Totemist Quest 74

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>>45111687

You plant a hand on the ground, feeling the decimated bone in your arm crack further under the strain. You other palm rises to match, levering you away from the relative stability of the floor.

Your armor and the smoking sheen within is melting off of you in thin rivers of quicksilver and black. It smokes away into a fine ash before it touches the ground, surrounding you in a nimbus of malevolent grays.

Your arm is agony incarnate stapled clumsily to your body. Still, you can move it. The ebon sinews that gave it life have not melted away with the rest of your unexpected armament.

You watch in half-aware fascination as the Hall of Reflections works to clot the wound you have torn in it. The walls twist together organically, a tight contraction that leaves only sparking scars where the Avatar of Hunger's door once stood.

The ruined arm cradled against your chest twitches erratically.

> [[The Void within you grows, and your power alongside it.]]

> [[New Void-Tremor unlocked: Blighted Regeneration.]]
> [[New Void-Tremor unlocked: Raiment of Unmaking.]]

You stumble as best you can down the hall. With some surprise it becomes apparent to you that your bleeding wounds have vanished, leaving only pink, raw skin in their place.

The Forge doors are mercifully open.

> Call out for Zahn.
> Get your things and go.
> Try to let yourself collapse.
> Write-in

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You are Osyki, journeyman Totemist and first line of defense for your village against the rabid Behemoths wandering the land. Your master, the previous Totemist, fell in a battle against a terrible Behemoth, leaving the duty of defending your settlement to you. After narrowly surviving a botched attempt to reinforce the Avatar of Hunger's power, you find yourself forced to grapple with an unknown and unwelcome ability within you.

[[Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=totem

BRAND NEW Binding Collection: http://zamubafoo.github.io/

Plot Summary: http://pastebin.com/dqBSNUTM

The Cast Thus Far / Binder's Log: http://pastebin.com/VsJpEUx3

Ask: ask.fm/DiarcaEXE

Wiki in progess: http://totemistquest.pbworks.com

Quest Twitter: @TotemistQuest]]

Get ready for the salt

>>45111710
> Call out for Zahn.

>>45111710
> Call out for Zahn.
At least we still have two arms.

>>45111710
>> Call out for Zahn

>>45111710
>> Get your things and go.

>>45111710
>> Call out for Zahn.
We're in bad shape, we need help.

Now that I think about it Zahn probably won't be our biggest fan if he finds out we're infected by the void.

>>45111890
>Things you never realized you take for granted

>>45111710
> Call out for Zahn.

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You are alive and somehow have retained the use of both of your arms. Both positives! You are also woefully out of your depth at how to explain and deal with the consequences of a bad trip down the Hall of Reflections.

“Zahn!”

Your voice echoes across the forge, though strangely muted to your ears.

“Hesheza!”

Your senses pick up the faint sounds of doors slamming open above you. You hang your head in relief as the din grows louder and louder, leaning against one of the toolracks heavily. The erratic twitching in your arm has somewhat stilled as your heart rate slows.

The door to the Forge overhead opens with a resounding bang. Zahn sweeps down through the air in a hurricane of dark feathers, encircling you in the veil of down once before coming to rest in front of you. The beaked countenance of the spirit's mask looks you up and down. As always, its expression is unreadable.

“Not your finest hour,” it comments.

“No,” you agree. “I need your help.” You slowly lower your arm from your chest, looking upon it for the first time since the armor retreated. Deep veins of charcoal trace the contours of your limb. The flesh devoured by Hunger is slowly healing shut, leaving that same new pink flesh behind. The bone, however, seems to be beyond your newfound regenerative abilities. Your appendage hangs at a sickening angle as you lower your arm.

Zahn recoils momentarily. You can only assume it's seen a broken arm or two in its time.”

“That is--” it mutters. “Perhaps you are more your master's student than I had hoped."
(cont.)

>>45112407

Still, it sweeps you up on a carpet of feathers and carries you in the slipstream behind it up through the doors and toward the Archway. A few turns taken at dizzying speeds see you to the room you previously awoke within.

“Rest now,” Zahn mutters. “I will attend to your ails.” It deposits you gently on the bed before swooping out of the room once more.

You feel a hard lump in your pocket. A quick search reveals the orb of the Eternal Maw. Thick gray smoke fills the glass sphere, now, obscuring the glowing core of the being from view.

> You heard the man. Pass out.
> You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation.
> Summon one of your spirits for company. (Who?)
> Write-in

>>45112421
> Summon one of your spirits for company. (Who?)
Cordia

>>45112421
>> You heard the man. Pass out.
We were tired before we tried this, we need the rest.

>>45112421
>You have work to do. meditate.

>>45112421
>You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation

>>45112421
> Summon one of your spirits for company. (Who?)Amal
have him record what happens to the arm while were out.
> You heard the man. Pass out.

>>45112421
> You heard the man. Pass out.
Working while in the beginning stages of an uncontrolled corruption doesn't seem wise.

Though, we may possibly want to communicate with Boand -- she does worry and she can tell our apprentices about our unexpected bout of required rest of unknown duration.

>>45112606
Yes this

>>45112606
Good idea. Amal best companion.

>>45112421
> You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation.
We managed to reduce our void corruption through meditation before, we can do it again.

>>45112421
> You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation.
+
>>45112606

>>45112421
> You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation.

>>45112421
>> You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation.

>>45112421
who can summon diarcia

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Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>45113068

>>45112421
>You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation.

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>45113116
http://i.4cdn.org/tg/1454185591347.png

>>45113068
>>45113116
It was too early to fire up the summoning circle, shoulda waited for an hour proper.
Guess we'll have to hope it works and bring him in the next 10mins

>>45113175
i'm two away from 100 it should work
>>45113170

Aww yeah baby, it's Totemist time!

>>45112421
>You have work to do yourself. Slip into meditation.

You wait in silence for a time. Zahn was kind enough to leave you propped up against the headboard. You're not sure you could summon the strength to struggle upright at this point. You hand clutches instinctively for the amulet around you neck. Amal needs no further invitation to shimmer into being beside you, rotating with rapid agitation.

“My word.” His voice is brittle, carefully placed for fear of shattering you. “Your arm. Is it...?”

You shake your head. “I have no idea. Zahn is coming to attend to it shortly.”

Ever to the point, Amal rotates to float in front of you rather than at your side. “What can I do?”

“Keep watch.” You nod toward the door. “Aid him if he requires it, but I want to know what he does to my arm.”

“Of course. Is there some reason you're looking for a second opinion specifically?”

You shake your head, inching upward painfully until your back is flush against the wall behind you. “You'll be my eyes and ears here. I have some maintenance to do internally.”

“Are you certain that's wise?”

You snort. “Wise isn't on the docket tonight, my friend.”

Amal lets out a low groan of recalcitrant acceptance. “Fine. But do come back intact.”

You nod an affirmative, allowing your eyes to drift closed. “Do my best,” you mutter before allowing your breathing to slip into the soothing patterns Ayren taught you as a boy.

Down, down, down.

Down into the abyss.
–-

…

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>>45113427

–-

You find yourself staring up at a massive stone pillar. It reaches into the sky, but the fog overhead is too far away to be touched. Carved into its length are several stories, written in pictographic script. They are stories you have read before.

You turn to find yourself in the sky. The ground beneath your feet is soft mud that clings to your toes. Behind you, past the pillar, a grand temple awaits. The flames that line its steps are flickering fitfully. To your left, a blooming garden wafts floral scents your way from a few islands over. Night has fallen over those woods; they are not safe to tread. To your right, a shining crystal floats beside the island. A cloud of reflective dust orbits it in strange halos. In front of you is the expanse of emptiness, and a long, long drop. Something stirs fitfully in the clouds below.

The sky overhead is filled with dense mist. The sky below is not.

> Approach the Temple.
> Inspect the Pillar
> Investigate the Crystal
> Jump

>>45113447
> Investigate the Crystal
Last time we got Void-whammied the crystal cracked and were able to deal with it by repairing it. Hopefully we can do that again.

>>45113447
>> Investigate the Crystal

>>45113447
>Investigate the Crystal.

Fuuuuuuck I hope the thing isn't even more riddled with void-scabies.

>>45113447
> Jump

>>45113447
>> Jump
Someday we will actually do this.
> Investigate the Crystal
Was the garden left off intentionally due to being unsafe?

>>45113447
> Investigate the Crystal
We investigate the crystal every time we're here, right? Let's not break tradition.

>>45111747
That new Binding collection makes me sad. By my calculations, we only know 85 of 390 potential bindings with out current spirits. We've researched less than 25% of what we can conceivably do. (21.8%)

We need to spend some more days blowing through bindings and testing them out, or finding a way to accelerate the process (I think working through Amal bindings would be the best hope on that front, something to help us decipher the most likely results of combining Item A's symbolic core with Binding B's power structure.)


Oh, and of course

>>45113447
>Investigate the Crystal.

I'm sad I missed last week's. Gotta keep a better eye on the Twitter.

