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>>46997417
When Amelia said you'd hit the Bazaar "eventually", what she meant was "nearly immediately". This entire arc of the Inner Ring is seemingly taken up with merchants, marketgoers, stalls cooking or offering various kinds of food, and other services.

The first whore that calls out to your group gets such a collective glare of protective indignation that the rest decide not to bother. Darshan looks visibly disappointed.

The room that the residents of the Warehouse /think of/ as the Bazaar is a large, roughly rectangular chamber with quite a few stalls and even a couple brightly colored tents; the room is lit with hanging globes of witchfire that bounce and sway on the end of their strings. You can hear gossip, bargains, and negotiations all around you.

River looks at ease. You, Amy, and Lark all stare like country rubes.

Which, in fairness...

> Stick with the alchemists
> Browse the goods
> Find a booze purveyor; there'll be gossip there
> Look for something in particular (what?)
> Write-in?

>>46997469
>> Find a booze purveyor; there'll be gossip there

>>46997469
> Find a booze purveyor; there'll be gossip there

>>46997469
>> Write-in?

Whoa whoa whoa.

What's the group rate for whores?

Everybody fuck!

>>46997469
>Find a booze purveyor; there'll be gossip there

>>46997503
We have a flesh-eating rapist demon with us. This does not end in anything but blood.

Alright folks I'm passing the fuck out. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>46997528
Whatever, they'll charge extra for him.

>>46997543
Not enough smutbins about group whoring adventures. Can't give this quest more than a 6/10 until that fact is remedied.

>>46997469
Come on Lark, you must have seen stuff like this before. You lived in the company store, right?

At least try not to embarrass your waifu.

>>46997640
Yeah but that's a mining town. Like, literally. This seems busier.

>>46997469
>Find a booze purveyor; there'll be gossip there.
Time to tug the grape vine.

You mentioned that Diving Shadow sang for the miners, right? Amy could do something here to attract listeners, while River and Lark fish for information.

>>46997469
>Find a booze purveyor; there'll be gossip there
We're going to be served Vintner's wine, aren't we?

>>46997789
Who?

Seriously, the only thing of note about that guy was the shit he did to Amy. He barely made the villain grade. His pet croc was more intimidating.

>>46999001
they mentioned Vintner. He was here before.

>>46999045
No, they mentioned vintners. Plural. As in, the profession:
>"...Would someone /else/ be worried?" you press.
>"I dunno. Maybe the vintners -"

>>46998973
I'll admit, this is the only shit post about this that made me chuckle.

I'm up. Will call and write soon.

Called, gonna write after I finish the thing I'm doin'.

Here we go.

RIVER'S CORPOREAL UNDEAD NOTES: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10wV5huZWXvfZQ682_UXTXcn9z1mMFRSZksBXaC8rqP4/edit?usp=sharing

>>46999065
Not yet.

>>47002016
Offhandedly I wonder what a Shadow created from someone who died with virtuous/heroic intent would result in.

>>47002091
Something a lot like Fetch.

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>>47002016
Only tripping for identity confirmation.

I really like your quest, Vox. It's very well done.

Tripping out.

>>47002128
Nice t'see ya here.

I still owe you that read.

>>47002252
Don't worry about it. Try reading one of the two smaller ones that were one shots - A Matter of Taste or The Tale of X. If you want to go back really far, there's Tager Quest.

>>47002128
God damn it X S you get back to where you belong and keep making me that delicious subtext.

>>47002252
God damn it Vox stop making such endearing promises or I'll go back to making QM-tans and ship you motherfuckers and I know nobody wants that.

>>47002308
....WHICH subtext?

>>47002306
>Tager Quest
Pax Mortis? Why'd that stop so early? 'twas interesting.

>>47002308
Two liches in love.

This shit writes itself.

>>47002378
...I'unno. All of it? Then add another plane of subtext below that- like the kind you can only get from House of Leaves or children's pop-out books on the importance of pooping.

>>47002382
Life changes. I still intend on finishing it.

>>47002441
They're still deleting and banning these shitposts, yes?

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>>46997469
You tap Karla on her shoulder; the goblin turns with a curious expresson.

"If I were looking for booze?" you ask.

"Booze, or news?" Karla asks.

"News," you correct yourself.

She points at an open-air bar some distance away. "Mike's," she tells you. "For one thing, he'll serve you things that aren't booze. For another, a lot of deals go down there, a lot of trade talk. Most of the other vendors here are folks supporting their own brews or projects - not necessarily bad stuff, but not great for just wagging your jaw either."

"Thank you," you tell her. "If you folks need anything, look us up."

"Can do," Karla agrees.

Mike, as it turns out, is a halfling gentleman with an easy smile and six fingers on his right hand. "Welcome! Welcome - what'll it be, my friends?" he greets; his voice is pleasant, warm.

"If we need our wits about us, you'd suggest...?" you proffer.

"I've a selection of fine juices, teas, coffee -"

"Coffee!" River interjects, immediately. "And. Um. Sugar. With the coffee. Yes."

Mike chuckles while you shake your head. Soon enough you have a table, two pots of coffee, mugs, and enough sugar to kill a pixie. You all drink quietly, listening to the gossip around you.

"Can't find furs for blood or money right now..."
"Door to the Cornucopia opened back up, got an order for twenty barrels -"
"Soldiers, minding their own business mostly but..."
"Something's got the Lich of the Center riled up. He's been prowling through the levels, accosting people -"
"Are you going to the ball?"
"What's wrong with her?"

You look at the subject of that last sentence. Sitting on the top of a chair, at a table that is otherwise empty, is a pixie; her little dragonfly wings droop, and she cries quietly into her thimble-sized mug. She drains what's left of it and throws it onto the table with a small collection of others.

Quietly, Mike comes out from behind the bar and offers her another one. She sniffles a miniscule thanks.

>>47002561
> Follow up on some of the gossip (which?)
> Go elsewhere in the Bazaar (seeking what?)
> Investigate the Center Ring
> Ask your companions their thoughts
> Write-in?

>>47002432
That's ...not what I expected, with there nothing happening for two and a half years, but I'll take it.

>>47002561
Doesn't Hatchet man have a pixie?

Let's be good people and see why she is sad.>>47002561

>>47002603
Hatchet does not have a pixie, no.

>>47002561
> Follow up on some of the gossip (which?)

Sad pixie.

>>47002576
>Follow up on some of the gossip (which?)
>Crying Pixie.
Establishing friendly relations time!

>>47002576
>> Ask your companions their thoughts

>>47002603
debtor had one and this is mostlikely it.

>>47002576
> Follow up on some of the gossip (which?)
Pixie~

>>47002306
Eh, I made my promise, I intend to keep it. Plus unexpected free time today.

>>47002308
> QM-tans

Do...do I want to know?

>>47002470
Just stay calm, no need to engage. Things have been going well thus far.

>>47002672
>Do...do I want to know?
Eh, it's for best if you don't, probably. Dark times, evil portents, etc.

>>47002736
Too late, someone else told me.

And now I'm curious.

Vote extended while I acquire breakfast.

>>47002561
>> Follow up on some of the gossip (which?)

Sad pixie? Sounds like the Hero thing to do

>>47002576
>> Follow up on some of the gossip (which?)

Lich of the Center...?

>>47002576
> Follow up on some of the gossip (which?)
Sad pixie in bar

Called, writing shortly.

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>>47002576
You get up from your table. River goes to get up with you, but Amy stops her with a gentle wing-tip, and the elf sits back down.

