Curt 2024/04/22(Mon)10:25 No. 1089398 ID: 0fbdcd
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>: Something like "enthusiasm"?
>Anon

: Do you really, really believe you have to get in with this group you're trying to tell stories to? Or do you have to come up with a justification?
: I mean, I have a good reason. This case is important.
: But it's "a reason." It's not self-evident. There's no enthusiasm, is there?
: Wanting to be someone who has a talent, so that you can get some kind of benefit from it, you can't be enthusiastic about that.
: I wanted to become the greatest detective, and I'm pretty talented at that, right?
: You are! But did you want to be that first?
: Or did someone convince you it was something you should do?
: ...



: So if my "enthusiasm" is breaking, I need a way to be doing something self-evidently worthwhile, when I approach them.

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Curt 2024/04/22(Mon)10:25 No. 1089399 ID: 0fbdcd
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:
:
: Huh?

Curt 2024/04/22(Mon)10:26 No. 1089400 ID: 0fbdcd
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: Parasocial bonding.
: Seeing other people as sort of hyped-up versions of themselves.
: Ignoring human flaws or banal stuff on purpose.
: Great source of enthusiasm, really. Broke my streamer-watching habit too.
: Isn't that, really, isn't that unhealthy?
: Oh, I'm good enough at it that I don't let it hurt other people.



: Unhealthy for you. I mean, it sounds, kind of, fun (but there's no way it's good for you)?
: Maybe. Everything you think of as an unhealthy indulgence is basically, uh, how could I say it...
: Like a kind of lower-impact brain medication.
: Yeah!
: Someone's been telling me about that lately.
: Smart guy.

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How would... parasocial bonding break a streamer-watching habit? Isn't that how streamers get people to watch them, by triggering parasocial bonding?

I guess if you saw everyone as a streamer, then you wouldn't spend so much time on the actual streamers?

If you need something to indulge into, you could do a lot worse than food.
Actual food that someone cooked, I mean, not whatever food-adjacent products they stock in vending machines. Something tasty, created for the express purpose of being enjoyed rather then just providing calories. No mere sustenance, but a meal. A breakfast. A hot beverage with some freshly baked pastries. Deep-fried, if you're lucky.
And it looks like you haven't eaten in some time, too (because you die before hunger becomes a problem). Some semblance of normalcy could go a long way toward keeping your sanity.

Dang, my intel got stale. Least we're in the right clan territory.
Okay, quick recap: We started out by guiding a party of six survivors. Guk used to the be the leader, but he went crazy with paranoia and I expect the other tribes hate his guts. He rules over the spies. Sizzala's the head matriarch, master battlemage, if you need to piss her off fast, go after her sons. The twins Saqrar and Seqrar are the mages in charge of what passes for 'technomagick', but they're only smart in terms of studying magic, hence the wacky experiments. There were two others, but they're long dead. We recruited Waya, the captain of the huntresses, and Bizangi, the head courtesan. Mix in the dozens of slaves they captured and bred, and you've got a whole city-state. All usurped and ruled by the iron fist of that short-tempered loser who's been brainwashing the bunnies.

Explain that you're a servant of the Leader; you were supposed to bring some important cargo by boat to a specific location, because apparently the last time someone tried to bring that specific type of cargo through the giant green portal it exploded - or something, you weren't given details and you don't care. Long story short, ship gets wrecked, your Ootanshi Karved slave spontaneously goes nuts, and you were chasing after him in your skivvies when you ended up tripping down here. You were going to find the nearest Mistress and explain the situation so you could report to Clan Yish before the big guy gets angry of waiting for his shipment - again - and Soul Karves you for incompetence. Compared to that, insulting every huntress in the cave at once is preferable.

Tell her you got mixed up because your old man feared a cunning Gormoamhi named Saqrar, but you forgot it was long ago.

Question for you: what do you know of the rules of inter-species fertility among sapient races? Who is compatible, under what circumstances, what results, what influences things, etc.?

Possible high risk, high-reward line of questioning: 'I've heard old tales of your species culture, mostly about other tribes, so I don't know if it's true. Is it true that you separate 'female-gender-role' from 'having-female-sexual-bits' for, uh, 'non-people'? And that mating with 'female-gender-people' is how you turn 'non-people' into 'half-people', a sort of higher class? Or is that something only the males of your species do? I'm confused with the details! I admit, I ask because I find you appealing! Is it taboo for one like you to mate with a male-sexual-bits non-person in your first heat? Or is it the act of having a child with one, but not, say, the sorts of sex that don't produce progeny, that's taboo? Something else? How does any of this work? Like, I heard a tale you value virgins more or something like that?'

And if pressed on how you know this, you'd answer 'Other tribes of your species used to sometimes send your enslaved 'half-people' to talk the young and horny of other species into joining their tribes sort-of willingly, with stories of living lives full of limitless sexual hedonism and debauchery, and with no responsibilities of note. Needless to say, such tales, of course, spread like wildfire! I presume important details are left out or exaggerated or lost; the tales are old. I just don't know where or what.'

