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“Please tell me you’re not going to be freaking out with us looking after Francine, too?” Gina sighs, watching Dorian pouring himself a second or perhaps third glass as she forms her next words directly into your mind. {It wouldn’t do to have November watching over a bunch of nervous wrecks while you’re out in the field. Besides, don’t you trust me?}

“GG, of course I…” You begin to say aloud, faltering when you watch your painter down a second glass of wine in a single, prolonged sip. You're about to say something to him when November and Rath emerge from the Forge room, laughing together with a bundle of reinforced Relics, along with a few unfamiliar items held in their arms.

"Hey Rath, I can be trusted, right?" Gina demands, whirling on the redhead the moment she's close enough to snare into the conversation.

"No clue what we're talking about, but trust your girlfriend, man. She's a big girl, she can take care of herself." Rath fires back, her smile equal part bewilderment and good humor at the other girl's playful tone. "So...what are we talking about?"

"Fruitful forging?" You ask, diverting the subject to more pressing matters. Rath nods several times, very quickly as you glance over the sets of armor she cradles in her arms like a set of newborn children.

"Yep! Enhanced the Tormentis, crafted a few other armors, and I made Aunt Heather a bitchin' spear!"

November gives the hefty, thick-handled spear an experimental swing, almost losing hold of the bottle of sauce she holds in her other hand when the impossibly heavy blade goes a little wide.

"So...where do we start with this hunt of ours?" November asks, recovering from her awkward swing with some measure of finesse. "The tank's ready to go, if you want to take it for a spin."

"I think that's a wise move." Dorian says as he finally makes his way over, his azure gaze still trained on Francine as she and Amara animatedly discuss the nature of Skintalking. "We can cover more ground together that way and wrap this up with haste, I'd imagine."

The young man's gaze settles on yours, his nervous energy and sense of urgency palpable across the empathic channel.

"Shall we be off, then?"

>>PLEASE SELECT YOUR RELIC LOADOUT

AND

>>Begin your hunt in the Follicle Plains, between the Envious City and the Calcite Cliffs.

>>Stalk through Carroll’s Woods, devoting more time to plumbing its unforgiving depths.

>>Prowl the wastes between the Ruins of Almath and Carroll’s Forest, where Dorian chased down B’ni.

>>Write-In (Choose another place to begin or make some last-minure preparations.)

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, voting shall remain open for the next two hours. I posted the updated Relic sheet late in the last Vein, but if you see that there's anything missing or if you have any questions about what you find there, then please let me know. November currently has her Tier 3 Core equipped, and her HEALTH total is at its base level, to be augmented by any of the Relics you slot into the Etain combat frame.)

(Finally, you shall find Amara's new Lexicon words below.)

>>AMARA LEXICON: NUKA, VIE, HIR, VITA, SIHL, SKRA, BAUM, SULK

>>3765586
Relic Loadout;
Shu;
>Contender, Matrons, Cutis Tractus, The Spine, Uzi(x3 Regular, x1 Lightning, x1 Radiant), Whistle(RHO CUNT).

Dorian;
>Sui Interitus, Manus Caelorum, Gutgrab Daggers, Adrenal Nail, Shawl.

November Slot Relics;
>Head, Jesters Masque
>Chest, Sui Tormentis
>Arm1, Spear of Dainsleif
>Arm2, Ignition Gauntlets
>Leg1, Cursas Alas
>Leg2, Vocem Virtutis

November other Relics;
>Hydras Heart, Deliverance of Ego.


and
>>Prowl the wastes between the Ruins of Almath and Carroll’s Forest, where Dorian chased down B’ni.

seems like the best place to go. Lara had kinda cleared out the forest and id imagine the Plains are probably either lower level or picked cleaner.

>>3765587
we still need the throat cannon.
otherwise, for the sheets, you said Etain had some stat differences, and i was unsure of what was needed for Francines sheet.

>>3765599
(Working on updating the sheet with the throat cannon now that I've arrived at work. Regarding November, the Etain's current HEALTH is an even 1300%, with her tank regen at 200%. For Francine, I can repost her full stats and abilities momentarily.)

>>3765604
oh right, the tank.
think people were wanting that added to the sheet too, when you get a chance. might be useful seeing as how we're actually trying to put it to proper use after all this time.

sounds good on the Fran stuff.

>>3765586
>Prowl the wastes between the Ruins of Almath and Carroll’s Forest, where Dorian chased down B’ni.

>>3765599
Don't forget to load up on Contender magazine
Relic loadout:

Shu:
Contender (2 fullbores, 4 Hollowpoints), Matron's stoicism, Whistle (Rho Cunt)
Dorian:
>Sui Interitus, Manus Caelorum, Cursus Alas, Gutgrab daggers

November
>Head: Jester's Masque
>Chest: Sui Tormentis
>Arm 1: Spear of Dainsleif
>Arm 2: Ignition Gauntlets
>Leg 1: Adrenal Nail
>Leg 2: Hydra's Heart

We're leaving Vocem Virtutis, The Uzi, and the Shawl, and Deliverance of Ego for the other team that's going out in the field (Francine, Julia, Amara) since they're going scouting and asking the fleshscape for information, Amara will need the Shawl to cover her Clone network. and I don't want them to venture out empty handed and naked in terms of relic protection.

>>3765632
>We're leaving Vocem Virtutis, The Uzi, and the Shawl, and Deliverance of Ego for the other team that's going out in the field (Francine, Julia, Amara) since they're going scouting and asking the fleshscape for information, Amara will need the Shawl to cover her Clone network. and I don't want them to venture out empty handed and naked in terms of relic protection.
im not leaving the Ego behind and they dont need that. 90+% of their time it will only be Amara Clones out and about, and otherwise they arent supposed to be fighting and would know if an area of intrest is dangerous or not due to the clones.

loading the Contender is a free action its not that important.

the Hydras Heart can only go in the chest slot.
We're the ones doing the heavy fighting, the Shawl would do much better in our hands.
Dorian doesnt need the Cursas Alas and it'lll be much more useful helping November get into combat.

passing up the Extra ACT on November is a bad move in my opinion, as we're going to be down a party member and shes going to be doing most of the frontline fighting.

>>3765643
>>3765632
also, same thing. the Deliverance is way too good to not give to the team actually doing fighting, and being down a team member means we need it more.

if, and thats BIG if, the research team really needs to check a location thats dangerous, they have Julia, Rath, Gina, Amara, Amara Clones, AND Fran that can all go together, if the place is really so important they have to take the risk. they easily can make up for not having relics.

-Francine’s Stats-

HP: 230% (20%)
BIO: 160%
ACT: 2/2

>>CREATION'S STRINGS (Fibromancer/Neuromancer Hybrid, Lvl 1): A power thrust upon an unwilling vessel, this hybrid ability allows West Beta to physically unravel the very biomass Daughters are composed of, rapidly siphoning off their reserves of HEALTH to refill the user's own at a rate determined by the wielder's proximity to their target.(HEALTH +120%, BIO +140%)

>>CREATION'S STRINGS (Lvl 2): By tethering itself to a target West Beta now gains an innate understanding of its foe, granting an understanding of the target's current HEALTH, BIO, and REGEN totals. (BIO +20%)

>>CREATION'S STRINGS (Lvl 3): West Beta may now, when she begins to unravel a target, gain access to the abilities of their Core skill tree. Beta is free to use their abilities using her own HEALTH, BIO, or ACTs as required by their activation costs, though she may only copy active abilities and passive skills up to her Core's current level. (HEALTH +30%)

>>DEFIANT PUPPET (Creation's Strings Augmentation, Lvl ERROR): West Bet@ nOW pSSe$es...We$1 BbbbB...eRrRor...Francine now possesses the ability to reverse her Core power's draining effects, instead allowing her to draw from her own reserves to restore those that she is tethered to. This reversal extends to any and all draining effects her tree may gain, and this healing may not be interrupted as long as Francine is conscious. (HEALTH +80%, HEALTH REGEN +20%)

-Francine’s Relics-

>>INSPECTOR’S SPECTACLES: This set of demure spectacles are a modified variant of one of West Prime’s favorite Relics. They allow the user to passively detect the HEALTH and BIO of Daughters in line of sight, and at the start of each combat there is a chance that the rudimentary nature of a random foe’s skills will be revealed, along with their next turn intentions. (Head Slot: HEALTH +50%, Allows November to detect the intentions of all foes in visual range.)

>>GAMMA PHARYNX: This gruesome Relic necessitates a full-blown binding to the Daughter that wishes to equip it, a process that is quite painful for any normal individual. Removal of the Relic imposes a HEALTH penalty equivalent to one-tenth of the user’s maximum, similar to the after-effects of Forging a Relic. The benefits, however, are not to be underestimated; the Pharynx accumulates a potent charge for every turn it remains unfired in combat, and the stored power may be released for 1 ACT to produce an utterly devastating beam of blinding, annihilating heat with a high chance to score a critical hit that deals seven times the base critical damage. (Head Slot: HEALTH +0%, Charges accumulate twice as fast, November does not suffer the removal penalty to her HEALTH.)

(As far as the tank goes, it is still acclimating to November's new body, i.e. I am still running balancing on its abilities, so that will likely come either during or after this Vein closes, if that's alright.)

>>3765643
>loading the Contender is a free action its not that important.
I know that it's a free action for the contender, but what I'm saying is that it doesn't hurt to go out hunting with a fully loaded revolver.

I understand your logic and will amend my vote for November's and Dorian's loadout for part of it, I'm still for giving the Shawl to the Research Team.
>>3765599
>>3765586
Dorian:
>Sui Interitus, Manus Caelorum, Adrenal Nail, Gutgrab daggers

November
>Head: Jester's Masque
>Chest: Sui Tormentis
>Arm 1: Spear of Dainsleif
>Arm 2: Ignition Gauntlets
>Leg 1: Adrenal Nail
>Leg 2: Vocem Virtiutis

>>3765646
>if, and thats BIG if, the research team really needs to check a location thats dangerous, they have Julia, Rath, Gina, Amara, Amara Clones, AND Fran that can all go together, if the place is really so important they have to take the risk. they easily can make up for not having relics.

It's not the location that I'm worried about anon. It's the hordes of daughters that come looking for us. We've got a huge target on our backs and the whole world knows our name and and Family. They'll be looking for anyone our family and use them as a springboard/lead to get to us. That's why I'm wanting to leave some relics for our research team to ensure they're more protected.

>We're the ones doing the heavy fighting, the Shawl would do much better in our hands.
I disagree on this logic. We might be loaded up on Relics, but with the setup you're proposing, it feels like you're putting too many eggs in one basket and assuming nothing horrible will happen to the research team.

>>3765662
thanks for the info, and i guess fair enough on the Tank, but we kinda planned to use it on the hunt so im not sure how exactly thats going to work then if we do not understand what it can do?

>>3765666
>Relics;
fine on the shawl, but id prefer the Nail in Dorian. it wont fuse to him, if thats what you're worried about.


>It's not the location that I'm worried about anon. It's the hordes of daughters that come looking for us. We've got a huge target on our backs and the whole world knows our name and and Family. They'll be looking for anyone our family and use them as a springboard/lead to get to us. That's why I'm wanting to leave some relics for our research team to ensure they're more protected.
and i disagree its that big a danger. our family isnt idiots or weaklings. they know not to pick a fight and how to avoid one, and if they do, they'll know its coming and bring more than just a minor force to deal with it.

>I disagree on this logic. We might be loaded up on Relics, but with the setup you're proposing, it feels like you're putting too many eggs in one basket and assuming nothing horrible will happen to the research team.
and i disagree with your unfounded paranoia and refusal to trust our family to be able to think on their own or handle themselves.

>>3765666
>>3765674
also i want an armor set on Shu as opening up those Swarmling slots was also part of how i planned to cover the lacking party member.

>>3765674
>and i disagree with your unfounded paranoia and refusal to trust our family to be able to think on their own or handle themselves.
Look I know they can handle themselves. We've placed our trust in them when we got separated by Penny's team, I just don't want them to be caught alone and without the extra protection that the Relics can give them.

>>3765679
Fair enough. Cutis Tractis will suffice then...

As for the other spare relics. Deliverance of Ego can go to the research team since November's already loaded up on a suit of armor, and I think we should swap the Jester's Masque and replace of the Gamma Pharynx. We're going hunting, and having more armanents would help. The Jester's Masque can be equipped on Julia so she can keep her head on a swivel and keep the Research Team safe should an ambush occur. Nevermind the fact that literally everyone (except November and Francine) has a lvl 2 Halo.

>>3765692
no, we already set November up for Melee and taking the frontline, if we we were going to set her up for something like the Gamma her entire loadout would be different.

the Ego stays with us and im keeping the Masque on her too.

>>3765586
>>Prowl the wastes between the Ruins of Almath and Carroll’s Forest, where Dorian chased down B’ni.
Follicle Plains we've already hunted out, Carrol's Woods Lara has already hunted out, let's go someplace fresh.

>>PLEASE SELECT YOUR RELIC LOADOUT

November
>Head: Crimson Jester's Blood-Iron Masque
>Chest: Sui Tormentis
>Arm 1: Spear of Dainsleif
>Arm 2: Deliverance of Ego
>Leg 1: Adrenal Nail
>Leg 2: Remembrance Whistle loaded with NUKA THA
Nuclear super-mecha November. Big boosts to attack and defense, some mobility too, and damage type changed to Radiant. Very powerful center-line combatant.


Dorian
>Sui Interitus
>Cursus Alas
>Manus Caelorum
Dorian's usual speed-based focus, with Manus Caelorum for playing around with how it affects him. Pretty straightforward, here.

Shu
>Cutis Tractus
>Matron's Stoicism
>Ignition Gauntlets
>Contender Load: Two Herculean Fullbore, Two B.33 Special, One Ravenous Parabellum, One Cicada's Cry.
Give Shu some armor so that she doesn't have to spend swarm slots on armoring herself. Cutis Tractus isn't the best for her but it's better than nothing. Matron's Stoicism for resistances. Contender loaded with some heavy damage-dealing, some DoT, and a concentration-disruptor just in case.

Leave the Shawl to the exploration party. A bunch of invisible Amaras roaming about should be more effective than visible ones. Same with Vocem Virtutis, I want them to have that boost as well. I'm not paranoid about them getting hurt, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't leave them with effective tools.

>>3765695
Shu doesn't need the Gauntlets, she point is to give support and let November and Dorian have their limelight. especially as the Cutis will slow her down if she tries to go forward. the Gauntlets will greatly help November when shes up close and personal.

not giving November the extra act is a bad move in my opinion, due to the lack of an extra party member. she also doesn't need the Nail as she will have her Tank.

the Ego really doesn't need to be an internal slot, theres much better options and she easily gets enough out of it just wearing it normally. same with the whistle, i think theres much better internal options.
Cursas really is wasted on Dorian, hes mobile enough by a large magnitude without it, while November could still use it to goo effect to get into the fight.

i also think Dorian could do great things with the gutgrab daggers, though it would rely on timing to make them work, no one at the home base will be putting them to better use then he will here.

>>3765579
It's a beautiful morning for a meat crusade, wouldn't you say?