You pull up a chair near the crying pixie and wait. She looks up from her thimble, eventually, and gives a little sniff, trying to compose herself.

"Rough day?" you ask, gently.

"Yeah..." She finishes her thimble and drops it on the seat of the chair. "G-got rejected."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" you ask.

"No," she mumbles miserably, before immediately proceeding to talk about it. "Known him fer years. He was there for me, y'know? Rescued me from this stupid bottle some research mage stuck me in. Bes' friend in the world. We been through thick and thin together. Love 'im. Bastard."

You listen quietly. The pixie is animate in a way you've only seen in Amy when she gets going, all wide gestures and buzzing wings. Must come from trying to be noticed by bigger people.

"It's not like I haven't fought beside him before either!" she exclaims. "Or gotten hurt! Or seen him get hurt! We help each other, that's how it goes, fer /years/ an' /years/ an' now it's, 'Oh no, Flitter, it's too dangerous' and 'You can help by finding things'. Fuckin' fake job. Fuckin' bastard. Finally get the courage to tell him how I feel and he makes me go away. Who does that? Who fuckin' does that, huh?"

"Is your friend in some kind of trouble?" you ask.

"Some stupid gang war," Flitter mutters. "Not like we haven't done /that/ before either. Except this time it's like he's just given up. I can see it in his eyes. 's like he expects to die. Fuckin'. Fuckin' bastard..."

Her cursing sinks into little sobs.

> Comfort her
> Offer to help
> Not your business
> Write-in?

In other news, Domo's decided to illustrate one of the pastebins.

http://wildwestscifi.net/filler/14038-dlq-lost-in-translation-a-nsfw-experiment

>>47004944
>> Offer to help

We ARE a hero after all, and she IS a damsel in distress.

>>47004944
>Flitter
So this /is/ Debtor's pixie.
>Offer to help

>>47004944
>Write-in?
>"Maybe he just doesn't want you to get anymore hurt /because/ of his job."

>>47004969
...'s feckin' adorable.

>>47004944
urge to metagame rising. BUT we are on a mission, and gitting too deeply involved would hamper that. Still....

> Comfort her

Not our business? Nate couldn't leave someone in distress if it killed him, and it nearly did.

>>47004944
> Comfort her
> Offer to help

It's not meta gaming when we're playing a Hero!

>>47004944
>> Write-in?

So is this dude also a pixie or is he regular sized. How would you fuck that wouldn't result in horrific pain for you that kills you? Teach me your ways pixie.

>>47005615
...

Never change, 4chan.

>>47004944
>Comfort her.
We know she works for the Debtor, but Nate's the Hero right? Saving damsels in distress is part of the job. Even if its just offering a shoulder to cry on.

>"I think I know a bit about what you're going through. Me, and that lass with the wings, we have a special relationship with another. And this girl, she used to push people away, because she was afraid they'd get hurt because of her. Didn't want her work putting them in jeopardy."
>"It's taken some time - a long time - but we've finally gotten her to realize that she doesn't need to be alone. That when she falls, we'll be there to pick her back up."
>"Your friend? He sounds a lot like her. It's not that he doesn't love you. He just doesn't want you to get hurt."
>"Show him that you aren't going to leave, that you'll always be by his side. It'll give him the courage to act, and do what needs to be done."

Too wordy? *shrug*

>>47004969
Cooool.

>>47005615
It's called a hugjob, man.

>>47004944
>> Comfort her
So she's kind of the Debtor's Victoria. I hope for her sake the Debtor ends up being another Brigette, then.

>>47006302
Depends on the level of abuse he visited on Lora (or hasn't).

From everything we do know he sure doesn't seem like he did, so far.

>>47006380
Yeah, as far as I'm concerned, whether he's another Brigette depends more on him than it does on us. If he deserves to die, I'm gonna feel sad for the poor pixie, but I'm still gonna vote to kill him.

Called, writing. Sorry for the slow updates today; kinda under the weather.

>>47006711
No there isn't.

>>47006302
He seems like a more neutral Brigette.

She had the angle of good intentions, being nice person, but she's done some bad shit.
Debtor seems like he doesn't have this much good buried in, but also not as such heinous deeds.

Liike, Brigette has +5 karma and -5 karma, averaging at neutral for us to decide; this dude is -1 and +1.

I'm getting a Peter Pan grew up and became a deadbeat vibe from this guy,due to the whole pixie thing.

>>47006846
Hm. I wonder if what he owes is time?

>>47006877
Nonsense! He obviously owes Richard seven dollars.

>>47006912
Not $3.50?

>>47006926
Even worse, two three fiddys. Also known as seven dollars

>>47006711
That board's currently only in it's testing phases (and as such most threads there are shitposts from non-/tg/ boards) and judging by the current mod reaction it isn't obligatory that all quests be moved over there yet.

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>>47006957
Actually, it's because of pic related. It's my headcanon until proven otherwise. And even then it'll probably still be my headcanon.

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>>47007017
>tfw when someone screencaps my post

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>>47004944
On instinct - and admittedly with a bit of hesitation - you put a fingertip on Flitter's hair and rub her head. She makes a little squeaking sound and relaxes visibly, looking remarkably like Amy does when people do that to her.

What's with flying people and head rubs?

"I know someone kinda like that," you tell her, gently. "Actually, I'm dating her. And she has...had, this really bad problem with pushing people away because she thought being around her would only hurt them. It took a lot of time, and a lot of patience, to get her to realize that she doesn't have to be alone."

"We had a fight," Flitter murmurs.

"Friends do that sometimes. He's still your friend, right? Even if he doesn't return your other feelings?"

"Always," Flitter whispers, looking up at you with the tiniest rage you have ever seen.

"Then head back. Tell him you're there to help. You're a big...an adult, you can decide what is and isn't too dangerous."

"Thanks. I'll. I'll think about it. Um. You can take your finger off of my head now."

You withdraw it. "Too far?"

"I get really bad dandruff," she admits; she leans forward and scratches her scalp furiously, loosing a small cloud of flakes. "Wha's yer name?"

"Nathan," you tell her.

"If you see me again when I'm sober, wave me down or somethin', 'kay? Yer a good guy. Pure o' heart."

"I dunno about -"

"Pixie," she says flatly.

"Guess I can't argue with that..."

Flitter buzzes her wings and rises, unsteadily, into the air. "I'll be back sometime. Don't wait for me, but, y'know, sometime. Thanks again!"

Amy gives a little 'hmph' when you sit back down at your own table, which is immediately appeased when you start scratching her hair.

"Now what?" the Sultan drawls.

> Now what?

>>47007441
>We could find out more about that lich

>>47007441
>>47007653

Supporting.

That seems like something Bri & the Caretaker may be interested in.

>>47007441
skritch the sultans hair, obviously.

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>>47007653
>>47007690
>yfw is a lich woman and she is the caretaker's wife.

Vote's gonna be mildly extended.

>>47007653
Seconding
>We could find out more about that lich

Rolling

>>47007441
This won't end badly.

>We need to find out more abotu that lich.
>
>See what sort of stuff is being asked for and sought after. What does this place NEED?

>>47008436
Going for the TwoforOne special I see.

I am reading AspirinQM quest on anonkun right now. Damn am I gratefull for 4chan's bump limit and enforced time between posts. The ammount of salt going on there is unreal.

>>47008637
Oh?

>>47009093
The usual happened and people began screaming about samefaging. Aparently, there were some dubious decisions in the past, and now there are 30 people in chat, calling each other's falacies.

