Recap of previous threads since it's been a while:

The story thus far...

You, a suit of living armour, were shattered when you faced a dragon after years in service of the king. After a long time, the magic you were bound with has pulled you together and, combined with draconic flame, gave rise to a soul, granting your free will. With the dragon dead, evidently slain by one of the adventuring parties that came after yours, you left its cave and proceeded to loot a nearby castle, picking up a two-handed mace, a one-handed sword and several magic books. You also got your rusted hand crushed by spiders in a failed attempt to inflitrate the keep and helped put a ghost to rest, gaining a one-time combat spell.

Descending from the mountains, you entered a village by the sea, where you got your form fixed in exchange for dealing with some bandits. You also got a cloak, a scabbard for the sword and a sheath for the mace. You learned to read from Wulfric, the village elder. Returning to the castle, you defeated the spiders and found some coins in addition to a protective amulet there.

You went down the road through the forests to the west. You learned from travellers that you are in the kingdom of Neruem, known for its silver coinage and few, but populous cities. On your way, you encountered a druid by the name of Argo, whom you agreed to help in reinvigorating a forest spirit to the south in exchange for a mana stone. You also conversed with a river spirit, Aeniqr, about various things such as magic and spirits, and agreed to help him by taking his daughter, Eos, as a companion in your travels.

After taking a southern detour to help the spirit you promised, you continued down the road and arrived in the city of Tefar. You accepted a task given to you by an alchemist, Leo, to find a book in a ruined town in the Darkwood -- a forest full of dark magic to the south of the coast -- and a quest from a priest of Sol to help a monastery not far from your destination. Having loaded yourself out with potions Leo provided you with for your journey, you departed southwest for the abandoned town of Irofae.

On your way to the town you defeated a pack of dire wolves and eradicated a crowd of undead. The book was missing from the library, but you picked up some kind of crest which may lead to its current location. You then proceeded to the monastery and killed a regsin -- a being of dark magic -- terrorizing the lands around it. As a reward, you got a Sol Gauntlet -- a weapon blessed by the Sun God, capable of unleashing flames if charged -- and reinforced it with the mana stone to allow automatic recharging, making it usable once per day.

After talking to Fers, the abbot, for a while, you departed for Tefar, but were interrupted in your journey by Ceslyn, a witch living in the Darkwood. You allowed her to study you, obtaining knowledge that you may be able to create ethereal copies of yourself controlled in close proximity and a way to strengthen your inner structure further. You also learned about the Silver Eye -- an organization of necromancers binding souls to golems of steel -- and their hideout in Reannesca -- a kingdom to the west -- in exchange for letting Ceslyn join your party on a raid of said hideout.

Returning to Tefar, you studied the crest and determined that it belongs to an alchemist guild in Erslied -- a kingdom to the east of Neruem. Erslied was the kingdom the king of which you once served as well. You took a quest from Diodorus, the mage of Tefar, to collect items of power from the spirits of the four Winged Valleys -- shifting mountainous valleys in southern Reannesca where massive flocks of birds gather. He promised to teach you magic in return. You then began your journey west.

After passing through vast Reannescan plains, you arrived in an abandoned mining town -- the local base of the necromancers' operations. A fierce battle later, you looted the hideout, obtaining a magical tome on animated constructs, a suspicious ring pulling you to wear it, a wooden tablet housing a fear spell, and a couple protective one-use talismans, which you gave to Eos. You also found a cryptic note which contained, after decoding, a short reminder of some kind of plans by the Silver Eye to be carried out near Mount Soffra. You turned south.

Determining the location of the Winged Valleys from locals' words, you failed the first two challenges presented to you by the spirits, one being to entertain Avejyr, the first spirit, the other to answer riddles of Forcine, the second spirit. You defeated Muntharon, the third spirit, gaining his recognition and an artifact of his power -- his feather. You also found an ancient passage which, after you solved its riddle, led you to an underground asp temple. You defeated a manticore, the guardian of the temple, found an amulet shaped like a snake's head there and left the suspicious ring as an offering at the altar in exchange. You then turned back and returned to the surface after an encounter with another guardian of the temple, a gorgon.

You found the last Winged Valley and received a feather from its reclusive spirit, Lyscan. Parting ways with Ceslyn, you returned to Tefar, gave Diodorus the feathers and began studying magic with him. You also told him about the cryptic note and began preparing for an expedition to disrupt whatever the Silver Eye were doing. You repaired the damage you received on your journeys in Reannesca, crafted a Scout Disc with Diodorus' help, determined the purpose of the snake amulet as a poison one, and accepted Gwyndolin, a ranger and former necromancer, as your companion at the behest of the Mage of Tefar. You then departed southwest to cross the mountains, accompanied by 17 Lantern Knights, including an experienced commander, Irithyll, 3 mages (Diodorus, Folqitun, an utility mage, and Gwyndolin) and Eos.

Passing through the Darkwood, you defeated a pack of dire wolves and escaped a horde of undead. You tricked a tribe of trolls into letting you through a mountain pass, and arrived in the Wildlands beyond the Near Mountains. You took the southern route towards your goal and encountered a village of the dead gods' cultists on your way. Making a pilgrimage through magic woods, you arrived at the Shrine to the Burnt God and talked to the deity himself, finding out his name to be Sathezel. You agreed to spread his worship among the people you meet in exchange for charging your Tablet of Fear and granting you the ability to use a rechargable spell for several minutes every day -- Smokebody turns you and anything you carry into smoke. He also promised to reveal the location containing part of his legacy once you convert 300 people in his name.

You left the village and reached the city of Asthur in the southern Wildlands as winter arrived. You found out about Sathezel's heritage as a demonic god that attacked one of the moon goddesses many years ago and accepted a request from the mayor of the city to help in repelling a demonic invasion from a portal in the south. A tense battle later, you obtained two amulets, one boosting spellcasting slightly, which you gave to Eos, and another containing a minor light spell of purification, and received your reward of a considerable sum of money and 40 soldiers and 2 battle mages-demonologists to assist you in defeating the Silver Eye.

Enchanting your sword for Sharpness, repairing yourself once more, and buying another mana potion, you proceeded straight towards your goal of Mount Soffra. Having taken a half-succubus stowaway as another companion, you reached the Silver Eye fortress and decided to take out the ballistas overlooking the approaches to the main gate...

--------- END OF RECAP ----------

Uhh... Hello again. It's been a while due to real life getting in the way, simple laziness on my part and running other quests, but here I am, back with another chapter of Mordragon's adventures. Hope there's still someone out there to read the quest. The recap only states events, chiefly skipping over the lore and conversations, which are pretty important, so I recommend reading or skimming over the threads if you anons want to remind yourselves or get acquainted with them. Now, on to the story...

The gently falling snowflakes quickly darken and melt in pools of warm blood around you. You are surrounded by 6 corpses -- watchmen which were operating the ballista overlooking the approaches to the hold. Looking beyond the battlements, you see men at the top of the other tower as well. Even one active ballista could prove troublesome if an all-out assault is called for.

There are shouts and sounds of activity from the lower floors. Unfortunately, you let the last guard slip out of your gauntlets and he alarmed the others about your presence. Looking up, you see the Scout Disc hanging high up. Diodorus and the others are watching you. You could give them a sign to guide their next actions.
>Point at the opposing tower. They need to find a way of disabling the other ballista if an assault is to commence.
>[May be taken in addition to the former option or as a standalone one] Ruin the ballista at your tower and abscond using Smokebody. You've got enough time left in the spell yet.
>Make a calling motion, point at yourself. You need help here if you are to defeat all the enemies coming after you.
>Write-in

>5459747
>>Make a calling motion, point at yourself. You need help here if you are to defeat all the enemies coming after you.

>>5459747
>>Point at the opposing tower. They need to find a way of disabling the other ballista if an assault is to commence.
>>[May be taken in addition to the former option or as a standalone one] Ruin the ballista at your tower and abscond using Smokebody. You've got enough time left in the spell yet.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5459751
>>5460324
1 - Request help
2 - Request attack on the other ballista, ruin yours and escape

>Point at the opposing tower. They need to find a way of disabling the other ballista if an assault is to commence.
>[May be taken in addition to the former option or as a standalone one] Ruin the ballista at your tower and abscond using Smokebody. You've got enough time left in the spell yet.

You point at the opposing tower and look at the Scout Disc to make sure the message is carried across. It bounces up and down as a sign of reception.

Unsheathing your sword, you swiftly hack the ballista apart -- a task made easy by the enchantment. Once the siege machine is nothing but a pile of wood, you start disintegrating into smoke and finish this process just as the cultists and their steel and silver golems burst out of the passage to the lower floors. Flying back down, you rematerialize and run back towards allied positions.

Your return is met by everyone gathering.

"Folqitun went to disable the other ballista." -- Diodorus says, monitoring the situation through the Scout Disc. -- "He's accompanied by 5 knights; they've teleported to the top of the tower and already killed the guards. The enemy hasn't found them yet, but it's a matter of time before they are discovered."
"Can they escape?" -- asks Eos.
"Yes. But Folq told me he'd prefer not to waste mana on returning since we'll be back invading the fortress anyways. He intends to hold out against their assault."
"How long will they be able to last?" -- you ask.
"I don't know. Probably a long time, but not forever. The knights are formidable fighters. Even against golems of steel they should be able to hold their own through mastery of sword and shield, but unlike the necromancers' constructs, their stamina is not limitless."
"We should attack as soon as possible then." -- suggests Irithyll. -- "We can pincer the cultists by invading from the lower floors of the tower."
"I think so too." -- Diodorus continues. -- "Unless you have some other plans to disrupt them, we should commence the assault as soon as possible, before they have the time to organise a defence." -- he looks at the Scout Disc once again. -- "Both ballistas are disabled. Is it time, Mordragon?"
>"Yes. Let's attack."
>"There is one more thing I'd like to do before assaulting the fortress..." [write-in plan]

>>5460833
>>"Yes. Let's attack."

>>5460833
>>"Yes. Let's attack."

File: 1668277480903.jpg (1.3 MB, 886x1389)

1.3 MB JPG

>>5460833
>"Yes. Let's attack."
tfw you realize months have passed, haunted armor came back to life but you're still a braindead addict

>>5460833
>"Yes. Let's attack."

