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/tg/ - Traditional Games


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>Previous threads can be found at: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Ascent
>Inventory list, character list, and synopsis, and held runes here; http://pastebin.com/3L0zZV2K

Morning comes too soon. Your mouth is dry, and your head is softly pounding.
You aren't as young as you used to be.
You're currently in your room at the tavern. You look around, and then sit up. Steve is standing in the corner of the room, a shapeless humanoid shadow, protectively standing near your gear and coins.
You look at the pile of coins you've accrued. With all of the trading you've done, treasures you've found, and even the money you've earned from Tarda, you have nearly three thousand coins packaged up.
That's no small amount. If you were being scrupulous, you could survive for five years on that.
It's a little bit less than a third of the money you stand to earn if you complete this job for your employers.

You stand up, wash your face, and then look outside. It's still a bit crowded from the festival, the bonfire in the village center slowly dying.

Marcus stands in front of it, his weapon in one hand and the papers you'd given him in the other.
You stand there in the window, and take another drink from your waterskin. Nobody else seems to be moving about, or very much awake.
Then Marcus turns back to face you- and gives you a glare.

Someone knocks on your room's door. You pull it open without thinking about it, and Tarda steps in.
"I need you." She says, her kystaran accent thick. "Specifically, I need someone good at slaying monsters."
"Why?" You ask.
Almost sheepishly, she meets your eyes. "I, uh, made a mistake last night. You know that enchantment the temple has, to call monsters if someone does something they're not supposed to?"
Silently, you nod.
"They're on their way." She says.
>>
>>27843513
"Again?"

*sigh*

"Let me put my pants on."
>>
>>27843513
"Dare I ask how many?"
>>
>>27843513

"... Somehow, I'm not at all surprised, I- wait, They? Multiple?"
>>
>>27843513
>make a bunch of designs for cool magic shit in my boredom
>realize we'll never get to make them

"They? Jeez, it must have been a big mistake if there's more than one."
>>
>>27843513
"This is what being drunk and doing weird magic shit gets you. A SHITHAUL of monsters."

"Kaedri hasn't protected his fort completely, you know. We can see it. which means light is getting through. Ever focused a magnifying glass on some ants?"
>>
>>27843513

Marcus knows that the notes are fake, this can only end well.
>>
"... Somehow, I'm not surprised at all. This is what being drunk and doing weird magic gets you. I- wait, They? Multiple?"
She nods.
"More than one, I'm pretty sure." She says.
"Jeez, must have been a big mistake if there's more than one."
"I think I accidentally cycled the spell around... six or seven times before I knew what was happening. So maybe six or seven monsters. All around the strength of the naga."
"... Let me put my pants on." You say.
"Right! I'll get scrying, see if I can tell you what they are."
Sit sits in a nearby chair, and closes her eyes, mumbling to herself and staring at her own reflection in the mirror.

You get dressed and arm yourself, and a few moments later, Tarda opens her eyes again.
"Two of them are nagas." She says. "Then another three have these big hooks for arms, and the last two are... confusing." She says, and shakes her head. "They're all coming from different places, except that the hook things are all coming in a pack. We have like an hour before the first one starts to show."
"So we have prep time." You note, and Tarda nods.
"I'd help, but I need to store up more power for the project." She says. "Can't waste it all on lightning bolts wily-nily."
You grumble a response.
"But at least I sped things up! If you don't die, then we'll have Mudimuna done in... two days or so."
You rub at your eyes, trying to wake yourself up more properly.
Right, prep time.

>You have an hour to prepare before the monsters arrive. Do you want to recruit people to help, make traps, etc?
>>
>>27843664
Mal, of course. Tell him to prepare a bunch of his firebombs.

Wake up Miriam I guess, have her ready to treat any injured people.

If we capture some of the monsters, can Tarda drain them for soul/blood energy?
>>
>>27843664

Inform Mal (maybe he can find something in the wild to help us, or scout those unknown 2 monsters), try to ask Marcus (He'll be pissed off for sure but his fighting skills are top notch) activate those 2 golems (These could probably be enough for the hook things alone)

I know little about trap making so I'll need to think about it a bit more.
>>
>>27843664

>>27843733

bottles and pots filled with flammable oil to make fire bombs?
lure them in to trap holes to make throwing those on the monsters easier?

Steve should stay well away from the golems though, since they'll attack anything not human.
>>
"If we capture some of the monsters, can you drain them for, I don't know, more soul or blood energy?"
"Not really." She says. "Monsters are impossible to control, and I'm not very good at manipulating that energy in the first place. If I had notes on the monsters in question it'd be possible... But the only monster I recognized were the naga, and I've only seen one of those dead."

You get up, and walk out of the tavern, ordering steve to follow. Miriam gives you a wave.
"It might be best if you got everyone somewhere safe." You say. "Tarda tells me there are monsters on the way."
"I... right." Miriam says, eyes wide. She makes her way into the kitchen, and starts waking people up.

You make your way behind Cromwell's tower, and set the two golem cores he'd given you to 'guard all humans, ignore remnants', and insert them. The two golems buzz and grumble to their feet, and follow you as you continue down to Mal's wagon.

<Hey, Mal.> You say.
<Bro.> He grins at you, his face bruised from last night. He doesn't seem to care that he'd gotten hit. Of course, if he was actually trying, he could've fought off that farmer easily- but apparently felt it was important not to. <What's up?>
<Monsters are on their way.> You say. You give him a quick explanation of what's going on. <Want to prepare a bunch of firebombs and help?>
<Hell yeah.> He says. <I'll get right on it.>

Finally, you make your way down to the bonfire, where Marcus is standing.
"I spoke with Cromwell." He says. "He was awfully certain that the majority of this was entirely incorrect. I was rather sure you'd have checked your notes with him."
His words were stilted, quiet- a not-very-subtle threat.
>>
>>27843664
If we can, we should try and lure them together and use the Obliteration rune on them.
>>
>>27843806
Fuck, we need to have a chat with cromwell.
>>
>>27843806

"I understand you're more than a little ticked off right now and I owe you an explanation but we have several monsters closing in on this village and not a lot of time to prepare. Our missions depends on this villages survival."

