File: Grisoch Map 1.png (2.54 MB, 1310x1038)

2.54 MB PNG

You heave a sigh of relief as the door closes behind him. One major obstacle down. Only thirty to go. You run down your mental checklist. Where to begin?

> Head back and deliver the seal of approval to the Elders immediately.
> Check in on Tybald and Jun.
> Bring Elana to one of the Seals near the village.
> Stop by the Pointsmar Site.
> Write-in

---

You are Osyki, journeyman Totemist and first line of defense for your village against the rabid Behemoths wandering the land. Your master, the previous Totemist, fell in a battle against a terrible Behemoth, leaving the duty of defending your settlement to you. Your meeting with the King of Eluenia has adjourned. The road to industry is paved.

[[Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=totem

>HTML Bindings Spreadsheet (Hover for descriptions!): http://zamubafoo.github.io/
>The Cast Thus Far: http://pastebin.com/VsJpEUx3
>Binder's Log / Misc Inventory: http://pastebin.com/XvvRSk4W
>Transformations and Unions: http://pastebin.com/0v9XMEv0

>Ask: ask.fm/DiarcaEXE
>Quest Twitter: @TotemistQuest ]]

>>47004621
>> Check in on Tybald and Jun.

or

>> Bring Elana to one of the Seals near the village.

I just can't decide.

>>47004621
>[x] Head back and deliver the seal of approval to the Elders immediately.

>>47004621
> Head back and deliver the seal of approval to the Elders immediately.
I wanna get back to the village, talk to Zahn, experiment with our new binding, check on all the kids leaving for heir apprenticeship and get this whole road thing going finally.

>>47004621
> Head back and deliver the seal of approval to the Elders immediately.

>>47004803
I feel like we should really get that guardian spirit for the village

>>47004621
>> Check in on Tybald and Jun.
then
> Head back and deliver the seal of approval to the Elders immediately.
then
> Bring Elana to one of the Seals near the village.

>>47004621
Do we want anything from Tybald and Jun specifically?

>>47004621
> Check in on Tybald and Jun.
then
> Head back and deliver the seal of approval to the Elders immediately.

>>47004960
I agree that we should do that, though I don't think it's all that urgent.
It was the purpose of our trip with Boand, but we sort of got side tracked.
Maybe we should just do the location ritual again.

Am I the only one who kinda forgot/doesn't understand the Elana plotline?

>>47005296
She has magic eyes that can do... something? See the truth of things?
The Magus covets those eyes for his nefarious goals, and was able to figure out where she would be born.
The Magus came to Grisoch where Ayren pretty much agreed to hand over Elana when she came of age, and made a contract mediated by the Stone Emperor.
Only Ayren had no intention of keeping his word and instead sealed Elana's power and cloaked the village, pretty much crippling the Stone Emperor's power.

>>47005296
All I know is that she's definitely worst girl

File: Grisoch Outskirts.jpg (372 KB, 1183x881)

372 KB JPG

You take another glass of water before you depart, this time draining the glass with a little more care. The mechanism your Recall Totem uses to help you migrate across the Veil and back takes a lot out of you, physically and spiritually. You replace the crystal cup on the tray before you, focusing your mind on images of home.

Hopefully your sudden disappearance doesn't raise too much of a fuss with the palace guard.

The world opens up before you, reality rolling aside in thick curtains to allow thick gray tendrils of fog through. You step forward into the churning Mist.

–-

The noontide sun overhead spills rays of light onto you in waves as you stumble out of the fog bank. Thin trails of steam wind their way skyward as the unseasonably pleasant sunshine bathes you in warmth. You check your cloak to ensure the King's scroll made the transition unharmed, then set out at once for the Elders' hut.

The village is taking full advantage of the warm weather. The thoroughfare is crowded with villagers as you head northward toward your destination. Many of the young ones from the raising house are walking with other members of the village. Tradespeople, mostly.

Hang on, did the apprenticing already happen?

You turn in place, sizing up the crowd around you. No doubt about it: the oldest generation of children has been tested and assigned to their respective guardians. You catch a glimpse of Leo walking with a farmer toward the outskirts of the village, a wide-brimmed straw hat perched atop his head.

You wonder who got lucky enough to have Aurora as an apprentice.

The Elders' home looms ahead of you before you know it. You ascend the steps to the raised deck, knocking urgently at the door. After a moment, Elder Illstya opens the door.

“Good afternoon, Osyki.” She steps aside, waving you in. “Please.”
(cont.)

>>47005490

You nod to her, removing Aria Nymph as you step inside. You might need Boand's magic in negotiations with foreign powers, but using her to sway your own Elders seems somehow disrespectful. Illstya returns to her seat beside the cold hearth, picking up the needle and thread she had abandoned to let you inside.

“Elder, I bring glad news,” you tell her. She accepts the King's scroll as you offer it to her. “Eluneia has agreed to our roadway. The King asks your signature on this document to seal the agreement between our peoples.”

Illstya snaps the wax seal, pulling the scroll open and scanning the contents thereof. “I see,” she says neutrally. “I'll look this over with the others. Did they give you a deadline for the document's return?”

