[a / b / c / d / e / f / g / gif / h / hr / k / m / o / p / r / s / t / u / v / vg / w / wg] [i / ic] [r9k] [cm / hm / y] [3 / adv / an / cgl / ck / co / diy / fa / fit / hc / int / jp / lit / mlp / mu / n / po / pol / sci / soc / sp / tg / toy / trv / tv / vp / x] [rs] [status / ? / @] [Settings] [Home]
Board:  
Settings   Home
4chan
/qst/ - Quests


File: poster.png (2.57 MB, 2468x3384)
2.57 MB
2.57 MB PNG
The sun comes up above the Bloodrise Mountain Range, as it does every morning, its glow peeking out from behind the jagged peaks. From the valley below, the light is refracted in such a way that it seems to bather the mountains in a deep red glow, which seeps down into the valley like a tidal wave of blood. This happens every morning, with such regularity that the eerie beauty of the event event is long lost on any inhabitants of the area. They regard it not with wonder, or horror, but with yawning half-interest. Even the dwarves of the company towns who now mine this place for its rich veins of orichalcum, and caches of gems regard it only for a moment, before those hirsute mammals return to the unceasing labours…

But to those who dwell in the shadows of those crags, it is an omen of things to come. To the kobolds of Bloodrise proper, the bugbears who skulk in the tunnels by day and stalk mountain-valleys by moonlight, and the outcast elves who sharpen blades deep below even them, the eponymic sunrise of this mountain range tells the tale of the dwarven blood that will pour forth like a river—like an ocean—and baptize a newborn age. There is a new king under the mountain—a Dragon King, copper in hue and humanoid in form, favoured by the Dark Gods to bring about a new epoch—an Age of Darkness to scour the surface of the weak children of light.

They call you many things: champion, conqueror, chosen one, king. Some might call you usurper, or villain, but never in your presence, because even your detractors fear your wrath and eagerly chase your favour. They sense your Fearsome Presence. They can feel the mountain moving. The wyrm has turned.

You are the DRAGONBORN ANTIPALADIN, and you are going to change the world!
>>
File: Dark_Savior_Coverart.png (146 KB, 220x321)
146 KB
146 KB PNG
>>5339760
Admittedly, changing the world is a PRETTY big departure from your initial mission in this place, which was… Well, to put a stop to some rowdy kobolds who were drawing mammalian attention to the mountain with their increasingly-daring raids, and risked exposing a hidden cache of ancient artefacts from the last Age of Scales and Darkness. You DID that, yes, but now here you are, working with those kobolds (among others) to plan a daring raid of your very own! A part of you still worries about what the Chaplain (the Serpent Priest who practically raised you, and granted you this assignment) will say when he finds out. Then again, it’s not as if you’ve been unproductive in your ambitious deviations from your main objective, have you? Since leaving your home, you have…

>Beaten back a nest of savage carnivore-plants and slain a great devouring terror of the underdark
>Acquired an impressive cache of wealth and a small arsenal of magical items—including a legendary elven moon-sword!
>Made the acquaintance, and earned the allegiance, of a Drow leader (apparently a Princess, no less!)
>Uncovered a long-lost dragon nest and harvested the materials for alchemical research
>Befriended (and, uh, impregnated) a caterpillar-being to beget a great and terrible race of worm-wyrms
>Bested mammal adventurers, kobold heretics, barbarian bugbear burglars, and others
>Earned those same bugbears’ allegiance and aid
>Tamed some rather fierce fire-lizards (And whatever the Junior Novice is)
>Developed an ever-more-powerful array of spells and abilities, most impressively your amulet-augmented <Improved Dragonshape>
>Earned the attention—sometimes favourable, sometimes not—of virtually every major Dark God of your race’s faith


And anyway, there is no time to waste sending a missive back through the winding, dangerous tunnels of the underdark to request permission. Your uneasy and tenuous three-way alliance with the outcast “Drow” elf-clan and the barbarous “Bogbarri” hunters DEPENDS on tangible results, and soon… And that’s not even taking into account what you promised the kobolds themselves, to secure their lasting loyalty. Sometimes, you wonder if you have been too generous, too benevolent… But then you see the gleam in the eyes of your allies and subordinates when you speak with them about your plans for the raid, and for the future of these mountains. They look to you with an awesome admiration, which sets your dragon-soul ablaze with a warmth to stir even the coldest blood. At times like that, you reflect on the self-knowledge gifted to you by The Dark God of Secret Knowledge, he who is called Master of the Insightful Eye, The Baleful Beholder:

To be feared is good; respect is grand; but to be loved is your deepest desire.

And your people here LOVE the idea of these mountains becoming the heart of a new empire, and the start of a new and better life for all of your starved, harried races of the deep dark.
>>
>>5339763
You have determined that the best course of action with your admittedly-limited forces (yourself, twelve members of the Reptilian Master Race, a few dozen kobolds of varying combat capability, ten Bogbarri, four Drow, and your small collection of monstrous ‘pets’) is to stage a lightning-fast attack upon a single Dwarven company town. These fortified structures have been set up by the ‘corporations’, centuries-old commerce kingdoms, on land leased from the humans below the mountain proper. They rise up like artificial mountain-peaks, and tunnel deep into the mountain as the dwarves extract your ancestor’s wealth—YOURS, by right!—from the stone. They are incredibly defensible, but host relatively small contingents, and the dwarves’ famous greed and secrecy means that they communicate little with their rivals, and are loathe to request aid from other mammal-folk in the area lest they seek recompense in mineral wealth.

“Do not underestimate the dwarves, Superior One,” you were warned by the Thief.

The Thief is the foremost scout of your retinue, and well-trusted by you despite his ignoble history—the history which earned him his name and a gruesome brand burnt into his otherwise-fine Silkscale features. He well knows what he is talking about, too—your last effort to scout the dwarves involved sending him with a contingent of kobold. They did not all return, and he was badly-injured in the effort. He still wears the magical cloak you gifted him to help protect him from a recurrence.

You considered his council a you and your newly-acquired allies return to the kobolds’ mountain home in Bloodrise. You ruminate on it still, wondering if you are being too reckless—and, since you cannot very well back down now, what you can do to shore up your forces and mitigate the risks inherent to this undertaking. This is not your first battle, but this IS your first war. Though you suspect many forget it for your size and Presence, you have not even seen the dawn of your second decade yet.

“The kobolds are most experienced at these sorts of raids,” notes the Bastard, your chiefmost lieutenant and partner in draconic meditation.

You had left him to supervise those very same kobolds while you were away, recruiting bugbears and black-elves. By all indications, he did an excellent job of maintaining discipline while you were away.

“They could form the bulk of the invasion force, and lead the charge,” he says.
>>
File: john-tedrick-ack.jpg (676 KB, 1920x2629)
676 KB
676 KB JPG
>>5339766
You see the two kobolds in your retinue—loyal and docile Ivno, and fiery, technically-your-penal-slave Agno—stiffen at the suggestion. Agno in particular seems agitated, and starts to say something, only to catch an elbow from Ivno, who shakes his head and mutters to you:

“Sorry-sorry, apologies. No interruptions, Superior One.”

Agno hisses softly, but nods, and averts his eyes to the floor.

What do you do?
>Disregard Agno, and agree with the Bastard’s assessment—the kobolds should form the spearhead of your raiding party
>Dismiss this notion—kobolds may be native to this place, and have experience raiding mammals here, but they’ve never taken a dwarven fort yet
>Ask Agno to speak up, despite his lowly station and recent rebellion against you
>Seek the council of your more experienced and older mammalian allies… Though it may not inspire confidence or come across well to the Reptilians
>Discuss the matter with another—maybe the Novice Fleshweaver, in private?
>Write-in
>>
File: Spoiler Image (539 KB, 1462x724)
539 KB
539 KB PNG
[Current statblock to your left. Level-up soon!]

[Archive at https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=reptoidqm]
>>
>>5339770
>Dismiss this notion—kobolds may be native to this place, and have experience raiding mammals here, but they’ve never taken a dwarven fort yet

Bulk of the invasion force? sure
Leading the charge? they're too small, weak, and pathetic. might as well not have a charge at all

like really we might want to forgo the charge and stealth our way in unless we massively outnumber them

too bad the thief's recon mission went poorly

also captcha is back up, couldn't post for a bit there
>>
>>5339770
>Disregard Agno, and agree with the Bastard’s assessment—the kobolds should form the spearhead of your raiding party
>>
>>5339770
>Supplement the Kobolds with the Degenerates.
>Discuss the matter with another—maybe the Novice Fleshweaver, in private?
Could use our Earth Tremor and Earth Wall to great effect, maybe some sore distraction/Divide and Conquer scheme.

Otherwise I’m fine with the Bastard’s plan. The Drow are the least numerous, and the Bogs would be fine as infiltrators but shit as the spearhead, and a significant of our Reptilians are non-combatants. We should use the Degenerates to bolster the kobolds and show them that the Master Race fights among them, but we should reserve the full-blooded reptilians until we break into their fort proper, to avoid any escapees or leaks to the Grand Conspiracy.
>>
>>5339842
>maybe some sort of distraction/Divide and Conquer scheme
>>
>>5339770
>Ask Agno to speak up, despite his lowly station and recent rebellion against you
>>
>>5339770
>Discuss the matter with another—maybe the Novice Fleshweaver, in private?
>>
>>5339770
>Ask Agno to speak up, despite his lowly station and recent rebellion against you
Worst case scenario he gets guillotined by moonsword. Best case, we learn something valuable.
>>
>>5339770
>Ask Agno to speak up, despite his lowly station and recent rebellion against you

Agno chads stay winning hehe
>>
>>5339770
>Discuss the matter with another—maybe the Novice Fleshweaver, in private?
Might as well get a fresh perspective on this.
>>
>>5340184
>>5340131
>>5340060
>>5339883
>>5339844
>>5339842
>>5339827
>>5339821
>>5340391

Despite their experience, and the Bastard’s evident confidence in the little reptiles’ abilities, the Kobolds of Bloodrise have struck you as… Small, weak, even a little pathetic. They ARE an inferior slave race, after all, even if they’re technically Reptilian. You can think of ways to make such a plan work—maybe some earth-shaping with your terrain-affecting spells, to divide and conquer? Still, it seems a risk to make them so crucial to the early stages of the invasion…

All this to say: you have your own misgivings about sending the kobolds to form the spearhead for your invasion. You can’t help but wonder if Agno shares them, and so despite your fraught history and his lowly status, you let the defeated servant speak his piece.

“Kobolds see these new allies… But don’t yet know what you promised them, these mammals. Promised much wealth… Land, loot, meat, yes?”

He looks up some fire in his eyes, but he keeps his tone respectful as he points out: “More for them, less for kobolds. LESS-less, when you take best of magic things we find… Rightful-proper, as Dragon, but… Kobolds attacking in waves, high casualties. KILL-killed, in numbers. May be… Upset, when they learn it is for less-less.”

Ivno’s face twists up, and he squirms; you can see he wants his friend to silence himself. He fears you will execute the impetuous warrior in response to his frank, kobold’ centric concerns.

“This is the role of the kobold—of ALL footsoldiers, for the Grand Design of the Dark Gods!” the Bastard snarls, slamming his gifted barbarian’s maul upon the stone floor of the cavern for emphasis.

“What do you propose, then?” you ask, surprising everyone in attendance with your willingness to humour this defiant-hearted little creature—even Agno himself, by his wide eyes and stammering pause.

“Basilisk,” he replies. “Dragonwrought—sorry-sorry, Hako and Hapo… When they pretended to be Dragonwrought… They commanded basilisk in battle to take human town. Paralyzes with eyes! Petrifies with venom! Fast, strong, BIG.”

You consider this. It is true you have been at a loss for what to do with the captive, pit-trapped basilisk which these kobolds have managed to corral, and which now serves more as a communal garbage disposal than any sort of properly-useful asset. With your Fearsome Presence, especially useful with reptiles, you could perhaps bind it to your will…
>>
File: hp8zoAio.jpg large.jpg (199 KB, 1536x2048)
199 KB
199 KB JPG
>>5340399
“It’s a stupid idea,” the Novice Fleshweaver hisses. “An unnecessary risk.”

You turn to her—your oldest friend, your childhood bully, your… Well, you aren’t sure what this Serpent Priestess is to you now, or vice versa, but you recently spend an entire night with your head rested in her lap after going a little too hard on the dark elven mushroom-wine. You’re a little surprised that this intellectual apostate would so rapidly dismiss the idea.

“We should kill it an integrate its blood into my—into OUR pet project, instead. It already properly fears you, Dragonborn.”

Ah, there it is. She means the ‘Junior Novice’, a strange little mammalian kobold-esque creature which you purchased on a whim, mocking named for the Novice Fleshweaver, and subsequently sued as a test-subject for the infusion of draconic blood and grafting of long-dead dragon-flesh. It—he, you suppose—has subsequently grown larger, bolder, and more dragon-y by the day. ‘Junior’ is still only the size of a Silkscale female, but in a sparring match—which you won, cowing him—he proved surprisingly strong AND susceptible to your influence. More importantly to the Novice, he is very much HER creation—her ‘pet’ project—and augmenting him would serve to bring further renown to her unorthodox beliefs and methods.

“How long would that take?” you ask her. “For the process to complete, for J—for the creature to be ready?”

She hesitates, lashing her tail irritably.

“I do not know,” she admits. “It may delay the assault somewhat. And tehre IS the chance of failure…”

“The demon of envy in the Dragonwrought pretender’s ring… It bound dragon, kobold, and basilisk blood together into one creature almost instantly, did it not?”

You all turn to the North-Merchant in shock at this borderline-sacrilegious suggestion. Use a demon—an enemy of your people, after a fashion, a corrupter of kobolds into would-be dragons—to transfigure

“I do not mean that we SHOULD do it,” the mercantile infiltrator says quickly, demurring and lowering his eyes. “Just that it was an option… Something to consider.”

It is at that.

What will you do?
>Attempt to re-tame the basilisk, at risk to yourself
>Kill the basilisk and attempt to use its flesh and blood to augment the Novice’s creation—though it may fail, and will delay your invasion
>Use the demon ring to bind the basilisk and Junior Novice together as one amalgamated entity
>Forget the basilisk altogether, you do not need its powers to triumph
>Punish Agno for even bringing this pointless segue up in the first place
>Write-in
>>
>>5340400
>Attempt to re-tame the basilisk, at risk to yourself

It would be badass to have a basilisk under our control. Reptillian empathy is our best stat so might as well try and hopefully we can get that level up before the battle from this.
>>
>>5340433
I still think we should eventually kill the basilisk and give its blood to the junior novice eventually. I want the junior novice to become a monstrous living weapon.
>>
>>5340400
>Write-in
>>Use the demon ring, not to simply fuse the basilisk and the junior novice. But instead ask the bastard to join you in a new improved dragonwrought amalgam between yourself, the dragonblooded bastard, the junior novice, the basilisk and the fire lizards. And lead the charge on the dwarf town.

Hako and Hapo combining with the dead red dragon hatchling and some lizards. Gave them enough power to crush the human forces in the abandoned town, and kill their druid protector.

If we do the same thing whilst using superior materials for the combination, the dwarfs won't stand a chance.
>>
>>5340483
This is a horrible idea

>>5340433
+1
>>
>>5340485
>This is a horrible idea.

How so? We can just remove the ring to split ourselves, after the battle is over.

And while both the basilisk and the junior novice, have so so intelligence and need to be carefully handled in order to follow commands. We would be under no such limitations if we fused them into ourselves.
>>
>>5340490
>Implying that we'd have the presence of mind to remove the ring
>Implying that we wouldn't be absolutely bugfuck crazy and slaughter our own forces
lol, lmao

>>5340433
+1
Not against helping with the experiment eventually but there's no reason to do it now. Why haven't we destroyed this damn ring yet?
>>
>>5340400
>Attempt to re-tame the basilisk, at risk to yourself
>>
>>5340493
>Why haven't we destroyed this damn ring yet?

Breaking the ring physically would release the demon, since the ring acts as it's prison.

And Hapo stole the books listing the demon's true name. Without them it's questionable whether we would be able to banish it since we have no demonologist with us.
>>
>>5340493
>>Implying that we'd have the presence of mind to remove the ring.

I mean we do have our fearsome presence, it would be easier for us to resist the demon's influence than it was for Hako.

>>Implying that we wouldn't be absolutely bugfuck crazy and slaughter our own forces.

Both Hapo and hako were still sane after their dragonworght transformation, and worked alongside their forces. Since this demon ring was a part of the red dragon's horde, the demon inside of it is probably used to serving reptilians.
>>
>>5340510
Shit take, its a demon, its sacrilege, no one is going to go for that, and itll make us a monstrosity, the sooner we lose this gross steven universe ring the better, stupid plan anon, get back in the corner you fucking dumpster baby
>>
>>5340510
>Both Hapo and hako were still sane after their dragonworght transformation
Yeah, after they fused with a few corpses, and then they were also evil and tried to kill us? You want us to fuse with
>A wholeass adult man (why would the Bastard ever agree with this)
>A slavering scientific monstrosity
>A whole bunch of random lizards for some reason
This is the worst idea anybody has ever come up with in this quest. This is a worse idea than fucking the bug and I don't say that lightly.
>>
>>5340400
>>Kill the basilisk and attempt to use its flesh and blood to augment the Novice’s creation—though it may fail, and will delay your invasion

Hard pass on anything demoniac.
>>
>>5340400
>Attempt to re-tame the basilisk, at risk to yourself
>Slap Agno and tell him to show damn respect next time
>>
>>5340567
+1
>>
>>5340567
Support, pimpslap that bitch!
>>
>>5340567
-1
>>
>>5340567
Funny. But please no.
>>
>>5340647
>>5340714
>>5340717
Just for the record, it wasn't for comedic effect. I believe we need to teach the little shit some manners, because while he makes good points, his behavior is hostile and detrimental to our cooperation.
>>
>>5340721
-1
>>
>>5340721
>Ask Agno for his concerns
>Slap him right after for giving those concerns

I don’t know. Bullying an already downtrodden subordinate feels pretty pathetic, he is literally our slave already.
>>
>>5340727
Then what do you propose we do about his rebellious behavior? Don't think we've got family therapy here in the underdark.
>>
>>5340735
Nothing. Having a subordinate that's willing to give the actual opinions of the Kobolds is pretty useful. Ivno sure isn't going to represent what the Kobolds want well. We already hold all the power in the relationship we can take a little bit of defiance, all slapping will do is make him less willing to talk about his concerns.
>>
>>5340738
So slapping him would somehow make us look "pathetic", even though every reptilian alive agrees that kobolds are cannon fodder at the bottom of the social ladder, but babysitting little Agno and humoring each little tantrum just to have the privilege to hear his hot takes won't make us look pathetic and also undermine our position as a leader?
I thought you had a better idea on how to fix his behavior, but I guess we're back to slapping it out of him.
>>
File: images.jpg (14 KB, 203x249)
14 KB
14 KB JPG
Rolled 10, 11, 19, 3 = 43 (4d20)

>>5340647
>>5340636
>>5340567
>>5340551
>>5340502
>>5340493
>>5340485
>>5340483
>>5340433
You dismiss your council, save the Novice, whose chamber you retire to in order to consider your options.

“Why not use your chamber, Uninvited One?” she huffs, considerably less deferential when the two of you are alone.

“I value your council,” you respond.

She looks over her shoulder from where she labours over her alchemical field-kit, a pared-down and more-durable form of the elaborate laboratory of glass, stone, and crystal which serves her at home.

“Oh really?” she asks, dubiously. “So you’re going to follow my advice?”

“You know I am not going to delay the assault,” you sigh.

“Obviously, Meatheaded One.”

“And the basilisk IS a useful asset…”

She hisses, a Reptilian scoff, and turns away. Her tail slaps the ground in irritation.

“That was exactly the OPPOSITE of my council, Degenerateborn.”

You’ve noticed she uses that name for you—an allusion to the tainted, part-human heritage which only she, you, and the Chaplain and the Dark Gods Beyond and Below know you carry—less often in these last few days. It only crops up when she is especially angry… Or concerned.

“I will be safe,” you assure her, “and when time is less pressing, you may yet have your samples. What of the dead basilisk chick, which the so-called Dragonwrought was drawing power from?”

“Scant material,” she complains, “but it will have to do.”

You stand, mind made up, and go to face down the basilisk.

“If you get yourself petrified all because you wanted to show, I will not readily forgive you!” the Novice shouts after you.

Truly, a peculiar female.

The basilisk is in its pit, chained to a central post. At present, it is blindfolded—a difficult task that took the kobolds many attempts and led to several injuries. The Bastard felt it necessary to accomplish this even at such a cost, however, after the beastly thing’s mere gaze afflicted you and a whole host of Reptilians during your dominance-duel with Agno. Even in such condition, though, Ivno and the Bastard watch trepidatiously as you descend into the pit and approach the thing.

The basilisk has a beak, wattle, and comb like some great rooster, at a distance; upon closer inspection, the wattles are more like the hanging dewlaps of an iguana, the headrest more rigid and bony than a rooster’s. It has a barrel-like body and six stumpy legs, and a long, trailing tail, ridged with spikes as with its back. Excluding the tail—nearly as long as its body again—it is nearly the size of you… And you are no small creature, being nearly 300 pounds of muscle. You suspect from its build that it is heavier.

You take a deep breath, centre yourself, and reach out with your Fearsome Presence…
>>
>>5340772
>19
…And reach out to remove the blindfold. Even from all the way down here, you can feel the spike in anxiety in your watching subordinates, their readiness to leap to your aid—especially the Bastard, who (though older than you) has come to view you as a great benefactor and almost a mentor. The same Presence that evokes such loyalty in him, however, also protects you from the basilisk. As the eye-covering slips away, the basilisk dutifully lowers its head, averting its eyes.

Some call the basilisk ‘king of snakes’, but it is no match for the soul of a dragon—the king of all reptiles.

You re-mask the basilisk when you are confident you have control of it, for the sake of avoiding accidents, but you give the command: this dangerous entity now belongs to you, and will accompany your forces to serve as part of the assault on the dwarves. With this new trick up your sleeve, you return to planning the assault.
>>
File: pixelborn.png (42 KB, 216x345)
42 KB
42 KB PNG
>>5340775
Eventually, after a long day of meetings, discussions, and meditations, torpor takes you.

Choose one non-combat ability to level up:
>Leadership
>Seduction
>Intimidation

Choose one combat ability to level-up:
>Fisticuffs
>Swordsmanship
>Spellcraft
>>
>>5340778
>Intimidation
>Swordsmanship
Are we bowless now?
>>
>>5340778
>Seduction
>Spellcraft
>>
>>5340779
[Nah, but you've barely used that skill since your last level-up. Same with firebreath and elementalism.]
>>
>>5340782
Aw. What's spellcraft for, then?
>>
>>5340787
[USUALLY more for learning or idnetifying spells than wielding them... But it's also your default skill for concentrating to use an item or maintain your Dragonshape when under extreme stress or pain.]
>>
>>5340778
>Leadership
No diplomacy?
>Swordsmanship
>>
>>5340803
[Damnit, I knew I forgor soemthing. Diplomacy is on the table, too! Sorry, was in a rush to finish before an appointment.]

>>5340780
>>5340779
[Diplomacy is also a non-combat option.]
>>
>>5340805
I'm keeping intimidation. It's more useful for someone in our position with an appointed team of diplomats and experts. That and because we will surely encounter many monsters/brutes we will have to pacify.
>>
>>5340778
>Seduction
>Fisticuffs
AND EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FU FIGHTING!

AND SOON WE’LL GET A SPELL OF LIGHTNING!
>>
>>5340778
>Diplomacy
>Swordmanship
>>
>>5340778
>Swordsmanship
>Diplomacy

Prepare for elf queen and chaplain talks
>>
>>5340778
>Leadership
>Swordsmanship
>>
>>5340778
>Diplomacy
>Swordsmanship

Been really enjoying this so far RQM, it's a blast. Thanks for running.
>>
>>5340809
The elf specialist is incompetent I don’t trust reptoid diplomats at all after him.
>>
>>5340908
>human spy
>>
>>5340778
>Seduction
>Fisticuffs
>>
File: tally so far.png (8 KB, 719x161)
8 KB
8 KB PNG
[I was tallying the votes for a post, but it seems someone just tied things up a little! I'll leave this open a bit longer.]

>>5340906
Thanks for the kind words, anon.
>>
>>5341110
Seduction is the coomer option we’ve used it about once. Diplomacy we use constantly.
>>
>>5341110
I'll switch to
>Diplomacy
to tiebreak.
>>
>>5340778
>Seduction
>Swordsmanship
Diplomacy is the boring cuck action, I want some spice in this quest!
>>
>>5341117
>motherfucker already broke the tie
Damn, you stole my thunder!

>>5341110
Want me to switch my vote to Intimidation QM, to break the tie (again)?
>>
>>5341135
>tie breaks
>retied
>mfw

[Nah, don't sweat it. I'll roll for it if it isn't resolved by the time I'm done this Illuminaughtii video on the Satanic Temple.]
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5341166
How about I roll for it, and you can take the result as my vote.
1- Seduction
2- Diplomacy
>>
>>5341176
Rip diplomacy.
>>
>>5341176
Well, I guess that settles it then
>>
>>5341110
>Diplomacy
Fuck no not seduction
>>
File: Spoiler Image (863 KB, 1280x880)
863 KB
863 KB PNG
>>5341186
Almost

>>5341194
>>5341176
[Are you two just... Not invested in the martial choice, or happy with swordsmanship? Just verifying.]
>>
>>5341197
I’m fine with swordsmanship already
>>
>>5341197
Wait did my last minute vote not make it and seduction won?
>>
>>5341200
>>5341198
[Nah, I'll hold off another half hour. If nobody else votes/changes vote, though, I'm rolling for it. And I'm locking for non-backlinked 1post IDs on this vote]
>>
>>5341197
I’m down for Swordsmanship, but even if I did decide to meme Fisticuffs, it wouldn’t have changed much beyond prolonging the suffering.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5341209
>>5341202
>>5341200
>>5341198
>>5341194
>>5341176
>>5341131
>>5341117
>>5341103
>>5340906
>>5340880
>>5340857
>>5340855
>>5340838
>>5340780
>>5340779
[Vote locked, post incoming]
>>
File: Level 2,75.png (544 KB, 1440x714)
544 KB
544 KB PNG
>>5341230
You awake feeling refreshed, and cognizant of how much you have grown over your last few weeks. It’s tough to imagine it has only been about three months since you left. So much ahs happened. You’ve become a warrior, a diplomat… Almost a king, soon a father… Tomorrow, perhaps a general. And you’re still not even twenty years old! It’s daunting, but you feel worthy of it.

>+1 Swordsmanship
>+1 Diplomacy

The moment of truth is close at hand. A company-town is chosen—a fort close to the kobolds’ own home, and relatively equidistant from the other company towns, which all indications suggest are rival to this one and thus unlikely to notice anything amiss. You consult once more with your corps of advisors: the intelligentsia of your loyal retinue, the Thief and Bastard, the kobold leadership council… Even the Bugbear Boss and the Drow Ranger-Captain called Epharidan, just to head off any complaints of sidelining. Several perspectives emerge, crystallizing into a few main action plans, all taking into account your new ‘acquisition’ of a re-tamed basilisk.

The kobodls’ conventional wisdom is that it is best to harry the dwarves troops outside the fort with small groups of partisans, drawing out their defenders from their fortifications to kill as many as possibly in the craggy valleys and passes of the mountains—a long and arduous sort of guerilla war, but one that will put you on equal footing to the dwarves. This will leave the remaining defenders depleted, when you eventually make your way to the chosen

The Bugbear Boss scoffs at this, pointing out the extreme light-sensitivity of virtually all non-kobolds in your forces.

“And anyway,” the Boss states, “is already what we do when we hunt dwarves, and if it was good enough for destroying entire fort, we or kobolds would have done already.”

“Then what do you propose?” you ask him wearily, already wearying of his usual mammalian machismo.

“I have… Friend. Ally, who can help. Like you big lizard-thing.”

“You mean your great bat?” you ask, remembering your divination many weeks prior.

“Copper, how do you know about this?!” he demands.

“I have my ways,” you reply levelly. “Go on.”

The Bugbear Boss HAS indeed tamed a great bat, and he attests that this aerial advantage could prove key in a strike… IF you were to attack at night, and to use the bulk of your forces as bait, to draw out the dwarven defenders. Then HE could attack from above, while You ride your basilisk into battle from the front, staging a two-pronged attack with your strongest warriors on those who remain at the same time your forces outside are engaging most of the dwarves.

“Many kobolds will die,” worries Ivno.

“Bonus,” says the Boss. “More meat.”

Agno looks quietly furious at the Bugbear Boss, but holds his tongue.
>>
>>5341283
The Thief prepared to lead a decapitating strike, entering the stronghold during the day, to eliminate the leadership and sabotage defences from within, so that your main force-led by you, astride the basilisk—can besiege the confounded and helpless dwarves at the setting of the sun. The Drow Ranger-Captain concurs, favouring this method; he also makes a point of noting how delaying to acquire more Drow allies first could help make it more viable, something you suspect is rooted in a desire to give his own race more prestige in this raid and a better bargaining position.

The Bastard still holds that the kobolds themselves would make an excellent forward force, softening up the dwarves in a direct assault.

“You could follow in a second wave,” he declares. “Our Master Race bringing up the rear, like the Thief’s plan, but without a chance of his being caught with a small force—as he was before—and giving us away. IF they do that, word could get out about our presence… And they could warn the other dwarves, or humans, and maybe even get reinforcements. Better to have them surrounded as quickly as possible. All this… Infiltration, and baiting, and this business with multiple fronts… It just means more chances for something to go wrong, and for a witness or survivor to escape and spread word. This way, if the dwarves repel our initial force… They only see kobolds. Nothing else.”

The Novice, for her part, throws up her hands in exasperation.

“If you’re set on doing this before we consult with the Chaplain, or even can perfect my creature, then I do not even know why you would ask me. I am not a strategist, Dragonborn. I would have suggested modifying our Amulets of Disguise, and sending Infiltrators disguised as dwarves… Though we’d need to capture a few of them to make that happen.”

Hm, that’s an idea, too, you suppose… Delaying the raid proper, but obtaining some dwarven captives to interrogate and ‘deconstruct’ for disguise-materials.

How will you begin your campaign?
>A series of daylight raids on the dwarves to thin their numbers
>A two-wave invasion: kobolds to strike, your other forces to cut off means of communication and escape, and a direct siege
>A three-pronged nighttime assault: one decoy force to draw the dwarves out, then bugbears to invade the fort from the sides and above while you charge the front defences
>A decapitating strike by your stealthiest forces during the day, and then a major unified offensive at sunset
>Focus on capturing some dwarves to interrogate and extract materials from—the main raid will come next, when you better understand your enemy
>Write-in
>>
>>5341285
>Focus on capturing some dwarves to interrogate and extract materials from—the main raid will come next, when you better understand your enemy

>shitter coomers almost won
god, does progression have to be a choice now?
>>
>>5341285
BREEDABLE
FERTILE
NOVICE
FLESHWEAVER
HIPS
>>
>>5341307
But they will know shit's up when dwarves go missing
>>
>>5341285
>A decapitating strike by your stealthiest forces during the day, and then a major unified offensive at sunset

Seems like it'll make the most people happy
And what are the chances of the thief getting spotted twice? He's got a better idea of their defenses now, plus the cloak

Surrounding them would be a good precaution, to catch any runners.
>>
>>5341285
>A decapitating strike by your stealthiest forces during the day, and then a major unified offensive at sunset
>>
>>5341285
>A decapitating strike by your stealthiest forces during the day, and then a major unified offensive at sunset
>>
>>5341285
>A decapitating strike by your stealthiest forces during the day, and then a major unified offensive at sunset

The Thief better not fail us after all that talk about ambition and how he'll prove himself now.
>>
>>5341285
>Focus on capturing some dwarves to interrogate and extract materials from—the main raid will come next, when you better understand your enemy
Infiltrating the Dwarfs via disguise would be fun, just imagine the chaos and confusion from the ‘backstab’!
>>
>>5341285
>A decapitating strike by your stealthiest forces during the day, and then a major unified offensive at sunset
>Give the Novices’ jiggly bubble butt a firm smack. She knows we like it.
>>
>>5341285
>Focus on capturing some dwarves to interrogate and extract materials from—the main raid will come next, when you better understand your enemy
>>
>>5341605
>>5341453
>>5341451
>>5341443
>>5341340
>>5341336
>>5341334
>>5341312
>>5341307
You survey your expectant allies, and nod to the Thief.

“You have my cloak,” you tell him. “If you encounter resistance, may it preserve you.”

The Thief bows his head low, and hurries to leave. With him, he brings the four Drow, the Bogbarri (save their grumbling Boss), and Paeris—your stealthiest member of the retinue, next to the Theif himself, or the currently-cocooned Glowie.

Glowie… Your thoughts briefly turn back to her. The strange caterpillar-woman, ‘princess’ of a hive-queen of an insectoid race, concocted as some fallback plan to replace your own Reptilian Master Race in case of your failure and extinction. Instead, she became a… Friend. Now, she is in the safe-keeping of a dark elven, also of some unknown ‘princess’ pedigree—Jazkarmel. Far from replacing your bloodline with her own, she is a its preservation: she is metamorphosing in reparation to lay eggs which YOU fertilized, mixed with the pure bloodline of the Red Dragon king by the fleshweaving magicks of the Novice.

You have the brief, perversely-amusing thought that, if you fail and die here, you will at least have heirs to avenge you.

You shake off the sudden foreboding, retreating to your chamber to meditate for a time, and to restore your mana in preparation for the campaign ahead. You steady your spirit and strengthen your resolve. Eventually—you can’t say how much later—the Bastard calls out to you:

“Dragonborn, Superior One! The sun will set in three hours.”

“Then it is time,” you respond. “Good.”

You find your forces gathered, waiting for you. The Novice, the Merchants, and the Translator are armed with ranged weapons—bows, crossbows, slings. Oluwadamilare, the Degenerate Archer, is with them; his own great bow—a new one, of elven make, you notice—puts theirs to shame, but so well might his skill with it. Many of the kobolds have been armed with spears, axes, and knives, but a few twirl swings in practiced motions, readying their arms to aid in the ranged assault—they form the bulk of your force by numbers, and fill in the midsection of your column. The Cartographer, by necessity, shall be accompanying you, your fire-lizards, the Bastard and the Pit-Guard and his Apprentice at the head of this marching army.
>>
File: 9DrF4cTh.jpg (82 KB, 500x500)
82 KB
82 KB JPG
Rolled 9, 12, 1, 7, 20, 16, 20 = 85 (7d20)

>>5341718

“Where is the Bogbarri’s leader?” you ask, for you see no sign of the so-called ‘Boss’ of the savage spike-men.

“Vanished,” grunts the Bastard, disapprovingly.

“Went to retrieve his mount,” Paeris informs you. “I suspect so, anyway. I saw a glimmer of his glamour earlier, headed down into the depths.

“Or the cowardly ape abandoned us,” scoffs the North-Merchant.

“I would not be so sure,” murmurs the South. “That one is thirsty for blood. And there is a power within him…”

You sensed it, too. It’s why you tread with caution around the bugbears initially, when you knew them only as ‘barbed devils’ or ‘dark creepers’, when you had seen him only in visions. You doubt that the Bogbarri Boss has fled the field… But you do wonder what form his return will take. You realize you have only seen his barest capability, for brutish intimidation and grappling combat, but none of the magic you suspect he is capable of… Nor has he volunteered to tell you of his skillset. Bah, no time to pursue that now.

“Onward!” you roar. “To war! To victory! To a new Age of Dragons!"

And so your forces advance, bathed in the ominous glow of a Bloodrise sunset. It’s as if blood red curtains are being drawn up, siding up over the mountains and away, revealing the darkened stage where you players shall act your roles in the theatre of war.

You can only hope that the Thief and his forces have played their own part to the hilt.

6d20 for the Thief and his allies [DC 15/17/19]; 1d20 for the enemies' response thereafter [5/10/15/20, higher is worse for you]
>>
>>5341722
>both thief and enemies got 20
well now
>>
>>5341722
Goddamn hyperadvanced midget scum. How's it gonna be?
>1 and 20 cancel out, 16 versus their 20
>1 is ignored outright, 20 versus their 20
>>
>>5341751
They don't cancel out
>>
>>5341722
Goddamn whenever there's a 1d20 enemy roll they always roll a 20.
>>
File: images.jpg (10 KB, 178x283)
10 KB
10 KB JPG
>>5341722
It is a long march, and over the course of it, the red glow of the setting sun gives way to darkness, as might be expected… But then, to your surprise and initial confusion, the sky seems to open up anew and spill yet more heavenly blood upon the cliffs, a second sunset—or sunrise?—from the opposite direction. It is only when you wind the final path that the source is revealed to you, and your confusion turns to delight:

>20

The dwarven fortress is wrecked, alight with flames despite its sturdy construction.

The bulk of the tunnels below bore into the earth, and much of their defensive bulwark—a towering, imposing structure—is also stone, but there are some uses to which stone cannot be quickly and efficiently put. All of these were made with wood from the forests below, and ALL of them are ablaze. Dwarves—small, squat, hairy ape-folk, uniformly bearded and roughshod in appearance—run about frantically, trying to stomp out or smother flames. A few pour water upon the fires from buckets, but this only seems to spread it further, and the majority seem to be reverting to sand. By their utter disorganization, you can assume one of two things: their competence and organization was grossly overstated, or the mission of sabotage has been a huge success, and their command structure is in complete disarray.

“What are they shouting?” you ask the Translator, falling back to do so.

“Many things,” he says with clear pleasure, “all of them quite bad for them. They say that monsters have attacked the fortification from below—that they have killed their Chief Trader, that they have killed MANY. None of the dwarves now knows who is in charge, and their forces are apparently engaged below, trying to drive them back.”

You grin a terrible grin.

“Well then, shall we create a second front?”

You sit astride the basilisk—a creature that, though not enormous in size, is great enough in length to support you atop its barrel-like body with is six powerful limbs. Too late, the dwarves catch sight of your silhouettes, cast into shadows by the flame but still visible in the murk thanks to their race’s darkvision. You share that trait, though, and you see with wicked glee the effect that the terrible glare of your mount has upon them—they double over, recoiling in pain and confusion as the paralyzing eyes of the creature take their toll on all it surveys.
>>
>>5341763
Few have seen you, and those few who have are momentarily helpless. What do you do?
>Command your forces forwards as one, killing or capturing every dwarf you can as you advance towards the main gates of the dwarf fortress
>Order your allies to encircle the camp and attack from range, keeping the dwarves off-balance and cutting off any attempts at escape
>Charge straight for the gate, to take the fortress and aid your allies already inside
>Activate your <Augmented Dragonshape> and dismount, advancing towards them and demanding surrender with all your Fearsome Presence
>Use your <Wall of Stone> to collapse the path behind you and to entrap the dwarves, then target the tower to bring it low with an <Earth Tremor>
>Write-in

>>5341748
>>5341751
>>5341756
[Crit fails only apply when there is no success; it doesn't cancel out a 20. The enemy 20, on the other hand... Also doesn't cancel anything out, but it may have complicated matters.]
>>
>>5341764
>Order your allies to encircle the camp and attack from range, keeping the dwarves off-balance and cutting off any attempts at escape
>Use your <Wall of Stone> to collapse the path behind you and to entrap the dwarves, then target the tower to bring it low with an <Earth Tremor>

Making sure there's no survivors is the priority. Word of this cannot spread or the dwarves will be too entrenched. It's worth using mana here and attacking from range to absolutely guarantee it.
>>
>>5341751
iirc 1 only counts when no other rolls pass the DC

so we got a crit, but they also crit
we can only hope our crit hurt theirs since we got it first

>Command your forces forwards as one, killing or capturing every dwarf you can as you advance towards the main gates of the dwarf fortress
>>
>>5341775
+1
Lead the melee in through gate while range pick off survivor
>>
The Novice better let us fuck the shit out of her after this. Jiggle that ass until her scales fall off from friction All this success should turn her on.
>>
>>5341799
I think she needs to be in season
who knows when that will be
>>
>>5341800
Jiggle Glowie until she ready than
>>
>>5341803
Glowie is in a cocoon, and you may recall she felt that she and the Dragonborn would not be 'compatible' when she emerged
>>
>>5341775
+1; no witnesses
>>
>>5341804
This is why I wanted to fuck her one last time
>>
>>5341764
>>Order your allies to encircle the camp and attack from range, keeping the dwarves off-balance and cutting off any attempts at escape
>>
>>5341764
>>5341775 +1
>Join the shooting
>>
>>5341775
Supporting

Nobody lives
>>
>>5341764
>Command your forces forwards as one, killing or capturing every dwarf you can as you advance towards the main gates of the dwarf fortress
>Use your <Wall of Stone> to collapse the path behind you and to entrap the dwarves, then target the tower to bring it low with an <Earth Tremor>
We have to be quick about this, no time to dally.
>>
>>5341764
>Use your <Wall of Stone> to collapse the path behind you and to entrap the dwarves, then target the tower to bring it low with an <Earth Tremor>
>>
File: 6365551.jpg (37 KB, 310x475)
37 KB
37 KB JPG
Rolled 8, 8, 19, 11, 10, 2, 9, 14, 11 = 92 (9d20)

>>5342370
>>5342263
>>5342053
>>5342030
>>5341848
>>5341807
>>5341786
>>5341779
>>5341775
“Nobody escapes,” you announce your order, “and nobody lives. Quickly, we have no time to dally!”

Your thirty-off kobold warriors haphazardly scramble to encircle the camp, cutting off what escape routes they an. Your slingers begin to sling stones, your archer to loose arrows; Olu the Archer swiftly ends one of the dwarves your basilisk stunned, While a few haphazard shots by the others eventually catch and kill the rest. You witness this with grim satisfaction, as the dwarves realize they are no beset from both sides.

To their credit, your adversaries swiftly rally, beginning to form up in spite of a lack of leadership. A volley of stones, and thrown axes and knives, are hurled in your direction, forcing your forces to back up, and then their forces begin to charge for what they see as a weak point in your line—a place with fewer slingers than most, where the kobolds’ melee capabilities are all that stand between these dwarves and a strategic regouping beyond your immediate span of control.

“Not so fast,” you mutter, beginning to work your magic over the earth.

[3d20 spellcraft, 3d20 archery, 2d20 for allies' probability of success, 1d20 for enemies; your DCs are all lowered to 14 by the advantages accrued by your tactics, your enemies' raised to 16]
>>
File: Image.jpg (32 KB, 223x310)
32 KB
32 KB JPG
Rolled 8, 20, 10 = 38 (3d20)

>>5342433
>19
You leap down from your basilisk, needing the feel of the earth—the direct connection, to properly work it. On impact, the ground seems to shake, and to ripple in a line towards the dwarves. They are sturdy folk, well-balanced and low to the ground, but it nearly sends even them tumbling. They’re certainly disoriented when the mountain pass behind the kobolds comes tumbling down, the cliff consuming it, and then rises up anew to form a solid barricade of broken, cracked stone.

>11
The delay is momentary. You have barely enough time to draw your bow before they have turned on you, are now screaming their war-cries and hurtling back from whence they came to cut you down. You loose an arrow, but it flies wide. You back up a step, but bump into your basilisk. Well, it seems you and the six-legged lizard will be engaging in melee—and too soon for you to draw a blade, at this rate. You brace yourself…

>14
But the assault never comes, for the kobolds have not sat idle. Rallied with a roar by the Bastard, they charge down after the dwarves of swifter feet, and set upon them from behind. Too late, this disorganized dwarves realize their error in judgement in forgetting about the weaker but more numerous foes behind them to focus on you, the leader. They are stabbed, slashed, clawed and bitten, and left dead to the last.
>>
File: fe10-collapsing-castle.png (651 KB, 1024x568)
651 KB
651 KB PNG
Rolled 8, 1, 12 = 21 (3d20)

>>5342463
There are many more dwarves still within the fortress, though. As they realize there is no escape through you—nor any real chance of engaging your superior numbers and organization in a melee with you shifting the terrain and your forces carefully maintaining distance and chipping away at them from afar, the dwarves still in-the-field regoup inside their little castle-town, braving the flames rather than your wrath.

Ha. If they only knew what was coming.

You step forward with footfalls that literally shake the earth. Gradually, as you advance towards the fortifications, you gain speed. The dwarves seem you coming, and their crossbowmen fire. Quarrels of orichalcum-plated steel impact the rocky ground to either side of you, embedding deeply for their hardness, their sharpness, and the keen engineering of these arrogant tunnel-monkeys. You ignore them, maintain your concentration, and summon much of your mana down from your head, through your organs and down into your gut, and then channel into a single word of power and great stomp.

>20

The earth buckles, and breaks. You hear a great lamentation, cries of agony and despair, as the tower twists, shifts sideways, and comes tumbling down in a terrific implosion. Dwarves are crushed, scattered or buried; for its defensible location upon the cliff-face, much of the above-ground structure of this ‘company-town’ now tumbles down into the jutting spikes and inescapable chasms below, dashing its defenders upon the rocks.

From behind and above you, you hear a terrible screeching sound. You turn to see a silhouette ALMOST like a dragon in miniature—rising before the moon to blot it out with webbed, hairless wings. You recognize it a moment later: a great bat. You spare a wave of acknowledgement to the Bugbear Boss, whose mount—easily twice the size of you, with a wingspan four times your size—sweeps low over the battlefield. It snatches up one remaining dwarf in its jaws, hurling him down to the same fate as the dwarves within the fortress, and then divebombs after him—down to ensure the deaths (and collect the flesh) of any dwarves thus thrown down.

The remaining dwarves between you and the ruin of their impromptu keep are terrified, flailing in fearful incompetence. Your pets and minions descend upon them and end what remains of your resistance, and you advance with them, to take the lower levels of this fortress… Only to realize something terrible.

The fortress has not merely toppled, but collapsed in on itself, the rock shelf and rubble of the brickwork and burning wood tumbling DOWNWARD, into the shaft below.

Below… Where the Thief, Paeris, and their squad of assassins was doing battle with the bulk of the dwarven warriors, according to the Translator’s interpretation.

You scramble past your forces, rummaging through rock to find the entrance to the passages below...

[Athleticism roll]
>>
File: Spoiler Image (12 KB, 668x143)
12 KB
12 KB PNG
Rolled 7, 8, 12, 3, 4, 14, 11, 2, 13, 13, 11, 15 = 113 (12d15)

>>5342476
Death rolls. Duplicate rolls go to the next survivor down the numbered list.

Result of crit fail on athleticism: you are not fast enough to save the Thief if his number comes up more than once, despite his cloak helping to survive the battle and the castle-collapse
>>
>>5342481
Did anyone die?
>>
File: Spoiler Image (121 KB, 1040x1390)
121 KB
121 KB JPG
>>5342481
You feel a growing helplessness in you as you realize just how much earth you have moved with your <Tremor>--and how little ability you have to actually, DELIBERATELY move it away without causing further damage. You can reshape it into walls, but even with all your mana you could not use this skill to completely clear the path down to the dungeons-depths of this fort, and all your mighty muscle is nary enough to liberate your companions from this tomb of your own making.

Eventually, as the last of the dwarves are slain, your allies begin to come help you. Many can do little to speed the process—it takes three or four kobolds to equal your physical power, and the Pit-Guard’s Apprentice is still injured beyond being able to assist for long, while many of your other allies are necessarily less athletic than you. It is a long time—over an hour, you would estimate—before you truly open up the shaft into the ‘town’ below.

It is indeed a town, albeit a small one. What was above-ground was all defensive bulwark and waste-storage; below, you find storehouses of trade-goods, barrels of food and ale, treasures of the earth, sleeping quarters for the miners and guards…

And down below that, the mines—tunnels stretching down and out, into the mountain below. And in that place, where the tunnels meet the main column of the vertical column which seems to serve as community hub (or once did), you find the scene of the battle below—where dwarves, Drow, Bogbarri, and Reptilians made a final stand. Two dozen dwarves and a dozen of your own forces lay dead, hacked to pieces with one another’s weapons or crushed by falling debris form your own conquest above.

You survey the casualties.

Seven bugbears lay dead, with only two alive, greedily looting the corpses of their allies and enemies despite their own injuries. They laugh madly and grin at you with triumphant glee when you reach them, though you can see them tremble slightly with anxiety or the come-down from their intense adrenaline high.

Half the dark elves who accompanied you are dead, also… Including their Ranger-Captain, Epharidan, with whom you brokered peace. He lays atop a dead dwarf, his twin daggers still embedded in the stouter mammal’s chest, his knuckles still white with the ferocity of his death-grip… Despite the axe embedded in his skull in retaliation.

The remaining two Drow are injured, but stand dutiful vigil over their dead companion… And two others. Your heart falls a little as you see the prone, unmoving forms of two figures: the Thief, wearing the very cloak you gifted him; Paeris, the half-elven Degenerate bard.

You stride towards them, the Drow making way for you without the need for request, and you lean down to examine them. Paeris… Is dead. He is missing an arm in its entirety, and has gone pale white with loss of blood.

“When he could not string his bow, or pluck his harp, the trai—the half-elf, he yet sang.”
>>
>>5342536
You look up at the Drow who spoke and meet his eyes—pale eyes, hollow.

“He sang a dirge. It was… Sad, but defiant. He defied Death, to the end.”

But still… The lord of Endings took him, ended his tale. The Degenerate had been seemingly troubled for many days now but, preoccupied with diplomacy, with war-preparations, with the Novice, you had never gotten the chance to ask after him. Now, you never will.

As for the Thief… Well, some small mercy is found there. He is battered, bruised, lacerated in several places, but the Drow staunched the bleeding, and his Cloak of protection spared him lethal injury. He might yet die—unconsciousness for this long, blood-loss such as he has suffered, they are no small thing… But thanks to your gift, he lived.

“He guided us well,” speaks the other Drow now. “This… ‘Thief’. He is a worthy assassin in his own right. We slipped in a passage, up through the mines… Found their blasting-powder and their alcohol… Set their charges in their own home, and set their fortifications ablaze”

“We saw,” you nod.

“We targeted the leadership next, slew many of them before the defenders could move from the outside to the inside… But they outnumbered us, outfought us.”

The last words are spoken with dejection, bitterness… But, well, it is twenty-four or more dead dwarves, at least, to eleven of your own allies.

What do you do?
>Fetch the Novice immediately, to save the Thief if she can
>Grab what loot you can, before the damned bugbears get the best of it
>Lead your forces in seeking out and rounding up any survivors or support-staff within the fort
>Write-in

What do you say to the survivors of your assassination squad?
>Commend—they performed admirably, acquitting themselves well
>Condemn—they made several tactical errors that have cost you some of your best warriors
>Apologize—you should have done better, been here sooner
>Comfort—they have suffered for your cause, and you will not let it be in vain
>Say nothing—the results speak for themselves, and what is done is done
>>
>>5342539
>>Fetch the Novice immediately, to save the Thief if she can

>>Commend—they performed admirably, acquitting themselves well
>>
>>5342539
+1
There goes my favorite party members enemies had to crit and we had to crit fail at the worst times.
>>
>>5342481
I nearly spit out my tall can of megasized monster energy drink, I genuinely could not find a reaction image that expressed how I felt so I made midjourney make a man in pure anguish and misery
>>
>>5342593
Olu was the one having sexual relations with a Drow, not Paeris, for what that's worth
>>
>>5342539
>Send a prayer to death asking that they may have peace in death
>Commend—they performed admirably, acquitting themselves well
>>
>>5342539
>Fetch the Novice immediately, to save the Thief if she can
if failure
>Send a prayer to Death asking that they may have peace in death
whatever the case
>Commend—they performed admirably, acquitting themselves well
>>
>>5342584
+1 what you goofball you forgot to link your post
>>5342539
>Fetch the Novice immediately, to save the thief if she can
Have her and any other capable people start assisting the other injured as well, we need to not waver in this new leadership role we can fill for the drow until Jaz gets back at least, also good to show the bogs to assist their comrades rather than revel in their downfall under us
>Commend- They performed admirably acquitting themselves well
Emphasize how well those we lost fought and how their sacrifice will help build the foundation to the empire of our peoples, dont seperate the races in your speech keeping them as "one community" unless emphasizing the specifics feats they achieved in the battle, everyone is going to feel a little raw about losing members of their own species so its good to remind them they arent alone anymore and we are one people of many races, placate Novice's overbearing reptilian supremacy saying its just a power play in private for snusnu
>>
>>5342599
LESS ANGUISH THEN BUT STILL SAD PAERIS DIDNT GET HIS DROW REDEMPTION WITHOUT SACRIFICE
>>
>>5342558
+1
>>
>>5342539
>Fetch the Novice immediately, to save the Thief if she can
>Apologize—you should have done better, been here sooner
>>
>>5342539
>Fetch the Novice immediately, to save the Thief if she can
>Send the fucking bugbears away if they tried looting reptilians or the drow
>Commend—they performed admirably, acquitting themselves well
then
>Apologize—you should have done better, been here sooner
After all is said and done
>Send a prayer to Death asking that they may have peace in death

>>5342584
We should've fucking remembered and approached this silently, holy fucking shit. Fuck.
>>5342593
Is a reptilian whose name you can't even fucking remember breeding the drow the only thing you care about now, anon? Why am I even surprised.
>>
When we get back we should recruit more degenerates in their memory. They were good and loyal men that were more than their degenerate status.
>>
File: MEDIIIIIC.png (267 KB, 318x510)
267 KB
267 KB PNG
Rolled 15, 2, 11, 14, 17, 3 = 62 (6d20)

>>5342558
>>5342602
>>5342618
>>5342629
>>5342736
>>5342889
>>5342915
You stand up, fixing your gaze upon each of the conscious survivors—the two Drow, the two Bogbarri. To your consternation, the bugbears are continuing in their looting—their former ‘friends’ and the dwarves. You suspect they’d have looted the Drow and Reptilians as well, had not the two remaining Drow Rangers been standing guard. You have half a mind to banish the spiky bastards back to the rock they crawled out from under… But then, with seven dead Bogbarri laying around you, having paid the ultimate price for this victory specifically FOR the right to loot and feast on the dead, you suppose condemnation may send the wrong message.

“You all performed excellently,” you instead say, loudly enough for all to hear—not that the Bogbarri can understand you. They throw you a strange glance, warily shielding their stolen aces and decorations from you as if you might take them.

“Good,” you say sighingly, in Dwarven—the only language they speak which you know any words in. They smile uncertainly, and nod.

“Stay,” you tell them. “Get help.”

To the elves, with whom you can more easily speak, you explain more fully: “I’m going to bring the Novice Fleshweaver. She is a capable healer. Do NOT move the Thief. He takes priority, but we will attend to you all.”

Without another word, you bound back up the way you came, to the surface once more. There, you find the Novice, attending to the minor minor injuries incurred by your kobold allies and other melee combatants in the fray.

“Come,” you command her, and so she does—without even any snippy comment. It must be in your expression, or your tone.
Despite the urgency with which she attends to your command, the Novice is no athlete, and the same thick rear which you have found yourself appreciating is no asset in trying to climb down the long shaft of the dwarven passage. Instead, you take her in your arms—something that DOEs elicit a surprised and affronted squeak—and <Jump> down to save time. At the bottom of the shaft, she sees the need for this hasty reassignment, and without the need for instruction she hurries to the side of the unconscious and brutalized Silkscale male. You resist the urge to pace, simply crossing your arms and willing you tail to dignified stillness rather than anxious lashing-about.

All you can do is wait

[3d20 for the healing effort and 3d20 for other events, elsewhere, which will be touched upon next]

>>5342928
[Paeris and Olu were Degenerates; Olu yet lives, and is actually doing pretty okay. The Thief is/was a Silkscale, just one who has been dishonoured and branded]
>>
>>5342539
>Grab what loot you can, before the damned bugbears get the best of it
>Condemn—they made several tactical errors that have cost you some of your best warriors
>>
>>5342935
>15
To your great relief, the Novice is able to stabilize the Thief’s condition with her magic. Using a more mundane method—a small jar of aromatic herbs—she is even able to rouse him to a concussed semblance of consciousness.

“Where… Where am I?” he moans. “What happened to me?”

You fill him in on events as you understand them, and he nods, half-understanding.

“Our mission was a success, then?” he asks.

“At great cost,” you say, “but yes, very much yes.”

“Nothing valuable comes easily,” the Thief replies knowingly.

He speaks truly, for it is mere moments later when a cry for aid comes down the shaft. You ascend it again, leaving the Novice to attend to the other badly-injured assassins, and rush to the aid of your forces. You find the Pit-Guard, Apprentice, and a smattering of kobolds blocking a hallway. One of the kobolds clutches an arm, which has a small quarrel—as from a hand-crossbow—embedded in the bicep.

“We found quarters which are still inhabited,” explains the Pit-Guard. “They made to ambush us…”

>17

“But we heard their approach, and we retaliated!” proudly interrupts the Apprentice, holding a squirming dwarf aloft.

The mammals is grey-bearded, with one hand a crude prosthetic and one half f his body scarred—an old, injured minor. An elder. It explains why he was not in the battle.

“Are those who remain all like you, then, old one?” you ask him in the northern common-tongue.

His eyes widen, and you know that he understand your speech, but he remains stubbornly, defiantly silent.

“Females, and spawn,” Ivno answers in his stead, helpfully adding: “You can tell by the chest-glands, with the females. The spawn lack the face-fur.”

Mates, and offspring, and the elderly of their race—advisors, support-staff, families. You look down the hallway, to the reinforced door behind which they presumably cower, these so-called non-combatants… Some of the last living examples of these damnable, warm-blooded bastards who killed Infiltrator Paeris, and very nearly killed the thief. You stare at the door a moment, doing nothing… And then something moves you.

It is…
>Vengeful fury—you assume <Augmented Dragonshape> and burst down the door with a roar, to tear apart or immolate the lot of them
>Sorrowful grief—this battle has not been glorious, in the end, but wasteful and tragic, and you would rather negotiate their peaceful surrender as your personal prisoners than spill more blood unnecessarily
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri
>Write-in

>>5342936
Sorry, just a minute too late! Not that it was shaping up to be a very close vote.
>>
>>5342944
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri

In control
>>
>>5342944
>Piety— The Pit-guard is our loyal lieutenant he can gather the dwarves to be divided out as a prize at a later date for now. What is a more pressing matter is ensuring proper rites are preformed for our subordinate— no… friend, Paeris.
>>
>>5342944
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri

>an old, injured minor. An elder.
An excellent mental exercise, this description. Pottery too.
>>
>>5342961
I'll support that after we solve all the problems here. It's not just these dwarves, we gotta divide loot and keep an eye on the insect grizzlies while at it.
>>
>>5342944
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri
>>
>>5342944
>Vengeful fury—you assume <Augmented Dragonshape> and burst down the door with a roar, to tear apart or immolate the lot of them
>>
>>5342961
+1
>>
>>5342964
>>5342944
*miner
Dagnabbit
>>
>>5342944
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri
>>
>>5343002
Don't worry, it's a perfect typo. I rate it 11/10 and I'm glad it's there.
>>
>>5342944
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri
Mourn later. Finish the job NOW
>>
>>5342944
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri

Slaves are needed
>>
>>5342944
>Cold calculus—as is proper for a member of the Reptilian Master Race, you subdue your passions and instead plan a measured and organized entry, to intimidate and capture these dwarves for interrogation and barter with the Bogbarri
>>
Rolled 15, 4, 13, 2, 4, 1, 20, 17, 20, 17, 19 = 132 (11d20)

>>5343119
>>5343029
>>5343014
>>5343000
>>5342998
>>5342981
>>5342964
>>5342961
>>5343135
You feel a chill fill you up from within—a sort of frostburn-of-the-soul that freezes your heart in place, purging or suppressing the emotions warring within you. Fury, mourning, even the religious impulse to negotiate with your divine patrons for things to be DIFFERENT… They all fall away before a cold calculus.

Your numbers are reduced.

But the dwarves who remain will be desperate, fearful.

A desperate and fearful creature, pitiful but cornered, can turn to any number of unpredictable gambits. They could mount a charge, set a trap, kill themselves to escape your ‘mercies’.

But you need them alive, to interrogate, and to better bargain with the Bogbarri.

You seize the dwarven elder, pulling him from the clutches of the Pit-Guard’s Apprentice.

“You,” you hiss, “tell your femalesss and sspawn that they will be ssspared if they ssssurrender and open the door.”

“…I will do no such thing, mons—”

The elder’s head is removed from his body before he can finish, his corpse cast aside before he can shout a warning.

“Stealthily now,” you whisper, reverting to the True Speech. “Kobolds first. Check for traps. Remove the door’s hinges. Pit-Guards, enter as soon as the door falls and the signal is given. The rest of us will follow.”

“Yes, Superior One,” rings out the chorus, and they set to work.

[2d20 trapfinding, 2d20 intimidation, 4d20 swordsmanship, 2d20 for allies vs. 1d20 for dwarves]
>>
>>5343140
>15
Ivno and the kobolds dutifully check the door over for any sort of traps. They find evidence of just such a mechanism near the top of the door—a spring, bar, and counterweight system. There is no way for them to easily deactivate it from your side, but that is no matter: you have your fire-lizards at the ready, and between their fire and your own, it is a simple thing to burn away that section of wood, and to superheat the metal and stone to slag. Sadly, this gives away your element of surprise, ruining the shock and awe of your appearance as the door topples down…

>19 for enemies…

But you are still trained warriors, well-prepared and with the blessings of the Dark Gods, facing dwarves specifically too small, old, or female for the front lines. It’s shocking that the females and elders—armed with hammers, clubs, and even what appear to be kitchen implements or engineering tools—are even able to mount a fight at all. And they do…

>20 for you, 20 for your allies

…But it is simply not enough. You personally fend off the mightiest remaining male—an old, one-eyed, mangy-looking old dwarf with white beard and an aged-but-unblemished antique axe which has an air of magic about it. He charges, bellowing something in the harsh and guttural tongue of his people, but you sidestep the blow, and swing your sword to remove the offending arm. You left him up with your other hand, slamming him down onto one of the simple cots, and while horrified and wailing dwarf-spawn scream in horror.

Your forces restrain and disarm each female, mutilating and killing when they must to end their struggles, until even they can only watch in horror with gritted teeth as this old and enfeebled defender’s blood soaks into the linen and cotton beneath him. Only then do you lift your blade to complete the execution, a show for your audience. Your foe looks at you with stone in his gaze and in his heart as you plunge your plan into him, through him, and into the sot beneath him, you release your grip on the elven moonblade’s pommel, and it stands of its own accord, pinning him in place like one of the Novice’s specimens. His eyes remain open, forevermore, but his soul goes out like a dying fire behind them. You stand up, surveying the remaining dwarves, and see that their will to resist has died with him.

“Gather them,” you command your forces. “Outside, up top, now.”

“Yes, Superior One!” rises the chorus again.

You take a deep breath as the kobolds and Steeltalons lead the broken dwarves away. Only when you are alone with the dead to you exhale, feeling the icy cold which seized your very spirit release its grasp. Only then do you utter a quiet prayer for the souls of your dead allies-especially Paeris, a good and loyal Reptilian to the end—to find peace.
>>
>>5343165
When you return to the surface, most of your forces are likewise there. The Novice has set up a sort of improvised field hospital, using alcohol form the dwarves’ stores to clean and disinfect wounds, and the foes’ bedding and their remaining, undestroyed medical supplies to wrap up what wounds her magic is insufficient to completely seal. In the end, apart from your assassination squad, almost all your forces remain alive and largely unharmed—less than a half-dozen kobolds died or were injured in the invasion and destruction of this company-town.

“They barely even made us work for it,” the pit-Guard scoffs.

“I certainly do not feel underworked,” The Novice replies.

Nor do you imagine the kobolds do, as they and the Merchants extract and account for the spoils: additional gems and precious metals to augment your horde, family trinkets stripped away from the clutching hands of ashen-faced females and the bodies of the forty-odd dead dwarves. This is in addition to the many useful tools and implements, dozens of mundane but masterfully-crafted weapons, and the magic axe.

The dim moonlight is blotted out as the Bugbear Boss returns from his midnight flight. His bad lands, and he hops down from it. You survey the massive winged mammal with some trepidation, for it is even larger than the basilisk, if not quite so large as the Devourer; you eye its wings with a certain envy—not for the first time, you wish you had such wings, and could have soared over the battle as this creature and its master did.

“No escapees,” the Boss says simply, throwing a dead dwarf down at your feet, and re-wrapping his curious chain around one arm. You not that the body looks… Frosty, and strangely desiccated. The bat-thing holds the leg of another such survivor in its teeth.
>>
>>5343168
“You took none alive?” you ask.

The leader of the Bogbarri looks at you with confusion.

“Why should I?” he asks. “Harder to transport live meat. Can just dry out, preserve.”

His eyes settle on his dead subordinates, laid out upon the ground in a row, alongside the elves and Paeris, and separate from the dwarven dead.

“See?” he says, quietly, in his croakingly-accented elven. “They do not take US alive.”

He leans down over one of the Bogbarri, and for a moment you recall a hazy, drunken memory of this brutal, man-eating creature weeping into his wine over the loss of a mate and several ‘cubs’. You think you see the shadow of that same expression now, albeit held in check by practice and sobriety. What was this bugbear to him?

The Bugbear Boss stands, and wheels around on the dwarves. He loosens his chain and lets it clatter to the stone, and drags it and he hunches forward and advances towards them, spitting curses in his unknown savage dialect. He begins to twirl the chain, and you can see he means to begin a slaughter. For all his bravado, he is not so cold as you and your race—his blood and passions run hot. He means to slaughter the lot of them, most brutally, in retaliation for his race’s heavy losses.

You can see the dwarves recognize this, too. The females move to shield the children, mothers turning the back and wrapping their arms around their young in a final, instinctive act of love—or merely mercy, to shield them from seeing their death’s approach.

