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“So, DEFIANT.” Behemoth intones with a three-hooved stomp. “You have before you TWO options. CONCLUSION…or DESTRUCTION.”

His voice then bellows out a single word, an ultimatum with all the subtlety of a natural disaster.

“CHOOSE.”

Despite the urgency of his demand, in the scant few seconds before you reply you’re granted a brief moment to gather your thoughts. Ziz still towers behind you, yet rendered small by her brother’s chastisement and the sheer overwhelming presence of the largest of the siblings. Leviathan, meanwhile, as yet to make their presence known—content to hold fast to their deal with you by lurking in the river, undetectable and nigh-invisible until the time comes to whisk you out of harm’s way.

Rath, Dorian, B’ni, and Snowbird stand at your side, and given the sudden influx of heat from the redhead on your left, you can already tell which way the winds of conflict are blowing…but the die’s not cast.

Not yet.

The very fact that Behemoth is paused here, looming overhead and delivering ultimatums speaks volumes. A being of his size could have attempted to trample through or past you. He could’ve made no attempt at parley, he could’ve rushed straight into battle without warning…but he hasn’t. Instead, Behemoth’s drawn a proverbial line in the sand, daring you to cross it.

Which means you have a chance.

You’re keenly aware of the dozen allies you’ve brought to bear should things turn sour, but as you take a step forward it’s with the hopes that Ziz knows her brother better than Leviathan.

Behemoth’s given you a choice.

And you give him your reply.

>>Concede to his demand that you climb the Cord—and tell him that while you can’t let the Disassociated launch be interrupted, you’d like to know why he wishes to stop it in the first place.

>>He’s drawn a line in the sand, and so will you. You’re ascending the Cord on your own terms, and if Behemoth wants to stop the rocket launch? Then he’d better explain himself if he wants you to move.

>>There’s still time before the launch, and it’s time you need to waste. Try and engage Behemoth in conversation, both to stall for time and get some insight on the final Apocalypse Amalgam.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in four. It’s good to be back, and I hope everyone had a pleasant past week!)

>>5211276
>>Write-In
>"I wish it was that simple, Behemoth. I want this over with, too. We're not simply dawdling, we're building up power for the climb. There are others who have plans for the Crucible, plans that you would like far less than ours. If Doctor West gets her way, no Crucible would ever again work towards your father's purposes. Just hers. We need the strength to defeat her, if either of us is going to get what they want."
>"But maybe there is a faster way. You said that in Crucibles past, a single Fragment was enough power to ascend the Cord? I'm listening, how does that work?"

I've got other things I want to say to Behemoth, but I think this works as an okay opener.

>>5211276
Gah. I wake up an hour late and I see that the speech craft has been lacking. Man...the other anon's insight would've been wonderful around this time. I'll try and have a go at it.

>>5211327
I don't think Dr. West should be a focus here. The cycle's been through hundreds of iterations and I don't think the ambitions of the doctor would be disastrous enough to warrant a mention unless she herself carries a fragment. Unless there's something about the ascension that Behemoth is worried about.

>>5211364
West wants to reconfigure the Crucibles into her own personal transhuman ascension system. If she gets her way, the Crucibles will fulfill neither the star gods' plan nor Behemoth's father's. She should offend Behemoth at least as much as our not having ascended does. And she's the primary obstacle to our climbing the Cord. I think she's worth bringing up.

>>5211276
>If it were that simple, then I would be happy to climb it regardless. If power alone was enough to ascend the cord, then it should have been simple to complete the Crucible's purpose and allow you and your siblings to return home."
>But it isn't. Like you said, something is wrong. The strain is decaying, Fragments are being revealed, amalgams are gaining sentience, and deprived daughters are popping up. Hundreds of daughters have ascended the Cord, their vessels holding enough power to fulfill the Crucible's primary purpose, and yet the cycle rejects them. for what?
>"No, what I want is to fulfill the crucible's "true" purpose. Your Father's purpose. To fulfill the conditions your father has set up in addition to the Crucible's primary purpose. So that you 'three' can finally reunite with your father."
>"But that itself is not simple. Power alone isn't enough to fulfill the hidden conditions set by your father. And I intend to find out what that purpose exactly is."
>Yes, I could be a prominent example of what is going wrong in this crucible, I am not that root cause. I am merely a symptom of the problem. You yourself said that the emergence of fragments of your father has been an ongoing problem even before this cycle.
>You have said that in Crucibles past, a single Fragment was enough power to ascend the Cord? And that alone was enough to warrant the awakening of you and your siblings in order to quash the threat a fragment bearing daughter poses. I'm listening, how does that work?

currently this is a working prompt for now, will be subject to revision later.

>>5211377
Fair point, but only if it's confirmed that West has a fragment on her person. If she does and Behemoth gives a solid explanation to the mystery, then we may be able to find common ground with him.

>>5211387
>>5211276
Amending this part of my vote:
>You have said that in Crucibles past, a single Fragment was enough power to ascend the Cord? And that alone was enough to warrant the awakening of you and your siblings in order to quash the threat a fragment bearing daughter poses. I'm listening, how does that work?

to

>You have said that in Crucibles past, a single Fragment was enough power to ascend the Cord? Then that condition is easily fulfilled. But that begs a question: How does holding a fragment qualify a daughter for ascension?"

>>5211276
Eh, sure, why not. Supporting >>5211327, sounds reasonable enough.

I also have things that I would like to talk to him about if he does not just attack us for not picking an option immediately.

Like telling him that the main reason we are not making ready to march on the Cord right now is him, possibility of making some sort of deal with him so that he does not attack people, about our communication with his father...

>>5211387
>Fair point, but only if it's confirmed that West has a fragment on her person. If she does and Behemoth gives a solid explanation to the mystery, then we may be able to find common ground with him.
I just think it's an appropriately punchy answer. Tell him why we haven't climbed yet, explain that it's something he should care about too, then ask him for his solution. I think Behemoth would respond well to simple, straightforward responses. He might not agree that West is something big enough to care about, but that gives us something to debate.

But I do think you're right that we should point out the failure of Crucibles past in our opening statements. I wanted to bring that up later, but I think having it early does work better. Keeps the argument focused.

I'm trying to rewrite it but I keep being unsatisfied with what I'm saying. It comes across as too meandering, too many thoughts in too many places. This is where the quest format encouraging big write-ins frustrates me, I want to keep things succinct here but I don't know how to do that while also getting in what needs to be said.

>>5211422
>>5211408
Hmmm....I had forgotten about that. let me try and reformat my responses to be more succinct.

>>5211276
>>5211387

Amending my vote:

>"Well that makes things simple to straighten out instead of having to fight, being that the reason we are here is because of each other. I sought you out because the Rocket launch would draw you in, and you sought me out because you knew I would defend it."
>"And now that we are here, we can finally begin our negotiations."

>Yes, I could be a prominent example of what is going wrong in this crucible, I am not that root cause. I am merely a symptom of the bigger problem. You yourself said that the emergence of fragments of your father has been an ongoing problem even before this cycle.

>If the power alone was enough to ascend the cord, then it should have been simple to complete the Crucible's purpose and allow you and your siblings to return home."

>But it isn't. Like you said, something is wrong. Hundreds of daughters have ascended the Cord, their vessels holding enough power to fulfill the Crucible's primary purpose, and yet the cycle rejects them. for what?

>"No, what I want is to fulfill the crucible's "true" purpose. Your Father's purpose. To fulfill the conditions your father has set up in addition to the Crucible's primary purpose. I intend to find out what that purpose exactly is so that you 'three' can finally reunite with your father."

>"I want this over with, too. We're not simply dawdling, we're building up power for the climb. There are others who have plans for the Crucible, plans that you would like far less than ours. Others who are far stronger than myself on an individual basis. Others who may have fragments in their own possession and may be currently climbing the tower. Others like Doctor West. If she gets her way, no Crucible would ever again work towards your father's purposes. Just hers. If either of us is going to get what they want, then we will need more than just power."

>You have said that in Crucibles past, a single Fragment was enough power to ascend the Cord? We have multiple fragments present. More than enough to fulfill the primary purpose of the Crucible, and yet I have no idea how it works. Do you?

>>5211429
Yeah, that's good. Less prevaricating, I think Behemoth will better respond to this.

Something I want to say but keep faltering on is that Behemoth sought us out despite having other options. If all he wanted was to get somebody to climb the Cord already, then he could ignore us entirely. Go get somebody else to climb it while we're wasting time saving people. There's no reason to focus on our party unless on some level he recognizes that we're different. That pushing us to hurry up already will have better results than getting anyone else to climb the Cord. I think he knows that our plan is the right one, and is just refusing to acknowledge it because he's frustrated.

(Wrapping up the next post momentarily, everyone.)

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>>5211276

"Well that makes things simple to straighten out instead of having to fight, being that the reason we are here is because of each other. I sought you out because the rocket launch would draw you in, and you sought me out because you knew I would defend it." You begin, taking another tentative step towards the mountain of flesh. "And now that we’re here, we can finally begin our negotiations. Yes, I could be a prominent example of what is going wrong in this crucible, I am not that root cause. I am merely a symptom of the bigger problem. You yourself said that the emergence of fragments of your father has been an ongoing problem even before this cycle.”

Another tremendous stomp of his hooves, and just when you think he’s about to cut you off-

“Do not WASTE my TIME. EXPLAIN yourself.” He demands, and you take a breath before continuing.

“Like you said, something is wrong. The strain is decaying, Fragments are being revealed, amalgams are gaining sentience, and deprived daughters are popping up.” You say, just to list a few of the symptoms of the Crucibles’ slow, steady degradation. “Hundreds of daughters have ascended the Cord, their vessels holding enough power to fulfill the Crucible's primary purpose, and yet the cycle rejects them. For what?”

“I do not KNOW. At first I thought they lacked raw POWER, but that theory has been DISPROVEN.” Behemoth rumbles angrily. “There’s something different about YOU, but I don’t know WHAT.”

“I agree. If power alone was enough to ascend the Cord, then it should have been simple to complete the Crucible's purpose and allow you and your siblings to return home. No, what I want is to fulfill the crucible's ‘true’ purpose. Your father's purpose.” You reveal, and Behemoth’s massive head jolts back with an alarmed huff. “To fulfill the conditions he set up in addition to the Crucible's primary purpose. I intend to find out what that purpose exactly is so that you 'three' can finally reunite with your father."

“…what PROOF do you have of my FATHER have an ulterior motive?” The mountain rumbles impatiently. “Dragging out the Crucible keeps my Father IMPRISONED for longer. FOOLISHNESS at best. DAWDLING at worst. And I have neither the TIME nor PATIENCE for those who would waste my Father’s TI-“

"Behemoth, I want this over with, too.” You gently interrupt, and to your considerable surprise, he lets you. “We're not simply dawdling, we're building up power for the climb. There are others who have plans for the Crucible, plans that you would like far less than ours. Others who are far stronger than myself on an individual basis. Others who may have fragments in their own possession and may be currently climbing the tower. Others like Doctor West. If she gets her way, no Crucible would ever again work towards your father's purposes. Just hers.”

(Continued)

>>5211532

“If either of us is going to get what they want, then we will need more than just power...you said that in Crucibles past, a single Fragment was enough power to ascend the Cord? We have multiple fragments present. More than enough to fulfill the primary purpose of the Crucible, and yet I have no idea how it works. Do you?”

Behemoth considers whether or not to answer for a moment or two before offering a begrudging reply. “There have been MANY who completed the Crucible, but those with Fragments somehow ascend FASTER. I do not KNOW if they allow their wielders to SKIP parts of the Cord or if they’ve been WEAPONIZED. But if there are as MANY fragment bearers as you SAY, then things are WORSE than I FEARED.”

The peaks of Behemoth’s mountainous shoulders suddenly square up as he glowers at you with an eyeless scowl. “You say you think my FATHER had another purpose for the CRUCIBLE? What PROOF have you of this? This entire thing REEKS of Leviathan’s DOUBLE-SPEAK! Of their inane THEORIES that lead NOWHERE. You STINK of my sibling’s HYPOTHESES and FALSE HOPES when the TRUTH is right in front of our FACES!”

“Behemoth, if this theory is correct then finishing the Crucible in the way his peers wanted isn’t-“ You begin before it’s Behemoth’s turn to interrupt with a roar that nearly bowls you over.

“I will take a CERTAINTY over a THEORY any day!” Behemoth counters angrily, a mere two strides bringing his titanic form another half-kilometer closer. “The more TIME we WASTE the more our memories FADE! I WILL get us HOME before all is LOST! I will SEE our FATHER again, and this will be over! Father would have TOLD us if there was something ELSE at PLAY! He would have TRUSTED me with it!”

“Brother, *please*!” Ziz implores once more, sheltering you with her wings. “Shu may be on to something! If what she says is true, then there must be a reason he didn’t tell us abou-“

“I ask AGAIN—what PROOF have you?! If she thinks to STALL for a few SECONDS more then I will CRUSH these Daughters HERE and NOW!”

“…you…you will do no such thing.”

Ziz’s quiet declaration gives both you and Behemoth pause.

“WHAT did you just SAY?”

“You will do no such thing.” Ziz repeats, rising to her full height…and you wonder if her brother can see how her feathers tremble even as she stands against him. “You will not hurt my friends. Not while I draw breath.”

“Well, HUMAN?” Behemoth growls like a volcano threatening to explode. “What PROOF have you that your words hold more weight than Leviathan’s EMPTY air?”

>>”I don’t…but what do you have to lose by letting a single Daughter try something different?”

>>”I may be able to give you the proof, if you let Leviathan examine a Fragment I possess.”

>>”…Let the rocket launch, and join me for a time. I’ll find your proof, but it’s not something I can summon on a whim.”

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next four hours, with posting to resume tomorrow morning at 10AM, Eastern time. I'll likely stick to two updates per day at least until the end of next week, since I have family visiting most of that time, but after which my schedule should open up a little. I wish you a pleasant evening, and take care One and All.)

>>5211535
And here it is. The meat of our negotiations. Behemoth asks for Proof. Leviathan wishes to check up on his father. All three siblings are here. They want assurances that they can see their father. Roping Behemoth into the family fragment phone call would probably be the best tangible source of proof we can provide to Behemoth. Direct contact with his father.

And Ironically, the Leviathan play would make sense because Behemoth's simple demand relies on tangible proof of concept. We've met Behemoth's father. A simple gesture of Behemoth's father giving us the thumbs up would be enough to assauge Behemoth.

That play will give certainty, however it would also go against Levi's wishes because he doesn't want Behemoth to go on a rampage from hearing his father be on his metaphorical deathbed.

The problem is that it would also involve leviathan and make things more complicated.

The whole "it's failed hundreds of times, why not try something different?" play requires pure faith on the part of both sides. It would mean we would concede to Behemoth's demands to head for the Cord asap.

Keep in mind of Behemoth's behavior, which is exemplified by this quote here: “I will take a CERTAINTY over a THEORY any day!”

In any case, even if it hurts, getting the three siblings to join in on the fragment phonecall would provide Behemoth the best possible proof to the theory, but it would reveal the big news Leviathan wants to be kept secret. But once the news is out, we can make a more emotive case to appeal to their oncoming grief about their dying parent. Shit sucks, almost everyone affiliated with Shu knows about the grief that comes with the death of a loved one, but it's also the moment that gives the big three an opportunity: a sense of closure and to be able to move on from the endless cycle they're all stuck in.

>>5211555
>Keep in mind of Behemoth's behavior, which is exemplified by this quote here: “I will take a CERTAINTY over a THEORY any day!”
I think we should attack this. Behemoth doesn't have a certainty. He just wants to think he does, because he's desperate. There's no real reason why he thinks sending the Crucible through more cycles will get a solution, and that's something we can challenge him on. We offer our proof, then ask him for proof of his own beliefs.

I think showing him the Void Orrery could also be a good piece of evidence. Demonstrate all those billions of other Crucibles out there that haven't succeeded. If "the normal way" for the Crucible has failed over and over again, maybe it's time to try a different route. Worst case scenario, we fail and he gets another cycle anyway.

Also something we should challenge him on, why exactly is he so desperate. Okay, so this cycle has run for a few years when most only run a few months. We've been at this longer than normal. But unless he thinks the very next cycle is going to end this, there's no reason to think there won't still be dozens or even hundreds of cycles left to go before someone gets the answer. Why is he so certain that moving on from us immediately will help?

>>5211555
additional thoughts: Our real strength, the one that makes us what we are as the defiant (our ability to collectively draw daughters under our banner through goodwill) isn't as tangible to Behemoth. Behemoth knows that Shu is "different" from the rest, but can't quite place a finger on what or why.

Asking him to accompany us would mean a long process of teaching Behemoth on how we operate and having him learn what distinguishes us from the others.

We could also provide him proof of a small sort: memories of our encounter with his father, specifically that of his personal endorsement. This would give credence to Leviathan's Fragment experiment, but would also anger Behemoth because Levi's involvement would mean more double-speak.

This is quite the problem/predicament for us.

>>5211561
>Void Orrey
Good call. I nearly had forgotten about that. But that's only one piece of the evidence that we can array against him. But I do have to ask, what would presenting the Void orrey prove in part of our "working theory"?

Keep in mind, Behemoth's original question of asking for proof is:
>…what PROOF do you have of my FATHER have an ulterior motive?” The mountain rumbles impatiently.

We can disprove that easily on our part with memories of our encounter with his father. And then riposte his argument with the challenge to his desperate idea of the cycle continuing. That idea would also require some trust between us and Behemoth.

>>5211588
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of. Start with offering to share our memory, then riposte with challenging his certainty. Leviathan's attempt to scan their father is also a good idea, but Leviathan themself said they didn't want to share it with Behemoth and Ziz. I'm not sure if we should propose it, could be seen as a breach of trust. But if Behemoth is already thinking in the direction of "entropy is taking us all", then Leviathan could be more open to it. Maybe we should get someone on the line to ask him while we're doing this?

>>5211561
If we want to convince Behemoth, then we need more than just a single piece of evidence to back up our argument. So far we have:

>Our personal meeting(s) with Behemoth's Father. We have met with him multiple times. We can let him browse our memories. That's one source of tangible proof.
>Void Orrey projections. Our strain is one of the many millions of crucible strains. Many not as degenerative as ours, and yet they still have not completed their original objective. Weighing one strain against the amassed collection of the rest.
What other tangible source of proof can we provide that we can throw on the table? An arrangement for Behemoth and Ziz to join the phonecall with Leviathan? That can also provide more proof to our argument, it's risky but it would also reveal the dirty secret of their parents being on their deathbed.

So then, how would we frame our evidence while challenge Behemoth's his desperation and ask for proof on his side.

>>5211594
There's the fact that "Mother of All" is something apparently encoded in the deep structures of the Crucible. I'm not sure how we'd show that to him quickly, but as a Neuromancer he should be able to go down and read it. Or we could have Sugar show her memories of it?

>>5211596
that could serve as evidence. As Levi said: Their father had a reason to hide his ulterior motives within the code like a spiteful programmer. Sugar's deep dive into the code would be one example as proof, So lets find all other physical evidence related to the ":Mother of All".

