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>>47151481
"The fuck did you just say to me?" you ask, stunned. "Does the ship know who the hell I am?"

"Not exactly," Rachael admits. "She knows that you're a necromancer of power. That you can feed her hunger and let her plunder and ravage more and greater prey. The Captain has been gone for too long, Brianna. He can't restrain her any more."

"Why don't /you/ do it?"

"Do you really think I can stand up to her?" Rachael asks, looking away from you. "...I wasn't part of the original crew. I chose service over death. I can't face that, la Croix. You think I crew her? /She/ crews /me/. So now you're going to come with me, and then I will do your bidding. In her name."

"That sounds an awful lot like a threat," you warn.

"The /fuck/ you think it is, a /goddamn erotic novel/?" Rachael snaps, pulling a revolver from her belt. "GET IN THE WATER!"

> What do you do?

>>47151609

OK, OK, think fast.

What can we do /from/ the deck of /Pallbearer/?

If we can get the chain from wossname, the other nastyship, and break it, and /Pallbearer/ itself is, in fact, the chain's "owner", then when Lora comes in freezing fog, won't she be able to suck up its soul, such as it is?

Would that end the curse?

> Stall for time. Plan like crazy.

>>47151609
>"Eat a bag of dicks, the ship wants me you can't kill me."
Negotiate him into liasing with the ship and send him to fight the other ship.

>>47151699

...Who's "him"?

>>47151609
>If the ship wants me, you can't kill me.
> I'm going to assume /you/ want me there to keep her under control, which is NOT the best plan and certainly isn't going to happen without some preparation on my part.

>>47151609
>"Can the position of Captain be relinquished?"

>>47151713
Ah, damn. It should be her. I meant Rachel.

>>47151609
>How long until all the restraints will be gone?
Oh sure, the necromancer will be more than happy to help bring death and plunder to the immortal monster ship...

Shit, I don't know what to do, if we refuse we get shot OR innocent people get killed but if we board the fucking boat they will soon find out how wrong their expectations were about this particular Necromancer.

>>47151609
>I mean... it could be...

And that is how this quest ended up on akun.

>>47151609
Now seems like an excellent time to go visit our friend Bridget. Who's up for hitting the atheneum?
>Nope.stainedglass read the telebook

>>47151609
> No. I am not going to be your captain. I am going to turn around and go back into town. And if you have any sense in your head you won't pull that trigger, because some day I plan to come back for you, and you will never have a better chance to be free again than you have with my help.

>>47151839

Hm, supporting this one, tentatively. Death is not on our schedule here.

The problem with outright running will be that the ship will start firing cannons at the port, though. And neither Emily nor Hatchet will be useful in having a go at a ship.

So we need to buy time in some manner. But what to do with that time once we have it? Go places, bell people?

Hm, the bell... there's an option, if this goes sideways.

>>47151879

Would like to add this one as well. Odds are high that we'll be bound, same as the previous captain, but getting confirmation would be useful.

>>47151609

Wonder what our allies are looking at right now, including the new Chosen of Death.

Ship that can't die? New Death Chosen? Maybe some sort of solution can be worked.

>>47151609
This is also a great chance to actually settle up this chain. That bit is ticking on a timer; if we put it off, things will quickly get worse.
Hard to say What To Do, but I'm leaning to...
> Get closer/more information, but don't promise anything.

Called, writing. General trend seems to be 'don't take her shit, but find out more'. Lemme know if that doesn't seem accurate while I get more coffee.

>>47152158
Further thoughts. Necromancer + Ship Of Death = Massive Synergy; it shouldn't be hard to do something with all that energy to take out the other ship, get the captain back, or mangle the enchantments/curse on the ship itself.

>>47151609

>Grin like a madwoman. "Tell it this then. I won't become the Captain until I can hold the Chain. How unlucky that the Chain and it's Captain are on the Dirge. Now, we can work together to get both back... or we can make a mess in the streets, and be right back where we started."

>>47152214

I dunno; I more get the impression that /Pallbearer/ effectively "eats" death. The only way to use that energy to fuel Bri's powers would be to take it from /Pallbearer/, which would be about as pleasant as taking it from, say, you.

I just got a funny feeling that "the captain goes down with the ship" will probably apply somewhat forcibly when the chain breaks.

Just something to keep in mind.

>>47152486

Yeah, that's the real danger here.

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>>47151609
"Put the gun away, Rachael," you say flatly. "You can't kill me /and/ bring me aboard."

"I can cripple you and drag you aboard," the First Mate warns.

"Good luck with that. The last guy who tried that ended up so frustrated with the effort that he killed himself on the floor of his own ballroom."

"I can't just let you /walk away/ either. I have my orders, la Croix. Please, don't make this hard on me. I don't want to hurt you. Hellfire, I /like/ you." Rachael takes a deep breath. "...I don't want to go back to ravaging this Floor. Those islands, they used to have a lot more people on them..."

"Then let's talk about how we can keep you from not having to do that," you reply, calmly. "Just as soon as you put the gun away."

Trust holsters her revolver and spreads her hands in the universal 'look at all the weapons I'm not holding' posture, and you nod quietly. "Thank you. Now: do you really think a new Captain can restrain the /Pallbearer/?"

"I don't know," Rachael admits. "She's only ever had /one/ Captain. For awhile...for awhile I thought he /was/ the ship, that she reflected his desires, his pride, his fury. But then he was removed from her, and now the /Pallbearer/ is abandoning him. Leaving him to die."

"You said she wouldn't fire on him," you point out.

"I don't know any more. I...la Croix, this is new. This is /terrifying/. Ever since we were summoned into this accursed job it's just been bad to worse to horror. I don't /know/."

You sigh. "Even if I take this offer, I need to make some preparations. I'm dead on my fucking feet."

"I can't go back without you, or without a really good excuse," Trust warns. "And then we're right back at step violence."

The First Mate steps closer and offers her hand from down on the water. "I think you can do it," she murmurs. "You didn't get this far without strength of will. You could command the /Pallbearer/. Immortality isn't so bad..."

"Wrong offer," you say softly.

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>>47152668
> Take her hand
> Attack
> Nope.stainedglass
> Write-in?

>>47152668
>> Nope.stainedglass

ABANDON SHIP!

And now, Gainful Employment. Votes remain open until just after midnight EST.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

just wondering, do we know where this levels chain is? On the old Captain? On the ship itself?

>>47152737
On an island somewhere in the saltwater section, being guarded by the /Lonesome Dirge/.

>>47152683
>Nope.stainedglass
"Already immortal, after a fashion, so if you push me I'll just off myself and reform elsewhere. You can't force me into this, Rachael, so quit trying.
Not to mention I'm not really down with the whole slaughter and pillage thing. If that's Her goal, the only place I'd sail her is to the Sunless Lands."

>>47152683
If we can get back the old captain, I'm pretty sure we'd be able to leave the ship back to them and get off Mr. Bones' Wild Aquatic Ride. One of the largest boats on the sea, plus a formidable ally, in exchange for having to have pirate adventures? I think we could handle that.

>Take her hand

>>47152683
> Nope.stainedglass

>>47152683
>> Nope.stainedglass
>> Write-in?
>Sorry, theres too many things I have to do.

>>47152817
In support of this.
While taking it might lead to a large amount of shit to deal with, fucking off would probably mean that we can't take care of it. As in bombarded-town, pillaged-by-insane-ship-level sorta not taking care of shit.

>>47152817

Hmyeah.... immortality is the wrong offer, but the immediate alternative is a bombed out port. And frankly, I can't think of an Excellent Excuse to send her back with. What would it even take for them to accept her not coming along?

So begrudgingly I'm gonna support this.

The ship will be useful it taking on the Dirge and getting the chain. Once we have that the ship will be a minor issue. I'd assume that we can direct the ship, not just be taken on a ride for some pillagin'.