Now... the problem with this is twofold. ONE, you are giving out a lot of information, and admitting limits to your knowledge, in the hopes of getting information back. This isn't precisely 'leave them open to gloat about a topic'. TWO, this story is extrapolated from patterns

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Also, the females tend to be smarter than the males in this species, except when the females are having their heat. They still might remember things that happened during their heat when their mind clears, though. Also, much of my information from previously is from male 'culture', such as it is. And as such, one should remember that details of male culture are things that the matriarchs could override the importance of when given a chance to run things.

You could ask her if she isn't good at the physical tasks of her gender, surely there's another sort of task that she might excel at? Not knowing what's going on around you is just one sort of thought -- surely there's another type of more mental skill she could do?

IE, you're hinting at her options to learn female, 'use up corpses to power destructive spells' magic, or to learn more intellectual pursuits of the nonpeople to help her clan.

Also, ask her, flat out, how do you become a half person, and what exactly is a half person. Maybe even ask her, can she sponsor or make you a half-person?

In general, your objective is to a.) become a half-person, and b.) become a half-person that is specifically claimed as the sole property of someone reasonable. and c.) not have your mind destroyed in becoming a half-person!

Now, we know that males can take 'claim-mate' of people they fancy to be their fucktoys. We know males of this species are unreasonable as fuck. We know females *can* be reasonable and sane (though that varies). We don't know if females can have claim-mates, nor details of how females treat males of other species under their power in general. These things are VITAL to learn!

You need protection by someone sufficiently clever to reason with and who won't destroy your mind permanently as a matter of course or a general precaution!

Also, general note, the racial gifts -- strength, endurance, mass/size, durability, the ability to be stealthy despite being bright blue, the various magical gifts of this species are so ludicrously strong that a collection of morons of this species made absolute chaos of several large, organized, technologically and magically sophisticated groups in a matter of days! One might take the viewpoint that intentionally mixing some bloodlines might be a good idea. Maybe the males being stupid goes away if one is 1/4th Gormoamhi, but leaves the magic?

Though the magic and that drug and learning how to mindbreak people into a 'slave mindset' via edging them while they're drugged has totally fucked up their culture, to be sure. But I think sex with Gormoamhi males might have some odd mental effect in general, even without the drug? Otherwise getting people --of different species, even!-- reliably to the 'slave mindset' end wouldn't be possible, magic drugs or n

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No way it happened because of you. They'd have to chop off your ████ or something, to use your flesh for rune casting. If they used an immortal, it was another immortal, unless you notice any conspicuously missing body parts.

The uh... blood-kaleidoscope doesn't appear except only around the netherbound you were targeting. The netherbound also has a gun, and just murdered a guy, so uh... maybe... try finding another netherbound. This one's a biiit too dangerous to approach.

Anlo 2024/04/21(Sun)22:36 No. 1089379 ID: 3d7484
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>>1082163
>So, yea, dunno if you did the lightning thing or not. I mean, it could've been the guys superpowers or magic or whatever? That said, you witnessed a killing, whether it was legal or no. Don't draw attention to yourself, quietly make yourself scarce from here.
Yeah, there's no way I did the lightning, I'm all the way over here and as far as I know I don't have any lightning powers. But whatever just happened could be because the cult hunters are riled up, and I'm definitely to blame for that.

>>1082158
>In what way does this change your plans? It had nothing to do with you.
I didn't know the cult hunters were deadly. But you're right, it can't be that much worse than being sent back. Maybe things haven't gotten as bad as I thought. It's not like they know where I'm hiding out. Yet.

>Let's continue watching. Maybe the aftermath can give us some clues as to their motivations and desires.
Yeah, alright. They're definitely going to be focused on what just happened instead of looking for someone hidden accross the gap, and the better I know my enemy, the easier it'll be to avoid them.
Alright, if I can just... Focus for a second, we did already get some clues. The cult hunters came here, and confronted that guy who died, right? I think I heard something about a sorcerer in the chaos. It's their job to keep dark sorcerers from ever getting powerful enough to cause a second catastrophe, so they were probably looking for him

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Anlo 2024/04/21(Sun)22:36 No. 1089380 ID: 3d7484
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>>1057678
>Wait, what was that big black thing in the warehouse? I wanna take a look at that.
They came out during the commotion. Judging by the fact that they look like they're held together by nothing but pity and force of will, I'd say they're probably a corruption. More green than black, really.

And would you look at that. There's our mark. Since I can't just go right up to them right now, let's sit and watch where things go from here.

Anlo 2024/04/21(Sun)22:36 No. 1089381 ID: 3d7484
File 171376421047.png - (142.43KB , 512x512 , MAIN 56.png )

Alright, so, the cult hunters shooed everyone away from the dead guy. Some of those people left, but the netherbound is still here, and they've been talking with the others since. Several more cars and a van, each with lots of markings and flashing lights on them arrived, and they've just put the dead sorcerer into the van. It's an awful lot of fanfare for one dead sorcerer. I'd say it was a celebration if they weren't acting so serious and had let the people who were here join in.

And now the Netherbound is on the move. I need to catch them alone and preferably far away from the cult hunters if I want to siphon some seep magic. I don't know how long I'm going to be able to keep track of them from afar; Prarister is pretty dense, with lots of places to go. How do you think I should approach this?