There is enough salt going around to fuel two mines or about two thirds of a Twich chat.

>>47009192
>There is enough salt going around to fuel two mines or about two thirds of a Twich chat.
For some reason this seems hilarious to me

Called, writing shortly.

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>>47007441
'What now' is not a question that takes a lot of thinking for you.

"There's a lich loose down here -"

"There's a lich loose on a lot of levels of the Dungeon," Amy adds, helpfully.

"- and it's evidently active," you finish. "I'd like to know more, preferably without running face-first into it."

"Knowing our luck its phylactery is guarded by being in a room full of horrible shit," River predicts, gloomily.

"Luck?" Darshan scoffs. "That's good tactics."

"Until he needs to move it," you point out.

"...I don't want to admit I'm wrong, and yet..."

"Mmhm. Amy, you're with me, we'll ask around this side. River, you, Lark, and Darshan ask around elsewhere."

"Yessir," River agrees. Lark gives you a grateful look before they split off.

You go for Mike first.

"What's this I hear about a lich?" you ask.

"You must be new. Come in with those soldier boys from the Cornucopia?" he asks.

You shake your head. "Out of the Roost, actually."

"Door's open? I'll be damned, took 'em long enough. Well, here's the skinny. The Lich of the Center came down here some, hell, some four hundred years back? He was already a lich then, mind, so who knows how old he actually is. Had this amulet that killed anyone who wore it and stored the death for later, right?"

"That's worrying," Amy says.

"You're tellin' me," Mike agrees. "Only, he doesn't /do/ anything with it. He claimed this little tiny room, built a throne in it, sat down, and just...sat there. Every now and again he'd get up and ask folks a question or two, usually if someone opened his door, but, y'know, never seemed interested in anybody. Except now he's wandering the Center Ring, pokin' around and askin' folks all kinds of insistent questions."

"Someone steal his amulet?" you ask.

"Doubt it. That'd mean getting in arm's reach of the guy. Nah, somethin' else is wrong. Damned if I know what, though, the guy doesn't have a language in common with just about anyone down here."

>>47010758
...since when does Nathan call the Sultan 'Darshan'? I thought that was his true name that River didn't share because it would cause the demon "discomfort"

>>47010853
...Mentally replace that with 'the sultan' while I beat my head against the desk.

Nate does KNOW the name, in case of emergency.

>>47010902
It's okay vox. We all make goofs. Incidentally, I've been in the quest long enough that my phone has started autocorrecting things to become your name.

We need to make a mental note to get a rundown of Lark's combat abilities before a fight breaks out.

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>>47010758
"...Does he speak demon?" you inquire.

Mike shrugs. "Probably. Do you?"

"Smith," you tell him.

"Oh. Huh, hey - gimmie a sec." The barkeep digs around in his cash box and hands you your money back. "Coffee's on me. Smiths, you do good work. My ma' walks on her own 'cause of folks like you."

You grin, pleased at the compliment, and take the coins from the counter. "I'm glad to hear it. Actually...since I have you right here and I'm new, what /are/ some of the features and power groups down here?"

"Ho boy. This is gonna be a bit of a talk. Pull up a stool there, Mister...?"

"Call me Nate, Mike," you say with a warm smile. "This is Amy, my lover. Our, ah, other partner is currently elsewhere."

"Charmed." Mike shakes your hand, then Amy's, while you pull up a seat. "What do you already know about the Warehouse?"

"Storehouse of the Dungeon," Amy chirps. "Deadlier stuff towards the center."

Mike nods. "That holds true of most of the people too. The Center Ring is full of all the people you never want to meet. Mercenary necromancers, depraved artificers, sealed demons, all that kind of thing. The Center Ring isn't organized as such, but the folks that live there on purpose, they keep a lid on it. They're deadly, insular, and take no guff. They will fuckin' end you if they think you're gonna be a problem."

"How do you become a problem?" you ask.

"Mostly? Opening doors," Mike admits. "The de facto leader down there is Star the Warden. Old elf. /Old/ elf. Actually-in-danger-of-death-by-old-age elf."

You whistle.

"Movin' through the Rings you've got the Betweeners. They're kinda...the down-and-outs. Kids, a lot of them, and teens, in loose gangs. They trade guidance or protection for supplies, commit petty crimes, that kind of thing. They're mostly harmless."

"Poor kids," Amy murmurs.

Mike shrugs. "Shit happens. It doesn't much care how old you are."

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>>47011209
"Inner Ring has the Rationer's Guild, the Locksmiths, and the self-styled Academy," the halfling continues. "Rationers store and process the food and control it duing times like this so we don't all starve. Anyone trying to rip them off gets the whole Warehouse down on 'em. They're folks we trust. Academy's a loose coalition of the research mages and alchemists a hanging around, and the Locksmiths try to study the stuff that's sealed in the Inner Ring. You'll get families and business partnerships of the other shit, but no major blocs."

Mike points. "And then there's them."

The Bazaar parts around a column of soldiers escorting some truly massive lizards.

Their shields are emblazoned with a crossed spear and wine bottle.

> Play it cool
> Get closer to listen
> Nope.stainedglass
> Try to get to River

>>47011363
>> Play it cool
>they are from Cornucopia I presume, but who are they dealing with?

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>>47011363
> crossed spear
> wine bottle.

> Play it cool

>>47011363
>> Get closer to listen
Though not too close

>>47011363
>> Play it cool
I admit, the nope.stainedglass options entertain me.

>>47011363
I don't understand. Are we supposed to automatically assume that they're slaves and/or we need to fight?

>>47012115
They are, I assume, soldiers from The Lush escorting their mounts/beast of burden/war lizards through the market.

>>47012115
They're the Lush's people, and the Lush knows about Bri and probably us.

They might recognize us and attack.

>>47011363
>Play it cool
>>47012115
eh, I really don't see why anyone escorting giant lizards would split up and go for a drink. Even if they headed towards us, that'd put them at a disadvantageous position.

>>47012305
>split up and go for a drink
.... they are soldiers of the lush aren't they?

>>47012326
Yes.

>>47012326
and the giant dude knows when to nut up.

....I guess that may not necessarily apply to his soldiers, but still.

>>47012450
>knows when to nut up

...please tell me that isn't a joke about him raping Lora.

>>47012601
I think it's a poorly worded reference to him going into full pragmatic bastard mode and putting his vices aside when he needs to.

>>47012601
....no. No.

>>47012601
No, that would be him just knowing when to nut.

Remember, every time you rape Death, a puppy comes back to life.

>>47012815
Anon...please...just...no.

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>>47012815

>>47012815
I feel slightly ashamed that this made me chuckle. Good for you anon.

Called, will write after some food.

>>47013315
>two hour vote period
Did you get distracted watch Planefag entire readerbase get in an argument with him over why /qst/ is shit too, Mel?

>>47013451
No, a buddy offered to mentor me in a game we both play and I lost track of time.

>>47013469
it's a MMO isn't?

>>47013557
No. But it /is/ off-topic.

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>>47013578
Cool now back to writing lich

>>47013451
I just read it, Holyshit he got butt-fucking-blasted

>>47013763
Not the place for it.

>>47013787
Nothing else to talk about, except that >>47013678

Is my headcanon for River now

I wonder what kind of coffee grains we can get from the cornucopia.

>>47013678
Well if River decides she want to kill the Roost spider that use of the parts has my support.

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>>47011363
"Who are they?" you ask, casually. The symbol is the same as the brand on the slaves you rescued, but the odds that they're here looking for you specifically are pretty low.

