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>>
RECAP OF QUEST

After leaving your kobold family to seek adventure, you went through a series of unfortunate events that ended up with you and a gnoll child being abducted by a troll. You woke up in the monster’s cave in a gravely injured state, but you clung to life even in what seemed your last minutes. Miraculously, you found a weird flower that invigorated you tremendously upon eating it, but you knew the effects were temporary. You and the gnoll child escape the troll’s cave; your goal was to return the kid to his tribe as fast as possible before the flower’s magic ran out, hoping the gnolls give you medical aid in time.

The path to the tribe wasn’t easy either. You were ambushed by goblins and almost killed yourself and the boy after falling off a cliff, but you managed to crawl back even with a broken arm and leg. The gnolls were resentful for what you did to their leader a while ago, when you stabbed her throat in self-defense when they were going to eat you. One of them was particularly furious; he kicked you in the head so hard he broke your jaw and rendered you unconscious.

You had a strange dream… or vision… or whatever it was, where you fought a huge monster to save your family. Your wrath and frustration unlocked something primal within you, a hidden power; you transformed into a dragon-like being and gained the upper hand in the fight. However, just when you were about to destroy the abomination, everything went black, and you heard Gaia’s voice in your head, warning you that something horrible was about to come, something not even She could face. She trusted you with the responsibility and asked you to always remain faithful and courageous, despite all the odds.

The dream ended there. You found yourself on a gnoll’s bed with bandages in your body. You were impressed that you survived, but also highly disturbed by everything that happened. The shaman who healed you informed you that the gnoll child’s mother, Sheela, stood up for you. She convinced the others to spare your life, as you knew the location of the troll’s cave, but after you met with her, you realize she saved you out of gratitude as well. You learned she’s the new chieftain – the previous one lost her position after she was deemed weak for getting caught off-guard by your attack.

Sheela has asked you to help her come up with an idea to deal with the troll. She handed you a sheet and some ink for you to draw your insights. You’re currently trying to come up with a good plan.
>>
Previous threads:

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?searchall=kobold+quest

(scroll to the bottom)
>>
I'll be honest with you guys: due to IRL work, I'll only be able to update now and tomorrow, then I'll have to end the session until next week. I didn't want to postpone this any longer.

I'll try to update as much as I can during saturday.
>>
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If you knew how to depict ideas with small symbols, like humans do, it would help you a lot right now, but you don't know of such things. And you doubt gnolls do, either. You want to draw something that’s easy to understand, especially for a “stabby-slashy-smashy” warrior like Sheela.

You spend minutes trying to come up with a plan. Many ideas cross your mind - some of them viable, others… uh… quite imaginative, but not something you’d dare show the chieftess.

The first thing you thought of is poisoning the troll. A hunk of meat could be soaked in a lethal concoction, and then fed to the monster. There’s bound to be poisonous plants and mushrooms around the tribe. One of the most dangerous are Talvaya mushrooms; they grow on the edges of rivers, and a single bite is enough to kill a kobold-sized creature in a matter of minutes by paralyzing its respiratory functions. Death by suffocation sounds horrible and you wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but it could be an effective way to deal with the troll if there is no other alternative.

Besides, if the wise, beautiful chie-

Ahem… if the *chieftain* herself makes the concoction, she’ll look even more competent in the eyes of her people, which is a good way of earning even more favor from her. Nonetheless, you consider the possibility of the troll being immune –or resistant- to poison, judging by his regeneration powers, so you won’t rely on this plan unless you can back it up with something else.
>>
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Your second idea involves a violent, straight-forward approach; something tells you the gnolls would enjoy this far more than your first plan. They must do this during the day while the troll sleeps. They start by setting a fire inside the cave, blocking the entrance with rocks, waiting for the troll to come out, and then rain down spears and arrows on him. If that isn’t enough to kill it, then a bunch of heavy rocks falling from the top of the cliff onto the monster should finish it off.

It sounds good, but you feel there is an important detail missing here.
>>
>>4231184
we didn't mention the goblins
>>
The gnoll chieftess is cute as fuck, but she could also bite our face-off. So I am conflicted as to how to approach this situation.
>>
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Oh! You almost forgot about the goblin sentry near the cave! You stumbled upon lots of goblins on the way here, so it’s probably their territory. You don’t understand their relationship with the troll, but if they’re allies, they would warn the monster of an imminent ambush. The gnolls will have to be careful on their way to the creature's hideout.

All things considered, your plan seems pretty good! You think it could be combined with the poison approach, but you don’t know how to depict it on the sheet without making it look convoluted, so you decide to stick to this one. You don’t think poisons will be necessary, anyway… surely no creature in the world can survive getting set on fire, pierced by dozens of spears and arrows and crushed by giant rocks *all* at the same time, right?!

Sheela turns her head and notices you still haven’t drawn anything on the sheet. A nervous smile appears on her face. “Hehehe… take your time, don’t worry about me!”

She’s getting impatient... You’ve spent enough time coming up with a plan – it’s time to put your hand to work! You grab the brush, soak the tip in tint and begin to draw. It’s the first time you work with these tools - they make the task much easier. In a creativity rush, you use your own blood to depict the sun and the fire; these bleeding wounds the kids left on you proved to be useful, after all. “Bad things often lead to good outcomes!” – you think.
>>
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Alright, it’s done. It looks decent enough. The goblin bit may look ambiguous without context, but you could ask Kyru to explain it in case the chieftess doesn’t get it. You drew the Goddess’s symbol, too, just to see how she reacts to it; you don’t think it’ll confuse her, as the rest of the plan is more than obvious. You still cannot believe these gnolls don’t know anything about Gaia...

As for the old guy, well... you drew him because you felt like it. No other reason. You know the plan is a serious deal, but you just *love* drawing stuff, no matter the situation. And his thumb up –along with the Goddess’s- indicates your plan will end well for everyone! These good vibes will surely contribute to its success, yeah!

You tap the chieftess’s shoulder and she turns around, noticing you’ve finished your drawing. She looks very excited. “Oh, you’re done?! Great!” Sheela hurriedly grabs the sheet and studies your work. “Oooh, nice art!”, she comments. You can’t help but feel proud of yourself.

A few seconds pass by, and her smile gradually disappears. She’s in complete silence. You’re not sure how to interpret that…
>>
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“This plan…” – Sheela mutters, all of a sudden.

“This plan is… it’s amazing!” - she exclaims. “It’s so simple, yet it makes so much sense! How could I not come up with this before?!"
>>
>>4231223
The cuteness levels are going critical!
>>
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The chieftess smiles, giving you a thumb up and a wink. “I want to see it, mom! Let me see!” – Kyru says. Sheela sits beside her child and extends her arm so both of them could admire your drawing. For a moment, you thought she didn’t like your idea, so knowing that it had good reception is very satisfying and relieving.

“This is the goblin you mentioned before, right Kyru?” – Sheela asks.

“Yes!” – he responds. “That’s the stinky greenie napping near the cave! He smelled so bad, mommy, it was like, a mix of skunk and rotten eggs... Eeeeeeuuuuughhhh!” He covers his nose, as if remembering the creature’s foul smell.

“Eeugh!” - Sheela says, playing along. She stands up without taking her eyes off the sheet. “This plan is brutal… I almost feel bad for the troll. *Almost*. Hehe!” She walks up to you and lightly pats your head. “Thank you so much, lizard. You’ve been super helpful. I’ll share your- I mean, *my* plan…” She chuckles. “… with my people. I'll do it right now!”

Sheela looks around the hut, as if looking for an object. “Kyru, have you seen that loud human instrument Erma often used?”

“Nope” – he responds. “It’s inside the chest, maybe…” He points at the wooden container. You didn’t notice before, but the design of the chest is very unique. That yellow-colored metal sure looks neat on it. It’s probably another object made by humans.

“Oh, right!” – Sheela says. “I almost forgot the chest belongs to me now… Your mom did it, son! She’s the chieftess now!” Kyru nods, smiling.
>>
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Well, it looks like you’ll finally be able to rest. You’ll stick around and hang with these two – wandering around the tribe isn’t safe, considering the brats who wanted to eat you. Maybe you can play with Kyru for a while before taking a nap. He wanted to show you his drawings, so you’ll sit beside him and-

… Hey, wait a minute. You didn’t realize it before, due to the constant fear of imminent death and all, but… there’s nothing covering your kobold attributes.

You’re feeling pretty exposed. Maybe you should ask the chieftain for a loincloth.

>Ask Sheela for a loincloth (explain how you’ll do it)
>Deal with your nakedness
>Write-in
>>
>>4231105
>HP: Badly Wnd. PHYSIQUE AGILITY MAGIC
>MP: Empty Good Good Rank 1 (Attuned)
>>
>>4231256
>Ask Sheela for a loincloth (explain how you’ll do it)

using hand motions point at her clothes and the kid's clothes, then gesture with both hands making a circle around your waist. Blush really hard when she catches our meaning
>>
>>4231256
Just draw [us without a loincloth] - > [us with a loincloth], making sure to have an arrow pointing at the crotches to get the point across.
>>
>>4231276
>>4231269
let's do both
>>
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>>4231280
>let's do--
"No."
>>
>>4231256
Deal with our nakedness, we're a proud kobold with nothing to hide.
>>
>>4231321
Just to speed things up, if no one else goes for the objectively correct option of staying nude, lets go for >>4231276
>>
>>4231256
>>Ask Sheela for a loincloth
>try to show a ring with your hand around your waist and pull it down
or draw it, yeah
>>
>>4231256
>write-in
take her loincloth
>>
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The chieftess is looking for the key to open the chest. "Hmm, maybe it's in one of those baskets..."

You stare at Kyru, getting his attention, then you point at one of the blank sheets. He understands and hands you some paper. "Mom, mister Kobold wants to draw something else!"

The chieftess speaks without stopping the search of the key. "Oh, don't worry about it, lizard. Your plan is great as it already."

You grab the brush and make a quick sketch of two figures of yourself: one is naked, the other is wearing a loincloth. You quickly finish and show your drawing to Kyru. "Uhh... mom, look at this. I think he wants a loincloth" he says.

