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>>1007795
"You do the most good, for the most people, that you can," you tell him, softly. "One of those people has to be you. But 'that you can' is pretty important too. Some people you can't do good for; they won't let you, or they won't change, or it's just not your place to step into their life. Some people you can't save, Nate. And if you die trying to save someone you just can't...well, you can't help anyone else."

"I...understand," Nathan agrees, a little uncomfortably.

"Sounds cold, doesn't it?" you ask, sympathetically.

"Yeah. Sometimes I wonder how your family got involved in necromancy and then there's times like this when it's very clear that your morals were shaped by centuries of it."

You give Nate a kiss on the forehead. "Go talk to Amy. Do yourself a favor and apologize. I need to hit dinner."

"Good luck, Brianna."

"You too, Nate." You whistle for Fetch, and your familiar attends to you immediately; he chirps an apology to Amy and bobs to your side at high speeds.

"My queen?" you avian knight asks, humbly.

"We're heading to dinner with Rachael and likely Mister Sykes," you tell him. "I'd like you to come with me."

Fetch chirps his approval, and the two of you head belowdecks. Rachael and Sykes are indeed waiting for you, with a full spread of food that you immediately feel vaguely guilty about before you remember that no one on this ship but the ones you brought with you actually needs to eat, and as a result this is probably what /everyone/ eats.

"...Okay, correct me if I'm wrong but ships are supposed to have more officers than this, aren't they?" you ask, with genuine curiosity.

"Yes," Rachael answers, simply. "But I think you'll find it to your advantage to only have to deal with me and Mister Sykes. Please, sit, eat. The cook worked hard to impress his new Captain."

You note the somewhat accusatory tone to Rachael's use of your title and take a seat. You help Fetch up onto the table and then load your plate up with meat, fish, potatoes, and various kinds of cheese and bread. "It smells glorious," you compliment, honestly. "...If it helps, Rachael, you're not the only person in this relationship who's confused."

"I ain't confused about nothin'," Sykes comments. His plate remains empty, and your chief gunner gives you neither a sullen nor a sad look, but rather a tired one. "How do you want this to be, Captain?"

> Ask how they came to serve
> Try to find out what it is Rachael and Sykes want
> Inquire as to why Sykes is here with Rachael rather than any of the other officers
> Present your own case
> Write-in?

>>1007875
>Ask how they came to serve

>>1007875
>> Ask how they came to serve

>>1007875
>> Ask how they came to serve

>>1007875
>> Try to find out what it is Rachael and Sykes want

>>1007875
> Mention Silence, to break the ice, then move on to asking how they came to serve.

>>1007875
>Try to find out what it is Rachael and Sykes want

>>1007981
Supporting

I'm alive. I have some things to attend to before I can call and write.

>>1007875
>> Ask how they came to serve

>>1007875
>> Ask how they came to serve

Called, writing.

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>>1007875
You take a bite of the meal, because someone ought to be enjoying it, and close your eyes; that is an incredible smoked fish, and it deserves your full attention. You hear Rachael give a soft chuckle.

"I'll pass your compliments to the chef," the First Mate teases, wryly.

You swallow, "Please, do," you tell her, honestly. "...Were you aboard when Miss Silence served?" you ask, curiously.

Rachael nods. "I wasn't First Mate then. For a little while, she /was/, though she left once she'd served her term. Miss Silence was a ferocious fighter and had an eye for unusual plunder. I was sad, but not surprised, to see her go."

"Before my time," is the only comment Sykes gives you.

"She spoke fondly of her time here, though I didn't question her deeply," you admit. "She said she paid for passage from the Mistlands with a year and a day of service and that Reeves was a friend of hers."

"They got on very well," Rachael says, thoughtfully. "She seemed...angry, about something. She never did say what, but Miss Silence was driven by a deep rage, and the Captain saw a kindred spirit in her. She shared his anger at the curse of the Quell, and he in turn gave space to hers."

You nod, thoughtfully. "...What was your life like, before /Pallbearer/?" you ask.

Rachael shrugs. "I was a sailor. Most of us were."

"Aye. It doesn't really matter," Sykes agrees. "Not after awhile, anyway. I have great-grandchildren now, do you know that? The Captain always swore to stay away from their home, out of respect for my services. What else could he do? Could any of us do?"

"What if you could be freed from the curse?" you ask, plainly.

"...It'd be a fine thing, if I thought you could do it," Sykes says plainly. "You're asking me to believe that angel is stronger than a God of Creation. That her will can whelm the Quell's and break the decree laid upon all of our souls. I don't believe that, and I don't believe you. I think you're after the Hoard, plain and simple, and that Rachael and the ship are both damned and double-damned as fools."

"No Sykes, don't hold back, tell her how you really feel," Rachael says in exasperation.

> What do you say?

So this has been my day:

"Okay I'll get up in the morning and -"

> Alarm clock breaks

"Okay I'll get my stuff done and then update a couple of -"

> Real life interrupt

"Okay, now I can -"

> Real life rides again

"JESUS FUCK AT LEAST ONE UPDATE WHAT IS THIS."

> Finally update

I'll update again around 1 AM or so when I get back from work. Thank you for your patience.

>>1008675
>Grin and laugh. "So, what you are saying is that if I can break the curse, you'll walk away without trying to stop me?"

>>1008675
>What if it isn't necessary to whelm the Quell's will? What if they regret this as much as any of you do?

>>1008675
>> What do you say?
The Quell said I could, and I mean to try. If you truly want free, help. If you try and resist another chance won't come in a very, very long time. If you help, I've got the permission of Quell, two Chosen at hand, and myself to undo this mess.

>>1008750
Oh, and about the hoard; don't give a damn. Tell me where you want any of the hoard that survives this to go, and I'll send it there, word and bond.

>>1008675
He sees in others what he sees in himself, I don't fault him for that.
I'm not sure we should just come out and say that we've talked to most every God by this point. He already doubts us, and it's a mighty large claim with no evidence. Further, we know Rachel's option on immortality; we'll get resistance from her if we state we can and will end the ship after we're done with it.
Just imply that we /could/ end it, but it doesn't bother us if he doesn't believe us.

>>1008675
>Do you know how many gods I've now spoken to in person?
>Whether or not the angle is greater than the god is kind of irrelevant seeing as I have express permission.

>>1008675
> "You'd be surprised. I won't say that the Gods have favorites among the Archangels, but I believe Azrael - or more accurately Lora, the name she chose for herself - has the greatest respect and love of the Gods. Her incredibly faithful services to the living and the dead - despite mortal fear and loathing - and her love of /Life itself/. Why do you think they continue to respect her wishes, and have not interfered in the Dungeon? This massive, wondrous, beautiful - and sometimes terrifying - self-contained world, hand-built with love and devotion by someone who was still struggling to understand why she existed. Lora is capable of far more than you or I know."
> "As for the Hoard, silver and gold mean nothing. Even the magical relics and supernatural artifacts it may contain, while curious, hold no interest. But I am a practical woman. The men, women and children /slaughtered/ for all of that wealth no longer have need of it, but we could put it to benevolent use."
> "One of the Master's pawns, a woman who called herself the Moneylender, corrupted the Temple of All-Gods in the Lichyard. Sacred, hallowed ground, defiled by her greed and the torture of innocents. Sadly, it must be torn down, the grounds cleansed and re-sanctified, and then finally rebuilt. If I were to spend the Hoard on anything, I would use it to fund the reconstruction of a new temple. Then, all the remaining wealth would be interred within, as tribute to the dead."

Okay, we have in-character knowledge that the Quell regrets the decision it made all those years ago, but has held to it as a matter of principle. Now, the reason I say that Lora can end the curse, and not Quell, is because I doubt that they'd believe us. With Lora, they know her as both the Angel of Death, and as our mission.

As for the Hoard, I just figure it'll be something that'll come up when we finally get around to ending the curse, regardless. We could burn the ship and its stolen wealth together, and let it all sink to the bottom of the Sunless Sea. But I think a small part of Brianna is tempted, not by greed, but by the idea of using for something /good/ and /noble/ and /right/.

