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>>819124
"I've been accused of a lot of things. Cowardice has never exactly been on the list," you admit. "But my question, sir?"

"Indeed." The Wyrm turns his head and coughs mightily, exhaling a thick glob of mucus that bends the tree it strikes. "It is simple. Richard asked for my services and promised me death in return."

You blink. "You - you want to die?"

"Not as such," the Wyrm rumbles. "Dragons do not die as the Firstborn do. We are slain, necromancer. Disease does not touch us. Age cannot take us. Some poisons work, but most will not, and certainly not anything I could ingest purposefully." He lifts a leg and shows you his massive paw, its claws chipped and broken, but all the sharper for their jagged points. "Thumbs are a luxury rarely afforded to my kind, you see."

"So Richard will kill you, when he makes his new world?" you ask quietly.

"I am rather hoping that /you/ will kill me, necromancer," the dragon corrects. "I have lived far longer than most of my kind. I remember the battle between Kratos and Canopus. I recall the first lamia, wide-eyed and full of wonder. I have seen empires rise and sometimes stayed to watch them fall or separate. I am tired, but I will not lay down to die like an ailing pet. I have my pride. I must be /slain/."

Comprehension dawns on you. "Richard assumed anyone who could make it past the first eight Chain-Bearers would be puissant enough to offer you a challenge," you reason.

"Precisely so, heritor," the Wyrm agrees. "And now it is my turn to ask a question. Tell me: if you could enact the Master's plan yourself, without harming another - create a world to your own liking and take the role of its god, would you?"

"I - that's an odd question," you say with a frown.

"And yet, I have asked it."

> I would; I'd love to leave such a legacy
> Maybe. What happens if I don't like what I made?
> No. I don't have any business being a god
> Write-in?

>>819150
> No. I don't have any business being a god
Welcome back Vox, hope you had fun

>>819150
>> No. I don't have any business being a god

>>819124
>> No. I don't have any business being a god
.. the Dungeon may be a good training opportunity for it, though.

>>819150
> Write-in?
"You can't make a new world without hurting anyone. A new world would both need and make a new type of person. For good and bad, we fit this world and it fits us. You ask me an impossible question Ser Dragon."

>>819150
>No. I don't have any business being a god
I can't see why we would want to, even if we did manage to create a world without harm to our current one, there would still happiness, suffering, life, and death. It is a responsibility unlike anything we could imagine. Also, we have too much left to do in this one.

Called, writing.

>>819150
>No. Becoming a god sounds like the sort of thing that ends in zombie armies.

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>>819150
You consider the question for a moment, then shake your head. "I'm not a god, and I don't think I want to be one," you answer. "I have enough responsibilities just being a la Croix. And whatever I made would be mine, with all that entails. I've gotten a bit of insight recently into what happens when you're new at the whole 'divinity' idea."

"A well-reasoned answer," the Wyrm agrees. "...I truly have no grudge with the angel, necromancer. She has been terribly wronged by all of this. Perhaps if I had been younger, or I had not been contacted after her binding, I may have been moved to protect her, but..."

The long sigh you hear is full. Full of regrets, and exhaustion, and the stale taste of a life stretched far beyond its breaking point.

"I am tired, la Croix," the Wyrm murmurs. "I am so very tired. My curiosity no longer motivates me. Battle no longer holds any joy. I eat because I must, drink to sustain myself. I have no illusions. Only pride keeps me alive now. For that pride, I possess the terrible chain that should have never been. For that pride, I will do battle with you and your loved ones. For that pride, I may strike they, or you, down and leave you for the fish and the scavengers. Once I may have been sorry for that, but no longer. I am so tired, la Croix. Will you sing me to sleep?"

> I...I will
> Are you looking for /sympathy/?
> I don't want to hurt you. I don't really want to hurt /anyone/. Why does it have to be like this?
> Write-in?

>>819544
I...I love you.

>>819565
>> I...I will and I will sing for you when you lay dying, as you slip into the *Insert what ever afterlife was call'd in the quest*.

>>819565
>> I...I will

>>819565
> I...I will

>>819576
Welcome back, you glorious madman.

>>819565
>Write-in?
>"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Gonna call at six thirty or so; gotta handle life stuff.

Called, writing.

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>>819565
"I will," you answer, softly. "I have every intention of getting through this alive. I want to raise a family. I want to make the world a better place, not just prevent something shitty from happening to it."

"Insightful," the Wyrm purrs. "You understand that preventing evil and doing good are not the same."

"It's not difficult to understand," you comment.

"Really? That has not been my experience." The dragon shifts its coils. You hear - and wince at - rotting snapping sounds as some of its scales break off and drop into the water. "Could you, perhaps, sate my curiosity on matters that do not pertain to our conflict?"

"Sure," you agree, with a shrug. "What is it you want to know?"

"What is the purpose of funerary traditions?" the dragon asks. "Not individual traditions, you understand, but in their practice. I have observed these, among mortals, even down here in the dark. I am curious. I am intrigued. You expect the dead to be honored to the point where ghosts come back if you fail to do so, enraged at your disrespect. But why?"

You adjust your hat and frown. "Those traditions are for the living," you tell him. "They're done in honor of the dead, yes, but..." you reach for the words. "We don't host funerals because the dead need them," you continue. "We hold them because the dead are gone. We hold them to remember the part of our lives that has just left us. We hold them so that we can grieve, and remind ourselves that one day, we too shall die. For better or worse."

"Intriguing," comes the Wyrm's answer. "I grow weary, and I have stolen much of the conversation from you, I should think. Ask me a final question, necromancer."

> What do you ask?

>>820462
> Out of your long life, what single event/actions/etc are you the most proud of?
Or
> I plan on having children. What's your recommendation for the name of a firstborn?

>>820462
>> I plan on having children. What's your recommendation for the name of a firstborn?

>>820561
>>820654
but why?

