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>>46476768

“You look like a man who's been given some bad news,” Maab says softly when you finish stumbling down the spiralling staircase and meet her. Her voice isn't without sympathy... but there's a light mocking edge in it as well. Not mocking you, so much, but the entire world and the mere concept of predicting the future. “You see now, don't you? The goddess has a good reason for being sparing with her revelations. Often, the truth does more harm than good.”

You don't answer her for a long moment, your mind rushing back to Selene's parting words. The only way to be sure, to be absolutely certain that Tenngaru won't share Makai's fate, would be to destroy the last two sorcerers in the land. One of them... one, you could bring yourself to kill. The other, the Mentor, though...

“Don't worry, I won't pry,” Maab says, her voice pulling you back to reality, “Whatever passed between you and the goddess is your own business. If you want to talk about it, though, I can always find a moment for you, Ira. My role as head priestess lends me a certain... perspective that you might benefit from.”

Not as much as she'd benefit from learning your secrets, you think bitterly. It's hard to judge what drives Maab, other than the pursuit of power – power, though, to what end? - and an urge to collect secrets. First a Wanderer, then Selene's high priestess, and now she has her eye on becoming the power behind Tenngaru's throne. Yet, could she really be any more dangerous for the land than the current ruler?

“The choice is yours, Ira,” Maab offers a breezy shrug, “Obviously, I wouldn't wish to influence your decision.”

Obviously.

>I'd like to speak with Miura, if possible
>Alright, we can talk awhile
>I think I'd better just leave now
>Other

>alright, we can talk a while

No harm done as long as we pick our words carefully

>>46476769
>>Alright, we can talk awhile
Still don't trust her as far as Ira can throw her.

>>46476769
>>I'd like to speak with Miura, if possible
>>Alright, we can talk awhile
It might be worth checking on Miura while we're still here.

>>46476769
>I'd like to speak with Miura, if possible
>>46476912
I wager Ira could throw her pretty far, considering spellcards and such.

Despite your misgivings, Maab is right about one thing – she probably knows a lot more about matters of prophecy than you do. Just getting her opinion on a more general topic might not hurt, especially if you steer the conversation away from anything she might be able to use against you. Which, you have to admit, could be quite a lot. Taking your latest dealings with the cult into account, you're building up quite a store of secrets.

Fine, you tell Maab, you can speak with her for a while. After you're done, though, you'd like to see Miura and see what she thinks about Maab's “plans”. That won't be a problem though, you ask, will it?

“No problem at all,” Maab assures you with a knowing smile, “I suppose you want to make sure I've not turned her into a mindless puppet, or something like that. Am I close?”

That's between you and her, you reply in an expressionless voice, just like anything Selene told you is between you and the goddess.

“Of course, of course,” leading you away, back to the shade of a more private meeting chamber, Maab hums a soft tune as she thinks. “Let me guess,” she begins, “You're wondering... you want to know just how accurate Selene's predictions can be, correct? It's only natural to wonder, especially if you've been given some unwelcome news. The mind naturally strays to denial, or questions of averting an undesirable fate. Well, I have some more bad news for you, on top of whatever problems you're already dealing with...”

And you can guess what this news might be.

“Although she rarely gives up a direct prediction, Selene's words are – as far as we're aware – perfectly accurate. Only a god could be so precise,” Maab gestures towards a chair, sitting in the opposite seat, “Knowledge can be cruel. Certain truths can break a man, Ira.”

[1/2]

>>46477085

That strangely specific choice of wording causes you to tense up. A coincidence, or was she privy to what Selene warned you about? Holding your questions back for now, you wait to see if Maab will let anything else slip.

“I suppose that's why she tends to give signs and portents, leaving the interpretation up to mere mortals like myself,” Maab sighs, “Even if we get it wrong rather more than she does. Many things can sway an interpretation of the future, both on the behalf of the person asking the questions and the one answering them. Ah, but we've spoken of this before – wise men shouldn't put all their faith in the words of any human claiming to know the future.”

Whereas they should put their faith in a god that claims the same, you suggest, is that what she's trying to say?

“I'll let you in on a little secret, Ira,” Maab offers, leaning closer and winking at you, “The only reason I'm willing to put my faith in Selene's words is the promise of her honesty. If I thought she might lie, I'd be far less willing to believe in anything she had to say. I suppose that's why she HAS to tell the truth – who would trust an oracle that has lied? And so, as my goddess is honest, so shall I be truthful – ask me what you will, Ira. Share your troubles, and I'll do what I can to ease them.”

>Do you hold sympathies with any kind of revolutionary group or cult? I need to be sure
>Is there a lens in this temple, one sacred to Selene?
>Say you got your wish and Miura marries the Emperor. What do you hope to achieve?
>Tell me something... (Write in)
>Other

>>46477139
>>Is there a lens in this temple, one sacred to Selene?
I will come for it later, just know that

>>46477139
>At its heart, the revolutionary cult would bring back the bloodstained traditions and gods of old, in order to prevent a world without gods.
>Yet you stand close at hand to the Emperor, however disinterested and sometimes outright hostile to the gods he is.
>Such actions are similar enough to what the Nameless Temple strives for, but we're all wary about possible....abuse.
>So, what future do you envision for Tengaru? What is the Greater Good to you?

>>46477139
>Say you got your wish and Miura marries the Emperor. What do you hope to achieve?

You take a moment to think carefully, considering your words and how much you want to tell Maab, before leaning in and dropping your voice to a whisper. There is a revolutionary group, you tell her, a cult. Although it claims to be acting in defence of the gods, this group seeks a return to a more primal time, one where the gods had demanded men to sacrifice their own. In their eyes, the land will be forced to choose between this bloody past or a godless future.

“And this was the group that took Miura,” Maab whispers, her eyes flickering back and forth as she thinks, “I've heard talk of a group like this, men willing to raise arms in defence of their faith, but nothing as solid as this. So... it's all true.”

But Maab might hold a place at the Emperor's side in future, if she gets her way and Miura becomes his bride. What you want to know, though, is what she plans on doing then? What kind of future does she envision for Tenngaru?

“I suppose you could say I'm old fashioned,” Maab muses, “Not so long ago, the land seemed to exist in a nice balance. Oh, there were debates and discussions about whether or not we needed the gods in our lives, but there were never any attempts to push them into the past or ban their worship. Now, though, I'm not so sure that can last. So, you want to know my vision for the future?”

That's what you asked, isn't it?

“Look to the past, then,” Maab shrugs, “A time before Sho Tatsuhiro started playing with trains and machines. A time without armies gathering in the corners of the land. I knew how the world worked back then... and I knew how to bend it to my advantage. I can very well live without the uncertainty of a gathering war.”

That's... strangely acceptable. Certainly less scheming and manipulative than you had been expecting.

[1/2]

>>46477404

“Is that really so surprising?” Maab teases, “All I'm looking for is security, a future that isn't about to go down in flames at the slightest increase in tension. I'm sure many in the Nameless Temple share the same desire – including the old man at the top. Can you really deny that the Mentor would wish for the same thing? Isn't that what YOU want from the future, Ira?”

What you want, you say gruffly, isn't the issue here. So if she got her way, she'd use her influence...

“To end all this stupid posturing,” Maab nods, “That's all this is, anyway. A very human attempt to struggle against simple mortality. Sho wants to create something that will outlive him, I think, something that will put him in the history books. At least, that's what I'd guess – his motives might not be so easily guessed. He's a strange boy.”