I really think we should try to get Marcus on our side, even though we pushed him off quite a lot.

He can't take the Rune project with him anyway because it will kill him if he tries and Tarda is the only one who can.
>>
>>27843806
"Wow, that was stupid of me. I didn't even check with Cromwell. He always seemed focused on Golems, so I never bothered asking."
>>
You think about it- Cromwell doesn't strike you as very good with people. You doubt he'd think of trying to hide the runic project from Marcus...
"I understand you're more than a little ticked off right now." You say. "And I owe you an explanation, but we have several monsters closing in on this village and not a lot of time to prepare. Our mission depends on this village's survival."
"I'm sure that the wizard in the temple will survive, even if the rest of the village falls." Marcus says, his voice cold. "She does, after all, have the ability and knowledge to craft new runes, according to a certain scholar."
You blink. So... Cromwell had told him everything.
"I had hoped her *assistant* would have told me this earlier." He continues. "The very same one who had agreed to share information with me, on the very same day I arrived here."
>>
>>27844025
"Assistant? More like errand boy."
>>
>>27844025
"Can you blame me? You were...intense, when we firat met you. You won't even talk to a frightened little girl because of where she's from."
>>
>>27844025
"I *assist* her by doing things like 'get this' or 'kill that'. Besides, she's the one who gave me those notes."
>>
>>27844025

"I want you to understand that I never intended for the situation to spiral so monstrously out of control. The Rune Project, it can create new Runes and recharge old ones, but it is dangerous, you touch it, you die, the only one capable of doing so is Tarda. this is the sort of power people would go to war over, or start a war with."

Anyone who claims to: just wanting to protect their people with this, will eventually turn in to liars.
>>
"I *assist* her by doing things like 'get this' or 'kill that'. Besides, she's the one who gave me those notes."
Technically true, you think. His face is getting red. He takes in a deep breath, and closes his eyes.
"I somehow doubt she gave you fake notes for no reason."
Then, a moment later, he wraps his meteor knife around his waist.
"We can discuss this after we save the village." He says. "But I certaintly won't put you anywhere near my back, that's for certain. I recommend you do the same. What are we facing?"
You tell him. Two naga, three monsters with hooks for hands, and two more miscellaneous ones.
"And we have two golems, your remnant, myself, you, and the galdian." He says. You nod.

"I can face one of the naga alone. Possibly one of the unknown monsters as well." He says. "I'm not sure the golems or remnant would be much use except to slow something down. The hooked creatures sound like demons. They're fast, strong, and much cleverer than they look."
>>
>>27844254
>Also, forgot the prompt.

>You have some more time to do things now that you've got Marcus on board- at least for now. The more organized you have things, the easier this will be. Anything else you need or want to do, or do you just want to get right into it?
>>
>>27844312
Cromwell, go see if he's got any cool shit hidden and tell him to prepare in case any monsters break through.

Go see Leroy as well. He might have some cool tech or whatever.

Dalton too, better tell him to prepare and keep Ann safe.
>>
>>27844254

Marcus + 1 golem to the Naga - Golem keeps one busy while Marcus focuses on the other, then switches to the last one.
Give Marcus a firebomb,.

Wanderer + Mal + possible beast ally? to the Hooked creatures. We may be able to catch one by surprise and kill it off quickly by using trap holes and firebombs. I'm not expecting all three to fall for it but one is enough.

Steve + 1 Golem to the unknown monsters to hold them off. this is risky but with Steve having gotten such a huge powerup, it has a real chance to succeed

when one of the defending groups finishes their side, go help one of the other sides.

posting now but still thinking of tactics.
>>
>>27844412

could possibly get Ann to help with ground trap making and then get her off to safety.
>>
>>27844312
Whatever we do we should have Mal on overwatch duty with his musket.

Can we have Rebel act as a communication network?
>>
"I'll go see if I can get any more help." You say.
Marcus doesn't respond as you walk toward the tower. You knock on the door, and Cromwell opens it instantly.
"I've all but figured out the rules of lifeblood." Cromwell says, grinning at you. "Lifeblood is the concept of ownership. You own your body, see, which empowers its lifeblood and gives you a resistance to magic. But this concept goes both ways, as far as I can tell, which means for implanted organs, like your heart, it-"
"Cromwell, we don't have much time." You say, cutting him off. If you started talking to him, you'd still be here when they arrived. It can wait until later. "Monsters are on their way."
".. Oh." He says.
"Do you have anything hidden that would be useful?"
"You have the golems." He says. "That's all I can think of."
"Well... prepare in case any break through, alright?"
"I will." He says.
You close the door again.

After a few moments thinking, you decide that Leroy probably isn't an option right now. His farm is fifteen minutes away at the least- just going down there and getting back would eat up almost all of your time.

Instead, you make a quick jog down to the smithy, where Dalton is working and Ann is talking.
"Yes?" Dalton asks.
"Monsters are coming into the village." You say, panting. "You should prepare, get Ann safe... But I might need her help."
"What with?" Ann asks.
"Digging traps." You say. "If we use earth runes, and start early enough, it won't take much time and you both can be somewhere safe by the time they're here."

