File: Amethyst.(Houseki.no.Kuni(...).jpg (213 KB, 678x1090)

213 KB JPG

>>900733
You've started to gather a small audience now; not unusual, most of them just hopeful they will see something new. “Present your names and titles, and your highest honor.” The last isn't a necessity, but it allows them to announce to the few in attendance that they have merited attention from a Leader or Supreme Leader.

The twin with red eyes and yellow blade steps forward. Her voice is light and breathless. “Gish-Arcane Schechei, Hunter and Defender.” She removes one of the badges on her sash, and presents it for your inspection. It is one of Leader Savilieurds', golden wires tying together three amethyst spheres. Three of the masters in a single outing? There is absolutely no way these are mere acolytes, though you keep that to yourself for the moment.

Her seeming-sister steps forward, her voice firm and strident, more befitting her nature. “Gish-Psychic Kteine, Hunter and Defender.” Her badge is different; a circle of adamantine with a lightning bolt of silver piercing from one side to the other. Not a stylized lightning bolt, but a forked and wavering bolt, thick splitting into two thinner bolts. A standard siege breaker's insignia, indicating someone who penetrated the enemy defenses and allowed for a successful raid to be conducted and bounty to be taken. Not an insignificant achievement, and again, not typical of an acolyte at all.

You study the pair, noting their slightly different stances and their differently designed weapons, which is a good thing if it continues. If they've been taught to fight as a single unit, that is a deal breaker.

[] Drills first, see who taught them and what they prefer to use.
[] Inquire as to their fighting techniques first – especially if they fight as a unit.
[] Have Aeuna take Kteine first and begin her assessment, you'll start wit Schechei.
[] Direct one to attack, the other to defend and see if they will obey strange orders.
[] Write in?

File: Houseki.no.Kuni.full.1704079.jpg (333 KB, 800x600)

333 KB JPG

Previous Thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/851071/

Pastebin: http://pastebin.com/5H8tWFRe

Twitter: https://twitter.com/XsQuestmistress

>Akko, like all her kind, has a measure of psychic ability. She will simply use most of these powers without prompting, instinctively, when appropriate. Her spells are another matter.
>She is a high ranking Gish, and may give orders to low ranking Knights; mid-ranked Warriors; high ranking Spellcasters, Skulkers, and Murderers; and any Gish lower ranked than herself.
>Current Cadre:
Yzia: Adult Solar Dragon, lover and companion. She may carry Akko and four others.
Falna: Mid-ranked Warrior (potential antagonism); Class:Slayer, bound by Oath only.
Yashi: High-ranked Illusionist (drama queen and very, very, very old); Class:Illusionist Wizard, Bound by Oath only.
Tzanzi: High-ranked Murderer (damaged legend, old friend); Class:Slayer Archetype, Bound by Oath and Promise.
>Candidates:
Aeuna: Mid-ranked Gish (paid to assassinate Akko); Class:Psychic Warrior, Duel to Deep Blood and then may join.
Schechei: Low-ranked Gish (but is she really?); Class:Magus (?), being assessed.
Kteine: Low-ranked Gish (but is she really?); Class:Psychic Warrior(?), being assessed.
>Akko's Supreme Leader: Dunzamn, a Lord Knight with a True Silver Sword, heading the Raid of The Aristocracies.
>Character Sheet In Progress: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1009380

Archives:

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/822486/

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/851071/

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/869633/

>>900739
>[] Inquire as to their fighting techniques first – especially if they fight as a unit.

I'm kind of sad Yzia didn't win the vote

>>900747
There will be other opportunities, anon. She was the popular vote, after all - the monk didn't catch up until late this evening.

>>900733
[] Drills first, see who taught them and what they prefer to use.

>>900739
>[x] Drills first, see who taught them and what they prefer to use.
Basics first.

>>900739
>[] Drills first, see who taught them and what they prefer to use.

>>900733
>skulkers can throw you for a loop, however; murderers less often
What's the difference?

>>900793
Skulkers are those who tend towards rogue and investigator and vivisectionist alchemists; in other words, anyone trying to be sneaky, including mind-blade wielders of various sorts, non-support bards, etc. Their duties usually involve the entry and escape from places being raided, especially illithid/mind flayer hives. Murderers are focused on, well, death by stealth, be it githyanki assasination, killing lone illithids, or infiltratign and murdering enemies during a raid for demoralization. Their skill set is usually 'kill them'.

>>900810
So murderers would be slayers then?

>>900846
Slayers, the rare barbarian/urban barbarian type, and some fighter archetypes, yes.

File: 1461784494797.jpg (845 KB, 733x1000)

845 KB JPG

“I would like you to start by demonstrating your drills. Schechei, for myself; Kteine for Gish Aeuna.” That only means that if something is off, you and Aeuna will discuss it between yourselves and then inform each other if needed; you'll both be assessing both of the strange young gith. This gives them someone to focus on for starters. You'll make things more complex shortly.

They begin at once, and you're relieved to see that their fighting styles are entirely separate and distinct. It would have been troublesome to have someone try and create a dual-team fighting style, only to have one of them die and leave the other a useless wreck. Or worse, suicidally depressed. That they are going to be or are mated is obvious, though they haven't the signets that say so as of yet. Presiding over that ceremony might be a pleasure.

Schechei is – unsurprisingly – an incredibly aggressive warrior, her focus switching from two hands to one hand as she moves through the forms and drills that her instructors gave her. You can see some of Hanavei's blade-work, especially when she performs two-handed; she switches to one hand in what is clearly meant to support the gish spellcasting efforts, and in those moments and movements you see the influence of Gysse's basic techniques. Se has adjusted them to her own style, though; she is clearly someone who focuses on spellstrikes with as much power behind them as she can muster. Her main defense is a quick onslaught; she's faster than you by a good amount, which you approve of. You're more the plan and prepare type, while she is the shock trooper, and her studies of Jeixara's footwork and awareness techniques augment that nicely.

File: 0cd466f6262ca27875b70dc0b(...).jpg (553 KB, 744x1053)

553 KB JPG

>>900883
You indicate as much to Aeuna, who replies that she too is impressed by Kteine's work. Kteine's strident and forthright presence on the field seems to fade into the background when she is doing drills; her techniques seem to be focused on one-handing her blade and only occasional two-handing. While Schechei and yourself free up one hand to cast with, she does so in movements which suggest attacks and defenses put up beforehand in addition to her swordplay, rather than being created on the fly. Which makes sense for a psychic warrior, of course. A number of clawing motions and twisting motions suggests she uses her power to create fields of energy or forces around her free hand for use in assault. A lot of Gysse there as well, but less casting-wise and more 'adapting to the enemy to weaken them'. The Lord Knight Wvere's techniques for defending oneself while assaulting another target is common for her as well; she blends attack and defense almost as well as you do.

It becomes very obvious very quickly that they're not novices. They might be beyond acolytes as well. But that requires a much different testing technique.

[] Have them demonstrate their most powerful attack combination.
[] Surprise assault them and see how good they really are.
[] Direct them to drill against one another and see how they fare.
[] Craft a Scripted Hallucination of a set of enemies for them to combat against.
[] Write in?

>>900885
>[] Craft a Scripted Hallucination of a set of enemies for them to combat against.

>>900885
>[] Craft a Scripted Hallucination of a set of enemies for them to combat against.

>>900885
>[] Craft a Scripted Hallucination of a set of enemies for them to combat against.

Rolled 11, 12 = 23 (2d20)

Lets see how well this goes over....

>>900937
Mediocre?

>>900944
>http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1009380
With a spellcraft score of +24, that's a 37.

>>900944
>>900968
Those are saving throws for the girls.

File: 1447743417900.png (182 KB, 936x629)

182 KB PNG

[X] Craft a Scripted Hallucination of a set of enemies for them to combat against.
[] Write in?

You silently inform your lady to inform those watching that there will be a testing, and a hard one. As Schechei and Kteine preform more difficult and diligent drills, you slowly walk around them and Aeuna. Do not panic. I want to see their reactions when placed against one of the enemy and some thralls. As you perform your walk you give hand signal orders to those around you, careful not to let the “twins” see; you are really just telling them to stay put and defend themselves against stray spells and assaults.

You begin casting, and note that both childer immediately take note, though only Kteine seems to slow her drill-work; neither of them seem to recognize the spell either, which is not surprising. Most gish do not bother with illusions and mind games; you're a rare exception with good reason. While most illusions can be seen by others, your phantasm cannot; only Kteine, Aeuna, Schechei and yourself can see it, and you and Aeuna know it is an illusion. The downside is that the illusion is in the mind of the victim, and thus tainted by their own perception.

The script is yours, however, and it is a damnably good one.

The enemy imposed upon their consciousnesses appears in a sinister sizzle of bending Astral fundament, and immediately four armed and armored warriors of varied races erupt form the rift, as the violet fleshed monstrosity follows, the wet slide of the strange membranous robes it wears viscous and threatening. It's mouth opens wide, the mutated jawline and the thick tendons that operate it like a gangplank releasing the thick tongues and their barbed and dripping orifices in a horrible hiss. You and Aeuna are trapped outside by the rising of a shimmering and opaque black wall of force that leave the two acolytes trapped with the quartet of mind controlled warrior-slaves and a monstrous creature out of nightmare.

Neither of them recognize the illusion for what it is, and you manage to block their mental shrieks of warning to those around you with scant seconds to spare. What others see is the twins seeming to go berserk; you and Aeuna get to watch the twins combat the terrifying threat. You do notice that anyone who cannot adequately defend themselves quickly move much further away.

File: 1416139350895.png (2.17 MB, 1500x889)

2.17 MB PNG

>>900982
Kteine's first act is to craft a potent shockwave that you allow to incapacitate two of the slaves, though not kill them; blood from the nostrils, dazed looks, and pained expressions come easily to mind. The enemy resists, Kteine's strength impressive for her age and stature, but not surprising enough to you that you would let her have the pleasure of an easy victory. She also imbues her sword with psychic energy, and takes up a more defensive stance, caught unprepared but not incapable. So imbued the dark ruby sword glows from within, a crimson beacon of her power.

The first thing Schechei does is imbue her blade with a potent spell to assist in lowering the master's resistance to their powers and spells. She then immediately slashes at one of the slaves that is still up, releasing the psychic power she had already imbued the blade with; it goes from a glowing yellow to a dull and cloudy citrine; the half-orc warrior roars as his arm and chest spill blood from the explosive force added to the savage cut.

You pour on the aggression of the half-orc and remaining human slaves, while the enemy slowly stalks the twain, tentacles slithering, shifting....it raises its claw-less, nail-less hands, and reaches for Kteine.

It is with some amusement that you notice Aeuna is looking rather ill and her hand twitches towards her own blade constantly.

Kteine concentrates, and her left hand explodes into pale fire, and she lashes out at the Human who moves in for a grapple. The pale fire sears with cold, and the human screams in agony as she assaults it again with her sword, dropping him.

Darting across the makeshift arena Schechei casts one of your own favorites, and silver darts explode across the field of battle. It makes you very glad that you warned other githyanki away, as being perforated would have upset them; as it stands, she manages to paint one of the downed figures, the half-orc, and the enemy in painful shards of silver. The master hisses, its tongues thrashing as its eyes begin to glow, while the half-orc collapses.

Immediately both childer throw up the instinctive defense of all githyanki, and the psychic blast that tears through their minds hurts, but does not incapacitate either of them. The same cannot be said of the slaves, who all shudder and stand in place as their brains are thoroughly punished. Kteine gestures to Schechei, and receives one in return: a flanking maneuver with potent spellstrikes. Common warrior sign language among the githyanki, nothing specific to themselves. Very good.

[] Let it play out, see if they can finish the much more deadly creature together.
[] Call a halt. You were right – they're mid-ranked, not low ranked.
[] Back the hallucination with a real psychic attack and test their defenses.
[] Have Siobhan give them an assist, to fuel the hallucination further.
[] Write in?

>>900986
>[] Back the hallucination with a real psychic attack and test their defenses.

>>900986
>[] Call a halt. You were right – they're mid-ranked, not low ranked.