You shake your head. “No. Only that construction could not begin until it was.”

She carefully re-rolls the scroll, nodding. “I'll try to have this back to you for delivery by tomorrow, then. Thank you for your hard work, Osyki.”

It's a little ridiculous to be praised like a child for your cross-kingdom negotiation. Then again, it's perhaps a touch more ridiculous that the elderly woman's praise still raises a bashful smile from you. “Thank you, ma'am.”

She waves you toward the door, smiling serenely. “Go on. It's too pleasant a day to spend inside with an old bag, child.”

> See who the various young ones have been apprenticed to.
> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.
> Head to Azeo Sicros.
> Bring Elana to the nearest Seal.
> Head to the Pointsmar site.
> Write-in

>>47005511
> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.
We still haven't tried out that shark spirit yet

>>47005511
> See who the various young ones have been apprenticed to.
Including our sister right?

> Bring Elana to the nearest Seal.
Since she's right here and all.

>>47005511
> See who the various young ones have been apprenticed to.
> Write-in
Panic as we realize this means we need to take care of Terra full time, now. Oh god, what are we going to do? We can barely care for ourselves, let alone a child.

>>47005511
> See who the various young ones have been apprenticed to.
> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.

>>47005511
>> See who the various young ones have been apprenticed to.

>>47005607
Well, at least you're being polite. That is a remarkable breath of fresh air compared to all the shitposters. But for the time being there's no mandate to move quests over to /qst/, so it's fine if he posts here.

>>47005511
> See who the various young ones have been apprenticed to.

>>47005511
> See who the various young ones have been apprenticed to.
Aurora! Who thought you would be a good person to inherit their trade?

Also, is there another healer apprentice, so that Elana might have the possibility of more free time to spend with Osyki?

(Also, was Quinn our representative in the apprenticeship ceremony for Terra?)

>>47005755
I remember that in the flash-forward to a possible future, Aurora was captain of the guard. Maybe Pierce has convinced Walther to allow female Slayers, finally, and is apprenticing her? Pierce and Osyki are pretty good friends, even if most of that takes place off-screen, so I can see him wanting to look after his friend's sister. And Aurora does want to be a fighter, so she'd be suited for the job.

So I had an idea for a totem for long range communication, inspired by the generals hologram capsule.
The main component is a pair of sea shells, preferably similar ones.
Next you need a birds tongue and some of its feathers. It should preferably be a parrot or a mockingbird or a bird of a similar nature.
(Optional) - Getting two vials of blood from siblings, one from each sibling.
(Optional) - Two halves of a cleanly cut gem.
You'd need some sort of string to connect the shells, could be just a regular string, or you could use something more symbolic like optic nerves/spinal cord/brain stem. You'd need two lengths of this, equal to each other.
Next, I was thinking doing this on a small patch of land surrounded by a shallow trench diverted from a body of water at least the size of a pond.
You'd set up the feathers upright around the patch of land in equal intervals, and the two seashells facing each other in the middle.
Each vial of blood would go inside of one of the sea shell, alongside the tongue and the gem.
Next you'd tie the strings to both tongues and spin them around all the feathers opposite to each other, linking the two shells.
For the ritual itself I was thinking maybe two people playing music in synch with each other while slowly pulling the two strings apart at the center until they're both cut at the middle.
Possibly have Boand oversee this or help out somehow, since is linked to aspects of communication and such.
You could probably add some mirrors and other similar stuff to this to also create some sort of visual feedback, but at that point it probably wouldn't be as compact, and would need to be stationary.

>>47005968
Neat idea. Not quite an essential build yet, given all the other things Osyki's got on his plate, but would definitely be useful. If I remember correctly, Boand's got a really powerful communication totem that Ayren made for (presumably this is part of why the Link Pearl has such amazing range), so we could study that for inspiration, too.

File: Grisoch.jpg (159 KB, 850x600)

159 KB JPG

You take your Elder's advice, heading out into the warmth of the day. You divest yourself of the majority of your bindings as you walk into the village, both to avoid scaring the children and to rid yourself of your weightier armored garments. The flashes of light that surge forth when you do so draw notice, but perhaps less than they would have a few weeks ago. You take it as a sign that people are beginning to get used to you.

The fastest way to find out who was apprenticed to whom will be to ask at the raising house. You make your way through the well trafficked main street toward the wide, squat building. One of the Matrons is standing by the front door refilling a Nyna bird feeder. You wave to grab her attention as you approach.

“Good morning,” you say. “Is it that time of year already?”

She nods. “'Tis indeed, though I expect you're not so worried. You've some experience already with taking care of an apprentice.”

You nod, though it's a hestitant motion. It's occurred to you that you're now fully responsible for Terra's growth and development. You'll need to work on expanding Ayren's workshop sooner, rather than later. There just isn't room for you, Quinn, and Terra to live inside it.

“I have. How are the children adjusting?”

The Matron shrugs. “The usual spread. Plenty of excitement, a few who cry.”

You shrug. “I wouldn't want to be a farmer's apprentice either.”

