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>>1268755

For any new players:

Welcome to Gorgon Child Quest! Where-in you take up the role of a magical talking artifact being wielded by a young gorgon girl named Cici. Living out of the remains of a once great dungeon, the game will focus on exploration, character interaction, and learning as the voices of the players within the amulet help guide her along.

For news about quest updates, my twitter can be found here:
https://twitter.com/bananon_QM

And the archive can presently be found here:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=gorgon+child

>>1268755
Maybe check in with the bees. I wonder if the queen would be willing to take a look.

>>1268865
>>1268755

Sorry for the delay. Things are just kind of dead. Was hoping for more responses.

>>1269124
*It's a Tuesday, and most of the schools in the US are either Getting ready for Spring Break, on it, or just got back.*

Hi Cici! I would try and talk to the bees though, see if the queen can help us learn how to focus and channel more efficiently.

>>1269124

Talk with the Bees. And be sure to lock those books in a safe box or something.

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>>1268755
>>1268865
>>1269205
>>1269366

“And then the woman bloody suplexed a horse!” the priest laughs enthusiastically as evening comes around, he and Gal having been stopped short by a barrier in the underground but still having an abundance to share from their journey. “Don’t know which was more terrified, the rider or his beast o’ burden suddenly belly up in the dirt!”

“I hope they were both okay,” Cici murmurs as she sits by the fire, imagining the scene.

“Ack, I’m sure they were fine… Now the man they were after, well, he got a face full o’ pissed-off mountain cat by the end o’ the night.”

“What’s piss-“ she starts to ask, but Vivi clamps a wing over her mouth.

“It’s a bad word,” her adoptive sister explains.

“It’s what ye’d call a colloquialism, lass. Takes a less than pleasant word for makin’ water an’ then ‘off’ kinda implies a forceful ejection. Essentially means ta be in a state of ejectin’ vitriol.”

“I’d prefer you not teach her the meanings of these things,” Mama chimes in.

“Oh, aye,” the priest quips sarcastically. “Best she just go through life completely oblivious, then.” Mama thumps her tail on a log angrily. “Listen, my point is (and it’s been my own experience) that folks use words outta hand because they lack a better means o’ expression. Knowing the decomposition o’ words an’ phrases helps ‘em find more elegant work arounds.”

“Then how come you still use bad words?” Cici asks.

“It’s what ye would call theatrics and compellin’ story tellin’, lass. A bit o’ vulgarity accentuates the story.”

“Well, I’d prefer you accentuate a little less,” Mama prods, “even if the story becomes a bit more boiler plate.”

“Alright, alright. Now where the devil was I…”

Hours tick by and the fire burns low as he and Gal collaborate in weaving a tale of their combined efforts to overthrow the tyrant who had once ordered a price on Cassandra’s head, a tale of heroism tinged with violence and an air of the mystic as they roamed from places large and small, contending with everything from giants to demons.

It’s the sort of story that imparts a nervous flutter in the hearts of the young girls who listen on the edge of their seats, the drums Uncle Gal plays in time with Michael’s oration drawing them in that much deeper until, like the cinders of the bonfire, the story final peters out. That night, the two would have different dreams than normal, of the stories they had heard and adventures they someday might have for themselves.

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>>1269384

By morning light, Uncle Gal and Michael were once again on their way, the former going home to the lizard village and the latter down whatever road he was destined to travel next. At least in a house of early risers, the girls get to see the men off with a bite of breakfast and a few last words of farewell, but then it’s back to life as normal, or whatever constituted that around here. Iris still needed a home, the books needed to be read, and Cici, as always, still had so many things to learn.

Math in the morning, magic in the afternoon, and reading come the evening, life fell into a somewhat constant flow as the days without incidents started to pile up. As it would turn out, the books that she acquired as a part of the mage’s collection were, in fact, still books in their own right: volumes of poetry, plays, and a couple leather bound copies of the more technical variety that kept Cici entertained as the voices read a different story over her metaphorical shoulder, one of intriguing magic and possibilities.

It gave them plenty to discuss with the queen over the next couple of days, food for thought as she and the girls continued their dance lessons and, as the queen explained, cementing the foundations of a peculiar form of magic she intended to teach them.

“We gather energy with our hands,” she had told them. “But why use only that small part of us? Just as a fish plies a stream using its entire body, shouldn’t we be able to do the same with ours to shift the currents of magic?”

Naturally, so far as Cici was concerned, it was just a game, an extremely fun one that easily met her quota for exercise as the dances became more complicated. Any ways in which she might be subtly manipulating the immaterial or preparing to do so would just get in the way most likely.

Still, as the dancing continues, you know you have time. Time to ask questions and plan your next moves.

> Write-in

>>1269391

How is your cooking going?

>>1269391
Too bad Father Michael had to go, you need some hand-to-hand fighting practice, Cici.
Let's ask if the bees have their own martial traditions; a martial art or two will do you good.

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>>1269427
>>1269400
>>1269391

[“I haven’t had much time to do baking…”]

Cici thinks rather than talks to the voices as she tries to continue skipping to the beat.

[“I really wanna, but reading, math, and magic take lots of time.”]

In fact, Cici had found herself so busy of late that to get her time in with Din-Din and Jasmine, she had to hug them close during study sessions, not that the trio seemed to mind that sort of lazy affection.

[“An’ I’m still not sure if I wanna learn to punch people.”]

{“Hmm.”} The queen listens to the voices as they turn to her. {“She may not have the resolve to bring harm to others, but with appropriate flexibility and developed reflexes, her enemies will find it more difficult to bring harm to her.”}

[“Also, Itsy and Bitsy still wanna teach me how to fly.”]

The latter comes with a tinge of nervousness as she remembers her first introductory lesson.

[“There’s just so much to do…”]

> Write-in

>>1269494

Can you make a rock float with magic?

You should bake once a week. And take one day a week iff to play and have fun with your friends and pets.

All work and no play is bad.

Just work five or six days a week, okay?

You are still a child and children should have fun and play.

>>1269494

Take one or two days off a week. You should still play and have fun.

You are only a child once.

>>1269494
Alright Cici, we are going to start you on one of the most important parts of life lessons: task and time management. Get something to write with, and make a list with what you NEED to do, what you WANT to do, and what you WILL do in the future.

Write down how long it takes to do each of those things, and when you can do them. Talk with your mom to figure our what the best schedule for accomplishing these goals will be.

>>1269548

No.

The best lesson is, learning when to take some time off.