>>3765587
>>3765599
>>3765632
>>3765666
>>3765695
right, well the consensus so far is;

>>Prowl the wastes between the Ruins of Almath and Carroll’s Forest, where Dorian chased down B’ni.

Shu;
>Contender, Cutis Tractus, Matrons, Whistle(Rho Cunt)

Dorian;
Sui Interitus, Manus Caelorum, Gutgrab Daggers

November Slot Relics;
>Head, Jesters Masque
>Chest, Sui Tormentis
>Arm1, Spear of Dainsleif
>Arm2, Ignition Gauntlets
>Leg1, Adrenal Nail
>Leg2, Vocem Virtutis

November other Relics;
>*Deliverance of Ego on her somewhere

with me being massively disappointed in the amount of wasted relics not in use when a major part of not taking a full team was that we had ways to cover and make up for that. wonderful waste of resources gents.

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>>3765702
but of course, any morning with BodyHorror Quest is a good morning.

>>3765699
>>3765695
>>3765706


How about this to satisfy everyone or rather mostly everyone...?

Exploration Team's loadout:
>Inspector's spectacles
>Shawl
>Deliverance of Ego
>Uzi

I understand your desire to fully load up the hunting party to the gills with relics, but we're sending out two parties out in the wild. they deserve some form of relic protection as well.

Hunting Team:

Shu: Cutis Tractus, Matron's Stoicism, Contender (2 Fullbores, 3 Hollowpoints, 1 Cicada), Whistle (Rho cunt, or Nuka Tha)

Dorian: Sui Interitus, Adrenal Nail, Manus Caelorum, Gut Grab Daggers

November:
>Head: Jester's Masque
>Chest: Sui Tormentis
>Arm 1: Spear of Dainsleif
>Arm 2: Ignition Gauntlets
>Leg 1: Cursus Alas
>Leg 2: Vocem Virtutis
>non-slotted: Hydra's Heart

>>3765699
Yeah, I'm not sure why I gave Shu the gauntlets. Hold over from thinking she'd be using the Stalwart, I guess. Not sure I want it on November, though. If she's doing melee she'd be attacking with the Dainsleif, the Gauntlets wouldn't help.

I'm not sure how the tank makes the Nail irrelevant. It would still give her more mobility and more damage, if we're going to have her go into melee that's what we should want on her.

Ego I want slotted because it would boost the defense of the Tormentis. Whistle I could be convinced to change, though. I can see the Cursus being useful on November, though she does already have her own rocket boosters.

And I don't think the Gutgrab Daggers are good for Dorian at all. He's already got blades for hands, he doesn't really need to hold on to knives.

>>3765706
What "massive amounts?" That's most of our Relics in use. The only one that's not are the Shawl, the Spine and the Ascendant's Crown. We can't use the Crown yet, the Spine isn't super useful for our party (I guess Shu could use it, but she doesn't really need it), and the Shawl is better used stealthing the Amara network. You are misrepresenting the situation.

>>3765711
>Contender (2 Fullbores, 3 Hollowpoints, 1 Cicada)
Why Hollowpoints? Those things are more or less worthless these days. Way too low a cap on the Bio they can spawn, not even worth loading in my opinion. I'd go for B.33s or Parabellums.

>>3765711
nope, not leaving the Ego behind.

we're only sending one party out. the other teams not supposed to be picking a fight and has a massive advantage on the number or people they can bring to bear and being able to be more prepared for any fight they do decide to take, which should and hopefully will be none.

also i agree with the other Anon the hollowpoints are utterly worthless.

>>3765713
with the Spear slotted in, she can use it one handed, meaning she can attack with the Gauntlets and Spear at the same time.

the Cursas does what the Nail can for November but better.

i disagree on the Ego, as we have better options for the internals.

he doesn't turn his hands into blades, all of Dorians weapons dont require his hands, so he has no reason not to use them.

>not using uzi or spine for sure, with other relics no consensus on.
the home team wont make sue of either of those, while we could make excellent use of both.

>>3765587
>>3765695
>>3765706
also for Shus Contender ill support the Anon linked heres loadout for it.
>Contender Load: Two Herculean Fullbore, Two B.33 Special, One Ravenous Parabellum, One Cicada's Cry.

gives us a consensus on it if nothing else.

>>3765716
>with the Spear slotted in, she can use it one handed, meaning she can attack with the Gauntlets and Spear at the same time.
No, she can split her attacks between spear strikes and punches. Those have very different ranges, it's going to be awkward to use both at once and she'll probably be less effective than if she focused on one.

>the Cursas does what the Nail can for November but better.
Debatable. It gives a bit more of a Health boost in exchange for no damage boost. And Dorian can make better use of the Cursus than November can, I'd rather he have the Cursus and she the Nail than the other way around.

>i disagree on the Ego, as we have better options for the internals.
Not for the role of melee tank, though.

>he doesn't turn his hands into blades, all of Dorians weapons dont require his hands, so he has no reason not to use them.
Yes he does. That's his thing. He has scythe-claws. His original arms turn into scythe-arms in addition to growing extra ones.

>not using uzi or spine for sure, with other relics no consensus on.
Oh, I did forget about the Uzi, didn't I? Fair on that one, though I'm not sure we'd use it, either. We've got plenty of guns. But sure, might as well give it to November as a backup. As for the Spine, is it going to be that useful for us? Shu doesn't have all that many concentration skills.

>>3765730
>No, she can split her attacks between spear strikes and punches. Those have very different ranges, it's going to be awkward to use both at once and she'll probably be less effective than if she focused on one.
no, it wont. and BHOP already said slotted Weapon Relics becomes one handed via being akin to an arm built weapon once in.

>Debatable. It gives a bit more of a Health boost in exchange for no damage boost. And Dorian can make better use of the Cursus than November can, I'd rather he have the Cursus and she the Nail than the other way around.
i disagree.

>Not for the role of melee tank, though.
outright and fully wrong.

>Yes he does. That's his thing. He has scythe-claws. His original arms turn into scythe-arms in addition to growing extra ones.
no, he doesn't, and never has. he only has ever spawned the scythes as extra limbs and it has never once impaired his number or ability to use them or any other ability when he is using a relic or doing something else with his hands, both of which he has done before without any negative effect.

>Oh, I did forget about the Uzi, didn't I? Fair on that one, though I'm not sure we'd use it, either. We've got plenty of guns. But sure, might as well give it to November as a backup. As for the Spine, is it going to be that useful for us? Shu doesn't have all that many concentration skills.
November wont use it, and with Shu sitting back at range she has no reason not to use the Uzi. the spine also moreso acts like allowing two Abilities to only take up 1 ACT, not only useful for concentration effects. also Shu has Neuromancy anyways so its still good on her.

votings closed anyways, so no point in continuing this clear disagreement anyways, BHOP has the votes he will interpret them as he does.

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Good gods, I just spent the last week binge reading this quest after being off /qst/ for literal years due to being a storyteller in a different medium. BHOP, you are a frelling great storyteller after my heart. I cannot say how honored I am to be able to participate.

I know I'm not as number crunchy as most of the anon here, and will lurk moar while I get a handle on this. More likely to pipe up on the social/moral side of things than the tactical.

Again. Thanks for a hellscape of a read.

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>>3765738
Welcome to the ride anon.

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>>3765738
actually, the number crunching really doesn't happen too much. the base Mechanics are not too difficult numbers wise, its more of reading the situation and knowing what abilities to use in what way, and in what combinations. you do have to watch to not use up too much bio or health, but with only two stats its not too hard.

when it comes to say, damage calculations or more numbers intrusive stuff, we actually dont even know the exacts of many things ourselves and BHOP handles such things behind the scenes, to let us focus more on other aspects of the fight.

regardless, glad to have you on board.

>>3765741
ah, yet another image in which i am not sure how i should feel about it.

>>3765736
>no, it wont. and BHOP already said slotted Weapon Relics becomes one handed via being akin to an arm built weapon once in.
Yeah, the issue isn't the number of hands needed to wield the spear. The issue is that a spear has considerable reach and a gauntlet does not. Be far enough away to use the spear effectively? You can't hit with your punches. Be close enough to punch? Spear's awkward and difficult to use.

>i disagree.
Why? Like I said, slightly less Health boost in exchange for more damage. Meanwhile Dorian using the Nail would sharply drop his Health regeneration. But his huge Bio regeneration means he can use the Cursus with impunity.

>outright and fully wrong.
Melee tanks don't need lots of health and defense?

>no, he doesn't, and never has. he only has ever spawned the scythes as extra limbs and it has never once impaired his number or ability to use them or any other ability when he is using a relic or doing something else with his hands, both of which he has done before without any negative effect.
No, he's always turned his hands into claws. It's in the level one description of Unnatural Hue, he's been doing this forever. He can still manipulate objects just fine because he can turn his hands back when needed, but my point is that giving him knives to hold is redundant with his hands being able to turn into knives.

>November wont use it, and with Shu sitting back at range she has no reason not to use the Uzi. the spine also moreso acts like allowing two Abilities to only take up 1 ACT, not only useful for concentration effects. also Shu has Neuromancy anyways so its still good on her.
The Uzi is pretty redundant on Shu, I think. She's already got a really nice gun, and her back-line ACTs will be split between firing that, spawning more swarmlings, using Neuromancy to terraform and paralyze enemies, activating Dominus Bloodline boosts, and whatever she can pull off by spawning Hundred-Hands chains off of allies.

And the Spine doesn't do that. It lets the user concentrate on two skills at once, not use two skills for one ACT. It's concentration effects like maintaining Neuromancy that it boosts. But Shu will likely only be making use of one Neuromancy effect at once anyway, so it's not going to be a huge thing. I guess we can bring it just in case, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's unnecessary.

>>3765738
Hi, anon. Welcome aboard. It's a hell of a ride.

>>3765748
we can just agree to disagree, as im clearly not going to get through to you and its a moot point now like i said.

>>3765753
Yeah, sure. We clearly have very different ideas of how to optimize November. We probably should have seen this coming when we picked the variable frame.

Anyways, let's talk about other things. Like how we're going to find our prey. We don't actually know what's in that area. I figure we should make a bunch of basic swarmling scouts, use them like falcons. Let's say...ten out of our cap being spent on scouts, does that seem reasonable? And should we bring any Amara clones? It might distract her from what she's doing with the other team, but the clones are supposed to be somewhat independent from her direct attention now. I think a few that are just here to use their enhanced senses shouldn't take up too much of her focus.

>>3765738
Welcome I hope you have at least one level of Stress Resistance. Things can get very dicey at times I swear after the isabelle arc with her in the city gave me two dozen new white hairs

But Op is a great Storytellerand when he has gotten his sleep he will reward ingenuity and pushing the system to its limits

>>3765757
Actually in a group her clones are semi independent now if i remember corectly they should not take any focus at all to maintain and would greatly supplement our scouting with these scouts you proposed

>>3765757
i mean with how the clones work i cant see it being an issue besides maybe biomass, so unless thats a problem sure. i guess 10 stealthed-basics isnt a bad idea.

>>3765759
even alone as individuals they are implied to be able to follow orders on their own without taking up much of her attention. the only real question becomes how many different avenues off information can Amara draw from at once before she loses track of things? sure, in the city she had like 60 of herself, but they were all in the same area working together, not spread out across the fleshscape giving her vastly different streams of information.

>>3765759
> I swear after the isabelle arc with her in the city gave me two dozen new white hairs
For me it was the leadup. All those tense moments with the Phalanges, not knowing what was happening with Dorian. It was nerve-wracking.

>Actually in a group her clones are semi independent now if i remember corectly they should not take any focus at all to maintain and would greatly supplement our scouting with these scouts you proposed
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. She needs to pay attention to them for any complicated tasks, but if they're just here as catgirl-shaped sensor platforms she should be able to instruct them "tell Shu if you hear any Amalgams" and have them do that on their own.

>>3765757
The hunting party can utilize the Swarmlings, and yes, I think a circle of 10 swarmlings fanning out would do nicely.

Another thing that I think we haven't been utilizing properly is the Halos. Shu's got a lvl 5 halo, and a halo at lvl 4 allows her perfect 360 degree vision with a 1km while bypassing most conventional forms of camouflage save for enhanced camo methods like the Shawl.

>Yeah, sure. We clearly have very different ideas of how to optimize November. We probably should have seen this coming when we picked the variable frame.

This is the path we chose and the choice we made. We're definitely going to be facing debates like these in the future.

>>3765759
>Welcome I hope you have at least one level of Stress Resistance.
oh yeah. some of our debates get very intense.

>>3765763
I think I remember when we were chasing Isabelle that 12 or 13 was her natural comfortable limit before she had to assign them into groups to save processing information, but don't take my word for it.

>>3765757

As we're hunting Amalgams, and they're generally always hungry for biomass, why not basic juicy baitlings. (Think Junebugs). If we were dealing with other Daughters, I'd say no, but that should draw out any snare-hunter/camo Amalgalms as well as more visible ones?

>>3765771
well, our goal is to find and hunt larger Amalgams or more potent power, so im not sure their size would allow for that playstyle. i suppose we still need to watch out of those types, but drawing them out wouldn't really be what we want.

Dorians run also resulted in an event that probably killed or drove off all but the strongest amalgams too id think, though we shall see there. can't imagine anything weak sticking around in all that though, and size seems to be built in to matter for Amalgams to at least a fair degree. wonder if thats another odd coping mechanism of Mothers though, like with the corruption?

>>3765775
given that it's been about a little more than 24 hours since Dorian's Marathon run, I think the Crucible and the fleshscape would have enough time to properly reset itself with the amalgams.

>>3765768
>Another thing that I think we haven't been utilizing properly is the Halos. Shu's got a lvl 5 halo, and a halo at lvl 4 allows her perfect 360 degree vision with a 1km while bypassing most conventional forms of camouflage save for enhanced camo methods like the Shawl.
Very true. Shu doesn't have bad senses of her own, she can cover a wide range all by herself. So send the swarmlings out a kilometer away from her, otherwise they'd be redundant.

>>3765771
Hmm, maybe. I think we'd probably want to narrow down the location a bit more before we start baiting traps, just for maximum effectiveness, but I like the idea. We should swap them to banelings before we do that, though, so when they bite down they'll get a mouthful of flaming acid spikes.

>>3765775
Yeah, it is kind of strange how Amalgams and Hunger-mad Daughters tend to become gigantic. We know that that's not even close to necessary in order to be powerful. The extra bulk makes them more durable, I guess, but it also makes them a much larger target. It probably is a psychological reason, not a practical one. Like it's because big monsters are going to draw a bigger response from any Daughters that encounter them, or something like that.

>>3765791
Scratch that. Powerful daughters have a tendency to grow huge. Mara's a good example. Her real body is a gigantic building sized bone dragon while she usually interacts with weaker daughters with a human sized construct body.

>>3765787
maybe, depends on how all that works on the automated side.

>>3765791
makes sense.
then again, Mara became a giant dragon, so maybe its just how the crucible likes to do things.

>>3765775

My thought is that we also should probably be looking for a Conduit... and those, even a Titan one, won't be visible, even with the Halo. The idea of springing an Amalgam (or Hungry Daughter) trap with an expendable bug instead of our faces appeals to me and would allow us to "hunt the hunter" for a change.

