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>>46726265
"If you've got something to say, now's the time," you tell him calmly. Knowing you're going to regret it, you dig out your pipe and pack it. "It's just you and I, Hunting Talon."

"Where do you get off, necromancer?" the harpy hisses, through pained breaths. "You would have done the same to me."

You gesture at him with your unlit pipe. "It's funny to me that you think that," you note, before you light the bowl and take a puff. Sweet, lung-wracking relief. You cough the smoke and shake your head to clear the sleep from it.

"Then you're a fool."

"I'd be careful with the insults. Wouldn't want it to get around that you got beat by a fool."

There's an indignant chirp from the one-eyed harpy, and he tries to sit up to lunge at you. He gets about an inch off of his niche before he decides he'd prefer to live and sets his head the fuck back down.

"Believe it or not, I don't want to rub what happened in your face, Talon," you tell him. "If you wanna talk, I'm here to talk. If you want me to fuck off and leave you alone, I can fuck off in the direction of the coffee and never speak to you again."

"I don't want your pity," the harpy groans.

"You don't have any of my pity. You put big fucking holes in organs I use to live."

"Then what is this?" he finally exclaims, in exasperation. Amy makes an unhappy noise in her sleep; Nathan cuddles her closer without waking up, stroking her hair to soothe her.

> My job, Talon
> You were...are...important to Amy. That makes you important to me
> I see potential in you. Y'know, beneath the murderous rage
> Write-in?

>>46726330
> My job, Talon

>>46726330
>"You have some potential. Y'know, beneath the murderous rage and foolishness. Amy saw some of that as well. She told us as much."

Also, linking to my question from the corpse of previous thread. >>46726341

>>46726341
If anyone made them, they're not claiming the credit. The current running theory popular in academia is that dragons are just a particular kind of elemental. This theory is full of holes so huge that yo momma could walk through them I'm sorry the joke was sitting right there but it's the best they've got.

Theologians sometimes theorize that dragons form due to confluences of elemental, emotional, and deathly energies, which accounts for their predatory nature, though this does not explain the bit where the few eyewitness accounts of a dragon manifesting also report Fang Choir in attendance.

>>46726330
>> My job, Talon

>>46726378
Wow, that was redundant of me.

>>46726383
Cool! So they must be the ultimate magical beasts, and maybe a companion Fang keeps them from wrecking entire nations.

>>46726330
> You were...are...important to Amy. That makes you important to me

My job, talon is blatantly untrue as we JUST said this one was all on us. And as for the potential vote I don't see it, Talon stone cold does not give a fuck about anything but himself from anything I have seen.

Aight, I'm up way too damn late. Votes remain open until the morning, and one of these days I'm gonna learn how to kill a thread before 5 AM.

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated. The character sheet doc will be forthcoming as I acquire free time for it.

As for a potential magic doc, would you prefer that to be OOC the way the character sheet doc is, or would you prefer it as a continuation of River's magic notes?

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46726330
>> Write-in?

You realize that you could have had the roost? I was willing to work with you. And then you went and pissed me off, lost the Roost, and you still don't have Amy.

And what exactly would have happened if things went according to your plan?

Razor Feathers kills me, Amy's mom and Nate. You don't really have Amy because she hates your fucking guts and YOU STILL DON'T HAVE THE ROOST. She has it.

You suck at planning Talon. Stop being a hothead and maybe your life won't suck.

>>46726330
>Write-in?
>"Amy was stuck inside a cage, she had to watch countless people die to traps all because they were trying to help her, Nate and I managed to get her out but without the magic of the cage, she would have surely died to infection from her rotten wings. She did put down the one responsible for that and has been with us ever since. A lot has happened to Amy these past few year, and it changed her views quite a bit, she still loved you after all this time, but she couldn't bring herself to go back to you, because that was not the future she wanted to have."
>"there is an entire world out there where you don't have to be afraid of dying at the drop of a hat. Mind it can still be quite a shit hole in its own right but not on the scale of the Roost."
>"I admire your devotion but the fact is, you won't get Amy back. A word of advice, go out of the dungeon, try to interact with the people, learn from them, and most importantly, try to have patience. You can still help to make the Roost a safer place."

Hope this is acceptable.

>>46726330
you're not making fun of AM are you?
>Because you deserve the truth, about how Amy changed, and why that means she can't be with you.
>And how all this could be different if you changed too.

>>46726887
while I can back the sentiment of it, I don't want to go too far into dictating what's actually happened.

>>46726330
> Write in

> Honestly? Probably a bad fucking idea, after all no good deed goes unpunished. But despite you trying to do everything you possibly can to make Amy hate you, even though she isn't in love with you anymore she still cares about you. And regardless of whatever my feelings may be, I don't want to hurt her. So if anyone finishes you off, it's going to be her.

> She's working on being a lot less like she was when you knew her though, so she'll likely just have you go away. Aren't you glad she change.

>>46726887
>>46727014
You're right, it could do with less info, I'll leave it up as an example.

>>46726330
> The fact that you don't know what "this" is speaks volumes. "This" is what Amy chose, a life that isn't murder and fear 24/7 until you get a knife in your back.

> It's a life where you don't have to always be alone. Where you can trust, even when it's a risk, and have that trust returned.

> It's a fucking shame you had to betray her, instead of trying to understand who she came back as.

>>46726383
>this does not explain the bit where the few eyewitness accounts of a dragon manifesting also report Fang Choir in attendance.
Maybe the angels are there to spectate? If the origin of dragons is so mysterious, perhaps they're as interested as the mortals are.

Or maybe they're just there because the giant fire-breathing death monster that just exploded itself into being is technically under their jurisdiction, even if they don't know how or why it showed up like it did, so they just send somebody over to keep the situation in hand, however it develops.

I'm awake. Will call and write soon.

>>46727589
> The fact that you don't know what "this" is speaks volumes. "This" is what Amy chose, a life that isn't murder and fear 24/7 until you get a knife in your back.
> It's a life where you don't have to always be alone. Where you can trust, even when it's a risk, and have that trust returned.
> It's a fucking shame you had to betray her, instead of trying to understand who she came back as.
Seconding this.

Called.

>>46729320
TL;DR Jesus Talon what the fuck were you thinking seems to be the gist lol. So. Many. Write-ins. 2 votes for

> Doing mah jobby jobs

And one write in managed to get a

> LONDON, er, I mean seconds

Best of luck with that Vox! I BELIEVE IN YOU.

>>46729530
I'm gonna be combining some given the circumstances, yes. So many write-ins lately, not that I'm complaining!

Also, webcomic partner has provided lewdity in the usual spot. For those inclined, he does this sort of thing as practice for his art; feedback in the pic's comment section is welcome.

Dude's a bit shy about announcing his own art.

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>>46726330
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8dMIzfp8HM

You shake your head and sigh. "Talon, the bit where you don't know what 'this' is says a lot. 'This' is what Amy chose instead of a throne of bones. It's called peace."

"Don't condescend me," Talon croaks. "You hate me."

"No, I don't," you answer softly.

"You'll seek revenge," Talon presses.

"I forgive you," you reply, cocking an eyebrow. "And forsake all vengeance to which I am entitled. Now what?"

Talon stares blankly. The confusion written across his face is pitiable, in its own way.

"There's no such thing as a life without risk," you murmur. "What Amy's chosen is to trust people, even though it risks being betrayed. To let her enemies live when it's right to do so. To seek peace instead of violence and be confident in her own strength without needing to paint the world in blood to prove it. It's a damn shame you had to betray her instead of trying to understand that."

"I never betrayed Amy," Talon whispers. "I betrayed you. I wouldn't...I wouldn't hurt her."

"Should have thought about that before you unleashed your harpies on her."

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>>46729947
Talon says nothing, but you have his undivided attention.

"I got picked out for a job," you tell him. "I didn't ask for it, but it's mine. I'm supposed to restore the Dungeon to working order, and I've got no guidelines and no rules. So I'm doing it the best way I know how."

Hunting Talon closes his eyes and takes a deep breath - you can see the wince from his wounds. "I thought I could rule the Roost. Force people to obey me. Intimidate them into uniting against our enemies."

"You could have ruled the Roost, Talon," you tell him. "But not like that. I think Amy might have preferred to see you on the Perch, but not after that. Razor Feathers might have sold out, but she was...honest. And you weren't."

"Leave me."

"As you wish."

CHOOSE A SCENE

> A Parliament of Murders
> This Is Not An Exit
> Bring Out Your Dead

>>46730207
> Bring Out Your Dead

Second is parliament of murders, but I'm more interested in Draugs.

>>46730207
> A Parliament of Murders

>>46730207
>> This Is Not An Exit

mostly because I want to see what it is.

>>46730207
Kind of wish we had thought to ask him just what he imagined would happen if he had succeeded.

>>46730207
>This Is Not An Exit
I can't for the life of me figure out what faction this relates to.

>>46730434
I can, imagine a picture of birds flying into a pane glass window. Just my best guess though.

Called, writing. Final pre-work update.

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>>46730207
Your name is James Frost. The first name comes from your grandfather, of whom your parents were very fond. Your surname comes from the people of the Broken Jaw being about as creative with their names as they are with their professions. Ice mining. Seriously?

