File: Howa.png (763 KB, 650x885)

763 KB PNG

>>46287269

“Ira?” Howa's voice, soft and blurry with sleep, gently stirs the night air. There is the whisper of sheets as she rolls over, no doubt searching the other half of her bed for you. A fruitless search, of course – you've been sitting a distance away for some time, haunted by a lack of sleep and a surplus of uncertainty.

Was this a mistake, you ask yourself softly, a moment of weakness? On the road, a soft heart can be more of a vulnerability than a strength. Where you're going, you can afford neither weakness nor vulnerability – you'll need to be hard, as cold and focussed as you've ever been. Now though, could you really manage that?

When the time comes, you think solemnly as Howa stirs again, that's when you'll really see. Maybe you'll fight all the harder with something precious to return to, someone else to share a future with. It's something you never really had before – or perhaps you just didn't realise what you had. Retirement was never something you considered much until now, and it certainly wasn't something you had been looking forwards to. It would be easy really, just settle down and devote your life to one of the gods. Like Garl, or Maab over in Selene's temple. It could work, you murmur to yourself, not aware that you had spoken aloud until Howa responds.

“Ira?” she repeats, mumbling and drowsy, “Did you say something?”

You could hold your tongue, you realise, and she'd just lapse back into slumber. In the morning, she'd pass it off as a dream – if she remembered it at all.

>I was just thinking about retirement
>It was nothing. Go back to sleep
>Say nothing and wait
>Other

>>46287284
>Say nothing and wait
Not a word about retirement. We've raised enough death flags already.

Also: yay! I finally caught up!

>>46287284
>>Say nothing and wait

>>46287284
>Say nothing and wait

>>46287284
>>Say nothing and wait
No point in making this any more difficult than it needs to be.

Pressing your lips together into a dagger thin line, you hold your breath and wait to see whether Howa will rouse herself or not. She mumbles something else, the words running together into an indistinct stream, and then falls silent herself. A moment passes, and then the soft sounds of her gentle snores begin to rise up from the bed. It's only when you let the breath escape you that you start to feel a twinge of shame. This is hardly a dignified way to treat her.

Still, there's no denying that it's easier this way. No difficult conversations or long, awkward goodbyes. Perhaps it would be better for both of you if you just slipped out in the night, leaving before she can persuade you to stay a little while longer. Even an hour would be too much, opening to the door to more and more delays.

Definitely easier this way. Feeling around in the dark for a scrap of parchment, you scrawl out a quick note – something that is neither an apology for leaving or a promise to return, but has aspects of both – and leave it on the table. Then, pulling on your boots and dressing as quietly as possible, you slip out into the corridors beyond. As you leave, you're certain that you hear a soft sigh.

Just a snore, that's all.

Morning has not yet dawned, and the Nameless Temple is uncommonly quiet. It's not a calm, sedate kind of quiet though – more like the calm that would come before a storm. It's not hard to guess why, with so many soldiers pacing the silent corridors. There are probably more soldiers than apprentices, now, to say nothing of Wanderers themselves. Another tingle of bitter guilt creeps down your back as you think about leaving Howa here, under the Emperor's heel, but where else would she go? Even if she was in a position to run, would she really leave everything – the archives included – behind? You doubt it.

[1/2]

>>46287550

You roam the halls for a while longer, losing yourself as best as possible in the mindless act of walking. On the way, you stop at the rows of missing posters and take a moment to examine each and every one in turn, memorising the faces you see there. So many apprentices, it's hard to believe that the disappearances went unnoticed for so long. They were noticed, you correct yourself, but nothing was done about them. In retrospect, that might prove a fatal mistake – maybe even spelling out the end of the Nameless Temple itself.

When you reach Hali's portrait, you take the poster down and fold it carefully into your pocket. He's hardly missing now, you think bitterly, and seeing his face up on the wall is strangely depressing now that you know his impending fate. Hardly an innocent, you still wonder if execution is really what the boy deserves.

With the inked sheet of parchment hidden away within your coat, you begin to walk back to the temple entrance. There's nothing left to do here, you think, nothing to keep you from heading south. It's long past time that you met with this cult directly.

>Take the road south to the cult enclave
>There's one last task to see to here... (Write in)
>You should head somewhere else instead. The cult can wait... (Write in)
>Other

>>46287597
>>Take the road south to the cult enclave

>>46287597
>Take the road south to the cult enclave

>>46287597
>Take the road south to the cult enclave

>>46287597
>>Take the road south to the cult enclave
I can't shake the feeling that we might not have a temple to return to later.

>>46287728
If something does happen let's hope Koa, Howa, and Sanae can escape.

>>46287768
You've forgotten about Milo.

Hmm. If the current temple is on lock down, could we use the loophole in the military orders and move everything and everyone to our(the nameless') new island?

>>46287821
Right, him too.

>>46287728
We should have said goodbye

You've waited long enough, it's time to go on the offensive. For too long, you've been reacting to the cult – arriving in time to see the mess they've left behind, or chasing after them in order to prevent a greater disaster. They've played you for a fool, and you're going to make them answer for every crime they've committed.

But first, you're going to listen. You want to know exactly why they've chosen to walk this bloody path, one that leads towards nothing but war and greater bloodshed. You'll have the answers you seek, one way or another.

That's the plan, at least. As you're mounting a horse and guiding it out of the Nameless Temple – past the cautious eyes of the waiting guards – you admit that a thrill of trepidation settles into the back of your mind. Will you ever get the chance to return here, to share what you've learned with the people of the Nameless Temple? What if that note, that promise to return, is the last thing Howa ever sees of you? It's a risk you have to consider – and one that you must take, for the good of the land.

You never thought of yourself as the “greater good” type before now. It's funny how quickly things can change, once something starts to threaten the life you've built up for yourself.

The sun should rise soon, but it's already looking like a gloomy day. Thick clouds above threaten rain, while a constant breeze swirls around you with a cargo of dried leaves. Ignoring the weather, you fix your one eye upon the road ahead and clear your mind as best you can. Just as your thoughts are starting to slow, growing cold and focussed, a cold raindrop splashes against the back of your neck.

You forgot your damned hat.

[1/2]

>>46287884

Stopping at the first roadside shop you come across, you pause just long enough to buy a replacement. Suddenly curious about Aya, you look the meagre store over for a copy of her newspaper. Would they even sell such a thing, this far from the capital?

“We usually get a few copies in, sent out by rider,” the clerk tells you when you inquire about it, “They just get passed around, I reckon, but that's not my problem. It's all trash, anyway, and old news by the time we get it. Been a while since we got a fresh delivery though, so maybe they've given up. Folks round here don't care much for capital news. Anything else I can get for you, traveller?”

