File: 1449466245054.jpg (690 KB, 1038x800)

690 KB JPG

>>46541743
You get out one of your few torches. You look at it, realizing that you've had this since you /entered/ the Dungeon, and chuckle a little.

"Something up?" Amy asks.

"I brought torches and never used them," you tell her. "I have no idea why I still have these."

Nathan coughs and produces one of his own with a sheepish expression. "Why torches?"

"You know that thing where I tell you not to rush in blind and instead have a cunning plan of attack?" you ask.

"Yeah?"

"Fuck that. We're gonna creep close, then rush 'em like they owe us money. When we spot them, light the torches and hold 'em high for Kat. Hit 'em before they know what's going on."

Amy and Nate share identically vicious grins. They /like/ this plan.

"Loud battlecries?" Nathan asks, teasingly.

"Shake the walls, handsome."

Diving Shadow takes up the rear - these tunnels are not suited her diving attacks - with Nathan and Amy at the front. The four of you creep as quietly as you dare, and soon the sound of tools on stone and steel fills the air.

The draugs are gathered around a reinforced door, chipping away at its stone frame with hammers, picks, and chisels.

You and Nathan share a nod and spark your torches. The oily rags wrapped around their heads ignite easily.

"HO LA, SONS OF SORROW!"

>>46541743
Oooh, new art!

File: sJN1elw.jpg (91 KB, 640x480)

91 KB JPG

>>46541824
Amy hurls Blame and rushes into the fray beside Nathan. The Hero holds his torch in one hand and Banquet in the other. One draug turns just in time to catch the shield upside its frozen jaw - bone splinters, spraying teeth over the floor - and the others leap back from the flame.

"Kill," you instruct Kat. The shadow's fingers stretch into wicked claws, and she leaps into the fray, dancing in the light from the torches and Blame's explosions. Tenebrous claws slice into joints, ripping at dead flesh with terrible ferocity.

You stride steadily forward, cane in one hand. One of the draugs rushes you, trying to escape, and you crack the oak against its skull. While the dead thing reels, you slam a palm full of silver into its flesh and mutter a stream of curses. The poor wretch's ghost blows from its body and towards the Sunless Lands, with a grateful look in its dead eyes.

Above the din of battle, a dead voice: "I surrender!"

Your eyes catch a draug near the edge of the fray, hitting its knees and casting down its tools while Amy and Nate finish off the last of its confederates.

> Spare it
> Ignore it; see what Amy and Nate do
> Order Kat to kill it
> Write-in?

>>46541945
>> Order Kat to kill it

>>46541945
>> Spare it

>>46541945
>Spare it
Might be good source of info, but still, keep on your toes in case they're a trap.

>>46541945
>> Spare it
> For now. Operate under the assumption that we will be destroying it shortly.

Afraid I have to leave this vote open; I need to go to work until just after 8 PM EST, but then I've got the weekend off and nothin' to do but quest and write.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

> "Loud battlecries?" Nathan asks, teasingly.

I can see you pitching a tent there, Hero. ;P

> Spare it, but stay on your guard

This ought to be interesting. Are they really that coherent?

Oh, and - thread archived, incidentally. 's kinda stupid early but I'm kinda excited about finally having a quest banner, so...weeeee?

>>46542002
>Spare it
> For now. Operate under the assumption that we will be destroying it shortly.

Seconding this. Keep Kat ready, fastest kill method we have.

>>46542002
>> Spare it
> For now. Operate under the assumption that we will be destroying it shortly.
Just got to be careful for any sucker punch attacks while we pump him for information.

>>46542002
Supporting.

We can see about getting some information about the Diviner and the Broken Jaw, before offering to send him home to Sunless Lands. If he's afraid of being judged for his actions, he is surely better than the people who starved an entire population and turned them into man-eating wretches.

>>46542056
's good banner. Just noticed the chains too, nice touch.

>>46541945
>Spare it
>Information! Be careful about it though.

>>46542502
> 's good banner. Just noticed the chains too, nice touch.

There are even the right number of them!

>>46541945
> Order Kat to kill it
Don't see why we'd spare it if they're grateful after being destroyed.

Seven hours and change to call.

>>46543335
Because it asked to be spared?

Draugs are intelligent. It could know who (indirectly) made it this way and wants to fuck them over before being granted death.

It could also be a trap, but I'm somewhat doubtful of that.

>>46543663
Plus, the spirit might just be the power source. The undead has its own thoughts, the soul is grateful when released.

>>46543663
I would say go with this and if the bugger tries something spike it

It might be good to start thinking about which level you want to hit next. Assuming you make the Roost usable, you won't be required to go in order.

>>46544496
I feel like we shouldn't go out of order since we would be vulnerable on two sides instead of having an allied level at out back.

>>46544578
I agree with this, but I feel circumstances will beg to differ.

>>46544578
Taking the Roost gives us an allied level at our backs whichever level we choose. It might be better to press on the Daughter while she's injured (once we learn of the injury). Given that the Lush's men were the first real intervention we'd seen into another Holder's level, I'd guess that getting sandwiched is less of a worry than it might first seem.

Plus we could always have some of our people do harassment and small strikes into the other levels to keep them paranoid and holding their cards close to their chests.

>>46544711
That is some sound reasoning, sir.

>>46544711
Add to that, if we take it out of order, any attempted reinforcement from a level adjacent to one of "ours" opens it up to immediate counter-assault from above.

>>46545004
However, a big surprise we had for cornucopia is the boar, which needs Bri to operate.

>Not having Jewel join back up with her angel waifu

SHIGGERUS DIGGERUS

>>46542002
>> Spare it
> For now. Operate under the assumption that we will be destroying it shortly.
I'll throw my vote in for this one also. Draugs aren't generally good news, but a surrender is a surrender, and hey, we've spared less likely people.

>>46545171
This is a very good point. I was against the boar to begin with, but since we have him might as well use him.

>>46545472
But Seraphina is a bitch.

Four hours and change to call. I may turn in early after updating and get an early start tomorrow.

>>46541945
>>> Spare it

Bump.

Two hours and change.

>>46548293
How did a boar get into the dungeon?

>>46548682
Pretty sure it was born there.

>>46541945
>Ignore it; see what Amy and Nate do
Focus on killing the rest of them, it's pulled lower on the priority list, that's all.

>>46549172

So...how did the /first/ boar get into the Dungeon, then, would seem to be the operative question...

>>46549816
The better question would be, which came first, the boar or the egg?

>>46549816
a wizard did it

>>46550046

Or, in this case, an angel.

>>46550343
nah I think vox said at one point the labyrinth was not made by Lora, assuming that is right it was made by somebody for REASONS filled with deadly traps and then they brought in creatures which the traps would not harm. Not only is it a reference but there is a legit chance it was actually a wizard.

Off work and on my way home. Good time for final votes and questions.

Home, called, tallying, writing.

Is he dead?

>>46550641
>>46551433
We call you forth!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrlCk0qIzbY

It just occurred to me that Nate doesn't seem to get short of breath as often. Has he just gotten better at compensating for having been choked to death, or has the increased air pressure as we desend further into the depths improved his respiration efficiency?

>>46552650
No, it's a combination of him having to move a bit slower and me getting neglectful with my travel descriptions.

>>46552846
Y'could also say he's getting better at endurace even given his handicap.

I have been abruptly struck with a vision.
A vision of Amy making a nest out of the bedsheets, Nate and Bri sharing a "that's adorable" moment as they look at her all curled up.
Then she wakes, and as she rises they see she was cuddling chicks. Chicks that look like Bri and whose shadows try to fly off without them.

>>46553271
>they didn't notice she was pregnant?
>eggs take a while to hatch
>Amy&Bri wouldn't be able to have kids together without literal divine intervention, let alone with Nate mixed in
>the detached-shadow thing that Nate&Nat have that I can't remember the name of is a curse, not a heritable trait

It's an absolutely adorable picture, certainly, but my brain demands I point out the flaws.

