>>1867883
>Because it will get him killed without killing Reeds. Is that his desires most, Death ? Suicide ?

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>>1867883
"For the same reason the Rook told Vickie to stay her wrath and show mercy," you answer, in solemn tones. "...And because I like the guy, and I don't want to see him die for this. Because Vickie has unfinished business with her mother and might have a friendship with the Rook if either of them can hold a lid on their shit long enough to create one. Please, Raven."

"So little faith in him. He hates that most of all, you know. No one has ever believed in the Rook." The King of the Onyx Court sighs and stops in the overhang of a small diner, little more than a coffee shop with a grill. You join him there. "If I were a betting man, my money would be against Reeds. The Rook never loses the same game twice, and he knows it. To learn and change from his failures is perhaps his greatest strength. If you would turn him from this, you will need not only to provide him with something he wants more than revenge, but to prove to him that he is falling for the same trap that claimed his arm and his eye. It will be no mean task."

"Surely you can't want to see Rachael dead and your successor deposed?" you prompt.

Raven laughs. "If Zippo Morris cannot keep her ass in my throne, then she does not deserve it. The Autumn Monarch is called to know, to understand, and to contend with evil, treachery, malice, and fear in all of its glory and horror. If she cannot contend with a rival, why should you entrust her to contend with the Others? The Rook is wise enough not to attempt a military coup. Anything beyond that is between them and the ranks of Autumn."

"That seems...heartless."

"Good. It is." Raven motions for you to follow again, and you step into line with the old Beast. "Do you trust the Rook, Warlock Knight?"

"He's done right by us. Above and beyond the strictures of his oath, even," you point out. "He sacrificed his personal possessions to help heal Vickie, risked himself to stop the moving Hollow in the Hedge. He's been...wise, when he didn't have to be."

"Has he now? But are those the actions of friendship, or of a disgraced Prince courting powerful allies?"

> I...I don't know?
> First of all how fucking dare you
> When you put it like that, it does sound suspicious
> Write-in?

>>1867910
Ashen Court, not Onyx. Fuck I need coffee.

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>>1867910
>I...I don't know?
It's true. Colors just doesn't know. She understands some things, but sometimes mixed messages confound her. And there are no more mixed up messages than enlightened self interest.

>>1867910
...how rude would it be considered to use Cupid's Eye on the Rook on occasion?
I mean, in a normal society it would be disprespectful at the least, but changelings seem to have accepted being a distrustful and paranoid bunch.

>>1867941
The etiquette can be complicated. It would not, in and of itself, violate your oath to him. However, you are learning personal information about him without his consent. You could garner his consent, of course, at which point you've run out of problems.

It should be notable that the essentially universal laws of hospitality to which Changelings cleave forbid the use of non-consensual Contracts on anyone protected by the host's hospitality, as well as the consensual use of violent ones, except in cases where you are defending yourself, defending your host or fellow guests, or in which your action would save the life of someone protected by the hospitality of the host. Make of that what you will.

>>1867946
Fair enough.

Might be worth an idea asking him if he ever asks for our help or we've a similar reason.

>>1867910
>> I...I don't know?

>>1867910
>> I...I don't know?

>>1867910
>> Write-in?
Yes, He has told me something he would only tell a very close ally., showed vulnerabilty only because he knew he could trust me. Friendship ? Maybe not. But deep trust anyhow.

>>1867976
Retry. Fuck this day.

>>> Write-in?
>Yes, He has told me something he would only tell a very close ally., showed vulnerabilty only because he knew he could trust me. Friendship ? Maybe not. But deep trust anyhow.

(He has told us he's in love with a Other, for god's sake)

>>1867980
>Backing

>>1867910
>> Write-in?
Could easily be both. People can have multiple reasons for the things they pursue, and usually do.

>>1867910
>Write-in?
>"He has told me a few things, some very personal, I /want/ to trust him, to be his friend, I honestly don't know if the feelings are mutual since I haven't had that many friends... Even before I threw the second life I had into a blender."
>with >>1868009 added in for good measure.

>>1867976
>>1867980
You could have deleted the post and corrected it.

>I... I don't know?

>>1868229
Showing uncertainty in front of a literal predator will have ..consequences. Choose what you want though

>>1867910
> To learn and change from his failures is perhaps his greatest strength.
From the sounds of it, he hasn't learned a whole lot. The reasons he gave Colors for why he hates Zoe and wants to depose her boil down to "she's a fairest who isn't a megabitch." Yet it was his shady attempt to off both Zoe and Rachael that cost him his arm, eye, and status. Someone willing to learn from failure might take that as an indication that his strategy could have been flawed, but apparently a lesson like that takes a backseat to maintaining the justification for his desire to rule.