What do you do?
>Allow this massacre, though insist he leave one or two adults alive for questioning
>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit
>Facilitate this execution, but in a more… HUMANE manner, for something about the sight before you turns your stomach in spite of your cold heart
>Write-in
>>
>>5343170
>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit
We need information and slaves. He can sate his vengeance on the next town, and there WILL be a next town Bogbarri.
>>
>>5343170
>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit
>>
>>5343170
>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit
>>
>>5343170
>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit
>>
>>5343177
+1 maybe add if they come of no use to us then he can have em, I imagine that may hold him off easier
>>
>>5343170
>Facilitate this execution, but in a more… HUMANE manner, for something about the sight before you turns your stomach in spite of your cold heart
>>5343177
we can get less short and ugly slaves
>>
>>5343170
>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit
>Make it clear that we’re not challenging him. We are only making sure the agreement is upheld.
>>
>>5343170
>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit

He's gotten enough meat to feed his tribe of bogbarri for a year which is what he was promised. He'll have to put aside his revenge to uphold our deal.
>>
>>5343170
>Allow this massacre, though insist he leave one or two adults alive for questioning.

We do not need dwarf slaves right now, we probably don't even have a place to permanently house them. Nor do we want to bring them back to our base or home.

However the novice wants some living material for dwarven amulets of disguise.
>>
>>5343170
>>Command the Bugbear Boss to halt—the dwarves already dead are more than enough to make up his share of the ‘dwarf meat’ that you negotiated, but these survivors are yours to question and enslave as you see fit

We already questioned why he didn't bring back any alive, letting him kill our prisoners is bad for morale at best and inciting insubordination at worst.
>>
Rolled 9, 10, 10, 18, 14 = 61 (5d20)

>>5343275
>>5343220
>>5343212
>>5343208
>>5343207
>>5343202
>>5343188
>>5343182
>>5343177
>>5343287

“Stop!”

The leader of the Bogbarri does as you command… But clearly not without reservation.

“Why?” he demands. “And why should I obey you? We have deal, but I am not one of your lizards, Copper.”

“I know that,” you say, holding back a sigh of irritation. “But we need information, and we’re entitled to ‘meat’ of our own… Or slaves, since the meat here is so abundant.”

You gesture to the rows upon rows of dead dwarves—burnt dwarves, skewered dwarves, and many, MANY crushed dwarves. Virtually all of the adult males of the settlement lay dead.

“Take however many you want,” you reassure him. “That should be enough to feed your tribe, for quite some time.”

“Maybe,” he spits, “now that we have fewer mouths. But there is another hunger, Copper, beyond the stomach. The heart hungers, also.”

You release your sigh, but not in annoyance. Rather, it is one of empathy, understanding, shared grief. You nod.

“I understand,” you tell him. “We have suffered a loss, also. But Bogbarri… There will be other villages, other ‘company-towns’. You will HAVE your revenge on their race. We both will. But we need these ones alive. The agreement must be upheld.”

[Diplomacy + Bonus d20 for Leadership]
>>
>>5343308
>18

He is silent for a time… But then he whirls his chain a few times and coils it around his wrist and forearm once more, and shrugs. He barks something unintelligible at the two surviving Bogbarri assassins, who in turn hop to their feet and move to collect the dwarves they can carry.

“You bring the rest,” he says, pointing at you sternly. “Drag down to somewhere low, dark. We retrieve, when I can get more hunters to collect.”

He surveys the dead bugbears one last time, and ruminates.

“Deaths will make it hard to convince… But all this meat, and some of gold and dwarf-axes… Yes, will find Bogbarri who will follow.”

Without another word to you, he lopes to his bat-beast, slings himself atop it, and returns once more to the moon and stars above, and then vanishes down into some crack in the deep earth. His minions as stubbornly bound to the earth as any of you, trace a more traditional path down the mountainside… Once you use the last of your available mana to open the way for them again.

Only then, exhausted mystically, emotionally, and physically, do you turn to the dwarves. They speak the northern common-tongue as you do, but it’s clear none of them understood your conversation with the barbed creature whose wrath you spared them—it was in the derived elven dialect of the Drow. They cower, not understanding what happened or why they yet live. They fear the worst.

Perhaps they are right to do so.

What information do you wish to extract from them via interrogation? [choose two]
>A better understanding of the local dwarven political situation
>The locations of their rival company towns
>The uses for orichalcum
>The magic axe's capabilities
>The skillsets of the survivors, so you might better know what use to put them towards
>Some of their language and culture, so you may better know your enemy

Who will you try to extract this information from? [choose one]
>Their eldest living male
>Their comeliest female
>The most fearful of the older adolescents
>>
>>5343311
>>The locations of their rival company towns
>>The uses for orichalcum
>>Their eldest living male

Let's be practical, we need do prove we have gained something valuable (orichalcum mine) to the Chaplain, and provide some direction (more targets) to point our new "allies" in so they don't fall to infighting.
>>
>The uses for orichalcum

>The skillsets of the survivors, so you might better know what use to put them towards
ask ^ first so they know we're not planning on killing them

>Their eldest living male
>>
>>5343311
>A better understanding of the local dwarven political situation
>The skillsets of the survivors, so you might better know what use to put them towards
>Their comeliest female
>>
>>5343311
>Their eldest living male
>The locations of their rival company towns
>>The uses for orichalcum
>>
>>5343311
>The uses for orichalcum
>The locations of their rival company towns
>Their eldest living male
>>
>>5343311
>The uses for orichalcum
>Some of their language and culture, so you may better know your enemy

>Their comeliest female
Helga
>>
>>5343311
>The uses for orichalcum
>The skillsets of the survivors, so you might better know what use to put them towards
>Their comeliest female
You’d think Hornyanon would comment on this, considering the thicc shortstack dwarf meme and his obsession with fat asses.
>>
>>5343311
>The uses for orichalcum
>The locations of their rival company towns

>The most fearful of the older adolescents
>>
>>5343311
>The uses for orichalcum
>The locations of their rival company towns
>Their comeliest female

>>5343403
>Helga
Now that’s a favorite that brings be back. I do hope Warchest is doing well for herself, she deserves a high class job for her hardworking attitude and mind for business.
>>
>>5343311
>The uses for orichalcum
>The locations of their rival company towns
>Their comeliest female
After the interrogation we should start proselytizing and converting our slaves to all the Dark Gods. I’m positive the younglings will be the most susceptible to our efforts.
>>
>>5343311
>The uses for orichalcum
>The locations of their rival company towns
>Their comeliest female
>>
>>5343311
>The locations of their rival company towns
>The uses for orichalcum
>Their eldest living male
>>
>>5343456
Warchest was just her stage name, as a pun about boobs. Fun facts!
>>
>>5343341
Supporting

They will be slaves after all
>>
>>5343311
>>5343464
+1
>>
>>5343311
>The locations of their rival company towns
>The uses for orichalcum
>Their eldest living male
>>
File: flat,1000x1000,075,f.jpg (74 KB, 750x1000)
74 KB
74 KB JPG
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>
>>5343663
>>5343536
>>5343534
>>5343474
>>5343471
>>5343464
>>5343456
>>5343432
>>5343414
>>5343403
>>5343402
>>5343375
>>5343355
>>5343341

You know very little of dwarven society, nor do any of those with whom you travel, The North-Merchant and Translator the most well-versed, and you summon both of them to your side. You summon the Cartographer, also.

“I wish the interrogate the most useful and knowledgeable of the survivors,” you begin. “Who would that be, in your estimation?”

They consult amongst one another—well, primarily the first two do so. The Cartographer looks at your questioningly.

“I plan to learn the nature of their orichalcum extraction, and what it is they make with it,” you explain. “But we also need a better understanding of where the other sites of extraction are… The other ‘company-towns’. I will need the Translator here to ensure I understand all of it, should the subject’s common-tongue be weak, the North-Merchant to confirm what he tells me makes sense, and you to record the information so we can use it.”

“Very wise, Dragonborn,” the Cartographer agrees.

>>5343730
>rolled it, tie-breaks for: eldest male

The other two Reptilians present concur that the eldest surviving male would be the best to interrogate. Dwarves respect the wisdom of their elders and, while trusting the wisdom of any mammal is folly, it implies they are the wisest. And as for a male… Well, that is obvious. Males are superior in every right-minded society—it is the way of things.

(You suppose you are lucky neither Jazkarmel nor the Novice is here to overhear this conversation, but you nod along.)

A lame and limping creature with a grey-fringed brown beard is brought before you: the Eldest Dwarf. He has a name, too, but you see no cause to learn it.

“Dwarf,” you greet him, instead. “Kneel.”

“I can’t,” he says through gritted teeth. “My knee—”

The Pit-Guard’s Apprentice, who brought him to you, smashes the flat of his blade into the back of the knees with question, and the old dwarf falls forward into an involuntary bow before you. He squints his eyes, as if holding back tears, but does not cry out. He glares up at you.

What do you do?
>Instruct the Apprentice to lay off—you will offer the Eldest Dwarf and his people the opportunity for cooperation and further mercy before resorting to more violence
>Rough the old man up a little—the method of torturous interrogation used upon the adventurers you previously captured and who even now are enslaved in the kobolds’ mines
>Play against one another—good conqueror/bad conqueror—to encourage the old dwarf to trust you as a source of mercy and respite
>Write-in
>>
>>5343755
>Instruct the Apprentice to lay off—you will offer the Eldest Dwarf and his people the opportunity for cooperation and further mercy before resorting to more violence

He is doomed, but the women and children are not. His cooperation here could be the mean a world of difference on how they’re treated.
>>
>>5343755
>Instruct the Apprentice to lay off—you will offer the Eldest Dwarf and his people the opportunity for cooperation and further mercy before resorting to more violence
>>
>>5343755
>>Instruct the Apprentice to lay off—you will offer the Eldest Dwarf and his people the opportunity for cooperation and further mercy before resorting to more violence
>>
>>5343755
>Instruct the Apprentice to lay off—you will offer the Eldest Dwarf and his people the opportunity for cooperation and further mercy before resorting to more violence
Too much mercy is gonna bite us in the ass. These aren't people who will forgive genociding their loved ones. They aren't stupid enough to be obedient slaves and not plot a retaliation.
>>
>>5343774
+1
>>
>>5343755
>Rough the old man up a little—the method of torturous interrogation used upon the adventurers you previously captured and who even now are enslaved in the kobolds’ mines
>>
>>5343755
>Play against one another—good conqueror/bad conqueror—to encourage the old dwarf to trust you as a source of mercy and respite
I like the idea of pulling a good cop/bad cop on the old man.
>>
>>5343755
>Instruct the Apprentice to lay off—you will offer the Eldest Dwarf and his people the opportunity for cooperation and further mercy before resorting to more violence
>>
>>5343755

>Play against one another—good conqueror/bad conqueror—to encourage the old dwarf to trust you as a source of mercy and respite.

We need to keep the dwarfs off balance, make em believe that we're not unified on how to treat them, in order to psych them into sucking up to us.
>>
>>5344127
+1
>>
>>5343755
>Play against one another—good conqueror/bad conqueror—to encourage the old dwarf to trust you as a source of mercy and respite
>>
File: 81264.jpg (46 KB, 285x475)
46 KB
46 KB JPG
Rolled 19, 11, 14, 5 = 49 (4d20)

>>5344242
>>5344148
>>5344127
>>5344010
>>5343953
>>5343860
>>5343788
>>5343774
>>5343768
>>5343763
>>5343760
“Apprentice Pit-Guard,” you address the Steeltalon sharply, “show care. This elder is vital to our plans… For our people, and for his.”

The Apprentice looks almost affronted for a moment, but bows his head and steps back.

“Apologiesss,” you address the Eldest Dwarf in the trade-tongue you two share. “Ssit, or sstand, asss you ssee fit.”

He glowers at you darkly, and asks: “Do you think feigning basic courtesy will make me forget what you did to my brothers, my brother’s sons? Do you think me a FOOL, lizardman?”

“Dragon, actually,” you reply coolly, “and no, dwarf. I do not think you a fool. I think you wise enough to underssstand that, while those ssons and nephewsss are dead and gone, your sisssters, daughtersss and sspawn yet ssurvive. If you do not appreciate my courtesssy, perhaps they yet might. Even if it isss feigned, it isss better than naked cruelty, yess?”

DC 17; dwarves are honourable, stubborn, and hold grudges... And you DID do a bit of genocide recently.
>>
File: FX4SckNX0AMayxI.jpg (3.91 MB, 4000x2500)
3.91 MB
3.91 MB JPG
>>5344326
The Eldest Dwarf is not exactly FRIENDLY after this, but his hard-edged demeanour cracks a little. You see understanding dawn on him that, if he were to stick to his principles and die a defiant death, it would mean torture, mutilation, and terror filling the final moments of every female and child now in his protection. He is short—rhetorically as physically—and perfunctory, and you sense shame in him…

>19

But he tells you what you want to know.

There are a dozen more company-towns scattered throughout the Bloodrise, belonging to one of four corporate sovereignties. Each of them is dedicated primarily to the mining of orichalcum, with the gems or other metals varying beneath each fort and of secondary importance.

“The land holding itself is most important of all,” he tells you gruffly. “We… Hoped to expand, to make a place for our families, where we could live, grow, trade…”

He stares at you, hate in his eyes.

“And then we attacked,” you acknowledge. “Yesss… It musst sseem a terrible thing. But thiss wass our land, firsst.”

“You aren’t dragons!” he shouts, losing himself in a fit of trembling rage for a moment. “The dragons are all dead, lizard! You have no right to—"

“We are their heirsss,” you answer calmly. “Tell me, why do you covet thisss orichalcum sso greatly? I underssatnd that it sstores and channels magic readily, but… What usesss did you mean to put it toward? Sssimply the creation of weaponsss?”

The Eldest Dwarf calms himself somewhat, though his voice ye quakes with repressed rage for a time.

“Orichalcum is not merely useful for making weapons,” he answers. “It can be used as a sort of… Reservoir. A sink, into which magic can be poured, stored, and then drawn upon as needed. A structure with orichalcum struts, and filled with magic, is practically a living thing. It can be enchanted with a single defensive spell, and armorued with magical protection as easily as a dwarf can cast a spell of protection upon himself. A mechanism made with orichalcum gears and plating can be enchanted as if its entire body was a single weapon. And more than that… It can be cooled, heated… Electrified. The great dwarven technologist Ondael Blazingbeard realized what this meant: lighting, heating, cooling, all with such simple spellcraft an elven whelp could run a castle on his farts.”

You stare blankly for a while, not really understanding.

“Lizard, are you slow?” he asks, impetuously. “I’m talking about—”
>>
>>5344351
“A self-contained realm, a kingdom of perpetual light, perfectly-optimized temperature, where food can be grown and maintained in a perfect, artificial climate,” the North-Merchant blurts out, in your native tongue. “A self-sufficient kingdom, with no need to trade!”

“That isn’t possible,” the Translator scoffs. “The amount of magic needed, the amount of orichalcum…”

“An abundance of orichalcum would greatly reduce the amount of magic required to maintain such spells, properly applied,” the North-merchant notes. “I mean… Assuming the dwarf speaks truly. I admit I am… No mage.”

But you are. The Novice Fleshweaver is, also… And, despite yoru natural talent for elementalism, her own theoretical understanding greatly exceeds your own. You suddenly regret her absence attending to the wounded. She would know if these dwarven fantasies are realistic or merely mammalian illogic.

“So-called Dragon, have I not answered your question?” the Eldest Dwarf interrupts your contemplation.

“How much orichalcum is there, in the Bloodrisssse?”

He sighs, and shrugs.

“More than is normal,” he answers, “but we don’t know. We think the… History here, the deaths of dragons and their ilk… Bled magic into this place, enriched the iron and copper. Just not sure how rich.”

As far as you’re concerned, then, it really IS your race’s wealth, by right. The question is… What to do about the dwarves who are stealing it. Most of them will have to wait before you can deal with them, but there is still the matter of the one standing before you… And his fellow corporate citizens, the females and children of the raided fort.

What will you do with the Eldest Dwarf?
>He has served his purpose, and his hatred for you runs deep; grant him the mercy of a swift death
>Torture him, and publicly sacrifice him to the Dark Gods, as an example to the others
>Send him back to the prison, lest you require his counsel again

What of the females and their spawn?
>Put them to work as chattel slaves—a female dwarf is still stout, strong, and hardy, and they will be useful in re-opening the kobolds’ mines and reexacavating your people’s ruins
>Sell them to the Bogbarri and Drow—let them be THEIR problem, not yours
>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, to die
>Use them as hostages, to negotiate a meeting with the other dwarves of Bloodrise

And lastly, what will become of this place—their fort?
>Reopen it, and populate it with kobolds and/or dwarven slaves—let them harvest the wealth here for your new Dark Empire
>Desecrate it, invoking the wrath of the Dark Gods to render it forever a place of foreboding and suffering, and a warning to all invaders
>Offer it, conditionally, to the Drow—a reward for their aid, and to better build your alliance

[Write-ins permitted for all of the above]
>>
>>5344353
>Send him back to the prison, lest you require his counsel again
>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, to die
>Offer it, conditionally, to the Drow—a reward for their aid, and to better build your alliance

Mmmm imagine a bunch of thicc little dwarf women having orgies with the fat ass silkscales in the breeding pit. Let them convert. Also we promise drow territory
>>
>>5344353
>He has served his purpose, and his hatred for you runs deep; grant him the mercy of a swift death

This might be cruel but this should probably be policy with the elders and leaders of the dwarves. They are too dangerous as organizers to be left alive.

>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, to die

I don't know if they will convert but I don't think it's really feasible to keep all the women and children as slaves. It would be feasible for what's leftover of this company town, but not if we want to take all 12 of them. Dwarves are too stubborn and naturally hardy and hold grudges for too long to be a very large slave population. Especially when their captives are mostly kobolds. I think assimilation is best here. It'll be a trial run for this group to see if it's feasible on a larger scale. They're not too dangerous being mostly women and children.

>Offer it, conditionally, to the Drow—a reward for their aid, and to better build your alliance
>>State that the mineral rights are strictly ours, however.

Unless we want to go running back to the chaplain right after this we're going to need a much larger contribution from the Drow to continue taking these company towns. I don't think the Bogbarri are very numerous and the Kobold's are mostly cannon fodder on the battlefield. As long as we get the majority of the Orichalum the Drow can expand their territory to at least just this company town.
>>
>>5344353
>>He has served his purpose, and his hatred for you runs deep; grant him the mercy of a swift death
>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, to die
>Offer it, conditionally, to the Drow—a reward for their aid, and to better build your alliance
>>State that the mineral rights are strictly ours, however.
>>
>>5344378
Full mineral rights might actually be too much and difficult to enforce since they'll be the ones inhabiting the land but I'm sure we can work out something such as a deal where they mine the mineral and we buy them at a reduced price.
>>
>>5344353
>He has served his purpose, and his hatred for you runs deep; grant him the mercy of a swift death
>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, to die
>Offer it, conditionally, to the Drow—a reward for their aid, and to better build your alliance
>>
>>5344353
>He has served his purpose, and his hatred for you runs deep; grant him the mercy of a swift death

>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, to die

>Offer it, conditionally, to the Drow—a reward for their aid, and to better build your alliance
>>
>>5344368
I’ll add mineral hoarding to vote orichalum sound too tasty
>>State that the mineral rights are strictly ours, however
>>
>>5344353
>>Send him back to the prison, lest you require his counsel again
>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, or die
>Reopen it, and populate it with kobolds and/or dwarven slaves—let them harvest the wealth here for your new Dark Empire

We promised Kobold land first after all.
>>
>>5344353
>He has served his purpose, and his hatred for you runs deep; grant him the mercy of a swift death
>Sell them to the Bogbarri and Drow—let them be THEIR problem, not yours
>Reopen it, and populate it with kobolds—let them harvest the wealth here for your new Dark Empire
>>
>>5344353
>Torture him, and publicly sacrifice him to the Dark Gods, as an example to the others
>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, or die- via cattle slavery in the mines and ruins
>Reopen it, and populate it with kobolds and/or dwarven slaves—let them harvest the wealth here for your new Dark Empire
If we can also share it with the Drow, that would be nice. There should be enough room for us both, at least until the next town is conquered.
>Get the Novice’s opinion on the orichalcum and it’s uses
>>
>>5344353
changing vote from >>5344439 to
>He has served his purpose, and his hatred for you runs deep; grant him the mercy of a swift death
>Offer an ultimatum—convert and submit, and gain a form of second-class status in your empire, to die
>Reopen it, and populate it with kobolds—let them harvest the wealth here for your new Dark Empire
I forgot the promise to kobolds
>>
>>5344678
I don't think we actually promised the dwarves any land, though. I think all we promised them was a small share of the loot from the raids, and maybe a guarantee that there ancestral home of bloodrise when they stay now would remain there's.
>>
>>5344680
I don't think we promised the kobolds any land I mean. I think the only land we promised to any of our allies was the Drow
>>
File: 61uVe8frCwL.jpg (102 KB, 907x1360)
102 KB
102 KB JPG
Rolled 3, 19, 13, 16, 1, 20 = 72 (6d20)

>>5344678
>>5344604
>>5344536
>>5344507
>>5344502
>>5344443
>>5344400
>>5344381
>>5344378
>>5344368
“You have anssswered all fo my quesstionsss.”

“Good,” the Eldest Dwarf grunts. “Then I will be returning to—”

He stops short, gasping, and then coughing. Blood splatters the stone as the Apprentice Pit-Guard’s blade pierces him from behind. You rise, drawing your own blade, and looking down at the old mammal with ambivalence.

“You ssserved your purpossse,”you explain, “but your grudges run deep. You are too dangerousss to leave alive.”

Your sword slashes, and his head tumbles from his shoulders. You clean the blade, and instruct your retinue to dispose of the body while you attend to other matters—namely, the remaining dwarves.

You arrive in the former living-quarters of the dwarves, guarded by the Bastard and many a kobold to discourage escape. As you enter the remove, you have the remaining elders removed—three females and another male. They are of the same stripe as the dwarf you just slew: too old, stubborn, bitter, and knowledgeable to be left alive. They would serve as a reminder of the deep past—of the old ways, of freedom from you. Though the younger dwarves wail and clutch at them as you remove these elders, it cannot be helped. For what you have planned, you need a clean slate.

“Ssilenccce!”

Your roar the word and, though you lack the Fearsome Presence to affect such mammals, you achieve much the same effect as you otherwise might.

“You elderss are doomed,” you say simply, “but you… And your children… Are not. Not NECSCESSSSARILY, anyway.”

You stride into their midst, unguarded, enduring the scheming and vengeful glares of the dwarf-women. They are a short sort of woman, mostly-unwashed, with frizzy and rough hair most often styled into braids and joined by such braids or by beads into a curious beard-mimicking hairstyle to keep the hair manageable; despite this, their sexual dimorphism is unmistakable, far moreso than with the elves, with distinct and pronounced curvature of form under their heavy tunics. One area where males and females seem quite alike in this race, though, is in physical strength; you can see muscles beneath their subcutaneous layer of fat, flexing with a desire to tear you limb from limb.

“Let me tell you of my godsss, the Dark Godesss,” you begin, fixing you gaze upon each of them in turn. “In particular… The Mother of Dragonsss. Protector of Eggsss. Goddesss of Motherhood.”

The dwarf-women look suspicious, confused.

“I know little of your culture,” you admit. “I ssee that we have one thing in common, though—ssomething the Divine Mother would approve of: the males came to fight uss on the ssurfacce, in the minesss… But you, you protected the home, the children. The Mother of Dragonsss iss the Goddesss of Home Defencce. She would ressspect what you have achieve here, thisss day, in guarding your home, and your children.”
>>
>>5344378
Supporting

Rather than ‘covert or die’ it should be ‘covert or be doomed to slavery in the darkest mines till they die’

Outright killing them is a waste as I doubt many will covert.

Those who DO covert thought should be made overseers of those who don’t. Love a compliant section of a race oppressing their own…
>>
>>5344764
“…Why are you telling us all this?” demands one dwarf maiden with platinum-blonde hair, nearly white, and amethyst eyes

She shifts from foot to foot and placing her hands on her hips as if to project some sort of authority of her own. Under the circumstances, it does little but draw your attention to the difference in height; she is half your height at best, though more heavily-constructed than a kobold of the same height.

“Becausse I offer an ultimatum,” you explain. “Join uss the Dark Godesss’ worship, and teach your sspawn the sssame, and you will be given dignity, privilegess… In the new Age of Darknesss, your children will have a place.”

“And if we refuse?” she demands.

“You will be killed,” you answer succinctly. “We will take your children from you. We will raisse them in our wayss, regardlessss. Those who do not take to them will be killed, as you were, or worked to death as sslavesss.”

>6d20 rolled for Diplomacy, Intimidation, & Religion

This outspoken dwarf-woman his the impudence to meet your eyes, in spite of your might, in spite of her position. There is rebellion in these mammals… A fierceness of spirit.

>19—success

…But slowly, she nods, and lowers herself to one knee, bowing her head.

>20—CRITICAL success

One by one, the other mothers, daughters, sisters, and their young sons do likewise, those too young to understand instructed and guided by their parents.

“Good,” you say. “Now, join me… In a prayer….”

The Mother Goddess was an obvious choice, under the circumstances, but do you emphasize any other Dark Gods in their teaching?
>The Serpent Ascendant, to encourage these dwarves to keep their admirable fighting spirit—they will be harder to manage, but if you can channel this might they may become a source of great workers and warriors
>The Baleful Beholder, so that their magical and scientific achievements may continue to bear fruit for your Master Race
>The Persecutor of the Weak, who is ideal for enforcing a sense of hierarchy and dependency in a lesser population

[We also have a 50/50 split vote on whether to give the dwarf-fort to the kobolds (under your direct dominion) or the Drow (with mineral rights considerations). Still accepting votes on that!]
>>
>>5344770
>>The Serpent Ascendant, to encourage these dwarves to keep their admirable fighting spirit—they will be harder to manage, but if you can channel this might they may become a source of great workers and warriors
I am biased as I love dwarves, so I'm ok with them being the upper crust of the primate subsociety.
I can get behind the Baleful Beholder though.
>>
>>5344768
[I guess this would have broke the tie on how to use the fort, too! Drow it is.]
>>
>>5344770
>The Baleful Beholder, so that their magical and scientific achievements may continue to bear fruit for your Master Race

We need an elemental magic teacher. I want to learn more moon magic to match our cool sword.
>>
>>5344770
>The Persecutor of the Weak, who is ideal for enforcing a sense of hierarchy and dependency in a lesser population

They are a slave race and will forever be a slave race - better get used to it now

>>5344787
Happy with that.

Make sure it’s confined to only this fort
>>
>>5344770
I see you ReptoidQM
>>
>>5344770
We could use an artisan class in our domains, people to bolster kobold ingenuity and make worthy arms and armor
>>
>>5344770
>The Baleful Beholder, so that their magical and scientific achievements may continue to bear fruit for your Master Race

It's all about magical and scientific advancement, you know

magic nukes when
>>
>>5344770
>The Baleful Beholder, so that their magical and scientific achievements may continue to bear fruit for your Master Race
>>
>>5344770
>>picrel
Damn, I forgot that RQM is a dwarf apprentice.
>The Baleful Beholder, so that their magical and scientific achievements may continue to bear fruit for your Master Race
>>5344836
I agree but I'm also kinda worried they'll get rebellious.
>>
>>5344770
>The Persecutor of the Weak, who is ideal for enforcing a sense of hierarchy and dependency in a lesser population
They can be the upper crust of the mammals, but Reptilian Supremacy is absolute.
>>
>>5344770
>The Serpent Ascendant, to encourage these dwarves to keep their admirable fighting spirit—they will be harder to manage, but if you can channel this might they may become a source of great workers and warriors
>>
>>5344936
>dwarves
>mammalian upper crust
kek
They will be our slaves either way. We don't need a Dark God to keep them in check and after that 20 for obedience it just seems like a waste.
>>
>>5344795
It was a solid quest.
>>
>>5344770
>The Persecutor of the Weak, who is ideal for enforcing a sense of hierarchy and dependency in a lesser population
I mainly just want to work out our funk with the Prosecutor into a positive relationship, but I wouldn’t mind emphasizing the Serpent or the Beholder together as ideals that the dwarves should strive for. I think an energetic worker/warrior spirit and and a focus on intellectual achievements would mesh well with one another.
>>
>>5344770
>The Baleful Beholder, so that their magical and scientific achievements may continue to bear fruit for your Master Race

The persecutor is a cuck we’ll jiggle the ass of many mammal women and make degenerate babies to cuck him
>>
>>5344770
>The Persecutor of the Weak, who is ideal for enforcing a sense of hierarchy and dependency in a lesser population
>>
>>5344770
I’d prefer a mix between the three, just to promote religious factionalism to main our control over them, but if I’m forced to choose only one God…
>The Baleful Beholder, so that their magical and scientific achievements may continue to bear fruit for your Master Race
Because the Serpent already got the Drow, the Beholder already helped us out, we can probably come to a peaceful accord with the Prosecutor, and I’m always a sucker for a magi-tech build in a civilization, just to see what they come up with.

Would prefer to do a mix, cause I do think dwarf factionalism is key to preventing a coordinated rebellion.
>>
>>5344784
>>5344792
>>5344793
>>5344836
>>5344878
>>5344892
>>5344936
>>5344985
>>5345087
>>5345219
>>5345284
>>5345319
Though a Reptilian upper crust will of course take precedence in your new Dragon Kingdom—you doubt the Chaplain would allow anything else, even fi you were so inclined—but you can see the value in this new dwarven project. These dwarves… If they could be made the understand the value of the Dark Gods, and yet their own initiative maintained, could serve as a sort of ‘mammalian intelligentsia’.

“Pointless,” the Novice later scoffed, when you voiced this theory to her. “Their minds are underevolved, simple, emotional. They are rebels-in-waiting. Simply torture them to extract their theories, and then let our own Serpent Priests advance it.”

“Is that you speaking,” you asked her then, “or your father?”

She’d stared at you then, but you simply asked her pointedly: “Will eh assign a single female of your caste to this task, or will eh assign only males, because of their more logical, developed minds?”

That shut her up, replacing her look of incensed outrage with a more thoughtful expression.

So it was that, in your first organized prayer with the dwarves, you introduced them not to the Persecutor of the Weak, but the Master of the Insightful Eye.

“Lead uss to the darkessst depthss, and exposse the ssecretsss hidden there,” you had prayed with them. “Let uss feel the flame, harnessss the heat, which casstss no light.”

The dwarf-women resent you for the deaths of their mates, their fathers. Their children regard you in holy terror. This you know. But given time… Given the chance to influence these people… Their theories of magical-scientific confluence could truly usher in a new age. You truly believe it in your soul!


That is a matter for the future, however. You must live in the here and now… A time of strife and scarcity, in spite of all your victories. In keeping the dwarves alive, you must also feed them. Their own raided provisions are scarcely enough to last them without hunting and foraging, without trading ore to the humans of the valleys below Bloodrise. With their staff ‘reduced’ by your attack, their trade cut-off, their citizens yet too untrustworthy to let into the woods unsupervised, you risk their starvation… or their own. Luckily, you have an idea—a way for one problem to solve another.
>>
>>5345390
“The Drow were promised territory,” you tell your council. “We will provide it to them. The magic items, the mineral wealth… These are to be ours, in large part, with a share to the kobolds. The meat, and what gold and gems they made off with, can go to the Bogbarri. But this dwarven company-town… It is now the purview of the Drow.”

“Superior One, with all due respect, do you truly believe an enclave of mammals in our own ancestral lands is wise? An adjoining underdark empire, semi-subject to us… This can be easily caged and controlled. But if they start to intermingle openly with our populace, to occupy outposts all throughout our range here… What will the Priesthood say?”

“I will handle that,” you say, feigning confidence. “They will understand.”

It is, after all, only a single outpost… And it makes providing for the dwarves, and managing their labour, as much a Drow problem as a Reptilian one. And splitting authority and territory among your mammalian (and kobold) pawns, encouraging different divine allegiances... Such factionalism will help preclude a coordinated rebellion, or so you theorize. Divide and conquer, right?

A hundred further questions buffet you from all sides—kobold concerns of being sidelined, Reptilian concerns of future mammalian rebellion and proposals for population control, questions about how orichalcum will be managed and sued once mined… It all begins to overwhelm you. You abruptly end the meeting, excusing yourself.

You spend your evening…
>Alone, in prayerful meditation, seeking divine guidance
>With the Novice, head once more in her lap—it was the best rest you’ve had in some time, after all
>With a thick dwarven concubine—your personal spoils from the raid
>Drinking to the memory of the fallen Infiltrator Paeris, and reflecting on the toll of war
>Write-in
>>
>>5345392
>Alone, in prayerful meditation, seeking divine guidance

we really should pick a patron already
>>
>>5345392
>Drinking to the memory of the fallen Infiltrator Paeris, and reflecting on the toll of war
>>
>>5345392
>Alone, in prayerful meditation, seeking divine guidance
>>
>>5345392
>With a thick dwarven concubine—your personal spoils from the raid
>Drinking to the memory of the fallen Infiltrator Paeris, and reflecting on the toll of war

Drink with a dwarf between our legs
>>
>>5345392
>Alone, in prayerful meditation, seeking divine guidance
>>
>>5345392
>With the Novice, head once more in her lap—it was the best rest you’ve had in some time, after all
>>
>>5345392
>Alone, in prayerful meditation, seeking divine guidance
>>
>>5345392
>Alone, in prayerful meditation, seeking divine guidance
>>
>>5345392
>>Alone, in prayerful meditation, seeking divine guidance
>>
>>5345400
>>5345402
>>5345404
>>5345422
>>5345444
>>5345446
>>5345461
>>5345479
>>5345486

You set aside your companions, your ambitions, even your <appetite>, to commit to solitude and to meditations. As you have on several previous occasions before torpor, you light a candle, and speak the words:

“Oh Lords and Ladies of Eternity and Infinity, oh Lords of the Endless Black, oh Ladies of the Deep Flame. It is I, your prince! It is I, your servant! Your first among sons and daughters beseeches you, and I offer up this great tribute, in hopes you will hear me, and guide me, and make me a part of your Grand Design.”

For a time there is a deep quietude. Then, the candle flares, and sputters, and belches for a faintly-bluish smoke I plausible buffets that cascade out and spiral up into a latticework of tendrils and tenacles. The remaining fire of the candle’s wick becomes a single unblinking, all-seeing eye.

“You bring me a tribute of dwerrow—of dwarven-folk.”

It is the whispering voice of the Master of eh Insightful Eye, God of Secret Knowledge, also called The Baleful Beholder. It is a voice from within and without, appropriate for a gaze that so pierces and transfixes you, and tentacles of smoke which so invade your every sense.

“You gave me a great boon,” you reply, recalling the self-knowledge which the Dark God of Dark Truth granted you—the realization that you desire admiration, respect, and the recognition and love of a community above all else. Maybe THIS is why you spared the dwarf-spawn and their mothers. “I return the favour.”

“Your own mother could never bring herself to harm a child,” the Beholder muses. “Instead, she shaped them—yourself include—into something she could be proud of. You really are quite like her.”

Your mother… A creature unknown to you, a half-human Degenerate. It is not the first time the Dark Gods have brought her up in your interactions.

“You seek guidance, and you do not come empty-handed,” the God of Wisdom acknowledges. “I shall grant it. What do you seek?”

You hesitate. A part of you has been considering, ever since this particular Dark God gave you the gift of understanding, becoming a champion to him. On your last occasion, however, he laughed, and rejected you—he felt you were already a part of his plan, without such formalities or commitments. Will he accept you now? Is this deity truly the one to which you would pledge your everlasting self—your dragon-soul? You cannot help but reflect that you do not actually know what Grand Design he works towards…

What do you ask? Choose one:
>Ask what the Grand Design of the Baleful Beholder entails
>Ask what one could do, to become the Antipaladin of the God of Knowledge
>Ask about your mother, the children she spared, and the man who killed her
>Ask about the magic of the dwarves, and how to make it your own
>Ask where Paeris’ soul now resides
>Ask something else [write-in]
>>
>>5345497
>Ask what the Grand Design of the Baleful Beholder entails
>>
>>5345497
>Ask where Paeris’ soul now resides

Paeris was my dawg hope he’s in a good place
>>
>>5345497
This god is cool and all but I don’t trust it scheming types are always screwy
>>
>>5345497
>Ask about your mother, the children she spared, and the man who killed her
>Ask where Paeris’ soul now resides

I'm fine with either or. Both are the same level of want so I don't care between choosing between the two.
>>
>>5345497
>Ask about your mother, the children she spared, and the man who killed her
Ismena :c
>>
>>5345497
>Ask something else. [write-in]
>-The abilities of and proper usage of your elven moon blade.
>>
>>5345497
>Ask where Paeris’ soul now resides

We’ll learn about mommy’s death after intense torture of her killer.
>>
>>5345497
>Ask about the magic of the dwarves, and how to make it your own
Cmon what are we? Mammals?
We need results to present to the chaplain
>>
>>5345583
Part mammal, yes.
>>
>>5345497
>Ask about your mother, the children she spared, and the man who killed her
>>
>>5345497
>Ask about the magic of the dwarves, and how to make it your own
We really should take purple eyes as our concubine, if only because having a master dwarf smith devoted to the Beholder would be pure value to our future endeavors with Bloodrise.
>>
>>5345596
-1
>>
>>5345497
>Ask what the Grand Design of the Baleful Beholder entails
Mainly to satisfy my curiosity. I’m also fine with Dworfmagik and Mom options.

>>5345596
I think adding a divinely inspired dwarf tinkerer to our retinue would be rad. Certainly would be more useful than the kobold members of our retinue.
>>
>>5345497
>Ask where Paeris’ soul now resides
>>
>>5345504
>>5345511
>>5345563
>>5345571
>>5345576
>>5345577
>>5345583
>>5345595
>>5345596
>>5345639
>>5345715
“Oh Dark One, tell me… What do you know of the fallen Infiltrator, the Degenerate called ‘Paeris’, and his fate?”

The creeping smoke encircles you, the eye fixates upon you. You sense confusion, maybe even disappointment.

“You ask for precious little in return for what you’ve offered up,” the Dark God of Knowledge says.

You aren’t sure what to say in response to that. Should you… Change your request? Ask for something else in addition.

“And yet,” the Baleful One continues, “you weigh it greatest of the many questions you wish to ask. Very well, you shall have your answer.”

The smoke begins to swirl about you, to billow in great clouds until you are at the centre of an acrid and ashen hurricane. You squeeze both sets of eyelids shut, cover your nose automatically, but you do not cry out. When you feel this whirlwind subsiding, you dare to open your eyelids, and then your underlying membranes, and you see…

“What is this?”

You hover in open air—an exhilarating feeling that speaks to your flight-starved spirit, over an unknown realm. At its centre is a rising citadel—a broad-based, twisting spire coming to a single great lookout-point. It grows and sprouts like a curling horn of some great beast from a woodland unlike that out the Bloodrise—a blackened forest full of thorny leaves and blood-red fruits, the branches of which climb the single great structure like creeping ivy climbs some trees in the more natural woodlands which you have recently trekked. There is no wind here, no rustling or animal-noise—just eerie quiet. There is light, but scarce light, and an alien light; each of the trees, and the central tower itself, all reach up, and up, unendingly towards a single great star—too small to be son or moon, too brilliant to be any lesser star with which you are familiar.

“Where am I?” you ask, but the Master does not answer.

You do, however, see movement in the woods at the base of the tower. As you watch it with curiosity, three figures emerge: Infiltrator Paeris, but also the dark elf Ranger-Captain called Epharidan, and the other Drow who died in the assassination squad—Isstran, you think? You call out to them, but they do not respond—perhaps do not hear you. However, they each seem to know where they are going and, as you observe them, they enter a doorway at the base of the tower and begin to ascend. They quickly leave your sight, hidden by the Tower’s exterior.

You wait in a curiously anxious silence for a length of time you cannot measure—maybe an instant, maybe a year. Finally, one by one, these three dead warriors emerge from the tower, at its very pinnacle. At the pinnacle, they all gaze upon the star, and lift their hands to it. Gradually, it descends, taking on a familiar bodyplan—two arms, two legs, a head. An elf?
>>
>>5345738
“I do not understand,” you hiss. “What are the elves doing here? Is this… Some elven afterlife?”

Your heart sinks to think that Paeris would abandon your people’s faith, or that the once-godless Drow would return to their own gods-of-old, who betrayed them, rather than embrace the new faith which you brought to them. Are their souls the purview of some foreign God of Light, to be damned in the Age of Darkness to come? Have you failed them, lost them to an unknown elf-god?

>NOT QUITE.

You recognize the voice—a voice like an erupting volcano, like an exploding star. It rocks your entire being, and you see that the shining star-god who now embraces the three elves has set his sights on you, even as the three dead elf-men seem ignorant of your presence.

“The Serpent Ascendant?”

Indeed, it is his voice emanating from this ephemeral elf-being, with silver skin and wearing a cloak of feathers coloured gold in some places and blood red in others. Upon his head sits a crown of bones and blood, and further feathers. His form is unfamiliar, mammalian, but…

>CORRECT.

…But it is him.

>I AM NO GOD OF LIGHT, BUT THANKS IN PART TO YOU, I AM A GOD OF ELVES.

You understand now, as the Serpent Ascendant takes the three dead assassins and begins to rise, up into the empty and dark sky above. These three males who died in service to their ambition and to yours, who died gloriously and at a moment of astounding success, and you fought and struggled to the end, are to dwell in the Eternal Darkness of the Black Sky, where son, moon, and stars hold no sway, and the only light eternal is The God of Glory.

You awake, having entered torpor at some point, to find the Master of the Insightful Eye gone, the candle burned down. You slept in an uncomfortable pose, legs crossed and sitting upright, and yet you feel… Not just refreshed, but satisfied. You know that Paeris has achieved a reward to which many Reptilians aspire. Not only that, your faith has gained some traction with the souls of the dark elves! But… What does this new transformation of The Serpent Ascendant and his realm mean, for your own race?
>>
>>5345740

Alas, there is no Dark God to ask, and duty beckons you elsewhere.

You have decided, is your wisdom, to gift the dwarven company-town to the Drow—with conditions, of curse, chief among them access to the mineral rights of the structure in some form. What form will that take?
>First right of refusal, and favourable trade terms, for any orichalcum mined there—they may own the mines and their fruits, but you want to be able to control the trade and export somewhat
>A straight tax—this is your realm, and any Drow living in Bloodrise proper are to be treated as denizens of your Dragon Kingdom, and will offer up a portion of their spoils as a duty
>All the mineral rights are yours, and ONLY yours, and IF you are feeling generous you may see fit to regift them a share of the minerals they extract in YOUR realm
>Write-in

This offer—and the death of the Ranger-Captain and the other Drow assassin, will also need to be communicated. Many mammals also have curious death-rituals, and expectations of having their bodies repatriated in some fashion to their kin. Who shall do this duty?
>Send Oluwadamilare, who has good relations with the leader of the dark elf encampment—you must remain here, to lead the campaign against the dwarves and oversee your new servants
>Go in-person, to pay your respects, lead negotiations, and perhaps to negotiate further material aid or more elven warriors
>Write-in
>>
>>5345497
>Ask about your mother, the children she spared, and the man who killed her

What of our…cousin?
>>
>>5345745
[Sorry, anon. Maybe next time!]
>>
>>5345741
>First right of refusal, and favourable trade terms, for any orichalcum mined there—they may own the mines and their fruits, but you want to be able to control the trade and export somewhat
>Go in-person, to pay your respects, lead negotiations, and perhaps to negotiate further material aid or more elven warriors
>>
>>5345741
>A straight tax—this is your realm, and any Drow living in Bloodrise proper are to be treated as denizens of your Dragon Kingdom, and will offer up a portion of their spoils as a duty
>Go in-person, to pay your respects, lead negotiations, and perhaps to negotiate further material aid or more elven warriors
>>
>>5345741
>first right
>send olu
>>
>>5345741
>First right of refusal, and favourable trade terms, for any orichalcum mined there—they may own the mines and their fruits, but you want to be able to control the trade and export somewhat
>Send Oluwadamilare, who has good relations with the leader of the dark elf encampment—you must remain here, to lead the campaign against the dwarves and oversee your new servants
>>
>>5345741
>First right of refusal, and favourable trade terms, for any orichalcum mined there—they may own the mines and their fruits, but you want to be able to control the trade and export somewhat
>Go in-person, to pay your respects, lead negotiations, and perhaps to negotiate further material aid or more elven warriors
If possible, bring the Thief with us. His presence will be a VERY valuable asset for negotiations after he made this motherfucking suicide mission possible and nearly paid for it with his life. Proof of reptilian supremacy, if you will.
We also need to get him the best set of dwarven daggers we can find.

>wasted opportunity to learn about Ismena for some abstract aztec temple shit
;-;
>>
>>5345741
>All the mineral rights are yours, and ONLY yours, and IF you are feeling generous you may see fit to regift them a share of the minerals they extract in YOUR realm
>Send Oluwadamilare, who has good relations with the leader of the dark elf encampment—you must remain here, to lead the campaign against the dwarves and oversee your new servants
>>
>>5345741
>All the mineral rights are yours, and ONLY yours, and IF you are feeling generous you may see fit to regift them a share of the minerals they extract in YOUR realm
>Go in-person, to pay your respects, lead negotiations, and perhaps to negotiate further material aid or more elven warriors

>anons waste extremely valuable knowledge on something that doesn’t benefit us
As much as Paeris was a chad, he ain’t coming back ya doofuses.
>>
[A close vote on whether to lead the war effort or visit the Drow! Just to clarify, this will likely determine whether the next leg of the quest is spent on empire-building and military campaigning, or on intrigue, diplomacy, and matters of personal honour among the elven court!]
>>
>>5345741
>First right of refusal, and favourable trade terms, for any orichalcum mined there—they may own the mines and their fruits, but you want to be able to control the trade and export somewhat
>Send Oluwadamilare, who has good relations with the leader of the dark elf encampment—you must remain here, to lead the campaign against the dwarves and oversee your new servants
>>
>>5345741
What a waste of a question…

>First right of refusal, and favourable trade terms, for any orichalcum mined there—they may own the mines and their fruits, but you want to be able to control the trade and export somewhat

>Send Oluwadamilare, who has good relations with the leader of the dark elf encampment—you must remain here, to lead the campaign against the dwarves and oversee your new servants

Tell him to relay our vision to them - it may as well serve some purpose

Their honoured dead were embraced by the Dark Gods in the afterlife
>>
>>5345740
>All the mineral rights are yours, and ONLY yours, and IF you are feeling generous you may see fit to regift them a share of the minerals they extract in YOUR realm
>Go in-person, to pay your respects, lead negotiations, and perhaps to negotiate further material aid or more elven warriors
Anons voted to be a pussy diplomat, and now want to waste our upgrade? Fuck that, I want it known that it was us offering them such a sweet deal instead of that useless degenerate that lucked out with the Drow Princess.
>>
>>5345741
>First right of refusal, and favourable trade terms, for any orichalcum mined there—they may own the mines and their fruits, but you want to be able to control the trade and export somewhat
>Go in-person, to pay your respects, lead negotiations, and perhaps to negotiate further material aid or more elven warriors
>>
File: Image.jpg (31 KB, 223x310)
31 KB
31 KB JPG
>>5345757
>>5345773
>>5345817
>>5345826
>>5345902
>>5345907
>>5346137
>>5346275
>>5346317
>>5346380
>>5346406
You opt to deliver the good news yourself: your very generous offer of a dwarven slave-mine to the Drow, with only a first-right-of-refusal and a fvaourable trade deal attached. It cost lives, it’s true—Reptilian, Drow, Bogbarri—but it was worth it. Further, after your vision, you know you have something else to bring to the dark elves; the good news of a fife beyond death in a realm of eternal glory, for all the noble dead!

You’re also well-ware that this might be a difficult sell to atheists without tangible proof, especially while attempting to recruit more of them to potentially-lethal missions, which is why you decide a personal touch might be best. It’s also why you opt to bring dwarven slaves, and samples of the various mined materials, back with you as evidence and tribute.
>>
>>5346615
It will be a four-day travel each way between the Bloodrise base and the Drow forward camp, at bare minimum. This means you will be away a week, and only days after starting a war.

“We know from your interrogation that there are two more dwarfs settlements which share corporate ownership,” the South-Merchant stresses to you during one council-meeting. “We MUST have a plan for what to do if they send a messenger or envoy.”

“We should simply strike at the other two settlements of this corporation—these ‘Blackmantle Corporation’ dwarves,” declares the Bastard. “The corporations are rivals. If we dominate this entire faction, the others will not thin the lack of communication is odd. We can then rest easy until yoru return.”

“The risk is too great,” the Translator angsts. “The Dragonborn is our mightiest warrior, OBVIOUSLY, and without him…”

Without you, they risk defeat and death. Worse, they risk disorganization and dishonour, and any male who takes charge will carry the burden of difficult decisions, and the shame of any failed command.

“What would you have us do, then?” the Pit-Guard asks, scoffing. “If the other dwarves come calling, do we simply… Pretend not to be home?”

“We COULD have the slaves play at freedom,” the South-Merchant muses, albeit without great enthusiasm.

“Females we have scarcely domesticated, just PRETENDING their males are too busy to respond to communications?” asks the incredulous Novice. “Not instead, for example, REVEALING our actions and inviting their saviors to liberate them from bondage? Are you absolutely—”

“Well, we have their children hostage,” the North-Merchant notes. “Would they dare speak out against us, knowing we would immediately slay their spawn?”

The Novice glares at him, simply concluding: “Idiotic.”

“Kobolds can take blame.”
>>
File: index.jpg (15 KB, 297x170)
15 KB
15 KB JPG
>>5346618
You all turn to look to Ivno, your kobold retinue-member.

“Ah… If we leave evidence, dwarves will think big-big raid… Successful in ways other raids fail, but still just kobold-raid. Maybe they come seeking us.”

“We dig deep,” Agno interjects (our of turn, as your servant). “They either not find, or die in our home, or are captured—more slaves.”

You scratch at your chin spines idly, considering the proposals. The Cartographer and Pit-Guard’s Apprentice remain silent, too prudent or indifferent to contribute. The Thief… He is still recovering from his ordeal, and must sadly sit out this meeting, while Oluwadamilare is excitedly preparing for the return journey—essentially assuming, without your explicit say-so, that you will bring him with you as a diplomatic attaché due to his ‘connection’ with the Drow Princess Jazkarmel.

What will you command your forces to do in your absence?
>Hold tight, and exercise caution—if free dwarves come calling, bluff them
>Retreat with your slaves to the kobolds’ caverns, and lay defensive traps
>Take proactive action against the other Balckmantle Corporation company towns, conquering the other two if they can
>Write-in

Who will you bring with you, on your diplomatic pilgrimage to the Drow? The Elf-Specialist (and Glowie) already await you there, and the surviving Drow assassins are already a given.
[Choose as many, or as few, as you like]
>The Novice Fleshweaver
>The Translator
>The Cartographer
>The Thief
>The Bastard
>The Pit-Guard
>The Pit-Guard’s Apprentice
>Oluwadamilare the Archer
>The Junior Novice
>Agno
>Ivno
>The North-Merchant
>The South-Merchant
>The Junior Novice
>Travel alone with the drow and dwarven slaves
>>
>>5346621
>Collapse the passageways to the company town using <Earth Tremor>. Make the blockage as dense as possible.
>>Have the Novice fabricate amulets of disguise as fast as she can to take on dwarven forms while any messengers sent are delayed by the blockage.

>Oluwadamilare the Archer
>The Cartographer
>The Junior Novice
>The Pit-Guard’s Apprentice
>Agno

It won't seem odd to the other company towns that this company town hasn't sent any messengers if the passage ways are blocked. Hopefully the blockage will also delay any messengers sent to them for a sufficient amount of time for the Novice to assemble a decent amulet of disguise. Only thing I'm worried about is the language and accents if a messenger shows up before we're back, but we can have the Translator work overtime on the dwarf langauge.

As for who we're taking Olu is an obvious choice and The Cartographer will map out Drow lands for us. Agno can come to serve as a mouthpiece for Kobold interest (and to make sure he isn't a malcontent while we're gone). Pit-Guard is still recovering so it's probably best for him to come with us on a diplomatic mision and get a chance to recover. The Junior Novice... For funsies and to continue his training.
>>
>>5346646
Actually add
>The South-Merchant
to the list. He should advise us on any trade deals there.
>>
>>5346621
I like the kobold raid bluff plan. I'm assuming this one is the corresponding option but please switch this to >Retreat if that's actually the one Ivno is proposing. Agno can suck tits.

>Hold tight, and exercise caution—if free dwarves come calling, bluff them
>Oluwadamilare the Archer
>The Cartographer
>The Pit-Guard’s Apprentice
>Agno
>The South-Merchant
>>
>>5346621
>>5346621
>Take proactive action against the other Balckmantle Corporation company towns, conquering the other two if they can

>The Novice Fleshweaver
>The Translator
>The Thief
>The Bastard
>The Pit-Guard
>Ivno
>The North-Merchant
>>
>>5346652
[Ivno is proposing taking the slaves, abandoning the settlement until the Drow come to claim it, and hiding out in a trap-laden kobold-warren until your return.]
>>
>>5346646
+1
>>
>>5346621
>Collapse the passageways to the company town using <Earth Tremor>. Make the blockage as dense as possible.
>>Have the Novice fabricate amulets of disguise as fast as she can to take on dwarven forms while any messengers sent are delayed by the blockage.

>Oluwadamilare the Archer

Only him because we need to jiggle some fat elf ass and others will judge
>>
>>5346705
+1
>>
>>5346621
>Collapse the passageways to the company town using <Earth Tremor>. Make the blockage as dense as possible.
>>Have the Novice fabricate amulets of disguise as fast as she can to take on dwarven forms while any messengers sent are delayed by the blockage.

>Oluwadamilare the Archer
>>
>>5346646
>>5346651
Supporting this
>>
>>5346621
>Collapse the passageways to the company town using <Earth Tremor>. Make the blockage as dense as possible.
>Hold tight, and exercise caution—if free dwarves come calling, bluff them

>The Novice Fleshweaver
>The Thief
>Agno
>One or both of the Merchants
>The Junior Novice
If we personally are leaving, we should leave most of our capable fighters here. Oluwadamilare is our only range fighter (Ranger?), and one of the best equipped, so he’d be more useful here that with the diplomatic party if our Diplomat Dragon is going personally. Novice’s insight into magic would be useful, the Mechants would advise us on economic matters, and Ango and Jr are to dangerous to be left alone (unless we’re putting Ango in charge of Jr, which would be funny to watch). Cartographer should remain here, to scout out the dwarf fortress and immediate area. The Thief can rest in the Drow lands, and if we’re doing espionage, he’d be of significant help in that department when he’s recovered. The rest of our fighters are needed to hold down the fort.
>>
You guys recall Paeris and co died from us using Earth Tremor while they were inside the dorf fort, yes?
>>
>>5346870
They didn't die because of us. Our attack only blocked the mineshaft leading to the town below...
>And down below that, the mines—tunnels stretching down and out, into the mountain below.
>And in that place, where the tunnels meet the main column of the vertical column (...), you find the scene of the battle below—where dwarves, Drow, Bogbarri, and Reptilians made a final stand.
>“We targeted the leadership next, slew many of them before the defenders could move from the outside to the inside… But they outnumbered us, outfought us.”
They died from engaging in lethal combat with testosterone midgets, I think we simply overreacted at first, thinking the d20 actually fell down onto their heads.
>>
>>5346880
I think we were supposed to get a chance to save them after collapsing but we crit failed on the athletics roll.
>>
>>5346621
>Hold tight, and exercise caution—if free dwarves come calling, bluff them
We can solo it.
>>
>>5346621
>>5346928
>Travel alone with the drow and dwarven slaves
It’d be a proper challenge, worthy of the Serpent Ascendant.
>>
>>5346885
But we didn't kill them by accident.
>>
>>5346621
>Collapse the passageways to the company town using <Earth Tremor>. Make the blockage as dense as possible.
>Have the Novice fabricate amulets of disguise as fast as she can to take on dwarven forms while any messengers sent are delayed by the blockage.

She has enough captive dwarfs to use now

>Oluwadamilare the Archer
>The Cartographer
>Agno

B team squad
>>
>>5346944
>>5346933
>>5346928
>>5346880
>>5346857
>>5346832
>>5346796
>>5346788
>>5346764
>>5346715
>>5346705
>>5346652
>>5346651
>>5346646
You opt to take three members of your retinue with you… Or, well, two-and-a-half, you suppose. Firstly, you will bring the Cartographer, to map whatever you discover of the outcast elves’ subterranean realm, and Agno—the ‘and-a-half’, since he is not formally a member of your retinue but Is ALSO too much of a rabble-rouser to be left to his own devices in your absence. In addition to them, Olu the Archer is an obvious choice. The Degenerate’s assumptions are correct: his diplomatic and romantic inroads are invaluable. You still do not now what exactly the title of ‘Princess’ entails in Drow culture, out in implies importance inherent to Jazkarmel beyond being a leader of the forward base… And Oluwadamilare has been rutting with her and developed an obvious mutual affinity.

Reflecting on such connections brings your mind to the matter of your own such close connections… And thus, to the Novice Fleshweaver. You’ve never mated, of course, and the degree to which she is even interested in such when her heat cycle begins is unclear… But you HAVE developed a certain mutual closeness from your initial acrimonious rivalry. Now, alas, you must leave her behind.

“Seems sensible to me,” she sniffs, utterly unbothered by the announcement. “There is much for me to research here.”

“Actually,” you segue, “I had an idea for how you might apply your talents in my absence.”

“I will humour your layman’s suggestion,” she comments dryly.

When you tell her your plan, however, she does indeed see the wisdom of it.

“We have more than enough material,” she acknowledges, “IF the dwarven females will let us collect their male offspring’s blood.”

“They will have little choice,” you assert. “Just leave them alive. Let us not spur them to outrage and revolt if we can help it.”

“If we put down such a revolt, I will have more materials to work with,” the Novice muses.

You glare at her.

“What?” she asks, defensively. “I do not PLAN to provoke one. I am merely… Planning contingencies.”

“Right,” you sigh.

“Anyway, we have enough of the OTHER materials Amulets of Disguise—precious metals, gems—for me to construct many of these, given time… But most of us do not speak he dwarf-tongue. We will still be a poor bluff.”

“The Translator and North-Merchant may be some help in that regard,” you say with a shrug. “As for buying you time, and decreasing the likelihood of you needing to put your LACKLUSTRE linguistic skills to the test…”

You have a plan for that, also—a plan involving the expending of much of the next day, and critically all your energy, in casting <Earth Tremor> and <Wall of Stone> to collapse and block off every way in and out of the fort.
>>
>>5346991
“Our food reserves remain an issue,” the Novice notes. “If you delay in returning, we will starve… or be forced to desperate measures.”

“Is this your way of telling em you will miss me, Novice Fleshweaver?"

“You do not have an excellent record of punctuality or of staying on-mission, Oh Easily-distracted One.”

“I will not be late,” you repeat. “How long do I have?”

“We have provisions to last us just under a month,” the Novice Fleshweaver answers. “After that, the dwarves will last our race another month, perhaps, and the kobolds another month after that.”

“See that you avoid depleting our vassals if you can,” you sigh.

“See that you are not late,” she reiterates.

You take one more spell of torpor to refresh your energy levels and recuperate your spells. Then, you depart: One Dragonborn, a Silkscale, an Degenerate, a Bloodrise Kobold, two fire-lizards (the basilisk requires too much constant attention to keep in good behaviour), and two dwarven slaves…

>NPC CREATION GAME (Courtesy of Schizo QM of Goblin Assassin Quest)
Name:
Appearance:
Experiences/Skills:

[Keep it short and simple. Include some form of reference picture if you’d like. Must be a dwarf, and must be old/lame, female, or quite young. Two of these will be chosen – either those with multiple votes which warrant it, or I’ll roll for it.]
>>
File: 1658417816558.png (124 KB, 210x330)
124 KB
124 KB PNG
>>5346994
Name: Korgan
Appearance: Picrel, short
Experiences/Skills: Berserker, Warhammer +2, Axe +4, Despises and disses mentally weak characters to build their character

Am I old if I played that, RQM?
>>
>>5346994
Name: Kaizo "the stonesniffer"
Appearance: Used to be very muscular at some point? Walks with a cane because his left leg was destroyed in a minning accident
Experiences/Skills: decades spent in the mines looking for ores, if ifs there he'll find it. Geologist rp, licking the rocks and all
>>
>>5346994
Name: Karz
Appearance: Quite young, lacks the trademark beard that distinguishes all dwarves.
Experiences/Skills: Dwarven Throatsinging. He has an unusually deep voice that seems to resonate deeply in your bones once he sings. You can also sense a trace of magic in his voice, unrecognized by Karz.
>>
>>5347148
>>5347056
+1
>>
>>5346994
Name: Davora
Appearance: Long-haired dwarf woman that wears her hair in twin braids. She has a very large ass that is a mixture of muscle and fat, it jiggles slightly with each movement she makes. You think you’ve heard a clap when she jumped once.
Experiences/Skills: Herbalist. Served as the towns de-facto healer with homemade herbal remedies.

>>5347386
+1
>>
>>5347386
>>5347400
I’ll +1 these, I don’t want to slow us down like that one elder kobold did.
>>
>>5347386
>>5347400
Support
I wasn’t going to vote for a woman but the jump clap was funny.
>>
File: Untitled.png (3 KB, 700x78)
3 KB
3 KB PNG
>>5347501
>>5347500
>>5347400
>>5347388
>>5347386
>>5347148
>>5347056
Vote locked! Post incoming ASAP.

>>5347056
You and me both, anon.
>>
>>5346994
Yule and Akron, a daughter-father pair of very experienced and well-traveled geologists. The father knows engineering and barters quite well, and the daughter is known for her luck, and skill with magic and tinkering.

>>5347519
Ah, maybe these guys will come up later then. Royal Rumble is still one of my favorite quests, despite my disappointment with the QM.
>>
>>5347519
The older dwarves were a liability you couldn’t afford to leave unchecked. As such, the old were disposed of, made raw material for the amulets. Well, except for one—an old male known as the ‘Stonesniffer’, kept alive and imprisoned for his useful and uncanny olfactory capabilities, and knowledge of minerals, which could prove useful in years ahead. Still, you had promised the Novice not to tarry, and thus you had no desire to slow down your journey—you DID promise the Novice not to tarry, after all. You were left with only the young to choose from, as a result.

From among these, a few options presented themselves. There was a rather feral young male, still an adolescent but already growing a beard, and with an aura of feral darkness; you deem this one, whose name you think started with a ‘K’, too unmanageable to take with you. The female with the pale hair and amethyst eyes certainly has a steely spine,, and seems a reasonable and pragmatic sort, but there’s something… Intimidating about her demeanour, which you can’t quite put your finger on, and you decide she could present a liability all her own. You want servants whose skills can be shown off, and who can keep up with your vigorous pace, but who will not endanger or complicate your mission.

In the end, you select two such dwarves. One is an adolescent male, just beyond the cusp of dwarven childhood; this, apparently, makes him about twice your own age. He is called ‘Karz’, and is beardless and incredibly self-conscious of this, tucking his chin automatically into the collar of his jacket and wearing a brownish scarf to hide this deficiency. However, he has a deep, rich voice, and is capable of some incredible feats of dwarven… Well, they call it ‘throat-song’, but the rumbling warbles carry a hint of magic not unlike the bardic music of poor Paeris. A part of you wonders if it is the half-elf Degenerate’s memory which drove this choice… But no, that is base sentimentality, beneath you. Right?

The other is a sort of herbalist and apothecary—a female, called Davora. She is childless, barely an adult, and with her new husband newly dead at your forces’ talons, she seemed at a loss among her own people, all overwhelmed with grief and the need to care for their young and manage their emotions in this turbulent time. When you selected her from among the dwarves to serve you in this journey, she practically jumped at the time—and, with her rather impressive steatopygia, you think you even heard a ‘clap’. The Novice shot you a pointed look when you announced Davora’s selection, but with the Novice staying behind by necessity, a master of healing seemed prudent… Even if her home remedies hold no candle to true magic.

“Sure, THAT’S why you selected her,” the Novice had mocked, shooting you a knowing glance. “You have a type. You know that? It is, frankly, transparent.”
>>
File: 100543716-4.jpg (118 KB, 1536x934)
118 KB
118 KB JPG
Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>5347543
You ignored the jab, saying your farewells and leaving the Bastard in charge of discipline once more while you disembarked for the underdark once more.

The route down into the depths was a new one, this time—you follow not the familiar kobold-tunnels, but an offshoot of the dwarven miens which branchiates into a more raw, natural architecture, through a wall broken open by your deceased assassin-squad. You murmur a prayer for their safety, and enter into unknown territory.
>>
>>5347544
>23
The first half od the journey geos by rather uneventfully. Several times, you or the Archer are forced to give one of the dwarves a shove or boot to keep them moving at a steady pace, but this does not seem to be due to any exhaustion on their part—rather, it is a hesitation and trepidation in these unknown darknesses. The young male seems especially wary of the unknown, with the female alternating in offering him comfort and encouraging him forward; this seems to motivate him somewhat, which you appreciate, even fi she occasionally seems to use it as an excuse to hang back herself.

For her part, the female dwarf collects samples of moss and lichen. When the Cartographer asks, she explains their use as blood-staunches and digestive aids, and he makes a note of this, and the location where they were found. The female is rapidly proving a worthy selection, you note, on multiple front—the Novice is still undeniably the more potent healer and alchemist, but the local knowledge of a plant-specialist may well be useful as you expand into the upper-dark and the surface moving forward.

(Her tendency to jiggle doesn’t hurt your opinion, either, but you make no comment as to this matter.)