"Not rightly sure. I haven't seen that heraldry before, but gossip is saying some warlord took over the Cornucopia. He opened the doors back up a few days ago and got the trade flowing through. He's got some kinda representative here, buying shit up left and right."

"What kind of things?" Amy asks.

"Just about anything enchanted," Mike says. "And I do mean just about /anything/. Trinkets, baubles, toys, weapons, scrying devices, it's like he doesn't even care. Watch."

You turn your attention to the soldiers. They're armed and armored professionally, in bronze; they bear shields, spears, and hatchets. But their hands are away from their weapons, and as you watch they stow their shields on the lizards and disperse slightly into the market, in small groups to protect themselves from pickpockets and assault. They chat up smiths offering their wares, alchemists, jewelers, and more, letting what you can only assume to be officers lead the way with easy smiles and hard haggling.

"We're not really inclined to complain," Mike notes, casually. "If they want to do a /lot/ of business, well, it's not like they aren't bringing tradeable goods. Food, juice, tobacco, coffee, the works. Even for the Cornucopia, they're spending it pretty freely."

"How interesting," you murmur. "Which one's their leader?"

"He's not here," Mike tells you. "He spends most of his time in various places in the Warehouse, striking deals and investigating the, ah, closed doors."

> "I gotta go." (where?)
> Ask about something else (what?)
> Write-in?

>>47014230
Damn it, the Glutton is actually smart and is getting people on his side. Fuck.

Honestly it would probably be easiest to just buy this dude off, but he's the rapist soooo . . . . . yeah, we're going to assassinate that dude.

> Write-in?

We should see if those army dudes are hiring smiths! After disguising ourselves.

Might be more important to interrupt the Lush from finding anything too dangerous to turn against us than to stop the Debtor for now. Whatever he's up to can't be terribly serious if no one really knows. Can it?

>>47014368
Wait. The Lush said he'd loan half a century of soldiers - 50 soldiers - plus the lizards and men to wrangle them, for the Debtor to command.

What if Jack is posing as the representative? Easy way for him to buy up magic shit and poke around without people wondering why.

>>47014408
Well, if he's basing it off the Roman Maniple/Century, it could be anywhere from 30 - 60 men.

>>47014470
Fair, but...numbers aside, it fits the bill. Right?

>>47014498
Yep. But I just realized that taking out the Lizard Wranglers might be the best idea.

If we're okay with causing them to riot so we have an excuse to put them down.

Goddamn. We're playing the Hero though. The hard way it is.

>>47014583
The only issue I see is that we're not gonna make friends interrupting fair and reasonable trade through the Warehouse. We'd probably be better off making sure shipments don't make it back to the Cornucopia. It might be prudent to send one team to investigate the Debtor and another to sabotage the Lush before he gets his hands on anything that resembles a magical nuke.

I may leave this vote for the evening. Kinda out of it still. We'll see.

Yeah, I'm gonna leave 'er open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>47014230
>> Ask about something else (what?)
"Are there any temples in the warehouse?"

>>47014583
>>47014696
I don't think splitting the party is wise.

>>47016354
I'm looking for reinforcements and allies. The Gods don't seem likely to be down with Dick's plan - not to mention him using the Language of Creation and all that.

>>47015848
Out of pure curiosity, why do you want to know?

>>47016853
Not that anon, but i find the idea of temples in the Dungeon at all kind of interesting. In a world where the god's are known to be real, what intricacies of faith arise in a place where you know they aren't listening?

>>47016354
Mayhaps instead of splitting the party sending the Sultan or perhaps a summoned imp of some sort to spy on the Lush's men's movement incase they do discover some super magical weapon doodad. This would at least give us intel on what to expect later or a chance to intercept something nasty. Without the support of the warehouse we can't rally the people to force the Lush's hand out of the Warehouse. Kind of hilarious that the Debtor's placate nature is working against us here.

>>47014230
> "I gotta go." (where?)
eh, let's look for the lich.

We could always ask the Sultan to whip up some illusions to disguise the group.
>Nate's leg is still there, he just has a limp from a healing injury.
>Amy's wings are silvery grey, but otherwise normal looking.

I don't know how long the Sultan can keep up illusions, but it could be possible for us to dig deeper without revealing ourselves.

>>47016853
I'd imagine the Gods and Priests would be more or less on our side. It would provide us with a friendly safehouse, maybe even some support should it come to a conflict as well as connections to see what the situation in the Warehouse is and to help us start building up allies.

>>47014230
>"I gotta go check on the potential sister-in-law."

>>47018248
Neat.

I'm up. Will call and write shortly.

Rolled 3 (1d4)

Well fuck. This is actually kinda hard to call, so here goes the die roll.

> We should see if those army dudes are hiring smiths! After disguising ourselves.
> "Are there any temples in the warehouse?"
> eh, let's look for the lich.
>"I gotta go check on the potential sister-in-law."

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>>47014230
You mull over your options and decide that the lich thing is something you can address without starting a fight. Might even get you a bit of goodwill, which you need. This impression you're getting, that the denizens of the Warehouse can't be bothered to care, is starting to get to you.

"When my friends come back, can you let them know that I'm going to see if I can talk to that lich?" you ask Mike.

"Sure thing. Any further messages?"

"No," you say, shaking your head. "I trust their judgment." You shake hands with Mike one last time and take your leave.

"You think we're qualified for this?" Amy asks when you get some distance from the bar.

"No idea," you admit. "But I figure we can outrun him if we have to."

"The Caretaker could teleport," Amy points out.

"...I'm gonna ignore that."

Amy laughs and ruffles your hair. You keep a good distance from the soldiers, which isn't hard, though you can't help but stop to examine the lizards. They're big things, and you immediately pick out some similarities to horses in way their backs are shaped, the way their weight rests.

You haven't seen those before, but you bet you could ride one. Something to try later, maybe.

You and Amy walk back towards the crossroads, eating up the distance. After awhile, Amy speaks up.

"Things are quiet without Bri here," she murmurs, thoughtfully.

> Yeah
> Something on your mind?
> Nod; keep walking (proceed to the Center Ring)

>>47021945
>Yeah
>We'll be together again before you know it.

>>47021945
>Strange. It's not like she was very talkative, either.

>>47021945
>> Something on your mind?

>>47021945
>> Yeah
>> Something on your mind?

>>47021945
>> Something on your mind?

Called, writing.

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>>47021945
You give her a glance and quietly take her hand.

"Something bothering you, love?" you murmur back.

Amy squeezes your hand and shrugs. "Not. As such? I've just been thinking lately. Which, I know, shocking."

You snort. "Go on," you offer, giving her a grin.

"Do you think Bri was always like...like she is now?" Amy asks. "She seems. I dunno, sad all the time. Worried about things, worried about herself. And she's getting better but...I dunno." The half-harpy's wings droop. "I guess...I guess I'm wondering if her family made her like this, or if it happened after...y'know. After she had to leave home."

"That sort of thing changes a person, Ames."

"You don't have to tell /me/ that."

> This is something we should talk to her about when she's /here/, love.
> I worry about it too.
> I don't think she'd have such happy memories of home if she was miserable all the time there
> Write-in?

>>47023172
>> I worry about it too.
but
>> This is something we should talk to her about when she's /here/, love.

>>47023172
> I worry about it too.
And.
>This is something we should talk to her about when she's /here/, love.

Slow day for votes. I'ma go get some caffeine and then call when I get back.