King Raven told him that his problem was that he saw the throne as rightfully his by default, and that his only task was to clear away the rivals who stood in the way of his "rightful" ascension, when he should have been thinking about proving that he was the best candidate for the throne. Yet from the sounds of it he hasn't internalized that at all. If his whole justification is based on "my way is better because it works even if it isn't nice" and then his way doesn't work, what merit does it have? Ineffective brutality is completely worthless. He's still starting from the idea that the throne is rightfully his, he's working backwards trying to find a reason to justify that, and he's holding on to a reason that has been violently debunked.

This all sounds like someone who hasn't learned much at all, and who is committed to making the same mistakes all over again, only this time from a weaker position against an opponent who might not be as inclined to be merciful a second time.

It would be easier for Colors to have faith in the Rook if he wasn't so lacking in retrospection about the reason why Zoe beat him. He wrote it off as "well, King Raven didn't REALLY want Zoe to be his successor, but all those sheep in the court's lower ranks who like a pretty face who isn't blatantly cruel forced him to go along with her candidacy." At no point did he confront the idea that maybe he had gone about it in the wrong way. Autumn isn't just the court of fear, it's also the court of bargaining. A big part of it is trying to get a bunch of damaged, mistrustful, and bickering changelings all working together and moving in the same direction. It's supposed to be the glue that holds the other three courts together, and some honey can be really damn useful in that regard. But instead of realizing the power in that, Rook dismissed the effectiveness of that appeal as simply a mark of weakness among the masses. If he remains adamant about using all vinegar and no honey, Colors should continue to have little faith in his ability to actually obtain what he desires instead of just getting himself incinerated.

>>1868277
A raven isn't just a predator though. Inquisitiveness is one of its strengths, and you can't have that without a tacit admission that there are some things that you don't know.

>>1868277
Raven's are opportunistic at best, I wouldn't call any of their behavior particularly predatory. They are however incredibly intelligent, vindictive, playful and hold a grudge like few other animals.

I miss my grad school days in the Corvid lab

So folks know what's going down:

I'm at work at the moment. I may or may not update when I get home. Tomorrow is going to be busy while I prepare to install new internet, but I should be able to write a few times.

I'd also like to ask what folks are looking for out of this interlude. Time with Forum seems to be a given, as is following up with Misery and with Fancy. What else would you like to see or do?

>>1869140
Meet with Ramona ofc

>>1867910

> I . . . Don't know. But until he gives reason for me to think the worst I will choose to believe in him and think the best.

> I choose to approach him as a friend, and part if that is believing in his better nature. As a friend, I will stand by him whether against his opponents or against his own worse nature.


>>1869140
I'd like us to follow up with the children taken to Wonderland. Especially the recurring character girl. We have a measure of responsibility to show them not just that the Wild can be terrible, but that this world can also be good. That's part of why we returned, no?

Sort of like a Big Brother program. It'll also look good to the community as a whole, while also building relationships between the Lost and Mortals.

>>1870173
>I'd like us to follow up with the children taken to Wonderland
If you want to learn a Contract AND keep Rook from doning disatrous things, we dont have time for that. And thats forgetting that we should help Vickie clear out her church.

>>1870201
I don't mean on our own. Like set up an actual program. Actually we could probably use Vickys church as a base for it. Would give a good spin to taking it over. Also Misery is getting it for her as a favour, but this would help her take the next step and build something with it.

But this sort of thing needs the sanction, cooperation, and oversight of the Courts.

Being active and involved in the community is important politically. Colours would just be there part time like once a week or something as a volunteer and let's face it we're one of the more attractive and stable members who have a solid connection to Mortals through that family we saved.

>>1870243
>and stable members
You dont get to be a Hound unless you're fucked in the head.

>>1870300
Says a lot about the other Lost, huh.

Besides you'll note that Colours DID quit being a hound. I like the idea, gives her a positive purpose instead of falling back into being a hound in all but name.

>>1870173
>I'd like us to follow up with the children taken to Wonderland. Especially the recurring character girl. We have a measure of responsibility to show them not just that the Wild can be terrible, but that this world can also be good. That's part of why we returned, no?

I like this idea; no idea how ... safe or viable it is, but I like it.

>>1870201
The church and helping the wonderlander kids aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. If memory serves, Vickie is both really passionate about how crappy New Avalon is to its poorest inhabitants, and was torn up about having to potentially fight a bunch of kids that she saw a lot of herself in. I'm pretty sure that Vickie would be onboard with the idea of using the church as a way of helping the kids out.

Man that was a lot of shit I had to do today.

Called, writing.

>>1872699
Or I lied and will write in the morning. Some things...came up.

>>1874028
We're patient.

