dikdik
colossal leaf and prince of the universe
1
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Fantasy Terrorchild: Awakening
- Thread starter K0mori
- Start date
hardcore.munchkin
Professional hater
2
Have Fun With It
New
K0mori
Servant Supreme
The vote is tied - DEALER'S CHOICE:
You sit up and look at the gallery of concerned faces all around, as if the horrors going on outside the castle walls, even outside this very room, are remote compared to your wellbeing. "My name is Agranne. I'm a serf from Ryggander, in Zuklanar," you begin slowly as you wind back your spell, as if gradually drawing a curtain away to reveal the monster hiding behind it. "...I'm also a witch of Lythrefang - a hexblood, in fact - and I'm the elder sister of the Mardenaal circle."
The expressions worn by the servants, so gentle and kind only a moment ago, now flood with dread and regret as their minds are unclouded. You rise to your feet to meet them eye-to-eye, relishing how helpless they all are. They begin to back away, leaving only the Queen to stand with you as you continue to introduce yourself with some of your achievements: "I am the one who stole the Pandemonium Door. I struck an accord between the coven and the fae. I killed Count Caspan and set Duke Vallen's army upon itself!"
"The Terrorchild...!" one of the servants gasps.
"Yes!" you hiss.
"Mother, get away from her!" A girl screams, no older than twelve or thirteen - the third and final child of King Faldin. You had been expecting someone older than Silanae, someone who would more readily justify their slaying by being in the direct line of succession. You now realize that Silanae isn't just trying to secure the crown, but to eliminate all other potential claimants to the throne.
The Queen looks back at her and the others in shock. "What's gotten into all of you? And you, Alina... She came to us for help; we should do what we can to-"
"No!" The girl shouts back at her. "She has you under a spell, mother!"
Impressed, you give the princess a grin, appreciating her rather daring tone. You've already decided that your infernal "deal" with Silanae - if you can even call it that - is off. You're going to keep Alina on this side of the ground, somehow. But your apparent self-satisfaction only infuriates her further, and she goes red in the face with anger.
"That's enough, young lady!" the Queen booms. "How dare you level such a baseless accusation! I've decided that we will provide what Agranne asks for. She's come all this way, and so we must remember our hospitality."
A well-dressed man - the Chamberlain, probably - speaks up. "N-no, your highness... Alina is right, you're bewitched! We all were, but-"
"But what?" the Queen replies, hotly as the Chamberlain looks to you with doom in his eyes.
You stare at him mockingly.
"...she's toying with us," he says. "A- Agranne, was it? What exactly are you planning to do?"
"To you? Nothing," you reply, "...unless you intend on becoming an obstacle to Syrith's dominion. In that case, I might have to kill you, like I killed King Faldin and Prince Leothan."
The shock that befalls the servants is practically hysterical. The King and the Prince are dead already!? You simply watch them in a state of wicked bliss, although it fades a bit as you find yourself staring at Alina, who doesn't recoil like the others, but instead remains planted where she was, tears streaming down her cheeks, as she tries to find a response in her mother's eyes.
"My son... and my husband?" the Queen states, mortified as she looks in your direction, and for the briefest moment you fear that your magic might falter. But instead, you're startled as she grabs you and wraps you into a huge hug. "Oh, you must have tried so hard to reason with them...!" she says crying on your shoulder.
You can't help but crack, openly snickering as you give her a pat on the back. "I did... I sure did," you lie. At that moment, you hear footsteps and and realize Alina is stepping up to you.
"You monster!" she screams, but as she tries to swipe at you, you push her backwards with telekinesis until she slips over the edge of the hole you created when you came crashing into the tower. Holding her there as she kicks and screams, you turn to the Queen and beckon her to follow you.
"Unfortunately, now that the King is gone, you would be the last obstacle between Silanae and the throne, my Queen, and that's a problem because your daughter is a member of the coven," you explain as you pull the Queen out over the same crater to where her daughter is dangling. As her legs skate around on the nothingness below her, she can barely react to what you've just said.
Instead, Alina fills in the silence: "You're saying Silanae is a witch!?"
"And this time, I'm not lying," you answer, venomously. "Obviously, a witch on the throne of Turadal would be in the best interests of the coven and our Eldest, but she went the extra mile and asked me to kill you, too. I'm going to do you one kindness, however... since I did her one already by showing mercy after she insulted me. I'm going to spare you, Alina."
She's overwhelmed. Her every instinct is telling her not to trust a single word you say, but if it's true, if it's all true, then accepting this supposed "kindness" is her only chance of survival, and she knows it.
"What do you say, dear?" the Queen asks, numbly.
She shakes her head. "Wh-what?"
"Agranne is doing you a kindness," she says, a terrible sadness gripping her, although she's unable to assign blame to the one responsible. "Say thank you."
Alina flushes again in impotent rage. "NO!" she screams and rages again, but you merely glide away from her, upwards, and carrying both royals with you to the rooftop where you set them both down. The Princess kicks and thrashes the entire way, cursing you in every way her adolescent mind can fathom while her mother looks on, practically dead inside. "AAARRRGH! LET GO OF MY MOTHER! LET ME TALK TO HER!" she demands, her face puffy and pink with snot and tears.
You sigh, a bit exhausted with tormenting her for the moment. "...Fine," you say. "It makes no difference to me, in the end." A moment later and the manipulation is broken, and the Queen finally realizes what you are and everything you've done. She doesn't scream at you, however, nor does she attempt to strike you, or resist in any way. She runs to her daughter and squeezes her tight, giving apologies and words of faith, frantic pieces of wisdom, anything to soothe the pain of their imminent separation.
