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>>5125865
LEVEL UP!

You have become better still at politesse, melee combat, and have gained an understanding of (and aptitude for) warding magic.

When facing a matter where success is not guaranteed or terribly likely, failure has notable consequences, or I’d feel railroady making you fail or cheap forcing a success, I will roll dice: one d20 for each star next to that aptitude. If a couple apply, you will get a bonus d20 as well.

You also have an inherent bonus to disguise attempts when relevant, can use human magic items without your Reptilian race’s usual penalty, and you have a decreased difficulty to rolls wherein you fight an untrained opponent hand-to-hand due to martial arts training.

Having formed a symbiotic pact with the succubus Irinnile, you can also shapeshift (including to create wings or natural weapons), sense and influence emotions and even read surface-level thoughts or enter dreams, and you are seemingly immune to permanent injury as a result of fire and mundane weapons.

In general, DCs are 15, but disguise, magic item use, and favourable melees as discussed have DC 10. Thanks to Irinnile’s powers, you also currently have this reduced DC of 10 for nighttime or shadowy stealth checks, seduction rolls, and single-target illusion or mentalism checks.

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>>5125869
Your demonic powers are not without a price: Irinnile has a powerful sense of <WANT> at her core. Every time you use her powers or deny her something she desires, the <WANT> grows stronger, increasing the DC of rolls to control her impulses. Thanks to your soulbond, this isn't as risky as it once was... But could still result in complications. Your current level of <WANT> is DC 18.

Irinnile isn’t the only entity to whom you are bonded. Your deep affection for the human Edwin of Engel serves as powerful motivation. When working together, or striving to survive for his sake, the DC of rolls is decreased by 2! However, he does not know of your true nature as a subversive agent of society’s destruction… And there are risks inherent in a spy falling for her mark.

You have also gained a one-time invocation of your Dark Gods’ <DIVINE FAVOUR>, and access to their <AKASHIC RECORD> of their mortal agents’ past activities; the DC to access it varies depending upon how long ago the event took place, how far away it occurred, and whether you have a relevant focus.

You have acquired a number of items in your inventory, though you may not always have access to all of them: a protective magical cloak which guards against heat and cold, a magical diadem granting clarity and control when your perceptions are affected by outside sources, a hidden charm which suppresses your succubus partner’s demonic aura inside you, an enchanted dagger both frosty and fierce, a coin which can buy the safe transit of your soul… And, of course, the burning heart of a long-dead dragon and a rune-covered dodecahedral dwarven master stone

(Plus a bunch of other stuff, stowed at Edwin’s home or left in your bag back at the Gala out of expediency)

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>>5125872
“What now?” asks Alhazred, after you have both taken the time to catch your breath and savour to sweetness and safety.

You look to your fellow Degenerate Reptilian Infiltrator, and the feathered chimera-drake (named after your dead human father) Hirschel which sits perched upon his shoulder... And briefly note the weird canine chimera with tentacles sprouting from its back, which you have enthralled and brought with you but which you have not yet bothered to name. You two, and these animal companions, stand illuminated by moonlight and starlight, near a rocky bay just outside the limits of Hawksong.

Beneath the ground, in the caves you have just wormed your way out of, lurk a brainwashed owlbear and a massive, malformed Dragonborn spawned from the twisted science of man and the remains of the Great Green Dragon of old. They are too big to exit as you did, though you suspect they could smash their way free… But to what end? Where will they go?

Elsewhere, hidden in the city or evading Tower Inquisitors, a collection of powerful demons await your return, to lead them to the incubus-the so-called “greater demon”—under whose symbol and auspice you freed them and recruited their aid. You’re not sure how you feel about turning such infernal powers over to a being whose goals have, quite often, been at cross-purposes to yours and your masters’.

And, of course, Head Chimercist Henzler—a most dangerous and highly-placed mage—remains only TEMPORARILY in your thrall. You must meet with her, and ideally with your other Tower thralls, you reassert your psychic dominance over them. You can call upon them at your discretion, but you can’t put it off TOO long, lest one or more of them awaken from the waking dream to which you have consigned them. If they were to realize with clear minds who you are and what you have done, and had the free will to act against you… Disaster.

(You also promised the Dark Gods that you would end your human father’s bloodline for past sins against your people and their Great Green champion, and you left all your swag and your beloved boytoy back in town, so there’s also those matters to attend to.)

“What now?” is, indeed, a good question.

What do you do?
>Have Alhazred escort the Dragonborn, and take the valuable relics, back to the Serpent Priests in their subterranean complex—you must return to Hawksong and attend to urgent matter,s professional and/or personal
>You will personally deliver your spoils and reap the glory—you are going to free the Dragonborn from the caves and personally escort him to your people’s cave complex a few miles outside Hawksong
>You can neither leave the others to their own devices nor risk their exposure, but you have one or two matters you must handle before your party departs—you will hide the Dragonborn and your cache of relics and then make a brief stop off in Hawksong before traveling with them to the caves
>Write-in

>>5125875
>You can neither leave the others to their own devices nor risk their exposure, but you have one or two matters you must handle before your party departs—you will hide the Dragonborn and your cache of relics and then make a brief stop off in Hawksong before traveling with them to the caves
>Replenish some mana with Alhazred, but don't drain him too much.

Learning that ectoplasm trick, reinforcing the enthrallment, and getting our swag back from the Tower. After the immediate shit is taken care of, we'll witness the shock on the Serpent Priests' faces when we deliver the Dragonborn to them personally.

Firstly, take a bit of Alhazred's mana. I'm sure our wings will make quick work of our initial travel.

>>5125875
>>5125890
Unless Edwin took our bag that we left at the Gala with him, which would be a reasonable assumption. I'm not so much worried with Edwin having our bag as much as leaving it at the Tower for us to pick up later. I do think learning the ectoplasm trick and reinforcing the enthrallment should be our top priority before we run off to complete our mission.

>>5125875
>You can neither leave the others to their own devices nor risk their exposure, but you have one or two matters you must handle before your party departs—you will hide the Dragonborn and your cache of relics and then make a brief stop off in Hawksong before traveling with them to the caves
We need the time to meet Incubus, learn ectoplasm trick and poison Felman and Henzler. Do that ASAP, then let Roth know about Dragonborn, find Alhazred (he is a part of this too) and travel back to subterranean complex with them.
>Go back to Engel Manor and let Irinnile fuck the magic out of Edwin
A walk should be a breeze after what we've just went through.

>>5125908
Before I pass out myself, you do know the point of the ectoplasm trick was to avoid poisoning our enthralled Tower agents, especially the two most useful ones, right? Point of it was to have a bit of Irinnile in them to influence, monitor, and become a kill-switch if needed for our more secrecy-sensitive thralls. Besides, I didn't risk us getting mauled by Henzler just get her killed without even utilizing her fleshsculpting abilites to fix the Dragonborn, and that's not including the knowledge of how to build a similar mind-controlling collar that was keeping the Dragonborn enthralled and docile.

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>>5125949
I meant poisoning their MINDS, by injecting ectoplasm.

>>5125960
Oof, my bad. I guess my sleep-deprived brain got the better of me this time. We good.

Gonna pass out now.

>>5125875
>Have Alhazred escort the Dragonborn, and take the valuable relics, back to the Serpent Priests in their subterranean complex—you must return to Hawksong and attend to urgent matter,s professional and/or personal

All that stuff is gonna take a while. I don't think the dragonborn is gonna just wait around for that long. We can enthrall Al to give us all the credit in his report.

>>5125986
I would rather tell Roth to instruct some degenerates to bring him food, we will need just a couple days max to resolve the ectoplasming.

>>5126017
I'm not sure making the dragonborn and another operative wait around for days just so we can take care of personal business will be a good look for us, but ok.

>>5125875
>>You will personally deliver your spoils and reap the glory—you are going to free the Dragonborn from the caves and personally escort him to your people’s cave complex a few miles outside Hawksong

>>5126023
>Making sure that Tower's head Chimerist and Inquisitor we enthralled who know our real identity, goals, crimes and heritage don't break free to tell their higher-ups everything about us and the Reptilian efforts to infiltrate human capitol
>PERSONAL BUSINESS

>>5126099
Oh, is that the only thing we'll be doing? First thing mentioned in votes was learning the ectoplasm trick from the incubus.

Even if securing Henzler and company is all we do, we're still making a fellow infiltrator and the progeny of the green dragon waste time in hiding for days just so we can be there ourselves for the glory. If Alhazred asked the same of us, would you do it? Just throw a couple days away while he went off and did whatever?

I'm sure it'll work out anyway or RQM wouldn't have given it as an option, but it just seems so awful to me.

>>5126125
>We learn how to make Irinnile's ectoplasm
>We meet Felman and Henzler
>We spit it in their mouths like we did with the prince
That's all we need to do.
And in fairness, I'm not 100% against your vote, was just emphasizing that it is not personal business. I just hope we can get it done tomorrow and depart the next day. Breakneck speed cause both cases are urgent.
But yeah, personally I don't trust Alhazred to keep our budget dragon and owlbear under control just by himself. He doesn't have the skill and magic that Ismena has, hell - he isn't even immune to fire. Think about all the things that could go wrong when dragonborn roams the world and sees random travelers for the first time, given his temperament and how autistic he is.

>I'm sure it'll work out anyway or RQM wouldn't have given it as an option, but it just seems so awful to me.
He also gave an option to rob and mug our first client in the brothel which one shitter actually made Ismena do and to throw the dagger at crow that was our only lead to incubus RIGHT after we made a pact of nonviolence with said incubus.

>>5126125
>I'm sure it'll work out anyway or RQM wouldn't have given it as an option, but it just seems so awful to me.

>>5126150 has a point, QM is a bit of a shitter sometimes. :P

[But seriously: I don't guarantee any option presented is strategically optimal or without complication, ever]

>>5126339
Yeah, QM just listens to retards like myself when they say they crave to dagger the crow to annoy foxanon.

>>5126125
Honestly? I ain't aiming to wait for days, I'm aiming to try and learn this trick in an hour, then gather the mages when it's time for them to be off-duty from the Gala that they must be exhausted from. I doubt that this'll take to morning, let alone more than a day.

And I honestly just wanna see the Serpent Priests' faces personally after introducing them to the surprise that is the Dragonborn.

>>5126150
Again, I doubt that this'll take up the night, let alone the day. It's not like we just fucking around with our other mission objectives yet.

>>5126339
>implying these options are strategically optimized

I'm honestly voting for what I'd like to see, which is our thralls staying enthralled and seeing our superior's shock at bagging Big Boy here. The other shit can wait.

>>5126426
>the taste of foxanon's tears of impotent rage when other anons vote like the Dragonborn just to annoy the piss outta him

What could be sweeter?

>>5126515
>What could be sweeter?
Seeing fox anon's love for Edwin blossom!

>>5126518
Awww, that would be super sweet!

>>5126515
>gather the mages when it's time for them to be off-duty from the Gala that they must be exhausted from.

This is the part that I seriously doubt. After the mess we just caused the tower's gonna be busy cleaning up, the inquisition is gonna be busy investigating, I don't think it will be easy meeting up with all 4 discreetly. Henzler in particular is probably gonna catch a ton of shit as head chimericist, she'll be responsible for her part plus probably a portion of the demonologists part since we offed him.

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>>5125890
>>5125908
>>5125986
>>5126038
The idea of leaving your carefully-amassed pile of loot behind fills you with an almost draconic discomfort. Moreover, you feel a trained Infiltrator’s discomfort at leaving so many loose ends unattended, and so much to chance. You suppose you could send Alhazred ahead…

But then, what if he got the credit?

You could ensorcel him with mentalism, make of him just another thrall… But you get the feeling inflicting such a fate on a fellow Reptilian agent might be frowned upon, not least by Alahzred himself once freed. Besides…

‘Besides,’ Irinnile chimes in from her den deep within your inner self, ‘we’re WIPED.’

She isn’t wrong, you must admit. You are physical, mentally, and most fo all MAGICALLY exhausted.

<WANT: 18>

And you’re hungry. Or, more accurately… Well, horny with your soul-bonded succubus’ need to ‘feed’. Alhazred is looking mighty appetizing… But then, he also seems distinctly professional. Then again, Roth is practically your supervising agent, and, well…

‘Double dragon dick was niiiice,’ Irinnile drools. ‘Hey, you don’t suppose Big Boy Dragonborn down there…’

You shut down THAT line of thought immediately. Besides… There’s always Edwin. A small part of wonders where he is, how he is doing. This whole circumstances must have been… Startling, for an innocent like him, who merely wished to enjoy a night of dancing, dining, magic and martinis.

You have more pressing matters than Edwin’s emotional state, though. If you are going to
>hide the Dragonborn and your cache of relics and then make a brief stop off in Hawksong before traveling with them to the caves
Then you’re going to need to sort out some things.

>>5126870

Where will you hide the Dragonborn and your relics?
>The cave system seems fine—what are the chances of any mages venturing that deep into the extended cave system, when they usually seem to just dump their waste into the underground river network?
>Sneak them over to Goblintown—your half-orc identity, Zithra, has contact there who can probably hide them, for a fee or a favour
>Call upon the Incubus you recently aided to find them somewhere to hide, using its own criminal network
>Use an Engelson Company storehouse—they’re big enough to fit him, you have access at will, and some aren’t terribly frequented day-to-day
>Write-in

What do you plan to attend to in Hawksong? Each option selected could take a few hours—longer if things don’t go according to plan.
>Gathering your mage-thralls to re-establish and reinforce your psychic control
>Locate your bag and other valuables, and gather them for your journey
>Lead the demons to the Incubus and learn the ectoplasmic parasite trick that greater demon knows, as per your agreement
>Report back to Roth and Dame Albacete on your successes
>Pay Edwin a visit, to reassure him and/or yourself, and perhaps to sate some <WANT>

Do you attempt to seduce Alhazred before you leave?
>Yes
>No

>>5126873
>Call upon the Incubus you recently aided to find them somewhere to hide, using its own criminal network
I wouldn't have minded Goblintown, but I figured this will cut down on the time cost somewhat. If you lads don't want to utilize the Incubus' network, I don't mind dicking down Zi and having her help out.

Top priority
>Gathering your mage-thralls to re-establish and reinforce your psychic control
Would the Serpent Priest's staff help in this endeavor?
>Locate your bag and other valuables, and gather them for your journey
Mainly just getting the bag out of the Gala baggage holding.
>Learn the ectoplasmic parasite trick that greater demon knows, as per your agreement
We can guide the demons to the incubus later (though I would prefer to utilize them ourselves), but if we choose to use the Incubus' network, it shouldn't be too much of a time drain.

If possible (i.e., if we can make the time for it)
>Pay Edwin a visit, to reassure him and/or yourself, and perhaps to sate some <WANT>
Mainly because leaving unannounced after the Gala may worry him, and a quickie would help out WANT, though if needed we can forego this part if we run outta time.

>Yes
Only a quickie, and only because we need that mana to keep us energized.

Wouldn't be everyday that you get dicked by the Green Dragon's progeny, but that's probably best mused upon when we aren't so under the gun timewise.

>>5126873
>Use an Engelson Company storehouse—they’re big enough to fit him, you have access at will, and some aren’t terribly frequented day-to-day

We can mark it as closed for a bit even

>Gathering your mage-thralls to re-establish and reinforce your psychic control
>Pay Edwin a visit, to reassure him and/or yourself, and perhaps to sate some <WANT>
>No

>>5126873
>Call upon the Incubus you recently aided to find them somewhere to hide, using its own criminal network
Pocket dimensions go brrr. Maybe. Probably not.
>Gathering your mage-thralls to re-establish and reinforce your psychic control
Precaution and checkup. Then get them a next appointment...
>Lead the demons to the Incubus and learn the ectoplasmic parasite trick that greater demon knows, as per your agreement
For when we do this.
>Yes
Tell Alhazred we need this for energy refuel so we can tie the loose ends. Maybe he'll be eager to help the cause, who knows.
>Instruct him to report to Roth and wait for our signal when we're done with Henzler business and can free the Dragonborn
I'm sure he himself knows it would be suicidal if he went alone

>>5127029
>dicked by the Green Dragon's progeny
I imagine it would be more like fucking a retarded son of Arnold Schwarzenegger because you really loved Terminator
>I don't mind dicking down Zi
I don't mind Irinnile dicking down anybody, tbqh.
>Trying to get to edwin now
Anon please focus on the burning issues at hand first, then you can go fuck Edwin.

Rolled 15, 13, 5, 10 = 43 (4d20)

>>5127029
>>5127045
>>5127527

You think on it for a time, fidgeting slightly at the twinges Irinnile’s hunger-convulsions send through your abdomen and lower body. Eventually, however, you devise a plan of action.

“I have a contact in the humans’ city,” you begin your explanation to Alhazred. “An incubus, the one whose symbol of authority gave us a key advantage on the third floor of the Tower, the demonological research area. The Incubus will send someone to collect and protect the Great One and our treasures.”

“Mm,” vocalizes the male Degenerate. He doesn’t nod, and you sense skepticism. Even from an iconoclast with less-than-proper deference to the Serpent Priests, you sense hesitation about trust irreligious supernatural entities, such as demons, beyond what is necessary. Still, he doesn’t object.

“I have a pact with it,” you reassure him. “The contact known as ‘Roth’ knows. It cannot lie to or deceive me, nor reveal our conspiracy. It has also agreed to teach me a means of still greater control over those who I enthralled, so I may dominate them with greater efficacy, for longer. Si we may spy upon them, even execute them from afar if they become a liability.”

Alhazred nods slowly, then smiles ever so slightly, those dark eyes sparkling slightly with mirth at you having such powers at your beck and call. “Most impressive, Infiltrator.”

Damnit all, your loins are ON FIRE, and this oddly-handsome devil of a Degenerate isn’t helping any. You tamp Irinnile down, but she is practically foaming at the proverbial mouth. You had planned to pay a visit to Edwin to ‘deal’ with this desire… But you’re not so sure you can wait.

>>5127742

“You will report to our fellow Infiltrators and our contacts, and await my instructions,” you tell Alhazred. “I will regroup with you upon a signal, or come to find you at the Albacete home if possible.”

“Understood,” Alhazred says.

You lick your lips, wetting them slightly.

“There is one more thing,” you say, and Alhazred raises an eyebrow. “I am running low on mystic energy, to feed the demon within me now…”

>15

“…And I think you can help.”

Alhazred looks nervous for a moment—like he expects to suffer agonizing pain, even to die, if you get your clutches on him. He takes a step back as you advance.

“Please elaborate,” you requests.

“I prefer to show, rather than to tell,” you say with a sly smile, outpacing him and placing a hand a hand gently upon his chest, and another under his chin.

“I do not—Mmf!”

