The Haudeno-Kag's campsite on the east bank of the Whispering River is lit by a gently-glowing stone in the middle of a ring of tents, which only began emitting light once the short muddy-red men laid hands on it.

Come morning, the Haudeno-Kag intend to board a large raft to travel to their village upriver, and are willing to take you with them.

They've also graciously offered you a spacious tent all on your own, separate from Gregory and Hastiin thanks to your assistance in battle.

>Accept the offer, you feel like you need the rest.
>Accept the offer, but you won't be sleeping soundly until you're back in civilization.
>Considering that the Haudeno-Kag were being attacked by two enemies when you first met them, you'd rather take a watch.
>Other.

>>3373953
>>Accept the offer, but you won't be sleeping soundly until you're back in civilization.

>>3373953
>Accept the offer, but you won't be sleeping soundly until you're back in civilization.

>>3373953
>>Accept the offer, but you won't be sleeping soundly until you're back in civilization.

>>3373958
>>3373961
>>3374015
You get a tent, but you won't be sleeping too soundly.

Perhaps that's for the best.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3271653/

Previous thread, I almost forgot. I'll have a proper OP next time, I promise.

The hay-stuffed bedroll in your tent is comfortable enough, it's either brand new or rarely used and recently-washed.

Considering it has been less than two hours since the sun dipped below the horizon, you afford yourself a brief nap. No dreams come to you in your slumber, and you awaken refreshed after a short while. Based on the intensity of the stone's light dimly showing through the walls of your tent, you'd guess it has been around three hours since you nodded off.

After another hour of being alone with your thoughts, you regret not having brought a book. Or at least some sort of compendium of sordid art. That always managed to keep your spirits up during the longer hunts in the wildernesses of Koppesmor. Perhaps you could've found something like that in Hokkap, if the city wasn't a hive of Binarvicq when you arrived. But perhaps it's best not to dwell on the past right now.

Your self-introspection (of the innocent sort) is interrupted by the noise of something heavy either being dragged or dragging itself into the camp.

By the time you've stood up and made your way to the tent flaps, the heavy dragging has been replaced with a loud, hearty gurgling. A loud, hearty gurgling which nearly drowns out the sound of screaming.

Filling your hands with your rifle, you burst out into the center of the camp, and see... something stuck halfway into one of the tents across from yours. The rest of the camp is up as well, but nobody seems to be intervening, Hastiin (the scholar's native companion) and the leader of this band of Haudeno-Kag are speaking to one another in hushed tones outside of the leader's tent.

At some point in the commotion, the Middilman scholar has made his way to your side, observing the scene in front of you for a moment before explaining what exactly is going on.

"They're calling this beast the 'Watcher of the River,' apparently its appearance is quite auspicious to them," the Middilman's tone is somewhat shaky, considering the screams emanating from the tent the Watcher has stuck itself halfway into.

The Watcher itself is furred, streamlined, and around seven yards long. Its coat is shiny, even in the dim light cast by the stone, a uniform tan body with dark brown fur on its webbed, clawed feet. You would imagine that it's similar in shape to an alligator, at least based on its rear half, though its tail is compressed horizontally rather than vertically.

"No harm should come to the Watcher, no matter what it does," the Middilman says, under his breath.

>You're not going to sit there and let it eat people! Shoot the Watcher, at least enough to scare it off.
>The Watcher is clearly a threat, perhaps it's best to put it down. Besides, it will make quite the trophy.
>If the Haudeno-Kag don't want it harmed, you won't harm it. But you also can't watch this.
>Other.

>>3374321
>You're not going to sit there and let it eat people! Shoot the Watcher, at least enough to scare it off.

Fuck you lizard

>>3374321
>>If the Haudeno-Kag don't want it harmed, you won't harm it. But you also can't watch this.

>>3374321
>>If the Haudeno-Kag don't want it harmed, you won't harm it. But you also can't watch this.

Pissing off our hosts would be a silly idea, which will happen even if we triumph over gatorface. A way to distract it or aid the people it has trapped may be not provoke ire, though.

>>3374321
>If the Haudeno-Kag don't want it harmed, you won't harm it. But you also can't watch this.

Sorry for the lack of posts tonight, but I have to be up early-ish tomorrow.

The vote'll stay open if anyone trickles in. Sorry again for starting it and then ducking out like this.

We can have a proper session tomorrow afternoon/night. I promise.

>>3374341
There are no lizards native to Orseia.

>>3374357
>>3374425
>>3374454
Looks like you're just going to try and sleep through this... ordeal.

Update in a bit, maybe around 6 EST.

Sorry, I'm really bad on estimating how long things will take me.

Working on the update now.

Your upper lip curls into a barely-perceptible sneer, which, in the light of the dimly-glowing stone, not even the Middilman next to you can see.

"Well, if they don't want that thing harmed, I won't harm it. But I'm not going to watch it do..." you gesture to the slowly-wagging tail of the gurgling Watcher, "this travesty."

When you return to your tent, sleep doesn't find you. It takes some time for the Watcher to depart, you would wager that there are only a few hours left until sunrise when it does, dragging itself away just as heavily as it came. Even after hearing it leave, you don't sleep. The display of apathy from the Haudeno-Kag towards their follow man, and even your refusal to intervene unnerve you. Though you doubt those Kag the Watcher devoured would have stepped in to save their fellows if it had attacked a different tent.