>>820716
Sneaky attempt at getting him invested in our success.
... basically, playing to his Pride that he monologued about. =p

>>820462
Backing
> I plan on having children. What's your recommendation for the name of a firstborn?

>>820716
>>820821

I'm just doing it because I think being named by a dragon would be fucking cool.

Called, writing. Interesting choice, but I think I like it.

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>>820462
"You know, I think I'd also like to not ask about business," you decide. "You say you've been around awhile. Sounds like you've been active amongst the Firstborn."

"I have," the Wyrm agrees, modestly.

"Well, I'm planning on having children." You pause. "I'm planning on having children I actually give birth to," you correct. "Which means in theory that I get to name them. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Avoid Tristran. That name is accursed," the Wyrm suggests. You hear a ragged 'hmm' from his throat, followed by another spit; this time, the tree snaps in half. "I have always been particular to Dimitri, though I confess a bias there. I knew a Dimitri for awhile, when I took a fancy to mercy, who lived with me until his eventual death. A thoughtful man. But perhaps..." the Wyrm trails off.

"Perhaps?" you prompt, utterly curious.

The Wyrm rumbles thoughtfully. "Have you ever considered naming your child after one of your enemies?"

You tilt your head. "Why?"

"One gets to know one's enemy," the Wyrm explains. "In the tumult of battle or the cold cruelty of politics, one cannot succeed unless one understands one's opponent. And in understanding one's opponent, a wise warrior, regardless of their arena, finds in them something to respect. The orcs of the Sickle Ridge name their children for their greatest enemies, in the hopes that those children will grow as cunning, strong, and fierce as they are. I am rather taken with the practice. Consider it, and fare you well. It is time that I returned you to your compatriots."

"Would you mind terribly if I called on you again sometime?" you ask.

"Enjoy my hospitality whenever you please, until you enter the Mire," the Wyrm agrees. He exhales; the wind of his breath lifts your gently from the water and sends you hurtling back along the line that connects you to your body. You jolt back to awareness with a start, to find yourself surrounded by the curious expressions of your loved ones.

Kat sets down the stick she's been poking you with.

"You alright?" River asks.

"Yeah, the Wyrm's word was good," you answer. "We just talked."

"What's he like?" Kat asks.

> Tired
> Lonely
> Wise
> Mighty
> Evil, I think
> Write-in?

Choose up to two

>>821881
>> Tired
>> Lonely

Seems like a good sort honestly

>>821881
>Ancient, with all that entails, sweetheart.

Hmm, so naming our kid Richard then?

Nice strong name

>>821881
>> Tired
>> Write-in : Proud

>>821922
Clearly he wants us to name the kid Wyrm.

I may need to leave this open until tomorrow morning. I need to attend to some chores.

>>821917
This.

>>821881
>Write-in?
>Ancient, impossibly so.
>Proud
>Tired
Either or a combination of these.

I wouldn't mind if we ask him for his name when we do meet in person.

Yep, leaving it open. Sleep now.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>821881
> Evil, I think. Selfish. If he was a Necromancer I'd be worried about zombie armies.

> Kind of like the inverse of the Lush. Polite and respectful, but he only gives a damn about himself. While the Lush' pride made him want to die a certain way after leaving behind something, the Wyrms pride made him want to live a certain way until he dies and I don't think he cares if anything is left behind.

> And shittily, he wants to live as a Dragon and we have to kill him in combat.

>>821881
> Tired
> Lonely

I'm alive. Will call and write after attending to dishes and the like.

>>823160
Welcome back.

>>823179
's good to /be/ back. Called, writing.

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>>821881
You scratch behind Kat's ear, just to the side of her hat; she lets out a little mewl of surprise and then pulls back in what you swear is embarrassment. "He's tired," you muse softly. "Impossibly ancient. I think...I think he might only be alive because he doesn't know how to die."

"Poor thing," Amy says, her wings drooping a little. "That's a terrible reason to live."

"Yeah, it kinda is," you agree.

* * * *

Kat waits until you've made it back to the Athenaeum to tug on your sleeve and ask to talk to you. You excuse yourself and slip into another room with her; she adjusts her hat, compulsively, and fidgets on the wall.

"Take your time," you suggest, gently.

"I..." Kat straightens up. "I would like the innocent soul."

You nod. "Can you tell me why?"

"Well...basically my choice here is to change or die, even if 'die' is a ways off, right? So I'm choosing to change. And, I dunno, I don't think it would be as big a change as all that. It's blank, right?"

"Entirely unlived, yes," you agree. "You feel you'll make an impression on it."

"Yes," Kat agrees, with a nod. She flickers gently, as she does at times when she's nervous.

> Give Kat the soul
> Refuse (why?)

* * * *

You haven't checked in on the team in the Sunless Sea, as per the original plan, but things have changed on this end. Should you get back in touch?

> Check in on the Sunless Sea Team
> Maintain bell silence

>>823233
>Give Kat the soul
>Check in on the Sunless Sea Team
I would argue that no news is good news but thing have been silent for too long.

>>823233
>Give Kat the soul
>Check in on the Sunless Sea Team

>>823233
>Give Kat the soul
>Check in on the Sunless Sea Team

>>823233
> Give Kat the soul
Fucking FINALLY. Took so long to convince you guys that it would be worth it.

> Check in on the Sunless Sea Team

Via Lora though, through her Chosen of Emily and whatnot.

>>823368
We /don't/ know if it will be worth it, but we will find out momentarily.

Okay so what was supposed to be a fairly simple 'take tires from Car A and put them on Car B' operation went far longer than expected and is complicated by the bit where Car B is leaking break fluid and also has a tire that is quite literally only attached by the bolts right now. Now I need to get ready for work, so votes remain open, with my apologies for the unforeseen complication.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>823457
No worries, hope you can catch a break soon.