>>1089381
You're in disguise, so once you get a decent distance away from the incident you can start following on foot. Do that for a little while, not enough for them to get suspicious, then approach them at some opportune moment and ask to talk to them in private somewhere. Say it's about what happened on the docks, with the sorcerer. You can even claim you're working with the cult hunters.

>>1089279
Short answer: Yes you are fat, but yes you are also well-endowed and high-spirited, in quantities that are far above the norm.

>>1089279
Just eat the treat you are pretty enough that it dont matter those bunny models have flat stomachs but they have no tits or ass and sort of look like guys but also they would not survive fall or the zombie apocalypse on kale and lettuce due to the cold and malnutrition

Do you not normally have those jelly rolls? Most people do. (Most raccoons do?) Like 90% of your body fat is your tits, anyway. Get food if you're hungry. (You have a sneaking suspicion you'll get a lot of advice how to eat strategically if you do.) If you're not hungry, just head home.

>>1089317
Remember you need to also dehydrate and have dangerously low fat content for those movie abbs also not as noticable with alot of hair.
Also yeah so long as you are not under feed you should have a jelly roll its natural to have that amount minimum to protect organs and to have something when times get lean when migrating to a new hunting and gathering spots often along a river.

Suggestion 2024/04/21(Sun)17:59 No. 1089356 ID: 66a97e

>>1089279
No you're not fat, your a pretty average weight all things considered.

Your doing just fine, and besides fuck societies rules and standards, since when did that matter?

You're being tended to right now and likely have a concussion, so likely anything you do will just be fucked up, so do what you're good at other than nothing, making a scalding remark.

"Yeah, sure, let the guy who runs the toy store take the girl away, that will end well."

This should be loud enough that either Roger hears it, or Albert hears it and then says something anyway

D. Rest and recover, diplomacy isn't Clive's strong point.

A will probably draw Sheppard to us... but it might spook this guy, who clearly doesn't want Sheppard here. Still, I don't like risking it. That would just encourage him to drag Enid away over our objections. So DO NOT PICK A.

Also, violence or struggling will also reinforce his position, and make Clive more tired. So D is the best option.

C is bad because we're on bad terms with Roger, and Albert is terrible with diplomacy too.

Considering the two points mentioned before and after our options (If nothing is done Enid is taken away, and Enid being taken away means failure), I can't fully get behind the idea of "Doing Nothing."

There's too many potential points to consider. How and why is Giovanni here? Did he put a tracking device inside one or more of the toys? Even though he and Sheppard are in theory not of aligned interest, it's still a failure either way if Enid is caught by either, which is weird to me.
One choice is death- is it the same for the other, as well?

In my head, B is the option that would be chosen if we didn't exist; a necessary use of violence.
-Albert might stop Clive again (he's injured, it's not a smart choice)
-It could either show Clive cares about Enid, or instead just further prove the misconceptions people have of him
-Overall, a time loss

I don't know what to expect with C, other than maybe being a faster choice than D.

My flawed suggestion is to go with some variation of A;
"And you think he won't kill you too?"

This doesn't necessarily have to be yelled, and it'll probably still make him double guess himself- Giovanni clearly knows more than we do, but that doesn't change the fact that Sheppard's got a gun and no way to see what he's shooting at- if he even cares. He's probably shooting anyone he sees on sight, no questions asked.

Depending on how this is spun, dick move or not, we might be able to temporarily force him to work with us, which might be worth the various risks- losing time, revealing our location, him betraying us later, etc.

>>1089295
That... actually sounds like a very interesting idea. I'm not sure if it will work or not, but even if it doesn't work, it will be very interesting to see his reaction. I'll change my vote to this.

E) Follow.
Wherever he's going, it's away from Sheppard.

Life

Life, an understandable revenge. In a healthy society she would get psychiatric help, but then, in a healthy society she wouldn't have been pushed to murder in the first place.

>>1088735
Despite the fact that she killed brutally and had no remorse or clean behavior about it, I can't think of a single person who actually has a loved one that wouldn't try to enact vengeance if theirs was killed. Hell, we have countless 'revenge' movies on this subject where we're supposed to empathize with and cheer the person doing the revenge. A court (clearly) made for entertainment deserves a verdict made for entertainment.

Life it is. Just watch your back out there, miss.

Can we hire her? This place could use someone that skilled at tearing guilty people to pieces.

Life.

>>1088960
Ah. So, the reason she was spared is that she didn't touch the box, and the influence didn't want her to do that at all. Maybe something inconvenient would happen if she touched it? Well, that's up to her in the end-- if she wants to risk falling under its influence by touching it on the bet that touching it will allow her patron to do something about the problem.

...wait, something doesn't add up here. If only touching the box causes it to take you over, then... why would you infiltrate the party in the first place? I think you were indeed sent by someone or something. Also, when you saw that Weaver symbol in the cell you were ordered by the unknown entity associated with the box, and you PROMISED to get it. You can't break your word to an entity that powerful, so you have to get the box no matter what. Thankfully you weren't ordered to do anything specific afterwards, so... we have a good amount of wiggle room here.

