MLPFEMTORPG -- The forbidden pear

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>>30363395
Post sheets

>>30363408
https://pastebin.com/RaZG8KLM

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>>30363408
https://pastebin.com/p1dtY3qj

I want to be a goat-shaman named Swoops

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>>30363408
https://pastebin.com/6dTx6i08

>>30363408
https://pastebin.com/R0AXr1UU

Pryce 9/5 (9/5)
Flaming 8/6 (8/7)
Amy 7/5 (7/5)
Flow 11/5 (11/5)
Observer 2/5 (7/6)
Shei 8/4 (8/5)

Last time on HQ...

https://arch.b4k.co/mlp/thread/30311730/#30313270

Flow split off from Observer and Malicey and entered the temple with the three silent heroes and the two golem. There, they met Gegenschein of the Choir and St. Zoantharia, a mild priest, as well as many hunters. They discussed the upcoming battle with Voir Dire, and how it's impossible to kill him unless certain conditions were fulfilled. Zoantharia had identified as having Voir Dire hear the call of a rooster.

Observer continued to be pestered by Malicey, who wanted to play games with her and Caw.

Pryce went back to Fantasia with River to start the evacuation, while KP checked on those in the cabin. There, he learned that a mysterious secret chest was being kept in a back room of the otherwise innocuous house, guarded by thousands of spiders.

Flaming and Amy went to go fight at a nearby arena, in an eleventh-hour attempt to gain a little power before going into Tartarus.

Shei spoke with Y'idryth, who spoke at length about the illusion of individuality.

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>>30363507
Sorry that spot's taken
https://pastebin.com/YJFusUgn

>>30363557
"I don't know. That sounds pretty fun, but a little boring, if nothing too dangerous is inside. I wanna call in some of my friends to make this game a little tougher. Can I? Can I, can I, can I, can I?" Malicey hops up and down.

Caw starts to pet you back with his talon.

>>30363418
"No idea. But, that room had the most spiders out of any of them. And unlike the spiders here that just mill about and clean and provide for us, these ones just stared at me. They all followed me in unison, all the time," Neither explains.

Prisca doesn't respond.

"Calque's still asleep," Wireframe says. "I'm starting to get worried about him. Maybe he needs some magic to be sustained... I know Observer made off with one of his 'real' self's spellbooks, so you should get your older half to look at that."

>>30363418
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QMz5iTCu7U
"It was when we went to get the JOY cure for Shei," River explains, unresponsive to your anger. As you return to the bright streets of Fantasia, it is both similar and different to what you remember it being, in many ways. For one, demons and mortals mill about in an uneasy peace. The walls are strictly fortified, and everyone, even the young, go about armed. Dozens of guards are posted about each inch of the outer wall. Fantasia Palace is in the process of being deconstructed to the west, but the amusement park has not.

"I don't feel right... I lost my mind at Shei when I learned he took JOY to prepare himself to fight Miracle again. I told him I would give him the antidote after 22 hours, putting him through 10 hours of the worst pain someone can feel. What the hell kind of doctor am I that I've gone from healing people to torturing them!? It's like I've become Orcus's slave again... but I was just so damn angry at him!" River paces around.

>>30363746
As the headless Voir Dire trudges along through the landscape, the skull starts to glow and a fire crackles behind its teeth. It appears to be grinning, or at least, more than skulls already do.

In the distance, Voir Dire raises his zweihander. From the gaps in his clothing, and in his jewelry, demons start to pour out by the dozens, until he has a small army with him. All at once, the demons charge forward toward you, while Voir Dire continues his slow, purposeful strut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBI5eAs9nOg

>>30363787
The figure's mouth begins to move, but words do not come out. Instead, the words intrude your thoughts and displace your feelings as they enter, becoming as ice crystals melting in water.

>Again I have become as one blind, scrabbling through the blinding light. I vomit the lie of individuality. I blind myself to the Dharma. I dig out my eyes and offered them to Death.
>Shei. That you can respond to this name signals that you know this. You believe in the myth of 'you,' and so I will regard you as one separate from I-- though I hope to elucidate yourself - myself - on why this is not so. You have forgotten, and I will remind. You know full well that you will sacrifice anyone and anything to preserve your ambition. You act like one with authority. And yet you carry none of its burdens. Even one pound of its weight will snap your fragile heart.
>You offer souls to Tartarus. But what is a soul? All have come from I. It would be no different whom you sacrificed, or how many. All sacrifices of souls to Our eternal enemy-- it is all your hoof digging a knife through your guts. There is no difference of which of us is inflicted with this eternal pain. All are one.
>I created heaven to keep Our souls from being dragged into hell. And you ask my permission to open it anew.
>Are you sure you wish to do this?