File: 1609978459520.jpg (20 KB, 300x289)

20 KB JPG

>>5460925

>>5460855
>>5460909
>>5460925
>>5460947
>"Yes. Let's attack."

The remaining lantern knights are already gathered, but it takes a minute for Rifrun to inform all of his soldiers of the attack. Lilith approaches you while you prepare.
"What should I do?" -- the half-succubus asks.
"What can you do?" -- you reflect her question.
"I have a dagger... not too skilled with it though. I can also pick locks."
You stare at her for a few seconds.
"It's best if you stay back. I don't want to put you in danger without purpose. Not much use for you on the frontlines anyway."
"...Alright."

Soon enough, you are marching through the valley, then running through the pass between the two towers. Looking to your right, you can't see your allies beyond the battlements, but distant sounds of battle indicate they are there, holding off the enemy.

Arrows whir past you, embedding themselves in the snowy ground. It seems without the ballistas, the cultists have turned to other ranged weaponry, however limited it may be. The warriors raise their shields, the mages form protection out of mana; you need neither -- even if arrows pierce you, they do not harm your inner structure, and that is what's important. One of yours falls to a lucky shot; the rest make it to the gates.

With a blast of magic, the high, rusty gates of the dwarven hold open. You burst inside a great hall, dwarven masonry supported by monumental columns, and a fierce battle begins as your soldiers clash with the cultists' forces. Mages send magic missiles against each other, the bolts ripping through the air with crackles of arcane energy, while your warriors, halfdemon and man, battle the bladed golems and leather-armoured cultists. Eos stays near the gates, pulling snow from the outside, condensing it into ice shards that crash against your adversaries.
"We need to reunite with Folqitun." -- Diodorus tells you after blasting another cultist with magic. -- "Who'll go, Mordragon?"
"With mages' support, my men can hold them off." -- Rifrun, commander of the Asthurians, tells you, bleeding from a hit by one of the enemies. -- "You and the knights ascend, everyone else should stay here."
"They could have mages of their own in the upper floors. Besides, there's probably a lot of golems up there." -- Diodorus answers, then turns to you once again. -- "See if you need any of us with you. Or would you rather stay and help here?"

>Select whom to send into the tower (multiple options may be picked, obviously):
>Yourself
>Eos (skills: water magic)
>Gwyndolin (skills: necromancy, arcane magic, ranger)
>Irithyll (skills: great melee combat, leadership)
>Diodorus (skills: great magic mastery)
>Rifrun (skills: melee combat, leadership)
>The 2 battle mages-demonologists (skills: magic, focused on demonology and binding)
>The 8 lantern knights (or part of them?)
>Some part of the Asthurian warriors

>>5462209
>Yourself
>The 2 battle mages-demonologists (skills: magic, focused on demonology and binding)
Binding for golems
>2 Lantern Knights
If this is too little, grab some Asthurian warriors as filler.
Did we use smokebody today? I don't remember.
Invest in pictures for updates maybe, they seem to be standard and good at getting attention.

>>5459746
What other quests did you run?

>>5462401
+1

>>5462401
>Did we use smokebody today?
Consider (re-)reading the updates. You used it to both get onto the ballista tower and get off it >>5460833.
>pictures
Sometime ago I collected pics from pinterest but it's high-effort low-yield work, even ignoring the challenges of focused search instead of random image collection. I eventually gave up. Maybe I'll pick it up again.
>>5462498
Reincarnated Monster Reincarnation Quest and Machine Civilization Quest. Also pls vote.

>>5462955
>smokebody
Fuck, it skipped my mind
>pictures
Yeah wtf, just grab something from google like RQM does. Collections are a meme.
>quests
Never played these, rip.
both me >>5462401 >>5462498

>>5462401
>>5462678
>Yourself
>The 2 battle mages-demonologists
>2 Lantern Knights
>5 Asthurian warriors

It is tough to assemble a party in the thick of battle, but you manage to do it with Rifrun's help, and soon you and the others are rushing higher, higher upstairs, towards the top of the tower. A couple minutes of ascent later, you stand beneath falling snow, a ruined ballista to your right, a scene of tough fighting in front of you. Two of the knights that went with Folqitun lay on the ground, unconscious or dead, the rest breathing heavily as strands of dark energy wrap around them, desperately defending against the golems' onslaught. There are 5 golems and 6 cultists in total here. One of them bears some kind of sign on the shoulder of his clothes.

"Thank Sol you're here at last! This one's powerful." -- Folqitun cries. -- "Be careful!"

It is only now that you notice the utility mage barely holding his ground against the vicious curses and blasts of dark magic. The Silver Eye with the sign turns to you.

"It was a mistake to come here." -- he says calmly, and immediately, dark energies surround him, wisps of black magic weaving through the cold mountainous air. Half of the enemy forces turn from the knights towards your group.
>Cut through the golems and cultists first, deal with the isolated mage after that. He'll probably have time to cast his spells though.
>Tell the demonologists to lock down the mage while you and the melee soldiers deal with the other enemies.
>Burn them to cinders with the Sol Gauntlet, then strike the remaining ones.
>Write-in

>>5463213
>Burn them to cinders with the Sol Gauntlet, then strike the remaining ones.
Mordragon should stop wearing the helmet in combat to scare the shit out of people.

>>5463213
>Tell the demonologists to lock down the mage while you and the melee soldiers deal with the other enemies.

>>5463213
>>Burn them to cinders with the Sol Gauntlet, then strike the remaining ones.

>>5463325
>>5463326
>>5463348
>Burn them to cinders with the Sol Gauntlet, then strike the remaining ones.

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 40/80

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>5464087

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>5464087

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>5464087
Previously long waits for rolls that did not come have stalled this quest, this time I'll be rolling myself to speed things up and push out an update or more every day.
Also minor correction, DCs should be 38/77

>>5464102
>>5464219
>>5464220
>51 - Partial Success

You stretch out your hand, and with a familiar sense of warmth, the flames come out, engulfing the cultists in fire. Most of the living ones run to the snow to put out the flames, some outright drop, screaming and thrashing in pain. Those that seem to have success in extinguishing fire are swiftly cut down by your allies.

However, the Silver Eye mage stands. Protected by a dark shield, he recoils from the impact of holy fire, but keeps casting his spells anew. Your allied battle mages, however, did not stand idle, unleashing their own spells before the enemy manages to recover. Ethereal chains, usually used to restrain demons, bind the golems in place, making them easy prey for both you and your allies. There is little left to do but to spearhead the attack and slash through the enemy with your Sword of Sharpness -- a blade that cuts through metal just as well as flesh. You can only hope the mage doesn't cast his spells before you reach him...
Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 60
Next update tomorrow

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>5464226

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>5464226

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>5464226

>>5464304
>>5464351
>>5464354
>90 - Success

You hack apart the immobilised golems in seconds, your blade going through metal with some difficulty, yet eventual success. The warriors assist you, making mighty blows with their maces, smashing the steel constructs apart. You reach the mage as he unleashes magic missiles upon you; some land, but cause little damage -- your amulet, jumping from the impact of the spell, protects you.

You attack the mage -- a talisman explodes under his clothes, protecting him from harm, but you are relentless, making one strike after another until his heart is pierced by your sword. Dealing with the remaining golems, you note one of the knights that infiltrated the tower initially died, bled out from gashes inflicted by the golems' blades, the others are either wounded or under the persistent effect of curses.

"Perhaps you should remain here-" -- one of the demonologists suggests.
"No." -- one of the knights cuts him off. -- "We will fight with everyone. These wounds are nothing; we were trained to withstand worse."
"I am no knight," -- Folqitun says, heaving himself up. -- "but I will join you, too. I was paid for this, after all."

Searching the corpses, you find small flasks with swirling red liquid on some of the regular cultists and a metallic bracelet with skulls etched into it on the mage.

With that, you descend back into the main hall. The battle here has died down. The floors are littered with corpses of your enemies and remnants of golems. Some of your allies have been defeated as well, however. Regrouping, you consider further options.
"There's a lot of them here." -- Rifrun says. -- "They are on par with us in mages as well. The silver eyes have retreated deeper into the hold and fortified themselves there; we'll need the element of surprise on our side if we are to break through. Infiltration is probably the way."
"I still possess some destructive spells in my arsenal." -- says Diodorus. -- "Gwyn has overtaken control of some golems from the cultists. We can use these to spearhead our attack. Though I do support the more subtle approach."
>Infiltrate the deeper halls with a squad of select allies (whom? refer to this >>5462209(You)) using Folqitun's invisibility spell to cause havoc behind the lines.
>Use the rest of Smokebody to pierce the cultists' defences and follow up with an all-out assault while they're distracted.
>Spearhead the sudden and merciless attack from the front.
>Write-in

>>5465119
>Use the rest of Smokebody to pierce the cultists' defences and follow up with an all-out assault while they're distracted.

>>5465119
>Use the rest of Smokebody to pierce the cultists' defences and follow up with an all-out assault while they're distracted.

>>5465119
>>Use the rest of Smokebody to pierce the cultists' defences and follow up with an all-out assault while they're distracted.

>>5465176
>>5465219
>>5465500
>Use the rest of Smokebody to pierce the cultists' defences and follow up with an all-out assault while they're distracted.

"I'll infiltrate in smoke form." -- you state. -- "Once you hear sounds of battle, commence the attack. You'll crush them while they're distracted."
"A fine plan." -- Diodorus replies. -- "The Burnt God's blessing proves extremely useful in the end. Let me help you. I can place an enchantment on your body and weaponry. For a time. This'll offer you some protection, you'll need it when you head into the hornet's nest."
"I sense some magical traps further down the hall." -- Folqitun says, evidently tired from battle, but with an unshakeable determination in his eyes. -- "I'll disable them in invisibility while you prepare."

