>>2809339
>I fucked the title up again
>fucking kill me please
>heres the last post of the previous thread, excuse me while I give a blowjob to a shotgun

“Right, Larry you take point, me and Johnny will be right behind you and Rosa will be in the back, any objections?”

“Works for me.” Larry said, excitedly.

“Likewise.” Rosa said.

Johnny merely grunted something in response.

“I’m gonna go set these bomb runes on as many supports as I can, gonna pass them out to all of you as well, I want to get some tethers set up if we have the time to as well so I can get a nice controlled demolition.”

“Where in blazes did you learn to do all of this?” Rosa asked, clearly alarmed.

“I picked a few things up.” Henry said.

“Henry!” Johnny called out.

Henry spun around to see Larry holding one of the bomb runes, the thing was beginning to light up. When the hell had the man grabbed one? In an instant Henry swiped the thing out of the man’s hands and calmed it back down.

“Okay Larry, everyone BUT you gets to use the bomb runes, and if you stick your hand in my things again I will chop your fucking hand off, are we clear?”

“Y-yes.” Larry said, holding a hand up awkwardly. His other hand relaxed, he’d been holding his sword in a deathgrip.

The bomb runes were placed along several of the basement support columns. Interestingly enough there were a couple of generators down here as well, though they were switched off. Regardless Henry placed a couple of bomb runes on them as well, then took several minutes to lay leyline cables connecting all of them. If one got set off they’d all go off now. Henry hoped nobody else stumbled in or things would get bad, they’d have the finish this quickly.

>>2809348
Ascending the stairs, Henry finally began to feel nervous. They really were charging in here, but it was too late now.

Larry charged forward as they got to the top, his sword blazed with fiery energy. Johnny rushed out after him and a crackling noise and the sound of dripping followed.

Henry rushed up to find a small metal man without his head laying on the ground. The point where Larry had cut was still molten and was dripping onto the stone floor, sizzling as it went.

“That was easy!” Larry said, laughing. “Good lord that was easy.”

“It wasn’t the right one.” Johnny said. “For one it’s far too small, and it put up no fight. A flawed copy perhaps?”

“Odd, it has the proportions of a child.” Rosa said. “See it even has a umbilical cord.”

Sure enough a rubber tube was connected to the things belly. The rubber tube lead down the hall before coming to an abrupt stop. The cord had been violently torn apart.

“Well this just got unsettling.” Johnny said, glancing around. “I assume the creature is in the clock tower itself.”

“What makes you think that?” Rosa asked.

“Prior experience with these sorts of things.” Johnny said. “Creatures always seem to be at the top of buildings or at the lowest point of dungeons. Just a thing I’ve noticed.”

Decisions:
1. Further inspect the ‘corpse’ (roll 1d100)
2. Head up the stairs
3. Talk to someone (write in)
4. Other? (Write in)

>>2809365
“Larry, Johnny, scout out the rest of the floor, don’t fucking charge in and fight anything you find, please.”

“Fine.” Larry said, “God you’re worse than my mother you know that.”

“Keep in line.” Johnny said, pushing Larry’s shoulder and moving them both down the hallway.

Henry took stock of his surroundings. They were at the back of a long hallway that branched into a bunch of other rooms, one of which was probably the staircase leading upstairs. The door they had come from had a sign that simply read “basement” and it was fairly descriptive all things considered. The floor had fancy rugs and the walls had fancy wallpaper. There were a few paintings and some polished wood furniture lining the sides of the space.

“Rosa, do you have any idea what we are looking at here?” Henry asked, grabbing a pair of gloves from his pouches.

He quickly put them on and began to inspect the ‘corpse’ or perhaps the ‘wreckage’ would have been a more apt description. It was like the whole thing had been clumsily smashed together.

“Well if the original is nine feet tall, then this one is probably a child, though far too large to be a baby.” Rosa said. “The cord… I don’t want to talk about this.” Rosa said, clutching uncomfortably at her stomach.

“Get a grip.” Henry responded. “You’re a professional aren’t you?”

“Fine, you’re right.” Rosa said, sitting down next to Henry.

The woman moved her hands over the things arms, and tried to move them up and down.

“There aren’t any joints.” Rosa said, moving her hands to the things legs and repeating the process. “This thing would have never been able to move at all, no matter what sort of spells were placed into the thing.”

“There is no animation matrix either.” Henry said.

“A what?” Rosa asked.

“Basically there isn’t any runic network to keep the thing active.”

“Like a gargoyle?” Rosa asked.

“A gargoyle would be one of the most complex examples, but yes.” Henry said.

Henry took a look at the back of the thing and found it was completely hollow inside. There weren’t any internal components.

“It’s like someone took one look at Ticky and tried to make a copy of him.” Henry said. “Weird, isn’t it? The whole thing is just… well it’s like someone smashed metal together and it stuck well enough together to make this thing.”

“I’m unsettled.” Rosa said, bitting a nail. “L-look can we stop looking at the child, I don’t like it.”

“Fine.” Henry said.

The thing had no magical components whatsoever, it was just inert metal, rubber, glass, and tubbing. What the hell had Ticky been up to? The umbilical cord didn’t inspire confidence either.

>>2809392
This isn't good at all.

>>2809392
“This floor is clear.” Johnny said. “Though we found two more of the things, same cord coming out of their bellies as well.”

“What the fuck.” Henry said. “This wasn’t mentioned anywhere in her blueprints.”

“Well I guess we’ll just have to improvise right lads?” Larry said.

“Pretty much.” Johnny said. “We have nowhere to go but up now.”

Henry stood up and took his gloves off. He realized he’d been sweating and wiped the moisture from his forehead. This whole building was fairly warm inside he realized.

Johnny went and offered a gauntleted hand to Rosa, who graciously accepted.

“A proper gentleman.” She said, glaring at Henry.

“Yeah yeah shut up.” Henry said, waving her away. “I need to think.”

“The more time we think the less time we have to kill the damned thing.” Larry said. “Sides isn’t it going to explode eventually?”

“I happen to agree, although we should exercise SOME caution.” Johnny replied

“Fine, fuck.” Henry said. “Did you guys find the stairs?”

“Third door on the right.” Larry said, “Smack dab in the middle of the building.”

Henry led the way, carefully folding up his gloves and placing them back into their proper pouch.

The stairwell was a stone construction with no sort of decoration other than glass windows every dozen steps or so. The courtyard outside was swarming with Cathars, Angels, and Church officials of all sorts. Scurrying about trying to solve something that he was about to with a fraction of the manpower and a hell of a lot more brainpower.

>>2809423
It made him feel all smug inside.

As they climbed higher and higher the sound of clockwork began to grow louder and louder. Eventually the sound of grinding gears and whirring metal reached a fever pitch. They had passed several rooms full of complex machinery and glowing runework, and had even had to climb over a few more ‘children’ on the way up the stairs, yet still no sign of Ticky.

Henry was fucking pissed that Johnny had been right about monsters. It was the stupidest thing he had ever heard, but god damn if that skeleton didn’t give good advice.

“Is it getting warmer or is it just me?” Larry blurted out.

“No it is getting warmer.” Rosa said, taking out a rag and wiping sweat off her face. “It should be getting colder as we climb higher shouldn’t it?”

“Something is wrong.” Johnny said, “It shouldn’t be getting warmer.”

Like he could even feel it.

“Eventually they reached the top, the walls were made completely of glass, behind which was a whole network of runes, gears and other various contraptions. The whole thing was amazing. Henry was dumbstruck that Ophelia had been able to singlehandedly design something of this magnitude. She must have stolen it from somewhere, hadn’t she? There was just no way…

“Uh, I hear movement behind the big door.” Larry said, crouching down low and comically trying to sneak forwards. Stealth wasn’t the man’s forte.

A massive wrought iron door stood before them, with a much smaller door carved into the base of the thing. Honestly the whole thing was just a vapid display of wealth, you didn’t need such a large fucking door where you wouldn’t even have guests.

Time Limited Decision, Choose 1
1. Charge up the ghiest thrower and rush forwards
2. Carefully get a plan together (write in)
3. Try to quietly open the door up (roll 1d100)
4. Try to signal to Agla using a mirror (roll 1d100)
5. Other? (write in)

>>2809427
>5. Other? (write in)
Look for the source of the magic to the room, and see if we can cut it off before heading in.
I swear, this better post this time

>>2809427
Backing >>2809518

How much Red Mana do we still have? Asking because Lightning Talons would be one hell of a way to disrupt the rune network going on here, but if we're running low then we might want to just keep in mind where the magic source is.

>>2809570
well Henry has cast 1 lightning bolt and 1 lightning talons so...

>>2809518
>>2809542
make a roll for it, 75 or higher due to the sheer complexity of the designs.

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>2811194
The horror
Seriously, rolls scare me.

>>2811201
And this is why I'm afraid of rolls.
Shit

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>2811194

>>2809427
“So before we do something stupid, let’s cut off the mana flow to the room.” Henry said, running his hands over the walls. He had no idea what he was looking at, but it all seemed incredibly important.

“Why?” Rosa asked. “Why would you touch any of this?”

“Maybe it’ll drop the barrier.” Larry offered. “I mean the barrier is coming from inside of here.”

“Henry can we please consider what we’re doing here.” Johnny offered.

“I know EXACTLY what I am doing old man.” Henry said, before using the last of his red mana and striking what he believed to be the center of the rune matrix of the clock tower.

This was a horrible, horrible idea for a variety of reasons.

The tower immediately shook as the grinding of gears began to speed up, and the tower began to sway slightly back and forth. Next a horrifying screech echoed from the room behind them, forcing the three living members of their party to their knees, desperately trying to block to noise out.

Johnny went and helped the three of them up, desperately trying to herd them down the steps as pounding footsteps echoed from the other side of the door, something had been severely pissed off.

The shrieking continued. Henry felt like he was going insane, standing this fucking close to the thing.

(-75 sanity)

Decisions:
1. Try to run down the steps (roll 1d100)
2. Attempt to cast a spell (roll 1d100)
3. Use the thingy?
4. Help
5. Other?

Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>2811254
>2. Attempt to cast a spell (roll 1d100)
Mind shield thing
BLUE MANA

>>2811260
well, you've just managed to save all three of your party members

>>2811254
Henry in a blind panic cast close mind on his self, and did it so well that it spread to the others and immediately snapped them out of it. Henry took the opportunity to push past the others and run the hell downs the steps. He could barely make out Rosa cursing him out and swearing she’d wring his neck when she caught him. Henry took the time to place wax in his ears, and yelled for Rosa and Larry to do the same.

Based on the large amount of noise, Ticky had crossed the glass room and was rapidly descending the stairs after them, Henry had a couple of options and none of them were good. He could try to hide in one of the side rooms, but the thing had been living in here for weeks and probably knew this place really well. He could try to outrun it, but there were a lot of steps. Lastly… well he could try to fire past the others… I mean, they were more expendable than he was, weren’t they? Sides Johnny wouldn’t die from this, probably.

Larry and Rosa totally would if they got hit by it.

The creature screeched again and Henry felt his mind waver. It was like he could FEEL the spell straining against the damned thing. Why the hell had he tried to destroy something that wasn’t his target. WHY THE FUCK HAD HE DONE SOMETHING SO STUPID AGAIN?

Decisions:
1. FUCKING RUN (roll 1d100)
2. FUCKING HIDE (roll 1d100)
3. FUCKING KILL (roll 1d100)
4. Other? (FUCKING WRITE IN)

>>2811294
>4. Other? (FUCKING WRITE IN)
Lure it to the bottom of the tower, then shove ghiest caster down it's vocal cavity, overload it, them boom the fucking tower.

>>2811294
Fuck it, going all out
backing >>2811304

>>2811304
>>2811312
gonna need 2 rolls for that boys, first to escape ticky, second to have the explosion go off correctly.

Rolled 75, 20 = 95 (2d100)

>>2811315
Do we need to roll for our comrades to escape also?

>>2811317
its counted as one roll for sake of time

Rolled 83, 87 = 170 (2d100)

>>2811315
R O L L A N ?

>>2811328
Yay
We didn't die.

>>2811328
that's a complete pass, good work

>>2811294
As Henry ran down the steps, he took the time to take a good look out the window, the church personal were all stirred up now. There were almost two dozen angels and more Cathars than Henry could properly count gathered up outside. But beyond all of that, something very important had happened.

The shield had come down.

The silence wards were luckily still in place, so Ticky’s latest outburst shouldn’t have caused any damage, well, beyond what’d happened to them.

It seemed like the church was about to launch a massive attack on the front gate now, but by then Henry and his group would be paste. No way they could hold off Ticky long enough for help to arrive. He didn’t really care about being paid anymore, survival took precedence now.

Henry almost lost his balance as the stairwell shook and one by one the windows blew out. Ticky had let out another screech. Without the earwax he’d probably be deaf. Holy fuck was this fucker loud.