>>30363808
Flow revs up the spinsaw, and squints at the army of demons charging towards the hill.
"Seems like quite the kerfuffle eh, lads? This doesn't look like nothin a bunch'a ol' hunters can't take care of."

As he gets the saw started, he focuses on himself.
>I Dream of Strength
[1d10]

>>30363808
Shei sucks in his breath. "i..." his voice warbles "know.. and no.. That isn't what I want. But I can't stop it.. If I sacrificed myself what would come of my people, of my friends.. The earth? I have no choice.. yes, I now realize.. Nobody owes me their life, their favor.. love.. It doesn't belong to me, but then why do I crave it so tragically.. Love... I can only love them and suffer for them and pray the pieces of myself I sacrifice will be good.. But I am weak, I have little left to give. My horns have been whittled down, I try to walk in the path of the buck but I only seem to recede. No matter the burden I try to shoulder, I do not grow to match the weight -if I.. just had.. More Power." Shei's voice heaves and his hooves continue to tremble, he gently lowers the chalice to the floor but does not let it's image dissipate.

He sucks in his breath again tries to steady his breathing "I never should have said the words. How could I even think them. No- I don't think I was thinking.. I was trapped... I do everything as if the only possibility is success, but even so.." Shei's voice quivers intensely with disgust, and the words let out in a sharp high pitch like they were escaping his breath. "betting the lives of my fellow kin. My tribe.. I do.. I do value individuality, I place those in my company far above anyone else, but I am below them all now. I should be the one to die.. And perhaps I will.... No, Y'dryth I.. The I that is my name, that is the piece of you that lies before you does not wish to open the door, but the you that is in Buiwong, in Mudi, in Vizsla... They cannot be stopped.." He utters the helpless words as they eek out in another high pitch.

"I want your permission to complete the circle when it is drawn and close it again. And every relic of my ambition will be sacrificed, destroyed in the bowels of Tartarus for a dim hope... I cannot promise that the pain will end.. because I am ignorant in my ways.. I cannot stop."

>>30363790
"Tougher? I do not see why you need it if the game is focused on perception. I also do not wish for others to make tasks more difficult without necessity." Observer says as she peers into the entrance of the ruins.

>I Dream of Alchemy: Form stone whip [Ranged]
[1d10]

>>30363790
>"We got a bunch of spiders back on the ship too... Wonder if they're being controlled or if they're trained and told to do what they're doing."

>"He didn't disappear, maybe he's just in shock?"
KP questions.


>>30363790
Pryce's anger subsides at River's confession.
"...Don't beat yourself up over him. He wouldn't learn from this any other way, and sometimes we have to do things we don't want too."

>>30363848
Your attention is disrupted as many of the demons charging forward begin to mutate in sickening ways, transforming and sprouting new fleshy, wet limbs and growing larger. Many Ecclesians pause, shaken. Yet, Zoantharia steps forward, and his presence somehow soothes, even as his eyes begin to roll backward in his head. You perceive a ghastly aura of a creature ten feet tall, standing just behind him. Its form is indistinct, yet hulking, hairy and dark, like a wild and bloodthirsty vengeful spirit. The others don't appear to notice as it extends an appendage into the back of his head, and its aura extends through Zoantharia's eyes.

>Gain the effects of critical inspire for 1 turn

The rallied Ecclesians and hunters launch their volley of gunfire and magic with renewed fury. [1d10+4]
The demons continue to charge upward, mindlessly.
Gegenschein spreads a red paste over his crucifix, humming with joy. "How many can you best, Sir Flow?"

>>30363885
>Enlightenment is but a breath away for you, as it is for all. There is no path of the buck, nor of the stallion, for I have killed the path and offered its heart on my altar in blessed deicide. Only my foolish fragments will walk across its corpse and say, "live!"
>By begging "my" permission, you walk a path the shape of a circle with four corners. You go nowhere. You know what to do already. It is a matter of mere remembrance.

The theater fades, and the scene rearranges itself into an ampitheatre setting in an overgrown jungle with a void for a sky. The indistinct figure sits cross-legged in the center, and you are sat at the far end, by the border of the jungle.

>Move me from this spot.

>>30363949
"Please, please please? It's not fun if it's not a challenge and has a little danger. Otherwise, it's just chores. I'll promise that we'll get all the relics if you just let me make it a little more hard."

You see many lines of glowing stones laying at the edges of the hieroglyph-decorated hallway, illuminating the dark path forward. There rests a bonfire and a campsite beyond in a large room with three pathways extending from it.

>>30363966
"We'd better go find out," Neither grunts. "But I'm well and sure they'll eat me to the bone by the time I get to the chest."

