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>>1161890
You and Nathan finish your mead with your compliments to the vendor for it - the drink isn't exactly to your taste, but you do have to admire Kurt Crossing's dedication to a theme at this point - and take Nate's hand.

"Where do they dance here?" you ask.

"This way." Your husband leads you by the hand to a cleared space in the square, past the market stalls and the bustle. At first you think unspoken agreement keeps people respecting the dance floor until you realize the bounds of the space have been marked out by lines of fresh flower petals.

Laughing, Nate tugs you across the border and into the energetic music, clashing and mixing with the musicians and performers in the festival around you.

Nate's pretty agile for a guy with one leg.

"Hey Bri," Nate says suddenly, curiosity coloring his tone. "Ask me something about myself."

"Like what?" you inquire, tilting your head with a smile. "If you think I'm missing out on the small-talk material we skipped early on in the relationship..."

Nathan laughs. "No, not that. But there /are/ things we still don't know about each other, because, well...we've been busy. And the important bonds between us were never about the past anyway, but now I sorta want to know. So I'll show you mine, you show me yours?"

"Sure!"

> Did you have any friends besides Brooks growing up?
> Any dumbass apprentice stories you want to share before Harry beats you to it?
> You know, I never really did ask you what your approach to religion is like. You've had Red Is The Glory on your this whole time...
> Write-in?

>>1161928
>Did you have any friends besides Brooks growing up?

>>1161928
>> Any dumbass apprentice stories you want to share before Harry beats you to it?
>> You know, I never really did ask you what your approach to religion is like. You've had Red Is The Glory on your this whole time...

>>1161928
>> You know, I never really did ask you what your approach to religion is like. You've had Red Is The Glory on your this whole time...

>>1161928
>> Any dumbass apprentice stories you want to share before Harry beats you to it?

Okay, I finally managed to get the update written. Now I am going to work. Tonight I'ma try to get a short or two out to go with this, and then tomorrow & Thursday I have time off free-and-clear so we should be good. Thank you, everyone, for your patience, and votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>1161966
Based Vox.

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>>1161966
We love you Lich-Senpai!

>>1161928
>> You know, I never really did ask you what your approach to religion is like. You've had Red Is The Glory on your this whole time...
I'm actually hoping Harry gets to those apprentice stories, just to see Nate squirm.

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>>1161928
Whoops! Forgot to vote.
> Any dumbass apprentice stories you want to share before Harry beats you to it?

Dis gon b gud.

>>1161928
>> Any dumbass apprentice stories you want to share before Harry beats you to it?

Well vox, I've finally gotten free time to read mourners. And all I can say is that it's the shit. Hope you get a chance to publish more.

>>1161928
>> Any dumbass apprentice stories you want to share before Harry beats you to it?
>> You know, I never really did ask you what your approach to religion is like. You've had Red Is The Glory on your this whole time...

The first of the promised shorts. I gotta hit bed.

Still Not Dating: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w4cinWIbmvOs7lAn4Di7EdBSslqXA8YytuVCWKb9iIk/edit?usp=sharing

Please mark your vote on this matter TALON.

>>1163420
If - /if/ - you are inclined to do so, a review on the Amazon pages for it would be awesome. I won't ever ask for anything but your honest thoughts and feelings, an' there's no pressure to provide anything at all if you don't feel like it. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far!

I've been writing the Setting Primer promised in the KS for it and holy shit writing a guide to a city in a form usable in an RPG campaign is a biiiiiiiiiiitch.

>>1161928
>You know, I never really did ask you what your approach to religion is like. You've had Red Is The Glory on your this whole time...
TALON
> Lady of Ravens, Briony, is it so fucking hard to believe that I might want a friend and also enjoy the sex?
Friends first, maybe feelings later.

>>1163630
>TALON
>> Lady of Ravens, Briony, is it so fucking hard to believe that I might want a friend and also enjoy the sex?

>>1163630
TALON
> Lady of Ravens, Briony, is it so fucking hard to believe that I might want a friend and also enjoy the sex?

>>1163630
>>TALON
>>> Lady of Ravens, Briony, is it so fucking hard to believe that I might want a friend and also enjoy the sex?

A review? When I get a break from cobbling, I'll do that

>>1163630
TALON
> Lady of Ravens, Briony, is it so fucking hard to believe that I might want a friend and also enjoy the sex?

>>1163630
TALON
you offered a "friends with benefits" option; might as well have not offered a vote in the first place. Sex vs no Sex: sex always wins.