“Oh, no. The farmers' children were quite pleased. It's the likes of the tanner and the drunk carpenter's children who are always a little hesitant to leave the hut.”
(cont.)

>>47006336

You can understand that sentiment. “Aye, but the faster they learn, the sooner we get a carpenter who isn't a drunk.”

“Assuming the child doesn't pick up that fine art as well.” She shakes her head, suppressing a smile at the irreverent talk. “I suppose you'll be looking after your sister?”

“Of course.” You glance around. “Who managed to pick her up? Tell me Merich hasn't snapped her up for the forge. He'll make her cut her hair.”

The Matron shakes her head. “My, no. The smith's got an apprentice already. As I recall, your tall friend who walks the walls picked her up after the ceremony.”

You narrow your eyes. “Pierce? That can't be right. Walther doesn't take women for Slayers.”

The Matron shrugs. “Seems he had a change of heart, then. She's with the other two young'uns in their training yard.”

> No need to panic, then. If she's with Pierce, she's in good hands.
> Absolutely panic. Walther cannot be responsible for raising your sister.
> Write-in

>>47006351
>> No need to panic, then. If she's with Pierce, she's in good hands.
Tryd and Amal can be our eyes

>>47006351
> No need to panic, then. If she's with Pierce, she's in good hands.
Called it!

>>47006351
> Write-in
So, how many personal protection totems recipes does Osyki know and can whip up quickly enough for Aurora before she starts training? We should tag in Quinn and Terra for this, as everyone else he knows to gather ingredients.

(By which I mean: Absolutely panic.)

>>47006351
> No need to panic, then. If she's with Pierce, she's in good hands.
>Ask about Warren and Scale.
I hope they get something special, like a new position opening up due the new trade route we're building.

>>47006351
>> No need to panic, then. If she's with Pierce, she's in good hands.

>>47006478
Paranoia aside, we should get her something. It's a big day for her, we should give her a gift. Some little memento. And if said memento just happens to have helpful charms incorporated into it, that's just a side-benefit of having a totemist for a brother. I'm thinking something like a pendant that ensures she sleeps well. A protective charm could hurt her development if she becomes dependent on it while learning to fight, but just being properly well-rested and ready to learn every morning should work fine.

>>47006478
>>47006744
So spoil our sister rotten with magic?

Well, can't be more irresponsible than what Ayren has done, but I vageuly feel like that might be frowned upon.

You suck in a deep breath through your nose, urging the primal screaming in the back of your mind to pipe down for a second and let you think. You've made yourself pretty clear with Walther up to this point. You don't like him, and he doesn't like you, but you've reached an understanding. You're two important facets of the same gem. He wouldn't go so far as to intentionally be malicious to Aurora. Nominally, because he needs to train an effectice soldier, not a punching bag.

Privately, because he damn wells knows no one in the village would ever convict you of his hilariously messy demise if harm came to her on his watch.

The trainees barely interact with Walther, anyway. If Pierce is in charge of their training, Aurora is in good hands. There is aboslutely no need to panic.

“Osyki?”

“Fine!” you exclaim, perhaps a little too loudly. “Just fine. Glad to hear she's excited about her new job.” You steady yourself, searching for a less aggravating topic. “Where did Scales and Warren get sent off to, out of interest?”

“Warren's been apprenticed with the foreman down in the mines,” the Matron tells you. “I expect with the shipments of tools and totems you've been sending them, they're ready for another set of hands.”

You can see Warren's broad frame lending itself well to that task. You'll just need to caution him about staying out of the deeper reaches of the mines.

“Scelia—Scales, as the children call him—has been chosen by Elder Mayhew. Apparently he's to be trained to be our village's official ambassador an liason.”
(cont.)

>>47007085

Now -that- surprises you. You're not sure what to make of meek, spiritually-null little Scales as the face of Grisoch.

“I know.” The Matron shakes her head at your expression. “I wasn't quite sure myself, but you know Roth. You can't say no to him.”

You run your fingers through your hair. “Well, I'm sure it will all work out. Thank you.”

She nods. “No trouble at all. Send my regards to your sister.”

You wander away from the raising house toward your workshop. It would be improper to interrupt Rora's first few days of training. She'll fit in better with the Slayers if it doesn't appear she's getting special treatment from the Totemist. You'll have to stop by soon—perhaps around the Festival—and give her a gift. Something to help her sleep a little better at night.

Yourself, too.

> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.
> Head to Azeo Sicros.
> Bring Elana to the nearest Seal.
> Head to the Pointsmar site.
> Write-in

>>47007103
> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.

>>47007103
>> Bring Elana to the nearest Seal.

>>47007103
>> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.
Let's get started on that gift. And, perhaps, some research on making the trade roads easier to traverse with totems.

(And also playing with that shark focus, as we know we want.)

>>47007103

> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.

I'm a bit confused, actually. What are the Seals we'd be bringing Elana to, if that option wins? The ones on the Primordial in the mountains, or something related to her own restrictions?