"... Alright." She says, after a few moments of hesitation. She runs into the house, and returns with an earth rune. "Just tell me where."
>Field too long!
>>
>>27844412

Mal could scout the unknowns with a bird?
>>
>>27844568


Time passes. Rebel was too tired to do much, but she could relay information from person to person. Mal was kneeling on top of the temple, musket in hand, ready to fight as overwatch and throw firebombs to support whoever needs it. You'd asked him, but he was still exhausted from yesterday and the day before- he couldn't even try to capture a beast.
The traps are set- some pits, some firebombs, and some both. One golem is tasked with helping and protecting Marcus. The other is tasked with helping and protecting Steve. Steve you can order with kystaran.
And then, finally, there's you and your runes.

"Naga from the south is getting close, Tarda says. Only a few minutes until they arrive. Marcus is going there." Rebel whispers in your ear. "The hooked creatures will come to the traps in the east, in nearly ten minutes. Are you ready?"
>Are you? Last minute changes?
>>
>>27844585

Final check on our steam sling, how many Naga teeth do we have left?
>>
>>27844609
It's not a finite resource, just a general upgrade. We'll probably have enough until we mess up.

Besides, Naga are immune to their poison.
>>
>>27844585
>>27844630

then I guess we're as ready as we can be at this point.
>>
You check your steamsling, making sure that the repairs held. You wind it, topping off the pressure, and load some more naga teeth into it. You'll have enough for this fight, that's for sure.
"Ready as I can be." You respond.
"Marcus and his golem have engaged the first naga." She says. You look away, toward the south, but you can't see it- it's downhill from here. "The second is further away."

You take a deep breath, and turn to the east, standing on the inner side of the long pit trap Ann and you had made. While you stand there, waiting, you see three dust clouds getting swiftly closer.

<Steve, back me up.> You tell the remnant. It takes a step closer to you, and the golem follows.

And then they come into view. They're made of mottled, wrinkled red skin, long white bones covering their body like an ill-fitting carapace. Digitigrade legs propelled them forward, almost quicker than your eyes can believe. Their forearms are long, hooked blades that looked like they'd sharpened to a deadly keen.
All three of them have three pairs of eyes, slitted like a cat's and glaring directly at you.
The one in the lead leaps toward you, springing over the pit- but Steve collides with it in the middle of the air. There's a savage crunch, and you see Steve's arms *crack* with the force.
The second 'demon' steps on the trap, and it crumbles underneath him. It gives a low growl as it falls in, clinging to the edge of the pit with its hooks. The golem buzzes angrily and roars, slamming its hands down into the demon's head.

The third sails over and leaps straight toward you. Reflexively, you leap out of the way. A galdian bullet shatters against one of the bone plates on its head, doing nothing but irritating it.

>Time to combat! Dice roll, please.
>Fight offensively?
>Fight defensively?
>Other?
>>
Rolled 47

>>27844756
Defensively
>>
Rolled 34

>>27844756

>Other

Rune Earth + Blast to crack the demon's armor and then it's Naga bolt time.
>>
Rolled 85

>>27844756

rolling for completion.
>>
>Survival DC: 40. Success!
>Harm DC: 60. Success!
The demon pounces, howling and dragging its blades behind it. It tears toward you, flinging both blades up and at you.

You duck. If you hadn't, both hooked blades would have decapitated you. You jab with your spear, but it's gone in a blur, skidding away from you and kicking up dust.

This thing is *fast*. It howls toward you again, this time with both arms above its head. It brings them down, screeching past you, but you leap to the side. By the time you get back to your feet, it's backed away, keeping its distance and running around you to get another pass. You fire your steamsling several times, all of the bullets missing- it's moving too quickly for you to draw a bead on it.

You holster your steamsling, and bear your palm. With your other hand, you grab your spear.
If you're lucky, you can do this in a single pass. Crack its armor and then stab it. It stops running a circle around you, and charges, this time keeping both blades tucked in close to its body. It's going for a thrust.

<Earth.> You say, curling up your empty palm. <Blast!>

You shove your palm out at it as it gets closer. The roiling energy slams into it, knocking it off balance and cracking its armor... But not as much as you'd hoped. It howls- and you jab it with your spear. Your spear tears right through its thigh. It stumbles, and goes rolling away, kicking up more dust.

Behind you, something cracks loudly. Steve is standing in one place, arms protecting itself as his own combatant keeps doing similar hit and run tactics to get in under Steve's guard. As you watch, the demon charges, and gives Steve a beastly uppercut, the blade shearing through Steve's strange, rigid flesh.

Your own combatant roars, getting to its feet again.
Already, the wound in it's thigh fuses together again, the red flesh knotting itself into a scar.
The cracks in its armor start fusing together as well.
It's regenerating- even from rune damage. This can't be good.
>>
Rolled 31

>>27844982
shoot naga teeth into ITS EYES

time+self runes if we have to
>>
Rolled 61

>>27844982

we really need to end this quickly, if we can jam one of the Naga bolts in to it's exposed flesh when it comes for another run at us, that might work.

I really hope that Demon in the pit got his head turned in to paste.

>I have to go now.
>good luck.
>>
Rolled 97

>>27844982
third roll for whatever
>>
>DC: 45. Success!
>DC: 75. Success!

You've got to end this quickly. You can hear the golem and demon fighting from inside the pit, and Steve isn't doing too well- he's regenerating instantly, but his opponent just seems to be getting stronger.

Your opponent charges again, crossing both blades in front of it. You sidestep its charge and jab with your spear, but it knocks your blade away easily. You draw your steamsling again and fire, the bullets doing little more but shattering against its fused armor. It barrels past you once more, and you jab, again- but this time, instead of knocking your spearhead away, it seems to pull it into its torso. Then, with a quick, sudden movement, it puts its blades on each side of your spear's head, about to break it.

It's so focused on what it's doing that it doesn't even notice as you raise your steamsling to its head.

It howls, loudly, as it rolls past you, thrashing its head from side to side. Naga teeth are burning into its eyes, half of its face covered in burning venom. Almost impotently, it starts banging its head into the ground, as if that would help. Another galdian bullet slams into its remaining eye, and the demon collapses, its flesh no longer healing. It's dead.