>>823233
> Give Kat the soul
> Maintain bell silence
They're just collecting information, what changed that they would need to know?
>>823368
Lora said that she told Emily to trust nothing she says, since the chain-bearers can make her deceive Emily.

>>823233
>> Give Kat the soul
>> Check in on the Sunless Sea Team

>>823585
Good thing we're not asking her to tell Emily anything, but to tell us stuff instead.

Okay so it turns out I'm here until ten thirty, puts me home near eleven, at which point I'll call and write. Still open for questions and discussion.

>>824621
Too bad we couldn't seek out the Lush' sister and get her to aid us in our quest against Dick.

A Giant could probably be pretty helpful in killing a Dragon.

And maybe she's willing to not just die the fuck out like the rest of them are, and we can hopefully help her have a family if she wants.

Or not, IDGAF. Maybe she's against Miscegenation and culturally appropriating another races sperm.

Called, writing.

>>825778
Wonder if Dragons have the 'shift into and fuck anything' bit they sometimes do in other settings. That'd help out Giants. ... half-giant half-dragon hier apparent.

>>827059
Nah. Angels aren't restricted to one gender, right? I'm thinking of a more divine seed.

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>>823233
You nod to Kat. "Let's get this done, then. Now, for preference."

"Do you know how?" your shadow asks.

"I know the basic principles. And I'm betting Brigette found more."

Brigette did indeed find more. When Kat shyly announces her intentions to the Poet, the redhead gets an interested gleam in her eyes that lights her up from within; she stands a little straighter, smiles a little more plainly, and shakes Kat's hand. "I thought you might," your friend tells Kat. "I've got some books set aside for Brianna to brush up. The actual spells look pretty simple, it's just that the raw material is, well, rare."

"Souls not trying to die or in a body?" you hazard.

"Precisely."

The spell is remarkably simple; you do a circle of corn meal and mark it with a simple veve, and set both Kat and the soul inside. The first part is to bind the circle, which permits Kat to break the glass restraining the soul. It glimmers in the air, silent but stable.

"Will it hurt?" Kat asks, shyly.

"Being born always hurts," you tell her softly. "Get ready."

Kat's scream is mercifully short; she collapses to her knees as the spell takes hold, with a sound of pain that halts when its power seizes hold of her. Your shadow's witchlight core emerges from her depths, and the soul is sucked into it.

The light dances with a ripple of colors, and then the corn burns up in time with your finishing incantation. Kat sinks into the floor, and you rush to her side, worry gripping your chest.

"Kat? Kat, say something, please," you plead, trying not to let your fear come out in your voice.

"I feel funny," your shadow says blearily. "...That hurt a lot."

"I know," you whisper, stroking her head quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're a good creator."

You hide your face in your hat so she can't see your tears, but it can't quite hide the smile.

* * * *

The war council is significantly smaller considering how busy everyone is, which makes it especially annoying that Lark and River are sitting so close together that you'd almost prefer that one be in the other's lap.

"We ready?" you ask.

In various states of appropriate caffenation, your companions - plus Brigette, the Caretake, and Victoria - nod. You ring the bell for your team, and are surprised when it's answered immediately. You can hear sounds in the background; conversation, metal-on-wood, the faint sound of the ocean. A tavern, maybe?

"Emily," the Chosen of Death answers, professionally.

"Catherine's rubbed off on you, huh?" you ask.

"I have not," Catherine objects. "If I want a lover I go all the way."

"Save me from the puns," Scribbles pleads. "That's supposed to be a Wren thing, this is /unnatural/."

You clear your throat. "I wanted to check in and see how you've been faring."

There is a resounding and suspicious lack of anyone volunteering that information.

"Catherine," you prompt, in a warning tone.

"We...have acquired relevant intelligence," the Chosen of Red Troth answers.

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>>827141
"I'm sensing a 'but' so large and important that it rivals my own," you warn.

"We lost Flitter," Scribbles blurts out. "Jack flipped his shit and took her away. We tried to chase after him and he almost took Catherine out."

"I made the call to leave her behind," Emily says grimly. "Blame me."

You let out a long breath.

> What the hell, Emily?
> We knew this might happen. Write down everything you can and we'll deal with this when I get down there.
> She needs to deal with this on her own. This is between her and Jack
> Write-in?

>>827165
<Deep Breath>
> She needs to deal with this on her own. This is between her and Jack
Any information about the Ballpearer?

>>827165
>> We knew this might happen. Write down everything you can and we'll deal with this when I get down there.

>>827165
>We knew this might happen. Write down everything you can and we'll deal with this when I get down there.
Jack is to blame, not Emily.

>>827165
>> We knew this might happen. Write down everything you can and we'll deal with this when I get down there.

>>827165
>Write-in?
>"How are you all holding up?"

>>827165
>> We knew this might happen. Write down everything you can and we'll deal with this when I get down there, even if that is to leave her to deal with it on her own.
>>Gently "How are you all holding up?"

Called, writing shortly.

Can we go visit the tribe from Infamous: Second Son? They seem nice.

>>828368
Woopsie, wrong quest.

Or I can get sensuously ass raped by Comcast. Bear with me.

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>>827165
You let out a long breath. "I'm not too surprised, Emily. Jack's a ghost. He's defined by his obsession now, and that obsession is Flitter."

"It was still my call," Emily answers.

"Then you and Flitter can settle that out after we rescue her," you answer, firmly. "We'll deal with this when I get down there. Write down everything you can and we'll make a plan once everyone arrives."

"Do you have a schedule, Lady la Croix?" Catherine asks formally. You wince.

"We're going to get moving within the next three days. Nights. Camps. Fuck this Dungeon and its lack of diurnal cycles!" You let out a long breath and take a drink of your coffee. "Anyway, soon. We'll meet you in Port Atrium, if you aren't already there."

"We're definitely already here," Scribbles tells you. "And Emily won't take her hat off."