File: Metall Geschoss.jpg (37 KB, 474x381)

37 KB JPG

>>3765586

>>RELICS: EQUIPPED

>>3765706
>>3765719

Within minutes November’s slotted in her Relics, the Jester’s Masque cutting an imposing profile as the Tormentis squirms around her artificial form, acclimating to its new wearer. Her Gauntlet-clad hands wrap around the obsidian length of the Dainsleif as the insectile Cursus Alas flares at her heels, primed and ready to hurtle her into the fray. Rath can barely contain her overwhelming adoration of her Aunt as the two of them hug, just before November leads you down a set of stairs to the room where the Metall Geschoss quietly rests. Dorian’s standing in silence by your side as the older woman deftly climbs aboard her steed, opening the hull with a creak that echoes in the dimly-lit space.

“You alright?” You ask, your glance meeting the young man’s single electric blue eye.

“I’ll be fine Miss Shu, I assure you.” He replies with a stiff smile, climbing down into the tank’s cramped interior once November gives you the all-clear. “I trust everyone to keep a close eye on FraWHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!”

“Oh shit, sorry man.” November laughs, and as you settle in next to Dorian you’re a little spooked by the construct sitting across from you, as well; a human-sized camel spider that’s hunched over in the seat opposite you and Dorian. “Marco, meet Shu and Dorian. Guys? This is Marco, construct co-pilot extraordinaire.”

“…Charmed.” The painter breathes, struggling to regain his composure as the tank roars to life, the thrumming of the engine coming in waves, like the beating of a great and terrible heart. With Gina at the helm of the Core Console it’s a simple matter to create and subsequently seal a passage to allow the tank entrance into the waystation far below the Dragon’s Roost, and a short time later you’re making your way to the Mophyton Wastes, where Dorian raced against the clock to catch the girl that would be a god. A few of your swarmling scouts hover high above in the dusk-purple skies, their multi-faceted eyes scanning the cracked, blistering terrain for any signs of activity as November navigates around the towering mushrooms that dot the landscape, their caps blotting out the false evening overhead.

“Getting pretty sick of this dusk crap.” November mutters, the first words she’s spoken since you started the hunt out here in the ragged wastes. “Be nice if day broke sometime soon…or whatever passes for it, anyway.”

You expect Dorian to reply, but he’s still and quiet next to you, fingers steepled under his chin while his thousand-yard stare is fixed on the opposite wall. November’s construct is at the ready manning the turret, its creator no doubt pulling double-duty in splitting her focus between her spider’s eyes and her own.

(Continued)

>>3765804

“You and me both, November.” You reply, not wanting to leave your driver’s words echoing in the cabin without response. “Gina once mentioned off-hand that she thinks Mother’s simulating her home world’s day-night cycle, so hopefully we won’t have to deal with this for much longer.”

You blink, and a thought occurs to you.

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask…do you want us to start calling you by your real name?” You offer, leaning forwards to see the back of your driver’s head. She tilts her frame back, glancing at you over her armored shoulder and regarding you in silence for a brief moment.

“You can call me whatever you like, Shu. Heather, November…it’s all me, so it’s up to you. I draw the line at ‘Ma’am’, though. Still too young for that shit.” She responds with a shrug. “Anyway, your scouts find anything yet?”

“Not yet…this place seems relatively quiet.” You say, flicking between the eyes of your ten-fold swarm. “But if there’s one thing I know about the Fleshscape, it’s to not underestimate the mundane. The further west we go, the harder it’s going to get...and the more opposition we’ll face, so getting stronger before we continue on is critical.”

Your words hang in the air, their echo dying in the silence that follows.

>>Strike up a conversation with November. Her past, her family, her time in the service…there’s a lot you don’t know about her.

>>Speak to Dorian privately. It’s obvious he’s not thrilled with leaving Julia and Amara with Francine, but perhaps he needs some time to mull things over himself…you’re really not sure.

>>Withdraw into your own mind for a moment to speak with one or more of the Dream Daughters that reside within you. Given Sam’s recent removal, you certainly feel a little more comfortable in your own head, at least.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3765809
>>Speak to Dorian privately. It’s obvious he’s not thrilled with leaving Julia and Amara with Francine, but perhaps he needs some time to mull things over himself…you’re really not sure.
he clearly has something he wants to say and is eating at him, and him holding it in wont do anyone any good.

>>3765804
ok i laughed. to be fair Dorian, shes mentioned spiderbro before. love that he has a name too, thats wonderful. i will say i didnt expect him to be human-sized, which sounds kinda creepy, but still.

>>3765803
fair, but i think we'll still see it coming first. also fair on the Conduit, but i am unsure we still need such an ability nor that an Amalgam is capable of having the right type.

>>3765795
>>3765800
Fair point that it's not just Hunger-mad Daughters, but at the same time I don't think it's a necessary thing. Look at B'Ni, she became one of the most powerful beings in the Crucible but she still looked like a petite young woman. The Crucible likes making giant monsters, but it doesn't have to. It can pack tons of power into a human-sized frame.

>>3765804
Dorian, it's just a camel spider. Calm down, dude. Marco's friendly, he's only chasing after you because he wants to hang out in your shadow and be your pal.

(Gentlemen, voting shall remain open for the next two hours.)

>>3765738
(Welcome, and thank you so much for the kind words, Anon. I'm very glad that you've enjoyed everything, and I look forward to your participation in the future!)

>>3765819
Isabelle is a bad example though as her core was based around preventing such changes. i mean, i get what you mean and you're somewhat right, but shes also very much an exception and a terrible example of any sorta standard.

>>3765809
>Speak to Dorian.

We need to get problems any problems out of the way or they will consume him from within. And in the world of the crucible self doubt and loathing of other is dangerous

>"I know you are worried that Francine tries to pull something. Dont worry if she tries anything she will find herself vastly outmatched by any one member of our family."

> "When we picked her up she was on the verge of commiting suicide for being so closely related to what amounts to a Warcriminal commiting attrocities against her fellow humans."

>Place your hand on his shoulder and look into his eyes

>"Please give her this chance to prove to herself an the entire world she is not West. "

>>3765809
>Speak to Dorian privately. It’s obvious he’s not thrilled with leaving Julia and Amara with Francine, but perhaps he needs some time to mull things over himself…you’re really not sure.
>[A canvas for your thoughts?]

>>3765828
one; we IC do not know she was gonna commit suicide, at least not in a way it would be something to bring up. IC we still have not actually outright convinced her or said her dying with the clones is off the table, only to give herself a chance. the fact she was literally about to kill herself is totally OOC info we dont have any real knowledge to mention IC.

id also prefer to simply let Dorian speak, rather than jump to conclusions. sure, its 99% probable all his issues are related to Fran, BUT we could be missing something about why, or it could be other things aswell that forcing the conversation only to one point would ignore. its his issues to put forth, not ours to decide what the issue is and force out of him.

>>Speak to Dorian privately. It’s obvious he’s not thrilled with leaving Julia and Amara with Francine, but perhaps he needs some time to mull things over himself…you’re really not sure.

"I know you're worried. I would be lying if I said I wasn't. Julia and Amara can take care of themselves.

I... wait... have you tried rescuing out to Julia to see if you can feel her emotions? Because I'd be highly surprised if there isn't a link forming between the two of you.

Regardless, if you want to talk about it, you're in the proper company to let loose and be just the tiniest bit crass you know. "

>>3765827
Well, I'm not making any predictions here. My claim is not "B'Ni didn't turn into a giant monster, so that means most Daughters won't". I'm just saying that she (and, by extension, other Vitruvian Cores) is proof that the Crucible doesn't have to turn you into a giant monster to make you strong. It just likes to.

>>3765836
Yeah you are right i misremembered something Cassandra told us with that information

>>3765809
Ammending my vote from >>3765828
to

>Place a hand on his shoulder and open a private mindlink invitation

>"Whatever it is that worries you Dorian. You can tell me anything."

>"And dont worry about cuttting loose and letting it all out no matter how crass you want to be. I wont tell Julia"

>Open up your mind to let Dorian paint his worries if he wants to or is unable to express them in words

>>3765847

I like this, but I think we should also see if his connection to Julia is strong enough for a bit of the emphatic link at the end. We know that closeness will eventually bring something akin to the basic Crimson Cord, and those two have been best pair since their introduction to each other, so I suspect it has progressed very quickly.

>>3765852
Maybe. i am not sure however that it happens so quickly.

Isabelle was obsessed with Sam/Shu and the connection only appeared a day after we had split

it was also still basic and we could not control it. I dont think he will be able to jsut contanct her like Shu and Gina can. Maybe in a couple weeks he can (We also have Magpies and Maras connection that appeared after weeks of them traveling and fighting together)

>>3765859
It feels to me like something not to force. Don't go "hey, try contacting Julia with your mind", just let it develop on its own.

>>3765859
Isabelle's and Sam/Shu's connection was forged because of Isabelle's 2 year stay by Sam/Shu's pod. the Connection was forged over those two years. It just didn't kick in until Isabelle was sufficiently a fair distance away from Shu that the bleedover began since at that time Isabelle and Shu were practically stuck together and didn't venture far apart from each other.

>>3765859

I'm not sure either, but if it isn't there yet, no harm. If it is, even on a low emotional hum level we get when someone "joins the team" level of being alive, that may help Dorian's nerves. I think it's a nothing to lose with possible to gain kind of situation.

>>3765847
Don't force the crimson cord connection. I'm fine with Shu being Dorian's confidant, but having Shu try to force the connection is a bad move.

>>3765866
We can't be sure so probing around with questions that seem off topic might have disastrous consequences.
>>3765809
>Speak to Dorian privately. It’s obvious he’s not thrilled with leaving Julia and Amara with Francine, but perhaps he needs some time to mull things over himself…you’re really not sure.

>Let Dorian vent. Don't force the crimson cord connection.

>>3765865
>>3765864

I know and remember that what I said i sjust that i dont think he will be able to aas not enough time has passed and they never were sufficently far away from each other for enough time for a posible bleedover to happen

>>3765866
It would however just make him more riled up if he does not feel anything

>>3765869
The mind link i want from Shu to him is the normal empathic field Shu utilises in battle i dont want to bring up the crimson cord at all

Is it something i am missing since english is not my native language. Did i make it sound like i want to pull him into the cord?

>>3765859
>>3765864
>>3765869

I relent, I was aiming for more "search your feelings" and less force it, but I see how it could badly come across that easy. Letting it develop organically is certainly fine by me.

heading off to work.

>>3765938
Have a good day at work

See you again soon Anon

>>3765938
Have a nice day.

>>3765938
(Have a pleasant day, Anon.)

>>3765809
>>Speak to Dorian privately. It’s obvious he’s not thrilled with leaving Julia and Amara with Francine, but perhaps he needs some time to mull things over himself…you’re really not sure.
>"You alright? I know a lot has been going on lately, but I'm here if you want to talk about it."

File: Dorian.jpg (297 KB, 658x1000)

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>>3765809

Your hand settles on Dorian’s shoulder, the armor of the Cutis Tractus peeling back to allow a gentler, more welcoming touch.

[Whatever's worrying you Dorian, you can tell me anything] You say, voice echoing in the artist’s mind as his gaze finds yours. [No judgment, no pressure…and dont worry about cutting loose and letting it all out no matter how crass you want to be]

He arches his eyebrow at that, and you give a small shrug in reply.

[I won’t tell Julia, if that helps] You add with a half-cocked grin. He gives a little exhalation of breath, as much of a laugh as he can muster with thr thoughts that rest on him like a yoke.

“I *want* to be an optimist, Shu. I really, truly do." He relents, speaking to you across the empathic line. "I *want* to see the good in people and have faith that they’ll change, like you and Lady Julia do.”

His lips curl into a thin, bitter smile.

“And then I remember my father.” He continues, a cold bite on every syllable her utters. “My mother. How they had every reason to change, how mom gave that man every chance to be a decent human being. It’s something she wasted every day doing up until the day his own *fucking* stubbornness let down my family one last time. I worry about wasting time on people that won't change. It's time we don't get back, Shu. It's hope and...and faith placed in something that turns right around to punch you in the throat."

You listen quietly, waiting until he takes a deep, shuddering breath to speak your mind.

“Look, Dorian…do you trust Julia?” He moves to reply instantly before he pauses, your words filtering into his mind, unspoken. “I mean, at the end of the day, do you trust that she’s capable and strong enough to protect herself and those she loves?”

“…Yes. Yes, absolutely.”

“Good…hang on to that.” You say with a smile, squeezing his shoulder. “Nurture it, trust it. Trust her. Julia’s kind, but she’s no fool. All that love and kindness is backed up with a ferocity that I’d never want to face on the other side of the battlefield, Dorian. She’s strong, and so are you…but together? I tremble to think what you can accomplish by each other’s side.”

Your hand recedes, your armor sliding back into place, covering every digit in rough-hewn protection.

“If you don’t trust Francine yet, that’s fine. If I’m being honest, I don’t, either. But I trust Gina. I trust Julia, and Rath, and Amara. I trust our family, and if they want to give Francine a chance, I think that’s our best bet of finding out if she can be redeemed.”

“I…agree.” He assents after a moment of consideration...and then, he chuckles. “I envy you, Miss Shu.”

“Ha, alright? How’s that?” You ask, eyebrow cocked. “I got bees and drills, and a Sparagmos Engine. I can make you some copies, if you want.”

(Continued)

>>3765973

“Heh, no, I’m quite alright, though I appreciate the offer. I’m actually quite fond of my current suite of powers, in all honesty.” He replies amusedly, watching sparks dance between his fingers as he considers how best to phrase his question. “The…Scarlet Strand, was it? My apologies, I heard you mention it once with Miss Gina present, so…”

"Crimson Cord, yeah." You gently correct. "What about it?"

"Do you...can something like that come about over time, or...can a Relic approximate the empathic connection you and Gina have with each..."

“Have you told Julia how you feel?”

Your interruption causes Dorian's mind to briefly seize up, his consciousness stumbling over itself to recalibrate.

“I…” He begins awkwardly. “…I’m quite certain she knows, Miss Shu. I’m afraid I’ve never been one to play my passions close to my chest.”

“Maybe, but my question still stands; have you told her, outright, how you feel?”

He blinks.

“Not…no. No, I haven’t.” He laughs, more at himself, than anything. “I really should, shouldn’t I? I should tell her I…”

A soft, warm smile plays on his lips as he stares at his feet.

“…I should tell Julia that I love her.”

"I think that would..."

There.

Movement, a chitinous form scurrying to and fro between the willow-like fungi that dot the landscape. It's not far from where you are now, and you call out for November to halt as you watch it plant it's stinger into the ground where it twitches once, twice before it continues on. It moves on a feet of needle legs, its body almost as large and bulky as the Metall Geschoss, itself. It's upper torso stand upright, mantis-like claws folded in supplication, a silent prayer for prey...or something else, perhaps. Your vision crosses the gap to your allies, illustrating the situation before a second and third complication reveal themselves.

A group of Daughters prowl well ahead of the Amalgam's erratic path, seven-strong and boasting a variety of Relics, though your brood is keeping too safe a distance to make them out clearly. They're slowly closing the gap to another individual, a petite young woman sleeping against one of the fungal willows. She's dressed curiously, her odd assortment of mismatched clothes quite at odds with the rough-and-tumble nature of the other group of Daughters.