>>900986
>[] Back the hallucination with a real psychic attack and test their defenses.

Can we try and make it about the same level of strength as one of the masters could have done?

>>900996
The last person you did that to died on the spot.

>>900986
[] Back the hallucination with a real psychic attack and test their defenses.
>[] Make the attack deal no actual damage.

>>900996
Lets not damage our soon-to-be trainees.

>>900999
Well, was dying on the spot.

You can, however, make it one that would be entirely believable for the master to try and use on them.

>>900999
Nevermind then.

>>900999
I hope we do hurt them, they shouldn't be introduced as acolytes.

>>900986
>[] Call a halt. You were right – they're mid-ranked, not low ranked.

Rolled 20, 5 = 25 (2d20)

Kteine gets a bonus of +6 - Schechei has to suffer without the bonus.

Rolled 62, 80 = 142 (2d100)

>>901017
Oops. Poor Schechei.

File: 1410664490063.jpg (109 KB, 728x874)

109 KB JPG

[X] Back the hallucination with a real psychic attack and test their defenses.
[X] Write in? Let's not break them, shall we?

As them move to flank the creature, you concentrate on a psychic assault of your own; Aeuna glances at you, confused, but you wave her off, leaving her so.

The enemy backs away a little, trying to avoid their rushed flank, and Kteine manages a strike with the pale nimbus of her left hand, which causes parts of the soggy robes to frost over and causes the creature some pain. With a rushed spell that causes Schechei's blade to erupt in disconcerting colors – clearly a Touch of Idiocy, a most useful spell against the enemy she bolts in and manages a two handed attack which allows the spell to cascade over the creature's body....but the creature's aura is too strong for such a weak spell, even with the potency of its aura reduced by the previous spell.

The creature rears up and stands tall, towering over the slim figures, and the tentacles of it's mouth splay out threateningly as it claws at the, You unleash your own spell; Kteine is able to bring up a much stronger Thought Shield but Schechei pays the price for her bold attack. You break apart the parts of her mind, isolating them and letting her id roam free. Kteine takes a much more defensive stance as Schechei whimpers....and then viciously draws her left arm against the dull yellow crystal of her blade, spattering her own very real blue blood across the seemingly ichor stained blade.

Aeuna looks at you like you've gone mad, and you frown slightly. The action itself isn't particularly unusual, but the way in which she performed it is a touch strange. It isn't fatal, either, just messy. You're not sure what she'll do next though.

[] Now end the hallucination and subdue your insane acolyte.
[] Let Kteine finish the fight, while Aeuna can subdue the crazed Schechei if she wishes.
[] Continue – this is practical experience after all.
[] See how Kteine deals with this situation on her own, and prevent Aeuna from interfering.
[] Write in?

>>901029
>[] Now end the hallucination and subdue your insane acolyte.
I like the possessiveness

>>901005


It's the fault of the person who introduced them, though.

Either she's a fool, or she has malevolent intent. Or both.

Rolled 41 (1d100)

Schechei probably would have had a better chance if the damage the illithid had suffered had forced it to make a concentration check - since it was Akko and not the illusionary mind flayer casting, she got a bit fucked.

>>901029
I don't know, on the one hand I wanna see what they do next, on the other we don't have the magic left for our healing spells and even if there's some trickery afoot, they do seem very talented.

>>901029
>[] Let Kteine finish the fight, while Aeuna can subdue the crazed Schechei if she wishes.
It would be a shame to end it too soon.

>>901029
>[] Now end the hallucination and subdue Schechei. You will decide of those two girls' fate afterward.

>Explain what happened to Aeuna. Ask for her conclusions. It's also a good test for her capacities.

>>901029
>[] Continue – this is practical experience after all.

>>901037

It has been going on long enough.

>>901029

Adding to this >>901042:

>Observe Falna.

File: 3a3f48fba2e624cfb4aa32750(...).jpg (607 KB, 4488x2976)

607 KB JPG

[X] Now end the hallucination and subdue your insane acolyte.
[X] Write in? Well, they're certainly interesting, but not as advertised. But they're under your assessment – Aeuna can finish her part. Then she'll have an idea of what she's dealing with in you. Falna has to be up to something.

As Kteine waits for the enemy to make its move you dispel the hallucinatory fight, allowing them to see the real world as it truly is. That she did not press her assault is worrying; better to have kept the creature from devouring her companion's brains or risk a second, even more powerful mental assault to be unleashed upon her. They are a peculiar mixture of skilled and inexperienced, and you're not quite sure how much of the experiences they did have were truly what they seem to be from their war-sashes.

Aeuna glances sidelong at you; she's clearly upset, but she's dealing with it privately through telepathy, rather than airing her opinion publicly. You suffer her short diatribe as you walk over to Schechei, who is clutching her blade in both hands and murmuring in a soft, sing-song language that is entirely made up. That is, it seems made-up or incoherent, except that Kteine seem to understand what she is saying.

That was outrageous, Akko....you could have seriously injured them both, or worse, caused them to injure one another with that power. How could you deem that a necessary part of an assessment? A psychic assault without warning or preparation? The fight itself is understandable, but to do something so rash....it smacks of a desire t see them fail.

Stepping in front of Schechei as Kteine stands up and shivers violently, though only once, you gently take the childer's blade from her nerveless hands. Without your will keeping the spell intact it will fade in a few seconds, and you place your hand on her shoulder, and look into those deep garnet eyes as the come back to clarity. They performed admirably, on most counts. A warning sent out; incapacitating the slaves quickly and effectively; and exercising some caution in dealing with the enemy. Do you disagree?

That takes Aeuna back a bit, and she frowns but walks over to Kteine, asking for her blade so she may examine it. There is more that you are holding back....I agree with the gist of your assessment, but Kteine was too defense oriented, and unwilling to deal with a compromised ally quickly. Schechei used her spells wisely at first, but her attempt to use her main attack method backfired in a manner that could have ended worse than this. A fair assessment, all things considered.

File: 1dc009b4242af57c9713b025e(...).jpg (306 KB, 701x1080)

306 KB JPG

>>901077
As Schechei starts being able to reason once more, she quickly looks around and assess the situation for herself, coming quickly to the conclusion you expect. “An illusion....but with additional assaults from others to reinforce it, make it more real.” You nod with a pleased smile.

Falna remains silent, watching with an impassive expression, as the others wander off or discuss what happened from tactical and strategic standpoints.

You have good points, and I saw much the same. I also observed an 'acolyte' using a thought shield that most high-ranked warriors can barely manage, and some mid-ranked gish would be reluctant to use. I saw another acolyte using a technique that no low-ranked gish is ever taught, and see her wearing an honor that many mid ranked gish would have difficulty justifying. These are not acolytes, but they have serious issues acting on experience they claim to have. That means they are either fraudulently claiming honors and badges, or something else is going on.

Aeuna has a difficult time keeping her shock from expressing itself; According to what I saw, Kteine could be a Leader in her own right by the strength of her defenses alone, except she clearly hesitated to deal with what she was presented with. Schechei used a spell that is only available to Leader-capable ranks, yet she fell victim to a simple technique failure that no gish-arcanist in her right mind would have not taken into account. Yet their drills were superb.

Aeuna is definitely surprised by your insight, and while she doesn't retract her arguments, she does seem to realize you're operating on another level than she is, and one that she might be ill equipped to deal with. She speaks softly with Kteine, addressing the issues she saw – and notably avoiding those you pointed out to her. She knows her place, but isn't afraid to assert her viewpoint. Which is a good thing, in your opinion; keep the blood moving.

“Feel better? No residual desires or urges?” Schechei looks at her arm and pulls out a vial of familiar looking ichor, but shakes her head. As you hold her sword for you, she incants the lesser version of Infernal Healing, and sighs as the wound begins to knit very slowly. Offering her blade to her hilt first, you study the knitting of the wound as it occurs.

[] Ask her why she did what she did and see if she has a rational explanation.
[] Confront Falna on this situation – this is patently not on the level.
[] See how Schechei reacts when told Kteine might pass though she will fail.
[] Inverse of the above, see what she would d if Kteine fails and she is accepted.
[] Write in?

>>901078
>[] Ask her why she did what she did and see if she has a rational explanation.
>[] Confront Falna on this situation – this is patently not on the level.

>>901078
>[] Confront Falna on this situation – this is patently not on the level.
Even if she was being completely honest with us, letting them come with us on the raid would be dodgy? But this?
>[] Ask her why she did what she did and see if she has a rational explanation.

So what do you guys think about this, fellow players? Is there some kind of weird memory transfer going on, or maybe this isn't their original bodies? Neither of those seem right, and I'm not sure are within the bounds of Pathfinder, but... this is weird right?

>>901078
>[] Confront Falna on this situation – this is patently not on the level.
>[] See how Schechei reacts when told Kteine might pass though she will fail.

>>901078
>[] Ask her why she did what she did and see if she has a rational explanation.

>[] Inverse of the above, see what she would d if Kteine fails and she is accepted.

I'm very interested in seeing how she react to success at the detriment of others, because it's certainly something that'll happen a lot with us.

I kinda want to agree with Aeuna on some level, but her criticism doesn't seem very justified.

>>901086

It sounds like they got a lot of training, but little battle experience.

My hypothesis would be that whatever modified them to look the same is related to something that kept them in a no-aging plane and made them train.

>>901086

They're twins in a species that can't have them.
They bleed, so they're not constructs. What fleshcrafting schools of magic are there?

>>901089
>>901095
So what do you guys want to try to expose by playing them against each other? I'm not great at psychological warfare. Like arguably Schechie fucked up by succombing to our attack too easily, Kteine didn't seem to do much to either incapacitate or aid her sibling.

>>901104

I'm trying to see how Schechie reacts to success at the expense of her "twin". It should reveal a lot about what she is

>>901106

Or rather, who she is.

>>901108
>>901106
I guess I'm not clear on how. Familial relationships aren't really things for Githyanki, and by extension I can't really imagine sibling relationships are a thing either. If they really are somehow sisters, how are we supposed to know how they should behave?

>>901115

I'm not trying to see how she SHOULD behave, I'm trying to see how she DOES react.

When you're in terra incognita, you don't look at the blank map to find where to go, you look at how the land is.

File: 3bf4135716dfa1f00629757db(...).jpg (593 KB, 1228x868)

593 KB JPG

[X] Ask her why she did what she did and see if she has a rational explanation.
[X] Confront Falna on this situation – this is patently not on the level.
[X] Write in? Psychological examination of the twins natures may be necessary....

Gesturing for her to sheathe her blade, she does so at once and without question; you look into those dark garnet eyes and ask Siobhan a question. These two can both manage third order spells. Why do they not have Silver Swords? The impression he gives you is Forbidden. The thought makes your head spin. Forbidden? These two should have received their Silver Swords the day they could pulls spells from the Astral fundament or shortly after they gained their psychic path strike respectively. No githyanki would be barred from doing so....

….but a slave born gish might.

You contain the revelation, the potential insanity, for the moment. “Gish Schechei, explain to me why you attempted a spellstrike against the enemy? Your efforts previous to that seemed well thought out.”

“I hoped that Splintering his aura would allow my spell strike to take effect. It seemed that this one was stronger than most.” That may have been true....some subconscious fear? Some....lack of knowledge? This is making less sense, not more – if the enemy was based on her perceptions, and she had killed some before, why would this one be stronger than the others, in her mind? “It was a sound reasoning, but not one that was true, it seems.”

“No. Strategically, you would have been better off allowing Kteine to take advantage of the Splintering Aura for her first strike and then attempting to build upon what you learned then.” She blinks at you, and then glances at Kteine; the idea of cooperating with her isn't alien to her just....not what she first thought of it seems. Aeuna is looking a little befuddled as well now; not a good sign. “I see. Falna!” Their personal issue is the opposite of what you feared – they don't support each other enough!

You turn and gesture as Falna approaches. “The public viewing of this assessment is now finished. Your awareness and observance makes all safer.” With a proper salute to those remaining watchers, you tell Siobhan to give you all some privacy.

