>>46670179
Holy shit I'm here at the start for once

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You're beyond the city's walls in short order, Zahak's powerful shoulders heaving as he carries you further and further skyward. Judging by the sun it's several hours past noon already. You estimate you'll arrive at the gates of Nazir around midnight or perhaps later. You're exhausted as you are from that encounter beneath the day's earlier exertions so hopefully there will be an opportunity to rest and relax, or at the very least meditate, over the course of the next ten hours or so.

The saddle Mahana crafted for you is eminently comfortable. Seated deep in the cushioned frame with your feet shoved firmly into the stirrups, you're able to ride confidently atop your draconic son's back. No longer do the heaving of his wings nor the rush of air incite within you a desperate sort of anxiety. Now the slow, rhythmic undulation threatens to put you to sleep.

However, as you begin to drift off you hear more than feel something strike the thick carapace shell that is your cuirass. At first you think Ricky might be trying to get your attention. Instead when you peel back the dark fabric of your cloak you find none other than the diminutive stone golem you recovered from the Satrap's Library. It seems to be struggling to free itself from the confines of your cloak, but by grabbing onto the metallic edge of your saddle's pommel he's finally able to jerk himself free.

You watch the little creature passively as it struggles against the wind, crawling across your lap and over the pommel to grab onto Zahak's horns. It poses itself rather dramatically upon the curved lip, tail swishing at its back and its stone teeth bared to the wind. You're not quite sure what to make of it, but you can say with certainty that this is the first time you've ever seen a creature free itself from your cloak of its own volition.

>(1/2)

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>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>Tuck it back into your cloak, for its own safety of nothing else.
>Write-in

>You think you'd like to meditate over the course of your journey.
>A nap really does sound wonderful. Indulge yourself a little.
>Write-in

Select from both groups of choices.

>>46670215
Are we still suffering from soul damage?

>>46670215
Magic up the little bugger a proper saddle seat, cant have him falling out

>>46670215
>>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>A nap really does sound wonderful. Indulge yourself a little.
What a cute little man

>>46670240
Yeah, you are. You're at 19/[63]. So the damage isn't severe, but it's there.

>>46670215
>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>You think you'd like to meditate over the course of your journey.

Meditate on the golem.

>>46670215
>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>A nap really does sound wonderful. Indulge yourself a little.

>>46670215
Can we fit in meditation on the golem and a short nap?

I don't like that thing running around without having a bit of an idea on what's going on with it, but we really should be fresh for whatever shitshow we wander into next.

>>46670302
It freed itself from the cloak. That should scare you.

>>46670360
The cloak should scare you

>>46670215
>>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>A nap really does sound wonderful. Indulge yourself a little.

>>46670344
You could probably meditate and fit in a few hours of napping afterwards, though the reverse is less clear. This meditation will probably take about 6-8 hours since you'll have to repair your soul and replenish your vys pool. Leaving you 2-4 hours to nap.

>>46670377
It does. Which is why something that can free it's self from Ricky's OCD is some what terrifying.

>>46670215
>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>You think you'd like to meditate over the course of your journey.

>>46670215
>Tuck it back into your cloak, for its own safety of nothing else.
>You think you'd like to meditate over the course of your journey.
Time to git gud

>>46670215
>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>A nap really does sound wonderful. Indulge yourself a little.

I would have thought more people would have wanted to meditate.

>>46670215
>Leave the little creature be, it seems harmless.
>A nap really does sound wonderful. Indulge yourself a little.

>>46670505
>>46670405
>>46670384
>>46670336
>>46670309
>>46670302
>>46670261
>>46670566
>This guy seems chill.

>>46670458
>You don't want it falling off.

>>46670302
>>46670336
>>46670384
>>46670505
>>46670566
>Nap

>>46670458
>>46670405
>>46670309
>Nap

Calling the vote and writin'.

Is this the fabled Banished quest which runs once every Halley's Comet?

>>46670555
If i had gotten here earlier I wouldve voted for it

People really hate gitting gud for some reason

>>46670915
This is Jew Mage Sidequest, yes.

>>46670933
>power gaming

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>>46670950

>>46671001
>>46670950
>4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
God on the jews.

>>46670962
>Not powergaming
Git gud scrub.

>>46670179
You finish the pastebin yet?

>>46671196
Good joke m8

>>46671122
Power gaming is never excusable.

>>46671279
Archelon pls

>>46671196
Actually having finally reread the pastebin in full I think it's finished, but I fucked up the accounting at some point. That is to say, you're not actually finished with the Excidium, just close to finished. The pastebin itself seems complete, and the ending of the pastebin is definitely final.

In the thread I (think) the pastebin comes from, you were at 7/13 chapters and you read four, bringing you up to 11/13 chapters. Unless you read the Excidium again at some point, I think that's the last time you read it.

>>46671354
Soma how common are clocks, assuming people can into clocks, I bet the humans who hate magic have them

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What harm is there really in allowing the creature to roam free? It's been nothing but helpful, though you must admit you're curious as to how it freed itself from Ricky's grasping tentacles. It strikes you as odd that an enchanter would go through so much trouble to enchant this creature, which seems to have so little actual use, to not only possesses a modicum of free will, but also some sort of resistance to the deprivations of void creatures.

Perhaps if you were not so exhausted you could will yourself to investigate its nature. If you were not overcome with such a despondent sense of aimlessness and want, the prospect of meditating may not seem quite so unappealing. Presently you can't manage to muster the necessary enthusiasm. Instead you allow yourself to relax, a luxury you think well earned after the events of the day. The very moment you rest your head against the bags strapped to the back of Zahak's saddle, sleep claims you.