As they reached the base of the stairwell, Henry waited for the rest of his group to descend the stairs then hurriedly shut the door and barred it with furniture. It probably wouldn’t buy them any time at all. Rosa looked like she was about to kill him, her anger overriding any fear she should be feeling. Larry looked shook up, maybe his childish illusions had finally given way. Johnny just looked impatient, he was passing his sword from hand to hand. Of course he would take the monster on, must be easy when you’d already died.

“GET TO THE BASEMENT.” Henry screamed out, bravely leading the way, putting as much distance and as many bodies between him and Ticky. At least he’d waited for the others before slamming the door shut, right?

Henry quickly placed the gheistcaster onto the floor and hooked it up to the bomb runes. Truth be told he had no idea whether any of this would actually work, but he didn’t want to still be here when they went off.

Decisions:
1. Blow the whole thing up (after getting to a safe distance of course)
2. Say something cool first (write in)
3. Other? (write in)

>>2811451
>2. Say something cool first (write in)
"After all that, this alarm should be loud enough to wake up anyone alive or dead." (try to keep a serious face, but give Johnny a childish smile, hopefully this is IC enough for Henry after barely surviving a fuckup)
>1. Blow the whole thing up (after getting to a safe distance of course)

>>2811514
Sounds good to me.

>>2811451
ABOUT TIME WE GIVE TICKY A HICKY FOR LIFE HAHAHAHA AMIRITE GUISE HAHAA GUISEE

>>2811514
>>2811550
will write soonish


>>2812001
oof

>>2811451
Henry led the others back down the tunnel, all the while getting a bit of mana worked up into his hands. He needed to make sure Ticky was in the basement when this thing went off, else it wouldn’t really work.

“After all that, this alarm should be loud enough to wake anyone alive or dead.” Henry said.

He tried to keep a straight face, and almost pulled it off, but a small smile worked its way through. Something not completely lost on Johnny.

“I’m just happy we’re all alive.” Rosa said.

“That is the absolute worst thing you could have possibly said.” Johnny responded. “Until that thing is dead assume you are.”

“Uh, lads?” Larry said. “I think it just kicked in the basement door.”

Henry continued to back up, he had the last spool of leyline cable in his hands now, all he’d have to do was set a charge of mana down the line, and then kaboom.

He waited a moment longer, then kicked the entire thing off. The explosion was quick and violent. There was the sound of shattered stone, splintering wood, and torn metal. A massive plume of dust rocketed down the tunnel, and the entire structure shook. There was a horrible creaking noise coming from the clocktower, and then a horrifying screech.

Out of the plumes of dust that had enveloped the tunnel, Ticky tock strode. Dangling from his body were several metal children, eyes glowing and letting out cries. Ticky himself, or perhaps herself, was somewhat damaged. His head had a piece of stone sticking straight through it, though it didn’t seem to affect its ability to move. It also seemed like a few parts of its casing had been knocked loose. But mainly the blast had been absorbed by the warped things that it carried around with it.

The ‘children’ swayed around as Ticky moved, a couple of them weakily moved their arms around. They had cables that were directly attached to Ticky, and seemed to be drawing power from it.’

Overall, they were completely fucked if the fucker got close. As if to further pound the point home, the clocktower gave up the ghost and a wave of rubble blocked off the entrance to the basement. Well that was one way to dispose of evidence wasn’t it.

>Will be updating tomorrow.

>>2812093
Thanks for running!

>>2812093
We need to hit the Aether Heart - likely where all the metal "children" are connected. We should have 3 or 4 red mana on hand currently.
Larry and Johnny could try to cut free a few "children" to clear a shot. We can Bolt for effect higher on the body and Lightning Talons once the chest area is clear. If Larry thinks he can throw the exploding Rune to hit the chest we could try one of those as well. Otherwise we retreat until someone has a better plan.

>>2814380
Or we could run the bolt up an umbilical connection straight to the heart.

>>2812093
Would the resurrect dead spell work on the dead baby tickys?

>>2814389
Nice idea!

>>2814389
I like this idea of overloading the heart through the proxy children.

>>2812093
Henry immediately weighed his options. He had all of his spells right? How much mana had he used up today? Next there was Larry who was able to cut through metal with that blade of his, hopefully he’d be able to do some damage. Johnny would be useful as a ‘human’ shield though if he took too much damage his cover would be completely blown. Lastly there was Rosa. The woman was slowly backing away from Ticky, her knees were shaking badly and it seemed like she was about to lose her composure. Not to mention that her white mana spells would be fucking useless against the damned thing. From what he’d seen of Ticky’s aftermath, if it landed any clean hits on them there wouldn’t be anything left for her to heal. He filed her away into the ‘useless’ category and left it at that. That woman was good for healing and nothing else.

Ticky stared at them intently, its hands gripping at the sides of the tunnel, grasping dirt and occasionally moving to sort of calm one of the shrieking children. The whole thing was a mess of metal, wiring and horrible noise.

The creature took a single step forward and the tunnel shook horribly. What the fuck? Ticky was knocked backwards and the group was knocked to their knees by whatever the fuck had just happened. Had the tower collapsed?

“We need to decide whether we run or fight.” Johnny said. “The thing doesn’t seem to be in complete control of itself.”

“Might be trying to lure us in.” Rosa said, the woman’s voice was strained.

Rosa’s white robes had been stained with dirt and muck, and the woman was clinging to one of the tunnel’s support beams for dear life.

“I think I see the things heart yeah?” Larry said, “Seems the big explosion we made opened her up. It’s all glowey.”

Sure enough, there was a large gash on its chest where a human heart would go, and a soft light blue glow was coming out of it, that was probably their target.

“Make a move Henry.” Johnny said. “Right now we’re all closed in, nowhere for us to move really, but that thing can’t stand properly either.”

Ticky rose onto its feet and began to quickly tug at one of its ‘children’. It cradled the thing in its arms as the light inside the child’s eyes died down. Ticky let out a horrifying shriek as the life faded from the child’s eyes.

“Oh god.” Rosa said, curling up on the floor. “No no no no…”

Henry clutched at his head, even with his close mind spell it seemed whatever it was… was leaking through

(-25 sanity, after close mind save applied)

Ticky ripped the child out from its bindings, tore the umbilical cord, and smashed the child’s head against the walls of the tunnel, causing rubble and dirt to rain down. Henry could hear a beating heart in his head, though maybe it was the gears of the clocktower?

He didn’t know anymore.

>>2814828
==================================(Boss Fight: Ticky Tock)============================
Boss theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7tGh1dstig&t=29s
Decisions:
1. Run
2. Stay and fight
3. Other (write in)


>I know I really shouldn't be saying this, but the mini-boss battle also took place today. That's the only hint I'll provide.

>>2814655
no, Ticky and its 'children' aren't alive in the first place.

>>2814380
keep in mind that Henry isn't the only member of the party with access to red mana.

>>2814831
>Fight
Let's start out defensive and get to work on charging the Gheistcaster

>>2814831
>Fight
also
>Ticky rose onto its feet and began to quickly tug at one of its ‘children’. It cradled the thing in its arms as the light inside the child’s eyes died down. Ticky let out a horrifying shriek as the life faded from the child’s eyes.
This fucking line, goddamn

>>2815212
>Ticky ripped the child out from its bindings, tore the umbilical cord, and smashed the child’s head against the walls of the tunnel
I don't think that was a display of maternal feelings. Those babies must be serving some selfish purpose for ticky.

>>2815414
Lets hope so.

>>2814831
“We need to fight!” Henry yelled.

His voice bounced off the walls of the tunnel, all of the noise hurt his ears. He just wanted a warm bed to lay in for a couple of hours to sleep this whole thing off. But first this fucking metal piece of shit had to die.

“Finally!” Larry called out, his sword glowed red with mana. The man looked ready to roll. Johnny on the other hand was a lot more cautious. Rosa was desperately trying to stand up now but it seemed her legs had given out on her.

“Here, let me help you up.” Henry said.

“T-thanks.” Rosa replied.

Ticky took a couple of steps forward before a gush of steam emerged from its back. The light in its chest also glowed much brighter. Was that the supposed failsafe? How big was the explosion going to be.

Ticky stumbled as if it were drunk, ripping chunks of dirt from the walls. Its children swinging every which way and letting out shrieks of their own. Thankfully these didn’t have the same effects as Ticky’s. Ticky clutched and scratched at its face before letting out a quiet groan.

Decisions:
1. Have Larry Charge at the thing (roll 1d100)
2. Have Johnny try to distract it (roll 1d100, 30 or higher required)
3. Retreat further down the tunnel to the warehouse.
4. Cast a spell (write which spell, roll 1d100)
5. Other? (write in)

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>2817489
>4. Cast a spell (write which spell, roll 1d100)
Lightning talons on a throwing dagger.

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>2817489
>1. Have Larry Charge at the thing (roll 1d100)
Aim and baby cables!
>2. Have Johnny try to distract it (roll 1d100, 30 or higher required).
Same as Larry Instruction
>3. Retreat further down the tunnel to the warehouse. (Rosa)
Or she casts a Light spell at it's head?
>4. Cast a spell (write which spell, roll 1d100)
Bolt.

Rolled 64, 49, 7 = 120 (3d100)

>>2817563

the other rolls

>>2817508
>>2817563
writing

bolt + lightning talons during miniboss fight = 3
lightning talons to destroy part of rune network = 2

you're out of red mana already boys

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>2817734
>5. Other? (write in)
See if we can't take Johnny's red mana to fuel our spell.
If not
>2. Have Johnny try to distract it (roll 1d100, 30 or higher required)

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>2817489
“Larry, rush the thing down, Johnny cover him.” Henry called out. Someone needed to take command of everybody now.

He grabbed out a throwing dagger and tried to cast lightning talons into it. A couple of sparks came out of the end of it but the spell fizzled. He’d run out of red mana.

FUCK

Larry charged straight at Ticky, not really concerned with his own wellbeing. The man was an utter lunatic.

Ticky raised a hand up and moved to crush Larry. Larry stopped and rolled out of the way as Ticky brought his hand down, this caused a plume of dust to shoot up into the air and momentarily blocked Henry from being able to see further down the tunnel. He had no idea whether or not Larry was okay.

Johnny moved in and waved his sword around, clanging it against the walls and trying to make as much noise as possible.

Ticky lunged out of the shadows, diving towards the skeleton. Johnny nimbly dodged out of the way, pressing into the side of the tunnel as Ticky skidded past.


“Rosa, do you know any light spells?” Henry asked.


“Y-yes I know a candlelight spell.” Rosa said, inching away from the fighting.

“Can you cast it at Ticky’s head, try and get the fucker distracted.”

“We need to run Henry, this is suicide!” Rosa replied.

“Answer me damn it, we can’t run from this, he’ll chase us down.” Henry said, grabbing a hold of Rosa’s shoulders and staring at her intently.

“Y-yes, I s-should be able to.” Rosa said. It was like she’d been shaken out of a funk.

Larry emerged from the plume of smoke, leapt onto Ticky’s back. His sword was wreathed in flame and was letting off plumes of smoke now. The man swung his sword above his head and with a single motion plunged it through one of Ticky’s children and deep into his back.

(continued)

>>2817844
Larry nimbly leapt off of Ticky, landed into a roll, and got back up onto his feet next to Henry and Rosa. Johnny backed away from Ticky as the creature got back up onto its feet and clutched for the ‘child’ that Larry had just run through. It didn’t even seem to care that it had a molten puncture wound on its back now.

The child’s eyes had stopped glowing, it had ‘died’ or was broken by Larry’s attack. Ticky cradled it for about a minute. Nobody wanted to get close to the thing while it was behaving this oddly, although Henry would’ve casted a bolt had he been able to.

Eventually Ticky ripped the cord out of the child and flung it into the wall, and then stomped on it while shrieking. The amount of steam coming out of its back went from a trickle to a steady stream. The steam flowed to the ground and began to creep up the walls as it flooded into the chamber. Henry backed away to avoid being scalded.

Ticky let out a shriek now, its voice echoing down the tunnel. Henry clutched at his head as his mind began to wander, he had to keep it together.

Rosa began to sob inconsolably while clutching at her stomach. Larry grabbed at his head before slapping himself.

“So why did you not go for the heart?” Henry asked, after he managed to recover.

“Couldn’t get a clear shot at it.” Larry replied. “Fucker was on his back.”

“Right, great.” Henry said.

Ticky stood up straight, his head scrapping against the tunnel. He was down to three children now, and he seemed to be extremely pissed off. Ticky dug his feet into the ground and dropped to all fours.

He was going to charge them

Decisions:
1. Stand your ground
2. Make a run for the warehouse exit
3. Slap Rosa out of it
4. Other?

>>2817907
>The steam flowed to the ground
Hot air rises op.
3. Slap Rosa out of it

>>2817919
whoops, also you can pick more than one option.