File: 541ac61a195ae0d647cfcfebe(...).jpg (1.46 MB, 2142x900)

1.46 MB JPG

Siobhan responds by forming a crystalline hemisphere around you....using void crystal, which is much harder than the usual material she uses. No easy escape from this. Aeuna steps back, and you motion Schechei to move to where her twin is; neither twin is surprised as they believe what you told the crowd is true. And it technically is. Aeuna knows better, and Falna more so. “What is the meaning of this, Falna?” She gives you her best blank look, and you narrow your eyes. “I will not even hesitate to snuff their lives and destroy yours, Falna. They are not what they appear to be, in any way, shape or form.”

Falna hesitates, and places her hand on the hilt of Malnae, her own Silver Sword, and Siobhan growls in your mind.

[] Remind her of her oath!
[] Douse her in molten iron, Daze her, and take the twain to your cell for interrogation.
>This will not kill the Falna.
[] A sk her if she has ceased to enjoy living.
[] Wait for her to answer. Or think of a really good lie at least.
[] Write in?
Remember write-ins get priority in my games.

>>901126
>[] A sk her if she has ceased to enjoy living.
>[] Wait for her to answer. Or think of a really good lie at least.

>>901126
>[X] Remind her of her oath!
I don't know, should we say that we're confused, intrigued, and exasperated we're not angry just yet.

>>901126
Aw shit, I'm late for raiding.
>[x] Remind her of her oath!

>>901126
>[] Remind her of her oath!
>[] A sk her if she has ceased to enjoy living.

>>901126
>[] Wait for her to answer. Or think of a really good lie at least.
Why do all our underlings insist on coming with false friends in tow?

>>901142
Indeed, so far it has been quite interesting. And what better for a Gith? Granted we do have to get some actual answers too - can't go raiding with an unknown quantity of this magnitude.

>>901148
Pretty sure it's because they're Githyanki. Their priorities are kill all Illithids>kill all Githzerai>DRAMA

>>901155
Oh well, at least it gives us a good excuse to have fun on their behalf. Hope she's smart enough to have brought actual assets and no insults unlike Gero, even if the secrecy is the same.

>>901126

>Ask her why she's acting like such a fool.

>>901161

She's just insulted us.

>>901168
Oh, sure misleading us about these unnatural twins and proceeding with the charade even after being found out is an insult of its own, but silence doesn't really compare with what Gero did, especially since he really did insult Aeuna as well.

While they apparently have a lot of talent and raw ability, their lack of experience seems cripplingly dangerous so far. I wonder what we could do with them...

>>901191
I mean, we'll be up against elves and humans who were dumb enough to think they could hire Githyanki as mercenaries, so it's not like it'll be much -real- opposition.

File: 070351577d89edf3f33850ec4(...).png (1.8 MB, 1680x1050)

1.8 MB PNG

[XX] Remind her of her oath!
[X] Ask her if she has ceased to enjoy living.
[X] Wait for her to answer. Or think of a really good lie at least.
[X] Write in? Why so foolish, sweetie?

You tilt your head, your expression fading to something nearly as bland or as bored as Yashi's was when you first walked in on her. You can almost see her aura flickering as her mind churns over the things she might say to you. “Falna. You took my oath. Do you not enjoy life any longer? Shall I relieve you of that burden?” The two childer look at one another, their expressions slightly....distressed? Consternation? Is that what you are looking at, consternation? Over something as basic as this? Falna catches you glance and then looks back at the two....whatever they may be.

They aren't githyanki, you're almost sure now.

She flexes her fingers along the hilt of Malnae, and then turns her attention back towards you. “They are why I lost my last Leadership. I attempted to do something that to my knowledge has never been tried before. The result was....disappointing.” She takes a deep breath. “If you wish to slay me over the issue, you may. But I am....offering this opportunity to you, because I do not think there is anyone who could....fix them....aside from you.”

You narrow your eyes. “You are not being forthcoming, Warrior Falna. You are also annoying Siobhan.” Falna immediately takes her hand off of Malnae, and you stare at her. “Now you are confusing me! Are these so precious to you that you would give up your Leadership, risk my vengeance in person, and make me consider killing you out of pure spite?”

Falna looks you in the eyes. “Yes.”

>>901209
Nice answer~

File: 1b205921e40d0fd35fc576d30(...).jpg (1.31 MB, 908x1200)

1.31 MB JPG

>>901209
“....Aeuna, your assistance has been invaluable. See me in fifty turnings for your duel, or continue your original intents. Please excuse yourself.” This you say without looking at her, and she acknowledges with a single nod, realizing the drama here is a bit more intense than she would want to become embroiled in. You're not surprised; she's not particularly smart, but she is exceptionally understanding. The twins are speaking in that strange, nearly guttural tongue to one another, and you narrow your eyes even further at Falna.

You need forty turns to prepare and be rested, another two to lay your spells in place. That gives you eight to spare. Long enough.

“Do you understand how foolish you are being Falna?”

She looks into your eyes. “I stand by my assessment of you.” That....isn't quite an insult, you don't think. You think she might actually be laying odds on your being a reasonable person. Which you are not always. How far can you trust her? You can't, but you can trust her nature. And she has been abiding by her oath so far.

“Are you in love with these creatures?” The look the two creatures give one another are half alarmed.

She doesn't answer you.

“....so, you trust me that far. To do right by them, and you.”

“I trust that you are githyanki, and will make them githyanki, or kill them trying.”

Where in Dead Gods' Names do you ever start with that?

[] Tell the twins to strip, entirely, right here, right now.
[] Dismiss Falna too and take the twins to your cell.
[] Tell Falna to strip down entirely.
[] Ask Falna what in the Fundament she did....and why is she involving you?
[] Write in?

>>901211

It shows guts, but we don't need her to have guts, we need an explanation.

>>901213
>[] Ask Falna what in the Fundament she did....and why is she involving you?

>>901213
>[] Tell the twins to strip, entirely, right here, right now.

>>901214
I feel like we've gotten most of them now, or at least enough to find out the rest.

>>901213
>[] Ask Falna what in the Fundament she did....and why is she involving you?

>Calm your sword, and calm yourself. This is not the moment to be dramatic.

Can we cast our truth-seeing spell again?

>>901222
>No. You don't have enough Arcana Points, nor do you have another memorized.

>>901213
>[x] Dismiss Falna too and take the twins to your cell.
I figure we can get the rest of our answers directly from the source.

>>901213
>[] Tell the twins to strip, entirely, right here, right now.
>[] Ask Falna what in the Fundament she did....and why is she involving you?

I do like how our primary approach to this situation is apparently making everyone strip. For the twins it even makes sense!

>>901213
Are there still other people standing around, or did they get the message that this is a private show?

Not really sure whether we should care about discretion at this point.

>>901236
Well, do we still have the crystal hemisphere around us? I dunno if it was dispelled to let Aeuna leave or what.

>>901242
I thought that was just part of our illusion to make the twins think we couldn't help them.

Also wait are these two part of that almost feral race of Gith in the Dark Sun setting?

>>901213
>[] Tell the twins to strip, entirely, right here, right now.

[X] Tell the twins to strip, entirely, right here, right now.
[] Dismiss Falna too and take the twins to your cell.
[] Tell Falna to strip down entirely.
[X] Ask Falna what in the Fundament she did....and why is she involving you?
[] Write in? Calm, Akko, calm Siobhan....calm. Drama might actually be detrimental here.

You lay your hand across Siobhan's quillons and she purrs inside your mind. Mind yourself. Be gentle for this moment. A Clear head is needed. She disagrees entirely, right now is the best time for drama to ensue! You try very hard not to smile, and it seems like you mostly succeed, until you actually allow yourself to smile. “Schechei, Kteine. Strip one another to the skin.” Falna works very hard at staying relaxed and calm.

Dead Gods Bones, she rally is trusting you in every way.

File: 1416961016091.jpg (79 KB, 900x706)

79 KB JPG

>>901301
Kteine, who looks confused and looks at Schechei while Schechei looks at you, her cheeks darkened by a blush. “May I ask why, Gish Akko?” she asks with perfect politeness and every vocal indicator that she is willing to comply, to an extent.

“No.”

That causes her to furrow her brow again, that odd look of confusion and annoyance chased with simple lack of understanding. Falna speaks softly. “How can she be your leader if you will not obey her commands?” Schechei stiffens, and then turns and allows Kteine to start unbuckling her belts and armor fastening.

That makes you draw Siobhan, who growls delightedly in your mind. You step forward, you eyes piercing, your voice as cold as your heart is at the moment. “What did you do, Falna.” Your voice is flat and unhappy, but your thoughts are crystal clear.

Falna stiffens but does not even attempt to draw Malnae. The twins slow, but do not stp their undressing of one another, which Siobhan is sadly getting to enjoy more than you are at the moment.

You may not enjoy pleasure with younger creatures as a general rule, but a beautiful body is a beautiful body!

“What did you do.” You lift Siobhan and press her tip against Falna's throat, drawing a single bead of sapphire blood.

She flexes her hands slowly but very carefully does not do anything you might construe as a threat; Schechei is frozen as well looking at Falna with a stricken expression, while Kteine is tensed, her eyes flicking between you and Falna. “A stray thought and I will crush you like a mephit, Kteine. Second one in the past hundred-turn.” Schechei hisses a her, and Kteine looks down, her hands fumbling at Schechei's padding straps.

“I took oath with you. My life is yours to take, Leader.”

“I do not want your life, I want your answer.”

She takes a slow, deep breath. Aeuna has left; most likely through a Dimension Door. “They are a human and an ifrit. They have been transformed into childer, and will grow and change as childer to githyanki. They were my slaves at one time.”

Well, you were right. And how terribly, terribly right.

“There are no body shy githyanki.” This you direct at the twin, who pause in their undressing. They both look relieved as you lower your blade. “We have no body taboos. Sexual ones go away after your first century or two.” You look at them then at Falna. “This is a problem I did not need.”

[] But you will accept it if they take oath with you.
[] Take Falna's life in return for preserving theirs, Knights and Her Majesty be damned.
[] No, no no no. No. No. No no no. No,
[] Cancel Falna's oath and send all three packing. After you've had little more fun.
[] Write in?

>>901305
>[] No, no no no. No. No. No no no. No,

>>901305
That's an interesting combination. Well, it is true that we probably don't need this complication though. But at the same time, I'm totally soft and they do seem amusing.
>[x] But you will accept it if they take oath with you.
As an aside, what does the No optiono entail exactly?

>>901305
>[] But you will accept it if they take oath with you.

Also if you can answer one simple question. WHY.

>>901305
>[] But you will accept it in return for an oath from them...and further compensation from Falna.
Her dedication to this perverse experiment is as admirable as it's interesting, but she's gonna need to pay a little more if she wants us to actually suffer through it. It doesn't sound like she has a lot of options but accepting anyway, so let her make up the extra work and risk.

>>901329
Like I don't really get what the point is, was it just because she couldn't find any Githyanki willing to induldge her de-aging fetish?

>>901335
Maybe she has a naughty crossbreed/twins fetish

>>901305
>[X] but you will accept if they take oatah with you.
We could use the interating developtment. Also sit them all down and demand a lenghty explanation as to the why.

>>901335
It's not that they're twins or young. It's that they aren't actually githyanki - to the extent that even the Silver Swords, which they should both have now if Akko is correct (and she most likely is) - are not even given to them.

Unless Akko can actually prove that polymorph can change them into real githyanki girls by changing their mindsets to those of githyanki and not people who look like githyanki.

>>901317
Absolute, unequivocal refusal to be part of this.

>>901371
Sounds like a real challenge.

>>901371
Well yeah, I get that. What I don't really get is what does it matter even if it does work? I didn't really think the Githyanki had a population crisis, so I couldn't really see much purpose other than maybe taking already experienced warriors and making them young Githyanki, but I'm pretty sure there's some kind of cosmic law against that.

File: 7171eb7cff962a310b6b65a84(...).jpg (243 KB, 707x1000)

243 KB JPG

[X] But you will accept it if they take oath with you.
[] Take Falna's life in return for preserving theirs, Knights and Her Majesty be damned.
[] No, no no no. No. No. No no no. No,
[] Cancel Falna's oath and send all three packing. After you've had little more fun.
[X] Write in? You will owe me for this....and in the Names of Ten Dead Gods, Falna, WHY?