Nothing, you tell the clerk, you were just curious is all. Then, with your sense of foreboding only growing and shifting, you leave the store and return to the road. You know Aya well enough to know that she's the type to get herself in trouble if she senses a story, but you just hope she hasn't pushed her luck too far. Without someone there to keep an eye on her, who knows what kind of mess she might have got herself into?

Of course, that's assuming the worst – after all, the clerk suggested that the paper doesn't come very often. Perhaps some developing situation at the capital has Aya's attentions focussed there for now. In either case, what can you do about it now, when you're on the other side of the land? This time, she'll have to fend for herself.

With that in mind, you continue on south with rain tapping out a merry beat against your new hat. Hours pass to that rhythm until you come to a fork in the road, the sign recently toppled and broken. One marking on that sign points to Sparna, the town that Hali wanted you to see. It's close, and it wouldn't be too far out of your way...

>See Sparna for yourself
>Continue south. You don't have time for this
>Other

>>46287939
>>See Sparna for yourself
Might give perspective.

>>46287939
>>Continue south. You don't have time for this

>>46287939
>Continue south. You don't have time for this

>>46287939
>>See Sparna for yourself

>>46287939
>See Sparna for yourself

>I'll call the vote here. Looks like we're making a quick detour to Sparna. Writing the next post now.

>>46287939
>Continue south. You don't have time for this
It's not hard to guess what happened in Sparna. The most we would get from it is who is DIRECTLY responsible, but even then what would we do? Pass it along the chain to get the guy fired? Hardly the solution that will pacify the cult.

>>46288077
Could be more to it. We gain knowledge and perspective so that we are less ignorant when dealing with the cult, since they get a lot of volunteers here.

You need to see it for yourself. In truth, you have an idea of what to expect – retribution, carried out by a vengeful military – but you need to see the truth with your own eyes. If these are the kind of acts motivating the cult, you might gain an insight into their perspective by witnessing them for yourself.

Whether that perspective is a good thing or not is up for debate. The thought that you might, in time, come to sympathise with the cult is a dangerous one – and a worryingly realistic possibility. They were able to sway so many apprentices, after all, they must have more than just clever words on their side.

Steering your horse down the well-trodden path towards Sparna, you set off towards the town – or whatever might be left of it. Anyone armed, Takino had claimed, was to be shot dead. Anyone unarmed was to be arrested. You saw the dungeons back at the outpost, and the lone occupant. There had been no arrests, no prisoners brought back to face trial. No prisoners, no witnesses... no survivors.

Your darkest theories become clearer and more apparent as you ride into the destroyed town, the entrance flanked by the charred remains of simple wooden buildings. There isn't a single structure in sight that hasn't been burned or pulled down, even the crude shelters erected for livestock falling victim to the mindless purge. Splashing through the mud, you walk deeper into the ruins as your horse, tied to a tree at the entrance, stamps its feet in anxious fear. The air here is bad, tainted by the acrid smell of gunfire.

It's easy to guess why.

[1/2]

>>46288227

Not even the village shrine – a humble thing, but one that was obviously well cared for – was spared. The soldiers toppled it, smashing the statue and even going so far as to deface the carvings there. All mention of the god's name have been obliterated, scratched out and erased. More than anything, that act of callous defilement sticks in your throat and lights a dull ember of anger in your stomach.

What purpose, you wonder, did it serve?

Weary frustration and disgust war within you as you take a few steps past the shrine and see the pit, dug deep into the soft soil beyond. The smell alone, here, is enough to mark it out as a mass grave, just as the scattering of shell casings – fat, military issue cartridges – is enough to tell you who the executioners had been. The grave has been left uncovered, open to the air without even a cursory attempt at hiding what happened here. After all, why bother hiding it? No doubt Takino wanted people to know about this – to know what happens to those who turn against the Emperor, and to warn others who might consider doing the same.

It WILL happen again. This is only the beginning.

>Keep moving. Head to the cult enclave
>Return to the outpost and confront Takino directly
>Take a few moments to say the words. The dead deserve respect
>Other

>>46288307
>>Take a few moments to say the words. The dead deserve respect
Then
>Keep moving. Head to the cult enclave

>>46288307
>Take a few moments to say the words. The dead deserve respect
Then go after the cult. Takino won't go anywhere.

>>46288307
>Take a few moments to say the words. The dead deserve respect

> Go assassinate Tarkino directly, plant evidence that he was a cultists.

>>46288307
Let's wait until Miura marries the Emperor then assasinate the fucker. Miura will be a good Empress, I think.

>>46288307
>>Take a few moments to say the words. The dead deserve respect
>>Keep moving. Head to the cult enclave

>>46288347
>>46288354
Don't cut yourself on that edge, guys.

>>46288307
>>Keep moving. Head to the cult enclave
>>Take a few moments to say the words. The dead deserve respect
No point in going after Takino. We can't touch him and it would only be a pointless distraction.

If you guys really want to take down Takino talk to Ra about it next time we see him. Since he wants peace as well I doubt he'd want an officer going around doing mass executions and as the Spymaster he is a way better position to do something about it than we are.

You could spare the time to bless the slain soldiers, so you can definitely find a few moments to say the words over this sorry scene. As hard as you try, though, you can't summon the right words from your memory. After so many recent cremations, those words are still fresh in your mind, but these ones... gone, without a trace.

Maybe there aren't any words to be read over a mass grave. You certainly can't think of any. Taking a few moments to bow your head over the grave – even though the stench of decay makes your eyes water and sticks, cloyingly, in your lungs – you wish the dead well. A little respect, that's all they would want. In death, perhaps their spirits will find their way to the gods they worshipped. That's peace, of a sort. Opening your eyes, you lift your head and turn away from the mass grave, striding out from the destroyed town. There's no point in lingering here any longer – you'll get the rest of your answers from the cult directly.

As you're mounting up and riding away, a bitter thought springs to mind. If you'd killed Hali when you had the chance, you can't help but think, this never would have happened. Yet, if he hadn't led you to Musari and the information that the traitorous officer had held in his memories, you might never have found the cult so quickly. Hardly a fair trade, but you can't afford to dwell on what has passed. This massacre wasn't your doing, it wasn't your fault – the blame lies elsewhere, at the Emperor's feet.

Words, you promise, will be exchanged when you next meet. Even if you need to call in every favour Ra owes you, you'll see Takino answer for this crime. Let Imperial justice handle him.