Your dreams are at once familiar and alien. You drift through hazy recollections of your youth, and the time spent with your Master. Flitting from one memory to the next, spending no more than a few seconds on any one thought. At one point you think you might see your mother watching teary-eyed as you're led away from the estate, to begin your training as a Vatis. You're not sure when exactly, but at some point things take a turn for the strange. You feel your thoughts grow muddled, mind clouded by some foreign presence.

You are an intruder within the grove, a foreign presence which must be expunged. A great tree looms above you, its limbs stretching out in every direction with roots which seem to encompass the world. The bark is scorched and peeling away, but underneath the wood is vibrantly alive. Resin leaks from the wound, crystallizing slowly to amber.
>Vys Pool: (68/68)

(1/2)

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Then you are awake, and the strange dream is already beginning to fade. Night has fallen and a new day has begun. The moon has only just begun its ascent and will not reach its zenith for several hours yet. Nor does a glance at the pale desert below reveal your destination on the horizon, though cook fires and the light of settlements dot the landscape.

At some point the little golem abandoned its perch upon your saddle, and has instead curled up upon your lap.

>You might be able to fit in a meditation, though it's uncertain whether you'll be able to finish before you reach Nazir.
>Pull out a book and set yourself to reading. Your backlog isn't going to finish itself.
>Write-in

>>46672008
>Pull out a book and set yourself to reading. Your backlog isn't going to finish itself.
Shaping arts here we come.

>>46672008
>>Pull out a book and set yourself to reading. Your backlog isn't going to finish itself.
One of our new dank books

>>46672008
>You might be able to fit in a meditation, though it's uncertain whether you'll be able to finish before you reach Nazir.
the dream

>>46672008
>Make a short stop at the Shrine to collect Spirit Ivory.

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>where we're going we don't need a schedule

>>46672008
>>46672097
Oh, right. We'll need this for enchanting.

>>46672008
>Pull out a book and set yourself to reading. Your backlog isn't going to finish itself.

>>46672008
>>46672097
Supporting.

>>46672117
Not really. We could easily make shit like that.

>>46672008
>You might be able to fit in a meditation, though it's uncertain whether you'll be able to finish before you reach Nazir.

>>46672145
Are you retarded mate? We need that raw spirit material to stabilize our enchantments. Raw plasma and mind refinement are really powerful, and spirit ivory allows us to control the potency of the later and reduces soul damage from the former. We can't make anything like it. We went through a god damn spirit war for it.

>>46672177
Divine essence enriched materials are possible to make dumbass.

>>46672008
>Pull out a book and set yourself to reading. Your backlog isn't going to finish itself.
And
>>46672097

>>46672008
>>46672097
Supporting.

>>46672008
>>46672097
I'll second this.

>>46671925
Clocks are exceptionally rare among Samjan. Mik would probably be more familiar with how to read an astrolabe than a wristwatch. Humans are the only ones with a firm notion of the twenty-four hour solar day. Elves believe the day begins with sunrise and ends with sunset, and night is its own separate entity. For Samjan, the day begins with sunset, and ends with sunset the next day.

Both of these are variable measures, so saying "one day" for elves means a period of anywhere from 8 to 16 hours. One day for Samjan is vaguely 24 hours, but when one day begins and another ends fluctuates wildly based upon the seasons.

What are we making with the ivory?

>>46672203
Oh, I had no idea! Please detail to me the process in which we can physically manifest our divine essence into a material object capable of receiving enchantment.

What's that? You can't?

Of course you can't you fucking dumbass.

>>46672263
Can we enchant something to measure the rotations of the layers of the universe? fuck plebeian time measurement, we have cosmic time

>>46672266
Just the mind refinement ring and refined fire ring. Also known as Inversion rings and Suryan Firebrands.

>>46672268
>explain in detail
Do I look like mik to you? I just know we can do it

>>46672304
Those sound like the stupidest things

>>46672263
So Dark elves are retarted?

>>46672268
>Not realizing vys is diluted DE
>Not crystal vys enhances enchantment place on such materials
>Not realizing what the next step is.

>>46672097
this

its not nice to samefag you enchanting shitter

>>46672038
>>46672059
>>46672132
>>46672204
>Read

>>46672239
>>46672230
>>46672204
>>46672138
>>46672117
>>46672097
>Stop over at the 7-11 for some spirit teeth and a piss break.

>>46672095
>>46672153
>Meditate

So looks like you're stopping over at the shrine and reading until then. Second round of voting, then.

>Excidium (11/13 Chapters Read)
>The Shaping Arts (3/17 Chapters Read)

>On Empire: The Rise of Civilization (Unread)
>The Serpent and The Staff (Unread)
>A History of Pidjata (Unread)
>Devotional Booklet to Pani (Unread)
>The Fall: A Hiacian Perspective (Unread)
>Cradle of Hiacia (Unread)
>The Forms of Gods in Nature (Unread)
>Manual on the Art of Vital Points (Unread)
>Alchemical Treatise (Unread)
>Journal of a Hiacian Enchanter (Unread)
>On the Forbidden Arts (Unread)

>Metamagic Instructions: Beam (Unread)
>Metamagic Instructions: Delay (Unread)

>Utility Effects (3/15 Chapters Read)
{Mark, (Animate), (Create), [Confuse], Sleep}
>Enhanced Interrogation (Unread)
{Pain, (Poison), Hallucinate}

>The Varistha's Notes (56/67 Pages Read)
>The Varistha's Memoirs (Unread)

>>46672406
>>The Shaping Arts (3/17 Chapters Read)

>>46672406
>The Shaping Arts (3/17 Chapters Read)

>>46672406
>Metamagic Instructions: Delay (Unread)

>>46672406
>The Shaping Arts (3/17 Chapters Read)

>>46672406
>The Shaping Arts (3/17 Chapters Read)

>>46672406
>The Shaping Arts (3/17 Chapters Read)

>>46672406
Excidium or the golem book.

