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


File: 1374192707650.png-(403 KB, 610x900, Ssen_Ranseur.png)
403 KB
403 KB PNG
You are Ssen, a Lamia raised by a human Paladin who adopted you after killing the ones who birthed you. You are grown now, and Father has passed on. After a great deal of work, you have become a Paladin like your Father, and now take up his duties.

You are accompanied by your best friend from childhood, the insect druid Tricia; Mage, a magic user who ran away from his family of cannibal raiders known as the Ghouls (Yes, his name is Mage. It was his idea); Persephone, a 22-year old thief/ex-guerllia fighter (She goes by Peri), and Mari, a 13-year old prodigy scholar/now sniper, who has her mind and soul trapped within Peri's body; and Lea, a deeply religious musician/martial artist, trained by her father, a famous trainer for arena fighters, she's covered from her mouth down in bandages to hide the horrific state her body has become thanks to the 'cures' that saved her from cancer.

Your journey continues...

Opening theme song (NEW for Season 4!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3FKgL7YVFg

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Lamia%20Quest

1d4 chan page w/battle stats: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Quest:Lamia_Daughter_Quest
>>
The North can go fuck itself. Seriously. If it isn't the cold, then it's the native flora and fauna trying to kill you. If it isn't THAT then it's the Orcs and their Objectivistic-Darwinian-Slaving-Genericly Unpleasant society. If it isn't THEM then it's the abominations of flesh, ichor, and ice that spawn from the Ice Sea. If it isn't THOSE things then it's the actual demi-god/hive mind/land spirit/undead abomination that controls said abominations.

And right now you are in said abomination's home city. A place filled with the lost souls of those who died when the flesh-shaping Crafters decided to become a God, along with the God and its horrid 'heralds' and servants. The good news is that all you need to do, in order to wipe this place off the fucking map, is steal a magic staff. Then the Orcs will set off a giant, magically amplified, Brillitite-Black Oil bomb and this place will become a scorched memory.

Of course, since the Universe hates you, there's a complication. There's still a large number of souls here that have not been absorbed into the Ice God. Slaves, children, Crafters who weren't bad people, even Crafters who weren't good or bad but never asked to be turned into undead, ice-covered abominations.

If the bodies (really shells) of those people touch fire, then their souls are painfully obliterated. Ripped into shreds and sent into a Void Beyond the Darkness. Peace from their current painful living nightmare...but it's hardly a suitable 'Option B.' When the Orcs set off their bomb, thousands of souls worthy of the Journey to the Afterlife, will be obliterated. Painfully.

(cont)
>>
>>26098964
There is a way to free the souls though. If a shell touches the warmth of living flesh, then the soul within the Sad Thing is released and freed. The downside is that this process is fatal to the person the Sad Thing touches. You and Tricia each only survived the experience because neither of you have human biology.

So, thanks to information gained from the memories of the Crafter city that were forced upon you when you entered, you're going to go look for the Foundry Silos. Giant vats filled with living flesh, kept for the Crafter's uses. Hopefully there will be at least one still filled with living flesh. What you do WITH it...you'll cross that bridge later.

The current bridge, of course, is GETTING to the Foundry. As the building is on the other side of the City. Across a plaza from the Grand Cathedral, dwelling place of the Ice God. What's worse is that you're rapidly losing daylight.

"When I say 'We've done stupider things' in the future." Mage says. "I'll be referring to this."

"The city as a whole or just getting close to the Cathedral?" Mari asks.

"Just this whole fucking trip North." Mage says.

"Says the man who got some quality time with Sirala." Tricia smirks.

"Okay, so there's been a perk or two." Mage says. "But still, fuck the North."

"Fuck the Tundra." Peri/Mari say.

"Fuck the Ice." Tricia says.

"Fuck the City." Lea says.
>>
>>26098975
"Amen."

Keep moving.
>>
>>26098975
YESSSSSSSSSSS
NOW
I have an idea:
Instead of going THROUGH the monster infested ancient tomb city, could we go AROUND it? It would be a longer route, but we could use Lightmare, so if might even take less time. This is if the Silos are on the other side of the city.
>>
>>26098975
"Fuck Slavery." Sigh. "I wonder if I could have pushed abolition into the terms. I didn't because we needed the army more, but should I have tried?"
>>
Rolled 8

>>26099064
That was me, forgot to sign back in.
>>
>>26098975
"Fuck everything."
>>
>>26098975
"Fuck the Crafters."
>>
>>26098975
"Fuck all of this. It's a few miles to The Foundry. We've a fiery horse, a brain full of bad ideas, it's dark, it's cold and we're gonna do the Light's work."

You know what the next two words are Echo.
>>
>>26099271
"Dawnchaser Plan?"
>>
Rolled 4

>>26099302
I think he means "hit it".
>>
>>26098975
Gesture to everything around us.

"All this? Everything in the north? Fuck it. The orcs can HAVE the north, I really don't even want it."
>>
Rolled 18

Is any of our hair still white from the Glass Scorpion Venom? Do we still have the raised veins?

Or do we have a scarless recovery?
>>
File: 1374193938873.jpg-(202 KB, 744x936, lea.jpg)
202 KB
202 KB JPG
I vote Ssen turn all these fucks into a "boom-de-yada " song.

Fuck the north winds,
Fuck the driving snow
fuck all the constructs
And slave'ry really blows...
>>
Rolled 12

>>26099409
I have not seen that art before. Is it new?
>>
"Fuck the Crafters. Fuck slavery. Fuck all of this." You say.

"Amen." Everyone chimes in.

"Okay, It's a few miles to The Foundry. We've a fiery horse, a brain full of bad ideas, and half a bag of dried venison strips. It's dark, it's cold and we're gonna do the Light's work."

Lightmare's actually making it a bit safer to go through the city. The horse is a heat source, and it wont go down streets where it senses Sad Things hiding in the snow, or where there's wandering Headhunters.

Still, the light is rapidly fading. You hope the orcs are okay in their position. Garkat implied that they'd be willing to hold out and wait/hide for a couple of days before they'd write you off as dead and take the bomb back.

"We going to push on down the street, or hide out in a house?" Tricia asks. "Either one is going to be horrible."
>>
Rolled 6

>>26099435
Push. Lets get this done as quickly as possible.
>>
>>26099435
I'm tempted to huddle up in a house... but thats just asking for them to bring one of the larger Abominations in on us to squish us like bugs (sorry Tricia)
>>
>>26099435
"We hide in a house and are found, then we'll be cornered and trapped there with no way out. Push through them, push hard, and push fast. Let's get this done and get the hell out of the North."
>>
>>26099435
Push on. We'll rest at the Foundry.
>>
>>26099431
Yes!

>>26099435
Horrible with direction is better than horrible in stasis. Let's keep pushing.
>>
>>26099435
"What's the worst tha- Okay, no, I'm not gonna say it, stop giving me those looks.

Let's keep going. The sooner we get out of this city, and in extension the north as a whole, the better."
>>
>>26099435
"Anyway, we don't have the time to hide out, never mind the situation with the Phoenix Empire, I'd like to be here after dark as little as possible."
>>
>>26099435
"Push"
>>
>>26099409
(picks jaw up off the floor) That's amazing. Do you want a reroll for that?

"We hide in a house and are found, then we'll be cornered and trapped there with no way out. Push through them, push hard, and push fast. Let's get this done and get the hell out of the North." You say.

"Agreed." Lea says.

You slowly make your way through the city as quietly and safely as you can. The light fades to black and the stars and moon come out. They're of little comfort.

"The Orcs must have lived in these slums." Tricia says. "I smell them here. Faintly."

You do too. Sweat that hints of onions, oil, and untempered iron. Either way, there's no faces looking out at you from the windows like the rest of the City.

You all pause as you reach the end of the slums. You've got two options of areas to go through. One smells like sawdust and roasted flesh. The other smells of chalky dust and spoiled milk mixed with honey.
>>
Rolled 10

>>26099727
1-10: sawdust and roasted flesh.
11-20: chalky dust and spoiled milk mixed with honey.
>>
>>26099727
Sawdust and roasted flesh.

I know EXACTLY what waits on the other path. And I am pretty sure we don't want to see it.
>>
>>26099727
Mmmmmm.... Honey.....
Let's go flesh. Because why not.
>>
hmm, no memories to guide us I take it.

Alright guessing the roasted flesh might be a market district, spoiled milk and honey might be pleasure?
>>
>>26099792
What's on that other path, then?