[1/2]

>>46288510
>the blame lies elsewhere, at the Emperor's feet.
See I don't know. Partially for sure, but what if the Cult are the ones influencing these massacres? They were about to do the same at Solitude, making the Emperor's soldiers slaughter a village before we intervened. These kind of events are easy recruitment tools for their footsoldiers, under the pretense of fighting the Emperor, when really their main goal has something to do with the lenses.

>>46288510

Riding for a while longer, you start to notice a strange feeling coming over you. The road you're riding down is a curiously familiar one, as if you've seen it somewhere before. Trees and bushes spring up exactly where you expect them to lie, and even the various bumps in the road follow a predictable pattern. That's because you HAVE seen this road before – in Musari's memories. This was the path that he was led down, the path leading you to the cult enclave. The right track, at last.

Dismounting, you take a moment to figure out what to do with your horse. With no idea of how long you might be away, you can't exactly leave it tied to a tree in the middle of nowhere. After a moment's thought, you guide it back to what passes for the main road and give it a firm slap across the hindquarters. Go home, you order it, go back to the outpost. Honestly, you have no idea if the beast is capable of understanding you, but it takes off galloping in roughly the right direction. Someone will find it, you figure, and guide it back to civilisation.

With that burden put aside, you turn your attentions back to following in Musari's footsteps. Silently, you prowl along the path, counting off every landmark you recognise along the way. It isn't long before the crooked rock rises up ahead of you, twisted like a finger gesturing you onwards. From here on, Musari's memories had been wiped away by some unknown drug, so you'll be going in blind. Follow a river, he had been told, and he would reach the cult. Keeping that in mind, you creep around the edge of the rock and follow the sound of running water.

It could hardly be called a river, you think, not something this thin and ominous. A simple canoe has been left here, as if the cult is inviting you onwards. Perhaps they're expecting you.

Last chance to turn back, you think, to turn tail and flee.

>Take the canoe upriver
>Retreat back to civilisation

>>46288584
>>Take the canoe upriver

>>46288584
>>Take the canoe upriver
Don't use them yet, but be ready to trigger those spellcards early.

They don't seem to like magic much, but the cards that make Ira tanky could come in useful.

>>46288584
>>Take the canoe upriver

>>46288584
>Take the canoe upriver

You've come this far. You won't turn back now.

Pushing the canoe into the river, you wade out and climb into it. On either side of you, rock walls press in tightly enough to send a thrill of primal fear down your spine. Thoughts of falling rocks, of live burial, flash through your mind as you row the tiny boat onwards. There's barely enough room in this dismal cave to move the oar, but you fumble onwards regardless. No wonder people had such a hard time finding the cult, if this is the entrance to their domain. Had you glanced at it without knowing what you were looking at, you would have taken it to be a shallow pond, not a tunnel leading into the mountains.

Without a better route, one that led over dry land, this place would be nearly impossible to invade. Superior numbers would mean nothing in such cramped conditions, and a few men could hold off an army. You even doubt how well you'd be able to fight here, if such a battle proved necessary – although narrow, the river below you is uncommonly deep and falling in could be a fatal slip. Best to stay within the boat, you think, until the situation becomes less hostile. Gradually, thankfully, the cave opens up and the rock above your head recedes.

You never thought you'd be so glad to feel the rain falling upon your face. Taking a moment to savour the fresher air, you notice something odd about the sky – it's dark, darker than it was when you entered the cave. Not later, you're certain that time has passed without incident, but... a gloom hangs over the area. A thick mist, a dark fog that slowly descends to shroud you and cut your visibility to a scant few feet at most.

Wonderful, you curse aloud, caring little about anyone who might overhear. Taking up your oar once more, you row slowly upriver.

[1/2]

>>46288858

Widening with every moment that passes, the river also seems to grow more and more shallow. You must be approaching land, you guess, although it's still far enough out that you cannot see it. Then again, with this impenetrable fog you'd have trouble seeing anything – you can't even see the banks of the river to either side of you now. Amazingly, you start to feel vaguely nostalgic for the tight confines of the tunnel. At least then, you knew there was nothing waiting to ambush you.

Taking a moment to focus your thoughts on the magic engraved upon your heart, you row onwards. Pressing on, you realise that the air here is silent – no birds crying in the air, and no rustle of undergrowth. Nothing splashes in the water, and no insects buzz around your head. Even the rain has stopped, cut off as if the mist was a solid ceiling. Slowing to a halt, you draw the oar out of the water and draw your pistol, waiting for something that you couldn't quite name. As your canoe rocks softly in the water, you finally hear another sound – the slow sloshing of some other boat rowing closer.

Through the gloom, you see the blurred light of a lantern. That light is fixed to the prow of a larger boat, one manned by several grim looking figure. Keeping your pistol in a neutral position, not quite pointed at them, you let them approach. There are three men, one rowing while the other two point rifles at you. Stopping by your boat, the two gunmen shuffle aside to make room for you on their vessel.

“We mean you no harm,” one says, his voice strangely muffled by the mist, “Step aboard, and we'll take you the rest of the way.”

>Cooperate for now. No need for violence
>Seize the initiative and attack
>Ask them some questions (Write in)
>Other

>>46288871
>>Cooperate for now. No need for violence
Yet anyway.

>>46288871
>Cooperate for now. No need for violence
Prepare a rag to put to mouth if theirs is covered.

>>46288871
>Cooperate for now. No need for violence

This is their territory. For now, you'll play by their rules – and that means cooperating. For now, at least, until they break the tentative peace.

Stepping carefully across to the other boat, you take a seat between the two gunmen, watching with curiosity as they sling their weapons. They might be much use in such close confines, but it's a gesture that conveys deliberate trust. With your sword and pistol, you have little doubt that you could tear them apart in a matter of moments – and they know that as well. In a way, they're putting themselves, their lives, in your hands.

“The Seer will want to speak with you,” the first gunman, a balding man with a nose like a vulture's beak, says. Despite his cruel appearance, his voice is surprisingly soft and melodic. He's not an apprentice, that much is obvious, but nothing about him suggests a particular walk of life. A perfectly generic man, you think, the kind that would blend in to any town or city in the land. In a dark suit, he could be an art dealer from the capital. In formal robes, he could be a priest of any god imaginable.

The Seer, you repeat, is he their leader?

“As much as we have a leader,” he confirms, “We follow his ways. In time, I only hope you'll come to share them as well.”

He shouldn't count on it. The boat rocks slightly as the gunman behind you takes up an oar of his own and adds his strength to the paddling. Gliding through the water, you soon approach a lit dock. Crudely made, you notice, but perfectly functional. Still, though, that murky gloom hangs over the entire area. As you exit the boat, you take a moment to glance about. Blocky buildings rise up from the gloom, and shaded silhouettes wander freely.