"If you say why in public I'm going to hurt you and not be sorry," Emily warns.

"I wrote it down already, that's good enough for me."

You clear your throat. "Anything else?"

"The /Pallbearer/ has resumed marauding," Catherine says grimly. "It returns to Port Atrium every twelve hours or so by some sorcerous means to remind the residents to turn you over the moment you arrive. Its acting captain says she has something of yours."

"Hostage?" you ask.

"I do not believe so," Catherine answers. "The style is all wrong for that. You show off hostages, not hide them."

You let out a long breath. "Alright. We need to plan."

"Got a basic idea?" River asks, shifting in her chair.

> Pallbearer wants a captain. I'm going to give her one.
> We need to evade the ship as long as we can. I'm going to talk to Ash and his master about extending the lifetime on those shade charms.

AND

> Loosen the restriction on Red Kells to bring him with you
> Leave Red Kells to guard Lakehallow

Got the Comcast resolved but now I need to hit work. I'll see y'all just past midnight; votes remain open.

>>828977
>> Pallbearer wants a captain. I'm going to give her one. Hopefully they have what I would want.
>> Leave Red Kells to guard Lakehallow.

Five hours or so to call.

>>828977
> Pallbearer wants a captain. I'm going to give her one.
> Leave Red Kells to guard Lakehallow

Awfully slow night. Hour or so to call.

>>828977
>> We need to evade the ship as long as we can. I'm going to talk to Ash and his master about extending the lifetime on those shade charms.
>AND
>> Leave Red Kells to guard Lakehallow

>> Pallbearer wants a captain. I'm going to give her one. Hopefully they have what I would want.
>> Leave Red Kells to guard Lakehallow.

are there any other ways that lakehallow could be attacked? How likely is it that it'll be assaulted by water? How difficult would it be?

>>830783
Depends. Monsters get in that water at times all on their own - the Vintner didn't make that croc out of nothing - and there's some potentially high-priority targets on the surface just above Lakehallow. Possibly more importantly, Brianna built restrictions into Kells for when he inevitably goes insane, so that the harm he can do to others at that point is limited. Lifting those restrictions is a bit of a one-way ticket.

As you may have guessed, update is not happening tonight. Getting home from work got...complicated. And it's been a slow night anyway, so: votes remain open and I'll see y'all tomorrow.

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>>831121
Aww I missed it still good to see you back.

>>831158
You missed nothing. I'm gonna call and write in an hour or so. Votes are still open.

>>828977
>Pallbearer wants a captain. I'm going to give her one.
>Leave Red Kells to guard Lakehallow

>>828977
> Pallbearer wants a captain. I'm going to give her one.
> Leave Red Kells to guard Lakehallow.

UNF! It is sooooo good to have you back Lich. I..I love you.

The Wyrm was very cool, by the way. If we talk to him again, we should ask /his/ name. Naming Bri's kid after a dragon would mean he would be blessed with awesome.

Called, writing.

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>>828977
You take another drink of your coffee. "I'm going to take Rachael's offer," you say frankly.

Immediately, the table explodes into a series of protests, counter-objections, and surprised noises, which gives you enough time to actually finish your coffee.

"This isn't up for debate," you say at last, setting your cup down. "The ship has to be dealt with one way or the other. We can try to avoid it on the open water, or we can take advantage of its resources. Every person at this table has told me that I need to give myself more credit than I do. Well, here I am, giving myself credit. I don't want what Pallbearer has to offer me. I can relinquish the power when it's time."

"What if you can't?" Brigette asks quietly. "I mean literally are prevented from doing so. What happens if you have to go down with the ship?"

"Then River takes point on finishing the work," you say quietly. "And you all help her, because Lora still needs rescuing. The risk of death isn't anything new."

Amy puts a hand on your shoulder and squeezes. You flash her a grateful smile.

"Stay near the books on the Sunless Sea," you advise. "I may need to contact you for information. Amy, can you leave the letter from the Lush with Victoria, to be taken to the surface?"

Amy produces the envelope and passes it across the table. Victoria nods and sets it on her lap.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to alternately start packing and enjoy my last few days of guilt-free intimacy with my spouses," you decide.

River rolls her eyes and gets up to pack her own things.

> Begin PART IX: WHAT THOU WILT
> One more thing...(what?)

>>831558
>> Begin PART IX: WHAT THOU WILT

>>831558
>One more thing
I'm pretty sure we had other things we wanted to do

I think I remember getting armor for future missions. At least a helmet or something so we avoid getting shot in the face.

>>831558
>One more thing...(what?)
>We haven't talked to the guy who killed us yet haven't we? I'd like to see how he's doing.

>>831616
This needs to be done.

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>>831558
> ONE MORE THING!
> Go introduce the new and improved Kat to the dread master Caretaker, and watch his jaw literally fall off his face.
> Laugh for days.

> ONE MORE THING!
> Make some collars for Skoll and Hati, with little nametags.
> Send them to hunt snakes and spiders in the Roost, with Sir Fetch keeping watch.

> ONE MORE THING!
> Make Vim & Vigor some snazzy white gloves with eye holes, little top hats and canes.
> Teach them to tap-dance so they can entertain at birthday parties.

> ONE MORE THING!
> Go to the family mournstone and contact Bri's mom and dad. Share the good news.
> Happy tears.

>>831637
So we do have some more things to do, supporting everything but V&V dance routine

>>831637
Anon please.

>>831662
The last one is serious. I would like to a touching moment when Brianna introduces her legitimate waifu and husbando to her Mom and Dad.

>>831681
Bri's parents aren't buried there. There's a reason the "I'd like to talk to mom/grandma" options have all been with Lora present.

>>831558
>Supporting
>>831616

>>831558
>>831637
Second.

>>831760
Any in particular, or just all of them?