It's also worth noting that you were ordered to GET the box. Not open it. Also, the ruffians aren't letting you get it. Which means there are two separate influences here. The symbol being on the box *could* mean that the unknown entity ordering you around helped make the box but isn't responsible for its effects? Like, maybe the ritual the cultists here did corrupted the box? Or they used the provided box to contain something evil but unrelated to your boss? All questions we have no way of answering right now unfortunately. Unless we receive orders to the contrary I think our best bet is to take the box somewhere it can be examined safely. Somewhere that isn't Weaver-associated.

Once your new friend has calmed down you need to come up with a basic plan of engagement. How can you two use

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Better start making plans for how to transport the box without physically touching it, I suppose. And how to get it out of this place without touching it. You all have rope?

Getting the box seems like less and less of a good idea. You don't even know where you're supposed to deliver this box anymore. It's safer on the floor of this abandoned temple than in your hands, where you could be taking it in the completely wrong direction.

My suggestion would be:
1) hide the box
2) convince Mina's friends you've taken it
3) run like heck

They'll follow you, and if you can evade them (this time), then they won't go back looking for the box. You can find out who wants you to get it, then go back, get the box, and deliver it to them.

Cassilda seems like an annoyance at worst, but Omorful’henzio Khakranzee... his followers did what the butterfly's weren't willing to do. Did they take the box, kill everyone who touched it, then kill themselves, to leave it stranded without anyone to influence? (Then from whence came Roderick, influenced by it before even touching it?) Omorful’henzio Khakranzee might be trouble.

>>1089028

I don't think leaving a dangerous and attractive artifact in the kind of place that attracts desperate ruin delvers, looters, and robbers is a good idea for keeping it out of people's hands, yea? There has to be SOME sort of reasonably trustworthy institution for handling dangerous things like this somewhere, right??

Give Mina another moment to compose herself, then probably get a move on before you're found.

3/3 Nalthar 2024/04/17(Wed)22:59 No. 1089094 ID: 5ebd37
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Afton leads you into one of the tents where hardened looking mice and rats are strapping on hunting equipment. A few shrews are running a grindstone, sharpening knives and repairing straps. Surrep is here, discussing something with her fellow rats in hushed tones.

The hedgehog brings you to a makeshift table where some rough maps and diagrams are arranged. "Don't know if ye have any experience with human's houses, but this'ns not much different, just bigger. Ye've the garb of a hunter, so I hope we can count on ye. We've mapped out most of the first floor, take a look 'ere"

1: The library: There are fungos feeding on the books, and the window makes for a quick escape. Tis usually quiet, but teams of puppets will occasionally come to take a book or clear out the fungos, so stay alert.

2: The entry and main hall: Empty, and sometimes patrolled by the glow eyed ones. Best to avoid unless ye need to bypass the underfloor.

3: The dining room: This is where we usually hunt. There's a rottin feast up on the table, but the fungos are runnin a mite thin lately. And keep quiet, the master gets upset when 'e catches folks here.

4: The kitchen: Puppets work here at mealtimes, but even when they're dormant there's glow eyes on guard. Some sort of moving platform takes food up to the higher floors. There's a pantry too, but ye'd never make it to the door without gettin caught. And don't expect any help for any foolishness, just don't mess with this room.

5: The water closet: Not much, a human toilet and sink, some cleaning chemicals. The tiled walls keep the fungos out, so no reason to go there.

6:The lounge: Some human furniture, that's about it. Might be some fungos, and the only time puppets show up is when they're carryin a book from the library. Probably the safest place to hunt.

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Huh, is it *possible* to work for the puppet master while still alive? Maybe someone could infiltrate their ranks, and serve as a double agent?

>>1089094
If the fungos are getting thin in the dining room then they're being overhunted. Gotta hunt somewhere else today.
...the chemicals from the bathroom might be potentially useful for a plan of some sort. Which chemicals are they? For instance, we could kill a human by mixing specific chemicals together in a place where the fumes would reach the room they're in, and sabotaging the exit so they can't get out.

The library is a good place to hunt today, I think. Might even find a book worth reading.

>>1089094
Quick question has anyone considered burrowing a hole into the shaft the moving platform goes through and swiping food as it travels, I assume no guards go with the plates.

I think the servant's quarters are probably the best place to hunt. If this is a place we don't typically have access to, it's good to profit from it while the opportunity is still there.

Just have a question do any of you know how to write human language? To leave the message for the puppet master, will he freak out if he sees that we can talk with him. As for the hunting go for the servant's quarters.

Ayo, imp's in trouble. Can you turn the clothes on the active siblings into bindings? Or make the imp taste real bad?

Both of you are have basically have hostages now. There's no way to make that sexy...

... unless you know how to do a hostage swap via kissing. How good are you at sucking face? Is there a way to have the kid help? Could you mould her helmet (thrown nearby) into something you could use to your advantage?

>>1089162
Ooh yes, swap spit and hostages.

>>1089145
imp IN TROUBLE
i repeat backup is about to go by-by
seems like you can only transform things by touching them
can you open a portal-o-demon dick right into her?
she seems the sort that would just make quicker work of a meal if you tried just enticing her.
youd have to be clear about it. yell "oi thats my imp." or something
and hey youved lived through a few scrapes, and advice come to mind? maybe something the imp could do to slow her down even if you cant?

p.s.
DON'T FORGET YOUR GLASSES!

yeet the Sakkilian Lady at the other Sakkilian Lady eating your imp

10/10 Grey 2024/04/17(Wed)10:13 No. 1089047 ID: 3f89df
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Now, with a new day on the horizon and the sound of a caravan passing by the roads, I ask for your assistance, Muni, on what we should prioritize now.