> Write-In
> One condition: Hatchet comes along with me.

Emily gets the fuck outa here on the boar, up to a safer level. Back to the Roost maybe.
I don't think she's ready for this and I'd rather not have the boar fall into the sea.

Although. It probably wouldn't mind and can just walk along on the sea floor to where ever. Hm.

>>47152683
>> Nope.stainedglass
Enslaving ourselves to a ghost ship that feeds on death does not strike me as something a responsible la Croix does.

>>47152817
>>47153062

The old captain's on /Lonesome Dirge/, aka the thing /Pallbearer/ and her crew have been fighting for a while. /Pallbearer/'s stopped caring about him and wants us because she thinks we can give her more food (ie she's gonna demand we give her a fuckton of death on a constant basis). So if we go on her we're gonna have to basically bumrush /Lonesome Dirge/ and hope we can destroy the chain before everything goes tits up, which is a BAD PLAN.

Also just as a warning, Vox, y'ain't supposed to refer to a ship as "the /name/" unless 'the' is actually a part of their name.

>>47153222

But would a responsible La Croix let her immediate surroundings be turned into burning rubble by refusal? She's already haunted by her personal ghosts. Not sure we wanna add a whole lot of external ones as well.

Mind you, we don't know how well the port is actually capable of defending itself. Could go either way. It is only one ship, after all.

>>47152683
If becoming the captain means that we're stuck with the curse too, NOPE. Only have what you can take? No thanks.

I'm thinking we may have to fight.

>>47153303
We might be able to help against the Pallbearer. The only guns it has are cannon, which probably don't have the best tracking or elevation given their broadside mounting. We've got some shiny new wings. We might be able to fly over to the Pallbearer and disable the cannon somehow.

I have no idea what to vote, right now I just want to punch the guy who put this curse on them in the teeth.

>>47153357

Oh yeah, she CAN fly. That actually makes this a tougher fight for the Pallbearer. Especially as we still have a couple bone wands we can drop on them for some wide area nailings.

Of course they still have guns, so that may not be such an advantage after all. Those can still be aimed.
If it were to come to combat we'd need a way to either take their ship out (at which point we'd have to figure out a new way to get at the Dirge) or clear it somehow (get Hatchet and the Boar onboard via carry/catapult?).

Still tricky. Still involves the port getting shot at with cannons.

>>47153515
>>47153357
This is all assuming that the fucking necrodreadnaught doesn't have some sort of death ray or something. Who's to say what the hell comes out of those cannons? Maybe they shoot cursed skulls that animate the corpses of the slain or something. Maybe their firepots are full of balefire. Maybe they shoot grapeshot made of cursed teeth.

>>47153421
A chosen of the Quell. It seems that Chosen making stupidly bad decisions is not a new phenomenon.

>>47153515
> Of course they still have guns, so that may not be such an advantage after all. Those can still be aimed.
Pretty sure Lora mentioned that the only guns left in the dungeon are the Pallbearer's cannon.

>>47153598
Ctrl-f "revolver"

>>47152683
>nope.stainedglass
"I'm really sorry Rachael. I'll be back when I can actually help."

>>47152683
Ask the Pallbearer for 3 days, swear that if she/he/it waits for 3 days we'll come willingly, Rachel could even come along to make sure we don't welch on the promise

Now that I think about it, killing ourselves is an option. We respawn far away and Trust gets an excellent excuse to give the Pallbearer. Although I'm not sure if that would stop it from just rampaging through the sunless sea again.

>>47154238
I think that's a bad idea, if only because of what the Pallbearer will likely do to the town given that it's been denied. I think our options are to go with it, fight it, or try to talk this out. Running away just ends with a lot of innocent people dead.

>>47152683
>Find out what being the captain involves and if you can leave.

Rachael needs to hold out a little longer. We've got a lot on our plate already and adding the responsibility of being Davie Jones would complicate things more than we can really afford.

Five hours and change to call.

>>47152683
So... a chainbearer unknowingly wants Brianna to be in charge of it? What is stopping Brianna from just getting its chain from the treasure area and feeding the hunk of wood to Lora?

>>47152683
>>47156387
>Write in: "So, how much control did the previous captain have over the ship?

>>47156387
1)The ship doesn't has the chain
2)It's probably too consumed by instinct to realise the other part.

And I'm pretty sure that "captain the Pallbearer, get the chain, have Lora dump the ship and the rest of it's crew into the Veil" is a potential solution to the level here.

>>47156438
>The ship doesn't has the chain
Damn. It was on the other ship huh?

>>47156438
>have Lora dump the ship and the rest of it's crew into the Veil" is a potential solution to the level here.
Sounds like a favor to them honestly. Fuck that eternal life BS.

Not another vote because I already voted, but not being the captain means we have no way from holding back the ship from doing damage to the civilian populace besides attacking it with force we don't have. The ship feeds on death, and the siphon from the roost is running out of energy. The Sunless Sea's already in a bad shape thanks to these huge boats, we should probably try and stop it from getting worse.

>>47152668
>Look, I am in the middle of A LOT OF SHIT. Can the pallbearer wait for an hour? Maybe two?

>Once I'm on the ship can I step off it? Because if I can't I need to make arraignments with people before I disappear

Four hours and change to call.

This is starting to look like one of those votes I may need help tallying later.

>>47156464
Yes. With the captain.

>>47156464
This is probably going to mean we'll need a boat and crew to get to the chain, and if one is being offered...

Two hours and change to call.

Didn't the old capitain of this ship have the angle bone sword that "insert name I forgot here" la Croix had? Because that sword would make bri a legend.

>>47158831
Someone down here does. It was never said who.

>>47158831
>angle bone sword
I don't mean to sound obtuse, but that isn't right.

>>47159445
What is it with my quest and math puns?

>>47159445
Yeah, it might have been an ax!

>>47159931
It's a cute joke, but it's tangential to the topic at hand. Let's keep the parallel conversations to a minimum.

>>47160063
I know, right?

>>47152668
>> Nope.stainedglass

Home soon. If someone would be kind enough to tally I'd be much obliged; otherwise I'll count after I find dinner.

>>47160767
If I counted correctly it's majority for noping out with some wanting to try and gain more info before doing so.

>>47160767
I'd say that most people want to not immediately agree to becoming the pallbearers captain and try to at least figure out something to get our affairs in order first

>>47160767
Can we talk to Silence and our other friends first via the bells before we make a decision?

Silence is the only person to actually have personal experience so she'd have some input we could use

>>47161283
>>47161304
The thing is, Rachael is asking for a decision /now/. She's desperate and on the verge of violence, /now/. "Hey wait," is not gonna fly so well.

I guess I'll tally the votes myself; without a hard count, and in the presence of disagreement, it's likely the best thing. I'll get on it after I finish dinner here.

>>47161319
Could we perhaps tell her "Yes but I need to do a few things before I go" type of spiel?

>>47161319
>>47161363
Yeah could we do that?

>>47161363
>>47161385
Such as? Emily and Hatchet are on their way out /now/. What else is there to attend upon?

>>47161406
Save the innocent in the city?

>>47161406
Call silence to get her opinion of the deal, inform our allies where we are and what we're doing

>>47161406
Personally I'd just like to say sorry and nope out. Sad as it is we have things we need to take care of. Not the least of which is helping Emily.

>>47161413
This is kinda what I was suggesting as 'a few things'. We can't really just abandon everyone to be a death pirate without telling them first.

Aight. Counting the greentexted votes I've got 7 for nopeing out, two solid 'yes', and three that were maybe, verging on yes. Even combining yes & maybe, 'nope' wins the day.

Called, writing.