Camp is broken soon after sunrise, and the Haudeno-Kag (as well as Gregory and Hastiin) have a quick breakfast of water-softened stalks and a dull-green fruit which is sliced and eaten like bread.

You deign not to join them.

While packing up everything onto the squat red warriors' raft, including several newly-spare sets of crude iron armor, the "Captain" of the native contingent approaches you, the Middilman scholar and taller, greyer native at his side.

The muscular-yet-squat ruddy-red man stabs a finger towards you, speaking quickly in his chittering tongue, but it's only translated for you (twice) once he's done. First, Hastiin speaks to Gregory in his more halting and less run-on language, then Gregory passes it onto you in the Common Trade Tongue of the East's western terminus.

"The Captain," while captain isn't a direct translation, it's the closest you can get to the man's position, "wishes to know why you did not partake in the auspicious event of the Watcher's passing last night."

>It wasn't auspicious to you. You didn't feel like watching it.
>Watching a fuzzy lizard eat people isn't your idea of a party.
>It's just that you were tired. Nothing more.
>Other.

>>3378012
>Watching a fuzzy lizard eat people isn't your idea of a party.

Shits fucked yo.

>>3378012
>Other.

Who knows how on target these peoples' bullshit detector is, but a proposal.

Clearly we were too enraptured by this rare event to linger and watch, and we had to retreat to commune with our gods. We are foreign to this place, after all.

>>3378059
You're so diplomatic. I'd rather just be straight with these chucklefucks

>>3378012
>>3378059
heck yeah! rolling with this one

>>3378255
>>3378059
The "diplomatic" optin wins again.

>>3378012
>>Watching a fuzzy lizard eat people isn't your idea of a party.

"Tell him that I was so inspired by the appearance of such a creature, and their reaction to it," your tone is level and without much emotion, but you make sure to keep your body language positive, inspired by half-remembered etiquette lessons from a decade ago. "That it inspired me to commune with my own gods."

The scholar appears to be ready to question you, but whatever his protest was, you silence it with a look.

After a moment's hesitation, the Middilman turns to his native companion, and passes on what you had said. Hastiin glances at you, but it's not a questioning look. You're not sure what he's trying to convey, perhaps uncertainty. No matter his apprehensions, the grey-skinned man translates what you had said, addressing the Haudeno-Kag captain.

The ruddy man fixes his eyes on your face, but lets the matter drop.

Some hours later, laden down by the disassembled camp as well as the remaining Haudeno-Kag and your small group, the raft sets off up the river. Considering its size, it's really more of a barge than a raft, but the crude nature of its design (being made up of smoothed tree trunks lain side-by-side and fixed together with some kind of crude adhesive which spills over the seams), and its method of being driven by a large log on either side to push off against the river bottom make calling it a raft seem more apt.

Raft or barge, the vessels makes surprisingly good time against the current. Perhaps the appearance of the Watcher really was auspicious. Or perhaps the Whispering River's current isn't strong enough to push against the weight of the raft. Were you in the East, you would expect that it was the latter, but considering the nature of the West, you can't discount the former.

Were you still within the vicinity of Hokkap, the sun would have passed through the Mountains Gloaming by the time you reached the Haudeno-Kag village further up the river.

Throughout the entire day, the Haudeno-Kag scarcely spoke a word regarding you, at least according to Gregory. Even disregarding this fact, there was a general air of apprehension that kept you from resting, which you had intended to do on the raft ride upriver.

You don't offer a hand in unloading the raft, simply stepping ashore with Gregory, Hastiin, and the Haudeno-Kag captain. The captain takes a woman aside, and evidentially tells her to show your group of foreigners around.

The Haudeno-Kag women are similar in stature to the men, but slimmer in build and somewhat fairer in face. All of the Haudeno-Kag are uniform in color, a ruddy, brick red, and nearly all are black of hair, though some trend maroon. Some of the Haudeno-Kag have rounded eyes, though others' are somewhat pointed, in color their eyes are similar to their hair, either black or maroon.

Once the captain has departed, the woman begins leading you around the lower level of the village, along the river's banks. Through Gregory, as this woman speaks a tongue familiar to both him and Hastiin, she informs you that the village is relatively new, and that there are two tiers of it, one along the river's bank, and one higher up the short, steep clay cliff behind you. On the riverbank there are two long, low storehouses made of mud brick and capped with wooden roofs, across the cleared riverbank from the storehouses there are a number of small brick huts that the woman tells you are for craftsmen to work in, including one flanked by a crude forge. A second raft of stripped logs is beached just behind the craftmen's huts.

After that short tour, the short red woman takes you up a staircase carved into the cliff, which terminates in a railed wooden landing at the top of the cliff. Once you've all reached the top of the cliff, the village proper comes into view, much like the Haudeno-Kag's camp down the river, the houses are arrayed in a circle, though this one is significantly larger. You would count at least forty of the drum-shaped, mud brick houses capped by short, conic wood roofs. Most of them are a single story, but the houses further away from the cliffs have small windows in their upper edifices. One house, which the woman indicates as the chieftain's, looks like three houses linked together, the center of which is twice the diameter of the rest in the village, and likely three stories.