Sheela stops to look at the drawing, then resumes her search. "Ahh, okay, okay... let me just get the horn and I'll go get one. We don't really mind you being naked, y'know, but it's fine if makes you feel better."

A moment later...

"Here it is!" Sheela exclaims. "The key was inside this basket." She walks up to the wooden container and unlocks it.
>>
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As soon as she opens the chest... "Woah!" she exclaims. "There's plenty of weird things here! Erma sure is fascinated by human stuff!"

The chieftess starts scavenging the contents of the chest, throwing aside whatever that doesn't catch up her interest. "Where is the horn? Geesh..."

You've never seen objects like these in your entire life. You are very curious about them!

>Examine something (choose what)
>Forget about it and play with the kid instead
>Write-in
>>
>>4231986
>>Forget about it and play with the kid instead
>>
>>4231986
>Examine something
That weird rectangle with two humans inside.
>>
>>4231986
>Examine the stone tablet.
It's similar to the one that called your attention in the shaman hut
>>
>>4231986
>Examine DAT ASS
>>
>>4231986
Switching to examine the tablet.
>>
>>4231986
>>4232018
This, she'll probably be in there a while. Lets see how the kid is doing.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

Rolling 1d2. If 1 then you'll go check out the stone tablet, if 2 then you'll forget about it and play with the kid instead.
>>
>>4232227
Nice.
>>
>>4231986
Examine the tablet
>>
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Now that you think about it, the stone tablet is similar to the one you saw at the shaman’s hut. You’re very curious over what they depict... and the strange rectangle with humans in it also catches your attention, and… well… other things are also catching your eye right now… but you’d rather not be swayed by these thoughts. Either way, though the chieftess is treating you well, you don't want to take too many liberties with her possessions, so you’ll just play with the kid and forget about it. Maybe you’ll have the opportunity to check those objects later when your jaw heals and you can ask her for permission.

You sit with the boy. He excitedly grabs his drawings, one by one, and shows them to you. The first drawing depicts a troll smashing a hut, and a gnoll kid –probably him- running away from it. The second one portrays an angry goblin sleeping on top of a tree and undulated lines around it, depicting how bad it smells. The third picture he presents is the same kid from before, this time sitting on top of a kobold with a broken arm who is running away from a group of angry goblins.

He's evidently drawing what you’ve both went through hours ago. The way he narrates the story through pictures is really entertaining! He also draws very nicely, despite being so young. This boy has got plenty of artistic talent.

“I’ve got one more drawing…” – the kid says, “… though it doesn’t have anything to do with the story. I had a veeery odd dream while I was unconscious… well, it wasn’t a dream, but more like a slideshow of random images that I can’t make sense of.”

He grabs the last sheet and shows it to you.
>>
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“Here” - he says. “What do you think? It’s my favorite one!”

>Write-in
>>
>>4232843
Nod happily and point at the winged kobold on the drawing, then point to ourselves and outstretch our usable arm like a wing to pretend to be the flying kobold in the drawing.

Also give him a headpat
>>
>>4232843
support>>4232861
>>
>>4232861
+1 for support
>>
>>4232843
the message is that Ravioli is evil , we must keep that in mind
>>
>>4232861
support
>>
>>4232861
lewd, I like it.
>>
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>>4232843
I think we're forgetting to ask an important question in lieu of petting the boy: How the FUCK did he come up with such an eerily accurate depiction of us?
>>
>>4233149
I think you're forgetting that WE CAN'T FUCKING TALK. We can't really tell him about it yet. Likely Gaia probably saved the kid too.
>>
>>4233159
"Ask ourselves". Better?
>>
>>4233167
I was already trying to imply with my write in that Trebol is saying the flying kobold is him. Right now the kid having these visions doesn't really matter, but it'll be good to keep in mind that Gaia probably helped either save the kid or the kid has some sort of dormant magic power that allowed him to sense Gaia saving our ass.

Either way, this kid probably going to help save our ass again so we should make sure he stays alive.
>>
>>4232861
Support, but also:

>>4233187
Have faith that the kid is a part of Gaia's plan. Draw Gaia's symbol again, to try to communicate the connection. Explain in greater detail later, when our jaw is working.
>>
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By the Goddess, this drawing is depicting your dream! The kobold is you, transformed into the draconic being, and you are being watched by Gaia and the strange eye that was on the torso of the demon you fought! But... how does the boy *know* about your vision?! It’s so strange!

Your thoughts are interrupted by Kyru. “Uh… what’s wrong, mister Kobold? You don’t like my drawing?”, he says with a worried look on his face.

Oh, right… he asked you what you think of his sketch. Your mind is wandering elsewhere, but you do your best to nod happily and show him that you enjoyed his eerie drawing. You even pat his head; the kid allows himself to be caressed. He's so tender, what a gentle boy.

“There’s SO much stuff here!” – you hear Sheela say in the background. She sounds annoyed. “I still cannot find that stupid horn!“

After you finish patting the kid, you decide to investigate the meaning behind the sketch. When the chieftess studied your plan, you saw no reaction from her to the symbol of the Goddess, but the kid probably knows something about it. You’ll draw Gaia’s symbol and attempt to communicate whatever connection he has to it... but first, you’ll try something out quickly; you point at the winged kobold on the drawing, then point at yourself, and then outstretch your right arm as if it was a wing, pretending to be the flying creature. The kid observes you for a few seconds in silence... and then he speaks in a *very* serious tone, one way too mature for a young child.
>>
>>4233766
OP this is blue board, you can't post lewd stuff like that image!
but seriously that's fucking adorable, your artstyle is great.
>>
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“I understand what you mean. You want me to elaborate on my vision. Perhaps you had one, too, but all I am aware of is what I sensed in your soul while I was unconscious... Nonetheless, I will do my best to provide the insight you seek, my friend."

You listen with your full attention. Something on the kid’s eyes tells you that he is not *here* with you, at least not physically. It’s as if another person was talking to you right now. Either he's been possessed, or he has entered a different state of mind... regardless, his personality has completely changed.

"The kobold depicted in my drawing is you, indeed. I only met you a while ago, so I don’t know anything about your past, neither of your current life nor your prior incarnations. But... I perceived that there are powerful entities watching over you. One of them –the floating eye in my sketch- is familiar to you, even though neither of you have spoken to each other in a *long* time. Your soul is marked, perhaps tainted with its influence. This being wants you to follow the same path of evil and selfishness that it does. It promises you power, glory and many other pleasures of the flesh; you feel genuine temptation, but a part of your nature also wants to resist.”

“The other being…” – he resumes in an even eerier tone, “…the one that looks like a mix of goblin and human… it is benevolent. It wishes to protect and guide you towards overcoming the tainted mark within the core of your being, and become strong enough to face… to face something, but I’m not sure what it is. What I find most strange, however, is that the benevolent entity is *afraid* of you, though it refuses to reveal it. It genuinely loves you, it wants to protect you, just like a mother would watch over her child… but it is also scared of what you will potentially become in the future.”

"I perceive that an arduous journey awaits you. I do not know the details... but I do know one thing. No matter what happens, and no matter the odds..." - Kyru gulps.

"... you must remain faithful."

The kid’s stare suddenly goes blank. You wave your hand in front of his eyes – he doesn’t react! You shake his shoulders… still no reaction!
>>
>>4233833
oh shit we broke the kid
>>
>>4233833
I think we headpatted him too hard.
>>
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You desperately try to get the boy’s attention, and you don’t notice that Sheela has been watching the scene until she gently lays her hand on your shoulder. You turn your head and meet her gaze; there’s a concerned look on her face. “Calm down…” – she mutters. “Kyru is fine. This happens sometimes.”

You notice there’s a big horn on the ground, right beside Sheela; looks like she finally found it, though she’s more interested in her son right now. She kneels and grabs Kyru’s face with both hands, staring him in the eyes… then she violently licks his face, leaving it entirely humid. You honestly didn’t expect that.

The boy snaps out of his trance. He looks lost. “Ohh… mom, did you see? I had it again… didn't I?”

“Yes, son…” – Sheela speaks with a soft, low voice. “It’s been weeks since you've had one of these. How do you feel, sweetheart?”

“Ouuch... my head hurts a lot…” – the kid mutters, grabbing his head with both hands.

“It’s okay, honey. Lay down and try to sleep... you can tell me about it after you rest for a while.” - Sheela responds. The kid nods, and he lays his head on the pillow. His mother covers him with the blanket and caresses him. Sheela looks at you, and notices confusion in your eyes. “Don’t worry about Kyru, he’ll be fine. He always gets dizzy and tired when his trances end.”

There’s a brief moment of silence. Sheela observes her son with a mildly sad look. “My son…” – she continues speaking, “… he’s a little different from the other kids. Kyru is often able to see things that others don’t. The shaman says he is "attuned to his soul”, or something like that. I've never understood what it means, no matter how hard he tries to explain it. Maybe it’s because I’m dumb, or the way he speaks makes it sound more complicated than it is… what I do know is that my child is very spiritually aware. He often connects with certain people in mysterious ways. I think he saw something special in you.”
>>
>>4233898
Oh thank god we didn't break the kid
>>
>>4233898
Maybe we should try practicing our magic with him later.
>>
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Sheela observes her child for a while, then suddenly breaks her silence. “I’m taking him to the shaman” – she says. “Don't worry... I'm not blaming you of what happened, but he must know about this. Please, wait here. Make yourself comfortable. You're free to check the chest's contents if you want, I don't mind."

The chieftess grabs her son in her arms and walks towards the hut’s door. “I’ll be back soon” – she says. “And I’ll bring a loincloth, too!” she adds before finally leaving, giving you a small wink and a smile that seemed forced...

...

>Write-in
>>
>>4233823
Thanks anon, glad you like it
>>
By the way, this is the last update for the week. I'll use this same thread for the next session.

See you all next weekend, God willing.
>>
>>4233936
Thank you for running!
>>
>>4233926
>check out all the human thing-stuffs
thanks for running
>>
>>4233981
support
>>
>>4233926
>Examine the human stuff, mainly the stone tablet, and examine the trash can/basket

>>4233936
Thanks for running, this quest is great.
>>
>>4233926
>Check the stone tablet
Thanks for the story, have a nice week annon
>>
>>4234015
I agree with this course of action AND this sentiment!
>>
So after we get healed up and deal with the troll, what do you guys think our next plan of action should be? Considering how physically weak we are, I think we should focus on training our magic skill with Kyru since he seems to have some sort of magic power as well.