>>46672340
It's actually based upon the Hebrew calendar and Jewish beliefs regarding when the day begins and ends. Just be glad I didn't include notions that an hour is 1/12th of the time from sunrise to sunset, which would mean that the length of an hour varies wildly based upon the day and season.

>>46672461
The golem book is On the Forbidden Arts if you want to know

>>46672461
It's actually not a golem book.

>>46672452
>>46672447
>>46672446
>>46672438
>>46672430
>Shaping

>>46672461
>Excidium

>>46672461
>On the Forbidden Arts(?)

>>46672444
>Delay

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Contacting Zahak requires no more from you than the desire to do so, his thoughts spilling over into your own and vice versa. {Zahak, divert a little further east. I'd like to stop by the location of our battle against the void creatures before returning to Nazir. There's something I wish to retrieve from the Cat.}

A sense of approval and contentedness greets you in response, and you know your son has taken your request to heart. You adjust your weight a little as Zahak dips his right wing, allowing himself to drift just a shade further east before correcting. That issue attended to, you reach into your cloak and extract the strange skin-bound tome on whatever it is the 'Shaping Arts' are.

Since it's been so long since you last read the shaping arts, more than three weeks you think, you skim over the first few chapters to remind yourself of their contents. The writing speaks of a magical tradition entirely foreign to your own, a magic tradition which seems far more internally focused than your own. The practitioners secluded themselves in the northern mountains, and you note a curious element of the language here. The book says they 'worked within themselves to inhabit the peaks'.

The early chapters focus on the 'Shaping of the Mind', discussing methods by which a practitioner may ignore pain, heal wounds, block others from influencing their thoughts, and 'better force himself into the world around him'. With your expanded understanding of Nature magic, you cannot help but find that phrasing evocative. It reminds you of what it's like to brush your thoughts across the strings of reality.
(1/3)

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Moving on the book gets into more practical elements of the shaping arts. The language is archaic, and you're forced to translate the text before you can glean anything from it, but slowly you begin to make progress. The first step to mastering the mind, is to understand how one shapes the divine. The two are intricately linked, according to the text, and it is impossible to control one without the other.

It suggest for the novice entering a deep meditation, aided by an 'object of worship'. You're not entirely sure what would constitute an object of worship. Does it mean a shrine, a devotional statue, or perhaps simply an object the practitioner holds dear? Worship, after all, may also simply mean revere or cherish.

The next passage at least is easily understood. Once sufficiently 'balanced with the Gods' creation', motes of light ought to make themselves note. The text correctly identifies these motes as the souls of mortals, and text suggest focusing on ones own. Apparently simply by focusing upon that shard of the divine, one might gain access to one's own memories. Memories that might have otherwise been buried or forgotten. This, the text claims, is the most basic method by which the divine is manipulated.

You're reading a passage about 'intertwining one's instinct with creation by method of expansion', something which to you sounds suspiciously like Nature magic, when Zahak's thoughts interrupt your own. {Papa, you should get ready. I'm going to land soon.}
(2/3)

>>46673792
>'better force himself into the world around him'. With your expanded understanding of Nature magic, you cannot help but find that phrasing evocative. It reminds you of what it's like to brush your thoughts across the strings of reality.
We're so close.

Looking up from the ancient codex you find the ground suddenly much closer than it was when you began reading. You suppose you were more absorbed in your reading than you'd thought. You quickly shove your book back into the cloak, and grab the golem still nested in your lap as well. It tries to resist as you shove it into the cloak, but thankfully doesn't manage to free itself a second time. At least not yet. Just as Zahak begins to angle himself downward and the two of you plummet towards the surface, you manage to grab hold of your saddle pommel.
>Shaping Arts: (5/17 Chapters Read)

Zahak's impact against the rocky battlefield is hard enough to rattle the teeth in your jaw, but he is starting to get better at landing. You're no more than a hundred feet from the twisted lands and they seem much the same as you left them. Impossible formations of rock twist through the air, and there doesn't seem to be a living creature in sight.

You slide carefully out of the saddle, taking a moment to stretch your legs and adjust your clothes. The shrine is marked by an odd symbol upon the surface of a rock face, beneath which lies an outcropping of crystallized vys which might serve as an altar. Upon your approach the symbol flares, but Mahana does not appear. You wait for several minutes in the chill night air, focusing your thoughts, and still he refuses to appear.

>Make an offering of a few gold, maybe that will draw his attention.
>Giving gold to the cat? You'd never consider such waste. Offer a bit of dragon meat, you still have plenty in your cloak.
>Perhaps it is blood the cat desires? Draw a dagger across your palm and allow a few drops to fall into the circle of glowing crystals.
>Maybe the cat is busy? There's no need to disturb him if you don't have to, and you can always come back later.
>Write-in

>>46673827
>>Maybe the cat is busy? There's no need to disturb him if you don't have to, and you can always come back later.