She looks at you with the same dead calm expression that she uses when she is trying to prevent you from reading her body language at all. You look back as the twins finish undressing one another, their armor, padding, weapons, accouterments, and uniforms neatly folded and set aside. Siobhan really is enjoying what she sees, and wonders what it would be like to possess one or the other. And then use them on each other. Both, at different times!

We can discuss it later, perhaps while I rest. Your Lady is looking forward to that discussion! You turn and look at the two childer. Barely nubile, only slightly younger than Yashi appears to be. That will be a meeting to look forward to.

Blood, Falna has already got you thinking about accepting them.

“They will take oaths with me. Not an oath. Oaths.” they both try and stand tall and seem brave, but they are uncomfortable like this, More than uncomfortable – vulnerable. It is all too easy to see them as the slaves they were when they act like this. “You should have regressed them to ferals, not childer.” Neither one reacts to the word, and you bare your spurs at them both.

Schechei knows it's an insult or a threat; Kteine shifts nervously side to side.

“Dead Gods, Falna. You will all explain to me what possessed you to do this terrible, terrible thing, and you will all owe me a great deal for this.” The two githyanki childer look at each other with relief, mostly, and you narrow your eyes. They have very little idea how serious this is.

Falna warns them again. “What value do you place on this gift you offer?” They are suddenly attentive and wary. Good. Then her words sink in.

“Gift? You have the temerity to call this a gift?” You look at her, and something in her stance, in her eyes....something small, but telling. A faint tone in her voice. You actually take a step back. “...Dead Gods Blood and Entrails, you actually love them....you horrendous, monumental, suicidal idiot. You fell in love with them.” You stare at Falna, who has the grace to lift her hand in salute to you, warding off the horrified look in your eyes by looking away.

[] Have them collect their clothing and follow you to your cell – Falna too.
[] Have them take oath immediately; you might need to correct them at once.
[] Kill Falna and save her from the horror of losing her loved ones to the enemy – or anyone else.
[] Explain the way in which Falna has cursed herself....in gory detail.
[] Write in?

>>901401
Last vote for the session. We continue tonight at 11:00 pm PST.

>>901401
>[] Explain the way in which Falna has cursed herself....in gory detail.

>>901401
>[x] Have them take oath immediately; you might need to correct them at once.
>[x] Explain the way in which Falna has cursed herself....in gory detail.
Oh dear.

>>901401
>[X]explain what she got herself into minus the gory detail.

>>901401
>[] Have them take oath immediately; you might need to correct them at once.

So wait, I don't get if this is a secret or not if Falna was already seemingly punished for it?

>>901401
>[] Have them collect their clothing and follow you to your cell – Falna too.
Thanks for running XS! Great fun.

>>901401
>[] Have them take oath immediately; you might need to correct them at once.
>[] Explain the way in which Falna has cursed herself....in gory detail.

>>901401
>>901415
Oh, I almost forgot the most important question of all.
>Why me?
Like I'm not really clear on the specifics, but I'm pretty sure they have a history with each other that's kind of rough.

>>901415
She didn't actually say that she was punished, anon.

>>901425
That's a decent point, I suppose. Apparently this didn't fly in her last group, but why she went to Akko instead of somewhere else after is a fair question.

>>901401
>[] Have them take oath immediately; you might need to correct them at once.
>[] Explain the way in which Falna has cursed herself....in gory detail.

>>901401
>[] Explain the way in which Falna has cursed herself....in gory detail.
>[] Have them take oath immediately; you might need to correct them at once.

File: 54bcba031d422480b17709322(...).jpg (361 KB, 1500x2150)

361 KB JPG

[X] Have them take oath immediately; you might need to correct them at once.
[] Kill Falna and save her from the horror of losing her loved ones to the enemy – or anyone else.
[X] Explain the way in which Falna has cursed herself....in gory detail.
[X] Write in? And for this duty you have chosen me? Really?

“Why....is that such a bad thing?” The soft question is almost hurt sounding.

You round on Schechei and point at her. “Human.” Her jaw drops. You point at Kteine. “Ifrit.” she too is startled, but hides it better – in a more githyanki-like fashion by making an impassive mask of her face. But too late; you've seen enough. “Only a human would look back at a mistake and not understand why it was a mistake in the first place. Only an ifrit would waver between self-destruction and attacking to survive.” You walk over to them, Siobhan still drawn. Both of them stand tall, facing you calmly now, as they had not bee only moments ago. “Get on your knees.” Schechei starts to look at Falna and discovers you're actually quite quick when you're prepared, and earns Siobhan's pommel in her gut. You have the Silver Sword flipped back around before she even finishes doubling over.

“I am your Leader. You will obey immediately unless you can make a convincing argument otherwise, because arguing with a Leader can get you killed I hold Falna's life and death in my hand. When you take oath with me, I will hold your lives and your deaths in my hand. I do not need need a reason to kill you – I may do so out of perverse desire to cause myself pain. Or, more likely, to cause Falna pain.” She goes to her knees, rather than standing against you. She learns quickly – now will she remember it? You lift Siobhan. “Attend.”

Though only Siobhan reacts, you can tell she is informing this moment to other blades, and those to others still; Malnae remains quiet, which doesn't surprise you – Falna isn't on your good side at the moment.

“I take oath that Schechei and Kteine are now part of my cadre, to serve until one or the other on either side breaks oath in attendance of the Silver Swords, or the Silver Cord is cut. I vow to take their desires and form them with my own, until they have become the superior gthyanki I believe them to be.” this startles them – you have literally apprenticed them to yourself. “I also vow that they will learn from me what the truth of the enemy is and learn to make war against they and the betrayers alike, and why these wars matter for their souls.” Falna bows her head in your direction, and you look at the beautiful, lithe twinned githyanki.

File: 1401499862670.png (68 KB, 500x227)

68 KB PNG

>>901517
“Imagine that you are a slave.” Kteine hides her roots better than Schechei does. “Imagine, if you will, that the very least horror that your masters can visit upon you is having holes bored into your skull and having your brains eaten while you still live. That you are without will, without control, without recourse. That you will, at their desire, walk to them, kneel, and allow them to eat your mind while you live.” You lift Schechei's face with the tip of Siobhan, who giggles maliciously in your mind. She remembers the enemy, she has seen what you describe. Kteine has not. “Now imagine that the person you love is under the control of these horrors.” You caress Kteine's neck with your Lady's edge and she shivers. Kteine, not Siobhan. “Imagine your....sibling, in those clutches.”

That gets their attention. “I should kill Falna. Not for giving me this onerous task, or deceiving me, or making you what you are. I should kill Falna because one day one of you will be under the control of the masters and she will die, or worse, betray us, to try and save you, when you cannot be saved, because you are already closer to death than not.”

You set Siobhan in mid air and reach down, looking at the glittering beads of sapphire along the side of Kteine's neck where you gave her the merest of cuts. “It would be a mercy for me to kill her. That is what a Leader does. She grants you mercy when you have betrayed yourself because another has told you what to think and do with no recourse save obedience to a will not your own. Falna could still fight me, even though I am allowed to kill her. But because of you, she will willingly lay down as many lives as it takes to keep you two safe.”

The both look at you, understanding dawning in their eyes. “A leader's power of life and death....is to save those still living, by killing those who would be better off dead. That is my power over you. I can abuse it, use it and you cruelly, and torment you all for my own pleasure. But in the end, if you fall prey to the enemy....I will save you and those who care about. Dead Gods forgive you if you love er back, you foolish childer.” You rise and then take and sheathe Siobhan.

“Gather your belongings. Follow me to my cell. Do not concern yourself with those looking at you. You look and are exactly as you are meant to be. Your body-shyness is disgusting – it makes you seem weak and there are those less kind than I who will use it against you.” you leave out how they would use it against yourself and Falna. “Come along you stupid lovesick wretch. Yashi is going to be a nightmare for you.” You shake your head and lead the way to your cell....and hope hope to all the Dead Gods that you haven't doomed yourself.

At least they're lovely eye candy.

>To Be Continued....

>>901401

>List the ways Falna could potentially stay with with the ones she loves without making their lives even worse, if you can think of such things.


I think it's safe to say, if Akko had any attraction left for Falna, it's now over.

File: 1420703926851.jpg (84 KB, 845x759)

84 KB JPG

thank you for reading and playing. I hope you have enjoyed.

We will continue with this write in as the starting point for tonight's session.

>>901520
Well, this is quite the merry cadre we've concocted for ourselves now

>>901525
Even though I'll be asleep when it starts, I'm looking forward to it!

Thanks for running!

So, Falna is basically our slave forever, now?

>>901525
Thanks for writing

>>901520
>>901517
Thanks for running!

...Honestly enslaving an ifrit seems kind of impressive, even if she was still a child to start with.

Must say, I'm not quite sure I understand this last update

>>901549
Not really. she can break the oath at will, if she wishes, but while it's in effect the entirety of githyanki society upholds Akko's decisions, right up to the Lich-Queen herself, who has zero sense of humor for those who disobey martial law in times of war, which is every second of a githynki's life. and she owes you a massive personal debt that you'll have to hammer out with her at some point. Likewise the twins are not slaveseither - all three are your sworn and duty-bound soldiers, and you are their leader, responsible for bringing hem success and keeping them fro falling victim to the enemy.

You can easily compare Leader to Sergeant, and Supreme Leader to Sergeant Major.

>>901561
Think about the City of Brass ad the Efreeti, and it will make slightly more sense.

>>901569
Oh that explains it, I got Ifrit and Efreet confused.

>>901564
Githyanki have very strong emotions and are very volatile but nature. they spend the first part of their lives as feral animals, regardless of what condition they're born into.

Now imagine them as slaves. emotional, volatile, combative, and utterlypowerless to resist their masters. Then throw in love. Hot passionate, intense, utterly vicious love.

While being enslaved by things that like to play with your mind and fuck with your head for amusement, and absolutely zero chance of resisting them.

Akko's horror should make some sense now.

>>901525
So do Githyanki only wear clothes out of protection and a way of demonstrating status?

>>901580
More or less - there really is no tempurture difference, or cleanliness issues in the Astral plane as most of those are biological functions. also, as slaves, they had to get over any issues with appearance very fucking quickly or it was used against them as torment. this is also why there are so few social/sexual taboos among them.

>>901584
Can't Illithids make anyone in their clutches feel ashamed about whatever the Illithid thinks is funniest?

>>901599
Certainly, but there isn't any pleasure in that. No, the pleasure is when you enforce their shame, hate, fear and anguish by NOT controlling their minds to make them feel it. By getting inside their heads to the point where they can't tell f they really feel the way they feel or you're making them feel that way. Takign apart their pathetic little psyche and understanding it to the poit where you can force them into situations and to do things of their own free will just because they're terrified you might make them do it anyways.

That's real power.
That's real control.

Thanks for running!

File: 1479022415738.jpg (206 KB, 800x882)

206 KB JPG

Part 4 – Session 2

You lean back against your resting cushions, your spell book held unopened in one hand, the other draped across the back of the cushions. Falna faces you across the cushions, unarmored but dressed, sitting cross legged, and slowly packing a long stemmed pipe of heavy brass, smooth and featureless but sturdy and lovingly made. Two young githyanki females sit to your right, naked, one with garnet eyes, the other with eyes of burned marigold, sleek young things that have the skills and experiences of beings at least five to six decades older than they are, perhaps a century. The citrine eyed Kteine sits across the lap of her impossible twin, not in it, but across it, and their arms are wrapped about each other's shoulders, one breast pressed against her opposites. Both watch you with worry and wariness, respectively.

The issue isn't that they have been transformed into young githyanki childer. Well, barely childer, they're old enough to be warriors at least. Nor is it that they were trained together and taught to be total support to one another (they actually have the opposite problem). No the issue is that they are slaves transformed into githyanki, and not truly githyanki at all. They have none of the instincts, culture, or socialization of githyanki, and that makes them uniquely vulnerable and unable to work properly with other githyanki. Nor can either bear Silver Swords, though they are of a capacity where they should have them, and should be even be considered for Leader status.