Also, maybe investing in training in some other style of weapon could be good, like bows.
>>
>>4236940
I think we should have a chat with the shamen
>>
>>4236940
I'm curious about those stone tablets bith the shaman and the leader have.
There must be something magical about them. Maybe something related to Gaia...
>>
Cute drawings, dude.
>>
>>4233926
>>4233936
Good quest. Good drawing
>Examine the human stuff, mainly the stone tablet, and examine the trash can/basket
>>
New updates tomorrow. See you all soon
>>
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>>4244048
Can't wait! Have another shitty MSpaint image I drew because I was bored, this time of Kyru.
>>
>>4244249
Pretty cool
>>
>>4244249
This is real nice anon.
>>
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… It’s all so strange. The dream, the boy’s connection to you, his spiritual awareness, what he told you during his trance… you have no idea how to interpret it all, and you lack the mental strength to do so. You are tired and drowsy, and could really use some sleep. The bed looks so comfortable… you’d love to lay down and rest.

However, your curiosity is so big that it takes priority over your basic needs. There are human artifacts lying around – this might be the only time you’ll ever get to interact with stuff like this, and you don’t want to miss on this sweet opportunity! Learning more about the world is precisely why you went on this little adventure of yours! Even if leaving your home was ultimately a mistake, and you learned to appreciate the safeness of your peaceful life, you might as well satisfy your thirst of knowledge while you can, so you don’t feel tempted to leave your family’s side ever again.
>>
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The stone tablet catches your eye first. You walk towards it and sit down, leaving your crutch aside to grab it and study its inscription. Given that you don’t understand human language, you don't expect to learn anything from it, but you're still interested in examining the strange symbols. They read “Soultrap tablet seventy-one, prisoner-“

Wait a moment… you… you just *read* these words.

This is… this is amazing! You *CAN* understand the inscription! This is the first time you have seen a written language, yet it is so familiar that you can acknowledge the meaning of the inscription as if you were a native speaker!

More and more questions keep arising, and you cannot answer any of them. Is this truly how ignorant you are...? “I hope the answers come in time” – you conclude. You continue reading the tablet, this time paying attention to the meaning of the text. Holding this object feels strange – it’s as if the world around you went dark, with the exception of the letters, which stand out from everything else, as if they were the only thing to exist. You quickly notice you need to put all your focus on this task – if you read these words while distracted, they lose their meaning.
>>
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“SOULTRAP TABLET #71
PRISONER: SLAVE #2638, HUMAN MALE
CRIME: ASSAULTING AN ELF OVERSEER
THIS SOUL HAS BEEN CONFINED TO THIS MENTAL PRISON FOR ALL OF ETERNITY. ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE IT IS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH."

You thought this tablet would provide some insight to your current predicament, but its cryptic contents seem to be unrelated to your situation. That doesn’t make it any less interesting to you, though.

A "human slave". That sounds odd. You grew up knowing that humans often enslave other species, particularly what they consider “monster” creatures like you, but you’ve never heard stories of humans being slaves at any point.

As you analyze the inscription, you suddenly feel a cold shiver in your back. You immediately realize there is a presence behind you, and it’s source is the stone tablet; it’s the soultrapped being, and it’s trying to establish contact with you.

As disturbing as the idea of a creature's spirit observing you is, there is no fear in your heart. You don’t perceive any danger or malevolence coming from it... It does, however, make you feel a profound sense of loneliness, sadness and helplessness. This soul has been trapped in the tablet for a *very* long time, completely isolated from the rest of the world for only the Goddess knows how long.

Your mind slowly begins to drift away, and you realize in time that the ghostly presence is attempting to enter your mind. You do not sense any evil intent, but you’re not sure if you should give it access to your head.

>Let the spirit enter your mind
>Disengage by throwing the tablet away
>Write-In
>>
>>4244817
>Let the spirit enter your mind
spooky
>>
>>4244817
>Let the spirit enter the parts of your mind you don't really need.

We can't be using 100% of it anyway, right?
>>
>4244817
>Let the spirit enter your mind
>Imagine a box, a little room in your head. Try to imagine allowing the spirit inside of that little room and nowhere else.

m i n d
>>
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>>4244887
Yeah, that's using our noggin.
>>
>>4244817
Fuck the tablet, we don't need a tulpa right now
>>
>>4244817
Leave tablet alone
>>
>>4244817
We shouldnt be so hasty about it, who knows if we lose control if we let him in
If he wants to possess something we should
>look for an animal outside, see if it could enter it instead
>>
>>4245011
I support that. It allows slave to be free.

>>4245010
Change vote
>>
Gonna tiebreak this. If 1 then you'll allow the spirit to gain access to your mind, though you'll attempt to restrict how much control he has. If 2 then you won't let it enter your head and find another way to free it.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4245033
Forgot to roll
>>
>>4245035
Nice, no tulpa for us today. Sorry /x/fags
>>
>>4245035
>>4245033
I'm here to vote. And I say no Tulpa, put that shit in a animal
>>
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You feel very sorry for the human soul, but you won’t let it mess with your head, even if you don’t perceive any malice in it. Gotta’ avoid unnecessary risks. You throw the tablet aside, interrupting the spiritual link.

Still…being trapped for all of eternity in that stone tablet is a fate worse than death. It’s such a cruel, ironic punishment for a slave who only wanted freedom in life. There must be *something* you can do for this poor man…

If he was attempting to possess a body, perhaps a small critter will do the trick? Maybe you can find a little animal or something that's easy to catch in your current state, though you’d have to explore outside. You grab your crutch, stand up and walk towards the doorwa-
>>
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Woah! That was close!

Damn it, those brats are still around here! Maybe leaving the hut isn’t such a great idea… but you could always take the risk and attempt to sneak by. If they catch you, though, you don’t want to *think* about what they’ll do to you...

>Try to sneak outside (will require rolling)
>Stay in the hut and explore safer options
>Write-In
>>
>>4245282
Stay in the hut and wait, we don't know what the fuck we're playing with here, and we could always ask the chief about the tablet when she comes back. Continue examining the rest of the items for now.
>>
>>4245282
>Stay in the hut and explore safer options
No thanks.
>>
>>4245282
>Stay in the hut and explore safer options
Lets be honest the soul was stuck in the tablet for so long half a day wont make a difference
>>
>>4245282
>>Stay in the hut and explore safer options
>>
(This update will be pictureless since I'm not at home right now and I can't draw. This will be the only excepion, next updates will have pics as usual)
>>
Leaving the hut is absolutely a *bad* idea. You won't risk getting eaten alive by those kids.

The human spirit has been imprisoned for a long time - he can wait a little more. You'll just leave the stone tablet there and examine the other objects; hopefully, you will stumble upon something that helps you free the imprisoned soul. In case you don't find a way, you could try asking the chieftess or the shaman what they know about the tablet.

>(Choose what object to examine now)
>>
>>4245654
The satan book (or is it jewish?)
>>
>>4245654
Check the framed picture and the inside of the basket/trashcan.
>>
>>4245660
Support
>>
>>4245654
Check the picture.
>>
>>4245654
>the book with a star
>>
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The black square-thing with a star on it looks interesting. You sit down and begin to examine it; you quickly figure out it consists on many sheets of paper bound together within covers. Its outside texture is rough, similar to leather. Not very pleasant to the touch.

You open the object to examine its contents, and the first thing you see is a page depicting a humanoid figure with a white circle on its center. The way the creature is sketched is unsettling – there is a surreal vibe to it that disturbs you.

On the bottom of the page, there are words that seem to be written in the same language of the stone tablet. You can also understand the meaning behind these symbols:

"IF YOU CAN READ THIS, YOU ARE A MAGIC USER. ONLY THOSE WHO ARE ATTUNED TO THEIR SOULS MAY UNDERSTAND ANU’BEN, THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. THIS GRIMOIRE SEEKS TO TEACH THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MAGIC AND BASIC SPELLS FOR NOVICE MAGES."

Then there's a short sentence in big, red letters: "WELCOME TO THE PATH OF POWER."
>>
>>4245927
Surely, nothing bad can come out of reading this book.
>>
>>4245927
Why does she have all this shit.
>>
>>4245955
raid loot? found someone else's hidden cache?
>>
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You flip to the next page. There’s a drawing of a blue triangle with various tiers on the right page, and a description of each tier on the left page. From the top to the bottom, it reads:

“NO ATTUNEMENT. Those creatures that are not attuned to their souls cannot use magic. They are often uneducated or unconcerned about spiritual matters, such as animals and peasants. Other beings are physically unable to use magic, such as kobolds."

“ATTUNED. Those who have been attuned to their souls may use magic and understand the Universal Language. It is estimated that 99% of magic users in the world –including monsters- only manage to reach this attunement rank during their lives, but it is more than enough to be a great wizard.

“AWAKENED. A creature who has managed to connect with its own spirit directly, either through intense training, meditation or other means, is greatly attuned to its soul. Most elven magicians and fairies belong to this category. They are powerful beings who are capable of destroying entire villages in their own accord.

“DRAGON. As the name of this category suggests, only dragons are known to have reached this level of soul attunement. The now-extinct creatures were said to have possessed tremendous power; they could easily destroy entire armies and cities. No other species has been recorded to ever reach this attunement level, and it’s probably for the best.

“???. This is a theoretical tier that stands between the GOD and DRAGON attunement. It is *known* to exist, for there must be an in-between between divinity and mortality, but no creature is known to belong to this category.

“GOD. The mortal mind will never grasp divine power – it is futile to attempt to describe it.
>>
>>4246008
>such as kobolds
rude
>>
>>4245660
>>4245654
Supporting the magic tome. Hopefully in contains something to help us assist the soul.
>>
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The next pages depict four drawings and a sentence below each one.

The top-left one says "FIREBALL, page 7."

The one with humanoid figure on the bottom-left says "MAGIC BARRIER, page 8."