You cut off his objection with a long, lingering kiss. Alhazred’s body language is stiff, uncertain. His hands—strong hands, skilled hands, you’ve seen them in action!—hover above your side, not quite touching you. However, he doesn’t resist as your hands roam his body, lifting and removing clothes to reveal tanned, toned flesh… And more. Heavy green-grey scaling covers his chest in place of a male human’s chest hair, and runs down to his pubis.

He really is like you.

You kiss and lick your way down that strange, hybrid abdomen, savoring the sense of intimacy. One like you! You are trained to feel shame and revulsion, but now, you can only feel camaraderie… Well, and arousal. Despite his misgivings, your ministrations seem to elicit no shortage of the latter emotion in Alhazred as well, by the way his robes tent, by his heavy breathing. You free him from those robes, and yourself from your own.

Beneath starlight and moonlight, hands roaming his uneven patches of scale and skin as you do so, you take him amongst the grass and the rocks of the cliffs.

<WANT: 17>

‘Aww, come on, just a little bit more!’ Irinnile whines. ‘That was barely a quickie! He’ll last longer next round.’

As you don your golden dress and your blue cloak atop it, Alhazred watches. He is half-sitting, quiet, his expression confused but mollified by pleasure… And by his drained energy reserves.

‘Round two would leave him unconscious, or worse,’ you tell Irinnile. ‘We will visit Edwin soon.’

‘Eddie-boy, huh? Well, I guess that’s not SO bad then…’

Without further ado or a backward glance, you manifest Irinnile’s wings—thank the Dark Gods for open-back dresses!—and take to the night sky. Destination: Hawksong.

>>5127758

More specifically, you soon find yourself at your first stop: Inquisitor Felman’s small, humble abode. The stern-eyed, serious man is not home, alas… But perhaps that is to be expected, with the chaos you have plunged Hawksong into. You could go seek him out… But that might mean returning to the scene of the crime, such as it is, and so soon after your daring escape! The investigation will be in full swing—Henzler and the Magus Auctor your ensorcelled willlikely be there, too, as witnesses or in the investigation proper. So, too, the Tower Guardian you had dominated the night before…

‘Hey, whatever happened to that kid whose pet spider-monkey we stole?’ Irinnile asks.

Your eyes widen. The young male assistant who you brainwashed, impersonated, and briefly utilized the chimera of as a minion… Mayhew! Hr had been found out, and mages dispatched to see who had been controlling his actions… But you slee those investigating. He is an assistant of Henzler, so you can only hope nobody who is not ALSO enthralled knows of his own compromised status. One more mage to gather to you, either way.

What do you do?
>Shapeshift yourself and stealthily slip a message to one of your thralls at the Tower investigation to gather the others
>Wait here for Felman to return, so you can instruct him to gather the others
>You have no time to waste—head to the Incubus for now, and gather these minions later, once you have mastered the ‘ectoplasm trick’
>There’s no reason you can’t pay Edwin that visit while you wait…
>Write-in

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>>5127775
>Shapeshift yourself and stealthily slip a message to Felman at the Tower investigation, to stealthily bring the mages we enthralled on the outside.
With exception of Hezler, for now. Less heat.
>(If possible) Remove the death switch from him to ease his mental strain.
It wouldn't work now anyway, so just do it and asap.
And when the three have returned and met us in an inconspicuous spot, free of prying eyes:
>Remind Felman of our meeting at his house later, make sure he remembers to bring Hezler. Ask him to leave the mages to us.
We can even say we're sorry for mistreating him in the past if it will help to make him cooperate.
>Brutally fuck both mages to death in an alleyway and be done with it.
Let Irinnile have some fun. Leaving demonic traces shouldn't be a problem after what happened in the Tower tonight and with the demonology "experts" gone.

This should about do it and sate Irinnile for a bit.

I fucking knew leaving those fucks would come back to bite us in the ass, but everyone just wanted to leave and leave and leave and leave, so I didn't even try to deal with them directly and instead kept voting to let demons loose so they'd wipe floors 3-5. If they did that at least Mayhew would now be a distant dream to us and fuel to some spawn from hell.

>>5127775
>You have no time to waste—head to the Incubus for now, and gather these minions later, once you have mastered the ‘ectoplasm trick’

Don't have the time to be fucking around.

>>5127836
>wanting to guro two highly ranked mages right outside the Tower while leaving the most dangerous one unattended

Yea, I'd rather we just deal with the incubus first than attempt this piece of time wasting autism.

Don't really know what got you tweaking here lad, but trying to create guro porn with our permanent thralls (all 19/20 mentalism rolled) over some paranoid sperging just seems excessively wasteful at best, both of our time and as useful agents.

>>5127775
>>You have no time to waste—head to the Incubus for now, and gather these minions later, once you have mastered the ‘ectoplasm trick’

>>5127875
>Yea, I'd rather we just deal with the incubus first than attempt this piece of time wasting autism.
You must be genuinely retarded if you think that getting rid of those two and blaming it on demons is a bad idea, while you expect the Tower to just... let Mayhew go untested after he lost his monkey and acted suspicious while there's a real possibility of demonic possession floating about. Holyy shit.
>guro porn
Kindly make your way back to the previous threads where Irinnile fuck-shredded random dude to satiate her want. That's the most efficient way for her to recharge and we're currently 1 point from tipping her off.

>>5127775
>You have no time to waste—head to the Incubus for now, and gather these minions later, once you have mastered the ‘ectoplasm trick’

>>5127898
Considering Mayhew only remembers the visage of Pavlov's assistant, I don't think we're under any major threat if they find out about him and interrogate the man, which may not even happen on account of his direct superior being under our control, along with our other enthralled agents embedded within the Tower's investigating and supervising authorities. It's a problem that we should deal with, but killing them right now is excessive, because for all Mayhew knows we're probably a demon who broke outta Pavlov's torture dungeon.

Irinnile also made us eat the dude in an alleyway, and drain-shredding the bodies led to the Inquisition directly on our doorstep and in our personal business. No deathfucking, we can tell out thralls to get us a spare mana potion or two that they probably keep in stock somewhere instead.

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>>5127836
>>5127875
>>5127879
>>5128020
Time is wasting! You need to head to The Incubus’ lair in the lower-middle income area to the far end of town, and quickly. The ‘ectoplasm trick’—that is how you’ve taken to thinking of the useful ability of creating a semi-autonomous, parasitic glob of demonic energy to dwell within a host and monitor them on your behalf—is going to be eminently useful to prevent the discovery of what you’ve done in the Tower. The only other viable option you can think of is to—

‘~Fuck ‘em to death, fuck ‘em to death, make ‘em CREAM and make ‘em SCREAM~’

You try to ignore Irinnile’s morbid little diddy, and she giggles amusedly at your eye-roll.

…But yes, maybe that. Probably not that. The thought of doing… THAT again makes you:
>Uncomfortable—you’re a Reptilian, not a MONSTER
>A bit TOO turned-on
>Worried about Irinnile’s influence on your psyche
>Write-in

In addition to the ectoplasm trick, you also intend to rely on The Incubus and its connections to relocate and hide the Dragonborn and your stolen loot. For now, it all remains uncomfortably close to the Tower. Luckily, you:
>Rigged up some wards with your new warding magic, to silently warn you if the Tower approaches
>Set up magical traps with your warding magic to blind and dazzle any who approach
>Didn’t ward it, despite the possible advantages, because the threat of that magic being discovered offset the benefits to your mind

You reflect on these musings as you:
>Travel to the Incubus on-the-wing, for speed is of utmost importance
>Retract your wings back into your body and travel to The Incubus’ on foot, using stealth to avoid attention
>Mug someone for clothing and shift your shape, the better to travel unrecognized by any Inquisitors
>Write-in

Sorry for the short update, but these were a few parameters for your plans I wanted to nail down and I couldn't think how to stretch the paragraph parts out without purple prose.

>>5128552
>Worried about Irinnile’s influence on your psyche
Clearly eating that soul that desired death was a bad idea, it was like giving child some soda laced with cocaine like the good shit Coke used to be back in the good old days. Fun fact, Sigmund Freud used to give little bags of cocaine out as party gifts. I can only imagine that little Timmy had a fun time with this 'Miracle Medicine' at Freud's birthday.

>Rigged up some wards with your new warding magic, to silently warn you if the Tower approaches
Can't wait for this to give us a panic attack.

>Travel to the Incubus on-the-wing, for speed is of utmost importance
It's still night, right? It should remain decently stealthy for the most part.

>>5128552
>Uncomfortable—you’re a Reptilian, not a MONSTER
>Worried about Irinnile’s influence on your psyche

>Rigged up some wards with your new warding magic, to silently warn you if the Tower approaches

>Travel to the Incubus on-the-wing, for speed is of utmost importance

>>5128552
>Worried about Irinnile’s influence on your psyche

>Rigged up some wards with your new warding magic, to silently warn you if the Tower approaches

>Mug someone for clothing and shift your shape, the better to travel unrecognized by any Inquisitors

>>5128552
>A bit TOO turned-on
>Rigged up some wards with your new warding magic, to silently warn you if the Tower approaches
>Travel to the Incubus on-the-wing, for speed is of utmost importance

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>>5128593
>>5128723
>>5128803
>>5128905
It is still night-time, and will be for a few more hours—between Irinnile’s wings and your combined aptitude for shadowy stealth, you ought to be fine to sail clear over the heads of Tower Inquisition bloodhounds with their proverbial nose to the ground. How many people really look UP when investigating crimes? Besides, time is of the essence, and traveling ‘as the crow flies’ is faster.

Granted, with the wards you set up to alert you to any Tower agents approaching the Dragonborn’s hiding place, you are less worried than you might otherwise be… But still, brief as the flight is, anxiety nips at your heels the whole way. You cannot help but feel… Unsettled… By Irinnile’s glee in erotic carnage. Is it just the high level at which her <WANT> has been hovering? The consumption of the burned mage-girl’s soul?

…Is it affecting you?

‘Lispy,’ Irinnile murmurs quietly, ‘you know you can’t veil your thoughts from me or nothin’ like that, right? We’re both knocking a round in this hot bod of yours.’

You don’t reply. You’re not sure how to do so yet, or what to say. Luckily, a distraction presents itself: a crow.

Yes, it seems ‘as the crow flies’ was an aptitude metaphor, for a crow—well, one of those strange local corvids which the incubus you once called Devil-Zivic seems fit to animate and use as spies-in-the-sky—has found you. It now flies alongside you, guiding you down to a hidden alcoves amongst winding, ill-planned streets—a dead-end in a series of side-streets and alleys where two buildings of vastly different eras and ages butt up against one another and create a private wedge. It is a prefect place to inconspicuously make landfall.

You land, and awkwardly fold up your wings beneath your cloak. They remain heavy under the cloth, uncomfortable, and they throw off your centre of balance… But they would be useful in the event you need to make a quick escape. You don’t anticipate that need, though: you made a fairly solid (and surprisingly one-sided) pact with this Not-Zivic—this Incubus, this greater demon—when last you paid it a visit. It cannot lie to you, deceive you, not even misrepresent you. It cannot reveal the nature of the Reptilian Conspiracy to anyone.

‘And the bastard’s gonna’ teach us how to hock a mean loogie that can control and spy on people,’ Irinnile adds, with forced cheer, as if to remind you she is still here, still on your side, and still thinks about things other than sex-murder. You can sense her nervousness about your own concerns

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Rolled 3, 16, 4, 19, 18, 13, 8, 17, 4, 12 = 114 (10d20)

>>5129198

The awkwardness is interrupted yet again, however, by the appearance of another. At first, you take the slim, slight figure for the tattooed waif who served as your doorman last time you were here—even in an unseasonable jacket, they are too small and slight to be the demonic giant you saw before! When the corvid flutters to them and a tattooed hand reaches out to accept it lighting upon a wrist, you believe you are right…

But then the bird who guided you to this place goes stiff, then limp, and topples over; it is dead, or returned to death. The waif pulls back her hood, and you see a face without eyes or mouth—with only shifting, tattooed facsimiles of such features, moving across a face that is entirely skin.

‘How do you like my new outfit?’ The Incubus asks, in a voice without sound. ‘I don’t mean the robes, of course. They’re nothing special. But this girl…’

‘Hey!’ Irinnile snaps. ‘There’s only room for one voice in hotstuff’s head!’

‘And here I thought succubi LIKED cozying up to greater powers… Like a tick. Like a leach.’

Irinnile seethes, gnashing her teeth in the theatre of your mind. You pull back your own hood.

“I am here to make good on our pact,” you announce.

The Incubus tattoos form an puckered ‘o’ of mock-surprise with black lips, spreading into a cat-like grin of jagged black lines.

‘I know,’ it says. ‘I’ve been watching you. Obviously.’

“Obviousssly,” you agree, without humour.

‘You didn’t yet bring me my demon playmates,’ The Incubus notes.

“But I gave you Princce Rufosss,” you point out.

‘Hmmmhmhm, yes,’ The Incubus laughs happily, tilting its head as its attention drifts… Elsewhere. Perhaps to the fragment of its ectoplasm dwelling within the Prince of Hawksong.

“The demonss, I will guide to you ssoon enough—but first, I need ssomething more from you.”

The Incubus creates eyebrows of black-and-blue ink to lift in surprise over exaggerated eye-spots.

“I have liberated more than demonss,” you begin, and then you explain—in succinct detail—the acquisition of a dragon-hybrid chimera of great size and greater importance, and several other relics, hidden in a bayside cave.

‘And you wish for me to hide these treasures away from prying eyes?’ The Incubus asks. ‘I can do that, I suppose… But it’s a lot of faith to put in little old me, is it not? Given our history, and your misgivings? Why not use some of those Engelson Storehouse Company resources’

You say nothing.

‘Am I THAT good a kisser?’ the Incubus teases, the tattooed grin returning, and then the puckered lips again.

“Well, speaking of the ‘kissss’, there ISS one other things you can do for me,” you say, stepping forward with a serious expression. “You owe me lessssonss.”

The incubus laughs--a booming sound that reverberates through your bones and blood-vessels without ever touching your ear.

'Very well. Pucker up, little snake.'

>>5125175
>>These are our demons, not the incubus'.
>Incubus is now asking where the fuck are his demons.
Thank fuck some of us want to actually keep our end of the bargain despite initial distrust!
But if he starts acting like an unhinged freak, I'll make sure we put him 6ft under hell before he goes ballistic.

>>5129203
[6d20 for arcane/occult study, 4d20 mystery dice]

The Incubus leads you up a series of winding and circuitous stairways and across balconies and belfries. At one window, it stops, motioning for you to wait and then removing a wooden box from behind some collapsed brickwork to serve as a stepping stool. It hops up, and knocks upon the warped and discoloured glass pane. A moment later, the window opens, and The Incubus hops inside. You start to follow the demon's lead, but instead a pair of large, strong hands—human hands, at least—take your own and help haul you in through the unconventional entry-point.

‘Hey, wait… Don’t we recognize this place?’ Irinnile asks, as you are lifted up by your hips and set gently down.

Indeed, it is the same smokey, dimly lit room of pillows and hanging fabrics where you met The Incubus before… But that isn’t all you reocgnize. The… Man? Woman? The androgynous human who helped you inside now steps back and bows their head deferentially, and you recognize a shadow of the massive and ambiguously-gendered form which The Incubus assumed when last you were here.

‘There are so, so many ambitions to feed, and wishes to grant, for a philanthropist like me,’ says The Incubus, taking notice of your scrutiny from atop its throne of cushions, in its waifish form. ‘But I forget myself! You are a busy lizard-girl, and you have places to be. Come here, and let me grant a wish of yours…’

>18

To your surprise, the next few hours really do feel like a lesson. The large, androgynous human steps outside, you settle in amongst the cushions, and The Incubus explains the theory, and the practice, behind the partitioning of the self. It reminds you a lot of lessons about emotional and mental comparmentalization which were drilled into you as a young Infiltrator-in-training, albeit altogether more literal. With mental discipline, meditation, and a series of gestures meant to evoke demonic circles and seals in the air around you, you can take a portion of yourself—well, Irinnile’s self, for splitting a mortal soul would be potentially disastrous—and give it limited autonomy, placings it inside another.

>ACQUIRED: Ectoplasmic Puppeteering

‘My, but you ARE a quick study, aren’t you?’ comments The Incubus. ‘So much DRIVE in you. I truly do admire it…’

‘Back off, bitch,’ Irinnile hisses jealously.

The Incubus just laughs again. You resist the urge to wince at the sound.

‘Now,’ the greater demon says, reaching with outstreched arms and, to your comfort, manifesting true lips and tongue upon its host’s face once more, “shall we conclude our business by sealing this new pact? You bring me my new demon friends from the Tower, I give sanctuary to your dragon and your hoard?”

>>5129228
Do you accept the deal? It would mean delaying other plans, most likely, to attend to this enigmatic and unsettling entity’s own recruitment efforts…
>Yes
>No
>Yes, but request a delay in your end of the bargain
>Modify the deal
>Attack the incubus
>Write-in

>>5129230
>Yes

>>5129230
>Say he's a good teach, but what's with that skin face?
>Ask if he has a burner place where we can send the demons and from where his thralls can pick them up
Won't hurt to be safe.
>Yes
But tell him we need to try out his trick out before we gather the hellspawn. There are some loose ends we need to tie with ectoplasm just to be sure.

Also QM, can we appoint Siz-Gamid and/or Yemrep to this find the surviving fiends from last night and give them the address?

>>Attack the incubus
Toss dagger at the crow! Toss dagger at the crow!

>>5129333
>appointing Siz-Gamid or Yemrep

[You'd need to find Siz-Gamid to appoint it/her to do anything, first, and Siz doesn't actually need to listen to you... But may. Yemrep, sure, but he'd probably need a vague idea of where to start looking.]

>vote to attack
[Should I take this as tongue-in-cheek?]

>>5129418
Really should've told them to stick together.

Adding these to my (>>5129333) vote:
>Send Yemrel to find Siz-Gamid
If he needs directions, tell him how she looks and that she can turn into a giant frog, so... check ponds? Sewers? Muddy areas?
>Tell him to be on a lookout for new/weakened demons on his way
Just note their presence and how they look. They might just be our targets.

As for Siz, even if she won't directly help, we can ask her about the demons. As an ex-guard, she should have some idea who was kept in there and remember which of them survived and escaped.

>[Tongue-in-cheek]
Sorry RQM, I signed a demonic NDA to not say this until foxanon has started panicking.

>>5129230
>Modify the deal
If I give you some friends, you must give me some as well. Add shared custody of the demons and the Prince and we good.

If he decides to take the modified deal
>Yes, but request a delay in your end of the bargain
We have important pressing matters that requires our attention, at least until they're resolved. I don't want our thralls to go rogue on us.

>>5129333
>decides to toss the dagger
>experience blind panic

REEEEEEEEE-

>>5129860
>>5129252
>>5129333
You nod, and approach warily. The Incubus embraces you, pulling you into a waifish but decidedly female body with an iron grasp that would not be out of place amongst the Tower’s owlbears. You almost yelp at the suddenness of it, but any such cry is muffled by the incubus’ lips on yours—no handshake pacts here it seems. You consulse slightly at the sensation of an invasive tongue, but those damnable steel-strong hands hold you tight.