>>1089039
Well... fine. Just... be careful. Even if he was a hero, what is he right now? What is he going to be if the crisis keeps growing?
I'll give him some time. We'll see how this plays out.

>>1089041
That's very insightful. You're the expert on magic, not us.

>>1089047
Alright, I did some 'training' on settlement tactics. It's complicated.
Everything begins with food. Make sure you have enough to perform at least one mid-term project. If not, then concentrate your efforts on securing more, no matter how tempting the other gambits.
Next, put all your efforts into chopping trees. You need space, building materials, and fuel, and the local trees can give you all of that. As long as your numbers are low, the devastation on the environment should be minimal, even if you clear out a glade.
And be daring! You're kind of desperate, so look for high-risk adventures to give you an edge in new resources and powers found in these dark woods!

>>1089047
A passing caravan brings opportunity grey mother.
Trade, gossip, information.
Perhaps even a good price for some of your muffalo should you be worried about lising them.
Primarily there could be trade to be had.

Regarding another issue.
The slavery.
I do not like it.
At all.
but it could be worth bringing in three because you are spread too thin for the work needed right now.
As such, i have a proposal grey mother.
One that may be more in line with the philosophy of a group seeking to be free of their own masters...

The three you "buy", once their previous owner is out of earshot, make them an offer.

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>>1089079
In the case of Indentured Servitude, I would propose we give the slaves the option of Double or Nothing.
Option (A): They leave, with nothing but the clothes on their back. They're completely free.
Option (B): They stay, their pay is docked to minimum possible wage (which you then have them use to pay for room and board and a few goodies here and there) until they have made what you bought them for - at which point, to their surprise, you then give them double the monetary value of what they produced for you. So now, not only do you pay back what should have been their wages but then give a gift out of the profits you made from their labor, showing that civilizations make far more than what they pay their citizens and you are willing to give some of that profit back to them. This should solidify their loyalty. From there, wages are normal, along with incentives, sidequests, and XMAS bonuses.

Wow you got all that done in a day? That's some great work ethic.

>>1089081
If you must do slavery, this is the closest to moral way to do it.

Hail the caravan. Even if you have nothing to trade yet it's good to see whats on the market.

>>1085218
Now that shes calm, in whisper ask her how she got here.
There must be some form of conveyance if the waterway isnt the route she entered by.

Once we know what it is, then maid dalvari may know where itd be kept.
Then theyd be able to decide ifnit was practical.

In the mean tine, im guess the siren is aquatic enough to stay underwater.

May be if she bunches up and tucks down low, staying still as a stone, itd be enough to keep them from spotting her, even if they were to enter the room.

The waterfall would be churning the surface of the water a little and the small amount of noise it offers would combine to give her cover while the elven ladies consider the next move.

Check if the cake trolley would make sound with weight on it. If is silent enought then we can carry her, even so I suspect a future situation where the siren will be left behind on screams while the survivors escape with tears on her eyes.

Maybe we can use the plug to make sound and leave a distraction behind if we have to leave hastly.

LW 2024/04/18(Thu)09:38 No. 1089118 ID: 0d1c28
File 171345832008.png - (1.00MB , 801x1007 , Elf015.png )

The drain cover is replaced, and could be blocked to over flow the kitchen, but the elves would need to leave quickly to avoid getting wet feet.
Hiding and waiting for an opportunity worked for the survivors, perhaps it could work for the siren?

The trolleys are well maintained their wheels never squeak Iolantha sure of it.
She's used one before, very fine elven craftmanship the leather lined wheels seem to dull sounds and the frame might be able support a heavy siren, the maid is not sure she's strong enough to move them but is willing to try

The nearest source of flowing water will be the stream in the cave of memory, the water connects to the river and eventually out to sea.

The maid asks the siren how she got here the siren explains that she slowly slid her moist body across the dining room floor.

Ask her to choise her poison: "Do you prefer risk to wait or traven in the trolley. We can't assure we can pull you all the way"

When Harroctar attacks there are usually rescue or extermination parties?

>>1089118
Damn.
No custom conveyance.

Cart then unless she wants to try hiding at the bottom and hoping they miss her.

Perhaps the cart could be moved by two elves while the most stealthy could lead the way.

Of the three id expect maid dalvari to be the stronger, most used to physical labour though perhaps florist syndra may match her.
The most quiet step id say belongs to maid dalvari.
Serving staff are adept at moving without notice among lords and ladies so as not to disturb them
While her stealth may not be a match for a scout or thief, she is certainly the most able of the trio.

So!
Florist and poet aid the siren. Two moving the cart will give them a little more speed.

Maid scouts ahead and checks each corridor, guiding their motion by hand signal or falling back if its a more detailed instruction or plan to share.

The escape this offers the siren may also offer the elves escape too.

If the siren can help them once shes in her element, then she could swim them through any submerged sections quicker than they could get through themselves.
Presuming the stream is fully submerged at points.