>>46553408
>Amy appears equally confused
>no eggshells seem to be present
>somewhere above, a raven giggles to itself
>they have normal eyes despite their shadows

File: 1442255644601.jpg (248 KB, 1024x1369)

248 KB JPG

>>46541945
You whistle for your shadow. "Kat, detain him."

The look of relief on the ruins of the draug's face is visible even from here. Kat forces his hands behind his back while Nathan and Amy put down the twitching remnants of the other draugs.

"You win the prize," you drawl, advancing with your eyes on the sides of the passage. "Why were you trying to break into Clan Dropforge's turf?"

"We're /hungry/," the draug drawls.

"There's easier prey."

"...Razor Feathers promised a tribute if we destroyed them for her."

"That's better," you say flatly. "You want a smoke?"

"I'd kill for...yes," the cannibal finishes, lamely. You shake out a cigarette, light it, and gingerly stick it between his frosty lips. "Thanks," he mutters, working it into the corner of his mouth.

"How exactly do you figure this ends, draug?" you ask, without malice. "Tell me what you were imagining when you threw down arms."

"I was imagining a world where I don't die a second time."

"Good luck with that one," Amy snorts.

"It's hypothetically possible," you murmur.

"What," Nate and Amy say at the same time.

"I'm going to make you dormant now. You'll wake up when I wake you, and that's all I'm going to promise," you tell the draug. "Can't say that ain't fair, yeah?"

"...I suppose not."

To his credit, the creature doesn't thrash or lunge while you prepare your veve. You drive a small shard of silver into his chest and look the undead man in the eyes. "You have a name?"

"John," the draug answers.

"Sleep well, John." You rest your cane against his head and murmur your incantation; the draug stiffens in rigor mortis, and goes still.

"What'd you do to him?" Amy asks.

"He's dormant. It's...the closest something like him gets to sleeping. It isn't precisely a favor to him," you admit. "He'll be remembering his life, from birth to death, and he'll just keep doing that until I wake him up." You stand, slowly. "Diving Shadow, will you carry him?"

File: 1449514321996.jpg (112 KB, 572x303)

112 KB JPG

>>46554554
Diving Shadow picks John up without a word. Somehow, the cigarette stays in his mouth.

You light a cigarette of your own - might as well use the torch while you've got it - and think about your next course of action.

> Tell the dwarves the draugs are gone, then go negotiate with Hunting Talon
> Get Clan Dropforge's side of the story before you do anything else
> Go stash John and interrogate /him/ instead.
> Write-in?

File: The_Ghost_King_by_Talking_Jive.jpg (68 KB, 600x558)

68 KB JPG

>>46554554

>554554
Does this count as doubles?

>>46554641
> Tell the dwarves the draugs are gone, then go negotiate with Hunting Talon

>>46554641
>Go stash John and interrogate /him/ instead.

>>46554641
>Don't tell the dwarves anything, go straight to Hunting Talon
Get HIS side of the story first, since he's more likely to flip out based on assumptions.

File: Cao Cao.jpg (9 KB, 225x225)

9 KB JPG

>>46554641
>> Tell the dwarves the draugs are gone, then go negotiate with Hunting Talon

File: Upgraded Vim and Vigor.jpg (128 KB, 744x750)

128 KB JPG

>>46554641
>> Write-in?
Get the revered to speak in our behalf with the dwarves. Then make a apoitment. At the same time go with Amy and Nate to go talking with Hunting talon. Don't know if the dwarves will respect the priest, and not attack him at first sight, but for him being well... a priest... they may have some respect for him?

>>46554641
> Tell the dwarves the draugs are gone, then go negotiate with Hunting Talon

>>46554791
>large gripping surface to remove and/or throw off a cliff
>upgrades

Gonna be honest, too fucked up from lack of sleep and my day to update again tonight. I'll be at this first thing in the morning; votes remain open in the meantime.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46554554
An interesting opportunity.

John neatly side-steps the moral ambiguity of making a draug, being natural, but not of the feeding, however. If we entertain the thought of having a draug minion, he's probably the closest we'd get with an attempt to remain as moral as possible.

Not really sure if there is any necromancer thing we can do to ensure a short rope with him though.

>>46555740
He'd need feeding.

>>46556222
Well how often and how much?

Does he eat harpy?

Can we feed him The Hatchet Man?

I'm sure the Lush, being a giant, if stored properly, could feed our pet Draug for some time.

>>46556321
That. Seems a bit creepy?

>>46556321
While this plan is not exactly zombie armies, I can't help but feel it's a bit farther in that direction than we should be going. Plus, it would not exactly be great for our PR.

>>46554641
>Brianna and Diving Shadow can talk to Hunting Talon, while Amy and Nathan talk with Clan Dropforge.

>>46556321
While I thoroughly approve of the Lush being eaten alive by draug, Brianna is a necromancer of high moral standards, and does not condone such behavior.

Now, if it's possible to create vampire wolves or lions, I am completely game.

>>46554641
Oh! If we go to talk with either Hunting Talon or Clan Dropforge, could we bring John along? He may be able to share some details (like Razor Feather's sending them after the dwarves) that they weren't aware of.

Also, I get the feeling that the harpy from Hunting Talon's murder who was 'accidentally' slain was more than just another murderbird.

>>46556866
>>46558067
>>46558688

Oh yeah, I'm not advocating it.

Actually, well, I am.

But it would certainly be grossly out of character.

>still gonna vote to feed human remains to our undead bro

>>46554641
>> Tell the dwarves the draugs are gone, then go negotiate with Hunting Talon

>>46554641
> Go stash John and interrogate /him/ instead.

> Do it with a representative from the dwarves so we have a witness to make sure our interpretation is unbiased

>>46554641
>still gonna vote to feed human remains to our undead bro

I mean, it's not like we won't encounter them and it's a chance for them to be helpful after death.

Also, a) we can put him in stasis and control the frequency, or

B) Talk to Laura about affecting the Draug in her realm maybe she can change the rules for them so they are less monstrous.

>>46554641
> Go stash John and interrogate /him/ instead.

He's pretty interesting, and I kind of don't want to leave him in stasis if it's kind of emotional and mental torture.

>>46559485
>Laura

Newfag

>>46554641
> Go stash John and interrogate /him/ instead.

> Get Clan Dropforge's side of the story before you do anything else

We're not just passing through or wandering adventurers. We're also the Heritor so we don't really have the luxury of not getting involved.

Also, negotiations might give us two allies instead of one.

And if >>46559485 is correct and we can commit to helping and changing the Draugs situation we'll get a SHIT ton of legitimacy. Raven shrine will prolly back us up too, and I feel Ms. Vacation will be interested in us getting that done.

>>46559519
Phone autocorrects. Lora, one name like Madonna or Cher.

>>46558723
Why? If he's so loyal he'd be furious about any of them, right?

So what should we do with all this gear?

I'm awake. Morning shit, then will call and write.

>>46554641
>Tell the dwarves the draugs are gone, then go negotiate with Hunting Talon.
Some peace of mind for them at least.

>>46561361
right, right, sorry about that.

SO, how's that death bottle looking right now?

Called, writing.

>>46561867
Pretty damn full, though when you get the chance to check it there's some things to communicate about it.

As far as slaying spells go - when you opted not to have Bri know war magic back in the day, it got shuffled into "things she still needs to learn". You've had admittedly mostly-offscreen training time since then, and Bri's got a solid grasp of the theory. You can definitely try it out, but the results may be slightly crude - the difference between, say, beating a guy to death with a brick vs. jamming a knife in his kidneys.

>>46561954
>slightly crude
well that may or may not be the impression we want to give, if it comes to that.

File: Attempted Diplomacy.jpg (56 KB, 529x417)

56 KB JPG

>>46554641
"Alright," you decide. "Amy, Shadow, is Talon likely to act quickly the moment he realizes that Dropforge isn't being pressed?"