>>1009285
>but by the idea of using for something /good/ and /noble/ and /right/.
Hmm something very balancing about the idea of taking all that wealth gained through evil and strife and just sort of dumping it all into charity.

>>1009377
Well, I would consider it a waste. As much as it must grate Brianna, that wealth would be an immense blessing for the previous levels of the Dungeon.

Aside from the Temple of All-Gods and general reconstruction efforts throughout the Dungeon, I think we should invest more in the magic communication bells. Having more of those in the Dungeon would allow not only our allies, by the people, to communicate. This can only bring them closer together, and we're working to make them a united coalition. Eventually perhaps a kingdom or nation of their own.

>>1009715
Dammit. I would consider it a waste to just destroy the Hoard with the Pallbearer.

>>1009720
I didn't say anything about destroying the damn thing, paying for dungeon rebuild is just the kind of charity I was suggesting.

Main point is not just spending it on ourselves/friends.

>>1009745
I wasn't reacting to you, that first sentence of >>1009715 was only half complete.

But yeah, we understand each other.
> Take Hoard, rebuild Temple, Dungeon repairs, possibly militia equipment, then charity.

>>1009756
First priority for the Hoard has to be giving the crew enough seed money to get them on their feet. Condemning them to a life of poverty or overly hard labor might seem fitting, but it'll just drive them to go back to what they know best. And the goal isn't to make the pirates get a new boat, it's to make there be no pirates.

>>1008675
>>1009285
> Seconding this sentiment
Then again, the wealth will always be tainted by the blood it was stolen from - putting it to good use through means such as charity and the like doesn't exactly absolve it of this context. At the very least, Bri will always know that the rebuild temple was paid for by blood money. While perhaps cleaning it up on one hand, on the other it's giving the blood money a legacy.

Stories will likely be told, whether fictious or real (with Bri's personality, I'm leaning towards the latter) of where the money came from - such a large scale reconstruction of an important building will have it. If the truth either gets out or is freely given, the temple will bare some of that awareness that it exists due to the blood and suffering of others, however indirectly.

While I can see how such a story surrounding a new temple could be controversial, I also think it would give it all the more character. Not only that, it would also be a representation of Bri's... rule? influence? over the Dungeon at large.

Just a thought

>>1009825
>the wealth will always be tainted by the blood it was stolen from
It is only tainted to those that know its history; it doesn't "carry the stench of death" or something with it. If we're worried about seeing things tainted by their past, we can put the money into things we don't come into contact with.
Though this is also true, assuming they live through the death of the ship:
>>1009819

>>1009863
Aye, but would Bri be the type to try and suppress the history of the horde? It's story will spread regardless anyhow, and by constructing the temple with it, the story will be indirectly connected to the building - at least for a little while.

And hey, gossip will likely spread that the temple was funded by confiscated pirate booty. That just sounds cool and worthy of retelling and keeping in the cultural awareness, especially within this current generation and maybe the next.

What I'm saying is that the history might be learned/remembered by more than just Bri and crew by the time its being used to build up infrastructure

>>1009882
Sure, but the point I was making was that "tainted" is in the eye of the beholder. Bri would consider it tainted in your example, but in the stories it'd just be a neat bit of flavor. Though gossip needs a source, and I doubt we'd be running our mouth about where we got all this plunder.

Okay, I'm home. Will call and write when I get a chance; I'll be up all night, but 'up' and 'able to write' are not the same thing.

>>1008695
>seconding this

>>1010404
>I'll be up all night, but 'up' and 'able to write' are not the same thing.
Sure it is! I'm sure we could spin your sleepless ramblings into something coherent.

>>1010440
Are you absolutely sure? I mean, this is a Lich we're talking about, friendly and accommodating and unsettlingly attractive as he is. How can you know whether or not his insane whispers won't bring forth the Beast from the Pit, shatter the time-space continuum, or turn your insides to salt?

>>1010404
I /really/ hope you remember to get some shut eye at some point dear Vox. I love your delicious words, but don't over-stress yourself.

>>1010822
>or turn your insides to salt?
I think he's planning on doing that anyways, what with the frequent conversations centered on Nate's mortality.

>>1010822
It's less a stress thing and more a, "I wouldn't be able to sleep until 4 AM anyway and I need to give a dude a ride at 8 so I'm just gonna stay up and got to sleep at 9 or so," thing.

>>1009825
Thee is no money that is not tainted by blood somewhere. This is just fresher blood than usual.

Okay, update isn't happening tonight, not until I've had some sleep. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, open for Q&A, feedback, etc.

>>1011088
After completing Dungeon Life, do you think you'll write something else in this setting?

Silence worked for the Pallbearer for a year to pay for passage between worlds, and then managed to leave. Why was she able to do this, when no other member of the crew did? Was it Fae magic, or just more 'The Ship Can Only Keep What It Takes' and Silence managed to fight free of it's grip?

>>1011284
A deal struck with a Fae isn't something you can just break willy-nilly.

>>1011284
I dunno. I have ideas, but I'm not sure if I want to pursue them or not.

As for Silence, she paid for passage. Aside from the inherent dangers in trying to cheat a fey of her oath, the /Pallbearer/ does, at times, perform services for payment - its presence in the Dungeon is such a service, in fact.

Called, writing.

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>>1008675
"You know, no, I respect that," you tell Sykes with a small nod. "You have no reason to trust me, no reason to assume my good faith. Thank you for being honest."

"I've read this scene in novels before," Sykes notes.

"Yeah, this is the part where I have you thrown into a pit full of scorpions," you agree wryly. "Except no, mostly because I'm not like that, but partly because I'm terminally low on - actually, do we have scorpions?"

"No," they both say flatly, though Sykes can't stop a faint smile.

"Then I'm terminally low on scorpions," you conclude. You take a few bites from your plate and stop to enjoy them, and are pleased to note that Mister Sykes is starting to fill his own. You swallow and point with your fork. "So, here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to outline my plan, and you're going to listen to it, and you can ask me whatever questions you need to when we're done. Fair?"

"Can't ask fairer, Captain," Sykes agrees, cautiously.

"The angel doesn't have to whelm the Quell's will," you tell him, seriously. "She has the Quell's /permission/, but even if she didn't ending the curse is as...simple...as destroying Reeves and the ship, if I understood the Quell correctly."

"You can't speak to the Quell in the Dungeon," Rachael interrupts, in a cold voice.

"The angel was helpful in that matter," you answer evenly. "Look, I won't say that the Gods have favorites among the Archangels, but Azrael - Lora, she prefers these days - has their great respect and love. Her faithful service to the living and the dead, despite how the Firstborn fear and hate her, and her love of life itself, have earned that for her. Why do you think they don't listen or interfere down here? This massive, wondrous, beautiful, terrifying little world was hand-built with love and devotion by her while she still struggled to understand why she existed and in the doing she proved herself far more capable than you or I know."

"Pretty speech," Sykes says quietly.

"If she wasn't as puissant as I'm advertising, why steal her power and chain her at all?" you answer.

Mister Sykes has no answer for that.

"I won't lie, there's a little girl in my soul that is entirely too happy about the Hoard, but I don't want it. Or, rather, I don't need anything it can provide to me. Everything I wanted out of that room is right here." You set your hand on the hilt of Reunion. "There is good I would set that treasure to work doing. The previous levels of the Dungeon have been ravaged and damaged. The Temple of All Gods, in the Lichyard, needs to be reconstructed. The citizens need food. There's a new access point to the Roost that needs to be constructed. Medical supplies need to be shipped in. I could do this all day - the point being that once /Pallbearer/ no longer needs the money, there are others that do. You among them!"

"Are you trying to bribe us with our own money?" Rachael asks in disbelief.

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>>1012422
"No, I'm trying to point out that if I free you from this curse you're going to need at least some wealth to start a new life," you answer, with patience. "But none of this can really happen without your assistance. I don't particularly want to kill everyone aboard, especially not since I suspect the person writing my biography is crushing on your carpenter."