>>47161574
Could we just get an idea first of what would happen if we flat out turn her down? Like none of us are actually against the idea

>>47161574
remember everyone, greentext your votes.

>>47161632
We've chosen our path, we must now accept the consequences.

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>>47161632
We will find out now.

>>47155657
Fetch's brother?

>>47162374
that is a cockatrice

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>>47152683
You crouch down and take Trust's hand. "I think I might like you too, Rachael," you tell her. "At the very least, I understand. I know about fear."

You can see the relief in her eyes.

"I can't go with you," you tell her. "But I'll be back."

The surprise of your statement is enough for you to yank, slamming Rachael's face into the dock and dropping her into the water instead of standing on the surface.

"STAY IN YOUR SHELTERS!" you call, turning and slinging your pack from around your shoulders.

"LA CROIX!" Rachael yells, indignantly. "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL THE SHIP? HUH?"

"TELL HER THAT IF SHE TOUCHES THESE PEOPLE OR THIS CITY, I WILL SHACKLE HER MISERABLE LITTLE SOUL TO A BALEFIRE CANDLE AND USE IT TO LIGHT MY CIGARETTES!" you scream back. You get out the book you keep in your bag and start reading, frantically, from it.

You step into the Atheneum at full tilt and slam into the protective wards around the bookshelves. You stagger, totter, and hit the ground hard.

Someone's yelling.

"TellBrigette," you mutter, "t'send someone to th'Jaw. Emily..."

It's been a long day. You deserve some rest.

* * * * *

You are Nathan Bookchild, and fucking what.

"A truly innocent soul?" you repeat as a question, because what the fuck else do you say to that.

Flitter nods. "A soul that never developed a personality. A...a person /in potentia/, basically. They happen sometimes, very rarely. Writings on conversations with Fangs Choir angels and fallen suggest that it's a normal and expected result of whatever puts mortals in their bodies."

"...Come again?" you ask.

"You /are/ a soul. You /have/ a body," Flitter says, patiently. "Jack needs that soul. He needs it really badly."

"Why?" you ask. The old halflings are glaring between you and Flitter, but you can tell the conversation has their interest.

The pixie squirms and looks away. "...He owes someone, big time. And it's his ticket out."

> What do you say?

>>47162830
> If it's a map, can't you, I don't know, transcribe it or something? Make a rubbing of it?

>>47162830
>Well, you're son's sculpture seems to be even more valuable than you thought. How about it?
if he still doesn't budge:
>This feels like something Jack should bargain for himself.

>>47162830
This>>47162886 seems like a good idea, though if for whatever reason that isn't an option, maybe Flitter can borrow it to find the soul? Pay a bunch of money, put something precious down as collateral, and promise to return it once she finds the soul?

>>47162830
>Then what do you owe to Jack?

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>>47162909
supporting this anon.
>>47162830

As you probably guessed, I'ma pass out now. Votes remain open.

In a somewhat related story, we may have new readers arriving who stopped by to participate in the one-shot on /qst/!

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

One last thing since I'm still awake - expect a doc on geargrinders Soon(tm).

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>>47162830
>"Your son must have been one hell of a sculptor"
>"I'm going to need some more information, because it doesn't seem like this is something to take lightly."
It sounds like you could make a human body or maybe a freshly deceased person, put this blank-slate soul in it and get new life.

>>47162909
.....fuck

*your

eternal shame upon me

This got creepy.

>>47162886

Supporting this option for now. There's even odds it won't work, and then we know more either way.

>>47162940
Pixie loves the dude.

>>47166181
Implying the gang rape, torture, and other shit the various chain holders have been involved with weren't?

>>47162830
>> If it's a map, can't you, I don't know, transcribe it or something? Make a rubbing of it?
Why buy a map when you can make a copy for free? Everyone wins here if it's possible and there ain't no harm in asking

>>47167047
Let's try this.

I'm up. Will write after coffee and the like.

Called, writing.

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>>47162830
You take a deep breath. "So that soul...it isn't anyone?"

"It's /someone/," Flitter admits. "...Just not someone /specific/. It never got a body, never, um. Lived? Like, it's /alive/, but it hasn't /had a life/?"

"Are you hedging, or trying to explain something complicated?" you ask Flitter, seriously.

The pixie meets your eyes. "Complicated. I wouldn't take someone's soul. That's kidnapping."

River opens her mouth, shuts it, looks puzzled, and gets the distinctive look she gets when she's talking to Robert.

"Okay," you murmur. You look at the older halfling couple. "I am sorry that my friend disturbed your with this. I understand about keepsakes from lost family members, and you have my condolances."

"It is not for sale," the older man repeats, firmly.

"And it shouldn't be," you agree. "But can we trouble you for a transcription?"

Flitter's wings buzz in surprise, and then she scowls to herself and smacks her forehead with her palm.

"You seriously didn't think of that?" you ask the pixie.

"Let me wallow in my shame," she mutters.

"I don't know..." the old woman murmurs.

"I understand valuing your son's work. It's clearly extraordinary," you compliment. "But isn't it worth finding out if it was more than you thought? If it's not a map, no harm done. But if it is, you've learned that your son was clever as well as talented."

"How would we even transcribe it?" Flitter asks.

"It's a cylinder," you say with a shrug. "Anyone got a long paper?"

The older man gets up to go get something from the other room while Flitter and the halfling woman begin haggling at shockingly rapid speeds. Flitter nods and offers her tiny hand out at the end before whistling sharply. A polite cough behind you informs you of a soldier's presence.

The bigger man counts out coins politely, hands them to the woman, and leaves.

>>47168110
Transcribe anon, you are the man.

>>47168110
The halfling man comes back with a long white sheet. Flitter asks you to take the cylinder and press it to the cloth, which you do easily enough. After a moment, you can feel it heating through your glove and scorching the cloth.

"Roll it slowly," the pixie advises.

You started in the middle of the pattern, but it's not hard to see after a long roll - a map, not quite shaped like the Warehouse, with a spot marked with a subtle 'x' in a room near the center.

"What's this?" you ask.

"The lower level," Flitter murmurs. "I need to go get this. Right now! Thank you!" She flies up to the older couple and hugs them tightly. "You've saved my friend's life! They can't call him the Debtor any more!"

> The what now
> Say nothing; continue your mission
> Break off your mission; go with Flitter
> Send someone with Flitter (who?) and continue your mission with the others
> Write-in?

>>47168156
> The what now
And why is that?

>>47168156
>> The what now
>> Break off your mission; go with Flitter

>>47168156
>The what now
>Break off your mission; go with Flitter.

This seems kind of very important.

>>47168156
>> Say nothing; continue your mission
> But take note of the location; maybe we can head down there once we've made sure that people don't open the Door of DOOM

This vote'll be extended; need to take my brother to his job to handle some final paperwork.

> The what now
> Break off your mission; go with Flitter.

Absolutely. Like, damn. (Mission? what mission?)

Is that what he owed Richard? A fresh soul? Or is it a means to an end, to open the thing at the center.

>>47168156
>> The what now
>> Break off your mission; go with Flitter

>>47168156
> Break off your mission; go with Flitter

>>47168156
>Break off your mission; go with Flitter.
>Ask Flitter how much she knows about what's happened in the upper levels.

This is definitely the way to go. If we have any chance of figuring out whether Jack (the Debtor) is worthy of redemption is to learn more about the deal he made. We could tell Flitter the truth; if Jack is willing to make amends, we'll help him as best we can. Although, ultimately, his fate is between him and Lora.

Also, there's a good chance of running into whomever is trying to open that central door. After all, we're carrying two of the keys and effectively guarding another. And the oni, if that's what it really is, what have to be pretty touched in the head to challenge a terrible lich without some serious preparation.