Behind you, Steve has one of his arms torn off, shards of rigid remnantstuff littering the ground.
Steve doesn't wait a moment to regrow his arm- as half a dozen very sharp tendrils, wriggling their way past the demon's plate. The demon howls, its body pierced through and through, as Steve's tendrils start to tear it apart.

>Field too long!
>>
>>27845269
You duck- barely- as a golem torso comes sailing out of the pit at you. The demon leaps up from the ground, and charges toward you.
You ready yourself for another fight- but then the demon suddenly trips, and entirely stops. It thrashes, as if held by something- and then falls to the ground in a pile of parts, as if cut to pieces by something invisible.
"Marcus has slain the first naga, and is working on the second." Rebel says. "Tarda just told me that one of the unknown monsters got here."

Flickering from nowhere, a new monster bursts into your vision- something vaguely humanoid, scrawny... with thick metal plates covering its body. In the place of its head is the only place not covered in metal- a bare humanoid brain, a small vent set below it. It crackles with electricity, small clouds of black shroud emanating from the vent that is its mouth. Out of its back, dozens of thin metal tendrils waver, blades attached to the end of each tendril.

It takes a slow step toward you, and then flickers out of your vision again.
"It's invisible." Rebel says.

It's invisible.
Shit.
>Any clever ideas?
>>
Rolled 21

>>27845279
All I can think of is using Lightning+Surround.

Might knock out its cloaking. Actually, can we get out the torch Leroy gave us? Maybe the difference in light levels between the morning sun and a powerful flashlight will let us see it slightly. Bit of a longshot, but might be worth it.
>>
Rolled 51

>>27845279
Another idea. Get Steve to grow big wings, and have him flap them around to throw up dust on the ground. Hopefully it'll get caught on this thing and then we'll at least have a vague outline.
>>
>GM rolled dice: 89
>DC: 60. Success!

You hear a strange buzzing, putting your teeth on edge- and a sudden whistle warns you to get back. You leap backward as part of your hair is shorn off, locks falling to the ground. You hear it take a step forward, and another whistle warns you to dodge to the side. Just barely, you do in time. Your hair is standing on edge, and you can almost *feel* where it is without sight.

You close your eyes, and wait... And you feel it come near. You jab your spear that way. It gets knocked away by what feels like dozens of metal cables, and you leap back as said cables whistle toward you.

You open your eyes again.
<Lightning.> You say. <Surround.>

There's a buzz, and the runes in your bag vibrate with power- and then the creature appears, slamming itself into the ground. Surrounding you is a dome of lightning, coiling and writhing, and the monster can't seem to control itself. The lightning is honing in onto the creature, as if it's a lightning rod, and it thrashes, coiling up its own tendrils.

Steve finally finishes tearing apart the demon, and then turns to you. It pounces at the monster- but it finally regains control of itself enough to grab ahold of steve's remaining limbs, flinging him past itself.

But, with all of the tendrils doing something or tied to eachother, there's not much it can use to protect itself.
So you stab it in the brain. Twice. And then a third time, for good measure.
It quivers, and then vibrates... And as you watch, the monster starts to melt, growing lower and lower. Black smog drifts from it much more quickly, as if it's almost turning into that smog...

>Field too long!
>>
>>27845511
And then, a few minutes later, the black cloud is drifting into the air. Sitting on the ground where it had fallen is a bloodied, dead brain, and a small series electronic devices, all connected together.

"Tarda says that the final unknown monster is fighting... Dalton. Dalton is holding it off."

You rush toward the farms, where all of the villagers had gone to protect themselves, but when you get there, it's too late.

The enormous, plated being is sitting in front of the building. Behind it is a large tunnel, where it had burrowed its way past your defences. The beast was all shell and digging claws- like a giant, chitinous mole.
It's also dead. Dalton is standing in front of it, blacksmith hammer in hand. The monster's head is all but flattened...

Which means that it's over. Finally.
>>
>>27845527
Go scoop up those electronic devices. Cloaking field? That's cool.
And maybe the brain.

"Dalton! Good job. I didn't expect an attack from underground. Are you unharmed?"
>>
>>27845527
"You okay, big D?"
"Is everyone else okay, Rebel?"
>>
"Dalton!" You say. "Are you okay? I didn't expect an attack from underground."
"Neither did I." He says, and looks back at the building. "Nobody was hurt, though. I took care of it."

"Is everyone else okay, Rebel?" You ask.
"Both golems are destroyed. Marcus was hurt by the naga, but Mal has saved him. " Rebel responds. "The poison isn't an issue."
You look back at Steve. The shapeless generic shadow is as it's always been, since you recovered him from the city.

"Is that it?" Dalton asks.
"Yeah, that should be it." You say. "It's probably safe for everyone to return home."
"Alright. I'll spread the word." He says, and claps a hand on your shoulder. "I'm not sure why the monsters were coming, but you're the reason we're all okay. Thanks."

You don't mention that it's technically Tarda's fault that any of them were in danger to begin with, and then head back to the trapped area. With Ann's help, you return the pit to normal, and pick up the objects that the electric monster had left behind, pocketing them- but careful not to shake them too much, in case any of them are explosive. You can ask Leroy about them later, when he wakes up.