I think Uzu's grandma has a diary entry related to her jacking into the cord and an entry about "Mother of all"

PS: its hard to type with a cat on one's arm

>>5211596
found the entry in Granny Uzu's journal:
Written testimony from a daughter who has climbed the cord for the purpose of accessing its code.
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2019/3660660/

You turn the next page, then another, and another, finding their spaces blank until...

Suddenly you're staring at a trio of phrases scratched across the open pages, thick black lines that leap out at you as you find yourself faced with Elder Uzu's last words.

>THE POINT IS MADE CLEAR

>SHE WAKES, SHE FIGHTS, SHE ASCENDS

>THE MOTHER OF ALL

We'll have to argue about the point of the Crucible's goal. The original goal was to create a "Mother" at the top of the cord. But the message hidden by Behemoth's father refer to a "Mother of All". An entity wholly different than the apparent purpose.

Not linking this, because it's just a first draft, but wanted to get something written.

>>Write-In
>Send a swarmling to get the Void Orrery.
>Message Gina quickly to contact Leviathan and ask him if he thinks it would be a good idea to bring Behemoth in on the entropograph plan.
>"For one thing, Behemoth, I've spoken with your father. Only briefly, he couldn't slip his shackles long. He didn't have the time to explain his plans, true. But he did ask my motivations, and he was happy to learn that I didn't seek the power of the Crucible for myself. He doesn't want an all-consuming conqueror, not like all the rest of his species does. I know you're a Neuromancer, would you let me share this memory?"
>"But even those who haven't met your father have noticed something unusual. Delve deep enough into the Crucible, or climb the Cord, and you start having visions. Information, hidden inside the Crucible's structure, that speaks of a 'Mother of All' who can end the Crucibles. It doesn't say how, no, but it does make a clear distinction between the Mother of All and the Mothers who climb the Cord."
>"Finally, I'd ask you to consider something: You said you'd take a certainty over a theory. But do you have a certainty? What makes you think that ending this cycle and proceeding to the next one will find the solution? Think of how many cycles just this one iteration of the Crucible has gone through, without success. Now account for all the other strains floating around the galaxy...
>Turn on the Void Orrery in galactic view.
>"It seems to me like a new tactic is required. Something different than the path the Crucible pushes its host species to walk. Maybe it's the right way, and they've all just screwed it up, billions and billions of times. But if that's the case, if it's an uncertain gamble that it will work anyway...what do you have to lose by doing things different?"

How's that?

>>5211611
A good start. We can also bring up Granny Uzu's diary about her journey up the Cord and her attempts to peer into the code of the Cord. Read aloud her diary entries specifically the last page. That's one source of tangible proof. Bringing up Sugar to the metaphorical witness stand to give her witness testimony for Behemoth would also work to support that theory. The more evidence we can bring to bear the more solid our argument becomes.

>What do we have to lose for trying something different? That's the simple beauty of trying something different. Either it works or it doesn't.

>>5211537
Also, goddammit Bhop, this encounter has taken a turn for the strange and is not unlike the recent side story that I published in the previous vein. This feels like part of an ace attorney segment where we have a bunch of clues that we've gathered throughout the entire quest and now we're presenting evidence before "Judge Behemoth" in order to object to his ornery assumption of needing to continue the cycle asap.

>>5211620
(I'd had this aspect of things planned for a while, since I have both a combat and conversation avenues open for each confrontation, with various factors effecting both. Now that you mention it, it *does* feel like a court case...albeit with a judge that is a hair's breadth of frustration away from a meltdown.)

>>5211641
This almost reminds me of a certain wandering judge. But in Shu's case, we're a fool of a client and am lacking an attorney to be an ass of. Although Shu does have a wonderful ass as Gina could attest to.

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>>5211644

>>5211535
>>Write-In
>Send a swarmling to get the Void Orrery.

>"The main reason I believe this is because I've spoken with your father. He didn't explain his plan, I will admit. But he didn't have time to. We only spoke briefly, when an interaction with his Fragments allowed a small moment of contact. I had just rejected a power that would let me take control of others, even you and your siblings. And he wanted to know why I'd give up such a huge advantage. He was happy to learn that it was against what I believed in, and that there were lines I wouldn't cross in the name of power. He wished me luck, and said he looked forward to seeing me at the top. After that, I can't believe that your father's plans for the Crucible involve the same all-consuming conqueror the rest of his people want. You're a Neuromancer, yes? Will you let me share this memory with you?"

>"And even those who haven't met your father have noticed something unusual about the Crucible. Dig deep enough into the fleshscape, or ascend the Cord, and you start getting visions. Information, hidden inside the Crucible's structure, describing a 'Mother of All'. Some being that will end the Crucibles. The visions don't explain how, but they are clear on this: The Mother of All is not the same thing as someone who climbs the Cord and takes the throne for themselves. They're something different. And these visions are repeatable, verifiable, not just a single mind's hallucination. I have the journals of a woman who saw these visions, and I know another who could vouch for having had the same without ever contacting the first. And we could always go dig down together and see them for ourselves."

>"Also, while this isn't proof, I'd like to propose something: You said you'd take a certainty over a theory. But do you actually have a certainty? What makes you think that ending this cycle and proceeding to the next one will find the solution? Think of how many cycles just this one iteration of the Crucible has gone through, without success. Now account for all the other strains floating around the galaxy...
>Turn on the Void Orrery in galactic view.
>"It seems to me like a new tactic is required. Something different than the path the Crucible pushes its host species to walk. Maybe it's the right way, and they've all just screwed it up, billions and billions of times. But if that's the case, if there's no guarantee that we or the next cycle or any of the ones after that will succeed, if it's all one big gamble anyway...well, what do you have to lose by trying something new? Worst case scenario, we fail and you get your wish when someone else climbs the Cord. Best case, we finally break out of this pattern."

Okay, I fleshed it out a bit in places. What do you think, other voters?

>>5211651
It's good, now I've made some edits in your response to make it less..wordy?

>"For one thing, Behemoth, I've spoken with your father, twice. Albeit briefly, as he couldn't slip his shackles long. He didn't have the time to explain his plans, true. But he did ask me about my motivations, asked me why I would forsake an ability that would have brought the three of you to heel with naught but a word. He was happy with my answer upon learning that I didn't seek power for power's sake. He doesn't want an all-consuming conqueror, not like all the rest of his species does. I know you're a Neuromancer, would you let me share this memory?"

>If that isn't enough to convince you, lets look at other pieces of evidence. As your father dissented among his peers but had a direct hand in the Crucible's creation, your father had to leave clues and hints to his ulterior motives while he worked under the supervision of his peers. A series of clues and messages hidden within the code of the Crucible itself. Dig deep enough into the fleshscape, or ascend the Cord, and you start getting visions. Information, hidden inside the Crucible's structure, describing a 'Mother of All'. Some being that will end the Crucibles."

>"The visions don't explain how, but they are clear on this: The Mother of All is not the same thing as someone who climbs the Cord and takes the throne for themselves. They're something different. And these visions are repeatable, verifiable, not just a single mind's hallucination. I have the journals of a woman who saw these visions, and I know another who could vouch for having had the same without ever contacting the first. If that is not enough to convince you, we could always go dig down together and see the other buried secrets your father has hidden for ourselves. The clues your father has hidden is there. All it takes to uncover them is a little digging and knowing where to find it."

"Now, you said you'd take a certainty over a theory. But do you actually have a certainty? What makes you think that ending this cycle and proceeding to the next one will find the solution? Think of how many cycles just this one iteration of the Crucible has gone through, without success. Now account for all the other strains floating around the galaxy...
>Turn on the Void Orrery in galactic view.
>"It seems to me like a new tactic is required. Something different than the path the Crucible pushes its host species to walk. Maybe it's the right way, and they've all just screwed it up, billions and billions of times. But if that's the case, if there's no guarantee that we or the next cycle or any of the ones after that will succeed, if it's all one big gamble anyway...well, what do you have to lose by trying something new? Worst case scenario, we fail and you get your wish when someone else climbs the Cord. Best case, we finally break out of this pattern."

how this?

>>5211680
Yeah, that's good. I'm struggling with my desire to explain things clashing with the need to keep things from getting too wordy and annoying Behemoth.

>>5211535
>"For one thing, Behemoth, I've spoken with your father, twice. Albeit briefly, as he couldn't slip his shackles long. He didn't have the time to explain his plans, true. But he did ask me about my motivations, asked me why I would forsake an ability that would have brought the three of you to heel with naught but a word. He was happy with my answer upon learning that I didn't seek power for power's sake. He doesn't want an all-consuming conqueror, not like all the rest of his species does. I know you're a Neuromancer, would you let me share this memory to you as proof?"

>"If that isn't enough, then lets look at other pieces of evidence. As your father dissented among his peers but had a direct hand in the Crucible's creation, he would've had to leave clues to signal his ulterior motives while he worked under supervision of his peers. A series of clues and messages hidden within the code of the Crucible itself. Dig deep enough into the fleshscape, or ascend the Cord, and you start getting visions. Information, hidden inside the Crucible's structure, describing a 'Mother of All'. Some being that will end the Crucibles."

>"The visions don't explain how, but they are clear on this: The Mother of All is not the same thing as someone who climbs the Cord and takes the throne for themselves. They're something different. And these visions are repeatable, verifiable, not just a single mind's hallucination. I have the journals of a woman who saw these visions, and I know another who could vouch for having had the same without ever contacting the first. If that is not enough to convince you, we could always go dig down together and see the other buried secrets your father has hidden for ourselves. The clues your father has hidden is there. All it takes to uncover them is a little digging and knowing where to find it."

>"Now, you said you'd take a certainty over a theory. But do you actually have a certainty? What makes you think that ending this cycle and proceeding to the next one will find the solution? Think of how many cycles just this one iteration of the Crucible has gone through, without success. Now account for all the other strains floating around the galaxy...

>Bring out the Void Orrery, activate it for all to see expand to galactic view.

>"It seems to me we need to try something else to fulfill the Crucible's purpose. Something different than the path the Crucible pushes its host species to walk. Maybe it's the right way, and they've all just screwed it up, billions and billions of times. But if that's the case, if there's no guarantee that we or the next cycle or any of the ones after that will succeed, if it's all one big gamble anyway...well, what do you have to lose by trying something new? Worst case scenario, we fail and you get your wish when someone else climbs the Cord. Best case, we finally break out of this pattern. Simple as that."

(cont.)

>>5211691
>>5211535

>You asked me for proof to give weight to my words. And here it is, right in front of us. Testimonies, memories, evidence. What say you Behemoth? Do you have evidence to back up yours?

>>5211535
>>5211532
>>5211641

The more I re-read Behemoth's dialogue, the more I see Behemoth's desperation. He's angry he's frustrated, he want's to know if he's a good boi, but the silence is maddening and it's hurting him more than the damage he inflicts upon others. I could almost even read it as if he's within a single step of frustration before turning into a mountain-sized ball of sadness bawling and crying literal rivers as well as crying his heart out, but refuses to let go of his anger because doing so would reveal all that sadness he's bottled up for so long.

He's kinda like a mountain sized Kratos in sort of a sad way. Exhaustively angry, perpetually so, when all that anger runs out it just turns sad.

>>5211532
Like it also makes sense too. The moment we name-drop Behemoth's father he goes from angry to shocked, and instantly tries to probe Shu for questions, even willing to be a little more patient to see if Shu can provide evidence to hold weight to her words, being even willing to let Shu interrupt his rumblings on the off-chance that she reveals more about his father.

(I'm afraid I'll have to push the next update to 2PM tomorrow, Eastern time on account of the meetings thatve been frontloaded for tomorrow morning. Thus, I'll crack open voting for the next few hours to allow for any adjustments or late votes that may come in.)

>>5211712
Yeah, it seems pretty clear that he just wants...something. He doesn't even know what he wants, he just wants anything that would vindicate his actions, prove that it's all worth it in the end and that his existence hasn't been one big cosmic joke guarding over a series of failed experiments as he and his siblings and his dad he hasn't heard from in literal ages all slowly decay away. But he can't just say that, because he's supposed to be the tough sibling, he can't come right out and admit to weakness.

Really, I think that all of the Apocalypse Amalgams are a little handicapped by the roles they're expected to play within the family. Leviathan is the smart one, and so doesn't know how to talk to their siblings because they can't admit to not knowing something or actually ask questions instead of making assumptions. Behemoth is the driven one, and so can't ever show the vulnerability or fear needed to really bond with someone and have a real conversation. And Ziz is the innocent one, and has trouble getting taken seriously or treated with respect, because her innocence either needs to be protected or disqualifies her from having a real opinion.

Come to think of it, that's probably why Ziz bonded with Amara so immediately, when any bonding Leviathan or Behemoth might exhibit haven't shown yet. We treated Ziz seriously. Someone who might lack context for some things, but wasn't stupid for it, and deserved to be informed of what she needed to know to form an opinion. It makes sense that she'd open up to and become loyal to us for that.

>>5211804
Well then that would make looking for the signs of character development more simple. For behemoth, its him being comfortable with showing vulnerabilities and emotions. Even a single tear of joy or sadness and him not being ashamed about it would be enough. A big guy with a soft heart who's afraid of giving or receiving hugs. As for Levi, it would be him coming up with the nerve to answer a question with "I don't know." or even asking someone else a question.

A thought...all of this interactions and how they behave really makes the trio to be rather...I dunno...like children? Triplets who are in dire need of a parental figure.

But back to our write-ins. Any thoughts on letting Behemoth and Ziz on contacting their father through the Entropograph experiment? We'll have to convince Levi to assent to the plan, but the mere thought/gesture of the trio being able to check up on their father's health would be enough to boost their spirits.

>>5211812
>A thought...all of this interactions and how they behave really makes the trio to be rather...I dunno...like children? Triplets who are in dire need of a parental figure.
Actually, how old are they? Like, in lived time. They've been around since the Crucibles were made, but they only get woken up when something's a world-ending threat to the system, which they end quickly. They might actually be children, still. Obviously, a giant super-monster isn't going to mature at the same rate a human does, but I would not be surprised if they each have less than two decades of lived experience. Huh.

>But back to our write-ins. Any thoughts on letting Behemoth and Ziz on contacting their father through the Entropograph experiment? We'll have to convince Levi to assent to the plan, but the mere thought/gesture of the trio being able to check up on their father's health would be enough to boost their spirits.
I want to see more of how Behemoth reacts to this, first. If he shows willingness to listen and calms down, and reassures me that having a concrete sense of his father's health won't make him act rashly to move forward, then I think we should bring him in. Otherwise, we might want to leave him out. Like you said, we need to check his willingness to be vulnerable. As for Ziz, I'm fine with her listening in. I think we should respect her to be able to handle it. Convincing Leviathan of that might be tricky, but maybe she can make her own case for her big sibling to take her seriously.

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>>5211535

"For one thing, Behemoth—I've spoken with your father. Twice.” You declare, and Behemoth’s gargantuan frame shudders with shock before he takes two thunderous stomps towards you.

“WHEN?” He bellows, and with another stamp of his hooves; “HOW?! WHAT DID HE SAY?!”

“It was brief, as he couldn't slip his shackles long.” You explain slowly, refusing to get caught up in Behemoth’s sudden and frantic urgency. “He didn't have the time to explain his plans, but he did ask me about my motivations, asked me why I would forsake an ability that would have brought the three of you to heel with naught but a word.”

“AND?!” Behemoth snarls, and you just give him a soft, simple smile.

“He was happy with my answer upon learning that I didn't seek power for power's sake. He doesn't want an all-consuming conqueror, not like all the rest of his species does. I know you're a Neuromancer, so would you let me share this memory to you as proof?"

Behemoth opens his mouth to reply, then closes it, his seven legs shuffling in place for a moment as he considers your offer…and while he does, you decide to sweeten the deal.

"If that isn't enough, then let’s look at other pieces of evidence.” You continue. “As your father dissented among his peers but had a direct hand in the Crucible's creation, he would've left clues to signal his ulterior motives while he worked under supervision of his peers. A series of clues and messages hidden within the code of the Crucible itself. Dig deep enough into the fleshscape, or ascend the Cord, and you start getting visions. Information, hidden inside the Crucible's structure, describing a 'Mother of All'. Some being that will end the Crucibles."

“ABSURD.” The titan counters. “HOW is such a thing even POSSIBLE?”

"The visions don't explain how, but they are clear on this: The Mother of All is not the same thing as someone who climbs the Cord and takes the throne for themselves. They're something different. And these visions are repeatable, verifiable, and not just a single mind's hallucination. I have the journals of a woman who saw these visions, and I know another who could vouch for having had the same without ever contacting the first. If that is not enough to convince you, we could always go dig down together and see the other buried secrets your father has hidden for ourselves. The clues your father has hidden is there. All it takes to uncover them is a little digging and knowing where to find it."

Behemoth casts an eyeless glance at his feet, appearing to genuinely consider the possibility of tunneling down right here and now before you keep the pressure on. "Now, you said you'd take a certainty over a theory. But do you actually have a ‘certainty’? What makes you think that ending this cycle and proceeding to the next one will find the solution?”

(Continued)

>>5212579

“You DOUBT my Father’s CREATION?!”

“On the contrary—I doubt the monsters that forced him to make it.” You reply coolly. “Think of how many cycles just this one iteration of the Crucible has gone through, without success. Now account for all the other strains floating around the galaxy...”


On cue Rath extends the Void Orrery, the star map springing to life at your touch. Rising it high, with a thought it expands before your eyes, a sea of scarlet dots flooring your and Behemoth’s vision.

“This…these are OTHER…” He stammers.

“Currently active Crucibles, yes.” You confirm with a small nod. “Just in our galaxy, and yet none of them have found a solution that suits whatever qualifications that your father’s peers forced him to code? It seems to me we need to try something else to fulfill the Crucible's purpose.”

“Like WHAT?”

“Something different than the path the Crucible pushes its host species to walk. Maybe it's the right way, and they've all just screwed it up, billions and billions of times.” You admit with a shrug. “But if that's the case, if there's no guarantee that we or the next cycle or any of the ones after that will succeed, if it's all one big gamble anyway...well, what do you have to lose by trying something new? Worst case scenario, we fail and you get your wish when someone else climbs the Cord. Best case, we finally break out of this pattern. Simple as that."

The star map flickers and fades as you take yet another step forward. “You asked me for proof to give weight to my words. And here it is, right in front of us. Testimonies, memories, evidence. What say you, Behemoth? Do you have evidence to back up yours?”

You have to admit, you expected that last part to be answered with a stomp, or maybe another growled threat. Instead, Behemoth’s frame goes stock still, his skin fluctuating and twitching as prey animals suddenly dominate the landscape of his flesh. Their faces are stretched to the breaking point, and you catch glimpses of wide eyes and mouths agape, each one caught in a voiceless scream.