However, you ignore Gregory's translations as you notice a large crowd gathered in the center of the village, around a sunken pit in the center of the houses, from which a rough obelisk of the same material of the glowing stone from the camp rises into the twilight sky.

Luckily, the woman directs your attention to the obelisk, and you hear Gregory explain that it's the central shrine for the village, and lights it at night. However, immediately afterwards, she tries to pull your attention away, directing yourself, Gregory, and Hastiin to follow her to the chieftain's house. But you can't tear your eyes away from the crowd blocking your view of the obelisk. Now that you're closer to the crowd, you can make them out chanting the same word over and over.

Curious, you ask Gregory what it is they're chanting. After he asks Hastiin, he seems reluctant to tell you, but nonetheless does without prompting.

"They're chanting 'Heretic', Artur," the scholar tells you with a downcast gaze. Your prompt him to ask the native woman more about the situation, but she refuses to answer. That is, until your eyes meet hers, then she quickly tells Gregory the particulars of what's going on. "They found a woman in the woods, when they brought her back to the village, she attempted to proselytize."

"And," you urge him to continue.

The Middilman exhales through his nose, "And they decided to stone her."

"For proselytizing?" Your mouth hardens into a line, "did she try to sacrifice their livestock or burn their crops?" Not that you've seen livestock or crops, but you would imagine those are last on the docket.

"Well no, it was just..." Gregory strokes his small beard lightly, "magic tricks."

Magic tricks.

>You stood by and let these people's backward culture let people die last night, you're not about to let that happen now. Wade into the crowd and get them to stop.
>If this magician got this far on her own, maybe you don't need to go to Kag'Ah. You'll have a word with her before any stoning takes place.
>You're done with these backwards dwarfs. Fill your hands and make as much clear. But you won't resort to violence. Yet.
>Other.

>>3379057
>You stood by and let these people's backward culture let people die last night, you're not about to let that happen now. Wade into the crowd and get them to stop.

>>3379057
>>If this magician got this far on her own, maybe you don't need to go to Kag'Ah. You'll have a word with her before any stoning takes place.

>>3379057

>You're done with these backwards dwarfs. Fill your hands and make as much clear. But you won't resort to violence. Yet.

>>3379057
>>You stood by and let these people's backward culture let people die last night, you're not about to let that happen now. Wade into the crowd and get them to stop.

Their business is their business, but with this person clearly being foreign? At least some levity should be shown, and if not, then the matter will be pressed. Forcefully.
After all, what if we're caught "proselytizing" next?

>>3379057
>If this magician got this far on her own, maybe you don't need to go to Kag'Ah. You'll have a word with her before any stoning takes place.
Join in the fun duh

>>3379057
>You stood by and let these people's backward culture let people die last night, you're not about to let that happen now. Wade into the crowd and get them to stop.

>>3379074
>>3379096
>>3379806
Hey guys. Looks like this is the option Artur's going with.

But it's not even 11pm and I'm seriously flagging, so the update will be out tomorrow, probably in the early afternoon. Just wanted to make sure everyone knew and I'm sorry for the inconsistency in running.

I'll get better someday.

A heavy sigh lets itself escape through your nose. After last night, your patience is starting to grow thin with the sensibilities of the Haudeno-Kag. Maybe the warriors would have consented to being eaten by a furry alligator-otter monster that is sacred to their god, but you doubt a magician or priest of some foreign creed would submit to an execution for showing off a couple of tricks; at least not one operating this far west.

Separating yourself from Gregory, Hastiin, and the Haudeno-Kag woman, you shoulder your way through the crowd. Though, it's not quite shouldering with the height difference between the Haudeno-Kag in the crowd and yourself, more hip-checking and general pushing with your hands. The crowd itself doesn't react much to your presence, even the Haudeno-Kag you shoved aside are quickly caught up in the fervor of their fellows.

Once you reach the rim of the pit, you can get a good look at the cause of all this excitement.

The foreign proselytizer is a woman, as Gregory had said. As you had expected, her hands at feet are bound, and she's laid on her side in front of the obelisk of the rough, dimly glowing stone. She's dressed in a simple robe of fine dull orange cloth trimmed in either a near-runic pattern or some sort of intricate script, even with your eyesight you can't make it out between the distance and disheveled state of her robe itself; her feet are bare. At first glance, the captive herself seems to be a member of your own people, or at least one of the Elsofeny houses, but the metallic sheen of her hair and the scarlet of her eyes tell you otherwise. Despite the split lower lip and discoloration of a bruise across the right side of her chin, the magician is quite fair, her skin a shade or so off from a "courtly" pale, likely due to trekking through the wilderness, her eyes round, her nose small and straight, and her slightly plump lips a shade of pink which almost appears dyed. Her long, straight hair is splayed out behind her, the color of a freshly-minted copper coin. To some surprise on your part, the captive is not gagged, but seems to be holding her tongue of her own accord.

A quick scan of the crowd, made easier by your height advantage over the Haudeno-Kag, allows you to locate the ringleader of the stoning. If you had to wager, which perhaps you would, in different circumstances, you would say that this man is also the chieftain of the Haudeno-Kag village. He's of a height with most of his countrymen, and similarly red, his appearance is quite unassuming really, for a Haudeno-Kag. What makes him stand out is his manner of dress. While most of the villagers wear hide trousers or shorts and a vest vest of the same material, or a shorter dress for many of the women, and some wear crude iron or tin jewelry, only the chieftain bedecks himself with a heavy iron gorget decorated with tin detailing fixed around his neck by a thick length of chain. As well as this, he wears a leather headband sporting a single stalk of grain sticking upwards from above his brow.