>>26099727
Oh, and can we send some of Tricia's bugs in advance, to get a warning of any nasties or complications?
>>
>>26099792
what does it remind you of?
>>
>>26099727
sure! Thanks! Glad you like it.

Can Tricia's bugs check the spoiled milk and honey while we cautiously peer down roasted flesh?
>>
>>26099817
I'm guessing that it's the noble quarters or some kind of red light district.

Which means it's probably full of fleshcrafted mutants who may or may not be completely insane.
>>
>>26099727
leaning towards sawdust, the latter feels like it's another brothel.

Spy ahead with Tricia's bugs either way
>>
>>26099844
It's probably a brothel of some kind. And we all know that abandoned brothels in a city full of undead abominations is a free ticket to SAN damage.
>>
>>26099727
Sawdust.
>>
Rolled 2

>>26099817
"That way." You point. "Tricia send some scouts ahead."

"Got it." She says.
>>
Rolled 3

>>26099908
>Implying we won't take SAN damage either way.
>>
>>26099925
>d10
>d10s are used for initiative

That doesn't bode well
>>
>>26099925
Well that was a pitiful roll.
>>
... you guys do realize these guys used sentients for everything. I wouldn't doubt for a moment they ate them too.
>>
>>26099940
we have san?
>>
>>26099925
Tricia opens an eye. "Seems clear enough on the roads."

You head down the street. It looks like this was the craftsman district. You see forges, carpenters, cobblers, and other similar places. From the upper floors you can see the three-eyed faces of people watching you. They're glaring at you, angry and sad at the same time.

Lightmare snorts and shake its flame-mane. The Sad Things step back from the windows. Apparently they've got a bit more intelligence than the Joy Things.

Roll 1d20, lower is better.
>>
Rolled 8

>>26100010
>>
Rolled 1

>>26100010
Rolling in hopes to get out of this fucking hellhole
>>
Rolled 12

>>26100010
Rolling...
>>
Rolled 7

>>26100028
Huzzah
>>
>>26100028
nicely done
>>
>>26100028
Nice.
>>
File: 1374195673752.png-(193 KB, 640x400, Dice gods.png)
193 KB
193 KB PNG
Rolled 5

>>26100028
One of the few times that a 1 is a blessing. Thank you, dice gods!
>>
>>26100028
Critical. Fucking. Success.

Everything goes fine forever.
>>
>>26100095
>>26100063
>>26100052
>>26100038
I love my dice
>>
>>26100028
The streets are clear and empty of all forms of life and not-life.

"Fresh meals served daily. Only the finest regenerated flesh, with the freshest vegetables. Our waitresses are here to fill you with...oh this is just not right." Mage mutters. "Sick thing is this is written in Citadel as well as Crafter. Humans lived here." He looks ill as he studies the printed menu. "I'm getting to understand why people prefer to say white meat or dark meat as opposed to breast and thigh."

"Mage," Peri says. "Not all of us want to be permanent vegetarians like yourself. Shut. Up."

"Okay, okay." He says and goes back to following the group. "At what point does this become practical, honestly? Magic is fickle, and machinery is cheaper and mostly more reliable."

"It's not about that." Lea says. "It's about dominance. The Crafters felt that they were better than God. So they had to constantly prove it." She shakes her head. "After a while, it doesn't really become a matter of 'why' or 'how' but 'why not' and 'how far.' That's how you end up with things like this." She gestures to a sign that advertises the best in Home Improvements: Enhance your properties cleaning power with these handy attachments! Also ask about our child correction deal, today!

(cont)
>>
Rolled 9

So, is there any white left in our hair?
>>
>>26100530
You come to the end of the Craftsmen District, and at the entrance to the Grand Plaza. You see the huge Cathedral blocking out most of the sky. The green-yellow pulsing light is brighter now. You're so close to the endless singing of the Choir that you can now pick out the actual words of the song, now and again.

Headhunters occasionally skitter across the yard. They babble that stream of 'Praise' and 'Hosannah' nonsense that they always do. They go inside the Cathedral and then out into the city.

The Foundry is directly across from the Cathedral, it's a squat grey box of a building that's attached to a giant bronze sphere, now green and covered with rust and a few holes.

The plaza itself is huge, about as big as four football fields put in a square. The ground is covered in snow drifts, headless bodies, and the occasional sleeping Hound.

One or two of the Hounds are awake, lazily shuffling across the square, stopping when one of its hands grabs onto a body and then it rips it apart. The tongues coming out from the palms lapping up the remaining ichor from the body.

Mage puts a pain stone in your hand. "Squeeze it if you feel fuzzy at all."

You're on the western side of the plaza, there's about a football field and a half separating you from the Foundry.

Roll 1d20, this is a spot check to see if there's anything you can see that might help your way across.
>>
Rolled 7

>>26100544
>>
Rolled 15

>>26100544
Sight beyond sight and all that.
>>
>>26100544
>>
Rolled 7

>>26100544
>>
Rolled 9

>>26100544
Rolling!
>>
>>26100585
Okay...you can see two...maybe.

There's a big pile of headless corpses that are frozen in a pile and have a layer of snow on them. The Hounds haven't bothered with them because they're snowed over and frozen. If you can cause the Hounds to notice that mass of Ichor, they'd be too busy with that than to notice you.

Option two is that you've spotted some canvas and rope back in the Craftmans District. Tie it to Lightmare and do that trick you did on Bronze Peak again. The Foundry's doors are big and look like they're made of thick stone and plated with metal. Nothing's getting inside there. Lightmare can outrun the Hounds and once you're inside, you'll be good.

The problem is that you can't do both. If you caused the Hounds to go towards the pile of corpses, you'd have Lightmare running directly past the pile. Otherwise you'd have to take a longer route along the plaza and that defeats the entire point of either plan.
>>
>>26100786
I vote the sneaky-distraction, rather than let all of the monsters and other nasty things know that we're in their city. Since the corpses are being ignored due to frozen-ness, maybe have Mage use a low-powered fireball to thaw them, then a small gust of wind to carry the scent to the Hounds?
>>
>>26100786
Melt the ice on the pile of corpses. We might have to use one of our oil bombs to melt the stuff but let's not get the hounds to notice us.
>>
>>26100786
Let McSsen's Corpse Grill open for business.
>>
>>26100899
Using the Oil bombs would probably completely fry or char the meat, and I don't think the Hounds would like that quite as much. Plus, the large blast would be really noisy, and would probably alert more, not as hungry critters to the area.
>>
Rolled 12

How long has it been since we last had a reroll anyway?

I think it was when we burned them to catch up to Sandover and Lea.
>>
>>26100946
I think so.
>>
>>26100914
>>26100899
Can we be sure these corpses are...corpses and don't have Joy Things huddling under them for relative safety?
>>
>>26100989
then we'll check the corpses out with heat/magic vision first
>>
>>26100786
Will the hounds lingering outside the door deter the innocents from getting to the foundry where their souls can be released?

If not, go with Lightmare. Otherwise, maybe mage can light the bodies up and release the frozen ichor
>>
>>26101056
After these messages we'll be right back.

Just so you know, you don't need to just melt them. That's a good option, all you need is to do 1 of two things.

1) Get a Hound close enough to the pile so that it comes in contact with it.

2) Get fresh ichor to spill out onto the plaza. The Hounds will go straight for it.
>>
>>26101152
Wont coming into contact with the Ichor make super-hounds?
>>
>>26101152
would an arrow shot work?
>>
>>26101152
Fire arrow.
>>
>>26101152
Fire arrow sounds like something that could work.
>>
>>26101243
Voting to try a Fire Arrow, if it will work.
>>
wouldn't fire arrows merely cauterize the ichor?
>>
>>26101343
it would melt the ice first and release the smell
>>
>>26101152
Well, maybe the hounds can't see the pile because of the snow. So we use Mage's wind spell to blow the snow away then the fire arrow to attract thee hounds to the pile.
>>
... do we have any birding arrows? The ones with blunt tips meant for concussive damage?
>>
>>26101152
Could mage fire an Ice spike into the pile? it would shake off some snow, cause a slight commotion, getting the hounds to take notice, and almost surely release some of the ichor.

I fear any flame in the city may rile up the heahunters and whatnot too much though.
>>
>>26101417
We set a building on fire a few hours ago.
>>
>>26101417
True.

