>>2166903
"What's Acarit trying to cope with?"

Mirna sighs, "So, that's your question? Alright. You see, Acarit didn't always look like that. A god is pretty much set in stone when they ascend, with appearance and name. There was another Acarit before her. You see, if you kill a god, you take their place. You take their form, their name, their powers, and you lose everything else. The only exceptions to the rule are other gods." Mirna pointed to herself, "I was lucky, see, the god of knowledge had been destroyed by another god prior to my ascension. So I kept my name and form. Acarit, though..."

She frowned, "From what I know, she was an elf with a good heart, but the goddess of nature was cruel. She spent every effort to save people from the nature goddess who tried to wipe them out. She grew to hate the goddess and everything about her. It took a lot of work to finally kill the original Acarit... and the reward? She's Acarit now. Can you possibly imagine? A goddess whose very image she loathed was now her form. Her name. She can't even remember the original. Sure, nature was now in check, peaceful, but Acarit, the one we know... She was now ageless, outliving everyone. It's no wonder she made a drug to stop caring." Mirna nods, "And I can't even get her name back.. She was like that long before I came here."

"So... That's all your questions." She looks back to you, "Are you ready to leave for your quest?"

>What do you do?

>>2166938
OFFER MIRNA A HUG

>>2166938
Apologize if that was a touchy subject first and foremost, then Agree to embark on Mirna's quest, ask for anymore details she could provide, It seemed sort of vague last thread, surely there's an additional tid bit of knowledge she could add to be useful, upon completion of the quest, we should ask if there is any possible way we could help Arcarit, in any way, as a third party, perhaps the god of secrets may know her name, I certainly want to help her in anyway we can seeing as she is best girl and all, but we should try not to annoy Mirna (or OP for that matter) by constantly bombarding with best girl related posts, but i'm all for asking if we could help Arcarit, just after which we do something in return for Mirna, seeing as she has granted us all this knowledge for essentially free.

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and off to a flying start, I see comfort is high on the agenda! Nice!

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aaaand, still 1 to 1

>>2166938
>>2167466
Can we do both?

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>>2167466
I don't see that they're incompatible. Apologize, offer additional help, offer hug if it looks appropriate at any point.

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>>2167481
>>2167466
Both seems good.

If we have digital entertainment media on our mech offer to trade it for digitalised books. If we are lucky we might posess some old ass tv serie she never got to see the ending off.

>>2167466
Hug, hug her hard. Then find pot Elf, help her too. Fuck these gods collective shit up. In that order.

>>2166980
support.

>>2166938
>OFFER MIRNA A HUG

>>2166980
supporting.

Has possibilities.

>>2167637
If we get Mirna some power by doing her quest we could probably ask for her help is finding Hippie Goddesse's old name and helping her move past her problems

>>2169685
God of secrets would likely know her name, i agree with asking Mirna for help in helping arcarit after we finish her quest

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>>2166980
>>2168069
>>2168103
>>2168455
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push into a touchy subject... Did... you want a hug?" You offer.

Mirna looks at you, "Not now, Alex. We don't really know each other..."

"Is there anyway we can help Acarit? Or you could help us help her?"

"...I don't know. You'd best ask the god of secrets. But... I can help you in your quest... There is a second shrine hidden under Mera's city. It's not hers. You should try to find it if you can, but for now..."

Your world fades to white again as you find yourself before a shrine to the goddess. It's time to get to work. You are sure you can get your mech out of the underwater crevice easily enough.

>what do you do?

>>2170443
>>what do you do?
Travel to the city I guess?

>>2170446
What else to do right?

>>2170443
> No hug

Best end really.

>>2170443
> What do

Go back. Check on Witchy and Stony. See where we can get the stuff to turn her back to normal. Like. Let's not be a fucking dick about this guys.

>>2170470
This, then decide what to do about the mech, we cant just march straight into the city with it, and mera's knights are looking for us and it will be extremely hard to reclaim the mech if they get to it before us

>>2170483
a nice tactical approach.

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>>2170446
>>2170453
>>2170470
>>2170483
You resolve to head to the city. Upon returning to the library, the statue remains in place, perhaps it will warn foes of a sculptor no longer there.

Upon arriving to the mech, you meet with Hilda, "We need to sneak into Mera's capital, and see if we can get anything to restore the petrified girl here."

Hilda frowns, "Well, the city certainly has everything you need, but it is Mera's domain. There's going to be a few royal knights in the city for sure, and the empress too, I hear her armor is incredibly powerful."