>>831684
Awww. Dammit. I didn't really have any other ideas, besides being an ass. We could look into making more talismans and stuff.

>>831774
All that are possible.

Well - called, writing, I suppose. I'll snag everything from the list that seems possible in the time frame, plus talking to Guy What Shot You Unto Death.

>>831558
>> ONE MORE THING!
>> Go introduce the new and improved Kat to the dread master Caretaker, and watch his jaw literally fall off his face.
>> Laugh for days.

I'll second this.

> MFW The other Gods realize we just made new life.

Well, maybe we can get them to make Kat a Mate out of Nate's shadow, yeah?

>>831914
> Not letting Kat grow into her own and find a super-cute Hero of her own.

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>>831558
You stop by to talk with the Caretaker on your way down. The old lich is sorting books, an activity which, as he points out, is really best left to the undead if at all possible, not that it is. That's why he has staff.

"Dread master, I would like to introduce you to someone," you tell him. "This is Kat. Kat, you may remember the Caretaker."

Kat peels herself from the wall, shifting into that layered folded-paper look shadows take on away from solid surfaces, and bows reverently. "Dread master."

"I am not fond of that title," the old lich says with a chuckle. "Your shadow speaks."

"She does a little more than that," you admit. You turn, showing him the razor-thin outline of darkness where your own natural shadow is starting to heal. "I gave her the innocent soul. She is her own person now, whole and complete. No longer a part of me."

The Caretaker nods and offers a hand out. Kat shakes it with a sheepish grin. "It is my pleasure to meet you, Kat. I wish you good health, and welcome you to the ranks of the Firstborn."

"I'm not sure I can call myself that," Kat says. "...I think I'm Thirdborn."

"You're you, Kat," you tell her, affectionately. "Does it really matter?"

"I suppose not," the shadow admits.

* * * *

"Do the dogs really need collars?"

"Absolutely required," you insist, while you clip the tag to Hati's.

"Are you /sure/," Nathan complains.

"Nate, they're dogs, they need collars."

"That's so wrong, Bri. I don't even know where to start on how wrong that is."

"If you don't like it you can damn well raise your own undead dogs."

* * * *

You hold off your last piece of business until the day before you're set to leave. You want to meet the man who killed you. You still aren't quite sure why, but - well, maybe it's just something that has to be done. For closure, and maybe for his own peace of mind. You can't imagine that no one told him you're up and about.

Riley lets you into the makeshift prison. The former General has been making himself useful in the Cornucopia and doing his best not to bother anyone. He needs time to grieve, time you're willing to give him.

The cells are clean, and if they aren't spacious they are at least humane. The young man is sitting on his cot when you walk in, reading a book you recognize because Nate carries a copy of it around - /Red is the Glory/, one of the sacred texts of Red Troth, in which the church of the God of Strife talks about the role of the defender.

"Excuse me," you say softly, interrupting his reading. He looks up, sees you, and slowly sets the book aside.

"My mother always did say not to meddle with necromancers," the young man says, resigned. "I expect you're here to repay me in kind."

> Why don't we start with your name and just see how this goes?
> That's not how I operate, no
> Honestly? I'm here to congratulate you on that shot. You did a good job.
> Why the Lush? Why serve him?
> Write-in?

>>832217
>> Honestly? I'm here to congratulate you on that shot. You did a good job.

It was a bloody good, salt inducing and mind numbingly frustrating, shot.

>>832217
I think I'll have to go with;
> Honestly? I'm here to congratulate you on that shot. You did a good job.
> Offer a hand shake.

I honestly could not understand the level of REEEE that came after the fact. Fights, no matter the size, are never clear cut. There's always the chance of a wild card turning events in someone else's favor. Or a guy with a crossbow gets lucky.

Brianna isn't sore about it, though we might want to make sure he doesn't run into Nate or Amy. They might want to take a few chunks out of him.

>>832217
> Honestly? I'm here to congratulate you on that shot. You did a good job.

>>832217
>Honestly? I'm here to congratulate you on that shot. You did a good job.
Though
> Why the Lush? Why serve him?
Kinda a good job for a bad person.

>>832217
>> That's not how I operate, no

>>832217
>> Honestly? I'm here to congratulate you on that shot. You did a good job.
>> Why the Lush? Why serve him?

Kick him off balance then question him.

Did the Lich return to his crypt? I'll have to remember to bring extra offerings of coffee beans.

>>833912
Nah, just gaming with some friends. Lemme snag another mixer & then write; votes are called.

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>>832217
You shake your head and offer your hand through the bars of his cell. "Honestly, I came to congratulate you on that shot. You fought well, kept a cool head under pressure, and survived attacks that would have killed a lesser soldier. It's not exactly easy to survive a shadow, friend."

"It's not," Kat agrees, making the young man jolt a good half a foot away on his cot.

"This is Kat," you introduce, pleasantly. "...And I'd like to shake your hand."

He looks down at your hand, back up at you, and then clasps it. You give him a warm squeeze before letting go and taking your arm back. "This is a little surreal," the young man admits. "I don't know what to think."

"I do that to people," you say modestly. "I'd like to know why you chose to serve the Lush."

The young man looks away. "Knew it. Death is still on the table."

"It is if you keep being depressing in arm's reach," you mutter. "I'd like to think I'm being reasonable here. You owe me."

"For doing my job? You can take your debts and shove them. Kill me or don't."

You let out a long breath. "Boy -"

"Brian," he corrects, softly. "My name is Brian. My father's name is Gerald. You saved his life with your evacuation, and I tried to repay you with murder. My mother's name was Rose. She was an ice miner, in the Broken Jaw. I know she's dead. I hope she died peacefully but I doubt it. I don't really want answers. My name is Brian, Brianna la Croix, and I don't have much but I've got my damn pride. Don't play games with me."