>>2817919
Well then
>2. Make a run for the warehouse exit
>3. Slap Rosa out of it
>4. Other?
DETONATE SHEIT

>>2817907
>3. Slap Rosa out of it
>1. Stand your ground

>>2817926
what do you have to detonate?

>>2817973
calling it a night, will check on the tiebreaker tomorrow

>>2817907
Backing >>2817926
We get out, then we Bomb Rune chain detonation the fucker

>>2819102
>>2817926
writing

>>2817907
“Fall back!” Henry shouted, before rushing past everyone back down the tunnel.

He could hear Ticky gushing steam as he disappeared from view. Then Ticky began to rush forwards, clanking down the tunnel. The thing moved fast for something of its size, but Henry and his group were able to outpace it. About two minutes later they arrived inside of the warehouse. Henry immediately began to get to work.

“Get these set up along the tunnel exit.” Henry yelled, passing out the remaining bomb runes among Johnny and Larry. He had half a dozen of the things left. He didn’t know if it would kill Ticky but it would certaintly leave a dent. Then there was the question, would Ticky explode if he died? How big would the explosion be?

A screech emerged from the tunnel putting to rest those thoughts.

Henry worked his way to the back of the warehouse’s basement and then up a small staircase. He had a good view of the tunnel, but this perch gave him a good amount of distance from it, and a bit of cover from shrapnel. He’d have Johnny in front of him with some of the plate mail on his rags, but he hoped the explosion wouldn’t be too big.

Larry had to lead Rosa up the tunnel; the woman was out of sorts.

“I-I’m not d-defective… stop.” Rosa said, clawing at the air. “I’m not useless… please stop saying that, I…. I don’t want to leave, please don’t throw me to the wolves! I can’t stay?! Why would you do this to me, to family?” She said.

Henry didn’t really know how to react, the woman was crying as well, something bad had been brought up in all of this.

So he slapped her a couple of times, he held back despite himself, but it got the job done. He looked up to see stairs from Johnny and Larry, to which he shrugged.

Rosa rubbed her face for a moment before leaping up.

“WHAT DID YOU DO.”

“Welcome back dear.” Johnny said, “Might want to back up, things might get messy.”

Henry saw Ticky’s form appear down the tunnel, as it turned and charged towards them, do or die now.


Decisions:
1. Activate the bomb runes at the correct time (roll 1d100)
2. Other? (write in)

>>2821371
>1. Activate the bomb runes at the correct time (roll 1d100)

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>2821385
Forgot my dice

>>2821391
I am so happy now.

File: 1517686628556.jpg (142 KB, 1280x720)

142 KB JPG

>>2821391
YES
YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

File: Megumeme+is+best+girl+_03(...).jpg (238 KB, 774x1032)

238 KB JPG

>>2821391
holy fuck

>>2821371
Ticky came screaming down the tunnel, its metal form clanking and clinking against the wooden support beams as it charged towards them. It tore a rock from the walls and hurled it at them. The boulder veered right and lodged itself into one of the basements brick walls, causing the ceiling to begin caving downwards.

Henry grit his teeth and waited for the perfect moment.

Ticky and its children screeched again, but Henry wasn’t fazed by it, not now when he needed to concentrate so badly.

Johnny stepped in front of him as he had expected, but he still had a clear view of the exit.

As Ticky bounded down the last couple of steps Henry conjured up the needed magic and reached out to the runes. The effect was instantaneous and brutal. Henry heard a couple of stones wiz past him, as the explosion wreaked havoc.

Larry let out a curse and fell backwards onto the stairs, Rosa nearly jumped into the ceiling, and Johnny was knocked backwards a couple of steps. Henry could see a couple of holes had formed in the skeleton’s plate mail, but otherwise he was fine.

Ticky lay on the ground, its body horribly shredded and its remaining children laying in tatters all around it. It let out dull groans as it desperately tried to stand back up on tattered legs.

“Did we do it?” Larry asked. “I still want to deal the final blow… but holy shit.”

Larry began to back up the stairs, he was bleeding in a couple of areas, seemed the shrapnel had hit him but not badly enough to down him.

Ticky began to crawl forward, its eyes red with incomprehensible fury now. Steam began to gush from its back and the light from its belly became blinding.

It was time to go.

Decisions:
1. Make a run for it (roll 1d100)
2. Other? (roll 1d100)

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>2821554
>1. Make a run for it (roll 1d100)
alright, now is when we FUCKING RUN

>>2821559
>36
O O F
O
F

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>2821559
This

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>2821554
Use the flamethrower thing on it, finish it off now.

>>2822118
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvR0VuOp6qw

>>2822118
That's not good.

>>2822118
Really not good
>>2822297
4chan killing my trip

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>2821559

>>2822324
That doesn't help.

>>2822118
>>2822324
writing

>>2821554
Henry reached for his ghiestcaster, maybe if he put the thing down with a quick shot it would fizzle out. He grabbed at empty air, then he realized he’d blown the thing up during his escape from the clocktower. He was utterly unarmed and he had wasted precious moments trying to kill the thing when it was already going to die.

He would’ve punched himself but that would’ve wasted more time.

Larry had gotten up and was scrambling back up the steps. Johnny was screaming at them to flee. He was staying behind to make sure everybody got out safe.

Henry booked it up the stairs with Larry and Rosa. Larry sprinted through a couple of rooms before stumbling as the building began to rumble and the floor began to collapse.

Henry nearly fell down a couple of holes that had opened in the floor, but he pressed on while Johnny carried Rosa on his back. The woman was serene somehow in all of this, maybe the fact that they had saved the city had dawned on her, or maybe she’d become too tired to be scared.

Larry leapt out the front door and kept going, turning around halfway and waving back at them to follow him. He didn’t dare run back inside for them but stayed to make sure they made it all the same.

Johnny cursed as he sank halfway down the floor. He struggled to keep from falling down into the basement below.

Rosa grabbed at his hands for a moment before Johnny pushed her off and she reluctantly continued onwards.

“Henry!” She shouted out.

Henry turned around despite his fears. He felt like time had slowed down a bit. He didn’t think Rosa would make it, the rumbling had reached a fever pitch now.
Johnny would survive, fucker was basically indestructible and at worst he’d be buried in a pile of rubble but Henry would be able to use magic to track him down after the heat died away. But Rosa, she would die wouldn’t she?

Fuck fuck fuck fuck

Decisions:
1. Try to Save Rosa
2. Abandon Rosa
3. Other (you don’t get a choice)

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>2823898
>1. Try to Save Rosa
Fuckit

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>2823898
>1. Try to Save Rosa
>Inwardly curse our fate and heroically suicidal tendencies multiple times.

>>2823935
These dice are an emotional rollercoaster

>>2823935
well that does something

>>2823898
Henry cursed himself, he was going to try to save her, he’d probably die doing it too. But he actually liked the woman, even if he sometimes did get sick of her. Well what a stupid way to go about proving it.

He ignored Johnny’s screams trying to get him to change course. He ignored Rosa’s stark surprise that he COULD be selfless, he didn’t’ even know if he was being selfless, maybe it was for some fucked up personal reason, it didn’t matter right now.

He lifted her up and began to carry her outside, hell for a moment he thought he’d make it, then a massive explosion rocked the entire building. Henry felt himself flying through the air then hitting something, then the smell of smoke hit him. He thought he heard Larry’s voice, was it Larry? It was hard to think, hard to breath now that he thought about it.

Oh god he hurt all over, fuck fuck fuck. This was bad, he tried to stand up but found he couldn’t, he tried to speak but could only get out gasps and gurgles.

Larry tried to do… something, the man was panicking badly, he was slapping my head… trying to do… was he trying to keep me awake? I want to sleep so badly though…

Oh is that Rosa?

Oh god she’s alright, thank fuck, least I didn’t, didn’t…. fuck…. Least I died for something I guess.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rosa shakily picked herself off the ground, she spat out dirt blood and smoke and rolled around a bit. She was sore all over but something had blocked the brunt of it. Oh god above, Henry.

Henry lay there partially mangled, the building was gone, Johnny… oh god he was dead, there would be no… Henry, she had to save Henry
Rosa remembered her training, the time when everything went wrong at that small town she’d only meant to stay at for a couple of days.

She’d been an utter coward all night, she had to be strong now.

She stood up, even though her side hurt fiercely and her legs felt like Jelly, she didn’t matter, she had to save her patient… no, she had to save Henry, she owed him that much.

She stumbled over, clumsily pushing Larry aside, the idiot was just making things worse, though he couldn’t be faulted for trying.

Decisions:’
1. Heal Henry
2. Yell at Larry to help Johnny
3. Yell at Larry to stay there and help
4. Yell for Larry to get help

>>2824120
>1. Heal Henry while yelling incoherently about him saving you and being so fucking stupid, and other random things to try to make yourself feel better over the pain you're going through

>>2824157
Sounds good.

>>2824157
>>2824186
writing

>>2824120
As she began to conjure forth the white mana required for the healing, she had time to think about how exactly her life had led up to this point.

Sitting outside of a completely destroyed warehouse on fire, rapidly spreading to nearby buildings, which containd a dead friend. She was also kneeling next to Henry who was barely alive.

She hated him and herself for dragging and getting dragged into this.

“You moron.” She said, struggling to maintain her composure as she got to work.

“Why are you such an idiot, why do you insist… on hurting yourself like this, you stupid man. I just want to live peacefully, I just want to be of what little use I can in this stupid world, yet you keep dragging me into these stupid things…”

Larry was babbling something but Rosa honestly didn’t care, she yelled at him to remain quiet and the man placed his hands over his mouth.

Finally some peace and quiet, thank god.

“I hate you so much…” She said, beginning to cry, “Why do you make me feel like this huh?”

She felt numb, maybe she’d been more injured than she thought, maybe she was just fed up with everything.

“I just, why did I feel like I belonged for the first time in my life, with you, with that idiot, with that mystery guard, and that child. I don’t, I don’t get it, okay? You, why do you do anything you do, you obviously hate the church, you think I’m some moron for following in my beliefs, you think everyone is beneath you, yet you still try to act like some paragon when everything comes down to it.”

“It was never about the coin was it Henry.” Rosa said, sobbing inconsolably now. “You just want to be a good person, don’t you? Why, why didn’t you let me help you? We could have, we could have…”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>>2824245

Henry saw a bright light at the end of a vast tunnel full of glowing runes and flowey symbols, sort of like an angelic wall. He moved through it, towards feathers and clouds. A single eye awaited him, was that god?

He really had died hadn’t he, had the church been right all along?

He didn’t have much time to think about it, for a small seam appeared along the eye, that great glowing symbol of the church, and then it opened into a massive maw, lined with teeth.

Then he woke up.

It all came back to him, the fight, the explosion. Rosa was crying, above him, her hands flowing with white mana. She was healing him wasn’t she, she’d saved his damned life twice now.

“You fucking idiot.” Rosa whispered between sobs, continuing to heal, not even aware that Henry had woken up.

That was the first time he’d ever heard that woman curse.

“Why do I keep staying with you? Why do I do this to myself, I don’t know, maybe I never will, I just wanted to belong somewhere, alright? And for the first time… and look what happened. I thought god had answered my prayers, maybe he did… I don’t…”

She continued to sob.

The pain had mostly faded now, Henry could once again feel his limbs and wiggle his fingers and toes. He felt like he could stand if not for Rosa pressing down on him.

Decisions:
1. Push her off
2. Hug her close
3. “Please get off of me you idiot.”
4. “H-hey….”
5. “I like me too.”
6. “Yeah I know I’m a fucking idiot.

>>2824251
Go check the others.

>>2824251
>5. “I like me too.”
>"We're all idiots here. It took you this long to realize that?"
>3. “Please get off of me and check on the others, you idiot.” (cue stupid grin of reckless idiocy)

>>2824271
Ehhh, lets do this.

>>2824271
>>2824284
writing

>>2824251
I like me too.” Henry said, smiling the best he could manage under the circumstances.

“I don’t know who’s a bigger idiot, you for being you or me for sticking around.” Rosa said, between sobs. The woman was a mess.

“We’re all idiots here, it took you this long to realize that?”

“J-johnny is dead, okay, he’s dead because we all fucked up.” Rosa said. “Why… why did he…”

“Look, we can worry about that later, just get off me and let me check to see what happened, alright?” Henry said. He grinned like an idiot but it was just a façade, he was terrified internally.

Rosa slowly got picked herself off of Henry before clutching at her side and falling over, her robes were stained with her own blood. She’d healed him with such a major injury?

“Hey are you alright?” Larry asked. “Holy fuck Henry.” He said. “You must have some sorta guardian angel.”

“Not now Larry.” Henry said, slowly rising to his feet.

He could see out of the corner of his eye Rosa was desperately healing herself, he figured she’d be okay. The building was, well, completely destroyed and a blaze had begun to engulf the other buildings, though a good amount of the locals had begun to form an impromptu fire brigade. Henry figured that the ‘corpse’ would be inside of the building.