He certainly is. You had one final questions for her – does Selene have a lens that she holds sacred? If so, can it be found in this temple?

“Hmm, a lens?” Maab looks thoughtful for a moment, “We have many, but those are simple things we use to gaze at the stars. They hold no special significance, no particular meaning. Although... I heard an old story once, about how the very first head priestess cast an item of value into the reflecting pool behind the temple. Offerings given there are said to end up in the catacombs beneath the city – if those even exist.”

Offerings. You know what that innocuous word means. These days, silver coins – but in the past, it would have been priestesses to break the temple's strict rules. There must be countless bones down there, could the divine lens be there as well?

“Ah, but you were looking for Miura,” Maab stands, smoothing out her robes, “I can take you to her, if you wish.”

>Please do
>I just want to ask something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>46477522
>Please do

>>46477522
>please do

>>46477522
>>Please do
Maybe Maab isn't so bad.

>>46477522
>Please do
huh, so Maab is a neutralfag

>>46477522
>Catacombs

Undead dungeon time, make sure to ask her for holy water and scrolls of holy word

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By all means, you say with a nod, lead the way. You won't be causing any disruption, will you?

“Hmm, at this time, she'll probably be studying,” Maab places a finger on her chin as she thinks, “Normally a priestess of her status would be engaged in solitary meditation and contemplation, but Miura is something of an exception. After what happened at the Dragon's Head, it was decided she shouldn't be left alone. She has an... aide, now. Someone to assist her with her studies and – although this may be tempting fate – teach her a little about becoming a suitable bride.”

A bodyguard and a teacher of etiquette, all in one. Very neat.

“That's a very crude way of putting it,” Maab offers you a sly smile, not denying the suggestion. She leaves the thread of the conversation hanging, as if daring you to pick her up on it, as you walk down a gracefully curving corridor. Stopping outside a perfectly generic door, Maab knocks lightly before opening it. Inside, you see a great many bookshelves and Miura's slim figure, seated at a desk slightly too large for her.

“I'm sure you'd rather speak privately, but that just isn't possible,” Maab apologises, “But you can speak freely. Don't mind the, ah, aide.”

You're about to ask who Maab is talking about, but then you see the other woman in the room. Perfectly still, pressed up against a wall, the white robed priestess seems to evade your eye with a natural discretion. A good quality for a bodyguard, you must admit.

“Sir Ira,” Miura greets you, turning in her chair as Maab bows out, “Or... is it something else now? I heard that you've become a nobleman since we last met. Is there a... title to your name, now?”

No titles yet, you assure her, and it's unlikely that there ever will be. You're not that kind of person.

“I'd have to disagree,” a flicker of humour passes through Miura's eyes, “I think you're quite a noble person.”

[1/2]

>>46477828

If those words came from anyone who knew you as a younger man, you'd find them hard to believe. Now though... maybe they have some truth to them. This growing war might mean terrible things for the land itself, but it seems to have forced you into a position of responsibility. Leadership, you think as Selene's words return to you.

“And how is Sir Koa?” Miura asks, “I fear I never had a chance to thank him for his role in my, well, my rescue.”

Koa is well, you tell her. In truth, you're not quite so sure about that, but you see little reason to give her a more pessimistic take on the situation. Even so, some of your brief discontentment must show on your face, because Miura scrutinised you for a moment. You forgot how intelligent her eyes were, how sharp and analytic they could become.

“Is there something bothering you, Sir Ira?” Miura asks delicately, “I have a book that I like to read when I'm troubled. It's a little childish, but... we have many spare copies in storage. We give them out to schools, you see. Um... would you like to take one?”

She's offering you a schoolbook? You're not quite sure what to make of the gesture. As you're trying to form a polite refusal, Miura speaks up once more.

“Ishida, could you fetch one from the storeroom?” the young priestess asks her lurking aide, “It won't take you long, I expect.”

“I'll go now,” the bodyguard replies immediately, bowing her head slightly, “Take care, sister.” Then, pausing only to place a reassuring hand on Miura's shoulder – a brief moment of contact – she leaves.

“That'll give us a moment alone,” Miura has a glint of childish glee in her eyes as she says this, “If you wished to speak privately.”

>Do you have a good reason to speak privately?
>I just wanted to see how you were doing these days
>Maab, your mother, plans to use you to manipulate the Emperor. Are you okay with that?
>I had something I wanted to ask you... (Write in)
>Other

>>46477940
>Ask if she knows what the whole ritual about throwing her into the pool was about.
just got to make sure that she knows.

I feel she should know by now whatever machinations her mom may or may not have her do, so....what to do?

>>46477940
>>I just wanted to see how you were doing these days
And
>>Maab, your mother, plans to use you to manipulate the Emperor. Are you okay with that?
Much as I loathe mixing a freindly visit with politics

>>46477940
>>Do you have a good reason to speak privately?
>>I just wanted to see how you were doing these days
That bodyguard didn't take much convincing to leave us alone with Miura.

>>46477940
>I just wanted to see how you were doing these days
>Maab, your mother, plans to use you to manipulate the Emperor. Are you okay with that?
I just want you to know that no matter what happens with this marriage thing, you should make sure that whatever choice you make is your own. This is your future, only you should get a say in it. So if you decide to not do it or do it out of duty or some other reason, make it something YOU want.

>>46478138
Well we did come with Maab

>>46478184
Yeah that's true. Can't really get any more officially approved than that.

>>46478222
Also might be well known that Ira really went above and beyond to save Miura.

You just wanted to see how she was doing these days, you explain, since things have been so uncertain lately.

“Hmm. I'm quite isolated from it all,” Miura sighs softly, the sound escaping from her rather than being deliberately pronounced, “So I don't have to worry about much. I heard that some of the Emperor's soldiers arrived a number of days ago. Things were a little disturbed here but they were straightened out soon enough when the soldier's left.”

That must have been when they arrived with Tawn. It must have caused quite a stir here, having a group of the Emperor's men turning up without warning, especially in these troubles times. You've got to ask though, you begin as you get back on topic, was there a reason she wanted to speak with you alone? Her... aide is here for a good reason, after all.

“I know,” Miura nods, “Ishida is nice. I like her. Still, I thought perhaps you might want to speak without worrying about being overheard. It's a rare thing these days. Not even Sir Ra got that privilege.”

Leaving aside the fact that Ra has been speaking with Miura – for now, at least – you decide to make the most of the time alone, thoughtfully given. Has Miura been told the reasons why she was taken, you ask, and the significance behind it?

“I've done a little reading, looking into some of the really old books,” Miura's eyes widen for a moment, as if emphasising how old the books really were, “It was a ritual, right? Something about, um...” she colours slightly, “Impurity. I suppose just having my name linked with the Emperor is enough for some people...”

She sounds saddened by that simple truth. The fact that a group of perfect strangers were so quick to try and kill her seems to weigh heavily on the girl. Humans, you think suddenly, can be so very ugly at times.

[1/2]

>>46478345

You wanted to speak with her about the Emperor, actually. If she was to marry him, a lot of things would change. For one thing, her mother would seek to use her as a tool – a way to manipulate the Emperor into doing the head priestess' wishes. That's what her goals are, at least. Is Miura really okay with that?