All work and no play makes Cici a dull girl.

Cici take at least one day off a week.

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>>1269582
>>1269548
>>1269546
>>1269536
>>1269494

[“I have lots of fun with everything! Dancing is fun an’ so is baking an’ reading is good, too… It’s just hard to do all of it.”]

But nevertheless, Cici writes herself a mental note to make a schedule later on with Mama’s help. Maybe a little bit of planning would help her get the most out of each week.

For the time being though, she just focuses on her dancing, letting the rhythm carry her feet until the practice finally comes to an end.

“You’ve been improving admirably,” the queen compliments as she dispenses drinks and cloth to her exhausted daughters and their guest. “And time will only make things easier. However, I realize that very thing may seem too short from your position as it stands. My best advice for that is simply not to fret over what you aren’t doing at any given moment. Life is short and to savor each moment fully is our privilege and our responsibility.”

“Mhm,” Cici agrees cheerily. “An’ maybe once I learn enough time magic, I can have lots more time to do fun things.”

The queen’s expression takes a notable shift.

“Cici…” her tone is firm as she places a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Time magic can be a very dangerous thing and manipulating its flow too heavily can end in disaster. Promise me that you’ll be careful with whatever you discover.”

“I promise,” Cici agrees.

[“But I don’t know why it’s so bad…”]

> Write-in

>>1269735
You could explode, maybe. Or get really old really fast maybe? That would be a bummer if you were an old lady before your mum was.

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>>1269735
>>1269775

[“That sounds scary…”]

Fortunately, for all of the searching the voices have done through volume one thus far, it seems that the wizard in question was at least aware of the typical dangers. What he seemed more interested in was creating pockets in time rather than traveling through it. References to multi-verses and time paradoxes, the beginning of his work reads mostly like a primer of what not to do.

The actual applications, he insists, are more practically thought out as how best to cut out periods of waiting or extend critical periods of action where an additional second could be the difference between life and death. He thereafter extends his theories to encompass known principles of alchemy and transmutation with which to further bolster the results of chronomancy while significantly reducing its cost.

It was honestly proving to be surprisingly digestible, having been written by a mage who had no reason to put on grand airs or assume he would find his works adopted in a college full of students committed enough to bash their brains against the information he was leaving behind. Even the diagrams seemed like something it would be simple enough for Cici to draw with adequate coaching, maybe even cast.

In any case, with the day being done and the sun outside growing sleepy, Cici makes her way home for dinner with the usual skip in her step and cadre of animals hot on her heels, her mother already roasting food on spits while her Uncle Yesh sees to the more vegetable heavy fare.

With the adults thus occupied, Cici has plenty of time to write up a schedule. The question is what should go on there.

> Write-in

>>1269847

Take a day off once a week.
Sunday: Playing
Mondays: Cooking.
Tuesday: Magic
Wednesday: Dancing
Thursday: Reading
Friday: ?
Saturday: ?

Exploring should definitely go on the schedule

>>1269883

Take a day off once a week.
Sunday: Playing
Mondays: Cooking.
Tuesday: Magic
Wednesday: Dancing
Thursday: Reading
Friday: Exploring?
Saturday: Visit friends in town?

Oh and once the school is done, the schedule will probably change?

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>>1269847
>>1269875
>>1269883
>>1269898

Well, I think I'm going to leave this open for the night and pick back up tomorrow. Assume that Cici probably will have school in the near future at least four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Each day can have two-three activities scheduled for it.

Alternately, if we want to take a simpler route, maybe just order the following from least to most important.
> Education
> Magic
> Baking
> Exercise/Dancing
> Socializing
> Martial Skills
> Nature Skills

>>1269930

> Baking
> Magic
> Socializing
> Education

I don't care much about the rest.

Also shouldn't Cici and her mother have a say in this?

>>1269930
socializing studies magic baking

>>1269930

Maybe we could use numbers ao is less confusing?

> 04 Baking
> 03 Magic
> 02 Socializing
> 01 Education

>>1269990
>>1269930

Think of it like a poll of interest more than anything. Cici is a very happy person by nature and would be satisfied doing anything. If the voices want to nudge her towards one thing or the other though, they have the ability.

Think of this more of a gauge of what the players are interested in, and a possible guideline to help me figure out how she might spend gaps of time between major events. It might also have an effect on random occurrences to a certain degree.

>>1270003

It has been pointed more than once than Cici knows less than other children her age, why doesn't her mother care enough about her education?

Also the reason we didn't vote for Cici to move with Grandpa wizard was so she still had a childhood instead of just studying magic all the time.

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>>1270049

Cassandra really does care deeply about Cici's education, but she's also a single mother and a young widow, which makes it hard for her to be strict with Cici. The voices, for all intents and purposes, have really been helping by providing additional support and insistent guidance.

That isn't to say that Cici is really developmentally behind from where she should be. Compared to the local children, she's actually a little ahead of the curve, knowing how to speak two languages and read and write in one of them. Tack on basic arithmetic and algebra involving large numbers, and she's also got a decent foot in math for a girl who wouldn't even be out of third grade in modern academics.

She's a little behind in reading, but is making strong progress with her daily practice. Her biggest hurdle is mostly that she comes across as ignorant because she had a very sheltered upbringing. That, at least, may be Cassandra's fault, but considering the state of human society and superstition, she had her reasons.

The short of it is that there's a reason that she's been pushing so hard to get a local school set up in the area after gaining a position of authority. An impartial mediator and qualified educator can simply do more than she can.

>>1270101

Is okay.

I wonder if she will meet new friends at school?

>>1270101
Time to set up a reading circle with some of the other girls. Take turns reading from a particular book. Practice reading, bond, practice one's speaking voice.

>>1270134

A reading book club? They could even act some books!

>>1269930
Least to Most important
7 Baking
6 Nature Skills
5 Education
4 Martial Skills
3 Socializing
2 Exercise/Dancing
1 Magic

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>>1269847
>>1269898
>>1269991
>>1269990
>>1270002
>>1270292

[“Hmm. Vivi takes the first and last day of each week off, so we can keep those days for playing… Mama says we need to study lots, so…”]

In the end, Cici winds up scribbling away at her schedule for quite a long time. So much so, that eventually her mother comes inside to see what’s wrong.

“I’m just planning, Mama,” Cici explains. “I’ve got lots of stuff I need to learn, an’ the voices thought this would be a good idea.”