You are a vampire. In a related story, your sister Nicole is also a vampire, and the two of you have been trying to escape the Roost ever since you realized it was driving you to starvation /and recently populated by a gods-damned necromancer/. She had to come from somewhere, and a bit of investigating turned up New Hell as the most likely candidate.

Sure enough, there's a crack in the seal. You and Nicole slip through quietly.

"We'll feed in the Mine," you say quietly. "Then get through the Atheneum as fast as we can. No need to tangle with the Caretaker."

Nicole nods with a shudder. "Then the surface?"

"Then the surface."

Quick, quiet, clean. The vampiric hallmarks. Admittedly you've only been a vampire for twenty years now, but stealth comes naturally to you, and with the necromancer laid up in the Shrine, no mortal -

There's an elf behind the door you just opened, with deep red hair spilling out from her hood. Another elf, in a broad-brimmed hat, and a third that smells too much like a demon to be anything /but/ a demon, are with her.

She's got bone wands on her belt. /Fuck/.

> Attack
> Run! Run back to the Roost!
> Hypnotic Stare
> Beg for your life

>>46730957
> Run! Run back to the Roost!

Is the elf with the hat Lark? Or some other elf?

>>46731068
It is indeed Lark. He wears the hat to hide that his ears have been clipped.

>beg for your life

>>46730957
>beg

Alright folks, time for Gainful Employment. I'll be back at approximately 10:30 PM EST. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46730957
>> Run! Run back to the Roost!
Necromancer, demon, and who knows what that other guy is, but this situation is sufficiently nope already.

>>46730957
> Beg for your life
Choosing the safe choice for once

>>46731404
> Throwing ourselves on a necromancer's mercy
> Safe

>>46730957
> Run! Run back to the Roost!

>>46730957
> Run! Run back to the Roost!

We have forever to live, we can GTFO later when some one or thing else is occupying their time.

>>46729578
Those are some nice lewds.

>>46730957
>"Well, fuck our unlives."
>Run away!

> Run! Run back to the Roost!

Yep, not dealing with that.

>>46730957
>> Run! Run back to the Roost!

>>46730957
>Beg for your life

Time for the old vampire fall back

"Be charming as fuck"

>beg

>>46730957
>> Beg for your life

The Roost is No Good. Go back there, and we'll starve to insanity if the necromancer that's taking /it/ over doesn't get us.
Attacking is likely Even Worse, given that that's probably a necromancer and a demon, /and/ they outnumber us.
Best bet for us is to just hope that they have some mercy.

>>46730957
>Beg for your life
Changing vote.

>>46732744

...From?

>>46732800
Deleted it. Probably shouldn't have added "Changing vote". Sorry.

>>46730957
>Beg for your life

Six hours and change to call.

Busy shift, likely only able to talk on breaks since there's no lull in customers. Questions and discussion are still welcome though.

Four and a half hours and change to call.

So what's the deal with vampires in this world? (I don't recall learning about this yet, but if we have, I request linkage.)

Are they fully free-willed undead? Can they reproduce in any way besides the standard "bite someone to turn them into a vampire"? Where did the /first/ vampire come from?

Any kind of data on them is welcome.

>>46732699
Nah man, we could have hypnotized someone to find our who this necromancer is and what not so we could plan how to get around them.

Bump for the lich

>>46735795
Will answer this when I get home. Two hours and change.

Further questions and discussion welcome; I'll address when I'm home.

Bump.

>>46738510
How many times has a child asked Briana to revive their dead pet and what would it take for Briana to raise a common pet type in the Dungeon as an undead minion?

>>46739883
Raising pets is easy, raising them to have any kind of personality and actually function autonomously is a big no. We spent days working on fetch and we can only do that with one animal at a time.

Speaking of, where was fetch in the harpy fight

>>46740371
Fetch hasn't been with us in the Roost, because the terrain is poorly suited to him. I forget the actual reasoning, but in my head it's because there are long drops and Fetch is small and puntable.

>>46740751
I just had a flashback to my days of punting chickens in Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

>>46740751
This is the reason.

>>46735795
Vampires are generally free-willed undead, though they are also found pressed into service by necromancers that dominate them. Vampires feed on the blood of sapients, as well as the emotions unleashed in such feeding; it is for this reason that vampires tend to either A. scare their prey or B. seduce it. A few make an attempt to feed on animals but it never quite works out for them.

Vampires are stronger and faster than living examples of their species, possess a hypnotic gaze, and are capable of sorcery. They lose all of their advantages in sunlight and suffer from exhaustion and distraction while so exposed.

No legend records the first vampire, but necromancers theorize that they are related to draugs.

>>46739883
More than she wants to admit. It breaks her heart every time.

It doesn't take much to raise a dog or cat, just as it didn't take much to raise a chicken.

Called, writing.

>>46742083
this is gonna be one long ass post.

>>46743498
Nah, he's just distracted trying to defend his Kant-o-Celle fanfic against some rather seriously salty anon(s).

>>46743498
Seems so. Unless Vox is overdosing on caffeine or something and needs medical attention.

>>46744313
why would a smart man like Vox argue with trolls?

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>>46730957
Okay, you can run - nope, not turning your back on the necromancer.

Attacking's right out too. You're outnumbered and in range of those /horrible wands/. Who knows if her mind is shielded or not, but if you try to assail it and it /is/, she'll kill you all the way to death faster than you can apologize.

You throw your hands up and take a quick step back. "Wait!"

"I wasn't in a rush," the red-haired elf answers calmly. One hand rests near those /horrible wands/. "You're dead. So is she."

"...We prefer to think of ourselves as alternatively alive," you offer, putting on the charm.

"Getting colder," the elf warns, raising an eyebrow beneath her hood.

"We're from the Roost!" you squeak. "Something there is making us have to feed more! We're just trying to escape!"

"You meet a necromancer while you were in there?" the elf asks.

"We've been doing everything we can to avoid her," Nicole admits. "...Running right into a second necromancer wasn't really on the plan."

"You people are everywhere lately," you complain.

The elf shrugs quietly. "I'd disarm, if I were you."

You and Nicole share a look, and then start throwing down your weapons. Well, "weapons" - they're mostly tools. Ice axes, pitons, torches, the like.

Still, no need to provoke the necromancer, right?

"You seem nervous," the elf notes.

"We know what those wands are for," you answer, honestly.

"My...advisor...seems to feel you're vampires. Accurate?"

"Yes ma'am," Nicole answers politely.

"Maybe we should get Brianna," the elf in the hat suggests. "She'll -"

"No," the red-haired elf interrupts, not sharply, but firmly. "...I can't run to her for everything. I need to be a la Croix now."

"I don't suppose la Croix would let us go?" you offer, hopefully.

"Depends on if they thought there was something worthwhile still left in you," the elf answers, her green eyes back on you. "Sultan, collect their weapons. We'll go talk somewhere less...exposed."

>>46744313
I know he considers Planefag a friend, but how the fuck does he stomach that cancer? Fuck me kc has the worst playerbase on this fucking site.

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>>46744375
You and Nicole find yourselves marched in the center of the three, to a small storage room that has been converted into a temporary camp. The heat in this place is sweltering even for you - and being dead does wonders for ignoring the environment - but for some /forsaken reason/, they get a small fire going and start making coffee.

The elf in the hat lights up a cigar. You have no idea what's in it, but the smoke smells absolutely foul.

The re-haired elf pulls her hood back. She looks surprisingly young.

"My name is River la Croix," she tells you. "I am a necromancer and demonologist, and you have just become my problem. That you surrendered peacefully says good things, though."

"We just want to leave," you repeat.

"We'll see," River says flatly. "Why leave?"

> You're running from the Diviner
> You don't know; you just need /out/
> You're seeking a cure for your condition
> Evade the question; plead harmlessness

>>46744596
> You don't know; you just need /out/
>The vibes be bad, mon, gives us the heebie-jeebies, ya kno?

>>46744596
>> You're running from the Diviner

Bitch is legit crazy

>>46744596

>Why WOULDN'T you leave, the place is a shit hole, all the levels are either over saturated with similar undead, full of hostile and manipulative bastards, or are actively draining what remains of your life from you, and are in an active state of flux because fucking necromancers.

>>46744313
>>46744340
'm fielding feedback, same as I do here. I realize I can't actually /stop/ you but I'd prefer that any drama I have to deal with stay contained in the thread(s) it's topical to.

>>46744411
Blame Nakaposter. Then see above.

>>46744641
supporting

>also it is my vote

>>46744596
> You're running from the Diviner

Probably the most believable.

>>46744411
To be fair, his contributions to KCQ are utter shit as well, especially in comparison to DLQ, but you can only polish a turd so much when your main tools/characters are mass-murdering rapists.

>>46744665
if you say you are writing then vanish for 2 and a half hours it is pretty obvious people are going to wonder what's up.

>>46744692
I really, REALLY don't get how Planefag gets so many readers. The reading is only slightly above average for it being so slow and toxic.

>>46744707
Point. Though, in fairness, I always have...trouble...getting going right after I get home from work. Which is not your fault or anyone's but mine.

Fuck. I'm gonna get some dinner while votes come in.

