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>>47204640
You're feeling pretty good about this. The demon's weapon is huge, clumsy, and - shifting shape.

Of course it is.

The club melts, splitting into a pair of smaller spiked clubs similar in shape but not in size. He parries Verve's next attack and grins viciously.

You draw a machete to go with your iron knife. He's got size and reach on you, and it's not like he's exactly slow. You...

> Have an idea
> Fight defensively
> Scan the room for something useful

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

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

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>>47204677
>> Have an idea

>>47204677
>> Have an idea

>>47204677
>> Fight defensively

We've got allies vs dogs; times on our side once his addons get taken care of.

>>47204677
>Have an idea
This sounds too fun to not vote for.

>>47204677
> Have an idea

>>47204677
>> Have an idea

Creative fighting, my favourite kind!

>>47204677
>Have an idea
Our shadow can fight independently, right? So us, our sword, andour shadow can attack the oni at the same time, and the oni can only block two of us.

Wait, do we have to contribute an idea in order to choose that option?

>>47206626
You don't. And Nate's shadow can't fight.

>>47206707
Has a woundseeker's shadow ever been shadowed by a necromancer?

>>47206753
>>47206707
What would happen to a woundseeker necromancer that makes a shadow?

>>47206797
Also would anything special happen if a necromancer made a shadow out of a dying woundseeker?

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>>47206753
>>47206797
>>47206936

>>47206936
>Bri, if anything should happen to me, I want you to make a shadow out of me.
>Why would you even
>BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS

>>47204677
>Go for the backstab!

>>47207171
It didn't take long for River to become skilled enough to make a shadow. Could Nathan learn? Then again, he may not have the stomach to create one. Heroes.

>>47207068
That's right, we have two of them. A few more and we'll be able to do some proper experiments.

>>47206753
>>47206936
>>47206797
The la Croix don't know, but they suspect that such a shadow would relate more to its owner - the woundseeker - than the death.

>>47207449
Nathan doesn't have the advantage of 24/7 training to spur him forward, to say nothing of River's previous experiences with death.

Two and a half hours and change to call.

>>47204677
> Fight defensively
Perhaps the goon will show an opening

One hour and change to call.

>>47204677
>> Have an idea

Home. Will call and write soon.

Called, writing.

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>>47204677
You have an idea. You hurl your iron knife, forcing a swift parry that earns your foe a slash from Verve. You lunge, chopping with the machete, and bury it in the half-oni's wrist. You know it'll hurt him less than iron, but honestly, that's not what you need it for.

When it sticks in his bone, you /wrench/, topping the creature sideways as his joint torques.

"IDIOT HERO!" the half-oni bellows, already shifting shape to get away from your blade.

In answer, you press your prosthetic against his chest, making him howl in pain - and slip the amulet over his neck.

The results are immediate. The outraged sounds of pain coming from the part-demon's throat become terror and agony. He claws at his neck with one hand, fingers too feeble even now to rip the amulet from his throat. You see him wither, shrinking in on himself, screaming in terror. His flesh shrinks and blows away as dust, and soon even the bones are gone, leaving only the amulet sitting on a lonely pile of what was once a living creature.

He only stopped screaming when he no longer had a throat.

Stunned silence fills the room, until Amy cuts the throat of the dog she's fighting while it's distracted.

It's like someone gave you a cue. You throw up.

* * * * * *

You are Brianna la Croix, and it's been a long day. A long, trying day.

You can still hear the Diviner's accusations ringing in your head, chasing Trust's offer around in your mind. You remember the smoke of your grandmother's incense, the night you killed your first man.

The fear in River's eyes when you taught her to make a shadow.

At least Emily and Hatchet are safe, for the moment. Not that it matters, you're out fucking cold. You'll wake up when you wake up.

Lora silently passes you a cigar and sits next to you.

"Need to talk?" the angel asks.

> No
> I'd like to talk to my grandmother
> Yes. Gods, yes.

>>47211988
>> I'd like to talk to my grandmother

>>47211988
So thats what the amulet does. Wonder what it does for the thing inside the central room?

> Yes. Gods, yes.

>>47211988
....I just realized that I didn't vote.

>>47211988
>Yes. Gods, yes.
>Can you get tired when you're only a soul? What would happen if I drank coffee right now?

>>47211988
> Yes. Gods, yes.
Commence venting.

I mean, seriously. Why must Chosen make such terrible decisions. He could have just cursed the Pallbearer and crew with, I don't know, leprosy maybe? That's a classic. But no, he had to be creative. "Can only have the things you take." Fucking brilliant. Before that, they would have eventually just died from either the pirate lifestyle or failing that old age and been out of everyone's hair for good. But no. Someone just had to get all greek with his curses.

>>47204640
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc2go1SUD1s

ALWAYS KILL THE DOGS FIRST

>>47211988
>> Yes. Gods, yes.

Let's not push to talk to grandma. Yeah, she could answer it... but I don't think we should really abuse this thing.

>>47212104

This anon though, has a good point. Yeah, the bit with the Diviner rings in our ears, way too uncomfortably, but Grams seems the kind of person who has a reason for everything. If she didn't teach us, then we either weren't ready, or she felt that there was a reason we shouldn't know it. Maybe it's dangerous, or hilariously impractical.

But that Chosen's plan maybe wasn't the best thing to have done. It's greek, and I'm sure most people regret it, but... I don't think that's much comfort to the thousands of lives they destroyed after they got 'immortality'.

Called, writing.

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>>47211988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgoz3XkW1UM

You take a long puff on the cigar and let the foul smoke trickle from your nose. Lark's work is the absolute worst you've ever had, and it is, in its own way, comforting.

"Yeah," you murmur. "I think I need to talk." Your eyes go to Lora's blade, split in half down the middle, and the spectral screams and sobs that echo from it. "What was her name?"

"Gabrielle," Lora answers, softly. "Her story, I think, would be familiar to you. She lost her way and chose to believe light was a myth rather than accept that she settled for darkness."

You nod, taking another puff. "Yeah, I know that story."

"You're awfully calm," Lora suggests.

"How do you /want/ me to be?" you snap, the fury rising in your breast with sudden heat. "What am I /supposed/ to feel, Lora? Huh? I can't stop thinking about this place, and, and these /people/, and all of the /shit/ that's happened! Who in the /fuck/ thought that what they did to the /Pallbearer/ was remotely acceptable? Why can't I stop thinking about what /she/ said to me? I can't - /why me/? What did I do to deserve this?"

Lora pulls you into a one-armed hug as you start to sob.

"Why?" you repeat, helplessly.

"What're you trying to talk about, Bri?" Lora asks, her voice kind. She squeezes you around the shoulders.

> The /Pallbearer/
> Gabrielle's accusations
> Your family
> Write-in? (don't make me regret this, anon, please)

>>47212588
>> The /Pallbearer/

>>47212588
> The /Pallbearer/

>>47212588
>> The /Pallbearer/

>>47212588
>> The /Pallbearer/

Anyway, the Pallbearer thing, in general, was terrible. It's a curse, is all it is. It didn't protect anyone, didn't stop the raids, and made it nigh impossible for the /pirates/ to stop. All it did was make people miserable.

Which makes me wonder a little bit about the Quell, and just what it is. Most of the other gods, we've heard about being a he or a she. The Quell's always been an 'it'. Embodying law and neutrality. So, why'd it's Chosen do something that was pretty much just spite?

Also...
>She lost her way and chose to believe light was a myth rather than accept that she settled for darkness.

That's quite a way with words, you got there. I like it.

>>47212588
Goddamnit, we already know the answer as to why we "deserve this". Or we should, given our family. We know why there's evil in the world, because we can see the easy way out every time we run into a problem caused by Zombie Armies.

And we have to make that choice, because we're in the position to make that choice.

I guess it would be nice to know

> What we do DOES make a difference, right?

I guess.

I'm pretty confused as to why Brianna is breaking down like this. I would much more expect her to want to know if Lora is able to draw the line somewhere, if letting mortals have free will means unlimited capacity for evil with shit like this, if there's no middle ground.

>>47212923
> I'm pretty confused as to why Brianna is breaking down like this.

Gabrielle did a number on her mood. And you have to remember, from Bri's perspective that wasn't all that long ago - she hasn't even /slept/ since then. She's still wound up, still hurt, still...scared. Scared that the Diviner wasn't just fucking with her, that some, maybe even most, of what she said or accused was /right/.

When Bri passed on the shadow lore to River it was an event both of them regretted. And Gabrielle cast it as perpetuating a cycle of abuse and murder. That'll do a fuckin' number on a girl.

I need to hit bed. Votes remain open until the morning.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>47211988
Damn. It's like the Arc of the Covenant all over again.

