>>326517
-I am not alone-
Rock’s broken halo flickers and sputters one last time before winking out for good, the raised earth forming her animated body tumbling to the ground as lifeless dirt.

“Rock?,” you call out beneath your breath but you know not to expect an answer. When a spirit dies in the mortal world it is instant and irreversible. Her link to the Dreaming broken, Rock had retaken her natural form. A nothing, a lie, just a dream and a thought of a mind much larger than yours.
It’s just all too sudden, you don’t know what to do. She’d come out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly.

Hiss stumbles to her feet looking somewhat dazed.
“What was that? Is it dead?”

“She was Rock.”

“Oh, was it?”
Hiss blinks.
“Good. She was always a bit too sanctimonious for my lik-what is that!”

You follow Hiss’ gaze and look up. The stars in the night sky are moving. The constellations are different. A ring of stars suspended over the burning city of Taldenral.

“Oh fuck off,” Hiss says as she realizes what she’s looking at.

There’s no constellation in all the sky of all the world that is that large. It’s a halo, one large enough to encircle the sky.
For a single moment all the voices in Taldenral are stilled as Teln and Quedeshi alike all stare up at the sky.

And then the sky splits in half as the halo manifests, an imperfect ring that breaks the sky and forms a window to the whirling ochre chaos beyond. Someone screams but their words are snatched away as the wind reverses. Fires are instantly snuffed out, voices drowned out and ears numbed by the howling wind as the Gate pulls air into itself with the force of a hurricane.
The night is banished, Dream-light painting the city ochre far stronger than mere sunlight ever did.

And then the discordant Dream beyond the rift is marred, a long red hand reaching through and gripping the intangible rim of the Gate as if it were naught but a physical window. And then another and another, a massive thing that looks like nothing more than an ever-increasing number of red hands pushing against the fabric of reality.

The arms beyond are obscured and for a brief moment the sky above resembles nothing more than a child’s painting, painted hand-prints pressed against the sky in a muddled overlapping mess.

And then something breaks and they push through, bloody hand-prints with stick-thin arms extending behind them and as they pass through the halo they change, the image of limbs fading to reveal a myriad of spirits with halos of their own.

Hiss sits down, her hands held helplessly in the air. An odd gesture to come from her.
“You know Cennen, if you’re holding onto any unique brews of incredible and never-before-seen power, now would be the time.”

1/2

>>326524

>”I don’t have any on me but if I get enough time to brew somehow…”

>You need to find the others! You can’t afford to be alone right now.

>You need to find a defensible location and hole up there.

>Where’s Aashenpreet?

>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>It might be best for you and Hiss to flee the city. This is too much.

>Other

>>326533
>”I don’t have any on me but if I get enough time to brew somehow…”
>Where’s Aashenpreet?
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.
Unless we can shrink it with a Eugene brew just grab the head we chopped off

>>326524
>”I don’t have any on me but if I get enough time to brew somehow…”
>Where’s Aashenpreet?
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.
>Use Potion (collapsible on the corpse if we have one.

>>326550
that'd taint the ingredients.

>>326533
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.
> Get Hom and Eva here to start mass brewing spiritbanes
> See if we can use the Deep Priestess corpse to brew some anti-existence shit.

If all else fails we can look into Evas eyes and reach into the source.

>>326533
>”I don’t have any on me but if I get enough time to brew somehow…”
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.

>>326533
>”I don’t have any on me but if I get enough time to brew somehow…”
>You need to find the others! You can’t afford to be alone right now.
>Where’s Aashenpreet?
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.
I say we find the homunculi and have them start making countless spiritbanes while we make some badass experimental brews. I wanna make a spirit homunculus that wraps around our soul like a soulguise and protects us while letting us fight spirits.

>>326533
>You need to find the others! You can’t afford to be alone right now.
>Where’s Aashenpreet?
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.
So... plans? Maybe it's time to get Naja out?
Is that why they're mad at us?
Could it be our body count numbering on the thousands?

File: 1466312117252.gif (603 KB, 320x240)

603 KB GIF

Kinda want to fire the caster into the sky while screaming at the spirit cunts to get off our lawn.

>>326584
it's probably us walking in the dreaming, Hiss apotheosizing, and favoritism to Quedesh.

>>326574
Basically we need to modify soulguise to make spirit matter instead of soul matter and then snakes can fuel it with their collected souls and it will work like a spiritbane. Would be nice since spirits love to hurt snakes by fucking with their souls. If we make a spiritguise homunculus and send it to the dreaming and back it will gain a halo and become invulnerable so it's an extra source of offense and defense.

>>326584
They're thinking hiss is gonna make snakes just like dragons again and they want to stop it. I think letting out Naja should be a last resort but its definitely an effective solution

File: sssh.jpg (39 KB, 500x375)

39 KB JPG

Calling for:
>You need to find the others! You can’t afford to be alone right now.
>Where’s Aashenpreet?
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.

Writan'

>>326599
Oh whoops, that first line should be the brewing one. Not finding the others

Hopefully the homunculi are smart enough to start brewing spiritbanes. We already taught them the recipe.

>”I don’t have any on me but if I get enough time to brew somehow…”
>Where’s Aashenpreet?
>Recover the Deep Priestess’ corpse.

“I don’t have any on me but if I get enough time to brew somehow…”
Ideas and inspiration flash through your head as you watch the spirits descend. What could possibly help you here? What do you need? Where the hell are your homunculi?

And as for your ingredients…
You grab the severed head of the Deep Priestess and tuck it under your arm. You might be able to get something good out of her. You just need to find a safe enough spot and wait, where did Aashenpreet go? You’re going to need either Hiss or her for reagents!

“Aash?”
You leave Hiss where she is, still sitting and watching the sky as you head back down the broken and torn up street. Where is she? You see her huddled up around the corner and break into a run.

And then something grabs your leg.

You look down to see Tanni, her face gray and her body still bleeding. Isn’t she dead? Evidently not and one of her hands is gripped tightly around your leg.
“Antivenom,” she rasps. “Get me some antivenom or I’ll rip your whole leg off at the joint.”

She really should be dead right now and you have the feeling that if you wait just a little while longer, she will be. But would she take your leg with her? Her grip is like an iron cuff around your leg, you can’t break it.
But you don’t even have any antivenom with you!

Tanni sighs, a drawn out and hoarse sound.
“B...brew some then. You need me.”


>Do as she says.

>”Only if you let go my leg first.”

>Give her a different potion instead (Specify)

>Call for Hiss to help.

>Call for Aash to help.

>Refuse.

>Wait for her to die.

>Other

>>326651
>Nobble

>>326651
>>Give her a different potion instead (Specify)
Snake Disple

Little warning: Internet being weirdly shaky and slow. It'll probably be fine.

>>326651
>Brew poison
>Drink it first to show its safe
>Give it to Tanni

>>326651
>"why?"

File: tegaki.png (3 KB, 400x400)

3 KB PNG

>>326669
Have you voted.

>>326681
Actually I'll change my vote to this. Tough choice though. Maybe nobble and then poison her so she won't see it coming.

Okay, looks like the vote is to poison the already-poisoned snake. Writing.

>>326685
Yes.

>inb4 Tanni was the only person who could call the spirits off.

>Inb4 they slaughter everyone in a few minutes when she dies.

>>326735
Nah the spirit invasion had nothing to do with quedesh. The gatekeeper spirit to the dreaming caught rock and saw all her memories of Hiss so it decided to intervene.

>Brew poison instead.
>Drink it first to show its safe.
>Give it to Tanni.

Alright, you can do this. You can fool Tanni. You've done it in the past.
"Okay," you say quietly. "Just give me a moment and I'll brew one."

You pull your cauldron out of your pack, glancing repeatedly at Hiss for help as you do so. But her back is to you, still seated on the piece of rubble as she watches the sky.

Tanni never lets go of your ankle as you start to awkwardly brew, even as the ground shakes from the impact of hundreds of spirits. The sky is quite literally falling.
"Friends of yours?"