>>47007184
"
The vast majority of the next few days are spent alternatively in transit and buried in research. You test your new Recall totem by willing yourself across the aether to Eluneia. Once there you drop in on Tybald and Jun, checking up on your friends and alerting Tybald to the meeting you have planned a few days hence. He agrees make haste for Grisoch under the pretense of a hiking trip abroad. You tell him Jun is invited, but he doubts she will be able to attend. Her familial duties to the city keep her well occupied.

Your research bears unexpectedly succulent fruit. Your primary avenues are into two topics: The seal currently nested in Elana's eyes and the rumors and patterns of the Tyrant Wyrm. For the former you ensconce yourself in Ayren's library, poring over any notes that seem like they could date back to your early childhood. The oldest, dustiest shelves in the library are raided to little avail until Amal uncovers a thin leatherbound journal tucked away atop one of the taller shelves.

You learn that the seal is powered by a number of totems scattered around the village and a not insignificant reservoir of Ayren's personal spiritual power. Insured to work in the event of his demise, the totems maintain a sympathetic geomantic seal over the whole of the Grisoch area that coresponds with a small totem implanted beneath Elana's skin shortly after her birth. Disruption of any of these piecemeal could prove disastrous, but by bringing Elana to the totems scattered abroad and working with her to destabilize the lingering magics you could theoretically degrade the seals at a safe pace, allowing her to come to terms with her abilities on her own terms."

From thread 79.

>>47007103
> Bring Elana to the nearest Seal.

>>47007103
>Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.

Sharkbow?

Sharkbow!

>>47007103
> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.
We can do plot after.

>>47007103
>> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.

shark fruit!

>>47007454
Becoming a shark person would be pretty cool. Though we should try some other things with it first.

>>47007416
Can we though? You're forgetting that doing new bindings leaves us exhausted, and pretty much means we can't do anything else today.

>>47007546
That hasn't really been the case for a while. Either way though, we can always rest and go at it tomorrow. Also, we can focus more on totem and research if we want to stay rested for the rest of the day.

Shark mask
Sonar thing

>>47007615
Shark sword too?

>>47007676
Shark cloak?

>>47007615
>>47007676
>>47007718

Shark harpoon.

The more the item fits the shark's powerset ortheme, the more powerful, right?

After the dark revelry of the Grand Blossom, the simple sight of your Workshop door brings you some measure of relief. You drop your pack off atop the bed, resisting the temptation to drop yourself off there as well, and head for the workbench laden with Totem supplies. You can put together the shell of Aurora's present now, even if you lack the supplies to fully actualize it.

First, a loop of fine iron chain. Iron is a good material. Steady, grounding. Strongly associated with earth, an element which you have an affinity for.

Next, a small plate of oak. The tree bough you harvested it from was ancient, one of the larger standing plants in the Brush. You can polish the cylinder and carve it as needed.

Third, a weave of home-grown Grisoch jute cloth. Strung through the iron chain and wrapping the oak plate twice across. It's always best to have a trace of home.

You leave the final piece for another day. The setting for the pendant will determine its final effects. No need to rush into it.

Terra emerges from the library. “Thought I heard sawing,” she says. “Whatcha making?”

“A gift,” you tell her. “A charm to keep someone safe and sound when I'm away.”

Terra nods. “You make a lot of those. Do you worry about people when you're away?”

> Of course.
> The more I make, the less I need to worry.
> No. But bad things happen, whether you worry about them or not.

–-

The soft dirt of your practice field glows with the heat-shimmer of a day's absorbed sunshine. You turn the Scale Tag focus over in your hand, mutely considering the aura of cerulean and slate that ripples outward from it in waves nearly visible to the naked eye. As always, a world of possibility is open to you. As always, you have limited time to explore it.

That's just the way of the world.

> Suggest THREE bindings to experiment with the Scale Tag.

>>47007103
>> Return to the Workshop for some totem work and experimentation.
Shark shovel? Also, that new plate armor.

>>47007995
> Of course.
Bow, sword, cloak

I have a feeling like the deep syren and the crystal worm would have some good synergy since they both deal in sound to some extent.
Also shark plus skyscythe since they're both powerful predators in their area.
Some general cool binding ideas:
Deep siren + lantern
Stalker + lantern
Cordia/Amal +paint brush

>>47007995
> Of course.
Lantern could have some cool AOE effect involving water, like making the surrounding area feel like water or something.
Chair could be a good water vehicle.
And I would like to finally try binding something to a Seed. Maybe get some mini sharks.

>>47007995
>> Of course, though
>> The more I make, the less I need to worry.

Bow, boots, fruit

>>47007995
> No. But bad things happen, whether you worry about them or not.

Chair, Armor, Bread

>>47007995
supporting >>47008060
though I would like to try out the fruit after if we can spare another binding
also we should check out if that armor is magical with our sight, if not we should try binding it as a single piece

>>47007995
> No. But bad things happen, whether you worry about them or not.
We have faith in the people here to keep themselves safe. But there's nothing wrong with redundancies.

> Suggest THREE bindings to experiment with the Scale Tag.
Mask
Armor
Cloak

Our goal in binding it was getting improved aquatic capabilities, preferably water breathing. Those three are the most likely to give what we need.

>>47007995
>>47007995
>> Of course.

>>47007995
>Of course.