I like it!

>>47212588
>The /Pallbearer/.
Though..I honestly think its more appropriate as a combo. Old hurt being compounded and exacerbated by the new hurt.

> When Bri passed on the shadow lore to River it was an event both of them regretted.

I'm starting to get that impression, yes. Shadows are apparently indeed among the most useful of servants, based on what we've seen so far. Useful in the "kill things" sense, that is. They're pretty messed up, as a concept.

I do wonder if we could even GET Kat to do things that aren't killing related. Fluff the pillows, make coffee, broom the floor, apply bandages... y'know, mundane things. Might make it easier to feel ok about them.

>>47213959
Kat cuddled with Nate's shadow almost immediately after Bri created her, so I think Kat can do at least some non murder related things.

>>47214504
If Kat and Nate's shadow fuck, will there be a shadow babby? I've read Game of Thrones. Shadow babbies are the shit.

>>47214589
You know, when Vox mentioned the whole "What are you doing? I created you!" thing, I figured that was just the shadow killing its creator. I totally didn't think that it might be a shadow humping another shadow, much to the embarrassment of the people that own/created them.

>>47214589
Eww.

>>47214712
Well, Nate's shadow didn't do anything lewd with Brooks shadow. Except the only sexual taboo on 4chan; hand-holding. Absolutely disgusting.

>>47214589
I really need to know the answer to can shadows have sex, the question.

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>>47216648
Pic related

>>47216648
I think it depends on the angle of the light sources and the clothing status of the owners

I'm awake. Will call and write after preventing homelessness.

>>47216648
No.

>>47218207
They can do something as lewd as holding hands but they can't fuck?

Nah, we're testing this.

Campfire lit sex. I wanna see those sentient shadows bang.

Homelessness prevented. Called, writing.

>>47218489
Oh, sure. In the dark, when you're sleeping and the lamp is off, they're banging you.

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>>47212588
"Tell me about the /Pallbearer/," you whisper. "Tell me why this happened."

"It was a different time," Lora murmurs. "...I'm going to tell you something that was told to me in confidence. I'm going to tell it to you so that you understand, but I am asking you to keep that confidence."

You nod against Lora and listen. Your cigar burns unattended.

"When I was in conflict with my creators, various efforts were made to make peace with me. I never hated them, and entertained them when they came to call upon me." Lora takes a deep breath and lets out a ring of smoke. "Wren the Rhymer visited me, after a particularly bad argument. She was drunk."

"Gods get drunk?" you ask.

"When they want to," Lora agrees, nodding. "She was drunk and unhappy. Wouldn't stop apologizing to me. And what she said stuck with me, for a long time. She said, 'We're doing the best we can. There's no one here to teach us. No one to tell us if we're doing it wrong.' And she was so..." Lora looks at the empty bench, across the room. "So lost. That was a long time ago. That was before your species was created, actually."

"That's...a little surreal," you admit.

"I know. It's always rough to realize that your parents aren't perfect." Lora gives you a little smile. "What I'm getting at, I suppose, is that while the gods are wise and knowledgeable, they did not gain that knowledge, that wisdom, without trial and error. Without making mistakes. When the /Pallbearer/ sinned against them and their faithful, the Quell acted to make an example of it, both then and for all ages to come. By the time it was realized that the punishment was worse than the crime, it was already too late. The Quell's word is its bond. A deal was struck and cannot be un-done."

"So what happens when we destroy the chain?" you ask.

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>>47219422
"I don't know," Lora admits. "I could destroy it and end the curse forever. But the Quell is a strange sort of thing, and I am not certain it would be grateful to me."

"Lora..."

"We'll discuss it when we get there," Lora tells you. "It didn't ask to be involved in this, and neither did its crew. I bear them no ill-will."

"That's...that's good to hear," you admit. You tap a pillar of ash from the end of your cigar and take a puff. "Did the Quell learn from it?"

"It did," Lora agrees.

> What do you want to talk about?

>>47219448
> Ask about Emily, and what her duties might be.

>>47219448
>Ask about Emily, would teaching her our family's way of working with death be enough?

I may end up having to leave this one open. We'll see. The good news is, I've got the next two days wholly off. The bad news is, Professional Writing is kicking into higher gear again.

Yeah, gotta leave this one open. My apologies; today was busy (paycheck day tends to be).

Questions, comments, discussion, feedback, and criticisms remain welcome and appreciated. I'll address as much as I can from work but no promises.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

Slow day.

>>47219448
>Ask if souls need to take a break. It feels....odd, being completely wiped in body but talking to you like this.

>>47221510
Indeed, fuck thursdays.

>>47219448
>Ask about the pallbearer
>How long do we have to agree to be it's captain before it starts a murderous rampage?

>>47220892
Quite alright.
Stay cool.
Thanks.

Four hours and change to call. I may drive to a friend's tonight, which would delay the process a bit.

Three hours and change to call.

>>47222131
>>Ask about the pallbearer
>>How long do we have to agree to be it's captain before it starts a murderous rampage?
Seconding this

>>47219448
>"Emily. She's confused, and scared, and most of all, she's in mourning for the man she loved."
>"How do I help her? And what do /you/ want from her, as your Chosen?"

So - I keep hitting a wall on the divinity doc. What do folks most want to know about the gods, with the limitation that it must be something that mortals know or suspect?

>>47225180
How do they have sex

>>47225180
Their relationship with each other. Like, does the Forge god think the Quell is a dullard that can't do anything right without someone looking after it, or if Wren the Rhymer is working to, say, bury the God of Strife in small furry animals?

>>47225180
Hmm, what do we want to know about the Gods of your magical setting? Well, so far they seem pretty based.

>Go into detail about their domains.
Example being that Red Troth doesn't support mindless bloodlust, but honor and valor. No berserkers here.
>Their interactions, both good and bad.
Also any interactions, good or bad, between their followers. One example being the Forgemaster and Red Troth being bros most of the time.
>Notable champions and Chosen of the Gods.
For example, tell us more about the Chosen of the Quell we've been hearing about.
>Any powerful artifacts or relics.
We saw Heart's Ease in the side quest. Let's see some more.

>>47225198
Enthusiastically.

>>47225653
but have any of the gods ever dated..... each other, maybe back when there were very few other beings to do anything with

>>47225180
What/If they have some sort of Proof or Essence of Divinity. Whether there is something common to all of them that "defines" what is a divinity.

We already know, but it should be good to note whether they are capable of Change.

Common and Exotic rituals/sayings/aesthetics, and what regions such are practiced.

How they feel about representations, depictions, and the worship of their subjects(angels, Chosen, etc)

Other Names/Aliases

Prophesies that may or may not be attributed to particular gods?

>>47225653
That was probably one of the awkward yet incredibly fun parts of Creation. Also, one of those awkward questions asked by every priest, cleric or Chosen ever.
>"Umm..This is a weird question for me to ask, but..Why did the Gods create sex?"
>"Because it's fucking fun!"

>>47225796
>"You mean it fun fucking, right?"
>"That too."

>>47225545
Oh, forgot to include;
>Some of the more widespread and recognizable demigods.

>>47225796
>nigga have you SEEN the booty on those angels
>because Me damn, them is some fiiiiine wimmins
>I was like, "I gotta make something you can do with that glorious ass that isn't shitting. It's too beautiful to waste."
>so I invented dicks, and shit was tight (yaknowwhatimsayin)

>>47225653
What's the bets that if we looked we'd be able to find erotic fanfiction of the gods in the big library

>>47225180
How about what makes the gods different from other beings? Can gods be created or die?

>>47220300
>The bad news is, Professional Writing is kicking into higher gear again.

I dunno, that sounds like Good News to me!

>>47225986
>there's an entire wing dedicated to smut curated by fetishists
>they're constantly engaged in scholarly debate as to which fetishes are best and in what combination
>has the best index and search tag system of the whole floor, with ratings!

>>47226055
Soooo there's an entire section of the Divine Library that is literally 4chan?

That's..worrying.

>>47226085
The difference is that Gods have no place in 4chan, and flaming works.

I'm gonna drive to that friend's house; update in a bit more than an hour. Discussion and questions still welcome.

>>47226104
>and flaming works

The problem is that it's literal.

I may end up needing more than one doc to answer these questions but they're very nice.

>>47227402
You could probably do one doc for each of the major Gods, with info on relevant events, places, followers, etc.

At long last - called, writing.

I'm seeing Civil War tomorrow; expect an appropriate delay. Well. Later today, technically.

>>47228777
Lucky trips from the Lich! They foretell great things to come!

By the way, how's Mourner's coming?