>>46673827
>>Perhaps it is blood the cat desires? Draw a dagger across your palm and allow a few drops to fall into the circle of glowing crystals.

>>46673827
Just meditate here while we wait. Or read more

>>46673865
We could try the meditation the book was talking about.

>>46673827
Start knocking shit over until he shows up

>>46673827
Can we just go visit him?

>>46673827
>>46673865
>>46673888
We are in a vys infused area. Let's get Zahak in on this stuff too. He could learn something.

Soma stated this place is very good for meditation. This is a great chance to get metal GM

>>46673903
>teaching Zahak how the DE with knowing Metal.
>>46673918
Nope. Unless you want a garbage trait.

>>46673898
If I recall correctly, it's still Mahana that pulls you into his realm to travel.

>>46674034
Meditate on how to do it ourselves

>>46674056
>Not wanting to learn how to manipulate the DE

You know if we're going to talk to the cat, it might be a good idea to let him know about the enchantress trying to ascend to godhood.

I mean if that's the sort of thing that the children and such frown on, then the cat might be able to gain favor with them by passing on the intel.

>>46674104
Fuck off rob

>>46673792
>The book says they 'worked within themselves to inhabit the peaks'.
Didn't Soma say something about a weird subspecies of hairy, muscule slamjams living in the mountains?

>>46674137
Yes and one of those same Samjan soloed a dragon.

>>46674137
Yes, I'm pretty sure prof saw one jump up and kill a dragon

>>46672177
Why haven't we made an enchantment that produces plasma in the presence of gravity

>>46674176
Because we can't into Gravity.

>>46673827
>>>Make an offering of a few gold, maybe that will draw his attention.
fucking jews, the lot of you.

>>46674222
Oy vey not the shekels.

>>46673827
Time to meditate.

>>46674159
>>46674166
We're clearly doing something wrong

>>46674222
Bad goy

>>46674262
We need to climb the cliffs and speak to the wise monkey man

>>46674262
Learn the Shaping Arts scrub.

>>46673865
>>46673903
>>46674056
>>46674260
>Meditate

>>46673895
>Wreck the place up a bit.

>>46673862
>Blood sacrifice

>>46674222
>Muh shekels

>>46673848
>Try again later.

Meditation it is, gimme a second to collect the various and manifold options.

I wonder if this monkey business is related to those Indian dudes who were getting genocided every day.

>>46674288
Why not the one we just learned about?

>Meditate on Nature
>Meditate on Fire
>Meditate on Metal
>Meditate on Earth

>Meditate upon an Effect (Confuse, Sleep, Hallucinate, Pain, Mark,
>Meditate upon Metamagic (Beam, Delay)
>Meditate on the Shaping Arts
>Write-in

>>46674288
Meditate on that dream we just had

>>46674312
>>Meditate on the Shaping Arts
To sexy to pass up on

>>46674312
>Meditate on the Shaping Arts

>>46674313
Oh boy yes

>>46674312
>>Meditate on the Shaping Arts

>>46674312
>Meditate on the Shaping Arts

>>46674312
>>Meditate upon an Effect (Confuse, Sleep, Hallucinate, Pain, Mark,
>Sleep
Whatever we choose make it a group meditation with Zahak

>>46674262
Mountainous areas give birth to the best warriors

We happen to be born into luxury like a bitch

>>46674312
>MEDITATE ON THAT FUCKING DREAM

>>46674312
Meditate on shoving ourself into the spirit world

>>46674312
>Meditate on the Shaping Arts
The time for git gud is now

>>46674312
>>Meditate on the Shaping Arts

>>46674288
>meditate on why kids love the taste of cinnamon toast crunch

>>46674352
>>46674313
>>46674335
You do realize that's a Shaping Arts thing right?

>>46674312
>Meditate on the Shaping Arts

>>46674312
>Meditate on the Shaping Arts

>>46674345
>Teaching Zahak Shaping Arts
>When he hasn't even learned Metal.

>>46674387
Dreams arent memories

>>46674387
SHAPING ARTS THEN YOU SIK KUNT

>>46674355
this desu

we came here for a reason you cucks

also might count as nature

>>46674385
DC 351

>>46674411
THE DREAM WAS OF A MEMORY.

>>46674352
>>46674313
>>46674335
>What did he mean by this?

>>46674323
>>46674326
>>46674342
>>46674343
>>46674365
>>46674369
>>46674391
>>46674402
>Shape those arts, nigga.

>>46674355
>Sexually assault Mahana's spiritpussi.

>>46674385
>DO THE IMPOSSIBLE
>SEE THE INVISIBLE
>ROW! ROW!
>FIGHT THA POWAH

Lemme figure out modifiers and such.

>>46674208
Yes we can we have it

Real quick vote
>Include Zahak
>Do this solo

>>46674569
>>Do this solo
Not in till he knows metal

>>46674569
>Do this solo

>>46674569
>>Include Zahak
What could possibly go wrong?

>>46674569
>>Include Zahak

How could it hurt? Besides, Zahak is Expert Rank Nature Vatis. The Book said it's more similar to Nature.

>>46674569
>Do this solo

>>46674569
>Include Zahak

>>46674569
>The early chapters focus on the 'Shaping of the Mind', discussing methods by which a practitioner may ignore pain, heal wounds, block others from influencing their thoughts, and 'better force himself into the world around him'. With your expanded understanding of Nature magic, you cannot help but find that phrasing evocative. It reminds you of what it's like to brush your thoughts across the strings of reality.