>>47023172
>> I don't think she'd have such happy memories of home if she was miserable all the time there
I'm gonna be contrarian.

>>47023172
>> I don't think she'd have such happy memories of home if she was miserable all the time there
but also
> This is something we should talk to her about when she's /here/, love.

>>47023172
>> I don't think she'd have such happy memories of home if she was miserable all the time there

Called, writing.

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>>47023172
You let go of Amy's hand so you can give her an apologetic head rub. "I didn't mean it like that," you say softly. "I don't think Bri would have such happy memories of home, or talk so fondly of it, if she was miserable there. I think..." you sigh. "I think something written about /me/ is relevant here."

"About you?" Amy asks. "People write stuff about you?"

"They write about woundseekers," you tell her, a little uncomfortably. "And what's written is that you cannot wash blood from silk. I think. I think that's how Bri sees herself. It's never easy to be the person who made it out alive, but..."

Amy chirps a wordless agreement, while you trail off.

"I'm gonna guess that you're thinking about kids down the line and worrying about them?" you ask, gently.

"Some, yeah," Amy agrees. "...Mom and Dad are trying for another kid. And it got me thinking."

"Ames, of all the things I needed to envision in this world, your parents going at it was none of them. This is something we should talk to Bri about when she's /here/, okay?"

Amy nods and takes your hand back. "Thanks for listening."

"I'm told I'm good at it," you tease. You laugh when she baps you with the blunt side of a wing.

"You're lucky you're handsome, ass."

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>>47024757
You turn at the crossroads and head into the Center Ring. Thankfully, the lich is easy enough to pick out - how many echoing, spectral voices shouting in the tongue of demons can there possibly be down here?

|UNREAD SAVAGES! Does no one here speak a civilized tongue?|

"Is that him?" Amy asks.

"That's definitely him," you tell her.

> Approach openly; introduce yourself
> Approach cautiously; let him come to you
> Try to sneak in to observe without being seen

> Approach openly; introduce yourself
I feel like introducing ourselves in demonic will make us look better in his eyes. After all, he probably hasn't spoken with anyone who could understand him in a long time.

>>47024950
> Approach openly; introduce yourself

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG

>>47024950
>Approach cautiously; let him come to you
Liches tend to go mad after a while.

>>47024950

> Approach openly; introduce yourself

We are a hero, besides that looks like a undead in need of a hand. Better talk to him before he start rotting people.

>>47024950
> Approach openly; introduce yourself

He seems like a fine educated gentleman. I am certain he will turn out sane and polite.

>>47025042
And imagine a lich that had only himself to talk. Nothing can possibly go wrong with this.

He probably won't immedietly melt the only person who can speak to him, but there is a chance of a curse for having an accent due to changes in language over past 400 years.

>>47024950
>> Approach openly; introduce yourself
He's likely to be unstable, so I'd rather not risk taking him by surprise if we can avoid it.

And now I must go be Gainfully Employed. Votes remain open in the meantime.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>47024950
>Approach openly; introduce yourself
I think being very formal and polite will likely pay off here.

>>47024950
>> Approach openly; introduce yourself

>>47024950
>> Approach openly; introduce yourself

>>47024950
> Approach openly; introduce yourself

>>47024950
>> Approach openly; introduce yourself

>>47024950
>Approach openly; introduce yourself.
Same way Brianna introduced herself to the Caretaker. Respect the lich, but don't be afraid of the old bones.

>>47024950
.....but you HAVE a drawn picture of Nate. With verve and leg and no shield.

> Approach openly; introduce yourself

>>47028051
That's the pic he's been using since before he got that drawn pic, he probably just never changed the filename.

>>47028102
Yep.

So...

I've been considering moving to the new board. My main worry is that the quest would get moved by the mods without me being there to handle it; transitioning on my terms would help avoid that. I'd be able to link the new thread and the new section of the archive so that my archive readers don't get lost, and otherwise make provisions.

Thoughts? Advice? I dunno how many of you are QMs or experienced questers, but I'm feeling great uncertainty.

>>47028685
Fight the power!

>>47028685
board won't last, wasting your time and making everything more confusing for no good reason.

>>47028685
Stay here, man.

/qst/ is already dead in the water, moving is just gonna piss off a bunch of people (see the shit thet went on with Planefag last night) and make the quest far less visible to potential new readers.

>>47028685

it seems to be ok, I mean doing your quest here or there dons't matter much.

>>47028685
As a QM myself, I can tell you that they won't do that for a while, and if they do move your thread, nothing will happen to the thread itself.

I'd say stay here for the time being, s'what I'm going to do, and there are many other QMs who share my opinion.

Also /qst/ is a buggy mess atm

>>47028685
Only move if you're forced, no need to move to a board that's gonna die in a week anyway.

>>47028685

What this anon is saying >>47028763
Quests are tg related even that other fa\tg\uys might say. I also think is a waste of time to have the old quest there.

>>47028685
/qst/ is currently a festering, autocannibalizing pile of dogshit.

It takes DAYS for threads to die. KCQ spent over half an hour on page 11. And it's only getting slower as its novelty wears off and people leave.

>>47028685
As a counterpoint to everyone else, Soma moved his quest over and it was fine. Established QMs like yourself will have no problem. It will really feel no different to running here.

It's also not just going to poof away anytime soon. However, don't move until you absolutely have to when the official QUEST THREADS ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED ON TG comes down. If you're in the middle of a thread it will be annoying, but even risking the off chance of one of your archived /qst/ threads going away forever because the board does get taken own is not risk getting ahead of that hassle.

>>47029114
LL has an archive up, specifically for keeping copies of shit in case of any merging or moving fuckery.

Even he recognizes that /qst/ is a horrible idea, though; he put the archive up just in case the mods decide to be total fucking idiots and actually force quests onto the shit board.

>>47029114
>your archived /qst/ threads going away forever because the board does get taken own is not risk getting ahead of that hassle.

Not advocating for /qst/ but if it's archived off site, does that matter? LL set up a supqst archive.

>>47028685
You are not obligated to do it, and will not for a long time, don't worry about it.

There's nothing wrong with letting things blow over unless you have strong enough feelings about qst to stake your quest on it.

>>47028685
Since you're feeling unsure I'd say stay here. I don't have issues with qst as a concept anymore, I've calmed down a bit the last few days. However, it's being very poorly mismanaged at the moment. If they want it to survive the mods need to make quite a few fixes and changes, and until the official word goes out it's probably safest to just wait and see what they do.

Two hours and change to call.

I'm having fun with this part so far. It's nice to be able to present a non standard problem.

>>47031030
What do you mean Vox?

>>47031749
he's enjoying the
>wat do

though I question its efficacy.

>>47031837
I dunno I kinda like it too.

>>47031749
We don't have a "do x, kill y, win floor" system like we've had for the other floors - or at least, the manner in which we go about doing x and killing y are significantly more convoluted here.

Incidentally, Vox, is Bri gonna show up in the Warehouse should we take longer than 3-4 days (as I expet we will)?

>>47031857
I feel a severe lack of drive to vote in any particular direction, and that's speaking as >>47017509

>>47024950
>> Approach openly; introduce yourself
Manners would be in our best interest for this I'd assume.

>>47031886
You'll have the power to decide that. River's concerns about the defense of the Roost are still valid, though.

>>47032177
That case I'm supporting having her stay back to help Emily acclimate and to help defend shit if necessary.

About where are we with regards to relative time as compared to part 6, anyway (ie where in the Jaw is Bri at the current point in time)?