>>47228811
KS updated recently. We're still getting the cover settled due to...stylistic disagreements, between myself and the bossman.

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>>47219448
"How long do we have until the /Pallbearer/ goes berserk?" you ask.

"Don't know," Lora admits. "A fortnight? Three weeks? Not long. But there are other matters to attend to."

"I can split my forces," you reason.

"...You'll do as you feel best," Lora agrees, distantly. She reaches under the bench and pulls out Feathers before carefully putting the stuffed griffon into your pack. "This is yours. Thank you for letting me borrow him."

"Lora...what do I do about Emily?" you ask, sitting up a little straighter.

"I don't know," the angel answers, looking away.

"What do you mean, you don't know? Isn't there something you want her to do?"

"Isn't it bad enough that I took someone at her lowest point and gave her the job I hate?" the angel snaps. "She can do whatever she wants. I don't care!"

"...I'm not the only one Gabrielle's been talking to," you guess, softly.

"You want a fucking cookie?"

> ...Fine. I'll let her know.
> Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?
> Leaving her without guidance would be worse and you know it.
> You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.
> Write-in?

Choose up to two.

>>47229547
> Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?
> You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.

That took entirely too long. Yay/curses for fucking insomnia. I'm gonna try to go to bed now and update whenever I wake up. Votes remain open.

I'm sorry this week's been fucking weird.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating.

> Write-In: Yes, I would like a fucking cookie. Gabrielle is a bad person. Listening to her is of very little use and just drags you down with her. She could even find bad things to say about cuddling with Feathers!

> Leaving her without guidance would be worse and you know it.

Srsly.

> Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?
> Write in: Leaving her without guidance would be worse; you've guided me through this, you can guide her through that. She's as much a victim as any of us but we don't have to let her deal with it alone.

>>47228911
I thought you were going to use that group shot as the cover pic? Could always go the minimalist route and just use an icon or symbol that comes up a lot in the story.

>>47229612
Supporting this.

>>47229763
The disagreements are about font & text color.

>>47229774
What about a style relating to whatever cultures/time periods influence the story? Like a bold Roman print if the setting where based in a Greeco-Roman civilization.

>>47229547
>> Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?
>> You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.

At the end of the day, we all need a little bit of help. Maybe Lora didn't ask to be born, nobody does. But we have it in ourselves to step up, and help one another. Even the Gods didn't do everything by themselves.

>>47229612
Seconding this. I'd write it myself but mobile is suffering.

>>47229547
>> Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?
> You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.

Honestly, I don't know which would be scarier, finding out the gods actively hate your species or finding out they don't and just have no idea what they're doing.

>>47229547
> Leaving her without guidance would be worse and you know it.
> You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.
"Lora, Emily needs direction. At least talk to her, give her something simple to do and to reach for."

>>47229547
>> Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?
>> You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.

>>47229547
> Leaving her without guidance would be worse and you know it.
> Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?

>>47229547
>Lora, what you are isn't /bad/. Remember?
>You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.

Death isn't good or bad, it just /is/.

>>47229547
>Leaving her without guidance would be worse and you know it.
> You could be her friend, Lora. I'll bet you anything she needs one as bad as you do right about now.

I'm awake. Will call and write soon.

>>47231510
Also have you noticed a trend in the fact that all immortal beings either gradually go insane, commit suicide, or end up running everything?

Death makes things actually have purpose, without it everything would be meaningless.

Called, writin'

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>>47229547
Your first instinct - from long months of being with and around Amy - is to scritch Lora's head but somehow you doubt the angel would like it as much as your lover does.

"Lora, what you do, what you are, it isn't a bad thing," you remind her. "People are afraid of death because it's a big change. Because it involves loss. But it isn't just vital, but healthy. You're needed."

"I...I know that," Lora sighs. "I. I don't know, Bri. I fucked up. I got lonely, and stupid, and -"

You lean your head against Lora's shoulder, and the angel goes quiet. "I know," you tell her. "And we can talk more about that some time, if you want to. But...Lora, right now, Emily needs a friend. And I'm going to try and be one, but you could be too. She needs them as badly as you do, right now. Her life's been flipped upside-down, not just by you but by the future she envisioned for herself being taken away from her. She's going to be grieving, and furious, and maybe even want revenge. And I think you know that feeling."

"I..." Lora nods. "I do know that feeling. But she can't trust me right now either. Her position is not like yours. She is not protected from me being forced to give misinformation or even contradictory orders."

"I'll let her know," you promise. "...Hey Lora?"

"Aye?"

"Thanks for being honest with me."

The angel looks away, with a shy little grin. "You're welcome."

* * * * *

> You are Flitter
> You are Jack the Debtor

And now, movie time. I'll update when I get back.

>>47234627
>> You are Jack the Debtor

>>47234627
>> You are Flitter

Sometimes being the one next to the guy with the chain can be better.

>>47234627
>You are Flitter
We've already been Jack; lets look at things from a new perspective.

>>47234627
>You are Flitter

>>47234627
On the one hand, I want to see inside Flitter's head.
On the other hand, playing as Jack might be a good way to get them to patch things up (and maybe avoid Jack getting killed).

I think I'll go with
> You are Flitter

>>47235087
I bet Nathan will be able to act as an impromptu relationship councillor, seeing as Jack pushing Flitter away 'cause he has a big job to do is kinda what Bri does all the time.

>>47234627
> You are Jack the Debtor

>>47234627
>> You are Flitter

>>47234627
>You are Flitter.

>>47234627
>You are Flitter.

>>47234627
>>You are Flitter.

>>47234627
>>> You are Flitter
Let's be fey

>>47236949
lets avoid molten iron this time

gobble is kill

Movie is over; will call and write soon.

>>47238066
>>47238068
>13 second difference
OK, this is getting out of hand

>>47238068
So how about that movie where nothing happened and nothing changed?

>>47238089
Vhat?

>>47238213
"gobble is kill" is a kind-of meme from Gobble's quest where anytime someone says it (usually after he's been gone for a while) he'll post again within the minute. It also often works/worked for Languid, REQM, Deculture...

>>47238213
>>47238266
Fuck, I meant to write 'Vox is kill.'

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>>47238266
This sounds like magic Anon.

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>>47234627
You are Flitter, a pixie, and today is a bad day.

The thing about fairies is they have no souls. The thing about pixies is they're very good at detecting them. Why? Blown if you know. You didn't even realize it was a thing until you left the Mistlands, all those years ago, and first wandered towards the strange lights you saw in the distance, lights that were people.

That still blows your mind. You are a body; they are souls. Their body has some sort of odd relationship with the soul that you still haven't teased out but it fascinates you. Fairies are easy. This whole 'person cloaked in a meat sack' thing...

You're trying not to think about the Hero. And you really need to. The Innocent Soul is in his hand, and from what you can tell, he intends on offering it to Jack. But can you trust him? His light blazes bright and clean; complex but consistent, warming others around him without conscious thought. The half-harpy and the elves burn hot too, full of passion. Good people, you think, but not like the Hero. They're people who think about their light.

What to do...

> Tell Jack immediately
> Let the Hero turn over the soul
> Lead the group into a trap

>>47239007
>Let the Hero turn over the soul

>>47239007
>> Let the Hero turn over the soul

>>47239007
> Let the Hero turn over the soul

Heroes gotta hero.

>>47239007
>> Lead the group into a trap

Because you morons were dumb enough to trust the Fey.

>>47239007
>> Tell Jack immediately

Consult, then act.

>>47239007
> Tell Jack immediately
So he doesn't freak out at nate having a soul he didn't ask for or tell him about.

>>47239007
> Tell Jack immediately
Peopling is hard. We need help.

>>47239007
>Let the Hero turn over the soul

>>47239007
Anyone else kinda freaked out that a soulless alien has a natural talent for seeking out and analyzing souls?

>>47239007
>> Tell Jack immediately

>>47239007
> Tell Jack immediately

Because I like when things go pearshaped.

>>47239505
Fairies have never had souls. It's why they don't like Christians.

>>47240019
It's not their lack of souls that bothers me so much as their seemingly being specially made to obtain them. It's got me shadowrunning the setting's lore.

>>47239007
>> Tell Jack immediately

cards on the table, we can work out the chain once jack has what he needs.

I already know how this'll go, and I'm just going to leave this vague in anticipation.

Called, writing.

Yay, finally I am caught up with the quest after archive binging.

A couple things that I thought of while binging that I might as well share while I still remember:

When Lora asked what we wanted at the end of all this it seemed like the question was never really definitively answered.

The write in I would have felt compelled to contribute, which seems to be consistent with how things have gone was "A loyal friend." Implying that being friends with death herself would be reward enough for a necromancer in general and for Brianna in particular. Besides, Lora seems like an interesting person.