Right, Ticky, he needed to talk to Ophelia about this, because this would potentially be a problem if they tried to mass produce all of this.

Also Johnny was trapped under all that rubble, assuming he hadn’t been scattered all over the place. He’d have to wait for the heat to die down, hopefully the church wouldn’t investigate themselves.

Them finding Johnny could lead to problems.

Henry peaked across the skyline, trying to collect his thoughts, but something seemed different.

“So can I finally talk now?” Larry asked, the man sounded unusually panicked.

“Yeah what is it Larry?” Henry asked.

“WE KNOCKED THE FUCKING TOWER DOWN.”

Decisions:
1. Panic
2. “What?”
3. “WHAT?!”
4. “Calm down.”
5. “Help me dig for Johnny, would you?”
6. Other? (Write in)

>>2824427
>6. Other? (Write in)
Sigh
Did it go straight down?
Or was there collateral damage?

>>2824427
Backing >>2824437

>>2824437
Also tell rosa to get out of here, don't want her on the bad side of the church. Actually, tell her to go and take charles out of town.

>>2824448
>>2824444
>>2824437
do you both agree with all of this?

>>2824450
If Orange doesn't agree with >>2824448
Then don't worry about it.

>>2824450
Yes. Somewhere out but close by like where Ophelia is going to be

File: 7b2.jpg (48 KB, 500x324)

48 KB JPG

>>2824427
“Can you do me a favor Rosa?” Henry asked.

“W-what?” Rosa said, staggering to her feet.

“Grab Charles and get him out of town, I don’t really think the church is going to be too happy with us.”

“Oh, oh god we really did bring the tower down… h-henry what…”

“Its going to be fine god damn it, alright?” Henry said, “Just get moving, explain to him what happened if you need to, he’ll understand.”

“Where should I take him?” Rosa asked.

“Elom Village, small place couple miles out of town, should be safe to stay until I can arrange passage out of the city.” Henry said. “Alright?”

“Y-yeah, alright.” Rosa said, before taking off like a bolt of lightning, scurrying through the city streets.

“So Larry…”

“Yeah?”

“Did it go straight down or?”

“I dunno, I just saw the big dust cloud over there, I think that big boom in the tunnel was it coming don.”

“FUCK.” Henry said, “FUCK FUCK FUCK, so much for getting paid for this stupid fucking job.”

“Paid… Henry they’re gonna string us up when they find out it was us that did this.”

“If…” Henry said. “If they find out we did this.”

“What?” Larry asked.

“Larry, we’re a couple of chucklefucks who escaped some factory fire on the other side of town. We went through a tunnel into the clock tower that the church didn’t know about, alright. All they know is that the clock tower just toppled, Hell I bet they think it was Ticky that did it. Long as we keep our big fucking mouths shut we’ll be golden.”

“Yeah, yeah I guess you’re right, but it’s kinda a bitch y’know.” Larry said. “I didn’t even get to take the things head.

============================(End Of Chapter)=============================

>>2824483
will be resuming shortly

>>2824483
Things were kind of fucked.

First off they had toppled the fucking clocktower, the big one, the one Grutzberg was kind of known for. This may have actually killed people, cathars or other such members of the church. If anyone actually found out they’d be properly screwed. Henry didn’t even want to think about how Rosa would take it, she’d need help after all of this.

Secondly there was the fact that Johnny was trapped under several tons of rubble, although Henry could get a few hands and dig him free given enough time and proper resources, so that wasn’t the end of the world, he was more worried that someone would find him, however unlikely.

Thirdly, Ophelia was waiting for him back at the safe house, and neither Larry or Rosa really knew about her. Henry had a fairly good idea about how Rosa would react, but none about how Larry would, though he had a few guesses.

Lastly there was the matter of his clothing. His red cloak was completely undamaged of course, but his shirt and leather armor were full of holes and his pants were covered in muck and were shredded in a few places. A change of clothes was needed.

Fucking hell he needed some coffee or something.

Decisions (pick one)
1. Head back to the safehouse with Larry, try to explain things to him
2. Try to figure out what Larry should do and head to the safehouse yourself to speak with Ophelia (write in)
3. Grab a change of clothes from the inn and swing by the wreckage of the clocktower to get an idea of how fucked you are
4. You’d better have a talk with Jimmy, get a change of clothes and explain there is a change in plans.
5. Other? (write in)

>>2824629
welp, now I sit here waiting for votes.

>>2824629
>2
Put him to work in the fire brigade

>>2824629
>3. Grab a change of clothes from the inn and swing by the wreckage of the clocktower to get an idea of how fucked you are

It may take awhile to produce the Ticky parts (along with Johnny). "Lastly, the reward is twenty gold to bring the monster down, no extra reward for bringing it in alive but you need to make sure the corpse is still recognizable. If its obliterated we can’t pay you, just to make sure that nobody tries to just bring in a pile of junk. The reward for bringing in Ophelia Von Krutz is five gold, this is alive only. " There is what the Progress cult will pay too if we can figure out payment., double cross and swap. We need to dig up Ticky ( or parts) to get the reward. Talk to Jimmy about change of plans and some authority to getting to scavenge/ dig. and digging...how to get cover for zombies? we can of course pay Jimmy with them when done.

>>2824629
Backing >>2824865

>>2824629
>3. Grab a change of clothes from the inn and swing by the wreckage of the clocktower to get an idea of how fucked you are
>>2824865
Won't we get blamed for wrecking the tower if we try to turn in ticky's corpse for the cash. Also aren't we keeping the corpse for ourselves to mass produce it?

>>2824993
It didn't die in the tower did it? The body is in the secret tunnel. We'll just dig it up. We've got an angel who knows that we weren't present at the tower. Who'd question her?

Unless I'm forgetting some details here?

>>2824864
>>2824865
>5▶>>2824990 >>2824993
>>>2824629 (You)
>>2824990
>>2824993
>>2826396
writing

>>2824629
“Larry, go help these people and try to get this fire quashed, alright.” Henry said.

“The hell are you going to do?” Larry asked.

“I’m going to get a handle on how fucked things are, alright. I need you to keep calm, can I trust you to do that.”

“How the fuck can you be so calm when Johnny just bought it, fuck, you almost did.”

“Occupational hazard yeah?” Henry said.

“Fucking hell.” Larry muttered. “Look, as long as your alright and all, but do you always get this close to dying when you work?”

Henry decided not to answer that one.

“Meet me back at the inn and be ready to move, we might need to leave quickly.” Henry said.

“Right.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As Henry got closer to the clocktower he noticed that a mass of people had gathered to watch, and there were a couple hundred cathar’s and other civilians gathers in the plaza. The whole area was a mess now, the clocktower was gone but a bunch of the other nearby buildings had also been damaged. There were some healers on scene as well and angels were fluttering among the wreckage and occasionally pulling survivors out of it.

They’d probably killed people on accident with their little stunt.

FUCK FUCK FUCK

At least nobody would know it was them… and Agla had seen them enter the tunnel, right? He’d never actually told her where it lead… right? Maybe everything would work out.

Would he have to kill agla? Would he have to kill the others? Fuck. Maybe he could have this all work out, somehow.

FUCK

Decisions:
1. Keep looking at it
2. Back away, head back to the inn and try to figure a plan out with Larry
3. Try to find Agla
4. Other (write in)

>>2827144
>2. Back away, head back to the inn and try to figure a plan out with Larry

>>2827144
>1. Keep looking at it
See what the Cathars believe caused it

>>2827144
>2. Back away, head back to the inn and try to figure a plan out with Larry
Staying around at the scene of the crime is too risky.
Our priorities are:
>recover Johnny
>meet up with Ophelia and get that business sorted
>get Larry Rosa and Charles out of the town with us
Money is secondary at this point

>>2827153
>>2827210
>827210▶
>>>2827144 (You)
>>2827232
writing

>>2827144
Henry slowly backed away from the grisly scene and worked his way back towards the inn. When he found a good hiding place he grabbed out Johnny’s contract from nowhere and wrote a few things down on it.

First of all, that he was unharmed, secondly that things were bad above ground and that it may take a while for rescue to arrive, and thirdly that Charles and Rosa had gotten out of the city, so they were safe. The words disappeared as he wrote them, but he knew the message would be received. He willed the book sized document away and it was suddenly gone, he hoped that Johnny wasn’t too badly trapped, he didn’t have a whole lot of time or resources right now.

The inn was how he had left it, and it seemed Jimmy was at his usually bar according to his daughter. Henry couldn’t quite remember the person’s name but he didn’t feel like asking.

Larry was pacing around the common room and was obviously nervous.

“Happy you’re okay, what’s the situation?” Larry asked.

Decisions:
1. Tell him the whole truth, man has earned it
2. Hide some things from him (write in)
3. Say everything is fine (lie)
4. Other? (write in)

>>2827305
>2. Hide some things from him (write in)

The Bad news: the Clock tower is gone and damaged buildings around it. Some injuries. The reward depends on having identifiable parts of the clockwork monster. That is buried under a big pile of rubble. Johnny is also trapped in the collapse and the good news: he is not to badly hurt ( I know this from magic scrying). The collapsed warehouse is a few blocks from the Tower. We never went in there and are not linked. Johnny can stand a few days where he is - he has a few tricks up his sleeve. We just need to get out a few parts to claim the gold. Our host, Jimmy, has some contacts that might be able to do the work without questions or telling anything. Don't ask. Of course it is shady as hell, but If I and Johnny pay out of our share a few gold....

To the collective players: Then what do we do about Ophelia? Let her just go? Turn her in? (5 Gold) Sell her to the Cult of Progress? ( gotta pay better than the 5 gold bounty). Ask her what she wants to do? A healer is nice but Rosa is more of a weight than a help. Taking Ophelia in we'll have a hell of a time reigning her in and cleaning up, but she's not so likely to go ballistic at working with a necromancer so we'd maybe not have to hide all that we can do. Gheist capture to feed the next generation gheist cannon? She'd not have a problem with that.

Next is go to Jimmy's favorite hangout again and ask him if he could use some additional guards like I helped him hire before. We make a deal about salvage at the collapsed warehouse and raw materials and he gets, maybe 2 or 3 new recruits at no additional expense? We win and he wins. Cover story is the Gheist powered Canon is supposed to have been there - something being made for the late Duke, and we want to salvage it and see if we can find how it worked or if it did. ( It isn't something everyone is looking for, it is something Jimmy couldn't use or understand if he got the idea to steal it, it gives us cover for wanting to have zombie excavators shifting the collapsed wreckage - but we still need official cover against inspectors and the curious, which Jimmy can provide.

>>2827338
Sounds good

>Then what do we do about Ophelia?
Drop her off with someone who can heal her, then get lost.

>>2827338
I think we should send off Ophelia to Henry's home in the sewers and tell her to lay low until Henry comes for her. Maybe one of Jimmy's men would be willing to escort her and get her healed up as well.

>>2827305
Backing the write-in in >>2827338
I like the Jimmy deal providing us official cover and the other benefits for operating a little further. Also we need to get Ophelia healed first. I'm favorable to the idea of having her at the sewers in another chamber near ours, with plenty of walls and floors to draw ideas and blueprints everywhere.

Then again, if anybody else has other options or opinions, go right ahead

>>2827626
Putting her in the sewers means we're taking advantage of a troubled individual at the lowest point in her life. That's the kind of shit demons do.

If you absolutely need to use her, she should be twice removed from the underworld to give her a way out a and plausible deniability. She's extremely vulnerable and will probably have it easier than Henry to convince herself that she belongs with criminals and crooks

>>2827650
Fuck. Then I don't know what to do with Ophelia after we heal her. Definitely not selling her out, that's for sure. If we let her free, others will try to take advantage of her or worse. You got any better ideas?

>>2827656
No, not really. We still don't know about all of Henry's contacts and acquaintances... Though I doubt there is a diamond in the rough.

On the other hand we don't need to be involved anymore, she's an adult. She's scarred and her face is probably unrecognisable... I don't suppose one of Henry's many talents is skin grafting and cosmetic surgery? Gotta make those corpses pretty for the vampires. Get her a new face and stick her with the church and they'll care for her like any other patient in intensive care. Point is, with her burns no one's gonna recognize her unless she blabs herself, probably.

>>2827338
>>2827432
>>2827471
>>2827626
>>2827650
>>2827656
>>2828220
going to review all the posts then begin writing

>>2827305
“Alright, things are pretty bad.” Henry admitted. “The clocktower is gone and a bunch of the nearby buildings are damaged. There seem to be some injuries as well.”

“Has anyone died?” Larry asked.

“Yes.” Henry said. “I mean I’m not sure but it’s likely.”

“Fuck.” Larry said. “FUCK!”

“Look, calm down.” Henry said. “Nobody knows, and nobody needs to know.”

“Yeah, fine.” Larry said, taking a seat. “I just, its rough, okay, people are dead because of us.”