“Let’s have a look at it then,” she says, turning over the schedule and straining slightly to make out the writing. “Hmm. Well, I think that trying to put all of your school on one day might be a bad idea, sweetling. You’d get bored before long. Besides, once the school is ready, I’ll be expecting you to go there for four days out of the week.

“Maybe that will give you time to play with the other girls and get your exercise in before we come home. Then you can practice with whatever you want, whether it’s magic or learning a bit of wood craft from your Uncle Yesh.”

“But what about baking, Mama?” Cici asks.

“Well, if you want to learn, I’m sure Guyus doesn’t mind teaching you, but maybe we should set aside one day where he can count on you being there. Friday seems like as good a bet as any, and granted it’s a lead up to his busier days, he can probably use the help most around then. I’ll need to be there on those days for the town hall, anyway.”

“Okay,” Cici agrees. “But when is school gonna start, Mama?”

“Ah, well,” Cassandra sighs. “It will be whenever we can manage to find a qualified teacher to come out to these parts and pay the masons and carpenters to build the actual building. We’re still deadlocked on both of those at the moment, unfortunately.

“But for now, how about you come and eat dinner? Today’s supposed to be one of your day’s off, after all, and tomorrow, your grandfather is supposed to be back.”

“Maybe Grampa can help!” Cici suggests, but with that, they’re off for the evening.

A hearty meal by the fire, a loving family beside her, and a warm bed to sink into come the end of the night. Cici’s mind drifts off into pleasant dreams as the voices continue buzzing over everything they’d need to do while the wizard was in town.

> Write-in

>>1271382
Obviously Brad will need to check on the structure that the golems built.
And check over the chronomancy volumes.

We should get him to push Cici's mental and magical boundaries again. You cannot improve if you cannot push yourself to you limits and then further.

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>>1271394
>>1271382

“Grampa!”

Tiny feet tear through the morning grass as the elderly man dismounts his griffin, a soft grunt escaping his lips as he catches his excited god-child’s flying hug.

“Oof, be gentle on an old man’s bones, would you?” he laughs, running a hand through her slithering hair. “But I’m glad to see that you’re in good spirits! I take it you’ve been well?”

“Uh-huh!” she agrees happily. “I’ve made lots of friends an’ practiced magic an’ Mama says there’s going to be a school soon!”

“Well, now, a child excited about school.” He smiles. “That would be a new one for me. Either way, you’ll certainly have to show me what you’ve learned in good time, dear. For now, though, I’d like a word with your mother. As I heard from your letter, Cassandra, there’s a great deal we’ll need to discuss.”

“To put it mildly,” Mama sighs, “but I already have a kettle on. We’ll discuss it inside.”

With a wave of his hand, Archer is back to the size of house cat and happily sauntering inside after them, or would have been if not for the excitable manticore cub that pounces down on him from atop the tower.

“Jasmine, no,” Cici calls, but the old man simply chuckles.

“They’re just having a bit of play is all,” he assures her, a quick swat on Jasmine’s nose sending the slightly smaller cub scurrying away with Archer hot on her heels. “It’s how they learn and develop.

“And speaking of development…” With a snap of his fingers, a glass makes its way from the shelf and cool water from the barrel pours inside. “Let’s see how far you’ve come in this short while.”

“’Kay,” Cici agrees, patting her pockets to look for chalk before running to a nearby shelf.

A moment later, she’s on the floor, once again scribbling the circle he’d taught her for warmth before summoning up her magic. Rather than sitting still, however, her hands move in calm circles as she gathers a pocket of mana from the world around her, deepening the reserve as much as she can as the elderly wizard looks on curiously.

That curiosity then turns to surprise as with a single thrust and a burst of will power, the circle lights up and the water within begins to steam.

“My word! That’s… How did you…?”

> Write-in

>>1271570
You mustn't underestimate your grand-daughter, Archmage. Nor the power and knowledge of the Apiary Queendoms, for their arcane power and knowledge is the equal of any on this plane.

But enough free advertisement for the hive empires; I think it's time you looked to expanding Cici's curriculum. There's chronomancy to learn, and time itself to bend to her will.

>>1271615
>>1271570

Well, my house is leaking. Apologies for delays.

>>1271570
Our little Gorgon here has been working hard! Perhaps a meeting with the queen to discuss magical pedagogy might be in order?

>>1271570
Talk to the bees.

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>>1271966
>>1271809
>>1271615
>>1271570

The voices once again spare a bit of concentration to produce their flickering astral form, getting an odd look from the mage.

“I see. So, she’s been learning magic from the bee people that you mentioned, Cassandra?”

“Mhm. Brienne, her sisters, and her mom have been super nice!” Cici volunteers. “They taught me how to gather magic!”

“A bit of advanced subject matter there, but you do seem to be taking to it well, which is wonderful. Now, how about you try gathering your own magic this time and give it another go?”

With another wave of his hand, the steaming mug goes back to its former temperature.

“So, giant-kin and magic-wielding, anthropomorphized bees, not to mention a humanoid beholder-kin and an army of micro-automata, it seems that I’ve missed quite a lot.”

“And the day after the last, we discovered the lost archives of a chronomancer hiding in the local library,” Mama sighs, getting a worrying reaction out of the elderly wizard before he finishes his mouthful of tea.

“Really now?”

“Really,” Mama confirms.

“Uh-huh. There were lots of books!” Cici adds. “Iris helped find the one with the magic necklace that made them glow all weird an’ then the voices said they could read the scribbles.”

“I see…” He takes another, methodical sip. “And I suppose by your letters you’ll want me to have a look and tell you if they are valuable or not?”

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>>1272081

“That would be appreciated. I mean, the proprietor of the store in question agreed to place all proceeds toward the building of a school. So, the more we can get, the easier things will be.”

“Heh. Keep finding such strange tidings around here and I’ll wager the mages will be clamoring to build one of their own on your behalf. The troll twins alone represent an unprecedented chance to look into their physiology and biochemistry.”

“Then there’s the staircase coming up from the gods know where,” Mama adds.

“Indeed. I’ll be having a look at that in a moment. Then I suppose it will be off to the bees to determine what exactly it is you’re dealing with. How are you coming along on that second cup, dear?”

“It’s, um, it’s a lot harder,” she concedes as her arms shake with the effort.

“Just try to keep your pushing to the metaphysical,” the wizard advises. “Magic needn’t strain the body overly much when done correctly. Even so, it seems you’ve been improving steadily in the method I taught you as well.”

With a quick dip of his finger into the cup, he nods.