“You know...” Miura idly flips a page on her book, barely even glancing at the text, “I'm not as easy to manipulate than you might think. My... I mean, the head priestess can give me advice – that's what she calls it, at least – but I'm the one who decides to take it or not.” An uncommonly hard edge enters Miura's voice as she meets your eye without flinching. “I've seen what people who merely obey without question are like. I won't be that kind of person.”

You're... pretty impressed. Gathering your wits, you give her an encouraging nod. You just wanted her to know that what happened with the potential marriage, the final decision lay with her. Now though, it seems like she doesn't need your advice. Either way though, you remind her, whether it's duty or some personal reason that guides her in the days ahead she should remember one thing – it's her future, and her place to decide it.

“Thank you, Sir Ira,” Miura gives you a small smile, her face softening with the kindly expression, “We all have our duties to perform, and I'm more than willing to do mine. If I can help prevent another incident like the one we saw at the Dragon's Head... Well, I'll do it. Can I help you with anything else?”

>No, I was just leaving
>Did you say you knew Ra?
>I did have something I wanted to ask... (Write in)
>Other

>>46478472
>Did you say you knew Ra?
Then
>No, I was just leaving

>>46478472
>>Did you say you knew Ra?
Strange company for a girl of her age to keep.

>>46478345
>Not even Sir Ra got that privilege.
But what if Ishida is Ra's spy?

>>46478624
Maab seems competent when it comes to intrigue and she picked Ishida.

Something she said in passing caught your attention, and now you're interested in hearing a little more about it. Did she saw she knew Ra?

“Sir Ra, yes,” Miura nods, “He visits whenever he is in Garuna – which isn't often, of course. I like it when he comes, it gives me a chance to speak with someone who isn't, ah, someone who doesn't share the common opinion.”

Her mother's opinion, in other words.

“More or less, yes,” Miura laughs delicately, covering her mouth as she does so, “And Sir Ra definitely, ah, differs from the head priestess on certain matters. Did you know that they've known each other for a very long time? Neither of them will tell me how long, but I think they just want to pretend they're younger than they actually are.” Miura laughs again, a more mature and knowing chuckle that immediately reminds you of her mother. “Do you know him well, Sir Ira?”

Not at all, you tell her, you only met him quite recently in fact. He just struck you as strange company for her to keep.

“Hmm, you might be right about that,” the young priestess seems to consider the issue, “I think he has his own reasons. Deciding whether I'd be suitable for... well, for marriage mainly. Even so, I enjoy his visits, whatever their reason.”

That was all you wanted to know, you inform Miura as you give her a polite bow and prepare to leave. Wishing her a good day, you slip out into the brightly lit corridor and immediately sink into your thoughts. Maab and Ra having a history? It's the first you've ever heard of it. That fact, combined with Ra's visits to Miura, starts to twist and grow in your mind as you walk away, heading towards a strange conclusion. Miura, you think, never mentioned a father – could it be that-

[1/2]

>>46478852

“Excuse me,” a calm voice interrupts your thoughts, causing you to turn around in surprise. It's the bodyguard, Ishida, holding out a slim book. Of course, you realise, Miura offered to give you one of their texts. You had just left without waiting for it. “Take it,” the bodyguard tells you, “And I hope it will be of some use. The young priestess has a good heart, and she wouldn't want you to fret about anything.”

Thanking her, you accept the offered book. As soon as your thanks have left your mouth, the robed woman is away, returning to the side of her charge. Now, what had you been thinking about? Searching your mind for a few moments offers no clue, so you settle for returning to the temple entrance. On the way, you give the book a quick look. There isn't much to it, just a simple guide to living a good life. Be honest, stick to your principles and defend the weak – the standard sort of thing, really. It might make a nice souvenir for Howa, but that's pretty much it.

Then a note slides from the pages into your waiting hands, a cramped and spidery script adorning the scrap of parchment. The words are simple, but they couldn't contrast more with the rest of the honest, wholesome text:

“You did not speak with Selene. Weigh her words carefully. Meet me at the Moonlight Riven inn tonight, by the city gates, if you wish to know more.”

The message is not signed with a name, but with a graceful curve of ink. In black, it means nothing, but if the colours were reversed – if it was white against a black background – it would be a perfect image of a crescent moon.

So. Interesting.

>Leave the temple as normal. Act natural
>Find Ishida and ask her some questions. Is she Ra's agent?
>Find Maab and inform her about the spy
>Other

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>>46478994
>Leave the temple as normal. Act natural
Nothing is ever simple is it?

>>46478994
>Leave the temple as normal. Act natural

>>46478994
Leave and act natural

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It's hard to say exactly how you feel about this. What exactly does Ishida – if she was, indeed, the one to write the note – mean by “You did not speak with Selene”? Who DID you speak with?

Could it be, then, that the prediction was false? Misleading information, designed to send you down a very deliberate path – one that benefits whatever it was you spoke with in that mirror. Crumbling the note up and sliding it into the deepest of your pockets, you clasp the book to your chest and focus on acting as naturally as possible. If Ishida really is Ra's agent within the temple, you don't want to blow her cover. Not without a good reason, at least.

As you're walking out into the city, you spy Ra himself looking out over the countless temples scattered throughout Garuna. He looks like a man in deep thought – or possibly a man contemplating suicide – but he nevertheless turns to nod your way as you pass him by.

“Ira,” he greets you, “I don't like admitting to eavesdropping, but I have to ask. That lead you mentioned to Tawn – was that real, or just something to lift his spirits?”

That's a sensitive issue. Ra, perhaps, could be trusted with the location of the cult enclave – he's wise enough not to launch a full invasion without weighing his options very carefully – but you're still reluctant to share the information. Then again, it isn't the only lead you have. What was it that Soma said about the south-east?

“It could save lives, you know,” Ra urges, “Anything you tell me might help keep the situation from escalating any further.”

>I've got nothing. I just wanted to give Tawn some good news.
>I know the location of the cult's leader
>I think the cult might be planning something in the south-east
>Other

>>46479377
>I think the cult might be planning something in the south-east

Or did you mean Southwest again?

>>46479403

>No, in this case I definitely mean the east. I've worked the mistake into my notes.
It's not a bug, it's a feature!

>>46479377
>I think the cult might be planning something in the south-east

>>46479377
>>I think the cult might be planning something in the south-east
I don't think we should suggest it yet but I wonder if having Ra and the Seer meet might be a good thing. They both seem smart enough to discuss the situation like adults.

>>46479377
>>I think the cult might be planning something in the south-east

>>46479511
While I bet Seer would like the chat and debate, he isn't one to budge on his plan. He truly believes that primal gods are the only option.

>>46478710
True, though it might have been a concious decision

Details, you admit, are thin on the ground at the moment. However, you do suspect that the cult might be planning something in the south-east. You couldn't say exactly what they were planning, but it might be something to watch out for.

“It might very well be a revenge attack, cultists out for blood after that... unpleasantness in Sparna. In truth, Takino send word of the same to me, but I thought it might have been paranoia. He was requesting extra soldiers to defend the Stone of the South-East. I can't imagine the cult having the forces to attack that fortress, but... they've surprised us before, haven't they?”

Surprise, you agree, seems to be their main advantage.

“So, where did you hear this?” Ra asks, raising an eyebrow in curiosity, “Something Musari let slip, or do you have some inside source that I don't know about?”