"Anyone would," Diving Shadow answers, mildly. "Strike quickly or not at all."

You nod. "That's about what I thought. I'm going to inform the dwarves that they're safe...ish...and then we're going to go head this off. If everyone's ready."

Amy meets your questioning look with a small nod. You raise your sword-cane and use it to rap, politely, on the reinforced steel door.

An eye-slit at dwarf height opens up after a long moment. "Aye?"

You squat down on your heels. "Brianna la Croix, good dwarf. Your draug problem is settled, and we'll be leaving momentarily."

You can't see the incomprehending look on the dwarf's face but you can definitely imagine it. "Did that outta the goodness o' yer heart, did ye?"

"Well. Maybe forty percent goodness of my heart," you admit. "Do you still want Hunting Talon off of your back?"

"...Is /that/ forty percent goodness o' yer heart?" the dwarf asks, suspiciously.

"More like thirty."

"Let me get the chief."

The eye slit closes. You look up at Nate's confused expression and grin.

"What're you doing, Bri?" the Hero asks.

"Taking some advice from my sister," you tell him. "I'm speaking the local language."

The slit opens again; the eyes behind it are cautious but not, you think, suspicious. Age and worry line them. "I'll not mince words," the gruff voice on the other side of the door rumbles. "What is it ye want for this service?"

"Nothing much," you tell him. "First, one of the draugs was taken prisoner. He is mine. Second, be prepared to bargain in good faith with Hunting Talon. And third, after I get Talon off of your back, be ready to sit down and listen to why I'm down here and why I'd like you to help. Deal?"

"...Deal."

"Then we'll be back shortly," you tell the dwarf. You stand and stretch; the eye slit closes without further comment.

>>46562499
Well, at least The Roost breeds quick decision making.

File: 1450838713715.jpg (66 KB, 544x953)

66 KB JPG

>>46562499
"Watch my back," you tell the others. "I need to prepare myself to go out there."

You put some distance between yourself and the door to Dropforge's turf and kneel. You set down your death bottle and pop the cork, and -

Hold up. That's odd.

You raise the bottle and peer inside of it, like an alcoholic searching for that last lonely drop of whiskey. You search the outside of the bottle, double-check your work on it, and set it down with a frown.

It's leaking. But not faster than it's filling; the bottle continues to draw in the background death of the Roost, but its contents are draining away, to /somewhere/.

> Deal with it later, you're busy
> Investigate

>>46562615
>> Investigate
Something is fucking with us, let's find out whom or what

>>46562615
>Investigate
This is not an insignificant issue.

>>46562615
>>INVESTIGATE

>PANIC!

>>46562615
Some poor jackass is stealing death.

>>46562615
>Investigate
I bet it's the dwarves

>>46562615
> Investigate

This is a trap option, of course, because it'll distract us long enough for Talon to make his move, but SOMEONE'S FUCKING WITH OUR SHIT

>>46562615
>> Investigate

File: Gargoyle_by_LiquidNerve.jpg (170 KB, 600x996)

170 KB JPG

>>46562615
> Investigate
So there is something feeding from the death energy? What could be so strong that would need a great amount of death energy...am guessing it's a dracolinch.

>>46562615
>Investigate.
Because this isn't ominous at all.

>>46562864
..Except Vox has stated that none of the other Chain-Holders are necromancers, and the only dragon we've even heard of is the Wyrm.

I hope this is just those Vampires trying to make things nice and cushy for themselves. If the anon from the previous thread is right and the Chain-Holders' have been 'farming' death from the Roost for their pet necromancers, then we're going to have problems. Only so much death available..right?

>>46562843
I actually think the best person to fuck with Brianna would be someone who could create an abundance of /life/, like a powerful druid. It would totally mess with her Death-Sense.

>>46562972
Hey i never said that it was a chain holder. Or isn't there "natural" undead animals like the Draugs? It could be 'just' a skeleton dragon too.

But it's more likely the vamps.

Called, writing.

>>46562972
Expanding on this thought for a second, if an overabundance of life could create a smothering effect on normal necromancy (or just throw Brianna's senses out of tune), what's going to happen in the Cornucopia?

>>46563004
Not riding you or anything, but Vox stated /waaaay/ earlier in the Quest that the dragon's in his magical realm are things that spontaneously (or seemingly so, the Gods probably haven't told anybody /why/) form in certain places, and are more akin to elementals than magical animals. The Wyrm is one of the Chain-Holders, and was likely formed from the very Dungeon itself.

Not that the idea of dealing with a zombie dragon isn't kind of appealing. We can be real murderhobos! I wonder what kind of loot it has?

Well, while there might not be another necromancer around, that doesn't mean that domeone can't be draining off the energies of death for some other magical purpose.

Also, if someone is powering some machination by use of death energy, the entire Roost is probably one huge battery of death-power. This could be incredibly serious.

>>46563081
...Wasn't there some ironclad being built to 'insure' that the Pall-Bearer followed Dick's orders? That /might/ be something, but I'm not sure that necromancy can actually do anything to fuel war machines.

>>46563050
Hey, Vox, are you going to do a q&a after the thread ends? I got a question, but I don't want to interrupt more than I already am.

>>46563060
No problem am not upset. But i guess aside from the draugs and the vamps there isn't anything deadlier, in undead related creatures, in the roost.

Maybe it is just a shade then... And i just though of something...can we feed negative energy to the draugs? In a way they won't need to eat the fleash of the living? Imagine if we give a bottle for each draug so they could feed from the very same energy in the roost.

But i guess the energy would inevitably end...

>>46563148
>The goddess DOES talk with the priest and his acolyte as well.
....no, she explicitly doesn't. Gods generally only talk to Chosen. How could you get that of all things wrong?

File: 1449940673052.jpg (44 KB, 352x370)

44 KB JPG

>>46562615
On the one hand, your bottle's not draining fast enough to empty. On the other hand, /why is your bottle draining/?

You fish out the stone with a hole in it and concentrate. It's not a spell, exactly, so much as focusing on your death sense; like closing your eyes and taking a deep whiff of a scent. There's a sensation of motion, not of a flow but of a /tug/, gentle but insistent.

You frown and concentrate on the stone. Your breath shortens as you make the minor sacrifice needed to investigate further, and your sense broadens.

What you pick up are focus points - likely runes, definitely large - that have been installed in the Roost. They sap constantly at the death of the place and funnel it down, deeper into the Dungeon. Your mind follows the stream of energy until it levels off and splits two separate directions. One has the telltale feeling of death and age; the other is hotter, fresher, and full of fury.

At least now you know. Your bottle isn't being targeted, it just happens to have death within the draining effect.

"Fuck," you mutter. "The draugs and vampires are going to have to feed more often to stay up. That's. That's just what we needed, starving undead."

"Bri?" Amy asks.

"It's nothing. Or, at least, it isn't important /right now/." you say with a shake of your head. You put your hand over the lip of your death bottle and begin weaving the spell to shield you from the Roost's effects.

>>46563105
Well, technically the ghost bottle serves as a sink fornecromantic power, but that's actually a form of life power, because Brianna uses it instead of her own life force. If somethign is draining that life-source, and doing it throughout the Toost, what's happening is that the energies of life are being siphoned off a little at a time. but everyone being so violent and deadly, no one would really notice the constant drain of their life force in such tiny amounts over such a large area. With the corrupted death essence that floods the place, Bri wouldn't have noticed a pervasive, perwsistent drain.

And just because the energy is being drained, doesn't necessarily mean it has to fuel a necromantic engine of destruction - only something that uses life-force as a powersource. I wouldn't have any ideas because we're only familiar with one or two types of magic so far.

>>46563412
I KNEW IT, WE'RE FUCKED

there's only one more necromancer down there, right? Was it the one helping the boat? It's starting to sound more like a battleship.