The chanting is dying down as the chieftain gives a sweeping smile and wave to the crowd, the white of his teeth standing out against the red of his skin. The short man's left hand lowers as he raises his right, heaving the stone for the first throw.

But the fist-sized rock never meets its target.

Upon sighting the chieftain, you once again made your way through the crowd, closer to him. Either caught up in the moment, or simply uncaring, the red man paid you no mind.

The rock he had thrown, meaning to start the stoning, harmlessly smacked against your palm. That drew their attention to you.

>Call Gregory over to translate what you have to say to them.
>Just drop the rock and shake your head. Make your message clear, but not hostile.
>Drop the rock and threaten the crowd. There may be more of them, but they are civilians.
>Make your message- and your feelings- clear. Throw the rock aside and go untie the woman.
>Other.

>>3383410
>Make your message- and your feelings- clear. Throw the rock aside and go untie the woman.

>>3383411
>Drop the rock and threaten the crowd. There may be more of them, but they are civilians.

No need for a translator for this sort of message.
Maybe negotiation can come after these basic terms are set, firmly. Presumably the threatening is done with the end of a gun. Hopefully they're familiar enough with what it is to not underestimate it.

>>3383411
Throw the rock at the woman

>>3383416
>>3383411

>>3383411
>Call Gregory over to translate what you have to say to them.

>>3383411
>Call Gregory over to translate what you have to say to them.

>>3383411
>make your message and feelings very clear
>rock'em sock'em boxers

>>3383411
>stone the thot

>>3383441
>>3386566
No. You're not doing that.

I might be reading this >>3386518 post wrong, but I think it's tied between untying her and getting a translation.

Nevermind, writing.

"Gregory!" You call out to the scholar, calling him over to you with a gesture. The Middilman looks from you to Hastiin to the woman giving the tour before walking over to you, his native companion in tow. The crowd, now quieted, parts for them.

"Artur, I don't believe this is the best course of action," whatever the rest of the statement was, the scholar is stopped by your raised hand.

Lowering your hand, you pass on your request, "Tell them that I'm not going to keep abiding by their rules, this woman is going free and I'm likely going with her, as I doubt their hospitality will extend after that." A stern glare stops any protestation from Gregory, who just nods.

Dropping the rock in the dirt by your feet, you descend the shallow slope at the edge of the pit and make your way to the bound girl aside the obelisk. From amidst the ruddy-faced crowd, you hear Gregory speaking in that third Western language you've heard from him, which he and the guide woman spoke in before. Now that you're closer to the magician, it's evident that the trim on her robe is some kind of script, and that her hair is really closer to the burnished brass of an old Elsofeny vase. She's also keeping her lips sealed very tightly.

But the look in her bright red eyes is gracious enough. Once it stops being so surprised at least.

The girl is untied and on her feet quickly enough, and gives you a genuine, albeit closed-lip smile.

"Artur," you had heard the chieftain responding to Gregory while working the knots in the rough rope out, and now the scholar is at the lip of the pit, speaking down to you. "The chieftain has a way to resolve this and allow us all to proceed to Kag'Ah," you hadn't really considered what would happen with Gregory and Hastiin if you left the Haudeno-Kag, though you suppose the red men would have no reason to reject them along with you. "He says that if you wish to absolve the crimes of this woman, then you must prove guardianship over her in the eyes of the gods and society."

"And I'm to do that how?" You're not sure what sort of nonsense to expect.

Throughout the exchange between you and Gregory, so far conducted in Eimmelic, the captive woman has looked between the two of you with a confused expression, head cocked to the side. As if the tongue sounds familiar to her, but she doesn't speak it.

"Well you have to," the man rolls his hand, as if coaxing the words to come out, "demonstrate your agency over her via a... mutual congress."

Mutual congress? Oh that damn prude Middilman.

You glace at the girl out of the side of your eye, and she still doesn't seem to quite understand what you and Gregory are saying.

>Normally you wouldn't be opposed, but you're not going to let yourself get forced into it.
>Try to get the girl's take on things. She doesn't understand Eimmelic, but perhaps she speaks another of the Elsofeny languages.
>As long as they'll provide a house, or tent, or thick bush for your modesty.
>Other.

>>3387009
>Try to get the girl's take on things. She doesn't understand Eimmelic, but perhaps she speaks another of the Elsofeny languages.
>And yeah in private if it does happen. Not giving these cunts a show.

>>3387020
>>3387011
I keep mislinking

>>3387011
>>Try to get the girl's take on things. She doesn't understand Eimmelic, but perhaps she speaks another of the Elsofeny languages.

I've heard of getting fucked by the law but never of the law getting you fucked.
Probably would be good to know if they're a priestess or whatever as to avoid doing the equivalent of plowing a vestal.

>>3387011
>Try to get the girl's take on things. She doesn't understand Eimmelic, but perhaps she speaks another of the Elsofeny languages.

>>3387020
>>3387067
>>3387162
Probably the best course of action really.

