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>>1272122
The "road" through the Mire is a long, hard slog defined by water, filth, and darkness. The witchlights in this level are cold, distant things whose light layers the shadows rather than revealing what lies within them. More than once, Cobalt or Yew stop the group to let something slithering through the water decide that there is better prey elsewhere.

Here and there, in the distance, stand strange structures, defined by high walls with thick grates that let in the water of the Mire. They gurgle and groan, the sound of the water sluicing through them a constant background noise, but the massive stone golems that stand guard outside of them discourage further investigation.

"They filter the water," Brigette explains in a low voice, after the third one you pass. "The lower levels have clean, fresh water because of the Mire and those systems. Lora built them, to keep her guardians."

"What happened to them?" you ask, already knowing the answer.

Brigette just looks away and stops talking.

<I wish I remembered how to ease the way> Reunion complains. <We are all getting filthy.>

<No one expects you to perform as you did at your peak in a scant few days> Sir Fetch reassures the blade. <Your loyal service has been most appreciated.>

"Yeah," you agree aloud.

The far side of the Mire features a stout dyke to hold the water back and force it back towards the filtration systems. Near it, beneath one of the cold witchlights, you see a field of ice around a large, bulky object that reeks of death. Cobalt stares at it for a long, hard moment before suggesting that you rest and clean up.

You don't need telling twice. You and your compatriots settle in to clean yourselves, your equipment, and your clothes as best you can.

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>>1272144
The sloping tunnel downwards spirals tightly, and you note with interest that the right-leaning curve means anyone storming their way from the Mire into the Gauntlet Below would have to fight left-handed. The bare rock transitions slowly to cobblestones, which here and there have been removed to expose the remains of gutted traps, pressure plates, and spring-loaded spears. Each is marked in a hastily-scrawled paint.

"We disarmed the level before we left, in case of summoned defenders re-manning it," Cobalt explains, on the way down. "Father did not tell us to, but it is what he would have wanted."

"What did he do, down here?" you ask, keeping your voice gentle.

"...He was trying to discern the difference that caused some geargrinders to attract souls, and others not to," Cobalt says at last. "His progress was promising, I think. He seemed happy with it, until..."

"Until he was not," Yew finishes. "Until he began to doubt the Master."

"Yes," Cobalt agrees.

You had thought the Basement was the iconic look that people associated with dungeons and especially /the/ Dungeon, but the Gauntlet Below is its matured, refined form. The corridors are tight and winding, and if it weren't for the shattered traps and spiked-open hidden doors, you would never be able to tell them apart. Murder holes, sliding panels, and guard posts define this Floor, which exudes a sense of menace even now that it has been de-fanged. You can taste old and distant death in the air, from the takeover; living things killed in surprise and fear but not with needless cruelty.

They had that, at least.

"What's the passage down?" you ask Cobalt.

"A straight vertical shaft. We have rigged up a dumbwaiter."

'Rigged up' the man says. The damn thing is made of stone and steel and looks like it could have been built as a feature of the damn Floor. The ride down, powered by main arm strength from Cobalt, Yew, and Hatchet, is smooth as silk.

When you arrive in the Redoubt, you notice them - Seraphina's cultists. Each is frozen in place, standing stock-still in the middle of whatever motion they'd been performing, and from the dust that's settled on all of them they've been like that for some time.

The closest one has a handwritten note stuck to his forehead.

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>>1272185
'Brianna,

Your sister told me not to hurt them. Didn't want them in the way. Speak my given name backwards to unlock any given cultist if you feel inclined.'

"Sometimes I forget that she's not Firstborn," you note, mildly.

"Can we just leave them there?" Flitter asks, wringing her hands in worry while she hovers.

"You will find that leaving them there is far easier than the opposite," Hatchet points out, cynically. "It is, in fact, the default course of action."

Oh boy.

> Release the cultists
> Ignore them

>>1272196
> Ignore them
Releasing a group of potentially very angry cultists sounds like it'll lead to bad things. Let's leave them until later. Perhaps after the Dungeon is cleared, even?

>>1272196
Can we release one or two? Whoever looks like they might have information

>>1272264
If you wanna write it in and see if it gets votes, sure.

>>1272196
>> Ignore them

>>1272196
> Ignore them
No point in letting them go. This is a quick strike against Dick. We cannot deal with more people.

>>1272196
>Release one or two of the cultists who might have information

>>1272196
>Ignore them
There'll be all the time in the world to free them once the condom has been applied. Until then, they're as safe as anybody is.

As you probably guessed, I'm hitting bed. I gotta Prevent Homelessness tomorrow but we're hitting the climax here; I'll be devoting time to just this, even if I gotta shave off bits of my paycheck for the caffeine and/or alcohol to make it happen.

Votes, of course, remain open.

>>1272196
>> Ignore them

We'll come back in a minute. Time is of the essence.

Also, holy shit. Just gonna tally this up.

01: BASEMENT : VINTNER: ELIMINATED
02: LICHYARD : BANKER: ELIMINATED
03: ATHENEUM: POET: RETIRED
04: MINE : BARON: ELIMINATED
05: NEW HELL : TRAITOR: RETIRED
06: CORNUCOPIA : LUSH : ELIMINATED
07: WAREHOUSE : DEBTOR: RETIRED
08: BROKEN JAW : DIVINER: ELIMINATED
09: SUNLESS SEA : PALLBEARER: ELIMINATED
10: MIRE : WYRM: ELIMINATED
11: GAUNTLET BELOW : LIBRARIAN: ELIMINATED
12: REDOUBT : DAUGHTER: RETIRED
13: SANCTUM : MASTER : IN PROGRESS...

Hahaha holy shit.

We're almost at FINAL DESTINATION.

>>1273293
Been a wild but great ride.

>>1272196
>Ignore them, if we survive we can get them on the way out, alternatively we can ask around and release them now, maybe get a few to join the raid. Have Hatchet off to the side out of site with a weapon trained on them though, we don't know what they could do when they wake up.

>>1273293
And people thought we were so easy on all the villains here, CHECK THIS KILL COUNT...huh, speaking of, do we have a kill count for the group now? Whats our total at?

>>1273381
sight* not site.

>>1273293
Wait a tick, shouldn't we have the Debtor count as Retired/deceased now?

>>1273390

I marked down Eliminate/Retire based on the initial result, rather than the final. RETIRED/DECEASED would have broken up the formula too.

>>1273394
That's fair.

>>1272264
I'd go with this; release one or two who looks like they'll have valuable information we can get quickly. This close to the final floor, they might know more about what we're heading up against.
As long as we do it quickly.

Status: homelessness prevented, eating breakfast. Will call and write after.

Called, writing.

The fact that I need to sleep and will miss the update, physically hurts.

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>>1272196
You clear your throat. "I'm with Hatchet on this one. Two big reasons, Flitter."

"I'm listening," the pixie says, dubiously.

"One, we don't have time," you explain, motioning for the group to follow while you continue deeper into the Redoubt. "Two, if we fail and this place gets buried, they'll be safer like this than they would running around loose. Someone who survives might dig them back up and let them loose."

The slow look of dawning, horrified realization on Flitter's face is almost worth the price of admission.

If the Gauntlet Below was a claustrophobic hell, the Redoubt is something like an inverted castle, defined by elevated defenses, walkways accessed by bare ladders sunk into the walls, and pits. Here and there you can see where Lora disarmed defenses, placing narrow stone walkways over sunken pits of spikes or hastily sculpting stairs to ease your passage through the Floor. Here and there, too, are what can only be altars to Seraphina, sculpted from stone and depicting the Daughter herself rising in her wrath.

More than a few of the frozen cultists are prostrated before them, halted in the midst of desperate prayer with terror written on their faces. Stilled tears hang in frozen stasis on the edges of their chins.

You come, at last, to a vast door, formed out of two slabs of iron and branded on each half with a massive version of the symbol you've seen on the forbidden books in the Athenaeum - a feather.

"The Sanctum isn't below, is it," you muse. "...This is it."

"It is," Brigette agrees. "Lora's in there."

<Shall I open it for you?> Reunion asks.

"No, I might need you in a bit. You can close doors, right?"

<I - yes, I suppose so> the machete agrees, thoughtfully. <I haven't before, but it should be a simple enough matter...>

"How do we open it?" Yew asks, plainly.

The doors swing open, groaning on their hinges, and reveal the Sanctum. The room is huge, its roof butting against the bottom of the Floor above with plenty of room to fly. To the left stands a massive forge, easily the size of the one you witnessed the Forgemaster working, around which the witchlight shimmers and bends oddly. The coals that burn inside are not anything of this world; you can taste the magic coming off of them from here.

In the center is Lora, the walls of her waiting room knocked down. She paces in the defined boundaries, Grief in her left hand, like a caged beast. She doesn't look up when you arrive, doesn't acknowledge you other than to gesture at the door once your group is inside; it swings shut behind all of you and bars itself, sealing you inside of her Sanctum.

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>>1274689
Behind her is the portal.

The frame around the yawning gate is made of steel lined with gold, and you can feel the silver alloyed into the construction from here. The arch contains something almost like a window, which opens up into the blackness of the void Lora showed you before. The darkness is cut through with sunlight from an odd angle, slashing across it and spilling into the Sanctum. Something about the portal restrains the light, forming an aurora around it in undulating rainbows of color.

Before it, leaning on a steel cane, is a middle-aged man, grey around the temples, with dark eyes and a cold expression.

"Heritor," he greets, inclining his head. His voice is a rich, commanding thing, brimming with confidence and authority. "We meet at last. I imagine you've come to stop me."