Spoilers so I hopefully don't revive the fight from last time.
I don't think it was a bad idea to try and Hone the Avatar of Hunger, but I do think it was a bad idea to do it right then. I think we should have slept and done it in the morning. But what's done is done, and you can never know if the dice are going to screw you.

I'm interested in finding out what the Rainment of Unmaking is, once we handle our spiritual wellbeing. It sounds a little like the defense the Tyrant Wurm uses: destroying attacks made against you.

>>45114011
if we had gotten those rolls in the morning the exact same thing would have happened, I don't understand your argument

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>>45114083
Maybe not, anon. Only Thane would know the secret of the Dice.

Probably should have Honed him. Dude's holding back, methinks.

Why did we decide to meditate now when we're not even close to centered?

Do people just hate doing nothing? You know Diarca's not going to take multiple posts describing Osyki resting right? We're not actually really losing quest time.

>>45114231
Best choice was the rock turtle. We always have Cloudwalker's Stride and upgrading it would be best.

>>45114275
We're assessing the damage and seeing if we can repair anything.

>>45114083

Presumably, yes. But I think Diarca may do behind-the-scenes math/result modification based on the realities of the situations.

From a purely character perspective, it was a bad call. We went into a fight we knew would be difficult already tired after a full day of research and totemcrafting.

I mainly note it for the line after the first roll, where Diarca wrote "drawing on (already flagging) reserves." It makes it sound like our exhaustion was a factor in the result. Had we gone in fully rested and mentally prepared, and rolled shitty, that's just luck. But we went in in a bad situation and then rolled poorly (that seconds too late 99 was a heartbreaker, man.), so it FEELS like we have extenuating circumstances. Do we? I don't know, and don't really want to know if Diarca has a hard and fast rule. He does such a great job, I'm happy letting him do it how he feels right.

I don't care enough to cast blame, I just wanted to be a part of the discussion since I just finished the archives.


I'm more interested at the moment in enshrining a Guardian Spirit.

>>45114376
Yeah but if we're not in a good position like we just had something traumatic happen to us and we're currently undergoing surgery, then we will probably make things worse.

The mud pulls at your heels as you step across the island. The earth begs you to stay. Don't go. Just be still.

The mist overhead bears down. A weighty mantle of listless gray on the shoulders of the horizon.

You feel cold.

The edge of the island slumps downward. The mud slides from between your toes over the edge of the ground and down into the sky. Up is down here now. You smile. Everything here is so backward and strange now.

The Crystal shines before you. Silver light leaks from every facet. The mist overhead glows white. The sky below devours the light. Black, black, black. The clouds are very far below you now.

Twin rings of filmy dust orbit the crystal. White and black—one fed from the steady drip of the mist above, one formed from the cloud of smoke and ash rising from below. The twin sky runs in ragged loops around the glowing crystal sun.

Something here feels out of balance. You can't put your finger on it.

Two disparate feelings are at war.

Something vast and ephemeral and terribly unknown.

Something contained and moribund and all too close.

The twin rings orbit the crystal. The wind blows hollow at your back.

> Disrupt the ring of white. It blinds and offends.
> Disrupt the ring of black. It chokes and inhibits.
> Leave the crystal be. You have more pressing worries.

>>45114471
>> Disrupt the ring of white. It blinds and offends.

>>45114471
I'm guessing one of the influences we're feeling is actually Zahn healing us. But without knowing which, I'd say just move on for now.
> Leave the crystal be. You have more pressing worries.

>>45114471
See, even the ground knows this was a mistake. We're in the middle of something really complex and I don't think we know what we're doing.

>>45114471
>Disrupt the ring of black. It chokes and inhibits.

>>45114471
>Leave the Crystal be

>>45114471
>Disrupt the ring of Black. It chokes and inhibits.

Fuckit mang, if the blind one only blinds and offends, it doesn't sound quite as bad as the black one does.

But damn. WHAT is the black one choking? What is the white one blinding?

>>45114471
>> Leave the crystal be. You have more pressing worries.

>>45114527
I think the white might be Zahn, since mist seems like a thing with the World Without? But I don't know what feeling leads to what color? Like what role does the Void play?

>>45114471
>> Leave the crystal be. You have more pressing worries.
Eh, if we cant balance this sgit lets leave it

>>45114407
>(that seconds too late 99 was a heartbreaker, man
In future you scumbags will know to ask Buddha to have your back.

>>45114649
I don't think balance us the goal, since the void is bad. I'm pretty sure of that at least

>>45114471
Everything being backwards concerns me. Also the black seems bad, but sometimes restrictions are there for a reason.

Alright anons, I'm making a food run. Don't doom us all!

>>45114471
> Disrupt the ring of black. It chokes and inhibits.
Silver light is Osyki's spiritual power, and the black ring is formed from the sky that devours it.

>>45114883
It's too late for that. The word moribund disturbs me a lot, makes me worry that the difference between the two is death and life.

Osyki about to get blacked.

You have had quite enough of choking black today. The void, the smoke, the terrible abyss inside Hunger's gaping maw. The gritty particulate absorbs the radiance of the crystal. That you cannot abide. The light gleaming within those facets is too precious.

You raise your hand and the wind along with it. The gales whip past you in razor-edged ribbons. Coiling serpents arise from the very air. Cruel but accurate. Unstoppable. Unknowable.

This is the wind to you.

You expect a struggle but the control comes effortlessly. Here you are the sky and the earth. The ring of black segments neatly into pieces and drifts away on the summoned gale. As the ash drifts away the light of the crystal kisses your brow. It seems a little brighter across the island now.

You feel invigorated.

The ring of white revolves with ever-increasing speed. Soon another ring has joined it. Then another. Soon the crystal is enveloped by a cloud of nebulous light. It's so bright. So beautiful. You can hardly stand to look upon it.

You turn.

The island is suddenly so far away.

The mud beneath your feet begs you to move no further lest you plummet over the edge.

Far beneath you, something stirs the clouds.

–-

>>45115115

You find yourself staring up at a massive stone pillar. It reaches into the sky, but the fog overhead is too far away to be touched. Carved into its length are several stories, written in pictographic script. They are stories you have read before.

You turn to find yourself in the sky. The ground beneath your feet is soft mud that clings to your toes. Behind you, past the pillar, a grand temple awaits. The flames that line its steps are flickering fitfully. To your left, a blooming garden wafts floral scents your way from a few islands over. Night has fallen over those woods; they are not safe to tread. To your right, a shining crystal floats beside the island. Wings of dust spread glittering shadows across the island in undulating waves. In front of you is the expanse of emptiness, and a long, long drop. The clouds below are a beckoning maelstrom.

The sky overhead is filled with luminous, beautiful mist. The sky below is not.

> Approach the Temple.
> Inspect the Pillar
> Investigate the Crystal
> Jump

>>45115115
Here's hoping the black wasn't Zahn. He is cloaked in black feathers, after all.

>>45115141
> Inspect the Pillar

>>45115141
>Approach the temple.
I'm not sure how disrupting black won, but as long as it wasn't the wrong move I won't complain.

>>45115141
>Temple
Have we ever jumped? I kind of want to since that shit is ominous as fuck, but there's no point jumping while everything is fucked up since we wouldn't have any frame of reference for how it's supposed to be.

>>45115141
>> Inspect the Pillar

>>45115141
>> Approach the Temple.

>>45115301
I think Diarca said at one point that jumping is leaving meditation early, though I may be mistaken

>>45115141
I wish we inspected the pillar more often. We need to meditate when we're not in peril.

>>45115319
I'm mostly worried by
>>45113447
>Something stirs fitfully in the clouds below.
It's in our head, man.

>>45115141
> Inspect the Pillar
Pillar is knowledge -- it's best to investigate it when we have questions to ask. And I believe we really want to know what Void corruption is and does. ( though, I suppose, we could wait for Zahn to tell us. )

>>45115141
>Approach the Temple.
Sorry other anons, but I'd like to get to that temple. The pillar just doesn't seem as crucial as checking up at our core, ASAP.

>>45115141
>Jump

>>45115141
>Inspect the pillar.

If we can, sit near it, and look at it from a distance. The earth is trying to support us, to keep us here. We are within ourselves. Let us breathe, rest, and take in what we can of the Pillar.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>45115141
>Approach the Temple.

You walk past the monolithic pillar, paying its runes and inscriptions no mind. The temple is where you spend most of your time here, and with good reason. Its oracles are sound, and its pools refreshing.

The vast temple looms ominously now. Your approach is made laborious by the mud sucking you in. The wet earth grips at your ankles with desperate fervor. Stay, it whispers. Stay.

The first step up the staircase is almost impossible. You press on with determination. Your hand scrabbles at the stone until you find a handhold. Or do you make it?

The spiritfire defenses are dim without but a crazed inferno within. You walk untouched through curtains of white-green flame. The walls know their master. Still, there are traces of passage. An intruder. Something unwelcome. Something alien.

Traces of it linger still. Perfectly square cubes of unknown origin float serenely in the air, extinguishing the hearthfire where they meet. Deep gouges line the walls in crazed patterns. Even the stone beneath your feet seems unstable.

Many options. Many places it might have gone to ground. Your fingers itch for a spear that does not exist in this place. Knuckles and claws will have to suffice.