Update in a little bit.

>>3387011
>>Try to get the girl's take on things. She doesn't understand Eimmelic, but perhaps she speaks another of the Elsofeny languages.
>>As long as they'll provide a house, or tent, or thick bush for your modesty.

Sorry I had computer troubles. But I'm back now.

Affirmative consent is important.

>>3387440
It's not the consent that's important, it's the possibility of being smited by an angry god/holy order. Clearly the local order cares not for the former.

>>3387458
He means it's important for Artur.

>>3387478
It's a joke senpai.

And once again sorry, but I've been waylaid for a little bit.

I should be back sometime before 9:30, but if I'm not be sure to bump the thread and buy us as much catalog time as you can.

"You speak Haryuni-" Before you can even finish the question, which was itself spoken in Haryuning, the girl frantically nods, before holding up a finger, bidding you to wait.

Her finger still raised, the girl grimaces, half swallowing as she brings her other hand in front of her mouth. Though she's closer in height to you, evidentially being an Elsofeny herself, you still have a few inches on her and can see what she does next. She rolls her tongue out of her mouth, something slim and gold wrapped around the tip of the pink appendage, which it becomes evident to you is a chain or string of some description. A golden ball is affixed to the end of the length, which she quickly encloses in her hand and stuffs down the front of her robe.

"Sorry about that," she apologizes in Haryuning, letting her finger finally drop. "But yes, I am of the House of Haryun myself, mostly at least," she cocks her head with a smile, "your name is Artur yes?"

You nod. "Mostly at least", that would explain her stranger features.

"I go by Sor'ejou to most, but as gratitude for saving me, you can use the name my father gave me," she leans in and quietly informs you of her true(?) name, "among hi- our people, they call me Eufrozina."

"Well, Eufrozina," you address her by the latter name, a distinctly Haryuning one, "we may not be out of this yet, the chieftain says that to remain in their lands, I have to prove my agency over you. As it were."

The meaning of the phrase is immediately picked up by the half-foreign priestess. "What if I don't want to stay in their lands."

"It's about both of us," you tell her with a glance up to the waiting crowd above.

She frowns with just the corners of her mouth, "Do you really care that much about staying in Shi-Susu land?"

>Yes, you think that you might be able to get something out of them.
>Well, not particularly. But she is quite comely...
>Ask her why you should- or shouldn't be.
>No, you don't. You suppose if she knows the tongues of Orseia you could leave with her.
>Other.

>>3387730
>>Yes, you think that you might be able to get something out of them.

>>3387730
Is one of the artifacts we are after in Shi-Susu land? I'm still wrapping my head around all these places.

>>3387730
>Ask her why you should- or shouldn't be.
Get around the fact that she didn't sign up for a booty call first and foremost if we want an actual answer.
Also, should probably ask what the hell that ball thing is.

>>3387738
A good question. If one of our artifacts is nearby:
>Yes, you think that you might be able to get something out of them.

Otherwise:
>No, you don't. You suppose if she knows the tongues of Orseia you could leave with her.

>>3387738
>>3387743
Not in their "country," no.

Shi-Susu is just the word in her southern language for the porcupine.

There are four continents the comprise the New World, and one subcontinent. On the termini of each continent their are realms stated and widely believed (at least among the faithful of the West) to be the dwelling places of their gods. The land that traditionally belongs to Shashiz is a peninsula to the northwest of where you currently are.

>>3387750
Oh in that case

>>3387730
>No, you don't. You suppose if she knows the tongues of Orseia you could leave with her.

These savages are annoying and an extra translator can be handy.

>>3387730
>Ask her why you should- or shouldn't be.

>>3387758
>>3387756
>>3387743
>>3387741
I suppose these can work together.

Update soon I think.

Tomorrow morning is relatively soon. Right?

Again, sorry for my shitty pace. I know that you actually enjoy this, so I'll try to try harder in the future.

>>3387976
Lol it's fine boss.

"Why should I have reason to stay in the Haudeno-Kag's land," you use the name for them that Gregory gave you, instead of the woman's, "or rather, what reason do I have to leave?"

"Even by this place's standards," Eufrozina makes a sweeping gesture with her hands, presumably referring to all Orseia, "the Shi-Susu men are backwards. You may've heard that they're advanced metalworkers, but there are better ones in the mountains to the west, and even far to the south. I don't know what you're looking for but I doubt you'll find it on that dinky island they've built their principal city on." She then adopts a thoughtful face, blinking a few times before finally snapping out of it, "What is it that you're looking for anyway?"

Now it's your time to lean in and speak to her in a lower tone, "I shouldn't keep being so forward, but I'm seeking out the Relics of Arpect."

Eufrozina's eyes widen at this, but she grins giddily, like a child on their birthed day. Outside of tone, she manages to conceal her excitement, "You'd probably have better luck further west then, I know exactly how to get to the..." she purses her lips, thinking for a moment, "rod-"

"Artur! We need an answer now," Gregory's call in Eimmelic breaks the flow of your conspiracy with the Western magican.

You sigh, and look to Eufrozina for a moment. She is comely, and you certainly wouldn't be opposed to it, but a girl of her spirit is worth more than a quick tumble.