Wonderful.

Of course a simple hunt would turn out to be anything but.

>>Approach the Amalgam and investigate before you make your move.

>>Try to reach out to the sleeping Daughter and get her to safety, from the Amalgam and the encroaching group.

>>Attempt to communicate with the group, or observe them for a short while before approaching them.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3765979
>Try to reach out to the sleeping Daughter and get her to safety, from the Amalgam and the encroaching group.

>Observe the group try and make out who they are. An dmaybe even who they have loyalties to if they wear any sepcific colours for instance or have anything else that makes them identifiable as part of a group or organisation bigger than themselves.
I think we are too a person too let someone just be murdered in there sleep.

If the Group should make contact with the Amalgam they will probably be able to defend themselves otherwise we can probably swoop in and rescue them

>>3765981

BHOP, how many zones away are we right now?

>>3765998

And how far can Geschoss fire? It feels like it can fire farther than Long, but I have nothing that backs that up.

>>3765998
(Five from the Amalgam, seven from the sleeping Daughter, ten from the group.)

>>3766001
(It has an effective range of roughly forty zones, though given the spacing of the fungi it would be difficult to get a clear shot at the group or the sleeper, but fairly easy to get a bead on the Amalgam without drawing it's attention.)

>>3765847
Supporting this, letting Dorian express his thoughts without making any assumptions is a good idea

>>3765979
>>Try to reach out to the sleeping Daughter and get her to safety, from the Amalgam and the encroaching group.
>>Attempt to observe the group for a short while before approaching them.
>>Attempt to assess both the Individual and the group as best you can, and keep your guard up from both.

we arent the type to just let someone die in their sleep, but we also dont know any of these gals. the individual could be ruthless, the group could be, both could be, or all could be charming gals. gonna be difficult to see.

>>3766007
it artillery bombed an entire town so id say its range is quite high.

>>3766016
If they look like they're going to fight regardless, we should tell them about the incoming Amalgam and that they're danger close for our artillery barrage. Get them focused more on getting away from the incoming fire than on killing each other.

>>3766037
why? if either or turn out to be bastards its probably best to get them all in our artillery barrage than risk them surviving and coming after us. i mean, if their response to "hey you weren't gonna eat that sleeping daughter , right?" or "Hey you weren't gonna slaughter that group of daughters, right?" is "Well actually, they look tasty so yes." then i think we have good reason to not care if they take a few shells.

>>3766054
Because if it turns out that one or both sides is actually decent, then I'd rather not kill them by accident along with the assholes. My thinking was that it would scatter them so that they could escape rather than be caught between both the villainous side in this fight and the Amalgam, with our artillery coming in on top. There's probably a better way to rescue any hypothetical non-awful side in this conflict, though, I'll rethink it.

>>3766064
ah, i misinterpreted what you meant and thought you meant both groups regardless. the biggest issue is figuring out which, if either, side is worth our time. without seeing them interact it's not going to be easy, but its also kinda a dick move not to warn the sleepy gal about this or do anything til 7 others are on top of her. really this is a terrible situation as theres no real way to figure out whos who without just going up ourselves or letting things play out and hoping we see signs of one side being decent enough folks.

i guess id just prefer not to fire until necessary and not reveal we have a rapid fire battle cannon to potential enemies. its a shit situation but we do have to think about ourselves here too to some degree.

>>3765979

>>Write-In

I don't trust either of the Daughter groups, but we don't know what's going on there either. Little Miss Moppet out there on her Toffet just screams trap to me. The hunters could be villains or villain h uh hunters. We do however have a way that will wake the sleeping Daughter, let the hunting group make their first move, and deal with the Amalgam.

>>"It's too bad Rath isn't here for this."
>>Shu and Dorian go topside and prepare for when things inevitably go south.
>>"Marco, November: Ready, Aim, FIRE!"

If that doesn't get everyone's undivided attention I don't know what will.

>>3765979
>mantis amalgam, queen variety, lays eggs in the ground.
>wanders around in an erratic pattern,
>lays eggs like bio mines
>eggs could spawn swarmlings as part of its trap
I’m quite disappointed that it wasn’t atal-ka. having a mech v. tank fight would have been metal as all hell.
anyways, we will need to be careful with our footing and driving path.
have our tank convert from walking on treads to walking on legs.

>>3766078
am
>>3765938 btw.

>>3766078
>I’m quite disappointed that it wasn’t atal-ka.

This thing is gonna start spawning a calcite mech i can see it coming and will bombard us with its explosive offspring and then it puls out the cannon to return the atillery fire

A picture like that is just to epic to ignore.

>>3765979
>>Write-In
>Spawn and send in two Subversive Swarmlings, one to observe the approaching group, one to observe the sleeping Daughter. Try to figure out as much about them as possible, with an eye towards whatever is the reason for the incipient conflict. Once we know more about them, decide whether to contact the party and warn them about the Amalgam (while offering our services in dealing with it) or whether to contact the sleeping Daughter to wake her and let her escape.

>>3765979
>>3766016
actually, further ideas;
>Put tank into overdrive, put it between the sleeping Daughter and the Amalgam, gun aimed at the Amalgam and ready to fire as necessary.
>have a Swarmling go ahead and wake up the Sleeping Daughter with a few quick taps, and quickly communicate to her shes inbetween a rock, a hard place, and a tank and she better make her decision and show us who she is fast.
>let the group approach, and have Shu outside, Contender ready and swarm slowly spawning stealth-banelings. they either give us a reason to trust them or with a Wave of our revolver they get out of our way and out of our hunting grounds.

possibilities;
>If reason to trust Girl, but not group, let her catch a ride on our hull and quickly get out of the way, letting the Amalgam and Group clash as we bombard them from afar.
>If reason to trust Group but not girl, defend ourselves with Contender, Swarmlings, and Paintlings as the tank moves back, ready to fire on the girl or Amalgam as they follow.
>If reason to trust neither, do both, and then simply unleash our wrath on all of them.
>If reason to trust both, keep the tank defending them, and see where things go from here, be it a quick kill and a standoff, or a a forced team up on an otherwise powerful amalgam.
>Dont let our guard down and be prepared to rightly end any and all who make a move we dont like. giving them a chance is one thing, but that chance is thin and with a gun and 30 swarmlings secretly aimed at all their heads.

>>3765979
Ammendign my vote from >>3765985 to supporting >>3766119

>>3765979
Wait a second... Scarlet Strand.... am i deluding myself or is that a reference to the power Mina has.... granted her power is called Scarlett Thread.... Maybe just a coincidence and i am deluding myself

>>3766130
(I hope you don't mind, but I did wish to sneak in a sideways reference to Mina.)

>>3766106
not to mention the two theme songs

>>3766136
I dont mind at all. I am actrually pretty honored you would do something like this.

And i am working at Chapter 6 right now... I have not even filled one page but its slowly gettign there

I will try my best to not disappoint... God i hope i dont screw this story up.

>>3766167
you're doing fine, dont sell yourself short. at least you haven't trapped yourself in now needing a completed character sheet page so you can write to your fullest a large scale siege you have in the works. though that will be fun to write that ones gonna be a brutal thing to write.

>>3766119

I still think going in firing on the Amalgam with Geschoss in this case is better, but other than that, I think this is good.

>>3766167
(Hey, you're doing great. Don't worry about 'messing up' the story. It's yours, and just keep writing what you enjoy. You have a great thing going, and I look forward to reading more!)

(Also, given everyone's creations thus far, I think you'll be pleased if you keep a sharp eye out for the references I'll be sprinkling in here and there.)

(Writing now, Gentlemen. I'll endeavor to update before I leave work, but I'm afraid it's been an inordinately busy day, so thank you for your patience, as always.)

>>3766366

I only could participate today because work was slow. I get it. Take care of you first.

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>>3766366
hey we understand, do what you gotta do.

>>3766366
Well take your time.i think i will head to sleep now i am fading fast

Have a good night/ rest of day Anons

>>3766366
No worries, BHOP. Take as much time as you need.

Man looking at Francine though is kinda bonkers though. it feels like hes so far behind our party could accidentally breath in her direction wrong and kill her. we'll figure something out im sure to get her at least decently caught up, but its gonna be a mountain to climb.

>>3766569
(It won't take as long as you might think, since now that you have a roster of eight party members, leveling will be considerably easier.)

(Also, back home and finishing up the latest update.)

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>>3765979

“November, I’m giving you two sets of coordinates, one for a sleeping Daughter and the other for the Amalgam.” You announce, crouching as you place a hand on the back of the soldier’s seat, the aforementioned directions streamed directly into the woman’s mind. “Can you get us between them as fast as you can?”

“With all due respect…” She begins, and you can practically hear the grin in her words through the speakers of her cutting-edge frame. “…who the hell do you think I am?”

It’s your death-grip on the seat that saves you from hurtling to the back of the tank alongside Dorian as the tank lunges forwards with impossible speed, and you think your mind is playing tricks on you when you feel a stampede of footfalls beneath you. Your switch views to the swarmling closest to the tank in time to see that where once were treads there are now a set of strong, chitinous legs that carry the tank onwards, darting between the trunks of the towering fungi. You collect yourself quickly enough to send a swarmling darting down through the interlaced canopy and to the sleeping Daughter’s side, your diminutive creation trying to rouse the girl even as the tank speeds towards her.

Through your swarmling’s eyes you see that her dirty blonde hair is an utter mess, running behind and in front of the round set of glasses that are haphazardly perched on the very end of her nose. Without warning, she snatches your swarmling from her arm and snuggles it close, nuzzling the decidedly uncomfortable chitin even as the Metall Geschoss thunders closer until it finally comes to a stop, barrel aimed squarely at the Amalgam that’s started skittering towards your location. With painstaking slowness the girl begins to come around, eyes fluttering open as she rubs the sleep from them with both hands, a curious warmth echoing through your swarmling and directly into your consciousness, emanating from the odd girl.

“Co? Aw, miałem takie do...” She mutters, freezing when she sees you clambering out of the tank. You glance back at the sound of a panicked screech to see the Amalgam backing off just before it skitters into the gloom of the wastes, and you round back on the girl only to be greeting with your own swarmling held aloft in front of your face.

“Hello! I hope my snore not *bugging* you.” The girl giggles, sing-song voice punctuated with her swinging your scout back and forth. She's bedraggled and loopy, though a cursory glance shows no signs of corruption or Relics, or...anything, aside from the clothes on her back. A newly awakened Daughter, perhaps?

“Not sure how that thing knew what a tank was, but fair enough.” November muses through the empathic channel. “We sticking around for the welcome wagon, or...?"

"You have friend coming?" The girl chirps excitedly, pushing her glasses further up her nose with the head of your scoutling as she pets it absent-mindedly.

(Continued)

>>3766672

"Why do you have a team after you? Who are you?" You demand, expanding your empathic field to the girl to get a read on...

Static and chaos flood into your mind, nearly causing you to stumble back from the torrent of mismatched thoughts that come in a deluge of barely-restrained absurdity. You shut off the channel to retain focus, and sifting through the whirlwind of information lets you know that this girl is just as surprised as you are that there's a group of Daughters bearing down on her, and all the while her mind angles to craft the entire experience into some sort of joke.

"No, I know no team. Though, there are some that call me 'Tim'." She offers, bouncing your swarmling like a newborn. Your eyes re-focus to see her tuck a messy tangle of hair behind one ear, revealing a worn earring dangling from one earlobe, its random colors almost matching some of what she's wearing...but not quite.

"Miss, are you saying your name is "Tim?" Dorian asks, confused. She shakes her head, yawning.

"No no, name is..." She falters, squinting hard at some point past Dorian. "...I have name. I have a name. A name. A."

She smiles wide, her crooked teeth bared in a cheeky grin.

"'A'. Name is 'A.' Good? Good, yes!"

"Shu, team's inbound in thirty seconds. What's your call?" November asks, her voice echoing from within the confines of the tank.

"Yes Defiant, what do?" The girl asks, and the moment the words are out of her mouth you turn to her, slowly.

"You know me?" Comes your questioning reply, and she nods so quickly her glasses bounce up and down on her face. This close, you realize that they hold no glass, leaving only the bare rims teeting on the edge of the Daughter's nose.

"Oh yes, you very famous! You defeat Mother, very well show, much action, so drama." She answers, blinking once before adding a faint, childish; "Wow."

Clearly not a newborn...a Skintalker, then?

"Team, though! They no your friends, no my friends." The girl known as 'A' muses, her grey eyes lighting up as a new thought crosses her mind. "They are new friends, then!"

You share a look with Dorian, who's shaking his head in confusion as you tick away the seconds before the team reaches you. It could be nothing. It could be something. You don't know, and the possibilities are weighing heavily on you...

...though you find yourself surprisingly calm, thanks to the curiously relaxed aura emanating from the stranger beside you.

>>Talk to the group of Daughters in person, while hiding 'A'. You're clearly not going to get any coherent answers out of this girl, so you only have one other option.

>>Have one of your swarmlings interact with the group while you pull back to safety. If this 'A' isn't giving you a coherent explanation, then maybe they can...at a distance.

>>Leave this unhinged girl to her own devices and track down the Amalgam that fled. You came out here to help your family, not get dragged into whatever's going on here.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, I shall be pausing here for the evening on account of dinner and a few assorted obligations that have made themselves apparent. Thus, voting shall remain open for the next fourteen hours, with posting to resume in fifteen. Thank you all for your patience, participation, and enthusiasm, and welcome one and all to those of you that are just now participating. I shall be around for a little longer this evening to address any questions, concerns, or criticisms you may have, and I welcome them all.)

(Additionally, I'm also going to take the time to pull together the rudiments of the tank system into something a little more workable, to be implemented next combat. This may start a trend of me pausing the Veins a little earlier in the evening so as to address updates, corrections, and system issues so as to not get as far behind, as was suggested by one of the kind Anons on a previous Vein. I think that'll help me get more of a handle on the updates and should hopefully curb my tendency to outpace system issues with updates.)

(Finally, I'm aiming to have an evening of rapid-posting tomorrow starting at 6:00 PM, EST, but only if that works for everyone. In any case, let me know what you think, and I hope you have a great evening, one and all.)

>>3766689
>>>Talk to the group of Daughters in person, while hiding 'A'. You're clearly not going to get any coherent answers out of this girl, so you only have one other option.

>>3766703
Thanks for running, BHOP. 6:00 PM tomorrow works for me, so I look forward to that.

>>3766672
huh, a polish girl? interesting, good people the polish, from what i know of them.

>>3766689
>Quickly look 'A' in the eyes, force her to look in your eyes if necessary.
>"A, im giving and i want to give you a chance here. can i trust you? are you a threat? will you behave yourself? can you prove this to me somehow?"
>Depending on response...

if closer to a 'yes' in some form from 'A';
>Invite her up onto the tank.
>Have November turn the tank barrel around, and Dorian and your Scouts watch to see if the amalgam tries to return.
>Have your swarm and contender ready, but not pointed.
>When the new group arrives, greet then warmly enough, but demand straight answers from them.
>"Are you just hunting? Amalgams? Daughters...This Daughter?"
> if they seem reasonable "sorry, but this hunts ours, and we have alot of mouths to feed ourselves. unless you know of a big catch that it would do us all a necessity to work together against, why dont we try and work out some hunting grounds? that way no ones left empty handed but no one steps on any toes, seem fair?"
>If they are not, either defend ourselves or fire a warning shot before them with the contender. "Well, if you arent friendly, then leave. we dont like putting others down... but we wont hesitate if you make us."


if closer to a 'no' in some form from 'A';
>Give her a chance to skiddale then on peaceful terms and before the other group arrives.
>If she does, meet the other Team under same and similar circumstances as before, give them their fair chance too.
>If she doesn't leave, then remind her that means she'll be dealing with the next group at a disadvantage it seems. if she still wont, guess its time to drive the wild ones off.