>>46563473
Could they start putting these runes in place to make necromancy harder to perform? I know that Brianna's use of her own life force rather than someone else's makes it somewhat moot, but if they can take away her craft, she won't have any way to challenge them (without learning new shit REALLY quickly).

>>46563507
no, it's been in place too long to be specifically built to combat a necro-heritor.

And the other, more recent one is likely to be the Daughter, doing entirely unrelated tactics to kill us all.

>>46563412
I wonder can we disable one of the focus points, make it look like a cave in or something, so when someone comes to fix it, we jump him and find out what's going on?

>>46563549
Roost is the start node, the two end nodes are on different floors

>>46563641
They're probably located on the Roof (the very top of the Roost), and the very bottom.

I'm thinking that Razor-Feathers sent those Draug after the dwarves to keep the death flowing, and likely had a hand in the feud between Clan Dropforge and Hunting-Talon.

>>46563549
Those vampires might know something, but we'll have to twist their arm pretty badly to get it. As in, staked to a wall and tortured with holy water.

>>46563926
I think the vampires don't want people messing with their food. Maybe with enough dark energy they wouldn't need to feed? Like the Kue-jin in world of darkness.
We can potentialy 'save' and make the vampires and Draugs and 'heal' them from their need to feed from thje living.

I just don't know if vampirism is a curse or you can use magic to become one.

>>46564022
It's an option for Necromancers, but Lichdom is easier since it means you don't have to eat to survive and won't melt when you step outside. If you ever leave your crypt, of course.

File: Amy Objects.png (425 KB, 405x600)

425 KB PNG

>>46563412
The insulating feeling is odd. In a lot of ways it's like having a scarf wrapped around your death sense; you're protected, but it's harder to feel, to see, what you're looking at. Your stone with a hole in is gonna get a lot of work here. You tuck it back into your pocket and nod to the others; it's time to head out.

You backtrack to the door where you first spotted Hunting Talon. It's still slightly ajar, letting you slip cautiously -

Into a ring of harpies, perched with grim expressions on their faces. Hunting Talon glares at you with his one good eye.

He doesn't give an order, but he doesn't have to. Four of the harpies swoop into screeching dives. One catches Banquet upside the head for her trouble; you duck the talons of the bird-person diving for you with a surprised yelp.

Amy catches hers and slams the harpy against the stone floor. She stomps her booted foot and lets out a bird-like shriek.

Talon shrieks back, and the harpies go deathly still; the one tangling with Diving Shadow halts entirely, eyes on his leader.

> Say something
> Let Amy handle it

>>46564046
Uh...well now we only need to know if the vampires in the roost are violent...i don't believe i just wrote this. They live in the roost of course they are violent... Well vampires tend to be a more sociable creature then draugs soo..guess we will see.

>>46564076
> Let Amy handle it

She is harpy and she knows how to deal with other like her and with Talon so i guess this is the best option.

>>46564076
> Let Amy handle it

>>46563118
Feel free to just ask, my friend. I'll let'cha know if answer(s) will be long enough for me to wanna postpone it.

>>46563207
Gods /most frequently/ talk to the Chosen. The Chosen are the folks who get to have casual conversations, generally. Speaking to lay members is rare but not unheard of; most commonly, this is in the form of accepting offerings (in a related story, priests generally get told when a god would prefer that said offering be put to use by the temple).

>>46564076
>Let Amy handle it.
She's a big girl. We can trust her.

I hope.

>>46564076
>Let Amy handle it

Try not to be scared. First order of business after we secure the Roost, those vacuum runes.

>>46564076
> Let Amy handle it

Remember harpy arguments, people.

Wings & fists fine. Claws bad.

>>46564169
and that only reinforces my point with regards to the context of the claim: it IS unusual for a goddess to have such an extended conversation with Bri.

>>46564222
Certainly. I was contesting 'only the Chosen', not that it was odd. If I came off as dismissive I didn't mean to; I'm still a little out of it.

>>46564222
>>46564259
Brianna is a pretty unusual case. The Lady of Ravens had good reason to want to talk with her.

>>46564222
Dude Bri is already the chosen heritor. So it isn't so uncommon.

>>46564274
Bri has a magnetic personality for one.

>>46564076
>> Let Amy handle it

Called, writing.

We're all going to die with our innards ripped out.

>>46564609
We will all be skeletons one day too.

>>46564609
>>46564668
We are all dust in the wind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ

File: Offended Amy Glare.jpg (105 KB, 600x450)

105 KB JPG

>>46564076
Amy has this. You hope. The look on Hunting Talon's face is a cross between shock, joy, fury, and hope. He chirps back, his voice echoing across the distance. Amy's response makes his wings bristle, and her feathers raise in turn, chiming angrily.

The harpy pinned beneath Amy's foot tries to get up, and gives up when she presses harder.

"Use lorshan," Amy finally snaps, interrupting herself mid-sentence. "You're being /rude/."

"This isn't their business," Talon answers, icily.

"Like hell it's not. Call off your birds, Talon."

"Why were you helping the dwarves?" the harpy demands.

"BECAUSE SITTING BACK AND WATCHING WHILE PEOPLE GET EATEN ALIVE BY FUCKING ZOMBIES IS HEARTLESS AND CRUEL YOU FUCKING VULTURE!" Amy yells.

"...Is this normal?" you murmur to Diving Shadow.

"If they start making out, yes," the older harpy answers mildly. "Otherwise, no."

"That's reassuring."

Hunting Talon launches himself from his perch and lands in front of Amy, tense and bristling. Your lover glares at him, holding her ground with fury in her icy eyes.

Talon leans in for a kiss, only to be stopped by Amy's firm hand against his chest. He looks down, then up at her in confusion.

Amy hops back with a beat of her metallic wings.

"We need to talk," Amy murmurs. "Call off your birds."

"Only if you call off your mercenaries," the harpy answers, his tone reasonable.

"We, ah. We're not exactly mercenaries," you speak up.

"What Bri said," Amy agrees. "I'm with them. They're not with me."

You have Hunting Talon's attention now. "And who, precisely, are you?"

> Introduce yourself

Write-iiiiiiiins

>>46564824
>"Brianna la Croix. Ethical Necromancer, reluctant Hero, and terrible caffeine addict. A pleasure."

Engage the sass cannnon!

>>46564824
I'm wondering if maybe we should implicate having talked to the lady of ravens, if there's an opportunity. It could help, but might also be seen as a bluff.

>>46564866
this, + "...And Falling Knives' girlfriend."

>>46564824
>Introduce yourself

I'm Brianna la Croix, journeyman necromancer. The Dwarfs want to negotiate a crease of agrettions. We're the neutral party, in the sense we aren't envolved with what happend between you and the dwarves, well not until now...

>>46564900
...I don't think we should at that. Not yet, anyways. Later, maybe, but not while there's this much tension in the air.

Generally giving him a tad less information seems to be appropriate. He will know that we are a necromancer, so we can say that, but the "reluctant hero" part? We don't want him to think of us even more as a mercenary.

Therefore, supporting >>46564926

File: maxresdefault.jpg (270 KB, 1920x1080)

270 KB JPG

>>46564926
>crease
I meant to write cease.

>>46564926
>>46565067
I believe you may also have meant 'aggressions' and 'involved'.

File: 014.jpg (208 KB, 700x1050)

208 KB JPG

>>46565082
Have i mention that am terrible in english?

This vote'll be extended, not for anything important but because I wanna go for a walk before the snow gets too deep outside. I'll call when I return home.

>>46565067
sauce

>>46564926
Agreeing with this as well. Preferably with fixed English.

>>46565167
Skallgarim

At some point, wasn't there mention of the Harpies having a name/legend about Lora? Could use that in the introduction

>>46564824
>Introduce yourself
>"Brianna La Croix, Necromancer. The reason we helped the Dwarves is because death and undeath are my job and the Roost has a problem with both."