>>46744758
*writing

not reading

>>46744641
>>46744596

Foggit, this works.

It'll put her on the wrong foot, at least.

>>46744596
>Everything's horrible
>The Diviner turned the Maw into a shithole
>The Roost has ALWAYS been a shithole, but NOW it's somehow making us HUNGRIER
>New Hell's heat does not do good things to undead complexion
>There's no way we're going anywhere near the Caretaker, even if the book jobs sound quite safe.

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>>46744758
>>46744788
Because this is a quest and more so about providing a fun show than a well written novel?
It's the difference between performing on stage and writing a script.

fun things are fun anon and planefag makes things fun.

>>46745014
I guess I just don't get the "fun" part from it. Other quests sure, but a lot of the surrounding shit ruins it for me in that one.

>>46744641
>>46744673
>>46744975
Calling in favor of these by narrow victory/write-in similarity.

>>46744758
>>46745014
>>46745057
Anon /pls/.

>>46745388
>Anon /pls/.

Just something to talk about Vox.

You know I'm right, it's shit.

What is Kantocelle quest about?

>>46745424
>http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Kant-O-Celle%20Quest

Have fun reading, this isn't the place for it.

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>>46744596
You stare incredulously. Thankfully, Nicole's faster on the uptake than you are.

"What do you mean, 'why'?" your sister asks, offended. "Everyone in the Broken Jaw is dead. Not some people, /everyone/. /All the people/. The Roost seems like easy prey but everyone there is psychotic and it's starving us to death, the Dungeon's crawling with hostile forces and necromancers, and just fucking /shit/. I'm shocked there isn't a mass exodus as-is!"

"...Sis," you say quietly, your charm flattened out to regret. "The others didn't lose their home."

"...Yeah," Nicole agrees, looking down at the fire.

River's eyes fill with warm sympathy. She pours herself a cup of coffee, stirs sugar into it, and takes a sip.

"What happened in the Broken Jaw?" she asks, after a moment.

"It was a nightmare," you whisper. "A nightmare from which there was no waking. The food just...it was just /gone/. Shredded to tatters. Animals were found rotting on the ice, spoiled entirely. Ice blocked the ways out, thick and strong, and it re-grew whenever we chipped at it. We...they..."

"There was only one kind of prey left," Nicole finishes, so you don't have to. "Those that didn't hunt, died. Most of the ones that did still died, in the end. And when they got back up, the ice blocking the Roost opened up, and that was that."

"Gods," River whispers. "Why?"

"She didn't exactly explain herself," you mutter bitterly. "We had /homes/ there. People we cared about. And now we have nothing. Excuse us if we don't care to linger."

"Where is the Diviner?" River asks.

"That's easy," Nicole answers. "She's at Cannot Hold, in the center of the Jaw."

* * * *

You are River la Croix, and you have...well, vampires.

> Send them back into the Roost; Brianna will need to talk to them
> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.
> Let them go
> Destroy them
> Write-in?

>>46745987
>>46742083
This is an important question: Does Feeding necessarily kill/turn the victim?

>>46745987
>> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.

>>46745987
>> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.

>>46746036
The victim needs to be buried in earth to be turned in most cases, though necromancy can accelerate and/or side-step this process. A vampire doesn't have to kill to feed but leaving their victims alive can get complicated; their bites are filthy and tend to be agonizingly fatal from infection if they're not immediately fatal from blood drain. Avoiding this requires advance preparation, which means a willing donor - a difficult commodity to acquire. Vampires need to feed often enough that draining from a single willing victim will hurt them faster than they can recover.

>>46746081
So what you're saying is, the optimal setup for a vampire is having a harem of cleanfreaks.
> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.

>>46745987
> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.

Holy shit I thought Nathens mom was bad, the diviner murdered an entire fucking dungeon level.

>>46746081
So, friendly neighborhood vampire is not an option? Well that's a shame, we aren't in the business of letting unavoidably predatory undead do as they please/

>>46746136
Not usually. The la Croix have tolerated vampires in the past whose preferred targets were, shall we say, "deserving" for a certain pragmatic definition of "deserving", but there's a reason there's a sub-branch of the family that tracks and hunts vampires. They're not really great news.

>>46745987
>> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.

Alright folks, I need to sleep. Votes remain open. Got another long shift tomorrow - 1:45 PM to 10 PM EST - so, y'know, be forewarned. Remaining shifts this week start at 6 and end at 10.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46745987
> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.
You do this, and give information about the Broken Jaw, not a rant, mind you, and we'll see if we can keep a blind eye when you make your inevitable escape.

>>46745987
>> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.
Perhaps if we told them the reason for the changes in the way things are, they might be a littel more willing to help.

>>46745987
>you two work for me now.

>>46745987
> Ask that they stay with you in New Hell; you could use the manpower to take out this last, stubborn Forge that's making a gods-damned /fight/ of it.

Okay, people are going to die in this one, so we might as well make use of their corpses. James and Nicole can drink blood during/after the battle, but the kill must be quick and painless. Afterwards we can see about putting them in a hibernation state so Brianna can meet them later without having to deal with starving vampires. We can make an oath that we won't stake them in their sleep if it makes them comfortable.

That's the only way I see this working, since they'd still need to feed later if they stay awake.

Bumpity bump bump.

I'm up. Getting coffee.

Real life interrupt, shouldn't be too long.

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>>46745987
"Here's the deal," you say frankly. "You're vampires. My job is to protect the living -"

"Say fucking what?" the female asks, shocked.

<I do love it when they react like that> Robert notes.

You clear your throat with an inward glare at the dead man. "My job is to protect the living. That means you and I have a bit of a problem but, and I want to stress this, my job is /not/ to purge the undead. I don't really want to hurt you." You sigh. "I know a thing or two about hurtful people doing good."

"So what's your proposal?" the male asks.

"I'm a little busy down here. One of these Forges is still serving the people that have made the Dungeon...how it is right now. Come with me. Help me take 'em out, and I can get your measure and decide later. Maybe even have time to find you a place to stay long-term."

"If we refuse?" the woman asks.

"Can you run faster than I can draw this wand?" you ask softly.

<Cold> Robert notes, not disapprovingly.

<Mercy isn't always nice.>

"...Deal," the vampires decide.

"Alright, you say with a nod. "Let me finish my coffee, and then we need to talk to an orc."

* * * *

You are Brianna la Croix, and you are to be the last to arrive to this meeting between the various factions of the Roost. Seven murder, three clans, Briony, and a representative of the human population. You've chosen to arrive...

> In full formal wear; blunt symbolism seems to be in vogue
> As you usually are. You don't need to dress up

AND

> On your own
> With Nathan and Amy
> With everyone

>>46750736
>As you usually are. You don't need to dress up
I don't think they appreciate "dressing up", not when they never really "turn off" the fight or flight.

Unless we got that bitchin raiment done already. THAT would make a statement.

>>46750736
>With everyone
yeah. I guess. Who would we leave? John? The impact of controlling a draug has something to it. Hatchet man has an obvious impact. Nate can take on any challengers just fine.

>>46750736
>> In full formal wear; blunt symbolism seems to be in vogue
>AND
>> With everyone

This seems like an excellent time to make the strongest showing we've got. The more we can project power, the more influence we'll have at the table—/especially/ this table.

There will inevidably be some form of a scuffle here, we've seen how harpies argue with each other.

>>46750736
>As you usually are. You don't need to dress up
>With everyone

I don't think formal wear would really cut it with the vast majority of people here, what would work is seeing this not very imposing young woman being followed by a bunch of people who look like they could easily handle themselves in a fight (which most of them already demonstrated).

>Maybe just the skull make-up.

Aight; called, writing.

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>>46750736
"The arrangement is simple," Razor Feathers had told you. "The core of the idea of meetings such as this is trust. The one who called the meeting perches in the bottom center, along with any of the wingless invited. The others will be arranged up the walls, so that they may hear and see but, more significantly, so that they possess the height advantage."

"Seems rife for assassination," you observe.

"It is," Razor Feathers agrees. "One must trust that the word of all present is good. Enter last; it will make an impression."

The Parliament is one of the many buildings you observed bolted to the walls of the Roost. Its arrangement is simple; in the center is a large round table, made of stone, with a perch large enough for two jutting from the middle. The rest of the structure rises a full half-Floor and is roughly tower-like, with room for many harpies to perch with relative access to personal space.

It is absolutely full when you walk in. You'd been expecting only the leaders, but it appears that many have brought guards, mates, or even their majordomos.

Across the table, standing near an /extremely/ uncomfortable Briony, is a draug woman. A tattered patch on her coat declares her a healer.

Their leader, then.

Razor Feathers calls for silence when she sees you enter, with your compatriots in tow. The healer draug glares irritably at John before offering you her attention; all other eyes in the room are on you.

"My name is Brianna la Croix," you begin. You don't rest your hands on the table; let them see you with the cane and know you're not scared of them. "Thank you all for coming."

"Why are we here?" a harpy from the upper reaches asks, with surprisingly little sarcasm. You glance up and see dirt-streaked feathers, a body decimated by starvation. One of the harpies from lower down, then.

"Razor Feathers and I had a...negotiation, recently."

"Ambush, y'mean," a dwarf man interrupts sardonically.