"Good work!" Tarda says, shooting you a smile. "You're a handy person to have kill things for me. I might keep you around."
>>
>>27845711
"Good to hear."
"Is there anything you can do with the bodies? And why did it create a invisible electronic brain in a jar as well? Isn't that a bit too non-magical?"
>>
>>27845711
What do you mean keep me around? That sounds like you're going to kill everyone else.
>>
>>27845711
"Is this going to be a regular thing? Investing in defenses for the town might be prudent."
>>
"Good to hear." You say. "And is there anything you can do with the bodies?"
"That invisible thing I can't do much with, since most of the body vanished. The naga aren't... in a form I can use. Two of the demons are too ripped apart for me to use them either. The demon you blinded, and that digging thing I could find a use for, though." She says.
"Is this going to be a regular thing?" You ask. "Investing in defenses for the town might be prudent."
"No, no, this was a one time thing." She says. "I was trying to, well, draw more energy from the temple's ley line. To piggyback off of the one connection I already have and make it stronger. Instead I... messed up. Made seven more connections before I realized what it was doing. But now that I have eight connections to the ley line, I don't need to add any more, so there won't be more monsters incoming."
"Why did it create an invisible electronic brain?" You ask. "Isn't that a bit too non-magical?"
"The temple doesn't create monsters." Tarda says. "It calls them from afar. That thing, whatever it was, moved really, really fast. Through the sky. It got here from nystara in a matter of hours."

"And what do you mean, keep me around?" You say.
"Well, I was only planning to keep you as my assistant until we kill Kaederi." She says. "And no matter how much I want to drop him, that... creepy guy I hired as my other assistant is a lot more useful than you are. Because he can do the hard stuff. He's already given me alternate constellations for at least half my rituals."
"Creepy?"
"He has no lifeblood." She says. "Like, he's alive and everything, but... he's creepy."
>>
>>27845880
"I noticed that. I think he might be partly mechanical."
>>
>>27845880
"That's fair enough, I'm not cut out for magic it seems."
>>
>>27845880
"Creepyguy also told Marcus those notes are fake. He'll be after you again."
>>
>>27845880
"Tards can we build a giant light lance to hit Kaedri's skyfort. Or a giant magnifying glass?"
>>
"I noticed that." You say. "I think he might be partly mechanical."
"Maybe." She says.
"He also told Marcus those notes are fake. He'll be after you again."
Tarda grumbled, and put her hand on her nose.
"... Think the tavernkeeper would be upset if I dosed the kid with naga venom?"
"I think Miriam would be upset, yes." You say.
"You sure she'd notice?"
"Yes, I'm sure." You say.
She sighs.

"Do you think we could build a giant light lance to hit Kaderi's skyfort?" You ask. "Or a giant magnifying glass? We can see it, so it's not protected from light..."
"He can breathe." Tarda says. "If it's that high, it'd be impossible to breathe unless he had something to protect the environment. It would keep heat or light from hurting anyone in there. Not to mention, it'd take too long to make. The Indomitable project only needs a few more days to charge, and then we're ready. Right now, I'm more worried about that kid. I might have to do this the hard way and actually talk to him. Or kill him."
>>
>>27846069
"Miriam said he might have weird abilities though, so be careful."
>>
>>27846069
"Also, Rebel told me that the rest of Kystara is still alive. And Kaederi has a massive power source. Might these two be related?"
>>
>>27846069
"So, what is this project, and what's Mudimuna? Surely you can tell me now."
>>
>>27846069
"What's going to happen after we take care of Kaedri, by the way? And for that matter, how are we going to take care of him? I'm pretty sure I don't want to get within sight range of him, considering he could go full wizard and unleash a shithaul of bad things on me."
>>
>>27846069
You gotta make it look like an accident, see.

A low amperage, high voltage current would do perfectly. There'd be no burns as well. I'd say we could do it, but fags decided to not go the wizard route in this quest so we won't be able to do any cool things.
>>
"Miriam said he might have some weird abilities, though, so be careful."
"I saw his weird abilities when I was scrying over his battle." She says. "Nothing I can't handle with the right ritual."
"Also, Rebel told me... that the rest of Kystara is still alive. And Kaederi has a massive power source. Might these two be related?"
Tarda grit her teeth, and started to walk.
"That's precisely what I hope he didn't do." She says. She's almost growling "Because that would mean that he's broken the *rules*."
You nod, and follow.
"What's going to happen after we take care of him, by the way?"
"I prepare to return all of Kystara back at their homes. Could take a year or more, at the latest." She says. "And then I go back to researching."
"For that matter... how are we going to take care of him? I'm pretty sure I don't want to get within sight range of him, considering he could go full wizard."
"With Mudimuna." She says. "The Indomitable Project will protect us from all of that."
"So, what is this project? And what's Mudimuna? Surely you can tell me now."
"I can't, honestly." She says. "I mean, I could, but... he could be scrying as we speak. It's something he could figure out how to get through if he could figure out what it does. Which is why I haven't said anything about it. He'd have to be really smart to do it in two or three days, but I don't want to take chances. when it gets closer to time, I'll tell you."

Then she takes a deep breath. "Want to get something to eat? I'm starving."
>>
>>27846298
"Sounds good. I'm in the mood for cereal, but that stuff is rare as diamonds out here."

"I take it the anti-scrying pollution you did doesn't last that long, then?"
>>
>>27846298
"Is it safe to ask what you mean by *the rules*"
>>
>>27846298
"When you're scrying, is it like watching another place, or just knowing what's happening at the place you're looking at?"
>>
>>27846298
"Yeah, me too. I haven't had anything since the festival last night. Let's see what's on the menu today."
>>
"Sounds good." You say. "I'm in the mood for cereal, but that stuff is as rare as diamonds out here."
"I've never had it before." She says. The two of you walk toward the Tavern.
"I take it the anti-scrying pollution you did doesn't last long, then?"
"Technically, it doesn't even last. It's a ritual I have to constantly keep up."
"When you're scrying, is it like watching another place, or just... knowing what's happening at the place you're looking at?"
"Matters how you do it." She says. "If you scry through a reflection, it's just watching. But if you scry through your mind, you get a lot more than just sight. That's more difficult, though."