Eventually, you and your forces are forced to engage in short rest, and then a longer one, for torpor’s sake. As you rest and recoup your strength, you…
>Share your food equitably with the dwarves
>Feed them only what they need to keep moving, keeping their meals lean
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty

What else do you do, if anything? [choose no more than two]
>Bid the male to sing you a song of his people, and attempt to glean the nature of the magical talent you sensed buried within
>Speak with the female about her herbal knowledge and history
>Attempt to learn more about dwarf culture and religion
>Teach the dwarves more of your own faith and culture, and make your expectations for their conversion quite clear
>Ask Olu about this ‘Pricness Jazkarmel’ matter—what does he know?
>Ask the Cartographer something [what?]
>Write-in
>>
>>5347525
I'll keep note of this for later. Royal Rumble is dearly missed.
>>
>>5347553
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty
Even if it wasn’t IC, it’s smart to build a relationship of loyalty and trust if we’re going to do intrigue and political shit.
>Ask Olu about this ‘Pricness Jazkarmel’ matter—what does he know?
>Speak with the female about her herbal knowledge and history
Are there any herbs that promote magical abilities, or replenish mana? What of herbs that increase strength and endurance? Any special herbs that are specific to this region?
>>
>>5347553
>Feed them only what they need to keep moving, keeping their meals lean
>Teach the dwarves more of your own faith and culture, and make your expectations for their conversion quite clear
>Ask Olu about this ‘Pricness Jazkarmel’ matter—what does he know?
>>
>>5347553
>Share your food equitably with the dwarves
>>
>>5347553
>Teach the dwarves more of your own faith and culture, and make your expectations for their conversion quite clear
>Ask Olu about this ‘Pricness Jazkarmel’ matter—what does he know?

lost part 2
>>
>>5347562
Support, any mana related potions/herbs is a must. Being able to Dragonshape more than once a day would be such a boon.
>>
>>5347553
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty
>Speak with the female about her herbal knowledge and history
>Attempt to learn more about dwarf culture and religion
>>
>>5347543
>The female with the pale hair and amethyst eyes certainly has a steely spine,, and seems a reasonable and pragmatic sort
Wait, she was an option? Shit, that would’ve been a nice choice.

>>5347553
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty
>Bid the male to sing you a song of his people, and attempt to glean the nature of the magical talent you sensed buried within
>Speak with the female about her herbal knowledge and history
Due diligence to the one-eyed smoke Squidward, he’s a true homie. Knowledge=Worship.
>>
>>5347553
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty
>Bid the male to sing you a song of his people, and attempt to glean the nature of the magical talent you sensed buried within
>Teach the dwarves more of your own faith and culture, and make your expectations for their conversion quite clear
>>
>>5347553
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty
>Bid the male to sing you a song of his people, and attempt to glean the nature of the magical talent you sensed buried within
>Speak with the female about her herbal knowledge and history

If we're going to dote on them might as well spend the time to learn more about them while doing it.
>>
>>5347553
>Feed them only what they need to keep moving, keeping their meals lean
>>
>>5347525
It's crazy knowing one anon brought that entire quest down. I reread it and I'm pretty sure I know which posts were theirs.
>>
>>5347596
[You CAN do it twice a day right now, as long as you sue no other spells.]
>>
>>5347553
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty
>Bid the male to sing you a song of his people, and attempt to glean the nature of the magical talent you sensed buried within
>Speak with the female about her herbal knowledge and history
>>
>>5347553
>Dote on them little, to build their trust and loyalty
Fat asses consist of fat after all.
>Teach the dwarves more of your own faith and culture, and make your expectations for their conversion quite clear
>Ask Olu about this ‘Pricness Jazkarmel’ matter—what does he know?
>>
>>5347815
Supporting this
>>
>>5347838
>>5347815
>>5347792
>>5347635
>>5347629
>>5347623
>>5347621
>>5347605
>>5347596
>>5347587
>>5347585
>>5347580
>>5347562
The dwarves are quite wary of your offering, and you suppose you can see why. They have been widowed and orphaned, respectively, by your great and terrible conquest of their company-town. Now, you take them as slaves, march them deep into the unknown, and offer them an abundance of food—even more than you or your fellow Reptilians are eating, and the provisions of highest quality no less!

“Are… You planning to sacrifice us, sir?” ask the male—Karz, you think it was?

“Don’t be sssilly,” you chastise him. “Eat!”

“Then are we the emergency food, ourselves? Like… Livestock?”

You glance at Davora, and resist the urge to make a crack about <appetite> of a different sort, instead saying simply: “Of courssse not.”

The three of you sit in silence for a time, the dwarves uneasy as you finish your own rather minimal meal and watch them eat with interest. It’s actually not such a hard thing to feed the two of them extra, for these mammals can eat many things which turn the stomachs of even hybrids like yourself or Olu—strange fruits, nuts, berries, and breads taken from the dwraven stores. It gets you thinking…

“Herbalissst,” you call upon Davora.

She looks up, cheeks still full of food, orange-amber eyes wide. She gulps, swallowing.

“Are there any herbss that promote magical abilitiess, or replenish mana?” you ask.

“Um, well… Yes, I suppose. But down here, deep below the ground? Not as many, I wouldn’t think. They grow near fonts of mana—leyline-junctions, enriched stone… If you find glowing gems or orichalcum that ahs somehow been supercharged, that’s where you would find magical flora.”

“What of herbss that increasse ssstrength and enduranccce?”

“A couple,” she slowly hazards, “most of what you’ll find down here are plants that need little or no light, or can substitute, like… Minerals and moisture for light. Or magic, hence the, uh, the magic plants growing near sources of it. Fungi are much, MUCH more common.”

“And can any of these fungi increassse physical or sspiritual vitality?” you ask.

“There ARE a few regional cultivars on the surface, and below. But those below… Well, Some of them can stimulate a dwarf’s body or set their mind to moving in strange ways… But usually not, like, INCREASE strength or magic, as far as I know. They just make you FEEL like you’re on top of the world… Or create other, um, mental and phsyical effects.”

“Such as?”
>>
>>5348010
The dwarf female’s face reddens peculiarly, setting her freckles off—from dark spots to paler spots, against her crimson skin. Some bizarre mammalian reaction.

“Just… Ah, nevermind. You’ll fight like a demon and pass out, or see things that might be divine or might just be your own brain swimming in mushroom soup, that’s all.”

Ah, perhaps like the Drow mushroom-wine, some of which you still have. That makes sense… A relative of the mushroom used, or a higher concentration, or some admixture… You could see it inciting violence and numbing pain.

“How did you come by thisss knowledge?” you ask Davora, then.

“I was never much for mining, growing up,” she female admits. “But brewing and baking were alright, as far as ‘proper activities’ go.”

She twirls one auburn braid around a finger as she talks, staring down at the stone. By this point, she and the young male are both done eating, so you and eh both focus upon her story.

“My family as VERY traditional,” she explains. “My father, brother, sister, mother… All miners. So, yeah, I found my enjoyment in supporting them, in collecting and working with grains, berries, nuts, herbs… And hops, malts, yeasts, different flavourings… But there’s only so much room in a dwarf’s palette for novelty, as the saying goes.”

“Fancy beer is for elves quite queer,” chimes in the young male, Karz, as if quoting an old aphorism.

Davora winces, and nods. “Yeah, it kept my options a bit… Limited, and I always got odd looks for the things I imported with my money. I was actually thinking of joining one of the corporations that service the human markets over in Hawksong, but… Well, they’ve been in decline, poor tallboys. Guess their good thing couldn’t last forever. But, yeah—their market for craft beer and artisan bread dried up, and since I was never much use in a mine and bread-and-beer is a ‘frivolous’ career that would never help me rise up a mining corporation’s ladder… Mother thought it best I marry someone who MIGHT actually stand a chance at advancement. I was married to a miner, Durbad, and came here. He mined, I collected herbs, and cooked and baked, and helped with brewing, until…”

An uneasy silence falls. You know why: this lasted until you arrived with your small army and brought the fortress down on Durbad’s head, crushing him to death and enslaving his widow.

“You don’t sseem devasstated,” you note, after a time.

“Well, he… Durbad was nice enough, and… I wish he was still alive,” Davora says, with a hint of sadness. “But, well, I hardly KNEW the dwarf. He was a good lad, right as ruby is red, but… That meant working all the time, all shifts, to earn himself a promotion. And he wasn’t much for conversation, or… Or anything.”

Curious—her cheeks have pinkened again.
>>
>>5348012
“Must be nice,” Karz chimes in, a touch bitterly. “knowing your family’s safe, somewhere. My ma’s been dead years, since a cave-in got her. Now, my pa’s gone, too.”

He glares at you half-heartedly, perhaps emboldened a little by your cordial behaviour and the increased familiarity.

“Do you plan to avenge them, Beardlessss One?” you ask, glaring back.

He stuffs his chin into his collar, but his glare only intensifies. You stifle a laugh.

“I grew up an outsssider mysself,” you admit. “I am… Unlike other Reptiliansss, as you can ssee. There are preciousss few like me, and…”

You hesitate.

“…My mother died violently, alssso.”

Both the dwarves look at you uncertainly, as if this might be some trick.

“It’s hard to image you lizards having proper mums,” Karz notes tactklessly. “I just sort of thought you plopped out an egg and kept going, and it hatched into a, uh… one of you.”

Davora elbows him and shoots him a glare, perhaps aware he’s pressing his luck and fearful that you will punish her sole dwarven companion most brutally.

“Our culture does not teach a ssentimentality between parent and child,” you admit, “but parentsss DO typically guide and mentor their hatchlingsss… For a time. I never knew her, never had thisss chanccce. Insstead, I wass raisssed by the Sserpent Priestsss.”

“Who are they?” Karz interrupts, before you shush him with a glare.

Davora clamps a hand over the boy’s mouth and shoots you an apologetic smile.

“They are our highessst religiousss authority—those who put usss in contact with the Dark Godsss and their infinite wisssodom. They are gifted authority, and powerful magickss, in return for their sservicce… Protectionsss for the young, ssuch as the Mother of Dragonss might grant, or sssecret knowledge of the locations and usesss of thingsss, such as the Masster of the Inssightful Eye offersss.”

You chosoe your examples carefully, and meet the female’s eyes, and then the young male’s.

“Those protected by the Mother of Dragonsss need not fear a cave in, or a collapsssing castle, if they sserve her well and use her giftsss wisely,” you tell Karz, and then to Davora: “And the Masster rewardss inquissitive mindss and exxxperimentation.”

You spend the next hour in a discussion of the virtues of your culture, and the dictates of the Dark Gods, as best you understand them. To your pleasant surprise, both dwarves seem to have at least some interest, with both of them asking questions (when permitted) and Karz in particular testing the limits of your own somewhat-limited theological knowledge. You sense that Davora is quite fascinated with your tales, while Karz's interest still has a hard edge to it, as if he yet fantasizes of somehow suing it to turn the tables on you.

[Post got a little long and I have to go to work. To be continued, with a vote tonight!]
>>
>>5348012
shes going to be face down ass up pretty soon and be dragon jiggled
>>
>>5348014
When your meal with your captives concludes, you turn your attention to your Reptilian retinue: to the Cartographer, Agno, and Oluwadamilare.

“A smart play, oh Superior One, dumping that plant-food on the dwarves,” the Cartographer promptly flatters you.

Agno, who had watched you bonding with the dwarves with ambivalence, nods slowly. He is wise enough not to speak up, but you can tell he has misgivings. You leave him to stew on it, for now.

“Archer,” you summon Olu to your side, “Come. We must discuss matters of statecraft.”

You bows his head and finishes some of his dried and cured meat as he hurried to attend you. When the two of you are apart enough to achieve what little privacy can exist in the tight natural caverns, you turn and ask him bluntly.

“The dead Ranger-Captain, he called Jazkarmel a ‘Princess’. What is the meaning of this?”

The Degenerate blinks in confusion, startled by the intensity of the question, then smiles widely.

“You think she may be some secret heir to the Drow throne, Dragonborn?”

“Is that not what a princess is? The daughter of a king?”

“A queen, in her case,” Oluwadamilare explains. “But he has no right of primogenitor. The elves down here don’t do that. A princess is any female of noble birth who COULD, in THEORY, succeed their reigning queen as leader during the season when females rule.”

Ah, yes, the strange rotational and fluid nature of Drow leadership, rooted in some ancient cult of natural law and equality between sexes, and further complicated by alien elven gender ideologies. Your main takeaway was that they have years-long ‘seasons’ of patriarchy, followed by matriarchy, and then reversing back in some great cycle.

“Do if their Queen passed, before their King took the throne…”

“One of the other Princesses more beloved of her Queen would take the Queen’s place,” Olu says, apologetically. “I am sorry, Superior One, but Jaz was stationed far from the heart of her empire because she is no favourite in the line of succession.”

Still… It’s something to consider, you suppose. Who knows what opportunities may yet arise?

You take your torpor shortly thereafter, and when you awaken you set your forces back on the road to the Drow encampment over which this not-quite-princess presides. Your journey thus far has been a swift and untorubled one, and you are making excellent time! As you continue to chart your course you...

>Waste no time in reaching the Drow along your previously-traveled route
>Take some time to explore a little, improving your maps of the area and perhaps finding something of value
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory
>Write-in

[Found some time to finish the post!]
>>
>>5348064
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory
Novice was right, we gotta get our shit together and focus on our tasks, instead of aimlessly wandering like one Degenerate once used to...
>>5348012
>she female
that's a new
>>5348037
+1, kek
>>
>>5348064
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory
cave explorer
>>
>>5348064
>Waste no time in reaching the Drow along your previously-traveled route
>>
>>5348075
>>5348012
*the female admits
>>
>>5348037
It's not that kind of quest, anon.
>>
>>5348064
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory
>>
>>5348064
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory
Is this a distraction? FUCK YEAH
>>
>>5348064
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory
>>
>>5348170
I believe it is.
>>
>>5348248
The quest narrative and player choices would say otherwise.
>>
File: 1658516327607.jpg (1.32 MB, 886x1389)
1.32 MB
1.32 MB JPG
>>5348285
>player choices would say otherwise
You cheered on when one of our team dicked some dark elves after you fucked and impregnated a giant maggot to create a bunch of worm-dragon-hybrids.
>The quest narrative
...which you did that despite quest starting with MC despising his tainted non-reptilian roots and wanting to become a real, pure and proud dragon. Despite the fact that vast majority of reptilians back in our underground home would feel disgust and disown us at best you if they just knew what we've done.
And after all that you still dare to say, that man can't see a shortstack ass jiggle, because "it's not that kind of quest" as proven by the "narrative" and "player choices"?
>>
>>5348303
>You cheered on
>...which you did

That's a lot of projection going on there, anon. Are you sure YOU didn't pull that shit and are now trying to shift the blame to cover up the fact you fucked the MC and quest over?
>>
>>5348064
>Take some time to explore a little, improving your maps of the area and perhaps finding something of value
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory
Adventure!

>>5347645
I know, right? I thought he’d have a stiffer upper lip about the shenanigans. Also, you know which posts are their? How can you tell?
>>
>>5348336
Working from the final post when they say they were there from the beginning, they were the first poster in the first thread of the quest. The next few threads are guesswork.
>>
>>5348321
[I'm sorry you're not enjoying the quest.]
>>
>>5348064
>Brave a possible shortcut which the Cartographer believes he's deduced, through utterly uncharted territory

>>5348393
Just ignore the salt. I may not like being a pussy-ass diplomat, but that doesn’t mean that I ain’t enjoying this quest. You can’t please everyone everytime, that’s just a fact we all gotta deal with.
>>
>>5348393
Why do you think that?
>>
File: 1622960824900.jpg (52 KB, 1000x1000)
52 KB
52 KB JPG
>>5348321
>Are you sure YOU didn't pull that shit and are now trying to shift the blame to cover up the fact you fucked the MC and quest over?
Nice dodge, Sojourner2. (You)/me/they/xem/rqm, it doesn't fucking change the fact that player votes have led dragonborn into making huge, coombrained decisions that don't align at all with what seemed to be the original premise of the quest, but at the same time aren't off-the-rails so much as to be "wrong", because RQM approved every single one of them. He even often humors our resident coomer's remarks. I, for one, fully support that brave, retarded man's current goals and there is nothing your schizo salt will do about it.
>>
>>5348321
Also I was pretty sure you could've been among those who voted to fuck daBug, excuse me if that was an incorrect assumption.
>>
>>5348476
Where are you getting these longwinded obsessive compulsive rants from? I said it's not that kind of quest, anon. If people want to continue voting with their dicks, that's their decision, but that doesn't mean I have to vote for it.
>>
>>5348485
And I'm saying it seems to be that kinda quest, anon.
>>
>>5348064
>Take some time to explore a little, improving your maps of the area and perhaps finding something of value
I think this is a worthwhile investment.

>>5348303
>...which you did that despite quest starting with MC despising his tainted non-reptilian roots and wanting to become a real, pure and proud dragon. Despite the fact that vast majority of reptilians back
Not to trigger this autistic rant again, but you do know that we can purge our non-reptilian genes if we have a positive relationship with the Prosecutor right? I know anons have strong opinions on him, but if the fall of the Master Race is any indication, he can change his course in his Grand Design, we just need to convince him to ‘optimize’, as it were.
>>
>>5348547
>Not to trigger this autistic rant again, but you do know that we can purge our non-reptilian genes if we have a positive relationship with the Prosecutor right?

Purging our non reptilian genes is irrelevant in my opinion. For all their master race talk, most reptilians are weak shitters.

Their two strongest warrior's are us, and the green dragonborn, and the green dragonborn has zero reptilian blood being purely green dragon with some human material mixed in.

We defeated the pit guard in our first battle a strong steel talon, by comparison the human berserker almost caved our chest in.

What we need to be doing is boosting the amount of dragon we have in us. Since doing that actually makes us more powerful. Dragon>>>>human>reptilian in terms of power rankings.
>>
File: tally.png (4 KB, 827x61)
4 KB
4 KB PNG
Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>5348473
[The part where you said the main character and quest had been 'fucked over' implies that you feel it has suffered some degree of subversion or ruination, I would think. I may be wrong.]

>>5348658
[Reasonable interpretation, but Steeltalons are actually stronger than humans on average, while Dragonblooded Reptilians are equally strong and can breathe fire, and Serpent priests are slightly stronger, taller, and magic. Humans have their own advantages, among them much greater numbers, better resources, more cooperative gods, and a broader genepool]

>>5348547
>>5348412
>>5348336
>>5348227
>>5348217
>>5348209
>>5348162
>>5348158
>>5348075
[Voting locked, post incoming!]
>>
File: elf-fountain-D0R7AN.jpg (420 KB, 1300x1390)
420 KB
420 KB JPG
>>5348806
You choose to follow the Cartographer’s study-honed instinct for directional travel. It was why he was in your retinue, after all! Besides, with so much diplomacy behind you and ahead of you, a part of your dragon’s soul hankers for the thrill of adventure. Not necessarily the danger of outright warfare—there will be more of that ahead, Dark Gods willing—but a bit of underdark exploration to satisfy your curiosity for strange lands.

The cartographer shows you what he has found: a natural cavern descending from the familiar path at an adjacent angle, yet more steeply. At first, you don’t’ understand all the ado, but then your mapmaker helpfully points out the specific angle and curious regularity of the descending rock-shelves, approximately a single short footfall apart.

“Steps,” you note.

“Yes!” he exclaims. “And who would eb carving steps down in this place, save the elves?”

“The Bogbarri,” you suggest, uncertainly, “or our own race, in days gone by.”

“The bugbears don’t seem like stonemasons to me,” Oluwadamilare the Archer notes.

“And this place is not recorded on the maps which you we recovered from the long-lost libraries of the Dragon King’s scribes,” the Cartographer adds, “nor have our people frequented this area until our expedition.”

“Kobolds not dig so deep, either,” Agno chimes in, drawing glares from the other members of your retinue, but a nod from you.

“Alright, let us explore this route,” you decide.

Your group descends in utter darkness, each of you guided only by your keen darkvision. This saps the mysterious place of colour, but still you can make out fascinatingdetails: carved bass reliefs of elves faces, hands raised in greeting (or prayer? spellcasting?) which tower several times taller than even you, worn by time and bearing almost dwarven beards of accumulated mineral-deposits from dripping water. The humidity and warmth of the place perversely increase, in some way which feels unnatural. How can moisture AND warmth be increasing? What bizarre heat-source are you approaching?

You find out soon enough—a bubbling, semi-sulfurous hot-spring. It smells faintly of hell or rotting eggs, enough to curl your mammalian companions’ sensitive noses. You and your Reptilian lackeys are made of sterner stuff, and you can only wonder at the relief and carvings here, depicted nude elf-men and elf-maids, and something inn-between frolicking, bathing, basking.
>>
>>5348820
The depictions are evocative, though they are all but consumed by degrading pitting—a symbol of a resplendent and perhaps holy place from a bygone era, or luxury in the very pit of deprivation which is underground living. They symbolize an era long-lost—of a time when even the Drow yet lived with the wonderment and whimsy known to characterize elven revels. They aren’t sexual, but sensual—a celebration of the joy of having been blessed by providence with a holy respite…

But whatever god the elves thanked for this, the statue which once depicted him or her has since been decapitated, its head lost in the murky waters below.

“It’s smelly,” Karz comments.

“But… Sort of beautiful,” Davora notes, a little uncertain even as she says it. “And look… See, sir? It’s as I said—dark-leafed plants, like ferns or mosses, growing on the banks!”

She narrwos her eyes, as do you. Well,d amend if she isn’t right. However, there’s more.

“Those aren’t merely warmth-feeding plants,” she murmurs. “Those… Those are feymint! Like in the Silver Realms of the Elves! What is THAT doing down HERE?”

Transplanted by the dark elves, you’d wager.

“Isss it valuable?” you ask Davora, in the mammal trade-tongue.

She nods, and then hesitates. “It only grows in magical places. There’s something... Supernatural here, then.”

The Cartographer, understanding her words as well as you, grows wary.

“See, there on the other side?” he whisper sin the True Speech, and points. “A passage, going downwards and curving left—towards the Drow realms, I would think. It will save us two days’ journey, if my calculations and measures are correct, and I suspect that they are. Let us go.”

What do you do?
>Leave this place swiftly—you can explore it later, if the opportunity presents itself
>Collect some herbs from the edge of the hot spring, and some soil samples, for Davora and later the Novice to examine
>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here
>Strip down and take a dip—you’ve never been to a hot spring before!
>Write-in
>>
>>5348821
>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here
>>
>>5348821
>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here
>>
>>5348821
>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here
>>
>>5348821
>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here

make sure someone stays alert so we don't get eaten by plants again

maybe cast Guidance first
>>
>>5348821
>Leave this place swiftly—you can explore it later, if the opportunity presents itself
>Collect some herbs from the edge of the hot spring, and some soil samples, for Davora and later the Novice to examine.

Last time we stuck around a place like this, a pack of magic maneater spore plants tried to eat us.

We should just harvest things of value, and bounce.
>>
>>5348821
>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here
>>
>>5348821
>Leave this place swiftly—you can explore it later, if the opportunity presents itself
This place is sus.
>>
>>5348821
>>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here
We save two day, we can spend half one.
>>
>>5348821
>Leave this place swiftly—you can explore it later, if the opportunity presents itself
>Collect some herbs from the edge of the hot spring, and some soil samples, for Davora and later the Novice to examine.
>>
>>5348821
Changing my vote (>>5348968) to
>Leave this place swiftly—you can explore it later, if the opportunity presents itself
>Collect some herbs from the edge of the hot spring, and some soil samples, for Davora and later the Novice to examine.
>>
>>5348821
>Collect some herbs from the edge of the hot spring, and some soil samples, for Davora and later the Novice to examine
>Linger longer, collecting a richer array of samples and trying to deduce through <Guidance> the nature of the magic here
>>
File: images.jpg (17 KB, 225x225)
17 KB
17 KB JPG
Rolled 5, 8, 15 = 28 (3d20)

>>5349085
>>5349032
>>5349022
>>5348975
>>5348968
>>5348859
>>5348850
>>5348849
>>5348841
>>5348839
>>5348836
By your reckoning, a shortcut which spares you two-days travel in each direction should more than make up for a brief stopover of, say, a half-day to investigate this ancient spring and its mysterious magic. Sure, it’s suspicious, but that only serves to intensify your desire to understand what, exactly, is going on here.

While Davora and Karz collect samples of this ‘feymint’ and the thin patina of soil-like substrate into which it anchors its roots, you find a comfortable rock upon which to alight and to meditate. Perhaps, with a bit of <Guidance>, you can find the answer?
>>
Rolled 17, 20, 18, 6, 1, 17 = 79 (6d20)

>>5349165
>15
To your pleasure, the magic in this place makes it easier than expected to find your connection to the tapestry of fate and fortune, and to guide your mind’s eye to the source of the spellcraft which spawned it. This is no place of wild magic discovered by the lucky elves of old, no; they MADE this pale, taking a mundane spring and enhancing and preserving it through their magic into something greater—something semi-divine. The particulars are fuzzy, but you sense that this nature has been… Changed, corrupted, by the changing relationship between the Drow and their old, abandoned gods.

It is now a trap.

Your eyes snap open as your <Danger Sense> activates, not for yourself, but for another—the dwarves and Reptilians at water’s edge.
>>
>>5349173
“Look out!” you roar. “Geta way from the water!”

>6, 1, 17

All your allies’ and servants’ wide eyes immediately turn to you, the acoustics of the room turning your roar back upon them and yourself with undiminished ferocity. The dwarves are swift to act, despite their lack of training—growing up in the dangers of mining operations, those who do not heed such warnings do not long-last, you suppose. Your fire-lizards rise and begin to scurry from the water’s edge, where they were eagerly lapping up the warmth—they do not understand your words, but the Presence makes your intent immediately clear. Their legs, however, are short, an their bellies low—they are not swift creatures. Olu is far enough away from the water at the time to be in no danger, but the fire-lizards, Agno, and the Cartographer are well within the blast zone when the water boils, froths, and rises in a column of scalding steam.

>20, 18, 17

You are no helpless bystander, though—you are the Dragonborn Champion, Copper King of Bloodrise, and you have foreseen what is to come. By the time the column expands outwards to swallow your allies, you are already at their side. You lift the Cartographer and hurl him away, towards the dwarves and Olu; the kobold you protect with some quick thinking, well-trained athleticism, and the activation of your Ring of Protection. You wince against a wave of heat and a splattering of scalding water, but you are all-but-immune to such mundane heat’s vagaries, and even the explosion of unsettling water-magic which accompanies it is of secondary concern; the lizards, you believe, will feel likewise. The bulk is deflected with a wave of your hand, sparing you and the Agno alike.

“What is going on?” Olu the Archer shouts. “Dragonborn, are you okay?”

Before you can criticize him for asking silly questions, you open your eyes and understand why he must ask—steam has filled the entire chamber, obscuring it even against your darkvision. You are trapped in a muggy mist, unable to been see a foot in front of your face…

But with the lingering sensory augmentation provided by your divination magic, you know that tehre is something moving in that mist.

What do you do?
>Assume <Augmented Dragonshape> and wield your great size and fearsome presence to counter it—you ARE the danger in the mist
>Use another casting of <Guidance> to find your allies and hurriedly lead them to the exit and out of this place
>Cast <Moonbeam> towards the cave wall, to explode the stone and disperse the fog—though it will give away your location
>Attempt to use <See Invisibility> to locate your foe-in-the-fog, and take it on directly
>Write-in
>>
>>5349185
>Raise a <Wall of Stone>, to grant your allies somewhere to rally to, and then assume <Augmented Dragonshape> and wield your great size and fearsome presence to counter it—you ARE the danger in the mist
>>
>>5349190
[Casting both those spells will expend all of your remaining mana]
>>
>>5349185
>Attempt to use <See Invisibility> to locate your foe-in-the-fog, and take it on directly
>>
>>5349185
>Attempt to use <See Invisibility> to locate your foe-in-the-fog, and take it on directly
>>
>>5349185
>Attempt to use <See Invisibility> to locate your foe-in-the-fog, and take it on directly
>>
>>5349185
>Attempt to use <See Invisibility> to locate your foe-in-the-fog, and take it on directly
Bros I think we forgot the part where this isn't a miraculous oasis, but an unknown, uncharted shorcut.
>>5349191
Could we get a mana bar in the updates? It's kinda hard to keep track of, but a vital part for planning our moves ahead.
>>
>>5349219
[I'll try to be more diligent about reminding you of your current mana levels and the cost of each. Dragonshape and Wall of Stone are both just fairly mana-intensive. You have enough mana left for four regular spells, or those two more-powerful-than-average ones; you started with about 1.5 times that, but Guidance and Danger Sense cost you two spell slots, essentially.]
>>
>>5349185
>Assume <Augmented Dragonshape> and wield your great size and fearsome presence to counter it—you ARE the danger in the mist
rawr
>>
>>5349539
sex
>>
>>5349185
>Assume <Augmented Dragonshape> and wield your great size and fearsome presence to counter it—you ARE the danger in the mist
>>
File: vote tally.png (5 KB, 829x84)
5 KB
5 KB PNG
>>5349684
>>5349613
>>5349539
>>5349219
>>5349213
>>5349206
>>5349195
>>5349190
[Vote closed, writing!]
>>
Rolled 1, 6, 3, 18, 16, 10, 13, 11, 11, 14, 6, 11, 1 = 121 (13d20)

>>5349730
You foe isn’t exactly invisible—at least, you don’t’ THINK so—but the same basic principles which allowed you to detect the bugbears in spite of their magical camouflage should probably apply here... Right? You focus upon your extrasensory perception, channeling your mana into the focal point between your eyes. Whispering a quiet prayer to the Master of the Insightful Eye, Revealer of Secrets and Exposer of Vulnerabilities, you draw your elven moon-sword from its makeshift sheathe of coiled cloth.

When you open your eyes, the spell has taken effect, but you hardly need it. Your allies having retreated and regrouped, you and Agno—still at your side, he small-sized short-sword drawn, are the obvious targets. A lanky creature covered in slimy, fish-like scales and radiating heat is standing before you, taller even than you. Agno shrieks in terror at its sudden emergence from the fog, and when smaller creatures of the same ilk begin to shamble through the fog in unknown numbers to surround or pass you, you nearly do the same…

But no. You are better than that! You don’t cry out, but instead cut into this fishy fiend…

3d20 divination, 4d20 swordsmanship (DC either 13/15/18, depending on first result), 1d20 each for Agno (DC 18), Olu (DC 15), Cartographer (DC 18), and the dwarves (DC 18 and 13), 1d20 for enemies (DC 10/12/14/16/18/20, higher is worse for you)
>>
Rolled 8, 5 = 13 (2d20)

>>5349738
Oh, almost forgot the lizards! DC 18
>>
File: javier-urena-guillman01.jpg (321 KB, 1600x2000)
321 KB
321 KB JPG
>>5349747
>>5349738
>1 for divination, 18 for swordsmanship
Your blade slices through empty air, parting mist rather than flesh and bone. Your large opponent has slapped away from your slash and disappeared into the mist once more. You squeeze your eyes shut to try and focus yourself, to cast the spell again, only to take a heavy impact from a webbed fist to the side of your helm. You lose the spell, and you barely cling to your sword. Cling to it you do, though, and you manage to raise it in a frantic counterattack. You hear a low, gurgling hiss as the shadowy shape stumbles back, and a spatter of deep brownish-red sizzles hotly upon your armour and the stone before you. You doubt it was a mortal wound, alas.

From out in the mist comes one scream after another. First, there is Agno’s shrill cry of panic and pain, then the Cartographer’s deeper one. Olu bellows, and you hear the whistling and impact of unseen arrows, but the sound is one of splintering wood against stone—no lethal impact. Your fire-lizards croak and shriek, and you think you hear them flee to run and hide (hopefully not so far that you cannot recall them if need be).

Then you hear the cries of the dwarves, ill-trained and unarmed, and in fact chained, if their handlers have not released them.

>Failures for your allies, critical failure for your enemies

Luckily, your foes are distracted. Whatever magic erected the obscuring steam is now dying down, exposing them. Each of them ahs their back to you. Instead, slimy and amphibious things like an ichthian parody of a Reptilian, but with flat skulls and bulging eyes belying no greater intellect, grab at your retinue and your servants, grappling with them and dragging them towards the now-boiling cauldron of the hot springs.

You see eight of these smaller fishmen, while the larger one which assaulted you has already snatched Agno up and disarmed him, and is even now dangling him in the air while advancing on the spring-turned-cooking pot in which it clearly means to dunk him. He kicks, slashes, bites at the thing’s armoured hands, but even though one bleeds where you split the pal with your sword, it does not let up. The Cartographer is sprawled upon the ground, two of the creatures assailing him; Olu has fended them off, but his signature bow has been wrenched away, and he is pinned to the wall and keeping them at bay with a simple Reptilian assassin’s blade.
>>
>>5349762

Between your three spells cast so far, and one lost, you have enough magic left for one use of your <Dragonshape> or <Wall of Stone>, or enough left for two more of your other spells. You have a variety of equipment at your disposal, but limited time to act. What do you do?

You move to save…
>Agno from the mightiest fish-thing, about to kill him
>The dwarves, as they are most vulnerable
>The Cartographer, since he actually knows how to navigate and you need him
>Olu, as he will be the most useful back-up
>Yourself -- flee!

To accomplish this, you…
>Focus on ranged combat
>Draw both swords and leap boldly into melee
>Call your fire-lizards back to you
>Summon an elemental from your ring
>Activate your <Dragonshape> in a last-ditch effort to dominate them
>Write-in
>>
>>5349763
>The Cartographer, since he actually knows how to navigate and you need him
Everybody else is ultimately replaceable or disposable. I don't want to be trapped and starving in a bunch of caves. Prioritize Olo next.
>>
>>5349763
>The dwarves, as they are most vulnerable

>Activate your <Dragonshape> in a last-ditch effort to dominate them
>Roar to Intimidate and stun, giving our people a chance to retreat and regroup
Remember, Dragonshape lowers DC requirements.
>>
>>5349763
>Agno from the mightiest fish-thing, about to kill him

Kill the strongest one first, it'll help to break their spirit.

>Activate your <Dragonshape> in a last-ditch effort to dominate them
>>
>>5349763
>The Cartographer, since he actually knows how to navigate and you need him
>>
>>5349763
>>5349790
>Draw both swords and leap boldly into melee
>>
>>5349763
>Agno from the mightiest fish-thing, about to kill him

>Activate your <Dragonshape> in a last-ditch effort to dominate them
>Draw both swords and leap boldly into melee
>>
>>5349763
>Agno from the mightiest fish-thing, about to kill him
>Activate your <Dragonshape> in a last-ditch effort to dominate them
>Roar to Intimidate and stun, giving our people a chance to retreat and regroup, and Firebreath the Big Fish
I want roasted sushi!
>>
>>5349763
>Agno from the mightiest fish-thing, about to kill him
>Activate your <Dragonshape> in a last-ditch effort to dominate them
>Roar to Intimidate and stun, giving our people a chance to retreat and regroup

It'd be epic if we could dominate them. Have some random fishmen under our control to act as soldiers. We'd practically be starting a zoo at that point.
>>
>>5349894
>We'd practically be starting a zoo at that point.
You mean circus.
>>
File: 4835275.jpg (240 KB, 1920x1080)
240 KB
240 KB JPG
Rolled 10, 7, 15, 15, 13 = 60 (5d20)

>>5349894
>>5349892
>>5349890
>>5349855
>>5349790
>>5349785
>>5349775
>>5349768
You’re not about to take your eyes off that big alpha-fish, whatever exactly it is. It attacked you, and it’s the biggest-threat. If that means saving Agno the Kobold… Well, he might be a little pest, but you didn’t choose to drag him down here just so he could die on some… Some STOP-OVER.

You rip the chestplate from your breast, and the helm from your head, and roar a challenge. This gets the big fish’s attention, buying Agno the precious time he needs to draw a second knife—classic Reptilian gambit—and to stab the wound you left upon its palm. The fish-monster drops him, and you begin your transformation.

Spines elongate on your back, and muscles bulge. Your bones turn to jelly as you nearly double over, and then they extend and expand. You rise up, head heavy with elongated horns, scales thickened and gleaming with a metallic sheen—a true copper dragon. Your Novice Fleshweaver’s amulet shines red with the blood of your draconic ancestor, her magic, and the metamorphic properties borrowed from Glowie. You assume <Augmented Dragonshape>, and the aura of your Fearsome Presence fills the room, such that even your allies--even the mammalian DWARVES--turn their attention to you in wonderment and horror.
>>
>>5350024
You meet the eyes of the leader of these aquatic adversaries, raising your sword to point its now-glowing whiteness at him. Moonlight radiates from each depiction of that celestial sphere, casting the still partly-hazy atmosphere into a mystic scene of pre-battle serenity—a calm before the storm, faintly lit, on a misty underground evening. He does not reply, so you repeat yourself: with a voice that shakes the earth, you reiterate your challenge.

>15

You half expect it to bow, to submit. Its minions certainly seem inclined. However, it does not. Instead, something curious happens: the lesser fishmen scramble back towards the spring, hurling themselves into its broiling depths and vanishing with nary a splash to disturb the surface. Their master looks to the sword clenched in your talons—the sword of the first elven king, if legends are true. The chiefmost fishman then looks to you. It does not bow, or submit, but it turns and steps into the churning lake, and sinks into it as with its lessers.

You all watch for a moment as the temperature lowers, the lingering steam dissipates, and the cursed (?) hotspring settles to its cozy, inviting simmer once more.

Oluwadamilare slowly lowers his bow, as the Cartographer pulls himself upright and Agno checks himself for injuries. Your dwarves approach cautiously, fearful of you increased stature and ferocious appearance. In time, even your fire-lizards slink back, looking as embarrassed as such a simple creature can ever appear.

“That was…” Olu the Archer begins.

“…Unconventional,” the Cartographer concludes.

“What WERE those?” Karz asks, finally looking away from your intimidating splendour to the hot spring.

“I don’t know,” you admit in the northern common-tongue.

Davora’s eyes are still on you, you note. The look in her eyes is… Difficult to parse. You turn away from her and, with Agno and Olu at either side, you approach the waters carefully. You gaze down into their depths, but see no sign of any life—just a few curious, faintly-glowing points of light—stones? gems?—at the bottom.

What do you do?
>Dive down to fetch this maybe-treasure, at the risk of reawakening the curse—you THINK you subdued it
>Desanctify this place, and re-commemorate it in the name of the Dark Gods
>Leave this place now, before any further craziness occurs
>You’re pooped after all that magic—you need further rest, and this seems as good a place as any now that the danger has passed
>Write-in
>>
>>5350036
>Dive down to fetch this maybe-treasure, at the risk of reawakening the curse—you THINK you subdued it

TREASURE TREASURE TREASURE! Let's hurry up and do it before our dragonshape runs out.
>>
>>5350036
>Desanctify this place, and re-commemorate it in the name of the Dark Gods
Lets dedicate it to tentacle homie of knowledge....the pursuer might actually like the idea of culling the memory of weak elven gods?
>>
>>5350036
>Dive down to fetch this maybe-treasure, at the risk of reawakening the curse—you THINK you subdued it

We’re a dragon, we hoard. Might also reveal shit about the sword it reacted to it after all.
>>
>>5350036
>Leave this place now, before any further craziness occurs
oh god no, not fucking again
>>
>>5350036
>Dive down to fetch this maybe-treasure, at the risk of reawakening the curse—you THINK you subdued it
>Firmly grab Davorra’s ass and then ask if she’s alright as a power move.

Jiggle it a little
>>
>>5350036
The hoes love it when we use dragonshape
>>
>>5350036
>Dive down to fetch this maybe-treasure, at the risk of reawakening the curse—you THINK you subdued it
>Desanctify this place, and re-commemorate it in the name of the Dark Gods
>>
File: Cenote-Mexico.jpg (463 KB, 2048x1365)
463 KB
463 KB JPG
Rolled 1, 7, 1 = 9 (3d20)

>>5350142
>>5350107
>>5350094
>>5350048
>>5350041
>>5350037
While your Dragonshape yet remains in-effects, you decide that this opportunity to seize additional artefact and expand your growing hoard shall not be passed up. You shuck your armour, stripping down to your scales in preparation. Davora lets out a peculiar yelp and covers her once-more-scarlet face. Your Reptilians ready to react if any threat should emerge from the heated pool upon your entrance into its waters, while Karz, the male dwarf, seems nearly as fascinated with the glowing ‘treasure’ as you.

Without further ado, you dive.
>>
>>5350281
Well
>>
File: Spoiler Image (113 KB, 422x270)
113 KB
113 KB PNG
>>5350281
>>5350283
>>5350281
You’re not a terribly practiced swimmer, but this is not your first time doing so. Furthermore, you have always been prone to sinking rather than floating, even when you were young, and in your natural form—your muscles and dense skeletal structure ensure it. Between this and your <Dragonshape>, it should be no matter to reach the bottom of this pool…

>1

…Which is why it is so peculiar that you cannot. You dive nose down, forcing your nostrils shut and closing your nictitating membranes over your eyes to protect them as you orient towards the distant glow… But it remains distant. You use your tail, threshing the water with the spade at the tip as you kick your legs… But it grows no closer. In frustration, you swim to the side of the grotto, and physically grab hold of the stone, using your claws to pull yourself yet lower… But like the moon and stars in the lands above, the glow remains illusive, ever-distant.

>1

Too late, you look up, and see that are trapped deep in darkness. You cannot see the faint glow of your fire-lizards, or of the sword which you left as a beacon. The only light is that damned, unreachable glow—the false promise of treasure, luring you to your doom! Was that all it was, another trap?

Well, you have no time to find out. Your lungs are screaming for oxygen. You kick off from the stone and begin paddling up towards the surface… But you are deep, too deep, UNNATURALLY deep. Your natural lack of buoyancy now works against you...

And then, your <Dragonshape> and its attendant strength and lung capacity give out. You gasp, involuntarily, taking in a slightly bitter sig of water, filling your mouth, lungs, and stomach. You try not to panic, but you cannot help it—you are deep in the water, floating in darkness, helpless, alone. The elves’ ancient curse ahs claimed you, after all! You thrash, a last, valiant struggle against the darkness, before a it consumes you.

For a time, you are sleeping, unconscious… Dead? You aren’t sure. The realm you find yourself in isn’t wet, but ashen in its dryness, like bones long picked-ocean in a great, grey desert. You stand, looking around uncertainly—your head is hazy, recollection fuzzy in that moment. In your periphery, small figures appear, surrounding you. You step back from them, readying to defend yourself, but the shades reveal themselves: dark-skinned elven children, eight or nine of them, though not quite so dark as the Drow you know.

“Come,” speaks a voice, too deep and masculine to be a mammal pup’s.

You turn, and see a single fully-grown elf, in elaborate white regalia, a tiara of some sort upon his brow. He meets your eyes with his own, sad ones.

“It is not his time yet,” he tells the children, and takes one of their hands, guiding them away and leaving you, once more, alone in a dark which your eyes cannot penetrate.
>>
1 told you so but you had to be greedy retards. Failure kino, kek.
>>
>>5350295
>>5350307
When this darkness parts again, you find yourself not in some great desert, but once more on hard, slightly-damp stone. Your chest and nose are filled with agonizing pain, and you feel a repeated pressure upon your lower-abdomen, repeated and rhythmic. You cough, hard, tasting that bitter spring-water and your own bile and remnants of your last meal.

“Superior One! Are you alright?”

It is the Degenerate Archer who asks, kneeling next to you and leaning over you. He, too, is soggy and shirtless, clearly having dove into the spring to pull you out when your lungs, muscles, and perception failed you. And at your stomach, trembling hands still resting just below your sternum, is… the female dwarf, Davora? She is gasping for breathing, having clearly exerted herself quiet a bit in the effort to pump water out of you through force of compressions.

You hear Karz, off to one side, scoff, and say something in dwarven-tongue. Davora reddens, shouting something back at him, but quickly stands and steps away from you, turning away and saying nothing. You look between them, and to your worried retinue.

“What did you find?” the Cartographer asks, excitedly, as he reigns in the dwarves’ chains.

“I don’t know,” you admit, frustrated at the truth of it. “Nothing, maybe.”

You look back towards the depths of that spring, and see no lingering glitter or glow at the bottom. Feeling sick even at the sight of the waters which nearly claimed your life, you turn away again.

You are in no shape to travel after your partial-drowning, so you and your allies, slaves, and pets make camp here. A small amount of wood from the surface is ignited with a spark from your Ring of Elemental Command, to make a fire with which to warm and dry your bodies and clothes. You can only hope that this path really IS a shortcut, for this misadventure has cost you many hours.

What do you do?
>Speak with Oluwadamilare about what he did, or didn’t, see in the spring
>Attempt to commune with Death about what it was you saw
>Examine your moon-sword, and attempt to better understand its magic through mindful meditation
>Have Karz sing you a song, to raise the dampened morale of your nervous troops
>Speak with Davora, and ask why she saved you
>Write-in
>>
>>5350311
>Have Karz sing you a song, to raise the dampened morale of your nervous troops
>Meditate to figure out the magic

Multi-task. Next figure out this elf sword, though.
>>
>>5350311
>Examine your moon-sword, and attempt to better understand its magic through mindful meditation
>Speak with Davora, and ask why she saved you
>>
>>5350340
+1

Wtf dice
>>
>>5350311
Actually changing vote, who says we can't have a peaceful dwarf song to help with our mediation.

>Speak with Davora, and ask why she saved you
>Examine your moon-sword, and attempt to better understand its magic through mindful meditation
>Have Karz sing you a song, to raise the dampened morale of your nervous troops
>>
>>5350354
>peaceful dwarf song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALylcRAqZQg
[I guess it's kind of soothing, in a way?]
>>
>>5350314
+1
>>
>>5348806
The quest and MC has suffered subversion and ruination based on the other anon's arguments. That doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the quest still.

>>5350311
>Speak with Oluwadamilare about what he did, or didn’t, see in the spring
>>
>>5350384
>subversion and ruination based on the other anon's arguments
How did the arguments affect the quest?
>>
>>5350384
[I'm glad you're enjoying it, then. Honestly, aside from a greater tolerance for mammals than I expected and a Sir Mix-A-Lot tier love of fat asses, this is pretty on-point with how I anticipated things going. Well, and I thought you'd have a patron by now.]
>>
>>5350354
Support, the dice always cuck us so hard we get our shit kicked in at the worst opportunity.
>>
>>5350410
When will we fuck Novice Fleshweaver?
You can patron dee's nuts. Got em!
>>
File: Spoiler Image (124 KB, 220x166)
124 KB
124 KB GIF
>>5350524
Wen she's in heat, which could be anytime between now and an in-game year from now... Though if you mean non-penetrative sex, I suppose you could proposition her, if you could rally enough anons to that banner, and see what happens.
>>
>>5350410
>this is pretty on-point with how I anticipated things going
>drowning so hard you meet the afterlife in the third thread
Nice to know we’re on point.
>>
>>5350529
Honestly? I figure our chances are decent, if only to experiment with the genetic material after. I sort of curious how a Mother of Dragon boon would alter shit, sort of like the Beholder and his altering of the Potion of Smol.
>>
>>5350354
+1
Maybe do >>5350041, dedicate it to Pursuer, cull whatever bullshit magic that just drowned our ass. I figure we can talk to Death or tentacle homie about it before our nap.
>>
File: 71CEHINZa9L._SL1000_.jpg (134 KB, 1000x886)
134 KB
134 KB JPG
Rolled 10, 13, 13 = 36 (3d20)

>>5350735
>>5350384
>>5350380
>>5350354
>>5350347
>>5350340
“Throat-sssinger! To me.”

You thus call Karz to your side, and bid him sing you one of his people’s peculiar, reverberating songs—a wordless hymn which you cannot understand the meaning of, but which you recognize vibrates with a frequency verging on the mystical. Your hope is that it will improve morale, as the late Paeris’ songs once did... And, perhaps, help you to focus your own mind and soul upon this blasted elf-sword.

The moon-blade sits in your lap, laid out upon its unraveled cloth ‘sheathe’ for you to scrutinize. It has flummoxed you, eluded precise analysis by even the magically-inclined Jazkarmel. You know it to be a blade of legend—or at least a replica of such, with a genuine magic. Its stone-like material does not rust, chip, or whether; its edge never dulls. It is marked with the phases of the moon, and the Elf Specialist once told you of a legend that it belonged to a Goddess of Light, before being passed down to the first King of the Elves. You and he both doubted it, but… Well, simply wielding it in your draconic shape was enough to frighten away some ephemeral being in an elven spring which hosts what is clearly a deep magic.

What IS it? Besides glowing and enduring, what powers does this sword-of-kings command?
>>
>>5350752
>13

You focus and focus, but ironically your very intensity makes it hard to lose yourself in the meditation—to access the half-emptied frame of mind, the place of idle and drifting consciousness, which allows the veil of the material realm to part and to reveal the mystical underlay beneath mundane reality. In other words, no luck. You curse your own distraction, your impatience, and begin to re-wrap the moon-blade.

However, as you do so, you relieve yourself of the pressure to succeed, and to know immediately. You allow your mind to wander, and your senses to focus on the young dwarf-boy’s musical stylings. Karz the Throat-singer’s oscillating voice fills the cavern aaround this ancient elven spring, filling the space with a peculiar harmony. It is as if the stones, the slightly-trembling and effervescent waters, sing with him…

>-2 DC for bardic inspiration

..And so does the blade. It trembles in your hands with a hidden power, beginning to glow faintly once more, and then brighter and brighter. To your startlement, it begins to rise, levitating before you. You stand, reaching out to grab it before it floats away, and its vibrations travel up your arm, through your bones and into your ribcage and skull. Your heart and mind heart its song. In its own tune—its response to Karz’s call—you sense another attunement. It is an alignment between the sword and something within you… A magic already known.

Your retinue is staring at you and your luminescent sword now. Even Karz is staring, wide-eyed, but he does not break off his song. The hum of the sword will not allow it—nor, you sense, would he allow this peculiar and revelatory moment to pass him by, even as he has no desire to assist you in your quest. He continues his song, and you join in with a ululation of your own—the elven words which correspond to the <Moonbeam> spell, but altered… Older, perhaps, or of a secret language-of-power such as the human mages use. At the same time, you whirl about swinging your sword in a wide arc, and a great crescent of light explodes froth from the blade, a faint blue-white light which spreads out in a mirror of your arc. Agno yelps and ducks below it as the blade of light cuts a deep gouge into the stonework before you, bisecting an ancient elven king (or god) in bass relief.

You stare at the sword, as do the others. The song dies down, and Karz sits down, shaking, holding his beardless face in his hands as if his very throat, tongue, and lips have become alien to him. You wrap up your sword, as the glow dies away once more.

You’re pretty sure you could do that again. You think you could do even more, given time… And given the Throat-singer’s assistance.
>>
>>5350761
This last exertion is enough to push you over the edge into exhaustion, but torpor must wait, just a little while longer. You know you cannot rest until you answer one more mystery.

“Herbalissst,” you say, calling the other dwarf to you now, “to me.”

You say this more quietly, and you beckon her to follow you to a private grotto on the edge of this particular cavern. This is to be a more personal conversation. She follows haltingly, clearly hesitant to be alone with you.

“You fear me,” you say.

“You just sliced a scar in the earth herself,” she points out, “and, uh, you’re still half-naked, sir.”

You are if only because your pants are still drying before the fire. You don’t really see the relevance—you’re no female, after all, to have to preserve modesty. Perhaps things are different among dwarves, with their males ever-visible mammalian genitalia. You shrug off the cultural misunderstanding, but seek to assuage the slight tremor in her voice—her fear is righteous, and good, but misplace din this instance.

“You are not being punished,” you say. “You sssaved my life. It would be… Odd, to punish ssuch an act of loyalty.”

“I wouldn’t say… I mean, um, yes, sir. Th-thank you.”

“Not loyalty, then?” you ask. “I thought it ssstrange, yess. Why would you be loyal? Why attempt to sssave me at all? The Throat-ssinger ccertainly would have let me drown, and I underssstand hisss resssentment… But not your mercccy, nor the way you looked at me, before that.”

Davora the Herbalist’s reddens in the face again at that comment, eyes widening.

“I didn’t… I didn’t mean to, uh, offend or anything.”

“I am not offended. I am confusssed. Exxxplain yoursself, dwarf.”

Davora hesitates again, but a low rumble of irritation pushes her through this delay and she answers yo:

“Because you were beautiful.”

You stare for a moment, confounded. Is this mammal… CAttempting to seduce you? I mean, her form is supple enough, and she DOES have that rear, but…

“Wait!” Davora blurts out. “I didn’t mean… Not like…”

Davora pauses, looking at you with that same bizarre, ambivalent expression.

“It isn’t that I don’t hate you, for what you did. I wasn’t… I didn’t lose parents, or siblings, or children. Plenty did, like Karz. I wasn’t close with my husband, but he didn’t deserve to… To DIE like that. I was never really at home in these mountains, never had close friends, but there were dwarves who were good and kind to me. You… You smashed and stabbed them, too. I hate you for that. I DO.”

Another pause this time to take a deep breath. Her fear has returned, and she is clearly afraid of what your reply will be to her next words.
>>
File: Gen221.jpg (118 KB, 1200x718)
118 KB
118 KB JPG
>>5350799
“So when I saw you there, shining and, and HUGE… Like a golem—this big metal guardian in dwarven legends, that is—shining with those metallic scales and glimmering gold armour, and wielding that glowing sword, standing proud and tall like some… Some HERO right out of a story… And you saved us all, then dove right into those waters to chase down those slimy bastards…”

Davora dares to meet your eyes.

I guess why I saved you, because… I may not be a miner like Da or a craftsdwarf like Mum, but I’m a dwarf. What dwarf just lets a beautiful thing break, and doesn’t fix it? But… That’s why I looked at you like that, too.”

“Becaussse I wass… Beautiful to you?” you ask.

“Because it felt wrong that something… That someone so awful, who did such awful things, and caused so much pain, and killed so many good dwarves, could… Be ALLOWED to be as beautiful as that.”

How do you respond?
>Rebuke her—list the litanies of indignities your people have suffered thanks to the actions of the mammalian races, dwarves included
>Apologize—you did what you had to, or what you FELT you had to, but you do not revel in the emotional toll it takes
>Seduce her—she’s quite beautiful, herself, and you find yourself wishing to hold her trembling body
>Ask her something [what?]
>Dismiss her—that will be all
>>
>>5350802
>Seduce her—she’s quite beautiful, herself, and you find yourself wishing to hold her trembling body

Jiggle.
>>
>>5350802
>Apologize—you did what you had to, or what you FELT you had to, but you do not revel in the emotional toll it takes
>>
>>5350802
>Rebuke her—list the litanies of indignities your people have suffered thanks to the actions of the mammalian races, dwarves included
>Seduce her—she’s quite beautiful, herself, and you find yourself wishing to hold her trembling body
We wuz kangz bitch! That’s why we be naturally beautiful, the sheer CHADNESS of our being catches the eye hoe.
>>
File: 9e2.png (362 KB, 600x420)
362 KB
362 KB PNG
>>5350885
>>
>>5350885
kek, have a +1
>>
>>5350802
>Seduce her—she’s quite beautiful, herself, and you find yourself wishing to hold her trembling body
purely for uh diplomatic relations
>>
>>5350802
>Seduce her—she’s quite beautiful, herself, and you find yourself wishing to hold her trembling body
>Softly rebuke her- we don’t like the emotional toll it take, but our people have suffered from actions of the surface races.
>>
>>5350802
>Rebuke her—list the litanies of indignities your people have suffered thanks to the actions of the mammalian races, dwarves included
>Seduce her—she’s quite beautiful, herself, and you find yourself wishing to hold her trembling body
Play up the bad boy rebel-without-a-cause vibe, the James Dean kind. Women love that shit.
>>
File: 30797307._SY475_.jpg (34 KB, 304x475)
34 KB
34 KB JPG
Rolled 20, 16 = 36 (2d20)

>>5350979
>>5350957
>>5350927
>>5350926
>>5350885
>>5350823
>>5350817

The air is humid and warm. You aren’t sure if that’s what is affecting you, or if you are affected indirectly by the effect which this has on the Herbalist—on Davora. Her robes cling to her peculiar mammalian dimorphism—to her bosom, with its pale and pinkish skin, its cleavage visible from the elevated vantage allowed by your height. Her trembling vulnerability, coupled with her guarded stance, defiant eyes, and her inadvertent flattery… They all stir something familiar in you. Your <appetite> surges.

And yet…

“I won’t apologize for doing what needed to be done,” you say after a moment.

“Those dwarves didn’t need to die,” she begins to object.

“Those mountains are my race’s birthright,” you interrupt. “We were driven from them by mammalsss—by dwarvess, in fact, and by elvesss and men. And we have sssuffered, ssuch as you cannot imagine ssuffering, for aeonss ssinccce then. We NEED those mountainsss… And we will have them.”

You take a step forward, and Davora’s eyes widen as you reach out and grab hold of her shoulders. Her quaking intensifies, as she looks down at your comparatively-massive, muscular body… And down further, to where you feel the heat of arousal building.

“I will have what I desssire,” you whisper, voice a low rumble. “You are quite beautiful yoursself, you know…”

"I..." she stammers, "S-sir, I..."

DC 17
>>
>>5351080
we need no points in seduction when we nat 20 all day
>>
File: Spoiler Image (68 KB, 231x145)
68 KB
68 KB PNG
>>5351080
>>5351093
>20
You pull her body to yours, taking handfuls of her soft, scaleless skin and kneading at it. She gasps, first in fear and increasingly with a more lascivious bent at your attentions—even at the pricking of your sharp talons through her clothing.

“I shouldn’t…”

“You have no duty,” you remind her, “but to your Dragon King.”

There is a pause that feels almost eternal, as you feel her body tense up—to retaliate? to flee?—but then she instead belts into you, her mammalian chest-glands and their lusciously-squishy confines pressed to you where you are most sensitive, and her hands reach to tentatively touch your thighs… And then move inward.

There are no more words, but both of you find uses for your mouths. So too do you find uses for the chain which yet binds her, but when you lose grip of it in the throes of passion, the throes do not cease—the one called Davora moves on her own, caught up in this bizarre and forbidden coupling.

A frequent refrain, perhaps predictably given your dimensions relative to her own race’s, is:

“S-so big!”

For your part, you have never felt anything like this dwarf. Well… You’ve only mated one other time, you suppose. The sensation is different—less complex than the interior of your one-time insectoid mate, Glowie, but very… Snug. And such heat! ‘Warm-blooded’ is no misnomer!

In the end, you…
>Take your full pleasure—what are the chances you can impregnate a dwarf?
>Use caution to avoid siring any accidental heirs

And thereafter you…
>Spend your rest in the dwarf-woman’s companionship, savouring your body-warmth [+affection]
>Wash yourself urgently, and order her to say nothing of what transpired here [-affection]
>>
>>5351098
>Take your full pleasure—what are the chances you can impregnate a dwarf?
>Spend your rest in the dwarf-woman’s companionship, savouring your body-warmth [+affection]
I would’ve traded that nat 20 for the treasure dive. Eh, might as well make the most of the crit.
>>
>>5351098
>Take your full pleasure—what are the chances you can impregnate a dwarf?

>bounce
>>
>>5351098
>Use caution to avoid siring any accidental heirs
>Spend your rest in the dwarf-woman’s companionship, savouring your body-warmth [+affection]

Well I didn't want to do this but oh well. The coomers get to have their way today.
>>
>>5351098
>Take your full pleasure—what are the chances you can impregnate a dwarf?
>Spend your rest in the dwarf-woman’s companionship, savouring your body-warmth [+affection]

Coomers win!!!! Honestly surprised it took this long.
>>
File: Spoiler Image (238 KB, 807x502)
238 KB
238 KB PNG
>>5351129
If you don't like the idea of coupling with Davona, might I suggest not building your affection with her via cuddling?
>>
>>5351154
We're an evil dragonborn who genocided her people, but we're not a complete scumbag. We would never kick a woman out after just fucking her!

Really, though, I'm fine with this relationship as long as it doesn't interfere with the Novice or sets Glowie off too much. I REALLY don't want to impregnate her, though. That is a terrible idea that'll lead to so many complications.
>>
>>5351098
>Take your full pleasure—what are the chances you can impregnate a dwarf?
>Cuddle for a minute, and her wash you, and you her- and if anyone asks, you were teaching the Dragonborn how to self-resuscitate or resuscitate others, so as not to appear foolish when dealing with this difficulty again
We invaded her community, slaughtered her kinsmen, crushed her husband… and now she lays with us willing, cucking their sacrifice and memory. This is the pinnacle of being a Dragon Chad.

>>5351161
That’s what the Novice Abortion clinic is for homie.
>>
>>5351161
>as it doesn't interfere with the Novice or sets Glowie off too much
>>
>>5351167
Kek we have a long road ahead of ourselves
>>
>>5351098
>Take your full pleasure—what are the chances you can impregnate a dwarf?
>Cuddle for a minute, and her wash you, and you her- and if anyone asks, you were teaching the Dragonborn how to self-resuscitate or resuscitate others, so as not to appear foolish when dealing with this difficulty again

Women don’t understand it’s physically impossible to pull out it feels too good
>>
>>5351217
Wait already voted ignore. Post nap posts are groggy and forgetful
>>
>>5351217
Anon… well it’s winning by a lot anyways so.
>>
>>5351098
>Take your full pleasure—what are the chances you can impregnate a dwarf, especially a herbalist?
>Cuddle for a minute, and her wash you, and you her- and if anyone asks, you were teaching the Dragonborn how to self-resuscitate or resuscitate others, so as not to appear foolish when dealing with this difficulty again
Isn’t she a herbalist? She should be able to concoct and drink a contraceptive, a morning after pill, right?
>>
>>5351098
>Use caution to avoid siring any accidental heirs
Why impregnate her, anons? We have no need for more halfbred bastards.
>Spend your rest in the dwarf-woman’s companionship, savouring your body-warmth [+affection]
>>
>>5351098

>Use caution to avoid siring any accidental heirs

And thereafter you…
>Spend your rest in the dwarf-woman’s companionship, savouring your body-warmth [+affection]

While their is some minor benefit to building a rapport with the dwarf women, so as to have a spy later on.

There is ZERO reason to create a half-dwarf/human/reptile/dragon abomination. It will only cause us problem's and will interfere with our mission. Unlike with glowie the mother of dragons wouldn't even bless thus degenerate union.

A.k.a Coomer need to leave, or at least fap before posting on this quest.

The qm is obviously only giving us these story line options in order to set up problems and future drama for us to deal with later, that will inevitably by laws of story telling convention interfere with our mission.
>>
>>5351166
>That’s what the Novice Abortion clinic is for homie.

The same coomer that voted for lol sex, will NEVER vote for an abortion, the want us to FEEL the consequence of our actions, or they wont be able to get their rocks off.
>>
Hey coomers now that you've gotten to "jiggle" something let's chill out now. We're going to fuck up our relationship with the Novice if we do anymore, we had fun but now it's time to buckle down and focus on the empire building efforts.
>>
>>5351317
If you can't keep it in the pants let's at least agree to no more seduction without CLEAR benefits. Fucking this dwarf was mostly fucking her for the sake of fucking her.
>>
>>5351098
>Use caution to avoid siring any accidental heirs
>Spend your rest in the dwarf-woman’s companionship, savouring your body-warmth [+affection]
>>
File: Spoiler Image (252 KB, 828x765)
252 KB
252 KB JPG
>>5351317
>>5351331
Dear sexless anons. We are going to fuck this shortstack again as soon as we get Novice to develop a contraceptive. That is, right after we're done mate pressing Novice to make sure it's working. We're going to test both cocks, so it's going to take a while.
>>
>>5351317
>>5351331
Like I said before, use the Prosecutor as a counterweight to the Coomer Menace. I’m not saying we should patronize the God, but if we had a positive relationship we probably would be more chaste for the sake of appeasing him.
>>
>>5351098
>Use caution to avoid siring any accidental heirs
>Wash up and bounce
>>
>>5351098
>Use caution to avoid siring any accidental heirs
>Wash up and bounce
>>
>>5351260
>>5351098

+1 for wholesome hours
>>
>>5351107
>>5351110
>>5351129
>>5351143
>>5351166
>>5351237
>>5351260
>>5351311
>>5351336
>>5351407
>>5351422
>>5351444
[Hmmm... I'm a bit suspicious of some of these votes, but without the suspicious ones it's still 50/50, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.]

[Post incoming, if the 4chan glitches let up!]
>>
>>5351487
“Herbalisst,” you hiss, “I am… I feel…”

“Please, not insuh-uh-iiide!” she whispers back, holding back a louder cry.

Following Davora’s advice, you make the judicious decision not to risk siring another mixed-breed (well, more mixed than you are already) offspring, but due to her distinctive shapeliness and warmth you are still able to find your pleasure quite readily. The post-coital wave of exhaustion is more than you can handle, however, especially after such a day of extreme exertion. You slump forwards, gasping, vision hazy.

“…S-sir? Are you alright?”

Without really seeing her, you reach out to the source of the warmth. You reach out towards the tangible warmth of your mammalian mate, grab handfuls of the dwarf’s curvaceous body and pulling her to you once more. She cries out before covering her mouth, surprised at your sudden seizing of her. She seems to calm somewhat, however, when rather than an attack or another round of frenzied rutting, you instead pull her to your chest and abdomen, and hold her there. As the fire-lizards bask beside the hot-spring, you find relief and relaxation in this warmth.

“…perior one? Dragonborn?”

You groan, rousing at the sound of your titles… And raise your head to see Oluwadamilare’s concerned expression.

“What is wrong, Archer?” you ask the Degenerate.

With a slightly wry expression, he gestures to the dwarven Herbalist, still held tight to your abdomen. Her eyes are closed, and her breathing slow and regular; she is still sleeping, given to the long torpor of the mammalian races.