“A lot more would’ve died if we had done nothing.” Henry said. “Think of it that way.”

“I don’t like it, okay?!” Larry said. “Fuck.”

“Look, I did a bit of scrying around the factory, I think Johnny is still alive down there, but trapped.” Henry said.

“Wait, really?” Larry asked beginning to stand up. “Well we need to run down there and-“

“Calm down and slow down.” Henry said, pushing Larry back into his chair.

“He isn’t badly hurt, seems when he fell through the floor he landed behind a brick wall and the debris fell on top of him, it shielded him from the blast.” Henry said. “He can last a day or two down there, he is a crafty one.”
“Okay?” Larry said.

“The warehouse is a couple blocks from the tower, the church has no reason to think the two are linked, and it will be a long time before they’ve sifted through the warehouse rubble.”

“So we have time then.” Larry said, running a hand through his hair and down his face.

“Yes.”

“We just need to get some parts out of the thing and claim our gold, alright?”

“You still…” Larry said. “I completely forgot about the gold actually. You know, because we…”

“I get it but we need to plan ahead here or we are all as good as dead, okay?”

“Fuck, fine.” Larry replied.

“Are you with me Larry?” Henry asked.

“Yes.”

“Jimmy has some contacts that might be able to do the work without questions or telling anything. Do us both a favor and don’t ask questions about it. I know its shady as hell, but if me and Johnny pay out a few gold from our share…”

“I don’t need charity Henry, okay? We’re friends dammit, okay? That hasn’t changed. I realize you’re used to working like this, even knowing about undertown means your involved in shady stuff. Don’t think I’m a saint either.”

Decisions:
1. “Then why are you so bitten up about all of this.”
2. “I insist you take the money, for putting you at risk.”
3. “I appreciate it Larry, come on lets get moving, we need to speak with Jimmy.”
4. “I might as well come completely clean then…” (will reveal everything)
5. Other? (write in)

>>2828703
>5. Other? (write in)
I'll talk to Jimmy, can you go and make sure Rose and Charles are okay.
Rose was very shaken, make sure she's alright

>>2828703
Backing >>2828712

>>2828712
>>2828727
writing

>>2828703
“Look, I’ll talk to Jimmy about all of this, can you go and make sure Rosa and Charles are okay?”

“Yeah, where are they again?”

“Elom Village, I imagine the inn there. Ask around only if you need to but finding a healer in a small village like that should be easy enough.”

“Right… uh, where is it exactly?” Larry asked. “I’m not too familiar with the area.”

“Here let me draw you a map.” Henry said.

Henry grabbed some parchment from a nearby cabinet and got to work. It was a simple map but descriptive enough.

“Alright, Larry I need you to make sure that Rosa and Charles are defended. If I’m not around in a day or two then…”

“Yeah I get you.” Larry said, “I can think of something, I think.”

“I appreciate it… friend.” Henry said.

He didn’t know if he believed it.

Decisions:
1. Head to Ophelia, you have some questions to ask her
2. Head to Jimmy, you need to have Johnny and Ticky dug up before shit goes south
3. Head to another location (write in)

>>2828842
>2. Head to Jimmy, you need to have Johnny and Ticky dug up before shit goes south
Once finished, swing by ophelia.

>>2828842
Backing >>2828857

>>2828857
+1

>>2828962
>>2828872
>>2828857
writing

>>2828842
Henry dashed down to the bar where Jimmy was, the familiar red hen logo plastered above the door frame. The place was a lot more cleared out than normal, it figured considering that there had just been a massive disaster. Bunch of people probably wanted to lay low till it all blew over.

Jimmy was in his usual location. Henry knocked politely and entered into the second floor room where he was holed up.

“I won’t even ask if that was you.” Jimmy said, nonplussed. “I assume nobody knows you did it, otherwise you’re a fucking idiot.”

“Nobody knows, but the beast is dead, and Johnny is trapped under rubble.” Henry said. “I need a favor.”

“What?” Jimmy asked. “He’s under the fucking clocktower?!”

“Not exactly, I need some muscle to dig him and the machine out, it’s in an abandoned warehouse at the edge of the factory district. I can give you better directions when we have an idea of how hot the location will get.”

“Right, well let me give you the score, seven people are dead, four of them were Cathars. I dunno bout that factory you mentioned but I assume nobody died if it was abandoned.” Jimmy said. “Look the church is all riled up now but no heats coming our way, hence why I’m so polite right now. Apparently the two inquisitors in town are going around busting heads to figure out who fucked up so they might be in play now.”

“Alright, know anything on them?” Henry asked.

“One’s a former healer apparently, real crazy woman that lass. Apparently she got into a fight with a couple goons outside the city as they came in, didn’t go well for them. Apparently she ripped their feckin souls out.”

“Couple of goons?” Henry asked. “And ripped their souls out?!”

“Not mine.” Jimmy replied. “I don’t know whose they were or even if they were from the city. All I know is they are trouble, and they’re dangerous.”

“Right, avoid the inquisitors, thanks for the advice.” Henry said sarcastically.

“Fuck you too Henry.” Jimmy said.

“Look, can you get me the help?” Henry asked.

“Yeah, this better be worth it ya jackass.” Jimmy said. “We’re gonna have to wait till tomorrow morning, I can gather my ‘staff’ and get them to the site, I want you there just in case the metal man ain’t dead.”

“No problem there, I’ll be able to find Johnny quicker and get him out if he’s exposed.”

“Right.” Jimmy said. “I’ll send my daughter to oversee this, just make sure she don’t fall asleep on you.”

Decisions:
1. “Thanks again for your help, I’ll send a letter through carrier pigeon once I get settled back in Celeste.”
2. “Anything else I should be aware of?”
3. “Any idea which vampire family the duchess is part of?”
4. Other? (write in)

>>2829018
>3. “Any idea which vampire family the duchess is part of?”

And payment Offer Jimmy one special "employee" if he can get the base material - no charge. We know he will want payment, and not cheap.

>>2829046
base material?

>>2829053
Dead 'uns i assume

>>2829018
>3. “Any idea which vampire family the duchess is part of?”

>>2829046
>>2829098
writing

>>2829018
“I got one other question.” Henry said. “Do you know which family the duchess is hooked up with?”

“What?” Jimmy asked, “The fuck kinda question is that, they’re royals.”

“I mean which vampire house.” Henry said.

“The fuck? That’s news to me.” Jimmy said.

“You seriously had no idea they are vampires now?” Henry asked. “Even had some vampires in the bar downstairs the other night.”

“They’re regs, and house Roma at that, hence why I give them the time of day. But the duchess, she’s sure as shit not Roma, probably not house Voldune either, they don’t usually go for subtly like this.”

“Well it’s a start I guess.” Henry said. “Might be useful to get that info back home.”

“How is Vermillion?” Jimmy asked.

“Still lovely as always.” Henry said, throwing his hands up into the air for emphasis.

“Ha.” Jimmy said, “Look I don’t know if it’s worth saying but stay safe out there alright? I want to make sure this money making scheme gets off the ground, yeah?”

“Yeah, I love you too.” Henry said, laughing. “Look I’ll try to lay low in the meantime, just get the boys ready by tomorrow.”

“Yeah yeah, now if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna stay sober for once, maybe head on down to the wreckage. You sure know how to end a party bud.”

“Right…” Henry said. He didn’t EXACTLY feel guilt over the deaths, they had been entirely accidental after all, but he didn’t feel great about them either. He’d developed fantastic coping mechanisms, though he was slightly worried how the others would take it…

Decisions:
1. Head to the safehouse to speak with Ophelia
2. Other? (write in)

>>2829112
>2
You run while I'm at work this aint easy

>>2829162
... Sorry I saw the typo now. I meant 1

>>2829112
>1. Head to the safehouse to speak with Ophelia

>>2829112
Lets go and check on ophelia

>>2829206
>>2829234
>>2829520
writing

>>2829112
“Look, I’m going to head out, we can talk tomorrow, I’ll see you at your ‘inn.’”

“Oh right, the bullpen.” Jimmy said, “Yeah sure, you could just drop by the warehouse if you really wanted.”

“I’d prefer to choose the location, just a personal habit.” Henry said.

“Whatever, you and your paranoia.” Jimmy said, “See ya.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Henry arrived back at Sophie’s safehouse, he hated going into this place for any length of time, the mirrors made him feel self-conscious.

Henry considered knocking but decided that he didn’t really care enough, he was tired and he just wanted this fucked up day to be over.

So with a single motion he grabbed onto the door handle, unlocked the door, and prompty barraged into the apartment.

He found Ophelia sitting perched on the bed, she had a pencil in her hands and was looking over several documents, although they didn’t look like anything she’d made. She must have gone rifling through Sophie’s things.

“Uh, hi.” Ophelia said, not taking her eyes of the documents.

“Hi.” Henry said.

“You know some weird people you know that?” Ophelia said.

She looked like a god damned mummy.

Decisions:
1. “Ticky is dead.”
2. “Ticky tried to reproduce, do you know anything about that?”
3. “I don’t think you told me everything about ticky…” (roll 1d100)
4. “You’re going to need to have your bandages changed or you’ll get an infection, you know.”
5. (write in)

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>2830839
>2. “Ticky tried to reproduce, do you know anything about that?”
And
3. “I don’t think you told me everything about ticky…” (roll 1d100)

>>2830841
oh boy oh boy oh boy that's perfect, this scene will be perfect.

unless anyone has anything to add I'll get to writing soon

>>2830847
4. “You’re going to need to have your bandages changed or you’ll get an infection, you know.”
This maybe?

>>2830839
Henry slowly worked his way around the room, dodging the plates that Ophelia had left on the ground, the crumpled up papers she’d been working on, and the other various litter that had accumulated since Henry had left. He sat down next to the woman, he hoped to get some sort of reaction out of her, but the woman was buried in whatever the hell she was reading, probably some plans that Sophie had made for a break in years back, or maybe another one of her daring robberies.

Regardless, seeing as he hadn’t gotten the intended reaction, more drastic measures were needed. Henry snatched Ophelia’s papers from her then stared her down when she began to raise an objection.

“So Ticky was trying to reproduce, do you know anything at all about that, Ophelia.” Henry said. “The children it created were hooked up to its core, preventing the failsafe from activating, do you know anything about that?

It was the voice he used when talking to someone who’d stabbed him in the back or otherwise tried to screw him over. He didn’t know if Ophelia had knowingly hidden information, or if she hadn’t actually known anything about it, but he wouldn’t put it past her to try.

One had to be smart enough to attempt something that dumb.

“I uh… oh.” Ophelia said. “Oh…. Oh… well the failsafe thing was just dumb luck… yeah.”

“I don’t think you told me everything about Ticky, and if you enjoy using your fucking legs, you better tell me everything.” Henry said, murderous intent in his eyes.

“Hey…” Ophelia said, terror gripping her for a moment.

“You almost got ME KILLED, you almost got my TEAM KILLED, because Ticky seemed to be displaying behavior you were aware of, human behavior.” Henry said.

“Oh…. Alright, alright…” Ophelia said, beginning to inch away from Henry before he grabbed her arm.

>>2830914

From the way she winced he knew it hurt.

“I-I may have n-not been completely truthful before… m-maybe I didn’t just use mercurial ghiests … maybe I used a human ghiest. Maybe… maybe I got it from a hospital, maybe it was a woman who’d died during childbirth and she lingered around for a while…” Ophelia said, the words slurring together slightly.

“So you never thought to mention that to me… to the man who was trying to bring the damned thing down?”

“W-well you’re alive…. so...”

“I almost died dear.” Henry said. “Hell, I was so badly torn up I had to change cloths, if I didn’t have that healer around we wouldn’t be having this little conversation.”

“W-well, m-maybe you should have planned better… OW OW OW OKAY ALRIGHT.” Ophelia said, grabbing at her arm.

Henry let the woman go. Ophelia gasped as the force holding her in place was suddenly lifted and she flew off the bed onto the floor. Henry felt a tinge of satisfaction seeing her land on her burns. She let out a couple of screams and then a whimper from the pain.

“I hope we learned something today, dear.” Henry said.

“Y-yes.” Ophelia said, the woman was gasping for air.

“Where did you source your materials from, Ophelia?”

Henry waited patiently as Ophelia shakily stood up. Then he patted the bed beside him, a simple motion for her to sit back down next to him.

“A friend in the riders guild, he brought in materials as needed, he also knew a couple of traders.”

“Is there anything else about this creation of yours I should know about?”

“W-well it wasn’t completed… the binding rituals and runic patterns hadn’t been completed…”

“So it was just a prototype then.” Henry said.

“I thought I told you that…” Ophelia said, “I didn’t mean to say…”

“Its fine.” Henry said.

He’d lost his god damned temper again. The woman was completely terrified of him, she seemed to be fearing for her life.