Eventually, the two of you grab eggs and some meat, and then take a seat. Mal gives you a wave, and sits down next to you.
<Hey, bro.> He says. <Glad everyone made it out fine.>
<Me too.> You say. Then you turn back to Tarda. "Is it safe to ask what you mean by... 'the rules'?"
"That's safe enough." She says. "They're... informal things, and even mundanes follow them some of the time. One of the rules are that knowledge is a sacred thing. Destroying it is like working backwards. Hiding it is fine, but forgetting it is an unbearable sin. But the one Kaederi's breaking is that... well... Don't cause needless harm. Don't hurt people more than you need to. Dissecting one or two people are fine, regular even, but... to capture an entire people and use them to farm soulforce..."
She grits her teeth. "Unbearable. I'm going to kill him."
>>
>>27846475
"What if we capture him, and chuck him into wherever he's got everyone stuffed? You get his power that way, and you could even take him out for vivisection if you feel like it."
>>
A thought for when it comes time to explain to Marcus: "There's another wizard out there, a very dangerous and hostile one, and he's been spying on us magically. Until VERY recently the only safe place was the local wizard's domain, and she's understandably picky about who she lets in to her refuge. Those notes were misinformation. Not for you, but for the enemy wizard.

The only loose end to this story might be cromwell, but I seem to recall he got started on his research only recently.and it started out as deduction from base principles.
>>
>>27846475
<Thanks for the support with those hooked things, bro. They were pretty nasty.>
>>
>>27846475
<Aren't all the gains you're making from 'creepy guy' kind of a moot point if Kaedri can just scry and copy them?>
>>
>>27846475
"Next time the caravan comes around I'm putting in an order for cereals and milk."
>>
"What if we capture him, and chuck him into wherever he's got everyone stuffed? You get his power that way."
"No, no." She says. "I want him to die. I won't give him the mercy of existing after I'm done with him."
"Aren't all the gains you're making from 'creepy guy' kind of a moot point if Kaederi can just scry and copy them?"
"Not really." She says. "Most of the stuff I have him working on won't have very immediate consequences. It just means that I don't have to wait so long for alignments and constellations."

You stare down at your own eggs.
"Next time the caravan comes around, I'm putting in an order for cereals and milk." You say.
"I'll have to try it." Tarda says.

You turn to Mal.
<Thanks for the support with those hooked things, Bro. They were pretty nasty.>
<Not a problem.> He says. <But get this; From up there, I also saw the deluran kid do his thing. He... I don't know how to explain it. He started dodging attacks *before* the naga started to attack. Like he knew they were coming before the naga did. That was cool as hell.>
>>
>>27846648
<Damn, that's cool. It's a shame he's so straight edge. You see that brain in a jar I fought? Dropped a bunch of electronic shit.>
>>
>>27846648
<"Anything else planned today? Need help from a simple non-magic brute for anything else, Tarda?">
>>
It's a bit disconcerting how casually Tarda talks about killing people. I get the feeling that wizards in general weren't the most moral bunch.
>>
>>27846648
"What if you make existence more of a pain than death, though?"
>>
>>27846690
>Technically, it wasn't even in a jar. It was just a brain with a small vent on the bottom, sitting on top of the shoulders of a headless humanoid thing.

<Damn, that's cool.> You say. <It's a shame he's so straight edge. You see that brain thing I fought? Dropped a bunch of electronic shit.>
<We need to talk that mutant fellow into figuring out what all of it is.> Mal says. <Maybe there's another hellbomb.>

"Anything else planned today? Need help from a simple non-magic brute for anything else, Tarda?"
"There's always something you can do." She says. "I might have some more treasure in the caves, and Rebel tells me that there might be a small dungeon in the ruins with something in it, but that can wait. You should rest up, at the least. If Kaederi finds out we're close to completing the project, he might send a bigger force in a little while. Rebel's keeping most of the remnants away for now, but he might break that barrier if he starts to panic."

Then, a moment later, she sits up straight. "Oh my, I have another idea. Can I have that counterfeit rune? The 'obliteration' one? I can strap that into the project as well."
>>
>>27846785
"Sure, no problem."
>>
>>27846785
<Another hellbomb sounds fucking excellent. Then you could have one. We could call ourselves the bombros.>
>>
>>27846785
"You can have that, and more, if you want."
>>
>>27846785
"I don't see why not. Lightning is clearly the best rune anyway."
>>
>>27846785
"Is there any way to make a runes effect appear behind a target and strike them from behind? It'd make a nice surprise in fights."
>>
"I don't see why not." You say, and pull out the rune, dropping it into her waiting hands. "You can have it, and more, if you want."
"I just want this one." She says. "The rest are connected to the runic project, and that would complicate my job a lot."
"Is there any way to make a rune's effect appear behind a target and strike them from behind? It'd make a nice surprise in fights."
"Mix... Self and Lance, I think." She says. "Shoots far away, but homes back in toward you. Be careful if you do that, though, because if you miss, it'll hit you." Then she gets to her feet. "But I'm off to put this obliteration rune into the project. See you later."

Tarda waves at you, making her way back up toward the temple.
Miriam takes a meal to Marcus, who's apparently in his room lying down. As far as you heard, he'd gotten crushed in one of the naga's tails- a few broken bones, but no worse.

<Hey!> Mal says, suddenly. <My headache's gone!>
<Just like that?>
<Just like that.> He responds. He'd had a headache ever since his controlled jackolope died a few nights ago.
<Would have been better back when we were fighting the monsters.>
<Yeah, probably.> He says. <I'm still going to lay off on the beastmastery for a bit, though.>

You and Mal make small talk and finish up your meals, and you spy Ann talking to her father as she- and other villagers- start returning from the farms. It's already noon, though it still feels much earlier than that.

>The rest of the day is yours! Anything you want to do with it?
>>
>>27847058
Will Leroy be awake yet?