You nod. Upon both of you entering the mech, you submerge in the water once more. The crevasse is easy to escape from, having a gradual slope out of the fissure. Your mech emerges from the water shortly before a fork in the river.

"That part flows from the city. It was built so the river flows around and under it." Hilda explains. Keeping low in the water, you move upstream. When the trees clear, you see the vast wall of the Imperial capital.

A royal knight stands guard on a bridge not far away. Another, short distance away is a grate, possibly big enough for the newt to enter the sewers, avoiding the guards.

Or you could enter in disguise through the front gate if you hide your mech in the river...

Or, you could possibly go in loud. Knightgs are in the countryside looking for you, after all, and this is far from the borders of the empire, so defenses must be low, right?

Hilda looks at the knight on guard, "Oh, that's Wilfred. He's a famous one, working alongside Locksley. Normally he skirmishes against the orcs in the mountains to keep their numbers low..."

>what do you do?

>>2171666
Perhaps we should go in through the main gate disguised, they haven't seen our face, just our helmet, a pair of common clothes and we are good

>>2171688
supported.

>>2171688
this sounds good

>>2171688
+1

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Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>2171688
>>2171763
>>2171975
The federation was never one for cowardice! You'll go straight through the front... in disguise. Parking your mech to a hidden area of the river, you step out. Seirye is finally awake now. Your entire team sneaks onto the road.

You sneak into an adventurer group and try to blend in to get through the front gates in disguise. Wilfred's mech eyes the group on approach.

>roll a d100

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>2172660
Rollan

>>2172666
Well shit Satan, you saved the day.

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>>2172666
Near-crit AND satan trips? Pic fucking related.
Guess we can add "Fucking master of disguise" to our titles.

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>2172660

>>2172666
well, shit, Satan, nice roll.

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>>2172666
>>2172667
>>2172719
As if through some unholy sort of luck, you manage to pass undetected. In fact, the adventurers don't even notice the new additions, and wave you farewell when you split off.

You are in the middle of a busy lane. There's quite a crowd. It's here that adventurers go, buying supplies and goods for their travels. In the distance, the palace of the Empress sists, behind fortress walls. Hilda tugs you over to a supply store.

"Look, petrification cures!" The bottles in the window are spendy though, and you only have 25 gold... And you are pretty sure you'll catch the attention of Mera if you start trading weed.

The temple was Mirna's priority, plus Mera has her shrine there. Another is hidden under the city too.

>What's your action?

>>2173316
My general vote is we do our primary goal first of restoring the shrine. Funds for a cure or an alternate means may come to us on the way.

>>2173316
>hidden under the city too.
Hidden temple quest is a go

>>2173316
We were looking for a magical ward to protect Mirna's shrine that she felt was likely held as a trophy in Mera's temple.
I say we scout out the temple and scope out if it's there and how we can get it.
And look into hidden tunnels and undercity ways we can hide in and possibly find hidden shrine too.

Basically case the joint.

>>2173420
this

>>2173420
Good idea. Although I'm not sure how good our combat will be in person.

>>2173316
Get Witchy to buy the petrification cure and set up an escape route for us if things go bad while we case the temple for the job.

At the least, we want her to be able to get out and cure the petrified chick so they can help us get out later as well.

>>2173420
We should hit Mera temple last, since Mera will probably rumble us at that point. She has to give us a blessing though if we get there, no?

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>>2173345
>>2173420
>>2173608
>>2175301
You decide to gather information on the temple. The grounds seem largely empty, only a few priests of Mera who seem more surprised someone came here instead of the palace. There are a few sewer entryways around it.

You don't enter the temple proper. Hilda notes that the sewer system is extensive. You could probably move about the city undetected through it, although you have no clue what might lurk down there. When questioned, Hilda responded 'slimes and rats, usually.'
Apparently summoned often explore these after summoned to get a grasp on fighting.

Wow. Summoning people who don't even know how to fight. You have a gun, at least, but that's only if you never learned close combat.

Seirye states that there is a town under the capital dealing in more shady activities, such as slave trade and illicit weapons. Fugitives like yourself would probably be found there, but not any shrines. It's a place for heretical sorts.

The temple doesn't seem to have any guards.

>What do you do?

>>2176047
Do we have a disguise? I think we just have the bomber jacket from 2 threads ago. we should check out that black market of sorts and try and find a disguise, If we already do have one, just enter the temple and scope it out

>>2176073
You are in your disguise currently, you scored a crit on entry with it.

>>2176047
> Scope out the sekrit temple

I'm betting it's right under the Mera temple. Also we can get some loot.

>>2176103
whoops. Comepletely forgot about that.

in that case just head into the temple i suppose, we could go to the black market city thing afterwards as it may be beneficial to us

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Merry Christmas.

