly everyone in the setting.

>>45935411
When they had every advantage against her?

>>45935489
We weren't trying to kill her. In fact we were bending over backwards not too. If we weren't we'd have had a much easier time.

Can we at least agree on Orange being extremely cute?
>>45928232

>>45937881
Yes cute trap snake is cute. Cuter than Hiss.

>>45937911
Considering that he apparently lives in Hiss' cleavage you might be able to get them as a package deal.

Man, the discussion went places.
I don't entirely agree with your opinion on the MC, angry anon, but what do you think we should change about him?

>>45938575
Not him, but stop being a spineless push over who bends to Hiss's whims despite knowing it's wrong woulda been good. Too late now.