It was Musari that pointed you in the right direction, you answer carefully. It's even true – technically. Ra seems to appreciate the ambiguity of your words, indulging in a long and deep laugh. He doesn't press the issue, merely offering you his hand to shake. As you're accepting the gesture, he lowers his voice and speaks.

“Say, Ira, what are you planning?” he asks, a wily light in his eyes.

What, you ask neutrally as you shake his hand, does he mean by that?

“I'm merely asking you what you were going to do with the rest of the day,” again, Ra raises an eyebrow, “Unless you had some sinister plans you'd like to confess?”

>I was going to spend some time in Garuna. It's been too long
>I have to head back to the Nameless Temple as soon as possible
>I was thinking about visiting the capital, actually
>Other

>>46479684
>>I was thinking about visiting the capital, actually
visit Aya
Though that plan may change...

>>46479684
Saw the map in the archive but didn't skim the thread, are those stones of the X cities, noticeable landmarks or just waypoints ?

>>46479684
>>I was going to spend some time in Garuna. It's been too long
If we are going to meet this person at midnight we'll need to stay here for the night.

>>46479684
>I was going to spend some time in Garuna. It's been too long

>>46479728

>The Stones are major military bases, fortresses really, ruled over by a senior leader. Taking over one of those would be a significant blow to the capital's hold on the region.

>>46479684
>>I was going to spend some time in Garuna. It's been too long
Catch my breath, I'm old and all too often I must move quickly.

You were thinking about spending some time in Garuna, you tell Ra, it's been too long since you've had the chance to take some time out and catch your breath. You're an old man, and you need to slow down once in a while. At the very least, you'll be staying the night here. You've heard about a pretty good inn that you'd like to visit...

“I envy your free time,” Ra offers a remorseful smile, “This evening, I'll be taking a carriage back to the capital. It's an indulgence I rarely make, but Tawn isn't up for riding a horse quite yet. For one night, we'll act like nobility – being in the Emperor's service has some advantages, after all.”

The capital, huh? It's been too long since you visited there as well. Not that you miss the capital itself, of course, but you'd like the chance to catch up with Aya. If nothing else, you'd like to be sure that she hasn't got herself in any trouble. How are things in the capital, you ask Ra as you're leaving, no trouble?

“Trouble?” Ra's expression turns bitter, “Maybe. When I left, the Emperor had called a tribunal, investigating some nasty business up in one of his mining towns. The officer in charge was accused of both brutality and incompetence, and he's been called to answer. News spread surprisingly quickly, and there are a great many eyes on the palace. The people are looking for justice, Ira, but I don't think they're going to like the result. Have you ever seen a military tribunal in action?”

You've heard of them, you answer, but you don't know much about them.

“It's a mess,” Ra shakes his head, “The Emperor will hear the opinions of his top men – Takino, from the south-east, Matsuhiro from the south-west, and Hirohito from the capital itself – and then decide the verdict. The whole process, of course, is corrupt. The army has no interest in punishing its own officers.”

[1/2]

>>46480084
>The whole process, of course, is corrupt. The army has no interest in punishing its own officers.
That's going to have to change. One way or another.

>>46480084

So it'll be a wash, you mutter, nothing that even comes close to justice. Kurasu, the butcher in charge of Pit Progress and the horrors you saw there, will walk free. You just wish it would come as a surprise – just as Takino can order as many massacres as he pleases, Kurasu can tighten his grip on those under his command. As for Matsuhiro, well... he's an idiot and nothing more, watching over farmland to ensure the army stays well fed.

There's a reason you don't think very highly of politics.

“It can't be helped, not without shaking up the entire system,” Ra shrugs, “I can think of a few things I'd like to change, but... Ah, but never mind that. I'll let you enjoy the city – if you can, after all this bitter talk. Farewell, Ira, I hope things are better when we next speak.”

So do you. It's not looking likely though.

>Rest until midnight, then head for the inn
>Wander the city for a while
>Visit a shrine to a particular god (Write in)
>Other

>>46480135
>Rest until midnight, then head for the inn

>“It can't be helped, not without shaking up the entire system,”
Might just be what this country needs.

>>46480135
>>Wander the city for a while

>>46480135
>>Wander the city for a while

With bitter thoughts on your mind, you wander down into the city and pause, taking a breath of the heavily scented air. Countless different scents war for your attention, ranging from temple incense to the food cooking in roadside stalls. If you're going to be meeting Ra's agent at midnight, you'll want to rest now while you can. It's an easy matter to find a bed for rent in Garuna, though, so you can afford to roam the city before turning in.

Walking the city streets, you think to yourself as you walk, is always one of the best ways to test the mood. If anything, the growing struggle seems to have emboldened many of the people here, with the number of prayer flags hanging from windows and strung across streets greater than any time you've ever seen. You wish it was good to see, but a great many of those flags also have gaudy proclamations painted across them. Statements of defiance, although they are all careful not to cross over into overt treason.

Not even the strictest interpretation of Imperial law could convict a man on the word “Resist”, even if it is hanging from their window. The few street sermons you pass, also, are dancing on the border of insurrection. With their attendant audience sitting around them in a tight knot of believers, the preachers speak of struggle, and a great enemy that threatens to rise up and swallow them all.

These people are only making things worse, but that simple fact seems to elude them. Just as the Emperor is willing to encourage brutality and dogmatic law, these believers are willing to stew in their own resentment. The Seer barely needs to do anything – the people seem content to divide themselves.

Enough. Time to get some rest, before your mood sinks any lower.

[1/2]

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>>46480501

You rest well at a nameless inn – little more than a pair of box rooms and a barrel of ale – before venturing back out into the city streets. By night, the mood feels completely different. The street preachers that urged rebellion by day have retreated, with a different kind of noise taking their place. Songs, mostly, with seldom similarity between them. Primal drums pound out lunatic rhythms in one street, while a few blocks away a single masked woman keens out a mournful melody.

This, you think, is Tenngaru's culture at its best. There are no calls for bloodshed, no thinly veiled threats of violence – just believers indulging themselves, drinking and laughing as they savour the atmosphere. The riotous sound somehow manages to ease your mind as you roam the streets, seeking out the Moonlight River inn. It takes a while to find – the discrete building is hidden at the furthest edge of Garuna – but you manage to find your way.

Inside, the perfumed air causing you to cover up a cough, you quickly spot Ishida sitting at a corner table. As you move across and sit, a silent worker moves a paper screen across the shield you from view. This whole place, in fact, has an air of secrecy about it.

No wonder Ishida chose this place.

“Ishida Lune,” she introduces herself, her clipped voice a far cry from the soft tone you heard in Selene's temple. There's something of the military in that voice, some strong discipline. “I'm glad you didn't make a scene at the temple. You're pretty good at this, Furyo.”

>So you're Ra's agent?
>Just give me the facts. If that wasn't Selene I met, what was it?
>How did you manage to get so close to Miura? Maab doesn't suspect you?
>I need you to answer something... (Write in)
>Other

>>46480676
>>So you're Ra's agent?
>>How did you manage to get so close to Miura? Maab doesn't suspect you?
>>Just give me the facts. If that wasn't Selene I met, what was it?

>>46480676
>So you're Ra's agent?
>How did you manage to get so close to Miura? Maab doesn't suspect you?

Then
>Just give me the facts. If that wasn't Selene I met, what was it?