"No," Tanni hisses. "No idea why they're here. And how can I be sure that brew is safe?"

"It's fine! Look."
You take a sip of the finished poison brew, the Art Hiss gave you protecting you from it.

Tanni narrows her eyes.

>Roll 1d100 to lie. Best of the first 3.

>>326735
I don't think she was THAT influential, though I would have liked to keep her alive a little more, for reasons.

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>326748
goodbye leg

Rolled 7 (1d100)

>>326748

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>326748
ruseman powers activate

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>326748

In retrospect this wasn't our greatest decision

>>326765
No trying to Ruse Tanni was not when she can read people like a book. We're going to be pretty fucked because of this.

>>326771
I think we'll be fucked if we give her an antivenom desu

>>326783
>Stuck with a bitchy snake trying not to die with a spirit
>Stuck with a snake corpse and missing a leg trying not to die from spirits.

This is worse.

>>326796
Trusting Tanni is suicidal and this dangerous situation only makes it worse. We can grow a wooden leg too. I personally think she's bluffing about ripping off the leg because then she would have absolutely no chance of living.

>>326771
She still needs us if she wants to live, hiss pretty much unloaded on her and we're the only alchemist around. We can't focus on brewing if we've just had our leg torn off so she'll have to choose between petty revenge or keep bartering for her life

>>326805
>We can grow a wooden leg too.
More time wasted brewing the potion and growing it when we need to work on spirit shit asap.
>I personally think she's bluffing about ripping off the leg because then she would have absolutely no chance of living.
If she's convinced we're going to let her die anyways, she'd do her best to fuck us over. It's called spite. Hiss is a master of it, and snakes in general love being spiteful shits. Does she have anything to lose by not doing it if we don't save her? Not at all.

>65

Tanni stares at you and you can see hope die in her eyes.
"I can't believe it," she moans. "You spent all my time doing that? I honestly thought you were smarter than that."

'It's s-"

"No it isn't. You're a moron and I'm going to die because for some stupid reason, I staked my life on you having a shred of sense."

Your retort is cut off by a sharp spike of impossible pain as Tanni's grip tightens, crushing your ankle in an instant and then she yanks with all of her might.
The bones all along your right leg dislocate as her other hand slams into your thigh with enough force to shatter it.

And then you're falling and blood is everywhere and your fucking right leg is missing. You scream and scream and Hiss doesn't even seem to notice or fucking care and oh shit oh shit oh shit.

Tanni is already dead by the time you force your eyes open, doing your very damned best not to black out. She's covered in your blood and her final expression isn't one of peace or happiness but rather mild annoyance.

Fuck.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.


>Use Potion (Specify)

>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.

>Crawl over to Hiss.

>Cry for help.

>Other

>>326806
again that's predicated on her believing we would ever try to save her. if not what's she got to lose? Look at what Ouro wrote. Moron.

>>326820
>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.

>>326820
>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.
At the very least stop the bleeding with plant growth ASAP
>Cry for help.

>>326820
>>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.
>Other
Enough distractions we need to start brewing if we want to do anything about this bullshit

File: yeah.jpg (26 KB, 540x381)

26 KB JPG

>>326820
>Cry for help.
>Stop the bleeding
>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.

>>326862
too late by the time we've got a leg up The spirits will probably be on top of us.

The problem, in the end, was that Tanni wasn't lying about how she needed an antivenom right now. She was on the very edge of death and only had moments left so the moment she realised you hadn't brewed antivenom, she knew that she didn't have the time left for you to brew anything else. So there wasn't really much hope in trying to barter.

If it's any consolation, she died in despair.

>>326873
good
she can keep the leg
my only regret is that she isn't in Hiss's Soul Kingdom suffering like she deserves

>>326873
>If it's any consolation,
It's not, because between anons willful stupidity/forgetfulness costing us our prep time and an army of nigh invincible beings bearing down on us now we're pretty much fucked.

>>326820
>Cry for help.
>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.
Tight vine tourniquet and then grow the leg. What the fuck are Aash and Hiss doing?
>>326873
Would saving her have been a good thing?

>>326883
Yes be a spiteful shit and get the quest ended over you dislike for a character. Bravo anon.


>>326888
It'd have given us time to prepare for the spirits. As it stands we're probably going to be really slow because of the leg and lose most if not all of our prep time. I didn't like her either, but priorities.

>>326886
Chill anon. We have one less enemy to worry about. Trying to salt up the thread doesn't help our situation.

>>326873
> she died in despair
But I liked Tanni, even if she didn't like me back.
So did she take the whole leg, as in up to the hip or just the calf and knee?

>>326896
Oh yes, we let an enemy who has no motive to harm us currently and just wants to live through spiritfall part 2: makerless boogaloo, and lose our leg, get gimped physically, and lose most of prep time to kill her out of spite.

>>326901
Hip from the looks of it.

>>326901
Up to the thigh.

>>326888
It was probably more helpful than losing a leg. Maybe.

Calling it for:
>Cry for help.
>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.

>>326907
im sure there was nothing we could have done that wouldnt have lead to a roll as well
dont blame us blame the dies gods

>>326914
Is Hiss finally realizing she's not allowed to have nice things.

>>326935
It's best to avoid replying to saltposters

File: tegaki.png (4 KB, 400x400)

4 KB PNG

>>326914
Cennen needs a vacation

>>326935
>Make a stupid decision
>Decision triggers roll
>Roll mediocrely
>Bad thing happens
>But if we made a better thought out decision something bad had to have happened too!

Can you not see the stupidity in that?

>>326940
It's best to stop making impulsive decisions that get Cennen fucked over. But we've not done that since we decided to fight Tanni in a form we knew couldn't really hurt her and didn't even bother preparing for the fight beforehand.

>>326940
just saying

>>326946
I see your point, but my point was there was probably nothing we could have done that wouldnt have ended in a roll, and in that case no matter how good the plan was we would have still been fucked

>Do as she says.
In this situation we have a free and still very dangerous tani that would at most still fuck us over and at least go and run off hiding in the shadows to fuck us over another day

>”Only if you let go my leg first.”
Yeah right,FUCKED

>Give her a different potion instead (Specify)
roll if we get low scores there would be nothing we could do

>Call for Hiss to help.
ROLL

>Call for Aash to help.
ROLL

>Refuse.
FUCKED

>Wait for her to die.
FUCKED

nothing we could have done, i know your mad but really there is no one to blame but the dice gods

>>326964
to be far slipping her a poison was a fair idea
the rolls though

I don't understand why we went off on our own without hiss while she just spaced out and we just happened to walk directly over the most dangerous snake we ever fought without noticing. Makes no sense.

>Do your best to grow a wooden leg.
>Cry for help.

You look down at what's left of your right leg and immediately wish you hadn't. It's just a ragged bloody stump that ends mid-thigh, shards of jagged and broken bone poking through the wound.
You've already lost too much blood and it's not stopping anytime soon.

Vines erupt from your skin as you wrap them tightly around the stump and at the same time, the whole thing begins to scab over with bark. You already did it once with a hand. You can grow an entire leg. You can. You have to.

But holy hell, is it a slow and painful process. You manage a crude peg-leg for now and use it to lever yourself upwards. You'll have to refine and make it better later.

The peg-leg shakes beneath you and you nearly lose your footing from the ground quaking and rolling as Taldenral is bombarded, not by Quedeshi trebuchet-shot but by the heavens themselves.
"Hiss?," you call out. "A little help over here?"
Can't she hear you?

Her back remains turned.

Instead, you find yourself steadied by a different hand. Aashenpreet is by your side, holding you up.
"Cennen! What happened!"

"Tanni! She got my leg! She got my fucking leg!"

"Here, we have to get you somewhere safe!"

The world suddenly tilts and rolls around you as Aashenpreet picks you up, holding you with one hand beneath your shoulders and another beneath your legs.
That...that feels much better. You'll have time to regrow the leg properly now.

Aashenpreet is covered in blood and for a brief moment that image brings forth horrific memories but this time it isn't her own. And curled around her neck you can see Zukhdeep in his true form.