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>>46751607
"Please, like there's a difference," Amy snaps at him. "If you talk at the end, it was a negotiation."

"She's not wrong," Briony observes.

"No one asked you, whelp," the dwarf snaps at her.

> Let it happen
> Get their attention
> Make Kat shut the dwarf up
> Write-in?

>>46751656
>Let it happen

>>46751656
> Get their attention
Using Kat seems too harpy-like to me, besides we are the one who called this meeting. We should set the tone that we are affable but firm, not drawing swords at the drop of the hat.

>>46751656
> Get their attention

>>46751656
>Write-in.
>Kat shushes him with a finger to the lip; makes the point that, hey, we aren't going to be pushed around, but we aren't here for violence.

>>46751656
>> Get their attention

Don't let this get out of control, but save the harsh measures for if they're actually needed.

>>46751656
>>> Get their attention

Called, writing. Final pre-work update.

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>>46751656
You quietly set your cane down on the table while the argument starts to build up, then stick two fingers in your mouth and whistle, loud and piercing. The harpies in the room wince; the dwarf and Briony silence themselves immediately.

"Are you done?" you ask softly. "Because I wasn't. I had big holes put in me in spots I use to stay alive lately and my patience is about as thin as my pretexts to have a cigarette. If you'd all like to fuck off and go back to murdering each other, you can be my guest. We'll leave, the doors will stay closed, and whoever doesn't starve to death will only have done so by eating everyone else."

"Why would the shipments stop coming in from the Cornucopia?" the dirty harpy from earlier asks.

"Because at some point in the near future I'm going to gut the Lush for what he's done to my friend, and when I'm finished I'm probably going to lock his ghost in a tiny box full of iron and drop it in a deep fucking lake."

Everyone quiets down. They're listening. You take a deep breath.

"Change is coming to the Dungeon," you say softly. "You have the attention of the surface world, and, luck of all things, it's a young human with political clout and a need to Do Good. Your home is infested with intruders that murder its people and defile its sacred places, and they accomplished it because the Dungeon stands divided, not just into tribes but as Floors. I think the people here, of all places, might understand why that's a stupid idea."

A murmur of assent.

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>>46752712
You pick up your cane to lean on and adjust your hat. "No one controls the Dungeon. I don't want to either. But it can no longer be fiefdoms with no relation to one another. We can't just throw our hands up and go, "Sorry, not my problem," any more. I've called you here because the Roost needs to decide what it wants to be. As things stand?" you shake your head. "Not going to fly. The Mine, New Hell, they just got done shaking themselves free of the grip of raiders with armies. The won't tolerate you preying on them any longer."

Razor Feathers ruffles her wings. "When the doors do open again, any who want to leave, can. La Croix and my forces will provide you with an escort to a higher level of the Dungeon, or to the surface."

"Any?" the female draug asks.

"Pull the other one, it's got bells on," you drawl back.

She folds her arms. "I came to sue for peace, necromancer."

"You literally eat people," Amy points out.

"Most of the sapients in this room eat people," the healer rejoins.

> ...See, that's one of the things we need to talk about.
> I'm not unleashing you on the surface. If you've got a proposal, say it now.
> No. Fuck off directly back to death.
> Write-in?

>>46752799
>...See, that's one of the things we need to talk about.
>Write-in?
>"Most of the sapients in this room don't /need/ to eat people to survive. What is your proposal?"

And now Gainful Employment. I'll be back at approximately 10:30 PM EST. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46752799
> I'm not unleashing you on the surface. If you've got a proposal, say it now.
No ideas for write in, hear her out

>>46752799
>> I'm not unleashing you on the surface. If you've got a proposal, say it now.

Must ask; how's Roost culture coming off for ya?

>>46752799
>>46752883

I'll support this.

>>46752883
>>"Most of the sapients in this room don't /need/ to eat people to survive. What is your proposal?"
That sounds reasonable.

>>46753240
>how's Roost culture coming off for ya?

Way too much murder for their own good, they must be getting it on constantly to raise enough chicks to counter the sneks, undead, dwarves, other harpies.

Haven't seen enough of the dwarves and humans to make an assessment.

I don't dislike their parliament, You better have something good to tell if you plan to sit beneath that many perched Harpies.

>>46753434
I'll note that the undead are new to the region, but yeah. Life is cheap, people have as many kids as they can.

>>46752799
>>"Most of the sapients in this room don't /need/ to eat people to survive. What is your proposal?"
There's a big difference between "do" and "must". Ethically, the draug have the easier stance to justify, since they don't have a choice, but by the same token we can theoretically stop the harpies from eating sapients.

>>46752799
>>>"Most of the sapients in this room don't /need/ to eat people to survive. What is your proposal?"
Supported.

>>46751607
>majordomos.

Major dominoes?

The fuck is this word?

>>46755507
>What is google

A majordomo is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, the term refers to the highest (major) person of a household (domūs or domicile) staff, a head servant who acts on behalf of the owner of a large or significant residence. Similar terms include castellan, concierge, chamberlain, seneschal, mayor of the palace, maître d'hôtel, head butler, and steward.

>>46755507
Dude. Google.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majordomo

>>46755650
>>46755604

Time conservation, brehs. Why google when I can continue catching up on the thread and let you assholes do the work for me?

Thanks for the spoon feeding!

Six hours and change to call.

Might be good to think about/discuss how you're envisioning the Roost's role in the Dungeon, your thoughts on its power structure, and what you want to try to change or preserve. This is your big first impression; it'll be on you to have a proposal for debate.

>>46755792
The Roost is connected to a much of the Dungeon, Transport through it may be faster in some cases, establishing a communications hub may also be a good idea.

I think we want to reduce the senseless killing, maybe they can create a sort of gladiator style sport? having other people come to the Roost for these fighting games could net some profit which can then be spent to further improve conditions.

>>46756971
it is true that harpies do seem to enjoy beating the shit out of each other, and proposing it could show that we respect their culture. But of course now might not be the time to propose it, it would have to be handled somewhat sensitively as to not have them thinking you're about "ok I'm at the top now, so fight for my amusement"

>>46755792
Soo.... giant, death funneling column? NUCLEAR DEATH SILO.

>>46757301
ZOMBIE ARMIES ANON!

as to alternative choices to banditry

we may want to discuss setting up a harpie settlement to produce food in the basement, as that seems to be the main place for farming on the topside of the dungeon and they seem to have a food shortage. I don't really see them as big vegetable eaters but cattle farming of some sort would probably work well. Though once the cornucopia is retaken it may be a moot point and maybe short term humanitarian aid is a better idea.

Possibly education should be brought onto the table, if fucking goblins are acceptable students in glen then I can't see why harpies would not be acceptable.

And lastly as the roosts main revenue stream we should really get the trade routes sorted out and possibly governed and monitored to make sure there is no funny business, by other harpies of course we are not trying to rule these people.

Just a few ideas off the top of my head.

oh and lastly we should probably propose a large scale snake hunt, these people are dealing with famine and are plagued with large edible snakes. Not only would it help solve two problems at once it may stop them from killing each other in the process.

>>46757517
He has a point, though. Revealing that the pain and death has been fueling Something Below might encourage some cooperation.

any way we could get food to the roost in the short term so people stop killing each other?

>>46752799
> ...See, that's one of the things we need to talk about.

>>46753434
they're probably at their worst right now due to the no food issue

I had an idea about the whole 'outside world forgets what happened when you died'

We get our pardoned formally written up in writing, with a seal, along with a letter from the duchess explaining to herself what's happened with a small personal item that she'd instantly recognize and then put it some place in the dungeon so it won't be affected by time stop over if we die

>>46757741
Potentially. Right now the upper floors are in rough equilibrium thanks to your efforts. The Lichyard is mainly self-sufficient, but the Mine, Athenaeum, and New Hell are reliant on the aid they're getting from Glen and the Basement - though not as much as one might think, with all the deaths.

If you liberate the Cornucopia next, the food issue is solved.

Three hours and change to call.

Bump

>>46757971
We might be able to get the harpys to help with taking the Cornucopia.

One hour and change to call.

>>46759352
While I like this on the one hand, on the other it could be Bad News if restraint is called for. Might be nice if we can ensure obedience.

Definitely support the snake hunt from earlier

Off work, heading home. Good ideas and discussion today, should be a good jumping point after I get food and coffee

Home, gonna call in a bit. Gonna try unwinding from work /before/ I call for a change and see how that goes.

Write-in's lookin' like the clear winner in any event. Y'all have had some good ones lately.

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>>46752799
You give the draug a steady look. "Most of the sapients in the room don't /need/ to eat people to survive, and if you think they're getting off the hook on that you've got another thought coming."

This sets off a flurry of offended and confused chirps and screeches until you command silence by rapping your cane against the table. The instant quiet is almost unnerving.

"Your new allies are not going to be understanding about it, people of the Roost," you murmur. "Believe me, I'm the last person going to complain about putting a body to use for the good of others, but this is going to be one of those sticking points when it's time to make friends."

"She's right," Briony adds. "If more of you would GO TO CHURCH, not that I'M SUGGESTING ANYTHING, you might have learned this awhile back and avoided some of the more annoying diplomatic blunders in the Reverend's records. Like the time you were supposed to deliver an adventurer back to his homeland for burial but instead /ate him/."