I think we should hold off on the fire then, withdrawing my vote for fire arrow in favor of this
>>
>>26101444
... wow
>>
>>26101444
With that luck? No problem, buddy.

>Captcha: Infinig sent
I don't even.
>>
>>26101439
internally, witness only to the poor joy girls. we then put it out.
>>
>>26101462
>>26101487
He rolled a (1d1)-0; That was the only possible result.
>>
>>26101417
That is a valid point. No matter what we do, it could attract attention, and the Crafters probably know that there shouldn't be any fire anywhere in their city. I too withdraw my Fire Arrow vote for this.
If it doesn't work, we can still try the fire arrow.
>>
Rolled 1

>>26101525
i don't see that at all
>>
wow that dash disapears completely when in the email field
>>
>>26101559
Sorry, math douche here. I used parentheses to make the syntax clearer.
>>
>>26101525
Nope, I checked. dice+1d100. Unless Your suggestion reads as that, then I will be wrong.
>>
>>26101590
copy it into word
>>
>>26101600
I stand corrected. Now I will be silent for the remainder of the hour as penance.
>>
now I'm gonna be super paranoid about all 1s I see hah
>>
>>26101643
At least the 1 from the Travel roll was a legit natural 1.
>>
Rolled 1 + 0

Testing
>>
Rolled 1 + 0

Test
>>
Rolled 1 + 1

testing
>>
>>26101417
So yeah. I like to vote for the Ice Spike plan, because it's less likely to completely screw us than an accidental fire breaking out.
>>
Yo Echo, bronuts, you may wanna closely double check any rolls you count now that this browser-specific invisible hyphen is a thing.
>>
>>26101417
Our first choice. Fire arrow can be later.
>>
Rolled 12

I'm liking the fire arrow plan
>>
>>26098975
>"Says the man who got some quality time with Sirala." Tricia smirks.
The next time mage complains about the attention of powerful older women I'm bringing this up.
>>
>>26099435
>"Okay, It's a few miles to The Foundry. We've a fiery horse, a brain full of bad ideas, and half a bag of dried venison strips. It's dark, it's cold and we're gonna do the Light's work."

Would have been 10/10, but you forgot to end with Tricia saying "Hit it".
>>
Rolled 17

>>26101873
To be fair, a tribe shaman isn't anywhere close to Queen Mab or HIS in terms of power and influence.
>>
Okay, so I'm seeing multiple plans here so calling a vote.
1) Oil Bomb
2) Fire Arrow
3) Ice Spike
4) Regular Arrow
>>
>>26101930
4.
>>
>>26101930

(3)
>>
Rolled 18

>>26101930
2
>>
>>26101930
2
>>
>>26101930
3.
If that doesn't work, we can try 2.
>>
>>26101964
>>26101989
Wouldn't magic draw their attention to the caster, not the target?
>>
>>26099409
Fuck the whole North
It's a rotten place
Boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada
Boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada

Fuck the Crafters,
Fuck their creepy Things
Fuck the Choir
Fuck it when it sings
Fuck the whole North,
But we've got work to do
Boom-de-yada, etc.
>>
>>26101930
3
>>
>>26101930
3) Ice Spike
>>
>>26101918
true, but he wound up sleeping with Mab and Sirala (and apparently enjoying it) while still whining about cruel fate.
He might not have had much choice with Mab, but Sirala was entirely on his own volition.

HIS gets no Mage loving on account of being a bitch.
>>
Rolled 19

>>26102098
He never actually slept with Mab, IIRC.
>>
>>26102098
I don't think he actually did anything with Mab.
>>
>>26101930
3
>>
File: 1374201674513.jpg-(Spoiler Image, 309 KB, 503x850)
Spoiler Image, 309 KB
309 KB JPG
>>26102098
>but Sirala was entirely on his own volition.

There really wasn't any other choice.
>>
>>26101930
So anywho, right now we're in Frostburn. I hear the next plan seems to be to go to Purple Sands and do Sandstorm...
Are we going to do Stormwrack, too?
>>
>>26101930
I vote 3
>>
>>26102366
On the way to the Pheonix Empire, then we do Oriental Adventures.
>>
>>26102393
Poor PE citizens...
>>
>>26101930
My hour of penance is up.

I vote for #4.
>>
File: 1374203837040.jpg-(76 KB, 413x309, Still waiting on OP.jpg)
76 KB
76 KB JPG
>>26101930
>>
Rolled 13

"Mage, think you can shoot an ice spike into that pile of bodies and crack one open?" You ask.

Mage looks and then nods. "I can give it a shot. But...well...you know my track record on doing simple spells when we're trying to be quiet and stealthy."

"It worked once before. Quite well, too" Lea says.

"Yeah." Mage says, rolling his eyes. "Once." He takes a deep breath and aims his staff. "Alright, but for the record, I'm sorry in advance for whatever horribleness is going to happen."
>>
Rolled 9

>>26103056
Success
>>
>>26103056
Whisper, "That was freakin' wizard, bro."
>>
>>26103056
Nice one, bro
>>
>>26103056
An icicle zips through the air and smashes into a frozen arm. It's not graceful in the slightest, but is did smash the frozen appendage up enough that the yellow-green ichor starts to drip onto the snow.

One of the Hounds instants points all of its head-hand-mouths at the mess and scampers over there, ice claw feet scraping the stone.

It starts lapping up the mass with one hand and another prods the pile. A hissing-cracking-howling noise emits from the Hound and soon the rest of the pack is on top of the pile, slurping and ripping away at it. A few fighting each other for a better portion of the find.

Mage looks at you and gives you a thumbs up. "Law of averages says that I have to get at least ONE right now and again." He whispers.

"That was freakin' wizard bro." You say, patting him on the shoulder.

"Want to test fate and see if I can pull off the stalking spell for us and Lightmare or do we just make for the door now?" He asks.
>>
>>26103280
stalking spell
>>
>>26103280
Make for the door. Let's not waste Mage's mana
>>
>>26103280
Stalking spell... Let's try it. It's only a 12% chance with /tg/ dice for a crit fail.
>>
>>26103280
Let's not tempt fate(and the dice gods), just full speed to the door.
>>
Rolled 2

>>26103280
Make for door.
>>
>>26103311
>>26103401
>>26103412

You shake your heand and push Mage's staff down. "Let's not test fate. Let's go, Lea, try to have Lightmare go as quietly as he can."

You swiftly, but silently, head for the door.

Roll 1d20
>>
Rolled 20

>>26103490
No whammies
>>
Rolled 13

>>26103490
>>26103510
GJ bro.
>>
File: 1374205149463.gif-(639 KB, 256x169, tumblr_mm0qlbM6U71r7iq1xo1_400.gif)
639 KB
639 KB GIF
>>26103510
SWEET VALIDATION
>>
Rolled 12

>>26103510
Sweet Jesus!
>>
>>26103510
The sneakiest.
>>
>>26103510
Lightmare quietly trots by the pile as the rest of the Dawnchasers tiptoe by, you slide past the group. Honestly, with the amount that the Hounds are feeding and fighting with each other, you could probably chuck a bomb in the middle of the monsters and they wouldn't notice until after they were on fire.

Maybe save that for later.

You get to the Foundry doors and with a little effort you open them, and all slip inside. Then you close them.

The interior of the Foundry...well...it doesn't look quite like you expected. For one the place hasn't decayed like the rest of the City. Large sealed doors would help with that, you suppose. Also, it has a very...different atmosphere.

The walls are painted this pastel blue. There are chairs of wicker, you see books piled on a table, and...you swear you hear music. Not the Choir, but some wordless tune echoing through the air.

There's a curved desk at the far end of the room. There's a person sitting at the desk. It looks like a female body in a semi-expensive looking gown. As you get closer to her you see that she doesn't have a face...rather its just a mass of fleshy folds and wrinkles. Suddenly the body jerks upright. You hear a squish-click sound within the chest.

"Ape Descendant detected with Magical Source. Realigning...realigning. One moment." A chirpy female voice says.

You watch as the 'person's' face shifts, stretches, and contorts until it changes into an attractive looking female, human, face. She smiles, ruby lips part to show white teeth.

(cont)
>>
>>26103882
"Hello, praise, and welcome." She says. "We are happy to greet a member of the Baser Races with the gift who has decided to better themselves! You may refer to me as 'Nakai'ia,' a sacred word which translates in your tongue as both Guide and Nurse. Please, tell me your name, and from which of the Divine, Praise Unto Them, has sent you here?"