Bow, New armor, Gloves.

>>47007995
> No. But bad things happen, whether you worry about them or not.
This feels more like Osyki: it's not that he fears, but that he knows shit happens (e.g. Ayren, with all his travels and his death, which I gather is a formative moment for Osyki).

>Mask, Chair, Fruit
The most common bindings -- bow, armor, cloak -- we know their effects, I should think: water arrow and water bubbles, if the theme from the previous experiments holds. The mask just to confirm that water breathing is given from that, or to discover if Scale Tag + Mask produces a similar effect as Cordia + Mask except with water instead of earth.

The chair is to discover if that wouldn't produce land sharks or something.

The fruit is see if fruit bindings always deplete Foci's power or not.

>>47007995
Lantern, Gloves, Cloak

>>47008275
Forgot the other choice:
> Of course.

>>47007995
> No. But bad things happen, whether you worry about them or not.

> Suggest THREE bindings to experiment with the Scale Tag.
Mask
Gloves
Armor

>>47007995
> Of course.
Mask,lantern,chair,fruit

>>47007995
>> The more I make, the less I need to worry.
shark fruit
shark mask
shark gauntlets

File: Amphidrome Reaver.jpg (530 KB, 1200x950)

530 KB JPG

The loop of paper-thin scales nestles itself comfortably against the inside of your mask. You hunted the Tide Reaver to gain waterbreathing, first and foremost. In your estimation, this is the fastest route to that desintation. You've filled a deep basin with water to test just such a thing.

The litany of unification echoes dully inside the mask as you hold the shell and the Focus to your face. A trickle of cold water splashes against your forehead as the union comes together, a baptism of new possibilities.

You don't note anything immediately different once the light fades. Your face seems to be untouched and covered—no sharkskin or hard wood shields you. Your fingers wander higher, then, and encounter the new home of your Focus—a thin circlet of alabaster scales circles your brow. Something hard and unyielding is set front and center atop your forehead. A glance into the basin reveals it to be a blood-red gemstone.

> [[Binding Discovered: Pelagia Awoken. A circlet of sharkskin grants innate awareness of all living creatures in your immediate vicinity. Focusing your attention on an individual causes a sense of mounting terror to rise in the victim, greatly enhanced by knowledge that you are nearby. Allows the wearer to breathe water.]]

The whispers of the dark places, levels of the ocean that has not seen light since the world was born, echo subtly in your ears. With concentration, you can direct those whispers onto another. People walk past your workshop a little more quickly than normal. Prey animals scurry for cover.

Dunking your head beneath the surface of the basin confirms that, indeed, the circlet allows you to breathe water, though the sensation is deeply unpleasant.
(cont.)

>>47008870
Ooh, I like this one. It's always fun when our bindings give us the experience of being the creature we took it from, rather than just its powers.

>>47008870
This and Thane when hunting at night.

>>47008870

Best to keep that unbound within the village, perhaps.

> [[Binding Discovered: Bathysteed. A shallow bowl of tarnished brass and oak. Seating oneself within the bowl causes a dome of force to expand, covering the rider. Three small scale tags can be torn from the controls to send a wave of concussive force and crimson energy outward from the sphere.]]

While the controls of your newly fused chair seem as though they would be better suited to underwater environments, the Bathysteed is also capable of maneuvering sluggishly through the air. It skims the ground at just above a walking pace, leaving sodden ground where it passes. The energy that it emits on using one of its three charges is difficult to identify. It leaves inanimate objects like the boulders that dot your field unharmed aside from the sudden wash of seawater it manifests.

The bowl is only large enough to fit you comfortably. You wonder if using a larger chair could fit more than one passenger?

Your final binding is a hesitant one. You recall well the last time you tried this particular experiment. Still, you would be remiss if you ruled out the power that binding and then eating a focus had previously given you, albeit briefly. Bearing that in mind, you retrieve a fresh apple from your cold storage and binding the scale tag to it.

> [[Binding Discovered: Spirit Fruit: Reaver. A leathery gray fruit that pricks the tongue when consumed. Tastes of salt water and, inevitably, blood. Unlocks Soul Synthesis: Reaver. Disables the Focus for 24 hours after use.]]
(cont.)

>>47009075
Aw, no land sharks? Though, I guess the limited mobility is a trade...

>>47009131
Seeds might give sharkmooks. Maybe.

>>47009075
Hopefully we'll have time to work on the other pieces, though the mask sounds great when you need to hunt/intimidate something

Btw, you should update the transformations pastebin, we unlocked a modi transformation.

File: Gloom.jpg (89 KB, 1024x768)

89 KB JPG

The first bite of the fruit coats your teeth in brine. A sharp scale scrapes along your tongue, drawing a bead of blood to the surface. As the coppery taste coats the inside of your mouth, you can feel a hiccup from you aura. A curious sensation overtakes your eyes as the light around you suddenly becomes unbearably bright. You double over as a sharp pain wracks your body, driving you to your knees in short order.

The reservoir of your spiritual power surges. Blood leaks from your mouth—or is it saltwater? The levees of your tentative concentration break.