Finally, you are released. You stumble back, gasping, while The Incubus merely smiles demurely, lips fading away and smoothing out into patterned skin once more.

‘Mmm,” The Incubus murmurs, a tattoo of a licking tomgue flitting across its features. ‘Is that a human soul I taste? My, you HAVE been embracing this avenue to power…’

‘WE have been, yeah,’ Irinnile huffs.

“We will bring you your demonss, in exxchange for keeping the Dragonborn and my alliess and itemss in ssafety and sssecreccy.”

‘The pact is sealed,’ the greater demon agrees.

“However,” you amend, “it may take ssome time.”

‘Oh?’

“I have ssome loose ends to tie up, for both our sssakess.”

‘Hence learning how to puppeteer a mortal with your demon’s essence,’ The Incubus infers, stroking its chin.

You don’t’ bother to confirm or deny it.

‘Well, just don’t get caught!’ it says, clapping inked hands together before a face swirling with beautiful waves of green and black in strange, hypnotic patterns.

“I will need ssomewhere to bring them, too,” you say. “Perhapsss ot your main base of oeprationss, jusst in casse?”

‘Smart girl,’ The Incubus agrees. ‘I have an aspirant with an old home just outside of Hawksong… An abandoned farming estate, from when this city was smaller and drew tributes from nearer by. The barn will hide your draconic friend nicely. The home will serve as gathering place.’

It sounds sensible enough. You turn to leave, and to set forth on your mission… But then you stop short and turn around.

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>>5130020
‘Yes?’ asks the Incubus, as if awaiting the question.

“Why the ssskin face?” you ask. It’s been bothering you—is that its only point? To bother, to unnerve?

‘This poor girl wanted to disappear all her life… To hide human imperfections under layers of pigment, under the beauty of art. She hates her face. Her sex. She wants nothing more than to be… Purified. Beautiful. A living tapestry, into which her self-loathing could just… Disappear.’

The Incubus stands, slipping from clothing as easily as a snake slipping from its skin. It reveals a body devoid of nipples, genitals, of hair. Smooth… And every inch covered in shifting, roaming patterns and images.

‘I grant wishes,’ The Incubus explains, its voice quaking the room even as it whispers. ‘I make dreams come true.’

“I… Sssee.”

Without further ado, you take your take. Only when you step outside, into the piercing light of dawn, do you realize you had been holding your breath. You release it, shuddering.

‘Fuck… Lispy, when did Devil-Zivic or whatever-the-hell get so STRONG?’
‘Stronger still,’ you say with deep ambivalence, ‘when we bring it a small army.’

‘But the pact’s sealed,’ Irinnile sighs.

And so it is… But you negotiated a delay in meeting your end of the bargain, and for an important reason. You have some thralls to inject with demon-drool, and without delay. Though one thing you learned is that performing the so-called ‘ectoplasm trick’ many times in rapid succession will be very draining for your pet succubus…

What do you do?
>Lay low near Felman’s home, and wait for him to return from his work to test the ectoplasm trick on him
>Seek out Henzler—your control over her is the loosest, and she is the most dangerous, and you only need to get her alone for a moment to take proper control with this new ability
>Find the Magus Auctor you enthralled, and sue his authority to detain the others and gather them together
>Track down weak little Mayhew and eat him up—he is the least valuable, likely the least protected, and his lusts and soul will feed your <WANT> so that you can more effectively enthrall the others
>Write-in

>>5130027
>Seek out Henzler—your control over her is the loosest, and she is the most dangerous, and you only need to get her alone for a moment to take proper control with this new ability

We'll bang her for more juice after we ensure our control over her.

As it relates to the incubus, I'm not that worried about it. He may control a personal underworld fiefdom within Hawksong, but he's going to start encountering bigger problems only our influence with the Tower can solve, which puts us in a position of influence to leverage more power outta him. Meanwhile, we can expand our own powerbase in the meantime while the Incubus and the Hawksong Authorities duke it out. Shame it's near the end of this quest, becoming the Underworld Queen of Hawksong would've been rad.

>>5130027
>Track down weak little Mayhew and eat him up—he is the least valuable, likely the least protected, and his lusts and soul will feed your <WANT> so that you can more effectively enthrall the others

>>5130027
>Seek out Henzler—your control over her is the loosest, and she is the most dangerous, and you only need to get her alone for a moment to take proper control with this new ability
First
>Track down weak little Mayhew and eat him up—he is the least valuable, likely the least protected, and his lusts and soul will feed your <WANT> so that you can more effectively enthrall the others
Second

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>>5130048
>>5130131
>>5130318
Head Chimericist Henzler is your main priority. Your control over her was tenuous, temporary, not as complete or as deep as that of your other thralls, and she is most likely to face close scrutiny for the devastating losses her floor suffered. You instructed her to pin much of the blame on her late colleague, the Head Demonologist Pavlov, from whose laboratories escaped the very demons you’ve been tasked with retrieving… But the fourth floor was also where you found the reliquary which contained the city’s dwarven master stone, and their plans for a new defence project. Under close questioning, you fear she will draw suspicion, and warrant a mystical scan for outside influence.

You sail on your devil-wings into the Initiates’ Village, home to the Tower’s student body and staff. There, you land once more, and are forced to abandon those wings to better blend in. After all, you do not know where Henzler makes her residence. You do not know if she has an office besides that found on the fourth basement level of the Tower. You have nowhere else to look for her later. If she is your first priority, you will have to find her at the scene of the crime, amongst the investigators.

Unfortunately, you don’t see her right away. She would stand out like a sore thumb—she was wearing no pointed cap when last you saw her, revealing her distinctive white-fringed reddish hair to all the world. Dread sets in—what if she’s already being questioned? What if you are already being found out? Luckily, one of your other thralls provides a possible solution: Finlay Lithobathius, Tower Guardian.

‘Oh yeah, the fat guy we brainwashed on that scouting mission… Right?’

Irinnile is correct. You recognize the rotund agent of the Tower Guard and his creeping, beholder-eyed spider-chimera scanning the area as the same ones you defeated and enthralled two nights prior, when you were preparing for the Tower Gala. His blue hat stands out amongst the sea of red-hatted Tower agents—Inquisitors. It is an easy thing to beckon his attention from across the street, instantly commanding his loyal attentions. Your control f this one, at least, holds.

“Tower Guardian Lithobathiuss,” you greet him. “What iss the newssss?”

Lithobathius’ face is blank of emotion as he explains his understand, which you take to be the common understanding among most or all Tower agents: the Tower Gala was attacked by some sort of insurrectionists or enemy agents, perhaps of an occult nature. They struck at the Endless Fountain with explosives to draw attention away from their main activity, and to incite distracting panic. They then snuck into the Tower’s research facilities to destroy valuable items of research, killing some Tower operatives.

‘I mean, that’s pretty much right, ain’t it?’ Irinnile asks.

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>>5130497

‘I mean, that’s pretty much right, ain’t it?’ Irinnile asks.

It is, but what really troubles you is what Lithobathius says next:

“Tower Guardians saw a number of foreign-looking individuals among servers and staff—human, but dark complexions, from the Southlands. It would make sense, with all the demonism down there amongst their mages and royal families…”

So someone DID take note of Alhazred and his fellow dark-skinned Deegnerates, even if (luckily) they did not peg them as Reptilian. IT’s a good thing he is out of town, you suppose. And nobody—at least, nobody at Lithobathius’ level—seems to have any idea that you were involved as well. Perhaps you can use this…

“Where isss the Head Chimericissst?” you ask, getting back on-mission.

“I cannot say,” he says, and you know the enthralled man speaks true, “but the higher-ups are having a meeting near the top of the Tower, under guard, including some I’ve heard were present on the lower levels…”

‘Aw shit, how are we supposed ta’ get to her all the way up there, past all the security?’ Irinnile whines, as you both look up at the top of the ivory-coloured stonework of the great, pointed spire that is The Hawksong Mages’ Tower.

What do you do?
>Move onto Mayhew—another easy mark
>Lurk around the area, waiting to ambush Henzler when she emerges
>Test the ectoplasm trick on Lithobathius, and then have him lead you up the Tower to where Henzler and the higher-ups are meeting
>Use Lithobathius to spread suspicion of Southern demonologists as the true culprit, and to otherwise contaminate the investigation
>Use the mage’s ‘bespider’ familiar to spy upon Henzler’s meeting
>Write-in

>>5130500
>Test the ectoplasm trick on Lithobathius, and then have him lead you up the Tower to where Henzler and the higher-ups are meeting
>Use Lithobathius to spread suspicion of Southern demonologists as the true culprit, and to otherwise contaminate the investigation
>Use the mage’s ‘bespider’ familiar to spy upon Henzler’s meeting

Might as well be nearby in case this goes tits up.

>>5130500
>Use Lithobathius to spread suspicion of Southern demonologists as the true culprit, and to otherwise contaminate the investigation
>Use the mage’s ‘bespider’ familiar to spy upon Henzler’s meeting

>>5130500
>Use Lithobathius to spread suspicion of Southern demonologists as the true culprit, and to otherwise contaminate the investigation
But tell him to not go too hard so he doesn't draw attention to himself.
>Ask if he knows where Head Chimerist lives
Ignore this if she's a basement dweller. Think that either she or Pavlov lived at their workplace, right? I just wanna make sure.
>Ask Lithobatgius if he ever used his familiar to spy on people
Find out if he knows any safe access or spot to take, so we don't risk bespider getting caught peeking on what's definitely a high-security meeting.
>Use the mage’s ‘bespider’ familiar to spy upon Henzler’s meeting
Try to scope how long will this take and keep an eye on her mental state.

Hopefully we can catch her after she leaves. Hell, if she lives somewhere in the city, we could ask Felman to escort or "guard" her at her home as an inquisitor. Just an idea.

>>5130500
>>Use Lithobathius to spread suspicion of Southern demonologists as the true culprit, and to otherwise contaminate the investigation
>>Use the mage’s ‘bespider’ familiar to spy upon Henzler’s meeting

[I will post tonight, but later -- I am visiting with my family out of town.]

>>5130500
>Test the ectoplasm trick on Lithobathius, and use him to spread suspicion of Southern demonologists as the true culprit, and to otherwise contaminate the investigation
>Use the mage’s ‘bespider’ familiar to spy upon Henzler’s meeting
>Make sure we send the imp to warn Roth to extract the other Tower operatives before the Tower starts to investigate these rumors.

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>>5130637
>>5130587
>>5130535
>>5131542
>>5130663

You need to know what is going on in the Tower meeting—what state Henzler is in, what they know what they think they know—and Lithobathius and his familiar are perfect to acquire this info. But first, there is one other function he can serve: test subject.

“Come here,” you instruct and, of course, he does. Lithobathius is your thrall, your puppet, your creature.

He is also one proper, thorough magical scan away from his liberation and your exposure. No longer! You cup his face and, as The Incubus showed you—as you did on its behalf to Hawksong’s dilettante prince—you kiss him and delivery a payload of brackish, demonic essence from your gut—from the dark recesses of your metaphysical innards, where Irinnile dwells.

‘Ugh, oh fffuck, I don’t like THAT at all.’

You can’t say you do, either, feeling the sympathetic reverberations of Irinnile’s discomfort through your soulbond. It is like the opposite of feeding—like vomiting, purging, forcibly emptying yourself. Your mouth and throat are raw. You feel… Emptier. Hungrier.

‘Hornier but… In a bad way?’

Irnnile hits the nail on the head. You feel your dark passenger’s need to feel intently, but without excitement or desire, like a starving woman needs food without thinking of flavour.

“Do you have a mana potion?” you ask Lithobathius.

At first, dry-heaving on the ground, he is of little help. He is rolling his body and gagging as if trying to eject the foreign presence. His familiar, clinging to the wall, twitches and writhes, then falls down upon its back…

And then, Lithobathius slumps, and forces himself to his feet… And roduces a potion.

“Good boy,” you mutter, your sexually-charged banter half-hearted at best as you swig it. It calms the churning emptiness inside, but doesn’t wholly fill it.

<WANT: 18>

Now, though, Lithobathius is within your control, by a means more complex, les detectable, and altogether more diabolical… And through him, his ‘bespider’ also.

“Go, ssew ssome discord and doubt. Make sure nobody ssuspectss that it wass NOT Ssouthern Demonologisstss. Invent ssome evidence if you musst. Lie about what you have ssseen.”

Lithobathius blinks a few times, but nods.

“Of course,” he says. “Was it not? You know you can’t trust their mages. They speak t the dead, worship devils. Thank you for the tip.”

He accepts your assertion not as one mindlessly puppeteered, but as if the assertion came from a trusted source, or from within—his own intuition. He geos forth to do you bidding, and is glad fo it.

‘Almost makes the hunger-pains worth it,’ Irinnile gripes sarcastically.

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>>5131685
‘Yes,’ you agree, more seriously, watching him go. Then, you turn to his familiar, and it really does feel all worth it…

Because by focusing upon Lithobathius, and the part of Irinnile inside of him, you can follow that channel to the connection he ahs with the bespider and see yourself through its one great central eye. You have a wall-crawling, all-seeing eye-spy, tethered to your own senses through this network of psychic and demonic control!

It, too, you send forth to do as you require.

The bespider climbs the tower with ease, even the sheer and smooth surfaces little trouble for its curious locomotion. It is not swift, though—not large enough to clamber quickly. Luckily, its small size which so impedes its speed also makes it difficult to notice or to identify, if one doesn’t know what one is looking for… Or so you hope.

Your theory seems plausible enough, for nobody who looks up seems to take notice of it or to alert those within the tower to its presence. You take up a hidden placement in a inconspicuous hideaway near the alley where you absconded with Lithobathius, sitting down and shutting your eyes to focus upon the remote manipulation of your new chimeric spy, as it finally reaches the uppermost floor of the tower and circles about it, seeking signs of a window hrough which one might listen in on a meeting.

“—unacceptable breach! And ‘unacceptable’ is putting it lightly!”

Well, that bellow sounds promising. You manoeuvre the bespider closer, setting it delicately below the window from which the sound emerges. You cannot peer inside—at least, you decide it may be a titch too risky to do so with so unnatural and obvious a minion—but you can certainly listen.

“I understand,” another man’s voice relies to the first. “But Archmage, sir, please—You must understand that our attentions were upon the Gala, and the guests thereof… As You instructed.”

“So you cannot simultaneously guard two places in a single building?” a third voice asks, condescendingly.

“Archmage,” the second voice says, not directly confronting the third but calling its owner out, “perhaps if the Head inquisitor was actually doing his job and rooting out demons and demonologists from the city, we would have fewer threats to guard AGAINST.”

“Oh, so you cannot defend a single building, but you deign to tell ME how to protect an entire CITY?”

>>5131690

“Southern demonists arriving from OUTSIDE the building, gathering together and planning such an attack… is that NOT an Inquisition matter?”

“Is keeping OUR Head Demonologist’s lab secret not YOUR purview, Praetor?”

“Yes,” the first voice, the Archmage, gravely intones. “Pavlov’s loss is a serious blow to countering this violence, also… And to mitigating our losses.”

“As well as to identifying and instituting countermeasures to the demons who are spread throughout Hawksong,” murmurs the Head Inquisitor.

The Praetor—the Head of the Tower Guardians, you assume?—scoffs. “You cannot even find a great green GOLIATH, let alone demons.”

“Head Chimericist,” the Archmage speaks up, “you have been remarkably quiet. Do you have anything to add on that front? Pavlov’s department was not the only one affected. Yours, and the Reliquarian’s… project. Those are major, MAJOR breaches. Have you determined anything of how it was done?”

“Or where the culprits WENT with such conspicuous cargo?” presses the Praetor.

There is a long pause, and then Henzler speaks up: “I… Do not know. I wish that I did.”

Two groans go up from the Head Inquisitor and the Praetor.

“That’s everything? That’s all? Damnit, woman, you are meant to have means to track down and UNDO these monsters!”

“I do have such,” she haughtily relies.

“And yet… They’re lost? Beyond you?” the Archmage inquires.

“I… They are, yes. I do not know how.”

“Are you quiet alright?” he asks. “Henzler, you are not your usual self.”

“A fair bit less competent,” the Praetor grumbles.

“I am… Shaken by the attack. By the scope of it,” Henzler replies, in unconvincing monotone. “So much lost… So many deaths.”

“You?” the Head Inquisitor asks. “Shaken?”

“And caring about your assistants?” the Praetor guffaws. “That’s a first!”

The Archmage says nothing… Nothing at all. And that, that worries you.

Finally, he speaks up: “Perhaps we all need rest. It ahs been a long night. You said you ahd checked all possible escape routes, yes, Henzler?”

“From my floor and Pavlov’s, yes.”

“Perhaps someone less. Shaken should do so.”

‘Aw hell,’ Irinnile says. ‘Lispy, what’s the play?’

What do you do?
>Send Yemrep to alert Alhazred that the Tower may be rechecking the underground caverns
>Trust in The Incubus to get them to safety, and your wards to trigger if the mages get anywhere near The Dragonborn before then, and acquire Henzler on her way out of the meeting
>Attempt to feed Henzler a convincing lie or diversion through your tenuous psychic connection [what?]
>Wait… These are a lot of important mages in one place. Using Henzler and the bespider’s abilities, attempt an assassination [specify which target(s)]
>Write-in

>>5131693
>Trust in The Incubus to get them to safety, and your wards to trigger if the mages get anywhere near The Dragonborn before then, and acquire Henzler on her way out of the meeting
>Attempt to feed Henzler a convincing lie or diversion through your tenuous psychic connection

What if we're looking at this all wrong? What if Pavlov staged all of this? The fountain distraction, the Southern infiltration, the multiple department breaches, his death? What if all of this is smokescreen for Pavlov's soul going rouge on us? I think we need to reexamine the Demonologist's lab, see if we missed anything that would go unnoticed by other mages hastily assessing the damage with an uncritical eye? (That Soul Coin may just have saved our asses in a unique way. We should have Felman find the discrepancy.)

This'll buy us the time the Incubus needs, and diverts suspicion to Pavlov and reinforces the Southern infiltration narrative.

>>5131693
>Send Yemrep to alert Alhazred and Incubus that the Tower may be rechecking the underground caverns
I trust Incubus, but giving them a heads up won't hurt.
If he ends up meeting with Incubus, can we throw in a question? I want Yemrep to ask whether ectoplasmed targets can wear amulets or be detected.
If it's really like our demonic possession, then amulets will burn them and others will be able to notice Irinnile's essence...
>Attempt to feed Henzler a convincing lie or diversion through your tenuous psychic connection
Tell her to act like she's genuinely tired at least. I don't know how to make a sudden empathy and personality change look normal.

We REALLY need to eat someone, anons.