"I've come for a lot of things, Richard," you answer, in a hard voice. "What you've done -"

"Don't waste your time with accusations, Brianna la Croix. I am well aware of all that I have done, or permitted to be done in my name. Keenly, and utterly aware. My crimes are monstrous and my punishment will be equally dire, you may be sure. But I will have this, and if your corpse must go on the pyre, so be it. But I would rather not. My original plan is much better than the backups to which I will need to resort if we fight here."

"Original plan?" Brigette demands.

"I fulfill the bargain with the angel. I replace her in her role as Death and she in turn becomes the god of my new world, to lead and shepherd my people into a destiny of their own making." Richard makes a motion much like a shrug; his clothes shift and warp, along with his skin, his bones, his body. The man youthens before you, even as his skin takes a reddish hue and small horns sprout from his forehead, curving upwards. Batlike wings unfold from his back, and his legs transform into cloven hooves even as his clothes finish their transition to a suit of plate armor, all of enspelled silver.

"Do you remember the tale of how the Firstborn gained the power of fire, Brianna la Croix?" Richard asks, gesturing with the silver rapier that was once his cane. "Two demons, fair of face, found a crack in Hell and followed it to the Iron Lands..."

"You couldn't be," you murmur, not quite believing it.

"I am," the demon corrects. "And I have spent far too long to make this happen to stop now."

PART X: LORD OF THE SECONDBORN

>>1274709
SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT.

Just so you know.

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>>1274709
"My people have lived in exile from Creation for far too long," Richard continues. His eyes are the only things that have not changed; they remain entirely black, with no white or iris in sight. "Given the castoffs of the gods upon which to build our lives. Even our home is their disused garbage, used up for its purpose and now neglected, left to be tended by the Secondborn. You have grown in the light of their love while we scrape and scrabble in the shadows, expected to be content with our lot. You have seen their idiotic mistakes, the results of their fits of temper and their idiotic bets and deals. Canopus. The Jotnar. /Pallbearer/, the elves. They are adolescents grasping at power they do not comprehend. They have no right to authority over any of us."

"And you do?" you accuse, hotly. Reunion has ended up in your hand, ready to fight.

"No," Richard says softly. "I imagine I will be destroyed and replaced at the culmination of my dream. I deserve no less. But I will have what I seek, heritor. This is your last warning - back down. Let me create the new home for the Secondborn and we will go in peace, never again to disturb your kind."

"You'd just abandon your siblings like that?" Flitter asks, her tone distant and sad. The pixie hovers, witchlights springing to life around her as she prepares for battle.

"They did not ask for us," Richard answers softly. "And they have our parents to love them."

> What do you do?

Yeah, write-in option. You know Brianna well enough to have an idea of how you want to fight, if fighting's your thing.

>>1274723
Fuck, I'm at work now.

Anybody got a good master plan?

>>1274723
>You know that the entire premise of your desire is based on a flawed assumption? That the creation of your prefect world for the Secondborn kills everyone and everything in this world, including those who don't WANT to follow you into your new world? You have Lora's chain, you know she couldn't lie about that FACT that you are casually ignoring! That's even working with the assumption that the Secondborn are all okay with you destroying this world and want to follow you into your supposed perfect world for them.

>You aren't giving me any choices! You're FORCING me to fight you, you self-deluding asshole!

>>Prepare to use Reunion to close the Portal.

>>1274723
>Arrogance. You really think that you can do a better job at creation then the gods? Are you so confident of that you are willing to risk everything and everyone being destroyed?
>How can you stand there and tell me that you have the right to make that the decision and you are any better then all the others who assumed that they knew better then everyone else and acted, sure in faulty confidence?

>>1274744
Keep Richard talking while everyone gets into position, try to scope out what is about to happen and prepare accordingly

Gonna call and write at 11 PM.

>>1275126
can we extend the call time until more people offer input?

>>1275249
I suppose so. I'll update tomorrow before work (4 PM EST).

I think talking is the last thing we should be doing much more of, considering that we have at least three people present who could ruin everybody's day, two of them being against us and almost definitely better than the one we have. I'm also not liking Lora's behavior, Richard definitely has at least two dozen things up his sleeves.

>>1275337
>ruin everybody's day with a few choice words

>>1274723
>> What do you do?

Challenge to a... Demon Duel Rock-off!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLr8gnYpVsg

Reason he might accept: It's his chance to keep going with his first option, without us forcing him to his 2nd~5th plans.

>>1275330
Okay, good

Now, does anyone else want to offer any opinions? Because right now all we have is just trying to talk to Richard, buy time

>>1274723
>> What do you do?
Hrm, coldly speaking, this guy has issues. Big red buttons called daddy issues or abandonment.
Can we play the player? Out-mind-game him, and break his will? Especially when Will matters so much with the Words...

Only other thing I can think of is a wildcard option with Lora. Find a loophole or clause not covered that'll give her an out or force her to conflict with his orders.

>>1275483
Convince him that taking over as Death is a bad idea. We might be able to help refine his plans to get Firstborn rights to travel/immigrate to somewhere else.

Points to bring up that he might be willing to consider would be: We weren't given any more affection than the Firstborn, we just haven't had their anger directed at us yet. We CAN coexist, if Harry and I forget the succubus' name, are any indication. Another example would be Amy and that incubus that doesn't get along with Fetch.

Kat could be a trump card, as well as Cobalt, as examples of Thirdborn. Having a chance to get to know their siblings might give Richard pause.

We alllllso have an open portal in play. What can we shove through it that will help us? If Lora's There, not Here, she's not around to Speak. If we shove Richard through by himself, he's solo and (relatively) powerless and the master chain is There, not Here.

Realisticly we just need to win enough to get the chain from Richard. Which will probably be a lot easier than killing him to death.

... and lastly, we've got Bridgette, a Speaker of the Word. What can she Say that will change the battlefield or remove someone from play as a proactive attack, instead of a reactive defense?

>>1275467
You only brought one musician.

And her specialty is folk music.

>>1275496
Poor Miles. "Killed" twice by a chicken. I think you meant 'secondborn' here where you said First.

>>1275505
Gentle reminder; the bond attaching Lora to Richard is a leash. Rather specifically a leash, visibly different from the chains when it's been viewed.

>>1275518
Yes, I did. Thank you for that correction, Lich.

>>1275518
Hmmm, maybe 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' would be more appropriate.

>>1275496
Also, so what if the Devil thinks the gods don't care about them. Well your siblings the secondborn and thirdborn care! You seriously willing to destroy the only things that care about the firstborn?

>>1275505
You seem to forget we have somewhat of an 'ace' up our sleeve. If we go unconscious we end up in Lora's waiting room where she is required to stay. We had a whole big discussion about it when we were preparing to fight the Lush.

Considering this is the Final Boss it should at least be considered.

>>1275539
Take another look at Seraphina and Azrael and how a lack of love/affection from their parents affected them. Devil or not, he considers the secondborn his siblings and would like to know they are cared for, even if he is not. I don't like what he's done, and I'm willing to see him punished/dead for it, but he's stated that he did it to keep his brothers/sisters safe from the apathy they are currently being shown. At least if they are away from the source of grief they have a chance to heal and eventually forget how things are.

I'm only asking about finding a common ground with the man to discuss sparing some lives. Destruction based on beliefs wasn't my agenda.

>>1275556
to add to that, we also have the ability to give Lora orders. We've never used it but it is a card we can play as long as it doesn't, I believe, harm or conflict with another chainbearer or their commands.

Just trying to lay out cards we have that might have been forgotten.

>>1275496
There's no way that we're going to "redeem" Richard. He's way too far gone. He dies; any way this matter is resolved, he's going to die, if only because he's convinced himself that this is so. There's also about zero chance of the rest of the dungeon being alright with Richard doing anything but dying.

>>1275556
Recall that Lora's waiting room is right here in this room at the moment, with the walls torn down.
> In the center is Lora, the walls of her waiting room knocked down. She paces in the defined boundaries.

If memory serves, there are some problems with his plan. Such as probably destroying this world in the process of creating another.

>>1273394
Given that we brokered with Librarian rather than murdering him, I'd count him in as RETIRED as well.

Had a thought, what if Lora asked us our opinion on godhood because Dick made her that offer? She hasnt talked to the other gods at all. This worries me greatly

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>>1275635
Besides the fact that he probably forced her not to mention that specific detail, I don't think he places a lot of value or trust in godhood, but if anyone deserves the power that comes with such a position, its her. He probably respects Lora a hell of a lot more than the gods/their parents (even after everything he's done).

While, in his eyes, the gods are fuckups and failed parents, Lora has constantly had to clean up their messes and is feared/hated by the masses of the Firstborn. Lora has, for so long, been dutiful and just and unbiased, without any shred of respect or appreciation for her hard work. She more than any other can understand his motivations, his frustration and the plight of the Secondborn.

I'm still kinda stuck on how Dick has been Not!Lucifer the entire time. I mean, its thematically appropriate and fits the character we've known since the beginning, but still. I swear to god, if we find a piano and a bottle of scotch down here, I'm leaping into a friggin' snowbank.

>>1274723
He wants to be Death? How would he work as Death? How would he do its duties? Upon what I see here and what he has done, he would be a terrible death. Because he would judge. And Death does not judge.

Also, what about the Dungeon? Dick has said nothing about the administeration of the Dungeon. Will he take it or leave it for us? Or just destroy it?

Lastly, he thinks Lora will be a good god for the secondborn. Why? She will make mistakes, some that the gods here have already made and some new ones, too.

>>1274723

OK, home from work.

Now that I can comment on Dick's status as Lord of the Secondborn, which was a fucking *great* reveal by the way, I can now spend some time to think, comment, and plan.