>>46480676
>>Just give me the facts. If that wasn't Selene I met, what was it?
>>How did you manage to get so close to Miura? Maab doesn't suspect you?

“That's right,” a faint note of pride enters Ishida's voice, “I started off as a soldier, then moved to internal security when Ra picked me out. Now, I'm a priestess in the sisterhood of Selene. Life can be strange, can't it? I won't lie to you – about this, at least – we needed someone on the inside. Selene, and Maab, by extension, holds a great deal of power over Tenngaru's faithful. Even those who don't worship her respect the mistress of the moon, and her priestesses are highly valued for their honesty. Did you know that we have to swear to tell the truth at all times?”

You heard rumours, you confirm, but you didn't think they were true. So, she's a spy that always has to tell the truth?

“It's difficult, but you learn quickly. Speaking vaguely, offering ambiguous answers, or double meanings... if it isn't technically false, you can say it,” her lips twist in a cynical smile, “But frankly, I sometimes think I'm the most honest person in there. I've got to be.”

Right, and that brings you back to this meeting. If you didn't meet Selene herself, what did you meet? What was that thing you saw in the mirror?

“Technically, it WAS Selene,” Ishida admits, “It was her words, and her predictions that you were given. I'll explain everything in a moment. It's not exactly simple, though, and I needed you to come here. So... I made the note sound as dramatic as possible.”

She lied, then. What happened to being honest?

“Apparently, that only applies to speaking aloud,” Ishida tilts her head to the side, still wearing that jaded smile, “All these rules they have... they have just as many loopholes and ways to work around them. A cunning bunch, those priestesses.”

No wonder Maab felt drawn to Selene. Speaking of Maab, how did Ishida manage to get so close to Miura without drawing any attention to herself?

[1/2]

>>46478852
You mean to tell me that Ra is miura's father?

>>46481213
Potentially yeah. Explains her quick and analytical mind if she is the child of those two.

>>46481141

“It was strange, both very easy and damn difficult at the same time,” Ishida takes a glass – water, from the lack of any wine smells – and drinks, “When I entered the temple, Maab asked me all about my background. I told her... a version of the truth. When she learned that I had military training, she asked me straight away to act as a bodyguard to important members. Usually, that was her. Recently though, she's shifted my duties to looking after Miura – since the kidnapping, I've been put permanently in that position.”

That does sound easy, you concede, but what's the hard part?

“Honestly?” Ishida toys with her glass, “Keeping quiet about Ra around Miura. That kid has a thousand questions, and I've got to pretend I don't know him – all without actually lying. It was damn tough, but she's started to quiet down. Truth be told, I think Miura suspects more than her mother does. Smart kid, you know? Then again, Maab is the type to see this as a massive joke, nothing more than another move in this endless sparring between her and Ra. For all I know, she might know my true role already. If she does, she seems fine with me watching over her girl. For all her scheming, she wouldn't let someone she didn't trust get that close to the kid.”

There's something very strange going on between Ra and Maab, as if this conspiracy is just an elaborate courtship ritual. Is that what it takes to get a spymaster and a schemer in the mood?

“Hey, there are some truths I'm happy not knowing,” Ishida shrugs, “Listen, I don't have long so we need to focus. Selene – what was the one serious law you were told about her?”

A lie will never fall from Selene's lips, you reply immediately. Then you pause as you realise the loophole.

“It's a good joke, isn't it?” Ishida offers a cold smile, “It wasn't Selene's lips that did the lying. It never is.”

[2/3]

>>46481345

Once you've managed to swallow the tide of bitterness that rises up in you, you find yourself agreeing with Ishida. It IS a pretty good joke – even if you were the punchline. One of those loopholes she mentioned.

“Right. If you want a real answer, you'll need to take this issue to Selene directly – and that won't be easy,” Ishida grimaces, “I don't think anyone has spoken to her – face to face – in... years. Generations, even, but don't quote me on that one.”

You can imagine. If Selene is the mistress of the moon, how are you supposed to speak with her directly? Is Ishida suggesting that you've got to float up into the sky somehow?

“The opposite, Furyo,” Ishida shakes her head, “Down. Selene lurks beneath, in the catacombs. Listen, I might be able to get you down there, but it's going to take a lot of careful preparation. That means time. If we're doing this, don't expect it to be soon. It's a risk as well, for both of us, so keep that in mind. How much are you willing to lay on the table for these answers?”

>I'll take a little risk. Make the preparations
>I need time to think about this. Do nothing for now
>I don't want you to risk blowing your cover. Miura's safety takes priority for now
>This just raises further questions... (Write in)
>Other

>>46481368
>I'll take a little risk. Make the preparations
How much time do you need?

>>46481368
>I'll take a little risk. Make the preparations
>...but I don't want you to risk blowing your cover. Miura's safety takes priority for now.

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>>46481368
Ask her about the spooky skeletons and zombies in the catacombs

>>46481368
>I'll take a little risk. Make the preparations
I have to ask though, why are you doing this for me? It seems a lot for someone you just met.

>>46481459
I don't think that's a thing here.

>>46481541
I'm memeing but considering this is where they threw the victims (how does it work btw, is there some kind of catacomb airlock or are they flooded ?) I'm expecting some kind of notNodens-style monstrosity

>>46481368
>>I'll take a little risk. Make the preparations
Seems odd for a moon goddess to hide underground.

>>46481368
>>I'll take a little risk. Make the preparations
>I don't want you to risk blowing your cover. Miura's safety takes priority for now

You want to know something, you begin, why is she doing this for you? Why is she so willing to risk her cover for someone she's only just met?

“Don't get cute, Furyo,” Ishida is quick to reply, “I've got my orders, and one of those was to offer you all available assistance. I don't know if this is what Ra had in mind, but I've gained a pretty damn good ability to creatively interpret things since I got this job. Besides, I'll admit to having a personal interest – I want to see if Selene is what I think she is... what I want her to be.”

And what, you ask, is that?

“Pure,” Ishida shrugs, “Good. I've grown pretty damn weary since I started here, and this might just be what I need restore my faith... or convince me to drop it once and for all.”

A sombre silence passes slowly – you hadn't realised she was genuinely faithful – before you clear your throat. These catacombs, you ask, are they likely to be... dangerous? They were where the bones of sacrificed girls ended up, after all, and you've already seen one... apparition that seemed linked with sacrifice. Might there be something similar waiting down there?

“I don't know anything about that yet,” Ishida warns you, “So I'd go with my gut instinct and expect the worst. That's the kind of thinking that keeps people alive.”

Huh. How long, you ask, does she need to prepare?

[1/2]

>>46481788

“I can't say just yet,” she shakes her head, “Depending on how quietly I can do my digging – and some of that might be actual, literal digging – I might draw some attention down on me. In that case, I'd need to shut things down and put on my best innocent face for a while. What I'm saying is, it might vary.” She offers an apologetic smile, “I know, I know, but that's as precise as I can go. When everything is ready, I'll make sure you hear about it.”

In that case, you'll do it – but she should be careful with the preparations. Miura's safety is still important, so she shouldn't risk herself too much.

“That's only going to slow things down,” Ishida warns you, “You're okay with that?”

It's not like you're not busy enough as it is.

“Good point, Furyo,” Ishida smiles bitterly, “Busy times for everyone. Are we done here?”