I just hope all the signals I'm picking up on that seem to foreshadow that she is going to take part in some contrived dramatic self-sacrificing gesture in service of some hackneyed attempt to raise the stakes near the final act are false.

I strongly advocate against repeating WotC's mistakes and killing or "fridge"ing off gods and demigods in your setting haphazardly, as that severely undermines the archetypes you are invoking by having such characters in the first place.

To clarify: I am not saying to give Lora plot armor, I am just pointing out that killing or marginalizing her, as things stand, would be extremely difficult to pull off as anything other than a hackish attempt at being dramatic.

>>47241303
I think she's tried to give up her job of being death once already, and that's what got her into this in the first place. Don't think it'll happen again for a while somehow, not to mention that being death itself I doubt she'll do much dying on her own.

>>47241487
Pretty sure it was confirmed that she can choose to die.

>>47241502
There are so many things about Lora's nature that are confusing and maybe even inconsistent if you scrutinize them, but this particular facet just seems like a bit of an amusing riddle.

"Can death kill herself?"

I really hope it isn't that simple. I would think she would have killed herself already when she was going through her equivalent of rebellious teenager and begrudging her own existence if it was.

>>47241699
There are a very large number of rebellious teenagers out there; a depressingly large number of them do commit suicide, but in absolute terms it's still an extremely minute fraction.

>>47241699
Wait, was Lora the First Rebellious Goth Teen?

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>>47239007
You need to lay everything on the table. Jack'll...not understand, exactly, but he'll be a little calmer.

You hope.

"What happens once Jack has this?" Nathan asks.

"I don't know," you admit. "...Suppose that depends on if he wants to settle his business with you first."

The half-harpy shifts uncomfortably. A blood-red streak in her soul's light pulses, in time with the twitch of her fingers near her weapons.

The Hero, though, he just nods. "Fair enough," Nathan agrees.

Jack isn't hard to find. Light and shadows; you could spot him through a thousand feet of stone and know it was him. Hope shines bright behind a wall of fear and desperation.

"Flitter, Nath-is that it?" Jack asks, his eyes on the globe in Nathan's hand. "Flitter, how'd you -?"

"They helped," you tell him. You watch, heart in your throat, as Nathan hands it over. Jack takes the soul in both hands, the relief etched across his face.

"I cannot repay you enough. This...you've saved my life," Jack whispers.

"Jack, there's something you need to know," you say, flitting to his shoulder. "...They're with the necromancer."

Jack stiffens immediately.

"I would have told him," Nathan says, flicking a broken-eyed glance at you.

"I know you would have," you answer. "But I had to. Jack, I don't want anyone to get - Jack, don't open that bag!" Jack's hand freezes, just above the drawstring of the sack on his belt. "You don't have to hurt them!"

"I haven't come this far just to die at the finish line," Jack says in a low tone, his voice shaking. He takes a step back. "Everything I've stolen, every mistake I've made to undo this, I'm not about to let it just be taken away from me."

"I could have put a sword in you any time," Nathan murmurs, calmly. "Do you really want to have this fight?"

"How do you think this ends when the angel gets me?" Jack snaps.

>>47241885
> Plead for peace
> Ask Jack to summon the angel to talk
> Tell Nathan that Jack should have the chance to pay his debt first
> Attack
> Write-in?

>>47241902
>> Write-in?

"Jack think about it, 2 of the others chain bearers are still alive. If they convinced the angle to spare the fucking traitor they can convince her to spare you!"

>>47241699
Killing herself wouldn't have gotten Lora what she wanted at the time and she knew it.

>>47241831
Granted, but most of them don't have to do a job as hard and distasteful as Lora's

>>47241885
> Plead for peace
> Write-in?
Flitter was there when Jack mentioned that not being a mass-murdering asshole might save him. Remind him of that.

Also, the Poet and the Traitor were both spared. The chainbearers mentioned in the past that they totally thought Lora would have a personal beef with the Poet, and they were surprised that she was spared. And the Traitor is bat shit crazy, but she was spared too. Crazier things have happened.

>>47241902
> Ask Jack to summon the angel to talk

>>47241902
>Ask Jack to summon the angel to talk

>>47241902
>> Ask Jack to summon the angel to talk

>>47241831
Her rebellion was that she didn't want there to be death at all. She wanted a world that had some semblance of permanence, something different from a mortal world where everything is fleeting and all things pass with time. And, if her creation of the Roos is any indication, it probably wasn't entirely for selfless reasons. She's an eternal being in a world filled with mortals. She gets to know someone, then has to go off and do her job, and then before she knows it a hundred years have passed and the person she met is dead and gone. She has trouble connecting with mortals, and I think she wanted a world of immortals in part so that she would have more people that she could connect with without them dying on her every few decades.

>>47241952
>the angle

If Lora was an angle, she'd be a cute

>>47241902
>> Ask Jack to summon the angel to talk

>>47241885
> Write-in

"By all means Jack, keep your wits about you but maybe at least hear why they took such a huge risk willfully exposing themselves in the first place."

>>47241885
This is not a vote, rather a general question regarding all chain holders.

The holders all seem to comprehend that they are making an enemy of death by participating in this grand scheme. They also comprehend that their actions will lead to a considerable amount of retribution if Lora ever gets the opportunity.

Do they have any contingency whatsoever that saves them from eventually, one way or another, becoming Lora's victims? She is immortal, they are not. I suppose they could feasibly order Lora to let them live forever but even then they are just one mishap away from an eternity of incomprehensible suffering. They are only able to live so long as the Hocus Pocus checking Lora holds. Lora, poetically enough considering she is death, only needs to wait for things to change in some small way before she can have her way with all of them.

Either the holders have a plan to destroy or marginalize Lora and her wrath, or they are doomed to someday be at her mercy by virtue of Murphy's law.

So what is their endgame? How did Richard get them on board if they knew all this? If they didn't know all this from the outset but learned later, why haven't they all used their connection to Lora to negotiate a way out? Did Richard just say "Don't worry guys I got a plan, trust me." or do they actually have some reassurance that they aren't utterly screwed?

We did turn 2 holders, wouldn't this be an obvious question? "So how were you planning to keep Death at bay, figuratively and literally, forever?" Why haven't we asked them more questions about what the holders were planning anyway?

Done now. Sorry. The quest is enjoyable regardless.

>>47241902
> Ask Jack to summon the angel to talk

>>47242610
Their plan literally involves destroying the world and creating a new one. I think that success means that there is an entire new world where Lora can't touch them cause Dick makes the rules.

>>47241902
> Ask Jack to summon the angel to talk

>>47242904
See, that would make sense except it is speculation on your part. I can see where you could get such an idea from and it sounds like a plausible and educated guess.

However, no character has explored that notion or the associated consequences in story, yet.

I was looking for something a little firmer.

>>47242610
Remember Brigette describing the progression of Lora's binding? When most of these folks got into the scheme, circumstances were different. Then they were stuck for it without a way back out.

A very few got in later, with reassurances that the angel was "well in hand."

>>47241303
Also, welcome to the quest, anon! Anything stand out on your journey here?

As for your advice, it's noted and appreciated, but I should note that I was kinda raised in 2e and have followed the gaming industry since. I am well familiar with some of the world's most flagrantly stupid worldbuilding mistakes.

>>47241902
>Write-in.
>"Why do you think I chose to help you in the first place, instead of driving my blade into your heart?"
>"I know you don't want to hurt anyone, and you never wanted to become anything like the Lush or the Diviner. But in accepting to serve Richard, to help bind Lora, you've been complicit in the suffering of so many."
>"I can't speak for Lora. And to be honest, she deserves to reap vengeance on those who have done her and the people of the Dungeon wrong. But she isn't some heartless monster; she knows you never intended to hurt these people, or her."
>"If she was willing to show Natalia, /my mother/, mercy, then she may be willing to stay her hand for you as well. But you /have/ to be willing to make amends. To accept that you've made mistakes, and try to atone for them."

Too wordy? Feels like it. But I think you get the idea.

>>47241857
to be fair to her, being stuck with just about the most depressing possible job the instant you were born is a fairly legitimate reason to be angry and angsty.

>>47243169
We're still Flitter, anon.

>>47243180
Well, shit. Now I just feel stupid.

>>47243180
I see nothing to indicate this comment isn't from the perspective of Flitter (Provided we agree on the assumption that she is Nathan's long lost sister).

>>47243060
Oh dear. So these people didn't realize they were signing up to have their souls tormented by an irate angel indefinitely if anything in the plan went awry?

Surely they must have clued in by now?