“Hmm. You’re already a few degrees warmer, by my estimate. Perhaps I can teach you a bit more about the next steps before I leave. Now, come, best you have something to eat and drink before you exhaust yourself.”

A few minutes of pleasant food and company pass with Vivi and Cici eating contentedly and Grampa Brad talking about the news in faraway lands with Mama. Jasmine and Archer can be seen occasionally darting around right outside the door with Okku playing an eager spectator, while Din-Din meanwhile enjoys all of Cici’s attention for himself. Then, it’s off to the seal.

“I suppose now is as good a time to ask as any,” the old wizard mentions as they make their way toward the back yard, “but it seems you voices living inside the bracer have learned a new trick. Any other changes you can report?”

> Write-in

>>1272085

We can turn into a fairy, but is useless!

We can talk to ghosts too.

>>1272085
The glyph that the miniture golems created has power enough that the uninitiated for almost a mile around could perceive the result.

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>>1272085
>>1272099
>>1272279

“Useful or not, it is not something that you should take for granted. Few are the magic items that can grow in power after their creation without a new investment of resources. Perhaps in time, other powers will be made manifest.”

“Maybe they can grow arms and legs!” Cici speculates.

“Or otherwise learn different means of manifestation or projection,” Brad agrees as they near the seal. “For now, though, let’s have a look at this. Stand back, if you would.”

With that warning and staff in hand, the elderly wizard slowly makes his way to the center of the embossed stone, tapping here and there with his staff and murmuring at the resultant sparks of light.

“A protective charm of some sort… And this energy…”

Fumbling in his robe, the old man produces a sort of crystal apparatus that after a small incantation begins to glow almost dangerously bright, a whitish purple light swirling amidst a bright green for a good few moments before he finally tucks it away.

“Hmm… These readings… And judging by the state of the embedded matrix…”

With both hands, the old man hefts his staff and stabs end down in the exact center of the stone, a torrent of light rushing forward to swallow him up as Cici gasps in surprise.

“Grampa!” she shouts, her mother grabbing her tight to keep her from running after him. “Grampa!”

“I’m fine, dear,” he murmurs casually as the light once again dissipates, staff clacking against stone as he makes his way back to his spectators. “I simply needed to conduct an examination of the artifice.”

“And what did that tell you?” Mama prompts.

“It told me that things are a lot more complicated than they would appear, and that I would very much like to speak to the small machines that made this grand contraption. Portals are, after all, quite a curious magic, and one whose craft I’ve not seen for a very long time.”

“Portals?! Brad, wait, it’s just a staircase, isn’t it!?” Mama objects.

“As I said, dear, it’s a lot more complicated than I had expected. The reasons for a staircase elude me, but my synopsis, I believe, is correct. This is a means of connecting two points in space instantaneously together, one that feeds itself from a duality of powerful magical energies surrounding us.”

> Write-in

>>1272359

Golems are calling home?

>>1272359
So...its stairs that lead to a door? Any idea where to? is it even to the same plane?

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>>1272359
>>1272450
>>1272505

“A portal works both ways, I’m afraid, and can connect to many places. Without speaking to those that built them, it may be impossible to say what the intentions of their construction may have been. Even I hesitate to say I understand the work that has been done here, let alone any ulterior motive. I merely have seen similar gateways in my time, albeit never one so newly fashioned.

“In any case, they do have a point. If there are stairs, they were likely meant to be traveled, and at the bottom of them, perhaps there are answers.” With a tap of his staff, the stairway down once again opens. “Perhaps it’s best I go this trip alone. There’s no telling what may happen once I begin poking around.”

“You should have someone with you,” Mama cautions, but the old man simply waves her off.

“I may be gray, but I’m not yet so frail that a few steps will be the end of me. Still, perhaps I could use your fairy friend as a means of communicating between us. What say you to that?”

> Write-in

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>>1272614

Today was less than ideal, but maybe we'll have a better run of it tomorrow. For now, I need sleep before the maintenance people arrive and start poking around in my walls for busted pipes.

>>1272614
Please go with a golem and the Beholder girl.

>>1272614
Well, we would be game for decerning the purpose of this structure. Cici, would you mind if we helped Brad for a time? Brad, what would you like us to do?

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>>1272790
>>1272631
>>1272614

“Oh, I’ve no need for you in-particular. At least, I don’t suspect I will, but if what Cici has told me is correct, you can likely still communicate with her through your anchor point on her wrist while we travel. It would be wise to have a lifeline should anything go wrong, naturally, and it’s just as well to test your range that being the case.”

“They also say you should take Iris and one of her friends,” Cici reminds him.

“Well, provided I can find the girl without too much trouble, that wouldn’t be a terrible suggestion,” Brad concedes. “Where has she gotten off to, anyway?”

“I set her up with a plot of land not far from here,” Mama explains. “Last I checked, her little friends were planning to see to the rest.”

“Really, Cassandra, letting a young girl run off on her own into the woods? I’m surprised.”

“Don’t think I didn’t try to stop her, Brad, but she’s- Well, she preferred to be with her friends, as she put it. And I’m not exactly concerned for her safety so much as the safety of the other inhabitants of the forest.”

“I suppose that makes sense, but let’s have a look all the same. If her accommodations haven’t been sorted yet, we’ll simply have to see to it ourselves, won’t we?”

“We should bring her a housewarming gift!” Cici volunteers happily, and with no other objections forthcoming, she gathers a few sweets and they all begin following Cassandra’s slithering form into the woods.

It isn’t long, maybe a mile, before the silhouette of something catches their eyes through the foliage, not just a foundation, but a proper log cabin rising from the scenery with a plume of smoke flowing up through a small chimney. The craftsmanship is beautiful and almost disturbingly perfect as the forest gives way to flat, open ground around it, grass and roots alike strangely absent as they make their way to the door, and Brad gives a gentle knock.

“Ah, visitors!” Iris calls happily as she opens the doors. “And a new face at that.”

“This is Grampa!” Cici calls from behind. “He came to visit and wanted to say hi!”

“Well, that’s awfully considerate,” she says with a toothy smile. “We haven’t even setup a path yet to ease the way.”

“Yes, well,” Brad begins with a cough. “If I could bother you for a favor-“

“Come now. Have a seat,” she offers, opening up her door wide to reveal a couple of milling golems and an almost disturbingly well-furnished aesthetic within. “The muffins are almost done.”

“I, um- What?”

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>>1274146


“Wow! You like baking?” Cici asks excitedly, following the baffled adults inside.