>>1164111
I'm not as sure. My readers have surprised me before, and have shown a remarkable ability to treat relationships with, y'know, human compassion and sense. Considering how rare that is /in general/, God forbid in questing or roleplaying...

Writing the other short, will call and update In A Bit(tm).

>>1164111
The way I see it, they both are in need of something a little more than just banging each others brains out. If something were to grow from that, it would be a nice bonus.

Plus, I think they're cute together. (can't explain why)

>>1164150
Finished mourners, wrote an amazon review. Love your shit vox. Honestly hope you get a chance to continue mourners or write more like it.

>>1164150
just read through the archive at lightning speed, I'm glad to be actually here for a live thread. Where can I find your other stuff? What's this mourners thing you guys are talking about?

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Speech Therapy - Enunciate: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17wN7Cg66yzGmnXFt7I7H-W-FrcXCUZpIqhGX3hkvKAI/edit?usp=sharing

>>1164417
Danke anon!

>>1164802
Pic related. I kinda accidentally wrote a novel. It got Kickstarted partway through DLQ's run and is, ah, published now.

As for my other works, there's the New Avalon one-shots done in preparation for my next upcoming quest (Cinderella Sanction): http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=New%20Avalon

Some short stories on dreamscarred.com & various piles of unfinished stories and shit on Wildwestscifi.net. Most of my actual published work is RPG supplements compatible with Pathfinder, which is not...exactly...fiction writing.

MAIN VOTE called. TALON vote still open. Tallying, writing.

>>1164878
cool, I'll be sure to look into that

>>1164878
Cools, more Bridge and Lora.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

Well we've got a tie, we know what that means. 1 is stories, 2 is religion.

Sorry for the delay there.

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>>1161928
You manage to signal for a slower song on the next dance and the band is kind enough to oblige; you and Nathan move in closer and take slow steps.

There's no need to rush.

"I never did learn much about you and religion," you muse aloud. "You've had /Red Is The Glory/ with you this whole time but I guess it mostly didn't come up."

Nathan gives you the blush of a man who regrets giving you this opening. "Well...your family has that whole ancestor-worship thing going on, right? Glen's been sitting on top of the Dungeon basically forever. Our militia is an old, old thing and its job is to protect us from both directions. It's a sacred trust, you know?"

"I think I do know," you agree. "Which is why you favor Red Troth as the patron of those who defend and secure."

"Exactly. So I guess it's my question."

"Mm, in a minute." You rest your head against Nathan's shoulder and just dance with him, for a bit. Your Hero seems perfectly happy with that.

It's nice to have someone who can share the quiet with you. Gods know you love Amy, but quiet is not a thing you could ever say she's good at.

"Hey," Nate murmurs. "...This one's going to be kind of...heavy."

"Lay it on me," you invite, your tone low and warm.

"You didn't have parents for most of your life either. Like me. What - what do you wish you could have known about them?"

> ...I kinda wanted to know how they met. No one else did, not even Aunt Carol, not really.
> Why Mom didn't get into necromancy. It was such a sore spot with Grandmother...
> If they were happy, in the Marsh, or if they wanted to do something else with their lives
> Write-in?

>>1166412
>> ...I kinda wanted to know how they met. No one else did, not even Aunt Carol, not really.

>>1166412
> "If they were happy, in the Marsh, or if they wanted to do something else with their lives."
I think this would, for the most part, answer the question of why Bri's mother didn't take up the tradition as well. I mean, its not like EVERY La Croix is a necromancer.

>>1166412
>> If they were happy, in the Marsh, or if they wanted to do something else with their lives

>>1166412
>...I kinda wanted to know how they met. No one else did, not even Aunt Carol, not really.

>>1166412
>> Why Mom didn't get into necromancy. It was such a sore spot with Grandmother...
>> If they were happy, in the Marsh, or if they wanted to do something else with their lives

>>1166412
>> If they were happy, in the Marsh, or if they wanted to do something else with their lives

>>1166412
>> ...I kinda wanted to know how they met. No one else did, not even Aunt Carol, not really.

>>1166412
>> ...I kinda wanted to know how they met. No one else did, not even Aunt Carol, not really.

>>1166531
This

>>1166412
>> Why Mom didn't get into necromancy. It was such a sore spot with Grandmother...

Weekly homelessness prevention accomplished. Called, writing.

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>>1166412
It's a good question, and you think about it through to the end of this song and into the next one.

"I kinda wanted to know how they met," you admit, at last. "No one could ever really tell me. Aunt Carol was the closest person, she had letters from Mom that talked about Dad, but - well, they were sort of light on detail and sort of heavy on being head-over-heels."

"That's so sweet," Nate says, and you can hear the smile even if you can't see it while you're nestled into him.