The one on the top-right depicts "HEAL, page 9."

Finally, the drawing with a skeleton on the bottom-right says "SUMMON SKELETON, page 10". This one looks rather goofy and clashes with the tone of the previous contents you read in this... "grimoire", or whatever it's name is.

>Go to page x (specify which one)
>Stop reading the grimoire and examine the framed picture with humans in it
>Write-in
>>
>>4246101
Heal is going to be the most useful, I think. Lets read that.
>>
>>4246101
>>Go to page 9
>>
>>4246101
>>Go to page 9
>>
>>4246101
>Go to page 9
Holy shit we need healing please let use be able to heal
>>
>>4246101
>Go to page 10
Spook
>>
>>4246101
I think healing is important but I want skeletors
>>
>>4246101
While healing is tempting given how much we have suffered, we are not a selfish being. I want to find something to help this trapped human soul.

>>4246152
>>4246158


Pg. 10 to summon skeleton to see if it can house such a soul, or keep flipping until we find something that can do this.
>>
We aren't going to summon a skeleton anywhere near the village, right? We're gonna wait until we've fully recovered and left, so as to not cause a mass panic, right?
>>
>>4246152
>>4246158
>>4246162
Wait retards, if we summon skeletons how are we going to heal them when they eventually get hurt? Healing is priority one, we an do skeletons next.

>>4246191
Hopefully Trebol has some self-restraint.
>>
>>4246193
We can just create new ones!
I don't mind either spells.
>>
>>4246208
Smart guy here
>>
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You are fascinated by the grimoire and its contents. All of these ideas are completely new to you! One of the things that particularly catches your attention is where it says that kobolds are unable to use magic. You’ve always thought so, too, but if you can *read* the grimoire, which explicitly states that only magic users can understand its language... then maybe you’re an exception to the rule?

You will put it to test immediately! The third spell of the page, "HEAL", is the one that grabs your interest the most. If it works like you think it does, that is, it *heals* you, then that would be immensely useful, considering your injuries. You flip to page 9; this one has no pictures, and the text describes two steps to cast the spell.

First, the user must memorize the word "HEAL" in Anu'Ben, then visualize it in its mind. Then, with the word in mind, it must canalize its mana in the parts of its body which need healing – whether the wounds are external or internal does not matter, as long as they can be *perceived* by the user. If these two steps are followed correctly, the wounds will quickly heal.

It also says that, due to the basic nature of the spell, it can only heal the user, not other creatures.
>>
>>4246208
>>4246363
But healing will probably be less magic intensive than creating new ones. Plus, think about what Gaia would want. Necromancy doesn't seem like a thing that Gaia would be proud of.
>>
>>4246395
>it can only heal the user
Oh, damn. At least we should be able to heal our jaw though.
>>
>>4246395
> it can only heal the user
Just what we need, to get rid of our wounds
>>
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... What’s “mana”? You’ve never heard of that before, and the grimoire doesn’t explain it anywhere. Given the esoteric nature of the text, however, you *guess* it probably has something to do with energy related to magic.

Your ignorance aside, using this spell sounds relatively simple on paper. You grab your crutch and stand up – it helps you focus better. You attempt to visualize the word “HEAL” in your mind... but it ends up being more difficult than you envisioned. You are tired, and it’s difficult to keep your focus up; the mental symbols quickly scramble and lose their meaning when you don’t put enough attention in this task.

It takes you a while, but you finally manage to picture the word in your head and maintain it there. You immediately feel a “gate” unlocking within your torso – you instinctively *know* your soul has opened up, and it will let the mana flow through your body and its wounds.

But… something is wrong. You sense no mana coming out... not a single bit.
>>
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Aaaaand you lost focus again. Great.

You followed all the instructions correctly, you're sure of it. But it seems that you miss one crucial element: the mana to cast the spell.
>>
>>4246431
>>4246439
Oh boy time for the magic training arc.
>>
>>4246439
Oh boy, I wonder what that blue vial is!
>>
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What a shame… you really had your hopes up. You have no idea of how you'd gain the magical energy required for this task.

……….

You are being watched..

You turn around. Just as you thought, it’s the imprisoned soul, and it is trying to establish contact with you again... but this time, it’s different. You sense it wants to establish contact with your *soul*, but not enter your mind...
>>
>>4246439
Are ghosts mana?
>>
>>4246464
Drink that blue drink on the ground
>>
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Once again, you feel no ill intent coming from the tormented being. It seems that it understood that you don’t trust it enough to let it enter your head, so it seems to be taking a less invasive approach.

It *really* wants to establish contact with you.

>Let it enter your chest
>Break the spiritual link
>Write-in
>>
>>4246473
Fine, this is probably a trap, but lets see what it wants.
>>
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There was a flower patch nearby, maybe we can find the Respite of Gaia flowers we saw back in the first thread - hey could restore mana.
>>
>>4246476
And walk out and get immediately eaten by gnoll kids? Until we're healed up we shouldn't be going outside with those little fuckers about.
>>
>>4246473
>Let it enter your chest
>>
>>4246473
>>Let it enter your chest
>>
>>4246473
>Let it enter your chest
If this turns out to be a trap were going to have to figure out how to haunt a ghost
>>
>>4246473
Give it a go. So far, putting our trust in strange and dangerous beings has been to our benefit more often than not.
>>
Gonna post the last update of the week tomorrow.
>>
>>4246591
Can't wait OP!
>>
This reminds me a little of the medic of team fortress
the Devil-"you sold your soul to us"
Medic-"ah yes, but i surgically added 8 more!"
>>
>>4246623
>found the panel
>>
>>4246473
>Let it enter your chest
Alright little buddy, let's see how this goes. I don't want this guy to get subsumed just for some quick mana or anything though.
>>
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aZmKr3sZl0

If the imprisoned soul wishes to speak with you so badly, maybe it has something important to say…

Very well, you will allow it to set foot in your body. However, you will restrict its access to the contents of your mind.

You close your eyes in order to strengthen the spiritual link. You stop perceiving the world around you; there is only the human ghost and you. The spirit enters your chest, and you immediately feel immense dread invading you. This is how the soul has felt for many years, trapped inside that stone tablet… it’s horrible. The suffering is unbearable. Nobody deserves such a cruel fate... *nobody*.
>>
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Your senses become dull to the point you don’t feel connected to your body anymore. Your consciousness has been transferred to the spiritual realm where you and the human soul shall meet.

The tiny ghost stands before you. It bows, showing its respect, then it speaks to you in Anu’Ben.

“Thank you… for acceding… to speak with me… I am sorry if I am interrupting you… from other tasks…“

“I apologize… for attempting to enter your mind before… I only wanted to show you… a vision of my past life… but your distrust is understandable…”

“Oh, almighty one… please, use your power to free me from this hellish prison… I have been trapped here for a decade… my wife and daughter are waiting for me in the afterlife…"

“I beg you, break the stone tablet and release me… I cannot bear this suffering any longer…”

Although you are doing your best to listen to what the imprisoned spirit has to say...
>>
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… YOUR HUNGER IS DISTRACTING YOU.

THIS WEAK SOUL WOULD BE A MOST NICE APPETIZER. IT LOOKS *DELICIOUS*.

>Devour the human ghost (Recovers full MP and advances towards attunement level rank 2: Awakened)
>Resist the hunger
>>
That's it for this week bros, see you next weekend. Hope you're enjoying it so far.
Once again, I'll use this thread for the next session.
>>
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>>4247017
>>Devour the human ghost (Recovers full MP and advances towards attunement level rank 2: Awakened)
unethical choice is much more interesting way to develop a quest
>>
>>4247017
>resist the hunger

>>4247035
I concur, but now isn't the time or place. We need to understand more before we go about devouring essences willy-nilly.

The 'catch' I see closest at hand is the shaman...and the kid too actually. I suspect this'd come back to bite us quickly, and I don't think we're sufficiently powerful on our own to defend ourselves if it did.
>>
>>4246476
Even if we made it to there our jaw is wrapped up and broken so we couldn't eat them anyway.
>>
>>4247048
You are weak! Power is in our grasp and you let fear hold us back. Reach out and take it.
>>
>>4247017
>Resist the hunger
>>
>>4247054
You call it fear, I call it prudence or shrewdness. The path to power can't just be barreled through, you've gotta navigate it.
>>
>>4247017
>resist the hunger

We need to save our appetite for our future enemies.
>>
>>4247017
>Resist the hunger
I feel this is one of those 'gain the world but lose yourself' type deals.
>>
>>4247017
>>resist the hunger
>>
>>4247017
>resist the hunger
The Gnoll kid LITERALLY just told us not to trust that eye thing and to not give in to power, so lets resist.
>>
>>4247017
>Resist the hunger
Gaia is not evil, therefore, we must similarly not commit evil acts as to appease and gain favor with the goddess.
>>
>>4247017
>resist the hunger
Im sure we will find souls more deserving of such a fate soon enough
>>
Very biased terminology going on here!
By choosing to "resist" the "evil" eye we are failing to "resist" our fear and giving into the true evil; morals that weaken us. What the eye offers is freedom, don't cast it aside so foolishly!
>>
>>4247507
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW IT'S GAIA WHO'S EVIL!
but seriously eating this soul right now is the stupidest thing we could
>>
>>4247017
>Resist the hunger, delay the choice.
We lets get info first.
> Demand reciprocity. Ask about the items surrounding our physical body.
After getting the info we can either be noble and release it, be a bastard and eat the soul or leave the tablet alone and stay out of trouble.
>>
>>4247726
+1
seem reasonable, maybe he can teach us something useful
>>
>>4247017
>>Resist the hunger

WE WALK THE PATH OF THE GODDESS DO NOT GIVE INTO THE DARKNESS THAT TAINTS OUR SOUL!
>>
>>4247017
>>Resist the hunger
>>
>>4247017
>>Devour the human ghost (Recovers full MP and advances towards attunement level rank 2: Awakened)

don't be ghey everyone, eat the fucking soul
>>
>>4247017
CoNsUmE
>>
>>4247017
Resist
>>
>>4247017
EAT HIM
>>
>pat his head
>>
>>4247726
This. We can decide whether or not to eat him after we get info.
>>
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No, wait a moment! What the hell are you thinking?! You are *not* going to eat the soul! That would be abhorrent!