>>5131803
+1 the tired bit, we can play it off as failed sarcasm.

>I want Yemrep to ask whether ectoplasmed targets can wear amulets or be detected.

I assume that would've came up during our lessons. Fake amulets should do the trick, and I can't imagine contractually-obligated incels being the touchy-feely sort.

I'm alright to skullfuck to death a suicidal nutjob or a nobody hobo, the problem is proper disposal.

On an unrelated note, I think we should start making pacts with people, give Irinnile a power up if we can after the Dragonborn is delivered. (Also sort of reminds me of that lesbo witch we almost killed in the duel, I wonder if she's a pliable target.)

>>5131852
>Amulets and detection
Yeah well, I still want to know it all, Yemrep is free intel.
As for detection, it is bound to happen eventually some high-ranking mage will inevitably look at Hezler or Felman or even fatso and see there is something inside. That was the actual fear we had during Gala until we put that demonic aura-masking stone in our chest and it's especially dangerous with Hezler and Felman, given their positions

Mayhew still needs to be dealt with, btw. I bet in a couple days you won't remember his existence and even if you do it will be like with Yemrep now, when I try to use him to make things run smoother and gather intel but he gets ignored and Ismena must do everything by herself.
Like, why don't you want to tell the incubus the pigs are coming for the lizard?

>Pacts
If we start making pacts now, we'll just attract more attention to ourselves in a city that is soon to be very hostile towards all demoniggers, based on the discussion we've just heard.
But also think of it this way: we already have Engels, Incubus, TPK and shirin business to attend to regularly, and then like 4-5 active tasks pending (escorting dragonborn, planting ectoplasm in Felman and Hezler, reporting back to Roth, finding the demons as a part of pact we put in place and explaining to Edwin where the fuck were we / telling Fynn we struck a deal with the Prince). Oh and also healing Bianchi's leg so he doesn't become a handicap. Yeah, remember that guy?
Adding demonic deals to the plate right now would cripple us more than it would help, and that is assuming we could avoid getting exposed or straight up caught, which is one thing we are absolutely not capable of as the past events have shown.

>>5131693
>Trust in The Incubus to get them to safety, and your wards to trigger if the mages get anywhere near The Dragonborn before then, and acquire Henzler on her way out of the meeting

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>>5131797
>>5131803
>>5132362

It takes a great deal of focus, but through your direct observation and brain-aching focus, you are able to relay a command to the Head Chimericist:

>BE LESSSS OBVIOUSSSS

Henzler is wearing a false amulet against possession and mental manipulation—a real one would cancel out even your new ‘ectoplasm trick’ but you still don’t want her under any closer scrutiny than absolutely necessary. You have a few notes for this amateur actor, and she has no choice but to take them.

“Can you blame me for being shaken?” Henzler mutters, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “We lost IRREPALCEABLE personnel who I could actually TOELRATE. The replacements will require training from scratch, and may be incompetent. My research—DECADES of it—has gone missing. If word gets out about the demons—if Pavlov’s failure kills MORE people—I will no doubt be subject to scrutiny. We ALL will.”

There is silence from Henzler’s compatriots.

“So YES,” your puppet says, with genuine emotion this time for this is a frustration she truly, deeply feels, “I am SHAKEN and TIRED. But I am NOT incompetent.”

“Yes, well,” the Praetor says after a moemtn, “the remains to be seen, doesn’t it?”

“Oh, Lavernius, you utter twat!” snaps the Head Inquisitor.

“That will be quite ENOUGH, Magus Praetor,” the Archmage booms, authoritatively. “NONE of you have come out of this unblemished, frankly.”

An awkward silence lingers, and then the Archmage sighs, saying “You are all dismissed, to rest and return when you are fresher in mind and mana. Return when you are useful, and bring what wisdom you can muster. I will follow up on some leads of my own…”

“Sir?” the Head inquisitor asks.

“There was a nobleman at the Gala with some… Unusual notions. I gave little thought to them at the time, but… Well, nevermind. It’s a long-shot. If it amounts to anything, I will discuss it with you tomorrow.”

And so it is that the Magus Praetor, the Head inquisitor, and Henzler herself depart the Archmage’s office. Almost immediately, Head Chimericist Henzler responds to your next relayed command:

>COME TO ME, NOW

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>>5134004

She does, as you intercept her around the back of the Mages’ Tower and lead her away from prying eyes. Her tiredness is no lie, even if this strange biological mage-woman does not exactly look ‘shaken’: her deceptively-youthful face, poor match to her aged voice, is nevertheless less vibrant than it was when she confronted you last night. You have to imagine you look much the same: sex and mana potions are no substitute for sleep. Still, you have a job to do…

<WANT: 19>

One messy, ectoplasm-laden kiss later—one in which Henzler simply accepts the embrace with the enthusiasm of a dead fish, and swallows the payload like so much unappetizing medicine—Henzler is as Lithabthius has become: an object of permanent control, barring outside influence, and a pair of eyes through which you can spy. And so highly-placed, so knowledgeable!

“Does this mean I may see my dragon?” Henzler asks, a strange enthusiasm (or anxiety) overriding her exhaustion, and her misgivings about you erased or supressed by the demonic parasite within. You can sense that physical intimacy and kissing in particular seem to disgust her regardless, though.

What do you do?
>Send Henzler to join Alhazred and your chimeras at the Incubus’ farmhouse [specify if you give her any other instructions]
>Keep Henzler with you for now—you have further use for her
>Instruct Henzler to return to her duties, and to spy upon and sabotage their investigations wherever possible [specify if you have a method in mind]
>Drag Henzler back to Felman’s home, and recoup some <WANT> with her—her desires or disgust is irrevelent
>Write-in

What is your next move?
>Seek out Mayhew, for fun and food
>Seek out Felman, for intel on the investiagtion
>Seek out Magus Auctor Federigo, to secure a possible leak who saw your real face
>Spy upon the Archmage, and his mysterious 'lead'
>Write-in

>>5134005
>Send Henzler to join Alhazred and your chimeras at the Incubus’ farmhouse, to restore the draconian's wings and bad hand if possible and ensure the other chimera ate in good shape

>Visit Edwin- you owe him an explanation, as promised, and a good sex-nap will do you wonders

>>5134005
>Send Henzler to join Alhazred and your chimeras at the Incubus’ farmhouse
Tell her to return home and make sure nobody follows before she sets off.
And once she arrives at the farmhouse, tell Alhazred that Ismena sent her, don't spill any excess information to Incubus or his thralls and see if she would be able to fix up the Dragonborn - whether it's the wings, body or mind.
Now that she's with us, we can actually use her talents to the fullest.
>Seek out Felman, for intel on the investiagtion
Mention Auctor Federigo and tell Felman to make sure he doesn't compromise us. Also inform him about Archmage's lead, Isaac Yosef. Keep us updated on the developments of both cases.
>Take the suicide order off of him
If doable.

I miss the comfort of using Yemrep.

>>5134005
>Drag Henzler back to Felman’s home, and recoup some <WANT> with her—her desires or disgust is irrevelent
Then
>Send Henzler to join Alhazred and your chimeras at the Incubus’ farmhouse, to restore the draconian's wings, bad hand, and menta facilities if possible and ensure the other chimera ate in good shape. If Irinnile wants to add a funtional big dick as well, I won't stop her.
We need our WANT satisfied before we start completing our other objectives.
>Seek out Felman, for intel on the investiagtion
>Seek out Magus Auctor Federigo, to secure a possible leak who saw your real face
Felman for convenance, Federigo for security.

>>5134005
Alternatively, we should probably do
>Keep Henzler with you for now—you have further use for her
>Spy upon the Archmage, and his mysterious 'lead'

If only to ensure the Archmage isn't investigating the Reptilian angle in Yosef.

>>5131959
The Packs are for after our time-sensitive business are finished, btw. We do have many loose ends to worry about.

>>5134269
>We do have many loose ends to worry about.
>Wants more loose ends by telling people about Irinnile.
YOU NEVER LEARN

>>5134305
>thinks expanding our powerbase is creating more loose ends
NO WONDER WE TAKE A FULL THREAD TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT

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>>5134320
>ignores my point
>counters by saying we can't accomplish anything in time because Ismena is too weak
>thinks muh strenk and more puppets will fix all our problems
>that Ismena can just get the Incubus power level from a couple lucky deals on the side in between other things Ismena has to attend to
>meanwhile he's too afraid to sacrifice one of his problematic thralls to regain a fraction of energy required for making those deals happen
>energy we now desperately need
Maybe if you focused on anything significant instead of wasting time on finding new toys you wouldn't have to invent yet another scheme to expand the mana bar you're too disorganized to refuel.

>>5134354
>ignores my points
>counters with strawmans
>thinks killing and violence can solve all of our problems
>thinks sacrificing the weakest thrall immediately of the Gala breakin won't cause suspension against out other thralls
>completely ignores the Archmage's investigation into the real reason behind the Gala breaches

I can't tell if we're memeing or having a serious argument. If this is a serious argument, then I'd say that killing Mayhew after the fact will only put more attention on our thralls, and create more problems than it solves.

>>5134265
>>5134268
[Which of these two is your actual vote? I just want to be sure.]

>>5134394
In all honesty, I sorta prefer >>5134268 because I'm slightly paranoid as to where that thread will lead, but if you're ready to write now, feel free to use >>5134265 vote instead. I don't want to hold up the quest anymore that necessary, mark my words.

>>5134354
Actually, why not use Henzler to recoup our WANT if you're so worried about regaining the energy we need?

This is all so fucking tiring.

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>>5134418
This is you just wanting to fuck the abomination that is Hezler. You might even convince yourself it's a good idea, completely forgetting we get like -1 or -2 want from draining people in a normal state, and she is EXHAUSTED. AND OUR WANT IS 19.

>>5134438
Anon, I could give less of a shit about banging her just because we can. We can drag a prostitute to Felman and drain them to death for all I care (though that'll certainly blow his cover). This is about convenience. Henzler is right here, and we were planning on meeting Felmen anyways. We can also control Irinnile's urges to prevent excessive exhaustion/death, so I fail to see why your sperging out over it the idea.

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>>5131797
>>5131803
>>5132362

Though ‘breaking’ Henzler has a certain allure—in particular, to Irinnile—you are able to convince the ravenous succubus to stand down with a different proposal:

“Head Chimericissst Henzler,” you say, “there is a farmhousse on the outsskirtss of Hawkssong where my forccess are masssssing. You are now among those forccess… And sssso iss your dragon.”

The Head Chimericist half-glowers and half-ogles you with anticipation. You sense that, while she is by no means loyal to YOU beyond your ectoplasmic influence, she is hardly more loyal to Hawksong or the Archmage—she is loyal, if anything, to the further pursuit of this grand experiment of hers.

“Ssee if you can tidy up your work, will you?” you ask. “Hiss arm, hiss wingss... Hiss mind, most of all.”

‘And?’ Irinnile eggs you on. ‘AND?! We had a deal, Lispy!’

You sigh. “…And verify that hiss… Reproductive apparati are in working order, as well.”

Henzler opens her mouth, but you shut her down, snapping “Don’t quesstion me!”

>>5134468

Henzler shuts her mouth, glaring for a moment… Then shrugs.

“If I can do my work—and with the materials and knowledge on the subject that you no doubt have access to… What’s one employer over another?”

A part f you wonders if this is your influence, or her actual opinion on the matter. Whatever the case, Henzler is soon gone—first to her home, to gather supplies to perform your requested work, and then (you assume with great confidence) to do your bidding at the farmhouse.

‘Heheheheeee, imagine it! Two foot long dragony schlong, hotstuff!’

‘Focus,’ you admonish Irinnile. ‘We still have work to do. Next is—’

‘Felman the Incel, I know, I knooOOoow.’ Irinnile sighs. ‘You know I don’t’ have much more left in me, right?’

Irinnile isn’t wrong. Without a means to replenish <WANT>, she will be little more than a feral beast who you must wrangle control of after one more ‘ectoplasm trick’. After that, she will only grow weaker, and become a greater and greater distraction to your logical mind. You can feel the ache—not the fun kind, as Irinnile would put it—that she feels with each expenditure of herself. That si on top of your own exhaustion…

You consider the dilemma, and solutions to it, as you travel incognito to Felman’s residence. When you arrive, you easily let yourself in—you know his wards now, and you are more capable than ever of disarming such a familiar security rune. Once inside, you even take the time to re-set it, for greater effect! The effort, though, only further tires you… And Felman is still not home.

It is mid-morning now. Felman has been out all night, and has not yet returned. You are exhausted, and in need of mana. Three thralls remain un-ecoplasmed, and your pact with The Incubus requires that you also retrieve a small army of demons.

What do you do?
>Send Yemrep out to seek out and contact someone, and to lead them to your current location [who? Keep in mind: the less certain their location is, the longer it will take Yemrep to find them, so proposing a probable starting point may speed the process up]
>Spy through the eyes of your thralls, or give them instruction: Lithobathius, and the bespider [specify if you send them anywhere in particular]
>Sleep in Felman’s bed, to stave off collapse and to keep yourself sharp
>Pay a visit to that Tower Saffer, Paula—she isn’t far from here, and she’s good for a quick <WANT> replenishment
>Rummage around Felman’s place in search of anything interesting or useful
>Write-in

>>5134438
I'll be busy for a couple of hours, but you have nothing to worry about- there is no supporting vote to bang Henzler, and even if there was, we can always ask Felmen or Henzler to grab a couple of mana potions before we interrogate Felmen at his house to prevent us and our thrall's exhaustion if that'll helps any.

>>5134470
>Pay a visit to that Tower Saffer, Paula—she isn’t far from here, and she’s good for a quick <WANT> replenishment
Then
>Sleep in Felman’s bed, to stave off collapse and to keep yourself sharp

Just before I head off.

>>5134470
>Fetch Yemrep. Send him to Bianchi and make them summon a dangerous demon named Siz-Gamid. Tell the demon Ismena wants to hear everything she knows about the prisoners Pavlov kept, specifically the ones who escaped and note everything down.
And don't banish her, just like unsummon.
>Sleep in Felman’s bed, to stave off collapse and to keep yourself sharp
Leave Felman a small note to wake us up once he returns.

>>5134452
If Felman was home, then bringing them together, simultaneously leeching on both and then giving him ectoplasm would've been my vote.

>>5134470
>Pay a visit to that Tower Saffer, Paula—she isn’t far from here, and she’s good for a quick <WANT> replenishment

We can get her perspective on things as well.

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>>5134476
>>5134609
>>5134817

You slop down in bed, practically read to sleep right then and there… But no. With a groan, you rise. Your succubus’ appetites are demanding and, even if you didn’t… Did not…

‘Love me?’ Irinnile coos.

…Even then, you need Irinnile’s power, and her ectoplasm, in no small abundance. Luckily, you know just who you can hit up for a cup on mana in the Initiate’s Village: Paula, the minor-mage turned Tower Staffer.

You have had trysts with Paula before—once with Edwin, in fact, which sets you to thinking of him as you walk there. Irinnile too, for that matter.

‘Edwin, Eeedwin,’ irinnile hums. ‘Now THAT’s a rich, full source of delicious, thick MANA.’

But Edwin will have to wait—you cannot be away from Felman’s for long, if you hope to make expedient business of this trip to Hawksong and to wrap up loose ends before the Archmage and his lackeys begin pulling at the threads of The Grand Design of the Dark Gods. For now, Paula will do. You continue on to her home, stopping only briefly to survey Tower workers and craftsmen attending to the now-blasted site of the Endless Fountain.

You met Paula for the first time there, had a wonderful date with Edwin there. Now, its cascading tower of endless water, seemingly reaching up to the heavens themselves, is simply… Rubble, and a small pond of brackish water.

You stare for a moment, then move on.

“Ismena?” Paula asks, looking startled and perhaps a touch unnerved to see you. “What are you doing here?”

Hm. Not the response you expected.

With an easy smile you say “What, not excccited to ssee me?”

Paula hesitates, then beckons you inside saying, “No, no, it’s not… It’s just, you know. The attack. And you were there!”

“Ah. Yess,” you say.

Paula shuts and, in her anxiety (apparently brought on by news of the assault on the Tower and the explosion at the Endless Fountain) she locks and even wards her door. Her ward is amateurish to your eye… But, admittedly, created faster and more fastidiously than you can yet accomplish with such effort.

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>>5135784
You look about her home: a small suite on the ground-floor of a creaking, curving structure that is probably held together as much by minor magic as anything else. The interior is… Cramped. Cozy. But warm despite the slightly breezy and cloudy weather outside. Every available surface hosts a book, and well-dusted bookshelves abound—this staffer takes her study, and her hopes of becoming a true Tower student, seriously.

“You look awful,” Paula says, bluntly.

You just smile, hiding the annoyance.

“Sorry,” paula quickly replies. “It’s just…”

“I haven’t sslept,” you interrupt, speaking truthfully.

Paula nods, frowning sympathetically. “It’s awful, what happened. Is Edwin alright?”

You hide a frown at the waves of fear and affection you sense radiating from her in accordance with this question. You remember how a covert exploration of Edwin’s mind two or three days ago revealed his deep affections for this somewhat-awkward, magically-gifted girl—this glorified janitor and gofer—and the fondness he had for her laugh, her freckles, her laugh. You recall how he’d thought—in passing, but not just once—that she might even understand him better than you, and that HE certainly had a better understanding of her. Understandable, really—you have kept so much from him, for his own protection—but still…

“He’ss fine,” you say, “resssting at home.”

“Ah,” she says. “maybe you should do the same? I’m serious, Izzy, you look exhausted.”

“I am,” you admit, advancing and licking your lips, “but I think I know jussst the fixxx.”

What do you do?
>Seduce Paula and sate some <WANT>, then leave
>Drain Paula dry, greatly refreshing your <WANT> at the expense of this romantic rival’s life
>Vampirize Paula and then use ectoplasmic puppeteering to make her a thrall, and order her to never see Edwin again without your express permission
>Sate <WANT> with Paula, and mesmerize her, but only to help spread false theories about the attack on the Tower being related to Southern Demonists
>Write-in

>>5135786
>Seduce Paula and sate some <WANT>, then leave

Ask her what she knows about the Gala disaster before leaving though

>>5135786
>>Seduce Paula and sate some <WANT>, then leave

>>5135786
>Drain Paula dry, greatly refreshing your <WANT> at the expense of this romantic rival’s life

>>5135786
>>Sate <WANT> with Paula, and mesmerize her, but only to help spread false theories about the attack on the Tower being related to Southern Demonists

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>>5136205
>>5136107
>>5136019
>>5135866

You pat the sweaty, gasping mess that is Paula the Staffer upon her cheek, and give her a kiss farewell. As you leave, you lick your lips, and can still taste her.

<WANT: 18>

Sure, you could have gotten ‘revenge’ on the female human… But that would take time, would leave a trail. Part-way through your lovemaking—if so it can be called, for you found ways to ‘punish’ her all the same—you heard movement on the floors above. It turned out to be only other lodgers in this residence but if they’d heard a demonic murder or caught you mid-mesmerism… Well, that could have been bad.