“Superior One… Such interspecies couplings without authorization are…”

You feel the same shock of post-coital clarity which you did after breeding with Glowie, and sit upright, eyes wide. The Herbalist is startled awake by this; she is disoriented at first but then, seeing Olu and then following his eyes to her exposed breasts, she makes an alarmed squealing sound and covers herself, before scrambling to collect her clothes.

“I know the law well,” you hiss. “This is… That is to say… In the same way your diplomatic efforts are producing favourable results with the Drow, my intention was to…”

The two of you stare at once another for a moment, and then Olu the Archer laughs.

“You once said you admired my taste,” he notes. “This dwarf, she is not my type, but I can understand yours as well… Superior One.”

The familiarity! The borderline disrespect! And from a Degenerate!

“I will say nothing to the others, but your absences have been noticed,” the Archer says, and hands you your folded-up underclothes, the rough fabrics worn beneath your armour. “May I humbly suggest that you wash and get dressed?”
>>
>>5351491
As Olu departs, Davora returns to your side, hair and attire dishevelled and trailing her limp chain, attached to nothing.

“What did he say?” she asks, having n understanding of the True Speech.

“He said we should not be… Open about thisss matter.”

“...Right.”

You glance down at the Herbalist, and she twists the chain around and around her hands. You wonder if she still feels that hatred for your and what you inflicted on her people, beneath… Whatever else the two of you felt, in the throes of mammalian desire? As the two of you rejoin the others, gather up your things, and leave the hot-spring, she certainly seems withdrawn and pensive.

There are no more major obstacles between you and the Drow and, true to the Cartograpehr’s calculations, the journey to the dark elves’ encampment is shorter than previous journeys—and somewhat easier, as well, for you find more segments of long-worn, still-useful steps in lieu of sharply-dropping cliffs and ravines. Having overtaxed yourself somewhat the prior day, you are grateful for this.

The Drow see you coming before you notice them, as is so often the case. They do not seem tot rouble your <Danger Sense> any more, with their lack of hostility and your own increasing trust of these allies. By the time you arrive at the encampment, familiar faces await you: Jazkarmel, their leader and apparent ‘Princess’, and the Elf-Specialist. The former, as with the gathered elves, are somewhat grim of countenance, more muted than the celebrations during your last visit. They have seen the bodies you bring back, bundled though they are.

“Epharidan was a good scout, and a trustworthy elf-man,” Jazkarmel notes, face impassive.

“The Ranger-Captain and his subordinate both fought well,” you reply, “and slew many more foes, of great importance, before perishing.”
>>
>>5351494
You nod to Agno, who hurries to your side and kneels. He opens his bag and reveals a tribute of glittering rubies and diamonds, gold and silver coins, and a bar of the much-coveted orichalcum. It is a relatively small offering, but as you explain to Jazkarmel:

“These are but a sampling of our spoils, and in honour of your race’s sacrifice, we offer you the land where this wealth was mined.”

You both meet one another’s eyes, and exchange a nod. Jazkarmel gestures to some of her warriors, and they gather up the dead.

“Come on, then,” she beckons to you, “we will have much to discuss.”

You entrust Herbalist Davora’s chain to the Elf-Specialist, who looks at you in confusion and at her with disgust, but obliges you by guiding her away as he rejoins the rest of your retinue to exchange stories. You and Jazkarmel, fellow leaders, return to the chamber where she conducts her meetings. Tehre, you tell her of what transpired, of your victories and losses, and of your plans.

What are your plans?
>You wish to meet with the Queen of the Drow, deeper in their hidden capitol, and to formally propose an alliance of equals
>You formally claim the Bloodrise and the passages around and below it as your sovereign territory, and you wish this to be conveyed to the Queen—who you desire to submit to this authority
>You do not yet wish to involve the upper echelons of Drow nobility, lest it complicate matters—rather, Jazkarmel and her forces should march with you to claim their new lands, and aid you in seizing still more territory
>You hear Jazkarmel has a claim to the Drow throne… And, as she is a trusted ally, you would like to enable her to take advantage of this claim
>Write-in
>>
>>5351496
>You do not yet wish to involve the upper echelons of Drow nobility, lest it complicate matters—rather, Jazkarmel and her forces should march with you to claim their new lands, and aid you in seizing still more territory

We have a month time limit before we need to get back with food, I don't know how long the journey to meet with the Drow queen would take, but it would certainly put us right around the danger zone at the least. Also if we wish to put Jazkarmel on the throne of the Drow it would be much easier when she has territory and spoils behind her.
>>
>>5351496
>You hear Jazkarmel has a claim to the Drow throne… And, as she is a trusted ally, you would like to enable her to take advantage of this claim
queenmaker whoo
>>
>>5351496
>You do not yet wish to involve the upper echelons of Drow nobility, lest it complicate matters—rather, Jazkarmel and her forces should march with you to claim their new lands, and aid you in seizing still more territory
Got to be quick.
>>
>>5351496
>You do not yet wish to involve the upper echelons of Drow nobility, lest it complicate matters—rather, Jazkarmel and her forces should march with you to claim their new lands, and aid you in seizing still more territory
>>
>>5351496
>You formally claim the Bloodrise and the passages around and below it as your sovereign territory, and you wish this to be conveyed to the Queen—who you desire to submit to this authority
>>
>>5351496
>You hear Jazkarmel has a claim to the Drow throne… And, as she is a trusted ally, you would like to enable her to take advantage of this claim
Subvert the shit outta them
>>
>>5351496
>You do not yet wish to involve the upper echelons of Drow nobility, lest it complicate matters—rather, Jazkarmel and her forces should march with you to claim their new lands, and aid you in seizing still more territory.

Negotiations with the drow queen is too much politics right now, we need to fortify and resupply our allies, and beat the bloodrise mountain dwarf mining company before we get embroiled in any of those plots.
>>
>>5351496
>You hear Jazkarmel has a claim to the Drow throne… And, as she is a trusted ally, you would like to enable her to take advantage of this claim

Only a discussion though at this stage - we need to restock with food supplies and new warriors and proceed back to the fort.
>>
File: jazkarmel.png (91 KB, 258x255)
91 KB
91 KB PNG
>>5352147
>>5351764
>>5351591
>>5351576
>>5351574
>>5351570
>>5351512
Drow politics are fascinating, and full of potential, but they are outside of the scope of your current mission. While the Novice may have been more right than she realized about your penchant for certain, especially-jiggly distractions, you ARE a male on a mission, and you are ever-cognizant of the ticking clock. Food and fighter srae yoru priority,a nd you make this clear:

“Our initial assault was a tremendous success,” you assert. “We lost mostly Bogbarri—the barbed devils, who are called bugbears. You provided us with only four… How you say, ‘elf-men’?”

“Zardryl actually identifies as—”

“Four warriors,” you press on, “and look at what we accomplished! For the cost of two lives, you have obtained a stronghold full of riches.”

Jazkarmel frowns slightly, but she turns over one of the rubies in his hands—a stone the size half the size of her fist, and a match to her sparkling red eyes.

“What of more practical matters?” she asks, setting the stone reluctantly down on the table. “We Drow need food more than we need fancy rocks.”

“We… Actually hoped to request rations from you,” you admit, cringing inwardly. “Our own stores run low.”

Jazkarmel’s frown deepens, her elegant eyebrows arching questioningly.

“I understand that this is counterintuitive,” you say, “but supply me elven warriors, and rations for your forces and mine, and we shall return them redoubled. Do you not think these resources can be traded for ample food from the humans of the valley?”

“The loyal children of the False Gods who abandoned us will not trade with those who serve the Gods of Evil,” she sighs. “We may take the dwarven riches, and their barren mountain-lands, but all we will do is starve to death while clad in silk and jewelry. We will leave pretty corpses, but nothing else.”

You hesitate, recalculating your gambit. You had expected greater enthusiasm from the dark elf leader, and you NEED her support… Or do you?

What do you do?
>Emphasize the dwarven theories of using orichalcum stores and networks to facilitate underground farming—there will be more food, eventually, if you can use these secrets for your own purposes!
>Propose expanding into the valley-lands instead, capturing arable land and beginning to raise livestock and grow crops
>Suggest the dwarves themselves as a food-source—it will do, in a pinch, though it will surely lose what little loyalty they have to you
>Threaten the dark elves—they will cooperate, or they will be crushed as surely as the dwarves
>Forget this—you were wrong to rely on silly, flighty elves
>Write-in
>>
>>5352272
>Emphasize the dwarven theories of using orichalcum stores and networks to facilitate underground farming—there will be more food, eventually, if you can use these secrets for your own purposes!
>>
>leave for the weekend on vacation
>come back
>we have fucked a dwarf for literally no reason
alright I'm out, enjoy your coomer playerbase QM
>>
>>5352272
>Emphasize the dwarven theories of using orichalcum stores and networks to facilitate underground farming—there will be more food, eventually, if you can use these secrets for your own purposes!
>We have methods to able to trade with the humans, you were shocked by our wormy friends transformation right? That type of transformation is not limited to just reptilians but also humans. A savvy infiltrator can trade the wealth for food easily.
>>
File: imout.gif (1.54 MB, 400x225)
1.54 MB
1.54 MB GIF
>>5352290
Same energy.
Better luck next quest, anon. Thanks for playing!
>>
>>5352306
+1
>>
>>5352306
Supporting
>>
>>5352272
>Emphasize the dwarven theories of using orichalcum stores and networks to facilitate underground farming—there will be more food, eventually, if you can use these secrets for your own purposes!
>Propose expanding into the valley-lands instead, capturing arable land and beginning to raise livestock and grow crops
>>
>>5352272
>We have methods to able to trade with the humans.
Do NOT give her any details about how transformations work. Those talismans are fucking crucial for the lives of our spies.

>>Food and fighter srae yoru priority,a nd you make this clear
That wasn't very clear kek
>>5352290
See you in a week!
>>
>>5352272
>Propose expanding into the valley-lands instead, capturing arable land and beginning to raise livestock and grow crops
We should also try to assimilate them within the Master Race’s power structure, with their consent of course, but that’s after we finish our campaign and get ourselves involved in elven politics proper.
>>
>>5352290
No one asked you didn’t need to make an announcement like we care
>>
>>5352515
I mean they've already seen Glowie transform and at this point we're kind of in bed with these Drow whether we like it or not.

This proposition is in our favor anyways despite the secrets it reveals, this would make the Drow dependent on us for food, and that is a thing that we can hold over them later.
>>
>>5352515
>>5352272
*food and fighters are your priority

>>5352570
>>5352515
>>5352445
>>5352443
>>5352395
>>5352306
>>5352283
[Vote locked, post in progress!]
>>
Rolled 3, 12, 10, 7 = 32 (4d20)

>>5352623
“The dwarves have a notion of using orichalcum constructions, channels of this black stone or an alloy, to store and transmit magic through their underground complexes… To control temperature, power machinery, and much more. It could enable the growing of crops and livestock beneath the earth, enough for all of us!”

You hand the ingot of orichalcum-iron to Jazkarmel, and the dark elf leader turns it over and over in her hand, before setting it next to the ruby and half-smiling at you.

“A beautiful dream, Dragonborn,” she says. “But do you know how to do it?”

“I have taken many dwarves as slaves, and mean to vassalize them as I did the kobolds,” you say, attempting to project the confidence of inevitable victory. “We will own their secret methods, and our alchemists and mages will make them our own.”

Jazkarmel leans back in her seat a little, considering your words with as neutral a look on her face as she can manage. You have been spending more time interacting with mammals lately, though. You see interest, albeit also some skepticism.

“And until then?” she asks. “It sounds as if it will take time. You ask for food now for the POSSIBILITY fo food later. Bad trade.”

You lean forward, and tap the amulet upon your neck, drawing the elf’s eyes to it.

“You have seen how our Amulets of Disguise can transform even a great glow-worm into one of my kind,” you say. “That type of transformation is not limited to just Reptilian forms, but also can be used to disguise one of my race as a human. A savvy Infiltrator can trade the wealth for food easily.”

Of course, you’ll need to think of some way to smooth over the matter of the Dwarves of Bloodrise no longer being affiliated with their ‘corporations’… But Jazkarmel does not know of dwarven socio-economic structure, and it is a bridge you can cross when you later come to it.

DC 11/13/15 for clever plans
>>
>>5352628
For now, the elf leader smiles brightly, seeing the potential in this plan, and clasps your hand in her fine, soft one.

“Alright,” she says, “you have me.”

“Then you will march on the dwarves with me?” you ask.

Jazkarmel shrugs, and answers: “You will have ME, and some of my rangers—a dozen of my best. We will bring food to share…”

She pauses, her eyes glimmering with mischief.

“…And some wine.”

You remember well the drunkenness and hangover of your last experience with Drow-made blood-red mushroom-wine, and you gulp slightly, drawing a musical laugh from your opposite number. She pats you good-naturedly on the shoulder, and gives it a squeeze.

(These elves, always so… Touchy. Oluwadamilare is a lucky male.)

You depart Jazkarmel’s chamber. You have made good time in reaching and convincing the Drow leader of the value of your proposition, though she requests a week to prepare for the expedition. You can hardly begrudge her that—it’s what you were given, before you left the forward base. It also gives you time to reflect on how you will spend your remaining time here, in the Drow encampment, and what else you might do before your return to Bloodrise.

Your first priority is to…
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>Debrief the Elf Specialist, and see what progress he has made in converting the locals to your True Faith
>Meditate with Karz, the Dwarven Throat-singer, to see if you can unlock yet more mysteries of the moon-blade with his aid
>Get your looted dwarven axe appraised by an elven mage, and perhaps trade for some other items
>Write-in
[Choose two at most, please.]
>>
>>5352643
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>Meditate with Karz, the Dwarven Throat-singer, to see if you can unlock yet more mysteries of the moon-blade with his aid
>>
>>5352643
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>>
>>5352648
>Meditate with Karz, the Dwarven Throat-singer, to see if you can unlock yet more mysteries of the moon-blade with his aid

Pasted same thing twice
>>
>>5352643
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>Debrief the Elf Specialist, and see what progress he has made in converting the locals to your True Faith
>>
>>5352643
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs

>Meditate on dragonhood with Karz' aid, he has helped you get results on the blade, why not on your true quest?
Its been a while since we did this, the beholder helped us with the amulet but maybe we can advance more?
>>
What guesses do we have for Karz magic ability?
>>
>>5352643
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>Get your looted dwarven axe appraised by an elven mage, and perhaps trade for some other items
Place a hand on her cocoon and hum that tune she always loved to hum.
>>
>>5352643
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>Debrief the Elf Specialist, and see what progress he has made in converting the locals to your True Faith
>>
>>5352897
Maybe something moon-related, it seems to synergize well with the moon sword.

>>5352915
I think we should hold her hand when we see her, that always comforted her.
>>
>>5352643
>Pay Glowie a visit, to see how her metamorphosis progresses and whether she has yet laid your sons’ eggs
>Meditate with Karz, the Dwarven Throat-singer, to see if you can unlock yet more mysteries of the moon-blade with his aid
Support comforting Glowie.
>>
File: 2016MayGrumpyMug1.jpg (695 KB, 1600x1325)
695 KB
695 KB JPG
>>5352646
>>5352648
>>5352649
>>5352651
>>5352666
>>5352915
>>5352992
>>5353047
Your main priority is obvious, automatic… But there’s something else you must attend to first.

“Throat-ssinger,” you call out to Karz, approaching Olu the Archer who keeps his chain. “I require your sservicesss.”

The Archer hands off the male dwarf’s chain to you and, relieved of this duty, gives you a questioning look. You nod, and he grins gratefully, and springs off to the same tent which you just left, to pay his respects to Jazkarmel. You suspect you’ll not see him around for several hours. You can hardly begrudge him—it can’t hurt your efforts to keep the Drow on-side.

The Throat-singer is stubbornly stiff-necked by sheer dwarven instinct, but he does not actually resist or attempt to escape as you bring him to the edge of the dwarven encampment. The further you get from the others, though, the more his façade of gruff dwarven machismo cracks, until the youthful fear shines through. Perhaps you are simply primed to recognize a young male playing at maturity—sometimes, it is difficult not to feel that this is exactly what you are doing, negotiating diplomatic deals and leading armies at your own young age.

“What are you going to do with me?” he asks.

“I told you,” you repeat, “your sservicesss are required.”

His face pales, expression terrified for a moment,a s if he fears his demise is imminent… But then you drop his chain, pinning it beneath one boot. Your draw your sword, and one form of fear is replaced by another, and by confusion.

“You’re going to kill me?”

“No,” you say. “Wait, what did you think I wass going to do to you before I drew my ssword.”

“You know… Like with Davora.”

You stare at him. He thought you were going to… With a MALE? A MAMMALIAN male?

“Sssssing,” you hiss.

The young dwarf shrinks away from your fury, but then he narrows his eyes and steels himself.

“Last time I sang, you did that… THING with your sword.”

You say nothing, but his eyes linger on the blade, then meet your own in defiance.

“Something about my song is making you stronger, then?” he asks.

You still say nothing. You have no need to answer this beardless tunnel-monkey. He WILL sing. You are his MASTER. His DRAGON KING.

“I won’t do it,” he says, crossing his arms with childish impudence.

“You will,” you sneer. “You will do sso or I will show you how persssuassive I can be.”

“If I make you stronger, better at… Whatever you can do with that’s word… The dwarven blood you shed will be on my hands. I’ll be a pawn of… Of EVIL. I won’t do it! You’ll have to kill me!”
>>
>>5353247
You stare so hard it’s a wonder he doesn’t burst into flames. He takes a step back, nearly tripping over his chains. This whelp—well, probably forty years of age, and roughly as physically mature as you, you suppose, but STILL—defies you. Throat-singer Karz, though he is on the verge of wetting himself, does not sing.

What do you do?
>Make him promises—mercy and minimal force in conquering the remaining dwarves [Low DC, but if you break your promise, this will not work again]
>Corrupt him—tell him of the magical potential you see in him, and offer him tutelage in the mystic arts, and a place of power in your regime [Medium DC, but if you break your promise, this will not work again]
>Threaten him—test his bluff, and prove him a coward at heart [High DC, but if you fail it, this will never work again]
>Forget him—meditate and practice your swordplay alone, without his mystical-musical accompaniment
>Oblige him—run the dwarf through with your sword
>Seduce him—hey, it worked once [Unknown DC, permanent consequences, not just a meme]
>Write-in

[Glowie visit after this is resolved]
>>
File: Spoiler Image (28 KB, 600x460)
28 KB
28 KB JPG
Oh, and it should go without saying, but backlink you 1post IDs
>>
>>5353249
>Threaten him—test his bluff, and prove him a coward at heart [High DC, but if you fail it, this will never work again]

>If he remains defiant, slay him-- your power will not be challenged
>>
File: hulk straight.png (738 KB, 608x688)
738 KB
738 KB PNG
>>5353249
>Threaten him—test his bluff, and prove him a coward at heart [High DC, but if you fail it, this will never work again]

not enough butt descriptors for seduce
also pic related

don't kill him if we fail though, fall back on corrupt

if we can recruit a strong willed minion all the better
>>
File: Spoiler Image (56 KB, 350x397)
56 KB
56 KB JPG
>>5353343
Fatter than an elf's, less cushy than Davora's or the Novie's, doesn't hold a candle to Glowie's.
>>
>>5353249
>Corrupt him—tell him of the magical potential you see in him, and offer him tutelage in the mystic arts, and a place of power in your regime [Medium DC, but if you break your promise, this will not work again]

Why are we doing the High DC option? Let's get to corrupting.
>>
>>5353414
You know the more I think about it the more I like the idea of corrupting him. Having an apprentice that will serve as our dwarf representative/leader could make the subjugation of the dwarves much easier.
>>
>>5353249
>Forget him—meditate and practice your swordplay alone, without his mystical-musical accompaniment

>>5353437
Until he stabs us in the back.
>>
>>5353249
>Corrupt him- if that doesn’t work, mercy and minimal force.
>>
>>5353249
>Corrupt him—tell him of the magical potential you see in him, and offer him tutelage in the mystic arts, and a place of power in your regime [Medium DC, but if you break your promise, this will not work again]

>>5351444
>>5350041
Tis me, euroanon. I'm just phone posting so IDs change
>>
>>5353249
>Corrupt him—tell him of the magical potential you see in him, and offer him tutelage in the mystic arts, and a place of power in your regime [Medium DC, but if you break your promise, this will not work again]
>>
>>5353584
>>5348836
>>
>>5353300
Supporting.

Our will is LAW
>>
File: Spoiler Image (112 KB, 480x640)
112 KB
112 KB JPG
Rolled 13, 18, 6, 4, 18 = 59 (5d20)

>>5353663
>>5353584
>>5353516
>>5353496
>>5353483
>>5353414
>>5353343
>>5353300
“Throat-sssinger…”

You take a step forward, and the dwarf nearly takes a step back. He fidgets, but steadies himself, ready to meet his end with pride intact. It is… Admirable. Impressive, even. Yes, this one ahs potential.

“You musst ssensse that you are different from the othersss.”

Again, Karz the Throat-singer looks surprised by your approach, and once more confused.

“What? You mean because I don’t have a beard? L-low blow, coming from a lizard with hair!”

Your tail involuntarily flicks with irritation at the jibe, but you hold back a hiss of anger.

“Yess,” you admit, “I am different to mossst of my kind, alssso. We have that in common… But not ONLY that, Throat-sssinger.”

“I’m nothing like you!” the dwarf shouts, defiant.

“Magic,” you say simply, and he freezes. “That feeling in your chessst, in your throat, upon your tongue… It isss magic. You are a mage.”

“D-dwarves don’t have bardic magic,” he mutters, clearly shaken. “That’s queer elven nonsense.”

“You do,” you reiterate. “It iss nothing to be ashamed of. My own… Peculiaritiesss… They make me sstronger, in sssome waysss. And you… You are wrong. You and I are not sso different, Karz Throat-ssinger. You have been mocked, yesss? Bullied?”

Karz is quiet.

“They mock usss becausse they do not underssstand usss… Because our differenccce makess usss disstinct… And from that dissstinction, emergesss power. A lump of coal, under pressure, becomesss diamond.”

“That’s a HUGE simplification of—”

“We are forged from the sssame sstuff, Karz. Join me, and together we can rule thessse landsss. We will have ressspect. We will be fears, revered… Loved. We can MAKE them ssee uss for who we truly are.”
>>
File: Spoiler Image (180 KB, 500x656)
180 KB
180 KB PNG
Rolled 18, 18, 1, 12 = 49 (4d20)

>>5353681
Karz stares down at the stone floor, as if seeking some guidance from below…

But Below and Beyond, these are the purviews of the Dark Gods, not those of Light.

When he looks up, his expression is masked, but his eyes burn with an awful shame… The shame of a dark desire for power, respect, and admiration. You recognize it. The shame, in time, shall apss. That desire… That shall remain.

>18

There is no further resistance. He sings for you, and you in turn teach him the basics of meditation, and of channeling his magical potential through relaxation and concerted, directed focus of will—of how to see and feel the essence of one’s self, and then one’s surroundings.
>>
>>5353681
Appealing to a beardless dwarfs shame we’re an evil fuck
>>
File: XL.jpg (363 KB, 536x655)
363 KB
363 KB JPG
>>5353685
>>5353689
>18 for you
The process, the thrumming throat-song, and the sinister satisfaction which comes from corrupting this stalwart mammal to your way of thinking, they al conspire to open the way for you. You practice your swordplay as the dwarf sings for you, and periodically you experiment with channeling magical energy through it. Speaking the dark elven words for moon, shine, glow—there are several variations you experiment with—enable you to generate the slicing wave of light which you created before, but also piercing beams, as well as to make your moon-blade glow or dim to darkness upon command. The intensity of the cry and the amount of mana poured into the effort seems to correspond to the strength of the effect, and more than that, the musicality and tone of your voice seems to be important—a deficiency which the Throat-singer’s vibrato makes up for.

You sense that there is more to learn, but you grow weary, and turn to Karz’s instruction after a time.

>1 for Karz

This proves… Less fruitful. The industrious dwarven spirit and the Throat-singer’s hot blood and musical spirit are not well-given to lessons of stillness and a deliberately-empty mind and heart. You suspect that your ‘conversion’ of the dwarf yet weighs heavily on his heart and leads him to distraction, as he reconciles his new perspective.

“You’ll never be sstrong enough to sstab me in the back at thiss rate,” you chide him.

“If I stab you,” you grumbles with a glare, “it’ll be in your smarmy lizard face, dragon-man.”

“That’sss the sspirit,” you say, “but watch your tone. I am your Dragon King… Apprentice.”

Karz winces and a little, and cannot hide his continued personal distaste for you… But he nods.

“I’m sorry… Uh… Sire?”

You rise to stand, and Karz scrambles back out of sword-reach. You rewrap your blade, and he calms himself. His expression turns to curiosity once more as you rummage about in your belongings, and then produce…

>A divination scroll
>A tome on superficial biological manipulation
>The dwarven axe, magical properties yet unknown
>The demon ring
>An empty journal—you’ll gift him no aids in this pursuit
>Write-in

[Cont.]
>>
File: glowie.png (2.15 MB, 3508x4961)
2.15 MB
2.15 MB PNG
>>5353693
With the matter of the Throat-singer behind you, you attend to an even greater priority—albeit one that isn’t going anywhere: Glowie, the great glow-worm ‘princess’ whom you recruited, befriended, and—in a moment of weakness and/or providence, impregnated during your first-ever sexual encounter. Through the subsequent machinations of the Novice Fleshweaver, the indeterminate number of spawn she now carries hold not just your genetics and hers, but the direct, transfused bloodline of the long-dead Red Dragon King of Bloodrise.

Moreover, your relationship with Glowie—however one might define it—serves as a direct connection to the Mother of Dragons. The Dark Goddess of maternity, fertility, and the feminine aspect has long written your people off as an evolutionary dead end in her goal to conquer the Gods of Light, having created Glowie’s race to replace your own and Glowie herself to steal your genetics to augment her future hive… But, in communing with the Gods, you convinced the Divine Mother of a compromise: if you will make Glowie a queen, and earn the approval of your people for this course of action, the Lady of the Rookery will return her full blessings to your Master Race.

As with the mating itself, you have mixed feelings about this bargain.

It has been weeks now since you left the great-worm in the care of Jazkarmel and her most trust elves—two androgenous who you are assured are (by some definition) ‘elf-maids’ and, near as you can tell , may well be, albeit less shapely sorts than Jazkarmel herself.

“An expectant mother should be cared for and seen by other feminine creatures,” Jazkarmel had explained. “Even if they are an elf-man, at that time, it is the season of the feminine aspect.”

Elven gender peculiarities aside, the idea of a private chamber and personal attendants is certainly different from the communal clutch of eggs kept in the deep and guarded rookeries beneath the forward base. There, a female Reptilian descends to lay her singular egg amongst those of many others, and then return to their duties while Serpent priestesses watch the eggs until they hatch, and rear the young until they are strong enough to begin attending their own duties. Your own circumstances were different for a number of reasons: a dead mother kept hidden from you by conspiracy, a uniquely important function. Still, the idea of motherhood being more than a genealogical connection and a single brief act—of being a sacred role of particular importance, transformative and deserving of this sort of care and reverence… It’s as alien to you as this bizarre matter of gender fluidity, or all the conversational touching these elven attendants do as they guide you to Glowie’s chamber.
>>
File: maxresdefault.jpg (134 KB, 1280x720)
134 KB
134 KB JPG
>>5353694
There, you find that Glowie’s transformation into a mother really IS a profound and fundamental one, perhaps even more than the Drow are used to. As you were forewarned, she has cocooned herself completely: the chamber to which you are guided is a small cave, but utterly filled with crisscrossing, luminescent strands of goopy silk string. Some of the cords are thin as gossamer, some thick as dwarven elevator cable from the collapsed fort. You carefully weave your way through them, getting ensnared more than once, but you extract yourself from them with care rather than cutting them apart… For they suspend a great ovoid of bundled silk at the centre, surrounding a hardened, egg-like core. Deep within, a grub-like figure can be seen, shining through the layers and layers of hardened worm-silk and adhesive goo: Glowie, in her natural form.

You can’t see the particulars, but she’s bigger than you remember—roughly twice or three times your size. Even curled upon herself, she takes up most of the chamber. You recall her mother, who towered like a titan—almost dragon-sized, albeit most of her body composed of a great, trailed, leg-studded egg-sac and ovipositor. It’s a far cry from the almost cute creature who held your hand months ago, let alone the Novice-derived, thick-reared, honestly-quite-fetching Serpent priestess which she disguised herself as.

“We will leave you to your visit,” says one of the dak elf attendants.

“But do not be long, and do not disturb her unduly,” the other cautions. “We are not familiar with this one’s species, but we know that pupating beetles require peace, and do not take kindly to physical disruption, or even to loud noise.”

The two elves leave, though they do not go far—you can hear their shuffling just outside the room. They’re quite protective of the metamorphosing worm-woman.

For your part you…
>Are disgusted by this whole affair, despite the warnings, and since all seems well you promptly take your leave [-affection]
>Find yourself missing Glow, and wish to bring her some comfort; maybe you can commune with her by some means?
>Concern yourself most with her brood—your strange and monstrous children—and wish to reach out to them with Reptilian Empathy if you can
>Think you feel something almost like… ‘Love’, maybe? You think you’ll take your torpor here tonight, bathed in the strange glow of your first mate as she slumbers [+affection]
>>
>>5353695
>Concern yourself most with her brood—your strange and monstrous children—and wish to reach out to them with Reptilian Empathy if you can

Glowie is a friend, not a lover. We've been over this, let's not go back on it now.
>>
>>5353705
Don't forget the vote at >>5353693
>>
>>5353693
>An empty journal—you’ll gift him no aids in this pursuit

>>5353695
>Think you feel something almost like… ‘Love’, maybe? You think you’ll take your torpor here tonight, bathed in the strange glow of your first mate as she slumbers [+affection]
But I can be satisfied with
>Find yourself missing Glow, and wish to bring her some comfort; maybe you can commune with her by some means?
I just want her to know that we still care for her, whether that be as friends or deeper. I feel sad that we couldn’t comfort her before she cocooned herself, as was her only desire.
>>
>>5353695
>A divination scroll
>Concern yourself most with her brood—your strange and monstrous children—and wish to reach out to them with Reptilian Empathy if you can
>>
>>5353695
>Find yourself missing Glow, and wish to bring her some comfort; maybe you can commune with her by some means?
>>
>>5353695
>Leave the elemental book
Tell him to focus on moon magic, he should have an easier time recognizing it because he’s communed with the sword twice now.
>Concern yourself most with her brood—your strange and monstrous children—and wish to reach out to them with Reptilian Empathy if you can

I’d try to talk to her but her maids advised that we shouldn’t disturb her. Maybe we can leave a message with them that we still care for her (as a friend).
>>
>>5353693
>An empty journal—you’ll gift him no aids in this pursuit
Itll give us a frame of mind of how he is when we read it, plus itll help us understand dwarven better more likely, plus the dwarves are still our prisoners first and foremost, they may have new feelings towards us but they are just that, new feelings, and until we can see more than they can take reptile dick and listen under honeyed words of a dragon, until they can be trusted to follow the our will unquestionably are they to be chattel
>>5353695
>Find yourself missing Glow, and wish to bring her some comfort; maybe you can commune with her by some means?
We have told glowie from the beginning we are not in love with her and at a moment of weakness and divine providence we succumbed to her seductions, its not to say she isnt our friend, we can still miss the companionship of the glow worm princess, she travelled with us a long time, we taught her to speak and to compose herself, shes not a reptilian but she is trying and she wants what we want, she wants to see us rule.
I have a feeling that by making Glowie specifically for us the Holy Mother inadvertently created a worm queen that could defy her if convinced by us
>>
>>5353695
>The dwarven axe, magical properties yet unknown
>Find yourself missing Glow, and wish to bring her some comfort; maybe you can commune with her by some means?
>Concern yourself most with her brood—your strange and monstrous children—and wish to reach out to them with Reptilian Empathy if you can
>>
>>5353693
>An empty journal—you’ll gift him no aids in this pursuit

>>5353710
Thanks, almost missed that.
>>
>>5353694
I imagine Karz as an incel dwarf now. Give him promises of power and pussy and he’ll throw away his people because they made fun of his facial hair.
>>
>>5353928
what facial hair, kek
>>
>>5353693
>An empty journal—you’ll gift him no aids in this pursuit
I see this as a test in itself- surely he must have some useful ideas, note, or lyrics that shall benefit him in his pursuits?

>>5353695
>Find yourself missing Glow, and wish to bring her some comfort; maybe you can commune with her by some means?
>Concern yourself most with her brood—your strange and monstrous children—and wish to reach out to them with Reptilian Empathy if you can
I ain’t looking to disturb, merely to comfort them all. Hopefully they can all rest well after this.
>>
[Late update or passing tonight -- heat dome is killing me.]
>>
File: Capture12.jpg (56 KB, 785x500)
56 KB
56 KB JPG
>>5354218
>>5353892
>>5353863
>>5353760
>>5353746
>>5353741
>>5353733
>>5353723
>>5353705
You might not be IN love with Glowie… But you miss her. You and she, you share a bond that is undeniable. She believes in you in a way no others do—not Davora the Dwarf, not even the Novice Fleshweaver. She wants what you want: your kingship, your dominion, your happiness and triumph. And, well... If she’s not ‘your queen’, you still care for the worm-girl. You want her to succeed as well, to thrive, to be happy… And for your children to share that same happy fate, whatever their nature.

You reach out a hand, and you place it upon the cocoon’s structure… And, channeling your time with Karz the Throat-singer, you begin to hum. You are not a musical being by nature, but you recall intimately the thrumming, cheerful hum which Glowie so frequently reverberated with. It was the tune she hummed when you rutted with her, holding her close and thrusting unabashedly. It was the tune she hummed when you sat together and watched the famous sunrise of Bloodrise. It was the same tune she hummed when you last saw her—when she wall but pleaded with you to be with her as she prepared for this long period of transformative isolation.

Against all odds, in spite of her strange slumber, she hums back.

You cannot hear the faint sound, but you feel its faint tremble travel up your arm. You close your eyes and really FEEL it. Glowie recognizes your presence, you sense, and responds to it with a pure and unabashed joy. Before you realize it, you are embracing the cocoon, careful not to damage its exterior or shake its inner workings…

And it’s then that you feel your children.

Glowie’s connection is a distant one, comparatively. She communicated by primitive instrumental, but your shared offspring commune on a spiritual level. You sense the burgeoning selfhood of true dragons, fearsome kings waiting to be born and to prove themselves. You sense your own fearsome determination in these half-formed spawn, even as you witness their twisted shape in mind’s eye: warped, elongated, winged but wormlike, with too many limbs and a pattern of scutes and scales better described as an exoskeleton.

Your eldest sons, your first-most heirs, shaped by yoru desires and deficiencies alike. And yet…


You stop your rain of thought there. Acculturation tells you to hate and reject their degeneracy. Something… ELSE… Calls to you to embrace them. You gently pet the cocoon’s exterior In thankfulness for Glowie’s support, but cannot decide where to land. Feeling foolish, you murmur to the silk satchel containing the worm-woman, telling the bug-princess what events have transpire din her absence. Somehow, you feel she hears, even understands… But you sense no specific reply, just Glowie’s gratitude and desire to be with you.
>>
>>5354404
Despite this, you retire to the cordoned-off section of cave which convention denotes as your private territory. It is an adjunct cavern, its entrance covered in tarps of chitin-shell bead and woven mystery-leather. You reside there in private contemplation for a time, but then your reveries in interrupted.

“This one says you called for it,” the Elf-specialist apologizes for the interruption wrapping Davora’s chain around his hand and hauling her forward. She doubles over, wheezing, and crashes upon the floor before you. Her hands clasp ay the iron collar about her throat.

“I can take the dwarf away,” the Elf-specialist offers, voice level but suspicious, “if she lies.”

Davora turns pleading eyes toward you, a clear golden-brown amber. You see not lust in her eyes—well, not ONLY lust—but something else.

"Please," she whispers. "Karz told me what you too spoke of, sir. I would speak with you also."
>Accept Davora as a lover [Concubine path]
>Accept Davora as a confidant, talking with her about her concerns and yours [Lover path]
>Reject Davora's presumptive petitions, and dwarves more generally [Locks romance and sex options[
>Write-in
>>
>>5354414
>Accept Davora as a subordinate, hear her concerns.

The sex was a mistake but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to recognize Davora’s talents and get rid of the rapport we have with her already.
>>
>>5354414
>Reject Davora's presumptive petitions, and dwarves more generally [Locks romance and sex options[
>>
>>5354414
>Accept Davora as a confidant, talking with her about her concerns and yours [Lover path]
>>
>>5354414
>Accept Davora as a lover [Concubine path]
>>
>>5354414
>Accept Davora as a confidant, talking with her about her concerns and yours [Lover path]
Not super sure about route locking, I'm 100% team novice but might as well hear her out
>>
>>5354414
>Accept Davora as a confidant, talking with her about her concerns and yours [Lover path]

I'll switch to confidant since it's essentially the same thing as my write-in, but I don't want any cooming, more of a hearing of her concerns.
>>
>>5354414
>Accept Davora as a subordinate, hear her concerns.
Considering we’re next to the Reptile, we should act like she’s a subordinate. We should get a health checkup and knowledge on the Drow’s supply of herbs anyway, I want those improved mana/health/strength herbs damnit!
>>
>>5354467
>>5354495
>>5354548
>>5354551
>>5354556
>>5354567
“Leave her with me,” you sigh. “She is the closest thing to a medic we have with us. I suppose she should look me over.”

It is no euphemism, either. Once the Elf Specialist is gone, you do indeed have the Dwarf Herbalist look you over, and attendant to those parts of your body yet bruised by the encounter with the accursed fish-men of the hot-spring.

“Your muscles seem bruised, especially your chest and abdomen where you took the impact,” she says, “but I’m not really… Qualified for any, uh, deeper analysis.”

Her hands linger on the abdomen in question, soft and warm fingers trailing over your abdomen and eyes fluttering a little. Her breathing grows heavier, huskier.

“I think you can analyssse a BIT more… Deeply.”

Davora meets your eyes, looking troubled… But she bites her lip, and nods. Indeed, despite an initial hesitation on the Herbalist’s part, she can go QUITE deep. You’ve heard dwarves are notorious for their heavy drinking and physical resilience; you wonder if the lack of gag reflex is a part of that…

“This isn’t why I came here,” the Herbalist protests afterwards, as you help her wash her face and breasts with a small basin of collected condensation afforded by the Drow.

“You mentioned,” you acknowledge, feeling a bit more open to discussion after being relieved of the burden of your appetite. “What did the Throat-sssinger tell you?”

The Herbalist leans back against you, sighing happily despite herself as you idly stroke and fondle. The post-coital clean-up is long-done, but you still remain pressed to one another, close to one another. You think briefly of Glowie, recalling your earlier visit with you first lover. This interaction, THIS non-Reptilian female… She is different, somehow. You feel more at-ease. Perhaps it is the lack of subterfuge in her presentation, or the purpose to your tryst. There is no amulet of disguise hiding a true nature here, and no great divine purpose—just a male, a female, and the desire which you have for one another.

“Karz told me that you are training him in the mystic arts, or something like that,” she said. “He said you gave him an empty journal, but told him if he filled it up with his experiences and understanding, eventually he would be a powerful wizard?”

“A bard, technically,” you correct her, flicking her nipple to elicit a gasp.

The dwarf clutches her breasts and takes a step back, guarding herself and shooting you a quick glare.

“Be serious,” she admonishes you. “What is your… Uh… PURPOSE with him? He’s young, impressionable. He is was talking a lot about… Destiny, power, making a better world... And ruling it, apparently.”

“Wasss he now?” you ask innocently, digesting this. It makes sense, you suppose: you proposed a path to power, and he envisioned himself eventually at the top of the social pyramid.
>>
>>5354627
“S-sir, please,” Davora the Herbalist begins, crossing her arms beneath her abundant bosom and squinting, her pouting face an affectation of concerted sincerity and seriousness.

You force your gaze upwards, to meet her own.

“You saved that kobold, even though I can tell by the way you lizardmen treat him that he’s not much more important than us. And you saved US. You… We did these THINGS together, and then you took Karz aside and started, I don’t know… Mentoring the lad, I guess. I KNOW you’re a monster, technically, but… Well, I also can tell you aren’t ALL bad. I think deep down, you’re maybe even GOOD.”

You tilt your head, wondering when she will get to the point. Does she think she can ‘reform’ you in some misguided fashion? The dwarf flushes slightly under your intense scrutiny, but forces herself to hold your gaze.

“I know you won’t stop,” she acknowledges. “I know dwarves are going to die, whatever you do next… and I get it. We drive goblins and bugbears off, dwarves do, even if… They were there first. You and your people are just doing the same thing. But maybe you could drive us out rather than killing or enslaving us all? If FEWER died, if I could save their lives, maybe…”

She trails off, but you can finish the thought, you think: if Davora the Herbalist could convince herself she was a good influence on you, saving lives by her presence in your bed, maybe she could justify to herself the way that she even now melts into you when you take her in your clutches. All it would take is an empty platitude, and you could be inside her once more…

“I cannot risssk their rebellion,” you hear yourself say, though you know that logically there is no reason to share such concerns. “Ssecreccy iss vital to my race’ss plansss.”

“Please… We’re not so different, you know? We’re… You know, PEOPLE, just like I guess you are. Could you just try?”

“Try WHAT?” you ask, a little frustrated.

“I don’t know,” the Herbalist admits, flinching and gasping a little under your attentions. “Just… Something else, something less TERRIBLE.”

You quietly consider her words. Eager to escape this weighty conversation and to return to your earlier diversions, you turn the conversation to local elven herbs and fungi, something the Herbalist is quickly distracted by and excited to discuss. She even offers to teach you some of her craft, if you are so inclined. As conversation drifts from her political gambit, she even begins to grow excited at the thought of the dishes, primarily baked goods and stews, which she could prepare with them.

"Do you, uh, lizardfolk... Eat stuff like that?"

"Ssometimesss," you say, "but emat is preferable?"

"Boar and mushrooms go well!" she says, eyes alight, all fear for her people forgotten for a moment as she lounges naked against you and tells you of the ale-flavoured sauce she would accompany it with.
>>
>>5354635
Your own mind returns to the Herbalist's request, though, unable to move on so easily. You know that she, too, has not truly forgotten. You spend hours together, but when she thinks you are not looking, her expression grows troubled. What do you do about Davora's request?

>Promise to try diplomacy before your next attack
>Promise to be less complete and less lethal in your next attack
>Promise her nothing—this war will be brutal, lethal, and total, and no amount of affection between the two of you can change that
>Give your lover an empty promise, whatever she asks, but without any intent to follow it
>Write-in
>>
>>5354636
>Promise her nothing—this war will be brutal, lethal, and total, and no amount of affection between the two of you can change that

This is war, the dwarves cannot be allowed to be driven out because they will inform the others. No survivors is the priority in every assault.
>>
>>5354636
>Promise her nothing—this war will be brutal, lethal, and total, and no amount of affection between the two of you can change that

You have a fat pussy but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
>>
>>5354636
>Promise her nothing—this war will be brutal, lethal, and total, and no amount of affection between the two of you can change that
Even if we find a peaceable solution, they will not be let go; nobody can or will be let go. They doomed themselves when they decided to plunder lands that were not theirs; those who surrender could be given better conditions and be spared, but their lives are already forfeit.
If she doesn't want to share our bed after this that's fine, if she even thinks about being open about whay has happened here, we kill her on the spot.

I'm not super against this or her, but this has to be a lizardman train of thought or the priesthood will send a new US to erase our mistakes
>>
>>5354636
>We’ll try to be better, but no promises
We ain’t running a charity here- if they submit and don’t cause problems, then they’ll live. If they cause problems, it’s outta our hands.
>>
>>5354636
>Promise to try diplomacy before your next attack
We could send a dwarf-amulet infiltrator and act as a rival company. Not only would this be the promised attempted, but we can probably stow confusion and conflict with the other dwarven company-towns, have the divide and fight among themselves while we reap the spoils. We won’t tell of this plan, obviously.
>>
>>5354635
*but meat is preferable.
>>
>>5354636
>Promise nothing but the subjegation and corruption of anything the false gods have created even her and Karz in there own way
Id even be cool with a fanatical copper dragon cult comprised of sultry dwarves if we could swing it
>>
>>5354636
>Give your lover an empty promise, whatever she asks, but without any intent to follow it.
>>
>>5354636
>Promise her nothing—this war will be brutal, lethal, and total, and no amount of affection between the two of you can change that

We’ll try and capture more of her race - but they will be subordinate to us as she is.

Resistance will be met with death
>>
>>5354636
>"The fate of your people is entirely within their own hands, Davora. If they resssist, they will fall; I WILL reclaim my race's inheritance. That said, there is a place in my realm for those who can make themselves useful. I am not prone to cruelty for cruelty's sake alone."

I feel like a lot of the options are too monodimensional, so here's my best crack at it.
>>
>>5355004
That’s a good angle to take
>>
>>5355004
I like that. Support.
>>
>>5355024
>>5355004
>>5354996
>>5354932
>>5354882
>>5354872
>>5354781
>>5354768
>>5354728
>>5354649
>>5355039
Eventually, the two of you find a brief (and in Davora’s case, somewhat sweaty) rest. When you awake, you and your dwarven lover dress, and you replace her cuffs, collar, and chains.

“Is this really necessary, sir?” she asks quietly.

“Yess,” you reply.

It wouldn’t do to be seen as going soft on a prisoner, after all, and that remains what she is. As you return her to bondage, you reflect on her request.

“Many unpleassant thingss will be neccessssary,” you say, and you see her face fall as she understands you.

“But… Even after all that…”

Ah, so she’d thought to buy your mercy with her body, and her company. Your upbringing conditioned you to expect as much—is not the root of all sensible relationships a transactional exchange? is seduction not a vital part of the Reptilian toolkit as well? You’re not precisely OFFENDED, or USPET. But you can’t help a twinge of disappointment. You genuinely enjoyed the discussions of recipes, ingredients, and herbs, all pleasures of the flesh aside. Perhaps that’s why you dignify her despair with an explanation.

“The fate of your people is entirely within their own handsss, Herbalissst,” you tell her. “They doomed themsselvess when they deccided to plunder landss that were not theirsss; those who ssurrender could be given better conditionss and be sspared, but their livess are already forfeit.”

“But could you not just… I don’t know, negotiate a prisoner exchange with the Corporations? Or maybe even an exchange for the LANDS? They don’t KNOW that they’re in your territory, or ANYONE’S territory for that matter!”

“Even if we find a peacceable ssolution, they will not be let go; nobody can or will be let go. If I do not do thisss thing, they will ssend another…”

You remember those eggs kept in the Fleshweavers’ private experimental rookery back home—the eggs containing the next wave of Dragonborn, TRUE Dragonborn. They will hatch before too long, and if you have failed to prove yourself, they will replace and supplant you.

The Herbalist looks as if she will be sick.

“That ssaid, there is a placce in my realm for thosse who can make themsselvess usseful. I am not cruel for itss own ssake, Davora.”

“A place for us useful dwarves… Like me. A place as slaves.”

“That all dependsss,” you say, refusing to commit yourself.

“I thought you were… That you could be better than this.”

You reach out for the dwarf and, though she does not pull away or resist, she is not so receptive to your touch as she was in the hours prior. Ultimately, you owe her nothing, She is, in the end, chattel—your pleasure slave, if you so desire. Still, the fun is gone. You release a sigh, and walk her back to where your other forces and the Drow converge.
>>
You find Karz scribbling in his new journal with a quill of some unknown sort, seemingly a spine from some insect or arachnid of the Drow’s menagerie of such companion-arthropods. Olu the Archer is there, also, and to your surprise you find him plucking and strumming a harp—the battered, bent, and apparently restrung harp of the late Infiltrator Paeris. To your admittedly-untrained ear, his technique is not very good, something Karz’s expression at every especially-offkey twang confirms. His expression is solemn, focused.

“Are you capable of bardic music as well?” you ask, catching the Degenerate off-guard and breaking his concentration. He hurriedly sets the harp down, as if embarrassed.

“No, I am not, Superior One,” he admits. “I only thought to… Well, it does not matter.”

His eyes follow the chain in your hand to Davora, and then flit back to you. He stifles a small laugh—not of mockery, but of bemusement.

“You rested well?” he asks, nodding to the female dwarf.

Davora’s face reddens, as if—even failing to understand the True Speech, the implication of what is being said is not lost on her.

“Did you?” you counter, causing his grin to grow and the peculiar melancholy you sensed in him to vanish. “How do the elf leader’s preparations proceed?”

“We should have a force ready in a few days’ time.”

You nod. All according to schedule. Excellent.
>>
File: Lizard.jpg (347 KB, 2416x1616)
347 KB
347 KB JPG
>>5355115
>>5355120
The Cartographer hails you, before you can even track him down—he has apparently been seeking you for some time.

“Oh Superior One, we are a week’s travel, or less, from the northern forward base,” he reminds you, speaking of the operational centre where you were hatched and reared, and where you received your marching orders which led you here, and to Bloodrise. “Perhaps, given the AMBITIOUS expansion of our original mandate, it would be wise to request proper, Reptilian reinforcements as well?”

You consider his words. You ARE quite close to home… And, as thing are proceeding now, you should return with rations and rangers well ahead of your troops running out of food. However, a return trip to the Reptilian base would take you through dangerous territory, which could delay you; even without such a delay, it would extend you journey by at least another week or two.

There is also the matter of that original mandate, and how very far you have diverged for it in so many ways: you subjugated the kobolds, yes, and you seized their misbegotten artefacts of the ancient days… But you also experimented on the sacred remains of the Red Dragon King’s hatchlings, including using their blood to augment your own (highly illegal) hybrid offspring. Then, rather than returning the mountains to a state of peaceful quietude to avoid attracting mammalian attention, you slaughtered and enslaved several humanoids, forged two alliances with mammalian peoples, and began the conquest and slavery of another such race.

You’re not certain how the Chaplain will respond to this. Will you get reinforcements, or a reprimand and orders to abandon this entire enterprise? Or… Worse? Much of what you’ve done borders on insubordination. you didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms with He of Seniormost Authority. Every action you have taken knowing it could risk exposure of your race's existence (and you secret machinations) without so much as notifying or consulting your masters is a strike against you, digging that hole deeper. You have been gone a long while, though—if you do not report SOMETHING, the worst will be assumed. It may well come to pass that they DO indeed send someone to complete your job for you… And discover all that has transpired, and that you have deliberately kept these monumental happenings from the Priesthood. It will look like mutiny.

What do you do?
>Journey home, to tell the Chaplain (most) of what transpired, and to request material aid and reinforcements
>Send no word back yet—not until your work is done, your success undeniable, and your position unassailable
>Send a messenger [who?] to send a specific message [what?] for the Chaplain, avoiding direct conflict and interference
>Write-in
>>
>>5355123
>Journey home, to tell the Chaplain (most) of what transpired, and to request material aid and reinforcements

we can uh frame it favorably if we're there ourselves

gotta hustle tho
>>
>>5355123
>Journey home, to tell the Chaplain (most) of what transpired, and to request material aid and reinforcements
Screw it, we go. Send our troops with rations to the captured dwarven town though. Besides we have to tell big bro we have found a way of helping him :)
>>
>>5355123
>Send no word back yet—not until your work is done, your success undeniable, and your position unassailable
>>
>>5355123
>Send no word back yet—not until your work is done, your success undeniable, and your position unassailable
>>
>>5355123
>Send a messenger [Elf-Specialist] to send a specific message [Mission progresses well, request reinforcements] for the Chaplain, avoiding direct conflict and interference
>>
>>5355546
+1
>>
>>5355123
>Journey home, to tell the Chaplain (most) of what transpired, and to request material aid and reinforcements

You know what. Changing my vote. Let's just go back and settle things with the chaplain, I do wish we could've brought more of our loot, but whatever.
>>
[I'm running a bit behind just now and my brain is fried from the heat, so in the interest of not rushing if half-assing an update, I'm going to hold off on posting until after work.[

[I also have company this weekend, so there may be fewer posts (and at unusual times) until Tuesday.]

[Cheers!]
>>
>>5355123
>Journey home, to tell the Chaplain (most) of what transpired, and to request material aid and reinforcements

We need to make sure our Reptillian cohort is at ease and has high morale; they're our loyal powerbase.
>>
>>5355412
Supporting

Our troops need to eat

Make sure we take some of the magical ore home though…

Plus the make dwarf slave
>>
>>5355123
>Journey home, to tell the Chaplain (most) of what transpired, and to request material aid and reinforcements
Were gonna be in trouble without a doubt, and I know chaplain already has a bit of distaste for us, but we made more progress than most of our infiltrators have in years, and now we have a true potential foothold in our ancient ancestral lands, maybe keep quiet about the Wyrms and dragon heresy lest we get a knife in the back. I have no doubt he will take over our plans until we prove we can lead to him, the honeyed words of a band of degenerates and chaplains rebellious daughter can only hold so much weight if they tried to convince him
>>
File: images.jpg (13 KB, 183x275)
13 KB
13 KB JPG
>>5355865
>>5355760
>>5355724
>>5355602
>>5355560
>>5355546
>>5355546
>>5355496
>>5355472
>>5355412
>>5355368
You tamp down your misgivings and make a decision.

“Make a map for the Elf Specialist and for the Drow. If we are late in returning, they shall proceed to the Bloodrise with rations, and begin preparing for the campaign ahead. You, I, and the rets of the retinue will proceed to the northern forward base, to requisition aid.”

After all, you HAVE made more progress than the Infiltrator Program has in decades, including securing a TRUE foothold in your ancient ancestral lands. How mad can the Chaplain really get?

(Especially if you personally frame it in the most favourable possible light, and leave out the less-savoury details involving the dragon-hatchlings and your trysts with non-Reptilian females…)

The Cartographer complies immediately, rushing off to begin duplicating his map of the routes between this drow encampment and the Bloodrise mountain range for the Elf Specialist’s benefit. You begin planning as well—planning what you will tell your superior of what has transpired, and what you will request in turn. As you do this, you assign to Olu the duty of readying the others to leave, and Agno to task of wrangling the fire-lizards—he has been showing an affinity for them, now that they understand that he is not a meal. While they deal with these duties, you pay Princess Jazkarmel another visit.

“You’re leaving again, so soon?” she asks, frowning slightly. “I was hoping to discuss matters of strategy with you…”

You recall previous such discussions—the wine, the touching, her laugh, her smile, your mutual flirtation. Perhaps it is all your ‘rest’ with the dwarven herbalist the previous night, but the <appetite> is less distracting than it has been in the past, easier to ignore or dismiss. There is also Oluwadamilare’s own interest in Jazkarmel—immaterial if you desired her, you suppose, but one more complication which you can do without.

“We will have time to discuss such matters at Bloodrise,” you reply. “In the interim, the Bastard and the Thief will probably be able to answer most anything I could.”

“Alright,” she says, nodding her head with a small smile. “Travel safely, Dragonborn.”
>>
>>5356303
In order to provide enough preparatory time for your forces, you spend one more day here, among the dark elves. It is enough time to attend to one or two more matters, should you be so inclined…
>Have your dwarf axe appraised, and see what other equipment the Drow have on offer
>Debrief the Elf Specialist on the religious conversion efforts, and lend what advice or aid you can
>Continue your studies and meditations with Karz the Throat-singer
>Attempt to smooth things over with Davora the Herbalist with a private excursion to the elves’ local mushroom-and-moss garden
>Talk to Olu about his melancholy and his music
>Chat with Agno about his feeling in regards to your rule—it would be good to know where his loyalties lie
>Nothing more needs attending-to, just rest and go
>Write-in

Got off work early. If we get enough votes before bed, I may do one more post today.
>>
>>5356306
>Debrief the Elf Specialist on the religious conversion efforts, and lend what advice or aid you can
>>
>>5356306
>Talk to Olu about his melancholy and his music

Probably sad about Paeris or the fact that his relationship as Jaz is not likely to be a long one after the Chaplain gets word of it.

>Debrief the Elf Specialist on the religious conversion efforts, and lend what advice or aid you can

Anons complained about the Paeris question, but it should lead to an easier time converting the Drow. An afterlife is a big draw after all.
>>
>>5356306
>Debrief the Elf Specialist on the religious conversion efforts, and lend what advice or aid you can
>Continue your studies and meditations with Karz the Throat-singer
>>
>>5356306
>Attempt to smooth things over with Davora the Herbalist with a private excursion to the elves’ local mushroom-and-moss garden
Still want those specialized mana/strength herbs.
>Talk to Olu about his melancholy and his music
He’s a bard too?
>>
>>5356306
>Talk to Olu about his melancholy and his music
>>
>>5356356
>He’s a bard too?
[Not a GOOD one, that's for sure. See >>5355120 ]
>>
>>5356306
>Debrief the Elf Specialist on the religious conversion efforts, and lend what advice or aid you can

Also, if the Drow are taking the shortcut back to our forces, make sure to warn them about the pool and it’s curse…
>>
>>5356623
>>5356381
>>5356356
>>5356346
>>5356317
>>5356315
Before you leave, there are matters you must discuss with the Elf-Specialist. It has been some time since you last saw the Serpent Priest in question, having left the unenthusiastic missionary with instructions to proselytize to the interested dark elves in terms appropriate to their unique culture. It is a culture he abhors, but you trust that he will have listened. Your only questions is how it has proceeded.

“Poorly,” he laments.

Disappointed, you ask him why this is.

“They mock my accent,” he hisses, tail swishing, long neck bowed in a slouch. “’You sound like the traitors on the surface,’ they say. As if THEY are not simply strayed from the superior strain of their sad species…”

“I thought I told you to speak to these dark elves in terms they could understand,” you admonish, growing annoyed now. “Remember? In terms of our SHARED values? Survivalism? Pragmatism? Strength-through-trial?”

“I have tried,” the Elf-Specialist sighs. “But… These virtues which you ask that I emphasize… I do not…”

The Elf-Specialist struggles to spit out the words, but you spare him this shameful burden—of admitting a deficiency to a technical genetic subordinate. He is an academic, a linguistic and cultural specialist. As a Serpent priest, the Elf-Specialist is taller, stronger, and more imposing than any elf—let alone a stunted Drow—but he is no mighty warrior, nor a scout or survivalist. He has been raised in luxury (relatively speaking) and in libraries.

“These elves… I tell them of great deeds done and perils overcome with the aid and inspiration of the Dark Gods Beyond and Below, and they ask me silly questions—Beyond what? Below where? Can they go see them? When I cannot give simple answers, the monkeys chatter and laugh—damned mammalian ATHEISTS, Dragonborn, mocking our Dark Pantheon!”

“There must be a way to get through to them,” you insist.

“They demand evidence,” he sighs. “They are… Faithless.”

Evidence? Well, that seems manageable. But what SORT of evidence?
>Tell the Elf-Specialist of the cursed hotspring, and lend him your moon-blade and the secret words to weld its powers—perhaps he can demonstrate your subjugation of the ancient sacred, as you did?
>Have him gather the skeptical elves to join you for a sacred communion with the Dark Gods—you shall light a candle, say the sacred hymn, and show them what you were shown: their comrades, and Paeris, in the realm of the Serpent Ascendant
>Call another tournament, and show your might to these skeptical elves in the form of another ritual duel—it has won their respect before
>Delay your trip to take the elves on a journey-quest into the deep darkness yourself, and resanctify the cursed hot-spring yourself… Though it will further delay your return to Bloodrise
>Write-in
>>
File: Nikolay_Ge_002.jpg (68 KB, 720x600)
68 KB
68 KB JPG
>>5356679
Your second matter of interest is of lesser importance, strategically, yet still it lingers in your mind. You aren’t even certain why—it is illogical, unduly emotional. But, well… You are committed to community, to bonds of respect and fellowship. You know this about yourself and, unable to deny it, the sight of one of your own—Degenerate Archer Olu—suffering weighs on you.

You cannot help but remember the similar malaise which characterized Paeris’ final days, and which you never addressed.

“It is… No matter of consequence, Superior One.”

These are the words Olu speaks, casting eyes downwards and dropping in supplication to one knee, so swiftly that its cap impacts the stone and elicits a small wince from the Archer.

“It will not affect the performance of my duties,” he assures you, sounding almost desperate. “Please, do not rescind my responsibilities.”

“This was not my intent in asking,” you assure him, though he remains guarded. “Why have you repaired and taken up the harp? You had mentioned you are no bard, and you show no obvious aptitude.”

The Archer winces at your assessment, but nods.

“I suppose with the Throat-singer added to your entourage, you have no need of such things. I apologize. I will cease immediately, Superior One.”

“Archer…” you sigh, taking a deep breath and remembering the lessons you have learned of how to relate to your fellow Reptilians. “I must understand the mindset of my subordinates to best utilize them. I do not require you to modify your behaviours, just to explain them, so I can plan accordingly.”

“It is, I am ashamed to say, mammalian drivel,” Olu admits, unable to meet your eyes. “You will not understand.”

“Do not insult me by presupposing my incomprehension, DEGENERATE.”

Olu bows even lower, and murmurs: “I miss him. The other Degenerate… Infiltrator Paeris.”

You do not reply, awaiting further explanation with crossed arms.
>>
File: 41I+xPwVU1L.jpg (26 KB, 314x500)
26 KB
26 KB JPG
>>5356681
“He… I know I hurt him, emotionally, in our final weeks together. I… Neglected a bond which we had established, a unique camaraderie which he had come to rely upon. I was enamoured with the attention of the elves… Of Jazkarmel.”

Olu smiles slightly at that, chuckling quietly at fond memories in spite of this admission; the bitter guilt which mars his expression afterwards shows that the irony is not lost on him.

“I convinced myself that it was for both HIS well-being as well as mine—that it would buy him greater acceptance among the Drow. And it did, did it not?”

He laughs again.

“He earned his redemption at the cost of… Everything else. And then he died, alone, without my ever having made things right.”

“He died bravely, alongside fellow warriors,” you try to assure the half-human.

“It is not the same,” Olu protests softly. “He could have lived, perhaps, if I had been there. Or he could have died with a.. A friend.”

His hand finds the harp which he now carries, banged up in the battle and the tunnel-collapse.

“I will never hear his music again. And… I cannot recreate it, try as I might.”

How do you respond?
>Olu is right: this IS silly, mammalian drivel! Smash the harp and admonish him to do better
>Empathize, and share your religious experience—you miss Paeris, also, but he is in a better place
>Awkwardly dismiss him without any further questions—this entire experience has made you uncomfortable
>Propose that Karz and Olu practice musical theory together—maybe Karz can better his magic as Olu betters his music, and he can find solace there?
>Write-in
>>
>>5356679
>Have him gather the skeptical elves to join you for a sacred communion with the Dark Gods—you shall light a candle, say the sacred hymn, and show them what you were shown: their comrades, and Paeris, in the realm of the Serpent Ascendant
>Use Moon Blade and Dark God's magic to get the interest of those neanderthals
>>5356684
>Empathize, and share your religious experience—you miss Paeris, also, but he is in a better place
>>
>>5356679
>Have him gather the skeptical elves to join you for a sacred communion with the Dark Gods—you shall light a candle, say the sacred hymn, and show them what you were shown: their comrades, and Paeris, in the realm of the Serpent Ascendant
>On the way back to Bloodrise, take the elves on a journey-quest into the deep darkness yourself, and resanctify the cursed hot-spring yourself… Since the hot-spring itself is a short cut, this shouldn’t lose any time.
We can resanctify the hot spring on the way back, and spacing out our ‘divine miracles’ will allow momentum for our religion to spread.

>>5356684
>Empathize, and share your religious experience—you miss Paeris, also, but he is in a better place
>Propose that Karz and Olu practice musical theory together—maybe Karz can better his magic as Olu betters his music, and he can find solace there?
A backup bard would be handy, and I think this is a nice way to keep the memory of Paeris alive and with us on our great crusade.
>>
>>5356679
>Have him gather the skeptical elves to join you for a sacred communion with the Dark Gods—you shall light a candle, say the sacred hymn, and show them what you were shown: their comrades, and Paeris, in the realm of the Serpent Ascendant
>Empathize, and share your religious experience—you miss Paeris, also, but he is in a better place
>Propose that Karz and Olu practice musical theory together—maybe Karz can better his magic as Olu betters his music, and he can find solace there?
>>
>>5356824
+1
>>
>>5356824
+1
>>
>>5356824
Support
>>
Rolled 19, 4, 1, 7, 11 = 42 (5d20)

>>5356942
>>5356919
>>5356846
>>5356843
>>5356824
>>5356725
Perhaps… Perhaps there is a way to solve both these issues at once.

“Paeris was a worthy Reptilian,” you tell Olu, sighing. “His absence is… Unfortunate. But it was not his end.”

The Archer looks up at you, expression questioning.

“Before we depart, we have more final matter to attend to,” you say. “You will join myself and the Elf-Specialist for… Communion.”

Oluwadamilare doesn’t seem to understand, but you know he will—that they ALL will—when they see what you have seen.

It is no easy task finding a private chamber which has the suitable specification to perform the ritual. Too large, and the scared smoke cannot properly fill it; too small, and not everyone can fit. This since specially true as attendance blooms—not just the few elves which had been entertaining the Serpent Priest’s elven-language sermons, but a full half-dozen who hear of the novel event and attend out of idle curiosity. The Archer is there also, naturally, but so too is the Cartographer.

“I heard a rumour that there was to be Communion,” he says.

You suppose it is difficult to keep secrets in such small confines. With the Cartogarpher comes Agno, and the dwarves—Karz with furtiveness and narrowed-eyes, Davora looking worried and avoiding looking at you. In the end, the small alcove which you have selected holds you, a dozen other sapients, and (by necessity) even the fire-lizards are there, with Agno keeping them in-check.

Well, you’ve never been shy about a crowd.

You clear your throat, and begin your first-ever sermon—a sermon in three languages, no less!