Razor Feathers coughs. "The draug -"

"Friday," she interrupts. "My name is Friday."

"Friday, then, has the floor."

"My people didn't ask for this," Friday says quietly. "This...atrocity...still haunts my mind. Our creation as /this/. We feel cold, all the time. Hungry, all the time. It sharpens the senses, makes thought harder, deadens everything to the pulse of living warmth and flesh. Existence in this state is a torment /and we would still have it over death/. Do you want us to free our prisoners? Fine. Make reparations? Granted. And when we are done groveling for what we've become without our permission or consent, you treat us like sapient beings."

"You're /dead/," you point out, your tone soft, sympathetic. "You belong beyond the Veil. More importantly, if I just let you and - how many draug now? A hundred? Two?"

"...Nearly two," Friday agrees.

Two hundred people who need to consume the flesh of sapient beings.

Ugh, well then.

Um, time to purge?

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>>46764068
"Yeah, fuck that. If I just turn you loose I'd be guilty of negligent mass murder and you know it." You take your hat off and set it on the table, with a heavy sigh. "You got dealt a bad hand, and I'm sorry. I really am. But if you try to make for the surface I'm going to come down on you like the hammer of the gods. When it's between the living and the dead, for survival? I'm siding with the living."

Friday digs out a cigarette from her coat and lights it. She takes a deep drag and, at last, nods. "We'll talk after the meeting, necromancer. You intending on returning your prisoner to me?"

"What - John? He and I have business."

"It's true," John agrees.

"Fine," Friday says dismissively. "I've said my piece. If you'll excuse me, I don't have a future in this Roost and I won't be sitting here to listen to you squabble over it. I'll be at the shrine, la Croix."

The Parliament watches Friday leave, and you take a deep breath before looking back up at the assembled harpies.

The dirty harpy from before clears her throat and chirps something at Razor Feathers. Razor shuffles aside on her perch, letting the filth-streaked bird woman flit down. She clears her throat, with difficulty, and looks at you while she talks.

"They call me Tatters," she tells you. "I am not respected. I am not loved. I lead a small murder which mostly attends to its own survival, now displaced from its home near the Broken Jaw." She takes in a shuddering breath and visibly restrains a cough, and you feel a pang of sympathy in your chest; she is very ill, and probably has been for some time.

"You seem to have some vision of what you think the Roost could be. Or should be," Tatters adds, thoughtfully. "I am weak. My people are weak. We are lowly and craven, and in this we have found the means to survive. Now you say we can leave unmolested."

"Aye," you agree, softly.

"Persuade us to stay," Tatters asks. She cocks her head at you, not judging, but...but waiting?

>>46764496
is there supposed to be greentext at the bottom or ...?

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>>46764496
She's giving you an opening. The other harpies - and, for that matter, the dwarves - wait for you to speak.

> "You've been used and abused by the rest of the Dungeon for too long. I can help you make the Roost as strong as any Floor."
> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."

Your choice sets the tone for your outline; what you emphasize, how you sell it to them, and ultimately what you're trying to inspire in what the Roost could become.

>>46764624
The first option is clearly the one they want to hear, but is it what Bri would say?


> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."

>>46764624
>> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."

>>46764624
>"My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."

>>46764624
>> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle

>>46764624
>> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."
We're not gonna change the roost if we spend the whole time speaking the native language. To create change, we need to embody it.

>>46764624
> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."

Fewer will probably listen, but those that do are the ones we want to get through to.

repost for correction

>>46764624
>> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."

And maybe add, you can leave and be free of this heartbreak or stay it make it a better place for you and your children; really sell it.

>>46764624
>> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."
The problem isn't the other floors, it is the backbiting that is the status quo on this level.

>>46764624
>The Roost was never meant to be a place of Strife. Of Life, bursting at the seems. Of Death, as casual as taking a shit. Of Sorrow, washing over us all in wave after wave.
>Your hearts are hardened, and in my time of inturning the Dead and Dying, I thought mine was as well. It broke.
>But that cycle can be broken. Sorrow is also proof that the Roost can change, and I can give you the tools to do it.

>>46764496
So. Uh. Lora can't do anything for the Draugs? I mean, the dungeon is her personal project.

Because they reallY have got a shit hand.

>>46765586
I'm sure there's a lot of things she could do TO them, if it comes to that. Nothing would probably be left.

She can't personally sate their hunger, and I'm not sure if creating a constantly regenerating slab of meat is wise or would even work.

She might be able to do something about retaining their sanity like the Caretaker, but why them? What makes them more special over other sapient Draugs, over other dead?

>>46765000
god DAMN that is a good write in..

changing my vote from
>>46764836

anon of /tg/ once again proving you know better than me

>>46765586
Could be something you ask her about but without the ability to show up in person it'd be a bit...a bit of a project. Restoring them to true life is likely out of the question.

Of course, you do know at least one time she /always/ shows up in person: when a Chain-Bearer dies.

I'm gonna get some Real Actual Sleep tonight and start the run tomorrow A. rested and B. with food & coffee. Votes remain open in the meantime. I have to be awake for a bit so I may field questions before I pass out but no promises.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46765734
that is a shame I was hoping for more updates tonight, don't feel bad that is just me being gluttonous. Have a nice sleep Vox

>>46765734
Attach a chainbearers soul to a constantly regenerating hunk of flesh for all eternity? Seems a reasonable punishment.

>>46765774
Well, the Lush is supposed to be huge, innit?

Jokes aside, that might be a tad cruel for Bri.

Well... After taking the cornucopia there's going to be a very large slab of meat that I wouldn't mind feeding alive to the draug. The draug that can heal. Again and again and again... Just a suggestion.

>>46765807
>>46765774
The hive mind thought of it just before me.
>>46765808

>>46765807
For Bri maybe. Ultimately it's Lora's retribution though and let's not forget what the Lush has done to her. Seeing as the Lush is a glutton the punishment fits the crime nicely.

>>46765897
I'm not saying that it won't happen. Just that maybe we shouldn't exactly advocate it.

>>46765734
>Of course, you do know at least one time she /always/ shows up in person: when a Chain-Bearer dies.
So what that means is we have a WILLING ZOMBIE ARMY for when we go take the Jaw.

(If Lora can do something like make them able to consume regular food instead of depending on human flesh.)

>>46765734
I was thinking of just numbing their hunger. Do they decay without eating living sapient meat or something, or is it more of a compulsion?

I guess we could use it to punish the lush. He's also the rapist, right? Right?

>>46766055
yes

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>Mfw people are legitimately considering feeding The Lush to an army of slavering draug for eternity.

>>46766127
look me in the eye tell me he doesn't have it coming.

there is blasphemy and then there is literally raping and angel.

ah yes, nice to see the non-ironic fall of morals.

>>46766127
oh you mentioned it already.

>>46766154
I am tapped out on writing fuel, I can't tell you how "he had it coming" is not a good reason at all.

>>46766159
How's it any worse than the Lush being tortured inside Lora's sword forever? This at least has a practical application.

>>46766154
Punishment for being a rapist? Oh totally.

Death? Probably, wouldn't miss him.

His death being particularly painful, perhaps being eaten alive by a bunch of draug? I mean, maybe you could consider that amoral, but you won't see me shedding any tears.

Spending eternity being eaten alive by draug?

Ugh, I mean, like, we're essentially creating Hell on Earth for one individual, and this is a universe where the typical Christian Hell we imagine doesn't actually exist. So we're essentially creating and starting the worst fate anyone will ever suffer ever if we did this.

>>46766242
Gonna have to agree with you. I do very much approve of running 200 draug into this fattest ass though.

Bri needs to sleep so she can consult with Lora. I am sure that Lora can do something for them. If it can be done in one physical manifestation or multiple though? Thats a different question.

>>46766221
I note that you haven't actually asked her what happens to the people inside the sword.

And now I pass out.

>>46766403
i imagine the souls are forced to endure being eroded by entropy for eternity? they can literally feel parts of themselves being eroded away one microscopic piece at a time, until the stars in the sky burn out and the universe goes cold.

>>46766403
> Implying we actually want to know what is happening in Lora's sword.

>>46766242

I mean, it's not like the Lush has to actually be conscious of what's happening. He can be getting punished in a catatonic state while his body is given enhanced regeneration to replace the bits lopped off.

But I mean, if his soul is going to be tortured for all eternity, we might as well use his body.

> What's with the "sapient" requirement anyways? Is there any affect on people who are partially eaten by Draug? Do they miss bits of their soul? Are different parts of the body more or less effective in controlling their hunger? Is the Draug hunger an actual "biological" need or is it a compulsion? Wouldn't the flesh they eat just rot inside them?

I actually have more questions about this Draug hunger, but feel free to say "nobody knows" so that we can start experimenting.

>>46766403
>>46767549
The question here is if draugs need to feed on the emotional energy like vampires.

>>46767577
Well, if the setting is consistent with the "death drain" causing Draug and Vampires to need to feed more often, couldn't we make "death bottles" for them to use and feed off of instead of sapients?