“Brother?” Ziz offers, as soft as the titan can manage as she leans towards her silent sibling. “Brother are you-“

“I’m THINKING!” He barks, rounding on you as his skin shifts yet again to s sea of snarling, predatory jaws. “I…memories can DECAY. LIE. DECIEVE. The word of your KIND is HARDLY enough to-“

“What if she could contact him again?” Ziz suddenly asks, and when Behemoth freezes again, his skin follows suit. Rath makes a small sound of confusion, and you turn to see her shaking her head, waving off your concern as she squeezes her eyes shut and Ziz tilts to of her seven bird-like heads down to look at you. “Do you think we could? We could ask him directly! That would solve everything!”

(Continued)

>>5212582

“NO.” Behemoth says, though the single syllable lacks the bite that was in his other statements up to this point. “ No, there’s NO guarantee it would-“

“But you want proof, Behemoth! “ Ziz insists. “Shu has gobs of it, but you don’t trust her! So you want something more, and we can give it to you!”

There’s no guarantee you’d be able to replicate the event that pulled you kicking and screaming into their creator’s line of eldritch sight, and with all three siblings here? It might be worth a shot, but revealing Leviathan’s presence could cause bigger problems given Behemoth’s vitriol. Would Levy even be able to remain hidden and ‘listen in’ in the event you succeeded in making a collect call to the Crucible’s creator?

All these questions and more swirl in your head as Ziz and Behemoth bicker, and all the while Rath’s brow is knit in a discomfort that she can’t seem to explain. Leaning closer, you ask under your breath; “Rath, are you-“

“Yeah man, I’m fine, I just…” She whispers back, struggling to find the words to express the feeling that’s overtaken her. “it feels like I’m on the verge of a fuckin’ panic attack. I mean, I’m *ready* to throw down, but…it’s the weirdest shit. Just came on all of a sudden.”

“FINE!” Behemoth snarls, snapping you back to the siblings’ conversation just in time for him to thrust his jagged snout in your general direction. “SHOW me your PROOF.”

“What exactly do you want me to-“ You begin, only to have behemoth impatiently cut you off.

“I TIRE of this! SHOW me this proof you CLAIM to have.” He bellows. “I do not CARE what you have. Just SHOW me!”

>>Try to reach out to his father through Fragments…though let’s keep it to just Behemoth and Ziz. No need to let Leviathan’s presence be known until absolutely necessary…

>>Three titans, one stone—try to reach out to the Creator with Ziz, Behemoth, and Leviathan on the line.

>>Press for Behemoth to explore your own memories with his Neuromancy, to show him that you speak the truth.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in four.)

>>5212585
Hoo, this is tricky. Neuromancy is probably the most likely to succeed, but also the least likely for Behemoth to be satisfied. Reaching out through the Fragments could backfire if we do it haphazardly, so we should probably get Leviathan to help with their plan, but them suddenly showing up would definitely anger Behemoth. I'm not sure what to do.

>>5212585
>All these questions and more swirl in your head as Ziz and Behemoth bicker, and all the while Rath’s brow is knit in a discomfort that she can’t seem to explain. Leaning closer, you ask under your breath; “Rath, are you-“

>“Yeah man, I’m fine, I just…” She whispers back, struggling to find the words to express the feeling that’s overtaken her. “it feels like I’m on the verge of a fuckin’ panic attack. I mean, I’m *ready* to throw down, but…it’s the weirdest shit. Just came on all of a sudden.”

Well then. Rath's getting ready to attune.

Also Behemoth's just begging for physical proof. Nothing less than direct contact with his father would do.

>“I…memories can DECAY. LIE. DECIEVE. The word of your KIND is HARDLY enough to-“
Showing him our Neuromantic memories would serve well but he's already declared that he isn't one to trust memories.

>>5212585

>To Rath: You're attuning to Behemoth like how Amara attuned to Ziz. It's like a pseudo-crimson cord. Use that feeling to your advantage and try to relate to Behemoth, make sure he keeps his head cool while I bring Levi up to speed. Behemoth and Levi's got some bad blood between them, but for everyone's sake get him to relate how you feel with Isabelle.
vote:
>When Leviathan shows his mug, immediately establish the pecking order, make it clear to Behemoth that Leviathan is the one who asked us for help.
>Work with Rath to find common ground with Behemoth and have the two brothers settle their differences for the sake of their father.

>Gather All fragment holders, bring up the Sparagmos engine if need be to replicate the event. The more Fragments present in the same area, the more power available to attempt for the ritual for the Apocalypse Trio to contact their father.
>Fragment of Hope to provide the power, it is the biggest of the fragments that we have
>Jackie's Fragment of Space, the vorpal knife to open the way
>Tailor's Fragment of Time, to extend the time needed for the three siblings to make the most of the brief window
>Shu's Fragment of Stability, the Silver bell to maintain the ritual.

>Three titans, one stone.

>>5212608
If we're to use the Fragments with Leviathan's help we need to establish the pecking order. Levi's verbosity will no doubt irk Behemoth. If we do have Levi show up, we need to put forth that Levi was the one who asked Shu for help. Levi can't do this by himself because he lacked the means to do so, and we also need to have Levi both apologize and admit in Behemoth's face of his short comings. Rath's also in the process of attuning with Behemoth.

>>5212629
Oh, yeah, duh. Behemoth just said that he doesn't trust the veracity of memory, because his own are fading. He wouldn't go for the Neuromantic solution at all, would he? So yeah, it's Fragment resonance or nothing. Well, okay, "dig deep underground so Behemoth can read the Mother of All data" is a third possibility, but probably not a practical one right now.

So if we're going to bring Leviathan into this, we need something to keep Behemoth occupied while we explain to Leviathan and get them onboard. I doubt he'll take the delay gracefully, so we need a visible indicator that we're working towards this. We should at least bring forward the Fragments in advance, so he can see us assembling the tools.

>>5212652
Well I had a thought, given how I took note that the trio are like children? Well why don't we step in and adopt that stern parent tone? Right now, all three siblings are looking towards us to solve the situation. Behemoth wants proof, Levi wants to contact dad, Ziz wants everyone to get along but is also ready for a fight. But none of them have had the experience of a stern parent take a proactive stance in "parenting." In this central moment, all three are looking towards Shu for a voice of authority and direction. This also gives us the authority to help establish a solution that will settle their differences and any squabbles too.

>I doubt he'll take the delay gracefully, so we need a visible indicator that we're working towards this. We should at least bring forward the Fragments in advance, so he can see us assembling the tools.

Lets make the call to bring forward the fragments. All the fragments.

>>5212652
Leviathan's already present in the scene. the sign of his presence was the river going absolutely still. It's just that he's trying to bank on us to word-smith our way to convincing Behemoth to stand down, but because he hasn't shown his mug, now we're put in this awkward position where we're about to do the fragment ritual without him but he's afraid to show his mug because of the bad blood between him and behemoth.

>>5212680
Yeah, I can see that. We don't have the authority to threaten them, but we do have authority as giving them the emotional security they're looking for. We can take a sterner, more commanding tone with them, I think. Not entirely a position of authority, but less cowed by the giant fang-monster.

>>5212691
Yeah, that's my problem. We're going to need to convince them to help, and they really don't want to show their face unless they have to.

>>5212585
>>Write-In
>"Alright. I'll try to reproduce the event that let me contact your father. But we're going to take precautions, first. I doubt this is without risk, for either us or him, because if it was then he'd speak more often. I'm going to call on some allies who I think can help. Give me a moment."
>Call Gina to have someone bring the Hope Fragment forward, do this first to assure Behemoth we're not wasting his time.
>Have Rath monitor Behemoth's situation while we negotiate and set this up. She appears to be resonating with him, hopefully that will give her some insight into Behemoth's mood.
>Call Jackie and Tailor, ask them for their help in opening and stabilizing a connection with their own Fragments. This is a risk, but it's less of one working together, and we'd appreciate their help.
>Call Leviathan and ask them to take part in this. We know that they said that they wanted to keep their experiment separate from Behemoth. That they believed that knowing their father's fate would only make him more angry and despondent. But from how it looks right now, not knowing is leaving him just as raging. At least this way he has the potential to act on reason instead of emotion. He can't think if he has nothing to think on. They need to trust their brother to be able to make a decision.

>>5212585

>To Rath: You're resonating with Behemoth like how Amara attuned to Ziz. It's like a pseudo-crimson cord. Use that feeling to your advantage and try keep behemoth calm, make sure he keeps his head cool while I bring Levi up to speed.

>To Behemoth: There is a way, we can bring it up right here and now, and contact your father. I can't replicate the exact scenario so we're going for the next best thing. This requires gathering fragments, daughters who have resonated with said fragments and you 'three'. Given our circumstances, this can only work once. But we only need it to work once. Which makes things simple."

>Take note of the river's absolute stillness. Get irked in the sense that the giant wyrm has done nothing to help stop the sibling squabble while we've been doing much of the legwork.
>Take on the mantle of a stern parent. You really wish you wouldn't have to show this side in front of Ziz or Amara but this is a necessary moment.
>When Leviathan shows his mug call Leviathan out on any excuses that he makes, re-establish the ground facts and establish the pecking order.
>Extract an apology and an admission from Leviathan in front of Behemoth for acting like this.
>If Leviathan gets verbose, cut him off and establish the "ten word-sentence rule" like how their father did to us when he asked us about our motivations.

>"Leviathan, how long do you plan on slinking under the water's surface while your siblings are a hairs breadth to coming to blows amidst their squabble? I thought you were the responsible one of the three."
>"No Excuses, Levi! You came to me for help with contacting your father, you've put me in this position."

>"Are you afraid of Behemoth's temperament and have simply assumed as nothing but a perpetually angry brother? Because here and now, it is clear that he is capable of rationality, capable of THINKING."
>"And from what I could tell just from conversing with your brother he isn't perpetually angry for no reason. He's angry because he's scared. He misses your father just as much as you do, but given his role, he doesn't know what to do except be perpetually angry. And because of that assumption, that bond between you and your brother has become strained."
>"There is a way to mend the strained bond between you and Behemoth."
>"All you simply need to do is to apologize to your brother."
>"It doesn't have to be a big speech. I'm just as verbose as you and even I managed to give a coherent answer when your father asked me about what I'd do with power in ten words or less!"
>"'Behemoth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for having misjudged you.' That's all it takes."
>"I've done much of the physical and verbal legwork to get your brother to agree to this, and if you can't bear the responsibility to both apologize to Behemoth and settle your differences between you and him, then there goes your one and only chance."

>>5212723
Thoughts on this? Too stern?

>>5212752
>>5212585

addint this addendum to my vote with this addition:

>Look, I get that from a rational standpoint you believed that knowing their father's fate would only make him more angry and despondent, But from how it looks right now, not knowing is leaving him just as raging in aimless direction. At least this way when he knows about what's going on with his father, he has the potential to act on reason instead of emotion. He'll have a focus, a direction to guide his power. A reason to remain calm. A reason to trust you. They need to trust their brother to be able to make a decision. He can't think if he has nothing to think on. And without your guidance, Behemoth as he is right now is what you get.
>Leviathan, your brother needs your guidance. You need his power.

And editing:
>"All you simply need to do is to apologize to your brother."
>"It doesn't have to be a big speech. I'm just as verbose as you and even I managed to give a coherent answer when your father asked me about what I'd do with power in ten words or less!"
>"'Behemoth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for having misjudged you.' That's all it takes."
to
>"All you simply need to do is to apologize to your brother and ask for help with this."
>"It doesn't have to be a big speech. I'm just as verbose as you and even I managed to give a coherent answer when your father asked me about what I'd do with power in ten words or less!"
>"'Behemoth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for having misjudged you. I need your help.' That's all it takes."

>>5212752
>Thoughts on this? Too stern?
A little, yeah. I mean, we asked Leviathan to hang back while we opened the conversation, it would be hypocritical to scold them for not coming forward yet. We can lean into that more gently, say "Leviathan, this would be a good time for you to show up" and then chastise them some if they're still hesitant. And I don't like that part at the end, the "I've done so much work to get you here and you can't even take the responsibility?" part, that's too much of a guilt trip for me. We don't want to make Leviathan feel too bad about this, you can't humble the proud too quickly or it just makes them resentful.

>>5212752
>>5212585

replacing this part of the vote
>"Leviathan, how long do you plan on slinking under the water's surface while your siblings are a hairs breadth to coming to blows amidst their squabble? I thought you were the responsible one of the three."
>"No Excuses, Levi! You came to me for help with contacting your father, you've put me in this position."
with
>"Leviathan, this would be a good time for you to show up"

and removing
>"I've done much of the physical and verbal legwork to get your brother to agree to this, and if you can't bear the responsibility to both apologize to Behemoth and settle your differences between you and him, then there goes your one and only chance."

>>5212782
thanks for the feedback, any other thoughts?

>>5212789
>thanks for the feedback, any other thoughts?
I think it looks good, though one crucial thought does occur: How much of this is being said out loud where Behemoth can hear it? Because I'm just thinking, the whole "he's not angry for no reason, he's angry because he's lost" bit wouldn't definitely trigger Behemoth's issues about appearing strong. We should have most if not all of this be by FuzzBuzz phone direct to Leviathan's mind. Like, maybe the bit where we say that Leviathan needs to acknowledge that Behemoth isn't just a brute can be out loud, but that's the only bit I'd say where Behemoth can hear it.

>>5212585

>>5212789
>>5212780
>>5212752
>>5212629
Disregard my previous vote edits. below is my final version of my write-in vote:

>Three titans, one stone—try to reach out to the Creator with Ziz, Behemoth, and Leviathan on the line.

>To Rath: You're resonating with Behemoth like how Amara attuned to Ziz. It's like a pseudo-crimson cord. Use that feeling to your advantage and try keep behemoth calm, make sure he keeps his head cool while I bring Levi up to speed.

>To Behemoth: There is a way, we can contact your father directly through his fragments. We already have one here. We have others close by that we can gather shortly. The more fragments present, the better our chances at getting a good connection. But we're going to take precautions, first. I doubt this is without risk, for either us or him, because if it was then he'd speak more often. I'm going to call on some allies who I think can help. Give me a moment."

>Call through the comms get all the Fragments forward for the ritual.
>Contact Leviathan through the Fuzzbuzz. Hold the conversation on a private channel.
>Take on the mantle of a stern parent.

>"Leviathan, this would be a good time for you to show up."
>"Are you afraid of Behemoth's temperament and have simply assumed as nothing but a perpetually angry brother? Because here and now, it is clear that he is capable of rationality, capable of THINKING."
>"From what I could tell just from conversing with your brother he isn't perpetually angry for no reason. He's angry because he's scared. He misses your father just as much as you do, but given his role, he doesn't know what to do except be perpetually and aimlessly angry."
>Look, I get that from a rational standpoint you assumed that knowing their father's fate would only make him more angry and despondent, But from how it looks right now, not knowing just as bad. At least by knowing about what's going on with his father, he has the potential to act on reason instead of emotion. He'll have a focus, a direction to guide his power. A reason to remain calm. A reason to trust you. They need to trust their brother to be able to make a decision. He can't think if he has nothing to think on. And without your guidance, Behemoth as he is right now is what you get."
>"And because of that, that bond between you and your brother has become strained."
>"There is a way to mend the strained bond between you and Behemoth."
>"All you simply need to do is to apologize to your brother and ask for help with this."
>"It doesn't have to be a big speech. I'm just as verbose as you and even I managed to give a coherent answer when your father asked me about what I'd do with power in ten words or less!"
>"Just say: 'Behemoth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for having misjudged you.' That's all it takes."

>>5212827
(Understood, thank you for the clean edits and the linking, I really appreciate it!)

And I have to leave for work. Be back in around 6 hours. I hope the write-in is good enough for the next update.

>>5212827
Looks good.

>>5212832
See you later, anon. Have a nice day.

>>5212832
(Have a good shift!)

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>>5212585

Three titans, one stone—it’s time to reach out to the Creator with Ziz, Behemoth, and Leviathan on the line.


“Very well…give me a moment, and I’ll get you the proof you’re asking for.” You say to the land-bound titan, and to your considerable surprise, he relents. Taking a step back, the ground thunders underfoot as you turn to the red head at your side.

“That panic attack you just mentioned? I think you're resonating with Behemoth like how Amara attuned to Ziz. It's like a…pseudo-crimson cord, in a way.” You explain, the other girl’s eyebrows shooting up in alarm. “Now, you may be able to use that feeling to your advantage.”

She blinks.

“How in the shit is me mind-melding with a fuckin’ mountain ‘gonna help us, my dude?”

“By making sure he keeps his head cool while I bring Levi up to speed.” You reply, and her eyes go even wider.

“So…you’re asking *me* to keep him calm?” She repeats. “Me?”


“Pretty much, yeah.” You affirm with an assured nod. “You’re the only one I can trust to actually meet him on level ground.”

Rath just rolls her shoulders, cracks her neck, then claps you on one shoulder with a grin. “We’ve come a long way, Shu. Wish me luck.”

“Nah…you’ve always made your own.” You fire back with a wink, and she chuckles as you turn back to Behemoth.

“There is a way, we can contact your father directly through his fragments.” You start to explain. “We already have one here. We have others close by that we can gather shortly. The more fragments present, the better our chances at getting a good connection. But we're going to take precautions, first. I doubt this is without risk, for either us or him, because if it was then he'd speak more often. I'm going to call on some allies who I think can help, so give me a moment."


“If this is yet ANOTHER absurd attempt to STALL for TIME, then YOU-“ He roars until Rath strides past you, calling out to the mountain above her.

“Yo, big guy! Name’s Rath! I got a couple questions for you while the boss lady patches us through!”

He rounds on her with no small measure of indignation. “You DARE to-“

“Yeah, I do! I hate standing around while everyone else does technical shit. Don’t you?” She interrupts, planting her hands on her hips with that same cock-sure grin. “Anyway, you’ve seen your fair share of scraps, yeah? You got a favorite?”

“Favorite?” Behemoth echoes, put on the back foot by a being a fraction of his size.

“Yeah, man! A favorite fight! I got this one, not too far from here-“

Not the tactic you’d have tried, but it seems to be working, regardless—and with Behemoth sufficiently distracted for the moment, you make the announcement of your plan across the Commlings. Francine and November are promptly in route with the Hope Fragment, while Jackie and Tinker Tailor begin to converge on your location as you open up a private channel to Leviathan.

(Continued)

>>5212965

"Leviathan, this would be a good time for you to show up." You say sternly, casting a pointed glance at the too-still waters of the river to your left.

“YOUR LIFE WAS HARDLY IN MORTAL PERIL.” Levy replies, adding; “AND I’M NOT SURE IF YOU NOTICED, BUT MY BROTHER WOULD HARDLY BE PLEASED TO SEE ME IN HIS CURRENT STATE.”

"Are you afraid of Behemoth's temperament and have simply assumed as nothing but a perpetually angry brother?” You counter irritably. “Because here and now, it is very clear that he’s capable of rationality, capable of THINKING."

“OH~?” Leviathan hums, and they’re somehow capable of infusing a single syllable with almost as much of a patronizing tone as Doctor West packs in a typical sentence.

"From what I could tell just from conversing with your brother, he isn't perpetually angry for no reason.” You continue. “He's angry because he's scared. He misses your father just as much as you do, but given his role, he doesn't know what to do except be perpetually and aimlessly angry."