>>1874037
We are
(You're not the only QM in my life, Vox ;)

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>>1874049

>>1871950
What would be that unsafe about it anyways? Like have you ever been to a Church? This is literally one of the reasons of what they're for.

>>1874184
Because people (and THINGS) can join a church to subvert the work they do. and inviting disaster (such as a girl who is old enough to be rebellious but smart enough to avoid detection and being caught into said church for rehabilitation) is asking for trouble.

Kind of like putting a lesbian in a Catholic Girl's School for 'rehabilitation' and 'discipline training'. It's not really the safest place to leave one when you're not surveying her 24/7.That lasted a whole two weeks.

>>1874141
Yes

>>1874200
Yeah I think you're a) over sharing and b) projecting your own experiences a lot.

This would be a Church run by Vicky. She IS the thing that goes bump in the night. And better to have those people where they could have an eye kept on them and maybe even help them out of their rut before they end up used again by someone else.

Or do you think they don't deserve to be saved? Not even the broken kids who can't go home?

>>1874200
Also

> Smart enough to avoid detection

> Gets caught anyways

Lol.

I swear to God the word Church is like a trigger to some people

>>1874331
This. We'll just ask one of Autumn to get those kids in line. Sorry to hear you had incompetent teachers at that particualr school.

One of these days I'll be able to write WHEN I ACTUALLY WANT TO. I'll try to update tonight after work (sometime around 1 AM EST). Monday is gonna be busy with the internet install, so we'll see how that goes.

Thank you for your patience.

>>1875285
I am curious about the the why of the internet install tho.But its your personal business. See if you wan to tell or not.

>>1876120
Too many people in the house, so we're collectively adding a second line to ease the load.

>>1876169
Ah. The future. Crammed in with too many people but you can afford a second line to the collected knowledge of humanity.

Alright, the install's done and I'm dropping this post so I can see WTF my new ID is. I'll update after I find some food.

>>1878350
Statistics.

>>1878350
And apparently Vox has starved to death.

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>>1880100
His new QM superpower.

>>1880181
Why did you make me look at this with my innocent eyes.

Writing. At last.

>>1880181
Incredibly unfunny, but at least it summoned Vox

(P.S. Vox, some QM's just have once-a-week wuest episodes. Might lighten the burden on you).

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>>1867910
The question throws you for a momentary loop, and makes you re-frame everything the Rook has done in your head. You frown, and Raven chuckles, softly; his quiet laughter is rueful and bitter.

"As I thought," the old Beast says. "But you would not be conflicted if you did not want his friendship. My advice to you is to secure a pledge from him, Eriksdotter. Get him to agree to back off for awhile and meet him for himself. Even master manipulators will give away something of who and what they are; it's human nature, and the Fairest of Lands is not so corrupting as to destroy that."

"You really think he'd be so cynical?" you demand.

King Raven shrugs. "I think my role is to pass wisdom on to those whose lives might be saved by it. By all means, go back to him and tell him that I have said these things to you. It would certainly be honorable. It might even be right. But safe? Perhaps not. We all take risks, becoming who we wish to be, Warlock Knight. Is your honor worth the risk of his betrayal?"

Raven stops in front of a small tailor's shop. "I will be back momentarily. Think on what I've told you. I have no perfect solutions for you. The Rook and I have had our disagreements. Perhaps you have similar disagreements, and perhaps you do not, but they will be relevant, sooner rather than later, in your lives."

You are left to wait outside for approximately ten minutes, after which Raven emerges with a sealed plastic package, long enough to contain a suit or perhaps a robe of some kind. From his silence, this conversation is clearly over.

Ramona's still expecting you.

> Proceed to the Willow once you're done with Raven
> Do something else first (what?)

>>1880724
>> Proceed to the Willow once you're done with Raven

>>1880724
>> Proceed to the Willow once you're done with Raven
playing a tank in game of manipulators is tough stuff

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>>1880724
>> Proceed to the Willow once you're done with Raven
Do what we said we would like a person trying to be trustworthy and reliable or fuck off for... no clear reason?
Obv choice is obv.

>>1881173
I mean, she didn't exactly give you a timeframe.

But yeah pretty much.

>>1881173
Yeah i agree, kinda wish we didn't even waste time to take a vote on this, seems like a pointless option

>>1881241
Well, there's good news: I'ma just call and write now before I lose four hours to the clean-the-entire-house life hole that's coming up.

Called, writing.

>>1881259
Nice

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>>1880724
You head right for the Willow after seeing Raven back through the doors of the Juniper Building. The bar portion is surprisingly busy for this time of day, but you figure it out after a moment - Little League is here, and quite a bit of the Spring Court has turned out to fawn, to ask her how Witch League Baseball is going, or to loudly and pointedly talk about how little they care about sports. Natalia's downstairs, and she catches your eye and nods up towards Ramona's office. You flash her a wan grin - your wounds are twinging something fierce - and head up the stairs.