You only have time for one.

>[ ]Visit the Library. Your knowledge is key.
>[ ]The Wading Pools have a history of unexpected guests.
>[ ]Peruse the Hall of Vision. You needn't seek it on foot.
>[ ]Descend into the Core.

>>45115862
>>[x]Descend into the Core.

>>45115862
>>[ ]Descend into the Core.

>>45115862
>Peruse the Hall of Vision. You needn't seek it on foot.

I'd rather know what this thing is before we tackle it. Osyki has a history of preparation, so let's stay with it.

>>45115862
>[ ]Descend into the Core.

>>45115862
Dwe hve to go deeper!

>Core

>>45115862
>>[ ]Peruse the Hall of Vision. You needn't seek it on foot.

>>45115862
>[ ]Peruse the Hall of Vision. You needn't seek it on foot.
Learn more about our foe before we confront it in the Core.

>>45115862
>[ ]Visit the Library. Your knowledge is key.

>>45115862
>The Wading Pools have a history of unexpected guests.
I don't think we've every went here but clearing these probably will help Osyki regain energy from rest, judging from the description of the temples pools.

>>45115968
>>45115934
>You only have time for one.

>>45115862
>Library

>>45116004
We met Modi Magni there once.

>>45115862
>>[ ]The Wading Pools have a history of unexpected guests.

>>45115862
>Hall of Vision

Let us see it, and know what dwells within us now.

We should ask Zahn about some random shit when we wake up while we're here. Some topics I've come up with:
The lord restrained and others like him.
The shade area that Thane sent us to.
Thane.
Caetus or whatever his name was.
The gem we found in the basilisks lair.
Meditation.

>>45116102
I wonder if the gem is the Vital Spark...

>>45116153
Nah, pretty sure the vital spark was the heart Ayren pulled out of the magma behemoth during the one shot, and that was a giant metal orb I think.

>>45116153
Well, it's unlikely to have been the one he used for us. I don't see any reason why he would have that on him when he died. It could be the Basilisk Wyrm's, but I would expect that it would be larger and more organic in its case. It could have been preserved and shrunken down by totemistry, much like our Foci are, but I don't think Ayren would have focused on the ritual harvesting with how much venom was in him. He barely managed to get back to the village in time to be buried. Most likely the Vital Spark from the Basilisk Wyrm just got eaten by Hunger.

>>45115862
>>[ ]Peruse the Hall of Vision. You needn't seek it on foot.

>>45116250
The Basilisk Wyrm was also a behemoth. So the big metal orb was the spark of the lava one, but maybe the gem is the Vital spark of the Basilisk.

>>45116268
Now that's an interesting idea. If Hunger consumed the Vital Spark of a Behemoth, that may be why it's so powerful/rebellious.

The core is the most obvious choice. Your sanctum. Your source. Were it to run to anywhere at all, the core is the place of power it would feed best from. The obvious choice is to walk down those steps and confront the invader in your place of power.

But you just don't know if you have another fight left in you today.

Instead you climb. The Hall of Vision is free of the floating squares. The spiritfire defenses remain untriggered. You ascend just short of the wading halls and take a sharp left turn, descending into the center of the manse.

The Hall of Vision. Crystal panels float in perfect harmony around you, an unbroken screen of placid meditation waiting to be tapped.

You take your place in the hall's center. A small cushion lifts you from the clinging earth below. Here, you have a moment's peace. Once you are within, nothing can pierce those doors that was not meant to.

The crystal panes ripple in sync around you. The great orb rotates around you, an oculus of infinite perception. You point it down, in, and observe.

There.

It lurks and festers. One digit, too many knuckles, too many joints pierces your core. Drinks from it. With every gulp it makes itself more a part of this place.

A foreign shape. An invader. Sleek and infinite in its depths. Eyes burn like dying suns as it takes of you and becomes whole.

The intruder.

The void.
(cont.)

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>>45116911

A whorl of squares shield it from the reactive conflagration that washes in verdant sheets down on the core chamber. The cloak won't last long. It doesn't have to. It has finished its work for now. It seeps between the stones of the floor, slides out of sight with a parting wink.

You can see the seed it planted within the core. To remove it now would be catastrophic. Perhaps you can limit its growth.

Another time.

–-

You find yourself staring up at a massive stone pillar. It reaches into the sky, but the fog overhead is too far away to be touched. Carved into its length are several stories, written in pictographic script. They are stories you have read before.

You turn to find yourself in the sky. The ground beneath your feet is soft mud that clings to your toes. Behind you, past the pillar, a grand temple awaits. Its doors are sealed. Its fire is extinguished. To your left, a blooming garden wafts floral scents your way from a few islands over. Night has fallen over those woods; they are not safe to tread. To your right, a shining crystal floats beside the island. Wings of dust spread glittering shadows across the island in undulating waves. In front of you is the expanse of emptiness, and a long, long drop. The clouds below are a beckoning maelstrom. It waits there for you, expectant. Pleased. Introductions must be made.

The sky overhead is filled with luminous, beautiful mist. The sky below is not.

You are out of time.

> Inspect the Pillar
> Jump

>>45116966
> Inspect the Pillar

>>45116966
> Jump

>>45116966
Damn caution was a mistake I guess?

>>45116966
>> Jump

>>45116966
>Jump

Then let us introduce ourselves.

>>45116966
>Jump

>>45116966
>> Inspect the Pillar
well, crap. We should have gone to the core. Ah well, next time.

>>45116911
I think you guys misunderstood what the Halls of Vision were.

>>45116966
So now we're double terminal? First the Earth corruption and now this?

>>45117003
I disagree. We fight the Void. Its power is in its inscrutable nature, its unknowable expanse. To fight it today would have been unwise, exhausted and broken as we are. But we have seen it now. We have observed it, and how it acts. Our knowledge of it is our strongest weapon.

>>45116966
> Inspect the Pillar

>>45117077
Clearly we need to progress our Earth corruption so far it crowds the Void corruption out. Like how they treat some forms of cancer by infecting you with tuberculosis.

>>45117077
Looks like. We... might want to speed up work on getting that spark. Also, I hope we've been keeping journals of our own.

>>45116966
On the one hand, jumping seems like a mistake. On the other hand, it seems like it'd be rude not to.

>>45117003
I assume this let us notice the seed, whereas had we fought it off we'd maybe lose some corruption, but would have missed that bit of information.

>>45117100
I'm pretty sure all the Halls of Vision did was tell us we should have gone to the core.

>>45117113
I'd rather not speed up our existing corruption, since, if it gets too bad, we die. I'd rather lock its progess, of we could. Shame we can't use 4th's key on spiritual corruption.

could we?

>>45117158
I thought we would have stopped it? I'm not sure how we'd do that, but I think it'd be one of the esoteric options.

>>45117170
Well it did inform us that taking it outright would of been disasterous and we should limit its growth instead. Lets just remember not to persue void stuff for now until we have it controlled.

>>45117205
I'm fairly certain that Fourth is going to turn out to be important for dealing with the Void. Not sure if he'll be important in a good or bad way, but he's definitely relevant to it somehow, given what his bindings tend to do.

>>45117219
I thought that was after it had infected the core that it had become too dangerous to remove and if we descended we would have had time to stop it from fingering our soul?

>>45117205
I doubt it. Locking your spirit in place seems like a poor idea.
>>45117256
I thought he was space bassed?

>>45117279
Based I mean.

>>45117219
>Well it did inform us that taking it outright would of been disasterous
No, it informed us that taking it out NOW would be disastrous. If we'd gone straight to the core, we could have stopped it before it creampied our soul.

We fucked up. All the Hall gave us was a view of the enemy completing his objective without contest.

>>45117279
Space, yes. But that gives him a link to Void stuff. Look at how many of his bindings have to do with sucking vacuum or singularities.

>>45117279
And just what is space/vacuum if not a void?

>>45117316
I dont know man. Seems like he is just a straight space man so far. About as much evidence hunger is void based.

>>45117268
I mean, it seems like it was a lot stronger than us, so I don't really know what we could have done, but it seems like "something"

>>45117170
I think the first bit about immediately wanting to go to core is just Diarca's way of acknowledging how many votes it got.

I think the real division was:

Hall: intruder plants seed of corruption, but we learn about it, and learn about our corruption.
Core: we directly confront intruder, potentially driving it off and preventing corruption, but risking defeat and/or much heavier corruption should we fail.

>>45117347
Pretty sure this place is the strongest we can possibly be. We are the rocks and the air here.

>>45117341
Hunger is related to the Void, at least going by the Honing experience. Even before we took enough damage for the Void to take root, it was still hinted at being present. I'm not saying that Hunger or Fourth are Void elementals, or anything like that, but there's a conceptual link between their domains and the Void that we might be able to use to our advantage.

>>45117370
Honestly I didn't really think stopping the thing was an option especially when we went full dark side last thread. Like I figured at best going to the core would have been more damage control

>>45117439
I still think there is a difference between the evil void and things that happen to create voids.
Big bad void doesn't have a monopoly on voids just because that's its name.