"She is," Rachael confirms, with a sigh. "And he is. They are."

"...Welp."

"Idiots," Sykes opines. His eyes stay on yours. "So that's your plan? Kill the Captain, burn our home down to the frame, and give our money away?"

"...You know, when you phrase it like that it sounds a lot worse," you admit. "But yes, that's more or less it."

"Why kill Reeves? Has he done something to be unworthy of your mercy?"

"I..."

> Look, the curse is on him as much as it is on the ship. He can't live, even if he deserves to.
> I don't think Reeves is a prisoner, Sykes. I think he's using Lora to abandon /Pallbearer/.
> I mean, we've got time here. You have a proposal?
> Write-in?

>>1012455
>> I mean, we've got time here. You have a proposal?

>>1012455
>I don't think Reeves is a prisoner, Sykes. I think he's using Lora to abandon /Pallbearer/.

>>1012455
>> I don't think Reeves is a prisoner, Sykes. I think he's using Lora to abandon /Pallbearer/.

>>1012455
> Look, the curse is on him as much as it is on the ship. He can't live, even if he deserves to.

>>1012455
>> Look, the curse is on him as much as it is on the ship. He can't live, even if he deserves to.
> I mean, we've got time here. You have a proposal?
Quell specified Reeves's death as needed to end the /Pallbearer/, but might as well see what they got to say.

>>1012455
> Look, the curse is on him as much as it is on the ship. He can't live, even if he deserves to.
> I don't think Reeves is a prisoner, Sykes. I think he's using Lora to abandon /Pallbearer/.
> I mean, we've got time here. You have a proposal?

> All of the above.

>>1012455
>> Look, the curse is on him as much as it is on the ship. He can't live, even if he deserves to.
>> I don't think Reeves is a prisoner, Sykes. I think he's using Lora to abandon /Pallbearer/.
>> I mean, we've got time here. You have a proposal?
porque no los tres?

>>1012455
> I don't think Reeves is a prisoner, Sykes. I think he's using Lora to abandon /Pallbearer/.

>>1012455
>> I mean, we've got time here. You have a proposal?
>> Reeves has got to die, the Quell said so himself. Herself. Whatever... But you're also talking to a professional Necromancer here, so hopefully it doesn't have to stick too long.

>>1012455
> "I mean, we've got some time here. You have a proposal?"
We should also inform them of the condition with Reeves, just so they're aware.

>>1012455
>> I mean, we've got time here. You have a proposal?

I'm alive. Called, writing.

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>>1012455
You reach for a drink, realize you don't have one, and frown in confusion.

"What are you - oh, fuck, right," Rachael sighs and stands. "Coffee?"

"Coffee," you agree. The First Mate leaves quickly, and you give your attention to Mister Sykes. "She'll be back shortly, yes?"

"Likely," he agrees. "Got something to say to me in private?"

"Honestly? No." You lean back in your seat and continue to enjoy your meal while you wait, and Sykes chuckles before he does likewise. Rachael comes back inside of five minutes with a tray containing everything needed for Glorious Coffee.

"Chef keeps a pot hot," she explains, before scooting things on the table to be able to set the tray down. The three of you serve yourselves.

"Okay, now that you're back," you begin. "Cards on the table. I want to end the misery spread by /Pallbearer/. The Quell has said that to end the curse, both Reeves and the ship need to be destroyed, unless we want to bank on the idea that Lora can countermand the curse herself, which. I don't particularly want to kill Reeves, but you can see where I consider my need in this affair to be slightly greater than his right to live."

Sykes grunts. Rachael gives you a scowl.

"But we've got plenty of time," you allow. "Do you have a proposal for me?"

"What if the angel can change the terms of the curse?" Sykes proposes, openly.

You stare.

"/Pallbearer/ is not unchanging," Sykes continues. "Crew members have been destroyed, presumably to go to whatever afterlife awaits them. The ship has become other ships; we've upgraded her with cannon, she's suffered damage and been repaired. Should the curse be so different?"

You lean back with your coffee cup. "That's...honestly pretty brilliant," you admit. "But if I may be candid?"

"Please, do," Sykes agrees.

"That still leaves me with an immortal ship crewed by murderous scum."

Rachael sets her cup down, hard. Sykes just nods. "I can see where that's a problem, lass," he agrees candidly. "I'd rather be free of this curse if I could be, but I cannot trust you. You cannot trust us. This seems a fair compromise in itself. It removes from the equation the things causing the problems - the ship's need to feed, and my healthy belief in human greed."

"You want to give up immortality?" Rachael accuses, hotly.

"This ain't livin'," Sykes snaps.

This might take awhile.

> Interrupt
> Listen
> Just pass the time already, Vox

>>1015270
>> Listen

>>1015270
>> Listen

>>1015270
>> Listen
If the conversation is wearing on you, Vox, you can end it.

>>1015356
It's less that and more that I'm frustrated with not having a regular schedule that lets me relax and update at a faster clip. It bothers me, and I'm sure it bothers my readers.

In a related story, see you at 11 PM or so. I'm goin' to work.

>>1015270
>Listen

>>1015270
>Listen
Hey, might as well.

>>1015270
> Listen
We should try to understand both of their perspectives, but ultimately Brianna makes the final decision.

Also;
> Maybe inform them of Brianna's own knowledge and opinion on immortality.
Or, rather, the effects on the mind that come with the loss of age, hunger or fatigue. Liches are not at all sane, as our delightful QM can attest. Without the mortal afflictions that mold their actions, and guide all living things, men can become monsters. Surely Rachael and Sykes have seen this? Hell, they probably ARE this.

>>1015387
I'm going to blaspheme for a moment here. Put down the coffee. Get some cocoa instead.

>>1017014
TOO LATE JUST SHOTGUNNED A MONSTER.

Called, writing.

>>1017032
Holy shit...how is your heart functioning?!

>>1017041
I mean, I'm not exactly a small guy (surprising no one I've got a bit of weight to lose, which makes it a little sad that of my friends that I'm not dating I'm still the smallest) and I've got a tolerance a mile wide.

>>1017051
Shit, that sucks man.

>>1017051
If you're serious about it, start simple; a few reps using light weights while you do a jog or brisk walk around the neighborhood before work. As time progresses, increase the weights and reps, as well as how many laps your do. You aren't looking to build muscle, but burn the fat.

O' course, you could always just pester some folks on >>/fit/. They could probably explain a hell of a lot better than I.

>>1017032
I'm thinking it's time for an intervention.

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>>1015270
You're going to let this happen. You could stand to know more about these two, and if you're being honest ('Cold', your conscience corrects again) you want an idea of if Rachael is going to betray you or not.

"You can take a walk to the sea floor, Sykes. It's easy for you to be high and fucking mighty," Rachael accuses. "How many people get to say they live forever? Really live forever? Fuck you for that."

"I want to go back to my family," Sykes answers evenly, folding his arms across his chest. "I want to marry again. I want to have a /life/, Trust."

"Well great for you, you fucking - you know what I have? Nothing. I have fucking nothing, Sykes. You're looking at the last of the Trusts. Everyone I know is dead. Everyone I ever loved is dead. The nation I served? Dead. The sleepy town I grew up in went and became a gods-damned city. I have nothing, and no one, and I will be damned before I let you TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME!"

You clear your throat. "I think it's time to back your shit down, Rachael," you tell her, quietly.

"...Aye, Captain," the First Mate answers, before she gets up and leaves. She slams the door shut behind her.

"Always was a feisty one," Sykes notes. "What's yer plan?"

"I -"

The door bursts back open and at first you think Rachael's about to try to kill you before you see that the wild look in her eyes is fear. "Captain, we've got a problem!"

You stand immediately. "What problem?"

"The fucking snake's coming in from the freshwater side!"