It's just that all the chain holders so far, Jack included, seem to know that it's bad news if they ever have to face the music. How do they plan to avoid facing the music? If they have no plan to avoid facing the music, why not negotiate?

I am giving you the benefit of the doubt on this issue (and many others for that matter) for the most part. It's just Jack's immediate thought goes to what the angel is going to do to him so it seemed relevant.

>>47243282
I'm assuming that Richard's plan is supposed to solve this potential downside once he actually pulls it off. It certainly sounds like we're gonna rewrite a significant portion of the system, so why not protect his friends in the process, if he wins?

>>47243282
Well, as far as I remember, Richard conned Lora by convincing her agree to serve him. I don't know /why/ she agreed, and what for, but Vox did say she was naive (having no real experience with people will do that).

Jack might have been brought in shortly after this, and didn't see the evil takeover coming until /after/ it happened. By the time it did, it was pretty much too late to turn back.

Ironically, if this is or was the case, he has a better chance of seeking forgiveness from Lora than anyone else, because he hasn't actually done anything to her or the Warehouse.

>>47243350
He hasn't cared before, I doubt he'd start once he thinks he's got the powers of God.

>>47243243
It refers to Natalia as the speaker's mother, meaning it's from Nate's point of view.

>>47243396
>He hasn't cared before, I doubt he'd start once he thinks he's got the powers of God.
I'm not exactly saying he /will/ do that. In fact, from what Lora's shown us, I don't think he'll be able to protect much of anything, whatever he wants. I'm saying that's the plan as it's articulated to his followers. Think about it. As far as they know, they're screwed if he loses. All he has to do is dangle the possibility that they might not be screwed if he wins.

>>47243515
You didn't fully read my comment. There is a possibility that at some point in her mercenary life Natalia adopted a lost pixie child. Because Nathan was abandoned as a child and doesn't go by his mother's name it makes sense that Flitter didn't recognize him as her brother.

>>47243635
That's... a hell of an assumption, anon. Are you basing it on something?

>>47243695
The assumption that Nate having a pixie nii-san would make me smile.

>>47243635
Yeah, and I don't agree with that assumption on account of it being silly. We are the Ministry of Silly Walks, not the Ministry of Silly Assumptions.

>>47241902
> Write-in?
Flitter is now Nathan's sister

>>47243722
Amy: "My lover has a silly walk to register!"

>>47243108
Well, short answer is: the writing is good.

The world has some nice unique touches while still feeling pretty familiar. The tone of the story is varied, it doesn't rely overly on any one particular dramatic device to maintain interest. Dialogue is pretty good, believable. There has been a minimum of contrived difficulties that should have been solved by mere common sense, a pet peeve of mine and many others I am sure.

The bad? I feel like we go through villains before they have much of a chance to develop themselves as memorable characters. Vintner was fine, that was just the type of villain he was: he was memorable for his depravity and conceit, an effective if uncomplicated villain. Ditto that somewhat for Lisa, I even remember that she had her eyes on an important McGuffin. The rest? I would have liked to have been able to say a bit more about them and their schemes/goals than I actually can. I'm not saying that there was nothing there, it just didn't really leave enough of an impression. I am not counting Brigette mind you because she turned out to be anything but a villain, despite what she seems to think.

In my opinion, the dungeon could stand to spend a bit more time feeling like a classic adventurer's dungeon. It's fine having all these civilized areas, it just could use more exploration of the unknown factor from time to time. Budgeting more effort for the journey and a little less for the destination would be one way to put it. Give us more danger and an incentive to be clever about getting from point A to point B. You know your D&D, you know how it is.

>>47243755
>Seconded

>>47243763
Personally, I've found the villains very memorable, with the exception of the Vitner; I feel that we didn't learn much about him. We learned just enough about their personality, history, and why they are or are not an asshole.

Fuck, even the Diviner was memorable, and we spent all of 1 thread dealing with her.

>>47243755
>>47243774
I'ma invoke the veto on that one. That's. That's not up for vote.

Actually, neither is anything else now - called, writing.

>>47243956
>>47243956
Eh, think I'm gonna veto your veto.

Flitter is Nate's sister now.

>>47243763
> The rest? I would have liked to have been able to say a bit more about them and their schemes/goals than I actually can. I'm not saying that there was nothing there, it just didn't really leave enough of an impression. I am not counting Brigette mind you because she turned out to be anything but a villain, despite what she seems to think.

Well, if we're not counting Bridgette, the rest have been the Baron, the Traitor, and the Diviner. The Traitor is still alive, so her story isn't entirely done yet.

The Baron's deal was loyalty, he was the only one of the chainbearers who wasn't doing it for any sort of reward. Of course, that meant that we also couldn't really interact with him beyond fighting him, because he wasn't interested in talking or really anything beyond pursuing Dick's goals. And when we finally did get him in a position where he couldn't fight anymore, he offed himself.

As for the Diviner, yeah. We went through her pretty fast. But in many ways she really wasn't all that different from the Vinter or Moneychanger. She wasn't a particularly complicated character, she was simply so intensely cynical that she was perfectly happy freezing and starving the entire population of the Broken Jaw because she was convinced that there were no good or even mediocre people in the world. Kind of like how the Moneychanger was happy doing awful things because she honestly believed that having money meant that none of the rules applied to her.

>>47243956
So we can't vote for it, but that doesn't make it not true.

>>47243989
Yeah, the Diviner was definitely closer to the Vintner or Moneychanger than, say, the Debtor or Baron.

...which certainly isn't a bad thing. Sometimes villains need to be two-dimensional hate-sinks, lest your readers get too conflicted over who the 'bad guy' is.

>>47243988
Blaspheme. Nate is just Flitter in a human costume.

>>47244281
False. Every character is Feathers.

>>47244705
you mean this is all a dream by feathers.

>feathers is Azathoth confirmed.

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>>47241902
"Jack, we can talk this out," you tell him, worry wringing your heart. "Summon the angel. You're not a bad person, you're - you're not. If she spared the /Traitor/..."

"Natalia was a poor, mad thing," Jack murmurs. "I don't think the angel could bring herself to hate what was left of that woman."

Nathan winces, and blue-grey sorrow colors the light of his soul. "Summoning Lora would also defend you better against treachery on our part."

"Who the fuck is Lora?" Jack asks. "...I thought her name was Azrael?" he continues, in soft realization.

"She prefers Lora."

"...Alright," Jack agrees. "Everyone's gonna keep their hands away from their weapons. Except for me, because I put the chain in my sack so I can't exactly not have my hand near my weapon."

"What's in the sack?" the female elf - two souls, that one, which is odd to you - asks curiously.

"Wind, fire," Jack answers with a genuine little grin. "All that kind of thing." He opens the drawstrings on the sack and reaches in carefully, pulling out a long chain.

It seems like such an innocent thing, for all the trouble it's caused.

"Azrael...Lora...we need to talk," Jack murmurs.

Freezing fog fills the air, and out of it steps the angel, clothed in death-in-metal and with her blade half-broken. Her expression is cold and terrible, and she regards Jack before noticing Nathan and his compatriots.

"Thy bidding?" the angel asks, formally.

"I -" Jack swallows, shaking in fear. He meets the angel's gaze and straightens his back. "Lora, I would sue for peace between us."

"You're a coward. Of course you would."

> No he's NOT!
> Remain silent
> Frantically gesture for Nate's support

>>47244705
Every character is Feathers... in purgatory!

>>47244921
>> Frantically gesture for Nate's support

>>47244921
> Frantically gesture for Nate's support

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>>47244921
>> No he's NOT!
We are Flitter. We are not a clever fairy.

>>47244921
>No he's NOT!

>>47244921
> No he's NOT!

>>47244921
>> No he's NOT!

Initiate pouting pixie.exe

Thread archived, incidentally.

>>47244921
>> No he's NOT!
If I were to meta game I'd be choosing door number 3 instead.

>>47244921
>>47242610
yeah, I asked this in the last thread:

What are the terms of Jack's chain? Bridgette had an out, she just couldn't relinquish the research. What's Jack's?

Besides, what has Jack actually DONE to Lora? It doesn't seem like he's done any worse than Baron.

>>47245659
Well, overstepping his authority as a mortal is a big no-no in any case.

>>47245659
Richard is required for the escape clause, as was alluded to in his conversation with Brigette. You don't get out unless he lets you out.

>>47245786
So he was tricked into the deal, generally ignores everybody else in favor of just getting the debt cleared, and once he hears about some necromancer killing chainbearers one by one, most of whom he hated anyway.....he DIDN'T curry favor with Lora?