You sigh and touch the back of Kat's neck, stilling the growl that's already rising in her throat. She makes a frustrated sound and sinks back into the floor, her arms crossed petulantly. "I don't play games with my enemies," you tell Brian, patiently. "And I am not here to play games with you. You're the first man to kill me, Brian. I'd like to understand you better."

"You'd like to pass judgement, or maybe find something that makes you feel better about consigning a boy to death," Brian says with a long sigh. He hangs his head, his elbows on his knees. "What is it you want me to say? That I was forced? That I was desperate? You know what I did it for? I did it for a chance to get out. To see something besides fields and herds. That's what I did it for. And then I found out what I'd signed up for and it was too late."

You rest your forehead on the bars of the cell and close your eyes.

> Try to be well, Brian. We'll talk again later.
> My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.
> You want out of this cell, at least?
> Write-in?

>>834406
>> My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.

>>834406
>> My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.

>>834406
> My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.
Also, you talked to your father yet?

I gotta hit bed here. I work six to midnight tomorrow and will update as I can before and after. I've got a root canal Thursday afternoon that's probably gonna beat my candy ass into the floor but in the event that it doesn't I've got Thursday & Friday off to update with. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>834406
Well. Somebody is full of piss and vinegar. Though, sometimes I forget that although the La Croix are a big name, they are recognized more among academia and magic-users than the common people.
> My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.

>>834435
Take care of yourself, you certifiable bag of bones.

>>834406
>My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.
>Write-in?
>"Would you like to talk to your father?" (if he hasn't been visited already)

>>834406
>> My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.

>>834406
>> My sister joined the wrong army, a long time ago. That doesn't have to be who you are.

I'm alive. Called, writing.

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>>834406
"I've got a sister," you tell Brian at last. "You might have seen or heard about her - the elf with the red hair."

"How -"

"Not the point," you interrupt. "The thing is, she joined up with the wrong army for reasons that sounded good to her. When I found her, she was dying in a trench, after a lifetime of misery and violence. But she chose to be someone different, and this doesn't have to be who you are either."

Silence, from the boy.

"You still want out?" you ask.

"...Yes."

"Alright. I'll see what I can do about that."

You turn to walk away, only to be arrested by a sharp, "Hey!". You turn your head, adjusting your hat on your hair. "Why?"

"You're clever, Brian. Figure it out. You'll have the whole rest of your life to do it."

END INTERLUDE VIII: ANVIL AND FORGE

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>>835193
BEGIN PART IX: WHAT THOU WILT

"Ice mining is weird," Amy complains, ruffling her wings yet again against the cold. Soaring Song chimes irritably. "Like, it can't be a whole industry, can it?"

"They have literally nothing else to sell, Ames," you point out.

"But who wants /ice/?"

"I do," Nate opines. "Coffee might be good over some, actually..."

"Ew," you tell him. "Just. Ew. Look, Ames, what else are the geargrinders going to sell?"

Next to River, Tina rolls her eyes. Lark has elected to remain behind, to help out in the Cornucopia, but between you, River, and various minions, your group is quite large enough as it is. You remembered to ask Victoria to recharge the charm she made you, which she did with goodwill. Now there's only the matter of entering the Port.

It's raining when you enter the Sunless Sea. Black clouds, clustered near the ceiling of the massive cavern, sheet water in winds that make the droplets whip sideways. You take your hat off and put it in your pack while the others pull up various hoods or fold their wings over their heads.

"At least it's not storming," Amy points out, hopefully.

A lightning bolt lances into the freshwater sea ahead.

"Well fuck me then," the half-harpy complains. The group starts to pick its way ahead.

"How do we play this?" Nate asks, as you move down the path that will take you to the bottom of the cliff.

> Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship
> Enter the town openly
> Signal the advance group to meet you outside of town, at the base of the cliff

>>835227
>Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship
All aboard the HMS Disappointment.

>>835227
>> Enter the town openly, voicing your intentions should the mob emerge

>>835227
> Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship

>>835227
>> Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship

>>835227
>Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship

I gotta get ready for work folks. Votes remain open. I'ma archive the thread now so I don't forget.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>835227
>> Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship

>>835227
>> Signal the advance group to meet you outside of town, at the base of the cliff
The more we know before going in the better.

>>835227
> Signal the advance group to meet you outside of town, at the base of the cliff.
I wonder if Jack took Flitter back to the Atheneum.

>>835227
>> Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship
I don't think I voted for this yet

>>835227
>> Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship

Seems like a good place to start, at least.

Ideally, we'd also
>signal the advance group to meet us somewhere discreet
but the important thing is the disguise, I think.

>>835227
Oh hey you're back. Good to have you around again.

> Disguise yourself; the Port is probably jumpy and you don't need to get tied up and tossed onto the ship

>We're going to captain the ship
>whatcouldgowrong.jpg

>>836743
Brianna slowly absorbs pirate culture? Necro-Pirate Quest when?
> A cutlass in one hand, bottle of rum in the other.
> Sir Fetch perched on her shoulder.
> An eyepatch, for no reason but to look more pirate-ey.
> Nate is obviously her First Mate, with a peg leg and a legendary Cannon.
> Amy gets to dress up as as qt pirate girl, but with waaaay too many knives and blades on her person. Lures in merchant ships with her songs.
> And of course, the flag bears the La Croix emblem.

>>836814
This would be fucking awesome as a family vacation kind of deal, if the current ship didn't have a curse that made the Davy Jones look like a kiddy party. But we can file that away for future use. Also we need the smut fag to make a pic with Nate in a pirate hat and an eyepatch.

>>836845
>Also we need the smut fag to make a pic with Nate in a pirate hat and an eyepatch.
While he gets his cannon serviced.

>>837499
all aboard the SS Lewd, the original creator of 'sexy pirate costume.'

Urgh fucking kill me.

Okay, so I've got a root canal in two hours and I'll be fully awake just in time for that to fuck my life up. Votes remain open while we see how well I handle that shit. /In the meantime/, I'm open for Q&A.