You'll say this for a building made of Thick Oak Fucking Everything: sound does not carry well. The noise downstairs drops to a manageable level when you get to the second floor, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

Dash and Crash leave Ramona's office as you approach it. The buck gives you a polite nod, his human brother a bright grin. You'd never caught on with those two, which might be part of the reason you're so unpopular in your own Court.

Aside from, you know, the whole 'warlock' thing. Ugh.

You knock on the door and then enter at Ramona's invitation. She's slipping papers into a file folder; your liege favors you with a bright smile. "Colors, please, come in. Your conversation with Raven went well?"

"I'm not sure," you admit, closing the door behind you. "It was a strange conversation."

Ramona makes a face and nods. "I imagine. I appreciate all King Raven has done for New Avalon, but I could wish his advice was more...optional. Though I suppose, with him leaving, it will be." Your liege trails off, wistfully. "...Tell me about Carroll House."

"How much has Arthur told you?" you ask. You pull out a chair and sit at Ramona's gestured invitation, with your back straight and your hands folded on your lap.

"The facts," Ramona admits, mildly. "If there is a different version of events...?"

You shake your head.

"Then I'd like to know why you chose to do what you did." There is no judgement in the question, but Ramona's wide eyes are on yours, and her long, furred ears twitch in interest.

> Vickie's reasoning seemed sound. Virgo had to die.
> I wasn't thinking.
> My friend was in distress and the workers of the House were suffering
> Write-in?

>>1881720
>>> Write-in?
>>Perverting an Oath snd forcing slavery is a horrific thing to do, and too close to whst the others do. Perhaps she deserved death, albeit at the hands of Arthur.

>>1881776
*Others, as in True Fae

>>1881720
>>1881776
>This sounds pretty good

>>1881720
this >>1881776

>>1881720
Supporting; >>1881776

>>1881776
>>>Perverting an Oath snd forcing slavery is a horrific thing to do, and too close to whst the others do. Perhaps she deserved death, albeit at the hands of Arthur.
This was our line of resasoning and it is what we told Arthur, so there is no reason we're to lie now.

Backsliding a whole bunch is what it was, but we are who we are..

>>1881720
Just saying RE: his final question

>Is your honor worth the risk of his betrayal?"

It's the only thing honour is ever worth.

As for this

>>1881776
Supporting this, with the caveat that "It might not have been the exact call I wanted to make, but it's a responsibility I'm willing to take." We were in charge, and although it wasn't our blade that did the deed it was us that was responsible for it.

>>1882042
And it was also partly Summer's call. Vickie said herself that when Summer "sends her out, they don't expect everyone to survive"
Or something like that. It was a few threads back.

>>1881720
>Write-in?
>"I knew about Vickie's past experience, I should have anticipated what would happen, I fail King Arthur, and I failed you."

>>1882042

>>> Write-in?
>>Perverting an Oath snd forcing slavery is a horrific thing to do, and too close to whst the others do. Perhaps she deserved death, albeit at the hands of Arthur.
>Supporting this, with the caveat that "It might not have been the exact call I wanted to make, but it's a responsibility I'm willing to take." We were in charge, and although it wasn't our blade that did the deed it was us that was responsible for it.

Yeah, I'm on board with this.

>>1882718
Nah man. It was our mission, and we know what Summer is like.

You don't hedge shit like this, you ask your superiors for help on doing better next time while outlining your own plan.

Never roll shit down hill to your boss.

>>1882877
That would be uphill then, as Arthur is our boss.

>>1882913
Ramona is our Boss. Like. We're Spring Court yo.

Not sure how you missed that.

We were in charge of the Op where Vicky went all Edwards Stabby Hands.

>>1882829
>>1881720
Thusly this typing thrall

>>1882965
>Not sure how you missed that.
As the king of the Freehold, Arthur is the boss of our boss. No need to be an asshole, some people here are actually exhausted from work.

>>1882969
I don't think they become that much more important if they become the seated season, might need some say from Vox since I'm fairly unsure.

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>>1882969
> Implying I didn't just finish a 12 hour graveyard

I work in a sleep lab. What about you?

Trust me when I'm being an asshole it won't be as subtle as >>1880181 was. So chill.

>>1882980
>>1882969
Actually that picture was me kind of being an ass. I'm sleepy grouchy. Condescending? Yeah condescending. But you do seem a little touchy too. Let's try to both relax.

>>1882980
Quartermaster, starting at 7 am five days a week. I apologize for my temper.

Say, question. Is this setting original and just based off of folklore, or is it something already established in other media?

>>1883905
It's based on WoD Changeling RPG. The situations and scenarios are whole cloth made up by Vox.