>>47168156
> Break off your mission; go with Flitter
Also share a little: "It's for Jack isn't it? He also hired us to prevent some asshole from opening a central vault, and I think that guy may be hunting you, so would you mind a little bit of escort?"

About an hour to call. Sorry for the unexpected delay.

>>47168141
Whoo! I actually did a helpful thing!

>>47170058

Helpful for who though. I have no idea what jacks end game is, as right now it mostly seems hes covering up his ass short term at the expense of getting his soul fucking annihilated instead long term.

>>47170480
Well, if whomever he owes has the ability to claim souls, then he's fucked. BUT, that might be exactly why he entered the pact with Richard, and was willing to help enslave /the/ Angel of Death. Maybe he's counting on the owed party not having the power to tangle with a seraphim.

So basically, a stall tactic. So long as he's got the chain, his soul is safe. Of course, he doesn't want what's behind the door to be released. It's either a godawful abomination, a massive disaster waiting to happen, or it could be the very entity that he owes.

>>47170703
Isn't it the book listed in the short?

The one that makes people who read it go batshit insane?

>>47170941
It is definitely not /Heart's Ease/.

Called, writing.

>>47170941
Stories in the Warehouse call it the Heart's Desire, but we've since learned that it's a crock, and someone likely spread that tale to serve their own purposes. We don't actually know what's behind the door, but we /do/ know that it's bad news for everyone.

The door has five locks, and five keys;
>The Medallion: The cursed shiny that the Lich gave to Nate for safe-keeping, since Woundseeker's are conveniently immune to its life-draining effects.
>The Bottle Imp
Currently in the parties possession until Robert figures out how to banish the demonic spirit trapped inside.
>The Staff
The iron rod that the Lich carries. Don't know what it does, but I do know that trying to take it from the dead man would be like poking a sleeping dragon.
>An Angel's Voice
Exactly what it says on the tin. Jack said that there's some ice keeping the last words of an angel preserved, somewhere in the lower levels of the Warehouse.
>A Pixie's Heart
This could be figurative, or it could be literal (but considering the other keys..probably the latter). Jack tried to send Flitter away, but Nate played the romantic white knight and convinced her to stay with the poor sap. Still, so long as she's alive and stays clear of that door, it can't be opened.

What Flitter is currently after is the price of payment for clearing Jack's debt.

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>>47168156
You give Amy and River a pair of looks while Flitter is distracted, then turn your attention back to the rising pixie. "Can we lend a hand?" you ask.

"Sure!" she agrees. "You'll be more useful than the soldiers down there anyway - NO OFFENSE, GREG!"

Distantly: "None taken!"

"They're so friendly," River observes.

"Lead the way," you invite. You shake the halflings' hands, "and thank you for helping my friend."

"...Think nothing of it," the older man offers, with grudging politeness.

You don't waste time once Flitter starts leading you down the hallway. "Is your friend in trouble?" you ask, carefully.

Flitter bites her lip, guiltily. "I probably wasn't supposed to say," she admits. "...But you're a good guy. I can trust you and your friends. Except the demon, but he can go fuck himself."

"I feel so loved," the sultan drawls.

"Anyway," Flitter continues. "Jack's in trouble. He...when he was younger, he met this fairy. Called himself the Lord of Painted Glass. And the fairy was in trouble, right? Got caught in an iron trap meant for a bear, and Jack helped him out. They visited, talked, a lot after that. And at some point, they did something stupid."

"What?" you ask.

"Do you know what a potlach is?" Flitter asks.

"I do," River interjects, quietly. "It's an exchange of gifts, gifts so incredible or fundamental that their loss will destroy the givers."

"Exactly," Flitter murmurs. "Jack's trapped in one of those. He doesn't have a lot of time left. A week, maybe two, and the Lord comes to make the exchange. And both of them will suffer terribly for it."

"Where does the soul come in?" you ask.

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>>47171927
"Jack can pay with it, and then only the fairy dies," Flitter answers, sadly. "Jack's not a bad guy! He's not, he's just...he made a mistake as a kid and he shouldn't have to /die/ for it. He's already suffered. It's become who he /is/. These people who said they'd help, they're bastards. They disrespect him. They kick him down and push him around. Especially stupid Richard and stupid Gabrielle. But they promised he could find his payment down here and here it is. Only it got all complicated..."

"How?" Amy asks, sympathy in her voice.

"Some stupid gang fight," Flitter mutters. "There's this necromancer that's been ravaging the Dungeon coming down this way. Two of Jack's allies turned traitor, three more are dead, and gods only know what she did with the corpses. She'll come for Jack any time and he...he..." Flitter sniffs and dips low in the air. You catch her, and the sits gratefully on your hand and tries to hold back a sob.

"He expects to die," you guess.

"Yeah," Flitter says miserably. "I won't let him just roll over and take it. He didn't - he doesn't /deserve it/! Especially not to some corpsefucker."

River clears her throat. "I'm a necromancer. Can we not?"

"...Oh."

> Stay focused
> Come clean
> Try to tease out Jack's endgame

>>47171927
Huh, I always thought a potlach was when you invited a bunch of people over to enjoy the stew you made. Kind of like a shitty Eastern European barbecue.

>>47172005
That's a potluck.

>>47171999

>Huh... So, funny story about that...

Either flitter doesn't know the whole story or jack doesn't, seeing as she seems distinctly unaware that they enslaved a fucking angel and are potentially going to destroy the world.

>>47171999
>> Come clean

Just because I was dead at some point does not make Bri a corpsefucker.

But seriously, end of world is not equivalent to gang fight Flitter.

>>47171999
> Try to tease out Jack's endgame

>>47171999
>a.....gang fight?

>>47172104
Jack and Flitter have been lied to, and I suspect that Jack's been doing some more lying to Flitter on top of that.

>>47172104
Fucking beautiful
>come clean
With some variant of this if remotely possible and in character.

>>47172329
...or Flitter is an amazing actress who has thoroughly thought through an elaborate ruse.

>>47172074
Jack certainly knows about Lora, considering that's part of being a chainbearer. He apparently just didn't tell Flitter about that. Don't know if he knows about Dick's plan to destroy the world. Probably not, considering Dick himself is in denial about how his plan will destroy the world, so I doubt he'd tell people much about that.

>>47172104
> I was only mostly dead. Hardly counts.

Thread archived, incidentally.

>>47171999
>> Come clean
She does empirically know we're pure of heart, and we've helped her before we knew Jack was the Debtor. And, well, we've spared chainbearers before. If Jack doesn't fight us, or fights us as little as possible, this could be made to go pretty okay for him.

>>47171999
> Come clean
Flitter already knows Nate's inclined toward truthfulness, so when he says that all Jack needs, to do to prevent Bri from killing him, is destroy the Chain and have someone on hand to beg/convince the angel that comes looking for Jack that he actually deserves to live.

(And, maybe Lora can create, ex nihilo, an innocent soul? Or get him out of the deal entirely?)

>>47172714
use the soul of the Pallbearer. Pow.

Aight, I need to go be Gainfully Employed. I'll be back just after midnight EST. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>47172865
I get the feeling he can't use random souls.

>>47172714
I don't think Lora can alter or sever a deal made between a mortal and one of the more powerful fae. It's like when we spoke to Silence, the people and creatures that migrate to the Iron Lands from the Mistlands don't exactly follow the normal laws of existence put into place by the Gods. And just because Lora is the Archangel of Death doesn't mean she can snap her fingers and undo something that's been in place for years. And why would she? The Debtor assisted in keeping her enslaved. If he wasn't /actually/ a Chain-Holder, and was simply an outsider who'd been sourced by some of the Chain-Holders for his usefulness, it might be a different story.

We might find this innocent soul, and save Jack from the deal he made. But he's still going to answer to Lora.

>>47173383
She could kill him, and sever the deal that way. Can't claim jacks soul if its been destroyed.