>>837650
What are the most popular schools of magic? There's a few styles, and we're heavy into necromancy, but is there a 'cool' or 'popular' one thats more heavily romanticized or such?

>>837687
Kineticism, hands-down. It's the flashiest, the most common, and definitely the one that gets overblown the most in stories and plays. Nevermind that anyone trying to throw a house at someone else is going to have a stroke and die with the house distinctly un-thrown, the idea /sounds/ cool. Alchemy comes in close second.

>>837650
You won't handle that well. But you'll feel better for having gone through it.

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>>837499

While Bri shivers his timbers.

And Amy swabs the poop deck.

>>837650
Maybe you should take today off from the quest?

>>838024
You'd think that, but he's a fucking nutjob.

>>838085
And we love him for it. The coffee coma will help put him under so he can give his phylactery a rest.

>>838024
I dunno about that, just gimmie a couple of hours to recover. Finding out the painkillers weren't dosed high enough is one thing. Finding out because the drill just hit your inflamed nerve is entirely another.

>>838189
At least you have painkillers that work on you. That is a real blessing, believe me.

>>837849
Goddamnit anon, I'm NOT writing smut of them, I have a backlog already!

>>837650
Hrm, the Chosen.
Who was the First Chosen? How did that come to be?

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>>838539
They call him the Lord of Leaves, and legend says he was Chosen of Red Troth. When the Firstborn first learned the art of war, the Lord of Leaves sold his soul for victory over his enemies and paid his price in service, until the day of his death in battle. The elves respect his sacrifice but consider his tale more cautionary than heroic.

>>838577
Can we get some examples of demigods or the result of Divine Dickings? Are there creatures, entities or spirits that aren't part of the known pantheon that are worshipped (like a dragon-spirit or some truly ancient sea monster with a measure of self-awareness)?

Have their ever been occasions where Elementals achieve sentience? Has anyone ever tried to make one? Would adding Wraithsteel to the elemental's form help?

Has there ever been a successful attempt by mortals to create true life (with the ability to breed and multiply on their own, not just build others of their kind like the Thirdborn)?

Could a Gear-Grinder made with Elemental remains have some nifty powers? Would one that was made with Wraithsteel be nearly-human in appearance, and possibly, function?

Is evolution a thing in DLQ-verse? I mean, we know that the Gods have allowed mortals to change and grow on their own. Sub-races or successful mutations that became dominant in a place, etc. The half-blooded offspring of mortals and demons might qualify, if they mingled enough to make a stable population of Not!Tieflings.

>>838773
I'm pretty sure that angels were worshipped.

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>>838773
> Can we get some examples of demigods or the result of Divine Dickings? Are there creatures, entities or spirits that aren't part of the known pantheon that are worshipped (like a dragon-spirit or some truly ancient sea monster with a measure of self-awareness)?

Angels, especially the Sorrows Choir, sometimes pick up cults. I haven't done much with the divine children because to be frank they haven't really been relevant to the plot line aaaand also because I'm trying to keep the focus on the Gods of Creation.

> Have their ever been occasions where Elementals achieve sentience? Has anyone ever tried to make one? Would adding Wraithsteel to the elemental's form help?

The sons and daughters of the Mistlands sometimes claim to speak to sapient elementals but it's difficult to tell if this is because the elementals are actually sapient or because fairies are as they are. Attempts to lure elementals to manifest have met with mixed success but it's hard to find volunteers for it given the amount of dead people sometimes produced in the process, and the practice is outlawed in some nations for precisely this reason.

> Has there ever been a successful attempt by mortals to create true life (with the ability to breed and multiply on their own, not just build others of their kind like the Thirdborn)?

No. The Thirdborn are the first and thus far only sons of the Firstborn.

> Could a Gear-Grinder made with Elemental remains have some nifty powers? Would one that was made with Wraithsteel be nearly-human in appearance, and possibly, function?

Wraithsteel is still forged metal. It won't make a geargrinder flesh and blood no matter how hard you try. Such a creation would certainly be unusual, especially since the main part of the body is still going to be wood, with other enchanted materials present. Due to the rarity of wraithsteel, there are no recorded wraithsteel geargrinders; likewise for elemental ones, though that one is likely more a matter of time or wealth.

> Is evolution a thing in DLQ-verse? I mean, we know that the Gods have allowed mortals to change and grow on their own. Sub-races or successful mutations that became dominant in a place, etc. The half-blooded offspring of mortals and demons might qualify, if they mingled enough to make a stable population of Not!Tieflings.

Death is change.

>>840700

You lose your trip there, voxie?

>>842066
Yes. Yes I did. That's the Professional Writing one.

>>842079
Professional!

>>842111
We have a surprising number of professionals of all sorts around here.

>>840700
Are there Fae of great renown among mortals (like the Lady of the Lake) who have had a hand in mortal history and/or early Creation?

Have there ever been half-breeds of mortal and Fae? What would a Fae think of the Gear-Grinders? What would their impression be of Kat?

Are there other realms beyond the Ironlands, besides the Sunless Lands and the Mistlands? Not talking any nightmarish Lovecraftian stuff, but maybe the place of origin for the Gods?

Would picking up a few fishy minions in the Sunless Sea be possible? We have the dogs, the Skelehands, and valorous Sir Fetch, but we might need something that can swim (I know we voted about Kells, but we need him in Lakehallow).

Can we figure out a way to peacefully send the giant fanged monster in the Sunless Sea away, or keep it from attacking the Ports? Maybe a bit of magic sleep spell or alchemy potion, or some sort of sacrifice that would appease it? If the creature is intelligent, we might be able to make friends, or at least let it know that the party isn't looking to harm or threaten it.

>>843135
For the last one, we'd likely need to find out in-quest.