But something's wrong with him. His eyes are unfocused and the little snake is constantly twitching and shaking.

"What's wrong with Zukhdeep?," you croak.

Aashenpreet has a hard look to her eye.
"I'll explain later."

She turns and begins to run and in the distance, you can see Hiss still sitting right where you left her. Her back is shrinking as Aashenpreet moves, threatening to fade away into the distance forever.


>"Wait. We need Hiss!"

>Leave her.

>Ask Aash further about Zukhdeep.

>Call out to Hiss.

>Other

>>327006
>"Wait. We need Hiss!"
>Call out to Hiss.

>>326999
Negotiating with her may have worked out since she had literally nothing left. I kinda wanted to do that but I'm busy and couldn't put up a motion for it.

>>327005
Camouflage

>>326999
>fuck us over another day
Hiss kicked her ass and Cennen if he actually prepared could beat her easily. Just seems anons would rather CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!XD than actually prepare. Which is anathema to Cennen's strengths against his toughest opponents.

We could have easily nobbled her while curing her as well which would have been smart.

And any idea that requires lying to a snake who has borderline telepathy is fucking retarded.

>>327005
We thought she was dead,. Fuck knows with hiss though.

>>327006
>Aash, Hiss seems to have had a mental breakdown, can you punch her and wake her up?

>>327006
>"Wait. We need Hiss!"
>Call out to Hiss.
Alright, new plan: wing it. We've just fought two increasingly difficult battles with barely enough time to recover and I'm pretty sure everyone is running on fumes by this point. We need to regroup, get some rest and restock.

>>327006
>"Wait. We need Hiss!"
>Call out to Hiss.

>>327006
>>"Wait. We need Hiss!"
>>Call out to Hiss.

>>327006
>>327038
Also can we pick up our leg? maybe we can reattach it or make a homunculus out of it

Any ideas for dealing with the spirits? I still wanna gain spirit powers like invulnerability and use it to fight them. We could just make a shit load of spiritbane acid but that's no fun. I think I remember a brew we could have made that turns spirits into valid targets for snakes to eat like souls too.

>>327073
They won't be expecting that. I still think we should unleash Naja if there is time.

>>327084
Yeah that kinda feels like trading one apocalypse for another to me but it might not be that bad.

>>327073
I'd rather go for effectiveness over "Fun" given how bad the odds are stacked. Soul armor and spiritbanes.

>>327084
Last resort. depending on how she incarnates she might not even be that helpful.

>>327091
We're contractually obligated to help her, I don't know what she will take from us if we don't comply but I'm pretty sure it will be worse than what Tanni did

>"Wait. We need Hiss!"
>Call out to Hiss.

"Aash wait, we need Hiss. Go back!"

Aashenpreet sighs.
"I don't think we do."
But she turns back anyway towards the rubble. Hiss is still watching the sky and you can't help but follow her gaze.

The Gate hangs over the city like a bloated sun and from within it, it rains fire. Long twisted crimson arms and spirits descend from it into both the city and the bay.
You follow one spirit's descent, an insect-like thing in a spiral shape as it spins through the sky and crashes into a Quedeshi ship.
They're not here to fight for either side. They've come for you all.

"Hiss! Hiss! What are you doing? We've got to go!"

Aashenpreet grabs Hiss by the shoulder but not even she can move the Serpent Queen. It does finally get her attention however.

"Cennen," she says. Her voice is weary and dull. "What the fuck happened to you? You're a mess."

"Tanni ripped my leg off and I had to grow this shitty thing. No thanks to you! You were right there? Why didn't you come with me? Or at least hear me when I called out?"

"They're all calling out," Hiss says.

"What?"

"First the Quedeshi and now this? Can you believe it? The whole world conspires against me. So why bother?"

"This doesn't sound like you at all, Hiss. We really need to leave."

"You can. Sorry Cennen. Sorry Aash. I just don't see the point to trying anymore."
She looks back to the sky.
"Can't you see it's hopeless? Even if we stop this somehow there'll always be something else. We can't win."

>Ask Aashenpreet to set you down.

>"Aash, just pick her up and let's go. We can sort this out later."

>Punch her in the face.

>"Pathetic."

>Say something else (Specify)

>Nobble.

>"If you give up now Hiss then all of this would have been for nothing!"

>"I'm sorry, I guess I mistook you for someone else."

>Other

>>327105
I'd argue that we can't feasibly deal with hundreds of spirits with just spiritbanes and other offensive brews. I think we gotta think outside the box here. Spirit homunculus shell around our soul would tip the scales further in our favor for sure defensively but I don't know enough about how spirits fight each other to say whether it will help us offensively much.
>>327114
>"Aash, just pick her up and let's go. We can sort this out later."
I have a plan. Trust me Hiss. My ability to kill spirits is one of your favorite things about me remember?

>>327109
and? We need to survive to do so, and fighting a spirit war takes precedence.

>>327114
>Ask Aashenpreet to set you down.
>Slap her
>"Pathetic."
>"You've come all this way, and when the stakes were down and everyone needed you most you become a coward. Fuck you. Even if you aren't going to fight I will. Whether I live or die, I choose to stand as something more than a coward."

>>327114
>>Nobble.
Idk seems fitting
she can give up and run away if she want but we spent to much time waifuing this snek to just leave her behind

>>327122
Adding
"Fuck the rest of the world. Fuck spirits. They're standing in the way of our greatness and killing your subjects. We'll take them on and make them wish they'd stayed in their dreamworld."

>>327114
>Punch her in the face (not too hard so we don't break our hand)
>"Look at me Hiss! Look at all I've sacrificed, all the horrible things I did and the good people I hurt! I did all that because of you! I fucking love you and I'll be damned if I let you give up and die after comming all this way!"
>Nobble.

>>327109
She's pretty much powerless while she's stuck inside hiss actually

>>327122
Also if we fail to convince her at least ask for a shitload of souls to fuel a spirit homunculus with

>>327114
>Ask Aashenpreet to set you down.
>Punch her in the face.
>"If you give up now Hiss then all of this would have been for nothing!"
"Where is the glory you kept promising? Even if the entire world was to be your enemy, I promised I would stand by your side and here you are giving up? Fuck that. We have come too far to just lay down and die."

If we made a spirit homunculus could it assimilate and subjugate other spirits?

>Hit her.
>Talk.

"Oh fuck this," you grunt, worming out of Aashenpreet's grasp and jumping down next to Hiss. Your wooden leg nearly buckles beneath you but that's not going to stop you now.
You're too pissed off.

"Hey Hiss!"
She turns and you slap her across the face as hard as you can. It doesn't even make her blink, her skin turning glossy black and invulnerable the moment you make contact.

"Fuck you! You're just going to sit here and whine about your problems? What about the rest of us? About all of us who fought and sacrificed and did the best we can for...for you!. For your sake! For the Serpent Queen! And after all that and all we've done and we all need you, you become a coward?"

You hit her again, this time with a closed fist.
"You promised me you'd lead us to glory. Where is that? That even if the entire world was to be your enemy, we would stand by each other's side and win! Where is that? Are you just going to betray us all and give up and die?"

You hit her again. And again. And again. Blows to her face, to the back of her head, to her chest and her body. And most of all, to her unflinching back that dares to keep facing you. It's pathetic. You're all so pathetic. In the end your leg gives way and you collapse and there's nothing you can do but to sink one final fist into her scaly back. It doesn't even hit that hard.

"I love you, Hiss," you say from the ground. "I don't want to give you up."
You try to get up but it's no use. Your frail little peg-leg has snapped in half. You're going to have to grow a new one.

Aashenpreet tries to help you up once more but you refuse her.
"You can stay here if you want Hiss. Die on your back like a coward. But me? I'm going to do what you would have told me to do and try and make something of myself. And so will Orange. And Oster. And all the other snakes you've lead to their deaths. Because they all believe in the dream that you sold them. To me. The least you could do is live up to it."