This relies on an understanding on Nature more than Metal. Zahak is an expert. He'll be fine.

>>46674618
It has unforeseen consequences for dragons and our son dies by ripping his soul apart?

>>46674569
>Do this solo
Seems like a personal thing.

>>46674569
>Do this sick oud solo

>>46674569
>Include Zahak

>>46674569
>>Do this solo

>>46674569
>>Include Zahak

>>46674569
>Include Zahak

>>46674436
>but at some point things take a turn for the strange. You feel your thoughts grow muddled, mind clouded by some foreign presence.

No
At first it was a memory then it got weird

>>46674569
>Do this solo

>>46674569
>>Include Zahak

>>46674569
>Do this solo
NAh

>>46674597
>>46674615
>>46674629
>>46674650
>>46674659
>>46674666
>>46674686
>Han

>>46674618
>>46674622
>>46674635
>>46674643
>>46674665
>>46674668
>>46674673
>>46674688
>Get Zahak in on this.

Calling it.

>>46674569
>Do this solo

>>46674700
You just activated Soma's trap card!

>>46674700
I sure hope this has unforeseen consequences

>>46674700
You missed one.
>>46674690

>>46674730
>>46674727
Shaping Arts is completely internal. Multiple people trying to meditate on it does not work well.

>>46674769
At the same time, it is undeniable that Zahak and we share some sort of soul bond. I look forward to how Soma writes this. It might answer a lot of questions.

ROOOOOOOOLL 3d10+19 (+4 from Mark of a Dragon Slayer, +2 from Vatis, +4 from A Terrible Thing to Waste, +3 from Master Metal Vatis, +2 from Expert Nature Vatis, +4 from Mental Communion) vs DC 38 (Base 30, +2 from First Attempt, +4 from Alien Tradition, +2 from Frayed Reality)

>>46674854
>frayed reality adds to dc
lmao

Rolled 2, 5, 8 + 19 = 34 (3d10 + 19)

>>46674854
I've sinned recently. Let's see how my dice reflect upon this.

>>46674866
That's only in the Shaping Arts, it gives a bonus for the magical traditions Mik is more familiar with.

Rolled 20 + 19 (1d20 + 19)

>>46674854
Whoa. I thinks that's the first time Fucked Up Reality is negatively influencing our magic.

Rolled 7, 1, 8 + 19 = 35 (3d10 + 19)

>>46674854
Can we wear the crown to help?

Rolled 6, 9, 5 = 20 (3d10)

>>46674885
No draconic boost?

Rolled 1, 8, 2 + 19 = 30 (3d10 + 19)

>>46674854
Should be solo

>>46674902
>+4 from Mental Communion

>>46674876
>>46674892
>>46674902
>34, 35, 39
>Failure
Like meditation for regular magic, meditation for the Shaping Arts is pass/fail.

>Spend 3 vys for a Success?
>Don't spend

>>46674902
The boost from Zahak is >>46674854
>+4 from Mental Communion

>>46674929
Spend obviously

>>46674929
>>Spend 3 vys
Duh

>>46674929
Spend. I knew including Zahak was a good idea.

>>46674886
Way to waste our luck asshole. Beat the DC even with less than 2/3s the potential roll, and it doesn't even count.

>>46674929
>Spend 3 vys for a Success?

>>46674963
I am ashamed. It's just been so long since Soma ran that I can't remember Da Ruurus

>>46674929
>Spend

>>46674988
>1 week

>>46674854
>+2 from Frayed Reality
So this place gave us a negative instead of a positive bonuses even though there is a bunch of vys ?

>>46675038
Ambient vys actually isn't very important for the Shaping Arts.

>>46675038
I think this is going to require a very still surrounding vys to better focus on the internal parts of magic and the soul.

>>46674929
Does a bear shit in the woods?

>>46675091
Is the pope a bear?

>>46675099
Can the pope shit a bear?

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>>46675099
Do you live under a rock?

>>46675060
Being completely internal and all right?

>>46675099
Nah, he's just Satan.

>>46675424
Damn straight.

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I think Soma should stop writing and read the new Gunnerkrigg Bonus Comic that just came out.

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>>46675424
>Ab urbe condita MMDCCLXIX
>Credent diabolus

>>46675424
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-n0yM6Bv5o

>>46675523
>Ab urbe condita MMDCCLXIX
>Loquitur Latine

>>46675652
>Non loquens lingua Romanorum.

>>46675523
No, I believe in the pope.

>>46675510
But that one's been out for months.
>captcha: select all bodies of water like lakes or oceans
Fuck, it knows.

>>46675707
>He believes in the jewish puppet.

>>46675741
He certainly exists, I wish he didn't though.

>>46675691
>Lingua Romani
>Aptus communicatio

fuck me this shit is rusty
does this even mean what its supposed to

>>46675901
It would be something like
>Language of the Roman
>Suitable sharing

>>46675901
>implyus implicationus
Thou latin fags et anno domini, thy art a cob in thine patrition's pickled shaft

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>>46675969
Stop shitposting and write you faggot.

>>46675969
Are you done with that post?

>>46675969
Fuck
I was going for
>Language of the Romans
>suitable for communication

i found nothing meaning communication though, so i picked message

if i knew i could use latin to shitpost i wouldve paid more attention

>>46675969
Your shitty Empire is dead, get back to writing.

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>>46676000
>>46676005
>>46676018
Fine jeez

>>46676040
But you are the shitposter.