She's looking straight at Mage.

"Oh no, not this again."

Mari is on top of it though. "Know that you speak to Mage Patrick, keeper of the Staff of the Fell Hind, Shaper of Flesh. First in Students for 'The Blessed Who Watches The Sunrise' Should you speak to him, servant, you speak to us. Should he speak to you, we will speak his words for him."

There's another squish-click. Nakai'ia nods. "Understood. Praise and welcome, rejoice and prayer to your master. Now...how may I help you?"
>>
>>26103893

"The Great and Powerful Mage Patrick wishes for a tour of your instalations."
>>
>>26103893
I've got nothing.

Uh... ask about the state of the silos?
>>
>>26103989
Seconded. Mage need to know the place before we do our bad idea.
>>
Rolled 11

>>26103893
>>26103989
Thirded
>>
>>26103989
Seconding this.
>>
"The Great and Powerful Mage Patrick wishes for a tour of your instalations." You say.

"Yes. That will be quite impossible!" She says with a cheery smile. "Please follow me and we will get started with the rituals that will allow a Base such as himself, enlightened though he may be, to touch the Holiest of Holy Arts, given to us by the Blessed Crafters. Praise them. Would you care to start with the ritual cleansing enema or skip right to the organ self-assessment?" She smiles again. "Doctor is ready and happy to serve. He's just completing his record-breaking work and would be happy for interruptions!"

"Oh...wow..." Mari says. "Ssen, look at the back...and torso of our friend here."

You lean over. She doesn't really HAVE a back. She has a clear chitinous shell, and her spine...it's not really a spine, but rather a countless numbers of small discs of bone arranged like a spine. When Nakai'ia speaks you see a little spark and different spine discs spin. That's the 'squish-click' sound. Also, she's a torso that's connected to what looks like a cross between a spider and a scorpion. She's in the dead center of an exoskeleton covered mass that has eight insectoid legs in a circle coming out of it. She also apparently has two more sets of arms wrapped around her chest.

"I am the highest function of flesh made form for my purpose!" She says cheerfully. "Praise be to the Crafters. For I am now..." She smiles as she shows off how her torso can independently rotate 360 degrees. "Without waste or flaw! Study hard here -Mage Patrick- and maybe one day you too can make YOUR slaves as perfect and divinely blessed as me!"

"Repeating earlier statement...Would you care to start with the ritual cleansing enema or skip right to the organ self-assessment?" She says.
>>
alright, anyone else think its a BAD idea to go to the Doctor?
>>
>>26104470
what... is an "organ self-assessment?"
>>
>>26104470
"The Doctor is currently in?"

I smell a boss fight
>>
>>26104470
>full 360 rotation
Jesus christ how does she do that
Wait, wait, nevermind, don't tell me, I don't want to know.

"What would the self-assessment entail? How does the doctor play into it?"
>>
>>26104470
>>26104579
oh, and I forgot, do be sure to ask
"What record is the doctor breaking?"

Also poor mage, caught up in all this.
>>
>>26104571
Either that or more SAN damage.
>>
>>26104637
I'm more worried about the eventual revelation that the silos are basically gogurt tubes filled with delicious meats.
>>
>>26104579
>Jesus christ how does she do that
Ever watched the Exorcist? It's that, but with the whole torso instead of just the head.
>>
>>26104672
It's human meats though, isn't it?
>>
>>26104745
close enough. Which is what's going to make it so awkward.
>>26104740
Well, okay, I know what it looks like, but that had demon-power making it work. This doesn't have demons. Unless it does. Which raises further objections.
>>
Great, now I'm wondering how on earth this thing survived so long. That's a bad thing to wonder.
>>
>>26104773
she's not human, shes some sort of bio computer. she probably has a ball joint at the base of her torso.
>>
"What would the self-assessment entail? How does the doctor play into it?" You ask.

"Doctor takes out -Mage Patrick- organs and catalogues them, measures them, and then replaces them." She says with that same smile. "It's oh-so fun! We often make Jokes!" Squish-Click. "Looks like SOMEONE has a 2.55555525 differentiated spleen-kidney ratio, you know what that means...that means...that means...that means...that means...that means...tha-tha-tha-tha." Squish-click.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. We make so many jokes here! Praise Them for our laughter. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha." She smiles and blinks each eye independently. "It's completely painless. We are professionals and the Doctor is Perfect. Just as I!" She winks five times in a row. "We don't mind if he wishes to exaggerate on his spongy tissue cell count. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Just kidding...innacccccurrrrrrrakies are met with instant death and recycling! Remember, the Blessed allow no profanity within this sacred place. Praise them. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Just joking. We like to joke a lot hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeee." Squish-click.

"Repeating earlier statement...Would you care to start with the ritual cleansing enema or skip right to the organ self-assessment?" Nakai'ia says.

"The Doctor is currently in?" Tricia asks.

"Yes! As I said he is breaking the record! How many times can you transplant the organs from one orc to another before they expire? The old record holder is: Doctor. With a record of: Nineteen. And we're hoping to get higher! Praise the Crafters for giving us such lofty ambitions!"

She blinks her eyes out of sync again.

Squish-click.

"Repeating earlier statement...Would you care to start with the ritual cleansing enema or skip right to the organ self-assessment?" She says with a smile.

"Who here is going back to the opinion that blowing this place up in a massive fireball is the best idea ever?" Peri says.
>>
This is an very creepy mix of waifu and disturbing imagery

I wonder what would happen if mage sticks it in

On that note, where would he he stick in it in?Not sure if I want to know...

captcha: dortlor sick-room

how ominous..
>>
>>26104835
"Can we... see the Doctor?"

Oh god it's happening
>>
>>26104835
"I hadn't thought about that peri- I'm more confused about how one orc can have 18 organs missing and still be alive. Or how these people...type things are still alive, wheras everything out there has long since turned into crazy walking meat skeletons."
>>
Rolled 8

>>26104835
"Peri, the voices in my head seem to agree that it is a wonderful idea. However, we still should try to help the Joys."
>>
>>26104835
"We've got plenty of time on the schedule for fireballs later. And that's real time too, not that fake-time we keep scheduling our days off in."
>>
>>26104835
Be mesmerised by the mechanic which allows her to have a completely free-floating torso which is still articulately connected to ther "pelvis" somehow. Try to get a closer look because Leviathan science.
>>
>>26104956
I'll agree with that, because I too am curious. Also revulsed. Both of these things.
>>
Rolled 15

>>26104956
Yesssssss.....
I am of the opinion that we should make Ssen start to go a little crazy. But that's just because I think it will be FUN.
>>
>>26104974
man she's already that way, and WELL on that road. No need to actively shove her.
>>
>>26104956
>>26104970
>>26104974

If the situation was so dire I bet ssen would be poking it with a stick right now
>>
>>26105018
wasn't

damn typos.
>>
File: 1374209753612.png-(139 KB, 575x341, you cant stop it.png)
139 KB
139 KB PNG
>>
>>26105018
>implying we can
The stupid see-through carapace is in the way.
>>
>>26104895
>getting mage a full organ replacement appointment
Just another perk of being a dawnchaser!
>>
>>26105041
and thus we lose our first party member...

Or mage's surprisingly good CHA stat comes into play and the doctor happens to identify as Female Or at least interested in Men.
>>
>>26105063
hey, I'm all for getting the appointment.
But... we should probably just stab the doctor when we get there.
>>
>>26104835

"While I'm sure my master would love an enema, Crafter Kc'lasa himself praised his abilities and demanded that he be introduced to the facilities imediatelly, before any medical examination."
>>
>>26105071
Or threaten him into putting the organs back into the orcs first then commence the stabbing.
>>
>>26105087
you know, I thought orcs were called "drudges" around here.
Which leads me to wonder- if orcs weren't the drudges, then what is?
>>26105076
Crap, someone smart. Good idea.
>>
File: 1374210089714.gif-(1023 KB, 500x361, 1373272667676.gif)
1023 KB
1023 KB GIF
>>26105041
Vat-grown replacement eyes with irises heavily laced with near-pure brillitite dust in the floating shape of runes.