… … …

BUT YOU NEED MANA! THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO FILL THE VOID WITHIN YOU - AND GROW STRONGER AS WELL!

… … …

No, definitely not! You won’t do such a thing – that’s completely out of the question! After a decade of solitude trapped in its sinister prison, this spirit deserves a better fate than being cruelly devoured! How could you not wish to grant it the chance to meet with its loved ones in a better place?! These evil thoughts are not yours – the eye is clearly attempting to influence your decisions!

… … …

NO, IT’S NOT THE EYE. ALL THESE THOUGHTS ARE COMING FROM *YOU*, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT... YOU ARE MERELY DEBATING WITH YOURSELF WHETHER YOU SHOULD GO AGAINST YOUR OWN NATURE, SWAYED BY MORALS THAT ONLY MAKE YOU WEAK… OR FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT – AS YOU SHOULD.

… … …

The soul cowers in fear – LIKE A PREY WITH NO ESCAPE… but you will not harm it. You will *not*!
>>
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… OR WILL YOU?
>>
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“No… I… I beg you… don’t hurt me, please! PLEASE!!!
>>
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“Don't worry... I will not hurt you" - you say as you pat the spirit's head.
>>
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You retire your tentacle arm from the spirit’s head. “I will do my best to release you from your prison…” – you explain to the poor, terrified soul, “… BUT FIRST, YOU WILL TELL ME ABOUT THE ITEMS I FOUND IN THE CHEST.” Your last lines come out as thundering - it echoes through the red space around you, further terrifying the little ghost.

“I have clung to existence for so long, looking forward to be freed one day…" the soul says with a trembling voice. "... don’t take my hopes away, I implore you… I will tell you everything I can… but I’m afraid I don’t have much knowledge… I have lost my earthly senses a long time ago, so I can only perceive what resides in the spiritual realm… such as souls and magic sources close to the stone tablet… I know nothing about the physical looks of whatever surrounds me… I did not even know I was inside a chest…”

YOU ARE GROWING IMPATIENT. THE SOUL NOTICES YOUR ANNOYANCE, AND GETS STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. “I… I perceive at least two different sources of magic close to me... the first one has three trapped spirits inside, but unlike me, they don’t seem to mind their enclosure… they are elementals, spiritual beings that know how to cast spells from one of the four basic nature elements – fire, water, earth and wind… as for the second magic source, it’s hard to describe, but…”
>>
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You are losing control of yourself!

YOU JUST WANT TO *EAT*!

>LUNCH TIME! (Recovers all MP and advances towards magic attunement Rank 2: Awakened)
>Resist the hunger (will require rolling)
>Kick the soul out your body!
>>
>>4257062
>Kick the soul out your body!
>>
>>4257062
>Kick the soul out your body!
CAN'T RISK IT
>>
>>4257062
>Ressist the hunger
>Kick the soul out of your body
>>
>>4257062
>>Resist the hunger
>>
>>4257062
>>Kick the soul out your body!
>>
>>4257062
>Kick the soul out of your body.
>Further compartmentalize the hunger as a separate entity in our mind.
>>
>>4257062
>LUNCH TIME
>>
Continuining tomorrow btw.
>>
continuing*
>>
>>4257060
Come on, how can you not spare the guy? He cute.
>>
>>4257062
>>Kick the soul out your body!
>>
>>4257062
>>LUNCH TIME!
>>
we need to let the soul touch our mind to continue with convo with out the risk of eating him


also

RESIST THE DARKNESS WALK IN THE LIGHT OF THE GODDESS
>>
>>4257392
I mean we've got all the info we need, we can just break his tablet now.
>>
>>4257052
YES!
>>4257062
>Kick the soul out your body!
yeah , we can try to eat the elemental tho
>>
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"THAT IS ALL I WANTED TO KNOW."
>>
>>4257513
Why?
>>
>>4258223
oh boy
>>
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You swing your tentacle arm as hard as you can, throwing the soul as far away as possible!

"Don't worry - DELICIOUS ONE! I'll release you, I give you my word!"
>>
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... !!!
>>
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... ... ...

The hunger is in your mind. The hunger will *stay* in your mind.

It is not a part of you. It is a separate entity - as such, you have full control over it.

With the aid of the Goddess and your own willpower, you shall never fall into the darkness. You *swear* it.

You find yourself back in the hut. You can feel your body again - you are lying on the ground.

"Gaia, please let this day end already." - you pray.
>>
>>4258308
"No"
-Gaia, 5-16-2020
>>
>>4258308
Drink the blue potion.
>>
>>4258332
We haven't been prompted yet. Besides we should probably break the tablet first.
>>
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The human soul has returned to the stone tablet. You have a feeling he won't talk to you again, which is completely understandable. He said you could free him by destroying the stone tablet, so you'll do so... but how? You're in no physical condition to-

Your thoughts are interrupted by a noise. You turn your head to the source of the sound, a corner in the hut... and, to your surprise, you see the ex-chieftain Erma, the gnoll you stabbed in the throat during your first encounter with the tribe!

What is she doing here?! Doesn't this hut belong to Sheela now? She seems to be interacting with the long basket, but you cannot see clearly with her back turned towards you.

>Try to get a better look
>Pretend to be asleep
>Write-in
>>
>>4258353
Pretend to be asleep, but inch closer to the sword and the necklace.
>>
>>4258353
>Pretend to be asleep
>>
>>4258353
>>Try to get a better look
>>
>>4258353
>Try to get a better look
We can't just let our hostess' stuff get rifled through
>>
I'll wait 10 minutes in case there's a new vote, otherwise I'll tiebreak these four with a 1d2
>>
>Try to get a better look
>>
>>4258494
Pretend to sleep.
>>
>>4258401
Fuck it, changing to try to get a better look, but also still try to get close to the sword and necklace.
>>
>>4258353
>Try to get a better look
>>
>>4258503
I concur about the latter points
>>
>>4258503
the sword may be a bad idea
>>
Oh, she's probably trying to rig the cradle to stab the infant to get back at her sister. It probably would've been better to just stay asleep and then look at it after she's gone.
>>
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The ex-chieftain’s presence has ruined the sense of safety of this hut. She was quite aggressive the first time you met her – you imagine she must be bursting with anger now, after you almost killed her. Not to mention that you're the reason she's not the chieftess anymore... it’s a wonder she didn’t kill you while you were having your out-of-body experience. She probably doesn’t want to anger Sheela.

You have no idea of what she’s doing back there. You *really* want to take a better look – it may be dangerous, but this behavior is far too suspicious to let go by unnoticed. You don't feel safe being so defenseless, though, so you slowly approach the long metal weapon. If the gnoll attacks you, Goddess forbid, you’ll have a better chance to defend yourself.

You also approach the necklace with the three colored fangs, which you assume to be one of the magical items the imprisoned spirit told you about. You sense power emanating from it, which confirms your guess. You have no clue of how to use it, or even if it *can* help you in case things go awry, but your instincts tell you it’s a good idea to stay close to it. Just in case.

As silently as possible, you crawl to a better position from which you can see what the gnoll is doing. You see that she’s holding a flask with a green liquid inside, and she’s pouring its content inside the basket. The scene only lasts for two seconds before the flask is emptied.

Now that you have a better idea of what she's attempting to do, you begin to crawl back to your previous posi-
>>
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>Write-in
>>
>>4258710
>grab the metal wespon to defrnd yourself
>get on top of the necklace
>>
>>4258710
Put the necklace on I guess. Not like we'd be able to swing the sword effectively anyhow.
>>
>>4258710
>Grab the necklace
>prepare to blast magic in defence
we may not know how it works ,but you don't need a engineer to make gasoline explode
>>
wait a minute... did we received that loincloth?
>>
>>4258710
Grab the necklace, but don't make a move until she makes one first. If she moves to attack, attempt to magic blast her.
>>
>>4258710
>grab necklace
>ask the spirits inside to protect you if she attacks us

I think Elementals are self-aware, so it's only polite.
>>
>>4258710
>Prepare to run like hell.
Cowardice breeds more cowardice. Courage doesn't breed at all.
>>
>>4258870
Just like there's a line between bravery and stupidity, there are times where cowardice is equally stupid; this(trying to get up and run with a broken arm and leg from a seated position) is one of those times.
>>
>>4258870
Yes because running with a broken leg from a angry gnoll down a hill that will lead to more angry gnolls will totally work.
>>
>>4258882
>>4258885
You guys make fair points, but I do think it's still a good idea to formulate some sort of exit strategy. There's no way in hell that we're beating her in a fight this time around, and when praying for help, it might be a good idea to have some plan to act in case Gaia decides were unworthy, or if this is one of her many tests.
>>
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As soon as Erma notices you, she vociferates! “You pryin’ BASTARD!”

You quickly grab the necklace! Forget the metal weapon – you can barely lift your arm up, let alone swing that thing around!

"Calm down!" - you tell yourself. You figure it may be a good idea to wait and see what the gnoll does before you act recklessly. Maybe she won't attack you... this has been such a crazy day that everything seems equally likely to happen at this point. “You better not come closer! I am armed with a necklace! A MAGIC necklace!” – you try to tell her telepathically, though you know it's not working. "If you elementals can hear my thoughts..." - you proceed to think, "... please, help me in case the gnoll attacks me!"

“Been playin’ with my stuff, eh?” – Erma says in a mocking tone. “Having fun in my hut, kobold? Want me to give you a massage while we’re at it?" She cracks her knuckles and approaches you with a wicked smile, showing her teeth!

May Gaia protect you... there is apparently only one way out of this: the necklace and whatever power it holds. You only have three or four seconds before the ex-chieftess reaches you – you have no idea of how to make this thing work, so you’ll focus your mind and hope with all your heart that a magic blast, an elemental, or whatever that could save you right now comes out of the necklace!