And besides, can you really blame Paula for loving Edwin? Edwin of Engel IS, in your expert opinion, very lovable.

‘But he’s OURS,’ Irinnile insists.

Indeed he is… And you’ll pay him a visit soon, to reassert that much. But for now, you have business with a bed. You are somewhat refreshed magically, and Irinnile is no longer quite so ‘hangry’, but your physical, mortal body still has its limits.

Unfortunately, when you arrive at Inquisitor Felman’s home in the late morning, and begin to unravel his household protections, the Inquisitor himself interrupts you by completing the task and opening the door.

“You,” he says, simply and without fanfare.

“Yessss,” you sigh.

“Come inside, and quickly.” Felman pauses. “Please.”

You do so, and he shuts the door. So much for a nap before he returns…

What do you do about Felman?
>Sleep anyway—you need the rest, damnit!
>Use the ‘ectoplasm trick’ on Felman
>Skip the ectoplasm trick, and resultant exhaustion and hunger, and move onto other maters
>Write-in

To what end do you employ Felman?
>Interrogate Felman on the investigation and investigators
>Send Felman to contaminate crime-scenes and mislead the Tower Inquisition
>Use Felman to retrieve Mayhew and Federigo, and to bring them to you
>Bring Felman with you as you tail the Archmage and spy upon him
>Write-in

>>5136225
>Use the ‘ectoplasm trick’ on Felman
>Use Felman to retrieve Mayhew and Federigo, and to bring them to you

>>5136225
>Use the ‘ectoplasm trick’ on Felman

>Interrogate Felman on the investigation and investigators
should be quick
>Use Felman to retrieve Mayhew and Federigo, and to bring them to you

>>5136225
>Use the ‘ectoplasm trick’ on Felman
>Sleep afterwards

>Interrogate Felman on the investigation and investigators
>Send Felman to contaminate crime-scenes and mislead the Tower Inquisition
>Use Felman to retrieve Mayhew and Federigo, and to bring them to you

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>>5136254
>>5136289
>>5136640

You hold make a sigh of resignation, and beckon Felman to you. His expression gives away his distaste, his annoyance at your control… But controlled he is, and controlled he will CONTINUE to be. You clear your throat, pull him into your embrace and…

<WANT: 19>

…Empty yourself, and some more of Irinnile.

‘Lispy… I don’t feel so good, babe,’ she whimpers.

‘Nor I,’ you admit, stumbling to the bed and sitting down before you faint.

Your vision goes black as demonic ichor around the edges, but you stay conscious through force of will. To keep yourself awake, you focus upon the thrashings and convulsions of stuck-up Felman on his own living room floor. That brightens your mood a little bit. But Gods, Darkest and most Distant Deities… Oh, are you tired. That same ache has returned to your gut, your nether-regions… But even the thought of more intercourse to feed Irinnile leaves you feeling further fatigued.

Eventually, Inquisitor Felman returns to his feet. The steel ahs returned to his spine, and the anger has left his eyes. He looks at you as he might a superior in his agency—as he might at that Head Inquisitor. He even SALUTES.

‘Well shit,’ Irinnile says, ‘that’s cute.’

You smile a small smile, and set him to his next task: “Fetch me Assssisstant Chimericissst Mayhew and Magusss Auctor Federigo.”

“Will they resist?” Felman asks. “Shall I craft a deception?”

You appreciate the initiative, you must admit.

“No, they should not,” you say.

Felman nods, and with his usual seriousness and efficiency, he sets off… But pauses again at the door.

“Where will be reconvene forces?” he asks.

A good question. You will meet them…
>Here, at Felman’s—the better to implant ectoplasm unseen
>In the old abandoned building where you have performed occult rituals—better to dispose of them permanently
>In the farmhouse outside of town—you have long-term plans for some or all of these pawns
>Write-in

Once Felman is gone, you move onto your next course of action…
>A long, well-deserved nap
>Rounding up those demons you loosed, per your bargain with The Incubus
>Tracking and tailing the Archmage—you investigation troubles you
>Paying Edwin a long-overdue visit—he must be worried sick!
>Fetching your abandoned loot from the Tower
>Turning a few tricks, like the bad old early days—you need to refuel Irinnile’s reserves to perform the ectoplasm trick again without… Issues
>Write-in

>>5137131
>Here, at Felman’s—the better to implant ectoplasm unseen
>Have Feldman also grab our forgotten loot on the way back, along with a couple of mana potions
>A long, well-deserved nap

This tiredness is starting to worry me, even though the Archmage's investigation is also freaking me out.

>>5137131
>In the old abandoned building where you have performed occult rituals—better to dispose of them permanently

>A long, well-deserved nap

>>5137131
>In the old abandoned building where you have performed occult rituals—better to dispose of them permanently
>A long, well-deserved nap

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>>5137631
>>5137183
>>5137152
You flop back down upon Felman’s bed. You have several hours before it is time to meet with him in the old, abandoned warehouse—well, more accurately, slaughterhouse, animal stable, and farmer’s market—where you have now twice performed occult rituals. This day shall be your third such enterprise there, but no less bloody. You have decided to permanently dispose of some of the extraneous puppets in your roster.

‘Good,’ Irinnile groans. ‘I don’t think I could do that trick with the ectoplasm much more today…’

You shush the succubus. ‘Rest,’ you advise her, ‘and you’ll feel better.’

‘Lispy… You know I don’t sleep, right?’

She might not, but you do—and right now, you are so in need of a good sleep that you are out before you can even respond to the demon.

Unfortunately, it is not a wholesome and dreamless Reptilian torpor that finds you. No, instead it is… Awful. You have dreamt as humans dream before, several times since arriving in Hawksong. This ne, as your last, is a good case against ever having such dreams again. You struggle to follow the contours of the narrative—one moment, you are leaving Hawksong, marching before a clumn of those you have slain, brainwashed, tricked, dominated, and liberated from human imprisonment your victories. The next, you are before the Serpent Priests and the Dark Gods themselves, feeling the weight of their stare. A crowd has gathered in the high, vaulted hall, beneath a ceiling studded with gemstones to emulate the constellations above, with candle and torchlight setting each false star ablaze with light: a thousand more eyes, staring down from above.

“Have I not done all that you asked?” you say to them. “Have I not done good by The Grand Design?”

They nod, and you are exalted!... But then, in the mass of dark, robes figures emerges one. They cast off their hood, revealing Alhazred.

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>>5137724

“Unprofessional,” he says. “Distracted.”

You glare at him, but another steps forward: Madame Mina, your Kamunu identity’s employer at The pretty Kitty Lounge & Brothel.

“Disloyal,” she says. “Seditious.”

Wait… Mina? What is she doing here? Surely she should be captured and sacrificed by this mass of Reptilians? But they do no such thing.

Two more figures step forwards, holding hands. They remove their hoods with their free hands, revealing Edwin and Paula.

“Liar,” Edwin says, quietly, eyes full of betrayal.

“Manipulator,” agrees Paula. “Abuser.”

You are struck dumb for a moment, feeling their pain as if your own… But you muster yourself, rallying.

“Yes,” you snap. “Obviously! All that and more, in service to The Dark Gods Below and Beyond! In service to The Grand Design of the Serpent priests! In service to the… The Master Race, you stupid surface-mammals!”

But then, the Dark Gods fade from view, and the Serpent priests step forward. You realize that, oddly, they to are hooded, and masked… And when their masks come of you see familiar, distinctly non-Reptilian faces: Tokunbo, the Aardan occultist who taught lady Zivic. Lady Zivic herself, former host and ally to The Incubus. Estellia, your rival exotic dancer at The Pretty Kitty, who you slew in the sewers to keep your secret. And… Irinnile.

“In service to foreigners and devils,” Tokunbo suggests, stroking his chin.

“What?” you balk. “No, I use them to—”

“In service to yourself, to your passions and fantasies,” says Estellia sadly. “In service to hedonism.”

“I…” you hesitate to speak.

“In service to revenge, and bloodlust, and personal power,” says Lady Zivic, in the voice of The Incubus. “In service of procrastination, and personal ambition.”

“I am working as swiftly as can!” you protest. “Look at all that I have discovered, all that I have done!”

“For me.”

You turn and face Irinnile now., who smiles lovingly and stretches her arms out to you, beckoning you into an embrace—a bond of bodies and souls.

“In service, she says, “to me."

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>>5137726

You awaken suddenly, a cry of protest n your lips to the dim light of incoming evening.


‘Hotstuff?’ Irinnile asks. ‘Lispy? Babe? You okay?’

You have slept through the afternoon! You have wasted a least a solid six hours—an unacceptable amount of time for any proper Reptilian to engage in torpor at the best of times.

‘Well, I mean, you’re also half-hum—’

“I. Am. Reptilian.”

Irnnile doesn’t contradict you, but you can sense her concern… And you, too, can feel hers.

‘Babe, do you… Like, wanna’ talk about it?’

‘No time,’ you reply sternly. ‘We have a meeting to attend.’

You get your blue, temperature-resistant robe on once more and hurriedly make your way through Hawksong’s streets. It is almost fully nighttime when you arrive at the site of your meeting: the abandoned building where you sacrificed the goat, created your charm, and mustered mystic might against lady Zivic and The Tower Inquisition. This evening, the sacrificial goats before you are more human-shaped: Inquisitor Felman, Magus Auctor Federigo, and Assistant Chimericist Mayhew. All three have their potential uses… But some far less than others, and Irinnile remains depleted, her <WANT> an intense ache in your skull and your loins alike.

“There is something we must discuss,” Felman says seriously. “A development in the investigation.”

You press a finger to his lips, and he flinches but does not recoil, just looking confused.

“Give me a moment,” you say.

Who do you dispose of? [choose at least one, or as many as all three]
>Felman, as soon as he is done with his report, for he has proven dangerous and strong-willed
>Magus Auctor Federigo—such a highly-placed pawn is more likely to be found out if he acts unusually
>Mayhew—he is just a laboratory assistant

How do you dispose of them?
>A sacrifice to the Dark Gods to display loyalty and fealty
>Succubus satiation—you will milk them for mana and leave them empty of life
>Brutally, tearing them apart with dagger, claws, and teeth—you will take out your frustrations upon them
>Write-in

>>5137727
This will backfire on us anons, mark my words.
>Mayhew—he is just a laboratory assistant
Keep Felman and Federigo as useful tools.

>Succubus satiation—you will milk them for mana and leave them empty of life
As much as I want to sacrifice Mayhew in the name of the Dark Gods, we need our WANT sorted out.

Also, the point I saw in consorting with demons and devils is to provide an additional layer of cover for the Reptilian Conspiracy. We'll sacrifice a more important mage to them later on, we need to prevent this mess from implicating the Grand Design.

>>5137727
>Mayhew—he is just a laboratory assistant
>Magus Auctor Federigo—such a highly-placed pawn is more likely to be found out if he acts unusually
>Succubus satiation—you will milk them for mana and leave them empty of life

These human dreams are full of paranoia and a shameful display of weakness. No wonder true reptilians don't have that shit.

>>5137727
>Mayhew—he is just a laboratory assistant

>A sacrifice to the Dark Gods to display loyalty and fealty

aaaiiieeee dark god samas I kneel

>>5137727
>Mayhew—he is just a laboratory assistant
>Succubus satiation—you will milk them for mana and leave them empty of life

>Magus Auctor Federigo—such a highly-placed pawn is more likely to be found out if he acts unusually
>A sacrifice to the Dark Gods to display loyalty and fealty

One for the Dark Gods and one for the succubi, as a treat

Not to be overly autistic on this, but could we not put Federigo on the chopping block here? Mayhew I can understand, though I disagree that killing him won't cause problems (because it will), but Federigo would actually be useful in obfuscating the investigation, and keeping tabs on the other research departments (herbology being of great interest to our drug business), not to mention that a sudden death of a high ranking mage will be investigated, and we don't need another investigation on our plate to deal with.

Just some thoughts on the subject before anons vote for bloodlust anyway.

[We seem to have a tie between Mayhew and Mayhew/Federigo. If we have no break, I will roll to see what Federigo's fate is later tonight.]

>>5137727
>Mayhew—he is just a laboratory assistant

We'll sacrifice the higher ranked mage later, after we avert this crisis in the making.

>>5137727
>>5138451
>Succubus satiation—you will milk them for mana and leave them empty of life.
Just to prevent a tie, though we will need to rectify this with a sacrifice to the Dark Gods later while we're not under the gun.

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>>5138462
>>5138451
>>5138048
>>5137826
>>5137811
>>5137775

You will listen to Felman in a moment, but first, you have… Needs. Well, Irinnile ahs needs, which you share. Your dream comes to mind again—just a flash, but enough that you can feel Irinnile squirm at your own recollections and your misgivings about the parallel…

But no. Irinnile serves you, not the other way around, and you serve The Grand Design. This entire enterprise is just to acquire fuel for the ectoplasmic parasites that will allow you to piously enact your masters’ will, and to thus advance the cause of the Reptilian Master Race!

Whatever the truth of the matter, you drag Myahew into another room. You shove the hapless, fresh-faced young mage against a wall and, trying not to think too much about your motivations or the sensations your empathic link elicits, you drop to your knees and give the chaste young virgin a first time to remember…

<WANT: 18>

And then, infuriatingly unsatisfied and sopping with a thrill you cannot deny, you see him off with a bang.

<WANT: 16>

You take you time, truly savoring the sensation of his previously-pure soul being sullied, and his mana—his very self!—pouring into you. With your hands, Irinnile gropes your chest; when you bite your lips, it is as if Irinnile is doing it. You can practically see her, a hovering spectre of red energy before your minds eye, and you can feel her caresses with every push of your hips back against Mayhew’s helpless thrusts. Her whispered encouragements drown out his more tangible whimpers and whines as you execute him in a manner so blissful it wraps back around to agony. It gets to the point that your mental control of him breaks under the strain of his own self-preservation…


But you are too strong with his stolen mana. He is too little, and too late. Before long, Mayhew is no more.

‘See?’ Irinnile says softly, a warm presence snuggled against your inner-self. ‘We’re so good together… Doing your job, serving your gods, feeding, fucking… There’s no need ta’ get all bent outta’ shape, amirite?’

Your anxiety is dulled by the afterglow of the morbid experience, the grim reality of what your succubus-affected self has become briefly blotted out by lust and bloodlust alike. Besides, she raises a good point, you suppose. This is… Work-related debauchery. No different than your cover identity as Kamunu.

You take a moment to adjust your clothing, to regain your composure, and then to stride back into the room where Federigo and Felman wait. Felman looks… Fascinated, but in a horrified way, the fascination of an alchemist discovering a new means to poison and destroy. Federigo’s bearded, wizened face is scrunched up, eye squinted, as if trying to will himself away from this place—from you. You pat the Magus Acutor’s face kindly. He, too, is too late…

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>>5138820

<WANT: 17>

With a kiss, you embrace him into the fold, sealing his doom with a deposited glob of ectoplasm. You wipe a bit of inky black from his lips and beard, holding his frail form steady as the convulsions take him… And then Magus Auctor Federigo, too, is one of your puppets.

“What would you have me do, my darling?” he asks dreamily.

Hm. Unexpected. It seems where Felman views you as a superior, and Henzler as a benefactor of research, Federigo views you… Romantically, or at least with great fondness. Each mind crafts its own rationalization for following your sinister instructions.

“Clean up my messss,” you instruct, nodding towards what is left of Mayhew in the other room.

“And then?” he asks. “Anything, name it!”
>Federigo is to meet you at the farmhouse
>Federigo is to further sully the Tower investigation
>Federigo is to observe the Archmage and other high-ranking mages and to report to you as required
>Federigo is to funnel herbological resources to you to advance your drug enterprise
>Write-in

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>>5138826
With the Magus Auctor thoroughly ‘tricked out’, there is still Felman to deal with. Inquisitor Felman has been waiting, patiently, standing at attention for some time. With a bemused smile, you give him permission to speak.

“What hass happened with the invessstigation?” you ask.

“Two major developments have occurred,” he says. “The Inquisition has determined that several Southerners were behaving suspiciously, and were at the Gala with false papers and under assumed identities. This is being investigated, though none of them have yet been located and none of the Tower staff tasked with staffing and supervision, nor the guests to whose entourage they were said to belong to, can say where they have gone.”

Good. The other Degenerates have no doubt gone to ground, or left town entirely. Well… Except the infiltrator called Chika, of course. They will, sadly, never find Chika.

“Secondly, we—the Inquisition, that is—we have been forced to… Accept aid.”

“Aid?” you ask, raising an eyebrow. “Aid from whom?”

“The Paladins,” he says with a sour expression.

‘Oh,’ Irinnile says. ‘Oh fuck.’

Oh fuck INDEED. The Paladins are a small corps, as you understand it, but each of them is said to be a warrior with access to great skill, to be outfitted with blessings and with holy arms, and armaments, and each senior member has a gryphon mount. You’ve also heard rumours of nobility getting special treatment, and of nepotism, so perhaps some tales overstate things… But the Paladin King and his father achieves their great fame and wide base of power by SOME means. These paladins, they are a grave threat to demons, and more terrifying even than owlbears to one such as you.

“They have gifted us Sir Chase,” Inquisitor Felman continues, “a young and, so they say, gallant member of their gryphon corps. He is liaison, and he is tasked hunting down and destroy the escaped demons. King Archos has demanded it. Further Paladins have been assigned to safeguard the Palace and the Tower.”

You remember a brief encounter early in your stay in Hawksong—no, at the gates, prior to arrival! A somewhat-blandly handsome human on a terrifying cat-bird-monster, in shiny silver armour and with an eye for peasant girls. Yes, Sir Chase…

“Have they found any of them?” you ask.

Felman hesitates, then answers :”I don’t know. I was attending to my orders, and then… Here, awaiting instructions.”

Well, this is a dangerous twist. What do you do?
>Summon Siz-Gamid to you, and ask her for the location of the other demons
>Send Felman to steer Sir Chase away from any useful avenues while you seek out the demons
>Go to this Paladin, Chase, and end his threat yourself
>Abandon the demons—let the Tower and Paladins hunt them, you have done what you need to do and the pact is not your primary concern
>Write-in

>>5138826
>Federigo is to further sully the Tower investigation
>Federigo is to observe the Archmage and other high-ranking mages and to report to you as required
>Federigo is to funnel herbological resources to you to advance your drug enterprise

>>5138828
>Summon Siz-Gamid to you, and ask her for the location of the other demons
>Send Felman to steer Sir Chase away from any useful avenues while you seek out the demons

This is where the fun begins...

>>5138826
>Federigo is to observe the Archmage and other high-ranking mages and to report to you as required
>Summon Siz-Gamid to you, and ask her for the location of the other demons
This could've already been done.