>>2176648
Merry Christmas faggot. May you lay many an elf chick in the mech.

>>2176207
+1

>>2176207
>> Scope out the sekrit temple
I say give this a shot.
Normally, we've felt a pull towards a shrine, but this one is for the God of secrets, so who knows?

>>2175962
>We should hit Mera temple last, since Mera will probably rumble us at that point.
This is my concern.

>>2176207
changing to this

>>2176648
Happy Holidays
and a happy new year.

>>2176648
Happy boxing day!

> Underneath the temple is full of slimed and rats

What happens if we gather a bunch of slimes and let them loose by one side as a ditraction when we finally go for Mera's temple I wonder.

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Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>2176207
>>2177409
>>2178126
>>2178171
You decide to scour the undercity.

The sewers are massive, and the waters look deep. The flickering of lanterns drifts deep in the distance, lighting the area. You move along a walkway, looking for the temple.

Under Seirye states that there is a hidden town down here too.

>roll a d100 for your search efforts.

Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>2178546
come on fun shit.

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>2178546
>>2178546

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>2178546

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>>2178578
>>2178663
>>2178670
You pass by ramshackle huts and shifty folk, lurking in the depth on your search. On occasion you spot a slime flopping into the water. You head down a lightless passage where none lurk, and find a door set into a wall.

You don't recognize the symbol. It must belong to a god thought destroyed.

>What do you do?

>>2178922
....Enter it while humming the legend of zelda tune.

>>2178922
Enter carefully

>>2178922
BURN IT TO BE SURE.

It's probably a decoy.

> I'm the God of Secrets, which is what your blessing is!

> sore wa himitse desu

>>2178990
...it is a door of stone.

>>2178922
>>2178937
>>2178933
>Enter carefully while humming the legend of zelda tune

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>>2179027
>>2178937
>>2178933
As you enter the doorway, the world goes white.

"Oh! Oh please tell me you're alright!" A worried voice echoes. When your vision clears, you find yourself in a goddess' realm, a motherly-looking winged being before you, "It's been so long since anyone came, and I was worried you'd passed out... And for once you aren't of Mera... I'm so sorry. I had a ward that was meant to repulse those who'd destroy me... I only have three shrines left..."

You look around, this must be the goddess Mirna spoke about.

"I... I'm Jorr, the Goddess of Life. I was usurped by Mera, but she wasn't able to kill me... Or she spared me... Oh! Right, I should probably offer a blessing, but..."

>What do you do?

>>2179271
apologize for startling her, then blessing

>>2179271
"Hello ma'am the names...you know the names not really important right now. Mind if you tell us a bit about who you are before you give us that blessing?"
>Talk before blessing

>>2179287

dis

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>>2179295
>>2179287
"I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm Alex. I've come to obtain your blessing."

The goddess laughs nervously, "B-but you're a man. A-alright, I'll take anything I can get. Since Mera cannon know where I am, the only choices you have are my blessings, I'm sorry...
These are really powerful blessings though."

"I offer you the following:
>Lifemaker. You'll gain the ability to create small forms of life, calling them into being. Erm, but, well, You'll also be female. it's somewhat the rule. But you could make new life, right? That's a good trade!

>Lifewarden. You obtain an ability to safeguard life. You can use this power to keep someone from dying. You take on part of whatever would kill them into yourself... But you won't die from it. It takes a while to charge.

>Life breaker. Anyone who strikes you directly with intent to kill, erm, just you, though... Well, doing that will hurt them inside. They'd feel the same pain as if they were about to strike their own mother. It doesn't work on gods or those without disregard for life. You might get your own feelings of hesitation against killing too, though. Ah, wait, you are a soldier... I think you'll be fine."

She bows, "I'm so sorry! I usually help with fertility and health, but you already have Acarit's support. Th-these are really the only things I can offer a man."

>Which do you pick?

>>2179321
*cannot know where I am.

>>2179321
>>Lifewarden. You obtain an ability to safeguard life. You can use this power to keep someone from dying. You take on part of whatever would kill them into yourself... But you won't die from it. It takes a while to charge.

>>2179321
Lifewarden

>>2179321
>>Lifewarden. You obtain an ability to safeguard life. You can use this power to keep someone from dying. You take on part of whatever would kill them into yourself... But you won't die from it. It takes a while to charge.

guys, synergy with that nature goddes blessing, no infections form taking on wounds

>>2179321
>Lifewarden
>Hug the breeding goddess.

>>2179321
>>Lifewarden
Agreed.