"Yeah, it was," you agree, smiling yourself. "But I had so many questions about that which just...never got answered. How did Dad catch her eye, or did Mom catch his? What made them spend more time together? Decide to start a family together? By the time Mom came back home she was most of the way along to having me, and I'm told they were very much in love. I didn't get to know them very well, though. I mainly remember that they loved me very much."

"I know how that feels," Nathan murmurs.

"Yeah. I dunno, I guess...I guess the biggest reason I want to know is I never knew what they were like as a couple. My biggest experience with that was Grandmother and Grandfather."

"Did they have a bad marriage?" Nathan asks, surprised.

"...Not as such, no," you admit. "But it was an old marriage by the time I knew them. They'd already seen and been through a lot of the obstacles I'm facing now, you know? And it's not like I can ask anyone questions about things /now/."

Your husband squeezes your hands and nods, understandingly.

> Ask another question

>>1168453
>Why Mom didn't get into necromancy. It was such a sore spot with Grandmother...

>>1168481
One to ask of Nate, friend.

>>1168453
>Have you given any thought to if you want children?

>>1168581
I can't remember, but did we ask Natalia about Nate's dad?

>>1168657
Nate did, and she very honestly told him that she could not pick out his father at gunpoint.

>>1168453
> "When this is all over with, what do you see yourself doing? Would you join the militia? Work with Harry in his forge?"

>>1168453
>> Ask another question
> Pets, ask about pets he did or didn't have or wanted!

>>1168453
>So, once all of this is finished, how do you see yourself? Mayor? Warlord? Militia leader?

>>1168453
>> "When this is all over with, what do you see yourself doing? Would you join the militia? Work with Harry in his forge?"

Making coffee, will then call and write.

And CALLED, writing.

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>>1168453
The next song picks up the pace; more people are joining the dance floor, such as it is, and children are throwing fistful of dried flower petals over the crowd. A little boy, high on his father's shoulders, flings them two-handed from a basket with the eager laughter of the young.

"Nate?" you ask, looking back at your husband with a sudden curiosity upon you. "What do you think you'll be doing when all of this is over?"

Nathan gives you a puzzled look. "I'd sort of imagined we'd settle in to raising a family..."

You laugh. "Well, yeah, but I mean - y'know, work-wise? I've got either the school or apprentices to think about, plus the family business. Amy's got options, though I think I'll try to encourage her to sell her scrimshaw. It's beautiful stuff. But what about you? Will you go back to the militia? Work with Harry in his force? Ravage most of a continent and declare yourself the Limping King?"

Nathan laughs, but his expression quickly turns thoughtful, then confused. "I...you know, I hadn't thought about it?"

"Wait, really?"

"Really. I've been worried about our job, and then the relationship and the marriage, and...I guess I never took the time to figure it out..."

"Then it's a good thing I asked," you tease. "What /could/ you see yourself doing?"

Nate thinks about it while the two of you dance. Unspoken agreement brings out off of the dance floor for a bit of a break after the song fades; Nate needs to sit, even if he won't admit it out loud, and you could use something to drink in any event. You secure a couple of mugs of tea and bring one to your husband before the two of you sit on some crates set up near the dancing area more-or-less exactly for this.

"I don't know about smithing," Nathan muses. "I mean, I like the work, but I spent most of my life planning to not do it. But...it is useful. And helpful. I could join back up with the militia like you said, or maybe offer my services training soldiers or monster hunters. Hatchet could do that too, if I thought he wasn't going to leave the Dungeon looking for the scariest thing he can find and die killing it."

"He gives me that impression too," you admit.

"...I could help Natalia with the geargrinders," he says softly, almost hesitantly.

> Advise him

>>1170196
>They do seem to like you a quite a bit. Do you feel comfortable with how they treat you as their older sibling?

>>1170246
This. Perhaps advise him to ease into it if he is uncertain. Getting so many young siblings would be a little disconcerting.

>>1170196
>>1170246
>Support

>>1170196
Supporting this >>1170246 and >>1170280

The Gear-Grinders can be a militia or emergency task force assigned to the Dungeon, receiving an education from Natalia, Nate (for obvious reasons), Amy (dungeon-breaker training) and Jewel (medical skills for aiding the fleshies).

I'ma get some sleep and update in the morning; votes remain open.

>>1170196
>>They do seem to like you a quite a bit. Do you feel comfortable with how they treat you as their older sibling?