>>47245841
Fear does things to people. Why should he think Lora would tolerate him or seek peace? More importantly, why should he think he'd get away with it? Jack figured if he kept his head down and didn't cause problems, people would Leave Him Alone. And it worked, right up until now, when it didn't.

Though frankly this sorta thing falls under Shit To Ask The Character In Question.

Called, writing.

>>47245864
>>47245864
okay, makes sense. So in this case, Lora's just being nippy after having that talk with First Mate, no implication of anything Bad that Jack did.

>>47244921
Jesus. Does Jack think he somehow doesn't owe a debt to Lora as well?

He should have had enough of unpaid debts. Anyways

> Frantically gesture for Nate's support

Damn it Lora. Risking our lives to save you is one thing, but sending us to fight and die just for your revenge is a dick move.

>>47245841
Up until right now, he thought he was gonna die in a few weeks. What's the point of going through all that work only to lose your soul to a fairy?

>>47244921
>> Frantically gesture for Nate's support

>>47245906
>>47245949
Anons pls. I just called the vote. >>47245864

>>47245969
Shite, sorry. I kinda skipped the last line.

>>47245841
Lora be scary yo.

>>47245969
I spent a bunch of time writing and rewriting.

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>>47244921
"He's not a coward!" you snap, angrily. You flit up into the angel's face, witchlights orbiting you in multicolored fury. "You take that back! You don't know him!"

"Who the hell are you?" the angel asks, blinking.

"I'm his best friend. He /saved me/. Jack hasn't hurt /anyone/ down here! Nobody!"

"I have no business with you," the angel says dismissively, turning her head to look back at Jack. You fly right back into her face.

"Yes you do," you yell. "I won't let you hurt him."

"Do you have any idea what you're tempting?" Lora asks.

"You wanna fuckin' rumble?" you challenge, conjuring another mote of bright violet light. "Your soul's old and tired and, and, and you don't even know what it's /like/. Who the hell said you get to judge anyone? Huh? Do you even know what it's like, to spend your whole life /afraid/? Have you ever been afraid of ANYTHING?"

"Flitter, don't -" Jack begins, until you whirl on him with the light rippling around you in a blazing aurora.

"You be quiet," you snap. "The immortals are talking."

You whirl back on Lora, balls of light in each hand, posture stiff and wings buzzing with all of your tiny rage.

"You think I can't sense the death and pain on him?" Lora asks, softly.

"He made mistakes," you answer back, your voice low. "...Everyone makes mistakes. The man he's become regrets all of that. He doesn't wanna hurt anyone. He doesn't deserve to be condemned for an act of kindness between two people who didn't understand each other!"

"You really would fight me, wouldn't you?" the angel asks.

"I'd win," you answer, confidently.

"Brave little thing," the angel says. "What's your name?"

"Flitter."

"Don't lie to me," she answers, patiently.

"...Belle," you confess. "My name is Belle."

"You are a guest in the Iron Lands, Belle. And I respect your friendship with this man, but I need to talk to him now."

You fly backwards slowly, not relinquishing the light in your fists.

>>47246288
> "You wanna fuckin' rumble?"

Now I need a picture of a fairy putting her dukes up and going "u fukin wot m8? 1v1 me bro!"

Belle a cute.

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>>47246288
"You want peace?" Lora asks Jack. "Peace, between us? You owe me a debt, Jack. You owe me for your part in what happened to me. You owe me for the horrors you did nothing to prevent. You've spent your whole life running from one oath. Why should I believe you'll honor another?"

"...What do you want, Azrael?" Jack whispers. Tears well in the corners of his eyes. "What is it? What more can be taken from me?"

"Don't give me that, Jack," Lora answers, with a shake of her head. "You know what I want from you? I want an apology. I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me what you did. No excuses. No hiding. I want it from your heart, and then, when you're done, I want you to /make amends/."

"I -"

"Jack," a voice calls, from behind.

It's him.

The Lord of Painted Glass.

* * * * *

You are Nathan Bookchild, Hero by repetition, and this fairy is nothing like Silence.

He is tall, it's true, but the man is made of painfully sharp angles, with flesh of bladed glass that drips in a rainbow of colors. They run in a glistening pool along the floor, bleeding light against the walls.

"It's time, Jack," the man repeats, his voice like bells in the wind.

"No it's not," Jack answers, turning with fear in his eyes. "I still have weeks yet, I -"

"Did you really think you could run from me, Jack?" the fairy lord repeats, sorrowfully. "It is time."

"I have other payment, I -"

"No, Jack. If I die, you die with me."

"Leave -" Flitter - Belle? - begins, only to silence herself when Lora steps forward.

"He owes me a debt, fairy," the angel says calmly. "He will pay me before I let you claim him."

"You have no right to interfere, reaper," the fairy answers. "Stand aside."

"No," Lora answers. "I can free him from his oath by destroying you. Do not force me to."

"You will not find me an easy challenge. You have no authority over me," the Lord of Painted Glass whispers, voice all silver bells and sorrow.

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>>47246492
got you covered, m8

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>>47246540
Lora draws her blade and settles into a high guard. "You mistake me for someone who fears death. Relinquish your claim."

Flitter flies up to you and tugs your collar. "Nate, we need to leave," the pixie says. "We can't be anywhere near this!"

"How bad?" you ask.

"...I don't think I can describe it," the pixie whispers, in fear.

> We need to evacuate the civilians. Where are the alarms? (AND Stay to help Lora OR assist the evacuation)
> Okay, let's move
> Jack, this is your fight. Can't you stop them?
> Write-in?

>>47246557
This looks like something from shadowrun, I like it

>>47246578
it IS something from shadowrun, anon

>>47246572
>We need to evacuate the civilians
Heroes gonna hero

>>47246572
>> We need to evacuate the civilians. Where are the alarms? (AND Stay to help Lora OR assist the evacuation)
>> Jack, this is your fight. Can't you stop them?
>> Write-in?
combined: Try talking before fighting. But also send River and Amy (and any others I forgot) to evacuate the populace. Nate as a Hero will stay and help defuse the situation.

>>47246572
>We need to evacuate the civilians. Where are the alarms? (AND Stay to help Lora

>>47246572
Supporting >>47246606

>>47246578
Shadowrun has tinypixies?

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>>47246572
> We need to evacuate the civilians. Where are the alarms? AND Stay to help Lora
Let's do this, HERO time

>>47246572
> Write-in?

Hey, Lord of Painted Glass. Pleased to meet you, I'm Nate. We've come up with a possible solution to your problem, but hey if you would rather commit suicide by Angel rather than take 5 minutes to listen to what Jack has to say, then I guess that's your choice.

Seriously. 5 minutes. Save some lives, maybe not be an asshole to this guy you say you're friends with, not fight an angel of death and probably wreck a bunch of other people's stuff as well like a jerk.

5. Fucking. Minutes.

>>47246908
They're one of the non-standard races, but there are rules for making pixie characters

>>47247010
The plan doesn't save the Lord of Painted Glass's life, it only saves Jack's life.

>>47246572
I still say we give the Fae the soul so Jack doesn't die, and then get River to resurrect him.

>>47247025
See >>47247029

We have a necromancer and we've been brought back before ourselves, it's not so bad.

Besides we can always fight afterwards if he wants to be insistent about it

>>47247010
>>47247013
>>47247025
>>47247029
>>47247042
Jack did just try to say he had another payment and got shut down pretty hard, as seen here: >>47246540. Something to keep in mind.

I need to hit bed. Votes remain open; I'll update when I wake up, then drive home.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

If Lord of Painted Glass ain't taking the soul, eat the soul to gain its powers.

>>47247042
>>47247060
The only diplomatic angle we have open to us is to really push the "you had a deal" angle.

We know that a fairy's word is its bond, and we know that the Lord of Painted Glass made a deal where giving him the soul would fulfill the requirements. If he doesn't want to accept a perfectly legal loophole, then too bad: he agreed to the deal, and he can't back out of it.

>>47247060
Really? The "No I refuse to listen!" Railroad? This Fae dude who had a good enough relationship with Jack to make the deal won't give him a possible out, or even listen to it?

I mean, that sounds more like an asshole double suicide than a Far used to using loopholes to get out of deals. He'd rather fight the Angel of Death and some unknowns to make sure his BFF dies with him?

Choo-Choo all aboard.

>>47247060
What happens if Lora takes Jack's soul to her room Right Now?

>>47247289
Honestly the potlatch as a whole hasn't been adequately set up other than as "this is the plot point". Maybe I'm supposed to know about it from pther media, like fairies, but I don't. So it sunds weird and just it's sorta shitty.

I prefer the seven dollars alternate universe.

>>47246572
Supporting >>47246606 and >>47247090
Because Painted Glass is bending his promise dangerously.