Once they've finally said their peace, the Queen rises and faces you. "You..." she says, "There's no hell hot enough for you."
You nod and stare back at her without a response. At least she'll die with the final word. With a flick of your wrist, you push her backwards across the keep's rooftop. Her crown falls from her head and rolls away while her polished, regal shoes fight for purchase on the slippery, icy surface, until she meets the edge and tumbles over it. Alina's anguished cry prevents you from enjoying it, but at last - you've done it: Syrith's Design, manifest. The world outside doesn't know it yet, but the Lythrefang Coven has just conquered the Kingdom of Turadal.
You glide toward Alina, who can't even look at you, and issue a compulsion: "Sleep."
You sigh heavily. "A merchant would turn the ship around as soon as she wakes up. What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of anything from her, it's just that I'm done with being tangled up in your whole... situation!" she replies. "You don't know how badly I've been looking forward to climbing onto a boat, slipping away from the shore, and just relaxing for once because I'm on my way back home."
"Jannava, you never spoke well of Estfang," Embryx teases. "You don't even need to take her all the way, anyway. Just keep her brainwashed and dumb for a couple of days and then drop her off in Athea, or something. By the time she figures out who she is, you'll be long gone."
"Or," the tiefling replies, "Agranne can clean up her own mess, for once."
You roll your eyes. "Fine... I'll just kill her, then."
"Agranne..." Embryx complains, but then Jannava speaks up:
"...Okay. This is the last favor you'll ever get to ask of me," Jannava relents. "At least I hope it will be."
You snicker. "I was about to say... You never know."
Jannava stares at you a moment, tired and frustrated as always, but then finally cracks a smile. "...That was a hell of a week," she admits as Embryx places the sleeping princess into Jannava's awaiting arms. "I had fun teaching you my tricks. Put them to good use."
"Keep on teaching, sister," you reply as the tiefling departs, headed for the harbor. Her quick departure was too convenient to pass up; while almost the entire coven would be staying the night in Thandan, Jannava's hurry to get aboard a boat (before the complicated job of pacifying the population set in) was a perfect opportunity to send Alina away. You figure that if she ever works her way back here and kills her older sister for the throne, then it might just be entertaining enough that you wouldn't mind watching your work get unraveled. On the other hand, Syrith probably has plans within plans to prevent that from happening, always seeming a step ahead of the other gods and two steps ahead of mortal minds.
Embryx puts her hand on your shoulder and gives you a little shake. It's about the hundredth little reminder she's given about your triumph, the coven's triumph, and the hundredth time you've given her a weak smile in response. Inside, however, you're still restless for your own wants and desires. You can't wait to get on the road again, despite the long journey you've just endured. Somewhere out in Zuklanar, you might find Rigatte, and that's enough to fuel you. Or maybe you just can't stand to dwell on every horrible thing you've done in this place today.
You hear the thock-tock sound of Kulka's cane as she approaches, and you turn to find her leading your remaining pact sisters back to you. "Hail, sister!" she calls out. "We've dispelled most of the undead; the city is nearly safe to explore again."
Fiola bows her head. "I'm sorry about what happened," she says. "Corrinth really got us bad."
You shrug, indifferently. "Did Stalna tell you our next move?" you ask.
"Yes, but," she says, uncomfortably, "I think I'm going to stay here. Thandan is going to need a lot of help after this, and I think I'd like to see it done."
Wag salutes you as well. "Zizter... Thankz for zaving my life. I'm going zouth, home to Athea once I find a traveling party."
"So, with the exception of the red grump," Embryx says, pointing her thumb over her shoulder at Jannava in the distance, "how are we celebrating tonight? We're all still together for the moment..."
1. Let's Loot Something - You still remember what Kulka said about "knowing some places" to find a good magical weapon for Embryx. Maybe you and your pact sisters deserve a prize for your efforts.
2. Let's Get Drinks - The taverns are doubtlessly still closed to visitors - especially the witchy kind - but with a few manipulation spells, you're certain you can have a good watering hole up and running for you and your closest allies...
You sit up and look at the gallery of concerned faces all around, as if the horrors going on outside the castle walls, even outside this very room, are remote compared to your wellbeing. "My name is Agranne. I'm a serf from Ryggander, in Zuklanar," you begin slowly as you wind back your spell, as if gradually drawing a curtain away to reveal the monster hiding behind it. "...I'm also a witch of Lythrefang - a hexblood, in fact - and I'm the elder sister of the Mardenaal circle."
The expressions worn by the servants, so gentle and kind only a moment ago, now flood with dread and regret as their minds are unclouded. You rise to your feet to meet them eye-to-eye, relishing how helpless they all are. They begin to back away, leaving only the Queen to stand with you as you continue to introduce yourself with some of your achievements: "I am the one who stole the Pandemonium Door. I struck an accord between the coven and the fae. I killed Count Caspan and set Duke Vallen's army upon itself!"
"The Terrorchild...!" one of the servants gasps.
"Yes!" you hiss.
"Mother, get away from her!" A girl screams, no older than twelve or thirteen - the third and final child of King Faldin. You had been expecting someone older than Silanae, someone who would more readily justify their slaying by being in the direct line of succession. You now realize that Silanae isn't just trying to secure the crown, but to eliminate all other potential claimants to the throne.
The Queen looks back at her and the others in shock. "What's gotten into all of you? And you, Alina... She came to us for help; we should do what we can to-"
"No!" The girl shouts back at her. "She has you under a spell, mother!"