Decisions:
1. Try to apologize to Ophelia (write in optional)
2. “Your bandages need to be changed, would you like me to do that for you?”
3. “How many accidents have you had, Ophelia.”
4. “I want you to work for me, I’m willing to give you a fair shake, assuming you don’t get smart with me.”
5. “Way I see it you have three options. Work for me, try to run, or turn yourself into the church. Two of those will result in your death.”
6. (Write in)

>>2830922
>3. “How many accidents have you had, Ophelia.”
And
How often do you dabble with necromancy?

>>2830922
>3. “How many accidents have you had, Ophelia.”

>Why the actual fuck did you think that necromancy was a good idea? Fucking hell woman

>>2831050
>>2831035
writing

>>2830922
“Just how many accidents have you had, Ophelia?” Henry asked.

The silence that followed did nothing to reassure Henry, in fact it made him unnerved.

“I don’t know.” Ophelia said, breaking the silence with the subtly of a toppled clocktower.

“You don’t know?” Henry asked.

“I… I’ve had a couple, okay?” Ophelia finally said. “Before Ticky, I had made a couple of prototypes. But, I never had anything like this happen. Sometimes someone got hurt but… I just said it was for progress, for making things better, and it was, wasn’t it?”

“You tell me.”

“I DON’T KNOW OKAY?” Ophelia said, cowering down and placing her face in her hands. “I don’t know.”

“Why the actual fuck did you think that necromancy was a good idea? Fucking hell woman.” Henry said.

He was exhausted, he craved sleep. But he trudged ever onwards.

Ophelia shied away, terrified. Henry let her, he didn’t have the energy to be angry anymore. Honestly it was anger at himself.

“Because, the church, they just hold back true progress. I wanted to learn, to advance our understanding of that art… I guess you wouldn’t understand would you.” Ophelia said. “If I could have harnessed the art, without need of corpses, that’d be a breakthrough, no more rot, no more bodies crawling all over. Clean metal, a clean slate.”

“Yet you used a person’s soul, Ophelia.”

“You… do you really have any ground to stand on?” Ophelia asked. “You threaten me, you trap me, half my face is gone… I just want things to go back to the way they were. I could just work, and nobody would try to harm me, nobody would try to kill me, I wouldn’t be involved in stupid politics… I just want to invent, to use the one gift I have.”

“What are you even talking about.” Henry asked.

“I don’t know.” Ophelia said.

Decisions:
1. “Seven people are dead tonight because of that thing.”
2. “How much suffering will have to be inflicted on the world before you’ve learned enough?”
3. “I was like you once, you know.”
4. “I’m sorry for getting angry, I’m angry at myself.”
5. “We are going to be leaving the city tomorrow, probably. I want you to work with me, maybe we can learn something from one another.”
6. “What are we going to do Ophelia?”
7. Other? (write in)

>>2831101
>1. “Seven people are dead tonight because of that thing.”
My associate, my "friend" is trapped under rubble.
....
3. “I was like you once, you know.”

>>2831101
>1. “Seven people are dead tonight because of that thing.”

How can you sleep at night with such shitty excuses as "progress" and "science". It's too easy to talk about sacrifice when you are not the one who gets hurt

>>2831111
>>2831156
writing

>>2831101
“Seven people.” Henry said, leaning back on his foot.

He stared at the ceiling for a moment.

“What?” Ophelia asked.

“Seven people are dead tonight because of that thing.” Henry said. “My associate, my friend is trapped under rubble now, and he’s probably suffering greatly because of your creation.”

“What?!” Ophelia said.

“I’d say about thirty or so people have had to be put down because their insanity was untreatable, because you decided to play with things you had no understanding of.” Henry said.

“I…” Ophelia said, before she bit her lip. “You’re lying, you’re just trying to… to break me, aren’t you?! So you can use me, right? So I obey due to guilt? You aren’t the first you know… I won’t listen, you don’t own me!”

Henry sat up and looked through her. Ophelia stopped once she realized there was some truth to his statements.

“Oh god.” Ophelia said, “No, you’re lying, no no no, it never hurt anyone, it couldn’t, I put safeguards, I, I I I.”

“You played with things you had no understanding of, how can you sleep at night with such shitty excuses as “progress” and “science”, it’s too easy to talk about sacrifice when you’re not the one being hurt, isn’t it?” Henry said.

“Shut up shut up shut up.” Ophelia said. “You’re lying… I … I feel…. Oh…”
Ophelia gripped her forehead. Searing pain nobody but her could feel.

“No this isn’t… this is a dream isn’t it?” She said. “Another vision, just a longer one, and not of some invention or some future that won’t be? I said I was sorry, I said it wouldn’t happen again, why do you want to hurt me?”

“We had this conversation yesterday, didn’t we.” Henry said. “I don’t think you really meant that you were sorry, or that you’d try to change. More lies, from a girl who has to lie to herself to survive.”

>>2831204

“SHUT UP.” Ophelia said. “SHUT UP YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME, MY SUFFERING, OR ANYTHING. HOW MANY NIGHTS I STARVED MYSELF TRYING TO CREATE THINGS TO PUT FOOD ON MY TABLE, THINGS I HATED, THINGS I HATED MYSELF FOR HAVING TO MAKE, FOR WHAT? WHY CAN’T I BE HAPPY? I FINALLY HAD SOMETHING HERE, SOMETHING I MADE FOR MYSELF, SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP PEOPLE, IT WENT WRONG, EVERYTHING GOES WRONG. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO JUDGE ME, WHY DOES ANYONE HAVE TO JUDGE ME? WHAT ARE YOU GOD, SEEING EVERYTHING I’VE EVER DONE? I’VE DONE EVERYTHING I COULD TO MAKE IT WORK, IT WON’T WORK WILL IT. I WON’T BACK DOWN AND GIVE UP. I CAN’T, I can’t…I CAN’T I WON’T.”

She was fury and hatred and terror and remorse all bundled up into a raging inferno. She’d snapped welly and truly now. This wasn’t like how’d she’d been the prior day. She’d tried buttering him up back then. A poor attempt but he’d bought it. But this, he’d uncovered some true emotion. She was bristling with rage. She’d thrown a couple of things across the room, shattering a couple of the mirrors, spreading shards across the carpet.

“No, no you’re going shut up Ophelia, you’re going to listen for once in your miserable life. I want to help you but you are out of control, you admitted that much yesterday. Do you even care about other people? You say you want to help, but what do your actions say?”

“No that’s not what I… I didn’t say… STOP TWISTING MY WORDS YOU DEMON.” She said.


Decisions:
1. Slap her, she crossed a line (write in if you wish to harm her worse)
2. “Are you finished.”
3. “Does that make me wrong?”
4. “And you’re nothing, you stupid girl.”
5. “You’re in over your head, I’m trying to bring you up for air god damn it.”
6. “You can’t undo what’s been done but you can live with it, a stupid mistake but you have to live with it god damn it. Somebody important to me taught me that lesson.” (Memory callback)
7. Other (write in)

>>2831207
calling it a night

>>2831207
>5. “You’re in over your head, I’m trying to bring you up for air god damn it.”
>6. “You can’t undo what’s been done but you can live with it, a stupid mistake but you have to live with it god damn it. Somebody important to me taught me that lesson.” (Memory callback)

>>2831204
>5. “You’re in over your head, I’m trying to bring you up for air god damn it.”
>6. “You can’t undo what’s been done but you can live with it, a stupid mistake but you have to live with it god damn it. Somebody important to me taught me that lesson.” (Memory callback)

>>2831207
>6. “You can’t undo what’s been done but you can live with it, a stupid mistake but you have to live with it god damn it. Somebody important to me taught me that lesson.” (Memory callback)
>7. Other (write in)
I've met demons, and what I've told you is nothing compared to what a demon would do to you.
I just want you to realize that magic isn't a toy, but a dangerous tool. Sure it can help the world become better, but if mishandled, it's more likely to destroy it.
And if you're going to do necromancy, at least consult a necromancer first.
...
Shit, I'm starting to sound like Johnny.

>>2831207
Backing >>2832151 too
even better if Henry stops and thinks "Shit, I'm starting to sound like Johnny." as well

>>2831207
She's an utter loon, goddamn.

>You're responsible for the deaths of at least three dozen people and injured even more and the first thing you do is whine about your shitty life. Just because you had to work on commission like every fucking craftsman out there, because you've gone starving for a few days it's okay to let other people die and shrug off responsibility? Rosa was right to want you hanged, I've met murders and even vampires with better motivation and excuses than you. It's not about judging you it's about looking at the cause and effect and holy shit what a cause and what a fucking effect your moronic attempt at necromancy had. Do you understand what you've done and why everyone in this city wants to kill you, and why they've every fucking right to do so?

>>2831419
>>2831422
>>2832151
>>2832274
>>2832701
will review posts then write

>>2831207
“You’ve killed at least three dozen people and injured more and all you can think of is your own problems?” Henry asked.

“Shut up, just leave me alone.” Ophelia said. “Haven’t I suffered enough?!”

“Just because you had to work on commission like every fucking craftsman out there, because you’ve gone starving for a few days it’s okay to let others die and shrug off responsibility.”

“Do you really think it was for just a few days.” Ophelia said. “After my father died I was left with nothing, the cult of progress took everything. I had to build myself up from NOTHING. Do you think it was easy, I was used by everybody. Some tried to use me for other things, I choose to starve more rathe then… Why am I even telling you this? I’m just some monster to you, aren’t I? Am I a monster?”

“Maybe Rosa was right to want you hanged, I’ve met murderers and even vampires with better motivation and excuses than you.”

“Everybody hates me, everyone’s always hated me. Even before my father died, it’s not new.” Ophelia said. “I… I r-really did kill them didn’t I?”

“Yes you did.” Henry said. “Even if not directly, your actions did.”

Ophelia trembled slightly.

“I just wanted to make things, to create, I didn’t… why did I get caught up in all this, huh? If I had just… If I had just been able to perfect Ticky, then none of this would’ve happened… it’s all… it was all the dukes fault… okay.” Ophelia said.

She’d moved from anger to bargaining.

“Do you feel any guilt at all?” Henry asked. “Do you understand what you’ve done, and why everyone in this city wants to kill you, and why most of them would have every right to do so?”

“Do you want to kill me?” Ophelia asked.

“I don’t know, truly.” Henry said. “I’m not… I’m not angry with you, I guess. I’m merely stating facts.”

>>2833225
“If you’re going to kill me can you at least make it fast.” Ophelia said. “Maybe… I don’t know. Everything has gone so wrong, I just wanted to, to learn, okay?”

“You’re in over your head, I’m trying to bring you up for air now.” Henry said.

“Maybe I should just drown.” Ophelia said, holding her head in her hands. “I’m just an idiot with no talent, aren’t I? I can’t do a damned thing right. I’m just so tired of all of this.”

“I’m tired too.” Henry said. “Of everything, but I keep going, I haven’t given up.”

“So what do I do?” Ophelia asked lifting her head up.

“You can’t undo what’s been done, you have to live with it. All of that guilt, that self-hatred, and misery, you have to live with it. You’ve made stupid, stupid mistakes, and a few horrible ones, but you have to live with them. Somebody very important to me taught me that once. I’m no demon, and what’ve I’ve said to you, the things I’ve done to you, are nothing compared to what a demon would do to you. I want you to realize that magic, these inventions you make. They aren’t toys, to be played with. Sure, maybe you can make the world better, but not by rushing headlong into things. All you’ll do is destroy it if you don’t slow down.”

“I…I need help.” Ophelia said. “I… I deserve to die don’t I?”

“Do you?” Henry said.

“I don’t want to die.” Ophelia said. “I… oh god what have I done? I… How do I, how do I fix this?”

“You can’t.”

Ophelia slowly sank into despair. Her trembling sobs were the only noise that permeated the room.

Henry reached out to hold the woman, though he held himself back, he couldn’t. He had his own problems, scars that wouldn’t heal. It dawned upon him how much he sounded like Johnny. Had he truly been like this before? How had Johnny he not simply passed judgement on him, how could he have forgiven him after EVERYTHING he had done.

Henry didn’t know the answer to it, and it terrified him.


Decisions:
1. “I want you to work for me.”
2. “You need someone to rein you in, Ophelia, I think I can do that.”
3. “What do you want for yourself?”
4. “You are not going to turn yourself in, do you understand?”
5. “Get a hold of yourself.”
6. “Do you want to work for me?”
7. (write in)

>>2833230
>6. “Do you want to work for me?”
I can even be an adviser of sorts.

>>2833230
>6. “Do you want to work for me?”
If you want to go get skin heal-grafted on and go do something else, you can. I'm not stopping you. But this is my offer. The choice is yours.
>giving Ophelia a choice when we didn't have one ourselves

>Sure, maybe you can make the world better, but not by rushing headlong into things.
>Even though that's exactly what Henry does when it all comes down to one thing
Wew lad the irony is rich

>>2833246
>>2833373
writing

>>2833380
Oh I'm well aware of this. Henry has always been a bit of a hypocrite.