>>46564866
>Saviour of Amy, smoker of terrible cigarettes, ...
Followed by list of chain-holders we defeated/ saved if the harpies even know of them.

>>46565574
You ever wonder what the talk will be like when Bri's kids ask how she met Nate and Amy?

>>46566006
>Well, my hero? Killed him. And a couple hours later I cut of ames' wings. Still couldn't keep their hands of me, damn maniacs...

>>46566059
Don't forget that this all happened immediately after we got torn to shreds by a giant crocodile abomination.

>>46566059
>>46566083
Our kids are never going to believe us

>>46566155
Yes they will. Sir Fetch will spend all of his spare time orating tales of our heroics and romance. The best part though?
>"Woah! Who's that Mom?"
>"That's your Aunt Lora. She's an angel."
>"Cool!"

Cue angelic blushing.

>>46566450
> What is this tiny mortal and why is it falling asleep on me? Bri? Bri halp.

Home in about thirty.

>>46566651
>"Bye Aunt Lora! I love you!"
>"Why is my face leaking?"

The feels, they are relentless.

>>46564824

> Brianna la Croix, Necromancer. Heritor. Slayer of the Vintner, who imprisoned Amy. Slayer of the Moneychanger. Liberator of the Atheneum. Slayer of the Baron. Vanquisher of the Traitor. I'm here to see that the Roost is no longer an eyrie of murder and despair, and I'm expecting you to help me make that happen.

Don't hold back, because I suspect that modesty, false or otherwise, won't get us very far here. But setting expectations of people has a way of needling them to rise to meet them.

>>46567127
ooh, this is a really good one.

>>46567127
I'll second this one but we should really not say we vanquished the traitor, since we sort of slept upstairs the whole time.

Home, called. From the looks of things, some variant on >>46567127 is in the lead? I'm having some difficulty tallying on this one.

>>46568173
If it helps in in favor of this one too >>46567127

>>46568173
I mean, could we not say the "I'm going to make this place not an eyrie of murder an despair"

For two reasons.

One, aren't harpy groups called murders? TRANSLATION ISSUES!

Two, I thought the plan was to get it out of control of the bad guys. We really can't stick around to play peacekeeper

>>46568442
Good point. Agreed.

>>46568442
As usual I intended on translating intent rather than precisely quoting.

>>46568592
Based lich. Best DM.

>>46568592
Well two is pretty much all about intent.

I want to shoot Osama Bin Laden in the face and then get out, not stick around to establish a puppet democracy to please the voters back home.

>>46568173
>>46568592
Some points
>We didn't slay Vintner or vanquished the Traitor personally, That was Amy and Nathan.
>Maybe add in that Some Dick is exploiting the Roost for his personal gain.

>>46568649
Well Fetch fought Miles during the Vintner fight which is TECHNICALLY still us.

>>46568665
> "Three times I have defeated the Secondborn with only my cock."

>>46568751
I mean, that second one was only half-demon so it's more like 2 and 1/2 times.

>>46568665
As far as I remember, Fetch was busy with Miles, and I think Vintner was all Amy.

>>46568777
That miners line was the best though:

" I am seeing a undead chicken fight a demon and nobody is going to believe me when i tell then about it."

>>46568827
If Fetch wasn't fighting Miles though, Amy wouldn't have been able to kill the Vintner. You contribute to the fight, you get a portion of the glory.

>>46568751
We HAVE to include this somehow.

Is he dead?

>>46571283
as Vox is a lich, "is he still animate" is the more appropriate question.

>>46571283
What is dead may never die.

>>46571444
But it's cock can be cut off.

>>46571283
He must be out of mana.

File: Bri with Kat.png (262 KB, 905x897)

262 KB PNG

>>46564824
Sorry about the delay here folks, I've been staring at the post box trying to write and coming up blank.

"Name's Brianna la Croix, necromancer by trade," you say. You gesture to your companions with your cane. "Though I've been branching out lately. I assisted Amy in revenging herself on the Vintner, slew the Moneychanger and liberated the Lichyard from her control, defeated the Poet, returned the Atheneum to normal, and lead the coalition that killed the Baron. I can't take credit for recent events in New Hell," you note, thoughtfully. "That was Nate and Amy."

"...What happened to Amy?" Hunting Talon murmurs.

"I was imprisoned, Talon," Amy answers softly. "For three years. Brianna rescued me. She saved my life. And we need to talk."

"Is that why you came down here?" Talon asks.

"It's one of the reasons," Amy admits.

"We have business in the Roost," you tell him. "Amy's captor had allies that were complicit in his behavior. Allies whose servants are ruling your home. I'm going to drag Razor Feathers from her perch, and then I'm going to open the doors. There might be some other activities between then and now, involving the draugs, the vampires, and the dwarf clans allied to Feathers."

"What about the giant spider blocking access to the Broken Jaw?" Hunting Talon asks in what is, as far as you can tell, complete innocence.

"The fucking what?" you and Amy ask in equal shock.

"...Let's talk," Talon decides at last. "Do you have a place of preference?"

"Raven Shrine," Amy says quickly.

"Fair enough. Give me an hour, my love."

Amy winces, then nods. Talon makes a call, and his Murder flies away en masse.

Except for the one on the floor in front of Amy. He looks up at her as if asking her permission to leave.

"You did well," Amy says to her erstwhile captive. "I've just had a bad time lately. Go on."

The harpy scrambles to his feet and leaps from the ledge, flying to join the rest of the murder.

>>46572955
You didn't drinked your coffe today did you Vox?

File: Family Motto.png (31 KB, 600x700)

31 KB PNG

>>46572955
"C'mon," Amy deflates visibly. "Let's go."

The trip back to the shrine is quiet. Amy sits in a niche and hangs her head, looking guilty. You and Nate sit to either side of her and put your arms around her shoulders.

Quietly, your little bird starts to cry.

> This requires head scratches
> Ask if she wants to talk
> Give Nate a Significant Look; comfort will mean more coming from him right now
> Write-in?

>>46573211
> Give Nate a Significant Look; comfort will mean more coming from him right now

>>46573211
>> Give Nate a Significant Look; comfort will mean more coming from him right now

>>46573211
>I don't suppose she would prefer to piggyback on Nate for a while, take a chance to not need to walk?

>>46573060
...

You know, I haven't?

Lemme go fix that.

>>46573211
>Give Nate a Significant Look; comfort will mean more coming from him right now
>>46573642
This is an intervention. Caffeine dependency is a serious problem.

>>46573211
>> Give Nate a Significant Look; comfort will mean more coming from him right now

>>46573849
You leave my drugs alone.

>>46573991
I'm sorry mister Lich, but you cannot be allowed to have your draugs any longer. Take'em away, boys!

>>46573991
>You leave my drugs alone.
>leave my drugs alone
>my drugs alone
>drugs alone
>drugs a
>draugs
coffee --> zombie armies

File: black_angel_by_anotherwan(...).jpg (466 KB, 636x900)

466 KB JPG

>>46573642
it would be the only explanation for you being drowsing like that.

>>46573211
>This requires head scratches
Maximum cuteness, Amy needs something to remind her of what she has.

>>46573211
>> Give Nate a Significant Look; comfort will mean more coming from him right now
plus head scritches, duh

Called, writing.

Okay, THAT time was real life. In the meantime, I'd like to re-state that questions any time are welcome.

>>46576770
How many licks does it take to get to the chewy center of an Elder God?

File: 86KWU4g.gif (776 KB, 500x273)

776 KB GIF

>>46576904

>>46576770

Who do you support this election cycle?

God forgive me?

>>46577303

...He said that questions were welcome; he didn't say he'd answer every one X-D

>>46577303
You'll understand my refusal to answer or comment on this.

>>46577404
Yeah, it was worth a try though, wasn't it?