Impressed, you give the princess a grin, appreciating her rather daring tone. You've already decided that your infernal "deal" with Silanae - if you can even call it that - is off. You're going to keep Alina on this side of the ground, somehow. But your apparent self-satisfaction only infuriates her further, and she goes red in the face with anger.
"That's enough, young lady!" the Queen booms. "How dare you level such a baseless accusation! I've decided that we will provide what Agranne asks for. She's come all this way, and so we must remember our hospitality."
A well-dressed man - the Chamberlain, probably - speaks up. "N-no, your highness... Alina is right, you're bewitched! We all were, but-"
"But what?" the Queen replies, hotly as the Chamberlain looks to you with doom in his eyes.
You stare at him mockingly.
"...she's toying with us," he says. "A- Agranne, was it? What exactly are you planning to do?"
"To you? Nothing," you reply, "...unless you intend on becoming an obstacle to Syrith's dominion. In that case, I might have to kill you, like I killed King Faldin and Prince Leothan."
The shock that befalls the servants is practically hysterical. The King and the Prince are dead already!? You simply watch them in a state of wicked bliss, although it fades a bit as you find yourself staring at Alina, who doesn't recoil like the others, but instead remains planted where she was, tears streaming down her cheeks, as she tries to find a response in her mother's eyes.
"My son... and my husband?" the Queen states, mortified as she looks in your direction, and for the briefest moment you fear that your magic might falter. But instead, you're startled as she grabs you and wraps you into a huge hug. "Oh, you must have tried so hard to reason with them...!" she says crying on your shoulder.
You can't help but crack, openly snickering as you give her a pat on the back. "I did... I sure did," you lie. At that moment, you hear footsteps and and realize Alina is stepping up to you.
"You monster!" she screams, but as she tries to swipe at you, you push her backwards with telekinesis until she slips over the edge of the hole you created when you came crashing into the tower. Holding her there as she kicks and screams, you turn to the Queen and beckon her to follow you.
"Unfortunately, now that the King is gone, you would be the last obstacle between Silanae and the throne, my Queen, and that's a problem because your daughter is a member of the coven," you explain as you pull the Queen out over the same crater to where her daughter is dangling. As her legs skate around on the nothingness below her, she can barely react to what you've just said.
Instead, Alina fills in the silence: "You're saying Silanae is a witch!?"
"And this time, I'm not lying," you answer, venomously. "Obviously, a witch on the throne of Turadal would be in the best interests of the coven and our Eldest, but she went the extra mile and asked me to kill you, too. I'm going to do you one kindness, however... since I did her one already by showing mercy after she insulted me. I'm going to spare you, Alina."
She's overwhelmed. Her every instinct is telling her not to trust a single word you say, but if it's true, if it's all true, then accepting this supposed "kindness" is her only chance of survival, and she knows it.
"What do you say, dear?" the Queen asks, numbly.
She shakes her head. "Wh-what?"
"Agranne is doing you a kindness," she says, a terrible sadness gripping her, although she's unable to assign blame to the one responsible. "Say thank you."
Alina flushes again in impotent rage. "NO!" she screams and rages again, but you merely glide away from her, upwards, and carrying both royals with you to the rooftop where you set them both down. The Princess kicks and thrashes the entire way, cursing you in every way her adolescent mind can fathom while her mother looks on, practically dead inside. "AAARRRGH! LET GO OF MY MOTHER! LET ME TALK TO HER!" she demands, her face puffy and pink with snot and tears.
You sigh, a bit exhausted with tormenting her for the moment. "...Fine," you say. "It makes no difference to me, in the end." A moment later and the manipulation is broken, and the Queen finally realizes what you are and everything you've done. She doesn't scream at you, however, nor does she attempt to strike you, or resist in any way. She runs to her daughter and squeezes her tight, giving apologies and words of faith, frantic pieces of wisdom, anything to soothe the pain of their imminent separation.
Once they've finally said their peace, the Queen rises and faces you. "You..." she says, "There's no hell hot enough for you."
You nod and stare back at her without a response. At least she'll die with the final word. With a flick of your wrist, you push her backwards across the keep's rooftop. Her crown falls from her head and rolls away while her polished, regal shoes fight for purchase on the slippery, icy surface, until she meets the edge and tumbles over it. Alina's anguished cry prevents you from enjoying it, but at last - you've done it: Syrith's Design, manifest. The world outside doesn't know it yet, but the Lythrefang Coven has just conquered the Kingdom of Turadal.
You glide toward Alina, who can't even look at you, and issue a compulsion: "Sleep."
---
"Agranne, no," Jannava insists again, getting angrier that you didn't drop it after her first refusal. "You want someone to take her? Pay a merchant."
You sigh heavily. "A merchant would turn the ship around as soon as she wakes up. What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of anything from her, it's just that I'm done with being tangled up in your whole... situation!" she replies. "You don't know how badly I've been looking forward to climbing onto a boat, slipping away from the shore, and just relaxing for once because I'm on my way back home."
"Jannava, you never spoke well of Estfang," Embryx teases. "You don't even need to take her all the way, anyway. Just keep her brainwashed and dumb for a couple of days and then drop her off in Athea, or something. By the time she figures out who she is, you'll be long gone."
"Or," the tiefling replies, "Agranne can clean up her own mess, for once."
You roll your eyes. "Fine... I'll just kill her, then."
"Agranne..." Embryx complains, but then Jannava speaks up:
"...Okay. This is the last favor you'll ever get to ask of me," Jannava relents. "At least I hope it will be."
You snicker. "I was about to say... You never know."