>>3766703
thanks for running like always BHOP. interesting situation you have put us in, and it feels like its hard to say any option is the right one to take.

>This may start a trend of me pausing the Veins a little earlier in the evening
well glad you liked my suggestion, and im glad you are using it too. anything to make things easier on you, im positive we will all be ok with. thank you for your hard work BHOP.

>Finally, I'm aiming to have an evening of rapid-posting tomorrow starting at 6:00 PM, EST
should be perfectly fine for me.

right, well for those willing or interested, Heras Character Sheet is done.
its alot of shit so if you do review, i fully understand if it takes awhile or you only skim.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g3FoPRbyS_Wr4-yAm395e_oJJl7BOC5o-LPUEpVIA6U/edit?usp=sharing

regardless, its here, and i can finally move on to other projects as my focus, so looking forward to that and any suggestions or criticisms one might find to discuss. also making this has made me realize i was highly underselling Artisanal Appetites to myself. that thing speeds up stat boosts by a damn lot compared to just going at things normally.

>>3766715
This sounds good.

I gotta say, A's a weird one. A Polish girl who's a carefree fountain of memes? Something tells me she is very, VERY strong. Call it instinct.

>>3766689
She talks like a doge meme. Lovely.

>>Write-In
>"Maybe. You sure you don't know who these people are? They're coming right here, A. Did you do anything that would get people looking for you?"
>Hear her out, if we think we can trust her move to defend her. If we don't think we can, at least shoo her off.

>Wait for the hunting party to arrive.
>Treat them with a wary welcome. Ask them what they're looking for in this dangerous place, warn them about the Amalgam in the process. See how they respond to that, use that to help in judging their intentions. They're heavily armed, but so are we, they might not be looking to cause trouble but just taking precautions.
>Try to get an exchange of names, see how they respond to our name. If possible, use our reputation to subtly scare them off of the idea of fighting us.

>>3766819
Yeah, the Arbiter's Appetite is really OP. I'd argue it's one of the strongest Relics in the Crucible. Double stat gains from leveling, plus the huge boosts for absorbing Cores, it's game changing. Sure, we've gotten a lot of levels, but it's still a huge jump in our stats we've made since we acquired it.

Back from work.

Polish.... great Caesar's toast. She got across the ocean (or her gem did). That amalgam didn't run from the tank, it ran from her.

She looks normal looking but seems off in the head. Likely a Vitruvian then with high mental corruption. That said, she hasn't acted against us, so, yeah:

I'll go with >>3766866

>>3766956

Out of work on different network. This me: GRcQM5l4

>>3766956
>Co? Aw, miałem takie do
Polish Translation:
>What? Aw, I had such to...

>>3766715
>>3766866
>Polish
>Speaks her native (Polish) language as her act of speaking before translating
>uses Tumblr memes like corgi doge speak
>acts loopy
>“Co? Aw, miałem takie do...” She mutters, freezing when she sees you clambering out of the tank. You glance back at the sound of a panicked screech to see the Amalgam backing off just before it skitters into the gloom of the wastes, and you round back on the girl only to be greeting with your own swarmling held aloft in front of your face.
>Mantis Amalgam didn't panic and flee at the sight of Shu and the group.
>Mantis Amalgam screeches in panic and flees the moment Polish girl woke up.
>Polish girl has a passive ability that prevents Empathetic probing.
>Group of daughters appear to be hunting solely Polish Girl 'A' and equipped with high end relics and seem cohesive as a unit.

Gentlemen. I think A is a foreign daughter that's one of the Super high leveled daughters that bhop mentioned. We need to treat her with caution.

>>3766689
>Have one of your swarmlings interact with the group while you pull back to safety. If this 'A' isn't giving you a coherent explanation, then maybe they can...at a distance.

She's no Luna Bonney. That loopiness seems rather...fake. I mean who the hell spouts tumblr memes as frequently as Hellsing Ultimate Abridged's Rip Van Wrinkle?

>>3766956
>>3766977
well yeah, pretty obvious id say shes a foreign daughter and probably super powerful. not BHOPs most subtle bamboozle, even if we have no way to justify fully preventing it IC. dangers of knowing more about whats coming OOC than IC i suppose.


>>3766977
thats no reason to assume shes bad and not give her her fair chance though. same with the other group. if we were willing to talk to her in person, they deserve the same chance. also, i think its supposed to be her struggling with the language, but BHOPs being a bit cheeky in how he writes that.

>>3767157
(Indeed, while she is not terribly familiar with speaking our language, she is quite fond of our memes.)

>>3766689
Supporting >>3766715

>>3766672
This Girl looks like a troublemaker but no reason to be hostile unless she gives us a reason to

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>>3767220

Falling asleep I made one of those weird connections that may be nothing, but might be genius here. Hexxane speech is empathicly translated, and I'd bet Morrigan's last bottle of vodka that if A is from Europe she's dealt with the Hexxane. Can Karma do real time interpreter duty? Maybe not within whatever is interfering with the empathic field, but when you sit up from dozing off with that kind of thought you write it down or forget it.

>>3766715
Could we also add in a short
>"And please turn off that field okay. I don't like people messing with my emotions"

It has been described to us that the calm and peacefulness is coming from her as we started to get affected through our swarmling. So we can assume that she has Conduit powers

>>3767355
to be fair that might actually end up being a boon potentially, but i understand the concern. maybe we can just be subtle about hinting towards it, but not outright ask for it, as a way to test her want to be cooperative/test her ability to even try and be cooperative?

>>3767333
neat idea, but to be fair she's got our speech down well enough, i think the problem is she heard us call Gina the 'queen of memes' and just cant let that one slide.
in actual seriousness my guess is going to be, friendly or enemy, its a mix of two things going on here. one is, to make it from abroad to america takes alot out of a daughter, and the cost to get here sane often might leave one not looking sane by the standards of those already here. the other part is the whole 'it takes a special kinda gal to survive making it this far' ordeal.

>>3767220
well shoot, now i really want her to turn out to be someone we can trust, because ive got an idea for a gift to her i think will make everyone but her hate me due to its tackiness, and im ok with that.

>>3766715
>>3767515
So to make this>>3767355
More subtle how about I write it like this
>"Is this calm a feeling you have no control over or do you always use it when meeting someone new?"

this power reminds me of Selenes Friedfertigkeit. And since I know where that power goes I may just be a bit too paranoid to anyone that can cause others to feel relaxed/calm

>>3767556
i mean, it could be more like Amaras aura.

how about something like;
>ask her the other stuff
>quickly add in "I just need me and everyone else to be in our own mind and be feeling our own emotions, and i cant do that if im thinking about if my backs in danger."
or something. that way we're not outright saying we know she has it, but we are very clearly saying it needs to not be there.

>>3767557
Probably a better way to put without outright accusing her of something

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>>3765738
>>3767333

I have arrived on the work network.

>>3766715

I like this, but with little less confrontation against the hunters and trying to beach the communication gap with Karma.

I'd also like to add >>3767557 as well.

>>3767710
One small thing that makes it easier for OP to tally the votes.
Link the post in which you are voting, even if it is just support for another vote, to the original post that vote is related to.

>>3767726

Thank you. I am rustier than November's old armor when it comes to /qst/.

>>3766689

"’A’, can I trust you?” You ask calmly, turning to face the girl as you stare into her unfocused grey eyes. “Are you a threat?"

“Yes. To both, yes yes.” She replies, tapping her chin with one slender index finger. “But no thread to you! Thread! Fibromancer, it’s joke! You are nice, so I am no string to you, Defiant.”

"I…alright.” You sigh, glancing about the woods. “I just need me and everyone else to be in our own mind and be feeling our own emotions, and I can’t do that if I’m thinking about if my backs in danger."

She blinks, then smiles, and with that the field of calm placidity recedes, leaving you with an onrush of emotions the girl before you was keeping at bay. Quickly, you motion for her to climb aboard the tank as the turret swivels, aiming at a point halfway between the incoming team and where the Amalgam was last spotted. Dorian emerges from the helm, keeping an eye on the girl and the woods with equal suspicion as you call your swarm back to your side. You hold the Contender loose at your side as a series of figures stalk from the woods, lead by a tall, lanky figure.

Her strikingly bright blue hair is almost rendered black by the dim light of the Fleshscape’s false evening, and when she grins at you, her smile’s lined with the jagged teeth of a predator. Dorian glances her way, then averts his gaze at her threadbare clothing, her and her allies preferring thorny, bandit-like armor to any normal attire.

“Hello there.” Comes the woman’s greeting, a slight British accent curling at her words as she glances from you to the Polish girl at your side. “Friends of hers, I wager?”

"Maybe. Are you out hunting, too?" You ask, watching the other woman study you intently. You glance between her allies, noting that while the other five women are strapped with a variety of Relics, their apparent leader doesn’t appear to be wielding any at all. “Are you hunting Amalgams, or…?”

“We’re no hunters, love…we’re messengers.” She replies, and you watch as a small child hops down from the back of one of her crew, trotting over to the blue-haired woman. The girl’s eyes are hidden by her long, pale blonde hair, and you can’t hear what she says to the older woman when the latter crouches down to bring herself closer to the child. “Yeah, kiddo?”

The child whispers something, and the leader’s eyes snap to yours with a look of realization.

“Huh…I think some introductions are in order, then.” The woman says as she rises back up to her full height, her eyes now locked on yours. “Name’s Ivey, my crew here’s the Hyenas, and we’ve been tryin’ to track down Alpha for our employer. No ill intent or nothing, just wanted to extend an offer of employment.”

Ivey plants her hands on her hips, sporting a wide grin as she continues.

“Though now that I realize we’ve found the Defiant…I think I’d be remiss if I didn’t extend it to you, as well.”

(Continued)

>>3767894

“Offers line coffers!” ‘A’ chimes in as Ivey slowly strides forwards, arms held wide to establish her intentions. It’s as she steps fully from the shadows that you see her armor is more a part of her than anything, some curious blend of Unnatural Predator and Flesh Artisan that’s resulted in shocks of blue fur down the skin of her legs and arms, and thick, black hide that resembles leathery armor on any place that isn’t pale flesh.

“That they do.” Ivey nods, coming to stand a respectful distance from you and your allies as Dorian levels a cold stare at the woman. “My employer’s offering access to a Tier Five Forge, an unlocked Sparagmos Engine, and enough Relics to make it worth your while.”

“And the job?” You counter.

“Same work as we’re doing now.” Ivey shrugs. “Find strong Daughters, extend the offer of allegiance, and then head to the Cord to end this damn thing. Straightforward enough?”

You can feel Dorian’s eyes shift focus to the back of your neck, but you hold your gaze steady on the eerie green eyes of the Unnatural Predator before you.

“If you got questions, then Miss Yurei can answer ‘em. Like I said…we’re just the messengers.” Ivey repeats with another small shrug. “If you hear her out and don’t like what she has to say, you still get to use the Forge to make a few things by way of thanks. She’s a fair sort, in more ways than one.”

“And you were tracking this young woman for that purpose?” Dorian presses, and he’s answered with a sharp nod.

“Yep. Heard tell of an urban legend that crossed the pond, thought I’d follow the trail of dead Amalgams ‘til I found her.” The blue-haired woman chuckles. “Didn’t imagine I’d find a twofer of badasses, though. My lucky day. Miss Yurei’s digs aren’t too far off, about a day’s run…though I think you’d probably find it a faster trip with that mech of yours.”

It’s a tempting offer, though the very nature of this situation has done little to curb your suspicions. Part of you wants to just walk away from this entire thing, and the other half...well, you’ve been looking for all the help you can get.

>>Accept Ivey’s offer, at least to meet with Miss Yurei. You’d like to run it by your allies first, however.

>>Decline. You have more pressing matters than getting roped into any more deals.

>>Press her more about her boss and their intentions.

>>Ask Ivey more about ‘A’.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, my sincere apologies for the late update, as work has been a nonstop series of minor crises that had to be addressed. Things are calming down now, and voting shall remain open for the next two hours.)

>>3767896
>More Info. We need more intel if we are to consider their offer.

Important thing their boss wants alliegance form those that meet with them. I dont think they let those that meet with them leave if they refuse.
No one is so nice to let others use their forge and engine just for nothing.

I can imagine that if they use the forge to craft something they will then be beset on all sides by fully rested and strong daughters. They get relics and levels out of it or allies if they accept to work under this Yurei.

I am leaning towards declining their offer. We dont want to beat the cord we want to hack it. And this offer is to nice ot be true. It could however give us some new contacts

>>3767894
>thicc muscle girl with washboard abs
>assless chaps
>reptilian themed Unnatural predator
>pixie-cut hair with blue stripes
>blue eyeliners and scale collar tattoos
>snek tongue and sharp teeth
not gonna lie, she's hot.
>bush hair on the pelvis
BHOP DATS TOO LEWD. you're skirting the lines on a blueboard.

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>>3767910
(Not going to lie, I didn't even catch that when I saved the image. Reposting for safety. Today's crazy enough, I don't need a ban slowing me down even further.)

>>3767896
>Press her more about her boss and their intentions.
>Ask Ivey more about ‘A’.

>>3767896
>>Press her more about her boss and their intentions.
>"You know what she means by 'end the cord'? thats a mighty fine open ended goal, with many possible conclusions."

i dont like this. sounds way too good to be true.

>>3767908
yeah the allegiance is whats iffy to me. thats some pretty hefty bait they are putting out. sure, these gals before us are proof they arent just slaughtering everyone, but not everyone is us of apparently 'A' level of daughter. might be you either get lucky and are strong enough to be worth talking to but not so strong that you are worth the hassle if you wanna leave... or you're too good a morsel to pass up, despite the hassle to put you down.

we'll see how this goes i suppose. it just all sounds way, way too good, like a tag line made even perhaps specifically for us.

>>3767896
>Define "Employment"

Bhop, a question. How many Hyenas are there including Ivey and the smol skintalker?

>>3767908
>>3767921
My gut instinct that if it stalls for long enough and the situation deteriorates, the Hyenas will start pressganging or searching for opportunities of ambush.
They've tracked Alpha down and come in with sufficient numbers and well equipped with a plethora of relics, it hints that they're well equipped to take on a threat should it come down to a nasty fight.
The Skintalker might be child labor since she seems to be used basically as utility radar since she's seen piggybacking on another Hyena member and doesn't seem well equipped for battle.

>>3767929
I have read and written to many stories with such offers.

This entire thing stinks like a Faustian deal. Such things are meant to screw you over.

opr to put it into simpler terms..... a cult of personality with this Yurei at the top commanding her little workers to do all her work for them. I would not be surprised if she was a really powerful Phantasmal Conduit that could just jump into peoples minds and override their thoughts so that they would become favourable to her

>>3767935
(There are five Hyena members present, not including Ivey and the little girl.)