A few minutes later, you are disintegrating into smoke form, probably for the last time today. You fly down the hall. A couple monumental gates leading to other areas of the hold quickly give way to more compact doorways, and two turns of the passage later, you encounter your enemy. Your presence alerts the cultists, who are puzzled by the appearance of a cloud of smoke in the middle of the room they fortified. They hide behind their makeshift barricades, clutching their weapons, but this does not save them. Identifying the mages, you materialize in a puff of smoke and crush the head of one immediately as you appear. The cultists turn towards you with warcries, bringing their weapons upon your form, with no effect... or with some? Their blades and maces, engulfed by arcane fire, would've torn through your plates had your defence not been enhanced by Diodorus.

In the distance, you hear footsteps approaching. However, the mages of the enemy begin casting their spells, and only spinning like a thunderstorm keeps the regular mooks at bay. You'll need to last some more time here, somehow...
>Use the Tablet of Fear to inflict panic upon the enemy around you.
>Keep spinning and crushing anyone who approaches you with your mace. The mages may strike in the mean time, however.
>Focus on the mages with the risk of sustaining injuries from regular hits.
>Write-in

>>5466218
>Use the Tablet of Fear to inflict panic upon the enemy around you.

>>5466218
>Write-in: Grab the most important looking cultist in reach to use as a shield while plowing into the rest, throwing your weight around and parrying blows with your mace.

>>5466218
>>5466365
+1

>>5466365
+1

>>5466365
This is doable, but you'll need to switch out for your sword since the mace is two-handed and you're holding someone with one hand. Just thought I should mention this.

>>5466729
Do it with sword and hack their blades in half, then.
t. >>5466379

Sorry for disappearing, was banned for 3 days, phoneposting is rangebanned so here we are. I'm back now though, hope anons are still checking the thread.
>>5466222
>>5466365
>>5466379
>>5466409
>Write-in: Grab the most important looking cultist in reach to use as a shield while plowing into the rest, throwing your weight around and parrying blows with your mace.

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 60/80

Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>5470797
rip

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>5470797

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>5470797

>>5470814
>>5470832
>>5470858
>45 - Failure

You deflect blows coming from all directions towards you while searching for a suitable cultist to use as a living shield. Noting a mage casting her spells not far from you, you attempt to reach her, but your efforts are cut short by a group of golems forming a wall, protecting the mages from your attacks. Grabbing the nearest mook for lack of a better option, you manage to somewhat decrease the amount of attacks towards you, but soon, a series of gusts of arcane wind makes you not only release the cultist, but also take a few steps back as your inner structure is bombarded by what feels like thousands of tiny needles. When the storm is over, you feel quite a bit weaker than previously.

Luckily, your allies arrive to help you. Storming the barricades with warcries, the warriors attack the cultists while the mages engage in duels once again. Golems overtaken by Gwyndolin spearhead the attack, and if vision doesn't betray you, yet more join your side, wrestled from the mental chains of their silver eye masters. Your necromancer breathes heavily -- evidently, all this spellcasting has been taking its toll on him.

"Hold them off for as long as you can!"
You note several silver eye mages falling back, pieces of quieter conversation reaching you somewhere at the edge of your hearing.
"...titan!.. not... matter..."
>Cut through the cultist lines and pursue the mages.
>Remain here, help your allies defeat or capture the remaining cultists, then give chase to the greater enemy.
>Write-in

>>5471020
>Remain here, help your allies defeat or capture the remaining cultists, then give chase to the greater enemy.

>>5471020
>>Cut through the cultist lines and pursue the mages.

>>5471020
>Ask the demonologists (or other mages) if they can assess your health
>Cut through
>>5470797
wb

>>5471020
>Cut through the cultist lines and pursue the mages.

>>5471024
>>5471047
>>5471284
>assess health
Unfortunately, you don't have enough time for that.
>>5471570
>Cut through the cultist lines and pursue the mages.

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 40

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>5472003

Rolled 32, 30 = 62 (2d100)

>>5472003

>>5472030
>>5472315
>32 - Failure

You try to make a breakthrough towards the fleeing mages. There are a lot of enemies in your way, however. A golem strikes you a couple of times, making some dents in your plates. A cultist manages to sneak in a stab, piercing a hole with his arcane sword. A remaining lesser mage sends a few magic missiles your way, damaging your inner structure. You cut them all down eventually with a few well-timed strikes of your sword, but you are a bit more worn out after the fight. You note some of the cultists gulping down the red potions they carry, but you are in too much of a hurry to see their effects.

Breaking into a run, you speed down the halls leading deeper, deeper into the dwarven hold. Eventually, you hear footsteps and make out shadows in the light of torches on the walls. Five mages are hurrying down the hall somewhere further. You slow down. Somehow, between their whispers and footsteps, they don't seem to have noticed your clanging run, for now. Now that you are one against so many, how do you approach this?
>Attempt to sneak behind them, see where they lead you.
>Attack quickly and activate the Tablet of Fear. Kill as many as you can while they scatter. There is significant risk in engaging so many mages at once, however.
>Strike quickly with your usual weaponry. This bears a considerable risk of sustaining great damage from the sheer spellcasting ability they possess.
>Write-in

>>5472335
>Attempt to sneak behind them, see where they lead you.

>>5472335
>Attempt to sneak behind them, see where they lead you.

>>5472335
>Attempt to sneak behind them, see where they lead you.

>>5472335
>Attempt to sneak behind them, see where they lead you.
>Use a mana potion
we need that HP

>>5472348
>>5472483
>>5472956
>>5473277
>Attempt to sneak behind them, see where they lead you.

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 70

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>5473352

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>5473352

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>5473352
CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!

>>5473447
>>5473448
>>5473657
>71 - Success

In spite of the noise you cause, you manage to sneak behind the cultists through the dark halls, keeping a safe enough distance for them not to notice you, hiding behind corners, moving in ways that minimize the sounds you make. Pursuing them leads you into a colossal underground cavern, where in the light of a hundred torches, their greatest work is waiting.

A titan.

A humanoid steel golem of insane proportions, admittedly unfinished, with only the arms, head, and half of the torso complete, but a horrible and grand project nonetheless. Surrounded by a network of scaffolding, it hangs from the top of the cavern on massive chains. It is, of course, not solid, possessing inner hollows, resembling an armour, but of a colossal size.

The cultists seem to have switched to a language you do not know; a shame. To your advantage, they seem to have split up into two groups, two of them descending somewhere to the chest levels while three seem intent on taking a bridge into the inside of the golem.
>Attempt to sabotage the bridge, making the enemy drop to their deaths.
>Pursue the group of two and disrupt whatever they intend to do.
>Write-in

Did you consume a mana potion (insert it into your inner hollows) to restore your inner structure while you were chasing the cultists?
>Y
>N

>>5473691
>>Y

>>5473702
Note there are 2 choices in the update.

>>5473691
>Attempt to sabotage the bridge, making the enemy drop to their deaths.
Yeah, we are NOT fighting THAT thing.
>Y
obv

>>5473702
>Attempt to sabotage the bridge, making the enemy drop to their deaths.
>>5473691
>>5473702

>>5473691
>Attempt to sabotage the bridge, making the enemy drop to their deaths.
>Y
I wonder if we can pilot/wear the titan once we're skilled enough in magic. Assuming it survives the siege and Dio doesn't want it destroyed or something.

>>5473980
It doesn't even have legs tho

>>5473691
>>Attempt to sabotage the bridge, making the enemy drop to their deaths.
>Y

>>5473702
>>5473848
>>5473925
>>5473980
>>5474467
>Attempt to sabotage the bridge, making the enemy drop to their deaths.
>Y

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 50

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>5474693

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>5474693
Time to Sabatoge like the Beasty Boys.

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>5474693

>>5474699
>>5474774
>>5474810
>91 - Success

Carefully, so as not to alarm your targets, you take off one of your plates and insert the mana potion into your inner hollows. Immediately, a wave of power and rejuventaion washes over you, the contents of the flask being rapidly absorbed by your ailing inner structure. You wait precious seconds while the magical strength is fully received, then remove the bottle and continue your pursuit.

...

The scaffolding is connected to the workshops and various rooms carved in the cavern's wall by a series of rope bridges. Your enemy is taking one of these towards the head of the golem; a perfect opportunity to disrupt their plans. You swiftly descend to their level and unsheathe your Sword of Sharpness. Hearing the clangs echoing throughout the cavern, the cultists notice you and say something in the same foreign language you have already heard from them. No matter. With a few powerful slashes, you cut the ropes attaching the bridge to your side, and it swings down, dropping the mages into the dark depths.

Except one. While two of your enemies fall, screaming and flailing in the air, a hooded figure hangs in the vast space, evidently using a spell of levitation. Slowly, his frame moves towards the other end of the bridge and lightly touches upon the platform. He turns towards you, his short grey beard the only thing poking out from under the hood. At his side is a sword. For a moment, he stops, then begins descending towards the chest levels of the golem.

The only reasonable thing to do is to intercept either him or pursue the other mages, both of which are lower than the head, where you are currently standing. Rushing down the wide stairs carved out of the cavern's walls, you soon meet your adversaries face to face. Running down another rope bridge is the levitation mage. His allies are approaching from your other side, from deeper yet within the hold, carrying crates of glass containers with faint lights inside them. You remember this sight from the Silver Eye hideout raid with Ceslyn -- these are caged souls.
>Attack the cultists carrying the souls. From what you remember, shattering the vessels is enough to free them.
>Attack the levitation mage.
>Write-in

Do you want to use the Tablet of Fear right away?
>Y
>N

>>5474835
>Attack the cultists carrying the souls. From what you remember, shattering the vessels is enough to free them.
>Y

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>>5474836
>voting 20 seconds in
You didn't read it, did you? Just skipped to the choices?

>>5474850
I'm made of speed.
Truth is that I was reading the until scaffolding, but then the greentext of the choices drew my attention, and the moment I skimmed it I knew what I wanted to do.

>>5474835
>Attack the levitation mage.
>N

>>5474835
Bit anticlimactic that one of the fags survived despite our fuckin 91.
>Attack the cultists carrying the souls. From what you remember, shattering the vessels is enough to free them.
>N

>>5474835
>>Attack the cultists carrying the souls. From what you remember, shattering the vessels is enough to free them.
>N

>>5474835
>Attack the cultists carrying the souls. From what you remember, shattering the vessels is enough to free them.
>N

Tsblet of Fear is a goot tool if we need to retreat or turn the tide against a large force.