Jannava stares at you a moment, tired and frustrated as always, but then finally cracks a smile. "...That was a hell of a week," she admits as Embryx places the sleeping princess into Jannava's awaiting arms. "I had fun teaching you my tricks. Put them to good use."
"Keep on teaching, sister," you reply as the tiefling departs, headed for the harbor. Her quick departure was too convenient to pass up; while almost the entire coven would be staying the night in Thandan, Jannava's hurry to get aboard a boat (before the complicated job of pacifying the population set in) was a perfect opportunity to send Alina away. You figure that if she ever works her way back here and kills her older sister for the throne, then it might just be entertaining enough that you wouldn't mind watching your work get unraveled. On the other hand, Syrith probably has plans within plans to prevent that from happening, always seeming a step ahead of the other gods and two steps ahead of mortal minds.
Embryx puts her hand on your shoulder and gives you a little shake. It's about the hundredth little reminder she's given about your triumph, the coven's triumph, and the hundredth time you've given her a weak smile in response. Inside, however, you're still restless for your own wants and desires. You can't wait to get on the road again, despite the long journey you've just endured. Somewhere out in Zuklanar, you might find Rigatte, and that's enough to fuel you. Or maybe you just can't stand to dwell on every horrible thing you've done in this place today.
You hear the thock-tock sound of Kulka's cane as she approaches, and you turn to find her leading your remaining pact sisters back to you. "Hail, sister!" she calls out. "We've dispelled most of the undead; the city is nearly safe to explore again."
Fiola bows her head. "I'm sorry about what happened," she says. "Corrinth really got us bad."
You shrug, indifferently. "Did Stalna tell you our next move?" you ask.
"Yes, but," she says, uncomfortably, "I think I'm going to stay here. Thandan is going to need a lot of help after this, and I think I'd like to see it done."
Wag salutes you as well. "Zizter... Thankz for zaving my life. I'm going zouth, home to Athea once I find a traveling party."
"So, with the exception of the red grump," Embryx says, pointing her thumb over her shoulder at Jannava in the distance, "how are we celebrating tonight? We're all still together for the moment..."
1. Let's Loot Something - You still remember what Kulka said about "knowing some places" to find a good magical weapon for Embryx. Maybe you and your pact sisters deserve a prize for your efforts.
2. Let's Get Drinks - The taverns are doubtlessly still closed to visitors - especially the witchy kind - but with a few manipulation spells, you're certain you can have a good watering hole up and running for you and your closest allies...
CHUUYAS_HAT
ᴏɴᴇ ᴋɪꜱꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ
As much as 1 is...er...yk...)>
2!
2!
Infab
The Demon Fanatic
1
bat_hacker
Junior Member
1
hardcore.munchkin
Professional hater
2
Breadman
Big loaf supreme
1
turtwigwins
Junior Member
1
Damian0358
Roleplaying Procrastinator From Elsewhere
1
joshuadim
the writer
1
dikdik
colossal leaf and prince of the universe
1
Let's Loot Something
New
K0mori
Servant Supreme
Option 1: 7 Votes (78% - Range: 1-78)
Option 2: 2 Votes (22% - Range: 79-100)
Fae Roll: 58
"I've got an idea," you say with a sly smile. "I've never been to a royal city before today; the shops here have got to rival the best anywhere in the world aside from Varsana. While we've got the whole city on its knees, we should stock up on all the stuff we can't get normally - like potions, scrolls, enchanted equipment... and maybe even a magical weapon for Embryx!"
Although Embryx immediately lights up with excitement at the proposal, the other pact sisters are more reserved. Fiola, meanwhile, shakes her head and gives a wistful sigh, smiling helplessly at your undeterred focus on the road ahead. "...Sure, that's all well and good for you lot, since you're all going traveling again, but I think I might just find an inn where I can get a hot bath and turn in for the night."
Stalna's smile fades. "Then... Can we meet again one more time tomorrow, before we set out again for Manlaash?"
"Manlaash?" Fiola repeats.
Your lip curls in disdain at the thought. "That's where we left Corrinth after she attacked us last night. I wasn't kidding when I said she was still alive, and I definitely wasn't kidding when I said I'd end her even more painfully than I did Veralt," you explain, unhappily. Without Corrinth acting as an emissary, it'll be much harder to maintain the alliance you brokered between Lythrefang and the fae. Maybe that's the reason Syrith pulled your strings in all the right ways to prevent her from dying until the work in Thandan was done. "...Honestly, though, the village has probably already dealt with her. We left her in the confessional booth in the temple with both her legs broken. By now, the town's cleric will have gone back to his work and found her there."
"Let's hope," Embryx says with a grimace, "...but also, let's make sure."
Kulka chuckles quietly under her hood, tapping her cane against the ground in amusement. "Give me strength... You two are impatient, aren't you? The celebration hasn't even begun and you're already planning your next kill. And I volunteered to accompany you, so I suppose I have only one night to pack my things and prepare?"
"Yeah," you reply, flatly, "one night."
The lich taps her cane a few more times in stifled laughter. "I'm only teasing. I'll be ready, sister."
"Eh, what if I don't need any equipment?" Wag cuts in. "Maybe I could zteal a few pocketz full of jewelry or zomething?"
Your smile returns as you remember what you were discussing before Stalna brought up Corrinth. "Take as much as you want, Wag. This is our chance to get some really good 'somethings.' Maybe I'll finally nab myself a new hat..." you say before tipping your head and letting the snow slough off the brim.
Nah.
"So this is the place... How do we know which ones are implements?" you wonder aloud.