>>47173575
wouldn't that be just kind of be a situation where the cure is bad as the disease

>>47171999
HRM. A FAE deal? Who do we know that'd be knowledge about Fae... Silence!

>>47173575
..Except, we've already answered that question when we dealt with Aunt Carol. As far as Lora is aware, souls /can't/ be destroyed. Only reforged.

But if this Fae can somehow call Jack's spirit back from the Sunless Lands, he's still screwed.

And, again, he's not going to survive long after Flitter finds this innocent soul to barter with. He still has to be punished for being an accomplice in what the Chain-Holder's have done. Whether that's being bound in Lora's sword or serving an eternity as a guardian for the dangerous artifacts that are kept in the Warehouse.

>>47171801

No. The Amulet /IS NOT A KEY/.

The first key is a sincere desire to open the door, IIRC.

The Amulet is for controlling what's in there in some fashion.

>>47173836
Really? I thought it was, given that the Lich gave it to Nate to protect.

Whatever. Still important to keep away from whoever wants to get at it.

>>47173919

I mean, one would hope that anyone with half a brain and more sanity than an Arkham inmate would not /want/ to open the door without the amulet, which makes it sort of a quasi-key.

But in retrospect, it might have been a better idea to take the Lich's staff for safekeeping.

...Though that would have been a tad bit obvious. So, who knows.

Anyway, if the half-oni got hold of that, they could theoretically open the Center and decide to either take their chances, or just damn the consequences to themselves.

>>47171999
>> Come clean
I'll vote to come clean but I honestly would like to try and ask her more about this potlach before we do. I say ask before we confess so we get a less biased answer from her.

>What are the rules to it?
>Does the lord want to go through with it as well?
>Is this soul the /only/ thing that can save Jack?
>Can we renegotiate when it'll happen?

Stuff like that because as we have just witnessed, Flitter isn't apparently good at seeing all the other options.

>>47175503
We could probably just make a very nice stew and save Jack from the Potlach that way. No souls required!

>>47175503
Flitter might not be that good, but Jack probably is.

>>47171999
> Try to tease out Jack's endgame
"Look I like Jack and all that, but he sound like he's in over his head in this. But he seems a nice guy and I 'd like to help him. Can you tell me more to help us make a decision to help him?"

Two hours and change to call. Been a hell of a day.

>>47171999
>Come clean, preferably in a hilariously casual manner

>>47171999
>> Try to tease out Jack's endgame

yeah, lets not tell her we are planning to kill her friend and leave his soul at the mercy of an angel he enslaved.

though if we need a reason for outrage it wouldn't be suspicious to know we can tell about how the roost had a number of undead disturbingly simlar to the number of the broken jaws permanent inhabitants show up, or the horrific shit the vinter was getting up to.

Thirty minutes and change to call.

>>47177486
Or the stuff that the moneychanger and her waerlocks did.

Home, called, writing.

Page 8 so bump

>>47177486
>>47177956
I doubt these will change her intentions to save Jack, but they /would/ make her less biased towards Necrofowl Inc. The necromancer can't be /all/ bad if she's saving lives and avenging the fallen, right?

She already knows that most of the Chain-Holders were pretty much monsters. We're just confirming her suspicions.

Though, the bit were she learns that Nate's a Woundseeker AND the Traitor's son is definitely going to be a shocker.

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>>47171999
"Can you tell me more about the potlach?" you ask.

"Not really," Flitter admits. "Jack doesn't like to talk about it. All he says is that they both fucked up really bad and it wasn't what they thought it was going to be."

"So why don't they just back out?" Amy asks.

"Can't," River answers, before Flitter can. "It's a fairy. Their words is their bond. The Lord backs out and he'll be destroyed /anyway/."

Flitter nods. "The daoine sidhe are held to their oaths. There's usually escape clauses or ways to be released, but...not this time?"

You sigh. "I think I understand. And for all future reference, the necromancer never fucked me while I was dead."

"Look, I'm so-what?"

You pause and hold the pixie up to eye level. "Her name is Brianna la Croix," you tell Flitter. "She's my lover. And right now, I'm here in her name, attempting to take something away from Jack that will likely hurt him, and may even kill him."

"Why tell /me/?" Flitter wails, her eyes brimming with tears. "What're you going to do?"

"Right now? If you'll have me, I'm going to help you get the soul. Flitter, we don't want to hurt Jack. His friends...they're awful people. And I think you know that."

Flitter sniffs, then nods.

"Jack's been complicit in something terrible. But if he's willing to make it right, I'm willing to help."

Flitter's wings droop. "You're going to kill me now."

"...No?" you say. "Amy, did you pull a knife?"

"No!"

You look at the half-harpy, and she shows you her hands.

"Then...then...what?" Flitter's wings buzz, either in fear or building fury.

> I'm not a backstabber, Flitter. If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face
> Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.
> I was tired of lying.

I should possibly have gone to bed instead of trying to force that out. I'm going to do that now, and leave the votes open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>47180227
>> Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.

>>47180227
>> Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.
>Your word is enough evidence to tell that Jack deserves a chance

>>47180227
> Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.
Heroes gonna Hero.

>>47180227
>> I'm not a backstabber, Flitter. If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face, but I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.

>>47180227
>I'm not a backstabber, Flitter. If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face
>Keep in mind those "traitors" also wanted out of a bad deal.

>>47180227
> I'm not a backstabber, Flitter. If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face

>>47180227
> I'm not a backstabber, Flitter. If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face
> Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.
Or just stay out of it.

>>47180227
>I'm not a backstabber, Flitter. If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face
> Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.
Both are true.

>>47180227
>"Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to."
>"Also, I'm told that I'm some kind of Hero, and that I'm a terrible liar."

I'm calling it; Jack is the next Bridgette. He never wanted to be the bad guy, but was complicit in the deeds of evil men and women. His only chance at redemption will be to bend the knee and ask Lora for forgiveness, and barring that, a chance to atone.

Actually..I just had a weird thought; what if Jack gives the innocent soul to the Fae Lord? I mean, he's apparently an old friend and they /both/ went into the deal not knowing what was going to happen. We know that he wants to live, but he might also want to prove that he's not like the others.

Just an idea.

>>47180597
Also, before someone else beats me to it, I don't believe Fae have souls in Vox's magical realm. At least, that's what I remember from when Brianna spoke with Silence.

If Jack dies, he'll either be called into Lora's blade or be allowed to pass into the Sunless Lands. The Fae don't have that option.

>>47180227
I will assume that Bridgette told us all she knows about escape clauses regarding chains
>Well first of all, I need to know what Jack's compensation is for abandoning his chain. It doesn't sound related to the potlach, and you already have the map, so I think we can keep the main motivator for us ever fighting out of the way.

>>47180227
>> I'm not a backstabber, Flitter. If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face

>>Also he's one of the two chain bearers we've fought who decided to NOT be mass murdering douchebags, and the last one survived, mostly. That counts for something right?

>>47180227
> Wouldn't it be really stupid if one of us killed the other when we could have just talked a bit and figured how to live together instead?

> I want to stop Richard. I don't really want to kill anyone, the opposite in fact as much as possible.

>>47180652
Well, I mean River IS a necromancer and there is this window where they can bring someone back.

And while the Fae don't have souls, we happen to be finding this here raw soul thing that we could, maybe somehow stuff in him and use it to bring him back too?

>>47181908
That stuff costs lifespan though. And doing two at once has to be pretty self-murderous.

>>47182037
Elves have lifespan to spare, though.
I'm not saying we make it a habit, but I don't think River will keel over if we pull this shit just this once.

>>47182310
She might keel over from exhaustion doing one though - Bri nearly did, and she has practice using the magic involved. River doesn't have that practice.

>>47182310
From what we've seen of Bri, exhaustion is much more of a concern than lifespan.