File: The Light.jpg (67KB, 553x840px) Image search: [Google]

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What else is there left to you? You have the pillar. You've read all of those stories before.

The earth screams to you. Begs. Pleads. Throws itself at your feet as you trudge through the thick mud. Don't go, it cries. Stay with me. Stay.

You love the earth. You spend most of your time there after all. But sometimes...

You need to know when to let go.

You jump.

The cloud below rush up to meet you. The gaping maw opens.

You fall.

The maelstrom below is the vast unquenchable end. The hunger. Finality. It rushes up to meet you. You have never had the strength to face it before.

You know this place will show you your end.

You open your arms and you fall.

Something catches you.

Sleek and powerful. Infinite. Unknown.

Your intruder cradles you tenderly above the roaring eye of the maelstrom.

“Osyki.” It breathes your name like a blessing. A prayer. “Thank you.”

It is difficult to make out the voice. It sounds so far away, impossibly far. Some hissing distortion masks the syllables but the intent is clear. Eyes filled with stars at their end stare down at you as a gentle hand helps you to stand on empty air.

Your head swims. You can't feel your fingers.

“Thank you,” it repeats with reverence.

You stumble to your feet. The clouds support you here. The sheer force of the unknown possibilities beneath you buoy you upward into the shimmering skies above.

The intruder flies with you.

The Void ascends with eyes aflame. Its hand finds yours. Waves of glimmering fog roll past you. Her outline is a sharp contrast. The difference draws the eye.

“We have awaited this day.”

> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.
> Accept. Perhaps an accord can be reached here.
> Deny. You need to find the earth again.
> Reject. Lash out. This is your enemy.

>>45117775
> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.

>>45117775
> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.
Eh, now that we've jumped, denying just seems wrong. And we have little strength for fighting.

>>45117775
> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.

>>45117775
>> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.

>>45117775
>> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.

"Good for you, but I don't need more biddies."

>>45117775
>Aknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.

Accepting it seems a bit lenient, since it is uninvited, but fuck it if we accept the earth corruption either. Rejecting it might agitate this thing, and right now, we might want it to be friendly.

>>45117775
If this is void shit acknowledging it seems counter intuitive.

>>45117775
> Accept. Perhaps an accord can be reached here.

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>>45117775
>the Void is female
Waifu coils charging. Argument capacitors primed. NTR buffering array on-line.
We are prepared.

>>45117775
> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.
Play nice for now. We're in no position to oppose it, but we might be able to learn more.

Does being prepared attract spirit ladies or something?

Geeze Osyki, stop being a magnet.

>>45118026
She's inside us, so why not go inside her?

HUEHUEHUE

>>45118155
More like void boy has brains and knows the best way to get a guy to except something is to slap tits on it.

Anyone notice it the image is titled 'The Light'? I wonder what we would have gotten if we had dispersed the white clouds instead.

>>45118186
...I think this makes the void a trap, in more ways than one.

>>45118221
We got it backwards, didn't we? I think we made the worst decision at every opportunity.

>>45118256
Stop, I can only get so erect.

>>45118256
I think the void is some genderless super being and given that it already has been shown to have servants this is probably another one of them.

>>45118280
> Disrupt the ring of white. It blinds and offends.
> Disrupt the ring of black. It chokes and inhibits.

The white ring offends the Totemist's Pact and blinds us of our path.

>>45117775
I think The Void and Cordia should have a meet up. They are both corrupting us, maybe they would hit it off.

>>45118486
Cordia'll get all jealous and clingy.

>>45118486
>>45118510
I dunn what Void-lady and Cordia really have in common in terms of corruption, but Boand seems to think Cordia makes us rock hard.

>>45118347
Well honestly I thought leaving the crystal alone was the winner, so I'm not sure what happened there.

We really need to get better at figuring this temple stuff out, because I'm pretty sure the stakes just got even higher.

You nod to the figure. It looms overhead even as it steps close to tuck its head under your chin. Some trick of perspective? It exists both before and above you without ever leaving either place.

“Thank you for catching me,” you tell it. Your voice is loud and clear here. The mist around you recoils at the noise.

It steps away. The strange superpositioning ends as it turns, lines of stolen power limning its limbs in strange multicolored light.

“It is not yet time for you to meet your end,” it says. Its tone is matter of fact. Stating the obvious. “Without or within. You came to meet me.”

“I did.” Again, the mists withdraw as you draw breath to speak. “You seemed to beg an audience.”

“On bended knee.” It bows low, eyes smoking as it looks you up and down. “It is an honor to meet one of such import in so intimate a place as this.”

“You've made yourself comfortable,” you note.

It straightens its posture at that, stalking closer again. Something darts between the clouds as it does. “You opened the door,” it counters. “Let me in.”

“Did I?” the mist swirls around you. “As I recall the seeds of your arrival were planted without my consent.”

“I am not he who came before me,” she says with a little shrug. The air around her warps and flexes with every movement. Your own spiritual fire trails her fingertips as she waggles a finger disapprovingly at you. “Nor are you he who came before you. One such as yourself ought to know better.”

It laughs, low and sensuous. You feel a shiver creep up your spine at the odd tri-tones of the noise.
(cont.)

>>45117775
>> Acknowledge. It didn't have to catch you.
I̷̼̻̼̺̠̭̟͝ț̀͠ş͏̦̝͟ ͓̞͎̟̼̤̙̟͠͠t҉̨̩̮͕̗̦̱͎̘̥̀ò͕͙̤͈̻ͅǫ̷̣̯̻͓̻͠ ̼͔̙̦͘͢ͅl̪̘͙̺a̫̳̳̙͢t̮̗͟e̯,̵̧͚͚͍̥̹̩ ̷̪̯̱͇͕͙͢͢w̶̯̜e̛̠͍̹̻̣̳͜'̛̜̙ṿ̵͔̻̯͔̞e̸͏̸̥̮̱ ̘̪a̝̯͈̗̬̭̭l̡͏͔̬̥r̷̩͍̻͚̜͙͘e̡͏̗̹̹̗̫̠͚̝̣a͕̺̤̲̭d͉̟̦̯͙͜͝ͅy̳̤̜̖̺̬͙͖͉͟ ̶̘̠̰͉̹̱͉̫͔l̶͓̤͞o̵̤̹͎͓̦ś̹̱̭̪t͞͏̪̘̩̰̮͙!̣̱̮̪͕͎̣̝͖

>>45118907

“I don't suppose we could discuss this on more...solid terms.”

It shakes its head. “I am of your flesh and blood. No more solid terms are there in all this world. I am here to guide you.”

“Guide me?” you ask, though you feel you already know the answer.

“To your destiny,” it drawls. “The critical points in time converge with your life irrevocably.”

“Predestined,” you nod. “So I've been told.”

“Do not pout.” It shakes its head, sending a trail of smoke skyward as it does. “You are not asbolved of responsibility. Nor choice.”

“Isn't that the point of a prophecy?”

“Naught is set in stone. Only the beginning and the end are known. It is up to you how those shining points are connected.”

“And your job is to guide me?”

“Howsoever you see fit to travel. I am not a shepherd, Osyki. I light paths you choose to tread through the dark places.”

> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”
> Accept. “Thank you. I think. You're not what I expected.”
> Deny. “I can find my own way.”
> Reject. “You're no light.”

>>45118907
>It straightens its posture at that, stalking closer again. Something darts between the clouds as it does. “You opened the door,” it counters. “Let me in.”
Wait, this isn't the thing we saw moving?

>>45118943
> Accept. “Thank you. I think. You're not what I expected.”

>>45118943
>Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”

>>45118943
> Accept. “Thank you. I think. You're not what I expected.”

>>45118943
God this is the worst kind of prophecy. The one that's pretty much a railroaded campaign where we can do whatever we want pretty much but it'll all just lead to the pre-written conclusion, and then fate or the void or whatever gets to say it was all our fault.

>>45118943
>Deny. “I can find my own way.”
I dont care if it has tits and neither should the rest of you.

>>45119011
BURN THE WHEEL!
FATE WAR NOW!

>>45119011
Thats every prophecy. Thats how they work man.

>>45118949
It just said she can be two places at once.

>>45118943
> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”

>>45118949
I'm starting to think she's what might help keep the other thing in check. If she did take a sample of our power, I wonder if she was attuning herself to us.

>Aknowledge. "That's meant to be comforting, I take it?"

>>45118943
>> Deny. “I can find my own way.”
It's here, we can't do much about that, but taking its help will have consequences.

>>45118943
> Deny. “I can find my own way.”
Guidance given unbidden is inherently suspect.

>>45119034
Unfortunately being a jerk won't make her go away. While being nice might make her say more stuff we can learn from in order to do the only way there is to beat prophecy, obey the letter of the law while taking the spirit of the law behind a shed and performing unspeakable horrors upon it.

>>45119110
Nigger she is the other things work buddy.

>>45118943
>> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”

why are you so willing to take this thing that was injected into us at its word? Not only do we have no reason to trust it, we have a good reason to NOT trust it.

>>45118943
>> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”

>>45118943
>Deny. “I can find my own way.”

>>45118943
> Accept. “Thank you. I think. You're not what I expected.”