> Abandon ship
> Try to find somewhere to hide on the saltwater side
> Stand and fight
> Run like hell

>>1017129
I have everything required for this but weather that will accept a walk of any length.

>>1017371
You can take my caffeine over my steaming corpse.

>>1017627
We never actually got the rundown on the /Pallbearer/'s capabilities, did we? All I know of is the cannon, and pirates with swords, neither of which is conducive to fighting giant monsters.
>> Try to find somewhere to hide on the saltwater side

>>1017627
Ah cock shitting cunt knuckles.
>Umm is there any land nearby would it be at all feasible to lure in up onto land to where the cannons could target it. Or is it simply to large for the cannons at which point fucking run.

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>>1017627
>"The fucking snake's coming in from the freshwater side!"
> Run like hell

>>1017627
> Try to find somewhere to hide on the saltwater side

>>1017627
> Try to find somewhere to hide on the saltwater side.
I have no idea how in the hell we are supposed to deal with this thing without killing it or being slain in the process. DAMMIT LORA! YOU'RE A QT BUT THIS IS FUCKING INSANE!!

>>1017789
"Man who talk to God have difficult life."
- Small Gods, Terry Pratchett

>>1017627
>> Abandon ship

>>1017627
also FWIW I got huge "future Rachel la Croix" vibes from this conversation.

>>1017827
...I'll bite, vhy?

>>1017912
she's got nothing to live for except living, might be finding something worth dieing for would set her straight

>>1017912
>>1017827
>I have nothing, and no one,
I bet this was it. I'm hoping that doesn't happen actually. Our response to "I'm lonely" shouldn't be "You're now adopted" Also, she'd have to show a desire to change herself, and I'm not seeing that happening. That might just be me though.

>>1017827
>>1017980
>>1017985
I figure that if we can survive the rest of this level without having to lock her in the brig or just straight up kill her with fire, we can possibly direct her to our allies like Bridgette. She'll probably learn something. Not a world-shaking revelation, but maybe she can find that little nugget of hope she's been missing all these years.

We can't just 'fix' every person we meet who is opposed to us, and ultimately her fate rests in her own hands. She's going to have to go out and find her own way, once all is said and done. A lot of her venom seems to come from a fear of the unknown; she's been stuck with the Pallbearer for so long that its all she knows, and she would rather stay miserable on the old boat than take that leap of faith into uncertain waters.

>>1018012
>We can't just 'fix' every person we meet who is opposed to us
Thank you. Bri's conduct these last few floors has become more... 'preachy', but I couldn't really articulate what bothered my about it.
I dunno if she's miserable; I suspect she's actually rather comfortable. She's among kindred souls, others she's fought alongside and that have the same condition she does. While I doubt the crew is family to her, it's certainly the closest she'll have. And here we are, distaining she attempts to be friendly, preaching at her about how bad she is, and threatening to tear apart this little community she's a significant part of. And they possibly kill her.
Alternatively: better the devil you know...

>>1018045
Part of the preaching is Bri grappling with her new - to her - role as a leader and mentor. She's trying her best but she's also under stress of various kinds and facing down problems she would, in other circumstances, stay to solve long-term rather than just leave behind.

>>1015387
I sympathize, Vox. We're patient. Take your time.

A good story can be waited on.

Aight, I'm hitting bed. Will update when I get up and acquire coffee. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

Called, writing.

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>>1017627
You put your hat on and go for the door; Rachael turns and runs for the deck while Sykes brings up the rear about as fast as he can.

"How fast can we get this thing moving?" you ask.

"Depends on the plan," Rachael admits. "We're already hauling anchor, what -"

"/Find somewhere to hide/," you order, immediately.

"Aye Captain," the First Mate agrees. She shouts orders the moment you emerge abovedecks, while you go to the helm to get a decent view.

The water above Canopus ripples, almost parting, with the speed and mass of the serpent beneath it. You stare in naked awe, Lora's request repeating in your head on an insane loop.

Catherine lands next to you, from the rigging, and stands up to her full height. "How may I assist?" she asks, calmly; the steady voice helps snap you out of it.

"Can you slow that thing down without hurting it?"

You are rewarded with the universal 'bitch are you crazy' facial expression, but then Catherine nods. "I can do this thing. Stand back."

You hasten to obey while Catherine throws her cloak open. A torrent of metal needles, long and thick, pour forth from it and move en masse, following her hand. The Chosen sweeps them through the ruins of one building, then another, choking the waterway with debris.

It's not going to be enough. How can you - that's how.

"RIVER, TINA," you call out. "I need this canal choked out! Can you hit the stone from here?"

In answer, Tina spreads her tiny wings and takes off with absolutely no respect for the laws of aviation. You hear Amy make an involuntary sound of jealous outrage.

River runs to the edge of the stern and starts hurling hell fire in huge fistfuls. The succubus turns in midair, her lips moving fast to say something you can't make out, but between her hands a web of flame sketches itself out, catching what River gives her.

Belowdecks, the crew rolls out the oars and starts you moving the fuck out of here.

Tina's web shifts from orange to white and becomes painful to look at. River hurls a final comet of hellfire and points to either side of the Bar. The succubus pulls, while the serpent gets ever-closer, and the web strains, then snaps, resolving into twin arcs of blinding fire that slam into either side of the Bar.

Stone melts, slagging and sagging towards the water, but it's not going to be fast enough. Tina takes one look at it and starts hurling more flame, driving more rock into the water where it sizzles and steams.

"Damnit, Tina," River calls. "Get out of there!"

But either the succubus cannot hear her or doesn't care. The blazing assault continues even as Catherine calls back her needles - her cloak swallows them as if they were never there - and Canopus gets closer.

On the other side of the Bar, Canopus rises from the water. The serpent's scales gleam in the witchlights, throwing oily rainbows onto the water.

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>>1019672
His roar calves chunks of stone from the roof of the cavern and sends your vision swimming. You clap your hands to your ears but it's nowhere near enough. You hit your knees, praying that the crew below is sheltered enough to keep rowing, but all you can think about is the horrible ringing in your skull.

When your vision clears, you see Tina diving. The succubus lands in the half-slagged stone of the Bar and draws it upwards, adding flame to the mix to thin the fresh-made lava. She leaps away from Canopus's furious strike, leaving the snake to shriek in agony when its jaw is coated in spraying stone, and lands on the other side, scooping up more rock.

Tina's voice cuts through the ringing in your head, carried by sorcery: "GLORY TO THE SECONDBORN!"

Canopus lunges for her, and Tina hurls the molten stone. The last sight you catch of her before /Pallbearer/ escapes the passage through Sprawl and emerges into the saltwater sea.

You let yourself slump to the deck and sit with your back against the ship's railing. Your sister joins you, and the two of you stay quiet, partly out of sheer relief, but mostly because you're still fucking deaf.

Eventually, the bosun goes from person to person, passing out doses of potion to prevent permanent hearing loss. Your ears pop painfully when you drink yours down, and you rub just below them in a vain effort to make it not hurt.

"I never did get the chance to understand her," River says, a little distantly. "She seemed...odd, after she met Lora. Oddly loyal, oddly helpful."

"Yeah," you say softly.

"Guess I'll summon her back in a couple of years."

You pause for a beat. "...You know, in the heat of the moment I forgot that's a thing?"

River laughs.

> Stick to the plan
> There's no way the /Lonesome Dirge/ missed that; get Rachael and Sykes and go on the hunt
> Just put distance between you and the Bar
> Write-in?

>>1019740
>> There's no way the /Lonesome Dirge/ missed that; get Rachael and Sykes and go on the hunt

>>1019740
>> Just put distance between you and the Bar
I don't think we can continue the plan, as we just closed the gap between the salt and fresh. If that was only /a/ gap, we don't want to be near that snake. If the /Dirge/ heard the roar, they probably rapidly went away from it. I just hope they're on the same side of the divide as us.

>>1019772
It is in fact only /a/ gap, but there's a very few that can fit a ship of your size or the /Dirge/'s.