“Oh, me?” the beholder asks, gesturing to herself as she guides her guests to their seats in the den. “I could take it or leave it, honestly, but the voices have their own ideas. I was hardly here a day before it was ‘windmills’ this and ‘indoor plumbing’ that. The swirly water privy is kind of neat though.”

With no other explanation, she bounces behind the kitchen counter and begins fumbling with the cutlery unseen, Cici smiling as one of the little machines comes up to her in the meantime and unabashedly begins polishing her shoe while a few others scrub away at the entryway.

“I’m sorry I’m getting dirt all over your floor,” Cici whispers apologetically, getting a dismissive beep in response.

> Write-in

>>1274149
Wait, did one of us start in on directing the clanks on the building wind turbines and indoor plumbing?

Anyway, yes, the Archmage here wants to take a look at the other end of the road that the golems made, down in the Underdark. If you could accompany him, we'd be most thankful.

so they can work on normal building too, this robots? Could we use their help in building the school?

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>>1274149
>>1274321
>>1274366

“Your voices must be really smart,” Cici notes as with a turn of a knob, she hears water flowing in the kitchen.

“Well, you know what they say about the line between genius and madness,” she chuckles. “Now, let’s have a taste, shall we?”

A moment later, the many eyed gazer is armed with a tray of steaming black cakes on a plate, more similar to tarts than muffins really and wafting a peculiar fragrance.

[“I think they’re moving…”]

Like a gentle heartbeat, the voices can see it too, bits of foliage and bug matter pulsing as though fit to burst from the center as they stick out in all manner of odd angles from the surface. Nevertheless, Cici is a courageous child and her manners demand she try something before judging, but her mother’s arm reaches the plate in just such a manner so as to make her hesitate before popping half of one into her mouth with a thoughtful bite.

The rest of the room looks on anxiously for her verdict as she thereafter slowly chews, face inscrutable as the odd pop, squish, and crunching noise comes from within her mouth.

“Nightshade and nightcrawler, stag beetle, juniper, and… Is that cinnamon?”

“Impressive,” Iris applauds happily, her sharp grin beaming. “I had hoped to find some rhubarb as well, but I’ve never actually seen one myself!”

“I see…” Brad says, grabbing a muffin for himself and one for Cici that with a twist of his fingers transform into something more palatable. “So then, I take it you often experience these flashes of insight? Something like inherited memories?”

“Oh, I don’t know about all that,” Iris tuts, grabbing a particularly rambunctious cake and swallowing it whole. “It’s more like looking into a kaleidoscope on the floor of which scurries a parliament of hamsters. That is to say, you never quite know what you’re going to get and the clean-up can be quite a mess.”

“I see…” the elderly wizard notes haltingly, he and Cici taking simultaneous small bites of the now chocolate flavored cakes in their hands.

“This is really good!” Cici says, oblivious to the change that had taken place.

“Why, thank you! The jury was out as to whether or not those would prove edible at all, but I suppose it wasn’t all that bad for a first attempt. Now you were mentioning needing a favor?”

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>>1274435

“Ah, yes,” Brad answers carefully minding his crumbs. “It seems that there may be some things worth examining at the bottom of that stairwell your friends dug up, and we’d appreciate a tour guide, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Also, the voices were hoping you an’ the robots could help us build a school…” Cici notes quietly.

“Cici, that’s a little-“ Mama begins, but Iris just laughs, her tone unnatural and watery until she swallows whatever is stuck in her throat.

“From the looks some of them are giving me and the way they’re dashing for the quill pot, I don’t think that will be an issue. Just make sure they have plenty of tacks and timber and they should be fine.”

“Amazing,” Grampa Brad murmurs, looking at the machines as they scurry into a group with their tiny legs. “Forming judgements and taking actions by their own leave, they must be fully self-aware or close to it.”

“I’ve always thought so,” Iris agrees. “No matter how many cliffs they jumped off of on the way up here.”

> Write-in

maye you can practice baking with us sometimes...and thanks for the school thing!

>>1274437
Then we should like to see if the golems can provide wind power turbines as well. I doubt that they can build solar collectors, but a wind turbine should be useful in a number of applications, even if it's only simple mechanical energy.

Thank you for your contribution to the school program.

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>>1274437
>>1274452
>>1274457

“Thanks a lot for your help!” Cici adds to the voice’s chorus.

“It’s no trouble, really,” Iris assures her. “The voices seemed pretty dead set on it for some reason. Something about pies and me needing some education myself. Anyway, they’ll finish drawing while we’re out, most likely, but no point in doddling here. Would anyone like seconds?”

“No.”

“No thank you.”

“I would!” Cici says with a smile.

And so, after a bit more covert magic, dishes are put away and the group heads out, finding the trolls once again waiting for them outside of their house.

“Cassandra, what in the heck’s goin’ on?” Rosie demands. “More robots?”

“Just a little bit of experimentation,” Brad explains with a sigh. “I didn’t mean any harm.”

“And who’s the geezer anyway?” she adds, finishing in a shout of surprise as the earth beneath her opens and rapidly swallows her up to her neck.

“Just a senile old man,” Brad answers casually to the head now sticking out of the ground, one finger scratching his nose. “You needn’t pay me any mind. The sink holes around here are just atrocious though, aren’t they?”

“Why you!” she seethes.

“Rosie turn-up now…” Mishael murmurs, patting at the dirt where her shoulders should be.

“Mishael, knock it off! And you, I’ll have you know. This. Means. War,” the oni warns, but Brad just gives a dry laugh.

“My dear, if what I’ve heard about your first meeting with my god-daughter and her mother is true, you’d do well not to pursue me as your enemy.”

However, the proud oni is having none of it. As she summons her rage, the earth bulges beneath her, mud mounds gathering as she forces a gap where there was none before. However, it seems even she can’t break herself loose just like that. Fortunately, she doesn’t have to as Cici begins making her way back from dropping things off inside the house.

“Hi Mishael!” Cici calls, as she draws closer. “Where’d Aunt Rosie go?”

“Old man make boss turn-up…” the giant answers, pointing to the dirt.

“Huh?” She notices the head sticking out of the dirt. “Gah! What happened to the rest of you!?”

“Ask the wizard,” Rosie grunts, nudging her chin at the old man.

Maybe the voices should intervene.

> Write-in

>>1274566
Rosie, you should calm down. And Archmage, you're doing no good to the stereotypes of wizards with your callous handling of the mundanes.

pats rose's head, saying, it's fine you are still beautiful and grandpa brad will regrow your body soon!