“I know that there are those among you who question the worth of the Dark Gods,” you begin. “You wonder if their power is true, lasting. Some of you wonder if that power is for YOU, or only for those like myself and my brethren…”

You gaze lingers on the dwarves at this point, and Davora the Herbalist looks up at you as you switch to the northern common-tongue, expression questioning.

“…And there are those among you for whom the idea of questioning them at all is sacrilege,” you note, looking to your fellow Reptilians. “For those of us who have been raised in the ways of The Grand Design and The Great Conspiracy, the Gods of Darkness are self-evident in their value. Our race would ben long-extinct without their guidance…”

A half-truth, you know, for there are Gods among the Dark Pantheon who expect and await your extinction even now.
>>
>>5356984
But, well… Even the Persecutor of the Weak, for whom you have the least natural affinity, created laws to keep your bloodlines strong and your society cogent. The Mother of Dragons may now be Mother of Bugs, but she gifted you Glowie, and she has kept your people’s females fertile—her interest drifts and is divided, but she has never truly forsaken you. Even Death, seen by his siblings as a traitor, has offered you aid in the past. The path to glory leads through Divine Darkness, you know this! You speak this truth, and all eyes are upon you. Your fellow believers’ eyes fill with wonder, and you see a flicker of hunger in Karz’s, and hope in Davora’s.

“Elf-Specialist,” you command, “bring me the candle.”

He does so, and then you beckon to the Archer.

“One called Oluwadamialre,” you say, “bring me the harp of the Infiltrator, who was called Paeris.”

Though he appears confused, Olu does as you ask. You take the candle, and with a quick exhalation, you light it with your breath. With one talon, you pluck at the harp—a single note, to focus yourself.

“Oh Lords and Ladies of Eternity and Infinity, oh Lords of the Endless Black, oh Ladies of the Deep Flame. It is I, your prince! It is I, your servant! Your first among sons and daughters beseeches you, and I offer up this…”

You hesitate. You have no offering, except those assembled here.

“…These apostles and converts, in hopes you will hear us, and guides us, and make each of us here a part of your Grand Design.”

All at once, the candle explodes into a roaring flame, rising high to the ceiling. A cry goes out from the assembled mammals, who shrink away. Even Agno’s eyes widen, and he struggles to rein in the newly-exhilarated fire-lizards. Those members of the Master Race present fall to their knees in supplication, and raise their hands high and their voices in reverence as the fire spreads, like a sheet of yellow, red, and orange across the ceiling. You lift your own eyes from the assembled congregants to the ceiling, where there you all bear witness to a familiar vision: the Serpent Ascendant’s great pyramid, and the single star in the dark sky above it… Now joined by three more.
>>
File: STL226644.jpg (285 KB, 1170x1800)
285 KB
285 KB JPG
>>5356992
Paeris, Epharidan, and the third elf who perished in the attack on the Blackmantle Corporation fort. Then, flickering into being come a dozen, and hundred more: the dark stars of souls through the ages which have risen to join the Dark God of Glory in his realm, past and perhaps future! You see a legion march towards the base of that pyramid, to enter and make their ascent to its divine pinnacle: Reptilians of the Master Race, but also kobolds, and drow, and dwarves.

And there is more, at least for you. You see a vision of a great serpent, two-headed and with chitinous armour, and a smaller and single-headed version of the same sort of creature encircled in its—in HER—embrace. At the centre of both of them, a small clutch of eggs, and you feel your heart pulled towards them—your children! And attending them… A small army of scurrying kobolds, and elves in the particular dress of Glowie’s maid-attendants.

Above them all, you see the stretching tentacles and all-seeing, sun-like eye of the Baleful Beholder surveying the scene approvingly… And beneath it all, Death, waiting passive and indiscriminate, like book-ends to a great work, a Grand Design. Perhaps… perhaps there IS such a thing? Perhaps you are making it even now?

Only the Judge-Executioner, he called Lord of Law, is absent, and this absence… It troubles you, though you wonder if any of the others even notice.

The flames die away to a rain of ash which falls upon you all, like a fiery baptism, or like mana from heaven. The candle burns down to nothing in an instant, leaving only a black spot on the floor to mark this occasion. You wipe the ash from your face, and look around, to see the reaction of those called upon to witness this spectacle—this miracle.

>19

The elves are quiet, chattering and mockery ceased, not even passing hushed whispers any longer. Karz has fallen to his knees, as has Agno, joining your own race in ululations of praise and celebration. Davora does not kneel, but she still stares at the ceiling, tears in his eyes. She rubs the ash from them with a sleeve, and looks to you, the disappointment and shame which had lately filled them replaced with a renewed wonderment—as when she first saw you transform into your Dragonshape.

In the end, even the elves—even Davora—join you in a prayer to the Dark Gods, and Karz and Olu accompany you with what music they can muster—a music carrying the passion of the devout.
>>
>>5356993
When the religious fervor has died down, you all make your exit from the chamber. Olu the Archer exits last, placing a hand upon your shoulder. You flinch a little at this familiarity, btu eh says, with tearful eyes:

“Thank you, Dragonborn. Thank you. It is… Good to know that I may one day join my friend, and that his sacrifice had meaning, and brought him to glory.”

You simply nod and then you, too, leave the cavern. You go to gather your things, and make to depart the lands of the Drow.

“I heard I missed a big event,” Jazkarmel notes, arriving to see you (and perhaps more saliently, Olu) off. Her body language speaks to irritation, and she has the hint of a girlish pout on her ageless features.

“When we defeat and cast down the dwarves, and take their land for our people, there will be still more glorious celebrations for you to join,” you promise.

She smiles and laughs.

“It must have been as grand a vision as my elves said, if it make you feel so confident and… Poetic. Your elf-tongue is improving, you know.”

“Sermonizing makes for good practice,” you admit.

“Travel safely,” she says.

“And you, also. We will meet you in the Bloodrise Mountains.”

You and your forces depart. You leave the Elf-Specialist with the Cartographer’s map, and a warning to avoid the cursed hot-spring. You take the Cartographer himself to guide you home, Olu the Archer to aid you in battle if trouble should find you, and the kobold, dwarves, and fire-lizards (and several packs laden with treasure) as evidence of what you have achieved.

It is time to go home.

You trace a familiar route on the way back, but nothing in the deep darkness below is ever easy. It is a lengthy and arduous journey, and along the way you encounter…
>The carnivorous plants again, their toxic grove having blossomed and expanded outwards
>A natural disaster—cave-in and flood—which forces you to take an unconventional route
>A distracting (and potentially dangerous) wonder which draws your attention away from the journey
>A glimpse of a terrible doom ahead—no great threat or delay to you now, but a truly troubling omen of things to come
[No write-ins this time]
>>
>>5356998
>A glimpse of a terrible doom ahead—no great threat or delay to you now, but a truly troubling omen of things to come
>>
>>5356998
>A glimpse of a terrible doom ahead—no great threat or delay to you now, but a truly troubling omen of things to come
>>
>>5356998
>A glimpse of a terrible doom ahead—no great threat or delay to you now, but a truly troubling omen of things to come
>>
>>5356998
>The carnivorous plants again, their toxic grove having blossomed and expanded outwards.

Seems like the most straight forward to deal with.>>5356998
>>
>>5356998
>The carnivorous plants again, their toxic grove having blossomed and expanded outwards
>>
>>5356998
>The carnivorous plants again, their toxic grove having blossomed and expanded outwards
W-Wait why are we choosing a disaster? What happened to warrant this?
>>
>>5357286
We'd be having a vision that guides us in a specific direction, and could also show a leading antagonist, I for one am picking it entirely for the meta aspect of furthering RQMs story telling, our MC doesnt really have too much direction or a straightforward goal rn due to anons having the attention span of a goldfish, plus I want the proverbial bandaid of our talk with Chap to ripped off nice and quick, we have people to feed and lands to conquer
>>5356998
>A glimpse of a terrible doom ahead—no great threat or delay to you now, but a truly troubling omen of things to come
>>
>>5357299
Plus this option relies on beliefs held by us or our companions not necessarily something set in stone, seems more likely we stumble upon an omen and members of our party get spooked
>>
>>5356998
>The carnivorous plants again, their toxic grove having blossomed and expanded outwards

dang they really expanded after the ass kicking we gave them last time?
>>
>>5356998
>A glimpse of a terrible doom ahead—no great threat or delay to you now, but a truly troubling omen of things to come

Might as well get advanced warning
>>
>>5357299
Not what I asked about, idc what you pick. I'm wondering why are we choosing fate out of the sudden and why is the fate horrible.
>>
>>5356998
>A distracting (and potentially dangerous) wonder which draws your attention away from the journey
>>
>>5357796
>>5357519
>>5357442
>>5357323
>>5357299
>>5357286
>>5357280
>>5357124
>>5357036
>>5357002
>>5356999
You are approximately half-way to the place of your birth when you are stopped by a gushing river of water, cutting through the storm and forming an ever-shifting barricade to your progress.

“Heavy rain on the surface,” the Cartographer explains. “Autumn approaches—one of the seasons, when rainfall typically increase sin this region, and temperatures cool. At such times, dry rivers flood, and some of them cut through or empty out into the underground as they overflow.”

“Will it be a great impediment?” you ask.

He shakes his head, putting your fears at ease, and tells you it will be a simple thing to reroute around it.

“I’d mapped the riverbed here on our way through last time,” he says. “This will actually allow us to better avoid the region where the carnivorous plants dwelt.”

A good thing, as far as avoiding dangerous delays goes… Though you suppose having an Herbalist along, you could have made better use of their materials. Oh well, another time. You begin to chart your course around the overflowing waters of the surface, and the roaring subterranean river which they create.

“Wait,” Agno cries, “What is that?”

As one, your party turns their attention to where the kobold gestures. AT first you see nothing but, narrowing your eyes and calling upon your mystic senses to guide you, you are able to spot it—a figure with four limbs, head, and tail being pulled through the riptide.

A Reptilian, caught in the rushing water! You cannot tell if they are alive or dead, but they’re certainly limp of limb.

What do you do?
>Move to save them, risking yourself
>Send a subordinate to rescue them [which one?]
>Ignore them—no delays to rescue the weak from the tides of fate
>Follow the course of the river, and retrieve their body (or maybe they will survive?)
>Use a spell to resolve this, or perhaps a magic item [which one?]
>Write-in

Pardon the shorter posts; as I said, company over
>>
>>5357909
>Move to save them, risking yourself

We can't crit fail at swimming twice, right? I would block the flow of the water with wall of stone but that just cause the river to flood us instead.
>>
>>5357909
>Move to save them, risking yourself
>Use the elemental ring to freeze the river
I mainly want to use the magic ring, we really should use it more.
>>
>>5357909
>Move to save them, risking yourself
>>5357940
>Freeze water while there's someone in it
why not shoot lightning at it while we're at it?
>>
>>5357909
>Move to save them, risking yourself
>>
>>5357954
Actually, I was thinking to stop the flow at certain points, slowing the river down, but turning them into a popsicle also works!
>>
>>5357909
>Move to save them, risking yourself
>>
>>5357909
>Move to save them, risking yourself
>>
>>5357909
>Use a spell to resolve this, or perhaps a magic item [which one?].
>Use stone wall to try to redirect them back to shore, or damn the water flow.
>>
>>5357909
>Move to save them, risking yourself
>Use a spell to resolve this, or perhaps a magic item [Stonewall]
>>
Rolled 14, 19, 18 = 51 (3d20)

>>5358758
>>5358731
>>5358495
>>5358480
>>5358133
>>5357954
>>5357940
>>5357923
Your first instinct is to sue magic to rescue the Reptilian from the raging river. However, there are simply too many variables at play for you to make a decision—and time is of the essence! A Stonewall spell could black the river up, but you fear this could risk diverting the torrential floodwater towards you and your party instead, which is hardly an improvement. A blast of your ice ring could freeze the waters solid, but would the Reptilian survive—if they’re even alive to begin with?

“It is no use,” you snarl, helpless in the face of this elemental force.

“A wise decision,” the Cartographer affirms. “I applaud your prudence and—”

You interrupt him by handing him Davora the Herbalist’s chains. Both her and the mammalian female look at you in startled befuddlement, but you give them no answer. There is no time. You turn around and dive into the water. You hear the Herbalist cry out to you, but only for an instant before the roar of water drowns her voice and pulls you after the limp lizardman whom you hope to rescue.
>>
>>5358992
The water carries you away like so much river-silt, thrashing you into the stone on one side and then into the stone on the other. You are bashed and battered, but you grit your teeth, close your nictitating membranes, pull in your knees and elbows, and you power through the pain. You streamline your body, kicking with a leg or pushing off with an arm to void impacting the wall head-first and ending your journey. You hold your breath, forcing yourself not to take in water even as your back and ribs are slammed into to rock around you. You just keep repeating an aphorism in your mind, a hymn-like promise to yourself:

You will NOT almost drown twice in one week. You will NOT almost drown TWICE in ONE WEEK!

>18

And you won’t, Dark Gods be praised! With a thrash of your tail, you push forward and plunge downriver, finally catching up with the loose-limbed agent of the Dark Design who you earlier caught sight of.

>19

You scoop the Reptilian up in one arm, and with another well-placed kick you hurl the both of you out of the stream. You explode forth from the rushing water and into the stale air of the underdark, where you heave for breath for a moment. You don’t know how far you were carried away from your cohort, and in that moment you don’t much care.

You look down at the Reptilian before you, laying lifelessly upon the bedrock. Well… Not QUITE lifelessly, as it turns out. Despite a grievous slash across the male’s gut, and the beating he took on his way down-river, you are able to rouse the male—a Silkscale—with considerable effort.

“Who are you?” you demand from the half-dead near-drowned Reptilian. “What happened?”

His eyes widen when he looks at you, seemingly recognizing you.

“Dragon… Born…”

You do not know this male, but you suppose your distinctive appearance and function precede you. This recognition is all he able to croak out for some time, however, and it is more of a wet gurgle than proper syllables of True Speech. You think back to Davora the Herbalist, and how she pumped the water from your lungs days earlier, and endeavour to replicate the process. Eventually, water and vomit bursts forth from the Silskcale’s mouth—victory! Words follows, albeit still pained.

“I was … an Infiltrator, relaying message through… Safe-house network, in human lands of the Paladin King… But I was found out!”

You feel your stomach sink and heart race.

“Found out?” you whisper, a low and fearful hiss. “The conspiracy is… Exposed?!”
>>
File: 1657998822751.jpg (568 KB, 1403x2400)
568 KB
568 KB JPG
>>5359000

The Infiltrator coughs and sputters for a moment, then simply answers: “A human… Must have been tracking me for some time. Saw him in Port Verda—the main trading-stop, between elven lands and human ones… Thought nothing of it, but he followed me when I left town…”

“Describe him,” you command, hurriedly, fearful that this Infiltrator might yet perish before giving you further information—he wounds seem mortal, his body trembles with agony and injury.

“Male… Human… Green armour… Paladin, I think… Sword that glowed green when he pointed it at me…”

The feeling in your gut turns to a curdling, twisting sensation, as you remember a vision, granted to you by the Master of the Insightful Eye in prayerful meditation many nights prior. It was a vision of a human in green, knightly armour, artfully decorated with images of dragons in life… And in death. The armour of a dragonslayer… And beneath the armour’s face-concealing helm, the diadem he looted from the corpse of your mother.

The Green Knight. The Last True Heir of the Yosefs. Your fated enemy.

He knows of your people. He draws nearer. He is making moves, even as you busy yourself with conquering ancestral lands. He is no mere destination to be eventually reached—he is destiny, on the march.

The male in your arms is drawing difficult breath now. Blood has joined the bile and water trickling from his mouth. You consider administering a healing potion… But, being sensible, you cast your bag aside before diving in, so automatically that it does not even occur to you that you did so until you reach for it and find it absent. Your allies are no doubt seeking you out even now, but there is little time.

What do you ask the dying Reptilian?
>Ask him to describe the abilities and equipment of the Green Knight
>Ask him if the Green Knight said anything that might reveal his plans for your people
>Ask him if the Green Knight was alone, or who was with him
>Ask him if the Green Knight invoked any particular god
>Ask him nothing—offer comfort, pray with him, and let him find his rest in peace
>Write-in
[Choose only one]
>>
File: Spoiler Image (74 KB, 1784x240)
74 KB
74 KB PNG
>>5357286
>>5357732
These two in tandem promised conflagration for your enemies (the dwarven settlements fulfilled this vision) and a powerful enemy driven to... Well, you'll see.
>>
>>5359002
>Ask him if the Green Knight was alone, or who was with him
I'm more scared of a rogue deleting our allies while we duel the chucklefuck
>>
>>5359002
>Ask him nothing—offer comfort, pray with him, and let him find his rest in peace
Fuck, let him die in peace.
>>
>>5359002
>Ask him if the Green Knight was alone, or who was with him
>>
We're going to need to improve our sword skills before we fight that guy.
>>
>>5359002
>Ask him to describe the abilities and equipment of the Green Knight
>>
>>5359002
>Ask him to describe the abilities and equipment of the Green Knight
>>
>>5359002
>Ask him if the Green Knight said anything that might reveal his plans for your people
>>
>>5359004
>Ask him to describe the abilities and equipment of the Green Knight
>>
File: (you).png (47 KB, 336x470)
47 KB
47 KB PNG
>>5359365
>>5359272
>>5359244
>>5359227
>>5359158
>>5359022
>>5359007
“What abilities did he use in combat?” you ask, keeping the frantic edge from your voice—you know he doesn’t have long to answer.

“He… Sword glowed… Seemed to be guided by magic. It struck… True…”

“Is that all?” you ask. “Merely a magic sword? You said you thought hew as a Paladin…”

“I had a charm on me… Mesmeric… He resisted…”

Yes, the diadem—your mother’s old diadem. The God of Knowledge told you it could grant clarity of mind… To benefit your brother if you can but seize it, and apparently to resist psionic effects. But you knew of that already. There must be more!

“What else?”

“Shield… Round shield, reflective… Armoured against…”

“Against what? Against fire?”

There is no answer.

“Against what?!”

Nothing.

“Dragonborn?”

“Superior One!”

You hear the cries of your retinue, as they finally locate this stygian shore which you have washed up upon. Davora pulls at the Cartographer’s gripping claws with her chain, pulling him along after him as she rushes to you and to the Silkscale infiltrator.

“Is it… Uh, is he…”

“Yesss,” you answer, in the tongue which she can understand.

Despite your assurances, the Herbalist second-guesses you, checking the fallen Infiltrator’s pulse and responses. Eventually, she concludes what you already knew—his spirit ahs passed. You say a prayer for him and rise, but Davora tugs at your soaked cloak.

“You are shaking,” she says. “Your body temperature is already so low… This can’t be good for you.”

“My internal fire will sussstain me,” you insist, pulling your cloak free. “Come, we musst leave thisss place. There isss much to sspeak with the Sserpent Priessthood about.”

“The, uh, what?”

You offer no answer, and the Herbalist raises no further objection, and well she might not. You are too tired—and, yes, wet and cold—to punish her impudence. In truth, you might even somewhat appreciate her continued concern for you, in spite of your last conversation. However, there is only so much you can tolerate, and your mind is elsewhere now. You give each other space even as you settle in for the last rest before your arrival at your home.
>>
>>5359546
You return once more to the sparsely-lite confines of aeons-old carved and decorated halls and all-but-empty temple-caverns meant to house thousands (instead of the scant few dozen who roam them now. You carry your two dwarves’ chains, and lead Agno and the fire=lizards, and your fellow returning champions. You attract looks and whispers—a phenomenon to which you are well-accustomed due to your unique nature, but which seem especially suspicious, resentful, and envious. Has word of your exploits spread back here?

“Dragonborn!”

You turn to see the Chaplain, flanked by the Silkscale who sometimes serves as his scribe and assistant.

“Leave your things,” he says, nodding your your treasures, slaves, pets, and companions alike. “We must speak. You have been gone long, and I would know to what end.”

“I had hoped to have much the same conversation,” you admit, bowing your head, “oh Holy One.”

You return the chains to Olu and the Cartographer, so they may attend to the prisoners, and you follow the Chaplain up stoen steps through a series of doors into the Star Chamber where he and his fellows interpret the will of the divine, and then once more into the Room for Confession, with its single, blood-stained stone dais, with a polished divot for one to place one’s forehead in submission.

What do you do?
>Tell the Chaplain everything, lest he discover it anyway, and plead necessity for the seedier or more unconventional actions
>Proudly proclaim your victories, but hide your sins—the meddling with the dragon hatchling, you rusts and bug-impregnation, your skepticism of the Dark Gods’ supposed unity
>Lie—say that dwarves were already an imminent threat to the security of the Conspiracy, and tell him you attacked them out of necessity

Do you request aid?
>Yes, material aid in the form of more food and better equipment
>Yes—reinforcements are vital, and you require more agents of the Master Race to do what must be done
>Cede command to the Chaplain, or to whomever he may assign

And what of the Green Knight?
>This mammalian marauder is of the utmost importance—the dwarves’ conquest can wait, but you need to track him down and end his threat NOW
>The Green Knight is but one man—he can wait until the Blodorise is once more in Reptilian talons
>Tell the Chaplain of him, and let him handle it how he will

[Write-ins allowed for each]
>>
>>5359547
>Proudly proclaim your victories, but hide your sins—the meddling with the dragon hatchling, you rusts and bug-impregnation, your skepticism of the Dark Gods’ supposed unity

>The Green Knight is but one man—he can wait until the Blodorise is once more in Reptilian talons
>>
>>5359547
>Proudly proclaim your victories, but hide your sins—the meddling with the dragon hatchling, you rusts and bug-impregnation, your skepticism of the Dark Gods’ supposed unity

>Yes, material aid in the form of more food and better equipment

>The Green Knight is but one man—he can wait until the Blodorise is once more in Reptilian talons
>>
>>5359547
>Lie—say that dwarves were already an imminent threat to the security of the Conspiracy, and tell him you attacked them out of necessity

>Yes, material aid in the form of more food and better equipment

>Tell the Chaplain of him, and let him handle it how he will
>>
File: Glowie2.png (2.84 MB, 3508x4961)
2.84 MB
2.84 MB PNG
[Just wanted to offer everyone general thanks for playing, and post this picture of Glowie in her natural form for everyone's enjoyment, courtesy of the artist Vyrebeck]
>>
>>5359547
>Yes, material aid in the form of more food and better equipment

Forgot the middle vote, let's just ask for material now, we can do our own personal recruitment after.
>>
>>5359547
>Tell the Chaplain everything- you will not cower from your actions. Whatever consequences may come, you will weather them; you are a champion of the Dark Gods themselves.

>Yes, both material aid and more Reptillian troops. Yours is the most righteous cause- a new, resource-rich home for the Reptilian race, and slaves a-plenty

>Tell the Chaplain of him, and request that he be tracked closely as a threat to the Conspiracy. In time, you will want to take him on yourself, but that time is not now.

>>5359656
Nice, Glowie's only like a 4/10 on the Bug Terror Index. Thanks to you for running!
>>
>>5359656
oh that's how she's so fast
more of a centipede than a maggot
>>
>>5359760
[She was much faster in her Reptilian disguise, because she's used to moving with all this bulk. But also: I DID mention her having a lot of legs!]
>>
>>5359547
>Proudly proclaim your victories, but hide your sins—the meddling with the dragon hatchling, you rusts and bug-impregnation, your skepticism of the Dark Gods’ supposed unity
>Yes—reinforcements are vital, and you require more agents of the Master Race to do what must be done
>This mammalian marauder is of the utmost importance—the dwarves’ conquest can wait, but you need to track him down and end his threat NOW
Suicide Squad
>>
File: tally.png (9 KB, 259x221)
9 KB
9 KB PNG
[I was hoping to get a late update in to make up for the lack of morning one, but we're a little low on votes compared to normal, so I'll hold off a little to give other people a chance. At the movement it seems we favour a few courses of action...]
>>
>>5359547
>Tell the Chaplain everything, lest he discover it anyway, and plead necessity for the seedier or more unconventional actions
>Yes, material aid in the form of more food and better equipment
>This mammalian marauder is of the utmost importance—the dwarves’ conquest can wait, but you need to track him down and end his threat NOW
>>
>>5359547
>Proudly proclaim your victories, but hide your sins—the meddling with the dragon hatchling, you rusts and bug-impregnation, your skepticism of the Dark Gods’ supposed unity
>Yes—reinforcements are vital, and you require more agents of the Master Race to do what must be done
>This mammalian marauder is of the utmost importance—the dwarves’ conquest can wait, but you need to track him down and end his threat NOW
>>
>>5359907
i can backlink this shit if necessary:
>>5359022
>>5357954
>>5357286
>>5356725
>>
>>5359547
>>5359691
Fuck it, don't want him to find out the ugly way.

Make A LOT of emphasis as to how Glowie was an actual God sent from the mother of dragons and we got a kudos from her right after we did the thing
>>
>>5360013
This is a +1
Euroanon here, at gym so ip changed
>>
>>5359547
>Proudly proclaim your victories, but hide your sins—the meddling with the dragon hatchling, you rusts and bug-impregnation, your skepticism of the Dark Gods’ supposed unity

But of course say that there were challenges, and losses. It did not all go smoothly

>Yes, material aid in the form of more food and better equipment

Focused on food desu

>This mammalian marauder is of the utmost importance—the dwarves’ conquest can wait, but you need to track him down and end his threat NOW

He is a danger to our entire race and conspiracy!
>>
File: Spoiler Image (11 KB, 891x224)
11 KB
11 KB PNG
[Voting locked, update incoming!]
>>
>>5359790
>>5359691
>>5359660
>>5359596
>>5359581
>>5359554
>>5359907
>>5359920
>>5360013
>>5360019
You are still formulating and mentally-rehearsing your planned speech when the Chaplain speaks, denying you your proactive defence of your extended journey.

“When you departed, it was with the understanding of a two-week journey in each direction, at most. Some additional time was expected to deal with the kobolds… Yet, do you realize it has been over TWELVE weeks, since your departure?”

You nod slowly, doing a quick tally in your mind. So much has happened that you didn’t even consciously realize how long you had been away from home.

“You return with only a single kobold,” the Chaplain continues, “and with only two of the fourteen members of the Master Race with whom you departed…”

“…And with dwarves,” you finish, drawing a glare as you pre-empt the Serpent Priest’s speech.

“Yes,” he hisses, “and with dwarves. Explain yourself, Dragonborn! What happened? What is the status of the heretical uprising in Bloodrise? Of the CONSPIRACY?”

“We achieved victory, in spite of challenges,” you begin carefully, avoiding any direct acknowledgement of wrongdoing. “And in spite of… Losses.”

The Chaplain’s eyes bug slightly, and he draws a sharp breath.

“VERY few losses,” you hasten to add. “Only the Infiltrator, Paeris, and a host of mammalian allies.”

The Chaplain stares, saying nothing for a moment.

“Mammalian… Allies? Who, like these dwarves, presumably know of our existence? Our Conspiracy?”

“I… Have not gone into any great detail with the dark elves or the… The bugbears… As far as matters of the Conspiracy go.”

The Chaplain’s tail lashes the stone and he rears his head atop his long, serpentine neck.”

“You have EXPOSED us to elves and to, to…. What is a BUGBEAR, Dragonborn?”

“A sort of… Spiny goblin-man, Holy One,” you explain. “They, like the dark elves, dwell in the underdark. They have only hostile relations with any surface race, and as such they presented a unique opportunity for a low-risk alliance.”

“According to our scouts’ and intelligencers’ estimates, there were perhaps forty to fifty adult kobolds in the Bloodrise mountain range, at most,” the Chaplain says levelly. “Fifty or fewer easily-cowed slaves. You required an alliance—an UNAUTHORIZED, UNVETTED alliance with two races of inferior mammals to deal with this? In spite of your power? In plus of your two-dozen hand-picked specialists?”

“No, we had the kobolds in-hand without outside aid,” you admit. “The alliance was more useful for… The dwarves.”
>>
Rolled 19, 12, 9, 2, 6 = 48 (5d20)

>>5360158

“And so we come back to the dwarves!” the Chaplain proclaims. “Have you made some ill-advised ‘alliance’ with these creatures, too, Dragonborn?”

“No,” you answer. “They are an enemy population, though after the utter destruction of one of their bases—so as to prevent our exposure—the females and spawn were taken as slaves.”

“And the males?” the Chaplin asks, urgently.

“Annihilated. One or two enslaved for specific abilities. No survivors.”

The Chaplain releases an held breath, and nods.

“Holy One,” you say, before he can speak again, “The Bloodrise is our ancestral home, belonging to our ancestors. It is rich in resources. Its dwarven occupiers are isolated, ripe for our conquest and enslavement! What I have done was… Was righteous. It was unmitigated victory, and it has opened up a new home for us!”

“A home EXPOSED to the surface,” the Chaplain snaps. “Expansion of our numbers, movement to this place close to the surface, the creating of ‘alliances’ with untrustworthy mammals… It all risks the END of the Conspiracy! Do you understand NOTHING?!”

You hesitate to respond, and the Chaplin continues in your stead:

“If a single one of your ‘dark elves’ communicates with their cousins on the surface as to what we are, what we have done, how we operate… Every Infiltrator, every centuries-long plot… They will all be exposed. If the dwarves had bested you, or a single witness had escaped from your attack—something that NEITEHR of us can be TRULY certain did not happen…”

“I am sure,” he assert.

“You do not know what you do not KNOW, you fool,” he shoots back, silencing you. “If a SINGLE mammal deemed credible by his peers tells the tale of a subterranean Reptilian race, including hybrids and shapeshifters, who rose from below Bloodrise to annihilate a camp of dwarves, you will have singlehandedly destroyed centuries of careful work, for your own personal glory. Do you UNDERSTAND the magnitude of your overreach yet, LESSER Dragonborn?”

You raise your eyes, meeting the gaze of the Chaplain for the first time during this exchange. You see fury there, yes… But also fear. Fear of exposure, of challenge, of change.

“The Dark Gods willed it,” you say. “It will bring glory to ALL our race.”

The Chaplain is quiet in the wake of your open defiance, your lack of apology.
>>
>>5360160
>>5360160

“Scribe,” the Serpent Priest says, addressing his Silkscale stenographer, “Leave us.”

The third male in the room bows his head low, and does so.

“The Dark Gods have willed it,” the Chaplain repeats. “Did they TELL you so, Dragonborn?”

“Yes.”

The Chaplain says nothing, remaining still sav e for his tail, which lashes again. He meets your gaze, probing for weakness, for falsehood—for guilt. But there is none. You have told no lie, even if you have not told him the whole truth—that the Dark Gods are not unified in their direction, nor specific in their directives, and that some have contravened one another.

You have not told him of Glowie, pregnant in her pupa with your draconically-augmented offspring.

When he does move, the Chaplain seems to deflate somewhat.

>19

“The Dark Gods… The Dark Gods themselves…”

He sighs rumblingly, as if swallowing a bitter pill.

“Very well,” he says. “Leave me.”

You do not do so; rather, you seize the moment, saying: “To accomplish our divine mission of retaking the Bloodrise, we will require additional materials… Food, superior equipment…”

“Yes, yes, you will have it,” he says, waving you away again.

Still, you do not leave, for there is one more thing to discuss: the threat of the Green Knight.

“A sword which glowed in the presence of this Reptilian Infiltrator?” the Chaplain repeats, when you have finished telling him the tale, as passe don by the Green Knight’s victim.

“Yes,” you say, “and this is not his first such victim. This Green Knight… A vision revealed to me that he was also the human which slew my mother.”

The Chaplain turns his back on you, staring at the elaborate mural of the chiefmost Dark Gods which embosses the rock wall behind him.

“Then we are already exposed,” he murmurs. “Though… Perhaps not. If this knight, this Yosef… If he was open with his discovery of our Infiltrators, if he was respected enough to believed or if he had evidence… We would have been exposed over a decade ago. Yet… We still operate, without incident, save these few.”

The Serpent Priest seems to be considering something. You consider voicing your own opinion… But you are not sure, ultimately whether the dwarven conquest or this lone-but-dangerous man presents the more immediate threat.

“Leave me,” the Chaplain commands again. “I must think.”

You bow your head and this time, you do as he commands.
>>
>>5360173

“How did you fare in the debriefing?” Olu asks sometime later.

“We were not found wanting,” you say, a little pridefully. “We will have what we need to complete our mission.”

He and the Cartographer are pleased to hear it. They are pleased also to take their rest in the safe confines of your Master Race’s own realm. You, for your part…

>Retire to your chamber to rest and empty yourself of the tension which has built
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit
>Begin requisitions and preparations for your departure immediately—though you do not yet know whether you will be returning first to Bloodrise or pursuing the Green Knight
>Find a private temple-chamber in which to pray for divine guidance, as to which path to now follow
>Write-in
>>
>>5360173
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit
>>
>>5360174
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit, and tell him the good news: you can make him greater, more than he is
>>
>>5360174
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit
>Inquire if Paeris has any living family or relations. His share of the wealth and the matter of his death will be delivered by us personally.
>>
>>5360174
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit
>>
>>5360174
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit
>>
>>5360174
>Inquire if Paeris has any living family or relations. His share of the wealth and the matter of his death will be delivered by us personally.
>Retire to your chamber to rest and empty yourself of the tension which has built
>>
>>5360206
>>5360383
[Paeris is a Degenerate. Any Reptilian family would have disowned him. Any elven family would be unaware of his existence.]
>>
>>5360173
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit
>Find a private temple-chamber in which to pray for divine guidance, as to which path to now follow

Lets check on bitch man the pursuer avout what he thinks of making the dwarfs an artisan slave caste
>>
>>5360174
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit

We should have also mentioned our successful proselytizing to the Chaplain
>>
>>5360174
>Pay your ‘big brother’, the Green Dragonborn, a long-overdue visit
>Find a private temple-chamber in which to pray for divine guidance, as to which path to now follow
>>
>>5360430
>>5360427
>>5360383
>>5360300
>>5360299
>>5360206
>>5360191
>>5360185
>>5360630
Your first order of business isn’t even in question: you hurry through the halls, past your chamber, to pay your elder ‘brother’ a visit. It has been too long! So often, while meditating n the makings of a True Dragon King, you have lamented his absence, missed his steadying presence and titanic example. After all, unlike you he was MADE from the stuff of dragonkind, generated alchemically from the very blood of the Great Green Dragon who once ruled the field and forests which now make up the realm of Hawksong’s Paladin King. And now? Now, you have a chance to make him even greater than he was before!

You find the Green Dragonborn longing in his great chamber, upon the arrangement of rough-cut stones which forms his tremendous-but-simple throne. He is lounging, as you so often find him, in a state of calm repose. His harem of Silkscale females—to small to mate with for such a creature as he, but still pleasing t o the eye and talented in other arts than pleasure—are massaging oil into his scales, while he rumbles appreciatively.

“Great One!” you call out to him.

“Hurrm?” he grumbles, opening his eyes. “Back already?”

You’re almost hurt, but he quickly rises to greet you, and you can quickly tell he IS happy to see you returned and well. You suppose that when you have lived as long as he has—so often in total solitude, without mental stimulation, so that days must pass like years already—the span of ninety-odd days must seem like almost nothing. He shows a polite interest with he need not, given his station, as you regale him with a (only somewhat sanitized and redacted) account of your adventures as a dark prophet and dragon-king in the making.

“And that is not all!” you whisper, waving the smooth and distractingly oil-shined Silkscales away.

As with Jazkarmel the Princess, you find their appeal more easily ignored than in your virgin years, now that you have regularly sampled the fruits of your dwarven servant… Though less so, after you last few rests apart from your Herbalist. You try not to dwell on that burgeoning sense of attachment.

Instead, you tell the Great One of your greatest discovery: a means by which to cure his ailing mind!

Your brother’s reaction is not quite what you’d hoped. As with many fine details of your story, he at first seems to only half-understand it. You suppose that is precisely WHY the Green Knight’s stolen Diadem of Clarity is so very valuable: it can bring some measure of order to the Green Dragonborn’s mind, warped and stunted by the human fleshweaver who created him, then isolated and abused him. When you make him understand what is on offer, however, he reacts fearfully.

“Nnnn,” he groans, reeling back and narrowing his eyes. “God go… In brraiun? Nnnn. No. Do not wuhant that.”
>>
File: images.jpg (8 KB, 225x225)
8 KB
8 KB JPG
>>5360665
You suppose you can understand where he’s coming from: he must understand it as an invasion of himself by something greater, a compromise of his identity. IT must seem, to him to resemble the unsavoury methods by which his much-lesser mammalian creator kept his will chained to their own. Through careful and calm explanation, and your empathic connection, you make him understand that this will be different—the opposite! You will be freeing him from the shackles of his genesis, not chaining him to a new enslaver!

“Hhhhummmm,” he murmurs. “Okay. I ack-sept, bruh-thur. Is good thing. You are… Good fuh-riend, to do this thing.”

You are gratified to hear this from him, and happily settle into your old rhythm, taking a set a upon his great armrest and mediating alongside him. Sitting next to him again, you’re cognizant that he is easily twice the size—or more than that—of even you <Augmented Dragonshape>.

Do you discuss anything else with him? [Choose two]
>Ask his opinion on whether you should journey to face the Green Knight first, or return to Bloodrise
>Get your big bro’s advice on matters of love, lust, and the trouble with females
>Dismiss the harem and discuss matters most private—your soon-to-be-laid hybrid progeny
>Invite him to accompany you on your next adventure—though it risks exposure, and would absolutely draw the ire of the priesthood down upon you
>Seek his advice on how to win the Chaplain to your side
>Write-in
>>
>>5360669
>>Ask his opinion on whether you should journey to face the Green Knight first, or return to Bloodrise
>Ask his opinion on whether you should journey to face the Green Knight first, or return to Bloodrise
>Seek his advice on how to win the Chaplain to your side
>>
>>5360669
>Dismiss the harem and discuss matters most private—your soon-to-be-laid hybrid progeny
>Ask his opinion on whether you should journey to face the Green Knight first, or return to Bloodrise
>>
>>5360680
Supporting

But dismiss the harem anyway - don’t need any spies…
>>
>>5360669
>Ask his opinion on whether you should journey to face the Green Knight first, or return to Bloodrise
>Invite him to accompany you on your next adventure—though it risks exposure, and would absolutely draw the ire of the priesthood down upon you
>Get your big bro’s advice on matters of love, lust, and the trouble with females
>>
>>5360669
>Get your big bro’s advice on matters of love, lust, and the trouble with females
>Seek his advice on how to win the Chaplain to your side
>>
>>5360669
>Ask his opinion on whether you should journey to face the Green Knight first, or return to Bloodrise
>Seek his advice on how to win the Chaplain to your side
>>
>>5360669
>Ask his opinion on whether you should journey to face the Green Knight first, or return to Bloodrise
>Get your big bro’s advice on matters of love, lust, and the trouble with females
>>
>>5361006
>>5360968
>>5360944
>>5360724
>>5360709
>>5360680
>>5361056
Eventually, meditation turns to torpor. However, it is a brief and uneasy rest. Concerted effort and advanced techniques could quiet your busy brain, but simple sleep cannot. When you awake, you are still in the chamber, and the Green Dragonborn is still slumbering, but you nudge him awake with atap of your talon and a prod of your empathic connection.

“Huuurrrm?” he rumbles, questioningly, opening one set of eyelids while leaving the other closed.

“Great One,” you begin, a touch uncertainly, “I seek your advice.”

He gazes down upon you, awaiting the inquiry. Instead, you tell him of the Green Knight—your mother’s slayer, wearing armour commemorating the downfall of the Great One’s own ancient draconic ancestor. You spare him the talk of visions, but you mention that the diadem which can grant him <CLARITY> is in this mammalian monster’s clammy clutches.

“But… I worry for the campaign in Bloodrise,” you admit. “If I delay my return, will I waste the popularity and support I have gained with the dark elves? Will the bugbears even LISTEN to anyone besides myself? And if they move ahead with further conquest without me… Or if they delay… What will be the consequences?”

If they attack or are attacked, and you are not there to collapse castles and belch fire, will they suffer greater losses? Who, in your retinue, or from among your key allies, might you lose?

(If they succeed without you, will you still be King of the Mountain upon your return?)

“Duh-warf meat is… Gooood,” your older brother reflects contemplatively. “Crushing duh-warfs is… GOOOD.”

“So… The Bloodrise, then?” you press.

The Great One rumbles, shaking his head.

“Your muh-thurrrr…. Was GOOD fuh-rend. Helped me.”

For a moment, the Green Dragonborn looks wistful. Through your link, you feel his sadness and anger.

“Crushing hyoo-muhn is ALSO good… And ruh-venge is BEST. Knight should SUFF-FUR! BURN! Be… DUH-STUR-OOOOYED!”

He roars the last word, flames licking from his open mouth and smoke billowing forth. You her some wary hisses from his personal collection of females, who shrink back against the opposite wall. You nod, slowly. You’re honestly a little surprised at his emotional reaction to your mother’s killing, and the knowledge of her killer… But then, you suppose if it weren’t for her, the Great One would have languished another century or two in captivity, perhaps for the whole of his indeterminately-long life. The concept of a debt of gratitude (especially beyond the grave) is alien to the logical lizard mind… But apparently not to that of the First Among Dragonborn.
>>
>>5361068

“Then the problem is how to convince the Chaplain that this is important, and to let me lead the etermination,” you say, and look again to your big brother. “You have known him far longer than me, Great One. How can it be done?”

The Green Dragonborn looks confused at that question. He squints in concentration, groaning as if straining his mind.

“Izz-mee-nuh got him to liss-un. Brought me, made me… Bett-tur.” The Dragonborn continues to concentrate. “And All-Haz-Red… Brought naw-ledge from ‘Eastlands’, got suh-pecial priv-uh-ledges.”

You don’t know who this ‘Izzmeenuh’ or ‘Allhazred’ are, but you think you follow his general thrust: the Chaplain can be bought by bringing, and gifting him, something tangible which he can then display to his superiors as evidence of his own personal success as the spiritual and temporal leader of this place.

What will you offer the Chaplain to win his favour?
>Gift the orichalcum alloy to him, and try to communicate (and convince him of) the true value of the magic-storing mineral [DC 18]
>Gift your dwarven slaves to him, as examples of the potential the mammals hold as converts and servants [DC 15]
>Gift him the moon-sword—powerful weapon and symbol of authority among the elves [DC 12]
>Gift him the location of Glowie’s mother and her brood, and tell him of what you have learned about them [DC 10]
>Write-in [Unknown DC]
>>
>>5361069
>Gift him the knowledge of the spells you've learned from places afar- this contribution to the Master Race's libraries cannot be underestimated
>>
>>5361069
>Gift him the location of Glowie’s mother and her brood, and tell him of what you have learned about them [DC 10]
We gotta pass this
>>
>>5361069
>Gift your dwarven slaves to him, as examples of the potential the mammals hold as converts and servants [DC 15]

I feel like giving him Glowie's mom would end with one side getting exterminated

and I'm not sure it'd be the bugs
>>
>>5361069
>Gift him knowledge of fleshweaving (or promise to give him it when the Novice comes back), show him our <augmented dragonshape> as proof.

I'm not really willing to give anything up among the options listed except the Orichalcum, but that DC is too high. I'd say let's give him the research to our most developed field of study, fleshweaving. The Novice has made significant progress so far.
>>
>>5361069
>Write-in [Unknown DC]
>-gift him your magic dwarven axe and berserker belt.

Since were not using them, we might as well give them up.
>>
>>5361129
>Fleshweaving
>Chaplain
Now anon, riddle me this, if "Novice" is known as such because she is a novice at her craft comparably to other fleshweavers, and fleshweaving is also usually reserved for the priestess', Chaplain who is in fact not a Novice in his craft, isnt a female, is likely an avid worshipper of "The Persecutor" thus very sexist, and is already displeased with us for basically going on a power hungry jihad against monkeys built like a brick wall, not trying to bash you to hard just offering another perspective with context
>>5361069
>Gift him the location of Glowie’s mother and her brood, and tell him of what you have learned about them [DC 10]
We need to convince him not to attack them yet if at all however, they are part of the Holy Mothers divine plan and we have had pretty good interactions with her, she never said we have to love Glowie to recieve her blessing, just have her be a queen, which as far as I know shes on her way currently. The drow taking care of her have already started on worship to the holy mother and I think their weird gender roles would actually be a weird gray area the mother would actually be really cool with as any drow can be considered female depending on their job/season, I feel this would be the place for her to "rule" and her pension for wanting what, we specifically, want would definitely secure a source of warriors to fight for us as well as further the influence of the dark gods to the drow seeing the Holy mothers brood
>>
>>5361161
I mean he took a degenerate woman's help for the dragonborn project so he clearly values results over anything else, and he can leave out how he got the results anyways to his superior. And I think it's been implied many many times that the "Novice" is a prodigy at her craft held back by sexism.

Also with the Glowie's mother part I'm not worried about the Chaplain, I'm worried about him reporting to his superiors. We don't know them and honestly have no way of influencing them.
>>
>>5361129
yeah, no. dragonborn is smarter than this

>>5361161
We'll be unable to convince him. 95% sure, barring a ridiculous nat 20 if RQM allows us to roll for it.

>>5361169
the difference with mom was that she had the results right there in his face. we're just making a promise that the daughter he's known and dismissed for years has somehow made tremendous progress over a couple months, in the wilderness without a lab or peers. If the orichalcum is already DC 18 I'd be surprised if RQM even lets us roll for this one, it'd be DC 25 or something impossible.
>>
>>5361175
That's why we'd show the augmented dragonshape anon. You know the thing that makes us a 12 feet tall killing machine, the thing the Novice improved with her fleshweaving amulet.
>>
>>5361182
The thing that's unique to us and can't be used by anyone else? Don't think he'll go for it.
>>
>>5361194
I don't think you're really understanding here. It's a proof of concept, it shows that there's been very good progress on fleshweaving, that the Novice has made leaps in her research that she can give to him when she's back.
>>
>>5361197
I understand, I just don't think it will persuade him.

Really it's not even ours to bargain with.
>>
>>5361069
>Give him the ancient dragon scrolls from Bloodrise, and tell him of the Dragon Eggs
Like, we should’ve brought a couple a light reading outta piety to the Beholder, but just the Dragon Eggs should really be enough evidence to convince his superiors of his success. Like, come on.
>Gift the orichalcum alloy to him, and try to communicate (and convince him of) the true value of the magic-storing mineral [DC 18]
>Gift him the magic axe—powerful weapon and symbol of authority among the dwarves
Also, can we not sell out Glowie’s Mom? Not only will it ruin our relationship with the Bugs, it will also ruin our relationship with the Mother of Dragons. We all know what will happen when we tell the Chaplain of the true purpose of the Bugs and where they live.
>>
>>5361252
>>5361129
+1
>>
>>5361252
+1
>>
>>5361252
Supporting this, but add the beserker belt to the axe offering
>>
Rolled 6, 16, 2, 3 = 27 (4d20)

>>5361349
>>5361330
>>5361258
>>5361252
>>5361161
>>5361150
>>5361129
>>5361127
>>5361085
>>5361080
You are loathe to part with any of your treasures—including yours ‘apprentice, the Throat-singer, or your lover, the Herbalist. More than any possession, though, it is your comrades and servants who hold the most value. For this same reason, though you know revealing the conspiracy of the Mother of Dragons and her bug-brood would score a major diplomatic coup, you cannot bring yourself to ruin your relationship with Glowie (or chance her grandmother’s divine wrath) by exposing them. It is as the Master of the Insightful Eye revealed: your personal attachments are strength and weakness alike, but they sit at the very core of you.

Instead, you prepare to part with those things which, to your surprise, matter less to you: your hoard.

“You request… Further leeway?” the Chaplain asks, calmly incredulous. “And to abandon the mess which YOU have made, to go chasing after some… Green-clad monkey?

“The Yosefs are an ancient enemy of our people,” you reply. “And if you fear the exposure of our conspiracy, then which target could be of higher value than the mammal with a sword which detects and exposes us? He is already slaying our network of Infiltrators, advancing towards Hawksong!”

“Then we will send assassins,” the Chaplain replies, tiredly. “It is not the sort of business which requires the personal touch of… The likes of you.”

You wince at the implication of your lost favour, and you know you must win him back. The Green Knight is YOURS to slay… Not least of which because the diadem he wears is now all-but-promised to your brother. You cannot let him down.

“I understand your misgivings about this matter,” you reply, as diplomatically as you can manage, resisting the urge to gnash your teeth in annoyance. “I urge you to reconsider, though.”

“On what basis?” the Holy One scoffs.

In answer, you remove your belt. Your superior rears back, but you set the wolf-engraved buckle down upon the table between you, and the dwarven ask thereafter.

“Each of these is a powerful magical item,” you explain, “taken from a fallen foe. The Bloodrise is REPLETE with magic. The hills are ALIVE with it. There is orichalcum buried beneath that rock—iron, fed upon the blood of dragons, rich in potential. It can be infused with magic, to make MANY such weapons—enough for an army capable of conquering the entirety of those lands and refilling our coffers and armories with wealth and power we have not known for generations!"

[DC 16/17]
>>
>>5361571
>16: Low DC, conditional success

“Very well,” the Chaplain acknowledges. “You have found value in your impulsive grab for power… But all the more reason, then, to commit to a single reckless decision. If Bloodrise is of such importance, why do you now wish to abandon it to fate, or leave it in the hands of others?”

“The Green Knight is an existential threat—”

“The DWARVES are an existential threat. The humans who may miss the one who you took this belt from—THEY are an existential threat! Even the mammalian ALLIES you have arranged for us are, inevitably, a threat. Clean up one mess before you make a new one, oh Dragonborn.”

“But…”

But the diadem, for your brother! The vision! Vengeance for your fallen progenitor!

“That will be all,” the Chaplain dismisses you.

You sigh deeply, and consider your final trump card. You know that if you revealed it, it would turn the tide of the Chaplain’s mind. It is your Novice-improved amulet and resultant <Augmented Dragonshape>. It would intimidate, impress. Explaining its origins—the harvested knowledge and dragon-blood of the ancient nursery-turned-crypt, would both solidify the Chaplain’s immediate and personal interest in the Bloodrise, AND ensure he would want neither you nor the Novice Fleshweaver near to its treasures any longer. He would recall his daughter, rescind your command, and take control himself… But, results-focused reptile that he is, he would be loathe to forsake the power and magical mastery you would thus evince. He would find a use for you…

Such as serving as a more-than-worthy opponent for the Green Knight.

What do you do?
>Reveal your Dragonshape, and explain the sordid origins, hobbling your career and the Novice’s to pursue the Green Knight
Guaranteed success, with consequences
>Accept the Chaplain’s decision—let the Green Knight get away, for now, and return to Bloodrise
Guaranteed success, with DIFFERENT cosnequences
>Snap, and go renegade—slay the Chaplain, and seize power for yourself in what will no doubt be a bloody civil war
Possible failure, BIG consequences
>Write-in
???
>>
>>5361593
>Accept the Chaplain’s decision—let the Green Knight get away, for now, and return to Bloodrise

Request the diadem to be given to our brother should he be slain, though. We'll provide an item or gold near it's value if necessary. I doubt common assassins will work on the Green Knight anyways, he seems to be the big bad if the "omen of terrible doom" say anything about how powerful he is.
>>
Maybe we should try to call upon the dark gods to convince the Chaplin? they seem to have a personal dislike of the green knight for his ancestor actions of bringing down the last dragon.

And they did state that in the past they would use champions as pieces on a chessboard, to fulfill their ambitions. So they probably want us to go on this quest.
>Write-in
>-attempt a call upon the guidance of the dark gods, while in the Star Chamber of the Chaplin. To see if they wil aid your argument.
>>
>>5361593
>Accept the Chaplain’s decision—let the Green Knight get away, for now, and return to Bloodrise

Bloodrise is powerbase
>>
>>5361614
+1
Chaplain has given us pretty strong leeway with all of this shit so far its better if we get into his good graces without surrendering anymore of the hoard, weve made ourselves poster child for this bloodrise crusade and should ride it out for a bit establishing more footing and resupplying our allies and colony at a position of power hes been forced to begrudgingly give us, definitely stress we need that diadem for big bro though if anything comes of him
>>
>>5361593
>Accept the Chaplain’s decision—let the Green Knight get away, for now, and return to Bloodrise

>>5361665
Aren't we in a shit ton of debt to a bunch of the dark gods for asking them questions or seeking them out for insight?
>>
>>5361593
>Accept the Chaplain’s decision—let the Green Knight get away, for now, and return to Bloodrise

Lets just HUMBLY request he's at least stalked from a safe distance
>>
>>5361665
+1
>>
>>5361593
>Accept the decision and focus on recruiting more reptilians to our Crusade
Like, couldn’t we get the Drow and Bugbears to ambush/poison Greeny or something, injure and weaken him before we meet, or at least delay his fuckery? We can focus on dealing with his ass after we conquered Bloodrise.
>>
>>5361593
>Accept the Chaplain’s decision—let the Green Knight get away, for now, and return to Bloodrise

We need to bide our time and gather more strength…
>>
>>5361665
>>Write-in
>-attempt a call upon the guidance of the dark gods, while in the Star Chamber of the Chaplin. To see if they wil aid your argument.
+1

>>5361806
>Aren't we in a shit ton of debt to a bunch of the dark gods for asking them questions or seeking them out for insight?
we are only in debt to the god of death, and only because we asked to become his paladin and then refused the terms.
>>
File: PDVD_522.jpg (40 KB, 853x356)
40 KB
40 KB JPG
>>5361885
>>5361862
>>5361857
>>5361824
>>5361821
>>5361806
>>5361721
>>5361708
>>5361665
>>5361614
You consider invoking the Dark Gods Below and Beyond, to lend the weight of divinity to your argument against this member of their priestly caste… But no. Even favoured as you are, to lean upon the Gods Themselves as a crutch is a dangerous game—they are known to ‘help those who help themselves’, and to abandon those who presume too much and fail to stand on their own. It is one of their great and virtuous doctrines! And, well… You already woe debts to Death and to the Master of the Insightful Eye. What might the others demand of you, if they even came to your aid?

Instead, you bow your head, and grudgingly accept this verdict.

“The Green Knight… I sensed something of GRAVE danger to him, in my vision.”

“You mentioned,” the Chaplain sighs, tail tapping impatiently.

You can see where the Novice Fleshweaver gets her impatience and impertinence. What seems amusingly bratty in a female your age strikes a more imperious cord in a male of such physical and social stature, but it is still recognizable. Like father, like daughter.

“I would caution against assassins,” you say, “and in favour of a distant and careful surveillance.”

“This matter no longer concerns you. Attend to those matters which DO.”

“But—”

“Depart, Dragonborn.”

And so you do, not entirely happily, to prepare for your return to Bloodrise. You can only hope that the Chaplain’s own judgement is right… Even as a sense of impending doom crawls slowly, slowly, up from the tip of your tail towards the base of your skull.

You have been nearly two days in the northern forward base already. You cannot tarry much longer, if you are to lead your dark coalition in the conquest of those mountains, before the dwarves catch on to the collapse of their people’s first besieged fort.

How do you prepare?
>Recruit some additional Reptilians [specify if there is any specific subrace or role you have in mind]
>Study dwarven language and culture with the Herbalist, to better know thy enemy
>Meditate and study magic with the Throat-singer
>Spar and train in archery with Agno and Olu
>Join the Cartographer in purchasing supplies—you have something specific in mind
>Pay a visit to Glowie’s mother, the Queen of Worms, to update her on her daughter’s status and request HER aid where your own people are less than forthcoming
>Write-in
>>
>>5361940
Is this a pick one, or are multiple choices acceptable?)
>>
>>5361948
[Please don't just choose EVERYTHING, but you can pick multiple.]
>>
>>5361940
>Recruit additional Reptillians (More frontline combatants by way of Steeltalons and Dragoblooded; any experts on deep-mountain foraging that can be found)

>Meditate and study magic with the Throat-Singer

>Pay a visit to Glowie's mother, the Queen of Worms, and see if you can sneak your Green brother along with you for a bit more adventure in his life.
>>
>>5361940
>Recruit some additional Reptilians [Stealthy Combatants, Degenerates eager to prove themselves.]

I see us doing more of the sneaking chaos strategy we did with the company town assault. Frontline assaults on dwarves in defensive positions isn't really viable so I don't see us needing that many frontline warriors compared to stealthy reptilians. I also want degenerates since they're extremely loyal.

>Meditate and study magic with the Throat-singer

>Pay a visit to Glowie’s mother, the Queen of Worms, to update her on her daughter’s status and request HER aid where your own people are less than forthcoming
>>
>>5361940
>Visit glowie mom

People are waiting on us to not starve, can’t linger
>>
>>5361940
>Recruit some additional Reptilians [Stealthy Combatants, Degenerates eager to prove themselves.]

>Pay a visit to Glowie’s mother, the Queen of Worms, to update her on her daughter’s status and request HER aid where your own people are less than forthcoming

>Study dwarven language and culture with the Herbalist, to better know thy enemy

Learn some shit for diplomacy
>>
>>5361940
>Recruit some additional Reptilians [a researcher of magic, wizardcraft and the occult; more frontline combatants by way of Steeltalons and Dragoblooded, any experts on deep-mountain foraging that can be found, Stealthy Combatants, Degenerates eager to prove themselves]
Do we have some Degenerate Dwarves for proper infiltration?
>Study dwarven language and culture with the Herbalist, to better know thy enemy
Will only help with said above infiltration.
>Pay a visit to Glowie’s mother, the Queen of Worms, to update her on her daughter’s status and request HER aid where your own people are less than forthcoming
>>
>>5362219
Supporting this

Make sure we get food supplies too, they’re critical
>>
>>5362219
+1 changing

why not let's recruit some of each.
>>
>>5362219
+1
>>
Rolled 32, 80, 31, 35, 45 = 223 (5d100)

>>5362454
>>5362284
>>5362249
>>5362219
>>5362161
>>5362150
>>5361952

[Rolling for recruitment. Low DC gets you a middlingly-competent example; Mid DC gets you a higher-ranking, respectable example; high DC gets you a small group; critical success gets you a wunderkind and a small company of experts]

[DC for frontliners and foragers = 40/60/80/100]

[DC for all others = 50/70/90/100]

[-20 DC to all for Leadership ranks]
>>
>>5362580
You take your rest, but not immediately. You know you are notorious in some circles, acclaimed in others, notable in all. You must ‘strike while the iron is hot’, to borrow one of the Herbalist’s dwarven aphorisms. Now is the time to recruit! If the Chaplain is hesitant to order and army to accompany you, you can at LEAST shore up your numbers with a charismatic recruitment campaign on the back of your recent successes and the full purse with which you recently returned. What Reptilian worth his life does not hunger on some level of wealth, power, and glory?

>Frontliners: 32 vs. 20/40/60/80 = One middling recruit
>Foragers: 80 vs. 20/40/60/80 = One wunderkind and a company of experts
>Degenerates: 31 vs. 30/50/70/90 = One middling recruit
>Guerillas: 35 vs. 30/50/70/90 = One middling recruit
Occultists: 45 vs. 30/50/70/90 = One middling recruit

You travel the northern forward base and adjacent tunnels all through the night, bellowing your boasts and intimating your escapades to any member of your Master Race who will hear the tale. It is, sadly, not the most crowded hub of civilization at the best of times, and many simply listen politely (or impolitely) before making their excuses to leave. These range from the plausible and understandable (A pre-existing mission-in-progress) to the less-so (pressing clan-matters left unspecified, inconvenient heat-cycles) to the frank and brutal (“It sounds like a fool’s errand, likely to doom us all, and I’m surprised the Chaplain allows this.”)

You accumulate a few recruits: a masterless Steeltalon personal guardian who serves to children of high-born clan-leaders, a Dragonblooded female intrigued to see the land of her legendary female and with some interest in occult history; a pair of Infiltrators (one a half-human Degenerate from the South, like Oluwadamilare but considerably less dark) specializing in petty assassinations of mammals. Your greatest coup, though, is The Hunter.
>>
>>5362607
The Hunter is a Steeltalon, and it is HE that seeks YOU out. His face and bare chest are heavily-scarred, and he wears well-maintained furs pale and leucistic in the manner sometimes seen in those beasts which have no seen the sun in generations.

“Cave-panther,” he answers your unspoke question, running his talons through the fur. “Slew it myself. It was hunting me, and I was hunting it.”

The results speak for yourself, even if you’ve never encountered (or heard) of a ‘cave-panther’ before. Better yet, this Hunter—an expert in scouring the underdark’s wild-places for rare beasts and in staying alive during such lengthy hunts—comes with a retinue all his own. His hangers-on are Steeltalons and Dragonblooded Ones, a half-dozen in number, all young, male, and spoiling to explore and to prove themselves the equal of this figure at their centre, who casually recalls adventures that are each impressive enough to win your approval.

“Is it true you killed a beast of legend, and won over some savage dark elves from the earth’s core?” the Hunter asks. “A monster a hundred feet long?”

You make a note to admonish YORU retinue for loose lips, but nod… Though you never did MEASURE the Devourer, great rust-monster which you slew to liberate the Drow and earn your moon-sword.

“Then I’m in,” he says eagerly. “I will travel to a land of such great beasts, and truly become a legend!”

He brings with him a quiet exquisite crossbow, and considerable size—almost a small siege weapon. His followers are likewise well-equipped, albeit not QUITE so impressively. Each of them in covered in knives, and carries a pack full of useful tools of their hunter-trade. It is a suitable addendum to those rations and rearmaments which the Cartographer is busying himself to acquire. You eagerly accept these additions.
>>
File: 81Ye0hhdPpL.jpg (354 KB, 868x1000)
354 KB
354 KB JPG
>>5362609
You retrieve your dwarves from your retinue before retiring for the evening. Davora the Herbalist is less wary around you than several nights ago, but not so lustily eager as in the honeymoon of passion which followed your initial seduction. Instead, you let her sit quietly in observation at one end of your bedchamber—upon the raised stone dais which served as your ‘mattress’ for just under twenty years. She shifts uncomfortably, used to softer stuff in spite of her rear’s ample padding, while you and her male junior meditate on matters mystical.

“What progressss have you made?” you ask Karz Throat-singer.

“While we march constantly, and you deny me any reading-material to learn from?” he asks, a little exasperated. “Dragon… Next to none.”

“Show some initiative,” you admonish him. “Ssome clevernessss, ssome DRIVE.”

“Did YOU learn this way—without tutors, without aids?” he asks.

You hesitate. You did not. Still… To give this veritable SLAVE access to your hard-won tomes of magical knowledge seems an absurd and dangerous notion. You would rather limit and carefully guide his development.

“You made me a promise,” the Throat-singer reminds you, impudent monkey that he is. Then again, if you cannot offer such unstructured, unsupervised learning, perhaps you can throw him a bone through the sort of tutelage which the Novice (or your brother, in his own way) once offered you.

What tutelage do you offer Karz Throat-singer?
>Teach him how to see and sense magic in the world around him—the very basics of divination
>Teach him something of generating light and warmth—the simplest and most harmless form of elementalism
>Teach him how to set flesh to trembling, to speed its mending or worsen its wounds—rudest fleshweaving
>Try to guide him towards a properly Reptilian mindset—maybe even something of what it is to be Dragon—via applied Reptilian Empathy, channeled through your amulet
>Let his flounder—you owe him nothing, and a promise to a slave is meaningless
>>
File: 51lO5VZkzpL.jpg (49 KB, 333x500)
49 KB
49 KB JPG
Eventually, when you time with Karz Throat-singer is done, you dismiss him, handing him off to one of your new recruits to mind. This leaves you and the other, female dwarf alone. Ever since your time with your brother’s harem, you have been cognizant of how quickly you became used to daily ‘relief’ of you ample <appetite>, and how aware you are of the burden of your own lusts since you and the Herbalist took your leave of such activities. She ahs been somewhat warmer to you since the religious vision in the Drow-cavern, no longer so dejected… Btu you have not sought her out, nor has she sought you.

Now, left alone, your eyes meet, and you feel a primal urge stirring—a need that, having been repeatedly met, is now more poignant than it ever was in abstract. But… Well, the Herbalist’s own eyes register hesitation, discomfort. Your slave-lover’s misgivings are evident, even to one more used to Reptilian body-language, and in-spite of the primate condition of eternal estrus! It is frustrating, but not exactly confounding. You KNOW its cause: she fears for her people, mistrust your intentions. Ddespite your shared sexual degeneracy (evident in your enthusiastic couplings) she does not relish being a race-traitor for the sake of a periodic helping of hemipenes.

Moreover, you suspect from your earlier conversation (which, admittedly, were not altogether unpleasant) that she enjoys... Talking... before coupling. Mammals and their emotional neediness, really! You suppose it's what comes with their pathetic tendency towards long-term partnership.

To win her favour, you would need to make (or at least pretend at) compassion, concessions even. But, well… Do you really NEED her favour?
>Forgo sexual relations for now, and dismiss the Herbalist from your quarters
>Ply her with honeyed words, and convince her to warm your bed with sweet nothings
>Take your pleasure by what means you will—this slave’s enthusiastic consent is pleasant, but NOT required
>Attempt to build a genuine rapport, and to regain her trust through conversation and common ground
>Write-in
>>
>>5362617
>Try to guide him towards a properly Reptilian mindset—maybe even something of what it is to be Dragon—via applied Reptilian Empathy, channeled through your amulet

It’ll be funny to teach him how to be a dragon, I’m sure the serpent ascendant would like it in an ironic way.