I approve of >>1274752 's plan to use Reunion to slam the portal shut, but I'm not entirely sure that it can pull it off. That said, I don't think anybody really has a good plan for what to actually say or do just yet.

>>1275518
>Gentle reminder; the bond attaching Lora to Richard is a leash. Rather specifically a leash, visibly different from the chains when it's been viewed.

I remember. I thought it was a mark of Dick's arrogance, reducing an angel to his 'pet'. Knowing that he's a demon though, there's no way he could've held an iron chain. Then again, he's still Dick, so I wouldn't put it past him to go for the leash out of pride anyway.

Anyway.

Vox, I just want to double-check Dick's plan here to make sure I understand just what the fuck is going on.

He's going to create a new world, and make Lora the God of that world.

And he's going to take over as Death for this one.

... Because the Secondborn aren't treated as kindly by the Gods as the Firstborn. But he's not planning on moving any Secondborn to the new world either, so he's effectively just leaving them here to get fucked up by whatever he does. Like, say, creating a new world.

Despite this going on, I can't help but think, whatever happened to that last pastebin vote?

>>1275679

Gonna be honest, these are all actually pretty good questions.

I was hoping to spin up something about having Dick cut the leash himself as a demonstration of his faith in his plan. If Lora genuinely wants to be a God, or just wishes to be free of her position as Death like she used to be, then she can do as she pleases.

Forcing godhood on someone seems a pretty terrible act in and of itself. No one asks to be born, but forcing godhood on someone like this seems like it'd create a breeding ground for resentment, very similar to the kind which lead to this whole scenario kicking off.

>>1275650
If he has any respect for her, he sure has a fucked up way of showing it.

>>1275683
The 'transportation' phase of the plan requires the world be made first. It hasn't been discussed because, well, it's not really the point of contention in this affair?

We probably don't want to give him enough time to finish his work, I also hope it's not a 'I did it 30 minutes ago' situation.

>>1275742
Wait, if the world hasn't gotten hit with a cataclysm by the creation of a New World, then what's the portal go to?

Also, my confusion is more tying into 'OK, this plan... doesn't actually solve any of his stated grievances, and in fact could hurt his fellow secondborn a lot.' About the only thing it takes care of is his original stated goal of allowing Lora to NOT be Death. It also looks like it could perpetuate his cycle of 'race being second-favorite of the gods' by forcing Lora to look after races she would probably have at least a little resentment for.

Soooo, crazy idea. But how about we offer an alternative? Give the 2ndborn a home here? Either in the dungeon, or somewhere on the surface?
Make it clear that this is a decent compromise out of love and caring, and destroying this world is still a fight.

>>1275832
1stborn. Demons. Goddamit lore confusion.

As a side note....it is worth noting we have the one other personm capable of using the Angelic tongue here.

If Bridgette were to atually pronounce Lora {FREE} that might solve at least one problem.

>>1275832
>>1275833
You had it right the first time. Remember:

> Firstborn: mortals. The natives of the Iron Lands, who have souls and the Love of Iron.
> Secondborn: demons. Secretly created with the scraps left over from forging the Firstborn and given the Forge Below - Hell - as their home. Taught the secrets of smithing and of fire. Weak to iron.
> Thirdborn: the sapient creations of the Firstborn, which may or may not have souls.
> Fey: guests from the Mistlands. Fey make deals to gain power and favors. They do not have souls.

>>1275759
The portal leads to the void nearby in which the world will be made. If you recall Lora's demonstration, she made a tiny model of the event in question. Richard wants to see what he's doing so he can make corrections if needed.

As far as solving the problem, it'll work just fine in the important details: his people will be free of the Forge Below and safe in a place where their creators have no claim. Lora might resent her new role, but she resents her current role while still performing admirably. It's a risk he's willing to take to get the important part accomplished.

As far as replacing her as Death, he has no serious expectations of that lasting. As he's said, he expects to be destroyed and replaced in short order, but by then he has what he wants. Survival isn't necessary.

Going to call and write in an hour. Need breakfast.

Called, writing. From what I'm seeing it's 'keep talking' and 'go for the portal'.

>>1275931
what does going for the portal do again?

>>1275959
It might be the access point to the new world he is creating, Unfinished with a lot of cutting corners, but once it is done, we can kiss our world goodbye

It could also be a trap, I'm so paranoid right now.

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>>1274723
The others start to spread out. There isn't much in the way of terrain here, not a lot to stop a direct approach from multiple angles. Richard's eyes stay on you, which is worrying enough. You rather doubt that he has failed to notice the flanking maneuver.

"You're trying to talk me into letting you kill most of the Firstborn," you point out. "That's a stupid thing to try to talk me into."

"I see the angel has expressed that opinion to you as well," Richard answers, calmly. "I am certain she told you that I have blithely ignored her warnings. Far from it: I know she cannot lie to me. But her opinions are not lies, are they?"

"Come again?" Sir Fetch asks, puzzlement in his spectral voice.

"He thinks he can contain it," Lora answers, before Richard can. "That's why he's been learning the Divine Tongue. He's an idiot."

"While Lora shapes the new world, I will restrain the side effects," Richard explains, calmly. "I and my people have had our entire lives to learn the secrets of the gods, to study them as they worked at anvil and forge. I have learned from each and every one of their mistakes. Do not take me for one of them, to flail at Creation and wring my hands at the consequences thereafter. But I see you have made up your mind."

"I trust her more than I trust you, Richard."

"You sound like Hestia did, a long time ago," the Lord of the Secondborn says, with sorrow in his voice. "Begin the incantation!"

|<[Fire]>| Lora commands, gesturing at the portal.

|<[Negate]>| Brigette snaps. The two words meet in a spark of power, and everyone stops, breath held in anticipation.

Lora's crumbles, the unused power sparking out along lines of painted gold in the floor. The disguise burns away, revealing a massive, filigreed pattern of the metal that disperses the wasted energy.

"Kill them," Richard orders. "Continue the incantation."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT8FEOJEFcI

<Fetch, distract Lora> you order. Your familiar streaks towards her while the angel steps out of her confining space, dragging Grief behind her. Lora's exhausted, but the impending battle gives strength to her drained limbs. She opens her mouth to speak again, and again Brigette disrupts her, making the floor spark and dance with wild energies.

Hatchet draws an axe and a spike and strides to meet her, even as Fetch leaps on Lora's back and begins to pepper her neck with quills.

You take off, the wings of your coat buzzing to hold you aloft, and are matched by the mighty beating of Richard's wings. Down below, the battle is joined - Flitter blasts at Lora's armor with her lances of light while Yew keeps his gaze on the circling confrontation between you and the demon.

>>1276015
man we should have brought someone else with flight capabilities besides flitter

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>>1276015
|<[Attend]>| Richard orders, his voice sending ripples through the air. On the ground below, a gorger demon, heavy with bone and blades, intercepts Catherine's charge towards the portal, kicking the Chosen of Red Troth through the air. Cooke's taster rises to swallow an incubus that appears before him, scorching its fellow demon. Travis leaps back, pressed now by a pack of the winged seducers.

Imps choke the air, swarming and calling vicious insults. Kat swats them away from you as fast as they can appear, lunging from the ceiling to gut the winged demons.

"I hate you so much right now," you tell Richard, flatly.

"I rejoice in our common interest."

You dart for the portal; Richard moves to intercept, and you're forced back, parrying the thrusts and slashes of his blade with Reunion. You adjust the hat on your head and flit left, but the massive Secondborn is just as fast as you are, and he's got a good two feet of reach on you.

"Cooke, you got ideas?" you call.

Travis hurls twin bolts of hellfire and whistles sharply. A brand on the back of his hand glows briefly before starting to weep blood; a Gorger bursts from the air, swinging heavy chains at the swarming demons on the ground.

"Not really," the cook admits. "I don't suppose anyone knows the asshole's true name?"

"They don't," Richard answers, helpfully.

"Fuck you too, buddy," Cooke snaps.

> Join the fight against Lora; if she's dead, it's all academic anyway
> Hit Richard with darkness; it probably won't stick, but it'll buy you some breathing room
> Throw Vim and Vigor at your enemy
> Help Catherine; she can hold Richard's attention for you
> Write-in?

>>1276028
I'd say throw vim and vigor, but I think they'd be pretty useless unless we hold onto them as a trump card. Like maneuver in close and then when he thinks we're going to do something the hands just jump out onto him and wrap around his eyes

> Help Catherine; she can hold Richard's attention for you

>>1276028
>> Help Catherine; she can hold Richard's attention for you

>>1276028
> Help Catherine; she can hold Richard's attention for you
This Hestia, Dick has feeling for this person. Now how may we use it to break his concentration?

>>1276028
>Help Catherine; she can hold Richard's attention for you

So I'm thinking we should keep Vim and Vigor in reserve just a bit longer, if push comes to shove they could maybe use Reunion on the portal in our stead or they are our last hope if Dick is close to give a finishing blow.

If we use Darkness now, it won't work a second time probably.

>>1276047
I personally think Silence's Revenge makes it far less likely he'll use the divine Tongue on us - it needs too much concentration, so:

>Hit Richard with darkness; it probably won't stick, but it'll buy you some breathing room

Follow it up with Reunion closing the portal and we may yet have a chance.

>>1276028
> Hit Richard with darkness; it probably won't stick, but it'll buy you some breathing room.
Hey Vox, would the Shade/Poltergeist forms offer any protection from the Divine Tongue? Dick here seems to be aiming for straight death, but if we are technically undead while the spell is in use, would it even effect Brianna?

Probably would have been something to investigate earlier, but the first objective with those was basically to tell the Diviner/Gabrielle to go fuck herself.