>>47032236
Bri's rush took about three hours; she's currently surging over the breaking lake.

Thirty minutes and change. There may be a slight delay; I got offered a formal review by a more experienced QM in the general on the other board and I need to get him the links and also warn him that the characters and places doc is spoiler city.

>>47033112
Holy shit, observer is reviewing your work, you and observer are two of my favorite QMs currently.

>>47033223
I...I feel so loved.

>>47033490
Something something that's great, something something fuck /qst/ something.

Home, called, writing.

>>47034211
If Home called then why is he writing?

>>47034333
Look at the commas.

Punctuation is your friend.

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>>47024950
"We're gonna try to do this without fighting him," you tell Amy. "...But if we do, don't hit him with your wings. You'll ruin them."

Amy squeaks and immediately folds her wings behind her back.

You take a deep breath and advance. The lich is easy enough to spot; the sorcerer is bare bones and an ironshod staff, with a tarnished silver amulet hanging from his neck. Yellow witchflame burns in his eyes.

|Ser lich| you greet, formally. |Well met! What disturbs your rest?|

You have his attention immediately. |Your accent is /atrocious/, boy| he tells you. |Did you learn the tongue of the Secondborn from books?|

|Smith| you say, apologetically.

|The Noble Profession| the lich answers, with a knowing nod. |Why does no one here speak a civilized tongue?|

|Ser, lorshan is the common language in and around the duchy of Starfall and has been for some time. They likely don't recognize your phrasing or accent.|

|Bah!| the lich gestures irritably with his staff. |The living always have to /change/ things. No matter, you can aid me. Where is the ruler of the Warehouse?|

You cough. |The Warehouse is no longer formally ruled.|

|USELESS FLESH SACKS!|

> Let him vent
> Try to head it off
> Nope.gothicscript

>>47028685
nah man, don't move unless forced. Even the shitposting is gradually dying down, I notice.

>>47029268
>>47029244
I think what >>47029114 meant is an ongoing thread getting lost if/when the board gets taken down for it's uselessness. Which would come before an archive request and there would be no live version to get it from.

>>47033223
This guy? http://archive.4plebs.org/tg/search/username/observer/type/op

And now I need to find some damn dinner.

>>47035250
> Let him vent

>>47035250
> Let him vent

>>47035250
> Let him vent
Might probably get more info that way

>>47035250
>Let him vent
Anger breeds loose lips, yes?

>>47035250
> Let him vent

>>47035250
>Let him vent

>>47035250
>Let him vent

> Immediate, unanimous voting while I'm trying to finish dinner

Ye bastards. I'll call when I'm done.

>>47035280
Yes, that is me.

>>47033223
I am honored at your kind words.

>>47035250
>> Try to head it off


Suck on these useless flesh sacks!

>>47035604
Hive mind broke.

>Let it happen.
Because I want to see an angry old man skeleton throw a tantrum about "mortals these days and their newfangled culture and societal change."

>>47035250
> Let him vent

Okay. I can't sit up straight. I'ma get some sleep and update in the morning after coffee and dishes; votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>47036024
You're gay and your shit's all retarded.

>>47036120
You forgot to mention that he should move to the new board.

>>47036136
>Implying I want to get banned

>>47036150
Hey if you're gonna shitpost, go full hog on it. Don't wuss with halfway measures.

>>47036173
You're right, let me just post some cp. Anything less would be bitch shit.

>>47036120
No, XS is gay, and all of Vox' shit is retarded, get it right.

>>47036206
>he fell for the lesbian meme

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>>47035250
>Try to head it off.

Letting an angry, somewhat unhinged lich get pissed and throw magic around is NOT the recipe for success.

Give him the run-down; an evil asshole bound the Archangel of Death to his will, and is now seeking absolute dominion over the Dungeon and potentially the entire world.

When he goes from infuriated to concerned, find River and the others, then take him aside and explain the whole situation. It's not like he doesn't have /time/.

Though that does open a new line of thought; why is a lich, who can devote /centuries/ to perfecting his origami technique, have such a pressing need to find the 'ruler' of the Warehouse?
>inb4 imminent destruction via miniature black hole because someone pressed the bright red 'DO NOT TOUCH' button

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Bumping for the love of magical bones everywhere.

>>47028685
>My main worry is that the quest would get moved by the mods

People are actively hazing QMs that dare to switch and the rest of them are deliberately filling the board with shit to get it killed, and you really think it's gonna survive the trial period?

Don't borrow trouble, don't get the cart in front of the horse and cross that bridge when you get to it.

I know Kary will read this, but I'm posting it here because new threads are volatile things.

Don't forget that DLQ didn't exactly start with a bang.

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>>47037462
In my opinion DLQ has four things going for it.

>It has avoided the torrential shitstorms which seem to plague other quests. Discussion and debate is generally civilized and mature, and most anons find a consensus or compromise. This is a big one for me, since raging arguments and shitposters are a large turn off for me.

>The fact that Vox is a goddamn madman who runs /constantly/, even when ill or under stress from Real Life, which means anons don't have to endure terrible lengths of silence before the next update.

>The writing is good, if not great. No matter your opinion on the story itself, our QM is obviously not a stranger to spinning a yarn. I've been with the quest since the onset, and it's only gotten better as the 'world' its staged in has expanded.

>The characters are interesting and multi-faceted, rather than being bland, two-dimensional, cardboard cut-outs. When have you /ever/ seen a professional necromancer (on or off /tg/) that wasn't a mustache-twirling villain or fun-killing edgelord?

>>47037694
dude I agree with all that but
>When have you /ever/ seen a professional necromancer (on or off /tg/) that wasn't a mustache-twirling villain or fun-killing edgelord?
Ethical necromancer is a long beloved thing on /tg/.

>>47037739
I dunno, a lot of people seem to favor the classic lord of undeath cliche, which isn't to say its a bad one. Just..old? Older than the dirt the lich sleeps in.

Ethical necromancy may have won many an elegan/tg/entleman's heart, but I haven't seen many examples of it. Though, to be fair, I've been away from 4chan in general for a few years. DLQ drew me back in like caffeine addiction.

>>47037856
Sure, the classic is popular. But "never seen" on the moral necro is exaggerating.

>>47037856
>I've been away from 4chan in general for a few years
then you missed all of it. And there was a lot of it.

>>47037919
I've only seen it secondhand, through other anon's recollections. Never in-person at a table or in a different quest.

Like I said, the last few years I've been away. School, work, personal troubles and tribulations, etc.

>>47037966
>Never in-person at a table or in a different quest.
Ah, okay, in that limit it's fair.

>>47038401
Are you the person who keeps bumping dead quest threads? Either keep to active ones or go to the bloody /qst/ board

>>47038423
what dead quests?

>>47038445
Someones going around bumping all of the hours dead quest threads with inane comments

>>47038466
Well, not me.
Also, DLQ is 24 hours round uptime quest.

>>47038484
Vox is a mad man.

>>47038501
He has been possessed by the coffee demon!

>>47035252
Well, even in that event everyone with the thread open at the time will still have it cashed and on screen. You can simply save a local copy.

Sure, it's a hassle and obnoxious for archival readers, but it's not gone forever.

>>47037103
Prove these before claiming them please.

just here to snag a link to the archives and wanted to say that I've really been enjoying the quest so far boss.

I'm up. Will call and write soon.

>>47037462
You can't just tease us like that anon, context?