>>3767944
Thank you.

>>3767937
>>3767929
So 5 Hyenas plus Ivey and Skintalker (if said girl is combat capable, which I highly think she isn't, but could be) means it's a 6-7 vs. 4 (If 'A' fights with us, not including the Tank.) if things go sour.

>>3767935
well to give them their fair point, even in the best case scenario here, they would still have to be prepared to defend themselves if the type of daughters they are after turn out hostile. but i do fully agree, seeing how they react to us pressing further and extending the situation matters. i dunno, im just gonna say it. the way they are dressed and their name is off-putting. i get they could just really like punk rock and it is a bit unfair to jump to conclusions on that alone(though to be fair we arent), but damnit, how you sell yourself still matters, especially in a death game that could end the world.

>>3767937
its possible, and yeah, this all just feels super iffy. not impossible this is exactly whats being put on the table, but so highly improbable its hard not to wonder.

>>3767951
well, yes, we knew there were 7 of em. the big question is A, though i have a feeling worse case she would bugger off and not take a side. that, and we arent the type to force combat, so we may have an advantage on keeping her good will. id like to think we might outpace them in raw power, but who knows honestly, especially if they have access to a T5 forge and an engine. but at the same time if they prove to be false prophets, as it was, for many, MANY reasons, letting them go would be very very bad, even if its not the best fight for us in terms of chances to win.

last thing we need is for them to become aggressive then escape and spread rumors the 'great defiant one' is a backstabber looking out only for herself. even worse, if they do turn on us, we dont need them to escape and draw in more gullible daughters into their trap. hard enough to find allies without some group swallowing them up with the crucible equivalent of a pyramid scheme.

tough situation no matter how this plays out. id argue even if its exactly as they are selling it its still a tough situation, as tying yourself to the rules and goals of a group still has alot of drawbacks.

>>3767894
Okay, what's up with children or childish people being Skintalkers? Amara, this girl on Ivey's team, A, Ozmas was a "young soul"...I guess it's like how Flesh Artisans tend to have been actual artists before the Crucible? Some hidden criteria alongside the usual wish-granting thing Cores have going on.

>>3767896
>>Press her more about her boss and their intentions.
>>Write-In
>"Alright, I'm interested, but I'd like to hear a bit more before I go speak to this ghost lady. Can you answer a few questions first?"

If they agree:
>"Okay, first one: This isn't a pyramid scheme, is it? Do you have quotas of Daughters you need to sign up? What are the penalties for not recruiting other Daughters?"
>"Second, what do you mean by 'end the Crucible'? That's not as straightforward an idea as it might seem."
>"Finally, do you have a map to this base? We may not be able to make it today, we do have other responsibilities to take care of before the day's out. I don't want to waste your time waiting around until we're done so you can escort us."

I have other questions, like "how are you planning on staving off Charon", or "why is your boss named 'Ghost'", but I figure those are best saved for Yurei herself.

>>3767951
I think our chances are quite good if it should come to a fight. A is clearly a very dangerous combatant. She made it to America from Europe across half the world. And i would imagine the oceans are even more of a hellscape than the mainland.

WE are no slouches and quite decked out as well. The Skintalker might represent a problem as ´we will have little way of countering her spells. Even if she may be a bit inexperienced in battle.

>>3767944
Could we get some descriptions of notable features? Relics they might be carrying that could be used for long distance communication, any notable excotic weapons or armor. How old are they generally and do any of them show strong sings of mutation except Ivey?

>>3767966
>Okay, what's up with children or childish people being Skintalkers? Amara, this girl on Ivey's team, A, Ozmas was a "young soul"...I guess it's like how Flesh Artisans tend to have been actual artists before the Crucible? Some hidden criteria alongside the usual wish-granting thing Cores have going on.
while ive noticed that too, it could in part be that kids are very easily voices that are ignored or silenced, so its super easy for them to become skintalkers.

>"Alright, I'm interested, but I'd like to hear a bit more before I go speak to this ghost lady. Can you answer a few questions first?"
kinda dont want to say we are interested. its a small thing but feels way too close to a commitment too soon.

>>3767896
>>3767935
Amending my vote
>Ask for information: "In your own words who's 'Yurei'? And Define 'Employment'."
>if our gut feeling about the offer being "too good to be true" is given more evidence, then politely decline

>>3767975
Huh. Would Cassandra be an outlier then? She's a Skintalker but she's also a mortician pre-crucible.

>>3767975
>kinda dont want to say we are interested. its a small thing but feels way too close to a commitment too soon.
How about "The offer's interesting" instead? Passive voice, doesn't acknowledge personal involvement as much.

>>3767972
(Most of their Relics appear to be light armor and melee weapons, but you can't be certain. Some if the other Daughters present also appear to have minor Unnatural Predator corruption, but nothing like Ivey.)

>>3767979
sure, sounds much better.

>>3767976
probably, but to be fair its not hardline rules either. we've met non artist Flesh Artisans, its just rarer to fall into one class without having the usual connections to it, is what i think me and the other Anon are pointing out, and being a kid just happens to be skintalkers usual frame.

though to be fair, was skintalker her core? i cant remember, as she said that along with the 'i became many things on my journey.' regardless, i could see a mortician becoming a skintalker. kinda more like she was forced to be silent due to the respect the job requires, and the fact her job leaves her with few to talk to. not many want to exactly be friends with a mortician either.

>>3767985
hrm... my guess is they use that engine to spread tracking based Unnatural Predator abilities around. Unnatural Predator abilities also give really high stats too, usually focusing on Health, so even a few levels is also a good way to stat boost, and if you can hit both those criteria with one, you're golden. the fact none have it too high could be any number of things, from trying to look presentable to draw people in, to only a few levels doing what they need it to, to them being newer at this than they would like to admit, though i wouldn't trust that last one.

>>3767993
>hrm... my guess is they use that engine to spread tracking based Unnatural Predator abilities around. Unnatural Predator abilities also give really high stats too, usually focusing on Health, so even a few levels is also a good way to stat boost, and if you can hit both those criteria with one, you're golden. the fact none have it too high could be any number of things, from trying to look presentable to draw people in, to only a few levels doing what they need it to, to them being newer at this than they would like to admit, though i wouldn't trust that last one.
Maybe. Lizards aren't the best trackers (though a few species like Komodos are), but there wasn't any mention of what other Predator types they had. No need for the leader to be the best tracker. It's also possible that it's unrelated to their employer and they had this animal theming already. They do call themselves the Hyenas, after all.

>>3768016
>Maybe. Lizards aren't the best trackers (though a few species like Komodos are), but there wasn't any mention of what other Predator types they had. No need for the leader to be the best tracker. It's also possible that it's unrelated to their employer and they had this animal theming already. They do call themselves the Hyenas, after all.
Maybe they're using a Raptor Predator power? Nothing says the Crucible doesn't give out anything based on extinct or prehistoric animals.

>>3768030
Possible. I believe Wests notes mentioned that Unnatural Predators could even be fictional creatures, so no reason they couldn't be extinct ones. A pack of raptor Predators would be terrifying. Just a bunch of clever girls.

>>3768016
Hyenas in their ecological niche are opportunists and scavengers. And they're social animals that hunt in packs, often working together to take down bigger prey. But they also chase off smaller predators to get their choice meats upon detecting a kill. They're no apex predator however. Females being bigger and more aggressive than males, so Ivey is probably the alpha of her little clan.

>>3768030
True that, but re-read Ivey's description again.

>It’s as she [Ivey] steps fully from the shadows that you see her armor is more a part of her than anything, some curious blend of Unnatural Predator and Flesh Artisan that’s resulted in shocks of blue fur down the skin of her legs and arms, and thick, black hide that resembles leathery armor on any place that isn’t pale flesh.
She's getting close to becoming a blue Furry hyena/reptile hybrid, more Hyena than Reptile Not quite FurryFaggot tier but she's at an level where she's not that big of a faggot.

>>3767896

I really like this >>3767966 with the wording changed to >>3767979. If we do reach a meeting though, I'd like it to be on neutral ground, like West's burned out lab or the Crucible. Ultimately I think it's worth checking into, but I'm not keen on risking anyone being on home turf.

>>3767896
Ammending my vote from >>3767908 to
>"Alright, The offer is an intresting one. Can you answer a few questions first?" in a passive voice

If they agree:
>"Okay, first one: This isn't a pyramid scheme, is it? Do you have quotas of Daughters you need to sign up? What are the penalties for not recruiting other Daughters?"
>"Second, what do you mean by 'end the Crucible'? That's not as straightforward an idea as it might seem."
>"Finally, do you have a map to this base? We may not be able to make it today, we do have other responsibilities to take care of before the day's out. I don't want to waste your time waiting around until we're done so you can escort us."

Stall a bit, play coy. they will show their true colours soon enough if they beceome nervous or have bad intentions

>>3767993
They are called the Hyenas. My guess is they beat people by gangin up on them. They are probably comparitavely weak individually but are probably very good at ganking opponents together.
And my guess would be they are doing it because they dont need more and are focusing on other powers instead.

>>3768039
Ivey definetly is the Alpha. She probably dominates them with her strength and willpower. Should it come to a fight and she goes down the pack would probably scatter after one or two go down afterwards

>>3768038
>cue the prattkeeping scene from Jurassic World being the only thing that fends them off.

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>>3767910
>>3767912
oh, i missed he deleted the image. honestly i just thought he was trying to say something about the woman's personality, but yeah probably best to be safe.

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>>3767896

"The offer certainly sounds interesting, but I'd like to hear a bit more before I go speak to this ‘ghost’ lady.” You say, keeping your tone level. Can you answer a few questions first?"

“I can try, yeah.” Ivey replies, glancing back to give her team a quick nod. The remainder of her allies move forward, their posture relaxing as you glance among their number to see most of them have some trace of fur or scale on their person, the early signs of Unnatural Predator corruption.

"Okay, first one: This isn't a pyramid scheme, is it?” You ask, and Ivey stifles a laugh by biting her distractingly long tongue. “Do you have quotas of Daughters you need to sign up? What are the penalties for not recruiting other Daughters?"

“Ha, no, nothing like that.” Ivey replies with a hearty chuckle. “My team and I were extended the same offer about two months back, since we’d gotten a decent name for ourselves in the tracking business further west.”

“With all due respect Miss Ivey, do all of Yurei’s recruiters share your fashion sense?” Dorian asks, his eyes still skirting around the more provocatively-dressed among the Hyena’s number.

“Uh, well…” Ivey mutters, tugging lightly at the frayed collar of her too-thin white shirt. “If I’d known I was meeting someone like you and the Defiant here, I’d have…worn a jacket, or something.”

“No offense.” She adds quickly, nodding to Alpha.

“Tall offenses make good neighbors.” She responds off-handedly, crossing her legs and dropping down into a sitting position next to you as your formulate your next set of questions.

"Second, what do you mean by 'end the Crucible'? That's not as straightforward an idea as it might seem.”

Ivey’s about to answer when the little girl beside her tugs at the taller woman’s belt with one hand, retrieving a scarlet half-mask from behind her back.

“Woah, you serious? Yurei’s never…” The blue-haired woman begins before the child softly interrupts.

“Miss Yurei will want to speak with them directly.” She mutters, placing the fragmented mask against her face. “To have both the Alpha and the Defiant in one place is unprecedented. Such an opportunity is unlikely to come about again.”

The girl’s arms drop to her side, and in the silence that follows she tilts her head up towards you, her eyes shining with an unnatural light. She take a deep breath, then speaks.

“My warmest welcome to you and yours, Shu, the Defiant. My warmest welcome to you as well, Alpha.” The girl says, her voice carrying the faintest trace of an accent you can’t quite place, one that wasn’t there a moment before. “Please excuse my greeting you in such a manner, but I sincerely wished to make your acquaintance.”

“…Miss Yurei, I presume?” You ask, sensing your artist stiffen a few meters away.

(Continued)

>>3768489

“What just happened to that girl? What did you do?” Dorian demands, and the possessed girl just holds up a small hand.

“Nothing non-consensual, I assure you.” She replies, folding her hands demurely before her. “Voca-chan is merely wearing a Relic of my design that allows me to see and speak through her for up to five minutes at a time. Thus, I shall attempt to make my ‘sales pitch’ in short order, if you don’t mind.”

“As many high-level Daughters are becoming aware, the Crucible is a farce.” She begins, her high, childlike voice ringing high and clear with the diction and authority of someone far older. “Winning it outright is a curse, and staving off its conclusion will lead to our slow, collective descent into hunger-madness. The Disassociated seek to flee this world in pursuit of a better one, blind to the fact that they carry their own faults with them. The Altered Altar pursue a drug-induced oblivion, while the Apex Sisterhood would see the world consumed by their own tooth and maw. I, however, have a different plan.”

The little girl’s mouth breaks into a radiant smile, only half of which can be seen past her Relic mask.

“Attack the Cord en-masse, overwhelm its defenses, and reprogram it so that Daughters may instead reside within it through an Eternal Dream.”

“I’m sorry, what?” You breathe.

“To be brief; the Cord is, in essence, a colossal neuron. All of my research indicates that while Daughters are on a Hunger-induced time limit, the Crucible itself is not.” Yurei explains, her gentle hand motions caressing the air as she speaks. “Dream Daughters exist hunger-free, and could potentially exist within the Cord infinitely, living in a world free of the chaos that we experience here. To accomplish such a thing would be a trivial task for a unified force of Neuromancers and Phantasmal Conduits, of which I am one of the latter."

She places a hand on her heart, bowing her head as she continues.

“I understand that this is a lot to take in, and I do not wish to take more of your or Voca’s time than is necessary. Feel free to take some time to think over the offer, and Ivey has my express permission to divulge the location of my home to you and Alpha, both.”

“I appreciate the consideration.” You reply honestly, and the girl gives a low, respectful bow.

“It is the least I can offer for one such as yourselves.” She says, her hands already moving to pull the mask off. “I do hope to see you soon, and safety and peace up you, Defiant. To you as well, Alpha.”

The mask comes off, the little girl running a hand through her hair to hide her face once more as she trots back to Ivey’s side. The older woman looks down at her, incredulous at what just happened.

(Continued)

>>3768497

“Well, that’s a first.” She mutters, glancing back to you as she licks her lips. “You heard the boss; I can get you the coordinates when we’re done here, which is when you say it is.”

“She’s serious?” Dorian asks, and Ivey nods once more.

“Very. She really believes she can save this world through her ghost tricks, and she talks a good enough game.” She replies, giving an exaggerated shrug. “We can take you there now, or we can be on our way and see each other later. It’s up to you, I’m not going to push you either way.”

“Do you believe in what Yurei’s selling?” You ask, and Ivey ponders the question a moment as she stares into your eyes.

“Not gonna lie to you, love…” She finally says. “…Anyone who says they wanna stick around to win this thing for themselves isn’t someone I’d give the time of day to. Yurei’s the first person I’ve met that’s preaching proactivity and peace in the same message…and that’s something worth hearing, at least.”

You can sense the simple honesty behind Ivey’s reply, lacing through her words as you consider how to proceed.

>>Leave with Ivey now.