>>5138826
>Federigo is to further sully the Tower investigation

start with this, the more we have him do the shitter he'll do everything

>Send Felman to steer Sir Chase away from any useful avenues while you seek out the demons

>>5138943
>>5139140
>>5139177
You send the Magus Auctor and Inquisitor alike to go forth and mislead the investigators—chase included. Federigo takes the high road, and Felman the low: Federigo is to observe the more highly-placed leaders of the Tower, while casting aspersions upon the Aardans and other Southlanders whenever the opportunity presents itself; Felman is to actively suppress evidence where he finds it, and to plant evidence to lead the agents astray. Best of all, Inquisitor Felman has been assigned to the same operation as this Paladin, Chase, which will make him a perfect tool to keep the bright and shiny human champion away from your activities!

As for what those activities are… Well, you are going to summon Siz-Gamid. The former demonic jailer—sometimes a blonde woman with glasses, sometimes a frog-like abomination which belches toxic gas and can crush stone—is the only one of the demons whose True Name is known to you, and thus the only one you can summon. And without your pack (still in Tower possession, unless Edwin took it with him), there is only one person you know with access to the space, knowledge, and material to assist in such a summoning.

‘The Incubus?’ Irinnile suggests.

…Well, maybe two, but Lord Bianchi is who you had in mind, for he is also your thrall.

You arrive at the Bianchi manor as the sun is nearly setting; you suppose, ruefully, that there is little chance of making your shift at The Pretty Kitty tonight. The manor is a well-maintained but somewhat stagnant realm of half-fallen nobility, presiding over by Lord Bianchi, who is representative of much the same. He is a black-clad and sunken-eyed young nobleman, disillusioned with his king and his society, always feeling wronged and held back even as he dwells in idle opulence, and (as you know, and have used to your advantage) he has sought occult solutions to replicate family artefacts and recover a lost glory that is all in their past, but which weighs on his mind and insults his ego. You announce yourself to his servants and, dutiful mesmer-slave that he is, Bianchi takes walking-sick in hand and limps to meet you.

“Ismena,” he greets you. “To what do I owe the—”

“The basssement,” you whisper in hushed tones, accompanying it with a twinge of magical suggestion.

Immediately, the man’s expression shifts to one of placidity, and he hobbles into his home. You follow, as he takes you down to the repurposed wine cellar which, locked and stocked with appropriate forbidden tomes and black candles, has served as his base of demonological studies and attempted summonings.

>>5139626
‘Ah, memories~’ sighs Irinnile, still trying to calm your suspicions and anxieties about her—to overcome your dream, and the misgivings which gave rise to it.

You set Bianchi to task, describing the great, bloated manifestation of the demon which you now seek to summon, and the abilities you witnessed.

“A physical description is not as helpful as you might imagine,” the noble-born occultist tells you, leaning on his cane. “Most demons can appear in virtually any guise, limited only by certain constraints and preferences, or molded by the summoner and the summoning conditions. To a commoner from the hills, a succubus may look like a favourite ewe, one imagines.”

You frown. “And the name ‘Siz-Gamid’ means nothing to you?”

“If I had access to more true-names, the… Incidents which led to my present state might not have—”

“Yes, or no?” you snap. “Succinct answers.”

“No.”

You sigh. “Well… The demon seemed tired. Lethargic. Unenthusiastic. A demon of sloth?”

Bianchi leans his weight off of his bad leg and contorted spine—the product of your interference in his last, unauthorized demon-summoning ritual.

“That, that IS more useful… Alright.”

The nobleman sets to work with chalk—a task you regrettably must aid in rather than lording over, given how difficult it is for him to bend and twist since you toppled a bookshelf upon him. When all is said and done, you have a lattice suitable to summon Siz-Gamid—or so you hope.

“I am not confident that this will contain the demon,” Bianchi advises solemnly. “It will bring it to us, but not bind it to our will.”

“I understand,” you say. You can only hope a sense of indebtedness will do the trick, or common cause, or your affiliation with the ‘greater demon’ who set you upon this task.

>>5139630
“Very well,” Bianchi says.

He takes up a black tome and begins a dark chant. Outside, it is night, black as pitch save for glittering stars—a night of the new moon. A night for shadows, and demons, and withcraft… And not for Paladins, one hopes. You aid Bainchi’s effort, patrolling the circle with a musty, smoky sort of candle in both hands, adding your murmurs to his higher chanting, like a background signer. Eventually, your efforts bear fruit: a shape begins to manifest in a bowl of fetid water which Bianchi has set at the circle’s centre: a blob of organic matter begins to grow, and to swell. The water evaporates away into a cloud of noxious air, and that miasma swirls about like a sinister halo as the blob grows, and bones jut forth at odd angles. Eventually, at long last, it expands and rolls out into a familiar, blue-green form: Siz-Gamid, in full battle readiness…

Save, you note, for a blood wound across its abdomen, which one of its size oversized limbs clasps.

“Careful!” Bianchi cries as you step towards Siz-gamid.

>>5139632
The demon wheels on you, huge maw gaping open to reveal several rows of slicing and crushing teeth. Toxic fumes threaten to gush forth, but stop whe the demon’s ebady eyes seem to recognize you.

“…From the Tower,” Siz-Gamid speaks, in a voice unnervingly like that of a calm young human woman—the woman this demon appeared to be when first you encountered it.

“What happened?” you ask.

“A Paladin,” the demon growls.

Your eyes widen. This… Sir Chase? Already?

Siz-Gamid relates its tale of woe: of how, once freed from bondage, it parted ways with the other demons you liberated. Sadly, this slothful creature did not bother to keep tabs upon them now that it was no longer a magically-enforced duty, but Siz-Gamid knows those you freed, and believes that they will have done as it did and traveled to a hiding place according to their nature.

“Where did your nature lead you?” you ask. You half-suspect, from its manifestation and the means of summoning, a pond or sewer.

“To the Library,” Siz-Gamid answers.

Huh. Unexpected.

“I actually… Quite like reading,” the demon explains. “I had little else to do, when the Demonologist Pavlov was my master. So, I sheltered in there during the day – we are night creatures, after all. However, I became absorbed in a book and didn’t notice when the mages and their knight entered. Only when I sensed the Paladin’s gaze upon me did I look up… But by then, I had been found out. I hurried to leave, for it was dark, but no matter the lead I gains or the twists and turns I took, they followed. I don’t think they sought me out, but somehow, once they were there, that damn Paladin knew what I was, and—”

“—And the Tower Inquisition has access to enchanted glasses which can lock upon and track a target.”

“I see,” whispers Siz-Gamid. “Then that is how they found me… And wounded me, with blessed silver-steel that damaged my very True Self…”

Lord Bianchi is too dazed and dulled by your command to exclaim in outrage as he might otherwise, but you know what this means: they have locked onto Siz-Gamid, and you have brought their quarry here, to the Bianchi estate.

‘Oh shit, oooooh fuck,’ Irinnile begins to panic.

What do you do?
>Banish Siz-Gamid quickly, and hope they lose the trail
>Give Siz-Gamid your charm to suppress the demon’s essence enough to hide it from the Inquisition
>Hurriedly attempt to summon the rest of the demons with Siz-Gamid’s assistance, to meet them in force
>Slay Bianchi, set fire to this place, and flee with Siz-Gamid to the farmhouse
>Head out to intercept and ambush the Paladin and Inquisitors en route—darkness is your ally, and they do not expect you!
>Write-in

>>5139634
>Banish Siz-Gamid quickly, and hope they lose the trail

I'd be pretty shocked if the glasses can even track being summoned, but just in case we should banish before they can pinpoint. Arrange a mundane meetup spot real quick.

>>5139634
>Banish Siz-Gamid quickly, and hope they lose the trail
>Head out to intercept and ambush the Paladin and Inquisitors en route—darkness is your ally, and they do not expect you!

So, how bad is Sir Chase? We talking Head Research Mage level bad or somewhere between that and normal? I'm starting to low-key panic over this.

>>5139748
>how bad is Sir Chase?
[You don't know, never having really gathered much intel on the Paladins and only having briefly interacted with him in Thread 1. You know he had a wingless gryphon and, apparently, an intuition for sensing demons and a dangerous holy (?) sword.]

>>5139634
>Banish Siz-Gamid quickly, and hope they lose the trail

>>5139690
I don't think those glasses give a shit if target moved by an inch or two miles from its previous location.
If we banish her quickly enough, they might hopefully not have the X and Y coordinates pinned down, but will probably search every house in the direction of the mark.

>>5139754
We no longer have the glasses, do we?

>>5139754
Problem is, we really don't have any non-demonic disposable assets we can throw at them (on account of us killing them all), and fighting them solo just seems really risky. Realistically we have two options, lead to the farmhouse and ambush them all with our non-demonic forces there, or try and pick off his entourage stealthily before dealing with the man himself. We should've had the imp pick up our armor, I'm so pissed we forgot about it.

Since we have a psychic link with Henzler, she should be able to tell us the strengths and weaknesses of Chase's cat-bird-monster, correct?

>>5139783
Not if we can distract them with something more immediate. They're searching for the demons after all, not the occultists (yet).

Also, Felman should've been reissued his glasses, all he needs is to tag Chase and we should be able to find him again, preferably when he's alone and asleep. Or we can try and seduce Chase, but I honestly don't know where the line where his demon detection ends and our charm suppression begins, so that isn't the wisest course of action.

>>5139807
>Not if
Pretty sure he had enough time to move his neck as we talked to Siz. It doesn't take a trained demon-killer that long to figure out a demon went poof and he has to figure out where it came next.
>Killing Chase
Are you trying to find a way out of this situation or get the entire griffucker army on our ass, anon?
>Felman
WE need those are our glasses first and foremost, anon.

>>5139783
If true then those glasses are OP, to be able to keep tracking targets even through planar shifts. Lets hope they're not so OP they can identify Bianchi's manor as the new location within a few minutes.

>>5139827
Yea, but unless the glasses can triangulate our position immediately (which would be OP), then he'll only have a direction to go off of, not a specific address number. And if he's distracted raiding every home in one direction trying to find a demon, we can locate the others that he doesn't have a bead on.

Trying to find a way out of this mess, he's trying to kill our demons and if we ever come into direct contact and he recognizes us as a demon, we are royally fucked. It doesn't help that I think we should deal with the Archmage situation before that becomes unmanageable as well.

>>5139861
>OP
They do unless OP says they don't.
>direction
All he needs to do is scratch a line on the pavement, run several or a hundred, he has a griffon tho meters and then scratch another and he no longer needs glasses. I would deadass do that the moment Siz disappeared if I was in his shoes.
>our demons
Nobody's demons if they get found, lol. I actually want to go back to Incubus to figure out what to do next. Sadly we still owe him this pact for keeping the dragonborn.

>>5139882
>>5139783
>the glasses
[Yours are still in your bag (forgot about them last thread, but they wouldn't have been overly useful in that dungeoncrawl anyway), and your bag is either at the Tower or MAYBE with Edwin.]

[They don't triangulate positions or provide addresses -- they just point you in a direction towards a locked target. They have a finite range and are probably blocked by certain materials... But you'd need to ask a Tower mage to get more specifics on maximum distance or exact weaknesses.]

>>5139882
The glasses can't be sci-fi levels of fantasy lad, and triangulation the address would require other magical infrastructure set in place and connected to the magical equivalent of wifi. This just isn't that type of fantasy.

Even if he was paranoid and on the ball like that, that would require him to assume that we would remain at that fixed point for it to work (which he has no reason to), and it would take time he could've spent hightailing it directly to us. This is also discounting any damage and exhaustion the paladin and mages received from such a high octane chase and fight with Sid. The mages aren't known for their cardio, after all.

Rolled 6, 1, 3, 2, 18, 10 = 40 (6d20)

>>5139690
>>5139748
>>5139783

“I’m sssorry,” you say.

“…For what?” asks the demons.

Siz-Gamid had been surveying the room with curiosity, but now they settle once more upon you.

“Lord Bianchi,” you say, “prepare a banishment.”

“What? No!”

Th demon’s protest turn into a roar, as you dodge a great fist.

“We will ssummon you later!” you try to reassure the hellbound beast.

“Yeah, and if you don’t? If I’m summoned by another first, bound for another ten years to some human’s idiotic commands?!”

“Bianchi,” you hiss, “hurry!”

Perhaps it is the dullness of mind which accompanies your enthrallments. Perhaps it is the enormous, toadlike hexapod thrashing about his basement, charging at you. Whatever the case, Lord Bianchi is having trouble focusing, leaving you to stall for time and to hold the infuriated sloth-demon’s attention. The longer he takes, the more likely the Paladin and his Inquisitor allies will locate you!

‘Plus, we might get flattened,’ Irinnile points out.

There is also that, you suppose.

[4d20 for melee combat to evade attacks, 2d20 for Bianchi's efforts to banish Siz-Gamid.]

First I missss the hisss this morning, then I miss the dice. I'm off my game, I swear

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>>5140491
>1

You are so focused on protecting and diverting attacks from Bianchi that you fail to defend yourself. Perhaps you’ve just gotten sued to easily healing your injuries? However, as the demon’s fist smashes into your torso and pins you to the wall, you know that there will be no easy regeneration of this. You feel a dozen oblong spikes across Siz-Gamid’s knuckles perforate you—magical weapons, for al intents and purposes. Your bones crack, your guts are crushed and punctures, and you are helplessly pinned.

“I won’t go back!” Siz-Gamidd protests, its human voice breaking into a dual-toned bellow and shriek. “Not to the Hells, not to the lab! I’m free! I will REMAIN free!”

You attempt to speak—a negotiation tactic, a soothing word, a snarky reply, a threat?—but nothing more than a squeak and some bubbling blood emerge.

>18

Luckily, it is then that Bianchi finds his nerve, or at least the correct page. He begins a stammering chant, punctuated by a familiar name—a True Name—‘Siz-Gamid’. The demon recognizes what is about to happen, dropping you to fall to a heap on the stone floor of the converted wine cellar. You narrowly avoid a tumbling bookcase—

‘Heheheee, oh, that woulda’ been ironic, huh?’ notes Irinnile weakly, in what you hope isn’t quite GALLOWS humour.

—while the demon fails to avoid an allegorical bookcase of irony all its own: it is banished, reduced to foul blue-green mist inches away from utterly crushing Bianchi with its many limbs. Siz-Gamid is sent away by the same summoner who saved it from saintly slaughter.

“We never got thossse other True Namesss,’ you note, your voice a whisper that nealy dies before you can finish.

‘Babe,’ Irinnile says grimly, ‘we have bigger shit to worry about.’

“Bi…anchi… To me…” you weakly implore.

“I… I almost….” Bianchi murmurs, appearing stunned, not moving. Is it temporary, or did the near-death experience break your non-ectoplasmic control of him? No matter—it seems you must heal yourself.

<WANT: 18>

You begin the process of demonically-aided regeneration, but it is slow-going. You hope—and it can ONLY be hope, not certainty—that the Paladins didn’t catch Siz’s scent before you returned the devil to the Hell from whence it came. The longer you linger, the more time they have to, at the very least, destroy or capture the other demons you freed.

What do you do?
>Rest in the Bianchi estate until you can mend yourself—a process that could take hours
>Feed upon Bianchi to speed up your recovery—and hope you can control Irinnile despite your weakened state
>Ask Bianchi to send for help at this late hour [Felman? Edwin? The Incubus? Specify.]
>Move, damnit, MOVE! You can recover on the go, but you cannot remain HERE.
>Write-in

>>5140511
>Move, damnit, MOVE! You can recover on the go, but you cannot remain HERE.

Feed on someone in an alley, we can't afford to waste more time. Also, that's like the third time that we've been on death's door in a fight, why do the Dice Gods hate us during melee combat? If this turns into another Felman situation, swear I will keep Sid bound to Bianchi's commands for the rest of his life over this.

>>5140511
>Rest in the Bianchi estate until you can mend yourself—a process that could take hours

With our luck, running now will lead us directly into the paladin.

>>5140519
If it makes you feel better, you're not really on death's door.... So long as you heal before facing another formidable foe who has magic

>>5140525
We don't have time, but we can have Bianchi grab a couple of street prostitutes for us to feed off of. We need to get back into the game as soon as possible.

>>5140527
So we are on death's door ;_;. Jokes aside (at least I hope I'm joking), it does make me feel better, so thanks QM.

>>5140511
>Move, damnit, MOVE! You can recover on the go, but you cannot remain HERE.

>>5140525
>>5140529
We gotta call Felman, he might know how the glasses work, being an Inquisitor and all that.

>>5140816
Honestly? I'm a bit tempted to stay a minute and recover our strength from prostitutes, get us up to tip top shape before running off and potentially meeting the paladins. I'm curious what you lads think on the idea.

[Alas, I may too busy to post today. I will attempt but, worst case scenario, Reptilian Infiltrator Quest will return tomorrow.]

>>5140816
>>5140525
>>5140519
You grit your teeth and force yourself to you feet.

“Lord Bianchi!” you command his attention at last.

“Wh-what?” he replies, blinking.

You sense your glamour is still upon him, of a little shaken. You're not sure it will hold permanently after such a shock… But for now, he is at least still positively-disposed towards you.

“Clean thisss place up,” you advise him. “You may have visssitorss ssoon. Paladinss and Inquissitorss.”

Bianchi's already pasty countenance pales, and he shuffles to action. Watching him struggle to lift and move the incriminating evidence while navigating about with aid of his cane, you wonder how much evidence of occultism the nobleman can truly hide if a gryphon-rider is indeed headed this way… But you cannot stay to help. If they ARE coming, and they find you in so weakened a state…

‘We’re dead,’ Irinnile concludes.

You have to agree, and so you clench your jaw, clutch your abdomen, and you abandon the Bianchi estate for the winding roads and garden pathways pf the surrounding manor-district.

You will not be here when the Paladins and Inquisitions identify Siz-Gamid’s most recent location. You will be…
>Somewhere dark and hidden, healing up and spying on the mages and Paladins through Felman’s eyes
>At Edwin and Fynn’s home, recovering somewhere you know it is safe
>With Mina at The Pretty Kitty—you might even grab a ‘snack’ in the form of a client
>Stalking the streets, seeking out vulnerable humans who might provide you healing nourishment with their lifeforce
>Fleeing Hawksong for the farmhouse—resummoning Siz-Gamid will have to be enough to meet your end of the pact
>Write-in

>>5141080
>Stalking the streets, seeking out vulnerable humans who might provide you healing nourishment with their lifeforce

>>5140529
I don't know, don't want both our faces known. I wonder if we could find one on our own just to get enough energy for a visit in goblintown to use that one green onahole.
We could catch a breather for once and figure out this whole situation with Chase, Siz-Gamid and Bianchi's house. If our telepathy doesn't work, there's always the sneaky imp to zoom across the town and consult Felman.

Gotta say that Gamid acted utmost fucking retarded for a demon that's read tons of books. Probably the first time in this quest when we're fucked in the ass by something that was not a direct result of our own actions.