If this wasn't bad enough, Falna, your one-time lover and someone you had admired and considered being mated to at one point, is responsible for this fiasco. Not merely as an experiment – an abominable experiment in alteration of body and mind on a level that the enemy was often capable of – but because she is in love with the pair. Love isn't impossible to githyanki....but it is culturally abhorrent because it is by far the most destructive weapon an enemy or betrayer may use against a githyanki.

You have seriously been considering putting Falna out of the misery she is going to cause herself.

Of all the people she chose to burden with this travesty, she chose you. She claims you, out of all the people she trusts – and fully aware that you would have absolutely no issue pursuing a vendetta or a revenge-driven cruelty or five against her – would be able to train them into thinking and acting like githyanki. Which you can understand somewhat; you are a little more intense about your nature than most are, and you have little issue with Her Majesty's ways and means.

Of course, she might also be taking into account you have no preference for inexperienced lovers, but you might make an exception in this case just to annoy Falna.

File: 1479029883022.jpg (91 KB, 400x693)

91 KB JPG

>>905340
What Falna and her pretty toys are ignorant of is that you posses the power of the Elders, an intense, alien power that makes you far more dangerous and powerful than other githyanki. A power that in time could place you on par with the First Gish Gysse, the Betrayer Zuoken, or even the Rebel Goddess-Queen Gith herself. Your half mask covers a scar of living metal on your cheek, which prevents your aura from revealing that power; at the moment you're not terribly concerned that Falna will see it, but her 'acolytes' could potentially see it. Which is part of why you divested them of their property and accouterments, which lay safe near the doorway to your closed cell.

Falna lights her pipe and you lean back. In about forty-five turnings you must meet the psychic gish Aeuna, if she chooses to duel you. Otherwise she will attempt to assassinate you to fulfill her debt to the idiot warrior Gero, dead by your hand.

It has been somewhat fun, actually.

But now there is this.

[] Have Falna explain herself in detail.
[] You know, it doesn't matter why. How might be more interesting.
[] Undress and make yourself comfortable, and discomfort them.
[] You could bypass this issue....you could make them truly githyanki now.
[] Write in?

>>905341
>[] Have Falna explain herself in detail.
[] Undress and make yourself comfortable, and discomfort them.

Hey XS

>>905341
>[X] You know, it doesn't matter why. How might be more interesting.
>[] You could bypass this issue....you could make them truly githyanki now.
...huh. I'm kind of intrigued by this, but I'm not really sure how Akko could do that.

>>905341
>[X] You could bypass this issue....you could make them truly githyanki now.

>>905341
>[] Undress and make yourself comfortable, and discomfort them.
But you know, if they're gonna learn to be Githyanki, might as well. Also if it weren't so frustrating that we need to deal with this, teasing them could almost be fun.

>>905340
>but it is culturally abhorrent because it is by far the most destructive weapon an enemy or betrayer may use against a githyanki
I get how an Illithid would use love against a Githyanki, but I don't get what a Githzerai would do.

>>905341
>[] Undress and make yourself comfortable, and discomfort them.
>[] You could bypass this issue....you could make them truly githyanki now.

>>905410
Githerzai would fall back on their Jedi tricks, detaching themselves etc etc

>>905424
That seems defensive, as well as more being how Githzerai cope with their race's intense feelings, as opposed to the Githyanki way.

What I was wondering is how a Githzerai would be able to use love against Githyanki, because while the Githzerai don't seem to embrace sadism on a cultural level, things between them and the Githyanki are far too frayed for them to just moralize.

>>905427
I mean, granted, just because it's something Akko and most Githyanki believe doesn't necessarily mean it's as true as they make it, but the belief probably has some basis or root cause.

File: 1479117845592.png (1.49 MB, 962x1000)

1.49 MB PNG

[x] Have Falna explain herself in detail.
[x] You know, it doesn't matter why. How might be more interesting.
[x] Undress and make yourself comfortable, and discomfort them.
[X] You could bypass this issue....you could make them truly githyanki now.

You roll one of your rings around your finger and study Falna as she releases a cloud of blue-grey smoke from between her lips. Though her expression is largely stoic, you can see the undercurrent of worry, the faint tracery of fear in her eyes. Kteine nuzzles her twin and Schechei absently nuzzles back; Schechei's attention is on Falna, though, and she is worried as well. Love? Can a human love with the same undying, insane passion a githyanki can? It isn't something you encounter often enough to make a judgment call on. Kteine seems to be less....involved, but she is a creature born of fire and a marriage of human and the godlike efreet. At least you assume it was human, you could be wrong on that count.

“I was wondering why you would do such a thing. What possibly could have possessed you to transform them so.” She starts to open her mouth but you wave off her reply. “I do not mean your reasoning, that is obvious. I mean, why have them remade into githyanki when we accept slaves who dedicate themselves to our causes just as easily?”

“A slave is still of a lower caste than a githyanki, no matter how dedicated or how well liked, Akko,” she murmurs, before taking another slow drag from her pipe.

“I do not believe tat is the case,” you posit, thinking of your own tutor Hadal. “But that is an argument we will not be bothering with, I suppose. How is another matter. Whomever did this broke several social conventions, to say nothing of the possibility of him betraying you later.”

The twinned girls both look at you, Kteine confident and Schechei wary, but calm. A mere glace back and they both shrink from you, unable to hold your gaze for even a second. “Pah! They can not even handle the idea that I might be angry at them, much less that I would hold true to my oath! Really, Falna, this is....I am not even sure what this is!” Glaring at your one-time lover, she annoys you even more by looking down, almost abashed. “Dead Gods, Falna, look at yourself.”

File: 1479048648330.png (251 KB, 671x492)

251 KB PNG

>>905438
That makes her stiffen and she looks you in the eyes, defiant and passive aggressive once more. “That is better.” You sigh and have Siobhan relinquish her power, and the clothing she made for you fades into mist and vanishes, leaving you bejeweled and nude. Not naked, as the childer are; you're about as vulnerable as the Leviathan of the Astral is. “I do not think you can even put a value on the objective you are demanding of me.” You look her in the eyes. “I know for a fact you would do anything to achieve your goal.”

That causes her to color, and Kteine looks at you, then at Falna. Schechei looks at Falna, worried, scared for her. She apparently understands what you meant about love making Falna supremely vulnerable. Kteine looks back at you, looking you over....almost trying to admire what she sees.

Strange.

“I could do this for you.” All three look at you. “I could even do this for one of them right now, immediately. Grant her that essential nature of ours that is what makes us gith-yanh-keie.” The people who will follow gith, in the tongue of your Elders. “Not both. I do not have that much power. And it will come at a cost, an unimaginable cost, possibly.” You speak softly, sincerely.

“I will be your slave.”

Three pairs of eyes turn and focus upon the speaker, and at least one of them is more surprised than you are.

Kteine disentangles herself from her twin; Schechei's shock and hurt can't quite compete with the hope in her eyes. Falna's alarm is precious, and she starts to open her mouth but stops when you hold up your hand. Kteine looks at you, her eyes fixed upon yours and she crawls to you, and kneels, hands on the cushion and her body leaning over. “I will be your slave, until you claim the debt cleared. As long as it takes. Everything I receive, every bounty, every honor, every gift, will be yours. I will be yours until I am githyanki, and you claim the debt fulfilled.”

[] ….for Dead Gods' sake, why?!
[] Accept and make the wish for Shechei – regardless of Falna's response.
[] Let Falna decide.
[] See what Schechei thinks.
[] Write in?

>>905443
>[X] ….for Dead Gods' sake, why?!
>[X] Accept and make the wish for Shechei – regardless of Falna's response.
>let the netorare begin

>>905443
I don't know, I feel like I'm still not getting Githyanki culture, because my first impression is kind of
>"The ambition is good, as well as your initiative, but...If you think part of being a Githyanki is EVER tolerating being someone else's slave, then Falna hasn't taught you a damn thing. That being said, you will be under a considerable debt to me just for letting that slide as a beginner's mistake."

>>905452
Slavery is acceptable under githyanki culture. What makes it different than other slavery is that all a slave has to do to prove itself free is be able to break free of the person who owns him or her. Just as the githyanki broke free of the mindflayers, a githyanki's slave simply has to break free of the githyanki who owns them.

Whih is generqlly easier said than done, but it allows a slave to become a caste member, or even a warrior among the githyanki. This is part of why Akko isn't so troubled by the fact that Kteine and Schechei used to be slaves and are now gish. It's not unheard of - Hadal isn't githyanki by birth either.

>>905443
>[] ….for Dead Gods' sake, why?!
>[] Accept and make the wish for Shechei – regardless of Falna's response.

>>905452
>Mind you, I'll still use your write in if it can be used.

>>905443
Huh. Any chance we could use the wish and sorta split the difference? Making neither of them quite true githyanki, but adding that nature and understanding to their own.

>>905470
>>905443
Not sure if it works, but I feel like the fact that she's giving up so much for the sake of another, is itself pretty bad. Particularly because I don't really know what a "Githyanki's essential nature" means in terms of gratitude. Like I know Githyanki seem pretty big on paying their debts, but that seems more out of obligation than anything else.

Also we should spemd a moment and take solace in the fact that this situation is Not Boring.

>>905443
> [] ….for Dead Gods' sake, why?!

>>905443
>[] Let Falna decide.
>[] See what Schechei thinks.

I guess what's also throwing me off is I'm not really sure how much a Wish is worth, and how much investment we'd need to put in Kteine before she starts paying it off.

>>905449

No NTR

>>905443

>Ask what Scheshei think

>Call for your half-orc slave.

>>905488

Wish is a 9th level spell. This alone is worth a fortune.

>>905498
Same thing anon. Was worried taking them on might be boring but this could be interesting.

>>905443
[] ….for Dead Gods' sake, why?!
[] See what Schechei thinks.
>[] Your passion is a start, but only just. You grasp some essence, some boldness, but you lack understanding. Falna has almost made you my slave already, based on the position she has put you in.

Lets not use the wish just yet. So many things can be accomplished with words. We should also see what they think of Falna when they Know, even if it is only a fraction of knowledge.

>>905482
The race 'started' in slavery and love of this kind is bondage. She's giving up of herself for their sake, chaining her strength to their weakness.

Maybe there are three beings who need to Know what it means to be Gith.

My question is: why as twins?

Falna just had them made to fit her fetishes, or what?

>>905518
Akko is curious about that too, but there are other matters to be dealt with first.

File: 1479153371791.jpg (1.68 MB, 2741x3548)

1.68 MB JPG

[XX] ….for Dead Gods' sake, why?!
[X] Accept and make the wish for Schechei – regardless of Falna's response.
[] Let Falna decide.
[X] See what Schechei thinks.
[X] Write in? So this is the love of an ifrit for her beloved ones? You are a little fool, and you will owe me for accepting the spirit of your intent. You will owe me as much as Falna is about to owe me – and if Schechei follows through, she might also.

You stare at the beautiful childer, and take off the half-mask so you and she can see one another clearly. Falna doesn't seem to take any notice of the mark you bear, nor does Schechei, and Kteine only looks at it with the natural curiosity of someone who has never seen such a thing before. You place the mask on top of your spell book, and lean forward, gently grasping her jaw and looking into her burned marigold eyes. Too young, too beautiful, too stupid.

But perhaps she loves them that much.

“Why in the Dead Gods' Thousand Names would you willingly submit yourself to enslavement for this? No githyanki would enslave themselves like this. The sacrifices and efforts we made to win our freedom cannot be counted. So....I will accept the spirit and intent of your offer, if you can tell me: why?” Maybe you'll get a straight answer out of her; Falna isn't much use!

She looks down for a moment, not ashamed, but thinking. When she look back up, the earnestness and sincerity in her gaze and voice is almost sickening in its intensity. “Schechei is in love with Falna. She loves me, but not like she loves Falna.” She lowers her gaze, and you can see tears starting to swim in her eyes when she looks back at you. “Falna is in love with us both. But Schechei loves her back that much. If....if you can give that to her, then she deserves it more than I do.” She hesitates, and then speaks in a very small, soft voice.

“I want them to be happy.”