>>5474858
Alright. Would appreciate it if you read the updates fully though.
>>5474836
>>5474872
>>5474902
>>5475055
>>5475134
>Attack the cultists carrying the souls. From what you remember, shattering the vessels is enough to free them.
>N

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 70

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>5475459
Can't you just tell us to roll with votes?

>>5475469
There are different DCs for different options, and I feel like being upfront with them is better than rolling first then announcing them, which gives a feeling of dishonesty about whether there is some hidden number tweaking done behind the scenes to make you fail or succeed. And I don't want to write them down in the options themselves because that would lead to anons simply picking the most optimal choice. Some options don't require rolls at all, and I don't want to reveal which ones do and which ones don't on the occasion that it comes up.

Rolled 57 (1d100)

>>5475459
Hey, I did finish reading, including rereading the parts I had already read afterwards.
Didn't change my vote because I was right, that was what I wanted to do.

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>>5475492

>>5475497
Now I just have to catch up to thread 3 and 4, I didn't even know you came back from the multiplayer quest you said you wanted to run.
Atleast the recap helped me know what's going on, thanks for writing it by the way.

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>5475459

>>5475469
>>5475492
>>5475654
>57 - Failure

You unsheathe your heavy mace and charge the cultists carrying the souls. Your adversaries, startled, drop the crates, causing some of the soul containers to shatter, and begin casting their spells. They will not make it before you arrive. Recognizing this, one of them pulls out a short sword and attempts to intercept you; you shatter his guard with a mighty swing, crushing his arm with the flanges of the mace. The mage grunts in pain. You prepare for another strike, but this little fight has allowed the other mage to finish casting his spell: a gust of wind, like an arrow, smashes into you, and you feel your inner structure buckle under the arcane energies it is forced to withstand.

You topple over. The mages cast a couple more spells, this time plain magic missiles, before you manage to get up and redouble your assault. A crushing blow to the head kills one mage, the other desperately tries to evade your blows, but you eventually shatter his ribcage and finish him off with a head strike, like the first one. Battered, but victorious, you turn around to find yourself facing the just arrived levitation mage.

He is silent as he pulls out his blade.

Roll 3d100 Bo3 DC: various (90, 80, 70)

Next update tomorrow.

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>5475681

File: 1669412221415.jpg (131 KB, 421x612)

131 KB JPG

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>5461960
>>5474850
>>5475497
>finding a funny armor picture for an update is slavery
>pulls out 3 reactions when nobody asked
picrel
>>5475681
roll

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>5475681

>>5475821
Alright, alright, I'll make the effort of finding something in the future. It's easier to pull from the pile of random stuff I picked up here tho.
>>5475763
>>5475871
I meant 3d100 as in each anon rolls 3 dice, 3 anons do this. So we still got 2 sets of 3d100 to go.

Rolled 75, 50 = 125 (2d100)

>>5476079
Aye Aye captain

Rolled 72, 72 = 144 (2d100)

>>5476079
Oh

File: 1669454095148.jpg (433 KB, 2000x1200)

433 KB JPG

Rolled 25, 93 = 118 (2d100)

>>5476079
See this is why I complained about dice rolling, it takes ages for updates to come with how little traffic we have.

>>5476467
I just call for rolls like 6 hours in advance. Roll myself if not enough come in by the time I begin writing. There's been a stable update per day so far with this system, I think that's okay. But if you insist, I'll call for rolls along with votes next time.

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>>5475763
>>5475821
>>5475871
>>5476085
>>5476093
>>5476467
>76 v 90 - Failure

You strike. The mage's sword should be no obstacle for your mace, and your adversary knows that, displacing and evading your heavy attacks instead of taking them head-on. As he does so, he whispers arcane words, and soon enough, his hands are engulfed by lightning. In a rapid motion, he stretches them out towards you. What follows is horror.

Electricity consumes you whole, paralyzing your entire body. You feel burning pain across yourself as bits of your inner structure are ripped apart. When it is over, you feel something has broken inside. Not enough to completely disable you, and yet... the spell was definitely very powerful. The mage breathes heavily.

>75 v 80 - Failure

But the fight continues. Your enemy keeps evading your weakened strikes and eventually gets under your defence, making a few thrusts of his own. The blade, etched with runes, pierces your plates, and a familiar pain spreads from the hits' place. You are weaker yet.

>93 v 70 - Success

Your adversary becomes tired as well, bringing himself to your level. Slow strikes are exchanged, clangs resounding throughout the cavern. You land one, two, three, first disposing of his protective talismans, then breaking his leg, making him draw in a rapid, pained breath as he begins limping.

The fight is progressing towards its end.
>Move aggressively to end this.
>Maintain a careful approach.
>Use the Tablet of Fear to break through his defences. (may be taken with other options)
>Write-in
I'd ask for rolls but this time the system for them will be a bit different so I'll do it afterwards.

>>5476916
>Move aggressively to end this.

>>5476561
Oh alright, sorry for pestering you about it.

>>5476916
10/10 image
>Move aggressively.
>Grab him by the collar and beat the shit out of him.
for fucking up our killstreak

>>5476916
>>Move aggressively to end this.

>>5476916
>Move aggressively to end this.

>>5476916
>Move aggressively to end this
The flesh is weak, corpse fucker.

>>5476940
>>5477046
>>5477218
>>5477265
>>5477292
>Move aggressively to end this.

Roll 1d100 DC: 60 until you succeed. There's a price to be paid for failure, however... One anon may roll multiple times if there's no rolls for some time.

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>5477882

Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>5477882

>>5477922
FINISH HIM!

>>5477922
>>5477936
>63 - Immediate success

Backing off a little, you switch for the Sword of Sharpness -- you'll need mobility for what you're trying to do. The mage starts casting something again, but your rapid attack seems to interrupt him, all his attention is directed at parrying your fast, aggressive strikes. You're surprised yourself at the power you seem to be able to muster in spite of your newly-gained weakness. His sword, enchanted as it is, does not break, as usual metal would under your blade, but you don't need to destroy his weapon to get under his defences. You tire him out, and soon enough, an opening presents itself. With a deflection, you make a powerful thrust, impaling the mage upon your blade. He lets out a wet gasp, then slides off your sword onto the ground.

The mage clutches his wounds.

"All my life... For nothing." -- he whispers, barely audible to your hearing.

But there is a sudden fire in his eyes. He whispers his last arcane words, filled with malice and bitterness, and stretches out his hand towards you. You are assaulted by deja vu. Where did you encounter this feeling before?..

Of course. The regsin, a being of dark magic you fought in the Darkwood. It's a death hex. A powerful spell of unholy magic, a last, bitter curse on the enemy the dark mage is facing. You cannot escape it, cannot avoid it. You can only hope to overpower it. You brace yourself. A storm of darkness erupts from the mage's hand and engulfs everything around you...

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 93

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>5478183
That's a big DC

>>5478186
A big DC for a very powerful spell. The fight's over though either way.

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>5478183
>>5478192
>Win the fight
>We still get fucked
You might as well not make us roll with that DC, what the fuck is the purpose of this

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>5478183
94!

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7 KB JPG

>>5478229
Never give up, anon. Even if the DC is 99.

>>5478229
You're fucked from damage either way, it depends how fucked you are at this point. Also to give you a slim chance of victory (which you seized). There would've be ways to mitigate or remove this (you actually possess one already, if you didn't notice). As for the purpose, major fights are supposed to be crippling. It may be a lazy way to do this. But you now have experience fighting dark mages and know what to look out for and prepare for next time you face them.

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>>5478245
>>5478261
Doesn't change the fact that 90+ DC outta nowhere was just like, stupid, man.
>>5478269
>slim chance of victory
I'd prefer a fair challenge instead of throwing shit that will cave our plates in at best and murder us at the worst. There is no fun in getting kicked around by a literally-who motherfucker that should've died 3-4 updates ago. Not to mention you repeatedly make our good rolls fail partially anyway because you focus on how you want the story to play out instead of letting us do cool shit.

>>5478273
NPC: "Holy smokes Mordragon, you kill Mezerath the Untouchable and uncovered his plot!"

Mordragon: "Literally who? I'm like a year old. Also, have you heard of the Burnt God?"

I'm sure we'll hear all about who this evil wizard was.

>>5478273
>Not to mention you repeatedly make our good rolls fail partially anyway because you focus on how you want the story to play out instead of letting us do cool shit.
Literally when? The one (1) time your success roll didn't result in full success on my memory was when you cut off the bridge. And that's because
>a literally-who motherfucker that should've died 3-4 updates ago.
is actually the Master of the Silver Eye. Surprised? Well, I'm not going to put a big "THIS IS A BOSS" sign on him and put him into a throne room or some bullshit. He's the kind of guy that works with his minions on the frontlines when he's needed. You seem to conveniently ignore the times I made you moderately succeed in spite of your failure, like the time you've slain the cultist mages carrying souls in spite of failing a roll.
>I'd prefer a fair challenge instead of throwing shit that will cave our plates in at best and murder us at the worst.
Some stories give you balanced enemies that match your level and abilities. They guide you and grant you a linear increase in skill. Like a game where you gradually level up and always face someone you can beat.
Well, this is not that kind of story. The world may care for you, or may completely disregard you. This means there will be unfair fights which you'll lose. There will be enemies you face that you're unprepared for in regards to your abilities and defences. You won't always be doing "cool shit". But there will always be time to regain your strength, get back up and make a comeback. Most of the time, the possibility of winning against the odds (e.g. resisting the curse). Sometimes even opportunities to prepare for what you're going to face and counter your enemies. If you don't like that, well, I heard your feedback, but I'm the one who decides whether to use it and how I QM in the end.
>murder us at the worst.
You wouldn't have died from that. Hexes are different from direct damage spells.

No update today, planning out some things.
>>5478890
inb4 I lose half the players from this rant (again).