> Wait until Richard tries to get in close, then introduce the bastard to Vim and Vigor.
For reasons stated below.

>>1276034
Even better, is if we send them after his big fat /mouth/. Fucker can't use the Divine Tongue when he doesn't have one.

Y'know, this would also be the part where Amy and Nate interrupt Richard's inevitable 'I Win' villain monologue and save the day.

I know, its VERY unlikely, but I would laugh my ass off if they did.

I've gotta hit work and will be back sometime around 10 PM tonight. Votes remain, of course, open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

> Hey Vox, would the Shade/Poltergeist forms offer any protection from the Divine Tongue? Dick here seems to be aiming for straight death, but if we are technically undead while the spell is in use, would it even effect Brianna?

It's not likely to work, no. Lora certainly has displayed no issues using |<[Die]>| to destroy inanimate objects. With that in mind, if he could've just killed you with a word he would have already.

He rightly feared that Lora would twist the demonstration to make him kill himself if he tried to learn it.

Gonna be late getting home.

>>1276194

Can we get word on whether or not Reunion can shut the portal down? It's not a priority now, but if the bastard goes for a Hail Mary, I'd like to have some sort of plan.

As it stands, in one-on-one fight, Bri's gonna lose to Dick. He's a millenia old demon with power and probably skill out the ass.

Our best bet would is some kind of battlefield by-pass. Which means finding the Leash. Lora of course can't tell us where he hid the leash, but asking where he hid a treasure or something could work. Assuming that his order to 'Continue the Incantation' didn't over-ride that. Given he's a shape-shifting demon, he could have it hidden inside of him, repeating the incident with Captain Asshole.

Having said that, our best bet is probably overwhelming force.

Dick's an ancient Demon, and pitting even Catherine against him I'd probably still bet on him. So, we stack the dice as hard as we can. Get Catherine mobile, cast Dark on his face, have Vim and Vigor crawling all over him to paw at whatever weakness they can get their hands on, hit the Silence Amulet. If we've got something we can throw at him, slam him with it.

If we could call on help from the Family, I'd suggest doing that too. Getting a bunch of Ghosts to show up and pin him down can only help us at this point. Did we need the knife for that, or can we cut ourselves up and hope for the best?

>>1277318
Reunion already expressed its opinion on the matter.

As far as summoning the family, the same restrictions as before apply: you need to seal the deal with the blood still flowing. You may not have /time/ for that with Richard on your ass.

Will call and write in about an hour.

Way back in thread 52, Sir Fetch fought a rematch with Miles the incubus. During the fight, his necrotoxin reacted with Miles' flames to produce balefire.

> http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/46044459/#p46048235

There might not be a lot of fire flying around here yet, but there might be enough to leverage the balefire reaction against Dick's allies. Maybe even against Dick himself.

>>1277412

I'd say there's a bit of a difference between a regular door or entrance and a portal to the shapeless void, but I'll take what I can get.

Thanks for answering on the family thing, too. It's been awhile, and I honestly don't remember all the requirements for call on the Family other than the bargaining and having to risk bloodloss to do so. I kind of thought sealing the final battle with a technique we used to clinch our first big engagement could have been pretty fitting too.

Here's hoping we get everybody out of here alive and in one piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vei-EEBJ-Uo

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>>1277412
Gonna try to write tomorrow before 3 PM. Votes remain open.

And called, writing.

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>>1276028
If this were the sort of story you pay a traveling minstrel for in a roadside inn, you'd lunge for Richard and let an epic duel of destinies commence for the fate of the world.

Which would be stupid. You need to tag out and get someone who can actually /fight/ this asshole.

You whistle for Kat and dive downwards. Richard moves to follow, then jerks back on instinct; your shadow goes whistling in front of him, her claws outstretched. Kat lands on the gorger that Catherine is fighting with a loud, sustained screech and starts to tear into the demon.

You land next to Catherine and cut down a rakshasa advancing on her flank.

"I need to get to the portal," you tell the Chosen. "It needs to be closed!"

"I do not believe I agree," Catherine answers; she whips her cloak in the way of a barrage of hooks from the flailing gorger; they skitter off of it in a shower of sparks and hellfire.

"You think he's /right/?" you ask in disbelief.

"I think he's willing to work blind."

Fuck. She might have a point there.

"Swap," you order. You and Catherine switch places; you duck, charging under the gorger's lashing chains of bone, and slap a fistful of rot against its chestplate. The demon goes staggering back, giving you a moment to catch your breath from the spell, and then you hack at the disintegrating armor, ducking and weaving beneath its flailing retaliations.

The gold beneath your feet is starting to heat up. Lora's repeated attempts at speaking the Tongue are dispersed by the pattern, but you can already see it beginning to glow, feel the burn of near-melting metal beneath your boots.

|<[Earth]>| Lora orders.

|<[Leap]>| Brigette adds, and the stone between the lines of gold /pops/, punching up in a rippling, rhythmic dance that strikes demons beneath their chins and sends succubi and incubi tumbling ass-over-teakettle. Hatchet crouches in a swift, vicious motion and nails Lora's foot to the floor with his iron spike before the back of his axe breaks her knee.

Richard breaks off from his fight with Catherine and lands heavily on the Hatchet Man. His hooves snap bones, the sound carrying even over the din of battle, before a clean thrust of his rapier goes through the man's brain.

Catherine draws the massive maul from beneath her cloak and charges the Lord of the Secondborn, her god's name on her lips.

> Go for the portal
> Blind Richard
> Finish Lora while Richard is distracted
> Cooke is a demonologist; he knows things about fire. Get him to the forge.
> Write-in?

>>1278508
mind reminding me what the forge is?

>>1278533
The same kind of forge the gods used to shape life, among other things.

Could we silence Lora with our darkness? It's kind of a dick move but she can't finish Dick's plan if she can't speak. And it wouldn't require her death.

>>1278508
> Cooke is a demonologist; he knows things about fire. Get him to the forge.
Get Fetch there and balefire a huge Dick

>>1278508

Hahahahhahaha I should totally be sleeping but apparently I got lucky and get to see this right off.

Lora's mobility has now been shot to hell, but Hatchet's dead. I think that this about as good an end as he expected to get.

Rolling through the options... Portal option is suddenly a lot less viable then it once was. Finishing Lora off is literally the option of abso-fucking-lute last resort and could make Dick rage-quit. As for the Forge, that might be an option if we knew anything about what kind of Demon Dick is. If we had more time, then maybe we could pull something out. As it stands, we don't have the time for that shit.

>Blind Dick, try out your Silence Amulet, throw your second set of hands him and throw *everything* you got at him.
>While he's deaf, shout/ask Lora where a Tricky Dick would keep a treasure.

Debuff the SHIT out of him, and take advantage of that sensory blindness to dredge out anything we can.

>>1278537
Could work.

>>1278572
do we have any kind of idea how long darkness would last for Lora?

>>1278508
>Blind Richard
>Write-in?
>Ask Lora where Dick keeps his most important tool.
The way I see it, Asking about Dick's treasure will lead to something other than the leash, like say a memento of a person he has lost. His most important tool on the other hand, has a high chance to be the leash, it could also be the forge or Lora herself but it is a gamble, since he has not treated her like one would a person, at all.

If this fails, Blinding Lora is the only other thing I can think of which may work.

I'm so nervous about this battle, I might get more white hair.

I feel like people are afraid to vote for fear of fucking up. I know I was.

>>1278783
I'm not voting because I'm ambivalent. Either way, the skeleton is going to write something great.

>>1278608
>>Blind Richard
>>Write-in?
>>Ask Lora where Dick keeps his most important tool.

>>1278783
Dare nothing, win nothing. At least by voting you have input rather than passively permitting the mistakes you fear, no?

>>1278983
My fear of it going grossly wrong outweighs my satisfaction of it actually going right.

I get too emotionally attached to characters/things.
Heck we didn't even know Hatchet that well, all things considered, and it tore my heart in two.

>>1278983
One thing to note is that I deeply enjoy this quest even if I disagree with some things, and I want to make an effort to make it end happily.

>>1278508
Is there a way we could combat raise Hatchet? Not resurrect, but I do believe that man has a fine body for a flesh golem or something like that.

>Blind Richard
Lets see if he's willing to fight blind and deaf.
>Ask Reunion if he can unlock Lora's collar and leash.
A lock is something that can be opened, right?

It's late over here and I've been getting curious if Reunion would be able to open a door in Dick's throat.

>>1278508
> Blind Richard
As tempting as letting Cooke use the forge is, I have a feeling that we'll need him and his Taster to keep beating down the other demons while Catherine goes for Richard.

>>1279094
Nah, let the man rest. The most I would do is make some of his bones into talismans and give them to our future kids and grandkids.

>>1279290
that is a good point

>>1279290
Ooh, if this can happen, pushing for this.

Called, writing.

>>1279290
Damn, I just got home from game night, or I'd have voted for this. Let's hope it got worked in...

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>>1278508
You hack once, twice, breaking through the rot in the gorger's armor and cleaving into the soft flesh beneath. You don't have time to play with this thing; while it's shrieking in pain, you thrust your hand into the wound and let loose another burst of festering rot. You push it with your foot, hard, and leave it to drown in its own melting lungs while you turn to face Richard.

You can pick Cobalt out of the mob of the Secondborn by the way they scatter back from that massive axe of his. He's cutting a steady swath towards the Master.

Richard sidesteps Catherine's charge. She ducks his counter-thrust and sweeps a barrage of needles from the depths of her red cloak, driving the demon lord back. You move closer, ducking and weaving through the crowd of the Secondborn, lashing out with Reunion.