"I really hope so. I risked my life to save him, it'd be a bitch move if he just died," Wireframe says.

>>30363966
"Fine," River admits. The two of you walk toward the center of the busy, rainy city, on the lookout for Easy. Yet, there are far too many folks around for you to spot her, and the sound of the fairies and refugees fortifying structures with scrap produces a constant drone of distracting sound.

River peeks above the crowd with her flying horseshoes, then floats back down toward you. "Well, she'd be at either Fantasia Palace or the amusement park, so where should we go?"

>>30364063
"If you wish to make it more difficult for yourself then by all means don't let me stop you. However I request you do not put my feathered companion in danger." Observer says, one of her tentacle-like hairs moving over to pet Caw.

Her horn splits apart once more for a brief moment as she scans down the hallways for possible results of which way may lead to more relics or less danger.

>Fourth Eye
[1d10]

>>30364057
Shei-Sher stands from the border of the Amphitheater, a little disoriented but as enchanted by the scene. He walks down the steps.

"If there is no such thing, then how should I learn to bear responsibility properly. How might I be someone that doesn't hurt the people he loves. If there is no model to guide my actions, how can I be sure what I am doing is truly right?"

Shei-Sher steps onto the floor Y'dryth sits on and walks in a half-circle around Y'dryth as Shei curiously eyes Y'dryth's face. As Shei-Sher reaches behind Y'dryth's back Shei bears his nubby horns below Y'dryth's arse and lifts to carry him over Shei's back and away from the spot.
[1d10]

>>30364063
"Check if they're controlled or check if we can talk to them? Cause I talked to one spider who opened up the portal so I could get in here."

"I doubt he'd die on us, he seemed pretty determined to get out of that birdcage with Sugar."


>>30364063
"Ok." Pryce responds, a tad surprised at how quickly she moved past the topic.

"If the Palace is being taken down, I doubt she's in there. Let's check the park."
Pryce deduces, waling towards the amusement park.

"So the shoes are working well for you."
He comments as they walk.

>>30364057
Flow stares up at the ghastly aura behind Zoantharia, squinting as it seems to take control of his body. He shakes his head, and opts not to ask any questions.

He grinds the spinsaw on the ground and uses the Glove of the Cloudsmith to apply lightning to his weapon.
[1d10]
"I'd say at least in the low hundreds," he replies with a grin. He focuses on himself, and charges ahead.
>IDoS
[1d10]

>>30364185
>>30364057
As Shei-Sher eyes him

Appraise [1d10+1]

>>30364180
"The problem is, one of the conditions of my power is that I have to get everyone to agree with the challenge. Otherwise, it'd just affect me. But I can have my friends leave your little bird alone."

The rightmost path seems to be the one most free of danger, but it seems to also have the lowest concentration of magic energy and malevolent spirit energy, suggesting it has the fewest relics. The left path is the opposite.

>>30364185
>When we are underwater, how might we breathe?

A few seconds after you lift and move him away, the scene resets, with you at the edge of the amphitheater and him in the center, sitting cross-legged. He leans on one hoof, and although you cannot perceive his face, you can feel a smugness come from him.

>Try again. Move me from this spot.

>>30364248
As you attempt to discern his true form, your eyes waver and hurt slightly, and your ears buzz in a disarming tone.

>>30364199
"You talked to a spider?" Neither asks, eyeing the spiders tidying up the cabin. "Well, see if you can get him to let you in. Maybe I'm too old fashioned, but I haven't gotten a word out of these ones."

"He better not..." Wireframe says.

>>30364199
By the tone of her voice, you can tell she's not fine.

As you take the path around the palace, you can see that the entrance is still open, despite the upper floors being in the process of deconstruction.

"They're nice, I suppose. Nothing like the real thing..." she gazes at your wings. "Wasn't there a time when you were a mere unicorn?"

>>30364057
>Golem
The golem stands ready, prepared to bash away at anything that gets close to the party.

>Bash something coming close, otherwise soak damage
[1d10]

>>30364205
The Ecclesians shell and blast and zap the demons, but they do little to stop the onslaught, and demon after demon pours out of the hidden crevices in the Voir Dire's armor.
Gegenschein slowly cackles. "Well, I tell you that I will not leave this battlefield until I have ground one thousand demons into red mist. You take your time, old boy."
>Buffs successful

With a terrifying overlap of cacophonous screams, the demons set upon you and the other Ecclesians. [1d10+5] [1d10+5]
The hunters try to fight back. [1d10+3]
A maelstrom of white, circular spirits dance around Zoantharia's head. [1d10+4]
Gegenschein roars and slams his crucifix into the ground like a maniac, and his feathers and fur all begin to rise, as he grows to three times his size, glowing radiantly as if a sun were inside him. [1d10+4]
The three mysterious hunters fight back with sword and pistol. [1d10+3]
The void golem punches the demon onslaught. [1d10+3]

>>30364297
Your golem crushes the head of one incoming demon, but five more pour in where that one fell.