File: Kill Yourself.jpg (47 KB, 550x481)

47 KB JPG

>>46577387
>Using emoji on a japanese image board

>>46577404
Vox this is a random anon, but I gotta say I crunched through your backlog and god damn you know how to write. That being said, why does everyone you know harp on the Anita Blake series? The first three books were pretty good, granted the later books became less about plot and more about sex hidden behind the plot. Ok a lot of sex, but it starts out with the same vibes I'm getting from Bri here, a necromancer whose trying to make due and give respect to the dead.

Granted when the series starts out Anita is more of a necromancer that is hired on hand by lawyers and police work to help figure out murder crimes by asking the victim what happened to them to begin with. Or in some cases where a will is contested and the wording was uncleared they hire Anita to ask the guy in question what he meant.

>>46577534
Welcome to the quest, anon. As far as the recs against Blake, what you're talking about is pretty much the essence of them. When I start a series I feel compelled to finish it; I was warned away from that one.

>>46578224
Well there are still nuggets of the oringinal in there that make for interesting lore bits, but the conversion from necromancer to succubus/necromancer kinda made it weird...

File: Nate by Domochevsky.png (434 KB, 1140x1623)

434 KB PNG

>>46573211
Your eyes go to Nate. He catches your gaze and gives you a soft nod; he squeezes Amy's shoulder, affectionately.

"You wanna tell me what's wrong, pretty bird?" Nate murmurs.

"I'm a terrible p-person," Amy sobs. "I didn't...I didn't want to yell at him, I just...I just got so angry and then he was yelling and...and then when we told him about the cage and..."

Nathan hugs Amy close while she cries on him. The Hero lets it happen, for a little while, while her feathers lay flat and still against her wings. Eventually she cries herself out, hugged up against Nate and sniffling miserably.

"You're not a terrible person," Nathan murmurs. "You wouldn't be upset if you didn't care, Ames."

"He waited for me," Amy whispers.

"It wouldn't hurt less if he hadn't," you tell her quietly. "You shocked him as much as he shocked you."

The half-harpy lets out a forlorn chirp. "...I shouldn't have just left. I should've...I should've said something, I should've talked to him. I -"

Nate puts a finger on Amy's lips. "It's done," the Hero tells her quietly. "And it can't be un-done. Are you sorry?" Amy nods, her icy eyes wide. "Then tell him that. Tell him all the things you told us. Be honest, because that's all he, or anyone, can ask. Okay?"

Amy nods and tilts her head up to kiss Nate on the chin. "I...I should go clean up. He'll be here soon."

The three of you work your way out of the niche - it really was not made for this - so that Amy can splash water on her face and make herself presentable. You and Nathan find yourselves following suit, as much to show willing as anything; you pack a bowl and light it. Amy's eyes linger on the pipe she made for you, and the half-harpy gives you a little smile and a kiss on the cheek.

Now there's nothing to do but wait.

>>46580074
...i just realized the nate in the picture has no nose...

File: 1439093152978.jpg (233 KB, 761x1000)

233 KB JPG

>>46580074
Diving Shadow excuses herself. "I have history with Talon," she explains quietly. "He knows I don't approve of him. He also knows my stance on oaths of fidelity. I will not be dragged in for either side."

"Fair enough," you agree. "...You know that by being absent, you're supporting Amy's choice?"

"I know," Diving Shadow agrees, before she slips into the kitchen.

"...I'm about to tell him our engagement is off," Amy says with the horror of sudden realization.

"Ames, love, was that not the point?" you ask.

"I'm going to break an oath I swore to the gods in the shrine of the goddess I swore it to," Amy explains.

Nathan stops with a coffee mug halfway to his lips and just stares.

Talon's arrival interrupts any further discussion on the matter. Nathan puts his cup back down with surprising grace, considering the situation. Silently, the male harpy proceeds to one of the mats before the altar and settles down to pay his respects.

Despite the absolute silence in the room, you can /hear/ Amy deciding if she wants to do this, say, ten feet outside. You bite back the urge to rescue her by saying something yourself.

Amy needs to do this herself. Talon deserves that much.

The male harpy stands and bobs a bow to the altar before turning to face Amy. He walks close to her and stops, looking unsure.

* * * *

You are Amy the Dungeonbreaker. Today has been...emotional.

The worry in Talon's eye gives him a gentle quality that you only ever see when he's with you, or with the hatchlings. It makes your heart ache.

"Talon, I..."

> What do you say?

>>46580862
just take it slow
>Amy's changed
>life outside the roost has been a learning experience
>don't want to be the kind of person that rules the roost anymore
>breaking the engagement.

Okay, that took entirely too long, and I think maybe I just need to do something else briefly to cycle my brain. I'ma play some vidja and call the vote in twenty, thirty or so, aye?

>>46580915
Oohh!! What are you playing?

>>46580862
>There's no easy way to say this. Since the last time you saw me, so much has happened. I was forced into doing terrible things. I was tortured. My wings were broken and had to be cut off to save my life.
>I've also seen so much out side of the roost. I...I had to learn. And I think that I've changed. Not just you know, the wings. I'm a different person now. And I don't want to be the ruler of the roost. Not the way you want to
>I can't be with you anymore Talon.

>>46580862

>I should have told you before I left. That I was scared, that I couldn't go through with it, that I can't be be the person you want me to be. I know you, Talon, I know how much you want to rule the Roost, but I don't, and I can't. And I didn't want you to give up on it just to try to stay with me, because then you'd be just as miserable as I would be. And now... I've moved on, Talon. I'm sorry.

Also,

>with the hatchlings

What.

WHAT.

GODDAMNIT AMY DID YOU FORGET YOU HAD KIDS TOO?!

>>46581525
No, Amy has had no kids. The murder's hatchlings.

>>46581323
Transistor. Still fairly early.

Called, writing. Final update of the night.

>>46581512
Change is a risk you take when you leave. It's not exactly something that was sought out, but it happens. And sometimes, those changes mean you can't go back to what you had before.

Hunting Talon stayed here, and changed in ways without Amy too I'm sure.

Fuck it, too tired to write. Votes are re-opened, and I'll handle this in the morning. Got tomorrow off as well so look foward to, again, a nice long run.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46582814
>Got tomorrow off as well so look foward to, again, a nice long run.

So three updates in six hours? Neat

>>46582853
...You're not wrong.

I'll put the coffee on automatic before I pass out.

>>46582869
It's the only complaint I have really. You take waaaay too long.

But it's good so I don't care. Just giving you a hard time for shits and giggles.

Sleep well

>>46582916
Honestly, I've been out of it today/lately for no good reason. Like, everything's going fine, life's looking more or less up, aaaaaaaaand I stare at a blank screen for long periods of time unable to write.

's frustrating, but I'll get over it.

>>46582930
Vox, I'm the guy who bitches all the time.

You're a fantastic writer considering all the limitations of 4chan posts.

It keeps drawing me back in.

>>46582972
In case you're wondering, I'm not in bed yet because KCQ has me hostage with its final update.

Nice t'hear from ya! And, yeah, the lack of formatting in the text has taken some getting used to. I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole thing where I use slashes where I'd otherwise use italics (picked it up as a habit from my IRC client).

I've appreciated the feedback, my friend, even if my responses have seemed a bit...clipped, at times. Thanks for the read, and your critique, and your time. Y'know?

>>46583006
Are you at least writing in a word processor? Because christ man I'm a shitty writer and I use one for my quest.

Just copy and paste and add spaces

>>46583059
I, ah. I tend to write it in the posting box, then save a copy in Notepad in case 4chan eats the post. Which is probably a bad habit but it does stop me from doing things like bolding or italicizing things and then forgetting to fix 'em later.

>>46583097
I just do it in word for the automatic spell and grammar checker. Not doing formatting is pretty easy for me, I just use the default text and font and just use enter to break up paragraphs.

But hey whatever works

Now, at last, I'm gonna pass the fuck out. See y'all in the mornin' and, again, votes, questions, & feedback are open.

Bumping for the love of caffeine and undead.