>>1274566
Brad, No need to stir up an already settled issue. We're all friends here now.
Youve been an adventurer, you should know how this goes.
Plus,if youre doing this on Cici's behalf, youre not doing any good, she likes Rose. you'll just make the girl sad.

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>>1274566
>>1274582
>>1274600
>>1274683

The orb of light opens mental channels to three different people, delivering a separate message to each. While the adults seem obstinate, as one would expect, Cici at least takes the information in stride.

“It’s okay, Aunt Rosie,” she says softly, bending down to pat the confused ogre woman’s head. “I’m sure Grampa didn’t mean to turn you into a turnip, an’ I’m sure he’ll grow you a new body soon. So don’t be scared, ‘kay?”

“Cici… R-Runt… T-that isn’t- This isn’t-“

As Rosie’s cheeks somehow take on a deeper shade of red, the old wizard stumbles by the wayside with laughter, grabbing his waist with one wrinkled hand at the sincerity in his god-daughter’s voice before Mama clocks him upside the back of the head.

“Fix this. Now,” she orders in her most motherly tone, the wizard grumbling to himself even as he moves to comply.

And like that, the hardened earth once again turns into something more like water, the oni’s muscular form emerging still upright before Cici’s eyes.

“Next time, I’ll be sure to bring a shovel,” Rosie warns, “and then we’ll see who buries who.”

“Aunt Rosie,” Cici whines, hugging one massive leg to her chest as she stares up at the giantess. “Don’t bully Grampa, please. I’m sure he didn’t mean it an’ you’re all better now, right?”

“Boss no turn-up anymore…” Mishael agrees. “’s good cuz I hungry.”

“Oh right! Uncle Guyus taught me how to make pie!” Cici pipes up. “I can make apple an’ meat pies, too! He says you’ll have to buy flour, though….”

“Heh, guess we’ll need to go grocery shopping then,” the oni sighs. “Then, we’ll make an afternoon out of it. Don’t get into any more trouble until then, alright?”

“’Kay!” Cici promises. “You be good too!”

“No promises,” she laughs, but then her and her brother are all too ready to flee the scene, leaving the family alone.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, Iris,” Mama apologizes, getting a quizzical look in return.

“Oh no, it’s quite alright. These sorts of things always seem to happen when extended family meet.”

“In any case, we’ve a long walk to make, I’d wager, and little enough in the way of daylight. Let’s get on with it, then, shall we?”

> Write-in

>>1274714
So what else have your voices told you, Iris? They seem more technically minded than us, and bent on technological and industrial revolution. They'll have you building assembly lines and gunpowder mills soon, most likely.

And yes, we should hurry along. No telling what might be using the staircase now that it's built.

>>1274714
Ready for a walk, Cici? Are you hungry or thirsty?

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>>1274781
>>1274745
>>1274714

“Cici and Cassandra, you two hold down the fort up here, if you would,” Grampa suggests. “We shouldn’t be more than an hour or so.”
“Are you sure I can’t go with you, Grampa?” Cici asks, listening to the voices.

“My dear, I imagine that your mother would worry herself half to death with you so close to the unknown,” the old man levels in the gentlest possible way. “And to bring both of you might prove difficult in the way I had in mind, you see.”

“Okay, Grampa…” She gives the wizard a hug. “Be safe.”

“Naturally, my dear. We’ll be back in time for supper.”

With that, Brad once again taps his staff on the entry way, this time revealing the stairs beneath.

“Are you certain that your knees will hold out?” Iris asks candidly as she peers into the dark. “It’s quite a long way down.”

“That’s why I’ve no intention of walking, my dear.” With another tap against the floor of the stairwell, a shimmering platform of light appears, one apparently sturdy enough for him to stand on as he gently grasps the flickering ball of chaos with one hand and motions to Iris with the other. “Come, we’ve a long way to go.”

The beholder-kin is less than confident at first, feet flexing curiously and toes testing the boundaries before she hops aboard, but no sooner is she comfortably standing than the magical platform is on the move, the world of light above fading quickly from view as the sound of air briskly passing by kicks up a subtle sound.

“Hmm?” Iris says, as the voices take the lull as an opportunity to ask questions. “Why, yes, they seem to have all sorts of peculiar ideas. Guns tend to bring up quite a bit of debate, mind you, along with gender, religion, politics, and what things are okay to eat.”

Even after a few minutes of talking, the stairway down hasn’t reached its end, the trio still moving at a steady clip even as the voices feel the distance begin to wear away at their stability.

> Write-in

>>1274830
SO Iris...What kind of things did you do with your little friends before you ended up above ground? did they ever make anything like this portal thing before?

>>1274830
So Iris, what lurks down there? How did you end up with these golem followers?

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>>1274830
>>1274920
>>1274947

As the ride continues, so do the questions, the gazer appearing to enjoy the way her hair and eye stalks wave in the breeze as she leans into the wind.

“Well, it certainly wasn’t an extravagant life I had until now,” she confides, “or a safe one by any estimate. The struggle for food and survival was something I learned from the cradle onward as the rule of existence.”

She pauses for a long moment as if in thought, brow furrowing as she softly murmurs to herself.

“Let’s just say that my mother and I never quite saw ‘eye to eye’ on a number of things, one in particular being my peculiar mutations. After a time, she decided that my defects were a bit too outstanding for her taste, and thought perhaps she should start over without wasting the raw materials. What followed was perhaps the least pleasant meal of my life…

“I was actually near the surface at the time, you know. I could have walked straight up and began a new life in the sun… but something about that world of light was just too alien and foreign to my eye. And so, I wandered the roads in darkness that stretched further than you can imagine, traveling the old roads of long forgotten kingdoms, eating whatever couldn’t manage to eat me first.

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>>1275021

“There was quite a menu to choose from: slimes and salamanders, cave spiders and things not meant to be seen. It wasn’t a terrible life, but the adrenaline does tend to get dull after a time. Boredom becomes your enemy when the world is nothing but endless dark and silent stone. It was pure chance that at a certain time, a wrong turn lead me into the path of my little friends. They’re motivations intrigued me, these little metal men sparkling and working in the dark, and though I couldn’t understand a word they said on the rare occasion when they did speak amongst themselves, they eventually decided that I was worth keeping around.