OR

>>Say your goodbyes after getting the coordinates, and (continue hunting the Amalgam that ran off/continue hunting through the Wastes)

>>Talk with Ivey and her crew, as you still have yet to feel them out (Write-In).

>>Thank them for their time, and speak with Alpha a little more (Write-In).

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, voting shall remain open for the next two hours as I finish out this relentless day, and once the next update is posted then voting periods of one hour will be open until the close of the evening. Thank you all so very much for bearing with me during this rather chaotic afternoon, and I hope your own day is going well.)

>>3768502
>Say your goodbyes with the Hyenas after gettign the coordinates

>"We will think about it but right now we got a family to feed and an Amalgam to hunt"

>"So Alpha. Care to stick around for a bit or will you be off?"

If Alpha decides to stick with us for awhile ask her a couple questions
>"So what did you see on your journey to America? What was the world like that you traveled through"

>"Is your Core Vitruvian because i dont see any corruption on your form?"

If she does not stick around wish her a goodbye an dtake up the trail of the Amalgam

I want to hunt. the very reason we came out here in the first place

I still dont trust her she has some kind of hidden agenda(as a conduit her power over such a place would be extreme) and the thing is, existing as ghosts wont let us put an end to the crucible. Thge very thing we want to achieve. We have to hack it to remove the time limit placed upon live daughters and restructure the world. Just sitting around in a dreamworld is also gonna have a time limit.
When will you turn mad the normal way? The world you will be in will be limited by what was. There will be stagnation and one day all will be nothing more than mad wrecks or ghosts haunting their own fading memories.


Mankind is not made for an existance without progress. And living in a dream whit nothing but the past and whatever your imagination is ganne be able to conjure up is gonna be hell after the 1000th time

>>3768502
>Thank them for their time, and accept the coordinates, but say you're not sure that may be the solution you wish to seek, you'll need more time to discuss it with your team.
>Thank them for their time, and speak with Alpha a little more.
>"Well? plan to accept their offer? personally, im unsure its the best solution, but so long as they dont force it on everyone more power to them."
>"So, mind telling me YOUR plan 'A'? and why the 'alpha' name? just a play on your level of strength, or something else?"
>"anything you want to ask us? i'd be unfair to be the only one asking questions."
>after general questioning is done, continue the hunt.
>Offer to let 'A' Tag along, but make sure she understands you've got a big group to feed and aren't hunting just for yourself, so her share would come out of the total needing to be fed, not just those here. apologize for that, but you cant let the rest of your family be left behind over someone you can hunt without, even if you wouldn't mind their company.

honestly guys? im very against their solution to the problem. first off, if the force everyone into a dream state, thats simply wrong in and of itself and not something i personally or i think Shu could accept. next, if they dont, then unless they first shut down the crucible in another way, they leave themselves too vulnerable, but if they do that, then the point of the massive dreaming isnt fully negated but heavily made less necessary. the other issue is, we know aliens exist, and possibly even space faring aliens. sure, it might be awhile, but for all we know, while everyone is trapped in the dream, they come and fuck shit up. or worse, another crucible. that, and ive got alot of issues with the idea of running from the problems of reality into the dreaming.

its a very firm 'no' from me on siding with them. however, so long as they do not plan to force everyone into it, as flawed as that makes their plan, im fine not making enemies of them. more power to them if they want to nap, just understand its not everyones solution or everyones wants.

>>3768497
Well, I'm not completely against it. But I have some big caveats. The Crucible can not be allowed to perpetuate its life cycle. If Yurei wants her simulated world to exist in a Cord that remains on Earth after the Crucible has been sterilized and prevented from leaving for another planet, okay. I wouldn't go for that, myself, but I'd have no problem with those who did so. They can live in their dreamscape while we rebuild our biosphere into something people can live in. But if she wants to only upload humanity into the Cord and let the Crucible parasite continue on its way to consuming other worlds, then we are going to be enemies. The cycle can not continue, and anyone who wants to allow it to in exchange for their own survival is a traitor to all life in existence. Please be reasonable and let us sterilize the Cord before you upload yourselves.

Also, interesting to hear about these other groups, should be fun to encounter them. New factions, yay. Can't really say much about them yet, with just these one sentences each, but I'm intrigued. They sound like they're just trying to ignore and out-eat the problem, respectively, but Yurei mentioned them in the context of people coming up with alternatives to the Crucible's winstate so it's probably more than that.

>>3768513
sorry to hear your day is going a bit chaotically, and its no problem, you take care of... whatever insane job you have. the image of you casually watching fires burn while holding a fire extinguisher and everyone panics around you is still how i do and shall always imagine your work environment.
with, of course, your CHROMEbook sitting in the background bluescreening because you tried to use a google program.

>>3768502
>"I'm afraid I have my own plan. I think the Cord can be hacked to end the hunger and bring humanity back. Our goals are closer than most, but ultimately they still come into conflict. Sorry."
>Thank them for their time, and speak with Alpha a little more.
>"So what did you see on your journey to America? What was the world like that you traveled through"
>"Is your Core Vitruvian because i dont see any corruption on your form?"

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>>3768513
You're welcome. pic related?

>>3768502
>The Disassociated seek to flee this world in pursuit of a better one, blind to the fact that they carry their own faults with them.
The DOs we already know. Although we hope we might salvage the world state to a point where they can come back home to planet earth. Space can get very lonely.

>The Altered Altar pursue a drug-induced oblivion
Is that...the European Faction that was featured in Rara and Mina's storyline?

>while the Apex Sisterhood would see the world consumed by their own tooth and maw.
literally the "RULES OF NATURE" faction. They wouldn't care about stopping the cycle.

Glad to know there are three other major factions besides the Disassociated.

>>3768534
>>3768533
>>3768559
I've also found the time to rework Luna Bonney. Gave her a few new theme songs to display what "mood" insanity she's in, and reworked some of her abilities, added some drawbacks and caveats to her kit, and a few augments to tie her kit together. And of course, more word salad non-sequitur.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dCIEMxmLBlJnME6Iuo-U55_xYolWWEmCn80WL99Z8mE/edit?usp=sharing
Have a read and let me know what you think.

>>3768568

>Is that...the European Faction that was featured in Rara and Mina's storyline?
Do you mean the Order of the Smith? That is a faction of religious nutjobs that whorship at their forges by creating relics in the cathedral witht the giant heart underneath
It is not. A faction creating drugs will be introduced in Chapter 6 but it will not the "Altered Altar". I had my own ideas though they may line up a bit with what OP has planned for that such things however wil be coincidence

>>3768502

I'd like to go with >>3768533, with an emphasis on soft cooperation being on the table. Nothing wrong with folks wanting to go full dreamer, as long as it's consensual. As always we should confer with our family about their offer, but other than both teams making it easier to get to the cord together I think in the end we're going to defiantly climb while they sleep. More than happy to have Alpha along and do some hunting for the family as well.

>>3768533
When I think about it, Yurei's plan is basically almost the exact same as the DO's plan, except they're living in a Bio-Matrix and they're relying on the Cord as their living Ark ship. Not to mention Yurei's a bio-riff from the DO's "Ghost in the Shell" motif/theme.

>>3768587
(Indeed, it is coincidence. I've been pondering the idea of a sort of hippie commune of Daughters, and they were the result. I'm intrigued to see how their similarities and differences when we post, however. There are so many different ways they could come about or be written, so I'm very intrigued.)

>>3768600
So you thought about hippies.....

not exactly my first line of thought when i heard drug induced oblivion

>>3768600
>>3768603
My mind went to the Drug Cartels of Slavic Europe or the Mexican side of the Drug Cartels.

>>3768568
really interesting character and while shes clearly high level, she doesn't feel overpowered or insurmountable. id absolutely love to see her interact with characters in one of her less violent bouts.

>>3768588
to be fair i wasn't trying to say to them cooperation was impossible, only if you read the rest i was trying to at least not lie that we have misgivings about that plan, something im glad to see everyone agrees with for one reason or another. actually, i think so far everyones agreed for similar enough reasons, just to different levels of how hardcore against it they might be.

>>3768598
yeah, it has major similarities. again, i just hope shes not planning to force it on everyone, that shit simply wont fly. plenty of otherwise well meaning daughters could easily be against that.

>>3768603
>>3768600
yeah same, i was thinking more hardcore than hippies myself.
[spoiler[cant wait to get the Siege of Grettatown finished up. a certain group ive written up about in the past finally makes their move and goals truly known... and hopefully ill do it justice.[/spoiler]

>>3768502
>>Thank them for their time, and speak with Alpha a little more (Write-In).
>>Write-In
>"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the message, I'm glad to have been informed about this. If we have no other business, though, I think I should be on my way. I've got Amalgams to hunt."
>"How about you, Alpha? What are you planning on doing now? Planning on going to talk to Yurei, see what she's about? Or do you have other things to do? We could give you a ride if you're headed our way."

After that
>>Say your goodbyes after getting the coordinates, and (continue hunting the Amalgam that ran off
We've got a tank and enough senses to make sure we don't fall into an ambush by it, I think we're good.

>>3768559
I wouldn't say to them that our goals are in conflict. Even if they are (for all we know we might be able to reach a compatible plan of action with Yurei), let's not tell them "yeah, we are your enemies in this matter". Just part amicably for now and leave that stuff for later.

>>3768598
Her name even means "ghost". Her corruption also appears to have given her a hannya mask, which are used in Noh plays and Shinto rituals to represent female ghosts. Usually evil ones, so let's hope that's not foreshadowing.

>>3768603
>>3768609
(A fantastic take, and one I'd love to see explored.)

>>3768610

I hadn't taken it as you saying co-operation was off the table. I was saying that maybe we should be proactive in offering some jolly cooperation.

>>3768620
Speaking of OC Daughters, I do have a question for one I'm developing. Assuming it's not too much of a spoiler, could I ask what the maximum size is for a Queen-specialized Hive Mistress' construct? I have this vague idea for a pirate queen that preys on other Daughters trying to cross the ocean to get to the Cord, and I got to thinking it would be cool if her flagship was an enormous swarmling.

>>3768635
oh, well my only issue with that is we need to bring it up with our family first. id not like to make it sound like were already willing to cooperate only to back out later if for some reason our family has very strong feelings on the matter.

>>3768637
>daughter whos a whale based hive mistress.
that sounds fun. to write and explore, not to encounter.

>>3768648
>Moby dick Amalgam appears near Whale based Hive Mistress
>Daughter suddenly turns into Female Captain Ahab
>"THE WHITE WHALE, KILL IT!"

>>3768637
(Oh, that's entirely possible. Queen-specialized Hive Mistresses are quite capable of making colossal constructs and enhancing them in various ways.)

>>3768643

Agreed, maybe add that it still needs to be a family talk, but it's something we are going to bring up even if we don't agree to go with their plan all the way.?

>>3768656
>Leading to the construct tackling the Moby Dick like a pair of mountains colliding
>WHALE FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT

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>>3768648
I just saw this in front of my eyes

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>>3768648
That would be cool, but she's actually a spider-based Hive Mistress. Her name is The Widow, as a reference to the historical pirate queen Ching Shih ("the widow of Cheng"), and spiders felt like the natural place to go with that name. Her ship would be an enormous diving bell spider. They're a type of spider that swim, manipulating surface tension to maintain air bubbles around their bodies.

>>3768656
Though now that you say that, I do kind of want to have Daughter Captain Ahab in there, too. I've got a plan for another Hive Mistress sea-faring Daughter (nautilus constructs, as a reference to Captain Nemo's ship), so maybe she's hunting the White Leviathan with her submersible.

>>3768664
Excellent. I've been slowly piecing together an idea for a story, and I was planning on having her be the villain. I'll post if here if I ever get around to properly writing it.

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>>3768666
i already have that though.

>>3768668
haha, yeah thats the shit id imagine.

>>3768656
>>3768667
>mfw everyone's face when a fucking blue whale spawns from their captains back.

>>3768670
oh, yeah thats neat too. though a bit less unique id personally say, but not a bad idea at all either.

(The whale-on-whale scenario is just one of many such events that could happen in the Fleshscape that overshoot horror into pure absurdity, like two Gluttonous NPCs that ran afoul of each other only for their combat to more closely resemble an aggressive make-out session than any respectable melee.)

>>3768680
(Which recently happened behind the scenes, mind you.)

>>3768680
>like two Gluttonous NPCs that ran afoul of each other only for their combat to more closely resemble an aggressive make-out session than any respectable melee.)
pfft, hah.
i hate that after a fruitless fight, im just imaging them both laying near eachother til one of them finally says to the other "was it as good for you as it was me?".

>>3768680
Could we get an account from like a third person looking into the fight at some point

Because it sounds hillarious

>>3768675
Maybe I'll give her a whale-based Unnatural Predator lieutenant. One of the protagonists I'm working on is an eel-based Unnatural Predator, they could have sea monster fights while the rest of the party swashbuckle atop the spider-ship.

>>3768686
>>3768691
>>3768690
>Bystander #1: "how long will it take for them to stop eating each other?"
>Bystander #2: "I'd say 15 minutes, give or take, depends on how each one finds the other tasty. Aand. they've actually started making out."
>Bystander #1: "Goddammit Karla. Can you really tell?"
>Bystander #3: "USE THE TONGUE KARLA, THE TONGUE IS KEY!"

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>>3768703
>"and that, sweety, is how i met your mother."
>"i did not need to know any of that mothers, not at all."

have we gone too far? i think we have gone too far.

>>3768690
>>3768691
>>3768703
(Ha, I may actually make that the first side story thread, or a separate post.)

>>3768692
(This sounds utterly fantastic, I'm grinning like an idiot over the thought of it.)

>>3768703
And Karla has no idea whether her friend meant to use her spiked tentacle-tongue or just that she's supposed to french the other girl. It's hard, being a cannibalistic lesbian mouth-monster. It's hard, and nobody understands.

>>3768711
We've veered too far into absurd territory. But the tangent line of thoughts that led to this is hilarious.

>>3768711
It is utterly hilarious but i think we should steer back into calmer waters where logic and not fantasy rule

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>>3768713
godamnit Anons hows a person supposed to write a serious life threatening siege with this nonsense going on? good show though.

>>3768716
probably best yes, though to be fair, if you look at the votes while theres minor details that matter not all agree on, the overall idea everyone does, so usually when that happens it leaves little to discuss opening the gateways like this. just the natural flow of things.

>>3768686
If it's too much to ask, How did it end? Logic dictates that the larger glutton wins, but the absurdity and possibility that the fight would end in a draw due to them going from eating each other out to "eating each other out" is hilarious. Okay I'll stop for real this time.

>>3768675

Joy's of sneak posting at work. I missed it. My apologies Anon.

>>3768731
its no issue. hope works not too terrible on you aswell.

>>3768726
wonder how many groups and relationships do form though from fights that lead nowhere but possibly respect for the others skills? seems like it would be a hard thing to have happen, but who really knows.

>>3768726
(Oh, it absolutely ended in a draw. They're currently traveling together, and you may run into them depending on where you go.)

>>3768753
>mfw when your jokes might not be jokes.
well, i hope they're happy together. i kid. or well, i think im kidding, as so far it turns out ive not been entirely wrong so far. another thing to certainly look forward to... OOC at least.