Post art fags

We should also say fuck the jungle and go chill with the mountain bros

>>46676112
Can we hit them up on the way?

>>46676112
Fuck those gay hairy fags.I WANT DARK ELVES

>>46676156
We could go to the Rhynian ruins in the mountains

>>46675969
>>46676040
IRC was a mistake

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>>46676040
Hey. How big do lizard thingies get?

>>46676227
I'm sure he is sucking dick in there right now

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>>46676245
Sarada, like the one that you have back at your estate, can grow to be about two meters tall at the shoulder and three meters long measuring from nose to the base of the tail. When the tail is taken into account, they can be up to about five meters long from nose to tip.

>>46676187
We are the dark elves dumbass

>>46676280
How wide can they get shoulder to shoulder?
Does best girl miss mik-senpai?

>>46676432
Nah real dark elves. Those assholes who rejected the gods

>>46676487
So sewer mutant degenerate shits that throw away all magic

AL-GASREEEEED!

OH IT WAS TOO SOON FOR YOU, SWEET PRINCE

>>46676537
Nah I think they made some super cool civilization in teh jungle.

>>46676603
Let us have a moment of silence in his honour

>>46676612
Nah nothing but sewer mutant tree fucker knife eared degenerates

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>>46676487
Fuck the gods

Almost Two hours, who here thinks it will be three post max?

>>46676909
yeah i'm sure he hasn't even stated

>>46676909
>>46676937
My telescope tells me he is almost done but he keeps rewriting something in the third?-ish paragraph of what's probably post 2.

>>46676994
Keep up the good work sniper-anon

>>46676994
Sniper-anon you should fire a shot off right above his head to speed him up

>>46677070
>above his head

nah, threaten the sister

>>46677091
You'd have to snipe under the table though.

>>46677193
Through the table is faster

>>46677202
But that's where his keyboard is stupid.

>Seven story posts in six and a half hours
Remember when we did things

just shoot soma

end my pain

>>46677309
Nope. We never did things.

Let's make bets on when the next thread is. Twitter says maybe late thread Sat/Sun

Gonna be an optimist and say Wednesday here.

>>46677202
ricochet the bullet sniper-anon. show us them skills

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>>46677309
Meanwhile, in Hive Queen Quest

>>46677338
Sunday, in two weeks

Is Soma doing this in purpose.

>>46677369
Never Forget

>>46677468
He just doesn't want us to have the shaping arts

>people still haven't acknowledged we'll all die from old age (soma included) before we finish the quest

>>46677498
>implying Soma isn't using dark magic fueled by the suffering of his playerbase to prolong his life

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>>46677498
>People will die before we reach the jungle.
Boatserk 2: Jewish Boogaloo

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>>46677369
>I'll update soon!

>>46677591
The biggest disappointment is that he never would.

>>46677559
>that was fast.
If only Muira did that, the shit storm would have been unreal

>>46677617
I think he made it worse by jerking people along, promising to update like that.

>>46677369
I switched over to death among the stars, qm seems to take a lot of inspiration from hive quest and it's fairly active

>>46677498
My granddad passed away in March. He was 83. He didn't post or read the thread itself, but he listened to the story posts through Text-to-Speech (his eyesight gave out a couple years back). He said he was looking forward to the jungle bit because he loved the time he lived in South America doing mission work. He also thought Mortia was best girl.

Just letting you know, Soma. You let an old man down.

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You take a seat before the shrine and assume a meditative pose, but before you slip into your trance you reach out to Zahak. {Join me in the wasteland, I'm going to meditate, and I think you might benefit from the knowledge which I stand to gain.}

Your son seems reluctant. {But Papa it smells wrong in there, it smells like poison. I don't want to go in.}

It smells like poison? What is that supposed to mean? You admit that a sharp scent hangs heavy in the air, but it hardly seems dangerous. You certainly feel no ill effects. {If this place was dangerous, I would have certainly fallen prey to whatever foulness it spreads by now. Believe me when I say that the knowledge we might gain far outweighs any risk.}

Zahak deliberates at length, but finally acquiesces. He proceeds cautiously into the warped lands which mark the spot where the tear into the void once stood, each footstep placed carefully as though to avoid some unseen danger. He goes out of his way to avoid touching the arches of stone, until finally he settles down next to you before the shrine. Zahak curls himself against your back, his wing coming to swaddle you like a blanket once he's made himself comfortable.

You explain briefly what the meditation will entail. It seemed fairly simple based upon what you read, one need only focus upon the substance of their soul and memory should spring unbidden to mind. The process is simple enough at a glance and Zahak seems to have a firm enough grasp on what is involved. Together, you begin to sink slowly into a trance.
(1/5)

As the stimulus of the world fade away, replaced instead by the opaque haze of ambient vys, you're struck by just how saturated this small patch of desert really is. You cannot even pick out Zahak among the clouds of red and purple. Fortunately as you separate yourself further and further from the substance of the mortal realm the fog of vys fades away to be replaced by an endless field of black, lacking any sort of distinguishing characteristics or features.

Only slowly does the symbol carved onto Mahana's shrine make itself known to your mind's eye. It's followed shortly after by the brilliant red of Zahak's soul and the more subdued gold of your own. You stop your descent towards the most basic aspects of reality, focusing instead on the metallic surface of your soul's husk. That loose casing of memory and experience which largely defines your personality.