>>45119163
It's more that even if we don't trust it, playing along might get us more results than trying to deny it.

>>45119140
Being nice to her might exacerbate the corruption because it represents our spirit accepting it. Which we dont fucking want obviously.
>>45119163
Do you really need to ask?

>>45118943
> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”

>>45119204
>because it represents our spirit accepting it
Which is why we should vote for acknowledge.

>>45118943
>> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”

>>45119163
We have little choice at the moment and it's the safest option at the moment. We are not agreeing just acknowledging we understand what they are spouting.

>>45119140
Anon, stop. The spirit of Law is a chaste lady who is too pure to be fantasized like that.

The spirit of Freedom, who may or may not have been in the place where the Lord Restrained was, however....

>>45119226
We shouldn't acknowledge any parasites in our soul. You dont acknowledge with terrorists.

>>45118943
> Reject. “You're no light.”

[spoilers] OK, we need to sit down and think about this rationally. Make a priority list and stick to it.

Refining the Hunger was a mistake. We should have just bound it to a chamber pot, buried it, and made it the central waste disposal to Grisoch's waste/sewage disposal system.

Think of the effects Fourth's bow-bind as it is now. The gravity distortion.if the Tyrant Wyrm's gaze can kill, planting a grav-arrow between its eyes would force it's skull to displace inward, so its eyes could only gaze at each other. Obvious solution. I really think Fourth, despite being our newest ally, is our best bet for the Behemoth Fight.

We've neglected a promise we made. Remember the Swamp Mother? She wanted us to carry a piece of the swamp to Eluneia. Expand her domain. We didn't on our last trip, so we NEED to remember that on our next, or she may consider that a broken promise. I say we just take some flower seeds or blossom cuttings and plant them on the shore of Boand's new river.

We need to seek audience with the guardian spirit of the plains Grisoch rests on. I think he might feel neglected that we've done favors and visited all his neighbors.

We need to ask Boand if there is any way for her to draw power from our reserves. She got a magical high off of our group swimming with/in her. So she CAN draw power from spiritually enlightened mortals. And if she can, other spirits can too. We can use our abnormally robust power supply to help heal and repair The Stone Emperor. Maybe build him some small shrines to help?

Regarding Quinn's situation: When we asked Terra to negotiate for us with the apricot dryads, we designated her our proxy. She spoke for us despite not being a totemist herself. So, we basically deputized her. We could use that same loophole to declare that everything Quinn has done was done under deputization into OSYKI's pact, and thus not a crime. [/spoilers]

>>45119263
When you're prophesied to end up as a terrorist yourself it's a good idea to at least listen to your (soon to be) fellow terrorists.

>>45118943
>>> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”

>>45119263
Thats retarded, you're retarded.

You acknowledge there presence and the way they are manipulating things. Had we done so with Al Quada we wouldn't have radicalized the entire fucking middle east.

>>45119274
Except the gravity arrow won't hit it. It repels spiritually-imbued assaults, remember? And we renegotiated with the Mother of the Swamp, we don't owe her anything at the moment. If we want to get that road built we'll have to do her favors, but that's for a later date.

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>>45118907
>even as it steps close to tuck its head under your chin

>>45118943
> Accept. “Thank you. I think. You're not what I expected.”

>>45119274
I think old one quarter is probably several magnitudes of power lower than the wyrm. Also pretty sure sylvia is in charge of the area the village was in. And hunger was a calculated risk.

>>45119274
We messed up long ago during the rain storm where we decided to dig up a rock instead of having lessons with Sylvannis and getting her side of things.

Honestly, working on Fourth to power up our movement into teleportation and Deep Siren's Bow + Upgraded "Heat source" Tryd would be the best bet. Just power up an arrow to the point it'll nuke everything in a mile radius and use Amal double bind as a guidance system.

>>45118943
> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”
We'll listen if you stop speaking cryptically. You say you're not the same as the thing that opened the door. Fine. What are you? What do you want? We're destined to revive your master, but we don't actually know what that means. All we know is that the first spirit who tried to convince us to do it was quite hostile about it, and as such you're working against a very negative first impression here.

>>45119307
No it isnt, its a good idea not associate with any terrorists and avoid terrorist activity.
>>45119308
Well thats a bit different. We know she is there obviously but we should avoid listening to her whenever possible.

>>45119274
>implying I'm gonna end all that shit

>>45119392
The thing can probably tank nukes. Its bigger than godzilla.
>>45119407
I think we dont want to do it anyway seeing as he would end up piloting our body around if I remember right.

>>45119419
She'll manipulate us either way, either subconsiously, or forcibly made to manipulate us consiously, if she does it this way we know what shes doing so we can prepare for its ramifications.

>>45119510
If something can survive a concentrated blast of raw heat that's been charging for days nothing we can throw at it will even tickle it.

The most non-self-destructive ability we can use is an arrow or javelin. Upgrading the Deep Siren into something with reasonable intelligence, then making a totemic arrow and binding the Deep Siren into it, we should be able to penetrate and then melt anything.

What we need is a spiritual battery totem.

Jeez,every time I leave in the middle of a thread it gets worse.
I swear if this turns into another Banished quest i'll drop it in a second

>>45119580
And it could end up speeding along the corruption process meaning if we ever do figure out how to get rid of it it would be much more difficult.
Its basically chaos. No one sane listens to daemons to figure out how to fight chaos.

>>45119628
>If something can survive a concentrated blast of raw heat that's been charging for days nothing we can throw at it will even tickle it.
It think thats the point. Nothing we have will tickle it. Thats why we need to upgrade all our shit. Also you might melt a bit of it but the damn thing is so big you are going to need a lot more than one shot. Dont think there is any quick easy way to kill behemoths.

>>45119635
No worries, Anon. We haven't put on any blatantly evil masks, other than the Hunger mask.

We also won't be putting needles into our spinal cord.

>>45119628
Youre ignoring the issue entirely and making up plans we already know wont work because of it.
It doesnt matter how much heat and energy we can throw, because we'll never be able to, as a human, match the wyrms aura, and it uses its aura to snuff out any spiritual or energy attacks against it. We need something that can either bypass it entirely, or allow us to negate it's advantage.
Trying to outgun it is retarded, and trying to jump headfirst into even more powerups after what THIS one did is even more retarded.

>>45119713
hunger mask isnt evil, its just hungry.

>>45119657
It was too late the second voting to meditate won because we weren't ready for it.

This stuff is randomly hitting whatever sounds vaguely right at the best of times, and that was before the void got too involved.

>>45119741
And right now denying the daemon sounds pretty fucking vaguely right to me.

>>45119773
First of all, if you're bringing 40K thinking into anything not 40K (and even then) you've already lost.

Secondly, what do you expect to result from that? Will the void lady go "oh, my bad" and leave?

>>45119713
Actually just about all of the needle-related shit in Banished has turned out pretty well.

>>45119812
No, I expect us to not listen to her and avoid any guidance she has to offer and go about our business.

>Accept
>>45118974
>>45118999
>>45119198
>>45119329


Acknowledge
>>45118982
>>45119095
>>45119110
>>45119162
>>45119164
>>45119224
>>45119244
>>45119308
>>45119407

Deny
>>45119034
>>45119121
>>45119129
>>45119190

Reject
>>45119273

[[Apologies for miscounting the earlier vote regarding the crystal. I caught it too late, but the mechanical outcomes of the choice were swapped after the fact to make up for that. Sorry for the confusion--post incoming.]]

>>45118943
> Acknowledge. “That's meant to be comforting, I take it?”
Neither accept nor deny it, its there, and theres nothing we can do about it at the moment.
Im Still not clear on what exactly these things WANT in the first place, and its really throwing me off. It could be something we just dont understand with bad pr, or something actually bad , and we just dont know either way.
'S throwing me off.

>>45119876
Pretty sure they want us to revive their master who will then take over our body.

>>45119851
That's not really tenable though. Ignoring someone who lives in our head is pretty much just being stubborn. Trusting her isn't on the table of course, but I don't see denial getting us anywhere.

>>45119926
Its not supposed to get us anywhere. We shouldn't get anywhere with her. We should stalemate the fuck out of her and be as stubborn as possible with anything involving void shitology taking over our body.

>>45119873
>[[Apologies for miscounting the earlier vote regarding the crystal. I caught it too late, but the mechanical outcomes of the choice were swapped after the fact to make up for that. Sorry for the confusion--post incoming.]]
Well now I'm worried that we shoudln't have said anything because disrupting Black was the right option.

>>45119985
What, so your plan is to just "nope" at the void stuff forever, hope Osyki lives long enough to be a withered old man with creaking bones, and then give the Void a busted ride?

Anons, personally, I think we should focus on tackling the goals that aren't so far-fetched to us at the momnt. We might still not have the power to tackle the Wyrm, even after 3 or 4 rounds of Honing our spirits. We need to resolve some issues that we came across a while ago. Let's build a larger panoply of spirits, widen our ranges. Get in good with powerful forces, since it's been hinted that we can't do it alone. I'm up for making our current spirits more powerful, but I'd rather tackle the Wyrm with an army, and we aren't an army. Yet.