>>1019740
>> There's no way the /Lonesome Dirge/ missed that; get Rachael and Sykes and go on the hunt

>>1019740
>There's no way the /Lonesome Dirge/ missed that; get Rachael and Sykes and go on the hunt

>>1019740
>>There's no way the /Lonesome Dirge/ missed that; get Rachael and Sykes and go on the hunt

>>1019740
> Just put distance between you and the bar

>>1019740
> There's no way the /Lonesome Dirge/ missed that; get Rachael and Sykes and go on the hunt.
So, in quick succession, the plan is to; find and destroy the Dirge, probably burn Reeves and the ship, and talk with Lora about putting the snake back to sleep. Sound about right?

>>1020930
And take away Voxs' coffee for a few days, but I think you have our objectives well itemized.

>>1021190
Over my steaming corpse, sir.

>>1021256
Its not healthy to have your bones vibrate at high speeds daily Vox.

My apologies here on the delay; I'm doing editing on the professional end that I've owed for the last couple of months.

Do feel free to drop questions.

>>1021653
If you were to do more with the DLQ universe, I would love to explore the rest of the world. There's bound to be more to explore, and it would be amazing to see what fruits have been bore by our actions.

Called, writing.

>>1021653
What tabletop system do you think would be best for running a campaign set in the DLQ universe?

>>1022011
I'm considering doing something a century or two in the future, set in what will become of the Harrow.

>>1022231
Fate. Pretty much Fate, honestly. Aside from requiring the least effort to translate the fast-and-loose narrative rules on display that you've seen, DLQ already has some strongly Fate-like elements, including the themes that take center stage when you take control of a particular character.

The Celt that helps with my archaic combat & religion research already /ran/ a DLQ campaign in Fate, actually. Way back during the Athenaeum.

>>1022239
Hmm I may have to brush up on that system, you have any problems with an internet stranger potentially borrowing your setting for such a purpose?

>>1022239
Sweeet. Might need to get him/her to share the details.

>>1022281
Anon, I'd be flattered. Feel free to ask questions if you need to and to reference the worldbuilding docs/quest itself. Bring back stories!

As far as the system itself, SIGNIFICANT portions of it are available free-and-legal on the Fate SRD: https://fate-srd.com/

It is my personal opinion that Evil Hat does good work, though, and deserves support.

>>1022293
Thanks though don't get your hopes too high this is currently in the 'wouldn't it be cool to' stage I'll let you know if I manage to actually get anything together.

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>>1019740
"Rachael," you call, from where you're sitting. "If I said I'm not getting up for this, you would say?"

"Your ass outranks my ass, and thus I am getting up," the First Mate complaints. "Do you need any other asses?"

"Asses are her fetish!" Amy calls out, helpfully. You hear her yelp, followed by Nathan's somewhat pained, "I got her for you Bri."

"Thanks," you call out. "And please bring Mister Sykes' ass as well, preferably attached to the rest of Mister Sykes."

"Aye Captain," Sykes groans. You can hear the drum beats from below, impelling the rowers to get you The Fuck Out Of Here.

Rachael and Sykes look like shit but, then, you feel like shit, so fair's probably fair there. You gesture to the deck near you, and the two of them sit heavily and gratefully.

"There's no way that the /Dirge/ missed that," you point out, frankly. "Plan's changing. We need to go on the hunt."

Rachael groans. "Look, arguments aside, what about the snake?"

"The angel can put him back to sleep," you tell her. Sykes grunts and nods, and even Rachael gives you the universal 'well, you have a point' shrug. "Look, with Reeves being a bit hard to kill we can figure out how we want to solve...everything...later, once he's captured. In the meantime, I need that chain, to free the angel so she can put the snake to sleep and so I can get off this ship and into the Mire. So!" You spread your hands. "I know the /Dirge/ has armor plating of some kind. How do we fight it? Will these cannon penetrate?"

"They definitely will not," Sykes says grimly. "We tried that. The balls just bounce off of the plates like fucking water."

That was not the answer you were expecting to hear. "Come again?"

"They bounce!" Sykes says angrily. "All of our guns do fucking nothing! The deck isn't armored but I can't plunge a shot into it for the life of me, Captain."

You let out a long breath. "Hoookay. Rachael, options?"

"Ram it, murder the crew, steal their possessions, turn the invulnerable ship into the new /Pallbearer/," Rachael says flatly. "Celebrate afterwards with a crew-wide orgy."

"...You're joking, right?"

Rachael and Sykes both cough.

"...Right?"

"Anyway," Rachael continues, pointedly ignoring the question. "That's honestly our best bet. Get in close, ram, board, and fight. If your chain is board, great. If not, we'll have a new vessel."

You dig out your cigarette case and light one up, taking a drag to get the mental image out of your mind. "Okay, fine. If that's it, that's it. Now, correct me if I'm wrong - that armor plating has to be heavy as hell. How does the /Dirge/ move?"

"Bonfire ship, I think," Sykes opines. "She had the hallmarks of it, includin' oars that never seem to retract. Could probably find her by the...smoke..."

You give them both a flat look. "I'm gonna pointedly pretend that I believe this was forgetfulness rather than malice. When would you suggest an attack?"

>>1022402
"Cover of night," Rachael says quietly. "We want to get as close as we can before those guns hit us."

"Sykes?" you ask.

"I'm mainly inclined to agree, Captain," the chief gunner says with a nod. "...Though I will say that waiting it out might not be the best plan. Who knows how long it'll be before that snake is up and at it again?"

> Wait for darkness
> Go now
> You and River can /create/ some night, together. It'll be draining, but...
> Write-in?

>>1022405
How draining are we talking?

>>1022405
> Wait for darkness.
> Rather than go for a ramming, we can try to sneak aboard.
We can temporarily blind and silence any spotters, and Amy can quietly eliminate any snipers or use her song to put them to sleep. Doing this the stealthy way might be more effective anyway, as I imagine a ship battle would only serve to alert Canopus of our location.

>>1022437
It'll probably put them on their asses for the rest of the fight, and mean that we probably switch perspective to Amy or Nate.

Personally, I would just have the Pallbearer find the Dirge, wait till post-camp, quietly row to the ship with all of the crew ready to board, then have River and Brianna drop a limited cloud of darkness over the ship.

Ramming the Dirge will /probably/ work, but we have no way of knowing if this armor is simply stronk as fuck or if its been divinely empowered by Lora. I would not be surprised if they made her do something like that in anticipation of a fight with Canopus.

But, does the cloud effect /everyone/ or only our enemies? I don't know if that was ever clarified.

>>1022405
> Wait for darkness.
> Rather than go for a ramming, we can try to sneak aboard.

>>1022444
This is a good plan.

Also, exactly what we haven't been doing recently, and therefor unpredictable.

>>1022662
>Wait for darkness.
>Rather than go for a ramming, we can try to sneak aboard.

Helps if I actually vote i suppose.

>>1022444
Oh, y'know what, I'd forgotten about the Ghost Sight spell that Bri has. If Bri or River just hit the whole crew it, then they can throw around darkness to their hearts content without having to worry about blinding any friendlies. I would suggest River though, in case its too draining. We shouldn't need her balefire or Sleep once we're aboard.

>>1022444
...How are we going to hide an entire ship? Are we just going to fly people one at a time or swim or use smaller ships or what? If we hide ourselves by covering things in darkness, they'll still notice that some places are unnaturally dark and likely shoot at them.

>>1022672
Aren't we getting some kind of death energy from the Pallbearer? If we no longer are aging and no longer dying, and necromancy is powered by either death or our lifespan, does that mean the Pallbearer is providing us with necromancy-fuel? And the Pallbearer needed to be fueled from the Roost, and it was mentioned that it would need to be fed in a few months, I think. Is it possible that we might accidentally kill the Pallbearer by using all of its power?

>>1022405
>> Wait for darkness

>>1022919
I don't think there's we know a strong enough spell to try killing the Pallbearer that way. That's good, though.

>>1022405
>> Write-in?
Treat with the opposing captain.
And.
PAR-LAY.