As in too much all at once WILL kill you.

>>47182322
She's got a highly experienced ghost ready to lend a hand, though. Roger might be a dick and a hard teacher, but even hard teachers know to provide support when necessary. He's not going to let her get killed by this sort of thing.

>>47182606
It's still only one body and one source of fatigue - he can drive the body past the point of exhaustion because it isn't his body, but that can still cause injury and death, anon.

He might keep her from doing both of the resurrections for precisely that reason - he does care.

>>47182641
>relying on the ghost instead of judging for yourself.

that is pretty much the biggest insult to Robert that River could ever make. More than just failing, more than refusing his orders, the idea that "Robert will take care of it I do something reckless" is....no.

Do you not understand that it was important for River to take responsibility for every reckless thing she did?

>>47182664
i'm not sure if I linked the right one, but the point stands.

>>47182606
>>47182641

>>47182641
What I meant was that with Roger's assistance and experience, River could get a much larger return on a given amount of fatigue than Bri could.
Especially considering that the time Bri did it was back at the beginning of the quest while rushed for time, short on materials, and probably less practiced than River is now. Bri was taught all through childhood, sure, but Bri's teachers had other things to do. River's teacher has been teaching 24/7 without breaks.

Plus, I'm not convinced that River WOULD need to take all the strain. Ghosts are fully capable of casting on their own; just look at Aunty and that one dick we summoned in the Basement. In both cases they threw more power around than Bri possibly could.
If Roger were dependant on River's vitality for his casting, then their impending fight to exorcise him wouldn't be such a concern to bystanders, because she'd obviously wind up exhausted from having her power burned up at cross purposes long before anybody around her could be injured.
Plus it's pretty awful to think that Roger would admit to going all out on a final exam if it'd burn up her lifespan. Seems pretty counter productive. "Congrats, you're a fully qualified necromancer! Too bad we used up most of your lifespan getting here! Better hop to that lichdom ritual, you've only got a year or two to go!"

>>47182664
>"Robert will take care of it I do something reckless"
Jesus, no, that's not what I was saying at all. I'm not suggesting that we just #YOLO our way through it and assume Roger will pull our ass out of the fire. That'd be ridiculous and probably a great opportunity for him to just let us get burned as a learning experience.

I'm saying we ask Roger beforehand whether the idea is even feasible, and if so, that he please lend us a hand in the execution under the circumstances.

>>47182751
Mentors. Are not. Servants.

The entire purpose of the Haunting is that River is intended to become independent, to NOT need Robert. Using Robert's powers as a ghost is entirely anathema to that. River does not gain any ability to do things herself from such an act, and is instead encouraged to further rely on him if he were to actually do it.

To even suggest that course of action is, again, a grave insult.

>>47182478
Look. Debtor gives Fae the soul, doesn't die. Fae gives Debtor whatever, dies, we use the soul to res him.

Or we could redirect the death drain going to Ship mcFuckFace.

Is the other ship even the really evil one? Maybe we should talk to it and the captain, maybe he's there willingly and that's the right way to go.

Cut of clingy McAxeCrazy ship, torch the fucker, free those trapped by the curse and use that death for the rezzing.

>>47182785
We're not using Roberts power, we're using his knowledge. That is the entire point of Mentoring. He'll guide us to be as efficient as possible, or tell us that it's nuts.

Besides, Ghosts don't have any life to give.

>>47182811
>We're not using Roberts power, we're using his knowledge
>>47182731
>I'm not convinced that River WOULD need to take all the strain. Ghosts are fully capable of casting on their own
which one is it?

>>47180227
>> Flitter, I don't want to hurt anyone. You can help me not have to.

>>47182785
>Mentors. Are not. Servants.
Nigger what you're suggesting is the equivalent of a full surgeon allowing his intern to fuck up and get someone killed because an urgent brain surgery patient cropped up out of nowhere and handling it himself would be going easy on him.
We're not calling Roger in to do the whole operation. We're asking him to stand by and guide our hand, and maybe step in if necessary.

Teachers teach by example as often as by instruction, and this would be a perfect opportunity for him to simply support River in a learning experience.

>>47182804
>Is the other ship even the really evil one?
Well, it was made by the chainholders themselves, so that's a big black mark by association, and when we were looking at the runes in the Roost the younger of the two seemed more vicious and angry.

>>47182916
>>47182838

>>47182944
I'll take False Dichotomy for 200, Alex.

It's entirely possible to want extra power available for if it's needed, even if we intend not to use it. Roger's experience guiding River's efforts is the primary plan. Roger's power is the failsafe if something goes wrong.
Although really it's more of a fail less-deadly, since I doubt he's the sort to let a fuckup off the hook. If we do fail, I think he'll kept River alive, but there's a whole lot of potential consequences besides death that he might choose to let happen as a way to illustrate the price of failure.

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Something people seem to have forgotten here:
We aren't controlling River, here. We're controlling Nate. We can't ask Roger to help, we can ask River if she thinks Roger could help in this whole hypothetical situation, and if he wouldn't, she'd say so.

>>47183055
>potential consequences besides death
well I'm trying to avoid those, too.

We don't really have any bargaining chips to cut a deal with Robert. At best, his curiosity is piqued by the baleforge and he'd mercenary out a bit of ghost power in exchange for getting River to try out X while baleforging.

>>47183125
That or we use the "You're so skilled and experienced, I'd love to follow your guidance" approach. Teachers love being appreciated.

>>47183166
Maybe don't be quite that blatant about it, though. I've only been teaching for a year, but I can already smell the falseness in statements like that a mile away. Just ask questions and listen to the answers. In my experience on both sides of the classroom, teachers like someone who listens way more than someone who kisses ass.

I'm awake. Will call and write soon.

>>47180597
> Actually..I just had a weird thought; what if Jack gives the innocent soul to the Fae Lord?

As has been already mentioned, this is the /plan/. Jack believes offering the innocent soul will keep himself alive while, unfortunately, still ending in the destruction of the fairy.

>>47184451

Is there some reason the potlatch exists outside of the very narrow view of it Flitter is giving us?

Because right now it just sounds like a weird retardo suicide pact with no purpose other than to be a weird retardo suicide pact and I'm hoping there's some advantage/use of it that Jack and this fairy overlooked.

Like cavemen trying to use nuclear power and causing a meltdown or something.

>>47184514
It wasn't done on purpose, is the problem. The thing about it is...

Okay. In the /Lucifer/ comics, there is an example of a purposeful potlach. Spoilers to follow: God proposes an exchange of memories and experiences, so that he and Samael would become two new beings, each with all of the knowledge and experience of both.

This wasn't purposeful. Neither party understood the consequences of the gift they offered. What they /thought/ they were getting into was an ordinary, if powerful, bargain. Realizing they done fucked up came quite a bit later.

>>47184563
But where does the stew come in?

>>47184598
It's what they did when they found out they fucked up.

Called, tallying, will write Soon(tm).

>>47185272
Get river to use the soul to rez the Fae.

>>47185272
Alt 0174

>>47185307

...Honestly, I'm not sure why we're worrying so much about making the Fae not die or not stay dead. That's on him, as a consequence for something he did some time ago, and doesn't really affect our business one way or another.

>>47185664
Never hurts to make a new friend. Especially one that can bend the rules governing reality. Fae are funny like that.

I'm just saying; death isn't just entropy, it's /change/. Just because he's in /one/ form doesn't mean he can't be changed to another.

As a reminder for when we had Silence nearly dead: rezzing fae is the /excitingly terrifying unknown/ territory in the art.

>>47185859
At the same time, you can't change something without destroying part of it, or even all of it.

>>47185915
Would my argument sound better if I used the caterpillar/butterfly metaphor?
>I get what the good Lich is saying, I'm just being an ass.