"Do you know where this place is?" Her nod in response is all you need before turning your attention back to the Middilman. "I don't believe I intend to stay in the Kag's hospitality any longer!"

Gregory nods, calling for you and the woman at your side to ascend the slope. Thanks to your superior stature, it's a quick affair.

The red faces of the Haudeno-Kag in the crowd are creased in anger, evident in the light of the stone obelisk. You take note that seven of their warriors have made their way up the cliff to join the crowd. Or perhaps they're here to keep the peace should things take a turn for the worse, though you seriously doubt they would be capable of that.

"If that is your answer Artur, then the chieftain says you must cross the river and depart from the land of the Haudeno-Kag, I'm sorry," the scholar seems disappointed in you, eyes downcast as he passes on the message.

>If he wishes to come with you, both him and Hastiin are welcome.
>Then you wish him and his companion luck in their further travels.
>Good riddance to these red simpletons then, but you did enjoy your time with Gregory and Hastiin.
>Good riddance to both these red simpletons and his narrow Middilman mind.
>Other.

>>3390304
>If he wishes to come with you, both him and Hastiin are welcome.

If they don't want to
>Then you wish him and his companion luck in their further travels.

>>3390304
Supporting
>>3390319

>>3390319
Agreed.
At the very least these people don't want to kill us. Yet. Here. Probably should watch our back because the fat manlet didn't get to watch porn live.

Expect updates tomorrow, thanks for your patience.

Sorry, tomorrow for sure. Tonight if I get a sudden burst of inspiration.

My brain's kind of blocking me right now.

"Hastiin and yourself are welcome to come with me if you'd like," you extend the offer to the Middilman.

Gregory lightly strokes his beard, "Where is it that you're planning on going? There's quite a trek through the wilderness in any direction."

Requesting a moment, you pass on the question to Eufrozina in Haryuning.

The half-breed magician thinks for a moment, then runs through a few names. "Zo-ni-Kuud? No, that's not right... Zo-ni-Chuuni? No, no. What do they call it here? Sorry, I'm bad with their mushmouth names, oh, it's the Adsuu'Riist to them. I think."

Not entirely helpful. Nonetheless you nod.

"Some place called Adsuu'Risst!" You call back up. Gregory turns, conferring with Hastiin, who has now made his way to Gregory's side. He turns back to you, lips pursed, "That's quite the journey Artur, apparently a rough one as well. I must decline your offer, I apologize."

With a shake of your head, you reply, "I wish you luck on your own journey then, and Hastiin as well."

The sides of Gregory's mouth tilt up into a smile, "And you as well Artur, may you find what you're looking for without ills."

In a distinctly Middilmannish (though it's a habit of the Sstommish as well) gesture, Gregory extends his hand. Before you can hesitate, your diplomatic training kicks in, and you grab him by the forearm, he grabs you in return. After a terse shake, both of you release your grips.

Hastiin hands you a knapsack once afterwards, nodding first to the gathered Haudeno-Kag, then to you. The meaning is clear to you, the Haudeno-Kag intended to make you leave without first returning to you your treasures received from the Sons of Zaz Guacha. In appreciation, you extend the same gesture you and Gregory shared to the ash-skinned man. He accepts, and you share a smile.

The farewell is short however, as the hostility emanating from the crowd of Haudeno-Kag threatens to run you and Eufrozina out of the village. Before you are truly ejected though, the magician demands something in the trade-tongue Gregory and the woman who gave you the tour spoke in. Begrudgingly, a two of the red women come forward and return to her a heavy leather bag with a brass clasp, and a pair of napped leather shoes, which are built more for utility than style. She huffily sets her jaw and nods when the items are returned to her.

Once Eufrozina's feet are covered, the Haudeno-Kag hastily rush you to the woods at the northwestern corner of the village.

A short while later, in a clearing in the pitch-dark woods, you finally ask the question you probably should've asked when the magician told you here plan.

"How are we getting to this 'Adsuu'Riist?"

Eufrozina brings a hand to her chin, setting her thumb and forefinger under it. "Well, we could swing back around south around the village to get to the nearest ford, or we could head north and hope they don't find out about our ban so we can cross at a real ferry or more built-up ford. I guess we could also stick around here and build a boat, or we could go across the hills to the other river and take a boat down the coast," she punctuates the options with a shrug.

>Go back around to the nearest ford.
>Head north and hope word doesn't spread too fast in these 'uncivilized' areas.
>Stay put and slap together a raft. Traversing the Whispering River shouldn't be too treacherous.
>Cross the hills between the Whispering River and the River Shaded to find a village there.
>Just swim across the river. It's wide, but there's no real current.
>Other (This means you have to come up with a plan though.)

>>3398579
>>Go back around to the nearest ford.

>>3398579
>Head north and hope word doesn't spread too fast in these 'uncivilized' areas.

>>3398579
>Head north and hope word doesn't spread too fast in these 'uncivilized' areas.

>>3398579
>Just swim across the river. It's wide, but there's no real current.

>>3398579
>>Cross the hills between the Whispering River and the River Shaded to find a village there

>>3398579
>Ur, Son of man
>Your son of man
>You Are son of man

That's pretty cute, WidePride

Okay I'm back.

Update soon.

"I doubt the Kag can communicate between villages very well, I think we'll be fine if we just keep heading north," after a moment of deliberation, that's the plan you settle on.