[1/2]

>>46288871
>“We mean you no harm,”
You already did. Just stop saying that.

>>46289097

Having delivered you to shore, the cultists brush past you and amble back towards what can only be their home. Wait, you call out, are they just going to leave you here?

“You're free to walk our streets,” the balding man tells you, “As long as you agree not to cause any trouble. We have no intention of striking the first blow – not against you, and not here.”

A strange way to put it, you think. As if they'd be happy to shoot anyone else down, as long as they didn't have to do it within this strangely quiet little retreat. That's probably exactly how they feel, you realise as you think back to Tawn's near-death experience. Lapdogs of the Emperor are fair game, but Wanderers are off-limits? No, they've killed Wanderers before – this is personal, then?

“We obey the Seer's orders,” your impromptu guide tells you with a shrug, “He asked that you be treated as one of us whenever possible. Circumstances don't always allow such... politeness, however.”

Is that so?

“The Seer is located there, you see?” pointing up to a door set deep into a wall of rock, your guide glances back at you, “He wishes to see you. Or, if you'd rather do this your own way, I can summon someone to guide you properly. What do you wish?”

>I'll visit the Seer right away
>I'll take a look around myself, if you don't mind
>Summon your guide, then. I'd like to see this place
>Other

>>46289182
>I'll take a look around myself, if you don't mind

>>46289182
>>I'll take a look around myself, if you don't mind

>>46289182
>I'll take a look around myself, if you don't mind
heh, have a meal. In some ways, how people live speaks volumes for how they think.

>>46289182
>>I'll take a look around myself, if you don't mind
We can go and see the Seer when we're done.

You'd rather take a look by yourself, you point out, if he doesn't mind. You'd prefer to see this place for yourself, rather than seeing what they want to show you.

“That's fine, you are free to come and go as you please,” the gunman tells you, his calm compliance surprising you somewhat, “There is only one area of the enclave that is off limits – you'll know it when you see it. A great door, set into the furthest wall. There will be guards, and they will shoot if you try to force your way past it. Beyond that single restriction, you can be your own guide.”

Immediately, you start to wonder what they have hidden behind this great door of theirs – the real cult lair, perhaps? - but you decide against forcing the issue for now. They've shown a surprising amount of hospitality so far, so much so that it would seem... rude to pay them back with disobedience. With the discussion over, your escorts drift away and leave you alone, standing on the dock and looking up at the community. A town of sorts, but a strangely secretive one.

Shrugging – assuming that they'll have eyes on you at all times – you walk up and pick a random direction to roam in. Along the way, you pass several people, the regular kind of folk that could have come from any walks of life. A few of them give you suspicious looks, while others gaze at you in open wonder. They don't get many outsiders here, you assume, and even fewer probably have the freedom that you've been given. It's obvious that the Seer wants to make a good impression on you, but why? Just in the hope of swaying you to his cause?

It would take more than a few privileges like this, you think, to win your trust.

[1/2]

>>46289450

The buildings here, you notice with a sudden realisation, have no doors. A few have curtains strung across the doorways, but there are no solid barricades, nothing that could be locked. Maybe you're not being treated specially, after all – maybe they all live like this, sharing the community amongst themselves. A strange lifestyle, and not one you really like much. People deserve privacy, even if it presents a risk of dissent.

With a strange feeling hanging over you, you enter a building at random and take a look around. Every moment you spend in there, you expect someone to throw you out, to yell for you to leave. Nobody does – the lone occupant merely glances up at the sound of your arrival before returning to his business. It takes a moment for you to study his actions and realise what he's doing.

With a careful and steady hand, the young cultist is making bullets. Pouring measured mixes of powder into thin metal cases, he seats the bullet itself into the case and fixes it in place with a clever tool. With the completed cartridge set aside, he goes to work on the next. It's a kind of meditation, you realise, no different from the sword practice you've seen Koa perform. This must be how the cult arms itself – no factories or production lines, but careful and precise manual labour. It's impressive, but you can't deny that the sight of the blank eyed youth loading ammunition unnerves you for some reason.

>You've seen enough. Time to meet with the Seer
>Continue exploring the town
>Ask the boy a few questions while you're here (Write in)
>Other

>>46289497
>You've seen enough. Time to meet with the Seer

>>46289497
>Ask the boy a few questions while you're here (Write in)
"Who were you?"

>>46289497
> Ask the boy a few questions while you're here (Write in)

So whose lives do these take? Do you know their names, or do you not care?

How about we pop the magic detection card?

>>46289656
Not sure why we would do it now. It would probably just lead to the closed off doors. We should probably save it for when we are actually searching for something.

>>46289497
>Continue exploring the town
We need to scout exfiltration paths.

You start to leave, but something stops you. Glancing back to the boy, you ask him who he is. What, you ask, is his name?

“Rue,” the boy replies without looking up, “My name's Rue.”

And those, you remark as you point towards the bullets, whose names are written on those? Whose lives will they take, you add, or does he not care about that?

This gets his attention. Rue looks up at you, a soft frown crossing his features. Just as you're starting to think that he won't answer, the boy tilts his head to the side. “I don't know,” he admits, “I don't like to think about it.” There is a break in the conversation here as he finishes assembling a cartridge, the tiny clink of metal coming across loud and clear in the quiet room. “That,” Rue asks as he points at your sword, “What about that? How many names are written on it?”

You're not the one trying to start a war, you shoot back, you're the one fighting to keep the peace.

“We didn't start the war either,” Rue insists quietly, “But we won't back down. The Emperor wants this war, and we don't have a choice but to grant his wish.”

Don't have a choice, you repeat, did the Seer tell him that?

“Of course,” the child – soon to be a soldier, you don't doubt – replies. Shaking your head in dismay, you know that pressing the issue would be pointless. What good would it do, trying to get answers from this child? If you want the truth, you'll need to go directly to the source. That means the Seer himself – it's about time you paid him a visit.

As you leave, you decide to give the town one last careful sweep. This time, it's not the town itself that you're concerned with, but a possible way to escape it quickly. You'd rather not swim, and you can't rely on stealing a boat.

[1/2]

>The next post may be slightly delayed. Not long, I hope.

>>46289696
I dunno, I'm having the same vibe as when we went down Zulathoon's lair.
I'd guess the Seer, or whatever uses magic to smooth out anyone's reluctance to his cause. The Mentor gave us a card that do just that, what says that a guy who wears a ring that is older than recorded history could have in his sleeves magic wise?