>>2833230
“Well Ophelia, you have a few options open to you.” Henry said. “I’m not going to force you down any path, that’s your decision alone, I’m merely listing out a couple of them.”

“Alright.” Ophelia said.

The woman had stopped sobbing. Her one eye was red and the bandages were wet where the other one was. She seemed… well she seemed like a person who discovered they’d caused the deaths of many people, and had finally accepted that fact.

“First off, you can run off into the world. I can tell you right away this would not end well for you.”

“I know, I can’t even control my own thoughts.” Ophelia said. “I need help.”

“Yeah.” Henry said.

“Do you want to work for me?” Henry asked.

“I don’t know.” Ophelia said. “I… I’m just being used again, aren’t you just using me again?”

“For my own reasons? Yes I am, everybody uses everybody for things. But as long as you get what you want out of it, then it’s a fair trade.” Henry said. “The church for instance, it offers protection and safety, and people give it their time and taxes. A fair trade…”

“Right.” Ophelia said. “I… I want to work for you, not with you. You were telling the truth earlier, about me being talented, about me being able to make a living on my own?”

“I wasn’t lying then, Ophelia.” Henry said. “You are incredibly talented. I want to help you direct those talents.”

“I don’t… I don’t know if I trust myself… but I’m a… I dabbled in necromancy… why would you take me on board?” Ophelia asked. “The church has offered a reward hasn’t it, I know you probably think I can make you more…”

“A lot more.” Henry said. “I think we both can make a lot more than five measly gold.”

“Right… well, why would you take the risk, take in someone who dabbled in necromancy, who did things that would cause people to rightfully hate her? I don’t understand.”

Decisions:
1. “It’s a lot, lot simpler than you think.” (will reveal your profession to Ophelia.)
2. “One of life’s great mysteries”
3. “The less you think on it, the better.”
4. (write in)

>>2833483
>1. “Because I'm the same.” (will reveal your profession to Ophelia.)

>>2833497
>Dabbling, please.
I am a connoisseur.

>>2833540
>>2833497
writing

>>2833483
“Because I’m the same.” Henry said.

“I mean your obviously educated and a bit of a recluse I suppose.” Ophelia said.

“Do I need to spell it out for you. I’m also going to ignore that, thank you.”

“What.” Ophelia said.

Henry relished that look of utter confusion and shock. Ophelia took the time to rub the tears from her eyes, and ask a bunch of questions.”

“You dabbled in Necromancy?!” Ophelia asked. “I mean I’m not surprised I suppose but you actually did it? Did you dig up corpses? What do you know? What can you teach me?!”

“Dabbling, please, although it’s more of a profession at this point. I make security for people, or fill special orders. I know quite a bit, including some advanced stitching techniques. As for what I can teach you, why would I want to teach you anything, did you already forget our conversation.”

“I…I got excited I suppose.” Ophelia said. “I just, its just been a long day. I… wow.”

“Honestly it feels nice to tell someone once in a while, gets tiring having to keep up appearances for a long time.”

“You were speaking from experience then?” Ophelia asked.

“Yes, I’m afraid I was.” Henry said.

>>2833638
“I have some things to think about, with this bit of thought material.” Ophelia said.

“Good, because the boat ride back to the capital will be long.”

“The capital?!” Ophelia said. “You work from there?!”

“You’d be surprised what goes on outside of the notice of the church. Thoguh you should know better.” Henry said.

“You’re a criminal then.” Ophelia said.

“Businessman, but so are you.” Henry said.

“A businesswoman or a criminal?” Ophelia asked.

“I see you as both.” Henry said.

“God I’ve been such a fool.” Ophelia said. “I, I want to earn your teachings.” She finally said.

“Really?” Henry asked.

“I was, I want to learn, that’s all I really want. If you’d watch me, make sure I don’t hurt others, then yes, I do.”

“I’ll consider it.” Henry said.

“Thank you Henry, for everything. I don’t… I don’t know why you haven’t killed me or turned me in or…”

“I get it.” Henry said, smiling. “You just needed someone to pick you back up after you fell down hard. I think I get that now.”

“Thank you, thank you so much…” Ophelia said.

She truly meant it.

Decisions:
1. “You’re bandages need to be changed.” (will change Ophelia’s bandages)
2. “I don’t know how bad your face will be, but I can do my best to patch you up. I can look into getting you healed as well.”
3. “I want to start you with some legitimate side jobs first, see if you can really knuckle down and do good work. I know tons of people who could use some custom things.”
4. “I’m going to arrange a boat back to the capital, you’re going to be on board.”
5. “You know, if it makes you feel any better, I’m a far worse person than you are.” (playful sarcasm)
6. “Sorry about roughing you up earlier, it was just business.”
7. (Write in)

>>2833641
All these choices look like the natural progression of the conversation...

>1-7?

>2. “I don’t know how bad your face will be, but I can do my best to patch you up. I can look into getting you healed as well.” my usual patients never complain and those who pay for it rarely do.

4. “I’m going to arrange a boat back to the capital, you’re going to be on board.”
>Rosa will be on it too. She's an impulsive, violent bitch filled with righteous fury but she... Probably won't try to murder an injured woman. I honestly don't know, so try to avoid revealing who you are.

3. “I want to start you with some legitimate side jobs first, see if you can really knuckle down and do good work. I know tons of people who could use some custom things.”

>>2833641
Backing >>2833958
seems good enough

>>2833958
DO ALL THE CHOICES

>>2833958
>>2834139
>>2834484
they can't all be winners

writing.

“I’m going to arrange a boat back to the capital, you’re going to be on board.” Henry said. “I’ll probably have Rosa on board as well, she’s an impulsive, violent bitch filled with righteous fury but she… probably won’t try to murder an injured woman. I honestly don’t know, so try to avoid revealing who you are.”

“Please tell me you are j-joking.” Ophelia said. “T-that healer is almost as crazy as you are.”

“Excuse me?” Henry asked.

“N-nothing!” Ophelia said, terrified.

“I can look into getting you healed, I can probably do a skin graft worst case scenario. I don’t think the burns were quite bad enough for it, or we could try to find you a healer. Assuming of course word of you hasn’t gotten back to the capital.”

“Right… how bad is my face going to be.” Ophelia asked. “Truly.”

“I don’t know, and I won’t till it heals up a bit more. Best case it will be a bit discolored compared to the rest of your face. Worst case? Well you’ll probably need to invent yourself a mask.”

“Oh… that’s a joke right?” Ophelia asked. “R-right?”

“I’m going to start you off on some side jobs, maybe working for a couple of smugglers or maybe a couple of mage friends I know. If you can make custom hardware then you’ll be able to put food on the table.”

“I’ll be working for criminals?” Ophelia asked. “And what about my face…”

“Do you have any other options right now?” Henry asked. “I only know so many people, honestly. And the trade unions are the worst in the capital. I really doubt you’d be able to worm your way in there without doing it my way.”

>>2836389
“Right.” Ophelia said. “I just need some time to think about everything, I… I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel right now.”

“You know, if it makes you feel any better, I’m a far worse person than you are.” Henry said, cracking a small grin.

“The fact you can even joke about this proves that.” Ophelia replied. “I mean you did murder two people today and you don’t really seem bitten up about it.”

“What?” Henry asked.

“The mages, the two back at my home… former home, you did murder them… horribly.”

“With your help, although it’s odd you’d be complaining considering they were trying to murder you.”

“Right…” Ophelia said. “They didn’t even give me a chance to talk, they wanted me dead. I don’t know why.”

“A mystery.” Henry said. “Not really important though, they were assholes.”

Henry stood up and stretched. God he was going to fall asleep any minute now.

“I wanted to apologize about my… behavior earlier. I’m sorry about roughing you up, it was just business.”

“You seemed to enjoy it a bit too much.”

“I said I was sorry.” Henry said, raising his voice.

“Y-yes… thank you.” Ophelia replied.

Decisions:
1. Call it a night (will move to next day)
2. *Change Ophelia’s bandages*
3. Try to find Agla
4. (write in)

>>2836393
>2. *Change Ophelia’s bandages*
Lets get those bandages changed before you get infections.

>>2836393
>2. *Change Ophelia’s bandages*

>>2836453
>>2836398
will begin writing soon

>>2836393
“I need to change your bandages.”

“You what?” Ophelia said.

She pulled at her clothing nervously. Oh, that’s what that was about.

“Woop de fuckin doo, you’re embarrassed that a guy’s going to have a look at you naked. I think a bit of embarrassment will be worth not dying from infection, come on.” Henry said.

He walked over to a cabinet and grabbed out what he needed, some bandages, some disinfectant, and a few other things he’d gotten from a herbalist.

“Going to apply some ointment beneath these bandages, should help with the pain and discomfort.” Henry said.

“Gee, where was this side of you before.” Ophelia said, carefully removing her shirt.

Henry got to work, carefully stripping the bandages away and beginning to apply ointment. Ophelia occasionally tensed up, the woman was struggling to not cry out in pain. Henry respected that she was trying to act tough, it was kind of endearing.

Of course the woman was hunched over and her arms were covering her private bits. Henry didn’t blame her too much, the fact she wasn’t putting up much of a fuss was appreciated. Wouldn’t do to lose her to something as stupid as an infection.

The burns were variable in severity. In all honesty her face wasn’t too bad off. Her hair was badly scorched and Henry would have to take time to cut it away later. She’d more than likely be able to keep her eye, and her face would probably heal up alright. Her torso was a bit worse off. Her skin had been scorched off in a couple of places and the peeling had already started. She’d be itchy as all hell over the coming couple of weeks. Henry didn’t envy her.

After that cursory look, Henry wrapped her back up. The woman quickly grabbed her clothes and placed them back on. Her expression was interesting to say the least.

“I don’t know why I’m like this, you’ve already seen me once.” Ophelia said “I am all flustered now.”

“A healthy sense of modesty isn’t a bad thing.” Henry replied.

Decisions:
1. Get some sleep, you need it
2. Other? (write in)

>>2836588
>1. Get some sleep, you need it
>Update Johnny on recent events through the contract before you sleep.

>>2836694
writing

>>2836588
Henry walked over to a nearby closet, sure enough the sleeping bag was right where it always was. He wished he didn’t know where the damned thing was, but whatever.

“You can sleep in the big bed, I’ll take the floor.” Henry told Ophelia.

“Oh, alright.” Ophelia said. “I’m exhausted anyways… I don’t suppose you have a nightgown anywhere around here do you?”

“No I do not.” Henry said.

“Oh.”

Henry walked into the apartment’s bathroom, locked the door, and pulled out Johnny’s contract. Even though he’d admitted to being a necromancer to the woman it would be better to keep some things hidden.

He took the time to update Johnny on everything that had happened, then the contract winked out of existence. Done and done.

After that it was right to bed, or right to sleeping bag rather. Henry curled up and was sound asleep.

His dreams were turbulent. Colors and patterns alien to his perceptions flashed through his visions. All manner of terror and monster filled up his thoughts. Until a couple of hands pressed down, suppressing all of them. Henry slept very soundly after that.

He awoke to find Ophelia sound asleep, partially laying on top of him. One of her hands was even on his head. The feel of bandages wasn’t exactly soothing.

Decisions:
1. Shake Ophelia awake, you have some words about personal space.
2. Freak out and pull a knife on the woman.
3. “If you wanted me to sleep with you all you had to do was ask.”
4. Wait… (roll 1d100)
5. “Wake up sleepy head.”
6. (write in)

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>2836733
>4. Wait… (roll 1d100)
then
>3. “If you wanted me to sleep with you, all you had to do was ask.”

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>2836740
Only if we also bat our eyes at her.

>>2836754
>>2836740
writing

>>2836733
Something tickled at the back of Henry’s mind, but he couldn’t quite figure out what that was, so he shook it off, and slowly sat up. Ophelia rolled onto his lap and woke up startled.

“What… oh hello Henry… HENRY?!” She said, scurrying away then wincing at her burns.

“If you wanted me to sleep with you, all you had to do was ask.” Henry said, smiling like an idiot.

“I-I-I Sleepwalk alright!” Ophelia said, completely embarrassed. “T-think nothing off it you… you asshole.”

Ophelia grabbed the blanket off of the bed and wrapped herself up in it. She rolled around on the floor with it for a couple of seconds.

“So you sleepwalked and fell asleep next to me.”

“You were warm.” Ophelia said, “I-I-I don’t mean like that, I was cold okay?!”

“Uh huh.” Henry said.

“Shut up.” Ophelia muttered.