Hiss turns once more, lifting you to your feet with a single hand. She rises as well, holding you up face to face with her.
"Cennen."

"Hiss."

"Punch me. In the face."

"What, again?"

"Just do it!"

You don't hold anything back. And, unbelievably, you feel soft flesh instead of scales beneath your fist and Hiss rocks back with blood in her mouth. A single tooth drops to the ground.
She disabled her Art. But why?

"Hiss, I-"

"Cennen, you piece of shit!"
She punches you back, sending you flying back to the ground with your vision whirling and discoloured.

"You dare lay a hand on me? Your Queen?"
She drives her boot into your gut and you curl up, vomiting what's left in your stomach onto the ground as you spasm uncontrollably.

"I love you, you idiot!"
She lashes out again but this time Aashenpreet pulls you away before the kick can connect.

"Hiss!," she scolds. "What are you doing? What are either of you doing?"
1/2

>>327245
"It's fine, Aash."
You regrow the peg-leg as best you can and stumble to your feet, slapping Hiss another time for good measure.
"I love you too, sweetie."

"Oh Cennen, you always know exactly what I need. And that no matter what happens or how much time passes..."
She takes up your bruised and battered hands and holds them tightly as she looks into your eyes.
"There's nothing that gets me fired up more than being pissed off at you."

You can't help but smile.
"The feeling's mutual. You've always been the foulest, most frustrating person I've ever met and that probably won't change."

"Yeah."
Hiss' gaze returns to the sky.
"This is doable. All these fuckers are nothing compared to having to carry your sorry arse all over the world for the better part of a year, are they?"

Aashenpreet just looks very confused.

>Now it's time to really get going. Back to the mansion!

>No, you need somewhere safer. Maybe underground?

>You need to look for other snakes first.

>Head towards the docks.

>Send out prayers.

>Nobble

>Other

>>327271
>No, you need somewhere safer. Maybe underground?
I really want to find Hom and Eva too though...

>>327271
>You need to look for other snakes first.
>I also need my "kids" and to brew. The corpse of the deep priestess too.

>>327276
Changing my vote actually. We can't waste time looking for a new place and our allies might already be there.
>Now it's time to really get going. Back to the mansion!
>>327284
We need to brew. If we come across any spirits while we're looking for snakes we're fucked.

We really only have snake breakers which are somewhat effective against spirits and a soul drift which is really risky. These spirits can one shot us easily since we're without any defensive brews too. We need to brew before doing anything else guys.

>>327317
Since when have we ever been smart as Cennan?

>>327326
Thats real mature anon. Nice.

>>327271
>>327303
Yeah, changing to this, we can't really help anyone if we get killed

Calling it for going to the mansion. Writing.

>>327245
>>327271

This is really cute in a screwy kinda way.

>Now it's time to really get going. Back to the mansion!
>Do what you can to find Eva and Hom on the way. Think of a way to signal them?

They can "see" Art, Alchemy at least, so maybe use that to send a message to get the fuck over here in a way that won't draw the spirits any more than being Spiritbane next to the Serpent Queen already is?

>>327349
In the past it seemed like spirits have a hard time distinguishing one soul from another unless they're very close.

>>327430
The three of us have very distinctive souls, plus the homunculy must shine like beacons to them

Apparently Ouro is having Internet troubles.

Sorry about that. It should be working again now.

>Now it's time to really get going. Back to the mansion!

"We need to haul arse back to that mansion you grabbed Hiss," you say as Aashenpreet picks you back up and hoists you into the air. It's a little disconcerting to be held ten feet up like this but what other choice do you have but to deal with it?
"It's the most defensible position and our friends might still be there."

"Agreed."
Hiss looks askance at Aashenpreet.
"Glad to see you're finally over your little temper tantrum too, cripple."

Aashenpreet just sighs.
"You of all people can't judge. Now let's go."

The three of you set out, Aashenpreet carrying you and Hiss running by her side. Aashenpreet uses her superior height and vantage point to spot falling spirits and chart the best course through the burning city.
"For the record," Aashenpreet matters to you. "I still find your relationship with Hiss sick and unhealthy but...I'm glad you seem to have found a way to make it work."

"Thanks," you grumble. "Now what's wrong with Zukhdeep?"

The palsied little homunculus twitches in response to his name but does little else.
"He...he didn't want to me to help fight the Deep Priestess. But even so, he still stayed by my side. And I think being so close to her shredded him up inside."

"What do you mean?"

"The mind-link is still there. And...he's not himself anymore. But I'll do my best to take care of him anyway."

The mansion comes into view at the end of the street and Aashenpreet picks up the pace only for a pillar of fire to strike the cobblestones in front of her!
A spirit hits the ground, some kind of crab that has been elongated to nearly sixty feet of length and forged entirely from glass, glass that was then filled with ever-pulsing magma and chunks of obsidian. A jagged semi-circular halo sits above its midsection, framed by the five pairs of wings. Three of the wings are feathered, the other two insectoid membranes make the entire monster flutter from side to side almost quicker than you can follow.
Seven mouths opens and seven globules of fire burst forth, Aashenpreet throwing herself back to shield both you and her. Hiss on the other hand simply runs through them unaffected and throws herself at the spirit’s face!

But the spirit vanishes just before she reaches it, zipping out of the way faster then any of you can run and leaving a bright red trail in the air as it does so. As it buzzes around Hiss, Aashenpreet starts to inch past it towards the mansion’s gate.

And then Zigzag catapults from somewhere within the mansion’s garden, over the garden wall and landing right on top of the spirit’s back. The glass doesn’t break beneath her, the spirit protected by an aura of assured invulnerability but she does grab its attention.
“Hi.”
1/2

>>327520
And as Aashenpreet runs for the mansion, you notice Orange sitting atop the wall and leaning over it towards you. His arms are outstretched.
“Throw him over! I’ve got him.”

Aashenpreet doesn’t look very happy about this plan.
“Uh…”

>”It’s okay. Throw me!”

>”Let’s just take the long way in.”

>”Set me down, I need to help them fight!”

>”Charge the spirit, Aash!”

>Load up the Caster.

>Throw a Dispel at the spirit.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>327524
>Throw a Dispel at the spirit.

>>327529
>wanting to cause even more damage to our soul and shred it further
how about a dispel instead?

>>327524
>Throw a Dispel at the spirit.
Sorry I keep changing my vote, I just remembered that we can dispel it's invulnerability instead of risking a shot at its halo

>>327524
>>Throw a Dispel at the spirit.
poetry

>>327537
Our soul is protected by the spiritbane so nothing can happen to it. It also very gradually eats our soul to sustain itself but thats not related to using soul drift. Still, I think dispelling it's invulnerability and letting the snakes finish him off is a better plan.

>>327546
>Our soul is protected by the spiritbane so nothing can happen to it.
Except using our bane as a weapon damages our soul, which cannot be healed because of the bane itself.

>It also very gradually eats our soul to sustain itself but thats not related to using soul drift.
Actually it doesn't we just tae more and more damage because our soul can't heal.

>Still, I think dispelling it's invulnerability and letting the snakes finish him off is a better plan.
Except a souldrift has no guarantee of that, less than even us hitting it with a dispel.

>>327550
>Still, I think dispelling it's invulnerability and letting the snakes finish him off is a better plan.
This was me voicing my agreement with the dispel potion anon. And I don't remember ever hearing that using our bane to kill spirits harms our soul and I don't see how it could but I guess it's possible. Nothing bad happened to our soul the first time we did it.

>>327524
>Load up the Caster.
Dispel.

It has show to be very very fast. I don't think throwing a Dispel has a very good chance of hitting it.

>>327572
If a dispel brew makes contact with the caster it will lose the magic making it indestructible which would be really bad.

File: 1405433328029.jpg (69 KB, 405x750)

69 KB JPG

>>327580
Fuck really? I mean it yeah makes sense but I always just thought of the Caster as being above getting dispelled. Odd.