>>1883905
The primary basis of the setting is Changeling: the Lost, an RPG written and published by White Wolf. This specific setting - New Avalon - is a bit of historical fiction; it's the city Baltimore was designed to be, but never became.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

Called, writing.

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>>1885818
Why you have to lie so often, Vox.

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>>1881720
"It was...it was obscene," you answer, after a moment. "Like something the Jotnar do. Carroll House was a perversion of oaths, a, a slave ring. There was never any doubt that the person responsible had to die. Even Arthur said that, even if he would have preferred it...openly." You say the last word with a distinct sense of discomfort, and look away as you do.

"Mm. Straightforward, even noble. And yet you don't seem at ease with what happened."

"...It felt better at the time," you admit. "And then..."

"And then the talk with Arthur, yes." Ramona sighs and opens a drawer. From it she takes two remarkably clean glasses (seriously, how did they not accumulate dust?) and a bottle of an amber liquid that turns out, after she opens it, to be applejack. You can't help but notice that she stops pouring after one shot in each glass, almost like she, dunno, drinks in moderation or something. "I've refrained from prying into your past, Colors. You wanted a Spring of your own, and I believed you. I still do. But now that past has come back to dog your steps -" you wince "- and I would be remiss to simply ignore it. It was Faulkner, I think, who said that the past is not always past."

"I wouldn't know," you admit. You take a sip of your drink; the sweet-sharp tang lingers on the tip of your tongue.

"Why did you join Summer, Colors?"

A dozen answers leap to your lips, all of them various kinds of true. You wanted justice. You wanted to keep yourself and others safe. You were good at fighting, and still are. Its honest, straightforward style felt good after years of treachery and deception.

But what you say out loud is, "It's where the power was."

Ramona nods and swirls her drink in a small motion before she takes her first sip. "That can't have been easy to admit."

"No, my lady."

"Please, Ramona," she corrects, gently. "It has not escaped me that the ideal you aspire to, that of the noble knight, is an ideal treasured close by Summer. It is the ideal Vickie hates herself for falling short of. It is the one Arthur tries to live every day as an example to his subordinates. It is powerful, in and of itself. You did not have to join Spring to have it for yourself."

You shake your head and let out a long breath. "That's not it. I...the Tribunal was sick with rage. It colored everything else, ate it alive inside. Our sorrow was rage in a mask. Our lusts, even our fears, anger putting on a new face to come dancing with us. It's not just...it's not just that we were murderers, and liars, and executioners. It was the rage. It took everything good out of my life."

"You can't leave that behind entirely, Colors. I don't think you quite want to. I have a hard time believing you weren't angry at Rainbow John, or at the Bloody Wing."

"Yeah. But...I let the Wing go."

>>1886111
> Ramona sighs and opens a drawer. From it she takes two remarkably clean glasses (seriously, how did they not accumulate dust?)
She uses them (and cleans them) a lot.

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>>1886111

Ramona Rabbit nods. She leans back in her chair and takes a longer drink from her glass. "There is a question anyone wanting to have a duel in Spring has to answer. I ask them, how will this help you grow? Those who cannot answer to my satisfaction do not have their duel. I take a similar approach to mistakes like this one. It is not enough to have had good intentions, or to be remorseful. You have to learn and to grow from it. You faced the demon who came to me looking for a better way in her life and came away tricked but not, I think, seduced. Would you do it again?"

"I don't think so," you admit. "...Arthur's right. If I have something to hide, it wasn't justice. But at the same time, turning it over in my mind...what happened if I dragged Virgo in and she forced her servants to try to free her? Or she hurt those people to spite us?"

"The eternal troubles of power," Ramona agrees with a wry smile. "You've had a rocky first year, Colors, but overall positive, I think. You've made real friendships, even if they weren't with your peers. Now you've done the Freehold a great service. You are not well-loved in the Court, it's true..."

"I can't imagine why," you mutter, downing the rest of your shot.

"I can't guide you through the entire rest of your life, Colors. You will wear the name Warlock Knight for most of a decade. If it's so terrible for you, you can move somewhere far away, where no one can guess what you did, or why. And you will live a lie, every day of our long life. Living a lie can work, you know. It's worked for a few people I know." Ramona nudges the bottle, and you shake your head politely. "I don't think it will work for you," she continues. "So what will? Tell me how you want to shape your life."

> I don't want to be shut out forever. I can't just be shut out forever!
> You just...leave me to my own devices. I'm the only knight of your household. Let me do things for you.
> I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.
> Knowing what I actually want on a regular basis seems like a good start?
> Write-in?

Choose up to two.

>>1886113
My experience with old oak buildings is that if you leave a glass object in a single location for more than a nanosecond it will be coated in enough dust to decorate a haunted house.