>>2179321
>>Lifewarden.
For JUSTICE to exist, so too must life exist. This feels like the best option for us.

>>2179321
>Lifemaker. You'll gain the ability to create small forms of life, calling them into being. Erm, but, well, You'll also be female. it's somewhat the rule. But you could make new life, right? That's a good trade!

Become the ara~ara~

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>2179321
> How do we make more shrines for you?

> Life maker!

Lol since there is no chance of it winning.

>>2179321
>life maker
I'm curious

>>2179970
We can just have a quest to turn back into a guy later. Besides wewe're from an advanced society, transgender operation should be simple and common.

>>2179321
>>Lifewarden.
Also supporting giving the poor girl a hug.

>>2180614
>>2179350
Like goddamn on the hugs. We just met this and the other Goddess(es) for the first time and had like 2 minutes of conversation.

That's some socially awkward shit to go for hugging them right away. Turn it down a notch come on.

Killing so many flags. Like offering weed to the anti-drug Goddess. Even then we barely mitigated it by being technically a statement.

Actually that was pretty fun. Let's become the overly touchy feeling Hero. Just constantly ending up hugging people.

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>>2180614
>>2179350
We will be he unstoppable hugger. Act as if it's just expected to get a hug but make it uncomfortably close.

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>>2180777
Our defense however would be perfect.

>>2180198
huh, I didn't think anyone would realize that.

>>2179321
>Life breaker
Come on guys, this has practically no downsides. Plus if we take warden some injuries could be permenant(and may hinder us on our piloting)
Speaking of we should really train our merry crew on basic piloting to at least drive the mech just in case.

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>>2180614
>>2179466
>>2179396
>>2179350
>>2179327
>>2179324
>>2179323
Life warden is the choice you go for. The ability to save the lives of your companions is priceless. For a moment you consider the ability to create life... The cost is high though.

Back home, if one of the soldiers died in the Federation, they'd be cloned, all memories transferred, but sometimes a glitch would make them come back wrong. Your drinking buddy, Casey, worked as an operative. You learned about this when they showed up as a woman to the pub once. You think it was supposed to be secret. Casey, being in black ops, knew it well, though. You think they said they've died 12 times once.

Being on foot like this makes you wish you had Casey with you. He was always skilled at this sort of thing. Absolute shit with a mech though.

Jorr empowers you with her blessing. You're about to ask if she'd like a hug, but before you can, she hugs you instead. It's a warm and soft embrace.

"Thank you for coming. You might be my champion. I hope you are successful."

The world fades to white, as you are once more outside the doors.

>What is your next action?

>>2181099
*might not be my champion, but I hope you are successful."

Damnit

>>2181099
Head to the secret city and scope things out.

>>2181099
Alright lets look around a few of the adventure boards or something to earn a little bit of gold...preferably keeping quiet about it while having violence be the answer.

>>2181099
Try to find out gossip about the local hero and how he expects to find us, his ability etc.

>>2181107
supporting the above

instead of the below
>>2181108

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>>2181175
>>2181107
You make your way through the passage, heading for flickering firelight. It's a den of crime. Thieves, eerie figures in robes bearing symbols of Zavar. Of course, corruption under the realm of the purity goddess.

You spy slave sellers and less reputable goods on display. Vile-looking mercenaries and sellswords. Assassins and informants.

Oh, and there is a witch here too. She looks alot more... evil... like a children's fairytale.

>what do you do?

>>2181107
>Head to the secret city and scope things out.
Yeah, a little more recon before raiding the temple of doom.

>>2181199
Check out the goods on display, speak to some people, specifically the witch, about finding cool stuff to improve hilda.

>>2181201
My man>>2181201
I support you

>>2181201
+1

>>2181201
I'm okay with this, but I want to ask this to everyone:
When are we gonna attempt to carry out the mission to steal the artifact? In the near future or far?
Are we gonna try it on this visit or will we prepare until we are at better readyness?

>>2181485
>When are we gonna attempt to carry out the mission to steal the artifact?
This visit, unless the defenses are insurmountable.

Just gotta get some souvenirs first.

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>>2181200
>>2181201
>>2181202
>>2181407
>>2181485
You head through the stalls. all sorts of odd creatures hocking less than legal wares abound. It's pretty active there.

You pass dozens of stalls on the way to the witch, each with gear or services you can't really find useful. The witch regards hilda with a crooked grin and a cackle.

"My, my, a little hedge witch from the country. Come to the city to learn some real spells?" She laughs, Some sort of foul-smelling substance bubbles in a cauldron behind her... there's no fire heating it.