>>46767621
Yes we could, but those bottles would require a source of death energies, and lots of it. The Roost /was/ producing a large amount on a regular basis, because life was cheap, but we're looking to change that.

>>46766242
All of your points are true, but they don't need to be /permanent/. I'm sure that once the Broken Jaw or even the whole of the Dungeon is freed, we can get to work granting the draug peace of the afterlife, and the Lush will be imprisoned in Lora's sword or sent off somewhere much worse.

This whole idea of turning the Lush into a buffet for the undead is making me think of Prometheus. At least the Lush deserves what's coming to him.

We should probably talk some more with Ms. Friday about this. I doubt the natives of the Cornucopia would be against some frostbitten undead munching their oppressor.

>>46766403
I imagine that they're trapped until she is finally set free, and that they suffer as only souls denied the peace of the Sunless Lands suffer. Likely to be tried and judged by the Gods themselves (or at least the Quell, since that's his schtick).

> "My heart broke when I came to this place. So much death, so much sorrow. I can give you the tools to break that cycle."

Yeah, talking of power and other floors is not a way to go about this. That's just feeding into the existing mindset and issues.

>>46766242
don't get me wrong. I am not necessarily voting for that option, I am just saying if the rest of you do I would support it. There is a line and he crossed it, not just about rape or some shit; there is defying the gods and then there is this which is a lot worse.

>>46767821
>Yes we could, but those bottles would require a source of death energies, and lots of it.

Would it? Or would it just require spreading out the Draug. I'm waiting on the word of god before we decide exact measurements.

Anyways, we should PROBABLY discuss this shit with Lora or maybe even the Lady of Ravens. Gods have the Divine Tongue, righto? So maybe these Draug can make a contract with them or something I don't fucking know. Or maybe we can pull out their souls and put them in other bodies, maybe mechanical bodies?

Further research is required.

>>46768673
>There is a line and he crossed it

Did he?

Was he the one to cross it?

Really?

I know you're saying it's not about rape but honestly, I don't even think the Lush's transgressions are as bad as the Vintner's or The Moneychanger's. Raping one living being is horrific, but Vintner and The dwarf chick were doing methodical super torture of the mental and physical variety. An entire town was psychologically fucked with and made to rip itself apart under the Moneychanger's ministrations.

That first description Vox wrote of what the Moneychanger did to one of our scouts/diplomats to the Lichyard still gives me goosebumps of the fucked up variety.

Not to mention apparently the Diviner killed literally everybody on one of the levels?

So far all I know about the Lush is he's a hedonist, he's raped Lora and maybe he's done some other bad shit but right now he's being outgunned in terms of sheer magnitudes of nastiness.

From a "she's our friend and we're emotional" perspective, yeah i see why the Lush is the one to get the eaten alive for eternity option.

But from a strictly logical "defying the Gods" type behavioral issues, eh, The Lush ain't so bad. He's not trying to gather a god super weapon. He isn't fucking with the nature of death. He's not the one who leashed death in the first place. He didn't put in a cheat code to mass produce magic guns. He didn't decide to usurp the language of the Gods.

He's fucking a hole. His sheer lack of creativity, so far, barely puts him worse than the Baron.

Hell, from a thematic standpoint as >>46767821 points out, Brigette is the one who deserves the Prometheus type fate. Draugs eating her tongue every night for her sacrilege.

>>46769133
Well, put it like this.
The Diviner and Moneychanger did awful shit because it accomplished a goal and they simply don't care not to. During their downtime, the Moneychanger probably just swam in their loot pile Scrooge McDuck style.
The Lush does awful shit because he actively enjoys it. During his downtime, he rapes divine beings.

Therefore, it seems safe to assume that the Lush does more awful shit than the others, because he does awful shit both on and off the clock, and because he has personal incentive to get inventive about being a bastard.

Basically the Lush sounds like a discount Slaaneshi cultist, and they always get MUCH worse once you're close enough to see all the shit they're doing in person.

Guys are we not entertaining the possibility that this thinking might lead to a soulless regenerating draug giant? NECRO HULK

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>>46770462
what's the worst that could happen?

>>46770571
Would you like a list?

I'm up. Gonna get coffee, breakfast, and then call.

>>46770953
you don't know who Weil is, do you?

>>46768738
>Pull their souls out and put them in other bodies.

We went over this in the very beginning of the quest when we reanimated Kells as a badass crocodile. The souls won't be comfortable or 'fit right' inside a body that wasn't their own. Eventually they'll go crazy and have to be put down, or they'll just fail to attach to the new form and become a ghost or pass on.

But yes, we should want word of God both in universe and from the non-existent lips of our caffeinated lich.

>>46770086
This.

All of the Chain-Holders have had goals or aspirations to achieve. The Lush is a goddamn Slaaneshi asshole who wants to watch the world burn.

Of course, there's probably some magic inherent to the Cornucopia that he's after. Maybe a Fountain of Youth, or the Forbidden Fruit?

Called, writing. Depending on how this meeting shakes out we may head to interlude time following it.

I'd be pretty surprised if there were a solution for the draugs that didn't require, at best, killing one living person for every draug we wanted to "save".

What happened to them was terrible, but sometimes terrible things do happen, and you can't make them un-happen by doing /more/ terrible things.

Usually.

I know what happened, the Diviner chose to kill them all off so they could have less ""white noise"" to distract them from there divining, and since they can close off the level it actually works out for them. Until we ruin everything, of course.

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>>46764624
You take a long minute to gather your thoughts. You're only going to get one chance to say this, and you want to say it right. Tatters waits, patiently. There's a hope in her eyes, a quiet hope that is, if you're any guess, well used to being ignored.

Gods, you hate this place so much.

"Amy," you nod your head at your lover, "told me about the Roost before I came here. I've been bad places before. I thought that, after all I've seen and done, the living guided through death, the bodies buried, the grieving that I gave comfort to, that my heart was hardened. But I came here, and it broke."

You look at the room, meeting gazes with individual harpies, with dwarves, with Briony.

"There's so much death here," you tell them. "Enough that it made me physically ill to sense it. Death and rage and sorrow, spilling out and tainting everything it touches. The Roost was never meant to be a place of strife, of loss, but now the cycle of wrath just feeds itself, and that..." you sigh. "That, more than anything, is what hurts, because there's so much potential here. I've seen your courage in battle, your tenacity, your will to survive. But you could have so much more. I can give you the tools to end the reign of sorrow in the Roost."

You touch your hat. "My family, the la Croix, serve. We do not rule, and I don't want to rule here. What we /do/ is advise, suggest, and guide. What I'd like to suggest here is that you take the Roost's position - a strong position, as you already know - and use it to /grow/. Trade flowed through here once upon a time, and that ancient right can still be respected. I can facilitate talks with the Basement to help you access your own food supply too." You rub your chin as a thought strikes you. "...If you have some gold sacked away, I know a surface lord who may have some herd animals to sell."

"Harpies, /herding/?" Briony says doubtfully.

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>>46773290
"I be sittin' right here, lass," the dwarf next to her points out. "There be six dwarves in the room /right now/."

"There you go," you agree. "There's other services available that can aid the Roost. We have allies in New Hell that could help improve the infrastructure here and stoke the abandoned forges. Between them, two personal friends of mine rule the Atheneum and can provide access to its books. The towns of Glen and Lakehallow can provide education in useful trades and healing."

You look up at Tatters. "You say you are weak. I say that your strength has not had the chance to shine. You sit in the center of this Parliament and speak for your people before anyone else had the courage to dare. Stay. Give them the chance to show their worth."

"The efforts you're speaking of are immense," a harpy from higher up notes, loftily.

"No shit," you agree. "And in the end, the Roost will be changed, and lose something of itself in the changing. But do you really want it to stay the same forever?"

A muttering chorus. Eyes meet eyes; harpy looks to dwarf and back. The human representative gives you a silent nod; his young face is heavily scarred.

"There will need to be more of these meetings. Decisions made, resources shared. Trust offered from one another. I know there is a history of violence here. Many of you bear grudges against one another."

> "It's time to set those aside."
> "What wergild can I offer for peace?"

> "What wergild can I offer for peace?"

What's a wergild, again?

>>46773438
>> "What wergild can I—or they—offer for peace?"

There's only so much change you can ask of people at one time, I fear.

We don't need to be the ones offering to give something up, though. If you ask, you may find that Offended Party A may want something from Offending Party B that B doesn't actually object to giving up.

>>46773560
Wergild is a formal sort of forgiveness that, on Earth, was practiced in Norse cultures. The wronged party, instead of vengeance, would demand some price or service for peace between them/their family and yours. In a culture where vengeance was a moral obligation, wergild was an important tool in keeping the peace and stopping blood fueds from growing out of hand.

>>46773438
>>> "What wergild can I—or they—offer for peace?"

>>46773438
>> "What wergild can I offer for peace?"

>>46773438
>"What wergild can I—or they—offer for peace?"
We can't be holding their hands for every step of this process, but we can help it along.

>>46774064
This.

>>46773639
>"What wergild can I—or they—offer for peace?"

Well, that seems unannimous. Called, gonna write shortly.

Waiting for that sweet sweet update...

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>>46773438
You pick up your hat and put it back on, adjusting it into place on your hair. "What wergild can I, or they, offer for peace? What can we do to start clean?"