>>5478186
>>5478229
>>5478245
>98 - Success

The storm of darkness is overpowering. It doesn't bring heat or cold, it doesn't hurt you. But it engulfs you in such unbearable loneliness, spawns such a vast void in you that everything seems futile. You feel like you'll never escape this. And yet after a while in this state, the dark subsides. Its tendrils let you go, unbroken, and colour returns to the world. You are calm most of the time, but this sharp contrast makes you realize how many feelings you constantly experience. How in spite of their seeming insignificance, they are colossal in comparison to total isolation.

The mage is dead. His bleeding form lays on the floor, unmoving. You hear sounds from the upper levels. Moving to intercept them, you find out it's your allies.
"Mordragon!" -- Eos exclaims. -- "We were wondering where you were off to."
"Killed some mages. They tried to activate this." -- you point towards the golem.

For a moment, everyone is silent in awe of the construct.

"We managed to defeat the others." -- Diodorus mentions, tearing off his gaze from the colossus.
"How many have been lost?"
"Nearly half of Rifrun's men in total. Some of the lantern knights as well." -- Diodorus notes solemnly. -- "The cultists used potions of power, fought like enraged beasts." -- that explains what these flasks were. -- "Not to mention the golem forces. Gwyndolin's overtaking of them was a great help. Once the mages left, the remaining ones couldn't maintain solid control over them."
"Good." -- you respond. -- "It seems there's either no more enemies or they're in hiding. Let's clean up this fortress. See what's in its depths."

You proceed to scout and loot the entirety of the hold. Lilith rejoins you and helps in picking the locks for which you couldn't find keys on the corpses. The upper levels contain mostly the modest living quarters of the cultists, though there is also an arsenal here. The middle ones, adjoining the cavern, are full of workshops, focused on the crafting of materials, predominantly large sheets of steel, for the great golem. There's also a storage of souls here, whom you, naturally, free, and an expansive library of necromantic and animatory works.

>>5480322
You search the corpses and examine whatever you find. Diodorus says the bracelets you found earlier on the mages' wrists are soulcatchers -- meant for obtaining souls from fallen enemies. There is also an array of rings of magical power, most being enhancers of lightning or air magic. You determine the levitation mage to be Altair, the enigmatic Master of the Silver Eye, from the words of the captive cultists. Once the results of the interrogation become apparent, a kind of silence settles in the room where it takes place.

"Wow." -- Eos breaks it after a while. -- "I knew you were powerful, surviving draconic fire and all, but to defeat such a mage by yourself... I'm impressed, Mordragon."
"As am I." -- Irithyll adds. -- "It's reassuring knowing there's a warrior of such strength fighting on our side."

Altair's sword seems to be a fairly simple one enchanted for durability. You ask the mages how it could hurt you then -- the answer is that any enchanted weaponry is capable of causing slight damage to your inner structure. Nothing too serious though.

The cultist mages also possessed a wide variety of dark magic boosting artifacts in the form of different amulets, bracelets, necklaces, rings. Diodorus asks to take them for destruction, but offers you to keep some if you'd like.

"I trust you won't use hexes and dark blasts against good people. They should be safe in your hands."
>Accept. Take a couple artifacts. Perhaps you'll learn some spells of dark magic in the future.
>Refuse. You have no need for such magic.

There are three other artifacts of note. The first is a soulcage amulet. Gwyndolin and Diodorus explain that it functions by taking an enemy's soul captive and destroying it in a powerful blast of magic later at the command of the user.

"This one needs to be destroyed as well." -- the Mage of Tefar announces. -- "No living being deserves to have their souls destroyed for whatever malicious purpose."
>Convince Diodorus to let you be the one who destroys it. What you actually do with it is another matter...
>Let it be destroyed.

The second artifact is the bracelet of unbinding. An enchanted arm accessory which dismantles nearby undead at the command of the user. You charge it with some of the mana potions the mages were carrying and use it to free the souls imprisoned in the golems -- bound by magic and thus unable to be freed simply by destroying the constructs. The faint lights escape outside and head somewhere -- some dive deep underground, others wander off far, far away, several ascend towards the by now cleared up sky. You wonder where they go. Probably to other realms of their chosen gods?

The third artifact is a pair of long pins with ornamented heads. These accessories act as communication devices, one being the transmitter and the other the receiver. The range is untested yet.

>>5480326
The lower levels of the hold slowly transform into unworked caves. Giant spiders dwell here, but there are wards in place to scare them off. You consider taking one ward for yourself.
>Y
>N

Searching through the library, you find several advanced books on animated constructs. Due to the limited space of your inventory, you take the most all-around useful overview of the field. The rest are taken by other mages -- Diodorus and the demonologists -- for their respective libraries. There are also some air and lightning magic ones. Gwyndolin takes one, you suppose it wouldn't hurt to obtain one as well.

You feel kind of off. You ask the mages to check if anything's wrong with you. After a short examination, Diodorus reports their findings.

"The damage is deep, Mordragon." -- he notes, frowning. -- "You probably won't be able to heal it by simple rest. We would've gladly helped, but your inner structure is too complex for us to confidently tinker with. You'll need the help of a magesmith if you hope to fully recover. Good news is, while it is unhealable without intervention, it is not that wide in scale. You'll probably feel weakness, but should retain most of your fighting capabilities."

You also investigate the colossus. Inside its head is a complex magical projection machine, a mechanism of glass, mana stones and steel. The mages explain that it is powered by souls -- that explains why the cultist mages were carrying them from the storage.

"Will we be able to use it against our enemies if it is finished?" -- you ask the Mage of Tefar.
"You serious, Mordragon?" -- he eyes you with a puzzled look. -- "Of course not. It is powered by souls -- we shouldn't dabble in magic that uses them."

>>5480328
There is one more thing to be found in the study of the Master of the Silver Eye. A ring with a sparkling black gem. You feel a certain tingling as you touch it. It instills a sense of worry within you. You ask Diodorus to inspect the ring. As he works, his face pales more and more.

"...By Sol. This is one of the rings of the Black King." -- he falls silent.
"What does this mean?" -- you ask after the pause becomes uncomfortable.
"There was a... sorcerer king that ruled Neruem 200 years ago. His power was as great as his deeds were terrible. Disregard for human life and tyrannical rule brought him great strength... Yet he was defeated in the end. But he managed to seal his soul in four rings that can resurrect him when assembled. This is one of them."
"Well, since this houses part of the evil wizard's soul, shouldn't we destroy it just as the soulcage amulet?"
"It is indestructible." -- Diodorus states matter-of-factly. -- "The only way to destroy them is to resurrect the Black King and defeat him once and for all." -- he pauses. -- "I don't know if I can entrust it to you, Mordragon. But if you manage to assemble the rings... Inform me or someone else of power. We'll prepare and defeat the sorcerer together."
"Understood." -- you say, hiding the ring in a hidden pocket of your bag.

There is also a treasury of 10000 coins in the depths of the hold.

With this, the looting of the fortress is finished. The search through the rooms took most of the remaining day. With burial of the enemies and allied warriors out of the way and cleanup finished, everyone prepares for rest. Though you are left with a variety of loot to sort through -- as the leader of the expedition, you get the final say on how it is allocated.
>How do you split the 10000 coins?
>Do you keep the voicepins? If not, whom do you give them to?
>Do you keep the bracelet of unbinding? If not, whom do you give it to?
>Do you keep or leave the lightning magic boosting artifacts?
>Do you switch your sword of sharpness for the sword of durability the Master used?
>Do you want to do anything else while you're in the hold?

>>5480326
>Refuse. You have no need for such magic.
>Let it be destroyed.
>>5480328
>Y
>>5480330
>How do you split the 10000 coins?
Equally
>Do you keep the voicepins? If not, whom do you give them to?
Yes. Keep one, other goes to whoever scouts ahead.
>Do you keep the bracelet of unbinding? If not, whom do you give it to?
No, that thing might accidentally hurt us. Give it to someone that could use some counterspells
>Do you keep or leave the lightning magic boosting artifacts?
Keep, they are not evil
>Do you switch your sword of sharpness for the sword of durability the Master used?
No, give it to someone else
>Do you want to do anything else while you're in the hold?
Let's go kill those spiders. Without the wards they might expand and attack innocent people in the future.

>>5480326
>>5480328
>>5480330
>Accept. Take a couple artifacts. Perhaps you'll learn some spells of dark magic in the future.
>Let it be destroyed.
>Y

>>5480399
+1

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5480399
>>5480865
1 - accept a couple dark magic artifacts
2 - reject

>>5480399
>>5480865
>Refuse. You have no need for such magic.
>Let it be destroyed.
>Y - take a ward
>write-ins

"I do not need this. I'll make do without dark magic to aid me."
"Very well."

You silently accept the destruction of the soulcage amulet as well.

...

You decide to split the coins equally, rewarding everyone's participation in battle. However, there are some questions about the allocation.
>Do you include Rifrun and his men in the split? Technically, they are not part of your core party and only joined in exchange for help with the demonic invasion -- this could be considered payment in itself. Then again, their help was invaluable in the battle for the hold.
>Do you include Lilith in the split? She didn't participate in battle and only joined you in the last stage of the campaign.

There is a group of scouts within Rifrun's forces, but they'll be leaving soon enough since their mission of aiding you against the Silver Eye is finished. You eventually decide to give the transmitter voicepin to Gwyndolin.

The bracelet of unbinding could go into many casters' hands, but Eos's spellcasting ability is rather focused, so to diversify it somewhat you give the accessory to her.

Irithyll and the knights take the sword of durability for the royal armouries back in Neruem.

You take one of the spider wards for yourself. It is a deceptively small wooden tablet with symbols etched onto its rough surface. Staring down the dark tunnel, you hear the faint echoing clutter of hundreds of feet on cold stone. This could be problematic for the eventual reclamation of the fortress. It needs to be dealt with.

You inform the others of your decision to exterminate the spiders. Rifrun objects initially, claiming it wasn't agreed upon back in Asthur that you'd also clear the lower levels of whatever dangers lurk within, but after some convincing he yields, pledging his men to your mission.

Night falls. Chill winds howl beyond closed gates; the lot of watchmen on the towers outside is unenviable, but necessary to uphold. You walk around the hold, inspecting the vast halls. In the heat of battle you didn't notice how intricate dwarven masonry is. Monumental columns support high ceilings, carved with the ancient smiths' hammers, painted with resilient colours to show scenes of wealth, but also honour in battle, the Star Gods the dwarves worship, and many other things. These walks have exposed the weakness within you. Your arm and leg plates feel heavy as you move them, step by step. As if something is missing inside.