>>326517
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz-JwI0d8f8

inb4 aussie internet fucks up again

starting to get real mad at this slow ass shit, can't even get this message through it without it fucking the captcha NINE TIMES IN A ROW

>>327621
What's worse about upside-downland, the internet or the countless deadly animals?

File: 1463908398636.gif (1.13 MB, 560x372)

1.13 MB GIF

>>327621
The true final boss of the quest: Poor internet.

>>327628
Option 3: The fucking Abos

Ah screw it, this connection is making me legitimately mad and the gdocs page I store my drafts on is getting loopy too.
I'll be back tomorrow and every day until this thread is done. Sorry.

>>327660
Fuck, this is true suffering. No worries though it's not your fault. I don't know how a legitimate modern country like australia can get away with such awful internet

>>327660
No prob man, check the wiring for rats or gremlins

Apologies for that fiasco yesterday. Will be updating in an hour or so

>Throw a Dispel at the spirit.

"Hold me higher, Aash! Higher!"
Aashenpreet lifts you up as you fumble through your pack looking for the Dispel Elixir. Shit, where is it? You know you’ve got one in here somewhere!

As you pick it up the spirit pivots, compound eyes seeming to focus on you.

-Bane-

You pull the Dispel Elixir free just in time for the spirit to take to the air once more, arcing up high before swooping down right towards you! Zigzag’s latched onto its head and hammering away but the invulnerable spirit scarcely seems to notice her as it barrels straight at you!


>Stand your ground and throw the Elixir.

>”Get away from me, Aash! I’m the one it wants!”

>Leap for safety.

>Try to jump onto its back with Zigzag at the last moment.

>Other

>>330027
>Try to jump onto its back with Zigzag at the last moment.
Hype

File: Spoiler Image (38 KB, 347x441)

38 KB JPG

>>330027
>Leap for safety.

Oh hey snakecatcher

Took a break around thread 50, nice to see this quest still ticking along

Is Hiss still an infuriatingly santimonius cunt? Can't stand the character, but think she's well written etc.

Are the players all still enabling waifufags? I remember this quest having a fantastically fleshed out world, well written (albeit rage inducing) characters and an utterly cringe inducing playerbase.

Not shitposting, just trying to figure out if it's worth reading player responses or just QM posts if I decide to binge read the archive

was this the quest that had that loveable retard who posted like he had a stroke? He still around?

>>330027
>>Leap for safety.


>>330065
yes, even worse now.

yes, even worse now

qm posts is best

too many possibilities

>>330027
>Leap for safety.
>”Get away from me, Aash! I’m the one it wants!”

>Leap for safety.

You could try and make the throw from here but to do so would be to basically accept the spirit ramming straight into you. You're not that tough!
"Aash! Get out of the way!"

You spin out half a dozen vines at once from your Tanglebrew, each one lashing onto the roof of the house just off the side of the street, whipping yourself into the air as the lava-filled glass monster smashes into the garden wall.

It hits the wall and rolls, skidding over on its side as it clears a path straight through it. Orange cries out, a strangled startled yelp as his footing is torn out from underneath him and he's sent toppling to the ground.

The spirit raises a burning claw to crush the little snake before it and Zigzag tries in vain to hold it back.
And that's when Hiss finally catches up, grabbing onto the far end of the spirit's armoured tail with both hands.
"Gotcha!"

Screaming mouths open up all over its tail, dousing Hiss in sticky flame and molten rock but her scales are up and she keeps hold, even as her fingers scrabble uselessly on the spirits slick and invulnerable skin.

"Cennnnnen! I don't mean to impose but now would be a great time!"

The spirit thrashes about but Hiss' grip has yet to break. For just this brief moment, it has been stilled.


>Throw the Dispel at it.

>Aim specifically for the halo.

>Use the time to rescue Orange instead.

>A different potion (Specify)

>Other

>>330157
>Use the time to rescue Orange instead.
>Pass the dispel to ziggy

>>330157
>Aim specifically for the halo.
Going for gold here. If we fail this roll will we miss entirely or will it possibly hit the main body?

>>330173
I think we're pretty far away from zigzag and dispelling either it's invulnerability or its halo will save him anyway

>>330065
>Are the players all still enabling waifufags?

I have good news and bad news.

>>330157
>Aim specifically for the halo.

>>330157
>Aim specifically for the halo.
I'm worried that we won't reach orange in time and even if we make it vulnerable it still has the strength to kill him.

>>330157
>Aim specifically for the halo

Sorry for the delay on this one. Was eating.

>Aim specifically for the halo

This might be the riskier shot but you've got to chance it. Orange stumbles out out of the way as the spirit swings a molten claw wildly but as you take aim, the second claw rises, ready to crush him almost as an afterthought.

You throw the Elixir in an almost perfect arc, the bottle curving up and then down right for the spirit's broken halo.
A compound eye swivels to follow its ascent and at the last moment the monster's midsection bursts open, a sudden eruption of ash and cinder bursting up to protect the halo!

>Roll a d100 to see if the Elixir hits anyway. Best of the first 3.

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>330277
come on

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>330277

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>330277

To be fair, pushing a fragile potion bottle through a pyroclast barrier was asking a lot.

>>330292
Should've thrown a fastball desu

I wonder if we could attack the halo directly while using souldrift?

>79

The bottle arcs almost high enough to get over the ring-shaped eruption but it clips the top of it at the last moment and shatters instantly. But all is not lost!

Even as further sprays of obsidian gravel and broken glass rise up to protect the halo, the spray of the broken Elixir, pushed back by the pyroclast, rains down on the spirit itself instead.

The invisible assurance of invincibility shatters and at that moment, several things happen at once.

Hiss' hands, once slipping and scrabbling just to grasp the monster, now catch hold firmly and smash through the tail. Scaled hands break through glass and with another miniature eruption the back-half of the spirit's long tail explodes!

At the same time, Zigzag's churning razor-scaled grip suddenly starts leaving long furrows straight through the beast's glass skin. She has barely enough time to shriek in surprise before she erodes through the spirit entirely, sinking through the top of his head and tearing her way inside his transparent inner body.

The spirit shudders in silent pain and withdraws its claws to scrabble futilely at its own skin as you watch Zigzag work her way through the monster's abdomen.

You must admit, it was awfully considerate of the spirit to have such see-through skin, it lets you watch Zigzag smash it from the inside.
Look at her flailing and smashing and oh shit, just because Zigzag is invincible doesn't mean she can't drown!

As you watch, Zigzag's actions start to take a more frantic tone as she stops smashing up the spirit's insides and starts trying to flail downwards. She's trying to break out the bottom and get out before she runs out of air!
But the lava inside of the spirit's body flows strong and she loses her footing and you lose sight of her entirely as she becomes suspended within the molten rock.

"Ziggy!," Orange calls out as he retreats, coughing up ash. He's not going to be of any use.

"Hiss! A little help?"

"Hold on!"
Hiss is busy with the aftermath of destroying the tail. She wounded the spirit greatly but she's covered in blobs of rapidly cooling lava, slowly ripping her way free before it solidifies into rock.
Aashenpreet is still here but you can't ask her to get close to this monster, can you?

Looks like it's up to you this time.

>Focus on getting Zigzag out of there.

>Try to get behind the spirit so you can blow a hole through the wound Hiss left in its backside.

>Kill the spirit first. That'll help Zigzag more.

>Other

Whoops, accidentally left out an option.

>Yes, you can ask Aashenpreet to get close to this monster actually.

>>330348
>Focus on getting Zigzag out of there.
Maybe we could souldrift and freeze part of the glass? The temperature difference will cause a large chunk of it to shatter which the lava will rush out of hopefully freeing zigzag. I'd shoot it with a Snakebreaker but that could damage zigzags scales and make her vulnerable to burning.

>>330348
>>330367
>Aashenpreet, Given we're not all dead already means this is not a Creator sanctioned event. So can you throw something into it to help force Ziggy out?
>Grab empty bottles and ignition brews, pierce it's skin with glass to drain the lava.