Eufrozina nods, "I thought the same thing! But if that's the plan we'd better hurry. Fuéyuu-madakeris-shugaemi's followers may be the dimmest in mind and spirit, but their stubbornness and fortitude shouldn't be underestimated."

These pagan gods' names keep getting worse and worse.

The magician's point does stand though, moving fast is the best course of action. "How long can you go without sleep?"

"Four or five days," she says with a shrug, "it depends on how long I can keep up the flame of my spirit."

Her answer takes you aback momentarily, you almost ask her to repeat herself, but just move on. "What's this about keeping up your spirit?"

"There's a ah, tincture, of a sort, that I know how to make to energize myself," she punctuates the statement by patting the locked bag at her side. "And before you ask, no, it would be unwise for you to try and take some. For one, I don't really know how to make it for other people, so most of what I have is attuned to my own spirit; and even if I could make it so that it could enkindle the spirits of others, you're not one of those Enlightened in Sun."

Shaking your head, you confirm the fact, "No, I'm a follower of the One."

"Of course!" Eufrozina cuts you off, though it's not hostile or purposefully rude, she's simply stating her familiarity, "I was raised in the One as a kid. I only adopted my current faith when I was thirteen." Moving on into the woods along with you, she continues, "It was odd, I returned to live with my father, but I took on the faith of my mother."

>Are there any questions you want to ask Eufrozina?
>Or anything you want to tell her?
>Also roll me some 1d10s, normally I wouldn't do this but you can do it with your votes.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>3404306
>Are there any questions you want to ask Eufrozina?

"So what did you do to piss off the Haudeno-Kag? 'Magic tricks' was the phrase being thrown around."

"What do you know about the Relics?"

"If we get into a fight what capabilities do you have? I personally have a very complicated way of fighting where I point and shoot."

"Hey do you know what the hell [Describe frog loli] was?"

Just some questions over the course of the journey. Don't need to be all at once.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>3404515
These are all good. I'd also suggest:

"How well do you know the area? Anything we need to look out for in particular?"

"Do you need something specific to make your tincture?"

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>3404306

>>3404860

some others

"what made you dedicate yourself to your current faith in exchange of the previous one?"

"would you have done it if one of us needed to stay?"

>>3405452
>"would you have done it if one of us needed to stay?"

She wasn't really in a position to really do anything was she? I mean I suppose we unbound her so she could have zapped her way out (if her magic even works like) if she was desperate.

>>3404515
>>3404707
>>3405452
I don't see a problem with any of these.

Oh right I need to stop being a brainlet and actually finish my posts. Probably tomorrow with the update cause I think it'll be extra thicc and I'm already pretty tired.

If anymore questions pop into your heads feel free to add them.

"What made you choose to follow your mother's faith?" You ask the question, though in the back of your mind you below you know the answer. Miracles and direct evidence of the Elsofeny God are rare, even unheard of in the past two Eras. It's lead to a lot lapses in faith, especially in the New World.

Eufrozina perks up at the query, flicking her hair out of the way so she can look at you out of the corner of her eye, "Well, the sun saved me from a life of slavery!"

"Huh," you can't hold back a surprised reaction to her answer. "How did it do that?"

"Well, I suppose it's okay to tell you the story, you did help me out back there and all." You see her hands tense up a little before relaxing, "It's not really a good memory besides the very end. Anyway, one day a ship from the south was docked in the harbor, I wasn't living with my father anymore, not since my mother came into town. Town was Menedeket." It's a city you're familiar with, at least from maps. The southernmost of the Men of One colonies in the New World, in some ways it was a counterpart to Hokkap. In others though, it wasn't, it was both thriving and growing, for example, and held close ties with the other port cities nearby. "She didn't really like me though, or looking at me I guess, I never really found out. Only saw her once after that," Eufrozina shrugs, "But she gave me to the sailors on the ship. It was a big merchantman, one of the seafaring ones with two hulls but a big wide deck. You're from Koppesmor, you've seen them right?" You do remember the brilliantly-painted, ornamented tall ships from your infrequent journeys to the southern harbors of Koppesmor. The largest ones dwarfed even the Binarvicq leviathan-hunters that visited the northernmost ports once in a blue moon, they always seemed more like two ships than one, with two wide-beamed hulls joined by a thick central deck, invariably ornamented with bright metal fixtures and vibrantly painted; and crewed by men with skins the same hues. You had always favored the land, but you always enjoyed the visits to Koppesmor's ports in your youth. Perhaps it was because you always went with tutors.

"She handed them a bag of coins and told them to get me to Koppesmor," Eufrozina sighs, "it was pretty fun actually, like one of those big fat river barges they have way way down south and out west. Not that you would know about those... Anyway, they didn't get to Koppesmor, this big storm whipped up halfway there, it was some kind of magic I think. But the ships oars snapped and the crew thought it was going to go down. Long story short, us passengers ended up shipwrecked on a little rock in the middle of nowhere, it was one of the better ones though, there weren't any cannibals or monsters. But it was sort of a pirate haven or something like that," she shrugs again before her tone becomes downcast, the saddest you've heard her sound. "I was the only one they took, probably because I wasn't a regular Elsofeny," her hand drifts to her hair, seemingly unconsciously. "It was weeks before I saw the sky again, but when I did it saved me!" Her hands go up excitedly, along with her tone, "the sunrise that day was surprising, it looked like there would be clouds all day, but we just passed south of the Taie-Kieyuton Kuni. The sun was so strong it blew away the clouds! My spirit became so invigorated, and the light was so blinding to them that I was able to free myself so I could escape on one of their rowboats." Eufrozina lowers her voice, and you can see a thin gravel road through the trees, you must be nearing civilization again. "I managed to drift ashore after that, I couldn't row very well, being a kid and all."