“I’D MUCH RATHER HIS ANGER BE AIMLESS, DEFIANT.” Levy fires back. “I’VE BORNE WITNESS TO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HIS RAGE IS LASER-FOCUSED. I’VE MERELY HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF MY DEAR BROTHER TYPICALLY POINTING IT IN THE RIGHT AND OBVIOUS DIRECTION—I’VE NO CLUE WHAT CONCLUSIONS HE’LL DRAW IF HE WERE TO LEARN OF OUR FATHER’S IMPENDING FATE.”

“Look, I get that from a rational standpoint you assumed that knowing that would only make him angrier and more despondent.” You sigh, casting Behemoth a glance to find him engaging Rath in a debate he appears to be…enjoying, with some reluctance. “But from how it looks right now, ‘not knowing’ is just as bad. At least by knowing about what's going on with his father, he has the potential to act on reason instead of emotion. He'll have a focus, a direction to guide his power. Not a reason to be angry, but a reason to remain calm. A reason to trust you. You need to trust your brother to be able to make a decision. He can't think if he has nothing to think on. And without your guidance, Behemoth as he is right now is what you get."

In the face of Leviathan’s protracted silence, you add. "And because of that, that bond between you and your brother has become strained."

“…AND WHAT, PRAY TELL, WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO TO MEND IT?”

"All you simply need to do is to apologize to your brother and ask for help with this."

The sudden explosion of laughter from the other end of the line knits a scowl across your forehead, and you try to keep your voice as level as you continue. "It doesn't have to be a big speech. I'm just as verbose as you and even I managed to give a coherent answer when your father asked me about what I'd do with power in ten words or less! Just say: 'Behemoth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for having misjudged you.' That's all it takes."

(Continued)

>>5212969

“IF I WERE WRONG ABOUT MY BROTHER, THEN THAT WOULD BE A SIMPLE ASK…BUT I’M NOT, SO IT ISN’T.” Leviathan replies coldly.

Fine. If they want to play it that way…

“it’s either that, or Ziz and Behemoth play ball and connect to your father without you.” You declare, drawing yet another verbal line in the sand.

“YOU WOULDN’T DARE.”

“You said it yourself—you can’t resonate with the Fragments like I or your siblings can. The way I see it, you have two options here; do what it takes to make a temporary peace with your brother and see whether your theory is true or not, or else sit this one out and potentially lose out on your shot.”

“ZIZ WOULD HELP ME.” Leviathan petulantly snaps. “IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE MATTER FOR HER TO-“

“Would she?” You interrupt, calling the titan’s bluff. “Seems to me she’s standing her ground against Behemoth today…I’m going to take a guess and say that’s a novelty for this particular cycle. If she’s standing up to Behemoth, how do you think your chances fare?”

A moment of silence, and then-

“…IT SEEMS MY BROTHER’S NOT THE ONLY ONE DELIVERING HARSH ULTIMATIMS, TODAY.” Leviathan flatly declares, and after a moment more, adds; “VERY WELL.”

The river’s surface begins to solidify, the oily leather of Leviathan’s physical form taking shape as they rise from the depths, much to Behemoth’s alarm.

“YOU!” He bellows.

“ME.” Leviathan replies drolly, tilting towards Ziz. “IT’S BEEN, WHAT…TWO? THREE HUNDRED CYCLES, SINCE WE WERE LAST TOGETHER?”

“Two!” Ziz affirms with an audible smile, the excitement of having her family gathered in one spot briefly overshadowing the circumstances of the meeting.

“Too FEW.” Behemoth growls, glowering at his lithe sibling. “I knew this human REEKED of you. NOW I know WHY. Was it YOU who put her up to this RIDICULOUS stu-?!“

“THE DEFIANT HAS COME AS FAR AS SHE HAS THROUGH HER OWN MERIT AND THAT OF HER FAMILY.” Leviathan interjects, the river’s waves undulating around the titan’s coils. “HER DECISIONS ARE HER OWN—I AM, APPARENTLY, ALONG FOR THE RIDE.”

“You’ll get used to it!” Rath yells out with a grin.

“I HAVE NEITHER THE INCLINATION NOR THE PATIENCE TO ACCLIMATE TO YOUR FRIEND’S-.”

“Words, words, WORDS.” Behemoth barks, the seashores flanking Leviathan trembling with unuttered threats. “What are you HERE for, if not to WASTE more TIME with POINTLESS pontification?”

“BEHEMOTH?” Leviathan declares, taking a breath you’re fairly certain is more for dramatic effect than anything. “…I’M SORRY.”

“…what?”

Behemoth’s confused utterance hangs in the air for long enough that, for a fleeting moment, you fear Leviathan will be unable to swallow their pride for long enough to do what you know needs to be done, until-

“I AM SORRY I MISJUDGED YOU.” Leviathan finally chokes out. “NOW CAN WE GET ON WITH THIS, OR NOT?”

(Continued)

>>5212972

“…No.” Behemoth growls, and your stomach drops as he prods his gnarled snout your way. “No, this is some sort of TRICK! SHE put you up to this, DIDN’T she!?”

“EXCUSE ME? YOU PRESUME I’D COW TO THE WHIMS OF A MERE DAUGHTER?” Leviathan fires back indignantly, utterly affronted at the accusation that is one-hundred-percent correct and wholly accurate. “HOW *DARE* YOU SPIT IN THE FACE OF MY VERACITY, WHEN WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO-“

“If it isn’t some LIE then it’s a USELESS theory from you!” Behemoth roars, jumping in place to round on his sibling with a quaking stomp. “Why ACT like you CARE about Father when all you’ve EVER done is IGNORE what he asked us to do and-!”

“ME?! AT LEAST I TAKE THE TIME TO CONSIDER WHAT’S ACTUALLY GOING ON INSTEAD OF BLINDLY FOLLOWING ORDERS YOU *BARELY* REMEM-“

“Enough!”

With a single impassioned word and a flap of seven gargantuan wings, Ziz silences her siblings…and it’s only after a moment of observation that you realize what she’s done to render them temporarily mute. The air around her siblings is distorted, catching the protests of her siblings before they can be hurled across to their intended victims.

“Enough, you two!” She repeats, four of her heads fixed on Leviathan, with the other three aimed squarely at Behemoth. “Look at what you're about to lose! How many chances have we gotten to speak with our Father in all our cycles? None! Zero! And here, Shu’s offering us that opportunity, no strings attached!”

Leviathan’s coils tighten, and Behemoth squares up until Ziz’s shoulders sag. “Can we just…not? Please? Just this once? Can we please just *do* this? If not for each other, then…then for the one we all care about?”

They’re quiet, at that…they have no choice, at least until a tired wave of Ziz’s wing dispels the barrier around her two siblings. A heavy silence settles, broken only when Leviathan turns to Behemoth with a sigh.

“IF YOU WILL NOT ACCEPT AN APOLOGY, THEN AT LEAST ACCEPT THIS…” They say with a low, humble bow.

“PLEASE, BEHEMOTH.” Levy says, without a trace of pride. “I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR FATHER. IF WE CAN ALIGN IN NOTHING ELSE, THEN LET US AT LEAST AGREE ON THAT.”

A tense few seconds, and then-

“…Fine.” He relents, tersely.

“Thank you, both. Truly.” Ziz says with no small amount of relief in her voice.

“SO, DEFIANT…” Leviathan addresses you as Jackie and Tinker Tailor approach.

“…HOW ARE WE DOING THIS?”

>>Ask Jeraha to pull in the last piece; the Sparagmos Engine you had her take to Laoc. Once it’s here, you’ll begin.

>>The last piece is a Forge Core…and with Snowbird nearby, she’ll be the conduit through which the ritual will take place.

>>You have what you need. Begin with what you have on hand, and hope for the best.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next twelve hours, with posting to resume tomorrow afternoon at 12PM, Eastern time. Thank you for your patience, participation, and kindness, and I wish you a restful evening one and all.)

>>5212975
Whew, that was tense, but looks like Ziz is making it work. I love you, Ziz, you're the best...bird? I'm gonna go with bird, you're more avian than you are any of the other things mixed into you. Still, looks like we might have burned our relationship with Leviathan a bit, I hope they forgive us after this is all done with. You needed to do it, buddy, maybe you can come to realize that.

Right, so Sparagmos Engine or Forge Core? I think the Forge Core would have better odds. Our first contact with him was accidental via the Core, while the second time was him reaching out intentionally through the Sparagmos Engine. That suggests to me that it's easier to get to his plane of existence via the Cores, if we could do it by accident.

>>The last piece is a Forge Core…and with Snowbird nearby, she’ll be the conduit through which the ritual will take place.
>>Write-In
>With her consent, of course. If she's not up to it, we can rig up a different focus for the Forge Core, or even go without entirely. We've got four relevant Fragments here, it shouldn't be too bad.


>>5212976
Thanks for running, BHOP. See you tomorrow at noon.

>>5212975
I'm wondering... is it possible to use both the Sparagmos Engine AND the Forge Core, to maximize our chances of success?

>>5213179
Maybe. There are a lot of unknowns, here. I think the Fragments will do most of the heavy lifting anyway, given that if we're going for "things that channel the power of the Titans' father" you can't do much better than pieces of him. But adding in more tech designed to interface with him might help.

Actually, you know who would know? Charon. The Hexane built the Sparagmos Engines after studying the Crucible, and Charon was one of the greatest engineers of Crucible-derived technologies the Hexane had. Themis and Veilen could contribute, too, they were scientists with relevant disciplines (high-energy physics and biotechnology). Let's call them up, see what they know.

>>5213179
(You certainly may! The votes I give are more general avenues of approach, and are far from exhaustive. Hence why I always add the write-in option, to allow for any approach to be voiced.)

>>5213203
(You certainly can, if you'd like.)

Alright, how does this look?

>>Write-In
>Ask Jeraha to bring over the Sparagmos Engine we sent to Laoc.
>Put Leviathan in contact with our science peeps, have them explain what we know about the Hope Fragment. Also explain the known capabilities of the Silver Key, and if Jackie and Tailor are willing to take part, explain the Vorpal Knife and Time Fragment as well.
>Call up Charon as well as Themis and Veilen. Ask them what they know about how the Sparagmos Engines and Forge Cores work, and what the ramifications of contacting the force that powers them would be.
>Together, with the best information we have available, as well as access to several Fragments and both a Sparagmos Engine and Forge Cores, work with Leviathan (and Ziz and Behemoth, if they have any ideas they think would help) to contact their father.
>While we're doing this, have Rath continue to keep Behemoth occupied so he doesn't get antsy. Likewise, if Ziz needs someone to talk to while we're at this, Amara can feel free to chat via Skintalking with her, though please don't get too close, sweetie.

Does that look good, or like it would take too much time and get Behemoth upset again?

>>5212975
>>5212972
>>5212969
>>5212965
Back from work.

Oh whew. That was very very close. I don't know how close the arguing came to blows. Levi's pride has certainly taken several bad hits, especially when he had to humbly bow before his brother in order to get him to cooperate.

At least all of them are on the same page.

>>5213227
Bhop. How bad did it get when it comes to behind the scenes dice? Behemoth rolled badly when it comes to accepting the apology from Leviathan didn't he?

>>5213267
We're gonna have to pare down the explanation into simpler terms for Behemoth and Rath if they're gonna standby and watch or ask any questions about what's going on.

We could always ask them to help with building the Cosmic telephone or come up with ideas. The idea of them twiddling their thumbs would no doubt serve to further Behemoth's anxiety.

Getting them involved in the building process would help give Behemoth a sense of progress and contribution in the way that he's going somewhere instead of spinning his wheels. Like maybe have him help with the terraforming process to help with transporting the Engine and the other pieces of the Fragments required for the ritual?

>>5213285
Yeah, that could work. If we need some sort of armature to set this up, he could sculpt it. Though I did include "have Behemoth or Ziz contribute, if they have any ideas" in the vote already. But yeah, let's not just leave it to him, let's give him something to work on so he doesn't feel like this is pointless stalling. Okay, how about

>Get Behemoth's aid in assembling any components that are on too large a scale for us. Make use of his Neuromancy to interface with the devices, if we need to.

>>5213274
(I hope my writing made it hit home, because Behemoth was literally a single digit from going ballistic right then and there. This entire thing is on pins and needles.)

>>5213307
I didn't realize it was that bad. Shit, maybe we should cut out the call to the Hexane, then, not add that extra time and keep Behemoth from getting too upset. Ugh. Behemoth, why you gotta be so angry? You make me nervous, fang-buddy.

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>>5212975
>Get a Forge Core as well as a Sparagmos engine.
>Get a quick consultation from the nerds including Leviathan and the surviving Hexane, ask them to follow the kiss rule (Keep. It. Short & Simple) to the explanations short and simple. Risks, benefits, all that jazz.
>Also get Behemoth and Rath involved in the ritual building process, like using Behemoth's terraforming prowess to either drag Laoc to our location or clear a path/speed up the travel times of our gathering Fragment users and the engine itself, preferably the latter. Have them contribute.
>Ask for ideas from Ziz, Behemoth, and Leviathan if there's anyway they can help with the ritual. Have them adhere the KISS rule for Behemoth's benefit as well as to cut down on dawdling time.

>"Alright, this will be a team effort. We only have one chance. One opportunity to make it work and make the most of the brief minute or so if or when the phone call connects before it's lost forever."

>"Leviathan, Gina, and those with Doctorates, I'm gonna need you to come up with ideas on how to make and arrange our Fragments, Forge cores, and Spragmos Engine in a way that min-maxes our chance of pulling off a cosmic phone call with the strongest wi-fi connection. If you need to explain, adhere to the K.I.S.S. Rule. Keep It Short and Simple!."

>"Ziz, Amara, can you and the skintalkers make a call to Charon, Themis, Veilen, and Jeraha in Laoc? We need their help as well when it comes to Crucible tech. They made the Sparagmos engines, their help would be appreciated. And have Jeraha bring over the Sparagmos Engine.

>"Behemoth, Rath. We need your help. You can help by building the structures needed to make this work and help get the Spragmos engine to this place via Terraforming boost. Can you do it?"

>"And before we set off and make this happen...Ziz, Leviathan, Behemoth. I want the three of you to THINK about what you want to say to your father. As much as it pains the three of you and even though you have a mountain of words you'd like to say, I'd like you to keep your messages short, and simple. We don't know how long the connection will last before either your father willingly disconnects the call or something else forces the call to be disconnected. We could have a minute, we could have 10 seconds, we could have 10 minutes. Make your words count."


>>5213307
>Behemoth was literally a single digit from going ballistic right then and there. This entire thing is on pins and needles.
Goddammit bhop. You could not have made it more stressful. And yet I anticipate even more stress when the cosmic phone call commences. I can already tell all three of the siblings will be rolling stress checks when it comes to seeing their father's true state after 776 cycles of absolute silence.

>>5213335
>Ziz, Amara, can you and the skintalkers make a call to Charon, Themis, Veilen, and Jeraha in Laoc?
I forgot that we have a whole comm center. Yes, of course, we can delegate that conversation. Thank you for catching that, anon. I feel silly, now.

But yeah, this looks good. Delegate the jobs so that we get this assembled as quickly as possible. If there was one change I'd make, it would be to, if we get a moment spare, take Ziz aside to thank her for being able to keep her siblings focused and on track, and ask her to keep up the good work smoothing over any missteps we make communicating with them.

>>5212975
Changing vote from >>5212992 to supporting >>5213335
with the addition of
>If we get a moment where her siblings won't hear, thank Ziz for helping calmer heads prevail, and ask her to keep it up if she can. We're beyond thankful for her presence here.

>>5213307
A question: Is Behemoth's physical description supposed to be evocative of something akin to a 7-legged elephant/cow mixed with a Tarrasque?

>>5213344
I'm still of the opinion that we could still ask Snowbird if she wants to help or is okay with having her forge cores serve as a conduit for the ritual.

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>>5213354
I've been kind of imagining him as a terrifying nightmare kaiju version of the woodcrafters from Serina. I think it's because of the odd number of legs. The woodcrafters are tripods, so have one leg in the back. Add in another two rows on the sides and that gives my mental image of Behemoth. Well, that and their weird antler-arms being much more gnarly and the mouth being even weirder and him having a few dozen other mouths along his body, and of course he's much more hulking and muscular. But that single hind leg is the core of my mental image of him.

>>5213356
Oh, yes, totally. I did have that in my vote, forgot to carry it forward.

>>5212975
Adding to >>5213344
>Ask Snowbird's consent with channeling this process through her own Forge Cores. We have others, she doesn't have to take part in this if she doesn't want to. It shouldn't just be assumed we'll use her.

>>5213354
>>5213361
(More akin to the image that was linked here, though with the unifying theme of all of the siblings having 'skin' composed of a writhing mass of their themed creatures. Avian for Ziz, land animals for Behemoth, and so on.)

>>5213335
>>5212975
Adding an addendum to this:

>"We don't know if he's capable of responding or if he'll even respond. But even if the call connects and he's silent on the other end of the line, speak your piece regardless. If anything, let him know that you care about him. And maybe just maybe, he'll respond with a reply however short or long he's capable of managing in his current state. The three of you will need to mentally prepare for this. Ready yourselves, you may not like what you see or hear. 776 cycles is a long time, even for someone like you three and your father especially."

I can't help but wonder what Morningstar(name still pending) (aka Crucible Creator) is thinking about our particular strain in the Crucible experiment. First Shu wanders into his place accidentally via silver bell and forge core resonance, then a few days later she intentionally wanders into the place to see her core's ability tree via Sparagmos engine where he takes the time to ask why we nerfed ourselves, and now a few days later she blasts that same dimensional door wide open but this time with multiple fragments, a Forge Core, and a Sparagmos engine in harmonious resonance and coordinated teamwork simply to let the Apocalypse Three of that particular strain have a short but wholesome family reunion/phone call.

The sheer escalation in our audacity is quite something to behold from his perspective.

>>5213407
Probably a great deal of exasperation. Here he told us that reaching out boldly was a risk, and then we go and boldly reach out. Oh, these kids, they're going to drive him into entropic decay with how much they make him worry.

...I hope we don't screw this up. We're taking every precaution we can, but we're still doing something risky at something of a rush. I guess we can only hope that having four times the Fragments, an iteration each of his kids, both a Forge Core and a Sparagmos Engine, and the best scientific backup on the Crucible will be enough to avoid any sort of horrible feedback or booby trap.

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>>5212975

“By pulling out all the stops.” You reply, placing a finger to your ear. “Everyone up to speed so far?”

A chorus of affirmation echoes from the swarmling nestled in your ear canal before you continue. "Alright—this’ll be a team effort. We only have one chance, ne opportunity to make it work and make the most of the brief minute or so if or when the phone call connects before it's lost forever. Leviathan, Gina, and those with Doctorates, I'm gonna need you to come up with ideas on how to make and arrange our Fragments, Forge cores, and Sparagmos Engine in a way that min-maxes our chance of pulling off a cosmic phone call with the strongest wi-fi connection. If you need to explain, adhere to the K.I.S.S. Rule—Keep It Short and Simple."