>Roll 1d10. 1-5: You fail to focus. 6-8: You manage to focus partially, establishing contact with one elemental. 9-10: You manage to focus completely, establishing contact with all the elementals. Six rolls are needed. One roll per ID. The die range that repeats the most will be chosen. If these die ranges appear the same amount of times, the most successful outcome will be picked
>>
>>4258710
>>grab necklace
>>ask the spirits inside to protect you if she attacks us
>>
Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4259068
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4259068
>>
Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>4259068
>>
Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>4259068
oh god oh fuck

>>4259075
>>4259076
>>4259077
Fucking hell.
>>
well fuck, that's it
>>
>>4259075
>>4259076
>>4259077
>>4259080
Wow, okay. No need for more rolls, the outcome will be failure regardless.
>>
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Guess we're not done suffering yet.
>>
The suffering never ends.
>>
Don't worry guys i have a plan
>get a fearful erection
that will keep her away
>>
>>4259104
anon no, most of our bones are broken, we don't need our boner broken too.
>>
>>4259105
do we have a better plan?
>>
>>4259115
Yeah, it's called accepting our death and letting Trebol finally rest.
>>
>>4259118
I mean with Trebol's sheer willpower to live it's no wonder he's the only kobold we know of that's manifested magic.
>>
>>4259115
We could still run. Sure, we have broken limbs, but it would probably be better to possibly exacerbate our injuries than to definitely get our shit kicked in.
>>
>>4259143
If we get some Gaia's Respite into us (still don't know how we're going to manage eating though desu) then hopefully we can pull through all these beatings
>>
>>4259194
just stick it down the gullet how hard can it be
>>
Sorry for the delay, the penultimate and last update of the week will be posted tomorrow.
For now, only this:
>>
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...!!!
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>>4259497
>>4259499
Thanks OP, poor Trebol doesn't deserve this suffering.
>>
>>4259499
Why is our life an endless parade of suffering?
>>
>>4259499
well all of this was for nothing and a complete waste of time. Have a good one boys
>>
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Okey i have sleep and this is what i have come up with;
A-Make her uncomfortable(the erection and moaning)
B-make her disgusted(pee in her general direction)
C-Pull bullshit(start mumbling to pretend we are casting a spell)
D-Cast the healing spell on her but fuck it up on purpose, maybe she gets diarrea
E-Beg
F-Start singing , she will get off guard and we get more time to think a better plan
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>>4259499
Why are we still here, just to suffer?
>>
>>4259499
RIP in peace in pieces
>>
>>4259678
>A-pretty sure that will just make her more likely to kill us
>B-Maybe but at best will get us thrown at the ground/wall
>C-maybe?
>D-interesting thought but we still have no mana
>E-we can't talk
>F-see above but maybe we could hum
>>
>>4260536
You know, could we try to sap mana from her since she touched us?
>>
>>4260536
damn, all good points and i'm out of ideas
>>4260604
maybe you are on to something, but it may prove more difficult than what we can pull of
>>
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You tried your hardest to focus, but the tension of the moment was too much for you to handle! Erma grabs your wrist and squeezes it hard, causing you to lose your hold of the necklace!

“Who gave ya’ permission to mess with my stuff?” She lifts you up by your left horn. “You’ll pay for EVERYTHIN’ you’ve done, lizard. Hell awaits you!” After saying those words, she catches you off-guard with a punch to your stomach. It’s the worst blow you’ve ever received - you can almost feel your spine crying out!

Erma drops you and you fall to the ground. Your body is not responding, but you’re still fully aware of your surroundings. The chieftess sits on top of you and starts pummeling you with a barrage of punches. You can feel your guts, your face, your ribs getting crushed to dust. “How’d you like that, huh?! HA-HA-HA-HA!”

Eventually, the gnoll stops. She stands up and looks at you from above, admiring the results of her savagery, then opens her mouth to speak. “So, you can only use your right arm…” – Erma says. “Hmmm… it would be a *shame* if it were to get broken, don’t you think?” She proceeds to stomp on your arm, breaking the bone and rendering it unusable.
>>
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You have no way to defend yourself against this brute. All you can do is watch helplessly as she tortures you. You don’t have the mental strength to pray to the Goddess or think of anything at all - the constant struggle has finally worn you off. You *wish* you could have the motivation, but your mind is almost blank.

The gnoll lifts you up again, this time by your throat. “Ahhh… I feel so much better! I’m done with ya’, so I’ll put ya’ to sleep for good.” She tightens the grip, and you begin to asphyxiate.

Your vision gradually blurs out, and you stop perceiving your surroundings. All you can see is the chieftain’s grin.
>>
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… … …

That’s it?

Is this how your life ends? What were you supposed to learn from all of this?

Was your ungratefulness so unforgivable that Gaia is letting you die? But… then what was the purpose of everything you went through before? Were those actual miracles – or just sheer luck?

Was it your destiny to go through all of this, or was it all your fault, a consequence of your poor decisions?

Will you ever see your family again, in this life or the next one?

… … …

If Gaia cares for you… then why doesn’t She save you right now?

… Why?

… … …

Everything goes black.

Your last thoughts are of the Goddess.
>>
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... ... ... ... ...
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Just fucking kill him already jesus h christ this quest is just nonstop torture
>>
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You are Trebol, a humble son of Mother Na-

Wait a moment… this seems familiar.
>>
Seriously QM either let Trebol have a chance by changing this retarded Dice System or just kill him and end it. I for one am tired of the torture porn. d10s with a range of six rolls is just bad. hell if you want to keep tier success/failure ranges do it but for Christ's sake switch over to a d100 Bo3 system.
>>
>>4260679
I'm fine with it. Dice rolls don't always go our way, especially with a teeny tiny little kobold.

Especially since we're now goinng all groundhogs day.
>>
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You see a dim light in the middle of the darkness. It irradiates peace, serenity… and melancholy.

The light grows stronger, and suddenly, a familiar figure comes out of it: it’s Gaia, the divine being that your ancestors, your family and you have followed for countless of generations. The Goddess stands before you. You *know* you ought to feel blessed for having the honor to meet with Her in person… but your soul is filled with doubt and uncertainty.

“Trebol…” – the Goddess speaks in a feminine, motherly voice that brings you calm in the middle of the storm. “I know the struggle may seem endless… but I give you my Word that it shall end soon. I shall always accompany you and guide you on your path... but your belief in me must be unbreakable if I am to aid you. Remember the dream - no matter the odds, no matter how many obstacles you stumble upon... you *must* have faith. That is the only way we shall overcome the incoming crisis...”

“Your current trial, my Champion… I did not create it. I would *never* make you go through a test that would kill you or make you suffer without purpose... I’m afraid, Trebol, that your current predicament was caused by your decisions and other factors which I cannot fully control."

Gaia approaches you. You feel her warmth and love as she grabs your face with both hands. "Fear not, my child... I shall do everything within the scope of my powers to change the tide to our favor. I promise you."

Suddenly, a red light shines in the black void around you, and another creature emerges from it...
>>
>>4260758
bankednat1.herewego
>>
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A floating head comes out of the red light. It is strangely familiar to you... it's as if you knew it from a long time ago, but cannot remember from when. Its aura irradiates power and determination, filling you with strength.

“Ahhh… at last, we meet. It’s been a long time… D̴̯͚̘̫͍̰͒͒͜E̵̙̯̔͌̔́̊̊͜͠͝Ṁ̴̺̝̩͙̪͔͍͉̖̺͈̪̓̈́̇̂̇͒̚͝Í̸̥̞̮͉D̸̨̛̟̙̖̠͔͈͖͍̗̻͍̹͈́̋͌̈́͑͘ͅŖ̶̧͕͉͎̘̝̘̦͓̹̙̙͒͐̑͜Å̵̡̧̭͙̝̘̪͒̿͌̈͜Ģ̴̤̭̹̰͎͎̭̹̗̖̯̙̘̓͌̇́̍̓̈́ͅỠ̸͔̬̦̱̯̫͍͓̻̤͙̠̏N̵̢̰̟͇͓̘͈̦̥͐̊̃̎͆̈̚͜.̷̡̬͎̀́͛̀̂̒̇̂.

- - - - - -

“Bhalzekhe!” – Gaia shouts! “Leave this place immediately!”

“Shut up, woman... I am talking to my s-“

The Goddess yells furiously! “LEAVE! I shall NEVER let you corrupt him!"

“’Corrupt’ you say? Ha ha ha… you sure are stupid for a goddess. He *never* had any corruption within his soul, Gaia. His mark is one of power and authority. The weak should serve the strong - there is nothing evil about that. It’s just a fundamental truth of the universe which you've had difficulty coming to terms with."

“Don’t fall for his words, Trebol...” – Gaia tells you. “He may sound convincing, but his philosophy boils down to spreading suffering across all of existence for his own gain. This is *not* what I want for you, my Champion. It is *not* the right path to follow!”

“Why should that be relevant, my dear Gaia?” – the creature calmly responds. “All that matters is the self. Whether it brings you pleasure to help others, or make them suffer, it *all* boils down to what we can get out of our interactions with others. Your benevolence is an illusion, woman, and I shall not allow you to delude my old friend into believing it. Your meaningless morals have kept the kobold from realizing his true potential, and I cannot allow that any longer.”

Gaia remains silent. These two are clearly enemies… you wonder why they haven’t attacked each other. “My friend…” – the floating head continues, looking at you. “… Aren’t you tired of getting constantly abused by those furry weaklings in the tribe? It pains me to witness a mighty being like you suffer such humiliations…"

A tentacle arm comes out of his head, and he extends it to you. “Follow me, Demidragon, as in the old times. I shall reward you with power, glory and all the pleasures your heart desires. You will receive comfort, and you will never experience pain again. Do not rely on this woman – she is weak, and following her path will only bring you more suffering. If you accept my offer... I shall grant you enough power to destroy the gnoll that had the audacity of hurting you."
>>
>>4260905
While power to smite our foes is rather tempting why should we trust someone obviously stronger than us who openly states that might makes right and the weak should fear the strong?
>>
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“Trebol…” – Gaia says with a sad voice. “… Bhalzekhe speaks the truth. My path won’t bring you happiness. It is full of hardships that you will have to overcome in order to grow as a person – both physically and spiritually.

"But…" - she continues, "... there is a sense of fulfillment in self-sacrifice. That is what it means to be a good person, my Child. It involves abandoning your own pleasure for the sake of others. It is easy to be a selfish creature… that is Bhalzekhe’s path. It seems far more attractive because it offers immense rewards for little to no effort… but the right path is *never* the easiest.”