>>45120047
Yeah no shit. Honestly anons thinking we'd be able to take on the Wyrm in the next month or so were really optimistic.

>>45120031
Its better than giving it a working one isnt it? Ideally we would find a way to deal with it from outside sources in the meantime.

>>45119635
>turns into another Banished quest
There's a difference between a shitstorm and shitposting.

>>45120047
>>45120067
I am all for getting new spirits and have been saying we should get a regular rock turtle for a while but I think part of the problem is that it wont just sit there waiting for us.

>>45120047
There's also the whole thing Zahn told us last thread about how he can teach us to craft a powerful enough weapon to hurt the Wyrm if we bring him materials of sufficient power. That should be our main focus, right now, getting together the pieces to assemble a Behemoth-slaying weapon. We shouldn't be looking for offensive bindings, we need spirits that will help us stay alive long enough to use Zahn's weapon.

>>45120121
We should get a big salamander or something. Something to let us regenerate.

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>>45120031
Who knows anon, Void-lady might like a bumpy ride.

>>45120047
Agreed. We need to bulk up ourselves and our allies, and we need to settle more immediate threats. We need to take >>45119274's suggestion for loopholing Quinn's actions, making the behemoth hunt a future priority we can ignore for now. I'd rather we dealt with the Magus.

Twice now we have faced the Magus, and each time, it was in proximity to something he wanted. Not us, per se. The first time it was over Elana. She has a very rare, possibly unique, spiritual power. The second time was at the gardens. A place of spiritual power within which was a woman with another unique spiritual power (the arm-girl? She used the gardens to hide.). The Magus is hunting uniquely powered individuals. Whether he intends to pokemon them into slavery or carve out their powers and graft them to himself is irrelevant. We know what he wants. And we know we need to put him down. We should pick Zahn's brain on that.

>>45120145
or those axocalotal things

>>45120210
Were not ignoring the behemoth. Your loophole doesn't mean shit.

>>45120216
Thats what I was thinking about. Pretty sure they are a breed of salamanders. Get their leg cut off enough times they just grow back two more.

>>45120250
Pretty sure the behemoth will refuse to be ignored one way or the other.

>>45120252
Axolotls are technically distinct from salamanders as their own separate genus. I'm not sure we'd be able to find any, though. Barring the fantastical elements our corner of the world seems to have an ecosystem roughly like the Pacific Northwest. Axolotls prefer a more tropical environment. The Great Swamp might be able to support them, but I think we're too far north for them.

>>45120047
>>45120067
It's been less than 3 months since Overwake died. We are being overzealous with our reach.

Just ride out and NOPE until we can talk to Zahn. Talk and discuss on how to deal with Void fuckery with all our trusted allies (Boand, Amal, Sylvannis) and knowledge bases (Overwake's Library, Zahn, Inner Library).

As for the Tyrant Wyrm, I don't get why we are so adamant about this. Don't we have a searching ritual we can tweak and research to search for our original catalyst/reagent/etc. and use that? Our allies have told us to search for it instead of being crazy. Sure, Behemoth hunting sounds like fun, but we have other shit to deal with. Just with Magus, Iron General's Traveling City, and Crazy Moon Religion and it's martial front we have enough.

Let us put the Tyrant Wyrm on hold until we are back to 100% and can confidently deal with Magus without being ripped apart by our own damned spirits.

>>45120250
Fuck the behemoth, we need to finish training the two totemist, but we also need to make sure we don't die first. Stop being a fucking obtuse retard. But yeah the loophole is shit and definitely not worth trying to use.

>>45120252
Starfish binding when?

>>45120358
Never because that means going to the sea.

>>45120340
Interestingly, I don't think I've seen any mention of wolves, or dogs, at all. If they are unknown in this corner of the world, that has serious implications for some assumptions about the environment.

>>45120341
I'm pretty sure the Magus is the final boss, so I don't know why you think we can beat him easily.

Also we need the vital spark thing first, and knowing Ayren, he probably hid it behind the drawer marked "defeat a Behemoth"

>>45120341
The other thing is 90% likely in our house. Getting it out is the problem. The giant dinosaur getting hungry and wandering anywhere within a hundred miles of us is also a problem.

>>45120390
Would make sense. You are a big boy now, now you are ready to train others sort of thing.

>>45120341
We've already made a plan and we're working toward killing the tyrant wurm. I don't know how you think pussying out now is acceptable.

>>45120403
Technically, we could unlock all the drawers at once. The mirror bind that eats supernatural shit? We could break all the seals without completing them. It's cheating, and we'd be toying with shit we aren't ready to handle, but as-needs-must.

You force yourself to smile. The muscles in your face are going to freeze into an apprehensive grimace if you let them sit that way for any longer. “And that's supposed to be... comforting, I take it? My very own eldritch guardian to carry a candle for me when I stumble in the dark?”

The figure turns sideways to regard you. It doesn't have facial expressions to speak of, but by body language alone it almost looks offended. Pouting, even. It balances on the balls of its feet as it walks confidently through the mist around you. Every so often a hint of movement catches the very edge of your vision. Something is still darting in and out of the billowing mist around you, though it's retreated a fair distance from the two of you over the course of your conversation.

“I understand,” it says finally breaking the long silence. “The heralds working previously have been less than polite. You must forgive. They are maladjusted to contact with other thinking things.”

“I must?” You put a hand to your hip. “You seem to be speaking just fine. You even lack your predecessor's speech impediment.”

She cocks her head. “Thanks to you. Modes of communication have been made clear by my communion with you.”

“I see.” You begin to move in lock step with her, circling as she does if only to keep her in your field of view. “There are easier ways to find a tutor.”

“Few as rapid and enlightening,” it counters. It would be playful if its tone didn't have the domineering edge to it. “I am grateful, you know. This is an incredible opportunity.”

“I still haven't the faintest fucking clue what you're all talking about. Speaking cryptically is something you're capable of stopping, now, so some plain speech would be frankly appreciated.” You flash it your best winning smile. “Please.”
(cont.)

>>45120377
Snakes seem to be the dominant, non trap based, predators

>>45120452

“Feeling better already! You're welcome.” It ceases its movement. “I can't tell you much now. Too many events have yet to unfold for me to speak to you with any certainty, and I will never lie to you. For the time being, believe me when I say that I am here to help. Should you have need of me, you need only call.”

“I already have one unchecked magical corruption rampaging through my veins,” you say with a shrug. “I'm not quite sure I need another.”

“Corruption?” She points to herself, confused. “You have it wrong, Osyki. For the time being, I'm just another tool in the arsenal. Work with me, make yourself familiar with me.” She stalks closer. “Become familiar with the feel of me under your fingertips.” Much closer. “I've saved you once already. In time, I think we can come to an understanding. We could be allies. Friends.”

It stops, placing a hand on its hip in a movement that seems startlingly familiar.

“You've never had a friend like me.”

You actually laugh aloud at that. The mists ripple outward again. There is a hint of a starry vault overhead.

“If you're so familiar with my modes of communication, you'll know that a speech like that isn't enough to convince me.”

She nods. “I am aware. Laying the foundations is still important.”

“If you want to be friendly with me, tell me about your master.”
(cont.)

>>45120451
Knowing who made that shit there is probably a failsafe on it to wreck everything.

>>45120390
Well, the drawers are just bound with a lock which monitors changes in our spiritual power. We can just learn to pick spiritual locks by doing a training montage.

>>45120403
We have no knowledge it's within a hundred miles. Where the fuck did you get that information? It and the mud thing are the closest but that could be anywhere.

>>45120446
Mainly because I wasn't there that one day which apparently got us ass fucked by the void.

>>45120451
This, it seems that people just want to fight the behemoth and die.

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>>45120341
>>45120358
Tropics you say? Starfish you say?

Anons, all these things include Oceans. Possibly oceanic spirits Boand can introduce us to.

As the Oceanfag GM irl, I have to ask.
Are you trying to seduce me?

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>>45120480

It stops. A ripple, or perhaps a shiver races over her form.

“Gladly, Osyki. But another time.”

“A name,” you tell her. This time you are the one to advance on her, drifting through the skies to stand a pace away from her. “Give me that much. A token of goodwill.”

There is a moment's hesitation before she nods. “Very well, Osyki. You'll find out sooner or later, after all.”

She leans in close. Unseen breath tickles your ear as this chill of the void and moist, hot breath intermingle at the nape of your neck.

“Syn Calizan,” she whispers.

The name unmakes the world around you without so much as a whimper.

–-

…

–-

You sit bolt upright. The bed bounces beneath you. At your side Amal flutters into the air once more from his perch atop your chest, rotating with vexed surprise. Your heart pounds in your chest. When you raise your arm to press against it, you find it whole and umangled.

“Osyki!” Amal buzzes in close, circling your head like an excited fly. “You woke up much sooner than I expected!”

Veins of charcoal still pulse through your previously mangled arm, though the bone is hale and the flesh around it whole. The black markings pulse in and out of sight as you flex your arms. Another unwilling tattoo. At least this one doesn't glow.

“How long was I out?”