>>5141080
>Stalking the streets, seeking out vulnerable humans who might provide you healing nourishment with their lifeforce

God, I hope we haven't made another mistake leaving Bianchi alone with the Paladins. We already have too much shit on our plate to deal with already.

>>5141030
Good on you for posting today, and don't worry if you're too busy with RL to focus on QMing, we'll still be here!

>>5141084
I can understand the issue with anonymity, we should switch faces to help us in that department if the worst case comes to pass. I wouldn't mind making our way to Goblintown if not for the time-sensitive nature of the situation we're in. We need the demons corralled, Chase indisposed of, and confirmation that the Archmage isn't exploring the Reptilian angle in all of this. God, what a clusterfuck this cleanup mission is turning into.

I agree, Sid was acting overly emotional when we're trying to help us both out. Despite seriously wounding us, I do think she'll be more useful to us as a servant than as the Incubus' muscle. I do wonder what occult knowledge she accumulates as a consequence of being under Pavlov's thumb, and she must have a wealth of other useful knowledge we could tap into, assuming anons are up to utilize it.

>>5141080
>Somewhere dark and hidden, healing up and spying on the mages and Paladins through Felman’s eyes

>>5141116
>Bianchi with Paladins
I am too tired to even care at this point. We can't even agree to assume the worst and stay safe, let alone think outside the box to save Bianchi and his place, if they actually know where to look.
>We already have too much shit on our plate to deal with already.
Don't worry, there is more waiting after we're done dealing with our current hand.
>we should switch faces
Was gonna say, but Irinnile might actually get out of hand now, according to what QM wrote. That's why I wanted to drain someone lightly and then bounce while we have fumes to run on.
>time-sensitive nature of the situation we're in
What exactly do you intend to do? Then, how do you imagine doing it after Irinnile has been pushed to her limits for nearly 24h and we just got stabbed?
Frankly, I think we should back the fuck off, find a book and use our thrall contacts to learn about the game we're playing currently. Get some fundamental understanding of what we're dealing with, figure out how to funnel the demons to farmhouse safely, how to find them.
Unless we want to just blindly go against Chase when each of us has no idea what to expect, each has their own solution in mind, different assumptions, is ignoring different details?
>Reptilian Conspiracy
Weren't you the one who said it doesn't matter if anything gets out because a single retard can't ruin muh millenia of reptilian planning and the grand conspiracy wouldn't be so grand if it could crumble because of one agent? You know, back when I did everything I could to make Ismena cut loose ends and you didn't like it? That'd be pretty funny.
>Demons
The demons can't be collected now, not when we are running around with blue balls and Chase is fucking about the city in search for the same demons we are and we don't even knoe how to find them. Just make sure Incubus knows we'll be late with delivery, as I'm sure he already knows about Chase himself.

Again, most of this shit can't be done by us or doesn't require us in person to be accomplished, it's a perfect moment to fuck off and do networking. And recharge.

>>5141159
>What exactly do you intend to do?
Drain a couple people to death and move on our next objective, there's no two ways about it.
>Frankly, I think we should back the fuck off
Can't do that, we'll lose more demons, and the Dragonborn's secrecy is based off that deal.
>Unless we want to just blindly go against Chase when each of us has no idea what to expect, each has their own solution in mind, different assumptions, is ignoring different details?
That's this quest in a nutshell mate. It seems like we either get a fuzzy half-plan of what we're doing, or we just balls-to-the-wall wing it. I'm not saying it's ideal, but it seems to be all we're capable of doing.
>Reptilian Conspiracy
Frankly, I don't know what you going on there, that sounds like Dame Albacete's point of view to me. From my perspective, it seems to me that I was trying to come up with clean solutions for our loose ends, and the murder-autism directly lead to more problems in the Tower's investigation. It's a bit of a moot point now though. If you want to know my current thoughts, I think us letting the Reptilian Conspiracy slip out into the Tower's Leadership though our inaction is just messy on our part. We're an infiltrator damnit, not an informant.
>Demons
The demons need to be collected now, and not just because Chase is chasing (heh) them down. We need to be free of distraction to deal with the Archmage situation, should it turn tits up, and trying to play Pokémon Go with demons is a large distraction.
>Again, most of this shit can't be done by us or doesn't require us in person to be accomplished
How do you figure that? How are we supposed to find the demons before Chase does if we fuck off to network?

>>5141245
>drain whores
I was asking about Chase, anon. We can't just clap the faggot cause then we will have a whole squadron going after us. Assuming we can even kill him.
>Can't do that, we'll lose more demons, and the Dragonborn's secrecy is based off that deal.
Just one fucking day to rest and get intel. It's not possible for him to track and kill them ALL in ONE DAY.
>That's this quest in a nutshell mate.
That's the problem, yeah.
Also the reason why instead of winging/planning, I just think meta and try to pick choices that will lock Ismena down a certain path/place so there is no coming back.
God it was frustrating before QM calibrated and stopped giving people opportunities to fuck things up right before the execution.
>Murder autism
Sounds like you invented yourself a scapegoat, anon. The actual event that led to "more problems with Tower's investigation" was trying to rescue Roth and burning a cult chapel down. And it was at that point that we made peace with Incubus.
IIrc you used that idea of grand undefeatable conspiracy as an argument after we got rid of the too-much-knowing fox.
>Demons Demons Demons
Again, we need a day to recover and gather information to actually be able to counteract Chase.
Meanwhile you want to justify slaughtering a bunch of whores on a whim and going full metal retard with half the fuel at best and no idea about the enemy likely worse than Pavlov, because... other anons wing shit. So now we must go on a fucking crusade, because you claim there is absolutely no way we can stop for a moment, properly heal, try to learn about the threat we're dealing with. There is no way he won't kill all the demons while we're gone, and when he does... the pact will be broken and that will make Incubus do... what, exactly?
Even if the things went so bad that we couldn't deliver on our end of the pact, there is no punishment for that and Incubus has no indication that Chase is finished. If he knew where the demons were, he would've gotten them himself.
You made this whole insane time pressure up and we could beeline for his HQ to update our terms of service for all I care.
>How do you figure that?
I said most things, not the one I specifically said we shouldn't hastily do. We can get updates on the investigation, knowledge about Chase and glasses as well as control thralls without GOING EVERYWHERE ON FOOT.
>How are we supposed to find the demons before Chase does if we fuck off to network?
How are we supposed to find anything WITHOUT networking?
If you want to summon Siz-Dammit again, then we NEED to know about the glasses and get out of that fucker's tracking range ((>>5139904))
Unless, of course, you have an idea how to find the demons without her help. But you just said you don't. You're winging it.

>>5141124
>>5141116
>>5141084
You grimace through the pain as you make your way back to the more populous, lower-class areas of the great surface city. Worst of all, you reflect with bitter humour, your beautiful golden dress is RUINED! Who could have anticipated that such a seemingly learned demon would throw a tantrum like a child? This whole debacle further sours your opinion on the denizens of the underworld.

‘Naw, I get it.’

You're surprised to hear Irinnile defend Siz-Gamid's actions, but she hastens to elaborate.

‘N-not stickin’ us like a pig and squishing up our ovaries and all that, don't get me wrong! I'm just sayin’… There’s a reason demons are so eager to make pacts and get themselves manifested. The Hells ain’t no picnic, especially for a lesser demon. Pacts, souls… If you’ve got currency, leverage, minions? Shit’s nice. But otherwise, the constant hunger, the miserableness of the whole damned place, and being at the mercy of the greater demons…’

Irinnile trails off, then simply murmurs, ‘I’d do almost anything to avoid that. And being enslaved ain’t much better.’

How do you respond?
>Sympathetically
>Critically
>Suspiciously
>You don’t—you’re busy

The next hours is spent hunting down a perfect mark. You continue to heal regardless, but at a much slower rate than if you had rested, and INFINITELY slower than if you had a proper mana-meal in you. Luckily, one such appetizer presents herself: a female human, scantily-attired and with gauche make-up covering a lightly-pockmarked face. Her demenaour, her attire, her location… It’s all very familiar to you. This is a prostitute, seeking a mark of her own. You’ve been there… But you have no time to empathize with surface apes.

You shift your face enough to hide your identity, pull your cloak close to your form to hide your wounds, and approach with easy smile and the promise of coin. If she is surprised at a female client, or unhappy, this woman cannot afford to show it. She leads you away from the torches of Hawksong’s thoroughfares, and into darkness.

‘Yessss!’ Irinnile enthuses, slavering with eagerness… With hunger.

You realize that you, too, haven’t eaten since the Gala.

Do you attempt to restrain Irinnile's more brutal impulses?
>Yes—let the human live
>No—feel fully, of mana and flesh alike
>Kill her—but no cannibalism
>Sent the woman away—this was a mistake

Once you are done here, what is your next course of action? It is after midnight already, but you are well-rested.
>Spy through a thrall’s eyes to determine the state of the investigation [whose?]
>Go dream-delving [target who?]
>Consult the Akashic Record of the Dark Gods to learn more about the likely whereabouts of the demons?
>Seek out the Paladin, Sir Chase, qnd end his threat now
>Report back to The Incubus, requesting additional time
>Try to locate your bag and your other equipment
>Write-in

[Surprise midday update, since I had time and probably won't this evening. Cheers, all!]

>>5141292
>Kill her—but no cannibalism

shits fucked up

>Try to locate your bag and your other equipment

>>5141284
My plan for Chase? Get him while he's alone, asleep, or with his pants down, and find out about his chimera's strengths and weaknesses from Henzler. He needs to eat, shit, and sleep like the rest of us. With our luck though? We're probably gonna meet him with his mage squad around the next corner.
>Just one fucking day to rest and get intel. It's not possible for him to track and kill them ALL in ONE DAY.
By then, we'll be balls deep into whatever situation the Archmage has cooking up in his head, and I'd rather not be distracted be him and Chase at the same time. That's my reasoning on being proactive right now.
>Sounds like you invented yourself a scapegoat, anon.
>Also the reason why instead of winging/planning, I just think meta and try to pick choices that will lock Ismena down a certain path/place so there is no coming back.
Not to beat a dead horse here, but this is probably what I mean by murder autism. Nothing more final than death.
>Tower Investigation
I was referring the the murder autism the led to the Tower investigating our crimes in the first place, and each murder that fueled the investigation afterwards.
>the too-much-knowing fox
Foxy didn't know jack shit, you killed her outta of paranoia, plain and simple. I was aiming to turn her into our partner-in-crime for our more risky operations, because having a useful non-reptilian ally would've been immensely helpful, especially right now!
>Demons
Again, problem is that I don't think we have a day to rest without something else splitting our attention, and I prefer not to juggle our goals. Going full metal retard isn't as retarded, since Hawksong is going through a demon epidemic at the moment, so it'll probably fly under their radar as another demon attack, but the main reason why I want to suck the souls of prostitutes is so we can be at full health and a lowered WANT in case trouble finds us.
Quick sidebar, if we didn't eat Pavlov's soul and just made a pact with him, we would know all the demon true names already, thus making this mission less of a side hustle.
>the pact will be broken and that will make Incubus do... what, exactly?
Take the Dragonborn as collateral.
>You made this whole insane time pressure up and we could beeline for his HQ to update our terms of service for all I care.
I actually voted for a change of conditions, but I don't think we'll be able to change our pack without going on another mission on the Incubus' behalf, in addition to our current mission.
>GOING EVERYWHERE ON FOOT
I agree, walking on foot is a bitch.

>>5141284
>If you want to summon Siz-Dammit again, then we NEED to know about the glasses and get out of that fucker's tracking range
I mean, we can probably summon all of the demons outside of Hawksong or near the border of Goblintown, but it'll require the knowledge and material on how to actually summon them, and that doesn't get rid of the Chase problem (though given our charm, it's probably more of the Incubus' problem than ours). As it relates to the glasses, couldn't we ask him that question through our psychic link?

>>5141292
>Sympathetically
Sid does own us our expensive dress back though, we'll make it apart of our terms and conditions for giving her some autonomy back.

>Kill her—but no cannibalism
We'll grab a bite to eat somewhere else.

>Try to locate your bag and your other equipment
Make it a priority of a thrall at the Tower.
>Spy through a thrall’s eyes to determine the state of the investigation [whose?]
I ain't picky.

>Seek out the Paladin, Sir Chase, qnd end his threat now
Assult the paladin now! Assault the paladin now!

>>5141294
Nice! I hope you have a nice (if busy) day then RQM!

>>5141292
>You don’t—you’re busy
>No—feel fully, of mana and flesh alike
Order a blackout from Irinnile, if possible. Not the first time this'd happen, but with how stubborn one anon here is, there's no way we can fucking stop to fucking EAT.
>Spy through a thrall’s eyes to determine the state of the investigation
Felman.
>Consult the Akashic Record of the Dark Gods to learn more about the likely whereabouts of the demons?

>>5141365
>With our luck though? We're probably gonna meet him with his mage squad around the next corner.
And that's why you wanna jump into this shit head-on and meet him with no preparations, gotcha.

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Rolled 7, 6, 13, 9, 7 = 42 (5d20)

>>5141312
>>5141382
>>5142097

You don’t respond to Irinnile’s little speech, because a more urgent matter takes precedent. You’re on a mission, after all… Even if, just now, that mission incudes whoremongering.

The human prostitutes’ eyes widen as you approach with hungry eyes, panting like an animal in heat-or on the hunt. You grab handfuls of her—of her breasts, her hip. You feel her skin. Her flesh. Her meat…

No!

‘Feed upon her,’ you say to Irinnile, but with a caveat: ‘Her mana, NOT her flesh.’

Irinnile scoffs at your prudity, but quickly senses that you aren’t joking around.

‘That really makes ya’ all squicky, huh?’ Irinnile notes. ‘Ya’ know, it ain’t MY stomach that’s empty. I don’t even HAVE a stomach!’

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>>5142168
>13
Your body and mind are weary and wounded, your stomach empty… And your proclivity to hedonism makes you vulnerable to Irinnile’s impulses. Your <WANT> is great, and the succubus knows how to sate it and your more physical hungers alike. You’re already killing and eating this human anyway, after a fashion, and you need to dispose of the body, so why NOT? Maybe you could just have a nibble…

>CLARITY

You feel the diadem’s energy vibrate and hum through your skull, through your soul. You snap out of your trance.

The prostitute in on the ground beneath you, her clothes torn away. The human female’s eyes are full of pleasure and pain, her gasps almost moans and almost screams. Yours hands, like talons, are sunk into her sweat-drenched body. Your lick your teeth, finding only razor-blade meant for slicing and cutting meat…

<WANT: 16>

You mercifully allow the woman to die, snatching up her soul’s energies to feed Irinnile, and you let the carcass fall away as you stand and shift your shape back towards normalcy.

‘I SAID no,’ you snap.

‘Lispy, babe, I tried, okay? I just—’

‘You just have no self-control,’ you interrupt.

Irinnile goes quiet, and you sigh. Te awkward slence that follows is only interrupted by your stomach’s insistent grumbling.

‘Come on, Irinnile says with forced cheer, ‘let’s hide a corpse and get you something to eat.’

You look down at the street-walker’s corpse, knowing that under other circumstances, not so long ago, that could have been you… And then, you do exactly that. You divvy the body up with you knife, freezing and breaking it apart with the blades magic and disposing of its components down nearby sewer manholes—garbage receptacles haven’t hidden this activity so well in the past, after all.

‘Alright!” Irinnile says as you wipe your hands clean on your already-bloodied and torn dress. ‘Where you do wanna’ go to eat?’

‘Not yet,’ you say. ‘There is still work to do.’

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>>5142187

‘Oh right,’ Irinnile says, ‘our shit!’

While darkness yet remains and Irinnile’s powers are at their fullest, you cast your senses from your body and into the aether of the dreamscape. You are not invading dream or spying on the sleeping surface-apes today, though—you instead slip into the mind of Lithobathius, the Tower Guardian, and stir him to action.

Watching through the heavyset mage’s eyes and directing his movements, you get him moving, and dressed in his robe. You send him forth on a mission of retrieval: to locate and obtain that bag of valuable and potentially-incriminating items which you left in the Tower’s custody, as they were checking yourself and the Engels into the Gala two nights prior…

But there is nothing there.

‘Ya’ don’t think the Tower seized it, do you?’ Irinnile suggests worriedly.

You scrunch your face with concentration, eyes still closed, as you direct the question along your psychic-occultic link with Tower Guardian Lithobathius… And you feel as he shakes his head in response.

‘Well, if they don’t have it…’ Irinnile begins.

‘…Edwin does,’ you finish, opening your eyes and releasing Lithobathius from your direct control.

What do you do?
>It’s time to pay Edwin a visit, for a breakfast date and to retrieve your things
>You need to get your things from the Engel manor, but you’ll do so stealthily—you aren’t ready to see Edwin yet
>Go get mooch food and clothing from Agatha Johan, your seamstress friend, just like old times
>Get some food and rest at The Pretty Kitty, and lay low there while you plan your next move
>Write-in

>>5142188
>Get some food and rest at The Pretty Kitty, and lay low there while you plan your next move
or
>You need to get your things from the Engel manor, but you’ll do so stealthily—you aren’t ready to see Edwin yet

Don't need more fucking distractions now.

>>5142188
>It’s time to pay Edwin a visit, for a breakfast date and to retrieve your things

Might as well face this music
Spiriting it away and talking later will only make it worse for future us.

>might as well make the clusterfuck bigger, this surely won't turn into fynn and edwin bothering our ass into oblivion and us getting nothing done
foxanon was right

>>5142251
>foxanon was right

Thank you.

Anyways, breakfast with Edwin may not be a bad idea. We get to feed ourselves, we get to feed our WANT more, and get our things along with a new dress. Really, the only thing that's holding me back is the awkward, distracting talk Edwin may want to have afterwards about all of this. Now, I don't know if completing three minor objectives in one timespan would be worth the awkward distraction that would be explaining shit, but controlling the narrative before we're ready to be more open with Edwin may be worthwhile, or we can probably distract him and dance our way around the subject as we eat our fill (both ways) and get our shit all in one go. Think it's worth it?

>>5142697
[May want to vote one way or the other soon to break the tie, if you want an update at the regular time.]

>>5142908
Ah fuck, I'm not good with conflicting goals. Going by gut feeling,
>It’s time to pay Edwin a visit, for a breakfast date and to retrieve your things
But with the caveat of dreamdelving Edwin beforehand to lay in a suggestion to not pry and let us explain in our own time. Hell, make him excited to tell us about something he recently learned as a distraction. I want to meet, eat, and fuck him, but not have to explain ourselves until our shit is fully taken care of, you feel me?

Also, make sure we take of and hide our torn dress before we meet Edwin. I don't want him worrying over nothing.