Embryx picks up the first blunt weapon she can find and points it away from herself. "...Nope," she says after a moment, before putting it down.
"There's a locked cabinet here," Stalna says, gesturing to an imposing, steel-plated box the size of an upright wardrobe. "They'd probably keep their finished work locked away until a merchant retrieves it, right?"
You size it up eagerly. "Either that, or this is what they keep their raw materials in. If we found some magika, or even better, draconika, we could just fix up your morning star to do the job!"
Embryx seems hesitant. "I dunno, Agranne. We don't know anything about artificing. At best we'd probably waste some good materials, and at worst..."
"Have you ever seen what happens when you mishandle phantastika?" Stalna cuts in.
You shake your head. You've heard that it can be dangerous, but you don't actually know what happens.
"...I heard that there was a journeyman back in Zuklanar who had the skin of his hands turn to glass just because he didn't take the proper steps. It took two clerics days of searching for a way to turn it back into flesh before they realized they couldn't, and so they just decided to smash his hands under a cauldron, pick all the glass off, and heal him so he'd re-grow his skin."
Embryx shudders a bit at the tale.
"Okay, fine," you reply as you walk up to the cabinet and prepare a lockbreaker. "Let's just find out what's in here..."
A loud clang and a clatter of broken fragments later, the heavy door swings open, revealing a set of finely-crafted weapons whose black-colored metal gleams enticingly in the lantern light. For a moment, you all simply gawk, letting out a few "oohs" at the metalworking, before Embryx's excitement fades. "Shit, no maces," she says with a huff, nearly turning away before looking at the choices available again. This time, she notices an unusual weapon and reaches for it.
"A polearm?" you ask as she takes it free from the display.
Embryx turns it over in her hand and examines the sinister, upright and concave blade at its head.
Stalna gives an uncharacteristic smile. "...A war scythe!" she says, excitedly, practically pushing past you so that she can explain it. "You see these a lot in the Empire, but they're totally rare this far east. This side is for hacking and slashing," she says, pointing toward the long, gently-curved surface on the leading edge, "and there's a spike and a hook on the other side for bashing armored opponents or dragging people down from above."
"When would I do that?" Embryx asks, cocking her head. "I suppose if someone ran up a tree to get away, I could pull them back down-"
Wag bursts into laughter. "...It'z for dealing with horzemen!" she says. "They ride up, you duck down, ztick this up over your zhoulder, and then - bam! - you yank them off their zaddle and beat them to death on the ground."
"Oh," Embryx says before breaking into laughter herself. "Let me just..." she says, picking it up and turning it over in her hands, growing more enamored as she familiarizes herself with each of its small details. She then takes it and walks to the center of the workshop, where she gets into a stance and swings it this way and that, far more gracefully than you would've expected. You begin to remember that Embyx had dabbled in a handful of different weapons back in Mardenaal before settling on the morning star, and was probably comfortable fighting with a variety of different tools.
Apparently satisfied with the heft of the item, she turns and points it at you with a sly grin. "Well, what do you think, Agranne? Tell no lies."
A puff of black smoke rises on cue from the blade, and you feel your tongue dance on its own. "It's cool as hell and you look so fucking hot right now!" you blurt out before grabbing at the brim of your hat and yanking it down to hide your face. Wag and Stalna have a laugh at your expense, and the unsightly cackling of witches fills the air.
1. Let's Loot Something Else - Having found Embryx a magical weapon to cart around, you wait for everyone to settle down so you can suggest the next stop on your tour of the city: an apothecary shop. You never want to get caught needing healing when you don't have your magic again, so it would be good to pocket some of that "elixir" that saved your life today.
2. Grab Yourself a Souvenir - You've never been good at using any particular weapon, since you've always been able to rely on your magic and, failing that, Embryx's muscle. Maybe you should find something new to study? It doesn't need to be magical, and whatever it is, Embryx can probably teach you a few things.
3. Another Form of Protection? - You had intended to gather some supplies to deal with future injuries, but it occurs to you that you probably won't need as much if you can just avoid getting hurt in the first place. Whether it's enchanted or not, it would be good to find some clothes that can prevent you from being stabbed in the back.
Option 2: 2 Votes (22% - Range: 79-100)
Fae Roll: 58
"I've got an idea," you say with a sly smile. "I've never been to a royal city before today; the shops here have got to rival the best anywhere in the world aside from Varsana. While we've got the whole city on its knees, we should stock up on all the stuff we can't get normally - like potions, scrolls, enchanted equipment... and maybe even a magical weapon for Embryx!"
Although Embryx immediately lights up with excitement at the proposal, the other pact sisters are more reserved. Fiola, meanwhile, shakes her head and gives a wistful sigh, smiling helplessly at your undeterred focus on the road ahead. "...Sure, that's all well and good for you lot, since you're all going traveling again, but I think I might just find an inn where I can get a hot bath and turn in for the night."
Stalna's smile fades. "Then... Can we meet again one more time tomorrow, before we set out again for Manlaash?"
"Manlaash?" Fiola repeats.
Your lip curls in disdain at the thought. "That's where we left Corrinth after she attacked us last night. I wasn't kidding when I said she was still alive, and I definitely wasn't kidding when I said I'd end her even more painfully than I did Veralt," you explain, unhappily. Without Corrinth acting as an emissary, it'll be much harder to maintain the alliance you brokered between Lythrefang and the fae. Maybe that's the reason Syrith pulled your strings in all the right ways to prevent her from dying until the work in Thandan was done. "...Honestly, though, the village has probably already dealt with her. We left her in the confessional booth in the temple with both her legs broken. By now, the town's cleric will have gone back to his work and found her there."