MAGE PATRICK EYE LASERS GO
>>
>>26104899
I don't think the nurse is a Person anymore, more like a cyborg or an androyd, the spinning disks and squish-clik make me think of Robby the Robot from Forbiden Planet.
>>
>>26105143
I should not have to differentiate between a true person and a person who's been so crybere'd up and modified they no longer have free will. I expected that to come in like, Lamia-ancient-quest where we tool around on a starship giving a good paladining to weyland utani style corporations for doing such evil shit.
>>26105110
Mage attracts all the best and worst things. Most of the times they're the same thing.
>>
>>26105143
You're probably thinking gynoids

I for one, am getting some really huge Franken Fran levels of warped science here.

>>26105110
> And then Mage was Scott Summers
>>
>>26105210
>Franken Fran levels of warped science...
Lea may become Kamen Rider yet.
>>
File: 1374210645427.jpg-(27 KB, 600x245, security_system.jpg)
27 KB
27 KB JPG
Well, we seem to be trying to either talk our way past the checkup or go in to kill the doctor. Whichever.

I hope this counter-lady doesn't go all nutso on us while we deal with the doctor.
>>
>>26105243
> Justice

Please no.
>>
Ok, since we need to get Mage to the silo, which is probably near the doctor, I'm reluctantly gonna go for the Doctor.

Captcha wants the enema: purgatives trypesrs
>>
>>26104835
"As much as Mage Patrick would enjoy the purgative enema, I believe he would gain experience from observing the Doctor's current record attempt."

We're going to go in there and try to save Orcs.
>>
>>26105301
Kick of Light

On that note, next chance I get, I will play a chaotic good drider unarmed swordsage. DRIDER KICK
>>
>>26105343
>try to save orcs
Well, try is the big word here.
Since I doubt those orcs have the right number of organs.
>>
>>26105356
All we have to do is break in when the doctor has completed a swap.
>>
>>26105355
Its been awhile since I read it but.

You're aware of how the Sentinel (Focus of the JUSTICE chapters) eventually ran into an Evil so vile, the only way to stop it was to burn down orphanages and fight against all forms of charity

Just making sure.
>>
>>26104956
You look, there's a seam where her torso connects to her lower body. It sinks into a little...cavity in the lower body that's protected by the carapace. When she needs to spain around she pops up out of the cavity showing a ball joint that can rotate then sink back into the protective cavity.

Also it's not ONE orc, Doctor has TWO orcs and apparently they're swapping organs between the pair for fun and a personal record.

>>26105076

"While I'm sure my master would love an enema, Crafter Kc'lasa himself praised his abilities and demanded that he be introduced to the facilities immediately, before any medical examination." You say.

Squish-Click. "A THOUSAND apologies! I had no idea you were a student of someone so...innovative and daring." She leans towards Mage. "Is it true that he actually found a way to implant the involuntary reaction nerve stimuli-time of a pig within other beings?"

Mage shrugs. "The master has sworn me to secrecy. But...uhhh..." He winks.

"Take us to the Doctor." You say.

"Yes, please follow me!" She motions for you to follow.

You follow the...Nakai'ia, as she leads you through the halls. The halls are made of stained brass and bronze engravings. You notice that Nakai'ia will place her hand on a crystal sphere embedded in the wall in order to unlock some of the doors.

(cont)
>>
>>26105478
Absolutely. You do remember Lea is part of Sexy Satan's boisterous band of merry misfits, right? Rabidly reviled by much of the world as shitstirring charlatans and monstrous malcontents?
>>
>>26105596
"How do those work?" Mage asks as the door locks behind you and the gem in the wall turns from clear to cloudy again.

"These doors are sealed for your protection and freshness! Only the palm of the blessed or those who are fit to serve shall open the doors." She nods.

"So, when I'm...designated as one fit to serve, I'll be able to open the doors here?" Mage asks.

"Oh my, no!" She smiles. "Only the ones you're allowed to!"

"Does your palm open all of the doors?" Mari asks.

"Oh of course not!" She says. "Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. That is a nice joke. No, only the blessed can open all the doors...and Doctor has been given permission, even though he doesn't really need it, but there was that incident once...so SAFETY FIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRSSSSSTTTT! THAT IS OUR POLICY!" She bellows.

"Okay, I'm starting to lose my mind just being NEAR her." Peri says. "PLEASE tell me we're going to kill her. I need this. It'll be therapeutic!"

Nakai'ia stops infront of a large door. "Within is Doctor! Please be ready and exalt yourself upon the epitome of professional perfection!" She smiles. "Praise be to the Crafters!"
>>
>>26105601
Must have slipped my mind after all of this time.

D-did we ever meet the ringleader?

You best not be puling a fast one with me anon, crawling the archives now.
>>
>>26105606
inb4 Doctor's dead
>>
>>26105606
"Wanna bet we'll be fighting a giant construct made of corpses?"
>>
>>26105643
>ringleader
That would be us, dumb-dumb.
>>
>>26105656
You mean monster.
>>
>>26105674
>>26105656
we are NEVER going to let that go are we?
>>
>>26105606
"We can't kill her just because she's sort of broken and crazy and might go off on us at any second. At least not until she goes off on us. Or I guess the bomb goes off. Hmm."

I wonder if this thing...person...scorpion would even want to be evacuated.
>>
>>26105672
Wasn't our first title the Beautiful Nightmares?


>>26105606
Why do I get the feeling that Nakai'ia is afraid or at the very least extremely nervous?
>>
>>26105688
It's on THE LIST.
Nothing on the list gets let go. At most it's put off.
>>
>>26105688
Not until Lea gets sick of hearing it and starts calling them monstrous constructs... or entities.

Hmm... Ssen ought to take up coining new niche pronouns as a hobby.
>>
>>26105710
Yep. But we are also a glaring Satan allegory.
>>
>>26105606
"Nakai'ia, we've got to see the flesh vats after this. Could you point them out, in case you get distracted by another customer?

Also, I'm curious- what would you do if this place were shut down suddenly without warning? In a purely hypothetical sense?"
>>
File: 1374212280233.jpg-(532 KB, 2417x2516, Kohrah2.jpg)
532 KB
532 KB JPG
>Race with three-eyed monstrous insectoid skulls
>Fanatical devotion
>Enchanted items that combat mind control with pain
>>
File: 1374212333563.jpg-(11 KB, 300x225, crafters.jpg)
11 KB
11 KB JPG
>>26105771
I myself think we should be on the lookout for cannisters and the like.

Stay away, probably.
>>
>>26105716
One day, when Mumei tells us about Fortune Cookies

We'll make our own brand and fill it with puntastic pronouns
>>
>>26105606
"Let's go meet the doctor. Beats eating an apple a day, anyway."
>>
>>26105606
So Doctor isn't one of the blessed.

Oh god.
>>
>>26105787

Nah, we just need to moderate exposure. Like 4 at most.
>>
>>26105842
We will travel slither and thither, spreading the pun pain and making tons of dough with our fortune cookies.
>>
>>26105875
If we ever need to make a treaty with PE can we include mandatory exports of these?
>>
>>26105867
I dunno, we're pretty mad as it is.
>>26105875
we have a long list of not-related-to-saving-things activities we've been building up. You'd think someone who can live for thousands of years would have more time.
>>
File: 1374212874500.png-(30 KB, 231x296, right fucking here.png)
30 KB
30 KB PNG
>>26105896
Das racist.
>>
|"We can't kill her just because she's sort of broken and crazy and might go off on us at any second. At least not until she goes off on us. Or I guess the bomb goes off. Hmm." You say.

"Oh, no." Mage says. "I know that sound. We are NOT taking this thing with us!"

"It's a living being with a soul...I think." Lea says. "It's deserving of salvation just as much as the Joy Things."

"So," You watch as Nakai'ia opens a large bronze door and slips inside ahead of you. "Wanna bet we'll be fighting a giant monster made of corpses?"

"Construct!" Tricia snaps.

"Could you two not do this no-aaaaahhhh that's...wow." Lea says.

The room looks like an Operating Theater in a teaching hospital. There's a large circular room, two orcs on operating beds, a gallery above with chairs and a living ceiling.

Doctor is a large headless torso that's about ten feet from the missing neck to where it's hips should be. It's lower body is a long thick fleshy thing. It looks like a massive umbilical cord that connects the torso with the ceiling. The torso has six arms, and all of them are doing careful precision work.

You see large glowing crystals sticking out of the throbbing pulsing ceiling. They all glow with a bright light that makes the room seem like day.

(cont)
>>
>>26106024
An eyeball connected to a tendril of sinew and flesh drops down in front of your group. The eyeball spins and swivels as it looks at all of you.