“Got it, babe.” Gina affirms, and through the Crimson Cord you can feel the gears of her mind turning as she takes command of the task at hand.

“I’ll get on the Sparagmos Engine.” Jeraha clips.

"On that note…Ziz, Amara? Can you and the Skintalkers make a call to Charon, Themis, and Veilen in Laoc?” You ask, and you’re treated to a three-wing salute from the enormous avian behind you. “We need their help as well when it comes to Crucible tech. They made the Sparagmos engines, their help would be appreciated.”

“What about me ‘an the big guy?” Rath asks, and you appreciate her follow-through with behemoth more than you can express. “What can we do to help?”

“By building the structures needed to make this work and help get the Sparagmos engine to this place via Terraforming boost. Can you do it?"

“Of COURSE we can.” Behemoth rumbles proudly. “There is NOTHING on the land that is BEYOND my REACH.”

"And before we set off and make this happen...Ziz, Leviathan, Behemoth.” You say, turning to each of the siblings in turn. “I want the three of you to THINK about what you want to say to your father. As much as it pains the three of you and even though you have a mountain of words you'd like to say, I'd like you to keep your messages short and simple.”

“Do you HEAR her, LEVIATHAN?” Behemoth growls, and Levy gives you a pointed look.

“I’LL GET MY ANSWERS BY MERELY BEING PRESENT.” They say curtly. “IF ANYTHING, ZIZ SHOULD BE THE ONE TO ADDRESS FATHER FIRST.”

“…Agreed.” Behemoth says, his solemn tone and agreeableness taking both you and Ziz aback, though unlike her, you try and hide your surprise.

“M-Me? Why?” The aerial titan stammers.

“HE WAS ALWAYS MORE OPEN WITH YOU. IF WE WANT ANSWERS, IT ONLY STANDS TO REASON THAT YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE TO OPEN THE DIALOGUE.” Comes Leviathan’s calculatingly clinical answer.

“Well, th-then…Behemoth, would you be open to going aft-?”

“WHY are we talking as though we’ll only have a SECOND or TWO to speak with him?” Behemoth interrupts with another eyeless glare thrown your way. “Are we SURE this CONNECTION will even WORK?!”

(Continued)

>>5213866

“It will, but we don't know how long it’ll last before either your father willingly disconnects the call or something else forces it to be disconnected.” You ruefully admit. “We could have a minute, we could have 10 seconds, we could have 10 minutes. We don’t know…so make your words count."

At that, Behemoth huffs and Rath takes up the reigns of keeping him on-task while Leviathan wordlessly bows out to convene with Gina and the rest of the think-tank. Ziz spreads her wings just as you open a private Commling channel, for just a moment.

“Hey…I wanted to thank you, for earlier.”

“Huh?” Ziz mumbles, inelegantly. “For what?”

“For keeping Levy and Behemoth on task. For staying calm when they weren’t. For...being yourself.” You say, smiling up at her. “We couldn’t have done this without you, Ziz.”

“O-oh, uh…I d-don’t know about that.” She counters bashfully.

“Well, I do…I’ve kept you long enough. Go help Amara, and I’ll see you back here soon.”

Ziz takes flight, leaving you to turn to the cyborg that hasn’t left your side since this began…and when you open your mouth to voice the question on your mind, Snowbird cuts you off with an immediate answer.

“I’ll do it.”

“…I didn’t even get to ask.” You reply with a tired chuckle.

“You need a Forge Core. A stable conduit. I have two. I’ll do it.” She repeats, firmly.

“The whole reason I wanted to ask is to add the caveat that I can find something else if you’re not comfortable with it. I know it’s asking a lot.”

“It’s…I want to do this. For her.” Snowbird says, tilting her helm towards the amalgam in the distance. “She is…lost. Confused. This may give her clarity.”

“…I’m sure Ziz will appreciate it.” You say with a smile, and Snowbird simply shrugs.

“It will make us even. Ziz was by my side, as I searched for answers. She helped me then. I help her here. It is…” She trails off, and when she speaks again it’s with an uncertainty, a hesitation of labels. “…it is a thing ‘friends’ do. Yes?”

“It is.” You nod.

“…Good.” She says. “I’ll inform Francine of my decision.”

Snowbird stalks off, and just as you’re about to turn to you other three present allies, you catch sight of a pair of new arrivals—approaching from the shoreline and putting a smile on your face.

“Charon! Ringo!” You declare darting down to meet the ashen warrior, the flesh-bound tindalos loping along at their side.

[Always a pleasure, Shu] Charon says with an audibly warm smile,

“What’re you doing here? Is everything okay with the, ah…” You ask, hesitating.

[Cult?] Charon finishes, wryly. [They are in good hands. I caught wind of you meeting with the titans, and we wished to lend out aid]

Ringo looses a warbling echo of a bark, and Julia and Dorian both kneel down to give the tindalos some rightly-deserved rubs as The Hexane warrior continues.

(Continued)

>>5213872

[Ringo and I have seen what’s transpired] They explain, nodding towards the opposite shore. [We arrived shortly before Leviathan made their presence known. I’m told teleporting in is less than ideal during taught situations, so I thought an on-foot approach would suit you best]

“That’s greatly appreciated.” You reply with a laugh, glancing back towards the legion of Daughters at work in making your plan a reality. “You heard what we’re trying to do, then?”

[Indeed, and I may be able to offer some assistance] Charon says, rising to their full height as Ringo hops up to attention. [I trust you can point me to where I may be of use?]

Directing Charon and Ringo to assist with the Sparagmos situation, you give the Hexane a quick hug and the tindalos an affectionate pat as you send them on their way…and you don’t have to wait long before everything’s pulled together. Despite the sheer amount of resources at your disposal, you’re still surprised when everything’s ready to go in little more than half an hour.

The end result is a cobbled-together thing, with a variety of vein-like cables trailing from the radiant Forge Cores in Snowbird’s open chest cavity and down the concave dish Behemoth and Rath terraformed into earth. The lines tie her cores to the thing that lies in the center of it all—the Sparagmos Engine, the Hope Fragment hovering above its onyx pillars it like a jewel just above the tines of a ring. The setup is ensconced between Ziz, Leviathan, and Behemoth, with you, Jackie, and Tinker Tailor evenly spaced around the Engine as per Francine’s strict instructions.

“It appears that everyone is in position, Darling.” Francine declares after her fourth double-check. “It is ready to go when you give the word.”

You take a breath, trying not to let all the ways this could possibly go wrong creep into the corners of your mind. The parameters have been calculated by the best minds available in the Crucible, and if anything *does* go sideways, well…

…you’re surrounded by everyone in the Fleshscape that you love and trust.

Even if you’re not in control, you know it’ll be okay.

>>Make the call.

>>Make one final adjustment before connecting (Write-In).

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next four hours, with posting to resume in approximately five.)

>>5213875
>Make the call.

It's go time. Fingers crossed.

If it weren't for the fact that we took the time actually converse with these beings and had actual context, this would like like from an outsider's perspective something akin to a grand Lovecraftian Ritual featuring three Great Old Ones in an attempt to Summon a far greater and Elder Ancient.

>>5213875
>>Make the call.
I can't think of anything else that we could do to improve our chances. Let's call up the Morningstar and hope that we don't fuck everything up.

>>5213891
I'm imagining the skinternet message boards responding to this and it is pretty great. I want Orwell to tell us what sort of ratings she winds up getting for "Shu saves the day by summoning Dread Cthulhu so his kids can check up on him".

>>5213875
Actually, you know what, one last adjustment.

>>Make one final adjustment before connecting (Write-In).
>Spawn a group of Jacklings, and get our Skintalkers to cast concentration-boosting spells on us. Then make contact.

Just a little final layer of precaution. Probably not going to do much, but every bit counts, right?

>>5213994
(It does, indeed.)

>>5214007
Well, that's just making me paranoid. Let's throw in a

>>5213875
>Francine establishes an Asklepian Ward and stands by to stabilize us.

to the precautions, then. Actually, let's generalize it:

>Anyone who has abilities that can be used to enhance, stabilize, heal or reinforce, use whatever preemptive measures you have and be ready to use them in response if things go bad.

Because I don't know what's on most of the character sheets of most of the people here, so let's just make it a general order.

>>5214019
(Consider it done - also, everyone not under your direct control is automatically set to do everything within their power to stabilize and contribute to your plans, whatever they may be.)

>>5214050
Excellent. Thanks, BHOP.

Getting ready for work as is customary. I will however give you a heads up with good news and bad news: I just got promoted at work to a bigger job. Which means my schedule starting next week will be thrown into chaos which while understandable, very much grinds my gears when it comes to participation in this quest. I hope the next update goes well.

>>5214064
Congratulations, anon! Have a nice day, and I hope your new position works well for you.

>>5214064
(Congratulations! Given I have a busy schedule next week updates may be spotty as well, so let me know what works for you and I'll be more than happy to work around it.)

File: nothing at all.gif (2.11 MB, 500x500)

2.11 MB GIF

>>5213875

“Alright, you three…are you ready?” You ask, glancing among the faces that loom high overhead.

Ziz give a series of nervous, yet dutiful nods, while Leviathan merely give you one, slow and solemn.

Behemoth, on the other hand...he, for all his earlier rage and bluster, seems to have made himself smaller. Maybe it’s in the way his shoulders are hunched as though they’re trying to meet somewhere in the middle, or perhaps it’s something in the way he’s crouched low, like he’s trying not to be seen.

In any case, he’s the last to reply—just a small, slight tilt of his head to let you know he’s as ready as he’s going to be.

“Make the call.” You say, and the last thing you see before your world explodes into a riot of color and chaos is the Hope fragment erupting with the radiance of small star, razing your eyes with its impossible light.

Once more unto the breach.

And a breach it is; a wound in reality, a place that should not be. A thing violently carved into the fabric of space and time by a spiteful hand. An undulating field that defies description, an assault on senses that’ve been robbed from you in this place and substituted with intuition, with perceptions that are alien to you, even on your third visit to this anomalous plane. Once more you’re torn asunder, distilled to the very essence of existence…only this time, you’re not alone.

Before you float three diminutive forms, somehow standing out amidst the riot of kinetic color that is the creator’s prison. A fish-like shape flits to and fro before you as though overwhelmed by this new locale, while an embryonic foal hovers far to your left, curled into a fetal position with its seven pencil-thin legs clutched right to its chest. The largest of the three is to your right; an avian caught between a chick—flecks of shell still attached to its seven-fold wings—and an adolescent’s gawky physique.

You feel their Creator before you see him, with a perception that is not pure sight—a vast presence turning its attention towards you as though you’re a krill that’s drawn the attention of a whale…

…or, perhaps, a warship.

and here I thought I’d seen the last of you

but I am made a fool

by you

once again

You’re not sure quite what you were expecting. Exasperation, or maybe something closer to irritation? Anything, really, other than the amused lilt to his tired chuckle of a greeting.

now

as impressive as this is

and it is

quite impressive

I’m afraid I can’t afford to spend what ti-

A realization. A revelation.

A sudden, sharp recognition, of who you’ve brought before him.

(Continued)

>>5214116

oh

you

how

you haven't finished yet

it’s not over

how have you

The colors around you flicker like a sudden, startled peal of laughter.

no

that is irrelevant

what matters is them

my courage

my mind

and my heart

“Is…is that really-?” Ziz begins, unable to believe what she’s sensing until you feel unreality shift, curling around the ungainly chick.

it is, my dearest

it’s been so long

you’ve grown so much

and you’re not the only one

The chaos wraps itself around Levy’s diminutive form, pulling them closer to their avian sibling.

I have missed your wit

how you kept my focus

it is so good to see you

where is

ah

there you are

my brave little one

Their father reaches out towards Behemoth only to hesitate when he shrinks away, the stardust appendage drawing back. You wonder if their creator’s about to ask what’s the matter when Ziz finally speaks up, the first of her siblings to gather herself fully.

“We…we have questions! All three of us. They wanted me to go first!” She declares, fluffing her feathers as she steels her own courage before doubt creeps in. “If…if you have time?”

for you

my children

I will make all the time you need

what would you ask

of little

old

me

Ziz pauses a moment, casting a glance between her siblings before she finally lends voice to what’s preying on both heart and mind.

“Why…why did you cast us out?” She asks, softly. “Why did you really send us out on the Crucible? You could’ve made something else. Something that could’ve protected it instead of us…so…why?”

because

you were

and still are

the best of me

my kindness

my wisdom

my courage

“I…I don’t understand.” Ziz pleads. “We could’ve stayed! We wouldn’t have minded! We could’ve kept you company, we could’ve-“

I would not have

my children

caged

His words fray the seams of his prison, shaking the tenuous foundation of this vestigial reality until he regains his composure.

(Continued)

>>5214117

you three are the best of me

He repeats, softly. With the sort of intentional kindness you yourself have chosen to employ, time and again.

carved out of my very being

and flung into the future

my kind can only cut

only carve

we are very

very

powerful

butchers

incapable of repair

incapable of creation

in making you

I reached into the parts of myself

that had not spoiled with sorrow

had yet to be infested with pride

had not yet learned cowardice

and thus

I made

you

“WAIT…” Leviathan murmurs, their overwrought voice ill-suited for the minnow-like form they’ve manifested as, here. “…ARE WE…FRAGMENTS?”

put simply

yes

but you are so

much

more

“I…I DON’T UNDERSTAND.” Leviathan stammers, bewildered. “WHY COULDN’T WE REACH YOU BEFORE? I DISSECTED MY CORE INSIDE AND OUT! IF THERE WAS SUCH AN OBVIOUS AVENUE TO REACH YOU, THEN WHY COULDN’T I-!”

you were a part of me

once

but you have grown

into your own beings

free of me

and my own limitations

you three are something

wholly

uniquely

your own

and I could not

be

more

proud

(Continued)

>>5214119

Behemoth flinches, at that, while Leviathan just sits in their creator’s grasp, flickering in and out of perception…half in the now, and half searching for the answer to the question that’s their top priority. You feel the creator’s perceptions shift once more to Ziz as he speaks again.

my dear

you said

questions

plural

what more would my children ask of me

Ziz glances to Levy, who in turn looks to you—and though lacking in expression, the intention is clear. Leviathan needs more time to do what they’ve come here to accomplish. Behemoth cowers, fighting with himself in his own moment of need.

it is alright

take your time

I will never

ever

rush you

Silence greets him, and after a moment his attention shifts—like a spotlight of pure intent—to you.

you’ve come this far

you’ve granted me a gift

I do not

and could never

deserve

the offer I extend to my children

I now

extend

to you

You stand…hover?...before a being that is more powerful than you could possibly fathom—and yet, this is the first time his children have seen him in eons. For you, this is your third meeting, and you catch that which escaped you before.

Exhaustion.

Weariness.

The frayed edges of hope.

A smile to mask a slow, steady decay.

It’s all so familiar, yet reflected in a thing so unfathomable.

>>”…what is the Mother of All?”

>>”…what’s buried at the core of my world?”

>>”…where are the other members of your species?”

>>This moment is not yours to take. Allow Levy or Behemoth to speak, first.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next eight hours, with posting to resume tomorrow at 12PM noon, Eastern time. Thank you all for your patience and participation, and I wish you a restful evening.)

https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/22033781
There are some good pixiv artists you might wanna look. I'll share more as I find them. I used to read this quest back on thread 3 when the coolest stuff was the protag having bees on her back and the bunny girl growing a dog-mouth

>>5214126
(Already on the first page of that Pixiv artist and their art is absolutely phenomenal. Thank you so much for sharing, and I welcome anything else you find!)

>>5214116
>Before you float three diminutive forms, somehow standing out amidst the riot of kinetic color that is the creator’s prison. A fish-like shape flits to and fro before you as though overwhelmed by this new locale, while an embryonic foal hovers far to your left, curled into a fetal position with its seven pencil-thin legs clutched right to its chest. The largest of the three is to your right; an avian caught between a chick—flecks of shell still attached to its seven-fold wings—and an adolescent’s gawky physique.
Daww, they're cute little babies when they go to see their dad. Adorable. Interesting that Ziz, of all of them, seems the most mature. Not a fry, not an embryo, but a fledgeling. I guess standing up for herself is doing her good.

>>5214119
>you were a part of me
>once
>but you have grown
>into your own beings
>free of me
>and my own limitations
>you three are something
>wholly
>uniquely
>your own
>and I could not
>be
>more
>proud
Huh. They're almost kind of a proof of concept, then, aren't they? A demonstration to the rest of his species that instead of trying to preserve their current existence at the cost of all others, they should create a new generation that can be even greater than them. Oh, Morningstar, you clever fox.

Anyways, I'm for waiting our turn. We promised these guys that they could talk to their dad, we'll ask our questions after they're done.

>>5214122
>>Write-In
>"If it's alright with you, I think I should wait my turn. I have plenty of questions, but as much as they matter to me, it would be rude to interrupt a family reunion to talk business."

https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/88934757
looking at related works is a great way to check out new artists. It is not easy for me to find one that I like however, because this japanese like to put a cute waifus right next to body horrors. Boring

>>5214122
>>This moment is not yours to take. Allow Levy or Behemoth to speak, first.

Oh boy oh boy. So much to ask, but his own family comes first.

That being said what should we ask when we can? All the given options are good ones of course, but there is more. I would really like to ask - how? How can we achieve what we want? The new, free life for not just mankind, but all the creatures caught in the Crucible? How can we save those already lost, those from the earth, and earlier worlds, before it?

But I am afraid he cannot just give us that answer. After all, if he knew, he would have done it already.

What do you guys think we should ask when we have the chance?

>>5214229
How about "Aside from the obvious physical threats in the Cord, what obstacles are there to ending the Crucible?". I doubt his species will have made it so easy as to just shut the system down. They vivisected this guy to turn him into a power source, with that level of vindictiveness they're probably expecting him to have a way of sabotage. So it would be nice to know if there's anything else we'll have to face when we try to turn the system off. Are we going to have to have some psychic battle with the surviving star gods?

>>5214139
You know what, actually, I phrased this poorly. Not a big deal, but it's niggling at me. Let me try again.

>>5214122
>>Write-In
>"If it's alright with you, I think I should wait my turn. I have plenty of questions, but as much as they matter to me, your kids' questions matter more to them. Besides, it would be rude to interrupt a family reunion to talk business."

>>5214122
>"If it's alright with you, I think I should wait my turn. I have plenty of questions, but as much as they matter to me, it would be rude to interrupt a family reunion to talk business."

Although we should wait with our questions, once the others have gone, I believe there are two questions that take priority over all else.
>”…what is the Mother of All?”
>"This endless cycle, the Crucible. You know it cannot continue forever. You want this to end as much as we do. How can we do so? How can we break the cycle, and end this strain of the Crucible?"

Back from work.

>>5214122
>This moment is not yours to take. Allow Levy or Behemoth to speak, first.

>When the trio are done with their questions ask away:
>"It just occurred to me that even though you know my name, you never formally introduced yourself. Do you have a name for which I and the others can call you?
>(If he doesn't have a name) You don't have a name? Hmm...There's a name that I feel fits all too well with who and what you are and represent: Morningstar. Is that a name you're comfortable with?