>Attempt to build a genuine rapport, and to regain her trust through conversation and common ground

Wasn’t really so hot on the sexual relations part at first but it seems to be having an actual mechanical effect so why not try to rekindle.
>>
>>5362639
Lasting relationships will always have a narrative and/or mechanical effect, and the more they deepen and solidify, the stronger that effect
>>
>>5362639
+1

Honestly I'm mostly here cuz I wanna kill the green knight and maybe rank up the unarmed skill, possibly even get a new set of armor reformed to fit a bigger size.
>>
>>5362639
+1
>>
>>5362617
>Teach him something of generating light and warmth—the simplest and most harmless form of elementalism
He's gonna backstab us so hard
>Attempt to build a genuine rapport, and to regain her trust through conversation and common ground
>>
>>5362617
>Teach him something of generating light and warmth—the simplest and most harmless form of elementalism
>Try to guide him towards a properly Reptilian mindset—maybe even something of what it is to be Dragon—via applied Reptilian Empathy, channeled through your amulet

>>5362622
>Attempt to build a genuine rapport, and to regain her trust through conversation and common ground
>>
>>5362617
>Try to guide him towards a properly Reptilian mindset—maybe even something of what it is to be Dragon—via applied Reptilian Empathy, channeled through your amulet

>Attempt to build a genuine rapport, and to regain her trust through conversation and common ground
>>
File: 180.jpg (17 KB, 180x240)
17 KB
17 KB JPG
Rolled 7, 8, 6, 11, 3 = 35 (5d20)

>>5362952
>>5362904
>>5362851
>>5362824
>>5362813
>>5362639
You take a seat next to the Herbalist on the bed, and she flinches a little. She neither leans away nor closer to you. You sigh, beginning to suspect that there will be no release from the grips of the <appetite> tonight.

“You can leave, if you would prefer,” you tell her.

“With one of my, um… Handlers?”

You shrug at Davora’s question, and nod. Obviously, she’s not going to be allowed to wander the halls of your Master Race, among against of the Great Conspiracy, without being observed and attended.

“It seems a cruel thing to offer a slave a small taste of freedom, but naught else,” she notes, not angry but with a sad wistfulness.

You say nothing to this—what CAN you say to that? It’s your offer: take it or leave it.

“Could you… Remove my collar and cuffs, instead, sir?”

You oblige the Herbalist, and she sighs happily and in a deep relief to feel the body-warmed metal fall away from her throat and wrists. Her skin in both locations is raw, thinned by the constant chafing. She gasps and winces as you idly trace the marks they have left.

After several minutes of your silently stroking and touching her—a medical check-up which slowly transitions to the stroking of her hair, and which was beginning to move lower as she cozied closer to you, the Herbalist seems to realize with a start just how cozy you have gotten.

She flushes, and asks: “So, um… Dragon magic, sir?”

You pause, and hod back another sigh. She is referring to the Throat-singer.

“Yess,” you say, “ssort of. It iss lesss a sschool of magic and more a way of… Thinking, being. Being more like a dragon. Having a dragon’sss ssoul.”

“If you don’t my saying, sir… That seems easier to achieve when you’re already…. Um, a dragon.”
>>
>>5362617
>Teach him something of generating light and warmth—the simplest and most harmless form of elementalism

>Take your pleasure by what means you will—this slave’s enthusiastic consent is pleasant, but NOT required

Honestly, she is a sexual release for us - nothing more
>>
>>5362973
>>5362963
“The Throat-sssinger did well enough,” you counter.

In truth, he did perhaps better than expected—better even than the Bastard, that estimable member of the Master Race who you left largely in-charge of Bloodrise in your absence—but Karz Throat-singer didn’t achieve much actual magic. He didn’t struggle with meditation at all, and as you guided him verbally through the initial phases of the meditative process towards a mindset imperious and reptilian, he accompanied you with a thrumming hum which helped to focus you both. Meditation and revelation came swiftly to you, but even focusing upon the amulet hanging just above your heart, you struggled to sense anything of the Reptilian within him.

>11

In the end, he left in silent frustration. Only at the Herbalist’s nudging reminder did he offer a curt and mumbled ‘thank you, Dragonborn’ before he departed.

“Right,” Davora agrees after a moment, not sounding convinced. “Still, I… Um… I appreciate that you’re trying.”

She looks up at you, and you see a sparkle of that hope in her eyes again—hope that you can be ‘better’ in some silly and sentimental mammalian fashion. She reaches out and rests a hand on your knee, and you feel her warmth seep into you, and shudder at the tingle of her touch, and the memory of where such touches have led in the past.

The Herbalist cannot be ignorant of the swelling in your trousers—IS not, by the way her face reddens slightly again. Rather than removing your pants and lowering your head to your lap, however, she continues talking. She does not pull her hand away, though, even if she does not move it closer. Her eyes flit away, and she fidgets uncertainly, saying and doing nothing.
>>
>>5362981

“Have you enjoyed your time here, in the northern forward basses?” you ask after a moment, realizing nothing is likely to happen and feeling oddly awkward in the silence.

“It’s chillier than I expected,” she admits. “I thought that you lizardfolk might keep things, you know… Warmer.”

“We lack the means,” you say. But maybe, with the orichalcum, we can change that.”


The Herbalist frowns a little, remembering the conquest ahead, but she continues to speak with you, returning to the subject of your childhood home:

“The stonework... It’s beautiful, actually. The subject matter is… Um, well, I’m sure it has deep cultural meaning or whatever, but to me it’s a little, you know…”

You wait.

“It’s spooky, sir. But Very well done. I can appreciate the craftsmanship. What dwarf wouldn’t? Did your people have, um… Dwarven slaves do it in the past?”

“Those hallsss and templesss were carved before your young race wasss even a ssspark in the eye of a God of Light,” you proudly correct her.

“So… You lizardfolk did that yourself?” she asks, a little awed.

That she is so surprised and impressed is almost a little insulting, and perversely chauvinistic in its racial condescension. And from a SLAVE!

“Yesss?” you reply, unsure what else to say.

“Not terribly well-maintained, though,” she notes. “The carvings are eroded, worn.”

“Our numbersss are thinned,” you defend your people’s pride. “We have limited time, resourcesss, opportunitiesss… And other prioritiesss.”

The Herbalist looks a little sad at that—at first, you assume for the shame of her people having been bested by a race in decline, but then you realize something bizarre: it is for YOU and YOUR race.

“People who can make such beautiful art… You shouldn’t all be stuck down here in the dark, dying off.”

“No,” you agree.

She looks up at you again, glaring half-heartedly.

“It still doesn’t justify what you’ve done, or are planning on doing, to my kin.”

You don’t dignify that with a response, and she looks away and down again, trembling a little with… Fear? Anger?
>>
>>5362983
Eventually, she calms, and your conversation continues—reflecting on the alien starkness and lack of comfortable amenities, the ancient wonders and beauty, the glimpses the dwarf ahs caught of the bazaar, and how they all relate to her more privileged, surfacer upbringing and comparable scenes in her wealthy (by your standards) youth.

“The food doesn’t really agree with me,” she says quietly after a time. “It’s all… Meat. Well, and ‘meat’. There’s a lot of bug in your diet.”

“Necesssity again,” you note.

She nods, sadly, and says: “Well, some greens—herbs, spices, even ‘hrooms, they’d do wonders for my, um, gut.”

“I will ssee what can be done,” you allow. “I will have the Cartographer bring you to the market tomorrow, to purchassse something ssuitable.”

The Herbalist looks to you gratefully, and thanks you.

“Where will you be, sir?” she asks, almost as if she regrets your implied absence.

“I musst travel deeper down, into the abandoned placesss, to visssit a… An ally.”

“What sort?” she asks.

To your surprise, you tell her the truth: “A great glowworm, with intelligencccce. She may be able to offer our dark allianccce aid in the conquest of the Bloodrise.”

You and the Herbalist discuss the ‘great-worms’, how you ad your brother discovered them, and how you hope that through them you can earn the Divine Mother’s favour for your people once more. You do not tell her of your other sexual partner, and mother of your children—that secret is too potentially damaging, should it escape this slave’s lips. You’re not so foolish as to give a barely-loyal sexual servant such leverage over you.
>>
>>5362985
“You should bring me,” Davora says when you are done, surprising you.

“Wait, what?” you hiss. “Abssolutely not.”

“You don’t have, um… The snake lady, the one from the mountain, right? If you get hurt, you’re going to need help. I can’t do magic, but I know how to provide medical care… Herbs and such that can be ground up to applied to keep a wound clean, how to counteract poisons.”

You consider this offer, not without suspicion.

“And, um… Well, I mean, I admit, there isn’t a lot to do around here, and that chamber with all the mushrooms and moss you told me about… I’d like to see that.”

You nod, but change the subject, speaking on matters of useful herbs, of meals the Herbalist misses, of other interesting places she has seen. You find yourself enamoured with her voice in spite of yourself, willing to just… Listen to her talk. Even wary of you, she is attentive and kind in a way you are… Not used to, and much more talkative even than The Novice Fleshweaver, let alone quiet and shy Glowie. This dwarf makes for a pleasant diversion... And as you discuss your lives, plans, tastes, and apssions, her wariness melts away.

You find your torpor together, both clothed and sexual release a distant concern, instead simply holding her close while she accepts (and seemingly enjoys, by the way she buries her face in yoru chest) your embrace.

When you awake, you begin preparations to visit Glowie’s mother, the Queen of Worms. The Herbalist still sleeps, in the lethargic and prolonged way of her clade. You watch her bosom rise and fall, her sleeping face scrunch up in troubled dreams which seem to flood into her sleeping mind in the absence of your physical presence against her. You consider her offer, her request to accompany you.

Do you bring the Herbalist with you?
>Yes
>No

Do you bring anyone else?
>The Hunter and his retinue—a show of force
>The Cartographer, to properly plot the course for future reference
>Oluwadamilare the Archer, as he is a trusted and loyal ally with martial merit
>Karz Throat-singer—perhaps his thrumming song will be useful in gaining the cooperation of the humming, dancing insects
>Someone else
>>
>>5362986
>Yes
>Oluwadamilare the Archer, as he is a trusted and loyal ally with martial merit
>>
>>5362986
>Yes
>No

kinda a big secret to share
>>
>>5362986
>Yes
>No
>>
>>5362986
>Yes
>No
>>
>>5362986
>Yes
>No
>>
>>5362986
>No
>No

Guys, she’ll be there when we talk to the Mother and will then find out about Glowie - a secret we just said we didn’t want to reveal to her…
>>
>>5363348
Shit, you right.

>>5362986
Changing >>5363302 to
>No
>No
>>
>>5362986
>No
>No
>>
>>5363348
I read that more as we didn't want her to know we had sex with Glowie, which Glowmom won't know unless they have some kind of psychic hivemind or Godmom told her.

Either way we can just make Davora wait outside for the talking.
>>
>>5362986
>No
But I would be fine with >>5363384 suggestion. We can simply take her on an exploratory date before/after meeting Glowmom.
>>
>>5362986
>>No
>>No
>>
File: going it alone.png (6 KB, 893x107)
6 KB
6 KB PNG
>>5363430
>>5363404
>>5363359
>>5363356
>>5363348
>>5363206
>>5363165
>>5363048
>>5363014
[A close vote, but the fix is in! You're going it alone. Posting soon.]
>>
>>5363447
>>5363447
You find yourself curiously tempted to bring the dwarf along. Your libido is no longer as ravenous as it was the evening prior, the mission ahead having pushed such lascivious matters from the forefront of your mind… And yet, this Herbalist IS pleasant company. The thought of spending more time in conversation with her is… Not unpleasant.

But then it occurs to you: what if the Queen of Worms has a psychic connection to Glowie, or has been informed of your… Deeds… With her daughter by the Mother of Dragons? You could order the dwarf to remain outside the room, but what if she should overhear your dark secret? It was a lapse brought on by the unexpected ease of your interaction with this female which led you to inform her of your plans at all, but you’re not so foolhardy as to risk a leak of this magnitude.

You sit next to her for a time watching her sleep, but your mind is made up. When you rouse her, it is to replace her collar and cuffs.

“So we’re off?” she asks in her surfacer trade-tongue.

“No,” you say,a nd her face falls.

“But, sir…”

“No,” you repeat, with greater finality, and she relents without another word—not even the poutful objection you’d expect from the Novice, or the deep sadness you’d expect from Glowie, were either of these other female acquaintances in such a situation.

Then, she looks up at you, a stony and stolid determination in her amber eyes, and her chin jutted out in defiance. You expect the worst.

“You said I could have food better suited to me<’ she says.

“…Yesss?” you acknwoeldge, uncertain where she is going with this.

“Give me free reign,” she all-but demands, before her false-confident wavers but slightly. “A-and, and authorize cookware!”

You tilt your head. Have you spoiled her too much? COOKWARE?

“Your chefs here are, frankly, atrocious. I want to cook for your return.”

You stare for a moment, trying to work out the Herbalist’s angle. Her expression is anxious. Her spirit is a mammalian mystery. Does she intend to poison you for denying her? Or is this some… Expression of gratitude, for favour granted?

Or are you thinking too much like a Reptilian—like the suspicious kobolds who you grew so frustrated with in Bloodrise? Is this… Benevolence?

Do you approve her request?
>Yes
>No
>Yes, but… [write in]
>No, however… [write-in]
>>
>>5363459
You leave a short while later, alone. You wind your way through those scarcely-inhabited caverns and corridors into that half-ruined and utterly-uninhabited realm beyond. You enter once more into the abandoned places, and wild darkness, where crumbling edifices of an ancient age of scaly glory give way to overgrowing moss and fungus. Without the Cartographer, and having only traveled this route once before, it becomes somewhat difficult to chart your course and to ensure you do not become lost. One cavern can look so much like another!

What do you do?
>Use <Guidance> to track a straight shot to the great-worms—you cannot afford to waste time
>Chart a winding course, collecting some herbs and mushrooms which seem (based on your recollection) promisingly edible—maybe Davora can make use of them?
>Explore a little—maybe you can find some game down here, or treasure?
>Write-in
>>
>>5363459
>Yes, but she will cook for you, Karz, and the rest of the entourage that returned to the base.

>Use a combination of the meditative humming that makes you feel nearer to Glowie and <Guidance>, if need be
>>
>>5363459
>Yes, but… [write in]
Has to be supervised obviously

>Chart a winding course, collecting some herbs and mushrooms which seem (based on your recollection) promisingly edible—maybe Davora can make use of them?
>>
>>5363459
>Yes, but she better be wearing just an apron when we get back.
Best to satisfy our appetite with choicest meats, delicious spices and herbs, and the best nectar of them all… melted cheese.

>>5363460
>Chart a winding course, collecting some herbs and mushrooms which seem (based on your recollection) promisingly edible—maybe Davora can make use of them?
>Explore a little—maybe you can find some game down here, or treasure?
We should explore the caverns underneath our base.
>>
>>5363460
>Use <Guidance> to track a straight shot to the great-worms—you cannot afford to waste time
>>
>>5363460
>Yes, but she better be wearing just an apron when we get back.

>Explore a little—maybe you can find some game down here, or treasure?
>>
>>5363459
>Yes
>Chart a winding course, collecting some herbs and mushrooms which seem (based on your recollection) promisingly edible—maybe Davora can make use of them?
>>
>>5363460
>Yes, but she better be wearing just an apron when we get back.
>Explore a little—maybe you can find some game down here, or treasure?
>>
>>5363485
>>5363484
>>5363479
>>5363477
>>5363471
>>5363470
>>5363465
[Vote locked, post incoming!]
>>
Rolled 4, 5, 21 = 30 (3d100)

>>5363605
As you roam the places-below, you find yourself drifting off-mission. Maybe it’s all the Herbalist’s talk of the dinner awaiting you upon your return, but you find your thoughts drifting to the edibility of various fungi and plants in your vicinity, and to the exotic deep-dark game-meat which might exist in these stygian places. Your mouth waters at the thought—the mammalian female really knows how to paint a picture with words, barbarian trade-tongue or no. You KNOW consciously, culturally, that food is but fuel for the fire… And yet all this talk of spicing the Drow mushroom-wine with aromatic, tingling spice to accentuate well-tenderized, fall-off-the-bone meat… Dark Gods be praised, it appeals to an <appetite> you didn’t even know you possessed!

(And the endearing way in which Davora flushed and fidgeted when you commanded that she earn the privilege of her supervised visit to the market by cooking in ONLY an apron didn’t hurt, either.)

You shake off the resurgent arousal of your imagination and focus on the task at hand. Admittedly, you trace a meandering course to your destination, but you will not fail in your vigilance. It is imperative that you regain you bearings and, well… If any opportunities to forage or hunt arise, it is best you be at maximal awareness to take advantage of those, also.
>>
>>5363612
>4 vs. 50 for forage
>5 vs. 10 for hunting (chances boosted by athleticism, Danger Sense expended)

Your lack of focus leads you astray, though, and very nearly into ruin. Sampling a mushroom you believe is edible, you invoke a terrible stomach-ache and a burning, painfully-dry mouth. You stagger your miserable way towards a subterranean river, only to find your first probable game; sadly, as the massive catfish creature seizes your head and pulls you under, you risk drowning for a THIRD time in as many weeks. Your <Danger Sense> JUST enables you to steer clear of being pulled under, and you, free yourself from its terrible grasp… But its slimy, pallid body slithers from your clutches before you can capture it to retaliate against this attempted predation.

The last leg of the journey to visit Glowie’s mother and her brood is marred by a rumbling stomach, dizziness, and exhaustion. You throw out the rest of the mushrooms, but it is too late: you double over with cramps. You pray for the agony to stop, but the Dark Gods do not humour such petty prayers, nor suffer fools gladly. You find yourself wishing—in spite of your considerable pride, that you had brought Hunter, or Herbalist, or ANYONE. You suffer alone in darkness, a warrior of dark fate laid low by the silliest sort of hubris.

>21 vs. 20 for the course of your journey (chances boosted by divination)

You wake the next day to see the telltale trails of glow-worm goop tracing their way across the ceiling the cavern where you lay. No longer helpless, you follow this trail of luminescent, dripping silk back to familiar terrain. The glow-worms grow in size and number as you approach, until at long last you find the rushing river which leads down into the ‘sieve-trap’ of the great-worms, which ahs snagged many an unwary Reptilian. Weakened and humbled though you are, you are NOT unwary—you have been here before. You descend the passage, using you >Guidance> and <Danger Sense> to avoid being snagged in the lattice-like web of adhesive excretions which form the worms’ trap. Instead, with a skillful slice of your swords, you slash through them, and with a <Jump> spell you avoid plummeting to your doom.
>>
File: images.jpg (11 KB, 259x194)
11 KB
11 KB JPG
>>5363623
You take a moment to catch your breath and heave (and vomit, just a little) one last time at the bottom. You catch sight of enormous glow-worms, rearing up to watch you curiously with their too-many eyes, swaying creepily and wiggling their too-many arms: Glowie’s siblings, considerably less shapely and more basally caterpillar-like than the ‘princess’.

“Begone,” you groan, shamed by your condition. “Tell your Queen that the Dragonborn has returned.”

They oblige… You think. They leave, anyway. Eventually, you make your way into the chamber of the Queen of Worms: an iridescent realm of egg-clusters and canopies of hanging silk-strands. The worms here vary in size from a single pink-finger to a rather-large Steeltalon, and at their centre is the undulating form of their Queen—a towering, dragon-sized column of pulsating, semi-translucent flesh connected to a smaller-yet-still-large parody of Reptilian or humanoid form, resembling a more armoured and calcified replica of Glowie herself in her natural form apart from the several-yard-long ovipositor-and-eggsack which makes up most of her body. Despite her bulk, she leads her shidlren in their swaying dance, their quiet humming song.

“Welcome back, Lizzzard-King,” she greets you, buzzing warmly. “You yet live. I am… Zzzurpized.”

How do you treat with the Queen of Worms?
>Snipe back at her, wittily
>Ask what she means by that, suspiciously
>Tell her of what has transpired in Bloodrise
>Tell her of Glowie’s impregnation, and the Mother of Dragons’ blessing
>Request that she aid you in protecting Glowie and securing her place
>Petition her for aid in conquering Bloodrise, formally proposing she join your ever-expanding dark alliance
>Threaten to burn this place to cinder if she doesn’t submit to your might and subordinate herself to your race
>Beg her to help alleviate your still-present cramps, which verge on diarrhea
>Write-in
>>
>>5363625
>Hum back Glowie's songs to her
>Tell her of Glowie’s impregnation, and the Mother of Dragons’ blessing
>Petition her for aid in conquering Bloodrise, formally proposing she join your ever-expanding dark alliance
>>
>>5363625
>Request that she aid you in protecting Glowie and securing her place
>Petition her for aid in conquering Bloodrise, formally proposing she join your ever-expanding dark alliance
>Beg her to help alleviate your still-present cramps, which verge on diarrhea
What absolute shit rolls.
>>
>>5363625
>Snipe back at her, wittily
>Ask what she means by that, suspiciously
>Threaten to burn this place to cinder if she doesn’t submit to your might and subordinate herself to your race
>>
>>5363625
>Hum back Glowie's songs to her
>Tell her of what has transpired in Bloodrise
>Convince her to submit to your might and subordinate herself to your race
We have better skill in diplomacy than Intimidation.
>>
>>5363625
>Tell her of Glowie’s impregnation, and the Mother of Dragons’ blessing
>Petition her for aid in conquering Bloodrise, formally proposing she join your ever-expanding dark alliance
>Beg her to help alleviate your still-present cramps, which verge on diarrhea

Please don’t threaten
>>
>>5363634
I'm kinda glad we didn't bring anyone. almost be offed by catfish in front of an audience would have been humiliating.
>>
>>5363625
>>Petition her for aid in conquering Bloodrise, formally proposing she join your ever-expanding dark alliance
>Ask what she means by that, suspiciously
>Tell her of what has transpired in Bloodrise
>>
>>5363625
>Hum back Glowie's songs to her
>Ask her to help alleviate your still-present cramps, which verge on diarrhea
>Convince her to submit to your might and subordinate herself to your race
I like the convincing bit, I don’t want to threaten her.
>>
File: tally.png (14 KB, 700x202)
14 KB
14 KB PNG
>>5363781
>>5363733
>>5363661
>>5363660
>>5363646
>>5363634
>>5363627
[Vote closed!]

>>5363731
Fair. You may not have been in danger of that, nor have gut-troubles, if you had brought someone better-versed in these things. More rolls and better odds. Then again, you may have!
>>
File: woops.png (14 KB, 703x201)
14 KB
14 KB PNG
>>5363883
[Wait, woops, correction. Miscounted! And it was an important miscount...]
>>
Rolled 20, 16, 4, 9 = 49 (4d20)

>>5363888
>>5363888
“What do you mean b—uurgh…”

Your initial suspicion and offence is overcome by another wave of nausea, which doubles you over.

“I would… Requisition your aid, Worm Queen, with my…”

You feel a churning in your gut, and you attempt to ask—rather than beg—turns to ash in your mouth and sludge in your bowel. You look to her helplessly, desperately, pleadingly. She ceases her wiggling, and buzzes strangely. You… You think she’s laughing. You are humiliated, infuriated… But then a glow-worm the size of a large rat squirms towards you and deposits a clump of moss, slightly luminescent with its—her? is it sapient? are any of them, besides their ‘royalty?—sticky saliva. You murmur an uneasy word of gratitude and, after some clarification with the bemused Worm Queen, you consume the moss.

It tastes bad, but it works. Your stomach settles, in time. No more nausea, heartburn, ingestion, nor upset stomach, and certainly no diarrhea. You start to feel more dignified.

“I come to tell you that I have found your daughter a place to make her hive.”

“Oh? Izzz that where zhe izzz, then? Undergoing her pupation into a queen?”

You confirm this.

“Exzzzellent! Our time izz nigh!”

The worms begin to hum and wobble about with greater enthusiasm, never breaking their eerie synchronicity.

“About that,” you begin. “I understand you hope to… Supplant my race, replace us.”

“It beginzzzz!” the Queen hums happily. “Even now, all vertebrate razezz are doomed by my hive and itz exzpanzzion. A new queen! A new realm! I muzzzt get her a gift, to enzure good relationzzz… Maybe we could conzume the lizzardzzz and regurgitate their flesh to feed her children?”

You narrow your eyes at this provocation, and the Worm Queen laughs (?) again.

“Only joking,” she says, unconvincingly.

“Why must you replace us?” you ask. “The surface… I have been there, now. It is TREMENDOUS. A wondrous expanse in every direction, under an unbroken sky, with hundreds of times—THOSUANDS of times—the resources we have down here. The world is wide enough for your race AND for mine.”

The wiggling slows again.

“Abzzurd,” the Queen says, almost a sigh to your ear. “We were created to replaze. Your raze would never tolerate uz.”

“We don’t need to tell my raze of your original purpose,” you pint out. “I’ve kept your secret so far, have I not? Aided your daughter? Is this not evidence that we can coexist?”

She hums, a low tone, as if thinking thoughts. They don’t sound like happy thoughts.

“The Godzzz do not will it,” she says. “They have made uzz too different to ever be friendzzz, lizzard. Thizz isz zurely by design, to ensure we did not commit our rezourzes to your failing breed. We cannot even relate to one another. Our artz and yourz… They are alien to one another. An allianze iz doomed.”

You take a deep breath, close your eyes, swallow your pride…

And hum.
>>
File: zane-heer-as-centipede.jpg (708 KB, 3300x2550)
708 KB
708 KB JPG
>>5363925
The constant low thrum of the worms in this place ceases, leaving you with only the muffled echoes of your own voice, bouncing around your skull and the cavern alike. You try your best to replicate the rhythm, frequency, and tone of one of Glowie’s songs, the ones she sang when she was happiest. When you open your eyes to bear witness to the result, you almost jump back, for the head and upper-thorax of the queen in mere inches from your own.

“A love zzzong, izz it? How… Zcandalouzz.”

“Wh-what?” you balk. “I… No, I did not mean—!”

She laughs again—you’re sure it’s a laugh now—and her monstrous and expansive brood joins in. Then, they all begin to hum back the tune which you hummed to them, and to sway. Feeling somewhat foolish you sway slightly with them, as the Queen withdraws.

“If my daughter haz taught you that tune… And you have learned it… Maybe, maybe we can be friendzzz.”

You feel your spirit lift, and suggest: “More than friends—allies, conquering this world together! Let us begin with Bloodrise!”

“I do not know where that izzz,” the Queen says. “Nor to I have warriorzz to offer you. Parthenogenezizz produzezz only workerzz… And queenzzz.”

“Then how can you ‘produce’ soldiers?”

The Queen laughs again, and hums another segment of the ‘love song’.

“My daughter can show you,” she says cryptically.

You reflect on your yet-unborn sons. You... Think you already know.

>20: Critical success

"Whatever elzze I can offer izz yourzz."

What do you require and desire of this new ally?

>You wish for the Worm Queen to lend you as many workers as she can spare
Even if they can’t aid directly in military matters, abilities could be invaluable

>You want them to stay put, hidden, but a supply of their materials would help
Glow-worm silk is strong; their adhesive is useful; the glow it produces can serve as a warmth-free torch; their venom is a powerful paralytic

>You desire for them to emerge, and formally ally with the Reptilian Master Race
With you getting the credit for making this happen, of course, and with them backing your claim to being a true Antipaladin of the Dark Gods

>You’d like to see if a certain prodigal prodigy in the art of fleshweaving could make proper soldiers of them yet
The Novice Fleshweaver would certainly appreciate such an opportunity, and imagine a rapid-breeding race like this, made properly militaristic

>You think the hive should relocate to Bloodrise
The bugs will be safer under your aegis than so close to the Chaplain and others of his mentality, and Glowie would probably like to have family nearby... Though it's tougher to say how the Drow or Bogbarri would feel about it

>Write-in
>>
>>5363927
>You want them to stay put, hidden, but a supply of their materials would help

>You want her assistance in the logistical aspects of your campaign- a worker-bug wagon-train, so to speak, traveling through the tunnels and unplumbed depths of the mountains to allow your forces to strike hard and deep into Dwarven lands without stopping to resupply
>>
>>5363929
Having a concrete indicator of their usefulness will make the reveal to the Reptillian populace at large much more doable, and we can soft-launch them to our loyal inner circle by touting the advantages the bugs bring to our immediate campaign.
>>
>>5363927
>You want them to stay put, hidden, but a supply of their materials would help
>>
>>5363927
>You wish for the Worm Queen to lend you as many workers as she can spare
>You want them to stay put, hidden, but a supply of their materials would help
>You’d like to see if a certain prodigal prodigy in the art of fleshweaving could make proper soldiers of them yet
Novice would love to poke around Fleshweaving wise, but we should relocate the tribe to Bloodrise after we’ve conquered the bloody place. It’ll be easier to convince them if we solve the food situation first.
>>
>>5363929
Supporting this
>>
>>5363927
>You wish for her to die
>>
>>5363929
+1

Don’t they feed on Reptoid sometimes when they get lost? Guess we’ll just not think about what we’re eating.
>>
>>5363927
>You think the hive should relocate to Bloodrise.

Makes it eaiser to control bloodrise, and means if the dwarfs and human try to launch a counter strike, we'll have manpower to use against them.

Also it provides glowie some protection.


>You’d like to see if a certain prodigal prodigy in the art of fleshweaving could make proper soldiers of them yet.

Glowie race was created via fleshweaving so this is just natural progression on that.

>You wish for the Worm Queen to lend you as many workers as she can spare.

They could still trap or ambush our enemies.
>>
>>5363927
Hey qm, how was glowies mother planing on consuming the reptilian race, and then attacking the surface. If she can only produce othet brood mothers or drones??

Because while the drones are large, they aren't very fast and are non sentient. And the brood mothers seem even slower than the glowworm drones are.

And can't imagine glowies tribe defeating an advanced civilization.
>>
>>5364572
I'd bet my last dollar that Glowie (and probably her mom too) can forcefully assimilate other beings, as opposed to our consensual union with her. Dragon soldiers are nice but not the only thing on offer, I imagine.
>>
File: the post aproacheth.png (9 KB, 765x121)
9 KB
9 KB PNG
>>5364572
[Soldiers, of course!]

>>5364616
Hmmm...

>>5364487
>>5364391
>>5364384
>>5364343
>>5364008
>>5363983
>>5363933
>>5363929
[Vote locked!]
>>
>>5364572
Glowmom can't produce soldiers, but Glowie can I bet. That's why she needed Glowie to get preggers before the conquest could begin.
>>
File: Spoiler Image (237 KB, 637x309)
237 KB
237 KB PNG
Rolled 72, 14 = 86 (2d100)

>>5364661
“You should remain hidden for now,” you decide. “The time isn’t yet right… But soon, it will be. Until then, do you think you could aid in logistics?”

The Queen taps her ‘chin’ with a chitinous claw, almost a parodic gesture from this monstrous entity, and awaits your elaboration. You explain your idea: crawling through caverns, her slow-moving grubs (how did she ever plan to conquer the surface-world with such simple and sluggish entities?) could offer secretive assistance in non-combat aspects of your campaign: a worker-worm wagon-train, of a sort, traveling through the tunnels to and from Bloodrise and spreading out beneath mountains to allow your forces to strike hard and deep into Dwarven lands without stopping to resupply.

“And how will your lizzardzzz mizz zuch a prezenzzze?” the Queen asks.

“By the time they notice, we will have a strong case for your race’s usefulness to the war-effort., and that mutual cooperation IS indeed provably possible.”

“Clever znake. I zee why my daughter choze you.”

You don’t reply to that, discomfited by the implication. How much does Glowie’s mother know—or think she knows? You instead focus on a practical matter: how to lead these bugs to the Bloodrise mountain range, or how to idnciate the path there.

“Zimple, Lizzard-King,” the Queen of Worms says.

She swinsg her great forebody down and stretches out a many-segmented arm to pluck from the cave floor one of her grotesque grub-children—a smallish glow-worm, the size of a mouse perhaps—and hands its squirming body to you. You accept, because, well… You must.

“Carry this one with you,” the Queen tells you. “Keep her fed, watered, happy. When you arrive, releaze her. Zhe will return to me, and we will know the way.”

You nod slowly, eyeing the writhing wriggler with renewed suspicion. How intelligent ARE these seemingly-mundane worms? Does this insect empress in fact have a crawling spy network?

…Oh Gods, did she see the catfish incident?
>>
>>5364689
You thank the Queen and depart. The course back to your base is an easier one—taxing physically, but even with your middling sense of direction you are able to retrace your steps to make it back in a much shorter span of time than the journey to the hive.

>72 vs. 50 for forage
>14 vs. 10 for hunting

Along the way, you snatch up what herbs you can (including some of the stomach-settling moss, gifted by Glowie’s mother) and even a variety of mushrooms. You DO NOT eat any, deciding it best not to test your luck again—better to let the herbalist deduce what is edible and what is not.

Bundled in a cocoon of silk, you also bring back… A catfish, the OTHER gift from Glowie’s mother.

She saw. She knows. You are mortified.

You return to your people, and are immediately assailed by questions: where have you been? Why were you gone so long? Why would the Herbalist not give them details?

“I shared none with her,” you explain.

“Nor with any of us,” the Cartographer laments.

“Forgive me, Superior One, but you should have brought me,” the Archer asserts. “We have seen have dangerous the wild places of the underdark are. What if you had encountered some great monster?”

The Hunter, also present, scoffs, saying “There is nothing note so close to the base. Just fish, bugs, rats, newts, cave drakes… You have to go much further afield to find worthy quarry.”

‘Just bugs’? If they only knew…

“Where are the dwarves?” you then ask, not seeing them… Nor the kobold.

“The male is being minded by the kobold slave, and by some of your new recruits,” the Cartographer answers. “The note you left with you slave said that she was to requisition high-quality ingredients for some sort of meal?”

You confirm this, and your encourage exchange a few questioning looks. Nobody outright inquires as to your purpose for this though.

“She prepared some sort of thick stew with cow meat,” the Cartographer explains.

“The dwarf-slave asked us to taste its work,” the Steeltalon Bodyguard notes.

“Too rich,” says the Dragonblooded Researcher criticizes, sticking out her tongue a little at the memory.

“Not bad,” Olu the Archer says, more charitably. “Very MILD spice, by Southern Human standards.”

“Where is she now?” you ask.
>>
File: Spoiler Image (203 KB, 850x1200)
203 KB
203 KB JPG
>>5364773
You find Davora the Herbalist in your chamber, having laid out a scrap of cloth across the stone dais that serves as your bed. Upon it, a covered platter sits, flanked by two mismatched and empty bowls, and spoons.

“O-oh!” she yelps at surprise as you enter, whirling around from fussing over the setting of this ‘table’. To your confusion, despite your darkvision and hers, she has requisitioned some sort of wax candle. “You’re back! I, ah, I meant to… Um, light this candle, but I was so busy with the food I forgo to ask for matches or…”

Her rambling trails off, catching the look in your roving eyes… Because, dutifully, she has followed your last instruction: she is wearing only an apron.

“…Sir?”

You seal your door tight, cast your packages aside, and advance on her.

“Ah!!” she gasps.

You flip the apron up, revealing the squeezable globes of the Herbalist’s rear. You bend her over the slab, pressing her face down next to the platter.

“Nnnn… But the f-food will get co-OOOLD!”

The stone slab shifts. The bowls and spoons rattle and clatter rhythmically with each thrust. The chamber is several degrees warmer when you finish.
>>
File: index.jpg (10 KB, 275x183)
10 KB
10 KB JPG
>>5364778
The food is delicious—if much, MUCH spicier and richer than anything you have ever had before—in spite of being a little cold for the chef’s liking.

“You know, it’s supposed to be made with, um, mountain goat. They said they didn’t have any, and it seemed a bother to try to get someone to go hunt one just for this.”

Your attention is focused upon the meal. Who eve knew such complex flavours were possible?! You have, after all, only ever eaten unseasoned, perhaps lightly slated or pickled meat, usually raw or dried. It’s so intense, and your appetite so great from your journey and (ahem) recent exertion, that you barely even register the Herbalist’s words.

“What’s that in the bundle?” she asks, pointing to the silk cocoon left near the door, with your pack.

“Fish,” you mumble through your mastication.

“Oh!” she claps her hands together, bouncing bountifully with her sudden excitement. “I can make fiskeboller! Can you, ah, eat bread?”

You gulp down your meal and survey your slave-lover as, still glistening from your frenzied coitus, she launches into explanation of a strange fish-egg-dairy mixture made into a series of small balls, served with spice and some sort of white sauce. It is all Dwarven to you, especially when (several times) she struggles to find an intelligible word for an ingredient in Northern Common-tongue and LITERALLY lapses into her first language.

You finish your meal, and feel fatigue settling in from your long couple of days. Tomorrow, you know, it will be time to depart—you have been gone too long already. But for tonight…

>You will rest easy, strangely satisfied and at peace, holding your Herbalist close [+affection, verges on <LOVE>]
>You will have her get dressed and leave you—you wish to meditate, and pray [specify if you attempt to reach out to a specific deity]
>You must sleep sparingly, and attend to one last matter before you leave [what? Please specify]
>>
>>5364780
>>You will have her get dressed and leave you—you wish to meditate, and pray [specify if you attempt to reach out to a specific deity]

>Reach out to the Serpent Ascendant, for his guidance in the matters of conquest, and how to grow to match the Green Knight
>>
>>5364780
>You must sleep sparingly, and attend to one last matter before you leave
>See what EXOTIC supplies we can find. We have an overwhelming horde and wish to spend some of it.

We have a lot of devourer-gold, might as well use it. I want cool shit.
>>
>>5364780
>You must sleep sparingly, and attend to one last matter before you leave [what? Please specify]

Make sure we have a way to keep the pathing bug hidden, it being seen would raise some troublesome questions
>>
>>5364780
>You will rest easy, strangely satisfied and at peace, holding your Herbalist close [+affection]
but no love
>>
>>5364821
>I want cool shit.
[The Cartographer has handled requisitioning superior weaponry, ammunition, and armour for all your forces. Is there something you want for yourself or an ally, in particular?]

>>5364917
>Make sure we have a way to keep the pathing bug hidden
[Anything in particular you wanted to do to achieve that? Your bug is already curled up in your bag, waiting and watching]

>>5364980
>but no love
[Continuing to snuggle with Davora, after choosing the lover route and rapport-building earlier, necessarily increases affection. Every choice which gets voted in which implies a continuity of (and deepening of) affection moves you closer to <LOVE>. Establishing physical and emotional distance can reduce or stall that progress. If not, well... the Dragonborn is only human.]
>>
>>5364997
then I'll go
>You must sleep sparingly, and attend to one last matter before you leave
>See what EXOTIC supplies we can find. We have an overwhelming horde and wish to spend some of it.
>>
>>5364997
Hmm let me think up a few personalized gifts for our retinue. (The ones I can remember anyways).

>Get Davorra a pretty looking thing of Reptilian art or craftsmanship. She seems to appreciate beautiful things from other cultures.

>Get Karz a scroll of a basic magic spell. We cannot teach him at all times so it would do him well to have something to study from.

>Get The Novice an amulet. She gave us the <augmented dragonshape> amulet so let us give her a gift in kind. Hers, of course, will not be a weapon of dragonly terror.

>Get Olu a dagger whose color matches the Devourer's coat. He is the one who laid the final blow on the beast and deserves a symbol of his glory.

>Get The Thief a mask (a mask that covers only half the face ideally). Tell him he does not need to bear the mark of shame on his face around us. He has proven himself to be an exemplary reptilian in our eyes through his ambition and spirit.

>Gift The Bastard various shiny trinkets that he may give to the Kobold subordinates he chooses. He has grown as a leader and should give gifts to his men to show that he can be generous to them as well as strict.

I know there are others but I don't really care or know much about them so fuck em.
>>
>>5365047
Oh wait the pit guard I do like that guy

>Gift the Pit-Guard the greatest gift of all- recognition. Let others know that he is our lieutenant and second-in-command so that none can deny his share of the glory once we succeed against the Dwarves in war.
>>
>>5365053
I'm sure an older and under-appreciated reptoid will like getting the recognition he's always lacked the best. I also feel kind of bad since he's been a little sidelined since he got injured with his apprentice. The-Bastard kind of took his spot as our main war advisor, let's make sure he knows we haven't forgotten about him, he's still our second-in-command.
>>
>>5364780
>You must sleep sparingly, and attend to one last matter before you leave
>See what EXOTIC supplies we can find. We have an overwhelming horde and wish to spend some of it.
>>
>>5364821
Supporting this
>>
>>5364780
>>5364821
Support
>You will have her get dressed and leave you—you wish to meditate, and pray [Mother of Dragons]
>>
>>5364809
+1
>>
>>5364997
If it can live comfortably inside our bag without being crushed than I guess we're all set.

maybe uh wrap it in some cloth so it can't watch us? unless that would interfere with the path recording....I guess it doesn't matter what it sees, Glowmom already knows about the catfish incident

Remember to put our bag aside before discussing any classified reptilian info then
>>
File: FUVknLvXsAAY7SP.jpg (51 KB, 680x680)
51 KB
51 KB JPG
>>5365118
>>5365109
>>5365102
>>5365100
>>5365002
>>5364917
>>5364821
>>5364809
You dismiss the Herbalist—something which seems to catch her off-guard, though she voices no objection. As she turns away, you see her posture change slightly, and an expression of anxiety mar her freckled features. Wary of the feeling in your chest which this in turn elicits, you shuffle her out all the faster, giving her just enough time to clean up and return to her proper (non-apron) attire.

Only then do you breathe (and sleep) easy.

When you wake and rouse once more, your forces are readying themselves for departure. To no great surprise, you find that it is your new Degenerate Infiltrator recruit—alias “Pejman”—who has been saddled with watching over your kobold and dwarf slaves; Agno, in turn, watches over the fire lizards as usual. Karz is huffily hunched over his journal, scribbling something down; Davora the Herbalist meets your eyes shyly, and affects a smile, though you can see some inscrutable (and no doubt illogical) complications of her mammalian mind behind the façade.

You don’t let it trouble you. You have other, more urgent, matters to attend to… Such as shopping

The vast majority of what you sometimes dare to think of as ‘your hoard’—Your dwarf-looted wealth and abundant Devourer-gold—is still in Bloodrise. It, like that which you brought with you, is ultimately no more your possession than anything else—it belongs to the Serpent Priesthood, who may dole it out to fulfill the ambitions of the Grand Design (such as it is), according to their judgment. Even that which you brought it theirs by right, first and foremost… But there is an implicit understanding that an agent of darkness may keep what they kill to some extent, and that one such as you should be allowed to reinvest looted wealth into strengthening your position and further advancing your goals. It is by this logic that you argued the Chaplain into allowing you to upgrade your forces’ equipment… But this, in turn, depleted much of the fragment of your hoard which you brought with you.

All this is to say: you have JUST enough coin and barterable gems to trade for the exotic and expensive object of your desire. You spotted it out of the corner of your eye on your last pass through the small-but-varied and eclectic bazaar adjacent to this base, where surface-traveling Infiltrators hawk and trade the spoils of their exploits above. Specifically, you have your eye on…
>>
>>5365319

>A magical scroll for Karz to study [choose a discipline or spell, within reason]
There are many here each dedicated to a single spell’s somatic and verbal components and to the mystical mindset needed to advance in that discipline. The only question is… Which school?

>An intricate, snake-and-flower patterned amulet
This jade amulet from the so-called Eastlands is said to bring health and beauty (and you DO sense some small trace of healing and transmutation magic in it)

>An enchanted dagger for Olu
There is one here with a rusty red colour—though its killing-edge remains unnotched, polished sharp—and which thus resembles the great rust-monster which the Archer helped you slay

>A Mask of Face-Changing
What a find! Most Amulets of Disguise, after all, only allow an Infiltrator to affect a single false form, whereas THIS mask—apparently a ‘beastman’ relic—allows its wearer to adopt a whole range of faces… OR to hide a disfiguring mark of shame

>A new bow and a quiver of magic arrows
Your bow is a little worse for wear, and your arrows dry and brittle, for you ran out of alchemical materials to keep the living darkwood healthy. The Cartographer purchased you the means to restore and replace them… But this bow you now see, though less ornate than yours, has been enchanted for accuracy and distance, and the arrows of its quiver have gleaming crystalline heads which are said to explode into shrapnel on impact!

>Something else [write-in, keep it within reason please

[You may also list one or two mundane items, such as a regular half-mask if you don't buy the magic one]

Gifts for the Herbalist (or Glowie, or the Novice) may increase affection.
>>
>>5365320
>A Mask of Face-Changing
>>
>>5365320
>A Mask of Face-Changing
>>
>>5365320
>A Mask of Face-Changing
>>
>>5365320
>An intricate, snake-and-flower patterned amulet
>An enchanted dagger for Olu
>>
>>5365320
>A Mask of Face-Changing
Thiefthiefthief.
>>
>>5365582
>>5365490
>>5365461
>>5365456
>>5365407
The Mask of Face-Changing jumps out at you, almost immediately, and you purchase it before you can even give much consideration to the other options. The Thief has been through so much, and has served you so well, that to NOT relieve him of his stigmatic disfigurement would be most heinous. You purchase it wit what remains of your personal portion of the homeward-carried hoard, and leave.

Your journey back to Bloodrise is swift—relative to your previous back-and-forth jaunts, at least—though it still take several days. You carefully bypass the carnivorous plants and their realm, skirting wide around them to account for any unexpected expansion. This costs you a day, as does bypassing the dark elves’ realm, though with Jazmarkmel awaiting you in your mountain-realm, you suppose you may not have lingered long in their habitat.

Along the way, you socialize with your new Reptilian recruits. The Dragonblooded Reasearcher and the new Degenerate warm up to you fast enough; the former is fascinated to hear snippets of what you discovered in the ancient territory of the Red Dragon King, while the latter is clearly experiencing some form of hero worship as a result of your growing reputation as a champion of the underclass. The others—the Bodyguard, the Hunter and his entourage, and the remaining Infiltrator—are all a bit more distant, but no moreso that the Kobolds of Bloodrise were in the end. By your reckoning, you can win their trust yet, with some shows of force and bounded benevolence.

The dwarves are a bigger issue. Karz Throat-singer struggles with his studies, scribbling in his journal only to rip pages from it and throw them aside. You uncrumple a few to read the, finding hastily-transcribed theories, often scribbled out. He seems to be striving for a more conjuration, elemental understanding of magic, struggling to convert sound to light; so, too, does he dabble in the use of magic to inspire, invigorate, and even amplify physicality and emotionality. The latter is classically bardic, in the manner of the late Paeris, but you remain reticent o teach him too much… Lest he use it against you.

His frustration grows, even as Davora the Herbalist undergoes another inexplicable wave of discomfort around you, and despair at… Well, you’re not sure what, and she refuses to say. The closest indication you get as to the cause is a muffled, half-whispered shouting-match with the Throat-singer, which ends as soon as they detect your approach. She refuses to elaborate.

You do not rut again, on your way to Bloodrise. You do not force the matter.
>>
>>5366023
When you return, you do not find the mountain range as you left it—not even the dwarven fort which you last conquered. Oh, it is occupied yet by Reptilians and kobolds—and Jazkarmel and her Drow, now—but they are not at ease, as you might expect.

“The dwarves know something is afoot,” The Bastard admits.

“What?” you demand. “HOW?! Did the Novice Fleshweaver not craft you amulets to avert suspicion.”

“Do not pin this on ME, De—Dragonborn,” the young Serpent Priestess in question hisses. “I told you then, and tell you now” an Amulet of disguise can APPRXIMATE an individual’s appearance and voice, or more convincingly AMALGAMATE several such individuals into a more convincing, less-uncanny whole.”

You take a deep breath, and ask they, and the Pit-Guard, to explain what transpired.

“It was the other Blackmantle Corporation dwarves which came calling,” the Pit-Guard laments. “We donned our amulets…”

“…But they well-knew their fellows here, an we could not replicated THEY. Not perfectly.”

“Did they attack?” you ask.

“No…” the Bastard admits.

“But they were suspicious,” the Thief interrupts leaning against the doorframe to shore up his still-flagging strength. “They offered to help dig us out—to open the pathways your earth-magic closed. We asserted that we could handle it ourselves… But even with the aid of Ciranda, the female dwarves’ apparent leader, it is clear our insistence to handle it ‘in-house’ was seen as odd. Our kobold scouts report a restriction of movement in and out of the other Blackmantle fort, and a shoring-up of their own defences.”

“Through NO fault of my amulets,” the Novice insists, belligerently.

You are subsequently informed that the kobolds are well-drilled for another assault, and the drake levs settee in well to a station of luxurious authority over your dwarf slaves, in their new home. The Drow are eager for further conquest…

“But the bugbears have not yet returned,” the Thief admits.

“Nor do we know how to reach them,” the Pit-Guard admits, bitterly.

“We can handle them without the aid of the Bogbarri,” the Bastard asserts confidently. “Our forces are veteran, now.”

“One battle does not a veteran make,” the Novice chastises. “Let me augment our ‘Project Junior’, and sick him and our legion of monsters upon them.”

“Better yet,” the Thief suggests, “bypass them. Strike at one of their unwitting rivals, and implicate Blackmantle with our Amulets to aid.”
>>
>>5366027

You order your aides out of your chamber, and settle in to consider you options. It is then then you hear it:

“Sir?” comes a quiet voice from the door, and a gentle rapping. It is Davora, the Herbalist. "May I speak with you?"

What do you command?
>A decapitating assault on the remaining Blackmantle base, before they can spread word of their concerns
>Stage a false-flag attack, implicating Blackmantle in an assault on their neighbours and pitting them against one another
>Strengthen your forces, with combat-drills and fleshweaving, and lead them to glorious battle [specify if you target Blackmantle or otherwise-affiliated dwarves]
>Seek out the Bogbarri, send back the pathing-bug, and await your other allies' aid and counsel before you attack
>Write-in

Do you entertain the Herbalist's requested audience?
>Yes, you value her insight
>No, you know she'll just try to get you to soften your dwarven policy again
>Write-in
>>
>>5366040
>A decapitating assault on the remaining Blackmantle base, before they can spread word of their concerns

We have numbers now and they're decently stealthy. The hunters should somewhat be used to sneaking.
>>
>>5366040
>A decapitating assault on the remaining Blackmantle base, before they can spread word of their concerns

Time is important
>>
>>5366040
>Stage a false-flag attack, implicating Blackmantle in an assault on their neighbours and pitting them against one another
A house divided cannot stand.
>Yes, you value her insight
>>
>>5366040
>Stage a false-flag attack, implicating Blackmantle in an assault on their neighbours and pitting them against one another
Do we really want more casualties? What if the Thief dies this time, huh?
>Yes, you value her insight
>>
>>5366049
>>5366145
>>5366175
>>5366184
[A tie! Been a little while since we had one of these, huh? I'll leave the vote open until after work.]
>>
>>5366040
>A decapitating assault on the remaining Blackmantle base, before they can spread word of their concerns

>Yes, you value her insight

We clearly can't rely on the amulets for anything more than the most basic of disguises, and we need to blood our forces further. Taking a second outpost will be good for us, and we can use our Guidance to plan this out well.
>>
>>5366040
>Stage a false-flag attack, implicating Blackmantle in an assault on their neighbours and pitting them against one another

Or


>Seek out the Bogbarri, send back the pathing-bug, and await your other allies' aid and counsel before you attack


>Yes, you value her insight
>>
>>5366027
>drake levs settee in well to a station of luxurious authority over your dwarf slaves, in their new home
*dark elves settle in well
>>
>>5366040
>A decapitating assault on the remaining Blackmantle base, before they can spread word of their concerns
>No, you know she'll just try to get you to soften your dwarven policy again

I caught back. Damn; I wish I was there for denying dwarven chicks and get a nice gift for the real prize -- the Novice.
Well, no point to cry over spilled milk. At least I can start pushing my Serpent Ascendant Agenda once again.
>Pray and become Serpent Antipaladin
>>
>>5366376
The Serpent Acendant does not want prayer, he want great deeds! Do not pray to be given the Anti-Paladin Status, you take it with your actions, words, your ambition! Even as a BeholderBro and a MoDMan, I know this. Come on man!
>>
[Just a heads up all: today may not have ab update as I MAY have a date.]
>>
>>5366450
My MAN! Take all the time you need RQM!
>>
>>5366450
Damn, I hope you get some hot hemipenis and cloaca action.
By the way, I'm 65% sure using that line in real life might lead to a lack of aforementioned hemipenis and cloaca action
>>
>>5366040
>A decapitating assault on the remaining Blackmantle base, before they can spread word of their concerns

>send back the pathing-bug
We won’t wait for them, but we may as well start the process

>Yes, you value her insight
She can speak, but our policy of conquest and extermination / enslavement won’t change
>>
>>5366040
>Stage a false-flag attack, implicating Blackmantle in an assault on their neighbours and pitting them against one another
>Yes, you value her insight
Shadowrun anybody?
>>
>>5366040
>Stage a false-flag attack, implicating Blackmantle in an assault on their neighbours and pitting them against one another

>Yes, you value her insight
>>
>>5366040
>Stage a false-flag attack, implicating Blackmantle in an assault on their neighbours and pitting them against one another
>Yes, you value her insight
Especially underneath the desk.
>>
>>5366793
>>5366788
>>5366535
>>5366376
>>5366307
>>5366305
>>5366184
>>5366175
>>5366145
>>5366049
>>5366857

“Enter,” you rely, granting the herbalist the permission she seeks.

There is a quiet jangling of chain but, to your surprise, when the female dwarf enters, it is without an attendant—she holds her own chains.

“Where isss your minder?” you demand.

“Everyone is very distracted,” she says, a half-explanation. “They’re all busy preparing for…”

“For our attack on the Dwarvesss,” you finish.

The Herbalist gulps, and nods.

“Shut the door,” you command.

She does so, and then approaches you where you sit, cross-legged, your elven moon-blade in your lap. It is your most typical meditative posture these days, bringing you a martial flavour of focus.

“What are you planning, sir?” she asks.

“Thiss isss most unsssubtle ssspycraft,” you teasingly hiss, drawing a small blush and a furious shake of her head.

“That’s not what I’m doing!” the Herbalist protests.

“I know,” you acknowledge. “You are here to try to conviccce me, one lasst time, to sspare your kinfolk… To not exxxterminate and enssslave them.”

Davora the Herbalist says nothing.

“It iss a fool’sss errand,” you sigh. “Their fate cannot be changed.”

“Do you… Not value what I have to say at all?” she asks quietly.

“Quite the contrary,” you say. “A dwarf’sss insight… YOUR insssight… Iss immensssely valuable. If you can aid in thisss effort, I imagine you will expedite our victory, perhapsss force a dwarven surrender… And thuss sspare many livesss.”

Davora hesitates further, but slowly nods.

“I… Thought something similar. I have a plan that I think will work, to lure them out of their defensible positions and to somewhere where you can more easily… You know, um, CAPTURE them. Alive.”

“Eassier ssaid than done,” you note. “When one sside fightsss to kill, and the other to wound or capture, the sssecond faction isss at a disssadvantage.”

“But you are the Dragonborn Champion, right?” she asks. “The hero of the, um, Master Race? The conqueror of the mountains? You can surely manage anyway?”

Davora has many virtues, but subtlety is not among them. She is altogether too earnest, direct, transparent. When she approaches you, squeezing her elbows together to accentuate her speckled bosom, poorly feigning awe and innocence in an appeal to your pride and lust, you nearly burst out laughing in spite of the distinct aesthetic appeal. You stifle a snigger, and she looks a little hurt, before sighing and dropping the entire act.

“Please, sir, if you let me… I can lure them out into the open to come ‘save us’… Me and the other dwarf girls. And some of those herbs you collected, you know… When you went to see the um, Worm Queen? Those are sedatives.”
>>
File: 81peq5chJCL.jpg (341 KB, 1400x2097)
341 KB
341 KB JPG
>>5366935
You narrow your eyes. “You would poissson your own protectorsss? Iss thiss not… Disshonoruable?”

“If it’s to save their lives… If there’s no other way…”

The Herbalist trails off, trembling a little in… Fear? Shame?

She continues, mumbling now: “If you give me the time, and the resources… They won’t be able to fight back even if they want to.”

“You are asking me to let several valuable captivesss go free, including YOURSSELF, knowing all that you know of our numbers, our abilitiesss and sstartegy.”

“I only know what you’ve left me know, sir!” she points out. “I don’t’ speak any of the languages you discuss those matters in.”

She’s not wrong, but she is demonstrably clever. Even through untranslated observations, she knows a great deal about your people, your allies, your armaments and logistics…

“And what of the defendersss who remain behind?” you ask, ignoring the other concerns for a moment, humouring the Herbalist. “The garissson, do you think they will surrender?”

Davora stares at her feet, and shakes her head.

“They’ll fight to the last dwarf,” she acknowledges, looking sick with herself. “But… If they die, so the rest can live…”

You consider her proposal carefully. It is… A LOT of trust to put in a slave, but this Herbalist of yours IS quite guileless. Then again, what does that imply for her ability to pull this off? And to even dream this up… Perhaps you have misjudged her innocence to begin with?
>>
>>5366941
Then again, it would mesh well with the false-flag stratagem you had been toying with. The draw of Davora and a few select females pleading for aid would draw important members of this corporate outpost to one place… Where you could then surround them, cut them off, and use their blood to forge disguises and their clout among their kin to embroil the Blackmantle Corporation in an attack on their neighbours. Your own forces could attack another clan while they are thus busy, and you would have everything and everyone you need to make it look as if the order came from the very top of the local corporate hierarchy! However, if you were to execute such a gambit, and this WAS an earnest effort at cooperation by the Herbalist… Well, you would surely lose her trust and respect forever.

“Please,” Davora petitions you, lowering to her knees—a posture which brings back pleasant memories—and bowing her head so her braid ‘beard’ brushes against the floor. “Please, sir? Trust me?”

What do you do?
>Place your trust in Davora’s plan, to sedate and lure out the dwarves for easy capture
>Pretend to accept Davora’s plan, but kill the Blackmantle leaders and send a disguised assassin squad to stage a false-flag attack anyway
>Reject this plan—keep the Herbalist and the others here, and handle this with the same broad strategy which worked so well at conquering the first fort
>Mock this dwarf and punish her for trying to play upon your feelings and plotting against you—she can’t seriously think you’d buy this? [-affection]
>Write-in
>>
>>5366943
>Pretend to accept Davora’s plan, but kill the Blackmantle leaders and send a disguised assassin squad to stage a false-flag attack anyway

Can't really trust this, even if she's being genuine right now, I think being among the dwarves we're going to capture and kill will break her resolve.
>>
>>5366943
>Reject this plan—keep the Herbalist and the others here, and handle this with the same broad strategy which worked so well at conquering the first fort
>>
>>5366943
>Place your trust in Davora’s plan, to sedate and lure out the dwarves for easy capture but send the Thief as well, disguised amongst them to observe and supervise them in this undertaking
>>
>>5366970
Supporting

The old KGB proverb applies - trust, but verify

Let her know that if she betrays us - all of the dwarf slaves in our care will be tortured and executed
>>
>>5366943
>Place your trust in Davora’s plan, to sedate and lure out the dwarves for easy capture but send the Thief as well, disguised amongst them to observe and supervise them in this undertaking
>Tell her we'll be observing
Oh man, how long till she's completely corrupted by us?
>>
>>5366970
I like the most this one.
>>
>>5366943
>Place your trust in Davora’s plan, to sedate and lure out the dwarves for easy capture but send the Thief as well, disguised amongst them to observe and supervise them in this undertaking
>Set up the false flag attack as a backup in case Davora’s plan fails
It’s smart to have some contingencies in place.
>>
>>5367245
Support
>>
File: Spoiler Image (252 KB, 2048x1422)
252 KB
252 KB JPG
>>5367245
>>5367179
>>5367131
>>5367065
>>5366970
>>5366964
>>5366960
“There isss an ancient wissdom among we of the Massster Race,” you eventually answer the Herbalist. “It transslatess as: ‘trusst nothing ssomeone tellss you, and only half of what you obssserve to be true.’”

The dwarf’s face falls, and she squints her eyes to hold back tears.

“Sir—”

“I trusst you,” you interrupt.

She looks up, startled and confused by this emotional whiplash.

“But I will be obssserving, verifying, alsso,” you continue. “Do not make me regret my trussst… Or you and your fellow captivesss will regret it alssso.”

She gulps, but nods. Without another word, she rushes from the room—presumably to prepare for the journey ahead. You crane your neck a little to watch her go. That posterior!

And this SCHEME… It makes you wonder whether you are genuinely having a corrupting effect on this mammalian female. Then again, you trusted her. What effect, you wonder, is SHE having on YOU? You set such thoughts aside, and summon the Thief to your presence.

“Superior One, you called for me? Is it to be another decapitating strike? A false-flag?”

You do not answer right away, instead presenting him with the bundled mask. He unwraps it, a little suspiciously—but then, you suppose it is in his nature not tot rust readily. You try not to begrudge him it; the sudden widening of his eyes and tail-swishing excitement of the Silkscale when he realizes what he’s been handed certainly goes a long way towards appeasing your wounded pride.

“This is a Mask of Face-Changing!” he balks.

“Yes,” you acknowledge. “You need not bear the mark of shame on your face around us. You have proven yourself to be an exemplary Reptilian in my eyes, through your ambition and spirit.”

He looks at you, dumbfounded. This act of generosity and recognition is clearly a source of immense pride, but also uncertainty. It is natural for a Reptilian to expect a catch. While there isn’t REALLY one, well, you anticipated this. There IS something he can do for you, after all:

“Has the Novice Fleshweaver prepared you an Amulet of Disguise suitable for going among dwarves?” you ask.

“Yes, Superior One.”

“Good,” you say. “Use that, and this mask, to disguise yourself as a dwarf female—one of those in our captivity. You will be send with Da—with the Herbalist, to enact an operation of subversion and subdual. We are going to trick and poison the dwarves of this next fort, weakening them with toxic herbs and luring them out to where we may capture them to break and enslave.”
>>
>>5367385
“Superior One…” he hesitates, expression registering doubt.

“Speak your mind,” you permit him.

“Do you not think such a large number of slaves—including males, warriors, leaders—might be difficult to manage, with our current numbers here? The dwarves in that fort, combined with the dozen-or-so captured in our first raid, will number almost as many as the fully-grown kobolds, but they lack the kobolds’ natural fear.”

“Then we will teach them fear,” you assert, “or they will go, fearlessly, to their weakling False Gods.”

The Thief bows his head, agreeing with your wisdom and thanking you for the mask, and for the opportunity and responsibility you have given him.

“Oh,” you belatedly add, “and… Keep an eye on the Herbalist. Ensure she has no… second thoughts.”

This, too, the Thief affirms he shall do. He leaves, and you feel a weight settle upon you—a mantle of leadership and responsibility, heavy with the dread that you have made a wrong call.

What will you command that the rest of your forces do in the meantime?
>Rest, stay vigilant, and prepare to make the capture when the dwarves come marching out
>Begin scouting the other dwarf fortresses, and observing enemy movements
>Reach out to the human lands below, assuming dwarven disguise and making inroads to trade for further food and other useful goods with your repatriated mineral wealth
>Study the language and culture of your dwarven captives, to better know the enemy

For your part, you have journeyed long. You have been assailed by expectations and driven by ambition to answer this call… But tiredness takes you again. Rest is not weakness—it is a necessary precondition for success. How do you spend your time before torpor?
>With the Novice, in her chamber of work-and-rest, catching up n how her studies and experiments have progressed (and just enjoying her long-absent company)
>Enjoying dinner and a ‘meal’ with Davora the Herbalist—she is an excellent bed-warmer, and further seduction can only make her more loyal
>With the Bastard, meditating on matters draconic
>With Karz Throat-singer, practicing your swordcraft and aiding him in his continued efforts to learn spellcraft
>Alone, in prayerful meditation
>Write-in

>>5367373
Oops, sorry, JUST missed yours.
>>
>>5367386
>>Rest, stay vigilant, and prepare to make the capture when the dwarves come marching out
>With the Novice, in her chamber of work-and-rest, catching up n how her studies and experiments have progressed (and just enjoying her long-absent company)
>>
>>5367386
>Rest, stay vigilant, and prepare to make the capture when the dwarves come marching out

>With the Novice, in her chamber of work-and-rest, catching up n how her studies and experiments have progressed (and just enjoying her long-absent company)
>>
>>5367386
>Rest, stay vigilant, and prepare to make the capture when the dwarves come marching out

>With the Novice, in her chamber of work-and-rest, catching up n how her studies and experiments have progressed (and just enjoying her long-absent company)

If there's a possibility for more than one pre-rest action:
>With the Bastard, meditating on matters draconic
>>
>>5367395
+1
>>
>>5367386
>Study the language and culture of your dwarven captives, to better know the enemy
>With the Bastard, meditating on matters draconic
Though I wouldn't be opposed to novice, we just havent done this in a while
>>
Hey RQM how did your maybe-date go?
>>
>>5367443
Supporting
>>
>>5367386
>Study the language and culture of your dwarven captives, to better know the enemy
>Enjoying dinner and a ‘meal’ with Davora the Herbalist—she is an excellent bed-warmer, and further seduction can only make her more loyal

>>5367621
We can do that early in the morning.
>>
>>5367386
>Begin scouting the other dwarf fortresses, and observing enemy movements
>With Karz Throat-singer, practicing your swordcraft and aiding him in his continued efforts to learn spellcraft
>Enjoying dinner and a ‘meal’ with Davora the Herbalist—she is an excellent bed-warmer, and further seduction can only make her more loyal
Might as well focus on the dwarves.
>>
>>5367890
>>5367849
>>5367621
>>5367581
>>5367443
>>5367421
>>5367395
>>5368183

You order your forces to stay close to base, resting and drilling in turns to prepare to support the Herbalist’s plan of action. Either she will live up to her end of this bargain, band they will need to be ready to coral and contain the sopor-stupefied (but still dangerous) dwarves, OR she will fail or betray you… And your forces will need twice the vigors and three times the vigilance.

For your part, you spend YOUR rest in the Novice Fleshweaver’s chambers.

“Oh?” she scoffs as you enter. “I thought you would be busying yourself with your new ‘personal physician’, Degenerateborn.”

“You mean the Herbalist?” you ask.

“I mean your sex-slave, yes.”

You are startled by her blunt analysis. Have you been so obvious?