>>1170196
It is a little strange but not in a bad way at least. And they do seem to genuinely care about you, I think the idea of having an older brother thats flesh and blood helps them feel more part of a family. At least that's what I think given I've yet to really sit down and talk with them. Which I really should do at some point since they are my brother/sister in-laws, how many were there again

HOKAY I've got a full eight and a half hours starting in about 40 minutes so the whole 'update in the morning' thing is Not Happening.

In better news, I've been promoted at my place of Gainful Employment!

Obviously, votes remain open, and the typical call for discussion, questions, and critique is in place. HOWEVER, I am also searching for someone to help me compile the various story posts and in-thread worldbuilding answers into a master file and/or into a format, such as a forum thread, series of blog posts, or vhat have you, which new readers can access.

Yes, I know, I should have had this file myself already.

Partially this is so new readers can catch up more easily, but mainly it's because when this is finished I'd like to be able to take this slightly-over-a-year of work and turn it into something else. I've toyed with novelizing it, but I still lust in my heart to try and see if DLQ could be a comic, and it's easier to show an artist what they're in for if things are all in one spot, to say nothing of converting from this format to an actual script.

Thanks to everyone for reading and participating. I'll either update after work tonight or sometime tomorrow.

>>1173524
Ok, I've worked through the first two threads; here's what I got:
https://mega.nz/#!bpM1XDKB

>>1174259
It's asking for a decryption key, brah.

>>1174259
>https://mega.nz/#!bpM1XDKB
>>1174349
right, let's try that again
https://mega.nz/#!r4tg3ZzS!jbxkOy3Bt_whsn8oDIO8BPuBzfFjjXSJC4GzsT1Cl8k

>>1173524
GO VOX!

>>1174430
It's a good start. Thank ye, kindly skeleton. The Lich will approve.

>>1174430
That is an /excellent/ start. Thank you, anon.

Called, writing.

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>>1170196
"They do seem to like you quite a bit," you muse, gently. "How okay are you with the whole 'big brother' thing?"

"I have no idea," Nathan admits, with a frustrated sigh. "I'm pretty sure if I threatened anyone in this town with six hundred siblings they'd go running into the embrace of death."

You think back to your own home town, make a face, and then nod. "Still. Natalia's doing her best for them. I think having something to do with her life has been good for her."

"Honestly, Hatchet staying on to help is what confuses me more," your husband says thoughtfully. "I thought he would have left the Dungeon by now, following that compass you made for him. I do sort of worry about what they might be learning from him -"

* * * *

"Why is your compass made of bones?"

"Commerce."

* * * *

"- but he's been a good teacher to me."

"Mm. Still, he's not exactly the person you turn to for warmth and compassion," you offer. "Do you know why you're uncomfortable about this?"

"...I guess it's Natalia," Nathan admits, at length. You put your arm around his shoulder and pull him close, and he nestles into you. "And Kaleidoscope, some. I keep thinking about that last conversation we had. Everything was so simple to her..."

"You did invite Natalia to our wedding," you point out, gently.

"...Yeah, I did. At the very least I can help out for a little while and see how things go from there," Nathan decides. "I can't imagine they'll have /no one/ interested in things I could help teach. Harry needs a new apprentice or four too..."

"That's the spirit!" you encourage. You go to say something else when a piercing scream interrupts you, of the kind one normally associates either with imminent death or a teenager catching sight of a spider at face height.

"Kat," you and Nathan say at the same time; you stand and take off running.

You find your shadow up against a wall, being repeatedly jabbed with a cane by a withered old woman. What can only be the woman's daughter stands behind her while the elder lectures Kat with the ferocity of someone who has absolutely no fear of death.

"What're you thinking, leavin' your owner and scarin' dishonest folk like that!" the grandmother snaps. "Ain't you got someone's ankles to be attached to?"

"Ma'am, I -"

"Don't backtalk me! I'll get the iron-tipped cane, see if I don't, scarin' my daughter in her delicate state, talkin' back to flesh-and-blood people tryin' to have a good time, you as impertinent as that Duchess who up and brought all the rich folk out of their homes to bother honest people..."

> Uhh...ma'am, that's my shadow
> Just let it happen, this is hilarious
> "Capture" the shadow and go find the coachman
> Write-in?

>>1179570
>> Just let it happen, this is hilarious

>>1179570
>Just let it happen

>>1179570
> Just let it happen. Kat's a big girl.

>>1179570
>Write-in?
>See how it plays out, cut in if things seem to be going towards a less amusing direction.

>>1179570
>>Write-in?
>>See how it plays out, cut in if things seem to be going towards a less amusing direction.

>>1179570
>>>See how it plays out, cut in if things seem to be going towards a less amusing direction.