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>>5142963
>>5142244
>>5142251

You’ve put it off as long as you can, it seems: you must pay Edwin a visit. Well… Maybe that’s not quite right. You WANT to. It’s not just to get your things: you want to have breakfast with him, to reassure him that you’re alright, and to make sure that he is also.

‘And maybe to get some of the mana-loaded cream all up in us?’ Irinnile asks hopefully.

You studiously ignore her, instead setting about tidying yourself up. You don’t want to worry to poor silly male over nothing, and so you regrettably must dispose of your golden dress—perhaps the single nicest piece Agatha Johan has yet made for you. It saddens you to throw it away but, soiled by several bloody battles and now torn apart by Siz-Gamid’s bone-studded fist, it has served you for the last time. You lay it to rest with the corpse of the prostitute you slew, and sadly watch it wash away.

With this matter attended to, you set to work preparing for a dream-delving expedition, to get your human pet in the right mood to receive you… But you find your efforts stymied. As you enter the necessary meditative state, you find it incredibly difficult to separate your astral form from your physical. At first you’re uncertain as to why but, as you open your eyes, it becomes apparent: dawn’s first light is cresting over the parapets and rooftops of Hawksong.

“May the sun be damned,” you mutter in the True Speech. Then, in Northern Common-tongue: “Fuck!”

‘You tell ‘em,’ Irinnile cheers you on bemusedly, with a mischievous giggle. She stops when she senses your ire.

Well, there’s nothing for it, you suppose. You uncross your legs, stand, stretch in greeting to that most-accursed sun, and you set out to meet Edwin. Beneath your enchanted cloak, you use Irinnile’s abilities to manifest a leather dress from shapeshifted skin—red and black, the colours most natural to the demon within.

‘Don’t worry, babe, we look fucking HOT!’

‘We’re clashy,’ you reply sullenly.

It takes you almost two hours on foot to reach the Engel manor. Perhaps carriage-rides have spoiled you, or perhaps the last few days have just been especially exhausting, but walking everywhere seems an utter chore to you this day, and you’re glad for it to be over and done with. When you reach the gate, it is welcome respite.

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>>5142995
However, that sense of relief is short-lived. You can sense the tension when the gateman recognizes you. He welcomes you, sure enough, and this servant of the Engel household is eager enough to lead you inside… But you are an empath now, by Irinnile’s association and by your own growing magical prowess. You are on-edge, and you KNOW it is with good reason.

That reason becomes apparent when Edwin comes to greet you in the main hall, summoned by the servant. His eyes are red-rimmed—From crying? Lack of sleep? Both? His expression and body language are so stiff an unnatural to him that you hardly need to be an empath to tell that something is wrong.

“Hello,” you say with a small smile. “I… Ssuppossse you’ve been worried about me?”

“You suppose?” he repeats.

You aren’t certain what to say, and so you say nothing. Edwin waits, the tension growing… But he is a man uncomfortable with long silences, and you can sense that something is building in him, something that he wishes to release.

‘And it ain’t what I was hoping for,’ Irinnile sighs.

“Would you care to join me in the study?” Edwin says aloud—loud enough for his father’s servants to hear. “Alone, of course.”

You can do little else but accept. What else WOULD you do? You follow him, closely at first… But further when he shrugs your hand away from his arm.

‘Aw shit,’ murmurs Irinnile from within.

When you reach the study, Edwin is well ahead of you, facing the wall.

“Shut the door,” he says quietly. “Please.”

You stare for a moment, calculating your move. What is this? Is he mad because you… Well, abandoned him at a party, then disappeared following an apparent attack by foreign demonologists? Because your didn’t check in for a full day afterwards? That’s…

Well, okay, maybe reasonable. From a weak, co-dependant, human point of view.

Still, it demands a response. But how to respond? And…

‘Hey,’ Irinnile notes, noticing it at the same time you do, ‘that’s our bag in the corner!’

‘MY bag,’ you correct pointedly… But damned if the demon isn’t entirely correct. In the corner of the study is your bag, with all your myriad possessions.

All your possessions. Including the Serpent Priest staff you had been keeping wrapped up, under your bed.

‘Ffffffuuuuck,’ Irinnile whispers.

Edwin turns around, follows your gaze… And then turns back to you, meeting your eyes. You have no idea how much he knows, or thinks he knows.

What do you do?
>Attempt to preempt and assuage his concerns with a cover-story [please specify the details]
>React with outrage—how dare he snoop in your room?!
>Attempt to brush off his concerns, and to flirt your way out of trouble—a robust breakfast and a rough bout of make-up sex will solve this!
>Blurt out the truth, and beg understanding and forgiveness
>Say nothing—don’t panic!—and wait for Edwin to begin talking
>Write-in

>>5142999
>Say nothing—don’t panic!—and wait for Edwin to begin talking

I'd be willing to confess
uh
some stuff

>>5142999
>Say nothing—don’t panic!—and wait for Edwin to begin talking

A robust breakfast and a rough bout of make-up sex won't solve this, but it'll certainly make me feel better afterwards. Let him speak his mind, and we'll speak ours (to a certain extent, we got our duties), and hopefully there will be makeup-sex and breakfast after this.

Nice trips btw RQM!

>>5142251
You were right, this did turn into a clusterfuck. I hope we can still save on time with our refueling efforts.

>>5142999
> Say nothing—don’t panic!—and wait for Edwin to begin talking
The best strategy will probably depend a lot on how much he knows and exactly what angle his anger is coming from. Let him voice that, then try to counter.

>>5142963
okay you're just full of shit at this point

>>5142999
>React with outrage—how dare he snoop in your room?!
Stupid monke, leave our custom-engraved fireball staff alone. It could've exploded.
>Shove him aside and secure the staff.

>>5143042
I hope you're proud of yourself, anon. Don't expect you to have learned anything, though. After this you will drag us into even more chaotic shit and say it's because others.

Wish I had enough voting power to stab him and see you all shit and cry.

>>5143237
>>5143247
Actually, I was considering voting for your option, as you made some good points. I was hoping for some input when I was put on the spot and voted with my gut to refuel and rearm instead of trying to sneak in during breakfast. Maybe I made the wrong choice, we'll see how it plays out.

Friendly advice though- I think acting hurt and tearful would be more useful than anger. There is strength in expressing vulnerability, and guilt-tripping is something we haven't tried yet to my knowledge.

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>>5143260
>Maybe I made the wrong choice, we'll see how it plays out.
>Hurt and tearful
You tear up and let him talk now and we never get out of here in time to catch your precious demons. And not before making a trillion promises and increasing his distrust towards us even further as we will INEVITABLY have to slap him with "gotta run", right after crying him a river.
Don't tell me you're so passive you will let a fictional character force you to play home right after we KILLED A PROSTITUTE JUST TO SAVE TIME and after you ranted about how we can't afford to do absolutely anything other than chase demons like an ADHD-riddled crackhead with severe withdrawal symptoms.
>we haven't tried yet
And you want to test that angle NOW of all times.

You have 0 consistency. It's clear as day you only use logic to justify your wants, but drop it all as soon as you run out of steam or get confused.

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>>5143035
>>5143042
>>5143098
>>5143247
You close the door and, mind racing and heart hammering, you wait. You could blurt out a lie, or snatch up your belongings and hurry out of this place. Perhaps you SHOULD. You have demons to retrieve, after all, and mages and monarchs whose machinations you must match…

<Affection: 100%>

But… Damn all the Gods of Light, damn the fates, damn Death Himself… This is Edwin of Engel. You love this silly ape, and to do that would surely, SURELY drive a wedge irreparable between the two of you. So you force your foot not to tap, you take a deep breath, and you listen.

Edwin, for his part, is obviously troubled as well—unsure how to start. He opens his mouth, closes it, looks away, paces a few steps, sights the staff and the bag in the corner, and turns back to you again.

“You know, we looked everywhere for you,” he begins. “Father an I, I mean. For a while, I really thought you were hurt or… Or worse.”

Edwin takes a ragged breath.

“We couldn’t find you, and the Tower Guardians were too busy to go looking for you… But I thought, this is Izzy! You’re capable, so strong, so clever… You’ll be fine.”

You can’t help a small smile at that… Even as you can in his expression that this hardly the end of it.

“But, of course, you’re also the Izzy who goes missing and sometimes gets mauled by wererats, aren’t you?” Edwin sighs. “So I couldn’t sleep. I was up, all night. Waiting. And as I waited… Well, I got to thinking. I started thinking about the things you said to me… Including the very last thing you said to me—what I genuinely thought might be the last thing you EVER said to me!”

‘Oh,’ Irinnile murmurs, before you silently shush her.

Edwin’s sad, pained expression turns to something like anger—almost, ALMOST fury, so uncharacteristic of calm of understanding Edwin—as he says: “You must think I’m an idiot.”

“…” you remain quiet, but shake you head almost imperceptibly.

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>>5143412
“’I am beholden to something greater than all of us’,” he quotes you. “You said you had something you had to do, something secret… And then, AND THEN, the Endless Fountain exploded, and you were just… GONE!”

Your hands unconsciously ball to fists, fingernails digging into your palms. ‘Oh’ indeed. You have miscalculated.

“And then you stay gone, for a day, while the Inquisition and Paladins are being sighted all over town, scrambling, and there are rumours of demons and devils from the Southlands…

Word spread fast, it seems. Perhaps Lithobathius deserves a commendation? It is a rueful reflection, but it fails to distract you for long, because Edwin comes to his point:

“So I admit it—I snooped. I looked inside your bag, and under your bed. I was hoping…” he pauses, voice breaking slightly. “I was hoping I was wrong. But I found… Well, you know what I found.”

Yes, you do; a cache of magical items, including stolen Inquisition glasses and a Serpent priest staff, a dwarven relic taken from the Engelson Storehosue Company’s own property, a vial of poison, and a dagger with the faintest stain of blood along the edge… In addition to a book on Reptilians.

‘Babe,’ Irinnile interjects. ‘He knows. He KNOWS.’

“I know,” Edwin says grimly, sadly. “I know what you really are.”

You should be reaching for your hidden frost-dagger. It should be automatic at this point! For the Grand Design, for the Dark Gods, you have to plug this leak. This is your mother’s failure all over again! You can’t repeat her patterns, you CAN’T be a failure out of human weakness. Not now, not after all this! You try to will your body to move, to KILL, but… But…

<Affection: 100%>

…But you can’t. You fear tears welling in your eyes, and you know you can’t. This is Edwin—YOUR Edwin.

‘Lispy!’ Irinnile hisses.

Edwin speaks up again, quietly, as if afraid to give voice to it, and says:

“You’re a southern demonist, aren’t you?”

You blink, once. Then again. You take a moment to recalibrate. You mean he… DOESN’T know you’re a Reptilian? Well, this might change things…

What do you do?
>’Admit’ to being part of a southern demon cult, and plead for mercy and secrecy, out of love
>Build upon this mistaken belief to create a sob story of being forced by demonic Southerners to help them attack the Tower, against your will
>Appeal to Edwin’s own grievance with the Tower—they cast out his mother, rejected him—to corrupt and recruit him into this world, and to earn his confidence
>Enough of the lies—he’ll just catch you in them again, so you’ll tell him the truth, insofar as you can
>You cannot bear to lie to him—take your things, apologize, and go
>Mesmerize the man and wipe his memories
>Write-in [no murder allowed, per pic related]

>>5143413
>Mesmerize the man and wipe his memories

>no murder allowed because virgin playerbase felt in love with a fat loser fuck
The fact it came to this is pathetic.

>>5143413
>Appeal to Edwin’s own grievance with the Tower—they cast out his mother, rejected him—to corrupt and recruit him into this world, and to earn his confidence

chancu

>>5143422
stay salty

>>5143436
Keep sucking his dick.

>>5143451
It was literally part of the initial plan to do so, as I understood it.

>>5143413
>Appeal to Edwin’s own grievance with the Tower—they cast out his mother, rejected him—to corrupt and recruit him into this world, and to earn his confidence

I actually take it as a point of pride that we haven't mesmerized Edwin yet, so we'll see how this goes. Act on the brink of tears, and then slowly get to seducing him for dat sweet, juicy mana.

>>5143395
The main part of my decision was to refuel twice (mana and food), get our shit, and get going. I think we're still largely on track here, despite the emotional stuff.

>>5143451
will do
>>5143510
;^p

>>5143413
>>Appeal to Edwin’s own grievance with the Tower—they cast out his mother, rejected him—to corrupt and recruit him into this world, and to earn his confidence

>>5143422
Some spice in life is a great thing anon

>>5143708
This isn't life, anon.

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Rolled 11, 6, 16, 2 = 35 (4d20)

>>5143422
>>5143436
>>5143530
>>5143708
[Politesse, DC 12/15/18]

>>5143892
I'm sorry for shitting up the thread, RQM.

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>>5143892
“Edwin,” you begin, “I admit I’m… Not exxactly who I sssaid I am. And not from where I ssaid I wass.”

Edwin recoils slightly, despite his proclamation. It seems he really did want to be proven wrong, on some level. Still, you press on.

“I wasss involved in the attack on the Tower. You’re right.”

“You… You lied to me,” he murmurs, tears now building in his eyes. “Used me.”

“Yesss,” you admit sadly.

Again, he is shocked into silence, gripping the back of a nearby chesterfield.

“But not without love,” you say, truthfully. “That wasn’t fake. I promissse. And never for anything but a worthy cause… A caussse I think you can underssstand.”

Edwin seems to be struggling to take all this in, looking dizzy and faint. “What? How could you possibly think I’d approve of—”

“Of attacking the Tower?” you finish.

Edwin doesn’t speak up, so you continue: “The Tower that threw your mother out for the ‘crime’ of having a child—you? That rejected you, rejectss Paula? The elitissst ssnobss who rule thiss ccity in all but name, and trample on the little unmagical person like you—like me?”

>12: Edwin will not cast you out of his home without hearing you out

“Izzy,” he appeals to you, “you blew up the Endless Fountain.”

“Not persssonally,” you protest.

“There were DEATHS, Izzy.”

You hesitate. That’s a tougher one to argue against.

“No unavoidable oness,” you say. “No unearned onesss.”

Edwin’s eyes widen at this callous utilitarianism—or, at least, so it must seem to him. Humans, especially the highly ‘civilzied’ humans of a Hawksong’s upper crust, they’re soft. It’s not Edwin’s fault, of course—he is a creature created by circumstance. But you have coddled him too long, perhaps, as his father and his entire society does. He deserves truth—hard truth, if not the WHOLE truth just yet.

“The Tower keepss thingss from you,” you say. “The demonss that esscaped into Hawkssong… That iss true. They did. But do you know who ssummoned thosse demonss? Who wass holding them there, using them?”

Edwin sits down. He doesn’t speak, but you can see understanding on his face.

“Yess,” you confirm. “They rail against demonisssts, or occultism, or hedge-magic, but it’ss only sso they can have a monopoly on all of it. Sso they can use exxxclussively what they deny to the rest of you... Even people with potential, SSO much potential, like YOU.”

You sit down beside him. He doesn’t look at you, but he doesn’t move, either. Taking a deep breath, you take his hand in yours. Finally, he meets your eyes.

“Edwin,” you say softly, “The Tower iss not GOOD. The attack wass jusstified.”

“How can I possibly know if you’re telling the truth?” he asks.

You smile, and squeeze his hand.

“Trusst me,” you implore.

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>>5143946
>16: Edwin will not join you, but nor will he turn you in

“Ismena…”

The human male takes a deep breath, closes his eyes… And when he opens them, his expression is as stony and as steadfast as he can form his soft features to be.

“Ismena,” Edwin says, “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Edwin, pleasse, jusst LISSTEN!”

“I have,” he says. “I did. I… I still… I care about you. If you stop all this, if you turn yourself in, we can be together.”

“Pfft, like THAT’S gonna’ happen, amirite?’ Irinnile laughs.

“And if I don’t?” you ask softly.

“Then…” Edwin sighs a ragged sigh. “I think you should go. I won’t… I won’t say anything to anyone, about any of this. I understand that you have your reasons, but… I can’t be a part of this, whatever this is.”

<HEARTBROKEN: Edwin affection-related bonuses are negated, and you suffer a small penalty to all rolls related to willpower and endurance until the condition passes naturally or you mend the rift>

What do you do?
>Use a glamour to curb Edwin’s misgivings, and seduce him into supporting you—or at least sating your <WANT> one last time
>Use the ectoplasm trick on him—turn Edwin into a puppet, like the mages
>Take your things and leave—it’s over
>Ask for some food to go, undignified as it makes you feel
>Write-in

[If choosing to leave, specify where you plan to go next]

>>5143900
I appreciate some enthusiastic banter in the thread, so no worries.

>>5143948
>Use a glamour to curb Edwin’s misgivings, and seduce him into supporting you—or at least sating your <WANT> one last time

Well, I certainly didn't expect this. Goddamn, we should've lied. Damnit.

>>5143948
You can call be a sentimental fool, but I wanted to show Edwin the drake Hershel and try and bond over learning magic when things have calmed down. I guess I really was a fool.

>>5143395
I do hope you're happy about this result lad, Edwin won't be bothering us anymore. Now we can focus on business fully, even with my inconsistent ass making a mess of shit just to save some time.

>>5143948
>Use a glamour to curb Edwin’s misgivings, and seduce him into supporting you—or at least sating your <WANT> one last time
Ectoplasm is always there as a last resort

>>5143948
>Use a glamour to curb Edwin’s misgivings, and seduce him into supporting you—or at least sating your <WANT> one last time
Sate the want and gtfo, I say!

>>5143983
Sad to leave after putting so much time here, but at least this takes out the most annoying conflict out of the picture. Ismena is better off finding someone of literally any race other than human and their close allies.
I might have a plan on how to get prepared to get Siz and then the demons n stuff from farmhouse, if you want to hear it.

>>5144006
>ectoplasming him into romance
and here I thought I didn't care about his feelings, kek

>>5143948
>Take your things and leave—it’s over

He'll come around
We can find evidence of tower wrongdoings
Or manufacture it

>>5144006
Honestly? I chose to send us off with a bang rather than a whimper. Ectoplasming him would be the same as mesmerizing him, and I prefer his love to be given by his choice rather than ours. I think our final goodbye should be in his dreams, so we can at least explain ourselves before telling him to live his best life and that we love him, even if he doesn't love us. A fitting end, if not the happiest one.

>>5144029
Like a demon, or a fox perhaps?
I'm game to listen.

>>5144049
I mean, he can just talk to Sid and the Dragonborn if we're going full meme. Honestly though, I'm sure just a short, honest conversation with Henzler would be enough.

The point isn't the Tower's wrongdoing, the point is we've betrayed his trust while crushing his childhood dreams and aspirations. That's a lot of metal baggage we just placed on him, and the thing I adore most is his childhood wonder about magic and trying to live up to his mother's magical shadow. I don't want him to harden like his father.

>>5144029
It’s the last resort option if we can’t win him back and he actively threatens the mission. I still prefer a mindwipe or just leaving quietly.