You think so. As you're standing to leave, though, she begins to speak up once more. This time, there is a trace of hesitation in Ishida's voice, as if she's not sure if she should be speaking.

“Hey, I thought of another reason that Maab might want to keep me close to her girl,” Ishida offers, “I guess... the kid likes me, and I like her. She's like the sister I never had. Hah, Ra would call be back to the capital in a heartbeat if he thought I was getting emotionally involved – the damn hypocrite. Ah, no matter, I'm just thinking out loud. Go on, Furyo, I'll take care of things here.”

>Right. I'll wait to hear from you
>Hold on a moment, there's one last thing... (Write in)
>Other

>>46481875
>>Right. I'll wait to hear from you

>>46481875
>>Right. I'll wait to hear from you

>>46481875
>Right. I'll wait to hear from you
I like her too. She's a good kid. Keep her safe.

Right, you say as you rise, you'll wait to hear from her then.

“I'd promise to keep in touch,” Ishida replies with a wry smile, “But that's not a risk I'm prepared to take. If someone intercepted one of my letters...”

Too much risk, you agree, you'd rather she stays safe and silent. Miura needs to stay safe as well – she's a good kid. With that, you slip out of the quiet building, the silent servants parting as you pass, carefully keeping their eyes from your face. It's almost a pantomime display of secrecy, carefully scripted to assure a more gullible customer of absolute privacy. You're not sure such a thing really exists in the land, not with the gods watching over things. That, or a spy waiting in the next room taking notes.

Paranoia again. It's getting to be a habit. Outside, your sense on unnatural persecution only deepens – it's hard not to feel watched, especially when the moon is looming brightly down from above. It's as though Selene herself is giving you a warning, reminding you that her eye never strays from the city.

You've got to get out of this city. It's starting to mess with your head.

>Head back to the Nameless Temple
>Head out to the capital
>Head somewhere else (Write in)
>Other

>>46482223
>>Head back to the Nameless Temple
No place like home. Not to mention we need to talk to the Mentor.

>>46482223
>>Head back to the Nameless Temple
We do need to see Aya sometime but the Temple is right next to Garuna so let's head there first.

Give an earful to Mentor and get an earful from Howa.

>>46482223
>>Head out to the capital
lets check Aya before going back to the temple

>>46482223
>Head back to the Nameless Temple

>>46482223
>Head back to the Nameless Temple
We've put this off enough, lets have a chat with the mentor

You'd like to see the capital again – the way Ra told it, the tribunal is gathering a lot of public attention – but it's hard to justify the time you'd spend on the road, especially when the Nameless Temple is far closer. Maybe Sho's stupid train would be good for something after all – you'd be able to cross the blasted, war torn wasteland a little quicker.

That's cynical, you think, even by your increasingly jaded standards.

Even at this late hour, a few coins manages to secure the use of a horse to take you south once more. It's not a long trip, and you first see the Nameless Temple before the first rays of sunlight have fully reached out into the sky. In the gloom, it takes you a moment to spot the disrupted scene outside the grand – but hauntingly similar to the vast temple in distant Makai – building. Soldiers, men bearing the Emperor's colours, have massed outside, surrounding the temple.

This... is bad. It's not a siege or a stalemate, but it's certainly not far off becoming one. The soldiers watch you as you approach, none of them daring to raise their weapons – or lower them completely. An entire encampment has sprung up seemingly overnight, completely with tense and wary riflemen, and you must ride through it to get to the temple. At least nobody tries to stop you, recognising the sight of a Wanderer returning to his home. Parting, they sullenly allow you to guide your rented horse into the stables – come morning, someone should return it to Garuna – and dismount.

Still no one raises a hand against you, even as you brush past what looks worryingly like a pair of prison guards flanking the entrance. The worst you hear are a few murmured complaints, no more directed at you than at the cruelty of fate itself.

Complaints you can only sympathise with.

[1/2]

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>>46482667

Inside the Nameless Temple, the mood is no different - Tense, uneasy and uncertain. The entranceway is almost completely deserted, which is understandable given the early hour. What is less typical is the small gathering of flowers laid up against one wall, like some modest tribute to a fallen friend. A chill runs though you as you realise how accurate that guess might be – could there have been a death here?

Unsure what to do next, you find yourself milling about in the entranceway until someone emerges from deeper inside the temple. A wave of relief washes over you when you recognise the new figure, a relief that is dampened when you see the burden they carry – it's Koa, and he bears a new handful of flowers for the growing tribute.

“Ira,” he says quietly when he gets close, “You're back. I'm sorry... can you give me a minute? I can explain, but I need to... I mean...”

It can wait, you assure him, as long as it needs to. As you watch awkwardly, the apprentice lays the bunch of flowers down and bows deeply, holding the bow a few moments too long for it to be a mere formality. A friend, then? When the boy has straightened up, he returns to your side.

“I'm sorry, the others don't like seeing me laying down flowers,” his lips twist in a bitter frown, “That's why I have to do it early.”

He falls silent, then, as he searches for the words to explain the situation. It's a search that has no easy answers.

>Koa, explain everything that happened here
>Who were the flowers for, Koa?
>Wait for him to explain in his own time
>Other

>>46482836
Time for more brotherly/fatherly bonding, hug the shit out of him

>>46482836
>Wait for him to explain in his own time
Offer some words of prayer.

(Who the hell is responsible for the occupation? Sho or a military leader? Whoever it is, there needs to be words.)

>>46482836
>>Wait for him to explain in his own time

Now that you know that the flowers are here as a memorial, you decide that it's only appropriate that you pay your own respects. Approaching it, you bow your head and murmur a prayer to the victim. Whoever it was, apprentice or soldier, their death is nothing to be celebrated.

“Her name was Shiki,” Koa begins as your back is still to him, “One of the apprentices, and uh... and sort of a friend, I guess. Not so many of them around these days.”

Friends, you wonder, or apprentices? Depressingly, you realise that both might apply. Keeping your dark thoughts to yourself, you return to Koa and move to give him an awkward pat on the shoulder. The boy has other idea, practically wilting into you and wrapping his arms around you. You tolerate the hug for a few moments before carefully – gently – moving him away. His eyes are red, but he looks around ready to talk.

“Shiki,” he begins, “Was kind of a troublemaker, you know? Not a bad person, but she didn't like the way the soldiers were marching around. They weren't bad at first, you know? But when they realised we weren't going to throw them out they got bold, like they belonged here. Some of us... the apprentices, I mean, organised sort of a... a protest, I guess you could call it. Shiki got into an argument with one of the guards, and she shoved him...”

You don't want to listen to what comes next, you can already guess what Koa is about to say. This soldier, you ask reluctantly, he shot her?

“He didn't need to,” Koa shook his head, “He just hit her, with one of those awful batons they have. She fell badly, and... her head...”

She fell, she hit her head, and she died. That's all there is to it – a few seconds, and one more life is lost.

[1/2]

>>46483182

What then, you prompt gently, what happened next?

“There was almost a riot,” Koa murmurs, “But... I stopped it. I don't know how I did it – really, my memory is a total blank – but I managed to get everyone to stand down just long enough to stop it getting out of hand. That's when HE stepped in.”

The Mentor, you guess, he really came out to handle the matter himself?

“Right,” the young apprentice nods, “He actually came down from his mountain. He... well, he threw the soldiers out. Said that they were no longer welcome here. I guess they're still out there, waiting for their next set of orders, right?”