If not, let's just go for a walk and reminisce. Maybe look over the morning's battleground, in case there's any sweet loot we missed.

That, or just chill with Mal.
>>
Rolled 95

>>27847058
Tarda did mention an old treasure cache...
>>
>>27847058
<Probably a good idea. Save your cool powers for when we need it.>

can we recharge runes? can we stay awake if we do?
>>
>>27847058
lets go visit those kobolds under her lab for shits and giggles
>>
>>27847201
there WAS treasure down there, ask her for a list of what else is down there that she's willing to let us retrieve
>>
The day is a relaxing one.

You go over the battlegrounds, going through the golem bodies for anything useful- but both cores had been broken. One skewered by a demon's forearm blade, and the other crushed by a naga tail. The one remaining demon body had since been dragged under the temple by Tarda, and you can't find anything notable.

So, waiting for sundown, you chill and drink with Mal, telling old stories.
<And then, after she fell asleep, we put her in Heledan's bunk.> Mal says, talking about his shenanigans with the bashiki. <Come to think of it, we didn't actually know Heledan was gay at the time. But anyway, when Lyra woke up with another girl's hand around her, she screamed loud as anything.>
Around you, the kobolds chant and glurk, chewing on the fallen mushrooms from the battle a few nights ago. None of them seemed to care you were there, happy to glorp around you. The kobold child (Who Mal named <kidbold> because he thought it was funny) kept begging you for more fish, so you found yourself with a hook and rod in hand.

Suddenly, something occurs to you.

Since today's so slow, you should have more energy. And with more energy, you can recharge a rune more quickly without passing out.
<Give me a second, Bro.> You tell Mal, and unfold the paper you keep in your bag.
<Sure.> He says. He just Looks at one of the blind fish below, and it flops its way onto the shore. Then he hands it to Kidbold, getting a happy squeak and a finny hug from it.

>Which rune would you like to recharge?
>Also, which rune would you like to recharge later tonight before you sleep?
>>
>>27847271
Double lightning.

It's been pretty much the most devastating rune we've had so far.
>>
>>27847271
<Cmon, bro, that's almost cheating at fishing.>
>>
>>27847271
earth, and surround
>>
>>27847271
surround and lightning are both really useful
>>
<C'mon, Bro, that's almost cheating at fishing.>
<It's not almost cheating, it is cheating.> He responds. You set your lightning rune on it, and focus. The ritual takes as much out of you as it usually does, but you force yourself to stay awake long enough to start to recover. You pocket it again, and turn to Mal, resolving to charge the Surround rune tonight.
<Think he'd be up by now?> You ask.
<It's just a little before sundown, so I think so.> He responds.

The two of you, after giving kidbold some more fish, make your way back out of the caves. You give Tarda a wave on your way out of the temple, and with Mal tagging along, head down to Leroy's village.
"Hello." He says. "I heard there was some kind of monster attack this morning. Was anyone hurt?"
"Marcus was hurt, and Cromwell's two golems bought it, but nobody else was hurt." You say.
"Glad to hear it."
"Though, I do have a few things to show you..." You say, and pull out the devices. "These were from the monsters...

Leroy recoils, and pulls a hammer out from a workbench. "That bit, disconnect it." He barks out, almost angrily. "Set it down there."
You disconnect one of the three devices, and set it aside.

He promptly smashes it. And then relaxes, and takes a deep breath.
"One of the monsters was a *lurker*?" He asks. "And you were carrying around it's shroud generator? You might want to have Miriam take a look at you. Does any of your skin burn? Anything ache? Migraine?"
"No, I feel fine." You say. Your heart feels strange, but it's felt strange since you've gotten it.
"Good." He says, and relaxes more. "If you don't feel anything, it must have been out of power. Or you're resistant somehow."
>>
>>27847508
"I've never heard of a lurker before. What's makes the shroud so dangerous?"
>>
>>27847508
"Well, there was a magical dome in the city which I stuck my hand in, and that shit was meant to drive everyone insane, mutate them horribly, or a plethora of other things, but I'm fine. Let's call it resistance for now."

"So! Leroy! What is a SHROUD GENERATOR. It sounds menacing. Is it what lets the brain monster turn invisible?"
>>
>>27847508
"Oh. Most things monsters drop are vaguely useful. "
>>
>>27847508
"Not a hellbomb, then?"
>>
"Oh. Most things monsters drop are vaguely useful. Not a hellbomb, then?"
"Not that." He says.
"I've never heard of a lurker before." You say.
"They're rare, but very scary." He says. "They don't even seem to try to eat things like normal monsters. They just want to kill things, and pull various devices inside themselves. Back home, a lurker sighting was enough for an entire pureblood city to shut down for a few weeks."
You nod, and then look down at the destroyed device.

Wait... he called it a Shroud Generator. Could devices like that be what created the shroud...?
"Yeah." He says. "If that was powered up, or if you weren't resistant, you could have been mutating right now. It's not good news."
"Is that what lets the brain monster turn invisible?"
"No, that would be... this thing here. He says, touching the second device. "It eats a lot of power, but it's really adaptable. You can put it on, if you want, and it can turn you invisible. Won't last more than a minute or so, though, and you'll need to come all the way back here to recharge it."
"What's this third item, then?" You ask, touching it.
"Purifier." He says. "Not sure why it'd have one of those inside it, but the thing looks pristine. Just power it and run water through it, and you'll have pure water. Change the filter ever so often... Simple enough."
>>
>>27847691
so what IS a lurker? where do they come from? what makes them?
>>
>>27847691
"Hooray! Useful things!"

"Wait, how big can the invisibility be?"
>>
>>27847691
"Nystara has some cool shit. Do you want the purifier for anything?"
>>
>>27847691
"The whole situation was pretty weird. The brain-thing appears from nowhere, slices up a demon, then turns invisible. When I killed it, it turned into smoke and flew away! Tarda said it had /flown/ here as well."
>>
>>27847691
Of course he had to smash it.