(Back home and writing now, Gentlemen.)

>>3768568
>Luna Bonney
Right, gotten around to reading her sheet. So she's the Moon Rabbit, embracing all the madness themes of lunar symbolism. Sounds like she'd be really spooky to fight. Hell, just to encounter.

(To set some expectations, Gentlemen; I've been helping a friend deal with some personal matters this evening, and have been away from my computer. I'm working as fast as I can on the next update, and I intend to push out at least one more before the close of this evening. If time permits for all involved I shall attempt to do an evening of rapid-posting tomorrow night instead, and my sincerest apologies for the lack of communication regarding this matter. I hope your evening is going well, and thank you for bearing with me.)

>>3768996
Tend to your IRL social links Bhop. That takes precedence over this. We can wait while you deal with your friend's personal matters.

>>3768996
whoa man, hey if you're friend needs some help, help your friend. this can come later. dont feel rushed to get the update done either, take your time with it. if it needs to wait, it can wait.

perfectly fine with doing Rapid-posting tomorrow, but dont feel obligated to force it either.

>>3768996
Oh my, I hope your friend is alright. Go, help them with their issues, we are more than capable of waiting. No need to apologize.

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>>3768502

"Alright...I appreciate your honesty." You finally say, deliberately holstering the Contender as you watch a little bit of tension ease out of Ivey's muscular shoulders. "Thanks for your time and the coordinates...and I'll be discussing Yurei's offer with my team."

Ivey seems rather pleased with your verdict, and it's shortly after she's given you a Relic fragment with Yurei's home coordinates Neuromantically encoded on it that she finally addresses Alpha directly.

"And what say you, Alpha? Care to hear Yurei out in person?"

"Hey, what you call a British duck?" The younger woman retorts, catching Ivey off-guard.

"Propaganda!" Alpha howls, keeling over and rolling about the tank as her laughter echoes across the Mophyton Wastes.

"...Okay." Ivey mutters, turning to you as her expression shifts to that of a woman who is completely, utterly done with the girl that's currently cackling at your feet. "Anyway, I appreciate you hearing us out, as sudden as all this was. Hope to see you around, Defiant."

Saying your goodbyes, you watch the Hyenas depart, both you and Dorian doing your damnedest to avoid looking directly at Ivey's backless pants. You promptly turn to Alpha, a question on your lips.

"Well? Plan to accept their offer?" You ask, her wide grey eyes darting over your features. "I'm unsure its the best solution, but so long as they don't force it on everyone more power to them."

"Everything is force." She replies suddenly, her chuckling coming to a abrupt halt. "You save some, damn others. Dreams kill dreams, to be made manifest."

Her eyes go wide at the same time yours do, and she's scowling as she begins angrily tugging at her hair with one hand.

"No no no, stop stop stop." She quickly mutters, smacking the side of her head with her fist. "Neuro...Phantas...szalona rozmowa, natrętny. Sorry sorry, please ignore. You saying?"

"I...so, do you mind telling me your plan 'A'? And why the 'Alpha' name? Just a play on your level of strength, or something else?" You ask after she calms down, and she just hops up and starts balancing on the length of the Metall Geschoss's barrel.

"I not like Alpha." She answers sullenly. "I am not the strongest or the first to wake, as they say I am. I am very sleep, and want to finish stupid Crucible."

"I see...is there anything you want to ask us? It'd be unfair to be the only one asking questions." You offer, and she just shakes her head, turning to you with a sad smile.

"No, but thank Shu. I ask very many question over a very long time, and many answer. Now no-one answer any more, so...it better I no ask question, yes?"

"...Would you like to come with us? To hunt?"

The question tumbles out of you before you can catch yourself, and the girl standing on the end of the turret just cocks her head at you, puzzled.

"I have a family to feed, so we're not just hunting for ourselves." You add. "You'd have a share, proportionally. Sorry, but I can't let the rest of my famil..."

(Continued)

>>3769081

"You are rare shoe, Shufriend." She says softly, suddenly and inexplicably right in front of you. You jerk back, and with a gentle gesture of Alpha's left hand you feel your armor freeze in place. Her hand has unraveled into a multitude of strings that lace around your form, pulling you back to safety atop the tank as she just giggles. "Careful careful. You are very cozy, and fit many feet. You very expensive, if Shu was shoe."

"T-thanks?" Comes your faltering reply, balance regained atop the tank as you stare into the infinite depths of 'A's eyes. "I don't think my girlfriend would like the fact I 'fit a lot of feet', but...yeah. So, do you want to team up for a while, or...?"

"No hunt for me, very full!" She declares, her warm, wistful tone now firmly back in silly territory as she leaps down from the helm. "Gluttonous eat Gluttonous eat Gluttonous, then you have Daughterducken. Much obese, so full. But you eat! You have much more to om nom! Me? I eat so very much, so tired of eating."

"Alright, then. Suit yourself." You sigh as she trots off into the dark. She pauses near the trunk of one of the colossal mushrooms, turning back to you with a grin.

"You hungry, there much bigger dinner south, out of mushrooms! Look for tall rock, then follow skinny path to sleeping thing. Very strong, even for me. I only get small bite before give up, but you? You make it full meal, I have faith."

"Thanks for the tip." You reply. "Hey, be safe, okay?"

"You no worry, I be seeing you again before all over." She calls back over her shoulder, and you watch as she disappears into the darkness of the fungal willows. "Bądź bezpieczny, Matko Wszystkich."

"Where to now?" November asks a few moments later, the Metall Geschoss rumbling back to life with you and Dorian sitting across from each other as you mull over the encounter.

"Somewhere a little safer for work, if you'd be so kind." Dorian mutters, massaging his temples with half-formed fingers. You take a moment to consider your options while you young man across from you tries to wash out his mind's eye, the thrumming of the tank's Forge Core engine rumbling through your feet and up through the teeth of your Ravenous Maw.

>>Continue hunting the Amalgam you saw earlier. Hopefully it's still busying itself with..egg-laying, maybe?

>>Head south to find the 'tall rock' Alpha described to you. It might've been more nonsense, but it's worth checking out.

>>Continue to meander through the wastes, fingers crossed that there are no more plot hooks dangling between you and a good meal.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, voting shall remain open for the next one and a half hours. I hope your evening is going well, and thanks for bearing with me while I was helping my friend. I appreciate it, and they're doing a little better, I believe.)

>>3769095
>>Head south to find the 'tall rock' Alpha described to you. It might've been more nonsense, but it's worth checking out.
we plan to do more than one hunt, but quality does matter. the small fry we saw probably doesn't have as many levels packed into them, from what we know about Amalgams. best take the best targets we know are around.

as for 'A' i sadly feel she may be on a path that could easily lead her to being an enemy, and ive learned better than to hope for a better outcome. alot of what she says could easily be seen as her leaning in either direction on that long term, but maybe, if possible, its a relationship and mind we can mend and set on a better path, but as of now i think shes seen some shit and is working through some shit, and that can easily not end well.

i also think this is less an actual, literally split personality, but i think she might be intentionally suppressing part of her personality. which no matter how this plays out with her, will be the biggest hurtle to overcome.

she also called us the mother of all. that is unnerving, and links back to things Uzus journal said, no? my best guess right now would be Shu is a copy of the basic 'life code' hidden inside the cord most likely, maybe coupled with fragmented bits of the personalities of past mothers. would need alot more info to know though for sure.

>>3769081
>"And what say you, Alpha? Care to hear Yurei out in person?"
>"Hey, what you call a British duck?" The younger woman retorts, catching Ivey off-guard.
>"Propaganda!" Alpha howls, keeling over and rolling about the tank as her laughter echoes across the Mophyton Wastes.
I am having the weirdest sense of deja vu right now. Not sure what that's about.

So A is not the earliest Daughter, but she has been awake very long. Possibly literally awake, and hasn't slept in nearly two years. That would explain her lack of lucidity. She's not insane, just severely sleep deprived.

>>3769095
>>Continue hunting the Amalgam you saw earlier. Hopefully it's still busying itself with..egg-laying, maybe?
I'd rather go after the confirmed find before we start after any big hunts.

Also.
>"Bądź bezpieczny, Matko Wszystkich."
Wait what? "Stay safe, The Mother of All"? You get right back here this moment and explain yourself, A. Don't you go implying some sort of prophetic role for Shu, that is an unkind thing to do in a language she doesn't speak.

>>3769131
id like to point out it is entirely possible that small fry doesn't even have enough levels to give one to each member of our family.

also we met 'A' while she was sleeping.

>>3769137
>id like to point out it is entirely possible that small fry doesn't even have enough levels to give one to each member of our family.
Maybe. I'd expect things in this area to be decently powerful and have good meat on that bone. Then again, we've also leapfrogged ahead a couple zones worth of progression between the Spiraling Fear and the Hexane Corpse Affair. It might not have a sufficient Challenge Rating to give us anything much. Give me a bit, I'll think about it.

>also we met 'A' while she was sleeping.
Sleeping, or just trying to rest her eyes for a bit? But yeah, I'm probably wrong, don't know why I forgot that bit.

>>3769137
(I will go ahead and say that any of your hunts will prove fruitful, and any foe you slay will grant you *at least* one level-up point per family member. I'm not so cruel as to skimp out on you like that, Gentlemen.)

>>3769145
>>3769143
fair, but so far we still have strong reason to believe size and hints at strength leads to bigger rewards, an boy, do we need bigger rewards. if we know of a better quality target, its best to take it.

>>3769095
>Head south to find the 'tall rock' Alpha described to you. It might've been more nonsense, but it's worth checking out.

>>3769131
>Wait what? "Stay safe, The Mother of All"? You get right back here this moment and explain yourself, A. Don't you go implying some sort of prophetic role for Shu, that is an unkind thing to do in a language she doesn't speak.

>Source Vein #27
>“Ha, you don’t hold anything back…though I’d expect nothing less of The Defiant, The Hunter of Gods. Oh, the titles you’ll hold."
>You'll
That tense phrasing implies Shu will get more titles in the future.

>'A' calling Shu "Mother of all" in Polish
Cassandra's in on it, "A" is in on it, Julia's artwork before joining our family was a statue of Shu with the title "Savior's Ascension", Mara's taken to try and give Shu as much street cred as she could, Even Bhop's in on it since the picture file that he posted with the Shu bees was named "God's Gift" of all things in Vein #27 when Shu gave Cassandra a Fuzzbuzz plush.

>>3769160
Yeah, but most of that can be placed on your typical human tendency to idolize the exceptional and the heroic. "Mother of All" is worrying to me because that was in Professor Uzu's journal, remember? "SHE WAKES, SHE FIGHTS, SHE ASCENDS. THE MOTHER OF ALL." The last thing that Professor Uzu transmitted to her Proxy, as she was...being assimilated into the Cord? Being overwhelmed by the knowledge she acquired from it? Something like that. There's a role that the Crucible expects *someone* to fill, and A using that same phrasing implies that she knows what that role is and thinks we're the one to fill it.

>>3769106
ah wait damn, i totally forgot to put in the 'not come with us' order to give her a gift if things ended peacefully. dang it, she would've loved it. ah well, hopefully the next time we meet her wont literally be 'its time to fight to the death over cord ascension' or something. that would suck.
dammit you polish meme loving fuck you're getting a polandball fuzzbuzz variant before this is all over and you are going to like it.

>>3769181
Oh, dang, you're right. We did forget that. Well, let's just say that she was weird enough that Shu was off her game and forgot, too.

>>3769181
>>3769192

Gah! gosh darn it! We forgot about the fuzzbuzz. The Poland Ball Variant would be memetastic indeed. Actually, make it a Fuzzbuzz carrying a Pollen Ball that looks like PolandBall.

Well it's not too late anon. We could always send a Poland Pollen ball bearing Fuzzbuzz to "A" and have it become her plush pillow. We've got unlimited Range. We can send it to her still.

>>3769196
That's true, send a FuzzBuzz off after her with a little note saying "Whoops, forgot to give this little guy to you. Enjoy!"

>>3769196
eh, feels too much like the right moment has passed. too impersonal to not do it in person.

and nah, im talking a big old fat round boi, a FuzzBuzz more orb than bee, even colored like polands flag if possible.

>>3769198
we can wait, make it up to her with a bigger, fluffier one next time. keep the personal face to face feel of the Fuzzbuzz gift going.

plus, to be fair, BHOP never did say she gave us our scout back...

>>3769200
Well, we met her and woke her up with a swarmling as our first greeting, so it's not that impersonal...

>>3769211
i disagree. plus, that was for a very different reason. we didn't want her to get ambushed and that was our best bet of waking her up in time. much different a scenario than gift giving, especially when we have kinda made Fuzzbuzzes into a symbol, not just a gift.

>>3769209
Oh. oooh....Lets modify that scoutling into a fluffy FuzzBuzz right in her hands! We have the ability to do that now right? as long as it's a swarmling with equal bio-cost, the cosmetic change should be worth it.

>>3769106
Bhop. did "A" give us back that scoutling? If she didn't I want to modify the scout-ling that she still has in her hands into a Fuzzbuzz bearing Poland's colors and making it round and squishy like Polandball.

>>3769214
(A cosmetic change is free and yes, she still has your scout. She never let go of it, after all, so if that's something you wish to do, you're more than welcome.)

>>3769214
>>3769217
and im gonna veto that. presentation matters, and i want to keep giving Fuzzbuzzes to something thats an actual moment of connection, not an afterthought from a mile away. it significantly cheapens the sentiment and point of it.

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>>3769095

[Spoiler] Home again home again jiggity jig.[/spoiler]

I like Alpha, a lot, may the fates fall where she can be a friend, if not family. That said, I trust her and checking out where she has sent us will help cement or unglue that.

I think that Alpha either ate a Tindalos and doesn't perceive time linearly, or is the gem in a similar but functionally different type of way than the West clones. Too many references to daughters in daughters, being full, etc. to be coincidence in my opinion.

We are playing high risk poker these days, and safe bets won't win us the pot. I vote:
>>Head south to find the 'tall rock' Alpha described to you. It might've been more nonsense, but it's worth checking out.

I unironically love that this is what we're focusing on. Everything else can wait, we've got fuzzy bees to give out. I like to imagine that this tradition is spreading outward from everyone we encounter, and that eventually it's going to get to the point where giving other people a small token made with your bio powers is just part of Daughter culture. Hive Mistresses give out swarmlings, Calcite Armorers tokens carved from bone, Neuromancers little neurotic crystals, etc. Nobody will know who started the tradition, it's just the sort of thing you do.

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>>3769220
Fair point. I have no objections to it. Well if we meet Poland meme girl we can transform the scoutling into Poland Ball FuzzBuzz.

>>3769223
I call your franken "Stein" with a Franken "Fran"

>>3769227
Eventually someone will try and track down the source of this tradition.

>>3769217
You know, this talk about tradition has left me wondering, Was it intentional that you had Shu wake up 2 years after Crucible's start? Because it seemed like you would've had a table and used dice to determine how much time would pass after the Crucible's start until Shu would wake up.

>>3769214
>>3769217

Going to also vote for this, because while it won't be as good as if we gifted it up close, comfort and knowing someone cares, even a little, in this hellscape goes a long way. She's already a little cracked, some warm gooey friendship honey may help hold things together.