"Hello, praise, and welcome!" A voice says from above. You look up. Sure enough, you see mouths and more eyeballs up in the ceiling. "You are, Blessed Be, His Purity, Crafter Kc'lasa's newest student? He always DID like strange things! Ha. Ha, Ha. Okay, champ!" The torso shoves the two orcs away. Their beds clatter to the floor and their bodies with it, spilling out...stuff. You can see their faces from here. Death's a mercy, there wasn't anything left TO save at that point.

Doctor's Torso points at a surgery bed that Nakai'ia is preparing with a fresh sheer.

"Just hop right on, and we'll get you cataloged in no time flat!" The torso give one of his hands a thumbs up, another an OK symbol, and another pats the bed.

"Okay," Mage says. "I'm officially Done. The scorpion secretary crazy thing I could handle. This is just officially too much." He looks at you. "Please tell me we can just go straight to violence?"

"Agreed." Peri/Mari say.

"Mage! Persephone! Marietta!" Lea snaps. She looks at you. "Just try first." She looks around. "I don't think these beings are evil...lost without a doubt, but...well...look at what they are and the methods that birthed them? Is there any way that they could have hoped to be even a little bit sane?"
>>
>>26106034
Aside from being a fleshcrafter monstrosity, this guy doesn't even seem all that bad. Perhaps a tad insane, I guess.

"I dunno, maybe he'll tell us how to access the flesh silos? I mean, you probably don't want to have your organs catalogued, so let's avoid that, but still."
>>
>>26106034
"I know Lea, I'm thinking. I really don't want mage to have to get his organs ripped out though, it sounds unpleasant. and probably unsafe.

Hey, doctor. Can you tell us the details of this procedure? Some kind of organ replacement? When's the last time the replacements were checked for freshness? Where are they stored, even?"

This might get us silo info at least. Also the doctor seems like an affable guy...thing. who wants to cut out mage's organs.
>>
Rolled 10

>>26106076
>>26106082
These two. Try to be diplomatic.
Also, good job with the scenery descriptions echo. You are REALLY making me not like these guys, through descriptions alone.
>>
>>26106105
And yet, they seem so friendly.
>>
Are we willing to wager Mage's ass on the chopping block for exposition guys?

asking now for later.
>>
>>26106116
We probably can't evacuate doctor. He's like the size of a room.

Also, he just killed two orcs. I can't say I'm happy about that. He may be friendly and good natured, but he's probably gonna get exploded.
>>
>>26106242
That one is really up to mage. I automatically assumed he wouldn't be up for it. I also assume this doctor won't be using force on us.
>>
>>26106034
"Okay," Mage says. "I'm officially Done."

Going to second this. I'm done participating for today you guys can decide what we're doing.
>>
>>26106263
Aw, but it's just getting interesting.
>>
>>26106246
Well, yeah, he's clearly insane, but I don't think these creatures were ever really sane to begin with. They probably didn't build him with a moral compass.

Even if we did, for some bizarre reason, undergo surgery, he'd probably complete it without issue just because it's his job.
>>
>>26106258
>>26106258

Well He said he was done so really the decision falls onto us whether he want to coerce him into it or not.

Now if this was the enema thing it would be a TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY but.

>>26106034
"Is this non-lethal?"


may as well ask
>>
Here's some links to handy dandy TVTropes pages that probably relate to these guys.
>http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MeatMoss
>http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OrganicTechnology
>http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BodyHorror
>http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumanoidAbomination
>http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PainfulTransformation
Aaand that's all that I bothered to find. There's probably even more tropes that fit really well.
>>
>>26106298
>>26106327
yeah, the surgery would probably be just fine. Just, you know, incredibly invasive and wind up with mage having new, foreign organs. Also he'd need god knows how much recovery time.

We may or may not want to look into finding like, a central brain or doctor stem or something to take back. We wanted a crafter history book. This might be the closest thing that they have.
>>
>>26106371
Agreed. Plus, we might be able to find a few 'upgrades' that AREN'T too invasive or disturbing or etc...
Hell, their biological knowledge even WITHOUT sculpting the flesh would be amazing to have. It would jumpstart medicine, surgery, and other medical areas, and much, much, more!
Plus, it might have a solution for Ssen and Tricia's...problem.
>>
>>26106371
Interesting point. Maybe if we explained the situation to them - Don't mention the crafters being long dead, but tell them that Kc'lasa has requested Doctor's memory repository or something.

We could take it back and have our very own surgery robot (Assuming he knows how to create his own body), and save a questionably innocent flesh construct while we're at it.

Scorpion lady is already breaking down, so I don't think saving her is an option.
>>
>>26106034
"I could have been a mindless monster. But I'm not. I can't even begin to speculate what these things might have been. I can only see what they are."

"That said, we still have an objective to keep in mind, and no doubt there are things we need to find out before we make a move."
>>
>>26106405
>Plus, it might have a solution for Ssen and Tricia's...problem
That's not something to be dealt with when we're under the gun, so to speak. Remember, she nearly died during the bonding process.

Risks like that shouldn't even be contemplated until we know more. And now just isn't the time to inquire about anything not related to freeing souls and toppling ancient ascended psychopaths.
>>
>>26106506
yeah, right now I'm still in the "deciding if I should save" stage of the paladin flowchart.

It depends on how the doctor reacts to us telling him no, we're not getting the surgery, we're looking for the silos.
>>
>>26106506
Then it stands to reason we need to preserve this thing until we're not under the gun.

Besides, I could think of a million things the Spys could do with this guy...

Ever wondered what the mobs had their "Barbers" do?
>>
>>26106552
We might try asking for the memory backup ala >>26106429. Dropping Kc'lassa's name seemed to work once.

Then we try explaining that we're looking for the silos.

Then we smite, if need be.
>>
>>26106585
if we give the doctor to anybody, it's not going to be spies. Maybe the inventor guild. Or whomever our doctors are- I can't remember their name right now, but they're a guild.
>>26106594
we'll see. I'm just waiting on a reaction now.

It might not be the worst idea to tell him about the crafterpocalypse. See what he knows about project "everyone is joined into a meat-entity"
>>
>>26106684
> implying that bureau can't get their fingers on whatever assets they deem necessary to get people to talk.
>>
>>26106684
You mean the Cups Guild.
>>
>>26106809
yes. thank you.
>>26106744
When did we get a bureau?
Also, it's been a while, it always makes me nervous, like echo wants us to post some better dialogue or something.
>>
>>26106809
> Lea letting Cups have this guy PURELY on principle

haha no.
>>
"I know Lea, I'm thinking. I really don't want Mage to have to get his organs ripped out though, it sounds unpleasant. and probably unsafe." You say.

"I dislike how you speak as if I am not standing next to you." Mage says.

"Doctor. Can you tell us the details of this procedure? Some kind of organ replacement? When's the last time the replacements were checked for freshness? Where are they stored, even?"

"One moment. I'm happy to check." The eyeball retracts. You notice that there's still that music playing. Ah...that's it. A few of the Doctor's mouths up on the ceiling are humming and whistling. He's actually kind of good. It's bland sounding music, but not unpleasant to hear.

"Oh, my my my." A friendly chuckle. "Well that's upsetting." The torso turns to Nakai'ia and an eyeball drops in front of her. "It seems that we've been rather lax in our maintenance and cleanliness! What would High Holy Crafter Germay'os say? Some of the spare material has spoiled."

"Oh! Oh no no no no no no!" She shakes her head. "Oh are there bugs? Oh dear." Tears start to flow on our face. "I made a mistake I should have been attentive."

(cont)
>>
>>26106915
"I'm afraid so my dear." The Torso gently lifts Nakai'ia from under her first sent of arms and with a nasty POP she disconnects from her lower half. She goes limp.

"I'm sorry sir." Doctor says. "But I need to help this one a bit. Did you know it's been over -Time Stamp Not Found- since her last evaluation?" He chuckles. "Oh dear, oh dear." He shakes his head. "Well, first I'll need her original settings."

There's a horrid squelching and you see holes open in the ceiling above. Tentacles holding body parts drop down.

"No need to see this, and we can give the lady some privacy!" Doctor chuckles as the torso moves away from the body on the table and moves a circular operating curtain around her. "This is really the brute force wok. I can have my Dendrites do this job. Honestly, it's such a pain in the neck. What with the reboot and everything."