You hold her gaze, her fearful, hopeful, gentle gaze. Her honest gaze. You reach up...and gently stroke her soft obsidian hair, looking at her with pity. “Let this be a lesson to you, Falna. This is what love gets you.” You pat the place next to where you sit and Kteine immediately moves there, sitting and hugging her legs, while Schechei looks at her with glistening tears forming in and on her eyes.

You crawl towards Schechei and she stiffens, then relaxes, seeing the intense concentration in your eyes and upon your face. She rubs her eyes with the back of her hand and scatters her tears like diamonds in the gravity-less Astral fundament. You catch one, and rub it between your fingertips, the faintly oily ichor shimmering for a few seconds before it is absorbed into your skin. “Kneel. Here.” You kneel as well, and Falna starts to open her mouth. “Shut up before I decide to hurt you.” Schechei looks at you in alarm, but then at Falna in sudden realization, who is gritting her teeth and has her eyes tightly shut in anguish. “And do not burn my cushions.”

File: 1396436710921.jpg (1.79 MB, 2560x1440)

1.79 MB JPG

>>905520
Schechei crawls to you and kneels, beautiful, garnet eyed, afraid, beautiful, and yet....tragic. This is a tragedy in the making. Nothing good can come of this. Yet....Kteine is right in a way. All that Gith did was to make her people happy. It may be an interminable wait, but the enemy will be destroyed eventually. The githyanki will be free of them forever. Then they can pursue happiness as no other race can, knowing that they will be forever free. So in that one way, Kteine was right. Her method was insane, perhaps, but her intent was honest enough.

Githyanki enough.

“Is this what you want? Knowing Kteine is going to sacrifice herself for you, to give you this? Knowing she is aware that your love and Falna's love is deeper for each other, than for her?” You look into those tearful garnet eyes, your intense awareness, your knowledge, your age showing.

She looks back, and then lowers her head. “Yes. Please.”

“Why?”

She whispers softly. “Because I see how much it hurts Fal that we aren't githyanki, even though she loves us so much.” More sacrifice. Tears float away from her eyes as she blinks and you relax a little. “It....she loves us, and every time she sees how we can't be like her, be to each other what she can be to another githyanki....it hurts her heart, Akko. Kteine is right. We can't love her as she should be loved, not like this. ” She shakes her head. “Even if you can't make it happen now I'll do whatever you want, whatever it takes to become githyanki.”

“You do yourself credit as a gish, to understand that, Schechei. I hope that you will do your mates equal credit, when you become githyanki.” You hold your hand over Schechei's face and she looks up at you, afraid, unsure, yet hopeful. You were always a sucker for hope. Probably why you let Gero live as long as you did, his hope that he could be yours. Perhaps you're stupid too. But you are definitely not bored at all.

You concentrate on yourself, your life your history, your deeds. You very nature, your essence. You understand it now, more than you did before. Not just because of the mask, which even though discarded for the moment grants you greater intellect, but because of the strange power the Elders have, their nature now yours, they essence yours. Yours theirs? Perhaps. But in essence....Githyanki as no one else is that you know of.“I wish that Schechei becomes a githyanki in mind and spirit and soul, retaining as much of her intellect and base self as possible, her consciousness changed only so that it is truly that of a githyanki rather than human and thus altered no more from her base-line essential self than absolutely necessary as the wish requires.” the ruby in the ring shatters, burns...the gold twists, writhes, tarnishes, become a twisted, valueless ring of ancient brass, powerless.

File: 1399789399979.jpg (1.36 MB, 1731x1409)

1.36 MB JPG

For a moment that shattered diamond aura is visible....but not around you. Around Schechei. She throws her head back, her body stiffening in agony and her eyes shock-wide and staring. She makes a high pitched keening noise of pain, a feral in agony, and both you and Falna instinctively moan in reassurance, a parent consoling their hurting child. You concentrate and let some of that aura, that alien, intense power slip from you into Schechei and her body relaxes, her eyes closing in relief. The aura fades, and she collapses before you.

Falna starts towards her but you hold up your hand. “Bring Malnae over. Ask her to permit a Silver Sword ceremony for Schechei.”

Taking her Silver Sword in hand, Falna unsheathes Malnae and Siobhan pays attention as well, interested in what is happening. You feel Malnae's awareness of you, her dislike of you a personal thing that has nothing to do with anything but your personal history with her wielder, but she obediently studies the trembling, exhausted Schechei. But when Schechei opens her eyes and looks at you, the answer is already there. Her defiance, her disdain, her egotism, her strength, her self awareness....no human resides in that body. Yes she is also grateful to you, and you an see she understands the debt you are owed. Perhaps not by her directly, but by those she loves.

And that is probably the most amazing part. She still loves them, fiercely, deeply, passionately. Truly loves them, not considering them beloved friends or lovers or allies. She loves them.

If you hadn't just made her, you would probably kill her too for Kteine's sake. Idiots, all three of them.

Falna looks at you, her eyes shocked, her hand trembling now as she lays Malnae down. “In
seventy turnings, Schechei will receive her silver sword.” Siobhan exults in the birth of a new Leader, and other swords nearby as well. Schechei bows her head to you, her hand up, her eyes open.

[] Dismiss the two – they have a mating ceremony to perform.
[] Ask Schechei what she thinks of Kteine's sacrifice now.
[] Send all three home. They have much to talk about.
[] Tell Malnae she's being bitchy, and go sulk. Idiots, all of them.
[] Write in?

>>905522
[] Ask Schechei what she thinks of Kteine's sacrifice now.
>[] You would do well to learn a way to not let love cage you, but to be empowered by it. To use it as your sword and shield, but not to be riven when you cannot have that which you love, for you will always have it.

>>905522
>[] Dismiss the two – they have a mating ceremony to perform.

>>905522
>[] Tell Malnae she's being bitchy, and go sulk. Idiots, all of them.
Disdain huh? Shit, we gave Schechei enough awareness to make at least what Akko would consider a fair assessment of how Akko's own actions look when it comes to the Githyanki way?

>>905522
>[] Tell Malnae she's being bitchy, and go sulk. Idiots, all of them.
>[] Dismiss the two – they have a mating ceremony to perform.

>>905522
>[] Ask Schechei what she thinks of Kteine's sacrifice now.
>[] Dismiss the two – they have a mating ceremony to perform.
>[] Write in?
Play with our new toy. Test her limits.

>>905523
Is that how Githyanki see it? Because it seems like culturally, love seems like too much of a risk.

Since Kteine was an Ifrit once, would a fun "graduation" type thing when she's sufficiently skilled/trained/matured be to capture and bind a wish-granting efreet? Or is that too dangerous even for most Githyanki?

>>905529

Eh, I'm against playing with her sexually. We agreed to treat her like a Gith, and Akko doesn't force herself on Giths in circumstences like this.

>>905522
>Call your draconic lover. You need to rest with someone smart and mighty and amazing to wash the bad taste of this situation.
>Ask if she want to go to her place or ours. If we go to hers, our sword might want to add more jewelry to our current attire.

>>905522
[X] play with your new slave
Does a slave own anything?
Does she even have a cell , sash or loot anymore?

>>905539

Easier to kill a wizard on the Material Plane who captured a Genie.

>>905543
Well... yeah I guess you're right. And I suppose if we're trying to teach Kteine to be a Githyanki, we shouldn't really do anything that is fed by whatever grudges the her-that-was-an-Ifrit has against the Efreeti.

Like, do the Githyanki have any particular feelings about the genie races, or is it generally just "no Githyanki worth saving gets enslaved by a genie, so who gives a shit?"

>>905548
Well aren't the elemental planes the Genie are native to just as alien to the Astral as they are to the natural world?

>>905551
Not sure, I'm pretty sure genies find ways to take all kinds of slaves not just from their native planes regardless.

>>905542
ako refused her as a slave, and took what she desired to do in spirit and intent instead. and yes, slaves can own things, but those things belong to their master by proxy. Debts and oaths and vows are an exception - those are inherent to the person, albeit skewed towards free githyanki at all times.

Githyanki feelings on efreeti are ambiguous. Efreeti slavery is very ritualized and culturally normalized, as valued possessions. Trying to esnalve a githyanki leads to bad things happening on both sides - and a githyanki actually enslaved seeks freedm or death as quickly as possible. Now, the githyanki have no issue trading or selling slaves to the efreeti because the efreeti understand the value of slaves and that they are people; they will even make contracts stating that the slave may buy out or take escape clauses (and often inform the slave how to go about using them, which the efreeti will not).

>>905555
I think that you mixed up Efreeti and Ifreeti there, XS.

>>905557
Nah, I was the one that confused them earlier. Efreeti are Flame Elemental genies, Ifrits are humans with Fire lineage and I think are often found as Efreeti slaves.

>>905529
>>905540
>>905542

Remember, Ako might have a duel in 8 hours She has a limited amount of playtime, less than half f an hour now, if she expects to be fully prepared for a duel.

That doesn't prevent cuddling and talking and playing games, just not strenuous or concentration heavy activity.

>>905557
I did not. Ifriti come form a wide variety of cultures and may or may not have Efreeti culture ingrained upon them.

>>905560
Oh right, that's still happening. Yeah shouldn't really slack off with that.

>>905560
Lets not do anything that might interfere with our prep for the duel.

>>905560

My write-in here >>905540 was just for cuddling and spending time with Yzia before the duel, not for lewds.

Though kissing her and stuff while we sit enticingly on her hoard would be nice.

>Sexy gith on your hoard
>Can't lewd her because otherwise she might lose her duel, and you don't want her to do that.
>"Truly impressive how you manages to still play with my desire despite giving me exactly what I want, Akko."

File: 6ae6c4c6f50c3e93ac0d2c16f(...).png (1.47 MB, 1185x1600)

1.47 MB PNG

[X] Dismiss the two – they have a mating ceremony to perform.
[x] Ask Schechei what she thinks of Kteine's sacrifice now.
[] Send all three home. They have much to talk about.
[x] Tell Malnae she's being bitchy, and go sulk. Idiots, all of them.
[x] Write in? You would do well not to let your love become your death. I'll take care of Kteine. Yzia will take care of me.

You salute her in kind and lower your hand. “And now what do you think of Kteine's sacrifice, Gish Schechei?”

She glances at her twin, her eyes sharp and cool. “I think she is a fool....but I cannot fault her. Nor can I say that I blame her. She has my deepest sympathy, and my love....and my regret. I couldn't do what she's done for me.” She looks at you seriously. “I think you're a fool too, for doing this. But I will repay you, somehow, some day, for this, and for more.”

You rock back onto your haunches and cross your arms. “Well, I can not fault you for being human with that kind of response.” Falna stares at you, shock and wonder in her eyes and you sigh, looking down at the haughty young githyanki. “Go and get your mating ceremony done. I will attend to Kteine.” Schechei nods and turns to Falna, the haughtiness and strength melting into an expression of pure, raw passionate adoration that is almost embarrassing to behold. She flings herself into Falna's arms; Falna meets her halfway and they kiss, deeply and hard, near to bruising hard. No embarrassment, no awkwardness.

You glance sidelong at Kteine and her eyes are shimmering with tears, and she is smiling a little, but you can see the pain their intense love causes her.

When they break the kiss, Falna moves towards Kteine but you move between them and hold up your hand. “Be careful that your love doesn't blind you to danger, to other threats, to one another's vulnerability. Be careful, Falna, that your love does not cause you more pain and suffering than you deserve. It will be a weapon, and perhaps – perhaps – you will make it your weapon, but if you are not careful it will kill everyone and everything you hold dear.” She looks at Kteine and then at you, and inclines her head slowly.

You are still her Leader.

“That said....I almost envy you.” And you are being a bitch, Malnae – Falna discarded me, not the other way around. Malnae's silent growl is drowned in Siobhan's righteous anger at the other Silver Sword. That is your Lady for you. “Go and perform your mating ceremony. Just....go.” Schechei salutes you again, properly and politely this time, with real respect. That makes you feel better, which is almost annoying. Falna salutes you as well, and though you don't really approve....you sit back in the cushions and let them both kiss Kteine, who clings to them and kisses them both with tears scattering about her eyes.