>>1886124
>Choose up to two.
Up to includes none. Tell me, how do you parse the null vote?

>>1886129
Like I parse any post with no vote in it: by not tallying it.

Please don't do intentionally hostile readings of my mechanics. It's bad enough that I have to deal with that shit professionally.

>>1886135
Tone, text, etc.
Sorry if that came off as adversarial, was not the intent.

> Knowing what I actually want on a regular basis seems like a good start?

>>1886124
>> I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.
>> Knowing what I actually want on a regular basis seems like a good start?

>>1886127
Then obviously she's breaking out those glasses every nanosecond. Which, considering that her job is to keep a bunch of changelings from going even crazier than they already are, isn't really that surprising.

>>1886124
> You just...leave me to my own devices. I'm the only knight of your household. Let me do things for you.

Church of the New Spring! Taking in people with shit lives and helping them get better ones.

> I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.

>>1886124
> I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.
> You just...leave me to my own devices. I'm the only knight of your household. Let me do things for you.

>>1886124
> Knowing what I actually want on a regular basis seems like a good start?
> I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.

>>1886124
>I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.
>You just...leave me to my own devices. I'm the only knight of your household. Let me do things for you.

>>1886124
>> I don't want to be shut out forever. I can't just be shut out forever!
>> You just...leave me to my own devices. I'm the only knight of your household. Let me do things for you.

tldr get rid of the forsworn stigma and stop Rook's suicide mission.

>>1886178
I'm not suprised that alcohol and talking is how the monarchs deal with their PTSD' underlings

>>1886303
I mean, not all of them. But Ramona's day-to-day life when it comes to people bringing her their Spring-related problems includes things like, "I just can't stop wanting to eat children," and "the demon that moved into my dreams is saying she wants our relationship to become more serious," and really Colors here is at least in the realm of sane problems to have.

>>1886307
It's interesting how Ramona seems to be better at handling this than Autumn, the experts on fear and anxiety.

>>1886321
Autumn's job isn't to help you deal with your shit. It's to prevent others from developing your shit. You may recall the repeated notes that Autumn is an easy place to end up as a bona fide monster? That doesn't happen for no reason. You can't really confront and move past your issues when on a good day you're busy being Magic Batman and on an average day you're shoulder-deep in insane horror.

> You just...leave me to my own devices. I'm the only knight of your household. Let me do things for you.
> I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.

>>1886307
It's really, really telling that we're one of the more stable people here.

Aight, so, same-paging here - I hit work in about thirty minutes. That's not gonna be time enough to update, but I oughta be home in plenty of time to knock one or two out depending on how work goes.

Saturday's gonna likely be a no-update day. I unexpectedly acquired tickets to a con so I'ma do that since it's being hosted in walking distance of my house.

>>1886395
No one would blame you either.

>>1886124
>> You just...leave me to my own devices. I'm the only knight of your household. Let me do things for you.

>>1886124
>> Write-in?
Finding a passion to live for that isn't defined by dealing with my demons. I'll have to deal with those no matter what, but I want something to look forward to everyday, not just something to run from.

>>1886124
>> I don't want to lose my new friends. They seem like misfits too.
>> Knowing what I actually want on a regular basis seems like a good start?

>>1886326
> Magic Batman
Why do I want this so badly?

>>1887063
Because you only see the Glamour and not the Grim?

Being magic batman sounds like a life of constant grinding soul numbing horror become so pedestrian that it doesn't even give you nightmares anymore, because your own nightmares can't compete.

>>1888263
How is being magic batman being different than being Batman ? Batman )and Changelings) can still have fun. If Autumn was a terrible court to be in, no one would join.

>>1888324
People join Autumn BECAUSE it's a terrible court. And they are, in their own way, noble in being the monsters so that nobody else has to.

Because all monsters have to be put down eventually.

>>1888424
They also join Autumn because becoming victimizers means they don't have to be victims.

Or because they're in love with magic.

Or to get away from their humanity.

There's a lot of reasons. Not all of them are great.

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>>1888427
Those are all "being monsters" IMO.

Especially being in love with magic. Wizards, no sense of right or wrong.

>>1888442
>Wizards, no sense of right or wrong.
Funnily enough Rook, Zoe and Monroe DO have a sense of right and wrong.

>>1888703
Yeah, so does Rachel.

What's that, you don't agree with her version of right and wrong? Don't worry. Magic can fix you up faster than Pence in a thunderstorm.

>>1888703
Also I'm pretty sure they'd be the first to point out that they do wrong for dubious purposes.

Hey. Remember when Zoe tortured a dude instead of any other option that wasn't torture?