You slip in and out of awareness. You're vaguely aware of the changes as they happen. Inky darkness replacing the pigment of your skin. Whorls of blood-red energy coursing over that pitch, tracing the paths of your veins. The ground becomes muddy beneath you, then floods. The sky overhead darkens as a bank of fog ripples outward from you.

> [[Soul Synthesis: Reaver. Embody a mystic predator of the depths. Terror is your claw, blood your fang.]]

Full consciousness comes back to you as you perch atop one of the field's many boulders. The thick fog swirling around you in tinged red at its contours. Perhaps it's a reflection of the pulsing crimson glow that pulses from within your veins. It may well be traces of your own blood.

Your eyes focus strangely, taking in minute details—grains of sand tumbling through the air, birds darting from tree to tree. You stand, flexing muscles filled to the brim with spiritual power. The mist surges inward around you as you do, cloaking you in darkness.
(cont.)

>>47009249

Your hands, you note, are clawed. Probing your teeth reveals a second row of razored fangs.

Perhaps most interestingly, long rows of scale tags hang from your arms. Your cast a hand out toward the basin. With a beckoning finger the water within flows toward you, looping round your shoulders like a mantle. Acting on instinct, you draw a long line down your forearm with one claw. The blood that leaks forth in beads glows with carmine light, then flows upward to mingle with the water flowing around you.

With your blood to reinforce the spiritual link, the water becomes a natural extension of yourself. You shape it into a glaive, then a pair of powerful jaws, then a platform on which to stand.

A dull irritation pulses at the back of your mind. The Reaver knows there is no hunt to pursue. Once you feel comfortable with the power surging through your veins you feel it begin to withdraw.

The mist disperses, and your strength alongside it. The color returns to your body. Your veins recede below your flesh once more. You slump down alongside the boulder, drenched from head to toe.

Hypothesis confirmed. Fruit takes much more out of you than other bindings. You focus on drawing in a few deep breaths as the last of the Reaver's strength recedes. The Scale Tag focus in your hand is frayed at the edges.

You need a rest. But after that?

> Continue experimenting with a different focus.
> Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.
> Take Elana to the nearest Seal.
> Head to the Pointsmar site.
> Write-in

>>47009263
>> Continue experimenting with a different focus.
plate armor with all the things.

>>47009263
>Do some research on some higher tier monsters and general entities than you're used to.

>>47009263
> Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.

>>47009263
Ouch, if Fruit bindings take that much power, I can't see using that very often.

> Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.
If we're to break the seal on Elana's magic, then we should have some more space in the workshop for everyone to train and work.

>>47009263
Actually, change >>47009307
to
>Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.

>>47009263
> Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.

>>47009263
>Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.

>>47009263
> Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.
We have that totem design we found a while ago that creates a basement.

>>47009263
>> Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.

>>47009544
That's true, I forgot about that. We found that...well, from Osyki's perspective it would be a couple of weeks but for us it's something like four years. Yeah, we have the basement-digger charm, we should experiment with that. Even if it doesn't work, we've still got Terra Disruptor (er, the other Terra), we could dig pretty easily with that.

>>47009544
That's experimental, and wasn't the structure pretty basic? Though, yeah, the actual work of the expansion could be done through a totem rather than muscle and sweat.

>>47009263
We'll need to have a "talk" with the shark at some point, but for now.
> Spend some time with Terra planning your Workshop expansion.

I wonder what the effect of eating multiple totem fruit at once would be. Would they nullify? Combine? Would it be too taxing on our reserves and body to even consider?

>>47009867
What I want to know is why fruit bindings are so much more spiritually taxing than our Modi synchronization

>>47010101
Check the transformations pastebing, what we do with the fruits is called Soul Synthesis as opposed to the simple transformations we do with Magni. It seems like we'll get the option to Soul Synth with Magni in the future.

>>47010101
Probably has to do with the differences between his binding and the type we use. Ayren did something special when he turned our spear into Modi's vessel, it's clearly not a Feral Binding on there. However he's bound, it's probably something more efficient than just shoving a spirit into an object.

After spending some time toweling yourself off (and good god, can seawater ever get into every little nook and cranny of your gloves and cloak,) you trudge back inside. Terra and Quinn are both seated at one of the workbenches within. Your youngest apprentice has one of Ayren's treatises on spirits of the sky propped open on her lap. At odd intervals, she throws pine nuts over the top of the book which her Salamander snaps up.

Across the table, Quinn is carefully grooming Cirr's feathers with a soft brush. The Cloud Swallow chirps happily as he runs the brush over its head.

“Why do you smell like the back end of a bay?” Quinn asks.

“Why is your hair all wet?” Terra pipes up almost simultaneously.

“Details,” you reply, waving their questions aside. “Let's talk sleeping arrangements.”

The two of them look at one another curiously, then back to you.

“There's two beds in here,” you point out. “Three people. Terra can't sleep at the raising house anymore and Quinn, that hammock is going to strangle you one of these days.”

“Let Terra sleep in the hammock,” he says with a shrug. He's rapidly rewarded with a pine nut bouncing off of his face, rapidly followed by the Salamander rebounding off of his jaw in hot pursuit. He curses, patting out the ember in his sideburns.