"Reboot?" Mage asks. "What...what does that work mean?"

"Oh, you're from the boonies, aren't you? Well, it means that when her original body is restored to her original setting, that which was given to her by the Imperfect God, then that pesky sense of individuality, memory, and all those nasty things that get in the way of the Divinity of Base Malleability pop back up." Doctor's torso shrugs. "So we need to wipe it all out again. Takes a bit and it's a pain, but you'll learn.

"Now. I'd like to ask you a big favor. You see, some of my storage parts have spoiled! An unfortunate mistake, not my fault, but I need replacements. So, I'm going to take your slaves and repurpose them. I need you to keep quiet about this. I'll get you new slaves, AND I'll throw in some extras here and there." An eyeball on the ceiling winks. "You'll be the envy of all the Base and even the Divine will admit you'll have worth. Thanks champ, you're really getting me out of a sore spot."

Nakai'ia starts to shriek.

"NOW?!" Tricia asks.

Lea nods. "Yeah. Okay. Now. Ssen?"
>>
Now
>>
>>26106922
Oh darn.

Well looks like we're going to have to smite it guys.
>>
>>26106876
Issue is we still have no idea whether the Doctor can be re-purposed to do humane medical aid rather than cruel experiments on living beings.

Clearly the potential for this thing to do good in cases like Lea's has given her pause. We just need to be careful that our wishes for redeeming some part of this situation don't come back to bite us in our scaly ass again like with the Joys.

In fact, I'd be fine just saying that to Lea straight out.
>>
>>26106922
Now. But not through violence. Yet.
"STOP!"
If he doesn't stop IMMEDIATELY, then continue to Smite.
>>
>>26106964
Well you have your answer now.

probably

>>26106969
Probably the best course of action.
>>
>>26106922
Kill it.

May it find redemption in oblivion.
>>
File: 1374216793064.gif-(2.28 MB, 400x225, FIRE!!!!.gif)
2.28 MB
2.28 MB GIF
>>26106922
NOW
>>
>>26106922
>body at its original setting
>free will and such are currently restored, but will soon be removed
"Yeah, we've got to go now. Sorry doctor, but we're not actually slaves, and I can't let you further modify that woman. Aint right."

I assume initiative soon? Either that or we will straight up go at the dendrites. Gotta cut those before they work.
>>
>>26106922
>>26106915
"Actually speaking of High Crafter Germay'os, High Crafter Germay'os has allowed Crafter Kc'lasa's newest student to inspect the unspoilt material for emergency usage. We will keep this quiet, but you wouldn't want to dissapoint the High Crafter, would you?"
>>
>>26106969
I agree, give it its surrender chance. If it doesn't comply, go full paladin.
>>
>>26107025
>>26107011

I'm conflicted now

If we give it time to pause and consider do we completely lose the chance to save the woman?
>>
>>26107034
that depends. Does it stop immediately when we say stop?

If no, then we'll slay it before it can do any work on her.
>>
Its Dendrites are on autopilot... which means to free her we gotta stop them.
>>
>>26107048
okay. First order of business is cut the dendrites.

THEN we deal with the doctor.
>>
>>26106922
"There will be no wiping."
Cut the dendrites
"There will be no replacement of parts, either."
point the beacon
"Surrender and stop your misguided work at once, or We'll be forced to stop you."

Man, when moral safe transhumanism comes around, Ssen is going to have some serious reservations/PTSD.
>>
"Actually speaking of High Crafter Germay'os, High Crafter Germay'os has allowed Crafter Kc'lasa's newest student to inspect the unspoilt material for emergency usage. We will keep this quiet, but you wouldn't want to dissapoint the High Crafter, would you?" You say.

This is a giant bluff, despite the name dropping. The name dropping's the only reason why it MIGHT work at all, so the target's pretty high.

Also, it doesn't do anything to save Nakai'ia, just so you're aware.

Roll 3d20 to hit a target number.
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 14 = 17

>>26107158
>>
Rolled 17, 4, 15 = 36

>>26107158
HOPES AND DREAMS
>>
Rolled 16, 8, 13 = 37

>>26107158
actually nevermind, if it doesn't save Nakai'ia the name dropping is pointless

ATTACK!
>>
>>26107158
We've got to save Nakai'ia. So regardless of how the bluff turns out, stop the dendrites.
>>
>>26107178
Yep. It's pointless if we're letting that lady be... Whatever the process she's going through is called. Conditioned.
>>
>>26107191
>>26107182
Yeah. Screw the bluff if it won't go down Paladin-style. We ONLY roll Paladin-style.
And that means saving people.
No matter how much it will inconvenience ancient biological horror docotrs who are bent on transforming an innocent person into a mindless drone.
BUT I still say give him one last chance.
I vote to shout at him to stop, and if he doesn't, well, then smite will make things right.
>>
Gods may be imperfect, but free will and self determination allow us to do better. I'm sorry, but I must object.
>>
>>26107178
>>26107175
>>26107169

"Yeah, sorry sir. But I really can't have spoiled goods or empty tanks on my watch. Better I get chewed out a little for fixing a problem poorly, than HAVING a problem. I know it's a pain to get new slaves, but I'll make sure you get top notch replacements."

Nakai'ia screams again.

"Okay, now...hey umm...how and why are your slaves allowed to carry weapons?" Doctor asks.

Alright. 1d10 roll for initiative.

Fighting Doctor is going to be a little complicated, just so you know. He's the entire ceiling and more. So it's easy to hit Doctor, one you cause enough trauma to it, Doctor will go into shock and then further trauma will be hopefully fatal, especially since he can't rebuild himself, thanks to there being no Crafters to allow it.

But there's the Torso, which gets three attacks each. Currently, there are three dendrites that end in either bone scalpel blades, bone saw blades, or a 'needle' end. They're currently working on Nakai'ia. Each has a separate health bar.

Also, Nakai'ia's spider-platform is responding to the threat as well.

Plus, please don't forget that you need Doctor's hand to open the passgems in the Foundry.
>>
Rolled 10

>>26107364
Initiative!
>>
>>26107364
First priority: Defeat dendrites.
Second priorty: Extract Nakai'ia.
Third priority: Extract doctor's hand, if Nakai no longer is able to operate the locks
Fourth priority: Leave. We're done here. Find the silos, the doctor can bathe in illuminated fire when we leave.
>>
Rolled 2

>>26107364
Forgot my dice
>>
Rolled 7, 1, 2, 9, 4, 5, 3, 9, 5 = 45

>>26107364
This battle is going to take a while. Plus it's kinda late. Would anyone object to calling it for the evening and then picking this up on Saturday?
>>
>>26107410
Not incredibly, but I also wouldn't object to running until way late. If we do go the saturday route, I hope we can get the battle done in time for all the other shit we want done.
>>
>>26107410
I've had mixed feelings on cutting this guy up from the beginning but I knew it'd probably come to this

completely fine with having other people doing the battle overnight
>>
Honestly Im getting tired, resuming Saturday would be great
>>
Rolled 3

>>26107410
I'm fine with calling it. Doctor is obviously a midboss so its cool.
>>
>>26107410
Eh, not too big of a deal for me if you want to delay it. It is kinda getting late, it's 2:30 AM here.
I'm fine if other people want to do the fight. Up to them.
So if it is delayed to Saturday, then it'll be quest night for me, since Bioweapon quest is on then too.
Just make sure someone Archives this.
>>
>>26107502
already archived. I don't think anybody would begrudge echo for stopping 'till saturday, since he's basically an infinite writing engine of enormous power.

Though, these very talkative very description-requiring folks we're running into are visibly slowing the quest. They're interesting and cool, yes, but you can practically see the "please hold while echo generates world" screen.
>>
>>26107500
> a fight supposedly this long is a midboss.

are fights/dicecheck segments just going to get longer and longer from now on?
>>
File: 1374219330488.png-(53 KB, 640x560, escape.png)
53 KB
53 KB PNG
>>26107560
>>26107500
I think this is going to be THE boss of the area. Everything else will be chase sequences, escape sequences, diffusing ancient traps, and hordes.

Also, the COUNTDOWN SEQUENCE when we escape from a bomb. I hope one of those happens. Though we already did that with citadel.
>>
we still have to fight the boss thats probably going to be near the Staff and Pedastal you know.
>>
>>26107603
I am fully expecting there to be a tollbooth and tour guide, with no boss whatsoever.