>>5481248
In the morning, after brief preparations, you head deep down, below the great cavern and into the twisting caves below. Naturally, you leave the spider ward behind, lest your enemies escape instead of engaging you. The tunnels are coated in webs. Men are unnerved by the sight, but keep marching by your side. The spiders seem hesitant about attacking you even without the ward, rapidly navigating the caverns native to them.

That changes when, after a surprisingly short march, you emerge into another cavern, even more vast than the one housing the golem. Dozens of eight-legged monsters dwell here, protecting their eggs. As they understand you have come to claim the lives of their offspring, they charge you, a wave of chitin and mandibles devouring all in its path.
>Use the Sol Gauntlet to burn the first wave.
>Get into the middle of the horde and scare them using the Tablet of Fear.
>Shield wall with your allies and break apart their charge.
>Write-in

>>5480399
It should be noted that dark magic isn't evil per se. It's a versatile school that places debuffs on the caster's enemies mainly. Though advanced levels do include spells that deal with soul slaying and other fun stuff.

>>5481248
>Do you include Rifrun and his men in the split? Technically, they are not part of your core party and only joined in exchange for help with the demonic invasion -- this could be considered payment in itself. Then again, their help was invaluable in the battle for the hold.
>Do you include Lilith in the split? She didn't participate in battle and only joined you in the last stage of the campaign.
Yes. It will hurt the amount of loot but it keeps everyone friendly. Or atleast I hope so.
>>5481251
>Shield wall with your allies and break apart their charge.

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>>5481251
Forgot pic

>>5481248
Yes to both

>>5481251
>Shield wall with your allies and break apart their charge.

>>5481261
>>5481977
>Include Rifrun, his men, and Lilith in the split
>Shield wall with your allies and break apart their charge.

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 60

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>5482028

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>5482028

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>5482028

>>5482037
>>5482055
>>5482185
>42 - Failure

The tide is overwhelming. The spiders pull the shields down, deflecting blows with their hardy chitinous armour before viciously disarming and devouring the unfortunate warriors. Several are lost to fang and poison before you can regain control of the situation. The mages illuminate the caves with howling magic missiles and cast protective manashields around allies. Slowly, but surely, the tide is turning, in spite of the losses, and soon enough, striking hard and fast, you are on the offensive, pushing the spiders deeper into their webby home.

In its depths, something awakens. Eight luminous eyes appear, glimmering in the dark, reflecting the light of your torches. Out of the shadows, the massive form of the matriarch appears, and other spiders retreat for a bit, seemingly intent on surrounding your group, crawling across walls, webs being highways for their agile legs.
>Attack the matriarch, initiating by crippling her legs.
>Form a defensive circle and hold off the coming assault.
>Deal with the other spiders first in a dispersed attack.
>Blast either the matriarch or the common spiders with the Sol Gauntlet. (specify whom)
>Write-in

>>5482207
>>Blast either the matriarch or the common spiders with the Sol Gauntlet. (specify whom)
The common horde

>>5482207
>Blast either the matriarch or the common spiders with the Sol Gauntlet. (specify whom)
The matriarch

>>5482207
>Blast the common spiders with the Sol Gauntlet.

Sorry for the absence, rangeban problems.
>>5482218
>>5482234
>>5483573
>Blast the common spiders with the Sol Gauntlet
>Autosuccess

You move to one of the flanks and call upon the flames. A stream of fire bursts out of your hand, engulfing the spiders and their eggs, and making their webbing melt. As the flames consume their flesh, they chitter and screech , dropping off walls and wilting into burnt, charred husks.

"Mordragon, that's not..." -- Eos starts saying something.
"Damn it, we have to wrap this up fast before the fire burns up all the air. The smoke may suffocate us as well." -- Rifrun grumbles.
"There's plenty of air in this cavern; the light doesn't even reach the top. The corpses will burn up long before we run out." -- Irithyll objects.

Anyhow, the remaining spiders seem to be in disarray for a few moments, but soon, guided perhaps by a thirst for revenge, they launch another assault against your lines, the matriarch slamming its sharp legs against the shields of the warriors, the common arachnids attempting another overrun. In the chaos of battle, the two main targets remain.
>Deal with the remaining common spiders first.
>Cripple the matriarch.
>Write-in

>>5484387
>>Deal with the remaining common spiders first.

>>5484387
>Deal with the remaining common spiders first.

>>5484387
>>Deal with the remaining common spiders first.

>>5484437
>>5485011
>>5485627
>Deal with the remaining common spiders first.

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 30/50

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>5485684

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>5485684

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>5485684

>>5485690
>>5485699
>>5485824
>95 - Full Success

You grip your mace tightly. Moving quickly, you slam it into the spiders, one after another, crushing the arachnids with precise and rapid strikes. Your allies, encouraged by your presence, go on the offensive as well, mighty men and half-demons cutting and hacking their way through the monster hordes. Soon enough, those spiders that escaped the Sol Gauntlet's fire have been slain as well.

You turn your attention towards the matriarch, and not a moment too soon: the broodmother has broken some of the warriors' shields and almost bit one's head off. You block her mandibles with your resilient mace. The mages, previously assisting you by throwing magic missiles at the common spiders, turn their attention towards the retreating fighters as well, setting up shields to protect against the enemy's onslaught. Recognizing her disadvantage, the matriarch start spitting venom, which crashes and sizzles against the manashields, evaporating both itself and the protecting ethereal forces. It is time to deal the finishing blow.

Roll 1d100 Bo3 DC: 60

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>5485848
Let's finish this

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>5485848

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>5485848

File: giant_spider2.jpg (261 KB, 841x1007)

261 KB JPG

>>5485849
>>5485860
>>5485981
>77 - Success

"Surround it. Snap its legs." -- you command your allies in your usual ethereal, echoing voice.

In this cavern, it is tough to flank a large enemy without climbing the walls, but the warriors do their best. The demonologists come into play once again, casting ethereal chains on the monster. This makes the matriarch somewhat more manageable; you deflect one strike of its legs after another, buying time for your allies to attack from the sides.

The great spider screeches in pain as one of its limbs is severed with a slash of a halfdemon's sword. She turns and flails her chitinous legs around, knocking several warriors down, probably breaking some bones from the impact. You press on, making two precise strikes against its front legs, crushing the joints with your mace. The spider spews venom, which the manashields protect against, and as its helplessness becomes apparent, all it takes is a crushing hit on the head to end the matriarch's life.

The mages extinguish the burning spiders while you spot something glittering in the far end of the cavern. Making it past the matriarch's corpse, you lift your torch high, approaching the object. The light illuminates a two-handed axe buried in the webs; you pull it out. It is a solid work: atop a sturdy wooden handle sits a head of iron with streaks of brass forming intricate patterns near where the metal sits on the wood. It is heavy, but not so much as to be unwieldable.

You take it to the mages.
"Could you check if it's enchanted?" -- you ask Diodorus.
"Once we get back to the fortress."

You don't stay long. The oppressive dark of the cavern and the choking smoke from the smouldering spiders is enough to make everyone wish for surface again. You crush the spider eggs and ascend. Tallying the losses, it seems due to both good luck and some tactics, you've only lost 3 Asthurians, though several warriors have been wounded or poisoned.

Diodorus gets back to you in a few hours.
"About the axe... Dwarven work. Bears a minor enchantment for strength of hits. Probably why the spiders pilfered it in the first place. Otherwise unremarkable."

You consider replacing the mace with it. Both are two-handed weapons, the axe being of the cutting kind though, while the mace, even with its flanges, is, at its core, a blunt weapon. There's also some memories; it's been with you since the beginning of your journey, you could probably enchant it as well if you invested into it. The axe is, obviously, a superior weapon quality- and enchantment-wise. You could also keep both, but they're sure to weigh you down in battle. Rifrun, the leader of the Asthurians, took an interest in the axe, and would be happy if you donated it for the good of Asthur. He did receive his part of the pay already, however.
>Take the axe to replace the mace
>Keep both the axe and the mace
>Give the axe to Rifrun
>Write-in

>>5486841
Also
>Do you want to do anything else while you're in the fortress?

>>5486841
>Take the axe to replace the mace
>>5486845
Can't think of anything, other than picking the ward on the way out

>>5486841
>Give the axe to Rifrun
>>5486845
Nah

>>5486841
>>Give the axe to Rifrun
>>5486845
nope

>>5486851
You already have the ward.
>>5486854
>>5487045
>Give the axe to Rifrun
>Don't do anything in the hold

You decide to give the axe to Rifrun.
"Thank you." -- the leader of the Asthurians says as you hand him the weapon. -- "It is an expensive endeavour to enchant a weapon, one not usually undertaken by the city administration except for its most distinguished warriors. This'll prove to be a valuable addition to the arsenal... You have been generous in splitting the loot with us, even though we're basically mercenaries on a task. You have my gratitude for that. Know that Asthur will remember this; if you ever need help, you can contact me through the mayor or some other higher-ups."
"Thank you." -- you say in turn. -- "I'll keep this in mind."

Another day passes as wounds are tended to and the documents of the Silver Eye are investigated. The location of their bases is revealed, their influence apparently quite far-reaching. There is light shed on their motives, too.
"They recruited those who have been hurt." -- Eos explains. -- "Those that lost loved ones and couldn't bear it. The silver eyes wanted to harvest souls using the golem to both bring back those whom they valued and make themselves and those they'd have brought back immortal. An arguably noble goal with terrifying means of execution."

You finally get around to splitting the gold. 263 gold pieces goes to each of the group's members. Lilith approaches you after the lengthy process of counting the coins is concluded.
"Listen... I'm happy you included me in the share, but I feel like this is a bit too much considering I've barely done anything. I want to prove truly useful to you in the future, Mordragon. You saved me, kind of... But for now, take this. 100 is enough for me." -- she passes you a pouch containing 163 of the coins. You silently accept it.