Bumping for more delicious wooooorrrddsss.

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>>47180227
"Flitter, I'm not the kind of guy to stab someone in the back," you tell her, frankly. "If I have to fight Jack, it'll be to his face. But honestly? I'd rather not. He seems nice enough, and right now he's helping with something important to protect others. So I'd like to help you get this soul, stop this idiot that's trying to open the Center Itself, and then...I dunno, handle it from there."

"What if I went and told Jack right now?" the pixie challenges, her wings buzzing to lift her from your palm.

You point with your thumb. "He's that way."

Flitter makes a frustrated noise. "Why can't you make this simple!"

You shrug, helplessly.

"...Fine. Fine! I still need your help anyway, c'mon. Closest way down is just ahead..."

The way down turns out to be a cunningly hidden and short shaft, concealed beneath a false flagstone. The ladder inside it takes you down about eight feet and into a much mustier, less used portion of the Warehouse. You can smell ancient dust and the faint, coppery tang of very old death, left to hang in the air in this place where things rarely change.

"Don't. Touch. Anything," Flitter warns. The pixie concentrates, and a small ball of witchflame appears in her hand. It glows much more brightly than it should.

These rooms are packed much tighter than the storage above. Barrels, chests, and shelves bulge with jars, foodstuffs, and items of all kinds. You pass through one room, then another; there are no halls down here, just steel doors and more junk.

Amy snatches Flitter's ankle, suddenly. The pixie yelps and squirms, until Amy reaches her other hand out and pinches a nearly invisible net of fine wire that criss-crosses the room.

"...Oh," Flitter murmurs. "That. That could have been bad."

"Mmhm," Amy agrees. Everyone else takes a step back while the half-harpy starts to get to work.

Off in the distance, you hear a massive crash, and the splintering of wood.

"Wrong direction," Flitter mutters. "Who else is down here?"

>>47186991
"A half-oni trying to open the Center Itself," you tell her. "Jack's implied that's bad."

"Yeah, that's really fucking bad," Flitter agrees.

> Split up
> Stay focused

>>47187018
Do we have any idea how our chances against an oni are?
Because right now we've probably got the element of surprise, are all in decent condition, and are as many as we're gonna get, 'cept for maybe the lich.
So if we have decent chances, taking him down now, would be very handy, as he couldn't surprise/ambush/nasty-shit us. Also, maybe information.

What's the rest of you thinking?

>>47187018
>> Split up

>>47187048
Oni are shapeshifters and tend to be talented at destructive magics if they're magically inclined. The cramped spaces mean he can't get fuckhuge, but they also mean you're bunched up and forced to fight in close where his strength means quite a bit.

>>47187018
>Stay focused

>>47187018
>> Stay focused

If we had split up, and the party without Amy had walked into that net, that would have been Bad.

We stay together. We get what we need. /Then/ we take out the half-oni.

Or, hell, maybe it gets there first and we kill it to get what we need. Either way works.

>>47187018
> Stay focused
We have the pixie that the guy wants, so we should not leave the pixie less defended by splitting up.

>>47187018
>Stay focused

>>47187018
>> Stay focused

Called, writing.

>>47187799
I was right to stay awake! HAHAHA! Rest is for the weak!

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>>47186991
"We should move," you suggest.

"Working as fast as I can," Amy mutters; she snips bits of wire carefully, so as not to disturb the triggers they're attached to. "This thing is really annoying..."

Flitter summons a second witchlight, which begins to orbit her head.

"What are you doing?" you ask quietly.

"Getting ready to fight," the pixie answers, conjuring a third.

"Follow me," Amy advises. "/Carefully/."

You move as fast as you dare behind Amy; the Dungeonbreaker leads the way, circling around traps that she can't disarm fast and triggering others with lightning speed. Off in the distance, you can hear more savage sounds - crashes, battle, and the splintering of wood.

Amy opens a final door, scans the room, and slips inside. What she comes back out with is a fist-sized globe of glass contained in a delicate bronze cage; inside, a misty swirl moves in slow circles.

"That's it," Flitter whispers. "The innocent soul. We've got to get this to Jack."

> No, we need to deal with the Oni
> Yep, let's move
> Smash it

>>47188507
>> No, we need to deal with the Oni

> We helped you with your problem, now you can help us with ours. Which, coincidentally, is also another of your problems.

>>47188566
Supporting.

>>47188507
>No, we need to deal with the Oni

Didn't Jack task us with icing the bastard anyway?

>>47188507
> No, we need to deal with the Oni

Aight, I need to hit work. I'll try to update after I get home from work; votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>47188507
>I don't suppose you can lift this thing, Flitter?

> No, we need to deal with the Oni

>>47188507
> Yep, let's move
We have at least a few of the things it will need to open the center. It will have to come to us eventually. Getting Jack the soul will (maybe) resolve that issue and allow us to focus more people on the oni problem at once.

>>47188507
> Yep, let's move

> Yep, let's move

>>47188507
> No, we need to deal with the Oni

>>47188507
>> Yep, let's move

>>47188507
> Yep, let's move

>>47188507
> No, we need to deal with the Oni

>>47188566
>>> No, we need to deal with the Oni
>> We helped you with your problem, now you can help us with ours. Which, coincidentally, is also another of your problems.

Thus sounds good

I don't mind dealing with the Oni next, but taking Flitter, one of the things he needs to open the door, is probably not wise. If Flitter can take the soul to The Debtor herself, by all means let her, if not i say we return the soul first. But by no means should we be letting Flitter anywhere near the Oni.

>>47188507
>>>> No, we need to deal with the Oni
Seconding >>47188566

Also I suspect this souls going to be used for SOMETHING by that oni. When life gives you souls you don't not use souls.

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>>47191104

>>47191104
>>47190973
Lets NOT take the pixie with us so the Oni can rip out her heart and use it to open the door.

Two and a half hours and change to call.

>>47188507
>> Yep, let's move
We can deal with Jack, first, then have Lora deal with the half-oni in her brief period of relative freedom after the chain breaks.

>>47191401
That is a distinct possibility of taking the pixie into battle. We do still need to kill that oni though.

If we do end up fighting the oni now we should prioritize protecting Flitter('s delicious heartmeats).

>>47188507
> Yep, let's move

On my way home. Will call and write after food, dishes.

>>47193790
so you're driving and texting?

>>47194233
Please have slightly more faith in my care for other human beings. I texted before I got in the car.

>>47194424
>says the man who gave a running commentary on his tooth breaking into chunks
Just sayin nigga, you don't exactly have a reputation as somebody who stops for little things like health and safety.

>>47194776
Tooth chucking only affects him. Texting and driving has the added chance to harm others. Two different things.

>>47194884
>implying it wouldnt hurt his kids emotionally

>>47194776
I did get the impression that he was handling that, and only updating us when waiting for results or whatever.

>>47194929
Yeah, and the docs had him on the waiting for a looong time.

>>47194946
Thats pretty normal in the US.

Okay. I cannot focus enough to write. I'm gonna leave this open until the morning, with my apologies.

>>47191005

Supporting this for now. There's clearly already battle going on, so even if there's traps and not much space we should check it out. Who's fighting who and why? Is that even the Oni we're hearing?

Bumping before bed.

>>47195712
No need for apologies bone-slut. Delicious word-slinging is difficult to perform at 2am. See you in the morn, when you arise from your tomb in search of the famed Double Coffee.

>>47196719
I don't think there was a single moment of that post where I didn't think you were gigantic faggot.

>>47188507
Dude, we totally have enough people to send the soul to Jack while also calling in reinforcements, letting us pin the Oni down until the arrive with overwhelming force.

Bump!

>>47196953
The oni probably isn't alone.