In the silence that follows, Briony clears her throat. "It's a fair question," the acolyte says to the room. "But, I think, one we need to decide amongst ourselves. Some things...some things are private."

"Aye," one of the dwarves agrees.

A staggered chorus of chirps and 'aye's confirms it from the rest of the room. You bow and go to take your leave; Amy puts a hand on your shoulder.

"I'll stay," the half-harpy tells you. "...This was my home once. I have the right."

You nod. "I'll be talking to Friday, alright?"

Amy kisses your cheek and nods. You leave, taking Nathan, John, and Kat with you. Diving Shadow stays near her daughter; each is straining to refrain from comforting the other, and each knows it. They share a look and a wan smile before you leave the room.

True to her word, Friday awaits you in the Lady's shrine.

"Let's cut to the chase," the draug says immediately. She seems...tired. "Say I buy into your point of view." Her fingers touch her healer's patch, self-consciously. "Not all of my people are going to. Not even close. You try to tell them that they need to go off to die and you'll have a fight on your hands in addition to them scattering to the four winds. I need a better plan than 'no trust me, you need to die for real'."

"How long can you contain them?" you ask softly.

"They need to feed. Not long."

> ...Tell me straight, are you willing to lead them to their deaths?
> I can step up my plans and bring them with me when I assail the next Floor
> We'll just have to keep them busy in the meantime.
> Okay. Hear me out because this is going to sound a little sick, but my sister can summon demons. When you kill them, they just go back to Hell, so...
> Write-in?

>>46775573
>> ...Tell me straight, are you willing to lead them to their deaths?

We /need/ to rest, and heal at least somewhat from the fight with Talon. Accelerating our timetable is not the best idea.

Keeping them busy...is likely to be a dicey proposition, at best.

Sacrificing a string of demons to them does /not/ seem like the way to make friends among the Secondborn.

This is going to be rough for them—and for us—but I think it's not only the solution that's most likely to /work/, it's also the one that's going to be the best for the long run.

>>46775573
> I can step up my plans and bring them with me when I assail the next Floor

At least we can give them a chance to re-die gloriously in battle, instead of starved out by a coward. I'm sure they can understand that.

>>46775634
We sacrafice rabble deamons they ate basically animals
>>46775573
>okay hear me out...

>>46775983
They're also really annoying to try to summon. River may not have any on hand.

>>46775995
Because they're animalistic, and so can't/won't tell us their truenames, so we have to get hold of them some other way, yes?

They're the most numerous, aren't they? Can we put together a summoning circle and yell syllables at it until SOMEONE shows up, and banish them if they're not who we're after? Kind of like dialling the phone at random?

>>46775573
>...Tell me straight, are you willing to lead them to their deaths?
Also
>mention Lora

I may have to leave this until I get back from work. We'll see if I can handle Life Shit within the next thirty minutes and then update; if I can't, I'll leave it open.

>>46776039
Less like dialing a phone at random and more like teleporting people in at random. What happens if you summon something River's wards aren't rated to contain?

>>46776580
>aren't rated
True, we'd have problems if she pulled an incubus, since the ESRB wouldn't give her anything better than PG-13

>>46776648
Of course, the ESRB. Who hasn't heard of the Erotic Summoning Restrictions Board?

>>46775983

...Don't the draugs require /sapient/ flesh?

>>46776648
>>46776774
I'm fucking dying, guys.

Yeah, not gonna be able to update. Short shift at work, at least. I'll be back around 10:30 PM EST. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46775573
>...Tell me straight, are you willing to lead them to their deaths?

If they're willing, we can lead them against the Lush and his goons. They can feed, and we can take down one more Chain-Holder. Lora can make the final decision. They'd also be willing to listen to a freaking angel.

Also, would the draugs be willing to go into hibernation? Like what we did with John? Or is that too big a thing (because 200 fucking draug, holy shit) for Brianna to handle, stamina wise?

>>46775573
>> I can step up my plans and bring them with me when I assail the next Floor
This is a bad idea for us, personally, but I'm not convinced it's a bad idea for our side generally, and it's a great way to deal with a small army of draug. And, well, we're us, so screw our personal wellbeing.

>>46777422
...Anon, isn't that the second option that you're describing?

>>46775573
>There are a lot of alternatives, but none that could sustain a whole 200 draugs.
>We can contract WILLING demons to be consumed again and again, but I doubt there's anyone who would find such a deal enjoyable.
>I can put them to sleep, but that's putting their unlife in my hands and is ultimately just running away from the problem.
Still waiting on whether Draug have the same emotional requirements as Vampires.

>>46775573
>> ...Tell me straight, are you willing to lead them to their deaths?

>>46778510
There's a demon who enjoyed being STABBED in the ASS. I'm sure there's some incubus who gets off on gore vore.

Two hours and change to call.

Draugs tend to re-enact the circumstances that lead to their state. The line between addiction and requirement is razor thin; a draug denied sapients to hunt steadily goes animalistic. Some never recover.

>>46780144

This suggests that, while they /might/ be willing to feed on animals for a short while, they're highly unlikely to be willing to take that as a permanent solution. It wouldn't really be better than letting Bri walk them past the Ninth Gate.

>>46780277
I understood that reference! But is it really applicable? Bri seems a lot different from the Abhorsen.

>>46780985

Eh, really just intended to indicate sending the undead where they belong.

Bump!

>>46780144
So it's a matter of how low they can go, what they are willing to do, while still being capable of calling themselves people.

Tough cookie.

>>46775573
>by the way, theres something in the roost making you all hungrier. Whatever happens, you'd have wanted to leave at least temporarily anyway.

>>46782228
Aye. In general, being undead kind of sucks. Created undead get a bit of a better deal if they're done right; necromancy can alleviate the symptoms to an extent, and some forms of undead, like Fetch, can be made without memories of life and thus never know what they're missing.

Some lucky, tenacious, or strong-willed people go into undeath willing to accept the costs and find an equilibrium. Most go mad or are eventually destroyed. In the end, entropy always wins.

Home. Getting dinner before I call.

>>46782740
>In the end, entropy always wins.

Unless you're the caretaker, that G keeps it real 24/7.

Na' what I'm sayi'n?

>>46782920
He's only sane because he agreed to serve the very personification of Entropy forever. That is also a case where entropy won.

>>46783103
The fact that there is a personification of Entropy that seems unchanging and immortal goes against the point of Entropy.

Unless Lora gonna die and Bri gonna take her place.

>>46783271

huh, might happen, might not. People personify death and decay all the time, this ain't the first piece of fiction to do so.

>>46783271
>>46783348
Lora /has/ changed; she's spoken of it before, not just in the sense of changing her mind but in changing her form, learning, abandoning old beliefs. Like all angels she can make the choice to die, at which point her mantle would likely be passed to another.

In general though, you're right; gods & angels get a different playbook than everyone else. It's nice to be the folks that designed the rules.

>>46783397
Raises the question, what would you do with the power of God?

I know Bri was asked this, but honestly how many people think about it?

I know I wouldn't know what to do with power like that.

an idle thought, I wonder if the reason the gods made entropy sentient on purpose was to make sure that didn't happen accidentally.

I mean it's just about the worst job you could foist onto someone with a functioning sense of right and wrong, and the gods generally seem to be decent enough not to do something like that without a reason.

the existence of stuff like forge elementals suggests that it is possible for nonliving concepts to spontaneously develop life. Maybe the reason the gods made lora was because it was better to give a good person a shitty job than risk something like an entropy elemental running around wrecking everything.

>>46783502
"A CROWN? His voice shook with rage. I NEVER WORE A CROWN!

/You never wanted to rule./"

Just... something your comment reminded me of.

>>46783719
the climax was cheap, desperation is a blade easily chipped.

>>46783719
>>46783783
I'm missing something here.

Called, writing shortly.

>>46783875
REAPER MAN

>>46783887
That'd explain it. I badly need to finish catching up on Discworld; I have huge gaps in my knowledge.

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>>46775573
You take out one of Lark's horrid cigars and light it. You're silent, for a long while.

You know what you want to say. It's just bringing yourself to say it.

"You were a healer once," you say at last. "Are you still a healer, Friday?"

Friday looks offended, at first, but then her gaze flicks to the altar. She bites her half-rotted lip and sighs, heavily. "...Yes."

"A healer's duty is to preserve life."

"I know," she murmurs.

"Are you willing to lead them beyond the Veil, Friday?" you ask, your tone gentle. "I can do my best to make it quick. I can't promise painless. But-"

"I know," Friday interrupts, her voice tight. "...I'll need a few days to gather them."

"I'll take that time and arrange my allies in New Hell," you tell her. "We'll spring the trap when we lead them through. They'll hate you for it, but it's the best thing for everyone involved."

"John?" Friday asks.

"I made him a promise when he surrendered to me. I need to keep my word."

"...I suppose I can accept that," Friday says with a sigh. "When you find the Diviner, make her suffer. For all that she's done, make her /suffer/."