>>47037694
Folks /have/ been really courteous. It's been pleasant, and part of what I like about running the quest - esp. since my readers have also been kind enough to offer their feedback.

No, /you/ are a madman.

>>47039301
Nice to see you here, anon!

Okay, so - I need to handle Real Life Stuff. I /also/ have an extended shift today, which means that if at all possible I'd like this thread killed unto death. In the interest of that, I'm open for Q&A and (as always) discussion & feedback! I'll address what I can after my first batch of, ah, interruptions.

> "If you see me again when I'm sober, wave me down or somethin', 'kay? Yer a good guy. Pure o' heart."
> "I dunno about -"
> "Pixie," she says flatly.

...pixies can tell when someone is pure of heart.

She hangs out with the Debtor.

Hum.

>>47040057
That's... not the worst argument I've ever heard. Although there are reasons to care about someone even if they aren't pure of heart.

>>47040057
I really need Vox to chime in on what Pixies are, are they Fae a la Silence? Or are they native to this world?

>>47040099
We know that he's a decent sort (for the chain-bearers) and is there because he owes /something/. Leaving the jokes aside, I wonder what it could be and to exactly whom. Gaining this will let us intervene more effectively here, possibly gaining a good ally.

>>47040213
Pixies are indeed native to the Mistlands...mostly. They're more common than high fey such as Silence and some have gone native, leading to examples of the race that have been born and raised in the Iron Lands. Pixies are quick, energetic, and have a knack for kinesis. Like high fey, pixies are bound by their word; unlike their larger cousins (a term used only because both sides refuse to clarify their actual relation) they cannot seem to forge the sorts of empowered deals that granted Silence her influence over earth.

Pixies are normally found in wooded or tropical regions. A group of pixies is a clique.

>>47040455
...Temperate. Temperate or tropical.

Excuse me while I remind myself that woods =/= temperate. 's early, I haven't had my coffee.

>>47040455
They don't seem to have a foul reputation, are they immortal/really long lived as well?

Do they ride corgis?

>>47040508
They claim to be. Verifying it has proven difficult; pixies in captivity wither and die, while ones out in the wild are remarkably difficult to observe consistently.

>>47040529
>pixies in captivity

Whoa now, they're a sentient being. People just CAPTURE them?

>>47040622
You do recall our meeting with Amy, right?

>>47040634
I believe you have missed a joke good sir.

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>>47035250
You make the executive decision to let this happen. You also grab Amy by the back of the collar and take her with you when you take a step or twelve back to safe distance.

The lich was right, of course; you've been studying the tongue of demons in your off time, ever since Harry taught you how to make the oath-ring, and your accent is terrible. What you're hearing is an /education/. The Lich of the Center curses at length, gesturing with his staff to emphasize every malediction and complaint.

Every time the iron caps at either end of the staff hit the floor, they leave a visible scorch mark.

|MAY THEIR USELESS SOULS BE CONDEMNED TO WORK THE BELLOWS! How dare they! How /dare/ they, the faithless curs, they /vowed to me/ and now they are /gone/? HONORLESS PUSTULES! FOOLS! I -|

|Ser,| you interrupt, gently. |What did they promise you?|

|Nevermind. Boy, listen closely to me.| the lich lunges, with shocking speed, and grips the front of your coat. |The Center Itself. What do they say is inside it? Tell me!|

You shake your head at Amy to prevent her from attacking. |I - ser, they say it contains the Heart's Treasure. The one thing anyone would kill or die for. Or vast riches, or some other great and glorious prize.|

|IDIOTS!| the lich lets go of you and you take a hasty step back while he cracks his staff against the floor. |The Heart's Treasure? Idiots! What is contained therein must /never/ be released. Do you understand me? *Never*. But someone has the first fragment of the Key. /Someone is trying to open the door/.|

|What /is/ inside of it?| you press.

You get a cold glare. |If I tell you, you will share my burden. You must vow to never reveal it to another without binding them to their troth. You must swear it on blood and bone. Are you willing to know, /boy/?|

> Yes
> No; how can I help?
> No; this sounds like it is not my problem
> Write-in?

>>47040622
Oh yes. Pixies are small and physically weak, and tend to look pretty and be cute. The Firstborn have a long habit of capturing them, and while many people would never be so cruel...well, many would, too.

> No; how can I help?

We're the Hero. This is what we do.

>>47040948
>Yes
>How can I help?
We are a man of honor but we have to know what we're trying to prevent.

Because ignorance is not heroic.

>>47040948
>> No; how can I help?
> I don't want to know unless I need to know to make sure it's safe.
> But my /other/ lover probably /does/ need to know, since she's gonna be responsible for this whole mess before too long.

>>47041177
This might be good to use, since yanno Lora being the heritor of the dungeon.

Now question, say we get all well and done and manage to win the dungeon back and give it back to it's people. Would that mean we become the janitor or a spirtual advisor over the whole thing, not with any ruler ship powers or ability to tell people to do this or that. But instead to help negotiate trades or conflicts before they go too far*.

* Going to far can and will vary from hurt feelings, to three or four clans wiped off the face of the earth.

>>47040948
> No; how can I help?

>>47040948
>MAY THEIR USELESS SOULS BE CONDEMNED TO WORK THE BELLOWS

Huh. I wonder, did the lich have Demons looking after something for him?

Anyway, this sounds like something the Heritor should know about. And even money says that Jack's the one with a piece of the key.

>Yes.

>>47040948
> Yes
>Extra Question: may abuse of laws of Death in the dungeon result in releasing the Center's mystery?

>>47041220
You mean Bri.

Anyway, given that this is literally the part where the apocalyptic shit gets tossed, anybody have any idea what's in the Center? Bits and piece of that Slain God, perhaps?

> No; how can I help?
>>47041177
This writin is good. I support it.

>>47040948
>> No; how can I help?
I feel showing restraint on choosing not to know things we don't /need/ to know might sit better considering how he's treating this.
>>47041177
I also like this write-in and suggest we do that.

Called, writing.

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>>47040948
You look the lich in his burning eyes and, finally, shake your head. |No, ser| you say respectfully. |Though my lover may need to know. But...I /am/ willing to help.|

|There may be hope yet. The key has five components. It is not a physical thing, as such, but a set of conditions to be met. One is that you must truly wish to open the door, and is easily fulfilled IF THE IDIOT MEAT SACKS OF THIS LEVEL HAVE BEEN FILLING EVERYONE'S HEADS WITH TALES OF TREASURE!|

"Nate, are you /sure/ he's okay?" Amy asks, worried.

"I've got this," you tell her.

|What is it?| the lich snaps.

|My lover is concerned that your passionate fury is directed at me, ser,| you answer.

The lich looks her up and down. |She does not seem like she needs to know.|

|I have two lovers, ser.|

You blush, after a long moment of dealing with the lich's sustained glare.

|The other four components,| he says at last, |are as follows: the staff in my hands, an angel's voice, a demon's soul, and a pixie's heart.|

|A...as in the thing that pumps blood in their veins?| you ask.

|That qualifies,| the lich tells you. |But getting one to fall in love with you works just fine. Anyone opening the door will also want the amulet around my neck, so as to awaken and empower the thing within. For safety's sake I should give you one of these things. A shame you're living, or I could pass off the amulet.|

You take a deep, cautious breath. |I am told the amulet is rife with death and desolation. Could one of the Sons of Sorrow bear it safely?|

|Possibly,| the lich muses. |Certainly I could try it, had I a volunteer. I can always snatch it from their neck before they die.|

You unshackle your shadow.

|Ahhh| the corpse breathes, eagerly.