>>47198767
Then we bait him with the Amulet and GTFO to a rondevous with reinforcement

>>47198837
He's going to bring others with him when he tries to take one of the items.

I'm awake. Will call and write after coffee.

There we are. Called, writing.

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>>47188507
You shake your head. "There's more at stake than just Jack. He asked us to deal with the man trying to open the Center Itself and to be frank, from everything I'm hearing, that's bigger than Jack. Not to sound heartless."

Flitter buzzes. "...No, you're right. He'd want it handled too. He wouldn't - let's just go."

Amy, very carefully, wraps the globe that contains the soul in her spare clothes and nestles it in her backpack. Then you get moving.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," you murmur to Flitter.

"...So am I," the pixie sighs. "I'm getting the feeling I'm gonna have to kill you before the end of this. I hate killing good people."

"I'm not partial to dying," you agree. "...There's an angel, Flitter."

"I know," the pixie murmurs. "People...people do bad things, when they're scared. And Jack's been scared for a very long time."

"She's pretty angry about things," you warn.

"I know. I'll deal with it when it comes."

"...I'd be angrier at you if I couldn't imagine myself /being/ you," you admit.

"Yeah," Flitter agrees. "Hold up." The group stops, and the pixie hovers to head height. "Do you hear that?"

You strain your ears. The crashing, the sounds of battle - they're gone.

"He's got it," you murmur.

"He's still down here," River notes. "Let's move quickly."

Amy opens the far door, leaps over a pressure plate, and indicates for the rest of you to follow. The half-harpy shoulders the door open and -

This room's a little bigger than the others, about the size of a cabin, and in it is a massive, grey-skinned man holding a metallic club studded with spikes.

With him are fleshless dogs crawling with hellfire and bristling spines.

"Fuck me," River swears.

"Maybe later," Lark manages, through his shock and fear.

> Nope.stainedglass
> Engage the oni; your companions can handle the dogs
> Dogs first, the half-oni's a more known factor

>>47201641
> Engage the oni; your companions can handle the dogs

River, as the demon expert, gets to deal with the dogs from hell, and Amy as the one who can fly and has wraithsteel fucking wings can deal with them also.

>>47201641
> Engage the oni; your companions can handle the dogs
It's Hero TIme!

>>47201641
>> Engage the oni; your companions can handle the dogs

Let's do this.

>>47201641
>Engage the Oni, your friends can handle the dogs.

LEEEEROOOOOY JEEENKINNNS!

>>47201641
>Engage the oni; you companions can handle the dogs.
Nate can tango with the demon, at least so long as he doesn't get a direct hit from that club. River and Lark can handle the hellhounds together. Keep the big asshole distracted, then once the dogs are dead, the whole group can overwhelm him.

Flitter needs to hang back though; we don't want the oni snatching her and trying to book it.

>>47201713
It's a shame we aren't challenging the oni in a more open space. Though, to be fair, the demon is /pretty/ outmatched here. A necromancer/demonologist, a harpy with steel wings and demon weapons, and a Woundseeker with a wraithsteel sword? He's probably muttering the same thing as River when he saw the group bust in.

>>47201641
>Engage the oni; your companions can handle the dogs

>>47201641
> Engage the oni

This quest is what it took to drive me from my years of lurking, and I am still amazed that I hit a point in the archive where the thread is actually alive

>>47202647
>I am still amazed that I hit a point in the archive where the thread is actually alive
Not like you can miss the thread time.

>>47202698
True enough

>>47201730
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWcASV2sey0

>>47202128
>Engage the Oni, your friends can handle the dogs.

The phrase you're looking for is,
HO LA!

>>47203142
By the way, is HO LA a regular war cry outside of DLQ? And where does sons of sorrow come from?

>>47201641
>> Engage the oni; your companions can handle the dogs

>>47203416
>sons of sorrow
Isn't that a nickname for what Nathan is? I think he referred to himself as a Son of Sorrow to the lich earlier.

>>47203416
Pretty sure the whole sons of sorrow thing was a reference to his being a woundseeker, and I could swear that I've heard HO LA being used as a battle cry before but cannot remember where for the life of me

>>47201641
What does nope.stainedglass even mean?

>>47203416
>>47203454
It's Norse, ex. "Ho la, Odin!"

>>47203461
it's the in setting equivalent of a nope.pictureformat

>>47203546
>nope.pictureformat

What's a nope.pictureformat?

>>47203583
>>47203583
Like nope.jpg or nope.png.

Basically just a "I refuse to deal with this shit" reaction.

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>>47203583
>>47203614
an example of a variant

>>47201641
>Tell Flitter to stay away from the oni.

Votes called, writing, and we DESPERATELY need to kill this thread.

>>47203461
In the context of options, it's generally equivalent to 'retreat', 'flee', or 'refuse'.

>>47204002
So how do tieflings work in here? They aren't really detailed in River's notes.

Are they literally "A rakshasa fucked your mom. Deal with it catboi."

>>47204002
>>47204052
I ask because this is the third (?) tiefling we have found now. Kinda curious at this point.

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>>47201641
"Big guy's mine," you tell your allies.

In answer, Flitter throws her hands forward and fires a lance of light into one of the dogs, sending it sprawling and yelping in pain. You rush in, with the demonic hounds streaking past you to engage your allies, and feel Verve fly into your hand.

War sings in your veins, and you love it.

"HO LA, SONS OF SORROW!"

You duck beneath a swipe of the massive club and slash with Verve. The wraithsteel saber skips off of the half-oni's armor, but the hit forces a woosh of breath from his lungs.

Then he kicks you, full in the ribs, and you hit a shelf with a heavy crack of breaking wood.

"The angel," the part-demon snarls, "is /mine/!"

"What are you talking about?" you answer, dizzily.

"Don't ask!" Flitter suggests, zipping away from a blast of hellfire. Next to her, River dances away from a dog, keeping it at bay with her long blade. The creature's clever, but River's been killing people and things for a long, long time.

Your foe comes charging at you, club raised.

> He can't defend if he's attacking. Get him [hidden check]
> Dive aside
> Throw Verve and draw an iron knife

>>47204052
>>47204065
They generally pick up some tricks from their demonic heritage. A son of a succubus will be more magically sensitive, a part-oni or part-rakshasa will shapeshift, etc. It's never quite to the extent that their demonic parent has it, but they're not vulnerable to things like summonings or bindings either.

>>47204212
>Throw Verve and draw an iron knife
>>47204259
I am guessing gorger tieflings don't show up much?

>>47204306
Exceedingly rare, yes.

>>47204212
> Throw Verve and draw an iron knife
Let Verve dance, if this guy favors the demon side Iron is going to suck

>>47204212
> Throw Verve and draw an iron knife
This seems like the safe move, since Verve can attack on its own.

>>47204212
> He can't defend if he's attacking
Just a few lunges, before jumping back and repeating. Put him on the defensive.

>>47204342
It must be a special type of couple for it to happen. kudos to them.

>>47204212
>> Throw Verve and draw an iron knife

Time to kill him twice!

>>47204212
>War sings in your veins, and you love it.

...So, um, is there some side effect on Nathan's woundseeker-ness due to that amulet constantly trying to kill him, and him constantly getting tougher faster than it?

Called, writing new thread.

I don't understand. Why does one option have a secret check but the other two don't and what is the purpose of informing us which options havea secret check

>>47204549
There was feedback on some of the previous ones that folks felt like the sense of risk wasn't conveyed; this time I said it up front.

>>47204597
So its riskier than the other two choices and you want us to know that. Alright. Is there some sort of implied advantage to it?

Better chance of killing the oni without repercussions?

NEW THREAD

>>47204640
>>47204640
>>47204640
>>47204640

>>47204650
> Better chance of killing the oni without repercussions?

Pretty much this, eye. Throw the dice and pray for big hits, no whammies.