Bump in the night

Real quick, how do you guys know when quests are about to go live?

>>46584734
QM's announce the times either on: Twitter, at the end of a thread or they have a fixed schedule.

>>46584734
This one in particular also rarely ever stops.

>>46584734
Vox tends to come back to the quest around noon, though depending on where /you/ are, that could be hours earlier or later. He's said he lives in Michigan, and I'm in New York, so he's only a little bit ahead of me.

>>46584968
I think Vox has said that he's avoided getting a Twitter for any reason. Can't say I blame him.

I'm up. Coffee, chores, then will write.

>>46585154
For me,it's about 1 am

Called, writing. Thank you for your patience.

File: Spoiler Image (636 KB, 320x192)

636 KB GIF

>>46580862
You swallow, take a deep breath, and start again. "There's no easy way for me to say this, Talon. I...I should have told you before I left. Why I was leaving, even. There was this...I..."

You flick your wings in frustration, and they ring, clear and sweet. The sound is oddly steadying.

"I got a wake-up call," you tell him, your voice soft, warm. "About all the things I was neglecting, the heritage I'd ignored. I wanted...I needed...to learn more about it. But I was scared and stupid and afraid people would think less of me, so I left without telling anyone. Not you, not Diving Shadow, not Larry. No one."

Talon nods, his gaze on you, silent and attentive.

"A lot has happened since then," you murmur. "I was taken prisoner. Forced to lure people to their deaths, forced to watch them suffer. My wings...my wings had to be removed, to save my life. And I've seen, and met, so many people, so many ways of life. The person you knew in the Roost, that isn't me any more. I don't want to rule from the Perch. I don't want...I don't want that life any more."

"What are you saying?" Talon asks.

"I'm sorry," you whisper. "I'm breaking our engagement, Hunting Talon. I know...I know you waited. I didn't mean for this to end this way."

The hurt, the betrayal, on Talon's face is heartbreaking. You have to stop yourself from reaching out to him; he would take the comfort as a sign of weakness, as disrespect.

...Maybe that, more than anything, is why you can't be with him any more.

Talon's head turns and spots Nathan. The Hero has eyes only for you, and you can see the love and support written on - oh no.

"YOU!" Talon shrieks.

> Intercept
> There's no way he'd actually start a fight in the Shrine, right?

>>46588259
>> Intercept

yeah, an unthinking killing rage is exactly when he would in fact start a fight in the shrine.

>>46588259
>> Intercept

This is *our* fight, if fight it has to be.

If Talon gets lethal about it, Nate and Bri can back us up, but we need to be on the front line.

>>46588259
>> Intercept
"You would DARE, in the Shrine of the Raven?"

>>46588259
>Intercept
Love will make even a sensible man act like an idiot.

>>46588259
>INTERCEPT!
>"Talon, he gave me my wings back! He lost his leg for them!"

>>46588259
>Needing to explain that it's not ONLY him
let rage give way to confusion and awkwardness....

Vote may be mildly extended for webcomic scripting.

>>46588259
>Intercept
>By the way, he is not my only love.
See what Hunting Talon makes of THAT.

>>46588259
>> Intercept

Thanks for your patience there, folks. Update's scripted.

Votes called, writing.

File: Amy Wants to Fight.jpg (118 KB, 456x412)

118 KB JPG

>>46588259
You slide between Talon and Nathan, feeling the fury rising in your breast. "No, /me/," you snap, wings spread aggressively. "Don't look at him. Don't look at Brianna, either. /I/ did this."

"He -"

"They," you correct.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY, FALLING KNIVES!"

"My name in this tongue is Amy," you murmur, warningly. "And if you touch either of my lovers, you and I are going to have a problem."

"How /dare/ you," Talon hisses.

"Try me. See what I dare," you challenge. Your voice softens. "I know you're angry. And you deserve to be angry, and we can hash that out until the roof falls in later. But there's your murder to consider, isn't there?"

You can hear Talon's teeth grinding in frustration, but eventually he nods. "Tell the dwarves that all is forgiven. I have had my price in blood. I...must consult with my lieutenants."

"Fair enough," you answer.

Talon stalks off, wings bristling, and slams the door behind himself.

* * * *

You are Brianna la Croix and, well...that just happened.

Amy glares at the door for a long moment before she starts to curse in a fluid mixture of lorshan and bird sounds.

"Ames?" you interrupt.

"Can we go kill something?" Amy snaps. "I'd really love to just /fucking kill something/ right about now. Where does he get the /gall/, acting like I'm...I'm something that could be /stolen/? Fuck him anyway! GODS!"

> Go kill something (what?)
> Suggest something else (what?)
> Attempt to hug the shankbird

>>46590619
Well, in his defense the vinter did sort of steal her.

>Go kill something (That giant ass murder spider that apparently exists).

>>46590619
>Go kill giant snakes

File: 28.jpg (518 KB, 1127x1025)

518 KB JPG

>>46590619
> Go kill something (what?)

Snakes duh!

>>46590619
>Go kill something (snakes, I guess)
>>46590689
Isn't that sealing off the entrance to the Broken Jaw? Do we really want to /un/seal that, at this point?

>>46590619
> Go kill something (what?)
Thirding snake hunt.

>>46590689
>yfw the spider is just a "old lady" trying to protect all the other from "the bad stuff" inside the maw

Captcha: Coffee.

Vox, go drink you coffee man

>>46590619
> Go kill snakes

>>46591002
>>46590926
>>46590887
>>46590731

Solid or liquid snakes?

sorry i couldn't resist.

>>46590619
>Go kill something (what?)
>Snakes, their nests if we can find any. Don't forget to gather evidence~

>>46590619
>>Go kill something (what?)
Let's smash a nest

>>46590619
> Go kill something (what?)

I'll agree with the snakes, but we need to keep an eye on her snd make sure she doesn't get too out of control and get hurt / hurt someone she isn't trying to.

Well then, guess it's SNAKE TIME.

Called, writing.

>>46591685
WHAT A THRILL!!

>>46591685
It's plain to see, snake time! Go fly Ames, it's snake time!

>>46591685

Time to get these murder-fighting snakes out of this morally-functionless Roost!

Yes, that last part was stretching it a bit...don't kill me!

>>46591584
Seconding this thought. Keep a close eye on her.

File: sF5Ck3F.png (392 KB, 636x403)

392 KB PNG

>>46590619
You /do/ have a lot of things in this Roost that need killing.

"Snake hunting?" you propose.

"Works!" Amy agrees, in exasperated tones. "I. Just. GAH!"

"You had a lot of angry sex with him, didn't you?" you ask insightfully. Nathan sputters.

"YES I DID! I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY FIRST CLUE!"

"Eaaase off the righteous wrath Ames. We'll see how he acts with a cooler head, yeah?"

"Sure," Amy mutters, her feathers rippling irritably.

"Diving Shadow, you in on snake hunting?" you ask.

"I'll stay and monitor John," Diving Shadow tells you through the kitchen door. "I prefer to be safe, rather than sorry."

"This is the part where I'm supposed to act offended that you don't trust my spellwork, but honestly? Good idea. If he wakes up, he's going to be starving. If he makes a move for you, put him /down/."

"Is there a move he'd make away from me?" Diving Shadow asks.

"If he's thinking straight? He'll head for the raw meat instead and then stand down."

"Bri," Amy interrupts, flatly. "You're shouting to my mother through a kitchen door. Either end the conversation or go in there with her, this is weird as fuck."

"Sorry," you mutter sheepishly.

And with that, you're off. There are, as it turns out, two "layers" of tunnels in the Roost; the border passages, where you'll find most of the dwarf clans and walkways, and the deeper passages that are less frequently used. Formed mainly from natural fissures in the rock, they're the long way around to pretty much anywhere and as a result don't get a lot of foot traffic.