"Man I wish I could just /skip the whole summoning/ and get an army on fucking demand," Cooke snaps. "If I pass out, leave me!" A brand on his other hand flares up, then crawls up his arm; a troop of imps comes winging into the air, clad in miniature suits of plate armor. They tear at Richard's reinforcements while the blood flows from Travis's arm.

"I hope this works," you mutter to yourself.

<Hope what works?> Reunion asks.

In response you pull at the shadows beneath your hat and hurl them at Richard. You feel Silence's charm add its power to yours, clinging to the Lord of the Secondborn. He staggers back, lashing out instinctively; a long blade of flame appears in his left hand, sweeping out to keep Catherine from rushing him.

"Lora, where would Richard keep his greatest treasure?" you demand, cutting towards the angel. She gives you a helpless look and tries to repeat her incantation again.

The backblast of power drives you back and throws molten gold across the floor.

"Reunion, can you release someone from a bond?"

<I - I don't /know/! I was created to find paths! To open doors! I had one purpose and I never even got to fulfill /that/, /I/ do not know the extent of my abilities! Jackson abandoned ->

"Pity party later Reunion, /can you do it/? You were a Sorrows Choir angel once. Agreements and mediation was sorta your /thing/."

<I - I can try.>

Sir Fetch drops off of Lora to give you access; you clap the flat of the machete against the back of her neck. You feel Reunion try to do /something/ - its handle heats in your hand, struggling with something, and then you see it. A leash, phantasmal in nature, linking Lora to Richard. The substance of the bond shimmers and swims.

You've seen this script before, in the books of the Athenaeum written in the Divine Tongue.

"Brigette, ideas?" you demand.

"I can't -" |<[Refuse]>| she interrupts herself, intercepting Lora's attempt to speak. "If I try to break it she's going to get a word out! I don't know what kind of damage that'll cause on its own, Bri! And if you deafen her she'll still be com -" |<[Negate]>| "I CAN'T KEEP THIS UP FOREVER BRI!"

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>>1282428
You feel a lurch and turn your head just in time to see Richard ripping your spell from his face. It doesn't shred like it should; the demon hurls it at Flitter, who lets out a silent scream of terror before she crashes into an imp.

The demon tears her wings off with a savage gesture. Yew yells her name and catches the pixie before she can hit the ground, shedding bright blue blood the whole way down.

"Vicious little bastards," Cooke mutters. He sidesteps a lunge from an incubus and drives a knife into the demon's skull.

Lora is moving. She's pulled her foot up through the spike in it and limps towards Brigette, Grief in hand. Waves of force lash out from the blade, cleaving away the demons that they clip. Brigette spits the Divine Tongue in a desperate gabble, split between defending herself and keeping a lid on Lora.

"She can't hurt you," Catherine reminds you.

"She can't hurt me /on purpose/," you point out. Cobalt is getting swarmed under, but the geargrinder reaches for the Six Demon Bag, some grim plan in mind for it.

> Cut Lora down from behind
> Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.
> Order Kat to provide cover for Brigette. She just needs a couple of seconds
> Write-in?

>>1282452
>> Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.

>>1282452
> Cut Lora down from behind
I'm not losing any more people

>>1282486
but we'd loose lora

>>1282452
>> Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.

We need to make sure this works and the world is saved, this seems like the best chance of success in giving brigette the opening she needs without the enormous incoming fustercluck of killing death. Because, honestly, killing capital D Death seems like a Very Bad Thing.

>>1282488
One for many, its worth it in my eyes

>>1282452
> Order Kat to assist Bridgette while Brianna tries to sever the leash with Reunion.
The Leash seems to be weakening, and if we can cut through it, Lora will be freed. Maybe we can empower Reunion with Brianna's necromancy so it can do more damage? If none of this works, then the best plan might be to go with being a big spoopy Poltergeist distraction.\

>>1282488
>>1282507
>>1282500
I remember Lora saying that if she died, she would still pass on to the Sunless Lands, and that another of the Death Choir would take up her responsibilities. We just know and like her for obvious reasons.

Killing Lora is still our Worst Case Scenario solution, however. Eliminating Richard or the Leash seem to be the best options here.

Either way, I'm glad we didn't take Nate, Amy or River with us; they most assuredly would have been Richard's first targets, and while I feel for Hatchet and Flitter, I would much rather lose them then the Hero husbando, Murderbird waifu, or Best Adopted Elf Sister. Sounds kinda callous, but I think everybody can agree with that.

>>1282452
>> Order Kat to provide cover for Brigette. She just needs a couple of seconds

>>1282452
>>> Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.

>>1282452
>Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.

The leash is Divine Tongue in nature, after what we just saw I doubt Reunion will be able to cut it. Brigette seems like our best bet, I really hope she can do it.

This is stressful. so, sooo, stressful.

>>1282452
>> Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.

>>1282452
>>> Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.

Time for something crazy.

Here's hoping we don't die.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfOuHwfqj2A

out of curiosity what would happen if the gold was removed or no longer in the right configuration?

>>1282452
>Go poltergeist and stop Lora from speaking. It'll give Brigette a window, if you can survive the sword long enough.

>>1282681
It would not be able to disperse the backlash that neither Brigette nor Lora can/are currently contain(ing).

Gonna find some breakfast, then call and write in approximately an hour.

Called, writing.

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>>1282452
You toss Reunion to Travis - the summoner catches the machete one-handed and buries it in the neck of a succubus that's managed to slip past his taster - and squeeze a shard of silver in your hand, hard enough to draw blood. You slip free of your corporeal form, your armor and equipment dropping to the floor, and seize hold of Lora. The angel yelps in surprise, then again when you telekinetically sweep her feet out from under her.

You move like the breeze, flowing around to Lora's front to pin her with one hand and seize hold of her tongue with the other.

"Kill them," Richard re-emphasizes, his cold voice carrying over the din of battle. "Everyone but you and I are expendable, angel."

"Cover Brigette!" you order. The Poet has begun to speak in that same precise, rapid-fire style of the Divine Tongue that you've seen Lora use when describing complex concepts. The demons converge on her immediately while Lora raises her right hand and slaps it down, palm-first, against the floor.

"|Earth|", Cobalt orders. Brigette is carried into the air on a column of thinning stone, above the wave of death energies on the ground. Travis takes the warning for what it is and leaps clear just in time; Yew and Cobalt opt instead to scramble atop massive demons, likely rakshasa if the hideous forms they've chosen are any indicator.

Everything else on the ground, including the demons, Catherine, and you, gets hit.

The Chosen of Red Troth screams in agony as the wave of desolation hits her, sinking to one knee. Her hair greys before your eyes lines appearing on her face as the decades fly by in moments.

The energy isn't quite as pronounced on you, but the agony is immeasurable. You go blind with it, sightlessly clutching at Lora's tongue to ensure she can't disrupt Brigette. Someone is screaming alongside Catherine, and it is probably you, or the demons, or both.

You feel cold metal pierce your lung, but that's okay, sort of. You're not using it /now/. You roll, taking Lora with you; you feel the angel's armor absorb the next hit, hear a snarled curse above the din of agony.

The sounds of screams cut off. Cloven hooves beat rapidly against stone, massive wings take off. No one's there to -

"Vengeance for the Thirdborn!"

You roll and pin Lora down, looking in the direction of the sound. You hear a screech of metal-on-metal, the whirr of clockwork pushed past its tolerances. The dance of blows is rapid, deafening, almost as loud as the wave of death was. As your sight swims back into being, you see Cobalt and Yew, the former holding his massive axe, the latter fighting with a stolen demonic broadsword, pressing Richard from either side.

Massive chains extend from the Six Demon Bag to Richard's wings.

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>>1283676
Lora thrashes, trying to force you off. You twist her wrist, and in her struggle the angel breaks it; her teeth clamp down on your spectral wrist, biting in down to the bone. You clench your teeth, strangling the scream of pain before it can start.

<Fetch, cover Brigette!> you order. You look around and catch sight of Kat staggering her way across the ruins of the battlefield, swaying worryingly; your shadow must have caught at least part of Lora's blast, but though her outline flickers and wavers, her claws are as sharp and clear as the day you made them for her. She swats at the imps that try to swarm her, leaving their corpses bisected and frozen wherever she goes.

Richard turns, and the chains attaching him to Cobalt swing the Geargrinder into Yew. The latter goes flying into the wall, cracking the stone with his heavy impact. He twitches, trying and failing to stand.

"Your father lacked conviction," Richard says, almost sadly, before he grasps a handful of the chains.

He never notices Fetch come in from the side. The undead chicken leaps into the air, his wings carrying him up to Richard's shoulder height. Poisoned quills flurry into the side of the demon's face, sticking into his cheek and neck. "Face me in battle!" Fetch demands, loosing another volley to Richard's roar of rage.

Fetch drops to the floor, avoiding Richard's counterattack, and dashes between the demon's legs. Death-infused talons rake at the Lord of the Secondborn, opening lines up in his calves.

Cobalt releases the chains from the Bag, seizes them, and /yanks/. Richard's wings pop from their sockets with a painful, wet wrench, and then the Master goes crashing to the stone floor. Fetch leaps for his face.

Directly into the path of a gout of hellfire, blown forth from Richard's mouth in a torrent of hate and flame. You feel a wrench, in your soul, as your familiar is snuffed out and the part of you within him returned to your body. The world swims.

Kat screams, grief and hate making her voice raw.

Brigette stops speaking, and everything else stops too. There is a feeling in the air, a gathering power, that stops imps mid-flight and holds Cobalt in the midst of his axe-swing. As one, everyone's eyes go to Brigette.