>>1888776
>Hey. Remember when Zoe tortured a dude instead of any other option that wasn't torture?
Is there any more effective way to impress upon someone "stop doing this".
Who did she torture btw

>>1888796
> His name is Mike Miller. He's a forty-three year old husband (of twenty years) and father (of three children) who's been working the docks since before he was actually legal to work there.

The tranny dudes dad. He'll torture is usually ineffective. He'll probably end up killing his son if his son doesn't kill himself. Otherwise gay conversion camps where they torture people "straight" would work.

You think torture is a moral act, only when the torturer shares your values.

Which is pretty flawed reasoning Friendo.

>>1888813
Killing Jeffery Dahmer for his crimes, or Adolf Hitler was a moral act. Killing yuor neighbour just because you felt like it isn't.
I don't think "stable" Changelings resort to torture easily because you can bet they were tortured during their Durance.

>>1888848
Where are you going for this? Are you saying a man dealing poorly with his mentally ill son is equal to Hitler?

BTW most civilized nations don't have the death penalty because it's immoral. You kill someone when euthanasia is the least harmful option, not for revenge. Or at least you don't pretend it's moral.

Remember, you have to try to save everyone you can, not everyone you thinks just "deserves" it. Otherwise you're just Hitler without the conviction to murder people directly.

Regardless you tried to use a changling that tortured their neighbour, a changeling that made a bid for power and is so power hungry that his most closest friend warned us of him, and a changeling who used to be King as people who "know right from wrong" and let me tell you straight up people who are king don't have the luxury of always doing the "right" things.

>>1888848
Also "Wizards have no sense of right or wrong" is a meme joke and I feel we're getting rather off track here. I'd rather not derail into a discussion about the virtues of various moral systems. That could just drag on.

Like.

Literally for centuries

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>>1888848

Called, tallying, writing.

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>>1886124
Ramona waits for your answer with a kind of warm patience that makes thinking about it eight times harder for no good reason (is that Scumbag Human Brain or Scumbag Changeling Brain? Note to self: ask Doc Ripples if you can catch him at a party or something). Your liege pulls out a second drawer and removes, improbably, an unopened two-liter of some kinda off-brand ginger ale.

"...Why?"

"It goes with the applejack," she says with a flickering grin. "And I find it easier to think with liquid in my glass, myself. Would you like some?"

You shrug, then nod. Ramona fills your empty glass with the fizzing drink (the foam at the top nearly overflows the glass before its will gives out and it simmers back down with soft cries of outrage). Your dad used to swear by this stuff for stomach problems, but for the moment it's decent enough to just sip.

"You keep saying I'm the only knight of your household, but I don't feel like it," you admit, after a few minutes of thought. "You just leave me to my own devices. I spent most of my first year beating up muggers -"

"Defending the innocent," Ramona corrects, smoothly.

"- but that was my idea. Which you encouraged, sure! But...wandering around a strange city beating up criminals doesn't make me a knight. At best it makes me Batgirl." Ramona snorts. "Sue me, Fancy's been making me read comics," you say, with a roll of your eyes and a guilty grin. "I know I'm the Freehold's knight, technically. You're holding my oath down but I'm a member with all that implies. But...I dunno. For anything else this whole thing was, it was me getting the chance to do something. Nobody likes feeling out of work."

Ramona Rabbit nods to herself, then tops off her glass; she can see the search for more words in your eyes, and stays quiet and attentive while you go digging around in the strange country your mind has become.

"My new friends seem like they don't have a place any more either," you admit. "Forum acts like his shit's together and maybe it is but he left one Court for another that doesn't trust him."

"That's just Winter," Ramona soothes. "But I take your meaning."

"Vickie just lost her job and is getting who-knows-what from Arthur tomorrow. She wants to be happy and no one else is in a rush to lend her a hand. The Rook..." you sigh. "I don't ever know where to start with the Rook. Nobody seems to, not even his closest friends. I don't want to lose them, not if I can avoid it. But you can hardly help with that, can you? If you have to order us to stick together then we're not friends."

"You aren't wrong," Ramona agrees. "Let me see if I understand you correctly. Right now, to the best of your understanding of your own desires, an ideal future might involve you dressed in accolades from upright service, hailed by the Freehold alongside your Motley, none of whom are dead or exiled?"

"...When you say it like that it sounds weird. My Lady," you add, with a black blush on your cheeks.

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>>1888976
"Dreams often do, when they're dragged so rudely from the privacy of the mind's eye," the Beast teases, with mischief in her smile. "You would be happy? Free of want and desire?"