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>>835227
You'd best not be seen wandering openly into Port Atrium; you really don't want your reintroduction to Rachael to involve shackles or, as a random, nonspecific example, a lynch mob. There's no version of that in your head that ends well.

It takes some jiggering in the rain, but you end up wearing River's spare cloak, with a light application of soot to subtly change the shape of your face.

"I work with a lot of shapeshifters," Tina admits, while she applies it. "It gives you a bit of insight into the matter."

"Can you shift shape?" you ask, curiously.

"Never really had the knack for it," the succubus admits. "Some of us can, some of us can't. Rakshasa are the ones you really want for that."

"No thanks," River mutters. "Darshan was bad enough."

There's not much you can do about the minions, but River's more than willing to take credit for them, and Sir Fetch is safely hidden in Amy's pack for now. You head into town, muttering a telepathic apology to your familiar. The storm would have everyone indoors anyway, but the Port is quieter than it ought to be.

You hold back a sigh. These people won't have to live in fear much longer.

The doors of the Bulging Net are still open, at least, and your companions are already waiting. You get Hati and Skoll under the table before anyone can notice they're undead - you do not want to wait outside in the rain - while Scribbles pulls another table next to the one they're already at.

There's a different bartender this time, thank the gods, though from the looks of him this kid is probably the other one's son.

"Ale?" Catherine offers.

"The correct answer is always coffee," you tell her, as you sit. "And thank you for the offer."

The Chosen of War gets up to order a fresh pot. You look over at Scribbles. "What's the situation?"

"Why are you looking at me?" the lamia asks, blinking.

You let your gaze rest on Emily; she's staring out the window with a lost expression. "You're the writer," you say at last. "Tell me what you saw. And pass your notes to River."

Scribbles slides your sister the journal she's been writing in - River asks Whisper to handle it until she can dry her hands off - and sighs. "It's not pretty, Brianna. Both ships have resumed marauding. There was a town, on the Bar, name of Sprawl? Most of the people there didn't make it out alive. The /Pallbearer/ attacked without warning."

You swear under your breath.

"The /Lonesome Dirge/ hasn't been much better," the author continues. "People from the saltwater side have been fleeing to Port Atrium for refuge and to try to escape to a higher floor. And I know what you're about to ask, and I already asked them. Seems people would rather face the ships than the Mire."

"Great," you reply, without much mirth. You put your elbows on the table and rest your head on your arms; you catch the sound of Catherine sitting back down.

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>>845363
"It gets worse," Catherine adds, reluctantly. "Someone, or something, has woken an ancient evil in the waters. I have spent time in the libraries of this place, and questioning its elders, and I believe I know the name of this monster." You lift your head and meet her red eyes. "Kratos' fear, Brianna," Catherine tells you, gravely. "Canopus."

"That thing is still /alive/?" River asks, in disbelief.

"Whether or not it is the true Canopus is irrelevant," Catherine says with a shrug. "The serpent is large enough to threaten warships, hungry enough to attack island villages, and it is very much awake and angry. It will complicate travel."

"But you have a plan, right?" Scribbles asks, her voice all hope.

"I mean, there's acquiring /Pallbearer/," you remind her. "Beyond that, and rescuing Flitter, I..."

> Am going to hunt the Dirge
> Should put down this serpent before it can hurt anyone else
> Need to get across the Floor and into the Mire; the Sunless Sea can deal with this until I can get back
> Was going to play it by ear, honestly

>>845381
> Was going to play it by hear honestly.

Since things have already gone to absolute shit, there's no reason not to wing it. Of course, whatever direction we go in, that damned serpent is probably going to wreck shit harder than Godzilla stomped Tokyo.

It would help if we could find a way to either 1) calm the beast and send it back to whence it came, or 2) redirect its fury to the Lonesome Dirge, and laugh as our enemies get their due. That last bit is only complicated by the fact that the former Captain Reeves of the Pallbearer is held captive aboard the vessel.

If we can find and settle the business between Jack and Flitter, she might be able to give us some more information to work with on the Sunless Sea and Canopus.

Rough days Lich? I doubt anyone would mind if you called a brief break and took a couple days. You completely-off-your-rocker bone slut.

>>845381
>>845455
> Was going to play it by ear, honestly
What say you we lure the snake to the Lonesome Dirge while we rescue Captain Reeves amidst the chaos? If we should be Captain of the Pallbearer for a while so we can get to the Lonesome Dirge and rescue Reeves, then so be it. It's not like we can't relinquish captaincy back to the former captain, right?

>>845455
What do you think most of today was, me updating? 'm fine, just need to focus up.

Thread archived, incidentally.

>>845381
>> Am going to hunt the Dirge
Getting the captain should make it much easier to deal the the Pallbearer, and prevents us from winding up an immortal pirate that has to steal to live.

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Aight, I'm hitting bed. I'll update when I wake up; votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>845381
>Was going to raise an army of undead sea monsters to do my biding.

>>845381
>Should put down this serpent before it can hurt anyone else
>And maybe, just maybe, temporarily commandeer it to do my bidding long enough to take out one or the other of these idiot ships.

>>845381
I just had a thought, but wouldn't Canopus be a worthy foe for the Wyrm to fight? Maybe we should talk to him again sometime and ask?

Probably won't work but you never know.

Another thought, those runes in the Roost, it kept the Pallbearer sated and something else, did we ever find out what the second was? if not, could it have been this snake?

>>845748

Fuckin... this.

>>845381
>> Was going to play it by ear, honestly

>>845865
Well, shit.

> Was going to play it by ear, honestly

>>845865
the other runes were for the other immortal ghost ship

>>845381
> Was going to play it by ear, honestly
>I was thinking of getting the Pallbearer to attack the Dirge and Canopus. At least one of them has to be destroyed, right?

Called, writing new thread.

NEW THREAD

>>846504
>>846504
>>846504
>>846504