"Let's hope," Embryx says with a grimace, "...but also, let's make sure."
Kulka chuckles quietly under her hood, tapping her cane against the ground in amusement. "Give me strength... You two are impatient, aren't you? The celebration hasn't even begun and you're already planning your next kill. And I volunteered to accompany you, so I suppose I have only one night to pack my things and prepare?"
"Yeah," you reply, flatly, "one night."
The lich taps her cane a few more times in stifled laughter. "I'm only teasing. I'll be ready, sister."
"Eh, what if I don't need any equipment?" Wag cuts in. "Maybe I could zteal a few pocketz full of jewelry or zomething?"
Your smile returns as you remember what you were discussing before Stalna brought up Corrinth. "Take as much as you want, Wag. This is our chance to get some really good 'somethings.' Maybe I'll finally nab myself a new hat..." you say before tipping your head and letting the snow slough off the brim.
Nah.
---
Getting into the workshop proves easy, since the undead mob had smashed in the door earlier in the day to pursue the artisans inside. Stalna steps in first, as she's carrying a lantern, but you follow close behind to get a good look around. Amidst the signs of a struggle, there are numerous pieces of armor and weaponry in varying degrees of completion and ornamentation. Kulka had given you the directions to find it before departing, leaving just you and your trio of pact sisters to search for treasures.
"So this is the place... How do we know which ones are implements?" you wonder aloud.
Embryx picks up the first blunt weapon she can find and points it away from herself. "...Nope," she says after a moment, before putting it down.
"There's a locked cabinet here," Stalna says, gesturing to an imposing, steel-plated box the size of an upright wardrobe. "They'd probably keep their finished work locked away until a merchant retrieves it, right?"
You size it up eagerly. "Either that, or this is what they keep their raw materials in. If we found some magika, or even better, draconika, we could just fix up your morning star to do the job!"
Embryx seems hesitant. "I dunno, Agranne. We don't know anything about artificing. At best we'd probably waste some good materials, and at worst..."
"Have you ever seen what happens when you mishandle phantastika?" Stalna cuts in.
You shake your head. You've heard that it can be dangerous, but you don't actually know what happens.
"...I heard that there was a journeyman back in Zuklanar who had the skin of his hands turn to glass just because he didn't take the proper steps. It took two clerics days of searching for a way to turn it back into flesh before they realized they couldn't, and so they just decided to smash his hands under a cauldron, pick all the glass off, and heal him so he'd re-grow his skin."
Embryx shudders a bit at the tale.
"Okay, fine," you reply as you walk up to the cabinet and prepare a lockbreaker. "Let's just find out what's in here..."
A loud clang and a clatter of broken fragments later, the heavy door swings open, revealing a set of finely-crafted weapons whose black-colored metal gleams enticingly in the lantern light. For a moment, you all simply gawk, letting out a few "oohs" at the metalworking, before Embryx's excitement fades. "Shit, no maces," she says with a huff, nearly turning away before looking at the choices available again. This time, she notices an unusual weapon and reaches for it.
"A polearm?" you ask as she takes it free from the display.
Embryx turns it over in her hand and examines the sinister, upright and concave blade at its head.
Stalna gives an uncharacteristic smile. "...A war scythe!" she says, excitedly, practically pushing past you so that she can explain it. "You see these a lot in the Empire, but they're totally rare this far east. This side is for hacking and slashing," she says, pointing toward the long, gently-curved surface on the leading edge, "and there's a spike and a hook on the other side for bashing armored opponents or dragging people down from above."
"When would I do that?" Embryx asks, cocking her head. "I suppose if someone ran up a tree to get away, I could pull them back down-"
Wag bursts into laughter. "...It'z for dealing with horzemen!" she says. "They ride up, you duck down, ztick this up over your zhoulder, and then - bam! - you yank them off their zaddle and beat them to death on the ground."
"Oh," Embryx says before breaking into laughter herself. "Let me just..." she says, picking it up and turning it over in her hands, growing more enamored as she familiarizes herself with each of its small details. She then takes it and walks to the center of the workshop, where she gets into a stance and swings it this way and that, far more gracefully than you would've expected. You begin to remember that Embyx had dabbled in a handful of different weapons back in Mardenaal before settling on the morning star, and was probably comfortable fighting with a variety of different tools.
Apparently satisfied with the heft of the item, she turns and points it at you with a sly grin. "Well, what do you think, Agranne? Tell no lies."
A puff of black smoke rises on cue from the blade, and you feel your tongue dance on its own. "It's cool as hell and you look so fucking hot right now!" you blurt out before grabbing at the brim of your hat and yanking it down to hide your face. Wag and Stalna have a laugh at your expense, and the unsightly cackling of witches fills the air.
1. Let's Loot Something Else - Having found Embryx a magical weapon to cart around, you wait for everyone to settle down so you can suggest the next stop on your tour of the city: an apothecary shop. You never want to get caught needing healing when you don't have your magic again, so it would be good to pocket some of that "elixir" that saved your life today.
2. Grab Yourself a Souvenir - You've never been good at using any particular weapon, since you've always been able to rely on your magic and, failing that, Embryx's muscle. Maybe you should find something new to study? It doesn't need to be magical, and whatever it is, Embryx can probably teach you a few things.
3. Another Form of Protection? - You had intended to gather some supplies to deal with future injuries, but it occurs to you that you probably won't need as much if you can just avoid getting hurt in the first place. Whether it's enchanted or not, it would be good to find some clothes that can prevent you from being stabbed in the back.