“An hour or so. Zahn's a better surgeon than he is a conversationalist.”

“I certainly hope so.” You rub your left hand across the newly regenerated flesh. “Feels like new.”

“He warned me it would be weak for a time. The darkness seeping from your flesh retreated on its own when he began treating you.”

“How lucky,” you mutter under your breath.

“Mmm!” Amal agrees artlessly. “How do you feel?”

> Shaken, but we don't have time to waste. I've slept enough.
> Exhausted. I'm going back to sleep.
> Fine. I learned a little about myself today.
> Never better. Let's get going.

>>45120494
Almost certainly. Also, if it were that easy he'd probably already throught up a plan against it. It's not like he didnt know Boand, and he'd both been doing it longer then us, and had a better way of identifying Spirit traits then us.

>>45120557
> Fine. I learned a little about myself today.

>>45120516
I'm saying if it did come within a hundred miles that would be a problem. We know it has been described as local and something that big and hungry would travel a lot. Not something to leave unchecked.

>>45120557
> Shaken, but we don't have time to waste. I've slept enough.
But amend this to wanting to get back home so we can sleep in our own bed and keep Quinn from worrying too much.

>>45120557
> Exhausted. I'm going back to sleep
At home.
When we wake up, new plans will be made.

>>45120557
> Exhausted. I'm going back to sleep.
But in our own bed, I think.

>>45120557
>> Exhausted.
>I learned a little about myself today.

>>45120532
We are not going to the sea. The sea is the bad place.

>>45120592
It's been mentioned that they are natural disaster level events, but if they were close we would get a heads up because of our surrounding allies and acquaintances. I doubt any of the land guardians would let a behemoth pass before sending us off to kill them.

The send us out for an Avatar of Hunger in a cave, pretty sure they'll notice a natural disaster.

>>45120557
>> Exhausted. I'm going back to sleep.
>>45120648
>But in our own bed, I think.

>>45120707
Yeah but by the time they notice it they will be fucked. Even if we arent planing on going after it right away we should be gearing up as much as possible for it.

Just so we're clear, we are NOT going to eat the apple offered us, despite the power it promises, right?

>>45120494
Possible. First we'd need to examine the seals more closely, translate all of them, and work out what failsafes are installed.

>>45120795
I think we might need a lot more time than we have to pull that off. And we are already sort of short on time.

>>45120778
Are you talking about our void powers? Because I think they're awesome and intend to use them.

>>45120832
What do you mean? I'm pretty sure neither the Tyrant Wyrm nor Allmother Mud are en route to either Grisoch or Eluneia. Like I have no idea where the sense of us being out of time is coming from.

>Shaken, but we don't have time to waste. I've slept enough.

We want to get back to Grisoch ASAP. Quinn and Terra are still there, unsupervised, and likeky worrying. It's time we build up our arsenal of spirits. If we want to tear into Behemoth Steak, we need more than just cool knives. If Void-lady wants us to get whatever goal it is done, she can help us find something good. No freeloaders on the Totemist Express.

>>45120866
Nigger are you high?

>>45120707
>>It's been mentioned that they are natural disaster level events,
This anon has it right. If these things were anywhere within a hundred miles of us, we'd know. Hell, everyone would know, because theyd be depopulate their surrounding area and sending everything else running. Also why I think Anons who think we can just bulldoze them with pure power and strength are freaking nuts, or not properly comprehending the scope of them.
Im fully expecting we can make some sort of totem trap to weaken the Wyrm or something,So studying and gathering friends is higher priority then shotgun honing all our spirits right now. We still havent properly catalogoed all the combinations, properly tested dual bindings, or researched what each can do yet so it seems crazy to me to go rush out for more.

>>45120778
Not intentionally. It seems they're the sort that will kick in automatically if things go wrong, though.

>>45120768
No, give them a heads up, tell them if they end up being fucked because they didn't notice a fucking behemoth entering their domain, we won't be able to help them. But seriously, do you think land guardian's won't notice a behemoth? Seriously? Huge, powerful spiritual thing pops in to eat everything or pop out kids everywhere or whatever, won't be noticed when they notice a idiot like Snake dude migranting domains?

>>45120832
Nah, we have Amal, Paragon of Knowledge and Books, and the Celestial Language Book. Answers a bind away. Seriously think for a second.

>>45120879
We are a busy guy. We dont even have time to come up with bindings properly. Also the shit inside might go off, the behemoth part at least.

>>45120891
We've already established that any normal bound spirits won't do jack shit for us against a behemoth. We need to get the weapon made in the forge.

>>45120557
> Exhausted. I'm going back to sleep.

>>45120941
I was just thinking that their range of observation probably doesn't extend far outside their domain so by the time they spot it they are in trouble. Even if they do see it coming what are they going to do? They cant just up and run away.

>>45120557
> Shaken, but we don't have time to waste. I've slept enough.

>>45120557
>Exhausted. I'm going back to sleep

Today has been far too long of a day. Osyki needs some R&R.

>>45120922
I think the reason we want to bind an avatar is to find one of a positive emotion and enshrine it as a guardian.

>>45120922
Probably never been through natural disasters themselves, so they don't understand the scope.

But a thought occurs to me: The blasted wasteland Pointsmar now occupies. Once it's moved, if we could lure the Wyrm there, it'd have nothing to feed on, no ambient spiritual energy to power it, the very definition of starvation conditions. If we could trap it there, prevent it from leaving, then it would weaken. Maybe a modified stealth charm like we covered the village with, something that would prevent it from seeing the way out?

>>45121064
Still think a rock turtle would work fine. Wouldn't need us to give up any bitching books either.

>>45121030
But animals fleeing for safety, displaced refugees, etc, would be a clue. Not everything is about the spirits.

>>45120941
You shut your dirty mouth about Siperco, he's great. I don't know why we don't try to woo him with a pact, he's all sorts of smart. Just not like Amal. He's one of the only people who has called Osyki out on enslaving spirits and had the initiative to find a legal bargain to escape his shitty domain.

We should go pact with him and then introduce him to Thane. Siperco is great!

You know, one of these times,Anons will thinking before jumping in to fuck everything up in the forge, and just stop to ask Zahn if he knows anything about the like 8 things fucking us up at the moment directly.
Like, the earth corruption, or that thing with our girlfriends eyes, or what the deal is withthes spooky dragon skeleton dude is, or who this void dude is, among other things. like, just stoprunnign around and just ASK him.
Just a thought.

>>45121102
Didnt we talk about this last thread? Luring the damn thing and starving it out is even more impractical than overpowering it.
How do you lure and trap something that strong.

>>45120557
>Syn Calizan
Wait a minute. There was a quest that ran for a bit while Totemist Quest was on one of its intermissions, Soul Quest. It was very similar to Totemist Quest, with the protagonist being a negotiator with spirits and hunter of beasts, who could bind their souls into objects to make talismans of power. The villain was a void spirit named Calizan. Diarca, did you do this intentionally?

>>45121102
if we could safely lure it maybe.
Zahn said he fought its sire, maybe that could help somehow.

>>45121137
Hard to flee when you get paralyzed and the thing can probably out run anything that cant fly just by walking.

>>45121117
It requires a secret or knowledge to be given for the ritual. Before, we didn't have many secrets now we have quite a few.

The name of the Void King for example, would be a worthy offering. One that we can easily give without loosing it ourself.

>>45121167
Pretty sure the QMs are friends in real life.

>>45121030
Nigga, are you high? They have to talk to their surrounding domains all the fucking time. Even if they don't their retainers or citizens talk to others all the time too. Look at Boand, she talked to people in the Swamp even before she was boosted by the river. You seriously think they won't find out from fleeing minor spirits or just the lack of spiritual activity coming from a direction? Seriously.

>>45121117
Not like we use any of the books though. Also you forget that our bitchin' boots are rock turtle, I'd bind a new one for that, but definitely not give up the boots.

>>45121152
THIS THIS THIS THIS. DING DING DING, give this Anon a prize.

>>45121206
What is his name anyway? We could probably have use of that for mystic bullshit later on, mightn't want to bury it somewhere.

>>45121197
Youre right, everything around it never even sees, hears,or feels the big fucking 100 foot tall lizard running around their domain without keeling over dead without it even noticing them.
Are you fucking kidding me with this?

>>45121265
We just got told that. Syn Calizan.

>>45120557
> Exhausted. I'm going back to sleep.

>>45121236
I mean a non mutated rock turtle.
>>45121292
Thats this bitches name isnt it?

>>45121283
How exactly do they out run the hundred meter tall lizard? Never mind it being able to paralyze shit as its main ability the damn thing would walk faster than any animal could possibly run just because of its size.

>>45121307
Nope, it's the name of the being she works for that we're destined to awaken or something

>>45121064
Hunger, Suffering, and Destruction were pointed to, but others might be out of the range. An avatar of Duty, Loyalty, or Love might be wise investments.

Fuck, guys, the Wyrm is not a feasable task yet. Worry about it later, after we finish up the shit we already got on our plate.

Don't go hunting Deviljho with Jaggi armor, build up what you've got, and look for better stuff!