I would be willing to wager money on this, if we could do that and I had money.
>>
>>26107554
Okay, I'm going to keep the 10 initiative though, so you WILL be first to go when combat starts.

>"please hold while echo generates world"

You have no idea. I've got my work desk covered with notes about what I'm considering for Inner Citadel. I would like a sign with that actually...keep you guys from fearing that I've died...anyway, yeah.

Okay, so the battle with Doctor will be on Saturday, July 20th 2-5pm PST. Barring any outside factors though, looks like a Lamiathon weekend. Hopefully.

May His Light Be With You.
>>
>>26107700
Sorry for making you generate so much world, echo!

Remember when we wanted to try reading books? Wasn't that just the worst/best?

also
>lamiathon
OH SHIT SON, TIME TO CLEAR THAT SCHEDULE
>>
File: 1374220115230.jpg-(67 KB, 363x480, You are awesome.jpg)
67 KB
67 KB JPG
>>26107700
YOU ROCK
LAMIATHAN
FUCK YEAH!!!!
>>
>>26107700
>Weekend of questing.
>Screams with utter joy.
>>
>>26107700
> Lamiathon weekend on the weekend I have to go out of town

ffffs

Rolling on smartphone is like the worst thing you have no idea.
>>
>>26107747
>>26107767
I don't know about you two, but I think I might get pretty hype.

I'm also gonna get pretty worry, since we have an effective civilian in a combat situation currently being 3-on-1 attacked by whirling saws and blades.
>>
>>26107799
well, the posting is the important part. You can still do that.
>>
>>26107811
Also, what the fuck do we even do with Nakai'ia when we're done?

It's been forever since we added someone to the team lineup... bet Mage would just LOVE that.
>>
>>26107840
>what do we do with her
Rehab. If she's like other slaves, she's been through forced puberty at an extremely early age and has had no freedom of her own. Ever.

Maybe school. Maybe we'll have her tell stories of what she saw in her time.
>>
>>26107840
We've already hit the 5 man band party limit though.

All of the 6th ranger additions we've gotten only became guest members for a short time/ are on call in specific environments only.

Its a shame, because Mage really does need more male friends.
>>
>>26107873
*5 body party limit

whoops
>>
>>26107886
yeah, we're cheating a little with the peri/meri thing already.

Though, I'm of the opinion it is ENTIRELY viable we could get a warband following us. Warcamp. We have all those trainees under adahn and julian back home, and also whatever caligo clarus upstarts managed to survive a full year in citadel.
>>
>>26107913
>Anything surviving a WHOLE YEAR in the LSD fulled insanity pit that is Citadel.

Dude i would NOT want to see what something like that would even look like.
>>
>>26107873
She could work on analyzing and countering public health threats, and maybe helping Tricia and Lea if they want it. Especially if we found a way to get a hold of something that would contain part of the Doctor's skills and memory.

You know, if we could get her to do it in a humane way that respected the value and desires of individual lives.
>>
File: 1374221242468.jpg-(152 KB, 503x658, high_hopes.jpg)
152 KB
152 KB JPG
>>26107966
I'm hoping it looks like a paladin.
>>
>>26107991
I'm forseeing technology really leaving Ssen behind. We don't even know what all those smokestacks the inventors are putting up are for even, we just know "That there is some progress so I'm told".

They invented the freaking toilet when we weren't looking. Next time we're back at the tower and there's a toilet in there, Ssen gets to be confused.
>>
>>26108017
We really need to investigate what direction civilization has been taking once we've stopped it all from imploding.
>>
>>26108037
Yeah, I too am curious just what they're getting up to. Also, where's my snake-bike. I wanted a snake bike barney.
I am never going to forget it. Like the corpse monsters.
>>
File: 1374221923397.jpg-(35 KB, 400x400, statue_pose.jpg)
35 KB
35 KB JPG
>>26108037
>>26108048
What's worse is I forsee a tendency for us to just... lay on a rock for like, 20 years after we've finished keeping everything from exploding. Punctuated by hunting in the woods and public appearances.
All aboard the quaint historical artifact train!

Completely unrelated note, I wonder if paladin-statues will continue being a thing once we free citadel. And if we're allowed some leeway with pose.
>>
>>26108125
>quaint historical artifact
Yeah, a quaint historical artifact that periodically goes of to personally handle some threat to the continued existence of civilization and the world itself.
>>
>>26108238
that pretty much sums it up. I forsee us one day hunting down some scumbag smuggling active grey goo nanites on a hoverbike in full plate with a spear.
>>
>>26108314
>You kids these days rely so much on your newfangled technology. What with your xBoxes, and your hoverbikes, and your Light-damned rap music. And that's why you're going to lose.

>Sometimes, the old ways are the best ways.
>>
>>26108358
Earlier: Ssen tries Xbox and gets beaten, badly, by a child and swears off the thing.
>>
>>26108358
>>26108403
>You're just upset that ten year old beat you at videogames.

>Shut up Trish! I-I am not!
>>
>>26108403
Then complained to her beehives about it, excusing herself after several hours by saying "I'm babbling"

The Caligo Clarus trainees don't understand why she's crying when she says it.
>>
>>26108417
Same goes for why we don't have a hoverbike.
>>
>>26108443
Oh god and here I thought we avoided sadfuture
>>
File: 1374223487975.gif-(965 KB, 498x266, 1366466666921.gif)
965 KB
965 KB GIF
Rolled 2

>>26108443
>>
>>26108484
>>26108443
Reminder:

Dragon bonded have increased lifespans, but their lifespans are still nowhere near their bonded dragon's lifespan.
Tricia has an extension, but is still going to drop off way before us. We'll have to deal with that. Mage too.
>>
>>26108506
At some point, dragons in 3.5 can simply will themselves to move on.

I wonder if we could do similar.
>>
>>26108596
>if we could do similar
Yes. It just requires we haul off on a world-wandering jaunt to "forget our sorrows". remember?
>>
File: 1374224210525.jpg-(32 KB, 555x519, 1371072158369.jpg)
32 KB
32 KB JPG
Rolled 7

>>26108506
I know, but it still hurts to think about.
>>
>>26108653
well then, good thing we have all this god-slaying to take our mind off it.

Just like how it hurt to think about our dad dying back when. Now we're just so busy we can't even visit river's cross, let alone his grave.
>>
>>26099401
Okay, hitting the hay, but I'll answer this one before I'm gone since I couldn't at the time due to reasons.

We totes got our hair dyed, so the white is gone. But we've still got raised, dead wrist and arm veins. We keep them covered.
>>
File: 1374225399078.jpg-(141 KB, 850x531, sample-633b9060c458795f8e(...).jpg)
141 KB
141 KB JPG
>>26108443
How come I keep imagining ancient Ssen's retirement being a little more like this, but with more snakewoman?

Lots of traveling, lots of problem supernatural solving, and a lot of people who aren't very bright getting somewhat depressing mediocre to bad ends? All done alone, after everyone around us finally dies.
>>
>>26108894
>supernatural problem solving
Holy fuck, the sleep meds are kicking in. I can't even into english.
>>
Rolled 16

>>26108894
Our CHA is ridiculous, we will never be alone.
>>
>>26108888
Actually as I recall, we only have a scar near where the bolt hit now as granny sucked out much of the venom.

Our hair has probably recovered.


Also why haven't we shed yet? We should have shed in this cold
>>
>>26109057
>Our CHA is ridiculous, we will never be alone.

On that note, with mage as a dragon servant does he get a charisma bonus equivilant to a certain percentage of ours?
>>
>>26110977
Come to think of it, what ARE our stats?

Str, Con, Dex, etc


[Advertise on 4chan]

Delete Post [File Only] Password
Style
[a / b / c / d / e / f / g / gif / h / hr / k / m / o / p / r / s / t / u / v / vg / vr / w / wg] [i / ic] [r9k] [s4s] [cm / hm / lgbt / y] [3 / adv / an / asp / cgl / ck / co / diy / fa / fit / gd / hc / int / jp / lit / mlp / mu / n / out / po / pol / sci / soc / sp / tg / toy / trv / tv / vp / wsg / x] [rs] [status / q / @] [Settings] [Home]
[Disable Mobile View / Use Desktop Site]

[Enable Mobile View / Use Mobile Site]

- futaba + yotsuba -
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective parties. Images uploaded are the responsibility of the Poster. Comments are owned by the Poster.