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CHUUYAS_HAT
ᴏɴᴇ ᴋɪꜱꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ
1.
Infab
The Demon Fanatic
2
Breadman
Big loaf supreme
2
Damian0358
Roleplaying Procrastinator From Elsewhere
2
bat_hacker
Junior Member
2
turtwigwins
Junior Member
3
hardcore.munchkin
Professional hater
1
Grab Yourself a Souvenir
New
K0mori
Servant Supreme
Option 1: 2 Votes (29% - Range: 1-29)
Option 2: 4 Votes (57% - Range: 30-86)
Option 3: 1 Vote (14% - Range: 87-100)
Fae Roll: 60
You glance over the fancy weapons all around you, but every one of them feels like an invitation to embarrass yourself. You can only speculate as to what sort of extreme circumstances would need to unfold before you'd reach for something like a battle-axe or a claymore - and even if it were appropriate, you wonder how exactly you'd swing one without toppling over like a wobbly top.
However, another thought occurs to you as you realize that this workshop turns out more than just combat equipment: owing to your time on the farmstead back in Zuklanar, you'd actually feel quite confident carrying a sickle. As you locate one amongst the hammers, irons, saws and awls, you notice that the craftspeople here can't seem to help themselves from pouring additional work and details into things that don't need it. As you pick the cutting tool off the workbench, your lip curls into a sneer. They bothered to give the thing a whole crescent moon motif, but didn't bother to make sure the blade would hold up in the fields, you think, disapprovingly. It's like they wanted someone like me to have it. ...I'll find some good use for it.
You pick the tool - now a weapon - off the table, and give it a few experimental swipes.
"Ooh," Embryx says. "What's that?"
"That's... That's a sickle," Stalna explains with thinly-tempered interest in her eyes. "...It's a kind of farm tool. You've never seen one before?"
Embryx raises an eyebrow. "It doesn't look like a farm tool; it looks like a torture device. ...But then again, I don't know much about farms..."
"No, you're right," you say quickly, "this one was made by someone who knows how knives work and that's it," you say with a snicker. "It's a good thing I don't plan on harvesting grain anytime soon, although I do think it'll come in handy."
There's a sudden crash as Wag skitters through the room, knocking a few items over as she presents you a locked strongbox. "Zizter!" she says excitedly.
Without a question, you tap the lock with your finger and watch the metal shatter at your touch. The lockbreaker has become such a common spell for you that you can hardly imagine getting it wrong by using more or less power than what's absolutely needed. The goblin drops the box onto the floor and kicks it open, revealing that it isn't full of coins as you would've expected, but instead it's full of newly-made gold and silver jewelry, sparkling with all manner of gemstones: amulets, necklaces, rings, and bracelets. "Oh, shit!" you chuckle. "Looks like you're set, Wag."
"Wha?" Wag replies, cocking her head. "You mean... You want me to keep it all?"
You shrug. "However much you can carry," you reply.
The goblin looks back and forth between you, the other sisters, and her treasure, before rushing over to you and throwing her arms around your legs and burying her face into your belly, squeezing you. "Thank youuu..." her muffled voice reaches you through the fabric of your coat.
Confused, you give her a pat on the back and then gently push on her shoulder until she releases you, and it slowly dawns on you how much your indifferent generosity had affected her. "Hey, you okay?" you ask as she wipes tears out of her eyes.
"I'm fine," she says eagerly with a smile and a nod. "I juzt know I haven't helped much zince I joined you, but you zaved my life from Veralt and Corrinth, forgave me for not ztopping them myzelf, and you azk for nothing az I enrich myzelf from your effortz... All I can zay iz thank you, Agranne. Thank you."
"You're welcome," you reply with a smile, but you glance to Stalna and Embryx and notice the latter looking crestfallen as she stares at Wag. You can't help but feel her unspoken hurt, knowing how badly she misses Ika and how she probably wishes she was here instead of this relative stranger in Wag. You silently make a promise - even if Rigatte's resurrection precludes Ika's own return, you'll find a way to reunite Embryx with her best friend, someway, somehow.
Once Wag has finally stopped blubbering and stuffing her pockets, Stalna takes the rest - you insist on it, given that she intends to look for her family and support them back in Zuklanar - and with the loot fully distributed, you excuse Wag for the rest of the night. She promises to meet with your party in the morning for a proper goodbye, along with Fiola, and once she's departed, you look to the other two for their opinions on where to go next.
"You know what I think?" Embryx begins, "I think we should go back to the Mage's College. I still can't get over that tapestry, and if Kulka doesn't know what it's about, it's probably just because nobody in the coven could explore their archives until now. But, like, everyone whose job was to keep us out of their library is probably dead twice-over by this point. Don't you think we should at least take a look?"
Stalna shakes her head. "If I may," she says, "if the Pandemonium Door was kept in the Kingdom's care for all this time before you got it, I think we ought to see what else is in the reliquary. Even if we don't find any other godly artifacts, it might reveal information which has been withheld from the coven for a very long time..."
1. Embryx's Suggestion - You're caught off-guard by the shrewd focus of your allies on the important questions, rather than them becoming fully distracted by the huge array of loot throughout the city. "...As much as I'd like to know more about the 'godly artifact' we've got, I don't think I'll be able to sleep at night unless I know how that tapestry came to be," you reply. "The Door works, and that's all I really need from it."