As you focus upon your own soul, you note something amiss. It is not perfectly smooth as you'd first thought. Rather, tiny ripples twist their way across its surface in endlessly shifting patterns, never remaining constant for more than a moment. You focus on these ripples, and they grow more pronounced. Suddenly you are not alone in your thoughts, Zahak's soul blazing to life behind you.

Perhaps these ripples indicate the mental link you share with your son? You shift your focus away, and the ripples subside. You try channeling Nature magic, and this time the change is more pronounced. As your mind expands, the husk of your soul seems to twist in on itself, striations appearing across its surface which fade the very moment you cut the flow of vys.
(2/5)

>>46677650
I read it for a while, it just didn't quite click with me. The writing wasn't as smooth, it didn't have the humor, and I'm not such a big fan of evil protags.

The text very specifically mentioned that you must focus upon the shard of the divine. At first you'd thought that simply due to ignorance on the part of the author, or perhaps an intentional failure to differentiate between the husk, the shell, and the shard. However, after several minutes of focusing intensely upon the substance of your soul with few results you are starting to wonder if you weren't mistaken.

You attempt to peel back the layers, channeling a combination of Nature and Metal in the hopes of pushing through the husk without damaging it. Your efforts produce some results, creating a deep gash across the surface of your soul but not otherwise robbing you of any of your memories. However, you're forced to channel more vys into the task to make any real progress. Digging through the softer outermost layer, you finally manage to reach the thick black stone of your soul's shell.

The shell is still cracked from the combined efforts of Chryssa and the Paramatma to cure you of the Entity's influence. Light shrines brightly through the cracks, but you're somewhat at a loss as to how to look past it. When you had only just started your forays into Metal magic it was pockmarked with holes, but that is no longer the case. You're also reluctant to try eroding it away, considering that this currently fragile shell is the only thing keeping your soul within the confines of your mortal body.

In the end you decide it's not important that you get past it. You simply focus on what you know to be beyond, the shell, and hope that will suffice. You feel your consciousness retract from the world around you, Zahak's soul as well as the symbol carved upon Mahana's shrine vanishing from your Mind's eye. Instead you stand upon an invisible surface, a thousand thousand facets of crystal replaying the entirety of your life's story as a collection of disjointed moments in time.
(3/5)

>>46677731
the protag has switched to semi evil if that helps

Some of the facets are larger than others, and one in particular draws your eye. It is your memory of the time spent within the mind of an insane AI, from what feels ages ago. You had been sent to retrieve its core by Atma, the amicable fire spirit you encountered within the Mines of Longia.

You see and feel everything as though you are there in the moment, but cannot control the outcome. It is an unpleasant feeling, to be trapped in your body as it moves of its own accord. The sky above you is a roiling, tumultuous mass of black and red. You seem to recall casting a poison spell upon the AI's core before entering, but now you wonder if the corrupted vys which so inundates this place doesn't have something to do with it.

You pick your way forward across the unsteady ground, but don't get far before voices intrude upon your thoughts. The panic you no doubt felt at the time is absent, though its memory lives on in your reaction.

{He's doing it!}
{He can hear us.}
{I know that.}

You twist yourself around, surveying the sky for any sign of the three skeletal figures who so enjoy spectating your life. It is odd to relive this memory, more so since your own actions are being carried out against your will.
(4/5)

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>>46677689

{Implying your world is real. HA!}
{Shut up! Let him perform his task!}
{Fine, I'll quiet down. I'm just excited is all.}

Apparently you dismiss the stooges, because you turn towards the collapsing city's gates and continue on with your journey. A woman's sobs echo softly from the alleyway on your left, where the barest hints of vegetation suggest there may be a garden. To the right, a shadow twist itself into motion and darts off down an opposite alley. You ignore it of course, proceeding towards the crying woman.

You reach the garden and at the center is a willow tree, its leaves a veritable rainbow of color. Some are red, others green, but the vast majority are a deep blue in color. You also note how the leaves vary in size and shape, seemingly at random. Unfortunately despite its attractive foliage, the tree itself is rotting. Black beetles crawl across its surface, their shells reflecting prettily in the strange light that permeates this place.

You're reminded of your dream, of the tree you saw looming above you and of its damaged bark. This tree does not leek sap as the other one did, and the other tree did not look quite so rotten as this one.

In front of the tree sits Fulvia, though consciously you realize that it isn't Fulvia, merely a creature which looks exactly like her. She weeps violently as the world around her, the world she built, crumbles away to nothing.

You end the memory there, you know how the rest plays out. You kill the woman and wake up in the room where the defeated AI's destroyed chassis lays in ruin. You wonder, could you have picked up on Fulvia's thoughts while you were dreaming, or perhaps could she have been trying to tell you something?
>Gained Trait: Novice of the Shaping Arts
(5/6)

You awaken in the twisted ruins of the land where once the veil between your world and the realms beyond had torn. Zahak remains curled around you, apparently still deep within his meditative trance, and you see no signs that the Cat may have noticed your meditation. The shrine remains unchanged, but the moon has begun its long descent towards the horizon. You would guess you have five or six hours until sunrise, though you can't be certain.

>Offer a blood sacrifice at the altar.
>Burn the flesh of the dragon you killed some weeks ago as an offering.
>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.
>Write-in

Aaaand sadly I've gotta go. There's a mandatory talk I need to attend today, but I should be back in an hour. You'll only miss half a post or so.

>>46677824
>>Offer a blood sacrifice at the altar.

>>46677824
>>Blood

>>46677824
>Write-in
Call him a cuck

>>46677799
I miss the stooges.
Also new trait, fuck yeah.