Decisions:
1. Head out to meet with Jimmy
2. Take some time to speak with Ophelia
3. Arrange transportation for you and Ophelia
4. Try to see if Agla made it back to the holy grounds alright
5. (write in)

>>2836787
calling it a night

>>2836787
>2. Take some time to speak with Ophelia
>1. Head out to meet with Jimmy ( after #4)
>4. Try to see if Agla made it back to the holy grounds alright

Recheck contract. Ophelia has something on her. Perhaps cast a quick Dispell on Henry himself. Consider asking to do the same on Ophelia ( and a Close Mind if it can be cast on others. Also one on ourselves. Does she have a Vampire compulsion on her? There are still things not at all clear about her and I suspect some trap.) Did she cast some mind influence on Henry, it seems likely?
Speak to Ophelia: Spell out the options - Cult of Progress, The church, take her own chances, come with us (has it's own down sides as discussed -plus we do some helping out those in need). Take the nonexploding runes and explain the ruse.

Did Agla et al find anything with the Dutchess?

>>2837026
Looks good, +1

>>2837026
Backing this

>>2837026
Suppotin

>>2837026
>>2837134
>>2837530
>>2837596
writing

>>2836787
Henry excused himself to the bathroom, partially to get out of that awkward situation, and partially to check up on his contract. After inspecting it thoroughly and taking a much needed break from Ophelia, he found nothing had changed about it. Whatever she’d done, that wasn’t it.

She had obviously done something, she wouldn’t have just moved there, would she?

No this was justified paranoia.

Henry cast close mind on himself, as quietly as he could manage. Blue mana spells always were the easiest for him to control, the mana leant itself to easy usage.

Henry emerged from the bathroom a couple of minutes later, a tad uncertain of what Ophelia would say but very certain she’d done something. The woman was sitting back on top of the bed, she’d taken the time to carefully place the blankets where they had been before, and she’d done a great job at it.

“Ophelia, let’s have a bit of a talk, shall we?” Henry asked.

“I want to go over your options.”

“I have those?” Ophelia asked.

“Well the way I see it you have about four different options, you can turn yourself into the church if you feel suicidal, turn yourself into the cult of progess-“

“Also suicide.” Ophelia said, a tad more cheerful than Henry had expected.

“Okay… you can also take your own chances, or come with me.”

“Look, I already agreed. I know you’re using me but at least you seem to be giving me a fair shot, right?”

“I want to make sure I’m not forcing you here.”

Ophelia stifled a laugh, before awkwardly coughing once she realized that Henry was being completely serious.

“You know you’re an odd one, first you are terrified of me, then you sleepwalk on me and now you’re laughing at me.” Henry said.

Ophelia’s expression changed to worry, she shifted around a bit where she was sitting, and struggled to make eye contact.

“Well for one you attached a god damned bomb collar on me.” Ophelia said. “You’ve hurt me when it suited your needs… I mean you’re not the worst person I’ve been forced to work for by a mile, b-but..”

“Look, it was never a real bomb. You’ve been carrying around a dud.” Henry said.

“I… WHAT?!”

Henry grabbed the bomb collar away from Ophelia’s neck, and tossed it aside.

Ophelia scrambled over the bed and sheltered on the other side, all the while screaming in terror.

>>2839686
“Uh, they aren’t real bomb runes.” Henry said.

“I um, I r-realize that now.” Ophelia said after a couple of moments.

“So I want to know exactly why you ‘sleepwalked’ over to me.” Henry said, looking down at the idiot.

“I wasn’t lying!” Ophelia replied. “I mean uh…”

“You’re going to tell me the truth, did you poke around in my fucking head.”

“I… I mean I didn’t look at any memories.”

Henry felt an urge to strangle her but quickly suppressed it.

“You better have a VERY good reason for doing that.” Henry said, the anger seeping through into his speech.

“I… oh please don’t I just… I uh..” Ophelia stammered.

Henry inched closer to the bed, his hands trembling a bit.

“I wanted to s-stop you from s-screaming in your s-sleep.” Ophelia finally said.

Henry’s anger quickly died down. He stood there not really sure if she was telling the truth or not.

“I did what?” Henry finally asked.

“You were screaming… I thought you’d destroy your vocal c-cords so I suppressed the nightmare… I-I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to intrude o-o-or…”

Henry leaned against one of the walls, placing one hand over his face while the other traced circles on the mirror behind him.

“How bad was I?” Henry asked.

“You were very loud.” Ophelia responded. “I… are you okay?”

“I…I’m fine.” Henry replied.

Decisions:
1. “Look, I have reasons I don’t want you poking around in my head, alright?”
2. “Do something like that again and I’ll fucking kill you.” (say it calmly)
3. “I need to go.”
4. “We all have our own problems don’t we.”
5. *say nothing and leave*
6. “Look, I’ll be back in a few hours, I need to get Johnny dug out and ticky recovered.”
7. (write in)

>>2839693
>7. (write in)
Lets those screams be a reminder of how life could be.
Leave on this note.

>>2839693
Backing >>2839771

>>2839774
>>2839771
writing

>>2839693

“Look, just let those screams be a reminder of how life could be.” Henry said.

“I don’t know how to respond to that at all.” Ophelia replied. “Oh… bye?”

Henry had already walked out the door at that point, leaving Ophelia alone. The woman decided to go back to sleep, she needed it.

Henry’s emotions were a bit mixed to say the least, he felt like a complete moron, a paranoid moron. But he had better things to do.

Decisions:
1. Get Johnny dug out (will proceed to the burned out warehouse)
2. Try to find Agla
3. Head out to Elom village, see if the others are okay
4. (Write in)

>>2839853
>1. Get Johnny dug out (will proceed to the burned out warehouse)
I'm going to pretend alga never existed.

Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>2839853
>1. Get Johnny dug out (will proceed to the burned out warehouse)

>>2839859
You know she'll show up on the way there. Check these dubs.

>>2839863
>>2839859
check THESE dubs

also writing

>>2839853
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The warehouse had completely burnt to the ground, or rather, its basement. The site of the former building now contained a large amount of burnt wood, rubble and little else. Jimmy had explained that the church was so preoccupied with cleaning up the clocktower square that they’d barely even sent anyone to look into the fire. Outside of a couple of people to confirm that it had been put out.

The ‘guards’ had gotten to work and had managed to quickly clear out a good chunk of the rubble, Henry had set up a few more complicated spells to track Johnny down. Although the place was still a death trap.

Eventually Henry and a couple of the guards managed to dig their way into the basement, where the remains of Ticky lay.

The area was blasted to ash. Ticky’s body was in ruins, the brickwork around him was completely melted, and bits of him had fused to the floor.

His head had come off and sailed a good thirty feet away clear to the other side of the room. Henry figured that would be a good enough piece of proof if he could work up the guts to turn it in.

Johnny lay onwards. Past broken brick and shattered timber.

Henry watched as the undead creations continued their work, overseen by his careful hand. Eventually a piece of bent metal poked through, they’d found him

“Johnny!” Henry said.

“About bloody time.” Johnny replied. “I have quite a few cramps, and yes I know I can’t have them.”

Henry got to work, personally cutting through and clearing out debris, until he could work Johnny free piece by piece.

Eventually a skeleton stood before him, of course his getup had been mostly obliterated, which was a massive shame, that thing had taken ages to perfect. Regardless, Johnny was free.

Decisions:
1. “Happy you’re back”
2. “We need to talk”
3. “Let’s get you into a bag or something and get the fuck out of this town.”
4. “We did it, the reward is as good as ours!”
5. (write in)

>>2839886
>3. “Let’s get you into a bag or something and get the fuck out of this town.”
We'll talk as we gtfo

>>2839886
>3. “Let’s get you into a bag or something and get the fuck out of this town.”

>>2839917
hello new person

>>2839945
Phone person, I'm pretty sure I am every single post ID in this and last thread

>>2839886
>3. “Let’s get you into a bag or something and get the fuck out of this town.”
"UNLESS YOU HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH ME LETS GET MOVING"

>>2839977
Hello me how are you

>>2839886
Backing the horrible pun in >>2840262
I feel this is IC for Henry to deliberately mess with Johnny at times like these.

>>2840273
Hello you, we're good thanks. I realize the grammar was awful but typing and editing on a phone is the worst kind of bullshit

>>2840856
>>2840341
>>2840273
>>2840262
>>2839977
>>2839945
>>2839917
>>2839888
Hello, I'm lorekeeper and this is jackass
>writing

>>2839886
“Let’s get you into a bag or something and get the fuck out of this damned town.”

“So I assume things did not go well.” Johnny replied.

“No.” Henry said.

“Are you going to tell me why?” Johnny replied. “I don’t think I’ll like the answer but I should probably know why we’ll be running from the local Cathars.”

“Come on bonehead.” Henry said.

“Really, petty nicknames now. I’m trapped in rubble for an evening and THAT’S how I get treated?” Johnny said. “You must have botched things up HORRIBLY if you’re acting like this, or things went incredibly well, but let’s not kid ourselves.”

Decisions:
1. *Spill the beans* (spills the beans)
2. “Get in the bag, Johnny” (puts Johnny in the bag)
3. “Fine, sorry.”
4. “Fuck you…. Yes things went bad.”
5. (write in)

>>2841781
>5. (write in)
I'll tell you on the way.
Drop him off at where ophelia is.

>>2841799
Tell him on the way, and once there, have ophelia help with making him a new outfit. Specify no magic is to be done to, on, or next to him.
While that's happening, make preparations to get ophelia and Johnny out of town.

>>2841781
Backing >>2841799 and >>2841816

>>2841830
>>2841816
>>2841799
writingw

>>2841781
“I’ll tell you on the way.” Henry said.

“You realize…” Johnny began before trailing off.

Henry had left the room and returned with a bag.

“Well discuss this later I assume?” Johnny asked.

“Well, in a better location, Sophie’s place.”

“I cannot believe she still pays rent on that roach infested hovel.” Johnny said.

“It’s called a safe house.” Henry said. “It’s not really meant to be lived in. Hell I don’t even know if the building HAS an owner anymore.”

“I’m aware, I was making a point.”


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Henry arrived back at the apartment and let himself in. Ophelia was in a corner, curled up in a ball, she jumped straight up when Henry arrived and tried to hide her face. Her eyes were red, she’d obviously been crying while he’d been gone.

“Look, I’ve brought you a guest.” Henry said, trying to ignore her emotional instability.

Henry then unceremoniously dumped Johnny out onto the floor, his pieces scattered all over.

“What the utter hell?” Ophelia said, leaping up onto the bed like she’d seen a rat.

“Hello to you too.” Johnny said.

It was a bit of an odd introduction since his head was upside down, facing the carpet.

“Finally, some fresh air.” Johnny said.

“You know it smells like shit in here even if you have no nose.” Henry said.

“Once again my dry wit eludes you.” Johnny replied.

“H-he can talk?” Ophelia muttered.

The woman leapt off the bed and slowly inched closer to Johnny. Eventually she worked up the courage to pick his skull up. Johnny stared at her for a few moments before she gently placed him on the bed and backed off. The woman stared at the skeleton with an intense curiosity.

“Don’t even think about it.” Henry told her.

“Is he a lich?!” Ophelia asked, amazed. “I… I’ve never heard of a skeleton being able to talk like this… it’s like he’s just a normal skeleton though.”

“Look, some things are better left unknown, would you can it?”

“Be a bit more polite would you?” Johnny said, reprimanding Henry much to his dismay.

>>2842052
>
“Ophelia, could you throw something together for Johnny to wear real quick?” Henry said.

“Can’t you throw normal clothes on him, maybe a hood?” Ophelia asked.

“Yeah no, he’s a skeleton, it’d be pretty obvious. Would sag all over the place.”

“I don’t have anything to work with, nor do I have my tools, could you just sneak him back in a bag.”

“I do not wish to be submitted to that injustice again, but I’ll bear it if I must.”

“I recognize your voice. You were the one talking to me back at the bay before I got knocked out right?” Ophelia said.

“Yes…yes I was.” Johnny replied, scratching his skull for a couple seconds.

“Ah.”

“Right so can you two lovebirds pipe down. I still have some arrangements to make.”

“Can’t you just get him out of the city in that bag? Would be a lot easier. I left my tools and what not back at the warehouse, and I don’t have anything to work with here…”

“So you can’t do anything.” Henry said.

“Go easy on the poor girl.” Johnny said.

“N-no its fine.” Ophelia muttered, looking down at the floor.

“So what exactly DID happen last night?” Johnny asked. Using his jaw to turn back towards Henry.

Decisions:
1. “The clocktower fell, bunch of people died, but we killed ticky.”
2. “We will be in a world of shit if we stay in the city is what fucking happened.”
3. “I’m not talking about it.”
4. “Look Johnny, I fucked up, okay?”
5. “I have a new business partner is what happened!”
6. “The others are at Elom village, I’m going to head there and get things sorted with them, then come back here. I want to leave before nightfall.”
7. (Write in)

>>2842056
>1. “The clocktower fell, bunch of people died, but we killed ticky.”
Is seven people a bunch?
And
>We killed ticky before it reproduced.
Explain what ophelia did.

>>2842052
>“Be a bit more polite would you?” Johnny said, reprimanding Henry much to his dismay.
Don't complain to me when you're just a skill stuck in a clock somewhere.