>>330382
I doubt that tiny shards of glass will penetrate thicker glass very easily

>>330391
>They will if shot at high enough speed. look at pine straw forced through steel in tornadoes. Failing that if we had a snakebreaker....

The inventory pastebin says we still have a spiritbane acid in our bandoleer. Is that correct? I don't think it is but I'd feel really dumb if it was.

>>330396
We have like 4 snake breakers actually

>>330348
>Focus on getting Zigzag out of there.

>>330399
Ah whoops. Ignore that.

>>330414
Did your internet die again?

Sorry about the delay on this one.

>Focus on getting Zigzag out of there.

The halo is still surrounded by venting fumes and shrapnel, it's not worth trying to get through that. For now you need to focus on saving Zigzag!

"Aash! I know you can't get close but...I don't know! Throw something big at it!"

"Right!"
Aashenpreet snaps out of it. It can be easy to forget sometimes that not everybody is accustomed to being randomly forced into life or death situations at the drop of a hat.

Moments later a piece of rubble almost as large as you are smashes through the spirit's side, cracking their body open and letting the lava flow out.

"Zigzag!"
You tether yourself to what's left of the garden wall as a safety line as you in towards the gaping wound.
You're forced to stop before you even get close, the sheer heat emanating outwards enough to make you hesitate. You feel like you're burning up and you haven't even touched any of it!

And then Zigzag's arm bursts free of the spilling lava and you grow out another vine only for it to catch aflame before it reaches her! It takes three more tries before you wrap a branch around her hand, your false leg unsteady and loose beneath you.
You start pulling her free and her upper body surfaces, gasping as her throat is scorched by superheated air.

And that's when you feel the rumbling. The patch of ground beneath the spirit is shaking and quivering at a steady rate. Cracks spread out across the street and you can see something glowing deep beneath the earth.

"Oh shi-"

The street erupts in a pillar of fire and the spirit is hurtled up into the air, dragging Zigzag with it! And dragging you too, your vine still connected to her hand.
But you've still got the vine lashing you to the wall. You can still escape this!

>Let the vine holding onto Zigzag break so you can fall safely to the ground.

>Let the vine holding onto the wall break so you can accompany Zigzag upwards.

>Contract the vine, pushing yourself into the spirit so Zigzag can be pulled free before the spirit takes off. You'll be thrown at the lava however.

>Use Potion (Specify)

>Other

>>330567
>Let the vine holding onto Zigzag break so you can fall safely to the ground.
We're fucked if every spirit is this tough

>>330567
Wait would an antimagic brew protect us from the lava?

>>330567
Is skinshedder still up? Can we go dragon form rank her out then fall to earth?

>>330596
Our dragon form is super injured still

>>330594
Nope. It's created by magic but it itself is just lava being directed by spirit magic.

>>330596
Yes but the dragon is dying.

>>330567
Wati, fuck that
>Let the vine holding onto the wall break so you can accompany Zigzag upwards.
Can we throw our ignition elixirs at the breach in the carapace to keep shattering it and break zigzag free? They're weaker than an explosive brew but we have four of them

>>330567
>Use Potion (Specify)
Throw a snake breaker inside the spirit and hope for the best. We know it won't kill Zigzag.

So if we ever get the chance to make some badass new experimental brews to commit spirit genocide do you guys have any ideas?

Come on fellas, I don't want to roll a 3-way tie again.

>>330567
>Let the vine holding onto the wall break so you can accompany Zigzag upwards.
Changing my vote to be a big damn hero I suppose

>>330567
>Let the vine holding onto the wall break so you can accompany Zigzag upwards.

>Let the vine holding onto the wall break so you can accompany Zigzag upwards.

Ah fuck it, it might be the smart thing to do but you just can't leave Zigzag there alone! You focus on fortifying the vine connecting you to her and let the one tied to the wall break, dragging you up behind the spirit!

Somehow you avoid being hit by any of the boulders or the spurting flame and you keep on climbing upwards, dangling behind the flying monster.

Only it's not really flying anymore. Most of its wings have been shredded and the spirit itself is completely burnt out after the eruption, just broken shell of hot glass and obsidian with barely any flame left within it.

You do your best to drag yourself up the rope, causing Zigzag to groan as you put your weight on her arm. She's still dangling half in and half out of the spirit's carapace, resting on the jagged broken glass as if it were nothing. She leans over to yell at you, her words almost stolen by the speed of the ascent.

"What are you doing?"

"Rescuing you!"

"What? Why? I'm going to be fine! I can't be hurt. You can!"

Alright, you probably should have thought about that.
The Dream looms closer and closer in the sky above you as the spirit catapults itself towards the only safe haven left for it.

"Oh no you don't!"

Your vine suddenly jerks as Zigzag hurls herself at the opposite inner wall of the spirit's carapace, cracking it and sending the spirit hopelessly off-course. It tries to correct it's desperate ascent back towards the Gate but Zigzag punches it again, wavering it further.

The spirit seems to find some kind of second wind in response, fires igniting within its body and bursting out of its wounds to propel itself upwards even faster.

"Get out of here Cennen!," Zigzag shouts. "Before it gets too high! I'll be FINE!"


>Drop and glide downwards using a canopy.

>"Not without you!" Use the vine to pull her free and drop down together.

>Throw a potion at the spirit (Specify)

>"Stop pushing it away from the Gate! That's where we want to go!"

>Other

>>330710
>Throw a potion at the spirit (Specify)
snakebreaker

>>330721
Snakebreaker would poke us full of holes at this proximity

>>330710
Can we use magetheft on the spirit to steal its flight abilities?

>>330745
This

>>330710
>"Stop pushing it away from the Gate! That's where we want to go!"
Get close and then dispel the gate to the dreaming!

>>330745
You'd have to force the spirit to drink it.

>>330753
This might be worth a shot then.

Man, everyone must be busy today or something. Calling it for:
>"Stop pushing it away from the Gate! That's where we want to go!"

>"Stop pushing it away from the Gate! That's where we want to go!"

You swing to the side as an errant jet of flame nearly incinerates you.
"Hold up! Stop pushing it away from the Gate! That's where we want it to go!"

"Are you insane?"

"Let it fly up there!"

The vine suddenly loosens, uncoiling beneath your fingertips. Why? What happened?
You look up to see Zigzag holding her arm out, her razor scales shredding through the vine you've wrapped around it.
"Get out of here while you still can, you moron!"

You swing up another vine almost instantly but it comes perilously close to a stream of fire!

>Roll a 1d100. Best of the first 3. 70+ required.

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>330807

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>330807

>>330821
well shit

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>330807
>>330821
What the fuck.

>>330821
You're pretty lucky that I only count the best.

>>330821
Oh fug

>>330836
bless you ouro
and look we passed the DC

>74

You manage to curve your vine around the fire and wrap it around the spirit's midsection, pulling yourself up the rest of the way until you're clinging to it's side right next to Zigzag.

"Get down, Cennen! Why are you up here?"

"I won't let you sacrifice yourself!"

"What sacrifice? I can fall from any height!"

"And stop pushing it around! We want it to go to the Dream!"

"Whyyyyyyyyyyy??"

Huh. Why do you want the spirit to reach the Gate?

>"So I can throw a Dispel at it right beforehand."

>"So I can throw a Dispel at it from the inside."

>"I want to talk to the Gatekeeper up there. We have to stop all this somehow."

>Other

And also:

>Tell Zigzag to jump now. She has to get out while you do this.

>Zigzag can stay. She's tougher than you are.

File: 1310860095524.gif (772 KB, 250x200)

772 KB GIF

>>330836

>>330866
>"So I can throw a Dispel at it right beforehand."

>>330866
>"So I can throw a Dispel at it right beforehand."
>Zigzag can stay. She's tougher than you are.

>>330866
>"I want to talk to the Gatekeeper up there. We have to stop all this somehow."
Parlay? He's going to be an obscure fuck but I want to know what's his deal
>"So I can throw a Dispel at it from the inside."

>>330866
>"So I can throw a Dispel at it right beforehand."
>Zigzag can stay. She's tougher than you are.
Art doesn't work in the dreaming right? Throwing from the inside won't work if so.