Silly Zealot 2024/04/17(Wed)22:30 No. 1089089 ID: b2fb15
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At the end of the day, you gather up the few items that seem to be of any real worth, at least by deranged green noodle scientist standards: a largely intact chuck of kitchen piping; an undetonated Rokoa Conversion Payload, A.K.A. a bomb meant to release a swarm of nanites to turn nearby neumonos into Rokoa clones; and lastly, a dead patatoos, a small alien mammal largely seen as pests, yet occasionally bred and raised as pets (accent on the “oos”).

Silly Zealot 2024/04/17(Wed)22:31 No. 1089090 ID: b2fb15
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Holy Neumolly! The little critter wasn’t dead!

You remember now that patatooses have the capacity to enter a death-like state as a defense mechanism when facing highly stressing life-threatening situations. The miraculously intact house pet opens its mouth contentedly and waves at you with its tail-hand, which is perfect for climbing, hanging, and friendly waving.

-“I think I’ve got all I could from this patch of junk,” you say, admiring your finds for a moment, “What about you, science-boy?”

Silly Zealot 2024/04/17(Wed)22:34 No. 1089091 ID: b2fb15
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-“I found the basis for the reproductory system!”

-“Man, that shit’s nasty!”

-“Quite. Just the kind of find of I was looking for!”

-“Just… If you want me to carry in my bag, put it there yourself. I’m not touching it.”

-“Fair enough. I also found some scotch tape. Lots and lots of scotch tape. Like, a whole crate. It should do in a pinch once the duct tape runs out.”

-“Sure. Say, is your lab/base/mom’s basement far from here? I don’t think this bomb’s gonna fit on your rocket.”

-“Certainly not. Which leaves us we a bit of a conundrum. A crossroads, if you will.”

-“What kinda crossroads?”

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Why not leave the bomb, do you even want it? It won't work on Ssus Ssus to make him less nerdy so toss it and take the small stuff back.

Assuming you do care about the bomb, then yeah, drag it back. I don't feel like we're the kind of person to go home because it might get dangerous.

>>1088506
*Corax turns his attention his notebook and the one way Mirror*

Inner thoughts to "Peregrine": It appears you already know not to make eye contact with her, that is how she can read your thoughts. Interesting. We knew she had some connection to enemy groups before she joined us, but is there some connection between her and your former colleagues that you should enlighten me on? We'll discuss that later. For now, focus on the task at hand. If you need to step out while she is here, make some excuse, get tea for us, use the bathroom. Also keep an

Absurdity DeVoid 2024/04/15(Mon)02:29 No. 1088826 ID: 2e92e5
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e-R2vaN0d8&ab_channel=MilesEdgeworth1337

>>1088826
*Corax sighs in frustration then grabs his notes and quickly scribbles something down before entering the interrogation room*

Practical Empath, you forgot your notes. This should help you, please remember them in the future, carry them with you always; especially when you yourself identified her pet fish, Daylight. You said it was a black and white one and was even believed to be immortal.

*Written on the notepad is the following:*
You are there to ask her questions, not the other way around. Do not let her bully you into a position of weakness. You can read people like they are open books and that is invaluable. She may try to keep you out, but you are able to break those walls down. I have the utmost confidence in your capabilities. I have put a copy of Spirit Contaminators dossier on the next page for further assistance for you.

Tribunal Criminal Dossier

Subject Name: Unknown (referred to as "Spirit Contaminator")

Alias/Nickname: Contamy

Age: Approximated to be in the range of 30's to 40's, though exact age is unknown due to hybrid nature. Known to act and behave as if in late teens to early 20's

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Absurdity DeVoid 2024/04/17(Wed)09:39 No. 1089034 ID: bdef32
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG_TJbjMVQA&ab_channel=GrayHunterMusic

>>1089034
Incorrect. Please stick with the facts.

You did not have any such relationship with Essence of Life. Your relationship was more seen as maternal, you were more like a daughter and apprentice to Essence. You acted like her daughter despite your age, even keeping up the charade by reading you bedtime stories. If Happy was your father, she was the maternal figure you had filling in the role of Mother/Older Sister.

2/2 Buckwheat 2024/04/16(Tue)17:50 No. 1088977 ID: 15a025
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I grumble to myself and start stomping down the stairs. Not too bad, could make a decent storm shelter down here or something.

I find deer in rough shape sitting on a bed.

Patient: “I-who are you? ”

Gretchen: “Just an angry wife looking to get her fire wood back. I take it you're the patient?”

Patient: ”I- wait are you an actual doctor?”

Gretchen: “I-no? Do I look like a doctor?!”

Patient: ”Look, I don't know why she let you down here, but you need to get me out before we’re both trapped!”

they look to be in pretty rough shape to be running off anywhere. Ask them trapped by whom, the doctor or the harvesters?

>>1088977
Bite wounds. She's probably delirious from whatever it is. Go back upstairs immediately, ask what she's infected with.

I think it's worth asking for the patient's story now. The plague doctor is confident enough to give you free access to the patient, so let's make good on it, and confirm their stories jibe. The bite marks might suggest there's truth to the risk of predation tonight.

Bummer about that firewood, though. If we really want it back, then talking to these strangers is turning out to be a dead end. If there are theives still out there, they're getting away, and we should leave now to pursue a different set of tracks in the snow.