File: 1394703300467.png (858 KB, 1280x720)

858 KB PNG

>>905578
Moving to settle against the back of the cushions again, Siobhan allows them out, and leaves the doorway to your cell open. Kteine hugs her knees again and watches you with wide and tear filled eyes as you put the mask back on and coil your legs under you. Picking up Siobhan, who sends gentle, comforting feelings and warmth, you reach for Yzia.

Yzia....I have need of you. I have just had a very....unpleasant experience. If you would be so kind, I would appreciate your presence in my life now.

So difficult a time that you ask for me in such a pleading manner? How can I resist? Her teasing thought makes you smile despite yourself. Surely, it cannot be so bad as all that.

I could face an inquisition under the hands of the Lord Knights.

....every time I think you cannot step further on your thin beam of starlight over the Void, Akko, you manage to make me reassess you. Her astonishment is tinged with delight and bemusement, and your black thought at her amusement only makes her all the more amused. Shall I dress appropriately? she asks, teasing you even more.

If you wish – I have a duel in forty-three turnings, and can not spare the effort to do more than comfort and be comforted. There is a cadre member who might be worth teasing. You might even coax her into affection, though she is in love with others. Yzia's curiosity increases. It is an unusual situation, and entertaining, if in an annoying manner.

Oh, this sounds like a great deal of fun! She sends you images of memorable encounters and the connection ends.

Kteine is still looking at you.

“Bring me Falna's pipe, would you, Kteine?” You open your spell book, and mark it with the rune you now wear, on the inner page of the binding. Claiming it as a new Wizard mark might be worthwhile.

“May I ask why, Akko?” Good, she's not acting the part of the slave. You were concerned about that. She's not stupid. Well, she is, but not in that manner.

“Mostly because I a comfortable, and I really do not wish to see Falna's fine smoke go to waste.” She smiles faintly, and crawls across the cushions to fetch the pipe. She's really quite pretty, sleek and lithe and just barely soft looking. She turns towards you and sees you watching her, and slows, then kneels before you before handing you the pipe. “Yes?”

“Do you wish to have sex with me, Akko?”

File: 2.jpg (480 KB, 904x1300)

480 KB JPG

“I was considering it. I do not think so, not right now. Yzia might be interested however.” At least she understands that she is expected not to presume she is going to be allowed to indulge in fidelity just because she is in love. She nods, slowly, and then frowns. “That looks like a much more interesting question.”

“Why did you not allow me to join in the mating ceremony?” Closing your book you regard her carefully as you relight Falna's pipe. “They would have accepted me as their mate still.”

“I am sure they would have. You would not have enjoyed it, and you would not have appreciated it. You are not githyanki.” She frowns, not entirely understanding. “Are you a masochist?” Her eyes widen and she shakes her head slightly. “Then you would not have enjoyed it at all. Those spurs in your mouth are not just for show. Ask Tzanzi about it some time. The biology might be there, but the mentality is not.”

She shivers slightly and licks her spurs with her mouth closed.

You inhale deeply of the pungent herbs, and let the smoke drift from your mouth without exhaling. The smears of ichor are still strong about her eyes and you slowly reach up and caress her face, your thumb wiping the shimmering liquid along her temple to help it be absorbed. She closes her eyes, allowing herself the illusion of enjoyment. “You need not concern yourself about me forcing myself on you. Githyanki do not think like that in most cases. There are a few rare exceptions.” Yzia floats through your doorway and you smile, letting the rest of the smoke follow your words. “My dragon on the other hand, might enjoy that a lot,” you tease.

“Nonsense. I'm not more a rapist than you are unless invited to be so.” She is wearing a tanned, svelte body, bronzed and lovely, white silks with the occasional gem in the prime colors on golden settings as armlets, thigh-bands, anklets, and rings.

[] Now, how does one rape when invited?
[] Yzia, meet Kteine, my student and burden.
[] Have Siobhan make a door of some sort, and offer Yzia something fine to drink.
[] Take a deep, slow inhale off the pipe and share it with Yzia.
[] Write in?

>>905582
>[] Yzia, meet Kteine, my student and burden.
>[] Take a deep, slow inhale off the pipe and share it with Yzia.

>>905582
>[x] Yzia, meet Kteine, my student and burden.
>[x] Take a deep, slow inhale off the pipe and share it with Yzia.
Alright, back in the waking world just in time

>>905582
>[] Yzia, meet Kteine, my student and burden.
>[] Take a deep, slow inhale off the pipe and share it with Yzia.

>>905582
>[] Now, how does one rape when invited?
>[] Yzia, meet Kteine, my student and burden.

>>905580
>I could face an inquisition under the hands of the Lord Knights.
I'm still not really grasping what the problem is, especailly in light of >>905466. Like I'm not sure why anyone would care on a level beyond "Well, good luck with THAT dumbass."

>>905582
>[X] Now, how does one rape when invited?
I guess it depends on who's doing the inviting, but I don't think that's what Yzia means.

>>905582
>[] Yzia, meet Kteine, my student and burden.
>[] Have Siobhan make a door of some sort, and offer Yzia something fine to drink.

>>905582

>"Oh? Would you like me to invite you, then?"

>[] Have Siobhan make a door of some sort, and offer Yzia something fine to drink.

>>905580
Kteine promises to be pretty amusing. Hopefully Aeuna doesn't damage our goods if she tries for an assassination (I dunno how much Gith care about slaves being collateral damage) but I guess we can just make sure not to have anything valuable nearby when the time comes.

Thinking about it, a known of and strictly timed assassination isn't much of an assassination at all huh...

>>905596
Aeuna seemed to care a great deal about keeping slaves safe or being against slave taking in general.

>>905598
True. I do look forward to seeing if any of our cadre figure out what's wrong with Kteine, once raiding time comes around.

Aeuna will be great to cuddle with, if she wants to after we win.

>>905602
Why cuddling specifically?

>>905604
She's soft and well endowed.

>>905602
Also the assassination is not timed the duel is if she wants to assassinate us she can do it whenever.

File: 1402481379514.jpg (154 KB, 1024x694)

154 KB JPG

[X] Yzia, meet Kteine, my student and burden.
[] Have Siobhan make a door of some sort, and offer Yzia something fine to drink.
[X] Take a deep, slow inhale off the pipe and share it with Yzia.
[X] Write in? You want an invitation, my lover?

Yzia's inhuman eyes blaze with desire as she looks at you, curled up with your spell book, smoking a pipe of aromatic herb and drugs, naked except for your enchanted jewelry, a beautiful childer kneeling before you naked and looking up and back at her in trepidation and awe.

Okay, you don't need to wonder how one rapes when invited anymore. “Shall I make an invitation of it then?”

Yzia smiles broadly, and it is not a pleasant, kind, generous, or even nice smile. “Do not tempt me, my beauty.”

Um. That is distressing. Maybe disturbing. Definitely exciting. “This is Gish Kteine, Yzia. As you can undoubtedly tell-”

“Oh, I can tell, yes.” The four-pointed stars of Yzia's pupils are glowing vibrantly.

“-she is my burden, and now my student. Falna and her mate owe me more than they can possibly repay for taking her on as my acolyte, and needless to say she's small enough for her and her twin sister....” Oh, that is a look of pure and unadulterated greed. You might have a hell of a bargaining chip here. “....to ride as a single person. She is cadre, so at least be kind for that reason.” You glance at Kteine, who is looking at you suspiciously. “Oh, you are entirely on your own for gentleness, Kteine. Yzia is still a dragon, and I will not speak for her.”

Her voice is low, but annoyed. Better and better. “That wasn't my concern, Akko.” You grin wickedly.

“If I can offer you and your twin to her as treasure, that merely puts you on a par with me.” That seems to flummox her quite effectively.

Yzia slides onto the cushion and settles next to you, and you lay along her body, allowing her to put her arms about your shoulders and your waist in a gentle and possessive embrace. You take a deep, slow draw from the pipe and urn your head. Yzia obliges and leans in, allowing you to kiss her deeply and slowly, giving her the inhaled poisons and smokes that have no effect on you here, and merely taste exquisite. When you break the kiss, you relax, and she exhales the smoke in your place, sending the cloud far and wide.

Kteine doesn't blush or seem shocked by your affectionate display; her twin would have, before. “Why twins, Kteine?” you ask pleasantly, curious still.

She shrugs mildly. “Foible of the spellcaster whom Falna courted for the spells. Falna was as surprised as we were. I think that it was a joke, of some sort, or a trick.” She considers a moment. “Perhaps it was a trap.”

>>905607
That's true I suppose. But I don't think that butt was made for cuddling...

File: 8dad5c514ed7c0e66299ec84d(...).png (583 KB, 1100x1100)

583 KB PNG

>>905610
“You are not wrong. If it is discovered you are not githyanki, Falna and I, and possibly Schechei-” The name makes Yzia giggle and draw her hand along your belly and breast lightly. You give her a sidelong glance before you continue. “-may have to face the Lord Knights on grounds of infiltration and co-operation with an enemy. Not the enemy, mind you.” The psychic component of hate that follows with the word that describes the masters is very clear to her, and she nods slowly. Surprisingly she isn't afraid of that. Perhaps not for the right reasons, but it does give you hope that she might turn out all right after all.

“Schechei, really? That's what she's called?” Yzia is tickled by the thought.

“Yes, why?”

She traces a series of glyph on your belly. “In several languages it is spelled and pronounced in a manner that translates as sexy.”

[] Well, you can see for yourself after all....
[] She isn't mated, so she's fair game if you feel the need.
[] Not quite my type, I think. I could be wrong.
[] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!
[] Write in?

>>905610
The spellcaster obviously had exquisite taste.

>>905612
>[] She isn't mated, so she's fair game if you feel the need.
>[] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!

>>905612
>[] She isn't mated, so she's fair game if you feel the need.
>[] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!

>>905612
>[x] So single-minded, you insatiable dragon!
>[x] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!
>[x] Well, you can see for yourself after all....

>>905612
>[x] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!

>>905612
>[] Not quite my type, I think. I could be wrong.
>[] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!

>>905612
>[] Well, you can see for yourself after all....

>>905612
>[] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!

>No complains about caresses, though, if it's enough for her.

>Tell Yzia about the situation with Gero and Aeuna. The assassin is far more in accord with your tastes than the twins, in any case.

>>905637
I feel like word might have spread that Akko -finally- killed Gero.

File: anime-girls-butterfly.jpg (391 KB, 2560x1600)

391 KB JPG

[x] Well, you can see for yourself after all....
[x] She isn't mated, so she's fair game if you feel the need.
[XX] Duel, Yzia, duel. No playtime for me!
[X] Write in? Ludicrously insatiable dragon! Oh, by the way, about Gero....

“Do you have nothing but sexual escapades on your mind, Yzia?” you murmur affectionately as you lift her hand to kiss it. “Is it just you, or are all dragons like this?”

“You have only yourself to blame, Akko, so you needn't bother complaining to me!” She nuzzles your hair and inhales deeply of it as you lean back and take another slow draw from Falna's pipe.

“Ahn, as if.” You lower your gaze to Kteine, who is fidgeting slightly, and whose nipples are peaked. You uncoil and stretch your legs, before crossing one under the other....which you extend and slowly run down the childer's exposed belly, to her shock. She blushes deeply, and this is an acceptable reaction, not like those of before since you actually touched her. “You can see for yourself they are beautiful. Schechei's eyes are garnet – oh, stop that, I think her name is lovely.”

Yzia's giggle is amused and she runs her hands up your belly, to cup your breasts.

“Stop that, I have a duel later, you know.” She only slides her hands down to your belly, though, which is just fine by you. Being excited doesn't detract from the resting state after all.

“That's my name.” You both look at Kteine with interest, yours more academic than Yzia's, undoubtedly. “Kteine. The actual word means 'lovely' in the ignan tongue.” She concentrates, and makes a sharp cracking sound followed by a short rush of air with some kind of inflection to it. “We were lovers before we were slaves, and we've been kept together almost the entire time of our slavery. We were lucky.”