* * * *

The ambush is as clean as you could ask for. Filled with the promise of fresh prey, weakened by the Traitor's rule, the draug slip into New Hell, suspecting nothing. You watch the fear in their eyes when River's balefire cuts them off from escape into the Roost, fear that turns to fury when Friday's lieutentants turn on their own, cutting the dead down with blades of iron. Ordo's men, and the Black Anvils, pour flaming oil into the melee, and that, in the end, is that.

You watch, until there is only ashes left to trudge through, and the twisted ruins of metal armor and weapons.

"There will be vengeance for this," you whisper. "You, too, were victims of life. You didn't deserve this. No one deserves this."

END SUBLEVEL: RULE THE ROOST

>>46784994
I would have preferred if it wasn't a trap.

>>46785081
Oh well, it worked

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>>46784994
BEGIN INTERLUDE VI: ARTS AND CRAFTS

You are Brianna la Croix, journeyman necromancer, and you /ache/. You ache from the wounds Talon gave you. You ache in your heart. You ache in your death sense, which is more or less a constant migraine even /with/ the protections you set up for the Roost.

You need out, for a bit. Nathan and Amy are arranging for - and participating in - a massive snake hunt. They understand your need to get away, though they insist that you take someone with you for wherever you're going. River kindly volunteers.

> Just hang with River for awhile; you're curious about her training, her mood, and if Lark's made a move
> Visit Jewel; something happened there, and you're dangerously lacking in information
> Go to Glen; might be nice to check on Isoldt, Harry, and Henrietta
> Visit the family shrine. Paying your respects regularly can only help later on down the road.

>>46785081
Mass suicide is fairly difficult to persuade people into.

>>46785126
>Visit Jewel
Oh, how Bri's face will look like when she finds out Jewel took The Daughter's eyes!

>>46785126
>> Visit Jewel; something happened there, and you're dangerously lacking in information

>>46785126
>> Visit Jewel; something happened there, and you're dangerously lacking in information
Right we need to fix what went wrong...again.

>>46784994
Well that was depressing, immoral, and a waste. Why did we do that? Throwing them into a valiant death in battle would've been kinder by far

>>46785126
>Visit the family shrine
Don't want them to think we've forgotten them now that we've moved Cherry out

>>46785126
>You ache from the wounds Talon gave you

Can we talk to Meadows about that?

>>46785244
Could. Could also talk to Brooks.

>>46785211
Killing them in battle would have been practical, not more moral. And even then it would have had a negative impact on the strategic level no matter how tactically sound it would have been.

We would have just been extending their suffering existence as monsters anyways, so a quick death is in a sense more of a mercy.

Thread archived, incidentally. Now we attempt to kill the thread, with much killing.

>>46785287
You're right, there's no way openly betraying their trust and horrifically burning once-people to death is less moral than giving them a final chance to avenge themselves and ride shiny and chrome to Valhalla

>>46785447
You just said it yourself

>>46785126
>> Just hang with River for awhile; you're curious about her training, her mood, and if Lark's made a move
>> Visit the family shrine. Paying your respects regularly can only help later on down the road.
Can we do both of these?

>>46785147
I get that, but something with more....honor....would have been nice. A duel or something. Maybe even intellectual, to underpine the theme of humanity/personhood. At least not roping in Friday to betrayal, she is as much a victim as they are.

>>46785126
>Jewel.

>>46785126
> Go to Glen; might be nice to check on Isoldt, Harry, and Henrietta

>>46785447
The betrayal was bad, but treating them as mere weapons and meatshields is worse. They don't WANT to fight, not for glory, that's why they banded together.

Besides, there would obviously be a few to escape if we did that.

>>46785447
>>46785484
>>46785521
Making no comment on the morality of anon's choice to kill them rather than using the draug as an army, the ambush tactic was used for one overriding reason: containment. Calling them out, meeting them in open battle, fighting some manner of duel, these things run the risk of large numbers of draug getting loose or, worse, being victorious and /then/ getting loose. Once the choice was made to execute them, Brianna attended to it with an eye towards preserving the living.

>>46785502
...Sure, why not.

>>46785521
We went with the betrayal because not all of them would have gone gently, and this saved the most amount of life.

If you want to trade other people's lives for your sense of "honour", then your "honour" ain't worth shit.

What, you wanted them to go out rampaging as starved, flesh eating monsters seeding terror and destruction through the ranks of our enemies? Falling victim to their hunger?

Besides, Friday wasn't the only one. Her lieutenants and others who recognized that they were monsters participated in the group suicide, and we made it as quick and painless as possible.

That's preserving their honour, letting them choose to end themselves with as much dignity as possible, letting them remove one last monster from the world instead of being one until the end.

>>46785126
can we do more then one?

>>46784994
Oh wow this is what that option meant? I didn't understand that.

>>46785591
>quick and painless as possible
>barricaded them with BALEFIRE
>flooded a corridor with BOILING OIL

Bloody pull the other one mate, it's got fucking bells on.

That was a monstrous thing, and I had NO IDEA that's what I was voting for. Holy fuck, Vox, that sounded like "will you head up an army on a suicide mission" not "will you betray your men".

>>46785607
The River option can be combined easily with the others. Other than that, I'd prefer not to do more than one, in the interests of continuing to do Stuff in the interlude. You'll get the chance to check on s'more things later as well.

>>46785575
Oh im well aware. Any other method to prevent ANY escapees would take exponentially more preparation, deception, and outright negotiations.

>>46785591
Keep the straw man out.

>>46785688
>Voting river combined with most popular option

>>46785678
> As possible

Rather than having them hack each other apart? Rather than forcing the survivors to turn their blades on each other, or risk having the truly monstrous win and sacrificing more lives to stop them?

What, exactly, would you have done for those? Would you deny their blood being on their hands, having sacrificed their lives so that you could not feel squeamish?

Your mistake is in thinking that there is any way death and murder is NOT monstrous.

How many people have you actually seen die, Anon? Have you even ever killed an animal intentionally?

There's no dignity in it to be found, except that which we choose to give by virtue of dying for something. That's what we gave them. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't nice, but we'd be liars and hypocrites if we pretended any of the other options were.

This let those who wanted to die as people do so, and ensured that the ones who wanted to live as monsters were put down so that innocents wouldn't suffer.

And keep in mind, they had ALL lived as monsters for a while. None of them could be said to be innocent. Yet those who went knowing what was their fate could seek redemption in their sacrifice, and knowing that it was their own selves they were sacrificing instead of the lives of others.

You're weak, and a coward, and you would let evil continue so that you wouldn't risk feeling bad about yourselves.

Because we do deserve to feel bad about this. It wasn't an ideal situation, it wasn't a clean win, but it was the best that could be done and it wasn't for nothing.

>>46786017
Very passionate. A little rude, but also mostly correct in the sense of the situation had no option that wasn't horrible, we probably chose the best one for everybody involved, that doesn't mean we can't (we should) still feel awful about it.

>>46786017
>>46786120
For good or for bad, vox has created a passionate reaction to a situation which probably deserved to have one. I'm impressed and content with this result.

>>46786120
Well, yeah. Doing the right thing doesn't mean doing the easy thing. And to be honest, this sort of reasoning is ultimately a matter of values.

Many Nazis really did believe the Jews were monsters that had to be killed root and branch, and knew they would never be forgiven for the horrible things they did but still felt that it had to be done.

Of course, the Jews didn't have to consume sapient flesh in order to remain sane, so there's that.

Personally, I wish we had consulted Lora more about the Draug problem since she has undefined amounts of power. Or looked into the Death Bottle and Diffusion solution.

Current tally is:

> Jewel x4
> Shrine x2
> River x2
> Glen x1

Gonna call in a bit, need to hydrate and attend on some chores.

>>46786017
>How many people have you actually seen die, Anon? Have you even ever killed an animal intentionally?

As a firefighter and a hunter, more than you, I'd wager. You're goddamn right there's deaths that aren't monstrous. Burning alive (or "alive", whatever) is one of the most horrific ways to go, and that's what we did to these poor fucks. Two ways, even. I'm sure in a world of wonder and magic, we can come up with a way to commit genocide without adding torture to the mix.

>>46786279
It is sad, but we have to remember, life is for the living, and everyone from the broken jaw were dead.

>>46786280
Glen.

>>46786305
They were literally undead monsters that SHOULD have already died.

They would've caused an un-knowable amount of damage to innocent people had ANY escaped.

>>46786280
>Take River to visit the family shrine

>>46786342
And you're telling me there's no way to contain them without burning them alive.

>>46785688
Oh! Then my vote is to take River to the shrine! I'm sure Robert misses home at least a little.

>>46786305
As a medic, I also know how horrific that shit is. Being stuck as an observer in the burn ward and pretty much anything neo-natal is pretty much how I view hell to be. I actually burned out and now I do sleep medicine.

Burned alive is fucking terrible, I'll admit, but we're also dealing with magical undead and at least it's lava so it's straight to ash and not listening to someone on a respirator slip away, or succumbing to infection.

I'd rather go "burned to death by lava" than COPD, sepsis or organ failure.

If we could have gassed them or Necromanced them, that would be better. But what do you do when it's the undead, and you want to kill them not only quick but also all the way?

And hey, they ARE undead, and they're always cold so I'm not sure they would have suffered as much as living people would have.

>>46786355
You have a plan to contain them that was reasonable to do with our resources?