You’re not sure, but you think you heard Gaia gulp. “My child… I cannot force you to do anything. You will have to make a decision on your own... either you follow Bhalzekhe, or you come with me. I hope with all my heart that you make the right choice.”

“Yeah, yeah…” – the floating head responds, bored at Gaia’s speech. “It’s as simple as this, Demidragon: if you follow that woman, you’ll be unhappy. If you follow me, you’ll be happy. That’s all you need to know in order to make the best decision.”

... … …
>>
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>Follow Bhalzekhe
>Follow Gaia
>Write-in
>>
>>4260986
>Follow neither, there must be more options, other gods to follow, people to join with, etc.
There is more to strength than brutality, or authority, and there is more to virtue than sacrifice and peace. If we have learned anything from today, it's that stuff's a lot more complicated than what Ma told us about back in the tribe. Let's take this lesson to heart, there must be other gods out there to follow, or separate paths to take. Even if they do kick our asses in the process. Everything seems to want to kick our asses, so following the first two gods that offer us anything at all probably won't change that for quite a while anyway.
>>
>>4260986
>write-in
when in doubt, BECOME AS GODS
>>
>>4260984
>>Follow Gaia
Our existence is pain, I mean we might as well keep up the trend. We've done so well so far in that regard.
>>
>>4260986
>Follow Gaia
>>
>>4261005
Support
>>
>>4260986
Fuck both of them, we're following our own path. We don't follow any god or demon, we're going to find our own place in the world and unlock our own inner potential, not controlled anyone but ourselves.

THIS WORLD HAS NO NEED FOR GODS
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>>4260986
>Follow Gaia
>>
>>4260986
>Follow Gaia
Imagine being a neutralfaggot lol
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>>4261023
imagine being a lawcuck or a chaosfag lol
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>>4261023
We don't need to be neutral, we just don't need to be a child's idea of good and evil.
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>>4261024
The White hands are behind this post.
>>
Baklava: offers cool magical power, literally asking for nothing in return
Gaia: offers nothing in exchange for nothing
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
>>
4 gaia's path
1 bhalzekhe's path
4 neither of them.
I'll wait 15 minutes for a new vote, otherwise I'll tiebreak the two most picked options with a 1d2
>>
>>4260986
>Follow neither
Mainly because of the first half of >>4261005's post.
>>
Alright, neither gods it is then. Votes are closed.
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>>4261165
Neutralchads always win, baby.

We're going to instantly die because of this, calling it right now.
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>>4261178
instantly die LIKE A CHAD
>>
>>4260986
Rape Gaia, Marry Bhalzekhe
>>
>your current predicament was caused by your decisions
Wow, thanks Gaia, hadn't thought of it that way. The same came said of literally everything life, but a lifetime of following her principles lead him to those decisions. What's the point of following a god who is incapable of protecting a devout follower from the kind of suffering Trebol has endured?
>>
>Moonwalk out of oblivion
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You just wanted to go an adventure. Where did it all go wrong? Why are you being presented with these choices? *Why*? You could be hunting with your dad right now, or playing with your brothers… but you got yourself into this mess instead.

Does it truly boil down to two paths? It's either become a beacon of virtue - a paladin who sacrifices himself for goodness... or a complete monster who only cares for himself?

You don’t wish harm upon anyone. You *want* to help those in need whenever you can, and you have done so even to this day… but you’re not sure you’d want to dedicate your existence to such an ideal. You have your own wishes, your own circle of people you care about – you’re not willing to leave them behind for this greater good the Goddess seems to be speaking of, whatever it entails.

You have followed Gaia's principles since you were born, following Her ideal of what all intelligent beings should aim to be: selfless, well-intentioned, all-loving... You will not look down upon Her wisdom – She carries many years of experience behind Her back, and you are just a young kobold who lived his entire life in a forest, unaware of how deep the rabbit hole goes. You have so much to learn... there are many things you cannot yet see or understand, but you shall learn them on your own, on terms that make sense to you.

You are grateful to Gaia for providing you a life of peace, as well as Her intervention to save you from all the dangers you’ve went through during this day... but you are disheartened by Her stating that your predicament was caused by your decisions. She claims to protect you, but now She was unable to do so… which means She is not the almighty being you thought She was. The idea of omnipotence you had of Her breaks down, and it brings you great sorrow; you feel anxious and unprotected, as if you were floating amidst an uncaring void where nothing is absolute - not even the gods' words…

... And that’s even more of a reason to follow your own path. If becoming the Goddess's champion means abandoning your previous life to adopt one that is full of pain and hardships... then you’re not the one She sought for. You’re not willing to do that, and you're not going become a selfish monster, either. Neither path being presented to you seems reasonable.
>>
>>4261502
>HP:Crippling depression
>>
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You open your mouth to communicate your decision. “Goddess… I-“

Gaia interrupts you. “I know, Trebol... I sense in your soul that you have made your decision.” The Goddess takes a deep breath, then resumes. “My child... I am saddened, but know that I respect your choice. You are not a blind follower - you have always questioned everything, sych as your parents' belief that you ought to be happy with what you had and not seek the unknown... and now, the views I set forth. You show self-determination, which reassures me that you will not be easily swayed or influenced by the evils of this world."

The Goddess suddenly halts her words. She seems to be thinking about something. You switch your view to the floating head - it just floats there, its eye expresionless and silent.

A few seconds pass by, and Gaia continues. "I do fear, however... that this self-determination may eventually turn into childish rebellion, and you shall reject the wisdom and protection we gods can give to mortals. My child, as insightful as you may be for you age, you are still young and unexperienced; if you do not agree with my ideals, then I ask that you seek guidance from other gods who will be happy to accept you as their follower."

"Teraval, Mishkanfer, Lokius... remember these names, Trebol. They are personal friends of mine, despite our... different views in some matters."

"I hope..." - She continues, "... that one day, you shall consider returning to me and become my champion. I shall be waiting for you with my arms open to embrace you. I *know* that a path of pure self-sacrifice may seem too idealistic, perhaps infantile, even... but I assure you that not everything in it is pain - there *is* gratification in knowing that your deeds do great good to this world. But not everyone is ready for such a responsibility. That's why it's an ideal; we should all work towards it, even though it might not be possible to reach completely."

"This shall not be the last time we meet, Trebol. Our paths, our pasts... they are connected in many ways. As long as you stay on the path of good, whether you follow me or not… there is still hope for all of us."
>>
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Gaia goes silent. The floating head finally speaks. “Demidragon. I had hoped I could reason with you – it’s a shame that you did not accept my offer. It seems that you did not even consider it... and frankly, it annoys me.”

There is silence for a few seconds. You can feel the tension building up - Gaia is on her guard. “*Know* that you are now a godless creature" - the head says. "This woman was too *weak* to protect you against the gnoll, as the tribe's territory is under the protection and influence of a different god… but she *did* protect you before – the troll’s convenient appearance, the magic flower that invigorated you, miraculously surviving falling off two cliffs – they were miracles where she *did* play an important role. But now, no divine being shall watch over you in the sky… you are more vulnerable than ever, Demidragon."

“One day, you shall return to the old path… and I shall be at its end, waiting for you. This is not the last you have seen of me… ‘Trebol’.“

You walk away from the two beings towards the infinite blackness extending before you, advancing towards the uncertain future. “Trebol…” – you hear Gaia say behind you, “I have enough power to help you one last time. Go in peace, knowing that you will survive this encounter… but please, be careful from now on.”
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... .... ....
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... You awaken. You are lying on the ground. The first thing you see is the ex-chieftain's face, looking at you from above. She seems to be analyzing you.

“Y’know, lizard…” – she says, “… while I was squeezing your throat, an idea suddenly came to my mind. I’ve been ponderin’ about it *very* hard... and I decided that killin' you would be a dumb move, even if I’d *love* to.”

… ... ...

“The fact is..." - she continues, "... your death would probably be traced back to me, and I’d lose the chance of getting the respect of my people back, seeing as you’re the only one who can lead us to the troll’s cave. That Kyru brat doesn't remember the way back clearly - her mom told us already.”

“Heed my warning, kobold… if you tell Sheela that I poisoned that basket with fruits, you will *regret* it once you depart from the tribe and nobody’s around to protect ya’ from me. What I’m trying to say is, if you value your own hide, you’ll stay quiet and let my plan unfold as I want. Believe it or not, the poison I poured onto the fruit is not lethal – I just want to weaken that opportunistic wench so I can challenge her to a fight and be sure to win. If you don’t ruin everything, once I’m the leader again, I will consider forgiving you for keeping our little secret between us.”

“Yeah, you’ve heard that right. I *promise* I’ll consider sparing your life, despite all your offenses. So, you’ll be smart and keep silent about what you just saw here. Got it?”

You cannot respond, not even with a nod. Your body is completely unresponsive. “Uh… I think I went a little overboard with you. I hope you don’t die from your wounds, lizard – that would cause me a lot of trouble… ehh… what do I do now…”
>>
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>>4261551
demand milkies in exchange for keeping quiet
>>
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>>4261556
>>
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"YOU COULD START BY LEAVING MY FRIEND ALONE, YOU DIRTY SADIST."

== END OF PART 4 ==
>>
Well... that's it for now. I'm afraid I'll only be able to continue when this semester ends, which is in about two months. I hope you're all still interested by then.

This has been a weird part to write, to be honest. I think the scene where the gnoll beats you up may have been a little excessive looking back to it, so let me know if it was OK. If you have any general thoughts, feedback, etc about this quest, feel free to share it.