So, just a thought, but: what if Nate tossed the bottle imp at the Lord of Painted Glass?

Without knowing the exact details, it looks like most of the potlach's stipulations seem to be met:
Jack & Glass meet at a certain time.
'Gifts' are to be exchanged at said time.
Presumably, something terrible happens.
Jack acquired a soul in a jar to prevent something terrible from happening to him.
Nate happens to also have a soul in a jar, one that needs to be disposed of, STAT.

If that won't work, I'm supporting the >Evacuate option.

>>47247599
It is a gift EXCHANGE
>The bottle imp must be sold
>The entire issue is a matter of the inability to exchange gifts of completely equal worth
>The bottle imp is specifically almost worthless

what is your plan, here?

>>47246606
>let's do a variation of this.
Possibly remind the fey that he made a deal, and should probably honor it if he doesn't want to die a worthless backstabbing coward.

The Lord is gonna die. He has no soul, we don't know the circumstances of his death, and even if we could, trying to resurrect him would be pretty zombie army.

He's gonna die, right now is when we determine who he is, how he's remembered, and what his word, and friendship, is worth.

>>47247289
>>47247392
In a dynamic universe, shit happens the MC has no control over all the damn time. Not everything is abut Brianna and her friends. This stuff isn't part of their plot point - its someone else's shit that caught up with them while they were around is all.

Faeries are stubborn, in case you hadn't noticed - every single one has been hard to convince, from Silence to Flitter to this new one. Not one of them was initially open to negotiation until it was forced upon them.

>>47247958
But it doesn't feel dynamic. It feels contrived.

>>47248013
All the chainholders have shit going on, and its all been coming to a head as Brianna has progressed down the layers of the dungeon, usually just before she reaches them personally or her allies do.

It's happened every time before, why does only this one feel contrived?

>>47248075
Because I don't understand the potlatch.

It hasn't been adequately explained.

Almost any other explanation sounds better.

I don't understand its purpose as a thing to exist in this universe.

It was set up as this super important, deadline deal that had to be followed to strict guidelines that would result in Jack and this Fairy dying but they had to do it because rules are rules.

Except the fairy is breaking the rules.

And they have to trade souls, but Flitter says this soul totally works as an alternative but the Fariy is saying, nope, you have to use your own soul and also I'm doing the deal early.

So is the potlatch this fucking signed lawyer-esque has to be followed deal or can we just do whatever the fuck we want since apparently the fairy is disregarding every other element of the potlatch that has been set up previously, which is very minimal.

How come this fairy who didn't know what the potlatch would do somehow knew Jack had found an alternative? Soul detection? Man this guy should be on the ball a lot more often maybe he wouldn't get into deals that end up with self destruction.

Even if Vox comes in to meta-explain this shit or has an in-Quest explanation later, it doesn't change the fact that at this very moment, the crux of the importance of this whole potlatch thing where we're trying to make a decision a good chunk of the readers don't understand what's going on. That's a flaw and a problem.

>>47248131
>"Fariy is saying, nope, you have to use your own soul"
This was never said.

>>47248217
>"No, Jack. If I die, you die with me."

Even if you take this to mean that the Fairy will take the alternative soul, but also just kill Jack anyway because fuck it, it still pretty much results in the fact that Jack's soul gets jacked (heh).

>>47247637
From the original story of the Bottle Imp: To be permanently rid of the bottle imp, it must be sold for less than the last owner paid for it. This does not preclude one from selling it at a higher price or simply giving it away for free, the imp will at the least make its way back to its owner somehow.

Also, from the original story: the Bottle Imp is an unlimited wish granting monkey's paw: you ask for a thing, the imp delivers it to you in the most malicious way possible.
I.E.: you complain about needing money, and the Bottle Imp is in your pocket. Within an hour, you get a notice stating you parents have been killed in a horrific accident, and you are listed as the sole beneficiary of their 200k£ life insurance policy.

I am under the impression the Bottle Imp works much the same way in DLQ, as the first thing Nate requested the imp do in his possession was shut up, sit tight, and do nothing until specifically ordered otherwise - and it was still fucking with his dreams.

Meanwhile, the innocent soul is just fluff in a jar that does nothing. So if the Fae is refusing it as payment due to the value of the object, the Bottle Imp may well be perceived as being worth more than the Innocent Soul.
If so, we can sell it to Jack for 3 copper pieces, and watch the damned thing get transported into the Mist Lands, where it will hopefully both torment the Fae forever and never be seen by mortal man again.
Or maybe Glass will just break the damn thing get wrecked by the imp, and Lora can kill it afterwards. Either way is a win.
I'm tired, and probably way off base, which is why I'm tossing the idea out there and am gonna leave it be.

>>47248131
Okay, that is reasonable enough.

Not everyone delves into the faery mythology as much as I do, so your reasoning makes perfect sense to me now.

I wonder if there's any way the deal can be declared null and void? Y'know, a way to declare that neither parties are obligated to the potlach and their respective debts are cleared?

Because both Jack and the fae Lord got screwed on this one. And I know that we found the innocent soul to free Jack from his previous debt, but that doesn't mean anything to the Lord because /he's/ left with the short end of the stick.

Would the Bottle Imp work as currency in a deal of souls? One soul for Jack, another for the Lord, end of contract. I hope.

Hey guys, what if... what if jack sold his soul to the devil so that the fairy lord couldn't claim it, only the bottle. Even better, what if he sold it to Lora?

Eventful discussion.

I'm going back to bed - I've barely slept - but I'll address this when I get up, before I call and update.

>>47249001
Jokes about caffeine-fueled Lichdom aside, you shouldn't sacrifice proper rest for the quest. Seeing you still up and writing at 3 in the morning bothers me, since I know how much working retail without sleep sucks.

Also, WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THE GODS ARE YOU STILL WORKING RETAIL?! If you're this good of a writer, you could do full time work at a local news office writing weekly columns or some shit. Jesus, anything but retail.

>>47248075
Personally, I feel it's contrived because the fairy isn't even willing to listen or try and talk shit out with this guy whom we was apparently as best Bros with as it is possible to be which is what caused this whole potlatch deal in the first place.

Also the whole pushing forward the deadline thing is sketchy as fuck.

It feels forced and contrived the when faced with fighting someone like Lora, or talking for 5 minutes and THEN deciding to fight someone like Lora, there's no possibility of doing the first thing.

But fuck it. Let's just kill this fairy lord who miraculously showed up early for some manufactured drama and kill him, it's not like we've been given enough time to get invested in his character.

I'm really just tired and bored of dealing with this bullshit now. We got the macguffin but it was pointless or some shit so now van we please move on to the "It didn't have to be this way" cliche Shonen battle.

Hey remember in Far Cry 4 when you could just wait in the room like you were supposed to and the Warlord dude comes back and explains everything and helps you spread your mother's ashes etc.? That was nice to see them reward you for not acting like a retard in a cheap play.

>>47249996
Well, the Lord must feel cheated and absolutely pissed (regardless of he and Jack's past friendship), since accepting the soul we found instead of Jack's just means that he died for no reason. And since /he/ doesn't have a soul, there's nothing for him to look forward to. He'll be gone, and that's end.

Plus, he's /nobility/ among the Fae. He's probably got people (or whatever equates to people in the Mistlands) that he's responsible for as their liege and leader. Who's going to take care of them when he's gone? He's had to go around taking care of his business before he's gone, saying goodbye to everyone and everything he's known, and /the mortal gets to just fucking walk away?/

I'm surprised that he isn't trying to beat the shit out of Jack for being such a coward and attempting to break out of a sworn oath, which is obviously a huge fucking deal to the Fae.

>I'm just trying to play devil's advocate. It's necessary once in a while to remind us that the 'bad guys' are people too.

We could probably use some c larification

>What are the terms of the potlatch, exactly?

>>47250157
We don't know that Jacks soul was the original deal though.

We barely know anything really because nobody is willing to sit down and talk about things.

It's unbelievably stupid.

>>47250157
> You and a friend make a bad deal that's going to kill you both

> Your friend finds a loophole that lets him out

> Kill him out of spite instead of being glad for him

Anon, I never want to be your friend.

>>47250243
Well, its like these anons say. >>47250223 >>47250190

They never stayed in contact or tried to find a way to change the contract. The Lord and Jack were /both/ idiots who were too scared or too stubborn to try to solve the problem together.

Also, wouldn't you be pissed if someone close to you broke an important promise because they didn't want to lose anything? If your word is all you have, being lied to or having a sworn promise broken (by a /friend/) is like a stab in the heart.