"I mean...no, there's, I mean, other things I like or want to try and -"

"You're not being scolded, Colors. Life has a lot of logistical work, even a perfect and happy life. There's always something else to do, to want, to be. When you get frustrated, remember that. It's so easy to lose sight of all the other things you could want, or find joy in, because you do not yet have the one you're thinking of." You take a sip of your drink while Ramona thinks. "I believe I can trust you not to repeat the mistake you made in Carroll House. So far, your record speaks for itself. I'll be back in touch with you, and also in talks with Zoe about how she might dispose of your talents. If the newly minted Queen of Autumn wants to talk a talk about good faith between the Courts, we'll see how she walks it."

"Thank you, my -" Ramona gives you a Look, "- Ramona," you correct, gratefully. You down the rest of your ginger ale, sensing an upcoming dismissal.

"If there is nothing else, I believe the rest of the day is yours. Arthur is holding court tomorrow at noon, as you already know. Don't be late."

> There is something else (what?)
> Go home. You're beat up to shit. Sleep is calling your name.
> Go see Fancy
> Drop by the Arcade
> See if Vickie wants to hang
> Forum said he wanted to talk, right?
> Trista should be told about what happened. She did warn you, sort of
> Write-in?

>>1888990
>> Write-in?
>Ask for some Spring healing magic or at least Ramona's fatigue-go-away trick .
>> Trista should be told about what happened. She did warn you, sort of

>>1888990
Who was Trista again?

>>1889022
Colors' married friend that she's got a bit of a crush on. You saved her family the night of the Unmasking.

>>1888990
>> Go see Fancy
we still haven't said anything to her besides a hasty text

>>1889047
That would devolve in another slow thread and difficult talk.

>>1889083
mate, they're all slow threads

>>1889133
>mate, they're all slow threads
A false comparison. Threads like this one have a lot happening, the Fancy thread was just talk and not getting anywhere.

>>1889393
Not getting anywhere on the first date, huh? Bitter much? =p

>>1889019
>>1888990

This yo.

We should also call Fancy. She deserves to know we're back safe. It doesn't have to be heavy shit with her either, we can just go out and celebrate. Not even like a Date just hanging out.

>>1888990
>> Go see Fancy
She should see this side of us too.

>>1888990
>> There is something else (what?)
We've got her (rabbit) ears for the moment. ... could we get some gossip? Arthur and his OTP?

>>1889393
Mate, that's how relationships everywhere work.

>>1888990
> Go see Fancy
We told her that we were going off to do something that might result in us dying. We should go see her so she knows we're okay.

>>1888990
>Go see Fancy
Because she's been worried, but we should talk to Trista soon too, she deserves to know that her dream was on the money, which is worrying in its own.
Talking to Forum can wait a little bit longer, we've got a bit of a queue going.

>>1888990
Hey.

Hey.

Why don't we go meet Fancy, and then bring her out to meet up with the rest of our Motley at the Arcade.

That way it's not all "hurr durr, it's a date but maybe not and let's avoid shit" and more "Hey come out and meet my friends while we celebrate our success."

>>1895036
>Vickie+Fancy meet each other, ditch Colors for each other.

>>1895607
They've already met. After we blew up at Fancy for doing the thing that we warned her not to do, she and Vickie had a talk. That's what led to Vickie insisting that we go talk with Fancy and patch things up since Fancy was worried that she lost us as a friend.

>>1895036
>to meet up with the rest of our Motley at the Arcade.
Rook may not take kindly to that. And Fancy would be hogging the attention while Forum still has business with us, maybe even private business.

>>1896338
literally speculation because you don't want her there. Christ dude

>>1896465
Heh, I don't like Fancy either, but thats me. I'll show it in votes, but I just get the one each time, so eh.

I get the sense from Fancy she'd be better as a wingwoman or a big sister to Colors, not a dating prospect. Dunno. Wrong chemistry?

Called, writing.

>>1896777
Can I tempt you to expand on this? I know you've expressed only a vague feeling here but it's of interest to me.

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>>1896777

Nah, just tossed out a vague feeling statement to tempt the lich to get his Feedback Fix.

No, not really.

But, hrm, it's hard to pin down. But the clearest statement I can think of is that they are not equals or peers in any relationship they'd have. It's... poaching, maybe? Where Colors is the underage minor in this example, with Fancy having this confidence that will totally overwhelm Colors trying to find out herself and what Colors wants?

It's not even the fairy chaser thing - even tho it's a thing - because that can be worked through.

Flip around the 'knows what she wants connecting to someone who's still looking' relationship into a supportive ally, vs a date, though, and it seems to make a lot more sense and natural.

Vox, how up to date is the charsheet?

>>1897112
After having deleted VALHALLA AWAITS, currently up-to-date. The NPC list & glossary are sorely in need of some love but everything else ought to be accurate.

>>1897121
New thread!
Migrate!

>>1897157
This link is correct, NEW THREAD is up.

>>1897284
And not safe for work, Jesu Christus Vox warn us before you make posts like that. You used to pastebin that shit, man, what happened?