Next morning, Diodorus approaches you.
"The mission is finished, Mordragon." -- he says. -- "Rifrun and his men will be heading back to Asthur. Me, Irithyll and the knights will be travelling north, to the city of Orbrin, then back to Neruem. I'd suggest you go with us as well, there are more magesmiths in the kingdoms of Lan and Altine up north than anywhere else. They could fix you, for a price, of course. Ultimately though, it is your choice. Where will you travel next?"
>"I will go with you to Orbrin."
>"I will head back to Asthur with Rifrun."
>"I will head into the Magelands to the northeast. See what's interesting there."
>Write-in

>>5487750
>"I will go with you to Orbrin."

>>5487750
>>"I will go with you to Orbrin."

>>5487750
>>"I will go with you to Orbrin."

No update today, anons, planning out some things.

File: map1.png (2 KB, 609x433)

2 KB PNG

>>5487764
>>5487774
>>5488582
>"I will go with you to Orbrin."

"I will travel with you to Orbrin. Get myself repaired maybe." -- you answer.
"Very well. I'd be pleased to keep you company. We can also continue our magic lessons this way. You have the basics down, but some nuances I can still teach."

After a couple days of preparations, you exchange farewells with Rifrun and head out north. The way is peaceful -- a welcome relief following the tense battle against the silver eyes. The temperate lands are fairly independent, with several dispersed towns and cities projecting their little spheres of influence over the surrounding countryside. You make rare stops for rest and supply replenishment.

"What will you do now?" -- Diodorus asks you at an opportune moment. -- "From what I heard from you, you're not bound by any responsibility ever since you gained a soul. With the mission finished, there is not much you are obliged to do, is there?"
>You will keep wandering the lands, for now.
>You will keep doing good deeds where possible. [if you pick this, explain why you do this over the following option]
>You will keep being plates for hire -- doing work in exchange for personal gain.
>Write-in
Several (non-mutually exclusive, obviously) options may be chosen here.
Also picrel is a technical map I use behind the scenes, so obviously hard to read with lines outlining states, seas, and mountains all at once, but I thought maybe you anons would be interested in learning how the land looks like. Some of the objects you are yet to discover are erased.

>>5489972
>>You will keep wandering the lands, for now.

Map looks cool. Bigger than expected.

>>5489972
>You will keep doing good deeds where possible. [if you pick this, explain why you do this over the following option]
The explanation is to spread the burned god's faith.

>>5490044
I think I should mention that the Burnt God is not strictly "good". He was a demonic prince in the past, after all. Elaborate if you can. I can extend the voting period for this.

>>5489972
>You will keep wandering the lands, for now.
It's worked out for us so far.

>>5490651
Well, we kind of made a deal. It eas not really a promised or binding, but still.
Also he seemed to be chill, so maybe he mellowed out a bit.
I didn't play in the last two threads, so I'm going off what I saw in the archive, and your recap.

>>5490016
>>5490044
>>5490664
>You will keep wandering the lands, for now.

"I'll keep wandering the lands. Can't say what I'll be doing on these wanderings, don't want to look that far ahead." -- you reply.
"I see." -- Diodorus only says that, staying silent on whatever other thoughts he may have.
"What will you do?" -- you decide to reflect the question.
"Return to Neruem, keep working on my magical projects. Not much interesting, really. Well, for you, at least."
"Making progress on that spell you wanted the Winged Valley feathers for?"
"I am. Can't reveal what it is yet, though."

You keep travelling through the plains and forests, making your way towards Orbrin. In snowy woods, you happen upon a town whose residents talk about a local legend of the White Lady -- there lives a woman in the woods who keeps a certain ancient dark power lurking in the depths of the forest at bay. Once in a few decades, she comes out of the woods to recruit an successor. The townsmen know the location of the house where she lives; you consider going there to talk.
>Visit the house of the White Lady.
>Keep on the road.

>>5490784
Hmm, still don't get what you're trying to say. The deal wasn't to do good deeds but to spread his faith. That can be achieved by dishonest means as well. Though I suppose it would be better to attract people through sincerity. You are right in that he mellowed out though.

>>5491018
>Visit the house of the White Lady.
>>5491022
>Though I suppose it would be better to attract people through sincerity.
Yeah, that was the idea. I think people would prefer to adopt a faith if the person preaching it helped then.
I have no problem just adventuring around though.

>>5491018
>Visit the house of the White Lady.

Let's take a look.

No update today, anons, it'll be a sizeable one though when it does come eventually.

>>5491236
>>5491723
>Visit the house of the White Lady.

You decide to visit the house of the White Lady, whoever she is. Your companions volunteer to go with you, curious about her as well.

There is no road leading to her house, no trail. You walk for a long time through the snow, leaving behind deep footprints, tracks even. The way is silent. Sometimes you spot animals, noble stags or elusive foxes, far in the woods, though most of the time the sounds of your party scare them away.

After a while, you start following the tributary of the river on which the town of Seetu stands. It leads you to a lake on the shores of which the house you seek stands. It is a simple, yet elegant visage, walls of marble for the main structure with bleached wood for various annexes. The windows are large and light. Surrounding the lake there is a garden, and near the main building stands a low, but spacious wood-and-glass structure, inside which you spot various unknown mechanisms.

You knock on the gates of the house. There is no answer even after a quarter-hour. You decide to wait for the owner to come back.

It takes a couple hours for the White Lady to arrive. She is a young girl dressed in uncharacteristically light, draped clothing. Flowing lines of gentle, white fabric fall over her shoulders and loosely hug her hips. Her face is beautiful, but uncanny, completely white with large eyes containing equally large dark pupils. Her long hair falls freely over her shoulders. She breathes out clouds of steam as she moves lightly and with agility over the snow on her skis.

The White Lady notices you.
"Strangers. Come to visit me? Come inside, we'll talk then."

You proceed into the house, the rest of your party leaving boots at the door. The inside is cluttered and unorderly, at least to the unsophisticated eye, with lots of crafting tools, ritualistic objects, carvings, tapestries, clothing and whatnot. The carpets project warmth, making your companions loosen their winter coats.

>>5493322
"There's lots of you... There may not be space for everyone at the table. You wouldn't object if you stood while conversing, would you?" -- she sits down on an ornate chair. -- "I suppose introductions are in order. You know my name -- I am the White Lady, as they call me. I maintain watch on this forest and keep the Black Wolf at bay. Who are you? What brings you here?"
"I am Mordragon, a suit of living armour. These are my companions."
The others introduce themselves in turn.
"We were interested in the legend. We'd like to learn more about you."
"I see." -- she smiles. -- "Well, you have the gist of it down from both my words earlier and the townspeople. What else would you like to know?"
"What do you do here? We saw a garden around the lake." -- Diodorus asks. -- "I noticed some magical plants, but no edible crops. How do you get your supplies?"
"I need very little conventional food. I mostly get the nourishment I need from the magical energy I gain through meditation and conversing with the Black Wolf itself. Though I do trade my harvests for some supplies."
"You trade?" -- Eos asks, curiosity in her voice. -- "I thought you were a hermit or something."
The White Lady laughs.
"Nothing like that. Though I do disguise myself when I go to Seetu. The folk don't need to worry about me being among them. I also get fabric for my clothes there, some other supplies such as tools and materials. A lot of things, really."

"Tell us more about the Black Wolf." -- you ask, noting several of your companions have taken seats around the table.
"What magic do you use to keep it at bay?" -- Diodorus adds.
"It's a set of talismans encircling an area with a protective barrier of taut arcane strings. As for the Black Wolf... A long time ago, there was a sorcerer who, for one reason or another, constructed a magical being of darkness to fulfill his wishes. Eventually, as the being kept amassing power, it took over its master and brought untold destruction upon the lands. The heroes that eventually defeated it were unable to completely erase its presence, and so made this prison and appointed the first White Lady to oversee it. The tradition is kept to this day."
"Is it possible to discover a way to end this being?" -- you ask.
"If it was, someone would've done that already." -- she answers with a tint of sorrow in her voice. -- "I guess it would require a major purification spell. Some of the adventurers are already engaged in this task, but I am yet to hear of any success in their endeavours."
"Has the Black Wolf ever breached the barrier?" -- you ask.
"It has. But the White Lady's presence soothes its anger. We have ways of directing it back to this place."

>>5493324
You stay silent for a while, pondering what was said.
"Why white specifically?" -- Eos asks.
"The colour, you mean?"
"Yes."
"It's a side effect of the magic that makes all of this possible."
"Does it stay like this forever? Is it a lifetime position, anyways?"
"No. Once the position is passed to a successor, we revert to our original look. We stay young for the duration of the service, but this, unfortunately, disappears as well. As for how long it lasts... We usually recruit a girl of 10 years. For 10 years, she remains an apprentice to the current White Lady, then the position is passed to the new one. What follows is 10 years of solitary work and 10 more years in which the new White Lady trains her successor in turn. After that, she is free."
"Quite a long time." -- Eos whispers slowly. -- "Do you ever regret accepting the offer of the previous White Lady? Making such a long commitment?"
"I did have my doubts initially..." -- the White Lady looks down with a gentle, slightly sad smile. -- "but eventually they dissapeared. Sometimes there are things that need to be done, even if they take up half -- or more -- of your life."
"It is noble to dedicate oneself to the service of something good." -- Irithyll adds.
"That is correct." -- the White Lady replies.
"I much prefer freedom..." -- Eos says. -- "What was your name before you became the White Lady?"
"It's not important. I'd rather keep it to myself." -- the White Lady answers somewhat coldly.

You consider this dialogue, some internal, unsaid thoughts forming within. Would you dedicate yourself to something long-term, or prefer flexibility, but lesser power?
>Even if something takes a long time, if it needs to be done, or if you would attain great mastery of your field of interest by doing it, you would commit yourself to it.
>You would rather remain free in your actions and wanderings than remain tied to something long-lasting. Your feelings change and shift, and it is important to maintain freedom to act with these changes.

You also consider undertaking the quest to find the spell to purify the ancient Black Wolf, whatever it is, like some of the other adventurers that visited this place. (You can change your mind later, this is more of a choice about whether I'll offer prompts to progress where possible.)
>You will make an effort to end this being.
>While this was enlightening, you will not pursue this further.