>>46289828

Quickly, you realise why the town can be so lightly defended and still remain safe. Secrecy aside, the geography here makes it a natural fortress. Sited deep within a kind of basin or crater, the cult enclave is surrounded on all sides but one by high cliffs, and the one path in or out forces people through that hideous passage. The sky is another matter altogether, still cast in that unnatural gloom. Not the natural darkness of the night sky, but a dull twilight that seems to deny the existence of the sun and the moon both. It's hard to believe that familiar Tenngaru is just a short distance – relatively speaking – away.

There is one other way out of the area, you admit, but it manages to be even less convenient than the river. At the southernmost point of the village, you find the door you were warned away from. Large, like a fortress gate, it is set into the bare rock itself. The thing is strung with prayer flags and warding charms, as if... as if keeping something sealed inside, rather than barring people from entering. Immediately, your curiosity begins to tug at you, but the harsh glares from the pair of guards dampens down any urge to investigate. Instead, you roam slowly back towards the Seer's door – the only other door in the town.

This door is also guarded, but in a far less formal way. There is a single woman sitting outside, leaning on a boulder. Her face is one you recognise from the posters at the Nameless Temple – one of the missing. Older than most of the apprentices, she could almost be a Wanderer herself. When you approach, she hails you.

“Ira, wasn't it?” she asks, her voice calm and controlled, “I wondered if we'd see you here.”

>Don't worry, I won't be staying long
>You have me at a disadvantage. I don't recall your name
>I'm here to speak with the Seer
>Can you spare a moment to tell me something? (Write in)
>Other

>>46290077
>You have me at a disadvantage. I don't recall your name
>I'm here to speak with the Seer

>>46290077
>Don't worry, I won't be staying long
>You have me at a disadvantage. I don't recall your name
>I'm here to speak with the Seer

>>46290077
>>You have me at a disadvantage. I don't recall your name
>>I'm here to speak with the Seer
Is she his bodyguard?

Hey there, quest title peaked my interest, just popping in to ask what it's about in a few words. Thanks!

>>46290286
God, and political strife between the empire and the people. Good reading. Now get to those archives anon.

>>46290286

>In a few words? A wandering priest/exorcist negotiates with the gods and deals with the growing threat of war.

File: Soma.png (310 KB, 347x700)

310 KB PNG

She has you at a disadvantage, you begin, you don't recall her name.

“Soma,” she tells you, bowing her head slightly so that the oversized hood she wears flops down over her face. Pushing it back, she meets your gaze once more. “I was at the Nameless Temple.”

You recognised her from the missing posters, you tell her. She left the Nameless Temple behind. She abandoned it.

“And now I'm here,” she retorts, no trace of irritation present in her voice. A slight note of something that might be amusement, but no resentment or hostility. “Were you planning on joining us?”

You won't be staying long, you tell her bluntly, you're just here to speak with the Seer. Is that possible, you continue, or is she his bodyguard?

“I'm something of an aide,” Soma informs you, “If the occasion called for me to act as a bodyguard, though, I would take up that role – and I'd do it willingly. I don't imagine there will be any need for conflict, though. We're just speaking. Your Mentor has allowed that much, hasn't he?”

Irked by her deliberate choice of wording – the Mentor didn't “allow” anything – you reach past her and start to open the door, daring her to stop you. When she doesn't react, you continue on and press into the Seer's domain. The first thing you notice is that the room is... dark. Almost pitch black, in fact, with only a few flickering candles to provide light. The air is smoky, and tinted with some elusive perfume. When your eyes adjust, you see a man sitting in the middle of a sandy floor, his legs folded beneath him. So still that you took him for either a corpse or a statue, you realise that it is the Seer himself.

“Sit,” he offers, finally moving to indicate the ground in front of him, “We have much to discuss, you and I.”

He's not wrong.

[1/2]

>>46290416

As Soma closes the door behind you, slipping into the room herself as she does so, you approach the old man – the ancient man, you correct yourself – and sit where he gestured. His face is utterly hairless – devoid of even eyelashes – and pocked with countless small scars. One eye is a horror of glassy white, the eyelid melted away to leave it as an unblinking marble. The other eye, however, is alive with intelligence – cunning, even.

“Ira Furyo,” the Seer says slowly as Soma creeps about in the background. She approaches after a moment to hand the Seer a lit pipe, but then she retreats to the background once more. The old man draws upon it, holding the smoke in for a moment before letting it rush from his nostrils. “I've heard a lot about you. A significant man, one with many strands of fate tied to him. I won't lie to you – I would welcome you, if you chose to enter my service.”

That's pretty unlikely, you warn him. You're here to listen to what he has to say, but you won't guarantee anything. As soon as you hear something you don't like, you're walking out of here.

“Indeed?” the Seer raises his brow – where his eyebrow should have been, “Then I should watch what I say, shouldn't I?”

>Cut the crap. You're trying to start a war, and I want to know why
>Tell me what you tell everyone else, what you say to sway them to your cause
>I could end your rebellion right here, with one bullet. Give me a reason not to
>We're doing this at my pace. Tell me about... (Write in)
>Other

>>46290501
>Cut the crap. You're trying to start a war, and I want to know why
>Tell me what you tell everyone else, what you say to sway them to your cause

>>46290501
>Tell me what you tell everyone else, what you say to sway them to your cause

>>46290501
>Cut the crap. You're trying to start a war, and I want to know why
Your attempt to orchestrate a massacre at Solitude. Trying to change Titanos back to his old ways. Killing so many at Dragon's Head just to stop potential stability.

Why? Is it just attempts to stir unrest to gain soldiers for whatever goal you have mind? Don't give me shit about 'fighting the Emperor' when you are using his men to create incidents with your Ring of the Faceless agent.

>>46290501
>>Cut the crap. You're trying to start a war, and I want to know why
>>Tell me what you tell everyone else, what you say to sway them to your cause

Cut the crap, you tell the Seer firmly, he's trying to start a war and you want to know why. What motive would he have to see the land broken apart by conflict or drowned in bloodshed? He tried to orchestrate a massacre at Solitude, he tried to drag Titanos back to his primal past, and he killed so many at the Dragon's Head. All to derail any attempt at a stable future – or did he have some other reason? He can hardly blame this on the Emperor, when he has been the one pulling the string.

“Because I see this... war as a necessity,” the Seer tells you gravely, “It is not one that I take delight in, but I know that it must be done. Stability, as you call it, would mean death for this land. Whenever the land grows “stable”, it allows men like the Emperor to tighten their grip on Tenngaru and force the gods back. Soon, if the young Emperor has his way, the land will be a barren one. Let me tell you, Ira, why I fear the future.”