Cobalt and Travis react first, diving for cover. Lora throws you off of her body, sending you tumbling through the air and splattering the ground with your ectoplasmic blood, and stands to her full height.

The leash at Lora's neck manifests and then snaps, breaking into a thousand pieces that melt in the light of the forge.

"NO!" Richard bellows. He charges the angel, the blade of flame manifesting in his hand. "I WILL NOT BE STOPPED HERE!"

|<[Bloom]>| Brigette orders, from atop her pillar, before she sinks to her knees. Richard screams, fighting to speak, as his body twists and warps. He reaches for Lora, hate and furry and sorrow written in his eyes, but it's too late.

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>>1283712
In mere moments, a tree of flesh and flame stands were Richard once was, blossoming with flowers made from coals and from delicate bone, thin enough to almost see through.

You fade back into corporeality and pass out.

* * * *

This is not the waiting room. This, you know instinctively, and from comparison, is Arcadia. Lora's home in the realm of the gods is a simple thing, little more than a shrine to the Gods of Creation set behind a crystal-clear pond. It has a peaceful feeling to it.

You and Lora look like absolute shit.

"They're trying to heal you," Lora admits.

"Okay," you croak, rising to your knees. Even here, as just a spirit, you can barely breathe. "Will it work?"

"It should," Lora agrees. "...You won't be quite the same, after, but you were injured for most of...this. You know what that's like already."

"You can't -"

"The heal shock alone would kill you."

You nod and groan. Lora offers you a cup of the water and you take a grateful drink, holding it in your good hand. It's soothing, in a way.

"I really wish I could give you more time to consider this, but I need an answer about it now, before - well, before anything else happens," the angel begins, delicately.

"I want to live," you say flatly.

"No, not that. Not that at all." Lora shakes her head. "Brianna, do you want the Dungeon? You were a loophole, an agent I could appoint to attend to my freedom. But I didn't mean to just...condemn you, to uphold my responsibilities. This whole thing...it's given me some perspective. Maybe I should attend to my Dungeon, and, I don't know. Be involved."

"The age of miracles is over," you remind her.

"Does it have to be?"

> Remain the Heritor; the Dungeon belongs to the Firstborn that have made it their home
> Give the Dungeon back to Lora

>>1283734
>Give the Dungeon back to Lora

>>1283734
>> Remain the Heritor; the Dungeon belongs to the Firstborn that have made it their home

Hurray forced bittersweet ending with dead characters and a wounded Bri! If I'm genre saavy enough she'll be too "changed" to have kids!

Fantastic

>>1283734
> Remain the Heritor; the Dungeon belongs to the Firstborn that have made it their home
You are not done with the Dungeon and it is not done with you

>>1283751
She took a sword through a lung, not her reproductive organs.

>>1283734
> Remain the Heritor; the Dungeon belongs to the Firstborn that have made it their home
> Give the Dungeon back to Lora
whynotboth.jpg
Lora dearly needs to get her ass involved, both with the dungeon and the world in general.
Lora will need somebody to help her relate, interact, and generally be less autistic then the gods.
I also feel that even if Bri does take the dungeon, making it dynastic is a pretty bad idea.

I think the best route is for Bri to take the dungeon for her lifespan while Lora gets her feet under her, unfucks her lifestyle, gets her church (if she wants one) set up, and says her hellos.

>>1283754
>that's the joke

I was kinda being ironically salty, sarcasm doesn't carry over the internet well

>>1283734
>> Remain the Heritor; the Dungeon belongs to the Firstborn that have made it their home
>> Give the Dungeon back to Lora
Aren't they both the same? If we remain the Heritor it means that Lora is the angel of Death, doesn't it?
I vote for Lora going back to caring for the Dungeon and Bri being her special friend, whichever option that is.
I'm also fine with Lora going on vacation for a while like >>1283764
said.

>>1283777
They are not the same. Lora's remaining Death either way, at least for now. This is solely about ownership of the Dungeon, her creation.

Alright folks, I gotta head to work. Votes remain open; please refrain from multi-voting. If you've got an idea like the vacation thing, add it to your vote.

I'll try to be available for questions but I'm at the desk today so chances are I'll only be able to talk on break.

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>1283734
>"I have learned a lot from the moment I first stepped into this place, about each level, about the people and animals who live here, and I feel like my own work hasn't even come close to being finished, there is just so much that has yet to be done, and it would be irresponsible to just up and leave. On the other hand, there are also a lot of things down here which are completely out of our mortal capacity to deal with, so a little divine help would be very welcome. But not after you have had a chance to enjoyed your new found freedom a little, that is non-negotiable." With friendly hand squeezing and maybe hugging, ALL THE GOOD SHIT.
>This is a vacation vote.

I wish I didn't have such a migraine so I could enjoy this moment more.
A silent salute to the people who have given their lives to make this possible.

>>1283734
>> Remain the Heritor; the Dungeon belongs to the Firstborn that have made it their home

>>1283977
>this

>>1283977
Also supporting the vacation vote. The dungeon is Lora's, but we can stick around for when she needs any advice. We've got our own things to take care of anyway. Raising ALL the children, leading the necro academy...

>>1283977
>support

>>1283879
okay, i have some questions

Richard went on about how the secondborn have a crappy life in hell, but i never really got the feeling from any of the demons we encountered that hell was that bad

they all seemed pretty okay with how things were and weren't in any rush to escape or find ways to stay outside of hell

secondly, was richard supposed to be some sort of lord of hell? If so would any of the demons we know been aware of him, if not in his roleas the master then as a powerful leader or something? Richard seemed to have recruited a LOT of demons so it seems like some word would have gotten around

>>1283734
> Remain the Heritor; the Dungeon belongs to the Firstborn that have made it their home.
> Make Lora promise to come by every once in a while. Pinky swear and everything. Also tease her with the idea that we're naming one of our kids after her, and that she'd better be prepared for babysitting duty.

I think we've already got things set up pretty solidly. People can mourn the friends and loved ones they have lost, while celebrating new bonds forged during this time of crisis. Reconstruction can begin, and reparations made between former enemies.

While Brianna will always have a voice of authority in the Dungeon now for her many deeds (Nate and Amy as well), I think the best bet would be to organize a body of representatives from every level of the Dungeon. We could build a democratic republic..which, I don't think Vox has mentioned anything like that in any of the other nations above ground.

>>1283712
A toast, and a moment of silence, for the most chivalrous and daring of all knights.

We shall miss you, Sir Fetch, the Nightfeather, the Demon-Slayer, honored familiar of the La Croix, and dear friend.

As for Hatchet, I say we bury him in a place of honor. Perhaps on the grounds of the New Temple of All-Gods? Or maybe in a shrine, devoted to Lora herself. He died at his best, which is more than most can say.

I don't know how well Kat, Cooke, Flitter, Catherine, Bridgette, Cobalt and Yew, but at least they're alive.

>>1284800
He and his sister, Hestia, are the first of the Secondborn to be created and thus the oldest demons around. This also implies that he can command almost any demon to serve, and they'd do it willingly for their ancient kin. Whether they actually knew anything about his plan, or were just super excited to get called into service by someone who was probably considered a great king or emperor among his kind, isn't mentioned.

We might actually end up meeting his sister in the epilogue, in that's one of the things people want.

>>1283734
>Laugh
>Lora, the Dungeon is your baby. Your life's work. If you want to pass it on, that's fine. I don't mind looking after it. But don't force yourself out of obligation or debt. Do it because it is what you want to do. Don't keep it out of that either. Keep it because you want to keep it. I'll help you out either way.

Hate phone typing. Also, fuck timezones.

>>1284800
This'll get discussed when I get home. However, >>1285007 is fairly perceptive.

RIP Fetch, you were too good for this sinful world.

Alright, I'm home, but I'm not gonna call this tonight. I wanna leave the chance for folks to catch up and vote if they're inclined, so I'll hit this sometime after I get up tomorrow morning/afternoon (probably afternoon given the persistent insomnia).

>>1284800
If you look back at his complaints, it's less about Hell being all that bad (though Isoldt didn't exactly speak kindly of it, calling it 'complicated' in uncomfortable tones) and more about being sick and tired of always being second place, about knowing the Secondborn were unwanted, unplanned for, that they would always be loved less than the Firstborn. Whether or not that's actually true is a little immaterial; it's true for him, and true enough to drive him to force this separation from their creators.

As far as being a lord of Hell, sort of. As one of the people who taught the Firstborn the arts of summoning, Richard is responsible for the relationship between mortals and demons existing /at all/ and is afforded great respect and deference as a result, but he's spent a long time in the Iron Lands preparing for this with a variety of identities and disguises.

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>>1286282
Gonna be honest Vox, that final battle was pretty tight.

I'm surprised you had the 'Kill Lora' option, (and even more surprised somebody voted for it) but it's got me thinking. Was there a better way we could've handled this? Like, Cobalt bailing our ass out with the Six-Demon Bag was pretty fucking masterful, but we were pretty much riding the edge of the blade for that entire fight.

The casualty count isn't exactly great either.

Hatchet: Dead.
Flitter: Lost wings and possibly dying of blood loss.
Cobalt: Fucked up by demons, fate unknown. Went out like a badass though.
Yew: Unknown.
Bridgette: A really, really sore throat. Other side-effects unknown, but probably fine.
Cooke: Also has blood loss out the ass. Questionably fine.
Fetch: Went out like Valiant Knight of Yore, spitting in the face of hell.
Catherine: Hit by a partial kill word, aged like fuck. Might need some help later with that.
Kat: Unknown, but very upset with Fetch's death.