So of course, they're full of awful shit. Snakes are only some of it. Most of the ones you see - and that Amy kills in quick, furious reflex - are "only" about ten feet long and attempt to flee from the sight of you. Amy takes them with quick thrusts through the skull and drapes them over her shoulder, muttering something about making an outfit.

>>46593715
>Snek Dress.
Nice.

File: Really.jpg (91 KB, 687x956)

91 KB JPG

>>46593715
Large spiders are also in evidence, and not something you're happy to see. Small spiders are useful - they eat insects that spread disease and breed in food. Spiders the size of a small dog, on the other hand, are fucking - /one just brushed your leg merciful gods strike it down now/.

You realize, after Nate put a hatchet into the thing, that you screamed like a nobleman's wife confronted with a mouse.

"You okay?" Nate asks.

"...Ffffiiiiiine," you manage. "Let's just keep going, yeah?"

You reach a branch in the deep tunnel. On one path you can sense the telltale pulse of undeath, though your masking spell makes it hard to tell how much. Down the other is a killer, splattered with blood and pain both old and new, dead in shock but without malice. An animal, perhaps?

> Undead
> Killer
> Go back

>>46594106
>> Undead

We should also have a coughing fit from the shrill screaming. I know smokers, none of them can scream like that without coughing.

>>46594106
>Killer
We know of the undead already and it seems like this thing recently ate so it may be easier to approach?

>>46594106
> Killer

>>46594106
> Undead

Hail satan its a tie.

>>46594106
> Killer

>>46594106
>Undead

Let's go meet the vamps.

>>46594106
>undead

>>46594106
>> Killer

>>46594106
> Killer
Is Dead!

>>46594106
>Killer
New minion!

Did our linch went away?

>>46596108
'm being interrupted for dinner. I'll be back.

>Killer

Killer Undead

>undead

Remember the death drain! That thing has the potential to be way worse than initially apparent

>>46596401
OH no problem Vox just got worried. As long as you are well everything is fine.

Can spiders be minionized? The exoskeleton is somewhat fragile, so it could be reinforced. Plus, naturally venomous and could still have webs to ensnare enemies. Maybe keep a few in jars for throwing at enemies like the Witch Doctor from Diablo?

>>46597307
All kind of creature can be trained. The question is, do we have time to train then? We can just kill then and steal their vemon sacks if it's to use it as a weapon.

>>46594106
>> Killer
We're trying to achieve serenity here, no bossfights until the Talon situation is cleared.

>>46597401
Or we can kill them and make a new undead skelley

>>46597307
>naturally venomous and could still have webs
that depends on how much of the regular bodily functions we can preserve. Muscles are one thing, but I would think fighting organic rot would interrupt chemical/hormonal reactions in some way.

>>46597307
If they're big enough to walk around, their exoskeletons probably aren't that fragile. Although whether that's because of fantasy materials or magic, I don't know, and if it's the latter, I don't know if it'd stick around after they die.

But given Bri's mild case of arachnophobia, I suspect spider minions are off the table regardless. Unfortunate.

>>46598217
Wee phone posting.

Ahem - not necessarily. Bri may not /like/ such minions, but especially if she can install undead versions they're not off the table. You remember that thing where she makes herself unhappy in the pursuit of practicality? It potentially applies here.

That in mind, exoskeletons make for shitty undead on their own. You'll want something to weave in to reinforce it.

File: 2098742_pic_970x641.jpg (197 KB, 861x641)

197 KB JPG

I'll just leave this here...

>>46599082
That doesn't even make any sense. You lose the snake's bite and make it too awkward to slither or constrict, and the spider's silk is gone.

This is less than half as effective as both animals separate.

File: spidersnake_by_hybris2-d5qvnhf.png (137 KB, 704x528)

137 KB PNG

>>46599181
Fine. How bout this one

>>46600001
it's just a regular snake but now it can tap you up and let you know when it's sliding past your ankle

absolutely horrifying

>>46600001
Spiders can also pounce, and being able to jump would be terrifying on a snake, but those legs can't support the sheer weight of a snake's I'M ONE BIG MUSCLE

>>46600001
Somebody just post the xcom mutalisk already.

>>46598529
OP is kill?

>>46601262
If i had to guess, Op is drunk'd

Back home at last. My apologies for that.

Called. Writing.

File: 304928.gif (153 KB, 606x423)

153 KB GIF

>>46594106
"Hey," you speak up, in a low murmur. "Take the right-hand fork. There's some kind of killer down there. Old, but without malice. Probably an animal, maybe some kind of old demon."

"A demon that kills without malice?" Nate asks, dubiously.

"The Rabble get like that," you explain, with a shrug. "They're not much more than animals vulnerable to being summoned. It's /difficult/, sure, but it's also difficult to banish them again."

"If there were a demon down here, we'd know," Amy murmurs. "...I bet it's the Priestess." She gets a wild grin on her face. "Always did wanna tangle with her."

"Hold the fuck up," you say quickly. "The Priestess?"

"She's a praying mantis," Amy explains. "A hundred-and-fifty-year-old praying mantis. Bigger than most men. Legend says she stumbled blindly onto some secret the gods hid down here, and it transformed her. Others say she's just too mean to die. Few see her and live, and, obviously, no one's ever brought her down."

"...Ames..."

"You said I could kill something!" Amy protests, petulantly.

> Can we kill something /else/?
> ...Fine. FINE! But /you/ get to tell Scribbles, you got me?

>>46602541
>> ...Fine. FINE! But /you/ get to tell Scribbles, you got me?

>>46602541
>...Fine. FINE! But /you/ get to tell Scribbles, you got me?
.....STILL better than dealing with undead, but ONLY because we have a full bottle to work with.

> MFW I forgot to add River's demon notes to the main doc as a link.

HERE YOU GO AGAIN LEMME FIX THAT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kt_8m1pJejjjANeNdv5x5kNuWjemRlOMgTOUKc0RGzk/edit?usp=sharing

>>46602541
>> ...Fine. FINE! But /you/ get to tell Scribbles, you got me?

File: 1446056335018.jpg (48 KB, 224x257)

48 KB JPG

>>46602669
> MFW I forgot my face

Alright folks, I don't wanna and the thread by starting the fight scene here, so - VOTES CALLED, but OPEN FOR QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.

>>46602986
Was there any way for us to get Talon on our side back there beside selling Amy to him?

Also good call letting us have the reins for that - prolly keot a few anons from spazzing out about Amy having even the slightest chance of going back to him.

>>46603368
There wasn't a way to get him out /happy/, no, but recall previous information on harpies. They're emotional people. He and Amy may yet thrash it out, possibly with much ass-beating. Insofar as there was a good way to do it, you did it the right way, with respect for both his and Amy's situation.

>>46603398

I figured that them having a fight after everything's squared away was /expected/.

Like, there's absolutely no way he and Amy are going to be able to work to any degree 'together' /unless/ they throw each other off a cliff a few times.

>>46602986
What was the best thing that has ever happened to you?
What is your fondest memory of your time on this world?

>>46603637
When my son was still very young, less than six months old, I often could not get him to calm down. Only his mother could, and it distressed me in much the way any new father is distressed. I felt entirely unequipped to handle this tiny human thing and some irrational part of me was sad that he wasn't comforted by me.

One day, when he was being angry, I picked him up, ragged with exhaustion, and set him on my chest while we laid on the couch. He fell asleep inside of a minute, without a peep, put a death grip on my thumb, and napped in complete peace for the next two and a half hours while I learned the joys of Literally Any Cartoon With Female Voice Actors I Could Find.

Was nice.

>>46603759

I've never had a normal sleep schedule (even today my 'natural' is 3am to 11am) and I was even worse as a baby. I kept my parents up on ~4hrs sleep for months until they noticed that I'd always calm down and nap on car rides.

So every night at bedtime they'd drive around the block until I was conked out. I still can't stay awake for more than half an hour in a vehicle unless it's seriously cold or I'm driving.