The magician finishes her story as you step out of the forest and onto the road together. The silent footfalls of the forest become quiet crunches along the thin gravel path.

"You were saying that you knew how to get the Rod after I freed you, how exactly do you propose that?" It's a natural question, probably the first one you should have asked.

Eufrozina sighs, "After all that talking I have to explain something else to you? Fine."

If she didn't have a point you may have rolled your eyes.

"So every sixteen years- but you're not supposed to use sixteen, it's not sacred, so use four-" the informative cutaway makes you raise an eyebrow, but she preempts your question on it. "It's Western numerology, don't worry about it. Anyway, every sixteen years all of the tribes of Orseia send representatives to this city in the mountains, where they conduct some kind of giant diplomatic meeting. It's also a big deal religiously, the whole affair is guarded by their Sentinels Indurate. They're animate men made of stone," she preempts another question, though you probably weren't going to ask her about it. "The important part though, is that the assembled tribes send two representatives to confer with Fuéyuu-madakeris-shugaemi himself. In person. The really important part though is that their representatives are chosen in a tournament, and it just so happens the tribes of the 'Gou ni Fuéyuu-madakeris-shugaemi', his 'daughters', the tribes venerating the grazing beasts, select champions to stand for them. Champions who are recognized before Fuéyuu-madakeris-shugaemi."

"Do you have any way to shorten that," her information is welcome news, a clear path to obtaining the Scepter. But on the other hand her name for the Bear-God is incredibly long.

"Yes but to truncate it wo-"

A heavy sigh from you stops the priestess' argument.

"Fine, but I won't shorten the name of mine own god."

"Deal," the word is out of your lips in less than an instant.

Eufrozina turns to glare at you, her crimson eyes boring into your green ones when they meet. "You seem awfully confident about this, Artur."

"I don't mean to sound overconfident," you begin, almost certainly sounding overconfident, "but I can more than handle myself in a fight, especially one that starts at a range." A pat on the butt of your rifle punctuates the sentiment nicely. "What do you bring to the table in a fight anyway?"

"It's tough to explain," the magician admits sheepishly, "I can manipulate the 'heat' of the spirit, as it were, both mine and that of others. It can take the form of a cleansing light if I use my own or channel it, or I can just sap the energy of another's spirit to get them to stop fighting. I utilize fire if I really try, but I'm not very good."

"So those are the magic tricks you were showing to the Haudeno-Kag?"

"Yes," she confirms, "they overreacted really. It was all from my own spirit, just light shows and storytelling."

"Seems a bit much to stone someone over," you agree with her.

"Oh absolutely, they were far more resolute in their faith than I had expected. I think I meant to go one river over..." again her tone is sheepish, but she trails off rather than continuing.

"Does that have anything to do with those tinctures? What do you need to make those anyway?"

The magician waves your questions away, "Oh you don't have to worry about any of that, I can handle it all."

A few hours pass, and the river comes into view.

The morning haze is thicker and greyer than you've seen so far in the New World when the sun begins to rise. The distant bugling of an elk reminds you that it might be a good idea to get Eufrozina's perspective on the whole Fawn Daughter incident.

Perhaps not that whole incident. Informing her about the entire ordeal might not be wise, at least according to your prior experience.

"Say, Eufrozina, have you ever heard of a wandering-" you're not entirely sure what to call the little girl who so casually destroyed a major(?) natural spirit of the New World, "-entity that takes the form of a female child with her hair sculpted into horns and her clothes made of flowers? Oh, and it uses lightning to defend itself."

The magician thinks for a moment, then shrugs in resignation. "I can't say I have Artur, sorry. I would say that it's some kind of retainer of Gessojo-gaemi-zinfuu, ah, she would be the Sky God or Wind God to you, if you've heard of her. At least that's my best guess, lightning is in the Domain of the Sky after all, what color were her hair and eyes?"

"Yellow and white, the eyes were kind of luminescent."

"Gessojo is still my best guess then, but the hair makes me think otherwise. And the clothes," she brings her hand under her chin in the same manner she had earlier, "where and when did you see this entity?"

"Along the riverbank, it got into a fight with something else, asked me some questions, then went off on its way 'back home'," you expand on the encounter a little.

Eufrozina lets out a sigh, sounding stumped though also intrigued, "I really don't know what to tell you Artur. Probably just some kind of feud between spirits. Though I wish I could have seen it."

You decide not to tell Eufrozina that the two of you are ultimately heading in the same direction that you sent the mysterious girl in.

And I will get to the fording/encounter tomorrow because now I'm tired and I kind of put this off a bit which is my bad.

Actually I think it would make more sense to kick off the next thread with that stuff! Give us time to vote and have some action.

Thank you all for coming.

I'll get thread 3 out quicker than I got out thread 2.