>>1088977
Theres a good chance you're about to hear a door close and lock behind you now gretchen, so you might as well ask for her story.
Lets hear from the deer.
Find out who the buck stops with.

>>1088888
Dont trust those spots in the open field.
Rock looks very defensible but very visible.
That said, jormy is probably getting all the attention so that's lesser of an issue.
Fresh stream might be a good start point for game trails.

I say go with the sandy patch clearing.
More room to work with.
There could be something lurking in the sand like some kind of horrific giant antlion, but thats a positive to some of the more hunthungry folk.

I couldn't quite tell what the shield does. Is it like a trampoline or something?
The sand seems like it might work for a landing zone. It's softer then landing on rocks that's for sure. How are we going to handle water supplies in the staging post? Regular deliveries?

You know, I just realized I don't know how close to the ground the portal down there is. Does it actually cut into the ground to make a "hole"? Where did all the stuff that was there go, in that case...?

>>1088899
Good point, sand would cushion the landing.

Hmm. I'm inclined to go with either the rock or the sand, though I'm wondering about things hiding in the sand. How's your water supply, though? Would the river be notably useful?

>>1088888
I say go with the rock, who knows what those dark spots are, the sand could conceal all manner of horrible burrowing monstrosities, and while fresh water is nice the stream isn't really shaped in a way to make for a good defensive barrier.

>>1088867
That's a promising first report. Those Boglers seem tailor made for easy catching, just hook one as bait and then net the lot of them. We might even need to limit fishing them lest we drive them extinct.

Purple has long been a highly coveted dye, and its main source is snail shells. We might just have a gold mine on our hands, but it would take a lot of shells and a long time.

Time to set up a logging camp in the forest. Our need for wood only grows.

That's a really interesting ecosystem, we should be on the lookout for burrowing snails. And the bogging fishes would probably be easier to catch with a trident or other spearfishing tools rather than fishing lines.

I suggest enacting a wildlife protection ruling to protect local fauna and flora, or else I'm a bit afraid the snail population is going to suffer once farming starts and suddenly they are seen as pests rather than part of the scenery.
That should go hand in hand with a project to find ways to protect our farms from hungry gastropods without killing them or disturbing their habitat too much.

We should also construct a watermill while there still is a waterfall on the edge of the lake. We might as well harness it while it's there, and it could power some sawmills and workshops.

>>1088868
Okay, that's easy enough. Make some travelling harvest caravans to perform basic hunter-gathering. Set up bounties for research on what they catch, different ways to cook the stuff, the long-term effects of the food, etc.

Build a basic workshop for crafting more building supplies, and we'll see what we can make from there.

>>1088870
Agreed.
The wheat is important but so is being a good neighbour.

>>1088867
Does the slimy quality indicate harvestable oil of any kind?
At the very least, whatever fish waste produced will make for good fertilizer.

>>1088874
It would also aid in the milling of the wheat. Speed that up greatly.
Once it no longer functions, the parts can be moved to somewhere the water still flows.

I propose queuing a simple road to and trading post between the Chasonite compound and our town. It's not urgent but I think it should at least be put on the books as a to-do.

It's perfectly acceptable to allow them to manage their own affairs, but seclusion and isolation are two different things. We need to at least include them as *part of society* early on, or else the same problems that drove them here will repeat themselves.

Talk about homosexuality!

>>1085229
She's grown as a person. And she definitely wouldn't immediately follow that apology with trying to start a game of Never-Have-I-Ever.

>>1085321
Yes! apology in a form of a game!

>>1085226
I outright -love- 99 bottles of beer, but its more of a scene closer than opener.

Hmm
She asks pierre about all those warnings he was given by the churchies about the depraved, predatory womenfolk lying in wait out here for him.
Get some deets.
Get some heat into his cheeks.

Let him slowly realise he's now the protagonist in his own multi species harem story.
Just like in those very forbidden eastern shun-ga wood carving stories he saw.

Hi!
Love the Landi apology idea! Perhaps it goes to the church warning deets after?

"And that's the first episode!"
"OMGS, I can't wait to watch it!"
"And did you hear? The lead villain the next episode is going to be played by Zackie Comlock!"
"EEEEEEEEEE! I loved him as the voice of The First Amongus!"
"And..."
"...Yes?"
"...Guesswhogotseasontick-"
And then they started kissing. Which is... cool, I guess. But I can't understand how anyone could be attracted to a whiny, vapant brat, even another whiny, vapant brat. If I wasn't their enemy, this would be purely insufferable.

I've been studying the help for about two hours, and instead of doing their jobs, all the maids and cooks are busy talking about the New Continent's latest glams. Glams! Those things cost about a tablespoon of pure gold to attend!
I knew something was weird about that head maid's clothes. All the servants are paid more than four times what we give ours. Which was a bad idea, because instead of working four times harder they end up working half as hard. There's muck and grime across the upper walls, nobody cleans my footsteps, and now the maids are spending their overblown wages on expensive magic-powered shows.
But, their loss, the Coalition's gain. I'm not going to tell the Horde Collective to stop wasting money just so it can murder us harder.