“You were,” you agree softly. You stroke her belly again and she smiles a little, relaxing at the soft caress. “You are also not mated, meaning you are fair game if Yzia wishes to try for you.” She looks a little wary and confused. “You are free to refuse her, of course, but that does not mean she can not pursue you for her pleasure.” You really aren't sure if she quite grasps what you are trying to tell her yet, aside from the obvious.

Yzia's smile is greedy, interested. “You are very lovely indeed, Kteine.” Her voice is a rush and crackling series of burning ember noises. “Such a beautiful creature to be trapped in such a fragile and delicate form. I would dare to touch you with only the most gentle of caresses.”

Kteine has the grace to look flattered. “I would never fear for my life in your embrace, Fire Lord; your beauty and grace is far more than I deserve.”

“One would suspect you of taking lessons from Akko, with such a generously worded refusal,” comments Yzia wryly.

File: 1398222981058.jpg (456 KB, 1920x1080)

456 KB JPG

>>905643
“Do not try to pin that one on me, you oversexed treasure-eater.” Yzia dissolves into laughter, and Kteine smiles as well, relaxing. You pat your belly, and Kteine's smile fades as she tries to determine exactly what you mean. You simply watch her with a calm, placid expression, as you offer Yzia the pipe without looking.

Yzia takes the pipe and draws off of it deeply, sighing a stream of smoke into the Astral fundament. Kteine studies you a moment more....then slowly crawls to you, and lays her head in your lap, allowing you to stroke her obsidian hair. She half curls onto her side and blinks slowly, knowing she won't be able to sleep, but taking the position to do so instinctively.

Even githyanki do that still.

Yzia wraps her arms about you and you take the pipe from her, taking one last draw from it nd letting the smoke drift over Kteine's soft, childer face. She inhales, accepting the offering, and exhales slowly, with a sigh. Her eyes fill with tears again, but you merely stroke her hair, pretending you do not see.

Perhaps she understood after all, or already realized. Yzia nuzzles, her silken clothing soft and delicate between your body and hers, and she lays gentle kisses along your neck. “Your duel?”

“Mhn. Gero paid for an assassination. Gish-Psychic Aeuna. Competent, not incredibly bright, but very cunning and capable of learning from her mistakes and making very good judgments. I killed Gero – sorry, you do not get to eat him – and offered a duel to deep blood to cancel the debt. She is very honorable, sadly. Or that could be a good thing. My mark is upon her brow, invisible.” Kteine looks up at you, confused. “My mage-mark, allowing me to cast spells upon it as a target for scrying and the like, and allowing thought-casters to contact me if she wishes to do so.” She nods and turns her head away again.

“I could take her first,” offers Yzia. It's a valid option.

[] No, I want her in my cadre.
[] If you can catch her before she catches me or our duel begins, then yes.
[] Our cadre is at capacity, so yes, you may as well.
[] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?
[] Write in?

>>905638

I'm sure Yzia will enjoy hearing the tale from Akko herself, in all juicy details.

Can Akko and her story distract a dragon from a pretty young, scared thing? It'll be interesting to find out

>>905644
>[x] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?
>[x] No, I want her in my cadre.

>>905644
>[] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?

>>905644
>[] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?
>[] No, I want her in my cadre.
She's been entertaining to be around so far.

>>905644
>Write-in
"Of course... if she DOESN'T show..."

>>905644
>[x] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?
If the answer is yes:
>[x] No, I want her in my cadre.

>>905652
Oh yes, add this.

>>905644
>[] No, I want her in my cadre.
>[] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?

>>905644
>[] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?

>Write-in
"Of course... if she DOESN'T show..."

>>905652
I'm conflicted. On one hand it'd be convenient to be rid of a complication if she goes for assassination. On the other, being on watch for an assassin certainly seems like it'd add some spice to your life, and she would be nice in our cadre.

>>905644

>No, I want her in my cadre.

>Beside, I want to test myself against a mage-killer.

>And she's quite good company. Not to mention a very attractive virgin.

>>905644
>[] No, I want her in my cadre.
Faced with indecision, I'm following my thirst for good booty.

>>905658
Honestly? In terms of "spice in your life", Akko is gargling tabasco sauce while pleasuring both her remaining holes with jalapeno peppers.

>>905662
Yes, but on the other hand, Gith ennui is preeeeetty strong!

>>905664

Too much at once spoils the fun. Better have some from time to time than all in one go

>>905678
A fair point but I don't think we can put off the assassination attempt.

>>905679

Duelling her is to avoid this

>>905681
Well yeah, but that's up to her. I'm talking about if she decides to skip the duel, like the custom.

File: 1398290853855.jpg (509 KB, 2952x2031)

509 KB JPG

[X] No, I want her in my cadre.
[X] Are you sure you want to end a virgin's life, perverse thing that you are?
[X] Write in? If she chooses to not duel me, that means she is fair game. But she is attractive, entertaining....and she's a good test of my skill.

You look down at the naked girl with her head in your lap and stroke her hair, gentle and slow, soothing herself as well as yourself. “I would rather have her in my cadre. Falna claims she will be able to make arrangements so that you do not have to try and carry all of us.” You mile wickedly. “Besides who would want to die a virgin....”

Yzia stiffens behind you and she squeezes you involuntarily. It's exceedingly uncomfortable until she relaxes some. You're also glad you do not need to breathe. “....she's a virgin?”

“Five decades into adulthood, and she has spent a good amount of time in the material.” Yzia squirms against you slightly, and Kteine looks up at you, smiling as you tease your companion. You smile back wickedly. “She is soft, Yzia. Her body is that of someone rarely in the Astral.” Now shes really excited. You wink at Kteine. “She has a figure better than mine by at least....oh, three inches. In. Every. Single. Dimension.” Yzia is practically panting in your mind. Siobhan is a giggling mess. Kteine is looking up at Yzia with a fairly alarmed expression, and you can see the glow of Yzia's eyes along the young female's pretty face.

You cup your breasts, mostly to distract Kteine. It works pretty well too. “I mean, I recognize I am very well endowed....but I do not think there is an ass better than hers in the entire Stronghold.”

“F....fine....I won't do anything....rash.” Yzia snuggles into you and whispers in your ear, pressing her body along yours enticingly. “But I want first taste!”

“I will presume you mean of her sex.” Kteine can't help the soft giggle that slips out of her mouth and she relaxes, laying her head in your lap, but with less resignation than before. You smile an lean back, placing your head along her shoulder and offering your throat, which she nibbles on lightly. “Of course if she refuses the duel, all bets are off. But it would be nice to set myself against a mage killer. My techniques are somewhat refined compared to a number of my colleagues.”

“You are said to be the least deadly, and the most devastating among the Gish, Akko,” comments Kteine.

Yzia chuckles. “You may not be the deadliest with a blade, but that is only half of your skill, my treasure.” Yzia cups your breasts herself, and slide her hands over them, causing you to gasp softly as she rubs your nipples. Kteine smiles watching you both. “Besides, I want to carry you into the arena myself, your little acolyte dressed in jewels and shining armor, looking for all the world like a conquering heroine....when was the last time you wore your armor?”

File: ATF.jpg (499 KB, 1000x1811)

499 KB JPG

>>905714
“What kind of ridiculous question is that here, you sex-besotted sun-wyrm?” Yzia chuckles liquidly as you blush. Kteine looks at you curiously. “I am certain it will fit perfectly well!” Kteine suddenly smiles as well, and it really does make her beautiful. “Pah, you are both monstrous.”

“Yes,” agrees Yzia.

“I am not that bad,” disagrees Kteine.

The time passes pleasantly, as you banter, tel the story of your meeting with Aeuna an the death of Gero, and tell Yzia of your encounters with Yashi and Tzanzi – the last omitting the resultant strangeness which only Yzia needs know about. There is much petting, and Yzia manages to convince Kteine to 'suffer through several kisses, and later some lap time as well, as you study your spell book to determine the most effective dueling spells. You do like how Kteine looks nestled against your dragon, though she finally must leave, despite her repeated castings of the Alter Self spell that allows her to maintain that form. When she does, Kteine settles against you once more, and you tell her of some of your fights, and she tells you the tales of her own honors, though not the one that she prizes most of all.

Finally you feel the arcane forces you cultivate at their fullest, and your mind open to receive the new spells....and the overabundance of that weird power you have been granted, the Elder's energies. You stiffen in alarm and turn your thoughts inward, studying....yes. They are more potent, there is more of this power....you look at your hands and flex them.

You're physically stronger than you were forty turnings ago, literally an order of magnitude stronger.

File: Spoiler Image (152 KB, 1000x800)

152 KB PNG

>>905716
You reach for Siobhan as Kteine sits up, looking at you to ask what is wrong, and Siobhan's mental contact isn't simply a feeling, or an empathic impression. It is like hearing a song, the notes of which are symbols and that carry meaning. The instant you lay hand on her hilt you suddenly understand more about her than you thought possible. Not just about her as a person, or as a weapon, but as an object of power. You see the interstices of power in her form and her mind alike, feel the potency of her spirit the connection she bears to all the Silver Swords....and she completes you, give to you power.

Not just any power....more of that insane, alien, Elder, eldritch power. You understand magic even more clearly through her than you did before; you understand how the spells truly WORK, how they act and react....how to make them powerful using this Elder knowledge and power. She guards you jealously when she is in your hand – her presence literally protects you as your bracers don. Perhaps not as powerful for now, but you can feel the potential growing even now. You know how to use her better than before, how her power to cut silver cords can be extended, to cut through nearly any material, cutting the essential substance.

“What....who is that?”

Kteine's question makes you look up, and you heart sinks. You have the mask on, but the person in your doorway is possibly the one person you least want to be dealing with this....this ascension in front of.

“Kteine, meet your fellow cadre member....Yashi.” Yashi, her youthful visage blank, her ancient eyes glowing with the spell of Arcane Sight looks at Kteine. Then up to you.

And then....she smiles.

>To Be Continued..

>>905717
Worry

Thanks for running XS!

>>905717
Well. Fuck.
This is going to be fun.

>>905717
Well shit

>>905717
Sonofabitch

>>905717
Not sure if pic is intended to be Yzia from earlier...but it sure fits her. Well, the hairstyle less so, but the rest is on point.

Super fun thanks XS, other then the duel we are ready for the raid?

>>905717
Huh, one of the downsides of not really believing in closed doors I guess.

>>905717
Thanks for running!

Since we used it up already, could you tell us where Akko got that three wishes ring from, and what she used her first wish to get? (You might have already explained it and I missed it)

File: Are you sure.png (946 KB, 800x1197)

946 KB PNG

Thank you for reading and playing

Incidentally it's your own fault you gained a second Mythic Tier.

>>905732
Literally how?

>>905732
How do people normally gain mythic tiers anyways?

Do they just get boosted by some higher being or item of power, or can they do it themselves?

>>905732
I know that time is weird in the Astral Plane, but by Akko's reckoning, has it even been a day since she got the first mythic tier?

>>905729
Well, spell selection, no.

>>905723
Well, the smile is all Yashi's.

>>905731
I did not.

She took it from a powerful wizard who made the mistake of believing he could enter a githyanki Stronghold because magic makes wizards invincible.

Teleportation does not work in the astral plane so his contingency spell of "If a weapon or monstrous attack comes within six inches of me, then teleport to a distance of one thousand feet" failed to work. Because you can't slip into the Astral Plane using teleport when you are already there. Low wis, high int caster fail.

Her prize for the killing blow was that ring. It was missing a wish when she received it. (I.e. the value of the ring was lowered for purposes of her wealth by level).

>>905736
>>905735
>>905736
Mythic tiers are gained by acts of mythical proportion, or occasionally granted.

Say, transforming a human mind into the same essential person as a githyanki mind and using the power of your mythic essence to make sure it worked perfectly.

It takes the tier minus one acts to ascend to the next level of mythic power - so for her second tier, it was a grand total of one mythic act. and changing Schechei into a true githyanki counted.

So its all your fault, not mine. Mostly.

>>905742
About 16 hours.

>>905747
Huh. Well we shouldn't be popping a mystic level every day, at least. Still, worry.

And just how does "an order of magnitude stronger" work out stat-wise?

>>905749
By the time of the raid we are going to be mythic level 5.