>>330866
>"So I can throw a Dispel at it right beforehand."
>Tell Zigzag to jump now. She has to get out while you do this.

>"So I can throw a Dispel at it right beforehand."
>Zigzag can stay. She's tougher than you are.

"When we got close enough I'm going to throw a Dispel right before we'd enter! That should close the Gate!"

Zigzag looks extremely concerned with this plan.
"What? The whole thing?"

"Well it's a halo, isn't it?"

"I don't know. But it's huge! Can you really close that with just one potion?"

"We're about to find out!"

You ready your last Dispel Elixir as the spirit climbs higher and higher. You're now well out of your safe gliding range. Getting back down is going to be one hell of a ride.

You can see the Dream flickering in the sky above you, a vision of ochre madness occluded by a spreading network of red hands. Spirits have mostly stopped dropping through by now, so you should be able t-

The glass spirit puts on one final burst of speed, burning through the air straight up! The Gate grows larger and larger above you and for a brief moment, your perspective flips and it's as if you're upside down.
The ground is above you and you're heading straight for it.

And as the spirit finally begins to slow and the Gate is just above you, you throw the Dispel Elixir out in front of you.

The bottle flies true, ready to crash straight into the Gate...

...and a giant red hand pushes itself through the Gate and slaps the bottle aside, the shattered Elixir destroying the spirit that formed the limb in question.
The Gate is not undefended.

You have just enough time to see Zigzag curl up into a ball before you all hit the Gate.

I'm gonna be butthurt if we resolve this without getting to do some experimental brewing for spirit killing stuff

>>330960
Are you master plan anon from ask.fm?

>>330981
...maybe

Interlude 111

"Cennen..."

Hiss watched with growing horror as the spirit far above her, shook, wavered and then slammed into and through the Gate at full force.
What the hell was he thinking?

And now she was alone once again and Cennen was trapped and he was going to di-...
No. She wasn't going to get caught in that thought-trap again. If Cennen was going to abandon her again then all that meant was that she was going to win by herself.

A chill passed over her as another spirit manifested, a tall stilted thing made of gossamer and frost.
She barely had the time to look at it before a barrel flew out from beyond the garden wall and smashed into it, spraying some kind of acid that nearly destroyed the entire spirit in one hit.

"Another hit! Where'd Zigzag go?"

Aqua ran out from behind the wall, holding another barrel in her arms. And behind are those peculiar creations, Cennen's homunculi. Eva and Hom.

"That's where you two are, huh? Cennen was looking for you."

Eva fixed her with that dead-fish stare of her and Hiss had to resist the urge to kill it.
"The lab is ready. We have cauldrons fired up. Where is Cennen?"

"About that..."

>>331009
FUCK
that was cruel man

The world swirls and churns around you, ochre bands of chaos forming the backlight of a universe not meant for you. The distance quavers and everything takes on a coarser, painted look.

You've emerged upside-down from a silver lake, the spirit you were clinging to dissipating into a flock of knife-winged birds.
The lake is immense and beyond it, an earthy shore full of moving petrified trees. The other edge is different, the silver water simply flowing off the lip of the world itself into the free-floating Dream, an ever-increasing spiral of other floating worlds expanding beneath it.

And hunched above the lake, fingers stirring it as a human would a mere puddle, is the Gatekeeper. It is a thing of countless hands and arms and in the Dream, you can see nothing beyond that. No body, no head, nothing beyond an ever-shifting cloud of phantom limbs.

The flock of birds flows into the Gatekeeper and is absorbed.

Gravity seems to be somewhat suspended here, leaves being pulled into the air and even though you burst forth from the lake a good few seconds ago, you have yet to actually fall. You remain hovering in the air above the Gate.
And it's only then that you realise Zigzag isn't with you.

"Ziggy?"

-It was a foolish to come here-

The Gatekeeper is aware of you but takes no other action.


>"Not as foolish as it was for you to do this."

>"Where's Zigzag?"

>"Why are you doing this?"

>Ask about Rock.

>"What do you want?"

>Beg for mercy.

>Flee back through the Gate.

>Other

File: 1391983184931.gif (899 KB, 300x228)

899 KB GIF

>>331009
Well shit.

>>331055
>"Why are you doing this?"
>"What do you want?"

>>331055
>"Not as foolish as it was for you to do this."
You're doing the exact opposite of your job right now.
Btw I think Zigzag can't go into the dreaming since snakes were banished from there or something

>>331055
>"Yeah, no shit"
>"Why are you doing this?"
>"What do you want?"

>>331055
>"Why are you doing this?"
>Ask about Rock.
>"What do you want?"

>>331055
>Flee back through the Gate.

>>331014
You were gonna get time to brew at the mansion, I had a set-up and everything. You guys are kind of heading in a much-less-planned direction right now.

>>331088
Oh, well thanks for not railroading us then
Anti-spirit Nuke never

>>331088
>tfw accidentally stumbled into boring route to success
Holy fuck. I was so stoked. It was probably our last chance for experimental brewing too. I can't even properly explain how crushed I am right now.

>>331115
More like route to dying horribly.

>>331108
>>331115
>>331125
>implying this guy will bother with diplomacy

Guys we need to leave ASAP. Time moves quickly while we're in the dreaming and our friends are probably getting rekt

Let's issue a challenge. One on one, us vs him in the real world to settle this. If we die the snakes will eventually lose and if he loses he has to call off his attack and actually do his job as gatekeeper. We can both have some time to prepare first.

>"Why are you doing this?"
>"What do you want?"

You do your best to calm yourself as best you can. Zigzag isn't here...but it's not because the spirit did anything to her. It's because snakes can't enter the Dreaming! Did she just bounce off the Gate? Pass right through it?
Whatever she did, you're on your own right now.

"Then call me a fool. But there's something I just need to know!"

-I am under no obligation to answer you

"Why are you here? Why are you doing all of this? Why now?"

-Is the reason not obvious, disgusting little Bane?-

"Hiss? Or wait...Are you really here for me?"
Well he did make a point of calling out your Bane.

Something indecipherable and cold rams into your mind several times before you realise that it is the 'sound' of the Gatekeeper's laughter.

-Do not consider yourself so important. I am here to crush the Serpent Queen and her army.-

"But why?"
You repeat yourself, hoping to get an actual answer.
"Are you here for Quedesh?"

-Do not consider me an ally of such disgusting creatures!-
Arms lunge forward, quivering and trembling before folding back up into the appearance of calm.
-Understand this, mortal. There is NOTHING that I loathe more then a snake. Any snake. All snakes. How old do you think I am?

"I don't know? Why does this matter?"

-Six thousand years-

"Okay?"

-You would do well to know that number's significance. It is age of your world. I have been here since the beginning, since the Creator threw open her wings and gave us the directive to breathe life into and shape the world. Your world.-
A single red arm extends, the distance between you and it shrinking as the Gatekeeper toys with perspective.
-Of the three Elders who control the Gatekeepers, I am by far the eldest. Only four other spirits in all the Dreaming can contest my age or my wisdom. So you must understand why I hate your master and her kind-
The hand grasps around you, the relation of size between the two of you altering until you are simply a pinprick balanced atop an immense fingertip.
-I helped shape this world. I gave form to mountains, I smoothed out the plains, I dug the oceans with my bare hands. So when the Creator decreed that we could not enjoy the fruit of our labours, that it would be for YOUR kind only...it hurt and tore at me more than it did any other of my kind. But I stayed my hands! For the sake of humanity I let myself be shackled to the Dream. And yet to think that those draconic filth tried to slip around those rules, tried to despoil the world I made!-

"The Creator forgave snake-kind! They're as much a part of the world as any of us now!"

Size and distance alters itself once more as the Gatekeeper flings you into the silver lake. A red hand catches you just before you fall into the Gate itself.
-The Creator was WRONG!-
1/2

>>331176
Why would he accept? Why would he agree to do it on the real world? Why wouldn't he wreck us un two seconds?