They're starting to suspect me, but I'm starting to learn their tells in turn. Seems the overlord has some quirks, a cut-and-dry personality when talking to anyone that isn't far underqualified for their purpose. As long as I stick to the script - keep walking, ask a few questions about whatever gossip they have going on, put military matters first - they don't look at me funny. I just need to stick to my cover story - I got high on whatever that multi-eared goblin roofied me with last night,

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Yes, and theeaten, "If that horrible yowling and crashing doesn't stop, I'm going to shoot everyone even vaguely present in the face!"

yes

(1/1) kome 2024/04/10(Wed)00:01 No. 1088434 ID: eb0a9c
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I got this... I got this.


"Oheeey Capn Overlordy, wassap."
I don't got this.
"I... did you..."
"NooooOOOooooOOOO? OOOOO? OOOOhat?"
"Nevermind. I'm heading out tomorrow, you're in... something. Not in charge. Just... do whatever Tibberloch tells you. Don't... break the capital while I'm gone."
"...Pffahahahaha! Wellissnthanice! You-you-you forGOT! Is MY turn! But now you take my turn! Thassnice. You're NOT giving my turn-turn, though? Or isssit turn-turn-turn? Just turn? ANYWAYS I DON' OWE YOU, YOU OWE ME AND NOW YOU PAYING THE OWE ME THAT YOU UNOWED I! AHA!"
"Why do I keep you around?"
Yes, why does the Overlord keep this drunk mess around?
"I... Iunno. Maybe it's becaussss... I MURDERED that egg!"
Suddenly all the eggs scattered in the room start floating. Huh, her Trigger must be really easy to memorize if she can do it this drunk.
"AN' THIS e'!"
Okay, now that one turned blue... cute...

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Bluff bluff bluff
You can't sleep with her tonight because... ..... becausssse... because all these eggs are really turning you off. Yes you hate eggs now, and just the thought will have you not in the mood for hours.

>>1085547
So... the Hegemony is a proper, honest-to-the-gods democracy, but there has been no work done on improving or compromising against the inherent weakness of long-term tribal arguing. On principle.

"Y'know, less people would join the bad guys if the good guys didn't present sitting around solving nothing as a virtue."

And to that effect, I think we should work on getting Anders and the other Hegemony grunts to defect. Really, she saved your mid-official ass (somehow), that should count for a lot. Vivian and her team can wait, they're elite agents and they've waited through worse.

Baron 2024/04/01(Mon)12:43 No. 1087601 ID: 1e0c72
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Giant explosion, everyone dies again.

Sergei? Sergei?? SERGEEEEEEIIIII

Baron 2024/04/14(Sun)15:03 No. 1088770 ID: 7a1a17
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Good point. I don't really have many options left to me. Which means I'll probably need all the help I can get. I'd feel better with Viv but she probably wouldn't be sticking around waiting for me would she? She'll be long gone. And better they come with me than rotting in an Imperial holding block. Well time to see if my lessons in speaking paid off.

"Heyha, are you done with my assistant?"

"Your assistant?"

"Your assistant?"

"Yes, Miss Bellany is my assistant, and the best that I've had. And I would like to have her back now."

"And you are?"

"G-Governor Sergei. I believe you've heard of me."

"No."

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>>1088770
"Captain Balzhemund lent his slave to me as a favor, after his experimental Gormoamhi cyborgs went rampant and tried to kill me. Said he'd pick her up in 50 years. And yes, I know Balzhemund's a human. Or at least, he was.
Guy's a @#$%ing maniac. Did you know he sleep-experimented on himself to replace his jaw? Point is, I fully intend to process Anders' complete defection to the Rezan Empire to keep her the @#$% away from him."

Kaktus 2024/04/13(Sat)16:08 No. 1088699 ID: 681cb5
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With unnatural grace, the creature climbs out of the pit, revealing its full form. A headless scarecrow, whose one arm is a mutated mess of flesh and bone, while the other has a lantern made from a crows head hanging from it. But what disturbs you the most is how it moves. It floats through the air, as if each step it takes with its long legs has been rehearsed for years and now it’s expertly performing an impossible dance, just for you. This elegance is in stark contrast to its disgusting, oscillating arm which it drags behind it without a care…

THE FOOL: “You will die here…” the scarecrow does a pirouette as it walks towards you, seemingly showing off its new body, “Just like all the other gullible fools! CAWAHAHA!”

Gokk grunts behind you as he ready his axe, while Orma starts chanting something under her breath… you try and pull your knife, but find it already in your hand


THE FOOL dances closer, right on the edge of a pit…
A consequence of the reckless and naïve.

Good to know we've found the crow. Whether what was a true form or just her remains after running ahead. Given how the head glows it may be prudent to remove the headed arm for any potential magical danger, but the legs.. It is tempting to cut them to stop the dance.

The lack of anatomy on this thing is bad news for you. The only target for a knife throw is the arm where it's held on by sinews, but that will tack more than one throw.
Unfortunately I'd say you are most useful in this fight as a distraction. Try to set it up so Gokk can chop its legs off.

Be careful. Don't charge in, it's staying near the pits because it wants to knock people into them.

Approach The Fool from the right so it can't get into your blind side. Let Gokk attack first and try to trip the thing if it tries do dodge him. Try not to look the severed head in the eyes, just in case.