“This place is too small for three people,” you continue. “And since I very much doubt that Zahn would approve of us bunking down in Azeo Sicros before you two are initiated, I've come to the conclusion that we need to build an expansion onto the workshop.”

Terra lets out a small 'oooh', while Quinn nods penseively.

“I guess you're not wrong there. How big are you thinking?”

“That's what I wanted to discuss with you,” you tell him. “We could just build a bedroom and be done with it, but I think if we're knocking out walls, we ought to make the most of it.”
(cont.)

File: terra.jpg (290 KB, 850x1200)

290 KB JPG

>>47010313

“A proper meditation room might be nice. Doing it out back's got me shat on by birds more than once.”

“I want my own room!” Terra pipes up. “With my own bookshelf!”

The two of them immediately begin excitedly chattering back and forth about the potential penthouse suites they could build for various purposes, some nefarious.

“We are,” you say, piping up over the din, “limited by both time and material. Building a house is hard work.”

Quinn shrugs. “For an ordinary person, sure. You can lift trees with your hands, assuming you're wearing the right gloves.”

“Still, let's not get overambitious. I don't even know what wards of Ayren's I'm going to need to unweave and replace, lest we all get drowned in acid in our sleep or something terrible like that.”

[Choose TWO.]

> Let's focus on making this place more liveable first. Our own rooms and a common area aside from the workshop floor.
> Let's focus on our duties. Expanding the library and adding a meditation / spirit summoning chamber would be good.
> Let's focus on our training. A properly reinforced room to spar in would be great.
> Let's add something exciting. A star-watching tower, an underground pool, something unique.
> Write-in

>>47010331
>> Let's focus on making this place more liveable first. Our own rooms and a common area aside from the workshop floor.
>> Let's focus on our duties. Expanding the library and adding a meditation / spirit summoning cha

>>47010331
>Let's focus on making this placemore Liveable first.

>Let's focus on our duties.

>>47010331
>> Let's focus on making this place more liveable first. Our own rooms and a common area aside from the workshop floor.

> Let's focus on our duties. Expanding the library and adding a meditation / spirit summoning chamber would be good.

>>47010331
> Let's focus on making this place more liveable first. Our own rooms and a common area aside from the workshop floor.
> Let's focus on our duties. Expanding the library and adding a meditation / spirit summoning chamber would be good.

>>47010331
> Let's focus on making this place more liveable first. Our own rooms and a common area aside from the workshop floor.
> Let's focus on our training. A properly reinforced room to spar in would be great.
Diarca's said that winter is coming soon. We don't want to be unable to spar in the yard because it's raining or snowing.

>>47010405
>he needs perfect environment for spars

>>47010331
>> Let's focus on making this place more liveable first. Our own rooms and a common area aside from the workshop floor.
> Let's focus on our training. A properly reinforced room to spar in would be great.
The purpose of the expansion is to accommodate more people than the place is set up to handle & to handle two apprentices at the same time. Furthermore, setting up specialized rooms should be after there is more than just one initiate to the Totemist traditions. Thus, living room & training area.

>>47010438
We've got a kid now, we can't start her training in the mud and snow. That's advanced level stuff.

>>47010475
I doubt we need her to start combat training now. Since she's a kid.

>>47010438
>Raining
>Quinn's using a thin wooden weapon
">Osyki I think it's a bad idea to do this right now."
>"And I think you need to get out that new ------ puppet you made and fite me noob!"
>Quinn and Osyki slip during spar on wet ground.
>Ayren Overwake, passing on slip injuries.

The three of you decide that your first priority should be your own rooms. A little bit of private space to work on personal projects, sleep without fear of being disturbed by one another, and recover from difficult training in peace is a high priority on your list. You're also worried on the long-term effects of eating next to potentially poisonous Totem reagants. Even if that worry is unfounded, you've found yourself picking bits of sawdust out of your stew more than one.

> [Living Quality enhancements are locked in. They will be applied on your next construction.]

The other priority takes a little debate. Terra argues for a larger library and more space to read in. Quinn tells you that if you're ever going to get Terra up to speed on her duties, you'll need a proper place to train her on the physical aspect of the job. Ultimately, Terra concedes that she can read anywhere, but training outside or in adverse weather could be more dangerous than she is truly ready for. You all agree to expand your training facilities.

> [Training Facility enhancements are locked in. They will be applied on your next construction.]

You spend the remainder of the afternoon sketching and measuring your ideas for Quinn and Terra's approval. You'll need to trade for a large quantity of lumber, either with Grisoch's lumberjacks or with Sylvia herself. Anchoring the foundations with quality stone is also a worry, though less so with Cordia's assistance readily available. Finally, you'll need to work closely with the village craftspeople to furnish the rooms to your specifications.

“We're going to owe Merich a mint by the end of this,” Quinn tells you. “The iron we're going to need to reinforce the training room alone is more than he works in a month.”

“I guess we'd better get started making some totems as payment, then.”
(cont.)

>>47011137

“I guess -you'd- better get started,” he reminds you. “Zahn hogtied me the last time we tried that.”