“Did you really think you were subtle, you perpetually-aroused oaf?” she laughs. “You are lucky that sex is not so front-of-mind for PROPER Reptilians, oh Grandson of Gorillas. But never forget: -I- know what you are. What you REALLY are.”

It has the air of a threat… And the vague hint of jealousy. The Novice’s tail threshes the air, but she shrugs and turns away, returning to her work.

You can see that, apart from having removed, spread out, and pined down the wings of one deceased dragon-hatchling, she has also begun a rough-but-skilled sketch of the working mechanics of their flight.

“Have you made any progress on granting my <Dragonshape? Wings?” you ask, unable to hide the excitement from yoru voice.

“The flight of dragons is a complicated matter,” she replies. “it is as much metaphysics as physics. But… We are making progress, I suppose.”

“We?”

She gestures to the chained—now too large to cage—Junior Novice, a steeltalon-sized creature of mangy fur, bare and scabrous skin, and ever-increasing array of mismatched dragon addendum. His grafted wings ARE blending better into the terrain of the skin around them, stitching disappearing into the scarification that symbolizes their unnatural origins. They are filling out—appearing almost functional! As with an ACTUAL dragon, though, they ARE too small to logically support their host’s weight… But that never stopped dragons! The secret MUST be magic.

“Progress has been slowed,” the Novice points out, “by your constant demands upon my attention for LESSER projects.”
>>
>>5368242
This checks out, for much the lab-space is taken up with the sprawl and pale corpses of dwarven warriors, drained of blood. Many more have no doubt already been thus depleted of their vital fluids and subsequently removed. A makeshift metal rack hangs a half-dozen orichalchum-iron amulets—Amulets of Disguise.

“Forged by the kobolds,” she notes, and then with mirthful malice that breaks her otherwise sour disposition this evening, she adds: “And by the very dwarves whose fathers fuel them.”

You nod slowly.

“Do you think we can trust them? The dwarves? Once they are tamed and converted properly, I mean?”

The Novice laughs again, and turns to look at you with hands on hide egg-laying hips, head cocked.

“If you were thinking with your lizard-brain instead of your dragon DICKS, ‘Superior One’, you wouldn’t even trust the elves. This ‘alliance with mammals business’... It is doomed. Even the bugs are better allies than these… Children of Light. We’re too different to ever be true allies.”

You reflect on how similar these words are to those of the Chaplain… And even of the Queen of Worms. But then, you remember the feeling of warm gratitude which radiated from Glowie’s cocoon, the soul-cry of your sons inside her… And the warmth of Davora the Herbalist, physical and emotional, which invoked your feeling of (guarded) trust.

“Maybe you are right,” you acknowledge. “But maybe not.”

You tell the Novice of what transpired, and she listens to the tale. You tell her of your journey back, of your defeat of the accursed elven spirits in the once-sacred spring; of the drow’s conversion through the invocation of a divine vision; of the Green Knight and his victim; of how her father seemed to dismiss your input on this matter but how he came around to the value of Bloodrise and afforded you the equipment and permitted your recruitment of additional forces for your return trip; and of your winning-over of the Worm Queen. You show her the pathing-bug; it wriggles in displeasure until setting it down, you allow it some of your food.

And then, you tell her of Davora’s plan, and how you have permitted her to try her hand.

“I can’t believe you got Father to tolerate this, and to even leave you in CHARGE, after all of that,” the Novice says, genuinely impressed by her tone. “But why, by ALL the Dark Gods, did you bring THIS thing?!”

“The pathing-bug?”

“The SPY, yes.”
>>
“I thought you said the great-worms were more reliable allies?” you ask, confused.

“More reliable than DWAREVS or ELVES, maybe… But you have placed much of our immediate and distant future in THOSE sweaty, hairy hands as well! You are letting your cocksleeve run our most sensitive intelligence operation in the HISTORY of this enterprise!”

“The Herbalist is more than—” you begin, a little indignant at this description of the dwarf, and of your relationship to her and your reasons for trusting her.

“And for the record, I meant GLOWIE, not her malignant mother! That damned fool of a bug-girl is… Is OBSESSED with you, but THAT we can trust. By your own admission, this ‘Herbalist’ is more loyal to her race than to you—attempts to use your pitiful penile preoccupation to manipulate you to her own ends!”

“Technically, the same could be said of Glowie,” you point out.

“This is not STRENGTHENING the case for your judgement,” she hisses, holding her head in her hands.

You both look at the four-eyed pathing-bug, who rears up slightly to watch your exchange with interest, and an unknown level of comprehension.

“You sound just like your father,” you point out, and the Novice flinches.

“I do not!” she snaps. “I am speaking from REASON, not blind, tradition-formed habit!”

“And yet,” you say, “you make such similar arguments.”

She hesitates.

“What would you have me do?” you sigh.

“If the Thief is watching the Herbalist, then… We can do little else now but see your fool-plan through, and make the best of it,” she groans. “As for this bug…”

The tiny pathing-bug crawls backwards along the work-bench where you set it, squirming under the focused gaze of you and your childhood rival.

“It should not return until our situation is secure,” she says. “A supply-chain is well-and-good, but we should be entrenched. Even if it were to… Go missing… or to return late… Then Glowie can surely produce one of her own, yes? A more loyal one?”

“Maybe?” you say, shrugging. “I know little of these matters, despite my involvement in some of them. And it could take much longer. The Worm Queen has trusted us. Can we not trust her?”

“Trust is, and I am not being hyperbolic, a literal mental illness you have inherited from your mother,” the Novice says.

You glower at her, offended on behalf of yourself and even a LITTLE on behalf of your progenitor. The Novice meets your gaze, unapologetically.
>>
>>5368246
“When the common enemy that is the dwarven menace is destroyed, do you think all our disparate peoples will share this place equitably?” the Novice asks. “Do you think the Chaplain will permit it? Do you think the other races, even if they need us for now, will always feel gratitude such that they subordinate themselves?”

“What do you propose?” you ask, weary and wary. This is NOT the restful pre-conquest rest you’d envisioned.

“Choose those you feel confident you can manipulate and control,” she says levelly. “Plan to exterminate or enslave all the rest. I propose Glowie’s brood for the former, and that the kobolds can sever their purpose… Maybe even the bugbears, wherever in the Hells they are, because they are so simple and primitive. But dwarves, dark elves, Glowie’s mother… They are all too prideful, independent, and even CAPABLE to expect that the will be forever happy as slaves.”

You consider the Novice’s words as you rest, shoving a blood-drained body from a cot and requisitioning it as a place for your rest.

Do they move you at all?
>Yes, she is right—you have been foolishly trusting
You will plan your assault in such a way as to ‘accidentally’ engineer more dwarven deaths than necessary, with Drow forces at the frontline so that they suffer greatest casualties, and you will squash the pathing-bug

>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance
You have faith in your charisma, your will, and your divine destiny! The Drow and Master Race will fight side-by-side, you will keep your word to Davora, and you will let the pathing-bug go home to report back to its mother

>Screw the Chaplain and screw tradition—this realm is YOURS!
All this conversation solidifies for you was that it will take a firm hand, and a NEW way of thinking, to rule Bloodrise… With you as not just a king-in-name but a king-in-actuality, conquering this realm for your OWN empire separate and apart from the old hierarchies

>Write-in
>>
>>5367633
Very well. Amazingly well. She seems super cool, smart, and was a stunner. Thanks for asking!

>>5368248
[This vote is going to be a KEY moment in the evolution of the protagonist and quest, so backlink your votes if they're on a 1post IP, please!]
>>
>>5368248
>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance

What's most important is conversion. The dark god's accept all worshipers, we saw the serpent ascendant take the Drow to his afterlife, confining our forces to just Reptoids is limiting.
>>
>>5368248
>that the kobolds can sever their purpose
*Serve

>to expect that the will be forever happy as slaves
*As second-class citizens
(Since slaves don't need to be happy, sufficiently decimated and cowed)
>>
>>5368248
>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance

If Novice thinks trust in other beings is a mistake, maybe she can accept a different form of trust. Trust that Glowmom won't betray us now, since her race's replacement plan was put on pause while the dragonborn project is evaluated, and a hostile reveal on her part at this time would end in incineration. We can trust in her pragmatism, rationality, and will to live.

As for the other races, rather than full enslaving I'm picturing more of a vassal states kind of existence for them. Maybe even the dwarves can graduate from slave status when our position is more secure.
>>
>>5368248
>Screw the Chaplain and screw tradition—this realm is YOURS!
I still believe in the Dark Alliance, but I do want turn this polity into a United Kingdom under us sort of deal.
>>
>>5368248
>Yes, she is right—you have been foolishly trusting
Keep kobolds, abandon the rest. That was the original mission.
>>5368246
>“Trust is, and I am not being hyperbolic, a literal mental illness you have inherited from your mother.”
Novice being the best girl as always. Completely wrong about Ismena, but absolutely on point here.
>>
>>5368248
>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance
Not mutually exclusive with
>Screw the Chaplain and screw tradition—this realm is YOURS!
I think this is how we act to become truly Antipaladin
>>5368252
Congrats.
>>
>>5368248
>Trust is, and I am not being hyperbolic, a literal mental illness you have inherited from your mother
That’s a fucking riot. Dark Gods below know that she was anything but trusting.

>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance
>Screw the Chaplain and screw tradition—this realm is YOURS!
I legitimately like the United Kingdom idea, it’s a way to subordinate the other races to us without destroying their dignity.

And no Novice lap pillow? Damn, I was hoping to bond with her a bit more.
>>
I don't think we should form our own kingdom if we want to do a dark alliance. It'd be pretty ironic if our dark alliance didn't include most of our kind.
>>
>>5368248
>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance.

Now is not the right time to form a kingdom. We are still reliant and serpent priest and dark elven supplies. Since the kobalds were primary hunters raiders and scavengers.
>>
>>5368248
>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance
You have faith in your charisma, your will, and your divine destiny! The Drow and Master Race will fight side-by-side, you will keep your word to Davora, and you will let the pathing-bug go home to report back to its mother


The Master Race is extremely limited in number; if we want our people to prosper, civil war is not the way. We need to make the decision to schism when we are beyond reproach and more powerful than other Reptilians we know of, not less.

I do think the Novice is seriously underestimating the "common enemy" here. All of the above grounder civilizations have abused every single constituent race in our nascent Dark Alliance for their own gain, casting us as cultureless savages and monsters. There is more than enough hatred between the bugs, kobolds, bugbears, drow and Reptilians to visit bloody destruction on the surface.
>>
File: Three Fated Paths.png (5 KB, 828x63)
5 KB
5 KB PNG
>>5368566
>>5368564
>>5368448
>>5368423
>>5368343
>>5368340
>>5368291
>>5368262
[It's a VERY close one especially adjusting for the 1-post-IDs who didn't backlink their posts with big implications. I'll leave this open a bit longer!]
>>
>>5368248
>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance
>Screw the Chaplain and screw tradition—this realm is YOURS!
I really feel like we can get Novice on board with the kingdom route, but like other anons said we need to just give hints to those we are close to what the future plan is, for now we need to prove we can manage this place as an outpost before we have the support/loyalty to start a divine dynasty style kingdom, im likely gonna be on 1 post Id because im off my wifi these ate some of my posts
>>5353760
>>5354882
>>5355865
>>
Why the kingdom route? Because it’s cool? It will cause a bloody civil war that will divide the gods as well. The persecutor won’t take this sitting down.
>>
>>5368248
>No, you believe you can unite these many races in a Dark Alliance

I prefer getting rid of mammalian trust but I dislike the kingdom vote the most.
>>
>>5368769
Uh... I don't know how well the Novice would take the kingdom route considering what we would be rebelling against is her literal father. Strained relationship aside it would certainly be uncomfortable for her.
>>
>>5368584
>>5368343 (Me)
>>5359990 also (Me)
>>
>>5368809
I just want to be like the Dragon Kings of old, and it would be what the Serpent Ascendant actually wants. As much as I like and want to make amends with the Prosecutor, his strategy was one of stability and caution, which led the Master Race to it’s current population predicament. I thank him for not abandoning us like Dragonmother did, but his design isn’t a winning one, and I think we can come to an accord with him and the Serpent Priests over this, especially if we pitch this United Dark Kingdom idea as a transition process for the Master Race to rule as the Ubermensch that they were always destined to be. Otherwise we’ll just be stuck infighting in the dark while the Surface plots our demise.

It’s not a perfect solution, but it is a solid workable one given that we need to start making moves now or be co-signed to extinction and replacement. Better a Dragon King ruling over all than a Underdark NATO controlling the Master Race.

>>5368831
Actually, I think the Novice would approve, given she gave the suggestion to keep Glowie and the Bugbears as useful, and she flaunts tradition at ever chance.
>>
>>5368584
This
>>5365118
Was me.
>>
>>5368954
I’m mostly against because I don’t see it ending in any other way except civil war. If they find out the value of bloodrise they would never let us have it.
>>
>>5368248
>Yes, she is right—you have been foolishly trusting
You will plan your assault in such a way as to ‘accidentally’ engineer more dwarven deaths than necessary, with Drow forces at the frontline so that they suffer greatest casualties, and you will squash the pathing-bug
>>
>>5369042
We can diplomacy our way into not ending up in a civil war. Plus, they weren’t even interested in expanding into Bloodrise, we could convince them to let us have it as the Anti-Paladin, and if we wanted to be generous, a tithe of the magic metal. It need not end in bloodshed.
>>
File: 0025272031_10.jpg (247 KB, 1200x1200)
247 KB
247 KB JPG
Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>5369075
>>5369004
>>5368810
>>5368769
>>5368566
>>5368564
>>5368476
>>5368448
>>5368423
>>5368343
>>5368340
>>5368291
>>5368262

The more you think on it, the more you believe that the Chaplain--and the Novice, his daughter--must both be wrong. They're blinded by their biases, by the same serpentine silliness which drives kobolds to suspicion and ever-complicates your attempts at benevolent leadership and general social advancement. They think trust is foolishness, inevitable doom, even 'mental illness'... But it is this PARANOID which has weakened your race and brought them to ruin! This compulsive MIStrust is the real sickness, and you will not let it infect! YOUR burgeoning empire!

But… Not. The Priesthood is no rotten limb to be amputated, as annoyed as you might be by the Novice Fleshweaver’s chilly reception (and the lack of lap-pillow). You don’t give into her pessimism, though. When you wake, you are just as committed to the workability of this dark alliance. You reason that there are no shortage of shared enemies, even once the dwarves are dealt with. You are confident that your divinely-aided diplomatic efforts can hold your coalition together. But… Well, you’re not exactly ready for all-out schismatic civil war against your own race, nor do you really have the stomach for such a betrayal. You will just have to get used to thinking of the Reptilian Master Race as one more piece to fit into the new puzzle of the new order you are building.

You leave the Novice’s chambers, pausing only briefly to appreciate her own sleeping form. It is the only time you have ever seen her looking ALMOST peaceful, though she quietly hisses in her sleep. You release the pathing-bug early that day, after feeding it a few more rations to see it on its way. Afterwards, you meditate, and pray, and join your forces.

>LOYALTY CHECK
[Davora the Herbalist starts with a low loyalty, thanks to the genocide of her people, shored up only by their willing surrender and your Leadership: 10%. However, you critically succeeded on your seduction, and repeatedly nurtured the relationship (+40%). You chose the lover path (+25%). You denied her any promises to spare her people at first (-10%), but were kind to Karz (+5%) and put your trust in her plan (+20%)… With caveats and threats (-10%).]
>DC 30
>>
>>5369194
You and your forces march down to the pass which you have previously closed. With an <Earth Tremor>, you collapse the <Wall of Stone>, and your forces—Drow and Reptilians side-by-side, kobolds at their back, and even a few female dwarves in reserve as litter-carriers and attendants. You join Jazkarmel, unashamed to treat her as (almost) co-equal; she smiles at you and speeds up to match your pace. Your Dark Alliance treks through the mountains as one cohesive unit—for now, at least—and takes your position around the artificially-widened gulch, speckled with spikes and great stones, where you are to lay in way.

It is almost dark when you arrive, having departed at mi-day to facilitate a night-time attack. The scorching sunlight which drove you to wince and cringe on your journey has begun to abate, and all your dark-adapted eyes are now adjusting—some, such as the dwarves, faster than others. You refill your canteens and waterskins from the rushing river, which the Thief’s initial scouting expedition informed you is a primary means by which goods leave this place, carried by water and gravity on small floats.

This second Blackmantle base is their main one, and you can tell this is the case immediately. It is a mighty fortress, better-built and MUCH more smartly-located than the other. Well, perhaps that’s unfair—who expects an <Earth Tremor> of such strength as you generated, in these ‘long-abandoned’ mountains? Still, you do not envy any foolish force which attacks this larger company town in a direct assault, nor are you confident you could send THIS one into a state of collapse and ruination with a mana-magnified stomp of your foot as with the last. It would be a daunting proposition even to infiltrate and annihilate the inhabitants, if they are as vigilant as their fortifications are formidable.

Luckily, you do not need to. Ciranda, the platinum-blonde dwarf with the amethyst eyes, sends a signal that an enemy approaches. You shush your forces with a gesture and a deliberate invocation of your Fearsome Presence, and you all skulk backwards into caverns and crevices, knives out and hearts pounding… But it is only a single dwarven woman and, as she removes amulet and mask, you realize it is neither dwarf NOR woman, but Thief.

“So?” you ask.

>95: dramatic success

“It all goes according to plan,” he tells you, then… “Well, mostly.”
>>
>>5369225
Your heart falls a little, to your surprise and shame. Has Davora betrayed you, then, after all?

“Actually, quite the opposite,” the Thief says, sounding almost surprised—even impressed—himself. “The Herbalist was… Surprisingly dedicated to the ruse. One of the other females broke rank, attempted to persuade the dwarves which were sent—including myself—to turn against you.”

“And?” you ask, fearing the worst.The Thief points to a nearby rock, behind which your kobolds find—and extract—a bound-and-gagged, still-unconscious dwarf female with black hair. You stare for a moment, feeling a strange warmth in your chest, and nod.

It is not long later that the dwarves come marching out. You are position such that you can watch their advance for almost two miles. You watch as their formation deteriorates, until they staggering, sloppy, slow. You suspect any member of a mammalian race WITHOUT the dwarves’ famed constitution would have been rendered utterly unconscious. By the time they reach the ravine, they seem to realize something is wrong…

But it is too late.

With another use of <Earth Tremor> and <Wall of Stone>, you collapse the ravine at its narrowest points, and trap them in the pass. Your forces have moved to higher ground for the most part, taking up missile weapons—well-crafted bows and arrows, even for your lowly kobolds, thanks to your requisitions from the Chaplain. As the walls close in and the silhouettes of your Dark Army loom, the dwarves realize they have been tricked and trapped, but most are too weak to do anything about it. A few fire crossbows, but it is with middling accuracy. Your forces evade, and they hiss, yammer, and jeer in mockery.

You scan the dwarf forces below. The Herbalist, who wrought this terrible fate for them, is not among them. She will no doubt learn what happened here, of course… If she is safe. You suddenly stop to consider this. If she has remained with the defenders, those she said would fight to the bitter end… Will they realize that she who prepared their food or ale is responsible for the ambush below, when they peer out from their parapets. What will they do to her, if so?
>>
File: 519CrO+FK-L.jpg (34 KB, 324x500)
34 KB
34 KB JPG
Rolled 6, 8, 12, 19, 19 = 64 (5d20)

>>5369227
You shake the thought from your mind. You have a promise to keep, first.

You step to the edge of the pass, a great and towering shadow among the many smaller ones, and you flip your cloak away and lift a breath-lite torch to illuminate by red dragon-fire your gleaming armour of black and copper-gold.

“Welcome to the Bloodrise Mountains,” you declare, “and to the Dragon Kingdom therein!”

“The dragons are dead, you great kobold FUCK!” one dwarf groans, between retching.

“What did… What have you done to us?” another demands.

“Treachery!” a third shouts, and a rallying cry goes up… Only to buckle as the dwarves are forces to raise shields and take up defensive positions beneath a storm of steel arrow-tips and stone missiles.

“I am no kobold,” you explain, voice loud but calm. “You trespass in the land of my ancestor, the Dragon King of Bloodrise! You plunder OUR treasures! WE were kings here, and we demand a tribute for your crimes… A tribute in flesh, in labour, in orichalcum!”

>Diplomacy + Intimidation check, DC 12 due to your superior forces and the dwarves' physical ailment
>>
>>5369229
“Dwarves will never, ever, EVER surrender to the LIKES OF YOU SCALY, BABY-EATING, TOAD-FUCKING—”

The defiant dwarven leader of this doomed-and-damned rescue effort never even gets to finish his final insult. The Hunter takes aim with his great bow and fires an arrow almost the length of the stout mammalian male, skewering him and leaving him standing like a scarecrow before the rest of his forces.

“Lay down your armss and ssubmit to desstiny,” you tell them, “or join thiss on in hiss.”

>19

…And so they do, glaring at your forces through bitter tears as they leave their melee and ranged implements of aggression in a great pile and slowly back away to the opposite side. Your forces descend, rappelling down.

>Battle check: automatic success, for your superior numbers, planning, physical condition, and the effect of your intimidation

Those few dwarves who foolish lurch towards their abandoned equipment, or to engage your force sin melee combat, are made swift work of by the Drow assassins, while your Reptilians assert control and the kobolds collect and catalogue the spoils.

In the end, less than a quarter of the two-dozen miner-warriors are slain. The rest become willing captives by way of surrenders—new slaves or hostages to your Dark Alliance, who stand jubilant and flush with victory, lording it mercilessly and cruelly over these pretenders your mountain-throne.

What do you command for the captive dwarves?
>Humiliation, to humble them and prepare them for servitude
>Mercy and dignity, for they are to be a part of your empire as well
>Write-in

What comes next?
>Hurry to the dwarven fortress, to ensure the safety of your lover (and hero of the day)
>Proceed cautiously, with an elite squad of your warriors, to take the keep more methodically
>March up in force, captives chained in your midst, and bellow your demands
>Intimidate and coerce the already-cowed dwarves into leading you into their own fort to ‘liberate’ it
>Write-in
>>
>>5369236
>Humiliate the troublemakers, mercy and dignity the collaborators

>Hurry to the dwarven fortress, to ensure the safety of your lover (and hero of the day)
>Intimidate and coerce the already-cowed dwarves into leading you into their own fort to ‘liberate’ it
We should also convince Ciranda to make some orichalcum armor for us.
>>
>>5369236
>Indoctrination- they are chattel now, but can earn their right to better treatment. For now, though, by dint of their resistance, they will work.

>Ensure they are secured and kept in many small groups, rather than one large one

>Proceed cautiously, with an elite squad of your warriors, to take the keep more methodically
>>
>>5369236
>Mercy and dignity, for they are to be a part of your empire as well
>Intimidate and coerce the already-cowed dwarves into leading you into their own fort to ‘liberate’ it

Drunken dwarves sing like sailors
>>
>>5369236
>Humiliation, to humble them and prepare them for servitude
>March up in force, captives chained in your midst, and bellow your demands
>>
>>5369236
>Mercy and humiliation, to humble them and prepare them for servitude
See what I did there
Unless we can manage to brainwash every single dwarf like we did Davora and force future their offspring to believe in a censored version of events, we can never treat them like equals, because some will turn on us for what we've done.
>Ask Thief what's the situation with the Herbalist, she proved a valuable and willing tool
>Hurry to the dwarven fortress, to ensure the safety of your lover (and hero of the day)
>>
>>5369236
>Humiliate the troublemakers, mercy and dignity the collaborators
>Proceed cautiously, with an elite squad of your warriors, to take the keep more methodically
>>
>>5369236
>Indoctrinate them- treat them with dignity and mercy, but humiliate the troublemakers
Balance it appropriately, and try to be charitable when they aren’t causing trouble.
>Hurry to the dwarven fortress, to ensure the safety of your lover (and hero of the day)
>Intimidate and coerce the already-cowed dwarves into leading you into their own fort to ‘liberate’ it
They should know the secret passages in.
>>
>>5369237
Supporting

Always favour collaborators - makes empire building easier.

Maybe we should pick out a dwarf hair colour (the same as the herbalist…?) and tell them that their genetically superior and afford them more privileged…

Divide and conquer works after all
>>
>>5369549
I think we should give some love to the Prosecutor and have him develop a caste system for the different dwarves (lawbringers, artisans, etc). That way we’ll have a portion think their above the rest, and another portion prosecuting and policing the others on behalf of our regime, and the Prosecutor gets his cut of the worship.
>>
>>5369236

>Humiliate the troublemakers, mercy and dignity the collaborators

>Intimidate and coerce the already-cowed dwarves into leading you into their own fort to ‘liberate’ it

I see randomly trying to start artificial dwarf racism only leading a shit show for the quest OOC and IC. Why would the dwarves care about what some tyrannical lizard says about who’s superior anyways?
>>
>>5369574
See? Sounds exactly what an outdoor dwarf-trader inferior would say.
>>
File: tally.png (11 KB, 892x185)
11 KB
11 KB PNG
>>5369574
>>5369549
>>5369543
>>5369470
>>5369402
>>5369327
>>5369248
>>5369238
>>5369237
[Vote locked! Writing.]
>>
>>5369652
Even if the defenders are as doped and dopey as these dwarves now in your clutches, you see no reason to be reckless about this final push. After all, you have thus far avoided any casualties, or even major injuries, to your forces! This also provides a perfect opportunity for an object lesson for the dwarves, as to the new rules which shall govern their lives.

Your first measure sis to have the dwarves tied up, or chained when there are sufficient chains to do so. Alas, your current resources still mean most are bound by simpler and more breakable means; luckily, the captives’ toxic affliction and their terror of your forces leaves them unable or unwilling to do so. You next have hem divided into smaller groups, to be watched over by the kobolds and Drow, each with a Reptilian overseer in charge—a caste system in-the-making, perhaps?

You march through the lines, stopping at each group in turn, and making much the same pitch.

“What are you?” or “What do you want?” a dwarf will often demand.

You reiterate your earlier declaration of draconic mastery, and he (more often than not) reacts in horror and disbelief, or muted defiance. Then, you ask him:

“What isss the current sstatusss of the company town’ss defenccce?”

Those who cooperate quickly are rewarded—given a sample of the dwarven ale from your existing stores, water, wound-care by the Novice Fleshweaver. You instruct the kobolds and dark elves to loosen their bonds, to treat them with respect and dignity. You explain to them the way of this world, of YOUR world: the loyal and Dark Gods are not evil, to those who do no evil unto them. Follow your orders, accept their place in the new Age of Darkness, and they need not suffer as slaves forevermore.

"Dwarvesss enjoy their toil, do they not?" you ask. "Toil well, and rewardsss await."

Those who spit insults, or literal saliva, receive a boot to the face, and sample your sword until they beg for mercy and relinquish the information you seek. Then, and only then, do you grant them to cruel mercy you are prepared to provide: you throw them to the humiliation and cruelty of the elves and kobolds, who strip them of valuables, beata nd abuse them… And shave their precious beards.

"Thisss isss the price for defying fate," you tell the horrified spectators.
>>
>>5369675
You then move on to asking their logistics, their corporation’s connections outside the mountains here… And about the female dwarves (such as your Herbalist) who arrived recently from their sister outpost.

“The brunette girl, with the freckled tits… She’s one of yours.”

You narrow your eyes at the particularly astute dwarf, but say nothing to confirm or deny this.

“If I’ve worked it out, lizard, so’ve the bosses. They’ll be making her pay for this betrayal in blood, by now. If you wanted to get your poison pill back, you shouldn’t have lingered here messing about with us.”

Your already-cold blood runs all the cooler.

“And good for her!” the dwarf continues, clearly emboldened by your reaction. “Traitors get what traitors deserve. Repayment in kind, always, unto tyrants and socialists!”

You look down at him, feeling not the hot fire of rage but the cooler flame of dispassion. You rag him away from his group, to where all his fellows can see, and you make an example of him yourself. When you are finished, his face is almost unrecognizable, and he is barely breathing. You call the Novice, to clean him up and stabilize him.

“What now?” the Novice asks, as she works.
>>
>>5369676
“We know where all the defenders are,” the Bastard notes. “Their physical defences are impressive… But siege crossbows, catapults, oil-drums? These all require males to man them. They lack the forces to operate them all properly. If we storm one gate with part of the force, then send the rets in at the other… They will have committed their forces to the first, be unable to defend the second.”

“If we march on them and hurl the humiliated ones at the gates, while showing how many surrendered willingly, their morale will be broken!” the Pit-Guard declares brashly, clearly buoyed by this outstanding victory. “We can stand well-back from their weapons, and demand they treat with us for the lives of their fellows.”

“It is true,” the Novice adds, eyes linger on you for a moment and ensure you understand the hidden jab, “that mammals are altogether too sentimental.”

“A small squad will be faster,” the Thief notes, “and I know a rear passage—intended for wase disposal—which we could sneak in, with such a squad. It would need to be composed of silkscales, elves, and kobolds—none larger. But we could open the gate for you!”

You idly wonder if the Potion of Diminution which you incorporated into your amulet could facilitate your joining them. After all, by the estimation of the dwarf whom you tortured, the Herbalist could even now be suffering as terrible a fate as you inflicted on that impudent ape… Or worse!

Better yet, you know that with the use of a <Jump> and some <Guidance>, you could enter the keep and be at your dwarven lover’s side in seconds… But then, whatever defenders remain, you would have to fight alone. It is the sort of risky play which would appeal to the Serpent Ascendant, but would you live to enjoy his favour? Is glory—for that matter, is DAVORA—worth the risk?

What do you do?
>Stage a two-pronged assault, drawing forces to one gate then crashing through the other
>Besiege the fortification, and try to draw the dwarven defenders out to negotiate a hostage exchange and surrender
>Go for the Thief’s sneakier assault, sending a force up the waste-chute to weaken the defenders and open the gates
>There’s no TIME for this! Any delay means Davora, the loyal lover who brought you this victory to begin with, might die! You’re going in!
>Write-in
>>
>>5369677
>Go for the Thief’s sneakier assault, sending a force up the waste-chute to weaken the defenders and open the gates
>>
>>5369677

>Go for the Thief’s sneakier assault, sending a force up the waste-chute to weaken the defenders and open the gates, but feint as though you are executing the Pit-guard's plan; this will set the dwarves off guard
>>
>>5369677
>There’s no TIME for this! Any delay means Davora, the loyal lover who brought you this victory to begin with, might die! You’re going in!

>sort of risky play which would appeal to the Serpent Ascendant
WITNESS ME
>>
>>5369677
backing >>5369708

thief only needs a small squad he said - the rest can go with operation dwarven shield
>>
>>5369714
You know, I'm willing to consider this, depending on the answer to a question.

>>5369677
Would we have enough mana for <Improved Dragonshape> after a <Jump> and <Guidance>?
>>
>>5369677
>Go for the Thief’s sneakier assault, sending a force up the waste-chute to weaken the defenders and open the gates
>>
>>5369719
>mana question
[Yes, but just BARELY. After casting thsoe three spells, you would be tapped.]
>>
>>5369838
In that case, I am switching my vote (>>5369708) to:

>There’s no TIME for this! Any delay means Davora, the loyal lover who brought you this victory to begin with, might die! You’re going in!
>>
>>5369677
>There’s no TIME for this! Any delay means Davora, the loyal lover who brought you this victory to begin with, might die! You’re going in!
>Dragonshape
No survivors though
>>
>>5369677
>There’s no TIME for this! Any delay means Davora, the loyal lover who brought you this victory to begin with, might die! You’re going in!

You know what fuck it I'll change. I think we should activate our elemental amulet to cause chaos when we get inside, though. Even if it goes out of control when we summon it it'll still help. We got it and haven't even used the damn thing.
>>
>>5369677
>There’s no TIME for this! Any delay means Davora, the loyal lover who brought you this victory to begin with, might die! You’re going in!
Time to save the loyal royal shortstack cocksleeve.
>>
>>5370006
Also backing [>>5369865] no survivors and [>>5369872] elemental ring, let's use the damn thang.
>>
>>5369677
>Stage a two-pronged assault, drawing forces to one gate then crashing through the other
>Go for the Thief’s sneakier assault, sending a force up the waste-chute to weaken the defenders and open the gates
Like, we should send the other assault parties while we’re providing the distraction for the rest of them. With any luck, the remaining defenders will be so bamboozled that they’d be to spread out to defend effectively.

Remember to praise the Serpent Ascendant as the reason for our foolish (and glorious) action.
>>
>>5369677
Anything we do that makes use of 'hostages' will inevitably make them bring out DaVita as their own which will force us to choose between her and the mission. Not really a position we want to be put in... So I vote for us as the distraction with the sneaky force going in the back.
>>
>>5369708
Support, but I’m fine with going gangsta on their ass!
>>
File: tally.png (6 KB, 954x84)
6 KB
6 KB PNG
>>5370135
>>5370092
>>5370057
>>5370006
>>5369872
>>5369865
>>5369851
>>5369829
>>5369718
>>5369714
>>5369705
[Vote locked, going for the sneaky strat with an elite squad… and the Dragonborn along for the ride]
>>
>>5370166
The smart play, you feel, is not to storm the gates. That will likely cost lives, unless you are quite lucky. Moreover, it will surely seal the fate of the Herbalist—it will be a slow process, and doomed defenders might well execute a captured traitor as a final and fatal fulfilment of their last great grudge. Waiting outside them and attempting a hostage exchange or other such negotiation would betray weakness and, more likely than not, force you to choose between your loyal lover and your mission—an unpleasant idea even to contemplate!

No, the choice is obvious.

“Thief, Agno, Igno,” you rattle off, “take what dwarves and kobolds you deem best. We will go with yoru plan.”

“And the rest of us?” the Novice demands.

“Pit-Guard, Bastard, Hunter—you will wait out here, mustering forces and rattling spears, and ready to launch an assault if we do not swiftly return.”

“‘We’?” the Thief and the Novice ask, as one, meeting eyes and then looking back to you.

“Yes,” you assert. “I am coming along.”

“Do not be a fool, Deg—Dragonborn!” The Novice hisses, barely catching herself. “You are our commander—you cannot just clamber into the bowel of this stronghold of beasts, attended only by… By secondary combatants!”

“I can handle myself,” you protest.

“And what are we to do without you?!”

The Novice pauses, tail flitting, eyes wide, as if suddenly aware she ahs said too much. None of the more lowly-born Reptilians dare to say anything, but there is one who has no such compunctions.

“We,” Jazkarmel asks, in her somewhat broken True Speech, with a sly smile, “or you?”

This draws a heated glare from the Novice, and hurled racial invective, which the Dark Elf Princess only seems to half-understand.

“I will return,” you promise the Novice, and she snaps her mouth shut and simmers down.

The Thief gathers his squad, subtly, so that any unknown observer would hardly notice them slipping out of the bulk of your forces. Your own departure, of course, will necessarily be more noticeable. You could still take the direct route, with a leap and a bound, of course. This would draw a great deal of fire, but this could actually BENEFIT the Thief’s squad. Alternatively, you could attempt to use the Amulet to enact a shrinking spell, and enter with the squad—then, you would have the strength and protection of numbers, and hopefully avoid detection until the time is right to strike.

Ultimately you opt to…
><Diminish Self> and join the assassination squad [Automatically learn a new spell, but slower progress—riskier to Davora]
><Jump> into the fray directly, serving as a distraction and assuming <Augmented Dragonshape> to wreak havoc [Riskier to YOU, but bolder and faster]
>Write-in
>>
>>5370188
><Jump> into the fray directly, serving as a distraction and assuming <Augmented Dragonshape> to wreak havoc [Riskier to YOU, but bolder and faster]

We can use the elemental amulet to take some of the fire off of us.
>>
>>5370188
><Jump> into the fray directly, serving as a distraction and assuming <Augmented Dragonshape> to wreak havoc [Riskier to YOU, but bolder and faster]

No man, dwarf or elf in Bloodrise can stand against us as we are now. Rip and tear for the Dark Gods below!
>>
>>5370188
><Diminish Self> and join the assassination squad [Automatically learn a new spell, but slower progress—riskier to Davora]
sorry davs, new spell
>>
>>5370188
><Jump> into the fray directly, serving as a distraction and assuming <Augmented Dragonshape> to wreak havoc [Riskier to YOU, but bolder and faster]
>>
>>5370188
>><Diminish Self> and join the assassination squad [Automatically learn a new spell, but slower progress—riskier to Davora]
>>
>>5370188
><Jump> into the fray directly, serving as a distraction and assuming <Augmented Dragonshape> to wreak havoc [Riskier to YOU, but bolder and faster]
Shortstack saving time.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>5370221
>>5370226
>>5370274
>>5370317
>>5370391
>>5370441
Ultimately, you opt to <Jump> into the fray directly. Coordinating with the Thief’s assassination squad, you wait for a signal, so you can best serve as a distraction. Eventually, you see it: an arrow, with a small piece of gleaming cooper trailing behind it. It is fired by Olu the Archer, who accompanied them for this purpose and to cover their escape, and it is launched out into the ravine from an angle easily glimpsed by those nearer the gulch, but NOT by those on the ramparts.

On their mark, you advance.

You are mostly unarmoured, having stripped down to your cloak and breeches. Upon your chest, you bear the reason for this otherwise-curious choice: the Amulet of Dragonshape, which the Novice has crafted you to enable the transformation which comes next. Dashing forwards, from one piece of cover to the next, you draw nearer and nearer the ramparts of the base, attempting to avoid detection until the critical moment…
>>
Rolled 9, 2, 16, 6, 3, 13, 16, 5 = 70 (8d20)

>>5370571
>1
…But it is in vain. It is no shout of raised alarm which tips you off to this, but the crossbow bolt which impacts your chest. You are knocked flat onto your back by the impact of the heavy, iron bolt—fired from a quite-large siege crossbow, you would wager. The pain radiates out from the bolt—mercifully, well above any vital organ—and rings through your head, impeding any spellcasting.

THEN, the alarm is raised—rattling and ringing bells, bellows in guttural dwarf-speak. You think you are learning to recognize a racial pejorative for kobolds in their tongue, through context and repetition. Your pained grimace turns into a bitter grin. Oh, you are no KOBOLD… And they’ll learn that soon enough!

You charge forward, focusing all your effort to maintain your spellcraft, and you leap…

[3 dice for Spellcraft, 3 for Athelticism, 2d20 mystery dice]
>>
Rolled 10, 5, 7, 4, 5, 10, 18, 9, 13, 9, 3 = 93 (11d20)

>>5370572
>16, 13
…And, despite the distractions of dwarves and buried crossbow quarrel, you <Jump>! You leap dozens of feet straight up, startling the dwarf manning the wall. He begins to turn his crossbow up towards you, but it is too little and too late; he, too, has been drugged, and is sluggish. In an instant, you are upon him, landing with such impact as to knock out even a dwarf instantaneously!

You close your eyes again, and cast your second spell: one of <Guidance>. You seek out a familiar aura: a warmth, a scent, the sound of a voice, an emotional connection deep within. You anchor your perception to this remembrance, and follow that thread from fate and probability from where it was last tied to your own to where, unraveled and alone, it now finds itself. You follow that thread—the thread of Davora the Herbalist—deeper into the castle-like structure of this dwarven company-keep.

Dwarves move to stop you—warriors armed with axes and hammers of impeccable craftsmanship, armoured, fearless in the face of invaders and saboteurs…

[2d20 Intimidation, 5d20 Swordsmanship, 3d20 Divination, and 1 mystery d20]
>>
>>5370574
>Intimidation: 10

…And, to the dwarven race’s credit, even dauntless in the face of a charging Dragon King, wearing his massive and monstrous <Augmented Dragonshape>! Some stand their ground, some advance to meet you with a shouted challenge in their rough and throaty tongue, but not a one falls away!

>Swordsmanship: 18

But, to the blade if not to fear, they DO fall. Their courage is their undoing, for you move with the urgent speed of a knight recuing a captive damsel, and attack with the brutal fury and force of a dragon. Your skin turns away their steel and iron with only a few blows managing to draw blood, and none penetrating deeply. Your own eleven swords—the moon-blade and the more-mundane one with which you originally left home—bathe in dark-red waters, and the lifeblood of these dwarven defenders flows through their halls like the subterranean rivers of your own underdark homeland.

No more dwarves move to stop you, though you think you hear muffled cries and the occasional clatter of steel from further away.

>16 (your forces) vs. 5 (theirs)

The assassin squad, finding their mark! Their objective is simple: search the corporate citadel, eliminating any enemy they find swiftly and most-lethally. No survivors, save Davora and her fellow Dwarven Infiltrators. But as for the Herbalist in question…

>Divination: 13

…It takes you a while to find her. Perhaps too long. Your <Augmented Dragonshape> has a time-limit, after all! It is nearly worn off by the time you locate Davora, and when you do…
>>
>>5370581
>3 (Davora’s condition)

She is laid at the feet of a heavily-armoured dwarf male. Her captor is wearing a face-concealing helm as you are, with his salt-and-pepper beard jutting out from beneath it at odd angles. He holds an axe in one hand. The other, which bears a spiked gauntlet, is nearly as red with dwarven-blood as your own swords are.

…Blood that is a match to the blood pooling out from beneath your prone Herbalist. For a single, terrible moment, you think she has paid for her loyalty to you with her life, but then she draws a long, ragged, sobbing breath, and shudders in agony. Her clothes are torn and tattered, exposing her body in suggestive—terribly suggestive—ways, and her exposed skin is marred by heavy bruising, which splits and oozes. Her face is hidden by her frizzy hair, her ‘beard-bead’ having been ripped away and now coated in her blood.

Her captor barks something in dwarven and then, switching to the local trade-tongue, says: “Come for your little mole, have you, lizard? Or is it… ‘Dragonborn’? She was so sure you were going to arrive any moment. Oh, she thinks highly of YOU, doesn’t she?”

He grins, and adopting a mocking falsetto, imitates your lover: “It’s for your own good! There’s no stopping what’s coming, the Dragonborn is UNBEATABLE! But if we cooperate the Dragonborn will SPARE us! Oh, won’t you think of the DRAGONBORN? The DRAGONBORN will save me! Oh, you’ll be sorry if you hurt me when the DRAGONBON finds out!”

He spits on Davora, who is so brutalized that she doesn’t even seem to register it—if, indeed, she is conscious at all.

“So, are you all you were talked up to be, you great bloody kobold bastard?” asks the Armoured Dwarf.

You are all out of mana. You are injured. Your Dragonshape is wearing off rapidly, maintained by willpower alone. What do you do?
>Charge in now and take him down HARD, while your Dragonshape remains!
>Use your Ring of Elemental Command to blast him from a distance
>Attempt to intimidate him with the Fearsome Presence
>Plead Davora’s innocence, and for him to let her go
>Write-in
>>
>>5370585
>Blast him with an arc of lightning from the Ring of Elemental Command and then slay the fool where he stands, while your Dragonshape yet remains!
>>
>>5370592
Supporting
>>
>>5370585
>Charge in now and take him down HARD, while your Dragonshape remains!

Don't wanna waste the dragonshape
>>
>>5370585
>Charge in now and take him down HARD, while your Dragonshape remains!
>>
>>5370592
Support
>Attempt to intimidate him with the Fearsome Presence
>>
>>5370585
>Charge in now and take him down HARD, while your Dragonshape remains!
Just don't kill him now. He will make a great example for others. All we need to do now is cut his arms off and cauterize the wounds with fire c:
>>
Rolled 13, 15, 17 = 45 (3d20)

>>5370592
>>5370624
>>5370643
>>5370745
>>5370807
>>5370888
This indignity will not stand! As you proved a half-dozen times on your way here, no mere DWARF can stand against the might of your <Augmented Dragonshape>. What, just because this hairy, helmeted half-pint has brutalized your attendant, he thinks he is different? You will gut him like the pig he so resembles!

You lunge forward to do just that… When his two allies, previously hidden to either side of the door, lunge forward with pick-axes in hand. Your eyes widen. Perhaps, had you not expended all your mana, your passive <Danger Sense> might have kicked in to alert you; as it is, your reaction time is scant, and have been bleeding profusely from the crossbow bolt yet embedded in your shoulder all this time. Only your Dragonshape-amplified athleticism, and their drugged condition, can save you now.

[DC 15, +2 for being outnumber, -3 for your Augmented Dragonshape, +1 for your injury, -1 for their poisoning. 14 Total.]
>>
File: maxresdefault.jpg (109 KB, 1024x576)
109 KB
109 KB JPG
Rolled 7, 3, 3, 14, 7, 20, 15 = 69 (7d20)

>>5371015
>17, 15
You duck one pick-axe and, with a swing of your thickly-muscled tail, you slam the offending dwarf into his fellow and send them both tumbling into the wall. Neither is dead, but both are stunned, and neither has the same aura of confidence and menace as the helmed-one. You turn to face him, and see that confidence somewhat shaken—but only barely. He is quick to kick the Herbalist aside, eliciting a bleat of pain and a haggard cough as he clears the path between you two. He treads through her pooling blod, trailing it with each footfall.

You have flashbacks to the horn-helmed human from which you took the berserker belt. This dwarfs helmet has no horns, instead more of a leather-and-metal cap with metal rings framing the eyes; he is also only a third the human’s height. Still, you feel the same sense of menace from this mammal. You wish you had that enchanted belt now—the extra boost of vigor would be very welcome at a time like this.

But the <Augmented Dragonshape> wanes. There is no time to waste. You rise from your crouch to meet him, lifting your two swords and guillotining the air before you in an intersecting, rising strike meant to press your reach advantage and to push this bite-sized belligerent back, where you can more elegantly execute him.

[4d20 for you, 3d20 for the enemies (should they survive)]
>>
File: Spoiler Image (284 KB, 2048x1920)
284 KB
284 KB JPG
>>5371027
>14: marginal success, thanks to Dragonshape One more success will kill the dwarf-boss

Your reach and draconic power is too much for the little mammal. You force him back even as he tries to advance, and hurl yourself into a violent assault with all your remaining augmented energy. He wears mail which your mundane elf-sabre cannot cut; you use that sword instead to batter him, to catch and deflect his own expert chops with his axe and to distract him, and then you cut his armour open with a heavy blow of the by-now-glowing moon-sword. You grunts in pain and staggers back.

Too late, you see his eyes flit behind you.

>20, 7

You cannot hold back a roar of shocked pain as a pick-axe embeds itself in your back. You wheeze, winded, wondering if a lung has been punctured. You stagger forwards a step, then wheel around, narrowly dodging another. The mole-men are THROWING them at you! You hiss in fury at this interruption of your glorious duel, and (perhaps inadvisably, you hear the Novice admonish you in the back of your mind) wrench the projectile from your back and hurl it at the dwarf who thus wounded you. The pick-end of the axe finds a new home in his skull, and he is a trheat no more.

>15

However, his superior officer—or regional manager, perhaps?—is no honourable combatant. You are knocked forward by a heavy blow of his axe, which tears through your cloak and cracks your copper carapace. The armour of your <Augmented Dragonshape> splinters, beginning to flake away. You feel the energy of your ancestors leaving you—your mana is all but gone, and your concentration broken.

You narrowly dodge a chop of the dwarf-boss’ axe, which instead lodges its head into the stone beside you. You stare at this display of sharpness and durability. Another magic axe, then, like that which you also gifted to the Chaplain to earn the right to be here...

In this place…

At Death’s own door.

You shake off the gloom. You will not perish here! You are not bested yet! Two against one is no terrible challenge, when you are of the Master Race—a Dragon King in the making!—and they are runty surface-scum.

Your eyes flit to Davora the Herbalist. She whimpers, curls in on herself. Her eyes flutter open, but they barely seem to perceive you—or anything. Still, she seems to sense your presence.

“S-sir…”

What do you do?
>Trust in your martial ability—duel the dwarves, two on one [Swordsmanship, high DC, expends no resources]
>Scoop up Davora, bull-rush the dwarf at the door, and beat a retreat [Athleticism, mid DC, leaves the dwarf leader alive]
>Break open one of the gems on your Ring of Elemental Command, releasing a renegade elemental to destroy your foes [Low DC, risky]
>Call out to the Thief and his squad, and hope you can protect yourself, and Davora, until they arrive
>Write-in
>>
>>5371047
>>Trust in your martial ability—duel the dwarves, two on one [Swordsmanship, high DC, expends no resources]

With one of their number down, we got this. I believe. This is the Serpent Ascendant's way.
>>
>>5371047
>Break open one of the gems on your Ring of Elemental Command, releasing a renegade elemental to destroy your foes [Low DC, risky]
>>
>>5371047
>Break open one of the gems on your Ring of Elemental Command, releasing a renegade elemental to destroy your foes [Low DC, risky]

Wish we put on the berserkers belt before the jump
>>
>>5371161
You actually offered it to the Chaplain as tribute and left it two weeks' journey away.
>>
>>5371166
Oh yeah good point
>>
>>5371047
>Trust in your martial ability—duel the dwarves, two on one [Swordsmanship, high DC, expends no resources]

No Guts
No Glory

Try a roar to stun him or some fire breath as a distraction to lower the DC - neither require mana as they’re part of our body
>>
>>5371047
>>Break open one of the gems on your Ring of Elemental Command, releasing a renegade elemental to destroy your foes [Low DC, risky]

>>5371178
Fighting the dwarfs head on has a high dc, and we are already significantly wounded. if the dwarfs get another good roll, we'll go down.
>>
>>5371047
>Break open one of the gems on your Ring of Elemental Command, releasing a renegade elemental to destroy your foes [Low DC, risky]
>>
>>5371047
>Break open one of the gems on your Ring of Elemental Command, releasing a renegade elemental to destroy your foes [Low DC, risky]
Once again, I'd like to keep the boss alive if the situation allows for it. That way we can break everyone's spirit and pay him back for everything.
>>
>>5371047
>Trust in your martial ability—duel the dwarves, two on one [Swordsmanship, high DC, expends no resources]
>Burn the fuckers- Firebreath them both
Death before dishonor! Also, we really need to use our Firebreath more often, we’re a dragon for anti-Christ’s sake.
>>
>>5371047
>Trust in your martial ability—duel the dwarves, two on one [Swordsmanship, high DC, expends no resources]
>Intimidate to stun them
But if we must break the ring, can we at least try
>Burn the fuckers- Firebreath them both
before breaking it? Even if it only hits one dude, that’s half the trouble we just saved ourselves.
>>
>>5371394
We're impaled with a crossbow bolt, cut like sushi, our magic is faded after slaying a small army and we'd still facing 2 opponents of which one is no ordinary midget. What dishonor are you talking about, you maniac?
>>
>>5371047
>>5371047
>Trust in your martial ability—duel the dwarves, two on one [Swordsmanship, high DC, expends no resources]
>>
Rolled 12, 17, 16, 11, 8, 1, 20, 19, 13, 5, 10 = 132 (11d20)

>>5371065
>>5371146
>>5371161
>>5371178
>>5371189
>>5371195
>>5371361
>>5371394
>>5371440
>>5371461
>>5371474
The situation is desperate. You are impaled with a crossbow bolt, amply lacerated, your magic is fading. Though your two opponents ARE merely dwarves, one is no MERE dwarf—you can sense that much. Be it superior experience and training, or the magic of his axe, he remains decidedly deadly.

Luckily, you have been holding a secret weapon, attuned but mostly unused, on your right hand this whole time.

You sink to one knee, as if succumbing to blood-loss, or surrendering, and drop your swords with a clang and clatter. The dwarves are startled, wary… As they should be. When the lesser of the two moves to kick your weapons away, he catches a blast of firebreath for his troubles.

“Treacherous gecko!” the superior dwarf shouts.

To your displeasure, it seems both dwarves—the more dangerous one in particular—are somewhat shielded against the heat and smoke by their attire. Worse, the puncture through your back burns in response to your volcanic exhalation, implying some sort of damage to your fire-lung. The firebreath sputters to sooty smoke-breath in mere moments, as you choke and cough… But it buys you distance, as designed.

You reach across your body, taking hold of the ring on your right hand using the claws on your left. You feel a reckless, manic malice seize you, and you focus the last of your mana into the red gem—one of three—on your Ring of Elemental Command. It isn’t enough to cast a spell, but it’s enough to activate the ring’s secondary function—an emergency release for one of the three elementals trapped thereupon.

So your firebreath was insufficient for these persistent pests? Then how about a LIVING INFERNO?!

You release the fire elemental from its ruby-hued prison, and it explodes forth into renewed being in a wave of desert-like heat that forces even you—mostly heat-immune—to squint and turn away from its solar magnificence.

[5d20 for the Elemental's attack, DC 10/12/15; 3d20 Spellcraft to exercise some control over it; 3d20 Athleticism to escape the room before it goes supernova (DC depends on results of Spellcraft)]
>>
>>5371493
Oh shit. Flames gonna flame.
>>
>>5371493
The dwarves cry out and stagger back, lacking your natural and honed fire immunity. Their protective attire is no match for a being of pure, elemental flame, more intense and focused than even dragonfire (certainly, what dragonfire you can presently muster).

>12

In desperation and with admittedly-admirable courage, the lesser of the two surviving dwarves hurls himself at his new foe… But sadly, bravery is no substitute for wisdom. The fool finds no physical form with which to grapple, and is instead subsumed, consumed, ignited, and immolated to ash. He hardly has time to scream, and what death-cry he CAN manage to emit is swiftly swallowed up by the triumphant, roar of the voracious fire-spirit.

The wiser and mightier of the two dwarves steps back, shielding his eyes, and shouts to you: “You idiot! You’ll kill us all, releasing something like that in here!”

“That’sss the idea,” you hiss back, with a croaking, coughing laugh.

“What about yourself, then? Your girlie? Call it off, you bloody lizaAAARGH!”

>17

The fire elemental sweeps inexorably towards your adversary. He swats at it with his magic axe, disrupting the flow of the fiery trunk below the elemental’s vaguely-humanoid form… But though he might be the most formidable opponent you have faced since the berserker, the dwarven manager-commander is no match for a force of nature made manifest. With his treated chain-mail opened up by your moon-blade, he is exposed. He bakes inside his metal and leathers like a potato in its skin.

In spite of his vanquishment, the dwarf’s warning is, perhaps, not misplaced. The elemental savors his death for a moment… But then its all-consuming, eyeless attention turns to you, and to the prone Herbalist.

You rise slowly, moving towards poor, helpless Davora. You step between her and the elemental; its movements never stop tracking you as you do so.

“I freed you,” you whisper, once more in True Speech. “It was not I who imprisoned you, but it was I who released you.”

The elemental gives no indication it understands what you are saying.

“I am not your enemy,” you croak. “Let us leave.”

Nothing.

You focus the last of your will—draconic or otherwise—and reach deep down for that inherent magic which is built into the very blood and bones of every living thing. From your very soul, you draw upon a well of mystic energy.
>>
>>5371508
From the depths of aeons long past, you dredge up a darker and more powerful flame than anything this… This mindless genie can muster! In the voice of a True Dragon, you roar so that the whole of the mountain shakes with your authority:

“BE. GONE.”

>20

And so it is gone. Its fire blinks out, as if snuffed. Is it… Dead? Disbanded and banished? Simply… Disappeared, to dwell somewhere deeper in the mountain, or in the cracks between this world and some elemental plane? That is a mystery for another time. For now, you scoop up the Herbalist and make for your egress before it just-as-mysteriously returns.

>13

It is a limping gait which carries you out of the room and down into the dungeons of this settlement-turned-sepulchre. The Herbalist clings weakly to your cloak, to your chest, wheezing and whining. She slips in and out of consciousness—you do likewise. This was a hard-won battle, such that you hardly even feel like a victor as you pass by the after-effects of your assassins’ plotted course… But when you find them, the Thief and his forces are subduing to their submission the females and offspring of the slain defenders and captive warriors outside—a swiftly tripling of your slave-dwarf population, executed (near as you can tell) without a single Reptilian or Drow fatality!

“Dragonborn?” Igno chirps, visibly concerned a she spies you entering the room.

Your vision goes hazy, your knees wobble. Well, no fatality… Except maybe yourself.

No, no, this is needless dramatics! You are barely aware of your surroundings for the next few minutes, as your allies assist you in exiting the dwarven fortress. Agno and Igno, your kobold retinue-members, lead you down the way they came up. It is an undignified exit, down what is essentially a disposal-chute, but you can waste no time with dignity. You stumble down into the gulch, supported by the two small Reptilians, still clutching the Herbalist; she is barely breathing. The Novice Fleshweaver must have seen you coming, for she is upon you before you know it.

“I returned,” you note, “just as I promised.”

“You meatheaded, foolhardy, reckless and feckless One-of-Inferior-Reason-and-Breeding!” she shouts at you, furious and fearful at your appearance. “Drop the damned dwarf and lay down before you pass out and hit your empty head on a rock!”

“So you do care,” you chortle.

“Shut up shut up SHUT UP!” the Novice wails.

You feel you are about to pass out., You have enough time to issue a single command:

>Command the Novice to attend to Davora the Herbalist first
(+Davora affection, 100% Davora loyalty, soft route-lock to Novice romance, slower recovery for you, increases dwarf respect/morale at cost of SOME Reptilian reputation)

>Say nothing, and let the Novice attend to you first
(+Novice affection, -Davora affection, soft route-lock to further Davora romance assuming she even survives, which she may not, disgruntles dwarves)
>>
File: maxresdefault.jpg (195 KB, 1280x720)
195 KB
195 KB JPG
>>5371515
[Backlink your posts if you're not using a persistent IP, or they won't count.]
>>
>>5371515
>Say nothing, and let the Novice attend to you first

Welp sorry Davorra I really hope you live.
>>
>>5371515
>>5367621
>Say nothing, and let the Novice attend to you first
Sorry Shortstack chan
>>
>>5371515
>Say nothing, and let the Novice attend to you first

Davora is a concubine at most. The Novice will be important to our political plans for the empire to come.
>>
>>5371515
>Command the Novice to attend to Davora the Herbalist first
Just stabilize her, then take care of our wounds.
t.>>5368849
>>
>>5371515
>Say nothing, and let the Novice attend to you first
>>
>>5371515
>Say nothing, and let the Novice attend to you first
Fun while we had you Dav, your plan was good and worked good, maybe we'll see you in a vision or something, ill never forget your hairy chin
>>
>>5371863
Backlink
>>5368769
>>
>>5371515
>Command the Novice to attend to Davora the Herbalist first
I don’t understand why we’d be blamed for saying nothing when we’re on the verge of passing out, but she should treat this as a triage situation.
>>
>>5371515
>Say nothing, and let the Novice attend to you first

Novice first and always

>>5371178
Backlink
>>
>>5371515
>Command the Novice to attend to Davora the Herbalist first
>>
File: 1660358407820781-1.png (3.19 MB, 3158x1542)
3.19 MB
3.19 MB PNG
Rolled 7 (1d100)

>>5371979
>>5371925
>>5371881
>>5371863
>>5371840
>>5371603
>>5371551
>>5371548
>>5371544
Condition: 3/20. 15% survival chance
>>
File: Spoiler Image (2.52 MB, 3158x1542)
2.52 MB
2.52 MB PNG
>>5372320
Post incoming
>>
>>5372320
>>5372321
You begin to speak, but you stutter and stop yourself. You look to the Novice Fleshweaver, urgency and confusion in her eyes. You look to your assembled Reptilians, reveling in victory, watching you curiously or with concern. None of them, not even the Novice, would have put themselves in such danger for you—not like you did, for this female. None of them would put such madness over the mission. And there they are—unharmed, triumphant—while you feel as if you are barely hanging on.

You look down at Davora, the Herbalist, who trusted in you… And who thus came to this fate. Bloody, battered… Violated, more likely than not. If the mockery of the leader of these dwarves is to be believed, she trusted in you and your plan until the end. Even now, she holds fast to you with all the strength left in her small body. Her own condition is even more dire than yours—all due to misplaced trust.

Perhaps… Perhaps the Novice is right. Perhaps trust of this sort really IS a mental illness, unique to foolish mammals.

You lay the Herbalist down upon the ground, prying her surprisingly-strong ahnds from your cloak.

“S-sir… I knew you’d… Come…”

You say nothing.

“I didn’t tell them anything,” she whispers.

You squint a little, involuntarily. The Herbalist says nothing more, falling unconscious shortly thereafter. It isn’t long before, slumping down beside her, you join her in the darkness.

Time passes, unknown and unknowable to you—less time than had you not been thus attended. Eventually, you wake.
The Novice Fleshweaver insists that you spend the rest of the next day and night in her chambers, under her watch while she attends to you with spells and stitches, balms and poultices. She works tirelessly to bring you back to your full strength as swiftly as possible. She sleeps upon the same patch of ground as you, pressed close to you, as if she fell asleep mid-mending and is afraid you will leave half-healed. It is… Not unpleasant.

Eventually, you are well enough to leave her chambers once more—and well enough that she can properly berate you for your perceived incompetence. You tolerate this outrageous impudence, if only because you can tell the Novice very much NEEDS this emotional outlet… And because it helps appraise you of your current situation.

It is during this briefing that you are informed of your dwarven lover’s death.

>7/100, DC 85

Davora the Herbalist did not wake, and never will again. The Novice, not one to waste a useful resource even if she IS dubious of your 'relationship', went to heal her once you yourself were in satisfactory condition... But Davora was dead. Her wounds were such that immediate attention was necessary. Her purpose is served—her plan a success, her final act one of loyal martyrdom. She joins Paeris the Bard as a casualty to your Dark Crusade.

And yet... No. Nevermind. It's nothing.
>>
>>5372365
You have been unconscious only two days, thanks to round-the-clock medical attentions. The dwarves—those who survived the assault—have been bound, battered, cowed, and conditioned to their new lives… Or, well, as best they can be, in only 48 hours or so.

“It will come with time,” you assure the Novice, as you don your ceremonial armour once more, over still-bruised ribs. You resist the urge to wince—you must project strength in this time.

“There is still the matter of the dwarf female, who betrayed us and nearly gave away the Herbalist’s plan,” the Novice tells you. “The Pit-Guard has delayed her execution, until you woke.”

“For me to handle personally?” you ask.

The Novice nods, the hesitates, before adding: “And she wished to speak with you, apparently. A last request, I gather.”

You can’t imagine what this female—a dwarf whose name you do not even know—might wish to say. Even more peculiar is that the Pit-Guard would even entertain such sentimental frivolity as a ‘last request’.

“She told me she had some… Vital information, an observation made during her infiltration, which could aid us in conquering the last Blackmantle company-town as easily as these last two.”

He pauses, eyes widening as he recalls your recent two-day coma.

“N-not that it was not hard-fought, or to say that… Well… I mean…”

You hold up a hand for him to stop, and he snaps his jaws shut and silences his yammering.

“She is just trying to save her own hairy hide,” the Novice spits derisively.

“She revealed nothing under torture” the Thief notes. “But… I do not think it was because she had nothing to say. The look in her eyes… I do not know how valuable any intelligence she has might be, but she HAS been waiting to speak to you, and she has no fear of death to motivate her.”

What do you do with the dwarf traitor?
>Humour her last request, and see if you can glean any useful information from her
>Have her executed and be done with it, for you have more important matters to attend to
>Torture her to death before an audience, as an example and to take out your frustrations over… Recent losses
>Write-in
>>
>>5372368
>Humour her last request, and see if you can glean any useful information from her

Damn, that was a sad ass choice we had to make there. Well written as always QM.
>>
>>5372368
>Humour her last request, and see if you can glean any useful information from her

Dang I probably would've voted the other way if I knew the DC was so high.
>>
>>5372368
>Humour her last request, and see if you can glean any useful information from her


ooof poor Davora
oh well
we weren't wrong about trust tho
>>
>>5372368
>Humour her last request, and see if you can glean any useful information from her

Man maybe we should’ve taken the soft route lock and tried to fix it later
>>
>>5372368
>Have her executed and be done with it, for you have more important matters to attend to
>Commune with Death to see what happens to Davora
Fuck that traitor.
>>5372365
Thanks for turning the vote for her survival into a "romance lock" vote, RQM. Bet nobody voted for the forced love mechanic while ignoring the main thing the vote should actually be about, that would be stupid!
>>5372371
It wasn't sad, it was pointlessly connected to romance locks which encouraged metavoting for novice/avoiding pushing Davora's romance, instead of saving the character who would die for us, who WE decided was worth risking death for and who was our key to keeping midgets under control.
>>5372375
Well she WAS actually dying unlike us, who can take critical failures and survive. The vote wasn't about who lives, but if she lives.
>>
>>5372368
>Torture her to death before an audience, as an example and to take out your frustrations over… Recent losses
;_;
Just had to add extra meta shit to the decision huh (instead of her heathbar and survival chances, of course).

>>5372463
I honestly found the whole ‘soft route-lock’ shit to be a bit contrived, it should’ve just been about who would get medical attention first, not strange waifu battle to the death.
>>
>>5372368
Also
>Preach and dedicate this town to the Prosecutor
I’m mad and these fuckers deserve it. Make the collaborators into the Prosecutor's lawbarers.
>>
>>5372499
It just felt like those cheap, binary videogame choices that have two outcomes with black and white results. Every other vote we get multiple different options (+write-ins) and here we suddenly get hit with "save her or not (85%)" with both choices having that cancerous waifu meter attached for no reason. The shit that serves no purpose other than artificially fueling waifuwars with meta information.
And then RQM goes to QTG and tells anticoomer to come back if he wants (wink wink) because the dwarf is dead (>>5372377). Like that's gonna stop this quest from being a neverending horny fuckshow and make him want to return.
>>5372368
I (>>5372463) will also support vote for torturing her to death if mine doesn't get support.
>>
>>5372505
Yeah, I like this.

We need to bring caste ideals into our new Kingdom…

Dwarven collaborators and skilled workers will obviously get a higher status
>>
>-1 on the prosecutor

He’ll never like us anons and I don’t like him
>>
>>5372544
I hate the narrative journey more. We literally rushed in and got ourselves butchered just to save her, sacrificing one of our elemental orbs to do it, and we cucked out of saving her life because it soft-locks us from the Novice? Not to mention that the negative affection/soft lock-route for Davora implied there was a decent chance of her surviving, not the 85% chance of dying she actually had. Davora deserved better.