“Before that, you couldn’t imagine my upset of finding myself suddenly walled outside of the structure they were building or shoved into a narrow pocket with scarcely room to breathe. Perhaps it was their kind way of informing me that I might go elsewhere, but about the third time I saved them from cave spiders or cave-ins, they must have simply given up. Isn’t that so?”

The little robot on her arm beeps in what might be in embarrassment, massaging its head with one claw.

“Along the way, they never built much else, by my estimate. They simply took blocks of material from the world wherever they pleased to build this staircase, treating each addition with the utmost care in preparation for what you see.”

“And how long did this take them?” Brad asks, quite pointedly still traveling at a fast clip down empty, spiraling corridor as the voices flicker.

“Time is hard to measure without virtue of the sun,” she concedes, “but more days than I care to count. Still, you may want to slow down in case we eventually hit-”

With a violent jerk and a flash of magic, a barrier springs to life in the path of the moving platform, Iris veritably splatting against the surface as something like a wall of light materializes against her body.

“… Ouch…”

> Write-in

>>1275023
Fascinating, a force field, or magical ward? What triggers it, or is it always active? Come, let us examine it!

>>1275023
Uh... You okay? We'd offer you a hand up, but, y'know, incorporeal and whatnot.

...Actually, Brad, now that I think of it, when we get back, mind if we talk about working on a golem for us to use?

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>>1275402
>>1275023

“Well, that sound doesn’t bode well…” notes the wizard shakily, clutching his no-doubt soon to-be bruised head as he turns to Iris. “Are you going to be alright?”

“J-just… peachy…” she spits both literally and figuratively as something like black ichor drips past her lips. “And I don’t seem to recall any of these when last I came this way, do you?”

“Gonk?” the robot questions, hopping off of her still prone form to rap one claw against the barrier.

It seems it also can’t pass from the way its hand rebounds. The voices on the other hand…

“What in the devil?”

Floating on the opposite side, though struggling to maintain cohesion, the voices have apparently surpassed the barrier.

{“You are not the ones I seek, but I sense something through you… a connection… Bring us the child…”}

“Interesting,” the old man murmurs, fingers tracing the barrier while the voices try to process what they are sensing. “I’ve never seen a barrier quite like this… The magic at first glance seems raw, but it isn’t. It’s like a tapestry formed of innumerable smaller pieces.”

“Whatever it is, something tells me it won’t hold up in a staring contest,” Iris hisses aloud, her eye glowing bright as she prepares to unleash her gaze.

> Write-in

>>1275412

...NOPE.

>>1275412
Hold on a minute, Iris. There's some controlling intelligence on the other side.
It wants us to bring the child; most likely Cici since it detected something through us, and by extension, the bracer that houses us that she wears.

Maybe we should interrogate it first, before we beat it down.

>>1275412

[You can have the many eyed child. But the gorgon child is too young. She is not ready. If you build a house without a proper foundation it will be weak and fall down. Besides, the Beholder-kin child is important too! Or maybe you want the Beholder child? And are your going to ignore the one who has taken care of yoir robots golems whatever you call them?]

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>>1275412
>>1275418
>>1275422
>>1275432

The voices send a quick message to Iris asking her to hold back for a moment, getting an anxious nod before returning to the matter at hand.

{“You needn’t fear, for she will not be harmed. Though you are right that she is not ready and what’s more, if fortunes are kind, she never shall be. All the same, we would have words.”}

The voices point out this entity could just as easily speak with Iris or entrust her with whatever secret it may have, but they can almost feel the entity shaking its head.

{“Too unstable, too insane, and not the heir of this domain. It is for her to decide, or will be when she is ready, what shall become of the legacy we keep…”}

>Write-in

>>1275507

[Then we will see you later, much later. She is a mere child and even talking to you would be dangerous. Shouldn't she enjoy her childhood while it lasts? And Iris is not insane... at least no more than Cici is. Both girls have voices talking to them, the only difference seems to be Iris voices aren't bonded to an artifact and don't know when to stop. The main difference seems to be that Cici has a kind and loving family while Iris just has the golems. That's sad to think, how Cici could have ended like Iris had things be different. You are only a child once and poor Iris childhood has not been good.]

>>1275507
Yo, Archmage. Got some intel to feed into your brain. Whatever's on the other side wants to impart something to Cici, but it's being real cagey about what. Though it seems to be something to do with being the heir to some domain.

You want us to glass'em in the jaw, all metaphorical like?

>>1275507
All the same, , gonna have to abstain unless youre willing to disclose at least some of what this legacy and words are about.
And just a word of advice, using force would likely not work out well.

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>>1275545
>>1275534
>>1275507
>>1275517

There is a long, long pause as the voices continue speaking into the void, so much that they fear the other presence may have simply given up and gone away.

“Whatever you do, don’t antagonize it!” Grampa Brad murmurs to the voices. “If this entire tower is manned by one intelligence, gods only know what it’s capable of.”

“I’m just glad I didn’t have much of a nose to break,” Iris murmurs, rubbing at her face.

{“This place… The legacy that lies beneath your feet is a testament to an age of war, something best left forgotten by man and Myr. Yet, what is lost will always be found and in these darkened halls, we have grown blind to the everchanging world above. We need eyes that see, a heart that feels, and an answer to a question we believe she will know when the wisdom of her years rests firmly upon her.”}

{“However, perhaps you are right… Perhaps it is too soon for even whispers of such things to touch her ears. She is fragile, undetermined, and undecided. To add an unnecessary burden to such small shoulders is not our intention. Even were we so callous, we do not know the future, whether her footsteps will travel far away from this place and beyond.”}

{“When you feel she is ready, bring her to us. And should that time never come to pass, we only ask one thing: that you keep this secret and safe from prying eyes and greedy hands. To do otherwise would be to court disaster.”}

Like that, the echoes fade, and the voices hover in silence. It’s with a timid flutter they then make their way back toward their comrades, noting that Iris’ singular eye is once again glowing with a fierce light.

“Is it time to get even?” she asks in a voice equal parts venom and sweet.

> Write-in

>>1275584
Nah, stand down with the anti-magic eye. The controlling intelligence has agreed that Cici needs more time and development before she becomes the colloidal sapient unit for whatever ancient is here.

Hey Archmage Brad, you remember any records of ancient wars with self-motivated and autonomous magical intelligence weapon systems? Something that could get buried but lay operational for aeons?

nope, something really powerful is beyond that, and it doesn't actually seems to have ill intent

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>>1275621
>>1275615
>>1275584

We'll finish up tomorrow afternoon. It's entirely too late.