>>1023080
Another alternative idea: See who wins, MEGA-CANOPUS vs MECHA-WARSHIP. Might be risky to have Canopus on a lure; but fairly sure it'll gobble up the opposing ship.

>>1023084
Thirdly... can Bri+River use necromantic magic to make the /cannonballs/ ghost-form enough to fade through the armor at all or pierce some?

>>1022405
>> Wait for darkness
Wait, is the /Dirge an ironclad? Yeah, cannon isn't going to get us anywhere. I'm in favor of ramming, actually, in the hopes that we'll wind up with two wounded vessels afterwards, instead of a new invulnerable /Pallbearer/

>>1022405
>spit-balling an idea here: One of the nice things about cannons is that you can load them with anything that can fit down the muzzle. Is there any sort of necromantic or alchemical nastiness we could load the guns designed to shatter rather than penetrate? Basically could we simply gas/burn them?

>>1023136
>instead of a new invulnerable /Pallbearer/
Ohshit. Yeah we can't take over the Dirge now. We need a way to kill the Dirge, not supplant it.

>>1023096
Not many, but with something to carve them with and help from Sykes you can give it a go.

>>1022919
It'd be awfully convenient, sure. Do you think the curse is convenient?

I was up all night alternately grappling with nightmares & waking up to vomit for about an hour at a time. I cannot think straight or concentrate. Updates may have to wait. Votes, and discussion, remain open.

>>1023188
Especially because Rachael is holding out on us, /hard/. She can be coerced to comply but if there's a 3rd option that doesn't include the PAllbearers continued existence she's not gonna offer it up.

>>1023222
404 ERROR! PC NAMED 'VOX' IS CURRENTLY MALFUNCTIONING. PLEASE REBOOT AND TRY AGAIN.

>>1023222
jesus fuck my man, what the hell do you do to make yourself vomit so much?

I'm a fucking alcoholic and I haven't vomited in 5 years

>>1024441
Vulnerability to respiratory infections, and in last night's case, food poisoning. Haven't had booze in about a week and I've never drank to the point of puking.

>>1024540
Get better soon.

>>1024368
Dirge has cannons too right? Would be a shame if all that gunpowder went off in one go...

>>1026572
I am thinking board & bomb. Board the ship, run teams with explosives (maybe magic ghost bombs or hellfire boosted or maybe just regular) inside, blow out it's cannon/armor, and get off. Sink the sunnuvaship from this inside. Do NOT claim it as as the new Pallbearer.

>>1026572
Also, if there's a hole, you can stick something in it ;3. Stick a cannon out and gum up it's porthole?

... wonder if there's anything in the Hoard that will help with any of these options.

>>1026642
We'll have to careful in our planning. The crew would rather take the /Dirge/ than destroy it; We'll either need justification for destroying it, or have one of our own do the destroying.

Okay, so, correct me if I'm wrong here but the basic gist of what y'all are after is:

> Wait for the cover of darkness
> Make plans to destroy the /Dirge/, including but not limited to explosives, sabotage, and/or ghost testicles I MEAN CANNONBALLS
> Do not inform the crew or Rachael of this. Inform Sykes only if he figures it out.

Correct?

>>1026716
Sounds good.

>>1026716
That sounds about right.

>>1026716
How common are armored/bonfire ships? because if this thing was conceived with the help of Nate's mom then I'm all for wiping it off the map.

>>1026761
Bonfire ships, as mentioned awhile back, are relatively rare but not unheard of. Aside from the expense in installing the enchantment (and the need to keep someone on hand to maintain it), the bigger issue is persuading people to step aboard your large wooden structure that is /constantly on fire/. As you might imagine, trying to protest that it's only a little on fire, in one spot, does not currently go over very well in most cases.

Armor plating in this fashion is unheard of. Sure, armored vessels exist - wooden reinforcements meant to help deal with catapults, flung objects, and ballista - but the fact of the matter at the moment is if you want to sink a boat these days you either run it aground, summon something big and nasty (and pray you can contain it) or light the ship on fire. Even if they could field the weight of the armor, which they can't, there's not a /demand/ for it. The /Dirge/'s armor is rather specifically in case of guns, which does strongly suggest that it was made to fight the new and improved /Pallbearer/.

And as with the guns, Natalia was sloppily copying something she saw rather than actually designing the technology. On Earth, the earlier ironclads used rolled rails as their armor, which served a hell of a lot better than trying to bolt plates to wood. Natalia saw steel ships and did her best to re-create what she witnessed without actually understanding it at any point.

>>1026716
wait why would we not inform the crew? I don't understand and would vote against it

>>1026834
Other posters seem to think it'll up the odds of the crew betraying the shit out of you. However! I just picked up an extra shift today (thank GOD) and tomorrow, so here's what I'ma do: I'm going to leave the discussion open until 9 PM or so.

Votes are called for waiting until nightfall.

That in mind, now is quite literally THE time to discuss and determine how much, if anything, you tell Rachael, Sykes, and/or the crew.

>>1026930
I AV at work, until 8

>>1026930
Ok, lurked for a long time, chiming in here. I don't think this is a good plan, at all. \

First and foremost it will be a betrayal, plain and simple. Right now as captain of the pallbearer we are supposed to look out for the best interest of the crew, it's our duty. Keeping the destruction of the Dirge secret from the crew would mean the potential for a lot of people to get hurt. And it would break any trust they have and it is a sure fire way to ensure they do betray us later on

Secondly, it seems unnecessary. The pallbearer assuming control over the dirge seems very little different an outcome then the pallbearer remaining where it is now. And it would be a moot point when we get the chain anyway. Lora will break the curse or modify it regardless.

So, no, voting

>Wait for darkness.
>Rather than go for a ramming, we can try to sneak aboard.
>if we must destroy the dirge, let the crew know

>>1022405
>>1027119
>Wait for darkness
>Rather than go for a ramming, we can try to sneak aboard.
>If we must destroy the dirge, let the crew know

Going to support this course, I would keep blowing it up as a last resort.

>>1027119
>>1027125
Sorry guys, votes were called. But looks like it was only for nightfall so maybe plan can still work?

>>1027119
>it will be a betrayal, plain and simple.
It doesn't have to be a betrayal. We just frame it as a plan to kill the unkillable, rather than a "break it so you can't have it" plan. Of course, if the best way to make sure it stays dead it is to blow it's powder magazine and crack it half, or otherwise render it unrepairable, thems the breaks.

Secondly, the fallback option for the /Pallbearer/ is to destroy it, along with all hands. Keeping it in a lesser vessel, potentially still battle damaged from the upcoming fight, will make that easier.

>>1026930
Is there any chance we can steal whatever it is being used to protect the Dirge, reverse-engineer it into some armor and outfit Fetch (and only him) with it?

>> let the crew know

>>1027451
There isn't much to reverse. It's just metal bolted to wood. Plus, Fetch's advantage lies in being small and fast. Loading him down with armor would hurt, not help.

>>1027608
Oh, boo. Invincibirb plans may have to wait.

I have some questions. Does the Dirge have the same magical properties as The Pallbearer? IE Crew is immortal, ship is semi sentient, the ships spirit is transferred if the crew take over a new ship

If that is the case I think the only way we can permantely put the dirge out of comission is by making it the New Pallbearer
If it's as simple as setting off a powder magazine to ensure the ship is destroyed forever I'm fine with this though
Either way, I also don't think that it's a good idea to keep our plan secret
>Inform people of our plan
>If the ship can be destroyed permananetly by physical force go with sneaking in and destroying it
>If the ship has the possibility of re-emerging go with capturing it
>Ask for more information on the Dirges crew and captain

Aight, only an hour and a half late please kill me I am writing.

>>1028102
We wont kill you, your already dead.

>>1028110
Clearly not dead enough.

>>1028150
Dude, you made yourself a lich, you have literally written down how it works.

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>>1022405
You mull it over, but your decision, ultimately, is quick.