We should learn more Fleshweaving, we can heal ourselves and our comrades injuries with it.
>>
>>5372544
Damn RQM can't even meme in the QTG anymore.
>>
>>5372368
>Humour her last request, and see if you can glean any useful information from her
Then
>Torture her to death before an audience, as an example and to take out your frustrations over… Recent losses
>Preach and dedicate this town to the Prosecutor
I like making sure Davora‘s soul is comfy, but that can wait till we’re meditating alone. Her death stings though.

>>5372576
That was him memeing? I thought he was being legit.
>>
>>5372557
I don't like it either, but at this point I've learned the narrative can do a full 180° because reasons. No matter what anons say, nobody here gives a fuck about narrative coherence until they disagree with something and it's time to argue against it. I'm sure RQM will be happy he managed to stir just that little bit of controversy by his decision.
>>5372576
Aye, fucking illegal now. Watchu gonna do?
>>5372368
Also adding dedicating the town to Prosecutor to my (>>5372463, >>5372544) vote.
>>
Wait why are we dedicating this town to the Prosecutor? I thought we decided that the Dwarves are going to be worshippers of the Baleful Beholder because of their use as researchers and knowledge of orichalum? I want another reward from him for getting him worshippers so we can ask another question about the Dragonslayer.

I don't really see the Prosecutor being excited about having Dwarf servants anyways given his whole isolationist and traditionalist schtick. He would've be vehemently opposed to even starting this whole operation, especially involving the Drow as allies.
>>
>>5372610
Because we’re going to need to keep order if we’re allowing the surrendered males to live. The Beholder will get his researchers from the most skilled/intelligent, but the less brainy ones will need a useful job.

I’m sure the Prosecutor can be convinced, and besides, aren’t we a popularity hound, chasing for our Pantheon’s and community’s approval and appreciation? We should at least attempt to court his favor, if only so he doesn’t turn antagonistic towards us.
>>
>>5372613
I'd rather just dedicate the town to the entire pantheon then. That way each god can play their role with these Dwarves. I see the main benefit of devoting worshippers to one god is getting a reward, a reward that we are unlikely to get from the persecutor given his probable dislike of this mission and disdain for dwarves.

And didn't RQM state that getting the persecutor on our side is practically impossible at one point given our choices?
>>
[To clarify re: the QTG, I was memeing, but I will address a couple other points (briefly) before continuing on:

>Why no health bar for Davora?
Because you have no medical training, and no way of knowing the full extent of her damage. I figured letting you know I rolled a 3 on a d20 for her condition and that she was unconscious for several minutes, not really able to move, and might die without being priotized would communicate that it was severe, though.

>Why was it a waifu-related choice, or related to Reptilian/dwarven respect?
Because the Novice has a lizard-person's extremely-limited concept of love, and (for all her horrified fascination with your spawn with Glowie) would never respect or understand such a bond or such a sacrifice for a dwarf. It wouldn’t even be jealousy, but rather she would be worried you were insane or broken in some way.

The same goes for other observers in that gulch. Heroically rwcsuing her, and showing thar level of care and concern for a dwarven slave would bring a tear to even many an old prospector's eye... But it this concept of love would confuse and infuriate the 'master race', while the kobolds would better understand it but feel mistrust to see you lavish such 'preference' on their hated rivals.

>It was a contrived choice?
Maybe, but aren't they all? I deliberately set up situations to force hard choices with multiple elements sometimes, because it helps define the character and the direction of his development and his priorities. The alternative is choices that are emotionally empty, and purely strategic or aesthetic. There's room for a quest like that, but I ain't going to run it.

>Why would her death upset the dwarves?
You'll see. :) Posting soon!
>>
>>5372615
>dedicate a city to a pantheon of gods that disagree, dislike and try to outplay each other
what could possibly go wrong
>>5372616
>It wouldn’t even be jealousy, but rather she would be worried you were insane or broken in some way.
Well, since we're on the course of breaking away from everything those coldblooded reptiles perceive as normal, we'll cross this line at some point anyway. It was all for nothing :/
>>
>>5372617
You're right we should dedicate the city to the light gods instead, they're more united.
>>
File: 8zJkcyL.png (122 KB, 210x330)
122 KB
122 KB PNG
>>5372584
>>5372545
>>5372499
>>5372463
>>5372399
>>5372385
>>5372375
>>5372371

You enter the chamber where the kobolds are keeping the traitorous ‘Dwarf Infiltrator’—the one who the late Herbalist exposed, drugged, and turned over to you. She’ll surely die—maybe even gruesome, painfully, and publicly—but you see no reason why you can’t humour this ‘last request’ business first. You might even learn something useful.

“You’re still limping,” the dwarf captive notes dryly, when the gag is removed from her mouth.

“I am in better condition than you are, traitor,” you reply in her surface-speak.

“Traitor?” she balks. “I’m not the traitor! The dwarves that are working with you… They are! They’re betraying our gods, our husbands and fathers, our mothers’ wishes and our children’s futures! For what? The chance for our sons to work themselves to death to make your petty, tyrannical vision of an ‘Age of Darknesssss’ a reality? So you can fuck our daughters, use them up, and leave them to die—just like you did Davora?”

Your eyes widen. You aren’t sure how much the kobolds have understood of this, if any, but you order them to leave. You draw your dagger and advance on the captive, hauling her bound body up easily—with your good arm, not the one still recovering from the crossbow bolt which embedded its adjacent muscle-groups.

“Did you think you were subtle, you great big horny toad?” this dwarf mocks you. “Maybe you lizards are oblivious, but I can recognize when a lass I’ve known for over a year is fawning like a little girl… And I know sex-hair when I see it. Plus, ugh, your SMELL.”

“How many know?” you demand, knife to her throat.

“Any dwarf woman worth her salt,” the traitor tells you, eyes empty of triumph despite her surface-level amusement at your reaction. “And every dwarf man, soon enough. We gossip. We talk. We REMEMBER, and we hold GRUDGES, lizard.”

“Why did you call me here, then?” you demand through gritted teeth. “Wass it jussst to goad me? To get a reaction? I have dealt with your type before. You have achieved nothing.”

“It was to tell you to your face that you’re doomed, and that I’ll gladly go to the Hall of the Mountain King—or to the Hells, for that matter!—knowing it’s the Gods’ own truth. The dwarves have seen what comes of loyalty to the likes of you—even for your little girlies. You’re just like another kobolds—wasteful, petty, greedy. You don’t maintain your tools, not even one well-crafted—you use them without care, and you wreck them, and you throw them away.”
>>
>>5372640
You stare at her, stifling a tremor of… Rage? Something else.

“You’re not a dragon, not a king… Not a prophet! You’re just another animal! And they’ll all see it!”

You look between the dead-eyed traitor and your assassin’s dagger. If this female is to be believed, Davora’s death carries another cost: her people, already prone and primed to harbour a lasting resentment and disloyalty, do not see her as a martyr to emulate, but a cautionary tale about the wages of collaborating with and submitting to you.

“Thisss isssn’t what the Herbalissst would have wanted,” you hiss.

“She would have wanted a lover who called her by her fucking NAME instead of by her job description, I’d bet,” the traitor says levelly.

What do you do with the traitor?
>Execute her now—better here, in the privacy and darkness, rather than before witnesses
>Torture her to death publicly, and sacrifice her to the Dark Gods [specify if you have one in mind]
>Let her live—as a captive, of course—so she may see how wrong she was

And what of the dwarves more broadly? Is there truly rebellion fomenting? How will you handle this?
>Honour Davora’s death is a public ceremony, and praise her memory—make sure they all understand that she WAS valued, and WILL be rewarded
>Grant those most loyal and cooperative dwarves special privileges and freedoms, so long as they report on the disgruntled and help keep them in line
>Offer them the same status as the kobolds—complete with promoting Karz Throat-singer to full retinue-member and assembling a council for consultations
>Use your amulets of disguise and divination magic to police them, brutally punishing any who speak of of you and Davora's tryst, or of rebellion

[Write-ins are, as they always are unless otherwise specified, allowed]
>>
>>5372641
>Torture her to death publicly, and sacrifice her to the Serpent Ascendant. You have come to understand his teachings well: growth requires sacrifice, among other things.

>Honor Davora, and honor those amongst the dwarves like Karz publicly, forming a ruling sect amongst the dwarf-slaves. Collaborators are fed better, treated better, and given a chance for an actual place in the future of Bloodrise. Those who defy the status quo are beaten, worked, and killed, when necessary. Emphasize that you will not tolerate waste and loss.
>>
>>5372641
>Execute her now—better here, in the privacy and darkness, rather than before witnesses
>Honour Davora’s death is a public ceremony, and praise her memory—make sure they all understand that she WAS valued, and WILL be rewarded
>>
>>5372652
Note that this does not include a place on the "council" or retinue yet. They have to earn that shit collectively, and they certainly have not after this incident.
>>
>>5372641
>Execute her now—better here, in the privacy and darkness, rather than before witnesses

>Honour Davora’s death is a public ceremony, and praise her memory—make sure they all understand that she WAS valued, and WILL be rewarded
>Grant those most loyal and cooperative dwarves special privileges and freedoms, so long as they report on the disgruntled and help keep them in line
>>
>>5372641
>Torture her to death publicly, and sacrifice her to the Dark Gods

>Grant those most loyal and cooperative dwarves special privileges and freedoms, so long as they report on the disgruntled and help keep them in line
>>
>>5372641
>Execute her now—better here, in the privacy and darkness, rather than before witnesses

>Honour Davora’s death is a public ceremony, and praise her memory—make sure they all understand that she WAS valued, and WILL be rewarded
>>
>>5372641
>Torture her to death publicly, and sacrifice her to the Dark Gods
Death, lmao.
>Honour Davora’s death is a public ceremony, and praise her memory—make sure they all understand that she WAS valued, and WILL be rewarded
>Grant those most loyal and cooperative dwarves special privileges and freedoms, so long as they report on the disgruntled and help keep them in line
Too little too late
>>
>>5372640
>You’re just like another kobolds
*You're just like any other kobold
>>
>>5372641
>Torture her to death publicly, and sacrifice her to the Dark Gods
All of them

>Honour Davora’s death is a public ceremony, and praise her memory—make sure they all understand that she WAS valued, and WILL be rewarded
>Grant those most loyal and cooperative dwarves special privileges and freedoms, so long as they report on the disgruntled and help keep them in line
>>
File: tally.png (6 KB, 697x99)
6 KB
6 KB PNG
>>5372785
>>5372767
>>5372720
>>5372685
>>5372673
>>5372653
>>5372652
[Vote locked, writing up!]
>>
Rolled 13, 18, 7, 18 = 56 (4d20)

>>5372813
You meet your prisoner’s eyes. A part of you feels that killing her could quell this turmoil inside you—this regret. But… No, no. This is not the way. You drop her, eliciting a grunt of pain from the little mammal on impact with the floor.

“You wish to ssserve as an exxxample to your kind?” you ask rhetorically. “Very well, then. They shall all learn what it meansss to ssserve the Dark Godsss… Or to ssstand againssst them.”

You replace the traitor’s gag, and summon the kobolds back to the room, to mind her. You, meanwhile, make preparations.

The next day, you summon your prisoners, slaves, and allies alike to stand before you upon the ramparts of the keep you have stolen and subdued, to bear witness to a great and glorious thing: a ritual sacrifice, as you performed above the basilisk pit in the kobolds’ mountain-home.

“Dark Godss Below and Beyond,” you cry out, in Northern Common-tongue so that all might understand, “I offer thiss ssacrifice not in MY name, but in that of the Her—”

You stop.

“In the name of Davora, the Dwarf! She who sserved me, and you, sso well! She who lived, and died, for our caussse!”

Her name feels strange and alien on your tongue. You’ve spoken it before but… So casually, in front of so many? Still, you can see the dwarves watching you through narrow eyes, grumbling and glowering… But perhaps fewer than had you been impersonal. If you are to rule a multi-species empire, perhaps It behooves you to better comprehend even the lowly and mammalian customs and mindset. Not to ADOPT them, of course, but to know them, so you may bend and subvert them. Trust is a foolish thing, but UNDERSTANDING is paramount.

>Dark Prophet: +1 Religion, +1 Leadership
>>
>>5372844

"I… We, your dark ssservantsss, all owe her a debt that we cannot repay. Insstead, we offer you thisss tribute, thisss sscum which betrayed and undermined Davora in her in her lassst great act of willing sservitude… Who, perhapsss, cosst Davora the Dwarf her life!”

The captive traitor’s eyes widen, and she shouts a protest of innocence, or perhaps an accusation. You cannot tell which it is—the gag remains. You backhand her for her petulance.

“Let her sssuffer,” you snarl, “as noble Davora ssuffered, at the handsss of the ssservants of the Falsse Godss who led these dwarvesss astray, and abandoned them to my merciessss!”

And suffer she does—long, and in excruciating and meticulous carnage, as one body part after another is cut away and offered up. The Novice keeps her alive through it all until, at long last, you hold her heart in one hand and her head in another, offered up to the empty spaces between the stars… And then cast down into the chasms and pits below. Many dwarves look away in disgust; some stare in horror and fury. Many more despair, the light leaving their still-living eyes as they realize the truth of the new world they find themselves in.

Good.

Not ALL the dwarves look away. Some stare steely-eyed, stone-faced, beholding the abyss but refusing the blink. Karz, the Throat-singer, is among them, eyes wet but unblinking. One by one, you summon them to the stage, honouring their names and placing the blood of the sacrifice upon their brow. One by one, as you rehearsed with them, they give up a traitor—a grumbler, doubter, plotter, schemer. One by one, these dwarves are dragged away by your kobolds and Jazkarmel’s dark elves, to be tortured into confession and forced repentance, followed by purifying, edifying labour. Those who stand atop the ramparts with you are given gifts of jewels, of food, of improved living-conditions.

“The Dark Godss, the TRUE Godss, will not forget those who ssserve them!” you announce.

>18

Your race, and the kobolds who serve them, ululate in celebration and religious fervor. Some Drow join in, including Jazkarmel, whose garnet eyes seem sparkle in sinister delight at the bloody spectacle of this ritual.


"The Dark Godss and those who ssserve them on Earth will not forget Davora," you continue, "and they will not forget you, honoured among dwarvesss!”

More quietly, somehow feeling it is too little and too late, you add: “Neither shall I.”

>18

No dwarf joins in the victory-cry, but those beside you stand tall, shameless, embracing the new way. Those who would stand against you are bowed, broken in body and spirit. They turn their heads downwards, no longer confident in the protection of their Mountain King, or in any other God of Light. In time, they will learn of the strength which lies in serving darkness.
>>
File: Level 2,8.png (941 KB, 1969x980)
941 KB
941 KB PNG
>>5372848
Aside from the Herbalist’s death and the status of her fellow Infiltrator and her dwarven kin, The Novice Fleshweaver—and subsequently your chiefmost lieutenants, the Thief, Bastard, and Pit-Guard—gave you a general situation report. The third and final Blackmantle Corporation base-of-operations has been located. The Reptilians (including kobolds) and Drow are raring to fight another battle, having barely been taxed at all by this last conquest…

Thanks in no small part to the Davora’s plan and botanical-alchemical expertise.

Regardless, they’re still fresh, and keen to take this last citadel. It’s even looking to be a relatively easy victory: they are still unprepared for your arrival, even moreso than this last batch of dwarves were, and have nothing like the defences of the base which you most recently defeated and captured!

“The bugbears aren’t back yet,” Jazkarmel notes, over drinks with you, Olu, and (begrudgingly, and with the insistent adherence to utmost sobriety from ‘mammalian mind-poison’) the Novice Fleshweaver.

“We do not need them!” Oluwadamilare the Archer boasts, flashing a pearly-white grin. “Not with your Drow, and our Reptilian might!”

He flexes to demonstrate, and waggles his eyebrows lasciviously. Jazkarmel snorts, before bursting out in her crystalline laugh.

“Disgusting,” the Novice mutters, rolling her eyes and sipping from her cup of water.

More quietly, she informs you: “The pathing-bug has not yet returned, either.”

In addition, the Pit-Guard offers you another warning, later:

“The number of dwarves in our possession has just tripled. If we were to even take only the women and children of the next settlement… They would quite-feasibly outnumber the kobolds. The logistics of minding them, of ensuring they foment no rebellion or revolt… It would strain our resources.”

“They will not rebel,” you say, feeling confident in this. “They are broken.”

“But the new acquisitions will not be,” the Pit-Guard points out, “and, with due respect… They may not always REMAIN such. Should we not consider our demographic future, Dragonborn?”
>>
>>5372850
Lastly, there is the matter of what to do with the new dwarf company-town, which entered your possession as you enslaved its occupants. It IS far more impressive than the last, even if the resources beneath it are less immediately-valuable. Its position is more defensible, and situated on a perfect river for transporting goods (and troops) downstream, for raiding and/or trading. Form your informal drinking-meetings with Jazkarmel, you can tell that she covets it, and would very much like it to fall under the purview of your ‘territory for military aid’ pact. The kobolds (and the North-Merchant and South-Merchant, perhaps most of all!) seem to think you should move your entire operation into these cozier confines.

The Pit-Guard and your Dragonblooded Researcher are more hesitant, though.

“It is very… Open,” the Pit-Guard notes. “And it is home territory for the dwarves. They will have an easier time rebelling in their own home than trapped in ours, and their potential allies will know where to find them, and how to subvert the defences. The dwarves MADE those defences!”

“It means moving away from the archives of our own ancestors—and the potential treasure vaults!” protests the Researcher. “Better to use these slaves to excavate the ruins of the Red Dragon’s kingdom. Do you not think so, Superior One?”

It seems you have a number of difficult choices ahead of you… But what else is new. You sigh, and leave to meditate. After careful consideration, you come to your conclusion.

What will you do about the issues which you now face?
>Give this settlement to the Drow, leaving Jazkarmel a share of the most troublesome dwarves, and take the most useful back with you to the kobolds’ cave-system
>Keep this valuable settlement for your own race and the kobolds, but make preparations to attack and claim the final Blackmantle settlement swiftly, so the Drow may have THAT one
>Let the most loyal dwarves administer this settlement—under careful supervision, of course—and play the role of ‘local Blackmantle management’, while you acculturate your current crop of dwarves and await your other allies
>Take what is most valuable here, raze it to the ground, and march on the next settlement with intent to annihilate all inhabitants
>Write-in
>>
>>5372851
>Give this settlement to the Drow, leaving Jazkarmel a share of the most troublesome dwarves, and take the most useful back with you to the kobolds’ cave-system
>>
>>5372851
>Give this settlement to the Drow, leaving Jazkarmel a share of the most troublesome dwarves, and take the most useful back with you to the kobolds’ cave-system

I do think we need to make good on our promises to the kobolds soon; they deserve a top-tier home. They've bled for us the most out of all of our many troops.
>>
>>5372851
>Give this settlement to the Drow, leaving Jazkarmel a share of the most troublesome dwarves, and take the most useful back with you to the kobolds’ cave-system
>Use the knowledge and experience of your most-devoted dwarven architects to prepare new defenses and prevent dwarven attacks through known weakpoints
Do this in secrecy, should one of rebelling fucks escape.
>>
>>5372851
Didn’t we already give the last one to the Drow? Why are we giving them a second one if there’s only three?
>What is the third citadel like? If it better or worse than this one?
As much as I like the Drow, we need to solidify our Alliance before we give them 2/3rds of Bloodrise.
>>
>>5372918
[There are several dwarven corporations in Bloodrise. Blackmantle is only one of them, leasing territory closest to the kobolds. You'd have gifted them about a fifth of Bloodrise, assuming you gave them both these settlements AND the land around them; otherwise, far less.]
>>
>>5372851
>>Give this settlement to the Drow, leaving Jazkarmel a share of the most troublesome dwarves, and take the most useful back with you to the kobolds’ cave-system
>>
>>5372908
Supporting this.

The Pit Guard is right, we need to address our slave workforce before taking more land.

A large contingent of the best dwarves should be sent back to the kobolds’ cave-system. They could even start farming outside the caves…
>>
>>5372937
>>5372932
>>5372908
>>5372900
>>5372882
“Let the Drow have this place,” you tell your advisors the next day. “We do not need this tiny parcel of land, when soon the whole of the Bloodrise will be ours.”

“But the profits!” the North-Merchant whines.

“Location IS vital for trade,” the South-Merchant notes.

“Then we will trade through the Drow,” you say, with a shrug. “As before, we will have first-right-of-refusal on any good produced, and a say in what is exported to other races and nations.”

It also means they’ll serve as the apparent perpetrators of the invasion, if the dwarves, by some grave upset, manage to recapture their fortifications… A handy smokescreen for your own race’s involved. The conspiracy may yet be preserved, in such a manner.

“Can I deliver the good news to Jaz?” Olu asks, with a too-wide grin.

The Novice Fleshweaver groans and scowls, but you readily agree. His giddiness makes you think of… Of… You shake it off. The Novice, perhaps worried that you are still suffering pain from your lasting injuries, watches you closely and with concern.

“For the privilege of being allowed to stake their claim here,” you continue, “we’ll even allow them to retain the services of some of our slaves, as before.”

The Pit-Guard nods slowly, rattling with laughter. “The most troublesome among them?”

“Correct,” you affirm. “But also… See if the best architects among their rank, and the kobolds, can shore up known weak-points in the fortifications. It is still in our best interests that the dark elves retain this territory.”

You remain in the Blackmantle regional headquarters long enough to formally arrange the matter of territorial administration and trade-rights with Jazkarmel, who agrees readily-enough, and to attend to the defensive audit. Much of these architectural matters go over your head; rather, Ivno the Kobold takes point, along with blonde Ciranda—one of the so-called ‘Blooded Dwarves’, who (albeit with sour expression and hollow eyes not unlike those of the sacrificed traitor) has submitted to your reign.
>>
File: hqdefault.jpg (12 KB, 480x360)
12 KB
12 KB JPG
>>5373053
All this leading and managing of your forces--and recovering from borderline-mortal wounds—has taken a great deal out of you. You feel the need to unwind. to relax the tension which has filled your every fibre since you awoke to find Davora dead. You find yourself regretting the necessity of her death, when your mind drifts to it—wondering if it even WAS necessary.

You need… Something, to fill this hole inside you. Your heart and soul cry out for relief. You are changed, though—you have passed through another gauntlet, you feel, and emerged a new reptile—closer to the Dragon-Self which you strive to become. Your appetites and desires have likewise underwent and transformation, or perhaps a refinement.

You find your respite in…

>Empty sexual pleasure with dwarves and in-season kobolds—you can no longer go without it
>Torture and mutilation of dissidents and heathens
>A retreat from the realm of the body, to seek a deeper spiritual understanding
>Learning more dwarven arts, philososphy, and language
>The Novice Fleshweaver’s company, taking the excuse of her treatment and tutelage of you to enjoy her company
>Studying the only scroll of necromancy which Hapo did not abscond with, that perhaps you might speak with Davora again

[Write-ins are also allowed, but please, nothing combat or magic-related beyond what I've included. There will be a pair of votes coming up for that, as well, as we near the end of this thread and complete this last level-up.]
>>
>>5373059
>Studying the only scroll of necromancy which Hapo did not abscond with, that perhaps you might speak with your mother for some guidance

Forget Davora. Let's see if we can get in touch with Mom.
>>
>>5373059
>Studying the only scroll of necromancy which Hapo did not abscond with, that perhaps you might speak with Davora again
Need some catharsis and to thank her for her sacrifice.
>>5373053
>His giddiness makes you think of… Of…
All that wasted potential. I liked Davora because of the way our actions corrupted her and now it all went to hell in arguably the worst way possible :/
>>
>>5373059
>Empty sexual pleasure with dwarves and in-season kobolds—you can no longer go without it
If we’re playing waifu games, might as well make it all meaningless.

>>5373071
Shit happens. It’s why binary decisions in a complicated setting isn’t as satisfying as some would think.
>>
>>5373059
>Learning more dwarven arts, philososphy, and language
>The Novice Fleshweaver’s company, taking the excuse of her treatment and tutelage of you to enjoy her company
Fleshweaving is a must.

>>5373062
I actually got a theory on how to possibly get in touch with her if you really want to.

>>5373071
I wouldn’t mind learning to Speak to the Dead Jonah Hex style.
>>
>>5373117
[Picking multiple options may lead to diminishing returns, but is allowed.]
>>
>>5373059
>Empty sexual pleasure with dwarves and in-season kobolds—you can no longer go without it
Like Mother like Son.
>>
>>5373059
>The Novice Fleshweaver’s company, taking the excuse of her treatment and tutelage of you to enjoy her company

Let's not piss off death with necromancy or fuck kobolds and dwarves.
>>
>>5373059
>Learning more dwarven arts, philososphy, and language
>The Novice Fleshweaver’s company, taking the excuse of her treatment and tutelage of you to enjoy her company

Our dick is weak we’ll fall in love again after fucking another fat jiggly ass
>>
>>5373071
I hope Davora made it to the dark gods afterlife
>>
>>5373059
>A retreat from the realm of the body, to seek a deeper spiritual understanding

disregard thots, acquire enlightenment
>>
File: hmmm.png (8 KB, 851x102)
8 KB
8 KB PNG
[Hmm, close results. I'll leave the poll open until tomorrow, and then work with what we've got.]
>>
>>5373059
>>A retreat from the realm of the body, to seek a deeper spiritual understanding

we maybe the strongest champion of our reptilian tribe, but at the end of the day were still a far cry from a dragon. That veteran dwarf could almost fight us as an equal with back up.

which is doubly concerning since according to our vision. The green knight (whose decked out in fully enchanted dragonslayer arms and armor.) is going to be making moves soon enough.

we need to be focusing on grinding out gains.
>>
Realized we gave Drow the fortress. We better take the rest of land four ourselves now.
>>
>>5373274
A little late for that now, isn't it?
>>
>>5373059
>The Novice Fleshweaver’s company, taking the excuse of her treatment and tutelage of you to enjoy her company
>Studying the only scroll of necromancy which Hapo did not abscond with, that perhaps you might speak with Davora again

Acquire knowledge!
>>
>>5373567
>>5373437
>>5373274
>>5373186
>>5373156
>>5373143
>>5373117
>>5373103
>>5373071
>>5373062
You are consumed by internal conflict. You hunger for something, but you know not what—not at first. At first you think it is physical—a hunger for the pleasures of the flesh. You fixate upon every plump or pert backside, every swaying tail. Each time you make a move to summon the owner of the shapely rump to your quarters, though, and she turns around to face you…

It is the face of the one you lost which you see.

You give up on this pursuit, and for the next day you pace your chambers. On a slate-and-pinewood sits the one and only necromantic scroll which evaded Hapo the Deserter’s little claws. Maybe… Maybe you would feel better, be freed from this burden, if you only knew that Davora had made it safely to the realm of one of the Dark Gods—had been honoured, and was content with her lot? Maybe then you wouldn’t regret your decision… Her death? After all, surely she would understand—you had no way to know that her internal injuries were so great! You were only thinking about…

About the Novice Fleshweaver.

>+Novice affection

In the end, it is there, with HER, that you sequester yourself. You spend you next few days, in study of her arts of meat-and-magic. She seems perturbed by your presence at first, shooting insults aplenty your way, admonishing you for distracting her from her study of dwarven corpses and the extraction of yet more materials to enrich and activate the newest batch of Amulets of Disguise. You counter the barbs. The familiar rhythm brings you some peace of mind, and in time she seems to adjust to yoru presence.

“If we are to leave the dark elves in charge of administering these surface-outposts in our stead, I wonder… Might we not benefit from better disguising just who and what they are?”

“Hm?” you grunt, snapping out of another turn towards introspection. “What?”

The Novice swats you with her tail and hisses.

“You are distracted. You absorb yourself in your studies, but the moment they cease, you seem to… Drift away.”

“I have much on my mind,” you counter. “Not all of us can cloister ourselves to obsess over a single subject unendingly, Oh Hyperfixated One.”

“And yet, you certainly seem fixated and obsessed yourself,” the Novice notes. “Just not with THIS work, THIS place.”

You grunt.
>>
>>5373687
The Novice hesitates, then steps closer to you. She narrows her eyes slightly, looking at you. Then, creepingly, as if testing a volatile new reactive compound, she reaches out… And touches your hand.

“Stay focused on our future,” she instructs you, as teacher-to-pupil. “Do not live in the past.”

You are startled by her insight, and by her unusual tenderness… But the moment passes. She withdraws her hand, and demands:

“Are you back with the living, Distracting-and-Distracted One?”

You nod the affirmative.

“Good. Now, if you are going to waste my time and energy with your pointless presence here, at LEAST answer my question about the amulets.”

“What?” you ask. “Oh, yes. Yes, I recall. The elves, right?”

Should you grant the Drow access to Amulets of Disguise, to hide their identity from dwarves and others? It will better allow you to disguise what has occurred in these mountains, until you can properly assert your dominion… But it would also reduce their dependency on you, and potentially enable them to skirt your trade agreement if they were so inclined at some future point…

DO you grant the Drow amulets of Disguise?
>Yes
>No
>Yes, but only inferior ones, with a deliberate defect require regular maintenance
>No, but you will station the North-Merchant and Translator here to enable trade and diplomacy if required
>Write-in

“See?” the Novice scoffs, once you have answered. “Was that really so difficult? It is merely a matter of focus! A focused mind is like a well-sharpened knife, you know. It can split the tissue and reveal the secrets within and below. A distracted mind is like a dull blade—it punctures, rips and tears, destroys but cannot expose and explore. My instructors taught me that.”

“It seems you had wise tutelage,” you acknowledge, “as, it seems, do I.”

+Bio. Manipulation

The Novice’s tail flits irritably and she looks away, as if… Flustered.

“Shut up,” she snaps. “What are you even here to learn, anyway?”

You wish to learn…
>To strengthen and extend the Dragonshape yet further—if you could have maintained it, things would have been different
>To heal wounds—never again will you be forced to choose between yourself and one you… Care for
>To disguise yourself as the others do, so you might better understand your subjects and neighbours
>To inflict painful injury and illness—it can circumvent defences, both physical and mental
>Write-in [within reason]
>>
>>5373688
>Yes, but you will only give them the amulets after a full solidification of the alliance with the Drow- not on such precarious footing, where they could be abused

>To strengthen and extend the Dragonshape yet further—if you could have maintained it, things would have been different
>>
>>5373688
>To heal wounds—never again will you be forced to choose between yourself and one you… Care for
>>
>>5373688
>No, but you will station the North-Merchant and Translator here to enable trade and diplomacy if required

Too risky to give them our tech
>To strengthen and extend the Dragonshape yet further—if you could have maintained it, things would have been different

Our near failure only proves that we require more strength
>>
>>5373688
>Yes, but only inferior ones, with a deliberate defect require regular maintenance
>To heal wounds—never again will you be forced to choose between yourself and one you… Care for
>>
>>5373688
>No, but you will station the North-Merchant and Translator here to enable trade and diplomacy if required

forgot this one
>>
>>5373688
>To inflict painful injury and illness—it can circumvent defences, both physical and mental
>>
>>5373694
>>5373704
>>5373706
>>5373707
>>5373725
>>5374047
[Looks like a tie between <Lay On Hands> and <Dragonshape III>. I'll wait until closer to bedtime and roll for it if the tie isn't broken by then.] Backlink your 1-post ID if you sue to it break the tie
>>
>>5374379
I'll switch to <Dragonshape III> to break the tie
>>
>>5374438
>>5373694
>>5373704
>>5373706
>>5373725
>>5374047
You spend the next three days largely in seclusion with the Novice. Your objective: to strengthen your <Dragonshape>. It is frankly UNACCAPETABLE that a single veteran dwarf, with two rank amateurs for back-up, put up such a fight against you. A TRUE dragon would have swatted such vermin like flies!

The lessons are long, and often mentally and physically taxing, but you can’t say they are UNPLEASANT. Self-improvement is a matter of sacrifice—you have learned, in fact, that sacrifice must necessarily be a matter of most advancements in life. Perhaps that is the fundamental transformation in your attitude: you have come to understand that there is nothing in life which one can acquire by mere half-measures, without shedding blood, sweat, and tears for it. Sometimes this is literal, sometimes allegorical, but the pain is necessary.

(And anyway, it means a lot of long hours practicing form and motion—sometimes in quite close proximity—with the Novice Fleshweaver.)

As the process progresses, so does your dragon form. When you assume your enhanced form now, fins sprout up from your shoulder-blades—wide, webbed apparati of spines and splayed webbing. You flex them, finding they move in ways tantalizingly-similar to the wings of the Junior Novice. Is true FLIGHT almost within your grasp?!

On the subject of the Junior Novice, you spar with that sad, hybrid creature, who faces you in your <Dragonshape> under duress. At first, engorged with draconic transfusions as he is, the former ‘dogbold’ puts up quite an even fight. Bit by bit, though, your musculature, your armoured scales, your teeth and talons… They all improve. It gets to such a point that vestiges of your <Dragonshape> begin to linger beyond your transformation: your scaly skin darkens and turns more copper, your shin-spikes extend and horns lengthen.

>All checks of physical might and intimidation have their DC lessened by 1 while you still have mana
>In <Dragonshape III>, their DC (and Firebreath DC, earth-aligned Elementalism DC, and Intimidation DC) is reduced by 3
>The time-limit on your Dragonshape is reduced
>>
File: pexels-photo-673862.jpg (1.61 MB, 2048x1244)
1.61 MB
1.61 MB JPG
>>5374493
It is shortly after your final such lesson with the Novice Fleshweaver when the Throat-singer crosses your path. The young, beardless dwarf has been avoiding you since the ceremony—not actively, but clearly steering clear of your path. Bumping into him today seems to be a miscalculation on his part. He takes a step back, as if to correct his course, then takes a depth breath and holds steady.

“Dragonborn… Sir.”

“Throat-sssinger,” you acknowledge, a little uncertainly.

The look on his face implies he wants something, and yet he neither leave snor speaks up.

“How are you enjoying being among the chosen—the Blooded Dwarves? Or, rather… How do your people sssay it?”

“Not ‘blooded’, but ‘bloodied’, as in ‘to have blood on one’s hands,” he corrects. “And the word, in Dwarven, is ‘Duergar’.”

“Ah.”

And awkward silence passes. You realize that the Duergar Throat-singer has not answered your question. You feel this, in some way, implies the answer.

“You promised me that you would teach me magic,” he says.

“What?” you ask, a little throat by the sudden change of conversational topic, without segue.

“You promised,” he says. “The Dark Gods, and their Dark Prophet… They haven’t forgotten the honoured among dwarves, have they?”

“No,” you begin, “but…”

“But nothing!”

You narrow your eyes a little, and the Throat-singer bows his head slightly, clenching his fists.

“Davora was a fool,” he says, voice full of bitterness. “But so was Befridna.”

“Who is—”

“The one you butchered like livestock.”

“Ah.”

“There is no changing you,” the Throat-singer says, “and no bargaining with you. You have no love in your heart. You are a creature of darkness. You do not care for us. We are tools to you.”

You think you’ve heard this song before, from Befridna, the Traitor. And yet… This is somehow different.
>>
>>5374494
“Make me a useful tool, then,” the Throat-singer pleads—no, demands. “I won’t pretend I am your friend, nor will I trust that you are mine, but you are right: our god has forsaken us. You are your gods, your magic… They are all we have. I’ve served you, I’ve turned over my own kind to you… And all I have done is lost my mother, my father… Davora… Served you, and your gods, and suffered anyway!”

He rummages about in his pockets, and throws his diary at your feet. It lays splayed upon the floor like a dead-and-gutted animal. Its pages are mostly filled, but largely with scribbled-out notes, messy diagrams, what almost looks like sheet music.

“Teach me properly,” the Throat-singer asks. “Show me that your promises are not empty… Or kill me now, if thy are.”

His eyes are wide, his body shaking. Almost instantly, you can tell that this young mammal regrets the words he just spoke…. But words spoken (or left unspoken) cannot be taken back. In the wake of… Davora… You know this better than most.

What do you do?
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard and your tutelage with the Novice as a part of your regular routine
>Slay him for his impudence—he grows too bold, too presumptuous, too defiant, and you fear what will come of it
>Deny him, and leave him to stew on it—he will sink or swim by his own merit, but you’ll waste no time or effort on tutelage or murder
>Strip him of his special status and banish him to slave under the Drow—the fate of all such troublemakers
>Write-in
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard

kinda wanna see what happens
not if it intrudes on our Novice time tho
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard and your tutelage with the Novice as a part of your regular routine
>
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard and your tutelage with the Novice as a part of your regular routine
Goddamn hes getting lippy, does a throat singer need a tongue? In all seriousness we do need him alive for now until we have a better understanding of the Moon Blade
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard and your tutelage with the Novice as a part of your regular routine

We're an example of the fact that true dragonhood knows no race.
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard and your tutelage with the Novice as a part of your regular routine

But, he must treat us with the appropriate respect.
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard and your tutelage with the Novice as a part of your regular routine
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard
-1 to respect as long as he keeps his opinions private. He's right about Davora.
>>
>>5374496
>Agree to apprentice the Throat-singer properly, initiating him into your meditations alongside the Bastard and your tutelage with the Novice as a part of your regular routine
>>
File: Level 2,9.png (934 KB, 1969x980)
934 KB
934 KB PNG
Rolled 15, 16, 11, 7 = 49 (4d20)

>>5374503
>>5374513
>>5374543
>>5374590
>>5374670
>>5374715
>>5374740
>>5374767

“Very well,” you say after a moment’s consideration.

“Wait,” the Throat-singer says, as if a bi surprised, “what?”

“Do not make me repeat myself, duergar.”

“R-right,” the Throat-singer says, his prideful defiance cowed and anger (at least for now) seemingly appeased by your unexpected compliance.

Together, you meditate with the Bastard that evening. As before, you instruct the Throat-singer to focus upon what it means to be a Dragon—the certitude of self, the majesty, the freedom, the power. You are speaking to the Bastard, too, for he has very much plateaued in your absence—though, you note, he remains most-respected among the kobolds, who regard him as fairly draconic after his own fashion. His accompanies your speechmaking with quiet, resonant thrumming, which accentuates the words and serves to energize and centre you.

That day, and in days to come, you bring the Throat-singer with you to each of your meditations, and even to some of your lessons with the Novice. With each passing day, his understanding of your race’s body and soul—and especially of that which makes a True Dragon—grows. In exchange, he sings his queer song for you to accompany your martial training as well, lending a sort of rhythm to your exercises that helps you along.

[Leadership roll for tutelage, bonus for Spellcraft]
>>
>>5374831
>16
>15
To your pleasant surprise, all three of you males make breakthroughs over the course of those days! The Bastard’s comes first. His aura—the sort of half-perceived haze of his life energy and magical potential—begins to swell and swirl one day, in tandem with the rise and fall of the Throat-singer’s vibrato. It bubbles out and bristles at the edge of your perception, such that you are distracted from your own meditations and open your eyes to see what is happening, and you fine him aglow, engulfed in a thin sheathe of flame—not unlike a Fire Lizard!

Of course, he loses it the moment you speak up to congratulate him, and curses himself for having missed it, but you are confident that—having achieved this magical feat—he can regain it once more with enough effort. He knows the bearing which he must follow, now, and has glimpsed the destination; he is no longer moorless.

As for the Throat-singer, his own awakening to magic is no less dramatic. The next day, as you two Reptilians engage in your bard-bolstered meditations, you feel something in the air… Change. You feel a pull, almost magnetic, calling you to your feet. It is weak, but present to one already focused upon the flows of mana and threads of fate, as you are. You readily resist it, but you know something is afoot. You open your eyes to find the Throat-singer still humming, but in a sort of trance; around him, thin and thorny rock-vipers, slim and slippery skinks, gathered in their dozens as if called to prayer. At the entrance to the room, your two fire-lizards struggle to come bear witness as well; Agno, screeches and swearing, attempts to pull them back from the portal, but they do not listen.

>Bastard learns <Fire Halo>
>Throat-singer learns <Summon Reptile I>

For your part, your own breakthroughs probably have more to do with your journey thus far, and your own concerted effort, but you cannot say that the musical accompaniment (and the strange sensations which spread with that thrum) are not helpful in their way. You find you grow more focused in your exercises both physical and mental. You are, as the Novice said, the fine-tipped scalpel, not the blunt and clumsy blade.

LEVEL UP!
>You are now a Dragon Shaman 2/Dark Prophet 1
>You have three points to spend.
>Upgrading any ability (like swordsmanship) from level 4 to 5 costs two points; it will also, in some cases, be transformed into a new skill and unlock a specialization.
>Learning a new ability (such as Necromancy) costs 2 points; you must also have a good way to have acquired or learned this skill
>Upgrading a stat from 2 to 3 or 3 to 4 (such as seduction or spellcraft) costs 1 point
>>
>>5374844
>Spend two points on Swordsmanship 4-5
>Spend one point on Religion 3-4

We need to be absolutely indestructible in melee against the Knight, and to convince the Chaplain (and his superiors) that our Dark Alliance is still wise, we'll need a truly silver tongue.

I could come around to upgrading Divination or Bio. Manipulation if there's a good case made for it.
>>
>>5374844
>Leadership 4
>Archery 4
>Seduction 3
I wonder what seduction can evolve into lmao
>>
>>5374844
>One point on Leadership
>One point on Archery
>One point on Religion
level 4 skills are insanely cheap. This set of skill align in my goal of Ascendant Antipaladin. We just have to wait for daddy to contact us as a boon for our good work.
>>
>>5374844
>Spend two points on Swordsmanship 4-5
>One point on Archery
>>
>>5374844
>Divination 5
omniscience here we come
>>
>>5374844
>Spend two points on Swordsmanship 4-5

>Leadership 4
>>
File: close game.png (9 KB, 672x173)
9 KB
9 KB PNG
>>5374917
>>5374901
>>5374888
>>5374857
>>5374856
>>5374848
[We have a pretty close game right now, with three leading contenders but not enough points to upgrade all three! The vote remains open.]
>>
>>5374848
Supporting this.

Archery is a waste imo, we barely use it
>>
>>5375136
I’d support Leadership 4 ahead of Archery if religion 4 doesn’t get enough support
>>
>>5375115
I will support Leadership 4 as well, instead of Archery.

>>5374848
Backlinking.
>>
>>5375136
It's a waste BECAUSE we don't use it. Imo it's way cooler, especially since we've got a big fucking bow and super strength.
>>
>>5375161
We dont need it, we have a master hunter under our command that uses a bigger bow that shoots literal lances
>>
>>5375167
But we could be the one shooting lances :/
>>
>>5374844
>Bio Manipulation 4
>Firebreath 4
>Seduction 3

>>5374856
I have a related theory on that actually.
>>
>>5374844
>Bio Manipulation 4
>Firebreath 4
>Spellcraft 3

We need to go full dragon, and dragons are magic.
>>
>>5375211
+1
>>
Please no seduction. We've used it about a total of two times in this quest. It's completely worthless compared to something we use regularly like spellcraft or leadership.
>>
>>5375353
We use seduction more than we use archery.

Archery is a particular cope stat for us since, when ever a battle happens we the ones who have to take to the frontlines. Because all the other Reptilians are weaker than us physically.
>>
>>5375366
No, when I say we used it a total of two times, I mean a total of two times. It's not an expression or exaggeration. We've literally used the stat twice. That's it.
>>
>>5375211
Support, though I do sympathize with the Archerbros, we’ve got wicked cool bows that we never use.
>>
File: FINAL TALLY.png (13 KB, 1045x204)
13 KB
13 KB PNG
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5375415
>>5375345
>>5375226
>>5375211
>>5375144
>>5375139
>>5374917
>>5374901
>>5374888
>>5374857
>>5374856
>>5374848
>>
File: Level 3.png (939 KB, 1969x980)
939 KB
939 KB PNG
>>5375435
In particular, you find yourself drawn to the blade. It might be youthful immaturity—the Pit-Guard certainly seems to think it is—but the experience of your pitched sword-fight against he dwarves lingers with you, in particular the experience of fending three opponents off with a sword in each clenched fist. The Throat-singer’s reverberations and rhythms lend fluidity and orderly pattern to your already swift and strong motions. If you are to lead from the front, well… Now you will do with:
>Sword Mastery: DC of all melee combat involving the wielding of a sword have their DC reduce by 1

In addition, you find particular specialty with one skill, your particular aptitude and preferred form. It is that of…
>The Duelist: You wield two blade with greater efficacy than one, such that—when you hold a sword in each hand, you reduce combat DCs by another point
>The Berserker: One per combat encounter, you can enter a frenzy, during which any success becomes critical; however, failures also become critical, though you will not feel the injuries incurred until after combat ends
>The Spellsword: You have a particular affinity for magical swords, including your moon-blade, such that you attune to them almost instantly and can access their magics with greater ease
>The Hexblade: Your blows demoralize and curse your foes, increasing the difficulty of their attacks, worsening their wounds, and weakening their morale

In addition, your growing affinity for all things Dragon reflects itself in the growing intensity of your internal spark. Your fiery breath, already potent, grows more accurate and can be exhaled with greater duration and force. While your mastery of more fundamental aspects of elementalism linger behind, your command of the element of raw, furious fire approached that of a force of nature unto itself, especially in <Dragonshape>.
>>
>>5375457
Time marches on, and it eventually comes time to leave the captured keep to its new masters—the Drow. You have left them in the care of the North-Merchant and Translator, who will serve as liaisons between your peoples and as overseers of trade and diplomacy. You have left them a few Amulets of Disguise, as well, but only flawed and limited versions—deliberately hobbled by the Novice, and in the private and secretive safekeeping of your agents. They are to be doled out only in an emergency.

“An elfmaid could get the feeling that you do not trust her or her people,” Jazkarmel half-jokes.

The two of you are enjoying a drink (yours watered down considerably, to preserve your judgement) as you squint against the beauteous setting sun over your mountain range.

“Trust is a difficult thing,” you say, diplomatically. “Perhaps when I have met, and treated, with your queen. What our races require is a full solidification of our alliance… Not one built on precarious footing, where trust could be abused, by your people or mine.”

“An elegant save,” Jazkarmel compliments you teasingly, raising her mushroom-cap mug in a toast and quaffing the last of her drink.

You find yourself reflecting on all you have learned and achieved. You have regrets, of course. Tactical, mostly. Moral, ethical, personal… Maybe a few of those, too. But when you get right down to it, the feeling this sunset awakens in you negates much of the angst. It is a feeling of natural dominion, of homecoming. With every triumph, it grows. You remember again the first sunset you properly enjoyed as ‘king’ here, after the defeat of the kobolds and their false Dragonwrought prophet… With Glowie.

“Only one monarch is missing,” Jazkarmel notes, as if reading your mind, then laughs and corrects herself: “Two, if you count the bugbears! I wonder where their boss has gotten to…”

“So long as he shows his hairy face in time for our next campaign,” you rumble.

Jazkarmel pats you on the back, giving your shoulder a lingering, perhaps too-familiar squeeze.

“He will or will not,” she says, as if that means anything. “If you wish to see the OTHER leader, the worm-princess, you may accompany my honour-guard home. Perhaps it is a good time to speak with the queen, also?”

You look at her with some surprise. You had expected that she might remain here, in this conquered-and-bargained for fortress.

“Duty calls,” she sighs. “This expedition was not authorized, and I will have to justify myself to my queen.”

You think about your journey to the Chaplain. You can relate, and intimate as much, though not in any great detail.
>>
>>5375461
“There is much in common between your people, and mine, and maybe even the bugbears and great-worms,” Jazkarmel waxes, a touch poetically. “Do you ever think that this is true for the dwarves?”

“I would imagine so,” you acknowledge. Your experiences with the Throat-singer, in particular, make you feel as if this must be true.

Jazkarmel fixes you with a blurry-yet-intense gaze, and asks: “Do you think that what we do here is good? Not like… Gods of good, but really GOOD?”

How do you answer?
>Yes—this land is yours, your people have suffered, and the descendants of those who inflicted this condition ought to pay for the indignity and loss
>No—what you do here is for your sake, and your people’s sake, but the actions you take are by no means ‘good’, and you wish they weren’t necessary
>You don't care—do do as your nature and ambitions demand, and leave such pointless an immaterial considerations to the gods and philosophers
>Say nothing—you do not know, and the lack of certainty keeps you up some nights
>Write-in
>>
>>5375457
>The Hexblade: Your blows demoralize and curse your foes, increasing the difficulty of their attacks, worsening their wounds, and weakening their morale

>No—what you do here is for your sake, and your people’s sake, but the actions you take are by no means ‘good’, and you wish they weren’t necessary
>>
>>5375462
>No—what you do here is for your sake, and your people’s sake, but the actions you take are by no means ‘good’, and you wish they weren’t necessary
>>
>>5375457
>The Berserker: One per combat encounter, you can enter a frenzy, during which any success becomes critical; however, failures also become critical, though you will not feel the injuries incurred until after combat ends

RQM is fond of bossfights so...
>>
>>5375462
Hex blade
Yes.
I'm not a fan of berserker.
>>
>>5375457
>The Hexblade: Your blows demoralize and curse your foes, increasing the difficulty of their attacks, worsening their wounds, and weakening their morale
>No—what you do here is for your sake, and your people’s sake, but the actions you take are by no means ‘good’, and you wish they weren’t necessary
>>
>>5375462
>No—what you do here is for your sake, and your people’s sake, but the actions you take are by no means ‘good’, and you wish they weren’t necessary

>The Duelist: You wield two blade with greater efficacy than one, such that—when you hold a sword in each hand, you reduce combat DCs by another point

Duel wield magic blades
>>
>>5375462
>The Hexblade: Your blows demoralize and curse your foes, increasing the difficulty of their attacks, worsening their wounds, and weakening their morale

>No—what you do here is for your sake, and your people’s sake, but the actions you take are by no means ‘good’

Saying that we wish they weren’t necessary is probably a step too far
>>
>>5375457
>The Spellsword: You have a particular affinity for magical swords, including your moon-blade, such that you attune to them almost instantly and can access their magics with greater ease.

Were a dragon, its only natural that we are going to steal and horde magical gear. So it makes sense to develop a skill capable of squeezing power out of magical objects.

In particular the green knights armor is some prim loot we can after if we beat him.

>Write-in
>-Yes absolutely, not only has these conquests brought me personal honor, as well as honor to the dark gods. I have forced light gods followers, To remember the fury of the red dragon.

Jazkarmel, is going to go argue with her reigning monarch. About whether her land grab against the dwarfs is justifiable.

The last thing we need to do is add our own doubt's on top of her's.
>>
>>5375462
>The Hexblade: Your blows demoralize and curse your foes, increasing the difficulty of their attacks, worsening their wounds, and weakening their morale

>No—what you do here is for your sake, and your people’s sake, but the actions you take are by no means ‘good’. It is justice, though not without mercy or charity at times.
>>
>>5375802
>>5375801
>>5375708
>>5375673
>>5375671
>>5375658
>>5375469
>>5375467
>>5375463
You draw your moon-blade, to Jazkarmel’s obvious confusion and amusement. As the sun sets, the moon rises behind the clouds, like a shape stepping through the haze of the smokey haze of war. It is very nearly a full moon, and the appropriate sigil—second-closest to the hilt—now glows.

“You solve even philosophical problems with your sword, then?” Jazkarmel asks.

“I suppose I do,” you admit. “When I swing this sword now, it is with the weight of an entire army—and an ideology—behind the blow. I attack to cripple, to wound, to terrify. To break the resolve of the enemy. I cannot afford to be… Gentle, or merciful. And those things, they can be virtuous in their own right.”

You remember the feeling of Davora the Herbalist’s hands on you. You remember her body against yours, the gentle sigh of her when, post-coital and momentarily untroubled by the circumstances of your meeting, she simply found contentment in that quiet tenderness… As, you suppose, did you.

You remember how she died, and the harshness of her final moments. She could have found that sense of peace with another, but if she had never met you, would she have ever known such suffering?

“No, what we are doing here is not good,” you admit aloud. “We are a curse on this pale. A hex upon the people. A blight upon the surface world.”

Your eye settles upon the sigil closest to your moon-sword’s hilt: the full moon. The plain disc so blends in to the white of the shining white stone that it is scarcely visible except on the appropriate lunar phase. Tonight, you must tilt the blade to see it, so faint is it against the light of the near-full moon above it… But it is there.

The future is always there.

“What we do isn’t good, but it is necessary… For our future. For the future of the world. WE are not good… Are not DOING good… But we move with purpose. We cannot stop.”
>>
>>5375828
Jazkarmel says nothing, so you look up to see the reason for her silence. You find the dark elf cupping her mouth, trying to stifle laughter. You narrow your eyes.

“You… Disagree?”

“No, no, I agree!” she says, waving off your concern and choking the words out between chuckles. “You are just… So dramatic. I had forgotten how young you are!”

“You think me… Silly?”

“Not at all,” she assures you, placing her hand on yours gently, before withdrawing it—a casual act for her, but one that fills you with a certain warmth despite yourself.

“It is a difficult thing, to speak up in defence of a thing you know is wrong,” Jazkarmel says, a pall falling over her face and voice. “It is a skill I must cultivate, for my return to the court of my great-aunt.”

The two of stand there in silence for a time, illuminated against the dark only by the cloud-rimmed moon and your sword’s reflection thereof. The earlier hopefulness is dampened by the dark turn, by the weight of your actions to get to this point and by the uncertain future. The moon is swallowed up; you wonder if you shall be, also.

[THREAD END]
>>
File: Spoiler Image (142 KB, 1916x1204)
142 KB
142 KB PNG
[Thank you all, as always, for playing. It's you folks, your unexpected decisions and reactions, that make this whole thing a fun experience for me and keep me writing.]

[In earlier threads, some folks had expressed frustration or disappointment that you weren't really given a chance to play an evil alignment or be a 'proper' Antipaladin. Though you don't have a patron as such, I hope that recent turns have given you a bit more of that feel.]

[Feel free to share your thoughts, hopes, and expectations for this thread, including where I met them and where I fell short. Feelings about Davora's death are already noted. Discuss your plans ahead, if you'd like, or what you'd like to see! I'm especially interested if there is any aspect of the setting, the gameplay (such as it is), or a specific character you'd like to see more or less of.]

[Please also feel free to ask any meta or lore questions you'd like answered. If it isn't too spoilery, I'll do my best to answer them.]
>>
>>5375839
Thanks for the thread RQM. Was a blast as always.

What would this quest have looked like in the case of Ismena's success against the Green Knight? Any major differences? The quest stands up on its own merits but every lil' tidbit of continuity is a cool thing to see.
>>
>>5375848
>What if the Infiltrator killed the Green Knight?
[Hmm... Tough to say. Would I even be running this quest, or a direct sequel starring the original quest's MC? If I'd run this basic premise for a quest anyway, I suppose it probably would have been much the same up tot his point, though I suspect the Dragonborn would not have yet learned who his mother was; upon finding out, I guess there would have been the option to drop everything to find her and ask her existential or personal questions, if you so desired. Maybe you'd have even gotten a chance to join her still-extant underworld empire in the big city? And to clash, more immediately and directly, with human paladins...]

[Really, though, I wanted a bit of a separation or break fromn that character and her immediate mileu, so I think I would have just run Reptilian Exterminator Quest, or a goblin or wererat quest, or maybe something with the Drow on their own.]
>>
>>5375839
people didn't think we got a choice to be evil?

I thought we kept on passing up the evil vote options to be a gud boi

thanks for running pogchamp

>>5375859
wow no option for running a junior novice quest
SAD
>>
>>5375874
[He wasn't even a twinkle in my eye until someone rolled a crit fail on recruiting a kobold let alone when I was ending Reptilian Infiltrator Quest.]
>>
File: 1660751428582.jpg (78 KB, 500x500)
78 KB
78 KB JPG
>>5375839
Hello, it's the local catfag speaking here. I just want to vocally support what that QTG anon said about Davora's health not being emphasized enough to get to the anons' thick skulls (including my own). Even I wasn't fully comprehending just HOW bad it was before you mentioned internal damage and other gruesome shit after her death.
>feel free to ask any meta or lore questions
What would happen if we set fire to broodmother the first we got the chance? Would Mother of Dragons throw a fit?
What happened to Davora after death? What about Ismena? How're Zi, Roth and Edwin doing?
>>5375859
This feels my cold heart with lots of sadness. So much has been lost to a 50/50.
Thank you for another bread, SiR QM.
>>
I for once is glad the dwarf died. Didn't liked her. Missed the vote, but I would have gone this way.
>>
>>5375859
>>5375839
What would have happened to our pc, if Ismena's had decided to borrow the green dragon heart in defiance of the Chaplin. And had the chief chimeraist add it to us?

Or if ismena had agreed to the ritual to take blood from our sire and her pet drake?
>>
>>5375925
Help RQM out here and detail what exactly he needed to do to convey that info, aside from stuff like the internal injuries that we couldn't have known about in the moment and needed an autopsy to discover.

He literally wrote she may not survive in the list of consequences below the vote. Should he have written it twice? Three times? Not spoilered it?

I might have taken it too far the other way, I was worried WE wouldn't survive, or would have lasting injuries.
>>
>>5375952
Ironically i didn't like the dwarf. But i also didn't like her death.

It fealt like the dwarfs were dabbing on us too much. Although we did end up burn them alive, i feel as though those dwarves got one up us.
>>
>>5375839
I’d like to become Dragon King of Bloodrise, and fix our relationship with the Prosecutor. Some closure with Davora's spirit would also be nice. Meeting Iri again would be lovely, imagine her acting like a adoring Godmother.

>>5375859
No New Game +? Shame.

>>5375925
Imagine playing out that battle in some-shot quest, or as the finale for Reptilian Infiltrator.
>>
>>5375925
>What would happen if we set fire to broodmother the first we got the chance? Would Mother of Dragons throw a fit?
[You would have owed her recompense, or else make a terrible enemy.]

>>5375925
>What happened to Ismena?
REDACTED You'll see, probably!

>Davora?
[You'd have to ask the gods... Or I'll tell you at the end of thenauest if nobody investigates in character.]

>Zi, Roth, Edwin
[Goblintown suffered a lot for the climate of xenophobia the Infiltrator created. Roth is still alive, still doing his thing as a contact person albeit in a very changed Hawksong. Edwin and Paula remain happily-married, with two kids.]

>>5375990
>What if the Infiktrator had used the Green Dragon's heart?
[You would probably be playing Dragonborn Demigod Quest.]

>What about sacrificing Hirschel?
[You'd be blonde and have majestic, feathered wings.]

>No New Game +? Shame.
[I don't like rehashing stuff... But you may yet get a SORT of return to form. :)]
>>
>>5376389
Do you like fat asses like the dragonborn?
>>
>>5376002
>DAVORA WILL LIKELY DIE
or
>YOU WILL SUFFER X
There. Simple for retards. No ambiguity or a way for someone to skip information when it's straightforwarddly provided within a vote. I'd think it matters a lot in a vote that has samefag prevention in it.
Instead we had 70% of description being littered with AFFECTION STATS and "assuming she even survives, which she may not" was HIDDEN a motherfucking SPOILER.
>>
>>5376646
[They're pretty aight.]

>>5376717
[While I will take it under advisement, and appreciate your input, I'm not terribly interested in running a quest for "retards".]

Luckily, none of you seem that dumb to me. :)
>>
[Next thread will likely be up sometime next week. I need a break. If I get the motivation sooner, I'll start a new thread then.]
>>
>>5376717
So don't spoiler it and strip out all the other potential consequences so it's not too long to read/nothing to distract?

Can't agree with that second one, I like seeing the full list so I can factor it all into my decisions.
>>
>>5376823
[I actually don't think anyone was unaware that Davora's death was a possibility, anyway. I don't think anyone missed the spoiler. I think people jist thought her odds were better, or had buyer's remorse when I actually pulled the plug.

Ironically, the same person/people lamenting "meta knowledge" (ie. knowing your social clout and the Novice's opinion of you would take a hit, something the Dragonborn WOULD know in-character) are also the ones saying I should have give more meta knowledge about the extent of Davora's injuries and survival odds without immediate treatment (something the Dragonborn WOULDN'T know).

It is what it is. I knew it would be a hard choice when situations conspired to set me up for it, and when I chose to go ahead and write it. Salt was inevitable. I will tey to be more explicit next time a characte death is likely, but hopefully this vote has been informative as to how I handle such matters in my campaigns and quests.]
>>
>>5376906
I for one like the sacrifice Davora made, it sucks losing her as a character but it adds to the story for me, we did tell her no mercy to the dwarves, and we meant it shit happens
>>
>>5376906
>I actually don't think anyone was unaware that Davora's death was a possibility, anyway. I don't think anyone missed the spoiler.
I agree, but you can't look me in the screenspace and say that if things were done differently, a couple of the players wouldn't fixate on the romanceroute faggotry and downplayed the lethal consequences of making Davora wait like they did. The way I see it, making sure the outcomes with the most impactful (those observable, anyway) are at the clear display should always be the main priority when presenting important choices. It's clearly failed when people say they would've voted differently if they knew a character's state was THAT bad, it shows lack of understanding, not "buyer's remorse".
>Ironically, the same person/people lamenting "meta knowledge" are also the ones saying I should have give more meta knowledge about the extent of Davora's injuries and survival odds without immediate treatment
This is a fair point, but I never called for META knowledge about her state (myself at least). After all, didn't Dragonborn see that Davora was absolutely fucked up and dying in his arms? Would judging her chances of survival without immediate treatment as very slim (without numbers) really be meta knowledge in that case?
>>
>>5377100
>It's clearly failed when people say they would've voted differently if they knew a character's state was THAT bad, it shows lack of understanding, not "buyer's remorse".

were those complaints genuine though? or did anons phrase it like that to protect their ego? better to blame the QM for "not describing it right" than to accept they chose wrong and regret it.
>>
File: 1660890706493.jpg (42 KB, 220x264)
42 KB
42 KB JPG
>>5377126
>were those complaints genuine though? or did anons phrase it like that to protect their ego
is this arguent genuine though? or is anon manufacturing schizo theory like that to protect his ego? one could say, it's easier for anon to blame other anons for "buyer's remorse" than to accept RQM made a mistake
>>
>>5377550
Stop being an autist and relax. Not every QM or anon prioritizes the same thing in their decisions. It doesn’t mean that it’s a mistake when you don’t like something.
>>
>>5377126
I guess you’ll have to decide whether it was multiple anons ego tripping or a legitimate issue on the QM’s part.
>>
>>5377550
>>5377650
Why do you guys complain so much? I remember you two threw a shitfit in the last thread of Infiltriator quest too. Just make the criticism and move on when the QM responds back whether you agree or not jesus.
>>
>>5377680
>I haven’t even brought it up after the initial criticism
I want whatever your smoking.
>>
>>5377100
>After all, didn't Dragonborn see that Davora was absolutely fucked up and dying in his arms? Would judging her chances of survival without immediate treatment as very slim (without numbers) really be meta knowledge in that case?
[He had the same observations as the players, and the same distractions (plus a great deal of pain and looming unconsciousness. Me niting her possible death is him recognizing the possibility of her death. I'll tey to be a bit more dramatically explicit about it next time, though.]

>>5377550
>RQM made a mistake
[It's only a mistake if I regret the outcome, though.]

>>5377680
[I appreciate the passion for the subject matter, even if I'm dubious of the legitimacy of some of the complaints. I hope that people care about the Stockholm Shortstack means I wrote her well, even if she wasn't everyone's first choice for waifu. I hope the salt reflects a decently-written death scene on my part. Most of all, I hope people are invested and enjoying the highs and lows of this dragon-lad's rise to power (?)!]

[Better than that one anon who threw a shitfit when the rest of you had sex with Glowie. When people keep their criticism to the actual story as opposed to accusing everyone they don't like of being a "samefag" and personally attacking me, that's tiresome and obnoxious. THIS sort of discussion at least helps me plan the next thread.]
>>
>>5377705
>even if she wasn't everyone's first choice for waifu
I do wonder how much of that comes down being the first potential romance option introduced. First Girl Syndrome happens in every quest that I participate (that introduces romance), including us latching on to Edwin early on. Hell, the Indonesian Gentleman tried to meme it with the serial non-consensualist, and it ended up being the MC’s soul mate.
>>
>>5377550
you tried, but it doesn't quite fit. 4/10

>>5377650
considering all the anons with basic reading comprehension were able to understand, I'm leaning towards option 1
>>
>>5377727
I mean, the Glowie-sex shitfit is what I’d consider to be an ego trip, I was just taking issue with the execution. This does remind me.

>>5377705
Was the plan always for us to take Bloodrise, or did we turn that into the plan? If that wasn’t the original plan, mind telling us what was?
>>
>>5377748
>Was the plan always for us to take Bloodrise, or did we turn that into the plan? If that wasn’t the original plan, mind telling us what was?
[I had a few ideas for how it might go, including capturing Bloodrise, a crusade against the Drow, doing soem globetrotring for power-ups and allies in preparation for the Green Knight, or a direct return ro Hawksong to war against [REDACTED].]
>>
>>5377579
>>Stop being an autist and relax
I'll be free from this only in death
>>5377680
>I remember you two threw a shitfit in the last thread of Infiltriator quest too.
How do you know that's foxanon?
>>5377705
>a great deal of pain and looming unconsciousness
True that.
>mistake
I knew someone would pick on this word but couldn't be bothered to look for a fitting replacement. I hate being verbally fucking stupid.
>>
>>5377757
Globetrotting sounds rad
>>
File: titlecard.png (246 KB, 1316x424)
246 KB
246 KB PNG
>>5378858

New thread!
>>
>>5371047's art was by vantenicy, for anyone looking to commission something similar, btw.



Delete Post: [File Only] Style:
[Disable Mobile View / Use Desktop Site]

[Enable Mobile View / Use Mobile Site]

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective parties. Images uploaded are the responsibility of the Poster. Comments are owned by the Poster.