>>5214296
>>5214229
>>5214136
Wait wait wait. Hold up. Levi said that the Star Gods had the sterilization problem when it comes to their numbers which was a factor to their long era of self-absorbed hedonism/arrogance, and yet here the solution to their entropic demise and the balm to their species-wide despair in their inability to leave a legacy is right in front of our faces. Fragmentation and creation. Sure it takes literal chunks out of their souls to do so, and the product of creating living fragments would mean the parent would be permanently weakened and the child ever weaker than the parent, but it would solve their longstanding reproduction issues.

>>5214136
Hmm...well it very much speaks to their maturity then.
>Ziz the fledgeling bird who is ready for adulthood
>Leviathan is a child, who is utterly overwhelmed by novelty and acts pompously like a know it all kid who went through an encyclopedia, and has yet to learn humility and respect
>Behemoth's very much the baby of the bunch given how he very much lets his emotions run the gamut and his day.

It also speaks to the strength of their father's character. His kindness was the greatest, while his wit wasn't far behind, but his bravery is very miniscule, yet it took him getting butchered by his brethren to get his act together.

>>5214374
Yeah, it's definitely impressive that he's managed to create new life, when his species is supposed to be sterile. It's not quite the same sort of life that he is, but he's still done the impossible by the star gods' standards. The sense I get is that he's kind of the craftsman god figure of the star gods, the cunning man who studies the world and so learns to craft wonders that his peers can't imitate, but who winds up with an outsider perspective as a result of that and so is mistreated by them. We might consider drawing from that sort of mythology in naming him, too.

Anyways, I think the problem is that while this demonstrates that the star gods can produce a new generation of life, they don't actually want to. Their psychology shaped around them being one-off entities, they're interested in perpetuating themselves, not their species. It might be possible to convince them, but with them having put so much into pursuing personal eternity I don't know where we'd start. Maybe that can be something we ask him. "Do you think there's any hope of peaceful resolution with your kin, or do they have to go?"

>>5214378
Yeah, it's neat symbolism. Also, Ziz has a bit of shell stuck to her still, since she's pushed through the fledgeling status very quickly and so retains some traits of her more immature naivety.

And yeah, I do like this rebel star god. Mostly. The thought just occurred to me as I write this that if he's responsible for the Crucibles not reaching their intended solution after so long, maybe that puts some of the onus for the suffering they've caused on him. If they had found a solution, would they have spread so far? But then again, maybe it would have just lead the Crucibles to compete among each other, as each winning Mother (or whatever the Crucibles without the Tindalos' "no boys allowed" rule would call their winner) were forced to fight to further grow the strength of the star gods' future vessel. Maybe we should ask him that, too, "How would the Crucible project have proceeded without his sabotage?". Yeah, let's ask him that.

>>5214401
>"Do you think there's any hope of peaceful resolution with your kin, or do they have to go?"
Even though it feels prudent to ask that question, Levi stated that his father argued to the point of getting butchered that they should accept their demise, so it would make sense he would still hold that view after being imprisoned. Keep in mind that he referred his other kin as "very powerful butchers".

But more to the point. We should also point out that in him creating his three children, he has proven that it is possible for their kind to reproduce and create a new generation of their populace. Lesser kin, but they are in essence living examples of their legacy. All life forms reproduce as a mechanism to continue their propagation and He's already proven that point.

>>5214401
As much as we'd like to ask away, keep in mind that We're on a time limit and an energy limit. He may be all smiles, but as Levi has suspected and We (aka Shu) have suspected, he's hiding his exhaustion and his metaphorical deathrattle behind a smile. For our gift of giving him a family reunion before his death bed he's willing to ask away and expend the last of his life, and having him drop dead mid-conversation would be deeply traumatizing for all parties involved.

>>5214428
>>5214431
Yeah, you're right. We do need to conserve time. We don't want the guy to die because we strained him too much. That would just be...the worst irony. I do want him to live to see us finish this. So maybe one big question and one minor one, leave him enough energy that he can limp along to the end.

>>5214440
As for the minor one, I would ask for a name, or the opportunity to offer him a name so he could be remembered by.

>>5214374
>>5214122

Editing my vote:

>This moment is not yours to take. Allow Levy or Behemoth to speak, first.
>"As much as I would like to ask questions, I believe the ones your children hold have more importance. I will wait. They can go first."
>If behemoth is still hesitant, offer him emotional support, scoop up his embryonic projection into your arms and ask him if he wants us to ask the question he's holding for him. Get Ziz and Levi to offer their emotional support for their sibling.

>When it is our turn:

>"You know, you never formally introduced yourself. Do you have a name for which the others and I can call you? A name for all to remember you by. A name for your children to refer to when they speak of their parent.
>(If he doesn't have a name) You don't have a name? Hmm...There's a name that I feel fits all too well with who and what you are and represent: Morningstar. Is that a name you're comfortable with?

>Just before the call disconnects give him a farewell.

Dammit. I have a serious question to go with asking him if he has or wants a name to be remembered by, But the serious question keeps evading me, because we lack lots of key critical information that we've yet to gain clarity, and yet there's lots of avenues to pursue our need to attain that "Mother of All" condition that will end the Crucible in this current cycle instead of propagating it.

>>5214440
>>5214401
Just from the question prompts that Bhop has given us, we know we're on the right track in that "the trick is down not up" while our conversation with Levi and Morningstar(name still pending) has given us an impression on the other Star gods but in a biased manner, But we've yet to figure out the true path in getting to what's at the center of the Crucible, nor are we able to figure out what exactly is in the center.

We'll need a question that can hit the general key areas we're lacking but what exactly are we lacking? If we ask for "hints" as to the whole "Mother of All" message he's encoded in the crucible, we miss out on getting a better image of his species and their current condition and hints to prepare for our confrontation with them. But if we ask about his species and their status and whereabouts, we're in the dark on how to achieve the whole "Mother of All" condition he's encoded while getting something of a biased impression of his species given Levi's and Morningstar's personal testimonies.

>>5214461
>>5214122
To clarify, I'm locking in the question vote. but I still want time during the next update to think about our serious question while the siblings get their chance to ask their questions and have that sorely needed conversation with their father.

>>5214461
I don't think we should scoop Behemoth up. I can't see him being a hugger, even in a moment of vulnerability. Maybe especially in a moment of vulnerability. I think "reassuring hand on one of his shoulders" is the best he'd accept.

I know what you mean about the question. There's a lot I want to ask. Maybe "How did you intend for this to go down?" or something along those lines. What were his intents for the path to subverting the Crucibles and leading this benevolent revolution against his peers. That encompasses both what we expected someone to do to subvert the Crucible and how he expected the other star gods to respond.

>>5214461
>>5214122
>>5214374

Yet another edit, below is current up-to-date version of my vote:

>This moment is not yours to take. Allow Levy or Behemoth to speak, first.
>"As much as I would like to ask questions, I believe the ones your children hold have more importance. I will wait. They can go first."

>If Behemoth is still hesitant, offer him emotional support/encouragement, have Ziz or Levi (if he isn't busy with trying to figure out or has already figured out his father's on his literal deathbed) pitch in and give the baby of the bunch the support for him to act on his courage and ask the question.
>"Go on Behemoth, I know you can do it."

>When it is our turn:

>"I only have two questions to ask: How do you intend the entire project to end?
This encompasses the gamut of both the cord climb, the secret, and the confrontation with the other star gods.
>"As for my second question..."
>pause as a long unnoticed fact dawns upon you.
>"You know, you never formally introduced yourself. Do you have a name for which the others and I can call you? A name for all to remember you by. A name for your children to refer to when they speak of their parent.
>(If he doesn't have a name) You don't have a name? Hmm...There's a name that I feel fits all too well with who and what you are and represent: Morningstar. Is that a name you're comfortable with?

>Just before the call disconnects give him a farewell.
>"Farewell [insert name], may we all live to see the end."

(Just wrapping up the next few posts, as they're pretty long. Will be posting as soon as possible, so thank you all for bearing with me!)

File: The Duty of Gods.jpg (156 KB, 1600x900)

156 KB JPG

>>5214122

"If it's alright with you, I think I should wait my turn.” You begin, finding that words come easier to you now than your last two forays to this interstitial space. “I have plenty of questions, but as much as they matter to me, your kids' questions matter more to them. Besides, it would be rude to interrupt a family reunion to talk business."

thoughtful

as always

The being’s words curve with audible amusement, and as you meet Leviathan’s fleeting gaze you both know whose turn it is. Looking to Behemoth, you find his child-like form curled even tighter…but before you can force out a word of encouragement, you find yourself beaten to the punch.

“Brother…it’s okay.” Ziz gently offers. “If you want to tell me, I can ask for you if that would-“

“N-no.” He utters, finally. “No, I can ask it.”


A moment more of hesitation, and then-
“...is there a hidden plan?” Behemoth asks, his voice softer than you thought possible. “Is it something called the ‘Mother of All?”

“FOOL!” Leviathan suddenly snaps, rounding on their sibling. “YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE ASKED SO *BLATANTLY*. WHAT IF YOU’VE JUST PUT FATHER IN DAN-!”


danger is no longer my concern

little one

the time for fear

has long passed

Then, turning the spotlight of his attentions to Behemoth-

my peers envisioned an existence

where all was theirs to control

exploit

toy with

as they saw fit

but I envisioned one

where we took responsibility

where we used our station

to serve as leaders

paragons

and more

when a Daughter arose

with virtues in opposition to those my people prized

then the source code of my creation

would be theirs to modify

adjust

and control

that is what I intended the Mother of All to be

not a tyrant

nor opportunist

but rather a guiding hand

to exercise the kindness

of benevolent command

…No. You know, at this moment, that you could never be what he’s been looking for. The ‘Mother of All’ is just another name for a would-be god. And that’s not-

and in that desire

I was a fool

(Continued)

>>5214923

I was blinded

by what I was

I thought I was superior

but even I

could hardly shake the idea

that control was a necessity

“But…but there’s a difference, isn’t there?” Ziz posits, softly. “If someone nice had control, then-“

malicious tyrant

or controlling parent

both

are hands

wrapped firmly around the necks

of those beneath them

I failed to consider

that instead

what was needed

is one that would forge a world

where control

lay not in the hands of a god

but in the hands

of all

And, with an audible smile, he adds…

how wise you are

Defiant

“How do you intend the entire project to end?” You find yourself asking aloud, and you’re about to withdraw your query when Leviathan swiftly motions for you to continue. “Climbing the Cord, whatever’s buried beneath the earth…there’s so many unknowns.”

you’ve already triggered

every subroutine I’ve hidden

all that remains

is for you to climb the Cord

once at the summit

you will be able to rewrite

and make a world

where your people have the control

you value so

He pauses for a moment, as if weighing the second half of your question.

as for what lies below

it is

the most tenuous of my creations

you could consider it

a backup

of sorts

“…but I thought humanity was already backed up in the Cord?” You ask, hesitantly. “We’re planning on bringing everyone back, so is what’s buried a redundancy, or-?”

The Cord

is for the current Crucible’s species

what’s below

is a truncated backup

of every species that has felt the weight

through the strains of my accursed creation

(Continued)

>>5214930

“…The Hexane.” You breathe, your mind spiraling with the possibilities. “The Tindalos. The…how is that possible? There’s so much, there couldn’t-“

it is truncated

compressed

and the strain on it grows

with every cycle

it is likely

that much has been lost

but I hope

that at least something may be recovered

“…There have been rumors. A string of Daughters that delved too deep and came back changed. Altered, or driven mad.” You begin, putting two and two together.

a likely side effect

of rampant data leakage

this is

troubling

but you may be able to stem the flow

once you

are in

control

You…you can’t focus on that right now. Not when there are too many other pieces in play.


"As for my second question..." You begin, pausing as a long-unnoticed fact dawns upon you. "It’s a simple thing, but you never formally introduced yourself. Do you have a name for which the others and I can call you? A name for all to remember you by. A name for your children to refer to when they speak of their parent.”

He’s silent for a long moment, and when he replies you can feel the weight of guilt in every word, buried deep in every syllable.


I had a name

once

I wore it proudly

when I was too much like my peers

it carries with it

eons

of cruelty

it is a name

better left

forgotten

“...There's a name that I feel fits all too well with who and what you are and represent, actually…” You forward, much to the intrigue of his three children.

“…Morningstar.”

ah

Morningstar

“…IT IS A GOOD NAME.” Leviathan hums, its guppie-like form giving you a quick, approving nod. “GIVEN WHAT I KNOW…IT SUITS YOU WELL."

(Continued)

>>5214937

then that is all the approval

I need

“Are you sure that’s a name you're comfortable with?”


Morningstar

I think

I like it

“FATHER, I…THERE IS ONE THING THAT IS TROUBLING ME.” Leviathan suddenly chimes in, their form shifting wholly into the present. “I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR PEERS COULD NOT SEE THE SOLUTION TO THEIR REPLICATION PROBLEM WHEN YOU ALREADY SOLVED IT. MY SIBLINGS AND I, WE ARE LIVING, BREATHING PROOF THAT YOUR PEERS COULD HAVE A LEGACY.”

ah

but you misunderstand them

they never wanted a legacy

they craved power

in perpetuity

though they tried

much

much later

to do as I had done

and carve of pieces of themselves

to forestall the inevitable

“…And…did it work?” Ziz asks, only to be met with a shuddering of color and a cruel, dry laugh.

they made monstrous little motes

ravening abominations

that mirrored their forebears

ones that began to gnaw at their creators

and were promptly torn asunder

my people truly were

a wretched thing

how incredibly satisfying

it was

at the end

“To…what? What do you mean?” Ziz asks, confused even as Leviathan goes stock still. Behemoth’s fretfulness takes a back seat for but a moment, as he notices the shock apparent in Leviathan’s frame—the realization that his sibling’s arrived a conclusion that’s robbed them of words.


indeed

it is how I am certain

that I am not good

that I am not kind

because

it was the most wonderful

most exquisite

spectacle

to watch

them

die

(Continued)

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>>5214939

It’s Behemoth’s turn to go perfectly still, the implications of Morningstar’s words slowly sinking in to him and Ziz, both, as Leviathan suddenly snaps back to their senses

“NO…NO NO NO, THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE. I THOUGHT WE HAD MORE TIME, BUT…BUT THIS MAKES NO SENSE!” They mutter frantically, flitting in a tight, panicked circle. “HOW?! HOW ARE YOU STILL-?”

alive

I’m not quite sure

perhaps it is the nature of my prison

perhaps it’s the simple fact

that I didn’t waste my energy

in a mad scramble

to hold on to power

or maybe

just maybe

it’s because I clung

to the virtue closest

to this one’s heart

Morningstar’s attention shifts to you, his spotlight warm with something that could almost be called admiration.

defiance

It’s silent, for a moment, as the reality of their father’s situation covers his children like a pall. Leviathan’s spinning, mind working in loops to understand, to counter, to think of a way to stop that which Morningstar’s species tried and failed to. Behemoth is turned away, moving not an inch, uttering not a sound.

“How…how long?” Ziz finally chokes out. “How much longer do we…do you have?”

it was my intent

to see this through

to the end

and I will

no matter what

“WE…WE NEED TO CUT THE CALL.” Leviathan declares suddenly, rounding on you. “IT MUST BE BURNING THROUGH A COLOSSAL AMOUNT OF STORED ENERGY FOR FATHER TO KEEP THIS UP. WE CAN’T AFFORD TO-“

no

Morningstar’s words cut through Leviathan’s frantic mutterings like a calcite edge, robbing his child of the urgent momentum that had been building with a voice that carries both resolve and acceptance, in equal measure.

the only currency I have

the only thing of worth

is time

spending it here

with you

so close

to the end

is time

well

spent

Then, to you…

you are so near

to the end

and yet

so far

ask me

what you will

and I will

offer

wh-what

help

I can

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next five hours, with posting to resume on Tuesday, April 5th at 10AM Eastern time. I’m afraid work’s the opposite of the rather peaceful Friday I’d expected, so I believe it would be best to adjourn here for the sake of my sanity. I wish you all a restful weekend, and I hope you have a pleasant day.)

>>5214939
Oh no. Is there some sort of cosmic locust plague, now? Did the star gods wipe themselves out, but create something even worse in the process?

Still, mostly good news. Morningstar (who has a name now) approves of us not becoming a cosmic god-queen, that's good to know. And the memory backup contains not just humanity but everyone the Crucible has ever eaten. I was hoping for that. Though I'm not sure where we'll put them. Unless we can ride this thing backwards along its path and have it rebuild worlds along each stop, we'd have to reconstitute them all in our solar system. Which is possible, in theory, they're plenty of room in one solar system, but oh man is that going to be a nightmare of political organization. "Hey, humanity, you know how you had no unity and constant worries about your neighbors' intentions when it was just you and your own species' factions? Have another seven hundred and seventy-six species, all living in the same solar system as you. Enjoy."

Yeah, we're going to have to find someplace else to put them. Still, the fact that we can put them somewhere at all is very good.

>>5214942
Right, let's not take more time than we absolutely need to.

>>Write-In
>"Any threats I'm not aware of? What about your kin, any interference from them?"

>>5214942
>>Write-In
"Do you have any advice for us? What do we need to watch out for as we climb the Cord?

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>>5214942
Damn. I had a feeling this would happen. This is just so goddamn sad. The kids I think will be understandably devastated. And it's gonna put that rocket launch into an entirely different context given that there's a fragment of Morningstar onboard. It'll turn the launch into something akin to a cosmic viking funeral.

Morningstar's a trooper. A prison of his own making, forced to wither away, and yet, he clings on in defiance in an effort to see the project end.


>Have a sad knowing smile on your face as you gently turn down his request.
>Gather the Apocalypse trio and spend the moment in silence as you bring the three close for physical and emotional support/comfort as they spend their last moments with their father on his deathbed. The death of their parent will be heavy upon them as a final lesson: All deaths are final.
>"...No need. You've already done so much for us with what you've given for us all in the now, for those that have come in past cycles, and for those that will come after. To strain yourself will do you and your children a disservice. I believe the time we have have left is best spent with you and yours love saying your final goodbyes, and cherishing the time spent together before it all ends."

>when the call ends and we're back in the Crucible, speak a eulogy through the tears that roll down your cheek for all to hear.

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

>"It says something about Morningstar, father of the Apocalypse Three, Founder of the Crucible Project, about his true character. That for all the arrogance, corruption, and vile hedonism of his people...that...he still could see kindness, curiosity, and the greatness of spirit in those lesser than the people he was a part of. And he wanted more than anything else to be part of that..."
>"To be part of...something greater than him."
>"We are such stuff...as dreams are made off...And our little life...is rounded with a sleep."
>"Life is and has always been such a riddle, bringing rapture and sorrow. We listen, we suffer, and we entrust unto tomorrow."
>"Life decays and dies. At the same time, its born anew."
>"And yet at the same time, for those of us who are born with life, there is an immutable truth we must acknowledge. We live, we die, And we know."
>"Good night, Morningstar. May your legacy shine as brightly as you did in defiance of entropy. Sweet dreams."