Fine, you tell him as the darkness seems to deepen around you. You want him to tell you what he tells everyone, what he tells them to win their loyalty and devotion.

“A long time ago, I was granted a vision from the goddess Selene,” the Seer begins, “One I paid for, as you can see. Those were more... barbaric times, and their rituals could be most unkind. They held a candle, infused with the essence of all manner of poisons, to my eye until it was blind and boiled away. As I entered a ritual ecstasy, I was thrown into the future – or perhaps it was a world other than this one. It was a world where the gods had been chased away, and the balance of power fell to men and men alone.”

As he speaks, his words seem to lull you into silence. You know that something isn't right here – the darkness has enveloped you both entirely – but you cannot bring yourself to move. All you can do is focus on his voice.

[1/2]

>>46290850

“Men lived in great towers of steel and glass,” the Seer continues, “Or they live beneath, in squalor and misery. Those millions of men beneath fought for every scrap they had, every crump cast down from their masters above. They were driven against each other in great wars, great massacres with no purpose beyond culling their numbers. War on an industrial scale, waged without passion or purpose. Is that a world, Ira, that you'd like to see?”

And his answer, you murmur, is another war?

“One war. A single wager, a single throw of the dice aiming to win back our future,” the Seer's voice cuts into you, working into the depths of your mind. Not trying to control you or fool your sense, but making itself impossible to ignore. “Men need the gods to guide them. I've seen this godless future... and I've seen the godless past. There are few men who can speak with the certainty I can, but I do not speak in vain. Tell me, Ira – what do you think of the future that the Emperor wishes for? What did you think of Pit Progress, of Sparna, of the sight of human lives being traded as soulless commodities? I admit, I wish for a darker time – a time where men could be sacrificed to their gods – but I ask, what alternative do we have?”

>War is never a solution. There has to be another way to preserve the balance
>The gods are no better. They would see men reduced to livestock – they are the true evil here
>If your war would avoid this future, perhaps you are right to fight the Emperor
>I don't understand this. I don't understand you
>Other

>>46290965
>Other
Stop using magic on me and then i might give you an answer. But more eloquently

>>46290965
>>War is never a solution. There has to be another way to preserve the balance
Seeing the future always fucks things up more than it helps most of time. You see one potential future and you get people killed trying to prevent it or make it self fulfilling by your actions.

I'm all for finding balance of its possible, but throwing men to evil Gods is shit tier. Rather just let mankind advance than let that happen.

>>46290965
So what you want to do is make people live in such uncertainty and fear of the future that they can't even think about not relying on gods. I don't see how this future is much better than what you aim to prevent.

>>46290965
>War is never a solution. There has to be another way to preserve the balance
There has to be another way. All you're offering is two extremes. A Godless world where mankind tears each other apart, or a world where the Gods tear into mankind. I refuse both of these futures.

>>46290965
You're just trading one tyrant for a bunch of others.

>>46290965
>Gambling that this war will prevent an admittedly unpleasant future is a stupid choice.

Alright let's brainstorm here. Finding a balance...

What if we worked with the benevolent gods to find this balance. Melancholia and Titanos didn't seem to like their darker selves all that much and would probably would be against this Cult. Not sure about Selene though.

Then there is Sho who seems very Anti-Gods, but for what reason I don't know. Maybe finding that reason is a step to solving this.

Whatever tricks he's trying to pull, you warn him, you won't give him an answer until he calls them off. You don't negotiate with someone who tries to ensnare your will.

“Your will is your own, Ira. I merely wished to ensure that my words were heard. I do not, by nature, enjoy using my powers on humans but this conversation was important to me. I wanted you to listen, and to weigh my words carefully. In that regard, I merely... eliminated any distractions,” the Seer sighs, and the darkness around you retreats. New strength returns to your limbs, and you can move them once more.

“Search your thoughts. I never once tried to force my own wishes upon you,” the Seer adds, “You mind was your own, even if your body was... not quite under your full control.”

If he was controlling your thoughts, you realise, he was doing it in a way that was far too subtle to notice – and he wasn't doing a very good job of it. You're not convinced. You're not buying what he's trying to sell you. He saw what might be the future, or A future, and now he's willing to throw away countless lives on a whim. Does he even know what could bring about this future? One war could easily become an endless one – this industrial war machine that he fears. Is he really willing to make that gamble?

“I don't feel like I have a choice,” the ancient being before you replies sadly, “I cannot just stand by and do nothing, not in the face of what the Emperor – or whichever tyrant follows him – would bring about. There is another path for mankind, the path that the gods have laid out for us!”

[1/2]

>>46291369

What alternative does he offer – a world where men are kept in line by a fear of the gods? A world where men rely on the gods, and having their lives thrown away to appease a hungry master? That's just trading one tyrant for countless others – a petty tyrant for every community in the land! No, that's no solution, there must be a way to achieve balance. A way for men and the gods to live peacefully together. That's what the Mentor believes – and it's what you believe as well.

“Men get the gods they deserve, Ira,” the Seer argues, “If the gods are tyrants, maybe you should look at mankind. Perhaps we need a firm hand guiding us. I know what happens when men exceed their boundaries – and so does your Mentor.”

>Convince me, then. Show me proof that your way is better
>The Mentor? What are you talking about?
>I'm finished here. I'm leaving
>Tell me something... (Write in)
>Other

>>46291392
>A world where men rely on the gods, and *RISK having their lives thrown away to appease a hungry master?

>>46291392
I had a feeling you and him knew each other. You mentioned a godless past. Explain.

>>46291392
>The Mentor? What are you talking about?

>>46291392
>The Mentor? What are you talking about?

>>46291392
>Tell me something... (Write in)
"When men exceed their bound the truth is found, for better or worse the truth is what I seek, what part do the noddens play?"

>>46291291
Sho is the Emperor right? Could talk to Ra about that. We have new info for him regardless.

>>46287269
Awesome, this is up! Gonna be driving 10h straight, so see you on the next pit stop.

Sounds like the shit the alphabet parties preach in Africa.
We're talking with Mugabe 2.0 lads. And the Emperor is version 1.3.

The Mentor. You had a feeling that two of them knew each other – but what does that have to do with this? And what's he saying about this “godless past”?

“He was my Mentor as well, once,” the Seer smiles, genuine nostalgia shining through his thin, cold face, “Together, we roamed the land and learned the ancient ways. Oh yes, don't look so surprised – it wasn't uncommon, then, for Sorcerers like us to work together.”

Sorcerers? The Mentor is a...