Thank you all for participating in this thread. Until then, and take care!
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>>4261570
Forgot trips
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>>4261564
>very low quality but the joke is there
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>>4261570
Oh please, I've read Made in Abyss so this kind of suffering isn't even far enough for my tastes. It's nice to see our dumb actions actually have consequences. Good luck in your classes!
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>>4261578
Good shit. We really need to start being smarter though, we need to remember that basically any other creature is stronger than us.
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>>4261584
so.. we learn more magic?
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>>4261589
Yeah, this is probably our best bet. We need to focus on magic or mastering some sort of ranged weapon, or at the very least a melee weapon that will keep us out of harm's way. We need a fucking training arc or else we're going to actually fucking die next time.
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>>4261591
we could learn the "summon skeleton".
let them fight for us... while we probably hide
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Trebol's had a hard life....
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>>4261627
Awesome
>>
Both of the important frames as an extra
https://files.catbox.moe/dm5cyu.png
https://files.catbox.moe/sxn4k1.png

Thanks QM for this wonderful quest, good luck with your semester. See you in two months.
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>>4261627
Nicu
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>>4261627
orgasmic
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>>4261591
I think we should also try and get some skill in sneaking about, ninja lizard and what not. Magic and ranged weapons are great and all, but we can't always rely on being either willing or able to burn down everything between us and our target. Eventually we're gonna find something that is either too big to kill before it reaches the squishy blue lizard, or something that we don't want to kill but is in the way of something we need. Keep in mind, we don't need to exchange one skill for the other, there's probably plenty of deception, illusion, or even straight up invisibility based spells out there that could help in this task.
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Words fail in my effort to convey just how moronic voting to abandon the Goddess was. It has been through her influence alone That Trebol has survived even half the shit he has. Now we have no one looking out for us, all of you that voted for neutrality is fucking retarded. When this inevitably comes back to bite us in the ass just remember you did this.
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>>4262260
t. seething lawfag
imagine following gods instead of just following your own morals lmao
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>>4262260
>When it comes back to bite us in the ass.
Oh yeah like with how swimmingly it's gone so far.
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>>4262336
Lucifer please, without Gods there are no morals. Mortals are not capable of creating such things on their own.

>>4262365
Gaia herself said she cannot help us because we're stuck in a land governed by another deity where she has no influence. She wasn't wrong, this was all our fault.
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>>4262464
>implying I'm a chaosfag
Kobolds have no need for gods. We shall ascend and become the strongest kobold to ever live, all on our own. If the gods in this world only have influence in certain areas, then they will be of little use to us unless we're constantly switching sides. We must become self-sufficient.
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>>4262474
You say, posting Steven, who yet serves a higher power still as it's agent (Geat Will/Axiom), completely opposite of self sufficiency like you ramble on about...

Trebol turning away from Gods and becoming an anarchist is only going to be far worse than just following Gaia, who at least does actually care. Mark my words, this path we've chosen is set in stone and the road to self-destruction, we rejected pax deorum for ira deorum.
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>>4262464
>Gaia herself said she cannot help us because we're stuck in a land governed by another deity where she has no influence. She wasn't wrong, this was all our fault.
The all powerful god who is pure of virtue cannot help us because of a border dispute, and this is why we should be dependent on her.
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>>4262535
No, we should be somewhat dependent on her in territory where she does reign. Our mistake was running off somewhere else like the gnoll village where another god stands tall.
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>>4262542
So if i'm understanding your point ...it's that the mad fuckery we have been involved is our fault for leaving the safety of Gaia's territory and that's why we should go back to her.
I understand were is coming from but still... not cool
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>>4262603
>mad fuckery we have been involved is our fault for leaving the safety of Gaia's territory and that's why we should go back to her.
Yes.

>I understand were is coming from but still... not cool
If I tell you that it would be bad to dive into the volcano and you do it anyway, you've no place to say that I'm not cool afterwards when your skeleton is pulled out. Sure she could have at least told us the dangers before we left but maybe she didn't notice us then.
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>>4262260
There will be suffering ahead for Trebol, but as Gaia said, there are other gods that may be more alligned with his interests. Maybe something inbetween "suffer and sacrifice on my behalf, but if it goes bad it's your own fault for making bad choices" and "all consuming power in the name selfish hedonism." Or maybe he can become strong on his own. There's something appealing about the idea of a weak kobold realizing the god he followed could not live up to his expectation as he lay in broken at the brink of death, and chooses to reject that god and rely only on himself.

Either way, the people bothered by how much he's suffered so far may not be happy with this decision.
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>>4262753
>chooses to reject that god and rely only on himself.

Given that we have a tainted soul and the path of Gaia seemed to be the path of rejecting our inner demon. I would say that a terrible mistake has been made. The way I see it all the hardship we have endured and the faith we put into Gaia has been wasted. Moreover, Gaia and Bhalzekhe told us, point fucking blank, we will not be getting any more help from the heavens above. Because anon's went full retard and voted to walk down the path of godlessness. This is made even more retarded by the fact Gaia was the only thing protecting us from the god of the gnoll, who now can do as they please with us. If shit was hard before, all the retards that voted for edge have just made things even more difficult.

But I think what pisses me off the most about this retarded move is that came out of left field and felt very out of character for Trebol. All quest we have at every turn had him place his faith in Gaia when the odds were long and hope was low he didn't lose faith. hell, when he was cornered by goblins he didn't curse Gaia for abandoning him, no he said a prayer and leaped of a god damned cliff face having faith that Gaia would protect him. All of that character growth and all of that potential has now been fucking wasted in the name of: "being special" and "going our own way", what a joke.
>>
yep
sure feels great to be a kobold antideist
ahhhh the fresh smell of fedoras
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>>4262904
>getting this salty you got outvoted
nigga it's a fucking MSpaint quest, calm down.
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>>4263036
Why do you have to follow the first god we meet? Gaia is a pretentious, doesn't help anyone with anything, and thinks being good means being a total pushover and never leaving your house. It's clear that this is a polytheistic world. Let's find a cool god that at least stands for something, instead of "Oooh my dear child, I know you'll return to my path, the true path, which is good because I'm drawn white and shiny and he's red and angry!"
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>>4263084
i was not being ironic, m'good sir
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>>4263056
It's not *MSpaint*
It's Krita!
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>>4262904
Most decisions you make in the quest will contribute to the protagonist's character, and they'll be addressed from his PoV.
This is kind of a spoiler for the next part, but rejecting Gaia may end up spawning an internal conflict that you as the players will have the word in how to resolve.
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>>4263123
Now that's some good hype.
>>
Gaia continually said he needed absolute faith and it was pretty clear as he was being beaten to death that he was questioning it. And her presence did not bring him the reassurance it should have to someone faithful. He didn't abandon her ideals or 180 to despising her, he simply no longer has absolute faith and I don't think that's wrong given the circumstances. She left the door open to return to her and stated clearly he has the opportunity to find other gods to follow if he desires, so it's not like we're committed to the path of godlessness.

I do feel that neither of the gods made a particularly good case for themself in this situation. Gaia had a lot of platitudes to offer but little real reassurance for someone in crisis. Bhalzekhe offered power and happiness, but it wasn't super clear what he actually stood for and what it meant to follow him except selfishness I guess? His behavior was clearly evul but what he embodied didn't seem to be as bad as Gaia was treating it unless he has more requirements for following him. I think he would have been more effective here as a calm, rational voice that echoed and reinforced Trebol's doubts about Gaia, angling to fracture his faith and earn his patronage down the line when he might be more open to it.
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>>4263144
This, we may have lead Trebol into the situation he is in but Gaia just saying "can't help you if you aren't on my turf" shows that she isn't the omnipotent being we thought she was. Plus, all she's really done for us is save us from the brink of death, if we really want to become a good follower we should become strong on our own first.
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>>4263123
>rejecting Gaia may end up spawning an internal conflict that you as the players will have the word in how to resolve.

I can already feel the Chaos anons plotting on how to turn Trebol to the dark side.
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>>4262904
We might find a proper God someday, but those two were lame.
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>>4263229
I think he'll remain a good boy.
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>>4262904
>Moreover, Gaia and Bhalzekhe told us, point fucking blank, we will not be getting any more help from the heavens above.

Actually, Gaia said:
>Teraval, Mishkanfer, Lokius... remember these names, Trebol.
>I hope... that one day, you shall consider returning to me and become my champion. I shall be waiting for you with my arms open to embrace you.

While Bhallyboy said:

>One day, you shall return to the old path… and I shall be at its end, waiting for you. This is not the last you have seen of me… ‘Trebol’.

In other words, not only did they give us other options for divine aid, they both explicitly offered to welcome us back to their paths if we change our mind. Anon, with all due respect, take a deep breath and clam the fuck down.
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>>4263229
I mean, he has a hungry dragon soul in him or something. Shouldn't be hard.

But Trebol clearly values kindness, compassion, softness, and the respect of other beings who he also respects. That isn't compatible with a totally amoral, self-centered will to power.

If he's going to grow beyond this childness need to go back home and remain in childlike innocence forever, though, this reliance on a clam maternal figure to shush his doubts and coo platitudes to him cannot allow his spirit to grow.

If these two are so interested in us, and we hold such a pivotal role in the spiritual plane, AND there are three other gods willing to take us on, we're a big enough deal not to need to rely on blind faith.
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>>4263337
While I hate filthy stinky chaosfags with all my might, Bhally's offer of power isn't something we should immediately discard. If we're able to control our spiritual power more so we don't immediately try to eat any spirit that comes inside of us, his offer might be more beneficial if we have the self-control to make sure the power doesn't corrupt us.
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>>4263345
Maybe, but >>4260969 is right. Either he's using us because he knows we're stronger and wants to manipulate us, or he's going to bully the shit out of us for not properly serving his strength the first time we (for instance) want to help a fairy girl, a soft gnoll, or spare a friendly ghost.
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We i started reading this quest i did not expect a
debate of the place of gods in the world.
Nor a existential crisis of the MC on whether
the path of self sacrifice should be attempted even if you don't have the strength to endure it.
but this is oddly appropriate
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>>4263352
>no faggot what the fuck are you doing STOP FUCKING HELPING THE WEAK YOU FAGGOT STOP REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
I don't know, going down his path could be pretty funny, if we can "tame" him so he doesn't smite us for disobeying him.

>>4263505
If this quest doesn't end with some Xenogears-tier philosophical shit I will be extremely disappointed.
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>>4263510
>I don't know, going down his path could be pretty funny, if we can "tame" him so he doesn't smite us for disobeying him.

you are a fool if you think any good can come from trying he is a literal god of evil.
>>
last for Kyru a cute!



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