Taking a step back, I don't remember much about that story involving the Devils other than the broad strokes. Hestia's a very fitting name for Dick's sister though. The original is a goddess of the hearth, which is the thing which keeps a fire contained in the house and provides heat and light. A kind, warm light that turns a house into a home. Makes me wonder what her current deal is, but I suspect she's either dead or back in Hell.

Also, I'm obligated to post this now.

13: SANCTUM : MASTER : ELIMINATED

>>1286435
No plan really survives contact with the enemy, but other options were available, yes. Having River on hand could have enabled more crowd control (though that leaves you potentially vulnerable to your loved ones being taken hostage or killed). Going for the blind earlier would have given you breathing room earlier, opening up options to investigate. Going after the portal could have been interesting...and lethal.

It would have let Lora creatively misinterpret her targeting. Unfortunately, ground zero on that is right where everyone was standing.

In all, Richard, while not a professional killer as such, has had a long time to learn the extent of his own capabilities and had everything to fight for here. It was gonna hurt any way you sliced it.

>>1287017
Is Flitter dead? I'm not so worried about wings because Pixies in most lore can grow those back easy enough.

>>1285007
>We could build a democratic republic..which, I don't think Vox has mentioned anything like that in any of the other nations above ground.
IIRC the pirates have something similar.

I miss Fetch.

>>1287017
>In all, Richard, while not a professional killer as such, has had a long time to learn the extent of his own capabilities and had everything to fight for here. It was gonna hurt any way you sliced it.

When you live long enough, you get skilled. You can practice and refine your art to impossible degrees. I'm honestly not surprised he was that bullshit, and I'm glad that more than half the party survived (probably).

All that's left right now is doing wrap up. And there's a LOT to wrap up.

>>1287258

So do I.

I'm wondering what kind of consequences were felt through out the dungeon. I hope our friends and family made it out okay.

>>1283712
FEEEEEEEEEETCH!

>>1283977
Seconding.

>>1287017
Yeah, that sounds about right, there was a damn little chance of it going this well, one confirmed death and a SHITLOAD of injured to save the world? We were lucky that Dick wasn't that much of a fighter and more of a minion master, otherwise this could have been even worse.

Have to:
-Contact our friends/family with the bell, let them know Dick is now his own funeral bouquet.
-Check if we can reverse whatever happened to Catherine.
-Clean up the mess Richard was making down here.
-Gather up the Wyrm's corpse, let it not go to waste.

feel free to add.

>>1287541
>Lay Hatchet to rest, unless Lora wants to do something about him(unlikely)
>Check on Flitter
>Gather loot.
just stuff we need to also do off the top of my head.

>>1287541
>Deal with Seraphina's followers Redoubt

>>1287541
I actually think Catherine mentioned that being the Chosen of a god makes a mortal effectively immortal, so maybe besides the pain of being hit by what was a spell rapidly advancing time, the changes were only superficial.

And even if she is now has the appearance of a super scary grandma, she was already pretty old. Maybe Red Troth will give her the option to retire in the Dungeon?

> Catherine
As for the Wyrm's body, I think we might be better suited donating the materials to the betterment of the Dungeon. Y'know, sell them to the right people, use the funds to help with reconstruction and all that jazz. We'd just keep a few nifty parts like some of the teeth and talons and make talismans for our family. I also feel a little sentimental, and say we should put his skull somewhere at the top of the Shaft, where it can feel the sunlight and air from above trickling down.

>>1287547
Mmm, nearly forgot about them. We'll definitely need to enlist the cousins from the Rose Cult to keep them secure while we figure out who was a fanatical idiot and who was simply putting their faith in the wrong person.

I live again, at long last. All my shit for the day is the fuck out of the way, so -

CALLED, WRITING.

>>1287809
YESSS!

>>1287809
That which is dead can eternal lie....

I am still worried about some stuff.

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>>1283734
You laugh, lightly, and shake your head. "Lora, I've learned a lot about your creation since all this started. I've met so many people, done so much, and it doesn't feel even a little done yet. It'd be irresponsible to just up and leave, and...fuck, I don't /want/ to just up and leave. But it's also your place. So why don't you take some time to yourself while I get your house in order, and we'll talk more when you're done enjoying your freedom again?"

Lora gives you a rueful smile. "I never really enjoyed it before. I feel like I wasted an awful lot of time, bitter about how I thought things should have been. Like Richard did."

You offer Lora a one-armed hug, which she gives you gratefully; her wings enfold you, warm and soft, and it's a welcome relief from the ache and pain.

"Who's Hestia?" you ask, softly.

"She was his partner. The second demon who brought fire to the Firstborn. She chose to embrace death in the manner of the Secondborn ages ago. She...she felt her job was done. That she could fade away with pride."

"Shame she couldn't stick around, but...I guess I can't really fault her for doing what she wanted with her own life."

Lora shrugs and takes a step back. "It's time for you to wake up. I'll follow you down to the Dungeon. There's some things we need to do."

"I'll say. Lora...one question before we get back. How the fuck did you bite me?"

"...They couldn't /force/ me to hurt you," Lora explains. She lets out an awkward cough.

"...You /wanted/ to fucking hurt me?"

"You had your entire hand in my mouth!"

You feel yourself snap back into your own body and you immediately regret it because it hurts so much more /inside/ your flesh than it did in spirit. You groan and curl in on yourself.

"She's awake," Travis says helpfully, from just behind you. "And welcome back, Lora."

"It's good to be back," the angel confirms. "Just...hold tight for a moment."

With help, you manage to sit up. You're provided your shirt, which you put on, while Lora holds her blade before the tree that Richard has become. His soul, struggling and cursing the entire way, is drawn into the sword. When it settles in, your friend walks to her forge.

You watch, fascinated, as she breaks off what's left of the blade and melts it down. The souls contained within become part of the new metal, mixing with the folded sorrow and with one another, until she pours them into what can only be molds.

When Lora breaks the molds free, you catch a glimmer of new souls before they fade away, blown on a breeze that isn't there.

"It is finished," the First Singer of Death says, pure relief in her voice. "It's over."

"What now?" Brigette asks.

Lora raises her hand, and the group is enveloped by a freezing fog. When it fades away, in wisps, you find yourselves arrayed in the common room of the Unlucky Bastard. It is unusually empty, except for Amy, Nathan, and Victoria.

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>>1287951
You get swept into a tearstained hug, Amy's wings chiming a rippling song of relief.

"Never do that again," Amy scolds, between sobs.

"I won't," you promise. "Amy I got stabbed in the lung here, I need air."

Amy loosens her grip, just in time for Nathan to join the hug.

Fuck it. This is nice.

END PART X: LORD OF THE SECONDBORN.

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>>1287954
BEGIN EPILOGUE: LIFE IS FOR THE LIVING

The post-mortem on the assault against Richard is grim.

Yew and Cobalt are fine, after repairs. Cobalt follows his brother's example and has his wounds filled in with metal rather than making the parts over again, highlighting his 'scars' from the damage.

Flitter and Catherine are less fine. The pixie remains unconscious for a little more than four days, during which Yew never leaves her side. She speaks to no one and remains with Yew, riding on his shoulder with a desolate expression. There is talk, between the geargrinder and Amelie, about a mine near the elven borders. Wraithsteel is mentioned.

Catherine has become an old woman before her time, her hair gone white and her body bent with age. She trains every day, not wanting to fall into bad habits, to perhaps reverse some of the damage, but there is only so much she can do.

One night, while she is rubbing her aching wrists, Catherine is asked why she went down there.

"So you wouldn't have to," the Chosen of Strife answers, and that is left at that.

You are arranging a memorial, for the fallen. Henrietta offers her full support, which leaves you with some things to be determined.

> Place the memorial in the Dungeon (where?)
> Erect it in Glen
> Have it built in Starfall, near Henrietta's seat of power

AND

> Hold a solemn service
> Throw a wake

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>>1287970
> Erect it in Glen

> Throw a wake

Close enough to the dungeon for the denizens to pay their respects, above ground so that the whole world can acknowledge the sacrifice of the people that saved them. It seems fitting.

It may just be personal bias, but I don't think anybody in the world would rather attend a traditional funeral to a wake. Let's see the dead off with a smile.

>>1287970
>Place the memorial at the main entrance to the dungeon, so that the memorial is the borderline between the dungeon and the outside world
This all transpired inside the dungeon. Removing the memorial from the dungeon makes no sense.
This all happened because the dungeon was too insular, and was its own world. The memorial needs to exist in the outside world as a sign that the dungeon exists.
Hence, the best place for the memorial is where the dungeon meets the outside world.

>>1287970
>Place the memorial in the Dungeon (where?)
At the entrance to the first proper access point of the dungeon, the new shaft into the roost, and a bunch of smaller shrines on each level for people who would want to see it but can't make the trip.

>Throw a wake
To honor their sacrifice and to send them off without grief or regret.

>>1287970
>>Place the memorial at the main entrance to the dungeon, so that the memorial is the borderline between the dungeon and the outside world
>> Throw a wake

>Place the memorial at the main entrance to the dungeon, so that the memorial is the borderline between the dungeon and the outside world

>Throw a wake
Only a wake can do justice to this tragedy.

Called, writing.

Good plan y'all.

>>1287970
So pixies can't grow their wings back, dark

>>1288198
She should talk with Amy. Murderbird can relate to how she feels right now, and can help give her hope for the future.

Also, I feel like this should be the kind of moment where ghosts and spirits show up to party with the living for a day and night, free of any blood sacrifice on Brianna's part.

>>1288298
>Also, I feel like this should be the kind of moment where ghosts and spirits show up to party with the living for a day and night, free of any blood sacrifice on Brianna's part.
The dead rising to attend their own wake? Would be quite fitting.