“Oh yes,” the Seer nods calmly, “One of the best. I was never quite as good, but that why he was the teacher and I was the student. Together, we challenged one of Tenngaru's greatest gods, and we shattered it. We broke it, Ira, and consumed its power. That's when everything changed – we realised the true crimes that men were capable of, and we pledged ourselves accordingly. The Mentor stayed behind, in that... tomb, to atone for his sins. I came here, to nurse my wounds and contemplate my own sins. That was when I became the man I am today – devoted to defending the gods that I once scorned.”

This isn't right. None of this could be right. You need to think, to focus. You need something, anything, to hold onto. The lens – that's the key to the truth, the Mentor told you so himself. Focus on that, for now. He knows of the divine lenses, you ask in a feral voice that frightens ever you, does he not?

[1/2]

>>46291687

“Calm yourself, Ira,” the Seer murmurs, amusement warring with concern in his voice, “Breathe. Yes, I know of the lenses – they guide the way to the ultimate truth. I've seen it, and so has the Mentor. In a way, it was that blasted truth that set us down this path...”

Then, he can tell you what it is?

“No. I cannot,” the Seer shakes his head, “You must discover it for yourself. You see, this truth is a burden that I would not be willing to place upon any man – and I speak as one who carries a great burden already. I will not stop you, should you choose to seek it out, but I will not help either. In truth, I would be happy if no man ever learned it, but that is not my place to decide. I would play dice with all of civilisation, but this is a matter that I will not intrude upon.”

It's really that serious, then?

“It underpins everything,” the Seer assures you, “But... I would speak of other things. You wish to know about the godless past? Soma can guide you there – if you would see it for yourself. Perhaps seeing what happens to a land that has scorned the gods will convince you, where my words could not.”

Silently, you rise to your feet and wince, your muscles complaining at the sudden movement.

“You are free to come here, to come and go as you please,” the Seer tells you, “You have a home here, Ira, if you ever choose to claim it. I hope you'll come around – but if you continue to put yourself in my path, conflict is inevitable. I bear you no grudge, however.”

Right, you mutter darkly, it's nothing personal. Just business.

“Exactly,” the Seer nods, missing your sarcasm, “And I believe our business is done.”

>Fine. I'm leaving
>Fine. Soma, can you be my guide?
>I had a question for you... (Write in)
>Other

>>46291729
>I had a question for you... (Write in)
You said everything changed when you slew the god. What changed?
>Fine. Soma, can you be my guide?

>>46291763
This

>>46291729
>>Fine. Soma, can you be my guide?
I sure hope we're not going to time travel.

>>46291763
Seconded

When he killed his god, he said that everything changed. What, you ask, did he mean by that?

“It crossed a line,” the Seer sighs, “Until then, we had stolen power from the gods – wounding them, in some cases, but never killing them. Once he took that step, we could never go back. It's like becoming a god yourself, you know – for a moment. It opened our eyes, and showed us the damage that we had caused. I suppose it made us both better people – but compared with what we were before... It would not have been hard.”

When you return to the Nameless Temple, you're going to have to speak with the Mentor – he shared in this sin, so he might have a different perspective on it. You linger for a moment - not quite sure whether the Seer is an enemy, an ally or something altogether different – before giving him a cautious nod of thanks. He gave you the information you were seeking, at least, and for that you're grateful. Then you turn your attentions to Soma, lurking in the background as always. Can she be your guide, you ask, to this godless past?

“Of course, Ira,” she says, favouring you with another deep nod, “It's a task that I would welcome. Follow me, then, and we can see it for ourselves.” She leads you outside, closing the Seer's door tightly behind her. A few paces, and she falls still.

“I confess,” she begins, “I'm very selfish. I've never seen it myself, and now you've given me the opportunity. I should thank you, I suppose.”

Well, you reply as she starts walking again, she's welcome. She doesn't know what to expect, then?

[1/2]

>>46292039

“I... I've heard it described, but that's all. I fear descriptions cannot do it justice, either – it's something that must be seen to be believed,” Soma admits, “My brother went there once, and so have many of the others. However... my brother didn't return.”

Her brother, you say aloud as you think back, was he an apprentice as well?

“Yes. His name was Sarx,” Soma nods, “Does the name mean something to you?”

He was selling guns to protesters, you think to yourself, possibly in the hopes of starting off a little revolution. One that would bring the Emperor's fist down upon them, crushing them like insects and driving a wedge between the capital and the rest of the land. So... the name means something. Not much, you say aloud, just that you recognised it.

“Oh,” Soma pauses, “I see.”

An awkward silence descends, and continues until she leads you to the great sealed door. At her arrival, the guards step aside. Their bodes hide what it is that they do exactly, but some hidden mechanism soon starts to draw the door back. When there is a gap wide enough to slip through – but only just, even for the slender woman guiding you – Soma leads the way into a dark tunnel beyond. A few seconds pass, and then the door begins to grind back into place. Darkness surrounds you, but a dim light can be seen ahead.

“I want to ask you something,” Soma speaks up suddenly, “I want to look for him. For Sarx, I mean. He might be here somewhere. Lost, injured maybe... Will you search with me?”

>Of course, but you should prepare for the worst
>I don't have time to waste on a stray apprentice
>What do I get in return?
>Other

>>46292149
>Of course, but you should prepare for the worst

>>46292149
>>Of course, but you should prepare for the worst
Ira just isn't the type to demand payment for helping someone out.

>>46292149
>Of course, but you should prepare for the worst

>>46292149
>>I don't have time to waste on a stray apprentice
He was an arms dealer, deserves what he gets

File: Makai.jpg (394 KB, 649x1000)

394 KB JPG

Both Soma and Sarx are members of the cult – your enemies, perhaps – and now she comes to you asking for your help. Yet, she's not asking this as a cultist willing to plunge the world into a grinding conflict, she's asking this as a person. As a sister concerned for her brother. Could you really claim to be the better person by turning her down?

Of course you'll help, you tell her, but she should prepare for the worst. There's no way of knowing what happened to him, or what dangers he might have run into.

“I know. He might not... come back with us,” Soma nods once, firmly, “Even if he has passed, I just wish to see his body. To give it my blessing, perhaps. That's all I wish for.”

Then you'd be happy to help. With her question asked, Soma takes off ahead of you with renewed energy, leading the way down the pitch black tunnel towards that faint and smudged light. You finish the rest of the journey in silence, curious about what it is that awaits you. What, you wonder, would you find in the “godless past”, and what would that even look like? Dust begins to swirl around your feet as you approach the end of the tunnel, and you have to shield your eyes against a sudden, stinging wind. Blind, you make the last few steps with uncertainty.

“Welcome to the land the gods once loved,” Soma whispers, her voice almost lost beneath a shrill wind that whistles through the blasted, desolate valley you stand before, “Welcome to Makai.”