>>5215033
>>5215012

But in terms of help that we can get, we don't have to ask him directly, There's the issue of the No-man's land as well as Sargatanas who guards the base of the Cord that we can consult/look up, but that obstacle can be solved as we go along. We still have Ozmas that we can look to for information as she was the one who climbed the cord and made it to the peak.

As for what to ask Morningstar, I don't think we should ask anything else. We've already gotten the most out of him in terms of his design intent, what happened to his peers, and our next steps.

>>5215055
>>5214942
Bhop. I would like to edit my vote a bit. I'd still like to have the Eulogy bit and the linked song, but I want to save it for the Disassociated Rocket Launch, have the event serve as something of a funeral event for the Apocalypse Three so they can have the interim between his death and the rocket launch to properly grieve and say their final goodbyes in the real while they spend the time in Morningstar's prison being there for him on his deathbed.

>>5215012
anon. He already stated that his kin are extinct, having been consumed and cannibalized by corrupted fragmented creations of their own. And the Apocalypse Trio in all strains and iterations of the Crucible are enough to deal with those corrupted creations of his kin, which is the whole point of the Apocalypse Trio planetary defense. The Trio are the defense mechanisms that destroy the corrupted Fragments.

>>5215033
I think we're already in good hands, asking him for advice kinda ruins the moment. We've got other ways to deal with the Cord. Other sources of info we can tap. Ozmas being one of them as she was the crucible's previous winner and had climbed the cord.

>>5214923
>>5215012
linking the quote for reference in what I was referring to.

>“FOOL!” Leviathan suddenly snaps, rounding on their sibling. “YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE ASKED SO *BLATANTLY*. WHAT IF YOU’VE JUST PUT FATHER IN DAN-!”

>danger is no longer my concern
>little one
>the time for fear
>has long passed

>they made monstrous little motes, ravening abominations that mirrored their forebears. Ones that began to gnaw at their creators and were promptly torn asunder.
Morningstar implies that his kin tried the same thing as he did but when they turned into such horrible abominations, his kin promptly destroyed their creations (save for the few which the Apocalypse Trio had dealt with), which left them no other choice but simply wither and await their death.

>>5215055
Hey, he's not dead yet. A eulogy would be nice, but let's save it for when he's properly gone. He said he was going to limp along to the end, and I believe in him. Especially if you want to cut the connection there and minimize the energy drain on him, that should give him some more time. We should hang on to the kind words until after he's fully passed, not give them in advance.

>>5215069
>>5215086
I'm not worried about the star gods themselves so much as them having left something behind we'd have to deal with. Whether a bigger version of the locusts or a trap they put in place or whatever. Though I suppose you're right that if there is, Morningstar's kids are the ones best poised to stop them, assuming they're a physical threat.

>>5215012
you say that as if implying those threats/traps will be sprung the moment the crucible endsor that we'll live as long as the stargods themselves to see those threats arrive within the quest's scope. drop it. as much as it is wise and far-sighted, its also foolish to think like that. Let the others deal with it if/when it crops up in their lifetime.

>>5215096
>Hey, he's not dead yet. A eulogy would be nice, but let's save it for when he's properly gone. He said he was going to limp along to the end, and I believe in him. Especially if you want to cut the connection there and minimize the energy drain on him, that should give him some more time. We should hang on to the kind words until after he's fully passed, not give them in advance.

fair enough. it doesn't hurt to prepare though. I'll edit my vote to something more appropriate.

Although a question does come to mind: Behemoth said that fragment wielders somehow manage to ascend faster. But we also have the Sargatana gatekeeping as the issue on the fact that he only lets one person in any given party to ascend the cord.

Asking for advice on the Cord might be more useful as the question encompasses hints on getting through Cord Obstacles and any potential hidden threats. But again, he's on his deathbed, and as defiant as he is, I'd rather not press him for too much information. A single question would suffice.

>>5215111
I'm not worried about them being triggered when it ends, I'm worried about them being triggered when we try to end it. These were vindictive fuckers, they might have left one last "fuck you" for Morningstar that activates when someone tries to disarm the Crucibles.

On the other hand, if there were and he knew about them, I guess he would have mentioned it already. So actually, alright, I should change that vote. I still feel like we should ask him something, though. It just feels like such a wasted opportunity if we don't ask for details. But maybe that's just my loss-aversion instinct kicking in.

>>5215115
We do need more intel on the Cord, that's true. Professor Uzu's diary only goes up to what, like the fiftieth floor? Given how big it is, there should be many more floors than that. If we are to ask another question, details about the Cord could be a good one.

>>5214942
Changing >>5215012 to

>>Write-In
>"Is there anything I should watch out for in the Cord?"
>Then, after that, let him spend however much more time he wants to with his kids, but don't take it up ourselves. We don't want to strain the guy. We still have to meet him at the top.

How's that?

>>5215122
Why ask him? why not Ozmas? I can't help but wonder why we haven't approached her after all this time since our last time contacting her. I'm fine with asking for advice in climbing the cord, but what I worry is the amount of energy required that he'll expend trying to answer it as asking for advice is something of a loaded question.

>>5214942

>>5215086
>>5215063
changing my vote to support >>5215135.

But save the eulogy for when Morningstar actually passes away.

>>5215135
seems good. a single question that lets him answer anyway how he wishes, after which we can cut the call or maintain it should he decides he wants to burn more energy to be with the family for a while longer.

>>5215137
I think it's just because no one in our party trusted her. And I'm not sure we could go to her now without her being very spiteful to us for asking for help at this point. Would she agree to help, after we ignored her like this? I guess it's worth a shot, we could try her and see how upset she is with us. Or we could ask Ringo and Charon, they're also an option, Charon climbed the Cord in a previous iteration, and Ringo lived there, so they should know a fair bit about it.

>>5215150
Yeah, let's not pressure him with details. I want to ask him so much, but it's not practical to. You pointing out that we have other possible information sources for the Cord has me worried that even this is too much. But we'll leave it to him to decide how much he shares, and give as much time as we can for him being with his kids. Well, one iteration of his kids. Knowing that the Apocalypse Amalgams are duplicated over and over again across the galaxy does make this a bit weird. When all the iterations meet up after the Crucibles end, everyone is going to be so jealous of this Crucible's version.

>>5215156
Well they do have the option to merge strains, so they might collectively decide that all of them should merge with ours, which would be a whole 'nother can full of writing worms in and of itself.

(Updating momentarily everyone, and thank you for your patience.)

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>>5214942

"…Is there anything I should watch out for in the Cord?" You finally ask after a moment or two of solemn contemplation.

it is designed

to break you

crafted with every intent

to shatter wills

you’ve already proven yourself

resourceful enough

to deal with any physical threat it holds for you

but beware

its effects on the mind

“Good to know you think I’m prepared enough to scale it.” You respond with a sigh. “And I’ll be aware of any mental effects that may try and take hold of me.”

defiant

I do not doubt

your resolve

which is why

my warning

is not for you

but rather


those who fight beside you

“…Duly noted.” You say, albeit without the sigh that you’re incapable of exhaling in this void-space. “Is there anything else I should be aware of?”

the pieces of me

the fragments you’ve collected

each one

will allow you to traverse the more

shall we say

unforgiving

biomes

“I see…” You murmur, glancing to Lightbringer’s children as he speaks. Ziz is still wrapped in his arms, large eyes locked on her creator’s anomalous form, unblinking. Leviathan’s frantic back-and-forth has slowed, but not stopped completely—no doubt a whirlwind of considerations and hypotheses still consume their mind, unwilling as they are to admit the defeat their father’s already made his peace with. Behemoth, well…Behemoth’s gingerly been pulled closer and into Lightbringer’s embrace, but he’s yet to summon up the courage to look at his father. Rather, his eyes are instead fixed on his aquatic sibling, who remains oblivious to their brother’s attentions as they continue swimming in place.

“I’ll be honest…there are a million and one questions I want to ask you…” You say, finally. “…but take all the time you need with Ziz, Behemoth, and Leviathan.”

thank you

it is difficult

to hold on to four individuals

would you think ill of me

if I were to let you slip back

to your reality

“Think nothing of it.” You say, bowing out. “I’ll see you at the top of the Cord, Lightbringer.”

I will see you there

and that

is a promise

He smiles, as riotous colors melt back into reality’s concrete hue.

one defiant

to another

(Continued)

>>5219943

When you’re whole again, you drag in a humid breath of the Fleshscape’s air as you gaze up at the three titans—bodies inert, minds still communing with the father for what may be the last time. The Sparagmos Engine still hums, though the hovering fragment’s radiance has dimmed to the point where you can merely avert your eyes to escape its blinding rays.

“Well?” Francine asks, her clipped tone betraying the concern you’ve come to appreciate, and you can feel the allies that’ve gathered around you hold their collective breath as you turn towards them and reply in a solemn tone.

“It worked.” You begin, simply. “Their creator…their father…he’s talking to them now. It may be the last chance they’ll get, so I’m giving them all the time they need.”

“Leviathan was right, then.” Dorian sighs. “Their father’s-?”

“Dying.” You nod, looking back up at the most overtly intellectual of Lightbringer’s progeny. “Turns out he’s outlived his peers, as well. He’s now the last of his kind.”

“Given what we know of them, that kinda works in our favor, doesn’t it?” Gina murmurs beside you, placing her arm on your shoulder. You turn, smiling at her until you catch sight of Rath a few paces away, eyes glowing bright and transfixed, much like yours were, on Leviathan’s dormant form. Her face is taut, strained with an emotion you can’t quite place…and you cross the space, reaching out with a caring hand.

Your wrist snaps like so much charred, brittle kindling when Rath rounds on you with a burning hatred in her eyes, and it’s only the restorative heat that flares from your friend’s body that stops her other hand from tearing through your throat. The roar she looses is raw and bestial, her tears leaving scorch marks as they roll down her cheeks…and then, you see it. Her eyes clear, and the rage and sorrow are both wiped clear by the abject horror that takes its place.

“Fuck! Shit, Shu, I’m so sorry! I didn’t…I-!” She stammers, cradling your broken arm in her hands as you drop to your knees, teeth grit against searing pain. All it takes is a sharp intake of breath from you before a cast of golden threads snap shut beneath her fingers, Francine’s healing swiftly restoring your hand to the way it was.

“S’okay. You’re okay.” You assure a thoroughly panicked Rath, looping your arm around the other girl’s shoulder as she helps you up.

“I didn’t mean to, I just…I don’t know what came over me, I-!“

“Hey, you have nothing to apologize for…” Comes your echoed assurance as you look up at the dormant Behemoth. “…I think I’ve got a good idea of what’s going on.”

>>Hold, for now…the amalgams need to grieve, and you’re not going to interrupt that.

>>Reinforce the terraforming, and be ready for when the trio comes to.

>>You need to get ahead of whatever this is—use your abilities to try and calm Behemoth.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next three hours, with posting to resume in approximately four, if all goes well with work.)

>>5219949
Shit. Behemoth, being the baby of the bunch isn't taking the idea that his father's dying very well.

>Behemoth, well…Behemoth’s gingerly been pulled closer and into Lightbringer’s embrace, but he’s yet to summon up the courage to look at his father. Rather, his eyes are instead fixed on his aquatic sibling, who remains oblivious to their brother’s attentions as they continue swimming in place.

I'm willing to guess that he rolled poorly on his courage dice rolls and has decided to redirect his rage towards his brother, which is definitely not good, because to him, this will all reek of his brother's scheming as Levi is a fragment of his father's wit and mind given that Behemoth's mentally the youngest and emotionally vulnerable of the bunch.

First thing's first: We're gonna need to ready the arena the moment Behemoth starts swinging when he's back in the real, do this to minimize the understandably massive collateral he will inflict. If Behemoth is anything like Rath at all, then We're gonna have to brace for the storm of his blows, He's gonna be wanting to vent both physically and emotionally. The longer we help Leviathan weather the blows, the more likely he'll lose steam. We'll have to trade off targets to attrit him of both his rage and steam.

Second: we're gonna have to nudge him in a way that helps him vent via talking as well. The more he talks, the less energy he directs into his attacks.

Third: Leviathan. Understandably he's gonna try and talk over his brother when the fists start swinging, while fighting back. And he's gonna bear the brunt of most of Behemoth's attacks. We'll have to have him shut up and listen to his brother. We'll likely have to support him in weathering his brother's blows.

four: The trio will need help in understanding the death of a family and how to move on and accept it. Behemoth's the most problematic as he'll be prone to physically lash out. Leviathan will try to logic his way out, and will likely drive himself insane in the process so we'll need a way to get him to stop thinking. Ziz is arguably the most stable of the trio.

Five: Ziz is ziz. She'll help in her own way.

>>5219943
>Lightbringer

Wait. why the name change from "Morningstar" to "Lightbringer"? Is it a different way to say the name we gave him?

Or was Lightbringer his past name?

>>5219989
(...because I'm an idiot, and completely fried. It's absolutely supposed to be Morningstar. My sincerest apologies.)

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>>5219983
>>5219989
(And now the post has been up too long and I can't bamboozle, god damn it.)

>>5219994
Ironically, Lightbringer is another name for "Lucifer" in Latin, which is coincidentally that same name for "Morning star."

Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passage where the Ancient Greek figure's name was historically used (Isaiah 14:12) as "morning star" or "shining one" rather than as a proper noun, Lucifer.

So it's still the same name, but he's trading the less "ambitious" connotation associated with "Lightbringer" for the more ambiguous "Morningstar"

>>5220002
(I guarantee you that's where the brain glitch occurred, as I was actually researching the name...plus, 'Lightbringer' is also the name of an ability used in a game I was playing last week, hence how it ended up sneaking into my typing finger.)

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>>5219994
"Lucifer" (Light-Bringer) is a proper noun and is capitalized in English. In Greco-Roman civilization, it was often personified and considered a god and in some versions considered a son of Aurora (the Dawn).

>>5220000
>(And now the post has been up too long and I can't bamboozle, god damn it.)
oof. Here, have an image that represents yfw you notice the error far too late.

>>5220006
(The fourth panel has been the last five days, for me.)

>>5219943
>the pieces of me
>the fragments you’ve collected
>each one
>will allow you to traverse the more
>shall we say
>unforgiving
>biomes
Okay, that's handy. Transporting the Hope Fragment through the Cord might be hard, though. It is very large. Then again, given that the early floors of the Cord punish spawning constructs, we're likely to spawn a huge army of them before heading in, so I guess they could carry it.

>>5219949
Getting some negative effects from the feedback to Behemoth, I see. Crap. Okay, let's all back away from Behemoth and be ready for if he comes out of this conversation throwing a tantrum.

>>5220003
At least we didn't call him "Phosphorous". It would be technically accurate but sounds really weird to the ear of a culture that's been using that word to mean a substance for the past couple hundred years.

>>5220008
Sorry to hear that, BHOP. I hope things get better for you, soon.

>>5220011
There's also the second half of his advice that Morningstar has given us to consider:

>defiant
>I do not doubt
>your resolve
>which is why
>my warning
>is not for you
>but rather
>those who fight beside you

It's not that we're gonna climb the Cord solo. It's that it's anticipated that we'll climb the Cord together with everyone under our banner. It's very much guaranteed that Shu's got the will and resolve to get past the Cord's trials, but the real trial will be assisting our friends and allies through the trials. We're only as strong as our weakest link in our party. The moment one of our own falls and falters is the moment the chain reaction of inter-party destruction begins.

>>5219949
>>Write-In
>Everyone who can move without interrupting their call, back away to outside Behemoth's immediate swinging distance.
>Be ready to tether-grab anyone who can't move and pull them back quickly.
>Be on guard to immediately throw up terraforming obstacles..
>Most of all, try not to look like we're expecting a fight, because if Behemoth comes out of this angry and sees us all pointing weapons at him, he might assume this was all a trick and respond even worse.
>Also, see if Rath can send some good vibes Behemoth's way, talk with her and have a nice, relaxing conversation while we wait for the Apocalypse Amalgams to disconnect.

>>5220011
>Getting some negative effects from the feedback to Behemoth, I see. Crap. Okay, let's all back away from Behemoth and be ready for if he comes out of this conversation throwing a tantrum.

What I'm worried about more is that Behemoth's rage may have a "target". And before we left Morningstar's Phantom zone, he was laser focused on Leviathan with a look of wanting to throttle his sibling.

And the fact that Rath and Behemoth are resonating with each other means that we can help treat the issue and blunt the worst of the effects. We can give Behemoth space to grieve, but there's the collateral that we have to consider. He'll need to vent.

>>5220015
Yep. We need to send everyone in our party to therapy before we climb. Only half-joking, we clearly need to talk with them about their issues and get them some mental clarity and resolve before we head up. Like, we've been putting it off because first the fight with Merkabah and then preparing for Behemoth came up, but Amara dropped some serious stuff about her past and why she bonded to Shu so readily, and we need to talk with her about it. Or Dorian, he hasn't mentioned his mother and sister much despite clearly missing them a great deal, we should see if that's something that a mind-fucky Cord could use to manipulate his perceptions and throw him off his game. You need some closure on that, buddy?

>>5220017
Yep. That's why my orders are to back out of swinging range. Behemoth might calm down before the call ends, but I think he's going to come out thrashing.

>>5220016
I'd rather treat this as the time we helped Rath talk through her problems back in the 41st vein via punching bag therapy (see link for reference).

https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2020/4168332/#p4179118

If Rath and Behemoth are birds of a feather, then we help Behemoth talk through his problems while he gets to vent physically before he tires out. But we'll have to make it sturdy.
>Also, see if Rath can send some good vibes Behemoth's way, talk with her and have a nice, relaxing conversation while we wait for the Apocalypse Amalgams to disconnect.
Sending good vibes behemoth's way feels counter-productive. How about giving him a suggestion where we help him vent his strength and work through his emotions? We can also help with sympathizing with his pain in the effect that there are several of our members who have lost someone close to them.

>>5220025
Sure, giving Behemoth something to take his anger out on constructively is a good idea for when he wakes. I was just thinking of this in a preparatory sense. What to do to handle the initial burst of anger, and then write plans to help him cope after we see exactly how he's angry.

And yeah, you're right, "send good vibes" is a little generic and not likely to help. I actually like the punching bag idea, maybe we could terraform one for Rath to punch on and convey to Behemoth the feeling of working out stress hitting things? No, wait, that might convince him hitting Leviathan is a good idea, if he gets that without any other direction. Okay, how about a big FuzzBuzz pillow to scream into? Same sort of cathartic release, less violent.

>>5220041
>Big fuzzbuzz pillow
Anon. Behemoth's 1 km large. We're gonna need a LOT of Biomass. And he might take the Fuzzbuzz badly. Although now that I think about it...most kids tend to have something of a favorite stuffed doll that helps give them comfort. yeah. The fuzzbuzz idea might work, but it will have to be delivered delicately.

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>>5220045
Delicately...... that i think he would take badly.

He is pretty much a boy. So he should get a boys toy. The limited Edition Battle Buzz! Only one was ever made. He can do poses and is all spiky and edgy. Right at home with a still growing teenager ;)

>>5220045
Oh, I meant for Rath to scream into and send the feeling of that to Behemoth, but giving Behemoth one would also be nice. So two big fluffy FuzzBuzzes, just one being significantly bigger than the other.