>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.
I gotta leave in five minutes too.

>>46677824
Shit in the offering bowl

>>46677824
>>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.

>>46677824
>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.

>>46677824
>Offer a blood sacrifice at the altar.

>>46677824
>offer a few silver coins
Giving blood is a bad idea

>>46677824
>Sacrifice Zahak

>>46678034
nigga i will hunt you down and sacrifice your ass

>Gained Trait: Novice of the Shaping Arts
What exactly can we do with it again?

>>46677824
>Offer a blood sacrifice at the altar.

>>46677824
>>Offer a blood sacrifice at the altar.
Blood for the blood god

>>46672263
YOU STOLE THIS FROM THE JEWS

WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOUR MONEY

>>46677824
Anything but offering blood, that is a bad idea
The cat is basically fae, so we need to think about the implications of what we're giving him. Our blood is something that is of us, and it's part of what keeps us alive.
We would be giving him a piece of ourselves and some of our life.
I'll admit that I could be overreacting but keep in mind that while we have had a friendly relationship with the cat so far, he isn't our friend.

>>46677824
>Burn the flesh of the dragon you killed some weeks ago as an offering.

>>46677824
>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.

>>46677824
>>Offer a blood sacrifice at the altar.

>>46677799
So any ideas on what dream means?
Considering the trees odd leaves they might represent souls

>>46677824
>>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.
DO NOT GIVE LIFE ESSENCE TO A FUCKING SPIRIT

>>46677799
>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.
Fuck you too cat.

>>46677824
>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir.

Fuck that, we're an equal not a supplicant.

>>46677824
>Offer a blood sacrifice at the altar.
Whats the worst that can possibly happen

>>46677824
>Write-in

What happens if we erect a shrine inside of a shrine so we can summon cats while summoning a cat?

But seriously, leave him a note to meet us up later.

>>46678601
GET BACK IN YOUR OWN QUEST.

>>46678630
Questslut

>>46678630
>>46678601
>samefagging
>namefagging
Smh desu senpai

>>46678708
I'VE GONE FULL LIQUOR POSTING BOYS.

>Notes:
>Using names or trips in this quest is heavily discouraged. While it is impossible for me to prevent you from doing so, I ask that you not. I will also not count any votes made while using names or trips.

>>46677824
Go inside Cat's realm through the shrine and look around there. There's probably going to be at least one random entity near where we enter that we can send with a message to Cat.


Also, what are the odds that Cat isn't responding because something happened to him?

>>46678760
Yeah, I was shit posting elsewhere and forgot to remove it.

>>46678809
>Also, what are the odds that Cat isn't responding because something happened to him?
About tree fiddy
If we was a disciple we'd know

>>46678859
If we were a disciple we'd have lost half our permanent mana because our lord and saviour the cat decided he needs more power to fight whoever it is. You know Soma would do it.

>>46678909
Yeah but we'd be fightan with him

>>46678859
If we were a disciple we would know because he would be using us as a shield.

But hey, I'm gonna vote for

>>46677824

> Here's Johnny! Enter the Cats realm and see what's up

I call it my Magnus did Nothing Wrong plan.

>>46678809
>>46679031
Supporting

I'm gonna go ahead and bet that when we go in, something will be terribly terribly wrong.

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>>46677689
I call bullshit.

>>46679219
We cant he pulls us in we dont just walk in

>>46679240
Not joking. Granted he wasn't a huge fan or anything, but he said he liked it well enough and enjoyed spending time with me talking about it.
I do sometimes wonder if he was just humoring me, but he seemed to remember it too well for that to have been the case.

>>46677824
Thank Dhatu the vote isn't over

>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir

Giving a spirit your blood is bad m'kay

>>46677799
>>If the cat does not wish to treat with you, you won't press the issue. Set course for Nazir

Let's gooooooooooooooo

I have returned and I'm counting votes.

>>46678809
I wouldn't be surprised, we could probably get something cool if we gave him a hand, but we haven't entered his realm manually yet

>>46679981
Might I suggest holding another one? This one is pretty messy.

>>46677835
>>46677872
>>46677995
>>46678069
>>46678096
>>46678215
>>46678625
>Blood

>>46679773
>>46679436
>>46678474
>>46678296
>>46678150
>>46678116
>>46677990
>>46677953
>>46677933
>You didn't really want to talk to Mahana anyway!

>>46678034
>>46678116
>>46678117
>Dragon flesh

>>46677896
>Insult his spirit waifu

>>46677950
>Shit in his food bowl.

That seems to be all the votes, didn't seem too bad despite the rather long voting window. Writin'

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>>46680075
>He counted the samefag votes

>>46680108
>SALT LEVELS CRITICAL

>>46680108
Soma doesn't give a merda about that

>>46680075
Why not just cut it off at the first 10 min soma?
By counting all the votes encourages samefags.

>>46680108
Fuck off Rob

Actually, since it'll give me a chance to finish up the description of what Novice of the Shaping Arts gives you, Final Destination.

VOTE
1
To leave the shrine now, and worry about it later.

VOTE
2
To offer some of your blood on the altar, in the hopes of drawing Mahana's attention.

>>46680310
2

>>46680310
>2

>>46680310
2

>>46680310
>A choice between the worst options.

>>46680310
2

>>46680335
Final destination is always the two options that got the most votes. That's blood and leaving.

>>46680310
1

>>46680310
2

>>46680310
1

>>46680310
1

>>46680310
nigga

>>46680310
1

>>46680310
2