Sylvanis wants tree to replenish her forest, Swamp Momma wants us to spread the bog. Boand probably has something she'd like too! Social-Links with powerful spirits don't sound too bad, you know.

>>45121236
What do they do when they find out?

>>45121152
My votes would always go to that if I could make threads on time. We've gone from being Osyki the Prepared to Osyki the Naïve

>>45121365
Its not fucking paralyzing EVERYTHING AROUND IT ALL THE TIME. There no way it could even individually notice every single thing conscious of it at any point to stop it.

>>45121389
Weren't we given some ruins we could check out?

>>45121388
Oh. We still could probably use that. Might not want to get rid of it yet.
How would that work anyway? The book I understand because we didnt have the knowledge it contained, but what happens with a name? Do you forget it or do you just write it on a piece of paper and bury that and still keep the knowledge?

>>45121389
what would spawn an avatar of duty or loyalty

>>45121433
Yeah, it's frustrating. But at least we can spin this as a good character-building moment. Osyki's gotten overconfident after being able to tackle any surprises that got thrown his way, now he'll learn some humility and grow from it.

>>45121433
We've never been "prepared" for anything. What has happened to this playerbase? So annoying lately.

>>45121457
I thought thats what it does. Just spreads out its aura and fucks everyone. Isnt that what made it so dangerous? Even if it didn't what are they going to do if they get a warning anyway? Telling us wont help because we wouldn't be geared to fight it.

>>45121307
Yeah, non-mutated one is definitely a safe bet. We could even level it up and then bind it just to shore up it's power.

>>45121365
Uhh, some beings didn't spec combat but stealth. Pretty sure some high level stealth would work. Or hey, an idea, there are fucking sky spirits which would be out of range but able to see it. Fucking eagles in our world can see MILES away, the behemoth wouldn't fucking waste it's time on eagles miles away instead of closer prey.

>>45121389
Yeah, This.

>>45121478
Extreme acts of loyalty or duty. So battlefield or something?

>>45121502
You weren't here in 2011 then. We used to carry rope and everything.

Also, just realized we never force spiritual cannibalism and I am a bit sad we missed seeing that event come and go. It could have been cool.

>>45121389
I was thinkign a way to do kill two birds would be to offer help to one of our allies to take down anything troubling them so we could bind it.
Iron King is Migrating, and mentioned deep earth creatures that might give him trouble, always something running around the forest, Boand has the huge stretch of river that might border something, and Pointsmar might have some stuff in their vicinity that we might help them with in return for help later.
Favors for favors and all that?

>>45121478
Avatars spawn when the emotion they embody is strongly felt by a large number of minds, either in one sudden burst from a momentous event or slowly building up from constant exposure. So political rallies and military camps would probably be the best places to look. Though that's just where they spawn, no reason they couldn't move on afterwards.

>>45121502
>We've never been "prepared" for anything. What has happened to this playerbase? So annoying lately.
Hi, you must be new here.

>>45121553
Name one time when we earned the name "Osyki the Prepared". And no, having rope doesn't count.

>>45121523
Get two so we finally have something stronger than leather pants and gimmicks to protect us.
Although I bet old king cobra would net us some good defensive gear if we ever bound him to anything.

>>45121569
What about that time we killed the rock turtle?

>>45121594
We did, remember? We bound him to our shirt and it made a pretty good scale armor tunic.

>>45121629
Do we have actual armour or have we just been binding shit to our shirt this whole time?

>>45121502
No, but at the beginning we were doing the best we could to be prepared for every eventuality. Now we're making deals left and right, we're being spiritually corrupted on two separate fronts, rushing into honing without taking our own spiritual wellbeing into account, and completely forgetting about why we're even thinking about hunting this Behemoth. Everybody just seems to want to jump at the boss fight even though we got fucking wrecked last thread by something many magnitudes lower. You're the annoying one.

>>45121522
It's our responsibility to fight it, it's in our job description. We have to give it a go regardless. But we haven't heard of any being close or even around those two were the closest sightings in recent history.

>>45121569
Go read the fucking archives from the beginning you filthy plebian.

>>45121594
Emp Cobra should be bound to the mirror or armor.

>>45121629
A shirt is not actual armor.

>>45121651
We have chainmail we usually bind to.

>>45121651
Both. We were caught without our armor that time, though, so we put him in our shirt. Presumably he'd work even better with our actual maille coat.

>>45121569
Newfags get out.

>>45121671
I have. And everyone liked to talk about being "prepared" for a bit but it never actually amounted to anything. What do you even mean by being prepared in this situation, like specifically?

>>45121502
>>45121569

You act like you want to be diddled by uncle Catastrophy. I won't judge you, but could you stop being counterproductive, go reread the archives, an stop spewing shit

>>45121673
We should put him in more stuff, he seems cool.
Also I think throwing the snakes into a rope might get us something neat.

>>45121743
What do you even mean by this situation, like specifically?

>>45121656
This. I miss the old player base from when Diarca was on and off mid 2013-2014. At times I wonder if people are retarded and don't know or went full retard.

>>45121743
We used to weigh our choices and had non-session discussions about our plans. We, the player base, used to make lists of what our possible options were, our obligations, and our priorities and actually reach a consensus before proceeding.

You scoff. What kind of question is that, really? “Exhausted,” you tell Amal. “Too much for one day by far, I think. I'm going home and I'm going to sleep in my own bed. We can work out what just happened tomorrow. Or some other time.”

Amal bobs in place in liue of a nod. “Understood,” he says sympathetically. “I took the liberty of gathering your thing while you were out. Shall I let Zahn know you will be departing?”

You nod. “Thank you, Amal.”

“Of course. I'll return presently.”

He zips off, phasing through the wall at top speed. You take a moment to ensure you have all of your tools and Foci that you entered with (Hunger's dulled, inert sphere included). When Amal returns Zahn accompanies him. Unlike your friend, the First opts to use the door.

“You've awakened,” it notes somewhat unnecessarily. “Good.”

You hold up a hand to forestall any incoming lecture. “Only just. I need to rest, Zahn. I'm hollowed.”

It nods. “I know. Return when you can. It seems you and I have much to discuss.”

“We really do.” You shoulder your pack. “Thank you for your help.”

“It is no less than my duty. Do not chide yourself for the incident in the hall,” it tells you pointedly. “More than once has a trial ended in the destruction of man or spirit. The Hall endures.”

You smile appreciatively. “That does make me feel better. I'd hate to have damaged Azeo Sicros.”

Zahn laughs a deep, rasping chuckle. “It would take far more than that to mar this place.”

Amal joins you as you clutch the portal stone close. Zahn watches you as you go from the doorway.

The warmth of your hearth washes over you as you stumble out of the wormhole. Quinn has returned home for the evening, it seems. Terra's soft snores drift from the library. It's later than you had expected. The moon is high overhead.

All the better. Your bed is the most welcome thing that's rushed up to meet you all day.
(cont.)

>>45121673
I bet Emperor cobra would work even better in Scale Mail

by the by, Ive just realized im completely sick of confrontational player bases for quest. Im going to make an effort to to be calmer and whatever posting in Totemist quest from now on, because being angry just doesnt get us anywhere. No matter how annoyed I get,

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>>45121860

–-

You sleep deeply and dream fitfully. Nothing solid enough to carry with you into the daylight hours. Nothing disturbing enough to rouse you from well-earned, sorely needed slumber.

You awaken late in the morning. The sun is well overhead. From the sound of it, Terra has yet to awaken either.

Good. You could use a little time to yourself.

Your arm is strong as you flex your fingers and tense your fist. The shimmering veins of charcoal black are hardly visible in the stark light of day. Easily concealed, if you so choose. A dubious mercy.

You spread yourself thin yesterday. You could benefit from taking a moment to plan.

So. What to do today?

> Take some time to get better acquainted with your bindings and their unknown permutations. You keenly feel the loss of Hunger.
> Do research on esoteric materials for Zahn's Behemoth Killer. The mountain crystals seem like a good first stop.
> Research the revelations of evening past. Ayren may not have anything on Syn Calizan, but with Amal's help you may be able to better understand the void that prophecies your doom.
> Take the day to train your body. You've been caught unprepared once too often. Your reflexes and your spiritual senses must be dulling.
> Make good on some obligations. You have spiritual allies, many of them whom you could afford to appease.
> Write-in

>>45121899
> Take some time to get better acquainted with your bindings and their unknown permutations. You keenly feel the loss of Hunger.

>>45121899
> Research the revelations of evening past. Ayren may not have anything on Syn Calizan, but with Amal's help you may be able to better understand the void that prophecies your doom.

>>45121899
>Take some time to get better acquainted with your bindings and their unknown permutations. You keenly feel the loss of Hunger.
Get those fucking bindings going.

>>45121899
> Make good on some obligations. You have spiritual allies, many of them whom you could afford to appease.
Get back to basics.

>>45121899
So many choices
> Research the revelations of evening past. Ayren may not have anything on Syn Calizan, but with Amal's help you may be able to better understand the void that prophecies your doom.

and if we have time
> Take some time to get better acquainted with your bindings and their unknown permutations. You keenly feel the loss of Hunger.