“Right. Damn.” You lean back in your chair. “We've gotta get you two initiated.”

Quinn nods. “Well, there's a rampaging Saurian with your name on it out there. How's progress on Zahn's Godkiller coming?”

“That's not the name of the weapon,” you tell him. “And not bad. I've got a shipment of sinew coming in from Avasi soon, and Saeri is supposed to get me a few design sketches of one of the general's automated winches to make loading and firing it easier.”

He nods. “You talk with Sylvia about harvesting her tree's wood yet?”

“Not yet. One diplomatic crisis at a time.”

“Fair enough. I'm going to get some meat on the grill for dinner.” He rises from the table, heading for your cold-storage.

It's too late in the day to escort Elana to the nearest seal now. You mull over your remaining options.

> Start making Totems to pay off your fellow villagers.
> Continue experimenting with Foci. (Limited energy)
> Head for the Pointsmar site to speak with Saeri.
> Fly out to the Brush to speak with Sylvia.
> Write-in

>>47011155
> Start making Totems to pay off your fellow villagers.
I thought Quinn could work on totemcraft, it was just spirit binding that he was forbidden from? Or was that Terra, and Quinn, having damaged the Pact with his unauthorized binding, isn't safe to do any totemic work?

>>47011155
>Start making Totems to pay off your fellow villagers.

>>47011137
4 for duties, 2 for training. Are you tired?

>>47011155
>> Start making Totems to pay off your fellow villagers.
While the other villagers would likely supply and do the work regardless, they'll probably also be happier and less hard on Quinn/Terra while they're working.

Diarca, I've been a fan since the first quest, and even wrote up homebrew rules for running in this world using Beyond the Wall. But this really should be on /qst/ now.

>>47011235

[[I am. Consider this retconned. ]]

>>47011155
Fly out to the Brush to speak with Sylvia.

Let's NOT procrastinate our meeting with the goddess at our doorstep. She is right next to us, aftr all and we HAVE kept her waiting.

>>47011155
> Start making Totems to pay off your fellow villagers.

>>47011155
>> Start making Totems to pay off your fellow villagers.

>>47011270
She'll probably be busy again, now that the rains have stopped. Best to make an appointment to meet with her through Boa.

>>47011155
>> Start making Totems to pay off your fellow villagers.
>> Fly out to the Brush to speak with Sylvia.

>>47011137
>“We're going to owe Merich a mint by the end of this,” Quinn tells you. “The iron we're going to need to reinforce the training room alone is more than he works in a month.”
You think Merich will be able to upgrade his forge with Pointsmar moving in? Even if they won't trade for their better industrial technology (not that we have the infrastructure to use it), we could still get him some nice new tools. If we were willing to reroute the river a bit for a millpond we could even get him a finery forge. Or dare I say it: introduce him to the cementation process.

File: Amal and Tryd.jpg (89 KB, 775x522)

89 KB JPG

The remainder of the early evening is spent at the workbench. You cut, grind, weave, hammer, and twist shells of wood and steel into acceptable receptacles for spiritual charges with a kind of easy surety that surprises yourself. You're not sure when doing such layman craftwork got to be second nature for you. Perhaps with the stress of being the only one in the village who had any spiritual awareness gone you've been able to relax into a more sustainable groove.

You cobble together a smattering of totems for the lumberjacks first. You'll need the lumber before you can even attempt any of your other steps, and the men who brave the dark forest to provide for the village every day deserve your help. A few alarm charms, a bladed trinket to keep the edges of axes keen and true, and a small wire stretched between two cut halves of the same acorn for balance form the majority of your pre-dinner work. Quinn stands outside, whistling to himself as he roasts haunches of Raptor leg over an open flame. Terra has sequestered herself away within the library once more, emerging every so often to refill her mug of water and fetch a handful of berries from the cold drawer.

Evening arrives with your dinner. The three of you gather around the hearth, Tryd and the Salamander cooperating to keep the fire stoked against the autumn chill. The steaming pink-tinged haunches of meat fill your belly in no time. Your apprentices stick around to help you with the mundane craftswork of Totemistry after dinner, though you're careful to keep any spiritually charged ingredients far away from Quinn. The evening wears on into night. Terra retires to the library to sleep, and eventually Quinn folds himself into the hammock in the corner by the hearth.

You finally drift to sleep sitting in an armchair, your head nestled against a stack of designs for your new home.

File: Osyki.png (255 KB, 440x476)

255 KB PNG

>>47012105

[[Ending things a little early here since I got called in for a little overtime tomorrow morning. There seems to be some debate about /qst/ and how the future of this quest should be handled. I'm not really pleased about the new board, but I'll keep my eye on the argument from both sides and see if the new board is worth trying for the next session. Keep an eye on twitter for updates and discussion. See you all next week!]]

>>47012117
Thanks for running, Diarca. See you next time.

>>47012117
Night Diarca! Take care!

>>47012117
Night Diarca. Thanks for running!

>>47012117
Thanks for running!

>>47012117
I wouldn't bother with it unless quests get forced off /tg/, at least until it comes out of trial.

>>47012117
Thanks for running.