"We'll wait for darkness," you agree. "Find somewhere to move where we can stay unobtrusive and away from Canopus if at all possible. That'll give us some time to prepare. If we can, we'll sneak aboard the /Dirge/ if only because in case of snake I'd like at least one working vessel instead of two deadlocked ones."

Rachael opens her mouth, closes it with a thoughtful expression, and then looks back towards Sprawl. "I am inclined to agree, Captain," she says at last. "I apologize."

"For what? Ramming would be a great plan if we didn't have the snake up our ass," you say with a shrug. "Mister Sykes, I have some ideas for the engagement. In particular, I believe my sister and I can get some of those cannonballs to pass through the armor and stick in the /Dirge/. There's at least one major flaw with that I can think of, though, which is -"

"Blowing the ship up entirely," Sykes finishes for you. "Still worth pursuing. Worst-case scenario is losing the chance to trade up, and to be frank now that we have an idea of what our enemy is like we can probably get a copy built or improved on..."

"You..." you pause. "You can just build a new /Pallbearer/?"

"It wouldn't even be the first time," Rachael admits. "The old /Pallbearer/ just sort of...folds into the new one, taking the Hoard with it. We /can/ purchase things, you know. Ships are things."

"Don't let Coral catch you saying that," Sykes warns. "In any event, Captain, I can agree with that course of action and provide you with my assistance and a ready supply of cannonballs."

"Good. Rachael, question - who designed the explosive rounds?"

"Sykes, the Captain, and me, to an extent," the First Mate answers, curiously. "Why? Is this another lecture thing?"

You shrug. "I mean, personally they kinda horrify me but my high horse is literally undead when it comes to killing people in ethically questionable ways. No, I was just thinking - do you think the /Dirge/'s are the same or similar enough that you could, say...set them off?"

"...I bet I could." Rachael hops to her feet, looking excited, and runs down to the main deck, calling up to the woman on the crow's nest. You take the opportunity to look at Sykes.

"I have a suspicion that we may be facing Reeves," you admit. "Now, Nathan's got some iron weaponry, so can you lay out exactly what iron does to you before I suggest it to him?"

"The same thing it does to any of the Firstborn," Sykes says with casual confusion. "Why would you - fuck."

"You're just making me so happy today," you note quietly. "You're lucky I like you."

"Captain -"

"Get me the cannonballs, Sykes," you order, coldly. "Now."

* * * *

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>>1028608
If you never etch runes into metal again, it will be too soon. Eventually you had to stop so you could rest your hands before the battle, but it's done; between you and River the ship has thirteen of what Sykes has taken to calling specter shells, waiting and ready to give the /Lonesome Dirge/ an ugly surprise.

And you're finally in pursuit. The cover of the glittering, gleaming 'night' in the Sunless Sea has made it easy to pick out the smoke of your prey, and you cut through the water on your approach. The crew stands at the ready, weapons to hand and guns loaded.

"This feels wrong," Kat says quietly.

"Indeed," Fetch agrees. "But what else is there to do?"

"Shh," you tell them both, gently. "...It's time."

Rowboats, full of your crew members and compatriots, make for the /Dirge/. You stand at the helm, eye on the battlefield-to-be. The /Lonesome Dirge/ sits low in the water; even now, at anchor, it creaks and groans loudly enough to cover up the sound of your approaching men. They climb up the metal plating that shields your prey, mounting the deck, and -

|<[Light]>|. Lora's voice, clear as crystal, from the top of the /Dirge/'s mast. A witchlight, bright and white, flares above the battlefield, making your crew stagger against the sudden glare. You hear a battlecries from the enemy deck, and the feel the first pangs of death and pain as the trap closes on your men.

"FIRE!" you roar, shaking your head to try to clear it. The /Pallbearer/'s guns roar, the specter shells rippling through the steel plating and burying themselves in the /Dirge/. You can't hear the whistle of the slinger, but you catch the explosions that tear up the enemy deck, leaving flame in their wake and scattering members of both crews.

You catch the railing as the /Dirge/ answers in kind, rocking the /Pallbearer/ beneath the weight of its gunfire. You look up, mouth open to shout a new order, and you hear the crack of Rachael's revolver.

Lora's throat opens up in a spurt of red that sprays over the shattered deck of the /Lonesome Dirge/. She staggers back and takes a second shot through the chest that sends her toppling to the deck in a heap.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, RACHAEL?" you scream over the sound of battle, already moving down for the main deck.

"Everyone gets what they want! They can't use the angel if she's dead! I can't die if she's dead! The Captain gets to live if she's dead! Sucks to be her but someone has to lose out," the First Mate snaps back. An honor guard forms up around her, of sailors with desperate eyes. "Just let it happen," she tells you in a hard voice. "Let it happen and everyone gets to go home."

> What do you do?

One day I will learn to power through writer's block.

I'm hittin' bed. I'll try to update before work tomorrow; if I can't, update'll be near 10 PM. Votes, obviously, remain open.

>>1028630
>Silence enhanced blind her entire group, (they are close together, right?)
>we need to get that fucking chain asap, Nate and River to deal with any not affected by the blind and Amy+Bri to find Reeves and the chain.

I really hope Sykes is on our side at least.

>>1028630

Fuuuuck

I wish I could say I didn't see this coming, but it was pretty clear that something like this was going to happen sooner or later. This was fore-shadowed as hell, on multiple levels (really, Miss Trust being sketchy and terrified of dying, could not predict that at all, no sie).

OK guys, game-plan time. We're the quasi-immortal pirate captains right now, so it might be best to pass the chain hunting to a friend while we try and defend Lora from getting shot. I'm not entirely sure she can be killed with just bullets, but I'm not really in the mood to find out.

That said, we're on boat right now. Our Magic Machete's schtick might be more use for creating a path through un-passable terrain, but opening a path directly under Rachel and her crew to the sea might not be a bad idea.

>>1028630
Death wont simply stop existing, Lora can change aspects of it but it is not dependant on her to persist, the only thing she accomplished is fucking up the one chance we gave her(and the offending crew). The blind we had didnt seem to have a set duration, so it seems good to immobilize them until we can address this properly.

>>1028651
Oh, I knew she was going to do something to fuck things up.

I just wasn't expecting Lora to be there /in person/. Or for Rachael's gun to have any effect on her. I mean, shit.

>>1028650
Agreed, and I guess Sykes is..neutral?

>>1028630
> Silence and blind her whole group, then move to help Lora.
Can we /please/ burn her now? Fuck.

>>1028630
>Silence blind the offending group

>>1028650
>seconding this.

>>1028630
>Look her dead in the eye.
>"Half a billion people already can't go home thanks to this ship."
>"The ship's going down Rachel, one way or another. You can go down with it a traitor dragging good men with you, like the half a billion souls the Pallbearer's already ruined, or for once in your life you can try to do the right thing and save some lives for once."
>If she so much as twitches funny, Silence blind the offending group
>we need to get that fucking chain asap, Nate and River to deal with any not affected by the blind and Amy+Bri to find Reeves and the chain.

It's a big composite plan, but I don't want to waste the Silence charm this early in the fight on what should tentatively be an ally. Even then, I'm kind of worried that this is going to bite us in the ass later when Rachel inevitably decides to take up banditry, or betray us to Dick or something. So, after this is over I think we should clap Rachel in irons and send her to a convent or something.

Until then, that's an extra couple of bodies that don't die when they're killed.

That said, I'm not entirely sure this vote works in the middle of a pitched battle on the high seas between two ships getting shot to hell.

Also, is anyone else surprised that the bullets actually /hurt/ Lora?

>>1028630
>You can't kill DEATH YOU IDIOT THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT TURNS THE UNIVERSE INSIDE OUT!
>Help me save her life or there's a fifty chance we're going to be standing in someplace where white is black, up is down and existence is oblivion!