2. Stalna's Suggestion - You appreciate how Embryx and Stalna are looking at the bigger picture. "You're right," you say to Stalna. "The tapestry is important, but at least it's sitting out in the open; Fiola can get that information and pass it along to me later. But if we don't move fast on the reliquary, then Silanae might close it off to us after she's coronated."
Option 2: 4 Votes (57% - Range: 30-86)
Option 3: 1 Vote (14% - Range: 87-100)
Fae Roll: 60
You glance over the fancy weapons all around you, but every one of them feels like an invitation to embarrass yourself. You can only speculate as to what sort of extreme circumstances would need to unfold before you'd reach for something like a battle-axe or a claymore - and even if it were appropriate, you wonder how exactly you'd swing one without toppling over like a wobbly top.
However, another thought occurs to you as you realize that this workshop turns out more than just combat equipment: owing to your time on the farmstead back in Zuklanar, you'd actually feel quite confident carrying a sickle. As you locate one amongst the hammers, irons, saws and awls, you notice that the craftspeople here can't seem to help themselves from pouring additional work and details into things that don't need it. As you pick the cutting tool off the workbench, your lip curls into a sneer. They bothered to give the thing a whole crescent moon motif, but didn't bother to make sure the blade would hold up in the fields, you think, disapprovingly. It's like they wanted someone like me to have it. ...I'll find some good use for it.
You pick the tool - now a weapon - off the table, and give it a few experimental swipes.
"Ooh," Embryx says. "What's that?"
"That's... That's a sickle," Stalna explains with thinly-tempered interest in her eyes. "...It's a kind of farm tool. You've never seen one before?"
Embryx raises an eyebrow. "It doesn't look like a farm tool; it looks like a torture device. ...But then again, I don't know much about farms..."
"No, you're right," you say quickly, "this one was made by someone who knows how knives work and that's it," you say with a snicker. "It's a good thing I don't plan on harvesting grain anytime soon, although I do think it'll come in handy."
There's a sudden crash as Wag skitters through the room, knocking a few items over as she presents you a locked strongbox. "Zizter!" she says excitedly.
Without a question, you tap the lock with your finger and watch the metal shatter at your touch. The lockbreaker has become such a common spell for you that you can hardly imagine getting it wrong by using more or less power than what's absolutely needed. The goblin drops the box onto the floor and kicks it open, revealing that it isn't full of coins as you would've expected, but instead it's full of newly-made gold and silver jewelry, sparkling with all manner of gemstones: amulets, necklaces, rings, and bracelets. "Oh, shit!" you chuckle. "Looks like you're set, Wag."
"Wha?" Wag replies, cocking her head. "You mean... You want me to keep it all?"
You shrug. "However much you can carry," you reply.
The goblin looks back and forth between you, the other sisters, and her treasure, before rushing over to you and throwing her arms around your legs and burying her face into your belly, squeezing you. "Thank youuu..." her muffled voice reaches you through the fabric of your coat.
Confused, you give her a pat on the back and then gently push on her shoulder until she releases you, and it slowly dawns on you how much your indifferent generosity had affected her. "Hey, you okay?" you ask as she wipes tears out of her eyes.
"I'm fine," she says eagerly with a smile and a nod. "I juzt know I haven't helped much zince I joined you, but you zaved my life from Veralt and Corrinth, forgave me for not ztopping them myzelf, and you azk for nothing az I enrich myzelf from your effortz... All I can zay iz thank you, Agranne. Thank you."
"You're welcome," you reply with a smile, but you glance to Stalna and Embryx and notice the latter looking crestfallen as she stares at Wag. You can't help but feel her unspoken hurt, knowing how badly she misses Ika and how she probably wishes she was here instead of this relative stranger in Wag. You silently make a promise - even if Rigatte's resurrection precludes Ika's own return, you'll find a way to reunite Embryx with her best friend, someway, somehow.
Once Wag has finally stopped blubbering and stuffing her pockets, Stalna takes the rest - you insist on it, given that she intends to look for her family and support them back in Zuklanar - and with the loot fully distributed, you excuse Wag for the rest of the night. She promises to meet with your party in the morning for a proper goodbye, along with Fiola, and once she's departed, you look to the other two for their opinions on where to go next.
"You know what I think?" Embryx begins, "I think we should go back to the Mage's College. I still can't get over that tapestry, and if Kulka doesn't know what it's about, it's probably just because nobody in the coven could explore their archives until now. But, like, everyone whose job was to keep us out of their library is probably dead twice-over by this point. Don't you think we should at least take a look?"
Stalna shakes her head. "If I may," she says, "if the Pandemonium Door was kept in the Kingdom's care for all this time before you got it, I think we ought to see what else is in the reliquary. Even if we don't find any other godly artifacts, it might reveal information which has been withheld from the coven for a very long time..."
1. Embryx's Suggestion - You're caught off-guard by the shrewd focus of your allies on the important questions, rather than them becoming fully distracted by the huge array of loot throughout the city. "...As much as I'd like to know more about the 'godly artifact' we've got, I don't think I'll be able to sleep at night unless I know how that tapestry came to be," you reply. "The Door works, and that's all I really need from it."
2. Stalna's Suggestion - You appreciate how Embryx and Stalna are looking at the bigger picture. "You're right," you say to Stalna. "The tapestry is important, but at least it's sitting out in the open; Fiola can get that information and pass it along to me later. But if we don't move fast on the reliquary, then Silanae might close it off to us after she's coronated."
Infab
The Demon Fanatic
1
CHUUYAS_HAT
ᴏɴᴇ ᴋɪꜱꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀʟʟ ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ
2
joshuadim
the writer
1
hardcore.munchkin
Professional hater
1