>>1275584
Brad, could you remind us what are Myr?

>>1275584

Iris, we just defended you. Don't go and try to fight a being so powerful it will crush you like an elephant steps on a bug.

Besides wasn't the wizard the one who wasn't paying attention and made you crash?

If there was not a barrier any idiot could get the forbidden thing and doom the world.

Try to calm down and we will ask Cici to bake you something, okay?

>>1275805
>>1275757
>>1275621
>>1275615
>>1275584

“Oh, fine!” she sighs as the voices weigh in, the light in her eye slowly fading away. “Though they could have at least put up a sign.”

“It really seems that written communications would be ideal as a first deterrent,” Brad agrees. “We live in an age of reason, after all.”

{“They do have a point, I suppose…”}

With a sound of grinding stone, grains of sand begin to flow away from the wall, words appearing in an embossed and noticeable plaque in a strange language before a flare of magic gives life to a more familiar set of characters hovering above them. Regardless, the voices find it possible to read either:

“For those who travel here, please turn away. This is a resting ground of ages long past not meant to be disturbed by mortal footsteps. Leave in peace and find peace amongst yourselves for all the days that come after.”

“Better late than never,” the wizard murmurs, holding out a hand for the voices to fly back into. “As for the rest of your questions, I’d prefer to discuss them out in the warm sunshine. I trust we’ll meet with no resistance there.”

The last he shouts down into the dark with no answer, his words echoing down into the earth before he summons another platform, Iris notably standing toward the back as it begins its long ascent. Fortunately, there are no impediments that slow them or obstacles to be avoided, nothing save merciful silence before they are once again out in the waning sun.

“Now, then,” the wizard begins, patting off his robes before sealing the entrance behind him. Seems the gorgons are waiting inside. “To begin answering your questions, I suppose it would help to clue you in to a bit of recent history. You see, the kingdom as you see it now has had a long reign of peace over the past two hundred years, relatively speaking, but it wasn’t always so.

“Preceding the formation of King Reginald’s monarchy, the third to last king to take the throne, there was a period of vast and unimaginable bloodshed. It was a period of civil and foreign wars, during which alliances were forged… and broken.

“One such alliance was with a nation of elves who live across the Yawning Gulf, an empire where the people call themselves Myr. Following the wars, when feelings of racial distrust and paranoia grew, they hadn’t the heart to remain, even as doctors or councils as former allies turned against one another.

“Mind you, I do not know the language carved into the stone or the magic specifically used in this structure, but that term alone dates this project to the period before the elven empires withdrew, nearly half a millennia ago…”

“I think I’ll ask her to make me a chocolate cake…” murmurs Iris, deep in thoughts of her own.

> Write-in

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>>1276226

>>1276226

Well Cici, please go and bake her a chocolate cake.

Elves? Was Cici father an elf?

>>1276226
A cake might be too much, but a pie should be fine.

Archmage, perhaps you should look into Cici's genealogy. See what relations the gorgons had with the elves. And on her father, too.

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>>1276226
>>1276284
>>1276291

“Maybe just a small cake, then. Like a cupcake,” Iris suggests, but is interrupted by a cough from the elderly wizard.

“Ahem. So, Cici’s father was a human, as far as I could tell. He was a bright lad, but not supremely talented nor heir to any great destiny so far as I could tell, certainly not one that would connect him to a mystery on the complete opposite side of the continent.

“Mind you, he never knew his father and his mother, god rest her soul, died quite young. So there are things I simply can’t claim to know, but were I to place a guess, I’d say her lineage as a gorgon might be more the reason why this entity would show interest in her personally.

“What did it say, again? That it had grown blind to the world? Well, who better to help it to open its eyes than to negotiate with a seer…” He frowns. “I- Well, I’m simply not certain whether to trust something so foreign, and if anything, I’d encourage you to keep Cici ignorant of everything that we encountered on our journey and far away from whatever lies at the bottom of this well. I may even seal this completely before I leave, just to be certain.”

“Are you certain that’s a good idea?” Iris probes. “It might take those actions as a provocation.”

> Write-in

we could tell it first. cici will eventually learn how to unseal the place by herself, that could double as the sign she can deal with the thing by herself too!

>>1276367
It seemed pretty okay with waiting till she was old enough to make her own decisions. It even put up that warning sign you wanted, which honestly, was kind of silly.
Id say we'd probably be best off just leaving it alone and keeping an eye on it. It might wind up being something valuable to the history of the region, and someday Cici might have an interest in things like that. Whens shes older and wiser.
Anyway, messing with an unknown power which so far isnt bothering anything right next to their house might just be tempting fate.

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>>1276500
>>1276380
>>1276367

“Well, since Cici’s voices seem keen on asking for permission,” the old wizard sighs, casting a blanket of magic over the hovering orb. “You’ve my permission to conduct diplomacy. For my own part, however, I have no intention of re-entering.”

With that in mind, the voices are on their way, albeit much faster than they could normally fly. Downward and forward they zoom relentlessly until they can finally see the barrier marking on the wall.

{“We do not care.”}

The response to the news the voices bring is straightforward and nonchalant.

{“If it brings him comfort, he may do as he wishes. Should it prove an interference, however, we reserve the rights to remove it if it is within our power.”}

--

“Mouthy little…” the wizard grumbles once the voices are back top-side, slamming his staff into the ground with a flourish.

And like that, a spark of magic erupts from the gateway, a locking sound emitting from the mechanism that formerly opened the stone. With another wave, dirt flows over the closed seal, obfuscating it completely and mounding into a small hill before the wizard reaches into one pocket, withdraws a handful of seeds and tosses it over the fresh earth, grass erupting everywhere with small flowers spread throughout.

“That should do nicely to keep prying eyes and hands away from this,” Brad sighs. “Given their prior showmanship with the beacons, I fear that they’ll soon be about in droves.”

“I could use some of those seeds for my yard,” Iris mentions, receiving a pouch with little complaint.

“Thank you for your service, dear, and your time. I’m sure Cassandra wouldn’t mind having you for dinner, but otherwise, I believe that I’m going to retire for the evening.”

“I could go for a bite or a nibble.”

Thus, as sun went down, smoke went up and the fire outside of the tower was once more crowded with bodies, good food, and pleasant conversation. What would become of this new discovery, whether the voices would truly keep Cici in the dark or whether the entity below was truly as peaceful as it claimed, those would be things to be decided later.

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>>1276551

And that's where we will leave it for now folks. Hope you had fun.

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a turnip oni