So

>>5219949
Changing >>5220016
from
>Also, see if Rath can send some good vibes Behemoth's way, talk with her and have a nice, relaxing conversation while we wait for the Apocalypse Amalgams to disconnect.

to

>Talk with Rath, help her work through the anger she's getting from Behemoth, see if that can translate back across the link to Behemoth and help him.
>Give her a big fluffy FuzzBuzz to scream into if she needs to work that anger out without hitting something.
>Be prepared to make Behemoth his own FuzzBuzz if it looks like it will help him, such as if he comes out of the call more sulky than raging or if we manage to calm him down and he needs some comfort.

How's that?

>>5220047
Yeah, that could work. My own idea for a customized FuzzBuzz for him was for it to combine features of a hercules and stag beetle, as well. Big horn, big mandibles, very aggressive and imposing. But giving it less fluff than usual could also be a good idea.

>>5220047
Oh my. I love that design.

But I think the Battle-Buzz idea will work as a truce sort of offering, not as a "help a grieving child vent" sort of thing.

(...that's actually adorable.)

>>5220047
Oh, I just realized that the face is the fuzzy, suggesting it's a more normal bee wearing a suit. That's cute. And actually, maybe those are its front legs poking out around the chest area? Is this a bee mecha? Yes, I'm declaring that it is. Alright, BattleBuzz is a regular FuzzBuzz in a little bee mecha, that's too good not to be true.

>>5220052
No. There needs to be fluff! The fluff will have to be strategically placed to maximize the coolness factor!

>>5220066
Right, of course. As >>5220062 said, BattleBuzz should be a completely normal FuzzBuzz that happens to be wearing a little mecha made of chitin.

Anyway, enough designing our toy line, is there anything else that should be added to the "prepare for Behemoth coming out of the call" vote? Maybe have the Skintalkers stand ready with a calming spell? That could be seen by him as being manipulative, though.

>>5220070
I'd rather let behemoth vent his grief. The best we can do is to prepare for the coming clash and give him the aid needed to help work him through his emotions. interference and intervention will have to be done with his consent. Keep in mind, we're there to support him, not control him.

>>5220081
Yeah, that was sort of my thinking, too. However effective it might be in the moment to dampen his emotions, it's counterproductive in the long run and sends a bad message. I think I just needed to hear another person say it so I could convince myself I wasn't wasting a potential solution.

>>5220083
>>5220070
Now that I think about it. I think a Kaiju-sized Battle-Buzz would be a perfect toy/target dummy to help Behemoth work through his emotions. The fact that the mecha-bits are mostly Chitin will mean it can take the beating.

>>5220085
disregard that.

(Alright everyone, I'm going to have to push the next update to tomorrow at 12PM, Eastern time. Work has kept me busy enough to prevent me from writing at all since the last update, and that pressure looks to stay until end of day. My apologies for the delay, and I appreciate your patience with this tumultuous week. I wish you a restful evening, and take care.)

>>5220159
That's fine, BHOP. I'm sorry your day is going rough. I hope it gets better, and you get some time to rest eventually. See you tomorrow, friend.

>>5220159
Do what you have to do Bhop. You're not the only one uncomfortable here. My new position at work has left me trying to fight old habits.

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>>5219949

“Everyone who can move without interrupting the call, back away to outside Behemoth's immediate striking distance and prepare for the possibility that one or more of these three are going to come out swinging.” You declare to the gathered crowd. “But try not to look like we’re expecting a fight. If Behemoth comes out angry and sees us rattling sabers, then that’ll make things a whole lot worse.”

While the troops prepare once more for the threat of combat, you turn to Rath, flashing her a smile to chase away the last vestiges of her shame and worry.

“Hey, look at me—I’m okay, but I’m more worried about you right now." You say, reaching out and placing your hand on the shorter girl’s shoulder. “How’re you feeling? Has the link subsided at all?”

“Sort of? It’s…it crept up on me, now that I’m thinking back on it.” Comes the redhead’s guilty reply. “I didn’t even realize how bad it’d gotten, until you…yeah.“

“I see…do you think it could work in reverse?” You ask, seizing the opportunity. “Now that we’re fully aware of just how potent this could be, how comfortable do you feel with trying to just…blast him with good vibes?”

“Heh, well…it’d be easier if-“ She begins, just in time for a FuzzBuzz to pop out from behind your left shoulder, its bright red mane bouncing as it flits over to your brawler’s waiting arms. “Oh yeah. That’s the stuff.”

“Not going to lie, I’m considering making Behemoth one if he comes to in more a sulky mood than a…’destroy everything’ sort of feel.” You admit with a sigh. “I can only hope that-“

You’re interrupted when the trio begins to stir, and you take a step back to watch as consciousness is restored to the mountains of flesh and blood that loom over the ritual site. The siblings stand there for a long moment as they allow the new paradigm to settle in, and you give them the time they need. It’s Ziz who moves first, as you’ve come to expect—the shy little bird boldly raising her head to the skies as all seven heads draw in a long breath of resolve.

“Okay. Okay, so…so I think what we need to do first is-” She begins before Leviathan interrupts, voice chilled with a tone plucked from oceanic depths.

“*THINKING*, DEAR SISTER? THAT’S MY JOB.” The world serpent bites. “NOW, SNAP TO IT—IF WE HURRY, THERE’S STILL TIME.”

“Time? For what?” She retorts.

“TO SAVE FATHER.”

“But…but didn’t you hear a word of what he said?!” Ziz replies, confusion and frustration plain for all to hear.

“DID *YOU*?” Leviathan roars, the river’s burning waters echoing their words. “IT’S CLEAR AS DAY THE DEGRADATION HAS GIVEN HIM LEAVE OF HIS SENSES. NOW, BY CONDUCTING A RITUAL LIKE THIS ONE ON A MUCH GRANDER SCALE, WE MAY BE ABLE TO SIPHON ENOUGH POWER BACK TO-”

You never thought you’d see the day when a mountain moves like lightning.

(Continued)

>>5221093

Behemoth’s foreleg snaps out with a crack of thunderous movement, catching Leviathan’s face in its annihilating arc and sending the colossus sprawling across the beach, the serpent collapsing with such force that the sand and rocks beneath their massive form are pulverized into glass.

“YOU! You KNEW!”

Behemoth’s bellowed accusation shatters bone and boils blood, you and your allies only spared from the effects of his catastrophic rage by a blessed combination of your own forethought and Ziz’s quick thinking, her wings sweeping low to shield you from the brunt of his fury.

“You KNEW he was DYING! And you TOLD us NOTHING!”

“BECAUSE I KNEW YOU’D REACT LIKE *THIS*! YOU’D FALL TO PIECES, JUST LIKE YOU’RE-AAARGH!” Leviathan howls, their counter cut off by Behemoth’s violent Neuromancy, the shoreline seizing up into a field of jagged spikes. The great serpent’s flesh is shorn away on their spines, loosing a reeking, brackish ooze that spills forth to sizzle on the rocky beachhead…but it’s only for a split-second, before the titan’s regeneration becomes viscerally apparent. The ragged skin hangs flayed for only a second before it writhes, manifesting a legion of aquatic life that practically swim across raw muscle to knit the edges of the wound back together as one.

“NO! You ALWAYS do this! You ALWAYS leave me and ZIZ in the DIRT! You ALWAYS pick SOMETHING so USELESS to focus on! If you really CARED for Father, you’d have TOLD us SOMETHING!” Behemoth bellows with all the rage the earth can muster. “But NO. No, you THINK and THINK and THINK you’re the SMARTEST of us, when you NEVER even CARED about FATHER in the FIRST place! It’s no WONDER he didn’t LOVE a HOLLOW thing like YOU!”

“YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN AN IMBECILE, BEHEMOTH, BUT THIS TRULY IS YOUR CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT. TAKING THE FRUSTRATION OUT ON ME, THE FRUSTRATING REALIZATION THAT YOU CHARGED BLINDLY AHEAD, CYCLE AFTER CYCLE, AND DID PRECISELY *NOTHING* TO FURTHER FATHER’S TRUE GOALS. YOU FEARED YOU WERE USELESS…AND HEY, CONGRATULATIONS! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALL OUR EONS…”

The shoreline deepens at Leviathan’s back, the waters receding to wrap around their controller and form a sheathe of roiling acid.

“...YOU FINALLY WERE RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING, BROTHER.”

The two are perched on the precipice of even greater violence…but something’s wrong. Your body isn’t reacting, your hive has yet to thrum with the preparations you don’t even have to think about. Here, in this brief, fleeting moment—the two titans are so wholly consumed with their own feud that you might as well not exist.

You’ve got a chance to turn the tide.

But as for how? Well…

You are in control.

>>Hold back and see if a fight well and truly is engaged.

>>Act now, and attempt to separate the pair with Ziz’s help.

>>Take a side in the hopes of defusing one’s aggression and getting an edge on the other.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next four hours, with posting to resume in five.)

>>5221094
Damn it, you two. Ziz, how have you put up with them all these eons?

Okay, so we should break this up, but I'm not sure how to even start. Maybe trigger the deadfall so that Leviathan can crawl back into the ocean? That might make it look like we're taking his side to Behemoth, though, so we need some way to make it clear we're not. We could bolster Ziz, let her get in between them. Or, here's an idea, can she do Skintalking? Mixing in a Skintalking calming spell with her shouting for her siblings to stop fighting could be very effective. Amara's got a weird psychic link with her, is it possible to channel one of Amara's spells through Ziz?

>>5221094
Goddammit. I knew this was gonna happen. How are we gonna fix this mess now that the two brothers are feuding?

First off. We have almost no context as to what happened during the private conversation. But we do have ideas. First off, Levi's clearly still adamant in saving Morningstar despite everything. Behemoth's accusing Levi of not being very responsible. Ziz clearly has something to say, but she was rudely interrupted by Leviathan who's clearly working himself up in a tizzy and anxiously trying to "think of a way to defeat his father's death".

>>5221094
>"One moment, the two of you were at each other's throats for the many cycles of petty feuds the two of you have brought upon yourselves and each other, the next you're willing to cooperate because you wish to see your father. And now after having seen your father for the first time in eons, having been told that he's on his deathbed, your first reaction all of this is to both disregard your father's wishes and prepare yourselves to commit fratricide?"

>>5221110
We're lacking context as to what happened.

>>5221123
>We're lacking context as to what happened.
That's a good point. Let's ask Ziz. We can use neuromancy to speed the info dump.

>>5221094
>>Write-In
>Jack into Ziz with the FuzzBuzz we gave her, neuromantic communications are faster.
>"Ziz, what the hell happened after I left?"

>>5221094
>Hold back and see if a fight well and truly is engaged.

>Ask Ziz for context.

>If the fight is well and truly engaged, let the boys vent their frustration and beat each other up before stepping in at a critical moment that doesn't get both of them killed AND getting Ziz or any one of our allies killed.
>While the two of them are fighting, coordinate with your allies and Ziz to ready a way to separate the two by tossing the two into places wholly out of their element. Get Leviathan into the land-bound pit while stranding Behemoth on an island in the river.

>"Are the two of you done? Or are the two of you fully willing to disregard reason and loyalty in favor of this?"
>"LOOK AT YOURSELVES!"
>"Is all of *gestures to everything here with your hundred hands* THIS worth breaking your sister's heart!?"
>"Is all of the 776 cycles you've endured worth discarding in favor of settling a petty grudge?"
>"The completion of your father's plan and wishes disregarded in favor of ego-driven-rage-fueled Fratricide?"
>"HE. IS. WATCHING. And I can guarantee you that he is roiling and rolling in his deathbed!"

>If the two brothers start playing the blame game shut it down.
>"NO! NO BLAME GAMES, NO POINTING FINGERS, I WILL HAVE NONE OF IT! THE TWO OF YOU ARE GUILTY OF THIS FEUD REGARDLESS OF WHO STARTED IT! I HEAR ONE MORE WORD OF THIS NONSENSE then so help me Morningstar, I will beat the two of you to death's door, and drag your souls back before your father and have the two of you explain all of this to him!"

>"The two of you have two choices before you. Condemnation by continuing your feud and killing one another, or Absolution, where you TALK AND LISTEN to each other and bury the hatchet. Not talk past each other, Not talk down to one another, talk TO each other."

>"And if the two of you think you're okay with condemning everyone and the entire Crucible project to entropy's embrace without seeing its completion. THEN FINE! IT IS YOUR CHOICE. Let it be known that the Crucible project will NEVER see the FRUITS of its eons-long LABOR! Let it be known that the CYCLE will continue AD-INFINITUM until ENTROPY embraces us all! Let it be KNOWN that the WORST of all FATES came to pass because TWO bickering BROTHERS could not bring to themselves the COURAGE and REASON that THEY had a CHOICE to be BETTER than themselves BUT discarded that path in FAVOR of a lesser SELFISH choice! Just like all the other ascendants of previous cycles."

Yeah... the two brothers need a reality check and a stern parental figure. They've never been scolded before, they've never known shame. Now is the time to activate our parenting skills and have them learn humility.

>>5221110
No. I think the deadfall should be reserved for Leviathan. Given that the feud between the two have been exclusively the two of them, siding with one means that the other will very much be unwilling to cooperate. And when it comes to parenting, they've never known what it means to have someone to show them the wrongs or the rights of a choice. They've never known what it means to make a choice. Given that their father has been absent for 776 cycles, they're very much like childless parents.

Disciplining both of them at the same time on equal grounds of their feud would instill the idea that none of them are above punishment. Both of them know they want to see the project come to completion, but the point of contention is each other's personality. Ironic. For so long we've been given binary choice after binary choice, now it's our turn to subject them to what we've endured, to have them feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, to see what is worth more in their hearts: their personal egos or their collective goals.

>>5221147
>>5221094
Keep in mind that this is reserved for stepping in after letting Behemoth and Leviathan beat each other silly.
A continuation of our chew out on the two titans:

>"I am not and will not be heading for the Cord. I refuse. Not while the two of you still refuse to come to terms with each other and reconcile your grievances. And if you decide that by murdering one another is a way to reconcile, then I refuse to head for the Cord regardless. I am willing to wait until the two of you have settled your differences. We've got plenty of time. And if either of you think you can force me to Climb the Cord and complete it..."

>"Well...both of you know what happens next."

>>5221129
>>5221110
Any thoughts on the merits of letting the two brothers beat each other up before stepping in and verbally chewing both of them out?

Additionally, we should ask for advice on how to settle a sibling feud. I'm sure some of our allies have "fond" memories of seeing their siblings get into a feud and getting chewed out by their parents.

>>5221147
for clarity's sake
I'm editing this from
>If the fight is well and truly engaged, let the boys vent their frustration and beat each other up before stepping in at a critical moment that doesn't get both of them killed AND getting Ziz or any one of our allies killed.

to
>If the fight is well and truly engaged, let the boys vent their frustration and beat each other up while you, Ziz, and your allies make preparations to intervene at a critical moment. When the opportunity arises to interfere and the two are well bloodied, step in and redirect their attacks that have them end up in places out of their element: Leviathan in the pit that we originally arranged for Behemoth while ends up treading acid in the river.
>ensure that none of our lesser allies get caught up in the collateral while the two brothers punch each other silly.
>once the two of them are out of their element and taking the time to reassess their surroundings after we've put them in places out of their element, we begin the verbal chew out.

>>5221167
Right, sorry, just been sort of musing over it without actually posting anything. I think it's pretty good, but I've got some comments.

I'd like to try to get them to break it up peacefully before they fight. It probably won't work, but I think having offered to let them do it the easy way will make the authoritative act more effective. "I said break it up, children. I wasn't asking." I'm thinking we should terraform a low wall between them, a nice little symbolic separation of the space. Then tell them nice and plain to calm down and to not let this escalate into something they can't come back from. Then when we make time-out zones and get harsh it will really hit them that they've made Mom mad.

I think we should put in some place for Ziz to try to talk to her siblings, too. Someplace after we've scolded them, I think. Turn to Ziz and ask what she was saying before Leviathan and Behemoth interrupted her. We're going to do this civilly, that means everyone gets to talk.

I'm also not super keen on the "if you're going to be like this then I won't climb the Cord at all" bit, because we're not sure what Leviathan has planned. It kind of sounds like they might be fine with that so long as they can do their own thing to rescue their dad, and I don't want to push them on that in case they call the bluff.

>>5221191
Hmm...you've got good points. I like the idea of drawing the line in the sand that tests them whether or not they're fully willing to set their differences aside, before going fully "mom is angry" on the two.

>I'm also not super keen on the "if you're going to be like this then I won't climb the Cord at all" bit, because we're not sure what Leviathan has planned. It kind of sounds like they might be fine with that so long as they can do their own thing to rescue their dad, and I don't want to push them on that in case they call the bluff.
Fair enough.

let me edit my giant compilation of write-ins.

>>5221094
>>5221147
>>5221160
>>5221190
compiling my write-ins to current edit below:

>Hold back and see if a fight well and truly is engaged.
>use Terraforming alongside with your allies to draw a low wall on the Beach that acts as a metaphorical line in the sand.
>"Break it up Children. I wasn't asking. Now we can do this the easy way, nice and civil where we sit down, calm ourselves down and talk this over. Assess the problem together in a collaborative way."
>"Can the three of you explain what happened while I was away?"

>If the fight is well and truly engaged, let the boys vent their frustration and beat each other up while you, Ziz, and your allies make preparations to intervene at a critical moment. When the opportunity arises to interfere and the two are well bloodied, step in and redirect their attacks that have them end up in places out of their element: Leviathan in the pit that we originally arranged for Behemoth while ends up treading acid in the river.
>ensure that none of our lesser allies get caught up in the collateral while the two brothers punch each other silly.
>once the two of them are out of their element and taking the time to reassess their surroundings after we've put them in places out of their element, we begin the verbal chew out.

>"One moment, the two of you were at each other's throats for the many cycles of petty feuds the two of you have brought upon yourselves and each other, the next you're willing to cooperate because you wish to see your father. And now after having seen your father for the first time in eons, having been told that he's on his deathbed, your first reaction all of this is to both disregard your father's wishes and prepare yourselves to commit fratricide?"
>If the two brothers start playing the blame game shut it down.
>"NO! NO BLAME GAMES, NO POINTING FINGERS, I WILL HAVE NONE OF IT! THE TWO OF YOU ARE GUILTY OF THIS FEUD REGARDLESS OF WHO STARTED IT! I HEAR ONE MORE WORD OF THIS NONSENSE then so help me Morningstar, I will beat the two of you to death's door, and drag your souls back before your father and have the two of you explain all of this to him!"
>"LOOK AT YOURSELVES!"
>"Is all of *gestures to everything here with your hundred hands* THIS worth breaking your sister's heart!?"
>"Is all of the 776 cycles you've endured worth discarding in favor of settling a petty grudge?"
>"The completion of your father's plan and wishes disregarded in favor of ego-driven-rage-fueled Fratricide?"
>"HE. IS. WATCHING. And I can guarantee you that he is roiling and rolling in his deathbed!"

(1/2)