> Take the staff
> Try the amulet

* * * *

MEANWHILE

You are Brianna la Croix, necromancer, and you are exhausted.

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>>47042124
It's been a long ride over the thawing domain in the Broken Jaw. Hatchet saved some shards of the two elementals he helped destroy; you have some, and he has the others. Hatchet intends on making something out of his, once he can find a smith.

You're pretty sure you can use yours to enhance some of your minions. Or maybe ask Nate or Harry to bind it into your sword-cane...

Hatchet has been quiet, which is good because you're not sure if you're up to handling his - his everything, right now. The split fragment of Lora's sword has been wrapped in your spare clothes and rides next to you on the boar through the quiet of the Jaw.

> Ask Hatchet about his boon from Lora
> Talk about something else (what?)
> Remain silent

AND

> Rest
> Press on to Port Atrium

>>47042124
>the staff in my hands ("The 'staff' of a lich")
>an angel's voice ("Lora or the Diviner")
>a demon's soul ("Rather common-ish")
>and a pixie's heart ("We just met one who was in love")

They do not have just 1 component.
> Try the amulet


>>47042181
>> Remain silent
>AND
>> Press on to Port Atrium
When has Bri willingly decided to rest without the others?

>>47042124
>> Try the amulet

Much less likely that someone else will be able to safely steal that from us.

Interesting, the list of conditions. The Debtor clearly has the pixie's heart, presumably can command Lora's voice, and shouldn't have too much trouble getting a demon's soul.

We should
> try to warn him that someone on the level has bound an angel, so has at least that piece

> Remain silent

Hatchet doesn't seem like a chatty guy.

> Press on to Port Atrium

Get warm. Then rest.

>>47042249
Extracting a demon's soul is harder than you might think. Remember, if you kill the guys they just bounce back to Hell. Which isn't to say that getting one hasn't been /done/, it's just a /bitch/. The "easiest" way is to fox a demon into offering it to you as part of a deal.

Wait. One of the costs is the heart of a pixie, literal or figurative.

The Debtor /rejected/ the pixie's love.

...is he trying to /not/ open the door?

>>47042305
We... May have a qualifying demon. One who is currently 0-2 against Fetch may have either forfeited his soul or else be willing to offer it for revenge. Pixy heart and angel voice are easy, as is desire. All that's missing is the staff.

>>47042124
> Try the amulet
>warn him that someone has bound an angel

>remain silent
>press on to Port Atrium

>>47042124
>pixie's heart
...DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICKKKKKKKKKKKKKK DID YOU FUCKER ARRANGE IT WHOLECLOTH

> Try the amulet
Nobody is going to expect it and the lich seems to be good with the staff.

...also can we tell him that they have an angel on hand?

>>47042181
Oops didn't notice second post, adding to >>47042481


> Remain silent
> Press on to Port Atrium

>>47042124
>>47042181
>Try the amulet
>Remain silent
>Rest
We've made some headway towards Port Atrium, but we're in rough shape.

>>47042418
The Debtor isn't really involved with this floor as his fellow chain holders were, It is possible that someone else is trying to open it up. We sent the only Pixie we've encountered so far back to the Debtor so in the case that there /is/ a third party at work here, She'll be a lot saver with him, maybe.

>>47042124
> Try the amulet
Hola and all that
> Ask Hatchet about his boon from Lora
No one is curious at all ?
> Press on to Port Atrium

>>47042554
>No one is curious at all ?
I felt like it would be prying, I am deathly curious.

>>47042547
The Debtor is the person assigned to the floor, and whether he wants to or not he has to do as Dick says (see: Brigette). I imagine he's under orders to open the centre door and take control of what's within and he's doing the best he can to take as long as possible doing so.

That might've been why he sent the pixie away, because with her he has all four of the components that aren't attached to an angry lich.

...and we sent her back to him. Fuck.

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>>47042591
> I am deathly curious.
> deathly curious.
> deathly

Anon pls.

Called, writing. Also, Domo's update the map; see pic

>>47042640
Glen kinda needs a small flag with a Duchess smiley.
Looks good!

>>47042606
>...and we sent her back to him. Fuck.
Chivalry, man. Hell of a drug.

>>47042606
>>47042707
Man, this situation sucks.

>>47042606
>>47042707
Oh yeah, also: he HAS her love anyway. The condition is fulfilled. He just tried sending her off from ground zero from when he opens it.

>>47042640
So if Pixies are fae, and thus not natural to this world, what makes them able to judge the hearts of men?

>>47042885
Fae are fickle things and so are the hearts of men

>>47042775
...or he tried to break her heart and lose her love. No matter how much that might've hurt the both of them, he figured that what would happen if the door is opened would be worse.

I'm'a make a prediction that the thing the Debtor owes, the thing that Vox's said he's afraid of? That's what's in the Center.

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>>47042181
You remain silent. There's nothing you want to talk about - not with Hatchet, anyway - and the longer you leave Emily unattended, the more trouble she might get herself into. You have the grim feeling that if the Chain-Bearers find out what's been done, they might be able to force Lora to give Emily orders that she really should not follow.

You need to pull her into a cleared level, and you need to do it now.

Passage between the Broken Jaw and the Sunless Sea takes the form of a long, jagged canyon, at the bottom of which is a thawing river. The path down to the bottom is gentle and well-used - probably by the ice miners - and there are broad, clear walkways on either side of the mighty river, carved from the stone. Huge chunks of ice flow downstream in the rapid current, knocking against one another while you travel.

Absently, you scratch Fetch's neck, just under his helmet. He chirps, quietly, and keeps his watchful vigil.

It's a long ride down; the canyon gives way to an enclosed tunnel, lit by bright white witchflame that burns in a steady line in the roof above the river. But after long hours, you emerge into shockingly bright light, at the top of a cliff.

The view is breathtaking.

The Sunless Sea is bright in a way no other level of the Dungeon has been. Massive globes of witchlight float through the air in gentle patterns, lighting up the waves. Below, on the cliff, a wide shoreline extends to the walls of the cavernous floor, sandy and bright. A town - bigger than Split, even - waits at the bottom of the path down, and little villages dot the coast, jutting docks out into the water.

Out in the distance, a massive sandbar divides the water, with a pair of locks to admit the passage of ships. On the far side of the sandbar, you see a storm moving through the level, pushed by the wind you can feel on your face. It brings rain and thunder, and if you're any guess - and you usually are - will be here at the port in about a day.

>>47043028
Wait, didn't we leave Fetch to guard the Sympathy thing?

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>>47043028
You start taking the path down - a stout stone bridge offers passage over the river, which continues over the cliff and down to the underground sea - but you can't stop sparing glances out at the sea. You can make out islands and jagged stones that jut from the water. Ships, some for fishing, others more like the merchant and war ships you've read about in books, ply the waters. Many of the latter guard the fishing fleets, with catapults and ballistae on their decks and at the ready.

It's not long before you can hear the bustle of Port Atrium. It has all the achingly familiar sounds of a town at work; carts, forges, trade, bustle. The streets are cobbled and well-maintained, and a stout stone fort looms at the far edge of town, guarding it from threats on the water. In theory, anyway.

Somewhere in here is Emily. Your eyes burn with exhaustion, though.

> You need rest; find an inn
> Sleep is for the weak; acquire coffee and ask around at a tavern
> Check the market. John would have gone there to sell his ice, they might know where to find his sweetheart
> Write-in?