Right, you confirm, waiting and looking miserable.

“I guess that makes sense,” Koa pauses, “In here, we're all waiting and looking miserable as well. It's like we're all waiting for the next blow.”

>I'm going to speak to the Mentor about this, about a lot of things
>But why are the other apprentices angry at you for laying down flowers?
>Is there anything else you want to say? You can talk to me, you know
>Focus Koa, I need to know something specific... (Write in)
>Other

>>46483324
>>But why are the other apprentices angry at you for laying down flowers?
>>Is there anything else you want to say? You can talk to me, you know

>>46483324
>I'm going to speak to the Mentor about this, about a lot of things
>Is there anything else you want to say? You can talk to me, you know

>>46483324
>>I'm going to speak to the Mentor about this, about a lot of things
>>But why are the other apprentices angry at you for laying down flowers?
>>Is there anything else you want to say? You can talk to me, you know
Fucking hell, shit is just going bad to worst.

>>46483324
Well we could appeal to the boy Emperor, but I doubt we'd get anywhere with that, But I think we could put off talking with the mentor for a few moments
>But why are the other apprentices angry at you for laying down flowers?
>Is there anything else you want to say? You can talk to me, you know
>I'm going to speak to the Mentor about this, about a lot of things

Whatever we decide to do, this occupation needs to end, one way or another.

God fuck the tension is intense!! Good job Moloch, have never had this intense feeling before in quests.

But why, you ask slowly, are the other apprentices getting angry at him for laying down flowers? They seem to be making offerings as well, and if they were friends...

“Because I should have done something,” Koa tells you sadly, “Not to help her, but to get revenge. I was right there, I had a blade at my hip – I should have killed the soldier that killed Shiki. That's what they're saying, at least. Instead, I stopped it. I saved him, that murderer... Do you know why? Because I knew, even when I was nearly blind with rage, that it would only make things worse. You taught me that, Ira – to look at the bigger picture. Oh, I... I'm not blaming you or anything, it's just...”

It's okay, you tell him quietly, he can talk to you. Is there anything else he wants to say?

“Ah... there is one thing,” Koa takes a deep breath, his lips wavering for a moment, “You asked me to keep an eye on the mood amongst the apprentices. It's worse than ever, and it's because of one guy in particular. He's the one saying I should have fought, and I think he's the one turning everyone against the Mentor and the temple. His name is Jain, and he said to me... he called me out. Formally, I mean.”

A duel, you ask, is that what he's talking about?

“Yes. Tomorrow night,” Koa falters, and you reach out to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Beneath your palm, his shoulder is trembling. “And... and I don't know what to do. People can die in duels, you know? Even with all the precautions...”

He's right about that. Even with a dulled sword, an unlucky blow can crush a windpipe or cause some other fatal wound. But, if this Jain is causing so much trouble, that might be something you could turn to your advantage...

>Fight him, Koa. He needs to be silenced
>Fight the duel, Koa, but make sure nobody gets hurt
>He's not worth it, Koa
>I can't decide this for you. I'm sorry
>Other

>>46483659
>Fight the duel, Koa, but make sure nobody gets hurt
Can we offer him practice? Teach him some tricks?

>>46483659
>>Other
so how about some last minute training

>>46483659
>Koa when I was your age I'd have fought in a heartbeat. I'm glad you're thinking this through. I personally think you should fuel him. If you want to go a round with me for practice you have but to ask. What does He look like? I might wish to talk to him.

>>46483659
>>Fight the duel, Koa, but make sure nobody gets hurt
Seconding the idea of giving him some last minute lessons.

>>46483659
>Fight the duel, Koa, but make sure nobody gets hurt too bad
This can only end one of two ways

What are you thinking? Were you considering, even just for a second, sending Koa out to act as an assassin? Even the idea is a horrifying one, one that sends a cold stone of disgust plummeting down into the base of your stomach. What is this war doing to you?

“Ira?” Koa must notice something in your face, some flash of pain or shame, “Is something wrong?”

When you were his age, you reply quietly, you would have fought the boy in a heartbeat. In fact, you wouldn't even wait for a duel – you would have waded in, there and then, with wild punches and kicks. You're glad that he's doing this properly, and considering his options well. That said... you think he should accept the challenge. Fight the duel, you tell Koa, but make sure nobody gets hurt. More blood won't make this mess any better.

“I see,” Koa nods slowly, “I thought you might say that. I think... I really think I might have a chance to win, you know? And if I do beat Jain, maybe I can get him to back down. This might be the chance we've been looking for.”

It IS an important fight, you admit, so how about some last minute training? You're willing to teach him whatever you can.

“Training? Yes, certainly,” Koa nods, “Um, but the duel is tomorrow night. There's no need to rush into anything, is there? I mean, I thought you might have other things to do...”

You do need to speak with the Mentor, so you're glad that Koa can wait a little. One thing, you mention, what does this Jain look like? You might want to have a few words with him.

“No!” Koa cries, his voice piercing the still air, “...No, Ira, you can't. I'm sorry, but if Jain thought I'd ran off crying to you at the first sign of trouble...”

You understand, you assure him, it's a matter of pride now. Nodding, you prepare to visit the Mentor.

[1/2]

>>46484070

“And don't tell the Mentor about this,” Koa adds reluctantly as you're turning to leave, “He doesn't want us fighting at a time like this. I guess I can understand why, but this time... he doesn't get this. Or maybe he does, and he doesn't want to admit that it's come to this. Just... just don't tell him about it, please.”

You won't, you promise Koa, you'll keep the duel a secret. Then, as he gives Shiki's memorial one last bow, you walk away. Time to speak with a sorcerer, one of the only two remaining in this land. Even at this early hour, the desk is manned by the usual plain faced man, his voice failing him as you stride past. Even if the Mentor is busy, you won't be stopped. You've put this off for too long, and not a moment longer.

The Mentor, when you spot him, is sitting with his legs crossed in the middle of his domain. His head is bowed and his eyes are closed. He breaths, but that's the sole sign that there is any life within his body.

“Hello, Ira,” he whispers when you approach, his voice reaching you, “I ask only one thing – do not think the worst of me, please. I've done the best I can, but I fear the end is near regardless.”

>The end?
>I met with the Seer – your old student
>Sorcery. How could you?
>Other

>>46484163
>The end?
>I met with the Seer – your old student
Start from the beginning.

>>46484163
>>The end?
>>I met with the Seer – your old student
Is the Mentor finally dying?

>>46484243
That would be convenient- wait no we don't have to kill him anymore

>>46484163
>>The end?
>>I met with the Seer – your old student
>Also Selene REALLY doesn't like you.

>>46484163
The worst was being told your history by someone else.
He tried to turn me against the Temple by using that, I would have been angry and maybe even disgusted but let me assure you it would have been nothing to what I felt back there.

I ought to punch you for being such a secretive cunt.
Let a bit of the old Ira showing.

The end, you ask quietly, is he... dying?

“No,” a faint smile – bitter and deeply remorseful – passes across the Mentor's face, “But I fear the Nameless Temple might be. All that we can do is wait and see what kind of fate the Emperor will lay down upon us. I have led us to this point, and for that... I apologise. I never expected things to go so poorly – and now that they have, I don't see a way out. Not without...”

Not without his old student, you say in a colourless voice, is that what he was going to say?