>I think I'll leave that there for tonight. Next thread on Tuesday, I hope, and I'll stick around in case of any questions!

>>46292396
Thanks for running Moloch.

So this is beyond the Southern Border correct? Past the mountains?

>>46292429

Yes, this is all in uncharted lands south of the mountains.

>>46292396
There's that name again.
Thanks for the tun Moloch!

>>46292473
So how big is the entirety of Makai compared to Tenngaru? Like is Tenngaru the last bastion of humanity in an otherwise desolate world or is Makai only a small desolate portion of the land?

>>46292396
So how annoyed is Ita right now? How'd Howa react to our note and left behind hat?

>>46292513

Makai is much larger than Tenngaru. If Tenngaru is a peninsula, then Makai would be the mainland. It's possible that there are other human lands beyond, but they've never been found. Much like the vast oceans, Makai's wasteland has never been crossed or even significantly explored.

>>46292532

Ira, I think, has calmed a little. This isn't a situation where you want anger clouding your mind, and I see him as having a lot to think about. Howa, I'd say, is not as angry as you might expect. She knows what to expect from Ira, and she knows how important the situation is at the moment. She might give him a hard time if/when he returns, though!

>>46292491

I've had Makai planned for quite some time. Thanks for reading along!

>>46290303
>>46290327
thanks! seems interesting enough, I'll pop open the archives.

File: Europe.jpg (638 KB, 1219x1075)

638 KB JPG

>>46292588
So to give an example Tenngaru would be the Iberian Penisula (Spain), the border is the Pyrenees Mountains, and Makai is the rest of Europe

>>46292627

Well, I hope you enjoy it! The threads don't tend to be too long, I don't think, so it shouldn't take much time.

>>46292660

That's correct, yes.

>>46292708
yikes. What happened to Makai?

>>46292715

That depends on who you ask. The cult would say that it was scourged as punishment for abandoning all of their gods. They would also say that the same thing might happen to Tenngaru.

Of course, who could prove it one way or the other? Someone who didn't like the gods might say that Makai is proof that the gods are more trouble than they're worth.

>>46292798
It seems like we need to find this 'truth' and come to our own conclusion.

>>46292822

That's certainly one way to proceed, and probably the wisest way to go about it. The truth is always worth pursuing, even when it's dangerous.
Overall, though, I feel Makai represents a powerful piece of information - or propaganda!

>>46292880
Is it possible to find the names of the gods and wake them up?

>>46293486

The gods of Makai? Unfortunately not, for reasons that will become clear in time - I can't be too specific yet, though!

>>46293545
Darn. Welp looks like this land needs new gods then. Could we transplant Mandy? She'd be great for this pale.

>>46293628

Gods are bound to the land they inhabit, so they can't be moved to another part of the world. It is a shame though, she could really brighten the place up!

>>46293708
Darn. Could we pull a Zulathoon except not as crappy?

>>46293747

That could actually be possible, yes. It would be difficult, though. Creating a god would require a strong set of beliefs, and an equally devoted band of believers. If they knew it was an attempt to create a god, it's far less likely to actually work.

However, bring back "proof" that there was a long lost god still living in the furthest corner of Makai might just be enough to sway a few people. From there, things could escalate. It might also depend on what kind of god you were trying to create. Zulathoon tapped into an existing source of despair, for example - a benevolent god would have been hard to create in an environment like that.

So in a loose sense would Empire/Sho/No Gods be LAW and Evil Gods/No Empire be CHAOS?

>>46293986

I suppose it could be seen that way. The Seer's vision of the Emperor's godless future was very much about putting power in the hands of the few, while the majority of the population was kept under control with war and poverty.

On the other hand, the Seer's idea of future would be far more local, with mankind dividing up into smaller communities based around their god - like the Hillfolk, in a way.

It's not a perfect comparison but it does work, I think.

>>46294079
Well, missed the chance to tell the Seer that he hasn't changed, and instead of killing gods he's just trying to enslave them out of fear. He's not even trying to make a better future, just a different one.

I'm sure he had a great reason for the ends to justify the means when he killed that first god.

>>46295140

Well, we can speak with the Seer whenever we like now, so we've not lost the chance to get a point across or to ask him questions when they arise. Personally, I don't really see his intentions as enslaving the gods, so much as forcing both gods and men to live closer together. It's still not a particularly great view of the future, though!

>>46295260
So, the Mentor hides all alone in Nameless Temple because to use his power would be a direct contradiction of the belief that man and god can live together?

>>46295293

I'd say the Mentor tries to teach people to cooperate with the gods, rather than forcing them into a relationship which might end up being mutually damaging. Using his stolen power to force people into behaving one way or another would not, in his eyes, be solving a problem.

In other words, he hides away because he tries to put men in charge of their own destiny, while the Seer is a lot more content to meddle and manipulate.

>>46295413
Not just forcing people to behave, but aren't there things like healing or fighting? Does he need to "recharge" so often that it's not practical?

I still think getting the train to run UNDERNEATH the Dragon River Temple is the best bet at balance, but Ra needs to get everyone's shit together regarding resource gathering and human resource Hell.

>>46295540

Ultimately, there isn't anything stopping the Mentor from leaving the Nameless Temple to, for example, fight a particularly dangerous foe. He chooses seclusion largely as a personal choice - and that, I think, is his greatest flaw. He could do more, but he doesn't. The Seer has his own flaws, but at least he gets stuck in!

To be honest, I'm not quite sure how to deal with the idea of running a train beneath the Dragon River. I think it would work, but I don't know if the idea would come up "in universe", if you see what I mean. It seems like quite a modern idea - although there are some pretty innovative people in Tenngaru, so I wouldn't rule it out!

>>46295711
For sure, the only people who MIGHT think of it are Mentor and Sho. But Mentor is too detached from the present and arguably the future, while Sho is just as likely to do ANYTHING ELSE, so it'd be hard to realize why this particular crazy idea is so much better than another.

They both carry needed traits for a golden ending, but their flaws come about due to lacking the others.

>>46295852

The idea of a golden ending, one where everyone ends up satisfied, is an interesting one, actually. I don't actually have an idea how it might come about - which isn't to say it's impossible! Just, I'm keeping an open mind as to various suggestions people make and considering ideas as they come. So, the idea of a perfect ending is still up for grabs, but it's probably not going to be easy!

I'll need to end things there, though. I've got to get some sleep!

>>46295985
Night Moloch, don't let the nyarly bite and take over the manifestation of your soul!

>>46296033

Too late for that
Good night, thanks for sticking around!

>>46296057
>spoiler
worried now