Do you want to ask anything else while you're here?
>Write-in
>No, you have learned everything you wanted.

>>5493327
>Even if something takes a long time, if it needs to be done, or if you would attain great mastery of your field of interest by doing it, you would commit yourself to it.
>You will make an effort to end this being.
>No, you have learned everything you wanted.

>>5493327
>>Even if something takes a long time, if it needs to be done, or if you would attain great mastery of your field of interest by doing it, you would commit yourself to it.
>You will make an effort to end this being.
>No, you have learned everything you wanted.

>>5493345
>>5493423
>Even if something takes a long time, if it needs to be done, or if you would attain great mastery of your field of interest by doing it, you would commit yourself to it.
>You will make an effort to end this being.
>No, you have learned everything you wanted.

Indeed, some projects are worth binding yourself to, even if they take up a considerable amount of time. Great sacrifice for a great payoff.

"Thank you for the story." -- you tell the White Lady. -- "I will try to investigate how to destroy the Black Wolf."
"I would be glad if you did find a solution in the end." -- she pauses. -- "Well then... It seems this is farewell. May the twin moons bring you luck on your journey."
"Thank you. May strength be with you in your work."

You head out back to Seetu and make it back to the town by evening. As the party settles for the night once more, Eos approaches you.
"What do you think about freedom, Mordragon? About what was said back in the White Lady's house?"
"Even if something takes a long time, if it needs to be done, or if I would attain great mastery of my field of interest by doing it, I would commit myself to it."
"I see. I thought the opposite about you -- that you wanted to wander and valued your freedom above anything else, no?"
"That is for now. It may change in the future if I find a worthy objective to pursue."
You note Lilith listening in on your dialogue.

You continue on your way to Orbrin. After two weeks, you finally reach the grand city. Its towering walls contain within themselves a beating heart the likes of which you can hardly find anywhere else. The capital of the world -- they call it, as you learn from your companions. The language is foreign to you, but Diodorus and the local guides instruct you somewhat in Orbrin -- the same as the city is called -- a mix between various languages ranging from the Sunshore of the northeast to Lan of the north and the tongues of the Witch Kingdoms to the west.

>>5494439
You learn there are several places of interest in the city. The first is the Magic University, one of the foremost magical educational structures of the world, also containing a council of some of the most powerful mages alive, when they are not on missions in distant lands. The port is a major hub of activity, in spite of the tempestuous winds of the Crashing Sea. The Palace of the Little King is also of note, housing both the city administration and the current leader of Orbrin and several surrounding lands. There are also several major temples and shrines around the city, mostly dedicated to the Moon Cult, but some for most of the religions of the surrounding lands: the Sol temple, the northern pantheon of Falvirheim, a shrine to the Ascended of the Seraphim, the Slithering Gods of the nagas, and several others. The city also houses a bustling art scene in the Shifting Workshops. Obviously, there are some smaller places, like alchemical shops, smithies and the like.

The snow-covered streets are sparsely filled -- the Orbrines prefer to remain in the warmth of their homes during the cold season. Your companions plan to host a party this night in celebration of your victory over the Silver Eye, but there still time to engage in other activity around the city.
>Write in where you'd like to go?
>Wait until the night. Wander the streets in the mean time. Map out the city.

I may shift to 1 update/2 days due to reasons. Don't be alarmed if updates come late.

>>5494442
Either the Magic University or the Little King.
They sound like the place where the plot hooks are.

>>5494442
>Go check out a dance hall.

Sorry for the absence, was tired, will try to get back on track tomorrow.
>>5494485
What in particular will you be trying to do there? The other anon's suggestion is pretty straightforward - to dance. There are several things to be done at the university. Do you want to ask about a particular spell? Or seek another kind of guidance? Do you want to help research by offering your services as an adventurer? Do you want to obtain knowledge from the library? What are you seeking there?

>>5498045
Well, I wanted to study more about the whole gaining a soul deal, anything about magic on how to deal with the likes of the black wolf, and see if they have any need fr an adventurer.
The court of the little king would be to see if they have any mercenary work, and if there are any families that are descendants from our old fallen kingdom.

>>5498061
Actually, Erslied was our old kingdom wasn't it? Ignore that part.

>>5498061
>>5498066
Noted. About Erslied, yes, that's the one whose king you served long ago. It's not fallen, just declined.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

1 - Magic uni
2 - Dance hall

>>5494485
>>5495468
You wander the streets a bit, looking for a dance hall. Soon enough, you find an inconspicuous building with big windows letting in the light, music seeping through the walls, faintly being heard in the street. You enter.

The inside, after a cloakroom, is a great space where musicians are playing and the few people not busy with work or studying at this time of the day move in sync with music. Soon enough, your dance, quite adept due to lessons from Eos, makes you the center of a bit awkward attention. For a few minutes, you keep answering questions about what you are, accepting requests for pairs' dance (which you miserably fail at -- you can only really dance on your own), taking off your helmet to show that, yes, there is really nothing there. Soon, however, you are forgotten. Discarded like a toy that has lost its novelty.

This happens often, as you've observed. Wherever you go, at first, you are met with wary isolation, then cautious interest, then, after they have learned everything they could from you, cold, distant indifference. You are different from other people -- you are not exactly part of "people" at all, being a construct, and it becomes painfully apparent the more you wander the world how avoiding these people are to strangers and that what is unknown to them, that which they are, deep down, afraid of. Very few of those you meet put value in your relationships -- really, only your companions care about you that much.

You keep dancing.
>You wish other people were more interested in you and your views rather than use you as a temporary source of entertainment. You want to matter.
>Let them be. You only need the company of those close to you.
>Write-in

>>5499324
>Let them be. You only need the company of those close to you.

>>5499324
>>Let them be. You only need the company of those close to you.

>>5499324
>Let them be. You only need the company of those close to you.

>>5499345
>>5499358
>>5500885
>Let them be. You only need the company of those close to you.

Let them be. You only need the company of those close to you. You do not care what others may think about you.

You keep dancing for a few more hours. Your greater endurance ensures you do not tire, and yet your movements are a bit weird, twitchy. The damage you suffered must be showing. It is good you experienced it in these laidback circumstances, not in actual battle. You'll fix it soon enough. You just need to find a magesmith.

By the time you exit the dance hall, it is evening. You make your way towards the Magic University and schedule a meeting with one of the staff, then go towards the tavern where the celebration will be taking place. by the time you make it there, the windows are lit, music is playing, drink is served and the atmosphere, at last, is warm and cheerful.

The next few hours are a string of talk and revelry, some friendly competitions, dares, games, a lot of singing, which you, unfortunately, can't take part in, and other stuff typical of parties. The knights, usually straightlaced and strict, let themselves go and enjoy an evening of light to moderate drinking, careful not to tip into completely drunk territory. Eos, on the other hand, goes all-in, nevertheless remaining lightly intoxicated due to her water nature.

As the night deepens and the partying dies down, a thought strikes you that now would be a good time to talk to most of your companions. You look over the room. Eos is quietly singing a little tune amid half- or completely asleep knights. Lilith clings to the arm of one as the blushing young man tries to shake her off. Your mind feels fuzzy being near her. Succubus magic?.. Gwyndolin and Irithyll barely drank anything, lazily trading stories in the corner. Diodorus just looks over the room, smiling, yet as vigilant as ever. You're not too interested in Folqitun, him being a mercenary and all, and he's nowhere to be found to boot.
You consider inviting someone for a walk. Or just chatting in the tavern.
>Lilith
>Eos
>Gwyndolin
>Irithyll
>Diodorus

>>5502485
>Lilith
Mordragon to the rescue

>>5502485
>Lilith

Curious about how her magic works.

>>5502485
>>Lilith

>>5502489
>>5503081
>>5503139
>Lilith

You approach the half-succubus and her victim quietly.

"Please let me go." -- the young knight murmurs to Lilith.
"I don't want to. It's cold and your arm's warm." -- she answers, snuggling closer.
"Yeah, sure. You're radiating so much heat it's insane. You're hotter than anyone else in the room."
"Thanks."
"That wasn't a compliment..."
He sighs and they both stay silent.

"Lay off the guy, Lilith." -- you say quietly.
She looks at you with a mix of curiosity and plea.
"And do what? I'm having fun."
"Want to go for a walk? Clear your head a little."
"...Sure." -- she gets up, giving both you and the young knight a wistful look, and proceeds to put on a newly-acquired coat of hers and go outside.

You walk in silence for a few minutes, sometimes struggling through the snow. The night is deep, and most are at home, sleeping.
"How does your magic work?" -- you ask her.
She seems to be in thought for a few moments.
"I don't really know. It just kinda does?.. Whenever I'm near someone I'd like to like me, or when I'm aroused, it kicks in and does its little work. Simple as that." -- she pauses. -- "How do you work?"
"I don't know... I have seen my inner structure, but I don't know how any of it functions."
"Well, we're alike then. Unaware of what's going on inside us." -- she smiles cheerfully.
You stay silent for a minute or two.
"I wonder sometimes why you try to seduce men around you all the time."
"I... Because it's the only thing I know how to do." -- she gives you a sad smile. -- "You know I've been a prostitute for some... a long time. Old habits die hard." -- she pauses. -- "Should I not? I'm just... always looking for ways to earn money, so to speak." -- the half-succubus gives a quiet laugh.
>"I'm not going to order you around, but you don't need to attract sexual attention anymore if you don't want to. We can support each other -- that's what being a party means."
>"Consider picking up some other work. You don't always have to be doing the same thing. Sex work can become the past if you wish to, and I'll be there to support you if you so desire."
>Write-in
Multiple can be picked.

>>5505854
>"I'm not going to order you around, but you don't need to attract sexual attention anymore if you don't want to. We can support each other -- that's what being a party means."

>>5505854
>"I'm not going to order you around, but you don't need to attract sexual attention anymore if you don't want to. We can support each other -- that's what being a party means."
>"Ever try learning magic?"

>>5505854
>>"I'm not going to order you around, but you don't need to attract sexual attention anymore if you don't want to. We can support each other -- that's what being a party means."

We're about to fall off the board, I'll archive and make a new thread soon.