"We could have used that generator offensively. It would have been great."
>>
>>27847691
Let's go turn ourself invisible and surprise people around town. Especially Tarda.
>>
>>27847691
"Do you have batteries or anything to make it last longer? I can pay for any work and materials."

"What would all three of these items do together? Maybe some kind of higher function?"
>>
>>27847691
I really think we should visit Marcus, see how he was injured and that he's okay.
Mostly so it doesn't look like we're ignoring him.
>>
"Hooray. Useful things!" You say. "Wait, how big can the invisibility be?"
"Any size, really." He says. "Just that the larger, the more energy it will take. And since we don't have any supplies to make bigger batteries, I'd guess you can make it the size of a person. Any bigger and it'll run out of energy almost instantly."
"Nystara has some cool shit." You say.
"Had." He says. "Something happened a few thousand years ago. It made the shroud, turned cities into the scrapheaps, and the only people left were mutants and the pureblood. Nobody really knows, and I have a feeling nobody really will."
"So... what *is* a lurker? Where do they come from? What makes them?"
Leroy shrugs.
"Lurkers are creatures made of metal, with human brains set into them. I don't know where the brains come from, and I don't want to know. They can change shape, and it's said that some of them can turn parts of their bodies into other devices, but most of them look human most of the time. They usually come up from the thousand towers, like the hunters. I think they're made by the same thing that makes the hunters. "

Hunters. You remember them, and not very fondly. Small flying machines with guns.

>Field too long!
>>
>>27847930
"We could have used that generator offensively." You say.
"... No offense, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard anyone say." Leroy says. "You're living in a village. If we keep one of those things here for too long, you and every single other person here would mutate. Some of them would go feral. New monsters would be born. Lelans don't know how to deal with any of them, so after this village is dead and gone, they would all come by, kill the ferals, and not know to destroy the generator. They would mutate too, and countless people would be hurt before the pureblood find out what's going on!"

You pause. A moment later, Leroy sighs.
"Anyway." He says. "Sorry."
"Do you have batteries or anything to make the invisibility device last longer? I can pay for any kind of work and materials."
"I don't have anything that would work." He says. "I would be able to make something, but it would be so large you wouldn't be able to carry it. It uses a *lot* of power."

"Do you want the purifier for anything?"
"Honestly, that would be incredibly helpful for the village as a whole." He says. "Dig a canal from the ocean, I can rig up a waterwheel to power it, and then we have as much water as we could want."
>>
>>27847949
I'll give it to Miriam then. She seems to be the heart of the town.

Thanks for your help, Leroy. Here's some coin for your trouble.
>>
>>27847949
How far's the ocean?
Sounds like fun.
"Ocean purification, sounds like a good plan. I'll leave the purifier with you in that case."

<Rebel? Rebel, can you ask Tarda how big the Indomitable project is? Tell her I've got a surprise if she can answer.>
Whatever the fuck she's making is now going to be invisible as fuck.
If it's big, then commission Leroy to make the pack.
>>
>>27848018
Seconding coin.

Leroy's a bro. Helping us not mutate or blow ourselves up.
>>
>>27847949
Think how hilarious it would have been though if we'd arrived on Kaedri base, deployed some Nystaran cube, then his fort was overrun with all manner of beasties. Then blew up.
>>
>>27847930
"Maybe someday someone will recover a device that turns off the shroud and disables the monsters."
>>
"Ocean purification. Sounds like a good plan. I'll leave the purifier with you, in that case."
"I'll make sure it gets done." He says.
"Oh, and here's some coin for your trouble." You say, giving him a small handful of it. "As thanks for helping me not mutate or blow up."
"It's what I do." He says. "Other than grow mushrooms, of course."

He pulls his blindfold back on, and waves as you walk.
<Rebel? Rebel, can you ask Tarda how big the indomitable project is?>
<It's as big as a person.> She responds. <It's an object that can be worn.>
<Wait, why are you talking in Galdian?> Mal asks.
<Tarda asked me to.> Rebel says. It still doesn't have any form, but it's simply talking into your ears. <Because Kaederi doesn't know the language.>
<Good idea.> Mal says.

The two of you talk for a while longer, as you make plans for the invisibility device with the indomitable project. According to Tarda, they should work together perfectly fine...

<Oh, I have one more thing to say.> Rebel says. <There's someone... uncomfortable coming from the west.>
<Uncomfortable?> Mal asks.
<His mind is...> Rebel says. <I'll take his shape.>

A moment later, a man is standing in front of you, his long blond hair blown back like a lion's mane. He doesn't have any scars at all, and has a bloodied, rusted pushblade on each arm. Those weapons are the only things he's wearing above the waist.
You fight down the shivers. You know this madman.
<... E.E's coming.> You say.

>End of session!
>My twitter is at @futureexabyte
>The IRC is #Exabyte on Rizon
>>
>>27848313
Thanks for running, Exabyte.
>>
>>27848313
God damn, we need to get Tarda to tap into the leylines more often.

Start our own fucking monster farm. Get sweet $$$ loot.
>>
>>27848313
Can you tell me more amazing things about Nystara
>>
>>27848313
If you're still around, what does Tarda look like?
>>
>>27849950
Tarda's small and scrawny, pale grey skinned, with hair that reaches to her chin. It goes out almost every direction, though. She looks incredibly young. Flat chested, slightly pretty, with blue eyes.
Though her eyes used to be bright red when she was trapped in her domain.

>>27848883
Uh... There are lots of things! For the most part, though, everything they have is in a state of disrepair and they end up having to scavenge for new parts. Everyone, except the mutants, need to wear gasmasks.
>>
>>27850107
Cool, thanks.


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