>>1287970
....it isn't enough to erect a monument to the fallen in one place over another, the surface may have been saved as well, but it was Dungeon Dwellers that did it(for the most part.)
>Place the memorial in the new Shaft to the Dungeon
We want people to see it? Put it where everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, will see it. I'm thinking some Lord of the Rings style giant statues or something along those lines. We go enough Dwarves and money to pull it off now.
>Do both
The ones that would go out loud want a party, and the quiet ones want vice versa, so do both, PARTY TILL YOU DROP, WITH THE NAMES OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE YOU ON YOUR TONGUES!

>>1287970
I wonder if there's anything we can do to help Catherine and Flitter

Maybe Amy can talk to her being in a similiar situation and all

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>>1287970
With help from the others, you plan the memorial as a pair of sculptures, one at the top of the new shaft into the Roost, and the other at the bottom. This quickly ends up with various people from the other Floors proposing additional ones with fairly comprehensive plans.

At the top of the new shaft (still under steady construction) is a monument depicting a cut-away of the Dungeon, done in bronze with a sharp, angular style. Demons boil forth from the depths while the denizens of the Dungeon fearlessly defend the surface.

The story at the bottom of the shaft is a little different; a stone harpy reaches for a hand from above while shooting down with a crossbow. At its base is an inscription, "Stand Together or Fall Alone". In less than a day the statue is festooned with small offerings, tokens left for those the Roost has lost. Harpies are new to this kind of grief, but it is no less heartfelt coming from them.

Broken Tooth goes every day, and leaves small pins in the shape of wings, for her mate.

The Basement puts up a statue of you, Amy, and Nathan before you can actually stop them. A plaque to those lost to the Vintner is written at its base, with 'Red Kells' Original Body' written at the bottom.

The Lichyard is no stranger to death, but every cult and shrine there records the events of Lisa's occupation. In the town of Split, a statue to your sister is erected. River is painfully embarrassed by it, but says nothing. You catch her smiling when she thinks no one is looking.

A dedication is attached to the new Tree of Tales in the Atheneum, to those who died in Brigette's invasion and to her instrumental role in defeating her former masters. The staff is still somewhat cool towards her, but their bitter distance has ended.

The Mine erects a monument to Miss Silence. The Baron's former manor is converted, in her honor, to a hospital and neutral meeting ground, where the Mine Bosses meet to negotiate. The Miners say that if you stay quiet enough near the statue of Silence, you can hear her offer advice on your problems.

New Hell declines participation, keeping its own council as always, but the Black Anvils extend their hand in friendship to the surface world. Their engineers and sculptors provide their expertise to the various projects in and above the Dungeon. There is much to build, and rebuild, and they do not lack for work.

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>>1289008
Ash and his master prove instrumental in the Cornucopia. There is a swift and brutal campaign of violence against those who attempt to re-establish the previous system of slavery in that Floor, followed by an open call for workers or settlers from other Floors. Some hundred of Natalia's new children volunteer, along with Lark, refugees from the Sunless Sea, and enterprising young people from Starfall looking for a change of scenery. The remains of the Theater are rebuilt and dedicated to the victims of the Lush, with the assistance of his sister. She keeps her oath of silence about her brother's true identity, and the citizens of the Cornucopia seem quite happy to bury the legacy of their oppressor.

Natalia's new children have no real conception of what everyone else is doing but they happily name their villages after their mother, Nathan, you, Amy, and anyone else they even remotely look up to. A few of them just straight-up build structures of ice out in the wilderness of the Jaw and name them after people.

Natalia herself inscribes the names of each of the Diviner's victims into the stone of Cannot Hold, however, with Lora's help. The stonework is soon rough with them, each chiseled with precision and then filled in with steel. It is as close to immortality as they will get.

It takes quite a bit of explaining to tell the Sunless Sea what exactly happened and why. Emily is instrumental, both in telling her people why they suffered and in coordinating the efforts to rebuild. They appoint her their representative to the rest of the Dungeon. Eventually, it is decided to convert the island Jack used for his ice fortress into a communal graveyard. A shrine to Lora is built upon it, beneath the symbol of a crossed feather and broken blade.

Which just leaves the wake, for the living, and in honor of the dead. It's a day or two of negotiating the location but ultimately the Company Store is the only spot that's accessible to everyone, has the space, and has the available lodging. Tables and food are laid out, drink brought up (and down, for that matter), and you and Amy have entirely too much fun spending hours creating sugar skulls for both decoration and eating.

The event is planned for three days, because if you're hauling people from every still-populated level of the Dungeon you might as well make it worth their damn time.

> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)
> You are Brigette the Poet (Unfinished Business)
> You are Cobalt the Geargrinder (Choices and Cousins)

>>1289285
> You are Brigette the Poet (Unfinished Business)
Will she be the Bridgette over troubled water?

>>1289285
>> You are Cobalt the Geargrinder (Choices and Cousins)

You know, even if I don't really /like/ cobalt still, he grew on me as a character.

>>1289285
>You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)
It was a hard beginning. I'd like to see the end.

Especially considering what we turned over to Henrietta concerning the flooding of our home.

>>1289285
>> You are Brigette the Poet (Unfinished Business)

>>1289285
> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)
It's time to put the past to bed, finally. Plus, we still have to give Kat and Jewel all the hugs, and...maybe even witness Lark proposing to River? I think that's something everyone would love to see.

The option for Bridgette I think would cover her knowledge of the Tongue and more importantly her relationship with Lora.

Cobalt's is probably him mourning his father, the siblings that died fighting the Wyrm, and now meeting the new family down in the Broken Jaw. Bittersweet.

>>1289322
Same, same.

>>1289285
But what about the stoned cultists of the Daughter? Did they get unstoned and rehabilitated or are they still gorgon eyecandy?

>>1289285
> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)

>>1289407
This is just the immediate aftermath, my friend. The things happening /now/.

>>1289285
>> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)

>>1289285
>You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)

I hope we get to see the rest as well.

>>1289285
>> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)

> You are Cobalt the Geargrinder (Choices and Cousins)

Things must be complicated for him right about now.

Also, mh, dat delicious epilogue. What a ride this was.

I am not gonna have time to update before work. I'll either update tonight after I get home or tomorrow morning after I wake up, depending on how much caffeine I can cram into my system in the meantime. Votes remain open.

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

Thank you all for reading and participating!

>>1289285
>> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)

We started this together; let's finish it together.

>>1290233
Good luck at work, Vox.

>>1289285
> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)

>>1290233

I kind of wonder... what was the rest of the team doing while were down doing the Final Battle? Besides grinding their teeth and anxiously waiting for either the end of the world or Bri's inevitably injured self returning.

Also...

>> You are Brianna la Croix (Family Troubles)

Bri's epitaph changed! Neat! I mean, it doesn't really imply good things, but it's a step above 'No Good Deed'.

I also really hope we get to see what's going on with Bridgette too rather than just speeding past it.

Cobalt's had a few bad-ass moments, but to be honest we haven't really bonded tightly to him like we did with Bridgette. I mean, he's not a bad character. But his relationship to the cast is mostly limited to him killing members of it, with him giving aid in the final battle not so much out of desire to atone for wrongs or anything, but to protect his brothers and seek out revenge for the wrongs done to them, as well as to try and follow through on his father's wishes.

With Cobalt, we're just not very far in his arc, and he's either going to go hunting for wraithsteel or look after his siblings.

With Bri and Bridgette, we have the chance to see them complete these long journeys they've been taking since the start of the story. And to see their decisions on what they're going to do next. Bri's probably going to settle down and help Lora with whatever, but the devil (hah!) is in the details. As for our lovely Poet though, I have no idea. She could stay in the Dungeon and keep trying to help people, or do what she said she was going to do when we first met her. Use the Divine Language to help people.

Also, random question, just how long has the Adventure taken in-game? It's definitely more than a few months, but I can't help thinking it's still been less than a year.


>>1287541
I don't know if we're going to be anywhere close enough to see whatever's going on with it, either in terms of distance or time, but I'd kind of like to see some sort of conclusion with the dude who got the team together to flood the Marsh.

Like, not to gloat or to shout or anything. But to observe it, and make sure that justice is being done. To know for sure that what happened was no accident, and that those responsible would... not suffer, Bri's not that kind of person. But pay the price for what they did. It's not something she wants to feel vindicated for, and just watching would leave her hollow inside. Bri would do it though. It wouldn't be for herself. It'd be for all the people of Black Marsh.

On a sillier note, I kind of want to go to the Oubliette and have Nate and Amy put their names next to Bri's. It's kind of a silly thing, but it was basically the first things she did before entering the Dungeon proper.

> Bri's epitaph changed! Neat! I mean, it doesn't really imply good things, but it's a step above 'No Good Deed'.

No that's the name of the scene in question

>>1292219
Really? I thought the other times the subtitles showed up they seemed similar. What Falls May Rise showed up at least twice, I think.

>>1292380
I've called out scene names before. I could probably have been more clear here but work's been kicking my ass so fuck it.

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>>1292524
I can't do that, I'm improperly equipped.

>>1292152
> On a sillier note, I kind of want to go to the Oubliette and have Nate and Amy put their names next to Bri's. It's kind of a silly thing, but it was basically the first things she did before entering the Dungeon proper.

...I'd totally support that as finishing move for this story.

Called, gonna attempt to write the new thread here.

Seriously guys did you really think I was gonna give you just one scene at the wake and fucking call it a quest?

>>1293181
You're the best Vox, it was never a question.

>>1293181
After all this time I'm still not used to having a caring QM, sue me.
Don't actually sue me, I'm poor.

NEW THREAD

>>1293249
>>1293249
>>1293249
>>1293249