"I can offer spells and hexes of the most potent variety... for a price. I don't work in money though, my pretties."

>what do you do?

>>2181744
Put on a brave face and continue talking.
"Alright, anything we can offer you? For some of them?"

>>2181744
have hilda look through for anything useful, while asking what the witch means about her prices, maybe some kind of curse? or a drawback of the spells?

>>2181744
>>2181749
This sounds good.

Also guys, please remember MAGIC USERS DON'T WANT OUR WEED, so don't offer it to her.

>>2182129
That's just followers of Mira.

Goddess Weed might be interesting for use as a reagent or other alchemical ingredients.

But we should be responsible with it and not hand it out without considering possible consequences never being the same.

>>2181744
> Why don't you take money? Can I sell you things for money then?

>>2181512
>>2181485

IMO priority 1 is getting Miras priestess cured. Allies are needed right now.

Priority 2 was finding the secret temple. Completed.

Priority 3 is getting away with jacking the temple. I wouldn't mind spending some time finding out what things will be like in the city once we go loud. The black market sounds like a place to find out how to avoid Mera noticing us the second we enter the temple.

Priority 4 is getting the thing.

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>>2182393
>>2182129
>>2181749
>>2181748
"What... do you take then?"

"Oh, something valued, taken for granted. You hardly think of it until it's gone." She cackles, "You're a dark mage, hrm? I have charms and hexes for your ilk..."

"I'm not buying for myself, but for Hilda" You hear the witch behind you jump slightly.

"For me?"

The hag gazes at you with a glowing eye, "Aaah, a selfless dark mage. Strange. Heheheh... You've the smell of Zavar on you. Old witches like me know, eheheh... but... Acarit too?" Her eyes narrow, "And another... My my, what a clever boy. I'll give you secrets for blood, hrm?" She extracts a rusty-looking dagger, slick with some substance.

Yeah, no. You aren't getting near blades like that. That's just bad news overall.

"Something else." the hag pauses at your response, eyes narrowed.

"Hrm, hrm... can't take that, or that, or that... Boy, I can't take anything from you. What of your friends..." Her gaze turns to Seirye and Hilda.

"For the price of the girl's beauty and health, I could give her spells that could turn others into toads, make the skin peel off men, and make minds melt, leaving nothing but hollow shells. I could give her hexes that could bring lives to ruin." A price of beauty? So they'd become hideous just so Hilda could learn spells?

"That sounds like a shit deal." You reply. The hag glares.

"Power doesn't come easy, boy!" She hisses through crooked pointy teeth, "It's a great deal of suffering and pain! Why I ought-" You ignore her after her remark.

"Pain, eh?" Her existence is probably not comfy. You wonder if she can make herself young again...

wonder if... It comes to mind that you have a medikit in your suit. You only have 12 of them including this one, but a nanite canister chock full of painkillers is a pocket miracle.

You also have the stash, but you aren't sure what kinda mystical shit a witch can pull out of a pinch of goddess weed.

It also comes to mind you have a fucking laser gun and this is the criminal part of town... Just saying... although you aren't sure what this hag is packing.

>what do you do?

>>2183468
offer the medkit.

>>2183468
>you have a fucking laser gun and this is the criminal part of town
No, just... No.
Do not shoot witches already tempted to curse you unless you're certain that it will put them down.

>>2183496
>offer the medkit.
FUCK NO.
Offer one dose of pain killer.

First taste just costs some information.
If she wants a pocket miracle, she can trade for more.
>tfw we be hardcore drug dealers now. We need an anachronistic pager.

>>2183468
Offer our blood. Acarit's blessing makes us immune to diseases anyway, so I don't think we need to worry about infections.

>>2183555
>Offer some pain killers and while were at it some magical god weed. This is a witch after all don't they munch on herbs and do voodoo stuff with a doll? Some magical herbs should help them quite a lot....Especially if its from the elven god. Plus pain killers are painkillers if we lose a few of them we just have to bear with the pain nothing to much about it.
>Also check with Hilda if it's okay

If the painkillers and the magical weed fail, offer a medkit I suppose..Hilda at least should be able to play catchup.

>>2183602
Shit, forgot about that.
I hope this doesn't do weird shit like soul draining or sucking our vitality though.

Perhaps we should ask what that blade is covered with, and whem was the last time she properly sanitized it.

>>2183555
>>2184639
painkillers are the medikit. it's part of the nanites.

>>2186138
DO IT ANYWAAAAAAY

>>2186191
Sooo, offer the medkit? Okay.

>>2191236
Our thread continues here!

https://discord.gg/P4w9X8 discord for updates.