>>1028752
If that isn't the actual case, where death will continue to function without Lora then I suggest an alternative
>That is the gods favorite child you just shot! You think your life is hard now? Imagine how much more iddficult it will be when the dungeon is no longer a NO GODS ALLOWED zone when that angel dies.
>Do you know what the phrase 'wrath of the gods' is? Because you're going to live through that if you so much as harm one more hair on her head

>>1028630
I could have sworn we've had to "kill" Lora before, without ill effects. I don't suppose we know if cutting her voice stopped her ability to "cast"? If so, she may have bought us some time to find the chain. If it did stop her, and Racheal doesn't shoot her again, we needn't fight her.

>>1028630
Supporting >>1028650

>>1028829
Also, Lora isn't Death itself, she's just in charge of it. If she dies, either the Gods appoint another Death Choir as head, or they make a new head. I can't imagine that it's this easy to kill any angel of any choir though; considering how valuable their bones are, I'd imagine killing them would be more common.

>>1028630
>>Look her dead in the eye.
>>"Half a billion people already can't go home thanks to this ship."
>>"The ship's going down Rachel, one way or another. You can go down with it a traitor dragging good men with you, like the half a billion souls the Pallbearer's already ruined, or for once in your life you can try to do the right thing and save some lives for once."
>>If she so much as twitches funny, Silence blind the offending group
>>we need to get that fucking chain asap, Nate and River to deal with any not affected by the blind and Amy+Bri to find Reeves and the chain.
Sykes better have our ass swear to god

>>1028829
Yeah that makes sense. No use in getting mad if she just inflicted a light wound on someone we are going to have to fight anyway as long as she doesn't go crazy

>>1028651
> I'm not entirely sure she can be killed with just bullets, but I'm not really in the mood to find out.

You do have historical evidence (as well as Nate's vision in the Warehouse) that angels hate iron as much as everyone but the Firstborn hate iron.

> I could have sworn we've had to "kill" Lora before, without ill effects.

You have not.

I won't be able to update before work. You've my apologies but, y'know, Life Shit.

>>1028905
>that angels hate iron as much as everyone but the Firstborn hate iron.
I'm having trouble understanding this, Angels react to iron the same as a human?

>>1028930
You know how demons, fey, elementals, etc, hate iron? It does that to everyone but the Firstborn - mortals. Your humans/elves/dwarves/goblins etc so forth are just fine with the stuff, but most everything else has a bad relationship with it.

Fun worldbuilding fact: werewolves not being susceptible to iron poisoning was held up as evidence that they were sick rather than sinners or body doubles, since if they were demons they wouldn't be able to stand the stuff.

>>1028934
>spoiler

that's super rad

>>1028934
Oh shit, we have to get to Lora pretty as soon safely possible.

>>1028934
considering what we know about Lora, can we hazard any guesses as to exactly how much damage has been done to her and how much more she can stand?

>>1028934
Oh hey, cools. Now I want a werewolf NPC.

>>1029084
Considering she took out a Prince of the Fae, I don't think these bullets will kill her. I do think, however, that the wounds and potential iron poisoning are not pleasant to deal with, and we should beat the ever-loving shit out of Trust for..well, not being trustworthy.

>>1028630
>THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS YOU IDIOT!
>Blind and silence her honor guard and her, and rescue Lora.
>Have our lovers and the minions find the chain and break it and anyone using it.

>>1029084
You've seen her pretty messed up. Her wounds might not currently be lethal - but the iron is the wildcard, as is blood loss. Angels take a lot of killing but blood fountaining from one's throat is generally a lot of dying.

I am absolutely terrified about things that may or may not happen in the next update, and I can't think of anything which might help the situation.

Goodnight everyone.

>>1028630
Is it even possible to kill the incarnation of death?

>>1029346
High iron diet

>>1028630
>> What do you do?
... fire Rachael. We're the Captain, and we can fire her if we damned well want to.
Officially, she is no longer part of the crew.
If we need a new First Mate, nominate someone who didn't bunch around her.

>>1029341
In that case I'd like to switch my earlier vote >>1028834 to Amy going after Reeves and the chain and Bri going after Lora. Rescue mission and emergency heals.

Right then, if we are going to assist Lora, we need to only make sure she's stable, not fully healed; She is still currently an enemy combatant.
Also, If say we should reserve the blind and silence unless she tries to attack us; those aren't cheap attack for us to use, and if we overspend, we won't be helping anyone.

Why do I get the feeling someone important is going to die during this fight

>>1029346
She certainly thinks it is. Lora has expressed as much to you before.

>>1030087
... crazy idea. What happens to the Chainholders and the Chains and things wrought with her power if Lora dies? Or Emily, too?
I'm not a fan of the idea; but practicaly speaking, is Lora dying a viable option here?

>>1030056
There's a fair chance that we're going to be putting the First Mate down, and maybe Reeves, because of the curse.

>>1030332
Is it? We're far enough along in this story that I'm not going to answer that; the information is in your hands.

>>1030332
It likely would have been an option much earlier (possibly "before the quest started" earlier), but Penis is likely close enough to his endgame that he doesn't strictly need Lora anymore.

>>1030441
Ah, but doesn't he? He wants to be a new god, over a new world, with new people. He needs the forge and tools that the gods left in Lora's care, and the divine language that Lora commands. While he may learn to speak /some/ of the words, she is a master, and he'll need her to repair any problems that crop up later.

>>1030536
So do you think he'd be crazy enough to still try? Destroying this world to create an impossibly flawed one with no way of fixing it?

If lora dies does the magic surrounding the dungeon fail?

>>1030555
Checked, and I think she made the Dungeon to last. Hell, in a worst case scenario where Dick is successful, the Dungeon might be the last place in the old world that has life.

I'm wondering, see as lora is ...disconnected from the rest of the divinity, how long it'll take for any divinity to notice if she dies. And what the reaction will be when they do realize.

Okay, so: I am eating dinner at the moment, and drinking coffee. When I call the vote I will write a new thread.

At the moment the consensus is:

> Make at least an effort to get Rachael to stop without hurting her
> Force her to stop if she won't
> Save Lora's life immediately

Y'all have about an hour until call and write.

>>1031081
is this one of those times where the GM asks "Are you SURE?" Before the players embark on something stupid?

>>1031095
This is one of those times where the GM is watching the debate with fascination and wants to be certain of the consensus before he proceeds. You couldn't pay me to rush this vote.

I regret only that my upcoming tooth extraction means I can't eat popcorn for this. Moments like these make QMing worth it.

>>1031100
jesus man you need to take better care of yourself. How many times this year have you gone to the dentist because of teeth problems?

And, yeah. Reminding Rachel that there's a galaxy of shit going on that is more important over whether or not she gets to be an immortal pirate for the rest of eternity

>>1031117
Anon, I've had the same pile of dental problems for awhile. They're /finally/ getting fixed.

File: Undead and Fabulous.jpg (1.01 MB, 1000x1547)

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>>1031146
You should just go full Demilich and replace all of your teeth with magic gems. Then you can just float around like a baller, flashing your bling and bobbin' to funky grooves. And who needs hands when you've got magic?

Does anyone want to change anything before the call?

I'm worried. How much damage can be done in the moments it takes to try to get Rachel to stand down. Do we gain anything by doing it? Would it be simpler to just blind and silence them?

>>1031226
also, can I just put a note out that we should have an eye out for a stab in the back from some other area?

Alright. Called, archiving, writing new thread.

you know, on exalted quest the main character Macha has an ability called talking to the heart, where she can basically cut straight through bullshit and address whoever she's talking to simply about whatever problem it is. It's like cutting through all the extraneous bits of a conversation and getting to the essential core of the issue.

Could bri ever get any ability like that?

>>1031348
...but all the extra bits are what makes it interesting, if written right. If written poorly, I could see why you want to skip it, but otherwise, talking with people help you understand them, to see how they see things.

>>1031384
it would be useful in situations like this where we only have a single chance of defusing a situation

NEW THREAD

>>1031947
>>1031947
>>1031947
>>1031947

FUCK WRITER'S BLOCK, I'M GOING TO BED