“So, you've met,” the Mentor sighs, “I wondered if he was behind this. I considered it, but perhaps I didn't want to face the truth. He told you everything, I assume?”

Not quite everything, your voice hardens, but enough. The worst of it was when the Seer laid it all out before you, all of the Mentor's history. He tried to use that history to turn you against the Nameless Temple. Why, you push, didn't the Mentor tell you himself? Maybe you would have been disgusted or outraged, but that would be nothing compared with what you feel now. He's let you down, you finish in a voice heavy with unavoidable scorn, and he's let Tenngaru down.

“And what would you do?” the Mentor asks, “If I turned the temple, if I turned it all over to you?”

You'd probably punch him in the face, you answer with a shrug, before doing anything else. Just to remind him what it's like to be a normal human.

“That's an Ira I've not seen in a long time,” again, the Mentor manages to summon a pained laugh, “And that would be a punch I deserve, I assure you.”

You wish you could stay angry at him, but the simple note of defeat that has seeped into his voice cools your rage. Shaking your head sadly, you lapse into silence and wait, waiting to see what he will say – if he will offer some excuse, some rationalisation for his actions. You wait a long time.

[1/2]

>>46484473
No more lies please, I need you to be truthful with me, even if it's an ugly truth. If I am to see this end in a manner that will prevent the maximum ammount of death I need you to give me the truth.

>>46484473
Maybe a jab at their chosen name, "The Mentor" and "The Seer"; really?
I mean, that's kinda goofy in a way. I wonder what Ira would take as a name "The Negociator" or "The Wanderer Formerly Known as Ira", got a nice ring to it doesn't it?

>>46484473

“What would you like me to say, Ira?” the old man – the sorcerer – asks suddenly, “That I was driven to this by own mortality? That I was powerless once, and I wished never to suffer that fate again? That I turned to sorcery for some greater good?”

You'd like the truth, you whisper, that's all you've ever wanted from him.

“...I don't know if I remember the truth,” the Mentor murmurs, “It was all... so long ago. Maybe I've just convinced myself I had a good reason for what I did. No, it was surely hubris that drove me to this fate – sorcery is a bleak discipline, Ira, and men never turn to it for good reasons. I chose this fate, once I committed the sin of deicide, to find some small spark of redemption. I thought if I taught the next generations to be better men and women, I might eventually find something positive in this existence.”

You weigh his words in silence, studying them and searching them for merit. Shaking your head, you speak up. You spoke with Selene, you begin, and she thinks he presents some danger to Tenngaru. While he lives, there is the chance of Tenngaru suffering the same fate as Makai.

“She speaks the truth,” your teacher agrees, “But please believe me when I say this. I do not want that any more than she does, or you do. My mere existence is no risk – only my actions could put this world at risk. And, as you know...”

He doesn't act, you finish, he never acts.

“That's right,” a slight smile crosses his face, “Sometimes, I wish I could set the land right, but... I don't know if I have the right. This is a land for humans, Ira, not creatures like me. You should decide your own fates, and if that means walking out on me... so be it.”

>Focus. How do we settle the situation outside?
>I'm sorry, Mentor, but Selene's warning was clear. You can't be allowed to live
>Tell me something... (Write in)
>Walk out. You're done with him
>Other

>>46484728
>You may not act, but your old apprentice does. This land does not belong to him anymore then it does to you. Can you stop him, or tell me how?

>>46484728
>>Focus. How do we settle the situation outside?

>>46484728
>>I'm sorry, Mentor, but Selene's warning was clear. You can't be allowed to live
She didn't tell me when you had to die, so we have some breathing room. Anyway we have bigger things to worry about.
Like the situation outside and the Seer.

>>46484797
This is good.
Why didn't he become the Casshern of this world fucking shits up from time to time to put the fear of the gods into the hearts of man so they don't forget?

>>46484838
She was also lying m8, or rather could have been

>>46484838
She could have lied as well.

>>46484728
>>46484797
This

>inb4 they both share the same life force but the Seer is currently draining the Mentor's. Kill one and the other perish

He might choose not to act, you begin, but his old apprentice certainly does. The land doesn't belong to him any more than it belongs to the Mentor, so you've both got a duty to work together to stop him. Does he have any idea how to stop the Seer?

“Stop him?” the Mentor almost seems amused by the idea, “Even beings such as us die. Part his head from his shoulders, and he will die like any other man. The problem, though... the problem is stopping the machine that he has built. Kill him, I fear, and it would only force an uprising. A premature war, perhaps, and one doomed to failure – but a bloody war nonetheless. Would you be prepared to do that, Ira? To fire the shot that plunges this land into war?”

You don't know. You honestly don't know.

“I'm sorry, I have no right to ask you that,” the Mentor shakes his head, “I should not question your morals or your resolve. I merely wondered... What I mean to say is...”

Focus, you snap, focus on the immediate issue. How do you settle the situation outside?

“Outside? The soldiers, of course...” the Mentor frowns, “We wait. We wait and see what the Emperor decides.”

Unacceptable, you cut him off, no more waiting. It's time for action. He's supposed to be the wise teacher, how would he solve the situation outside if he was in your position?

“I suppose... I would speak with the man in charge,” the Mentor says slowly, “But the men out there are restless, waiting for their own orders. They have no leader – which means they are looking for a leader. No matter what you might say, Ira, I believe you have what it takes to be that man.”

Once again, it looks you've been cast as the leading man.

>I'll have to finish that there for tonight. Next thread on Friday, and I'll stick around in case anyone has any questions

>>46485218
Thanks for running Moloch

Shit continues to get ever more real.

>>46485218
Here we fucking go.

Man, is it time to pull the noble title out our ass, now? Does it come with military authority?

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>>46485218
>how would he solve the situation outside if he was in your position?

>>46485400

No official military authority, but a suitably impressive noble title might sway some people. For a lot of soldiers, it's safer just to follow orders rather than ask difficult questions!

>>46485352

Every day, I ask myself "How can this situation get worse?". I find it very useful for getting story ideas!

>>46485218
I was hoping more that if the Seer was acting, Mentor should get a LITTLE bit of leeway in acting in his own way. Nothing quite physical, just....

The Nameless Temple is pretty much wherever Mentor is, right? So what if he walked straight out and "escorted" the soldiers over to the capital, to speak Words with the people in charge? Not COMPLETELY disobeying orders, not when following the Mentor for "his protection" is part of what they have to do.

And it just so happens a certain tribunal is happening soon....

>>46485488
I've got this picture of someone rolling dices and getting snake eyes, looks into the table sheet and goes "well either Koa or Howa gets shanked, time to see who" only to get snake eyes again. "Sucks to be Ira, and Howa was pregnant too"

>>46485541

The Seer is a lot more willing to act, especially since he performs most of his manipulations through intermediaries and such. The Mentor chooses not to act, rather than being bound by any laws or restrictions. Even now, he remains distant because of his own decisions.

For your second point, I don't know if the soldiers would recognize a connection between the Mentor and the temple beyond a simple leadership role. It might be pretty tricky persuading them to march to the other side of the land.

Sorry if that didn't make any sense, I'm starting to feel a need for a nap!

>>46485571

Well, I don't have any suffering tables or anything, so that's one thing!

>>46485746
I just feel that maybe it's time Mentor CUTS THAT SHIT OUT, TENGARU IS PLUNGING INTO WAR HERE