>>331202
There's been a few pretty good ideas thrown around for protecting Cennen against spirits on ask.fm. And he might be interested in reducing spirit casualties since Hom and Eva are probably fucking them up with the snakes. And maybe he'd like the challenge? Idk man I'm just doing what I can to steer us away from this super lame path.

>>331200
-You cannot forgive a dragon! You cannot forgive a snake! They are monsters! Surely you have seen this with your own eyes, human. The only will inside a snake is the will to feed, to devour, to conquer and control. They are evil to the core.-

"The Creator didn't think so."

-Even the divine may err. And because of the Creator's decree I have done my best to contain my ire even though I knew my cause was righteous. But when I punished the traitor who'd attacked one of my Gates and learned of snakes once again killing and controlling humans. Bah! Quedesh was bad enough! This is the final straw! If humans are to rule MY world then that is fine enough but I'll not have it taken by dragons!"

You stare down through the Gate, looking at the burning city as if through very thick glass. How many are left, you wonder?
"So there's no hope for peace?"

-There will be peace when I have killed your Queen-


>Point out the general hypocrisy of it all.

>Jump through the Gate!

>Challenge it.

>"Rock would never have betrayed the Creator."

>Other

>>331259
>>Point out the general hypocrisy of it all.
>>Jump through the Gate!

>>331259
>"Rock would never have betrayed the Creator."
>Jump through the Gate!

>>331259
>The bold formatting breaking and spilling out all over the post.
Ah nuts

>>331259
>Challenge it.
I don't see how this will end unless we kill this guy. He'll just keep assimilating spirits and sending then down to fight until we're all dead. Be prepared to jump.

>>331259
>Challenge it.
It's our world, not yours.

Anyway I'm gonna go get something to eat so this next bit might take a while.

>>331259
>fuck that
>The creator hid some things even from you
>Challenge it.
>Jump through the Gate!

I say we challenge him, put the homunculi to work creating spiritbane brews and a brew that drains a spirits mental energy while we work on a spirit homunculus that protects our soul like a soulguise. Hiss can supply us with a shitload of souls to fuel it and battles between spirits in the real world come down to mental energy.

>>331295
We also need to send it to the dreaming and back with a journey brew for it to gain a halo and invulnerability. Hopefully it doesn't go through this gate. Also we might want to prepare a body and soul for Naja as a backup plan.

Alright, I'm mostly done with lunch. Cheese and vegemite toasted sanga with some leftover rogan josh from work. Good shit, energising.

Calling it for Challenge. Writan'

>>331310
Actually... why can't we make it one of Najas spirits? She has a dreaming of her own after all. We can just create the homunculus and then visit Naja with it.

>>331295
>>331310
>>331331
We have no Naja on hand, and if he wants her can squish us with a literal thought. We're challenging him here were we have NOTHING we can use to hurt him.

>>331335
The terms of the challenge include letting us return and prepare.

>>331338
If he allows it, if he just doesn't kill us for annoying him. He doesn't HAVE to accept.

I also had the idea for a spiritbalm+tanglebrew experimental brew that lets our bane grow with our vines and branches, making them harmful to spirits with mere contact.

>>331355
Yeah I guess he just seems like the kind of guy who would accept the challenge to me. I mean he hasn't killed us yet for some reason and he easily could have.

>Challenge it.

"The Creator evidently didn't tell you everything," you mutter as you dangle above the lake.

-What did you say?-

"As far as I can see, you're just as bad as them! How many humans do you think you've killed already?"
Fuck. Just thinking about that makes you mad.
"You want to help humanity? Then you should stick to just doing your damn job!"

-The words of something as small as you cannot hurt me. I will return you to the Real World and kill you there, so that your soul may descend to whatever fate the Creator wishes.-

You're starting to run out of ideas.
"Then fight me first!"

-What?-

"You heard me. As one of the real owners of the world, don't you owe me that much? Considering that you're doing exactly what you think the snakes do?"

-And who are you again? Your soul looks somewhat familiar.-


>"That doesn't matter!"

>"I was Rock's friend."

>"The consort of the Serpent Queen."

>"Just an alchemist."

>Other (Specify)

>>331322
>rogan josh
My nigga.

>>331363
>"Just an alchemist."
>"I was Rock's friend."

>>331363
>"That doesn't matter!"
What matters is our plan

>>331363
>"My name is Cennan. I was Rock's friend. I am an Alchemist, Snake Catcher, Spiritbane and Consort to Hiss the Serpent Queen."

>>331363
>"Just an alchemist with an odd mastery."
>>331382
SpiritBANE?

>>331382
Punch him
Punch him right in his face

>>331382
You have no idea how close I came to putting
>crash this spirit with no survivors
as one of the options back when you and Zigzag were arguing over what to do.

>>331384
While we are at it add "Creator of life" Homunculus are kinda a big deal.

>>331363
I'm a mortal who knows more about the creator's will than you do apparently.
>>331386
Was entering the dreaming part of your plan?

>>331363
>"Just an alchemist."
>"I was Rock's friend."

>>331394
Let's not spill the beans completely here

>>331396
If I pull that halo off would you die?

File: tegaki.png (62 KB, 400x400)

62 KB PNG

Calling it for:
>"Just an alchemist."
>"I was Rock's friend."

>>331408
A lot of loyalty for an assimilated spirit.
Ok I'm done.

>>331431
Tell me about Cennen! Why does he pet the snake?!

>>331445
Its because hes a big guy. with them tree brews

>"Just an alchemist."
>"I was Rock's friend."

You do your best to stare defiantly at the Gatekeeper as the spirit towers over you. If he had a face you would be looking right at it.
"I'm nobody important really, just an alchemist. But I was Rock's friend."

-Rock? The name does sound familiar...-

"She was the spirit you killed, arsehole! You tore her apart and made her into more of you."

-The traitor. Yes. I remember it now. They did not die. Not until your Queen killed her.-

"That was you! And she wasn't a traitor, she wasn't even a part of your shitty faction. But she had real love and respect for the world and for the will of the Creator. Something you must have forgotten."

-An idiotic notion. They were too young to understand such things.-

"Really? Because if she was here right now she wouldn't hesitate to call you out. She'd know that doing this was wrong. This isn't what the Creator wants!"

-I have no interest in the whims of the dead-
The way his hands move tell you something different. He's agitated, rankled at the mere idea that a fledgling spirit could be more in harmony with the will of the Creator than himself.

"Is that why you sent her out to die? It must have hurt, having a reminder of what you must have once been inside of you like that."

A hand crashes into the lake right next to you, raising you into the air once more in a silver whirl.
-ENOUGH. I am the Gatekeeper. The will of Aashimid resonates through me stronger than any other!-

"Then prove it. You said that you wanted to return me to the real world before killing me, so that my soul would be able to go to wherever the Creator intended us to go? How about you go one further? Return me to the real world and kill me if you want but do the damn job yourself."

-A battle? That would be stupid-

"You can stay up here if you want. But from down here, I can't see the difference between you and a dragon."

-Name your terms.-

Huh. You wouldn't have guessed that the Gatekeeper would be so insecure but you guess all this business about what the Creator truly wants is a much bigger deal for them then it is for you.


> "You give me time to prepare and I'll face you one-on-one. In the real world."

>The same as above but he can't use any assimilated spirits.

>"Fight my Queen one on one."

>"We won't have time to prepare but I get to choose three others to help me."

>Other

>>331490
>> "You give me time to prepare and I'll face you one-on-one. In the real world."
HYPE

>>331490
>The same as above but he can't use any assimilated spirits.
Let's haggle here. If he insists on using assimilated spirits we should push to fight him with Hiss at our side.

>>331490
> "You give me time to prepare and I'll face you one-on-one. In the real world."
And by prepare I mean the spirit killing bomb, the homunculus and a body for Naja on stand by in case things go tits up

>>331490
> "You give me time to prepare and I'll face you one-on-one. In the real world."
Well one on one in a sense. Technically two on one if we go through with that spirit homunculus idea.