>>47248365
Other than the price thing, this bottle imp isn't really like the story bottle imp at all. The original story's bottle imp wasn't as much of a monkey's paw as this one is. The main difference was that if the owner of the story's bottle imp died, their soul would be condemned to hell, so you generally want to wish for what you want and then get rid of it as fast as possible basically demonic hot potato.

Hell isn't a place souls go to in this setting though, so this is more of a monkey's paw to make up for that. It also seems slightly less powerful than the story's version.

Awake, called, writing. I'll be driving home after this update.

>>47250735
Whatever, I don't care anymore, let's just kill the fucker and then murder Jack if we have to.

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>>47246572
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YREhVveHq9k

"Alright, go. Evacuate the civilians. You know where the alarms are?"

"I - yes," Flitter agrees.

"You and Jack split up, take my friends with you. Get those alarms sounded and get these people out of here."

"What about you?" Amy asks, worry in her voice.

You draw an iron hatchet. "I'm staying."

Amy chirps worriedly, but listens; the group separates, sprinting in opposite directions.

"We can still talk about this," you say, since violence hasn't broken out yet.

"Can we?" the Lord answers, his multicolored gaze sliding to you. "It was a simple deal. Like many things that are simple, it was unimaginably complex. Jack promised me a soul, and in exchange I promised my immortality. Neither of us really understood what we were giving up. I cannot be as I am without what I will lose, or with what I will gain. A soul...a soul will make me someone else. Some/thing/ else, mortal thing."

You point at the innocent soul, left on the floor when Jack fled. "Why does Jack need to suffer? He was your friend."

"He is a coward," the Lord answers in his ringing voice. "He ran from the fate we are bound to. I made peace with my destruction. When I die, my lands, my holdings, my subjects, will be cared for by another, but they will mourn me. They will be filled with furious wrath. I will not insult them by letting my murderer live. I will not die alone, mortal."

"You're really going to die for /spite/? Do you even know what you're fighting?"

"I grow tired of your lectures, mortal," the fairy snaps.

"Nathan, it's time for you to leave," Lora warns.

> ...Fine
> No, I'll fight beside you
> Write-in?

>>47252799
> ...Fine
What could go wrong?

>>47252799
> Write-in: If you've made one trade, you can make another. Complete the deal; and immediately trade back. You'll each get a bit of perspective - in line with your hearts at the time - but none of the folly of the past has to stick.
And the letter of the deal is struck.

Rolled 73 (1d100)

>>47252902
This sounds like a great idea.
I'm rolling for Fae SAN dammage when he realisess he could had done this instead.

>>47252902
>>47252942
Either I didn't communicate this right or you're not quite getting the idea. This isn't really a take-backsies sort of deal. The event is transformative in nature. If this were an exit they both woulda gone for it in the first place, given how much better a plan it is vs. being altered into beings that are unrecongnizably different.

>>47252902
Oh, and include the $7 owed to Richard.

>>47252799
>"Last Question, and then I'll go. Why did you make the deal in the first place?"

I want to know what made him so curious about a soul that he was willing to trade immortality for it. That he was willing to die for it. And what happened, that now he's not.

>>47252799
>Write-in
Stick him to the letter of the law. He agreed to trade immortality for a soul. There is a soul, now make the trade. His word is his bond, and if he doesn't like that, though.

>>47253165
He indeed doesn'tlike it. Which is why he is trying to kill Jack now.

>>47252799
>Write-in?
>"Jack promised me a soul, and in exchange I promised my immortality."
>"/a/ soul"
>He got you a soul, honor your promise, Lord.

If someone has a better idea, now would be good.

> Write-in?
> Fine, but Jack comes with me. We've got things to talk about while you two... deal with things here. You'll probably know where to find us.

He doesn't really need to be present for this, does he? He did summon Lora, but by now the fae is not going anywhere before having dealt with Lora.

I kinda get why the fae is angry about Jack backing out. But this was a stupid deal, even if it's enforced by means way beyond these two.

>>47253241
>Write-in?
>"Jack promised me a soul, and in exchange I promised my immortality."
>"/a/ soul"
>He got you a soul, honor your promise, Lord

>>47253514
>>47253241
He swore to the trade in a few weeks time. He's not here for the trade. He's here to cut off Jack's attempt to get out of it.

>>47253625
That changes things.
>>47253241
changing this one in a moment, but I can't delete it anymore.
>>47252799
>...Fine

>>47253625
Ooooooh. That changes things.
... why are we involved in this?
Jack is a decent guy and all; but with a fey AND Lora after him, AND he's on The List; in know Hero conscious says we've gotta try, but uh, for it to matter we've gotta save him from all three and I'm not sure that a Decent Guy is worth enough for the amount of flak we'll have to invite from the others to pull this off.

>>47252799
>"...but they will mourn me. They will be filled with furious wrath. I will not insult them by letting my murderer live. I will not die alone, mortal."

Jacks dead meat no matter what; we can't protect him from an entire clan of fae.

This will be difficult to tally. Bear with me.

Yeah, I'm gonna be honest, I don't know what to make of these votes. I'm gonna leave this open while I handle some real life shit and see what comes of it in the meantime.

>>47255077
I think the consensus would be something like pointing out that by offering the other soul Jack is technically completing his end of the bargain, but if he (the Lord) doesn't want to accept that, he can take it up with Lora. Then we flee with Jack before things start exploding.

>>47255077
Honestly Vox, we don't know what to make of this part of the story.

Just have the super climactic duel set piece happen and then we'll examine the pieces.

>>47255154
this with a cut and >You are now Azr... Lora, Angel of Death

>>47252799
>>Write-in?
>>"Jack promised me a soul, and in exchange I promised my immortality."
>>"/a/ soul"
>>He got you a soul, honor your promise, Lord.
This lord would be a real fuck to go back on his word when supposedly his word is his bond.

>>47255077
>we fae are bodies
>you humans HAVE bodies
so why can't we give the soul already in a vessel, so that touching it won't kickstart some kind of transformation? He can just look at it from a glass case as he finds himself with a finite lifespan rather than "dying" then and there.

Or is the loss of immortality itself a transformation?

>>47255154
>On board with this,
I'm honestly kinda confused by the situation, I don't feel like I really have any agency here.
I really want to Hero up but if The Lord doesn't want to talk Nate can't really do anything about it.

>>47255904
> Or is the loss of immortality itself a transformation?

This.

>>47255956
Honestly the reaction hasn't been anything like I expected it to be either. Wires got crossed somewhere in this event and now all I can really do is play the hand through.

Called, writing.

>>47256105
Eh.

It's still better than the Roost.

>>47256212
I'd say the rest of this section was better than the Roost.

This moment however is really worse than any individually shitt moment of the Roost however. At least things sorta made sense in the Roost. This is just stupid shit that's taking too long.

Do the fight scene. Let the chips fall where they may.

Rolled 4 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

And fuck it, not sure I can handle the attempt at diplomacy fairly, so - 1d10+2 (Earnest, Pure Of Heat), difficulty 7. Let the die be cast.

I really don't like doing rolling for this but the insistence on attempted diplomacy is baffling me so here we go.

>>47256105
It seems like a lot of anons wanted a heroic Best End to the situation, with no one dead or missing any pieces and everyone satisfied. Unfortunately, that's not how things have gone down.

The only thing we can do is keep the damage to a minimum and hope Lora isn't too pissed and wounded at Jack to just smite him the moment she sees him. It would blow to have gone through all that effort to save the stupid schmuck only to see him sucked into the spooky sword.

>>47256257
>the insistence on attempted diplomacy

THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

How is that baffling.

The thing we've been doing for this entire soul search (heh) is looking for a way to make a deal work without killing Jack. That is diplomacy.

The fact that you had the guy we were diplomacizing show up and go, nah bitch, time for a fight, is more you being weird and baffling in your insistence of a climactic fight set piece.

You interrupted the actual conflict of what was going on, Jack trying to be pardoned by Lora, with this random dude we've never met showing up apparently weeks early.

Stop being retarded.

>>47256296


Also, you've literally set up fairies as these motherfuckers that have to abide by the deals they make while not adequately explaining the details of this potlatch deal.

Deal deal deal spells diplomacy diplomacy diplomacy.

Like, fuck, Vox, c'mon. This is literally fight scene out of nowhere.

>>47256350
I concur the far showing up seemed forced as hell.

>>47256296
>>47256350
I kinda see where Vox is getting with this.

Seems like the Lord of Painted Glass is trying to the debtor before the few weeks are over, so that he can spite him. This attempt to kill Jack before the deal happens isn't bound by the deal itself: there was no caveat that the Lord of Painted Glass wasn't going to kill him earlier.

I honestly don't think diplomacy is possible here.