Also...
>"What're you thinking, leavin' your owner and scarin' dishonest folk like that"

Methinks Granny isn't quite so innocent an old lady.

As a secondary comment...


>"Why is your compass made of bones?"
>"Commerce."

This was actually kind of hilarious. Of course, now I'm trying to remember /what/ the compass we made actually did.

>>1181018
If I'm remembering this right (its been a while), the compass was supposed to lead Hatchet to his hearts desire. Then, almost immediately afterward, he met Lora and started crushing on her.

>>1179570
>> Uhh...ma'am, that's my shadow
It's funny, mind, but she's treating Kat poorly and we should at least offer some comfort to her.

>>1179570
>> Uhh...ma'am, that's my shadow
Stand up for our girl.

Was gonna try and update tonight. Got some bad news. I...may need to revisit how DLQ is going. I dunno.

Alternately we may just need to jump the gun on advancing the story.

I'll post something when I get up. I am genuinely grateful for your patience with me, and I am sorry about how things have been going lately.

Votes remain open.

>>1183817
Oh no, thanks for keeping us updated

>>1183817
Please, take care of yourself and your family, oh just and kindly Lich. We understand if things go pear-shaped.

>See how it plays out, cut in if things seem to be going towards a less amusing direction.

This could go either way, so let's be at least a little cautious about it.

>>1179570
....shit like this is why you never fuck with the elderly.

>>1179570
Gonna support this one>>1184068
So long as this stays funny, then no reason to get involved too soon. But if kat sees us then we go help her immediately...she is our kinda daughter.

Alright, update is probably not happening. Worst-case scenario, if this thread SOMEHOW drops off, I'll make a new one and post the link for it on the Tumblr. More likely to just post here.

Jesus fucking Christ less than a hundred posts in this thread and barely any updates, the fuck am I coming to

>>1184112
Oh man, it's Story Time.

So for a little while I was living in the Kansas City, Missouri metro area and my then-girlfriend-now-ex-wife & I fell on some hard times after our tires got slashed. We both lost our jobs (no transportation) and ended up working odd jobs, selling bits of our blood, and pawning our possessions to pay rent and try to survive.

At one point we hit a pawn store to sell some DVDs and when we get in, this guy is at the counter trying to say that a TV there was stolen from him. The dude behind the counter, older guy, is explaining that without the identifying information to confirm that, he can't just turn over the TV.

Now, all future reference, the only way in or out of the front of this windowless store was through a cage that only opened if the counter guys buzzed you through, and this thing was straight steel with narrow bars going all the way up to the ceiling & sunk into the floor.

The guy trying to get the TV finally leaves, buzzed through the cage, but as I'm in the middle of negotiating for the DVDs he sticks his head back into the cage and starts yelling. "Yo, what's your name? Gimmie your name bro, you think you can steal from me?"

Old guy behind the counter goes, "Excuse me," sotto voce, then pulls out a fucking /foot-and-a-half-long can/, vaults the god damn counter, and goes "I got my name right here!" and sprays the motherfucker through the cage from halfway across the store. He goes running after the guy, spraying the whole way into the parking lot (Counter Guy #2 buzzes him through the door), nails the guy as he's trying to get into his car. TV Guy drops to the asphalt, clutching his poor abused face, and takes a few kicks to the ribs before the old dude calls the cops.

They cut us a better deal on the DVDs for the inconvenience.

>>1184550
....the elderly give no fucks. Though it was nice to get the better deal. Also, next big hiatus when? probably nowish.

>>1184569
Nah, ain't something a hiatus will solve. /If/ there is one it'll be next year or so, which is a bit far off to be worrying about now. Mainly it's a combination of work getting bad (we're chronically understaffed, over-worked, and corporate won't stop slashing our hours so both of those get constantly worse - we have /salaried management/ running trash and carts, we're so low on people), real life stuff (Dad's surgery, as mentioned before), seasonal transition kicking my ass health-wise, and the news from last night which is far from great but also not anything I can directly influence.

I'm too close to stop now. If I take another hiatus I'll never pick this back up.

>>1184588
It breaks my heart to hear what you're going through, man. Wish I could help a little.

Thread archived, writing new thread.

Does anyone know WTF the deal is with the weird vote gap in threads 106-108? Like, it only bothers me in the vague sense of worrying about the threads getting culled but curiosity has overwhelmed my general need for professional silence on the matter.

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>>1189823
you're guess is as good as mine

>>1189823
Dunno. Maybe people just forgot about the archive? I know that I haven't really been paying much attention to it.

NEW THREAD

>>1189967
>>1189967
>>1189967
>>1189967