>>30364294
"Hmn... I assume you're not going to give up until I agree, won't you?" Observer asks, putting on a bit of a faux sense of giving in to stall the strange challenge obsessed mare.

Observer then follows the right path, remaining perceptive for danger or relics.
>Perception
[1d10+3]

>>30364308
>Golem
Observer's golem leaps into action once more, attempting to fall on top of several demons.

>Golem body slam
[1d10]

>>30364294
"By swimming to the top" Shei-Sher utters while drying his eyes with his sleeve. Shei sounds piqued at not understanding the greater meaning of the question

Shei-Sher wonders to himself why he cannot see Y'dryth's face. If the self is illusory and we are all one, should I not be able to see my own face?
Shei-Sher ponders
>Appraise
[1d10+1]

"hmm.. Then I will drag you to my level." [fluffing up Switchcane] Shei-Sher extends his hoof toward Y'dryth while standing atop the edge of the Amphitheater. From the fabric of the dream Shei-Sher conjures a chain that shoots from his hoof and lasso's around Y'dryth's body. Shei-Sher grips the chain with both hooves and heaves to drag Y'dryth up the stairs.
[1d10]

>>30364308
Flow lets out a battle cry as he pounces on the first two demons he sees, aiming to tear them to shreds with the Spinsaw.
[1d10+3]
[1d10+3]
He also focuses on himself, and Gegenschein.
>Visions of Grandeur
[1d10]

>>30364294
>"Well it wasn't really a talk... wait, no, it was. But like, he didn't really say anything back, and he was sitting next to the portal too, and even had some snacks for Hopper."
KP explains, giving his frog a pat.
>"Huh, sounds like that'd mean something, or something. Guess I could try."
KP gets up from his chair, and after pondering a moment, picks up Hopper to take him with.
>"Show me the way Neither."
KP asks, setting Hopper on his back as he heads to the room at Neither's direction.


>>30364294
As they pass the palace, Pryce opts to flag down one of the workers or locals to ask if they know where Easy is.

"There was, months ago. But it only feels like a week or two."

>>30364330
"Nah," Malicey says, bouncing along, always within an inch of you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omUwwVolgrw

As the two of you proceed, you are forced to bring along some of the glowing stones left behind to serve as a source of light. After heading down the right corridor, you proceed until you can go no further: The corridor continues, but there is no floor, only a long thin stone plank that is slick with oil, and below it, a deep pit which swirls with light mauve energy.

>>30364391
>One cannot breathe by learning from those who have already drowned, or are in the process of drowning. Too many drown with their faces only an inch below the water's surface. By thinking they must journey for eons as others have, they neglect the air that is just before them.

Y'idryth lets you grab and drag him for a few seconds, but again the scene resets.

>C'mon, kid, you know we can do this. Move me from this spot.

For a moment, you glimpse his face beyond the veil of his light. It is as one ringed by neutral light, with features that are plain, unremarkable, even bland. It is teeming with life, and yet, it could be anyone's face. It is like a template, ready for inscription.

>>30364411
Neither leads you to the very back room in the barracks, and unlocks the door. As he described earlier, beyond lies a darkened room, with boxes and shelves stacked up everywhere, making it tightly claustrophobic. At the back of the room rests a sedan chair, designed to be carried by four people from the four corners with long rods built into the chair. Instead of walls, it has veils, the kind used to demarcate holy, restricted areas in churches. In the center rests a gold-inscribed chest.

Inside the room sit a thousand spiders, all perfectly still as they observe the chair.

>>30364411
One of the workers directs you to the back of the amusement park, in the arcade. "I still cannot fathom why Buiwong blessed you all those months ago, and not me," River bitterly spits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6FKggOGg_s

As the two of you walk around the roads of the amusement park, you find that it has become disgusting and filled with garbage, blood and odd stains, where before it was largely pristine. Many new faces, whom you do not recognize, lay about, wearing sackcloth and bits of broken armor and weapons. Many pass around food among themselves, and all of them are filthy and have poorly-treated injuries. There must be hundreds, if not thousands of them, certainly far, far more than Fantasia's resources could sustain for long.

"What... what happened here?" River asks in surprise, then recoils as some of the hooded figures reach for her.

>>30364397
>>30364334
You cut through demon after demon, as well as those packed in behind them, as closely as sardines. But for every one that you fall, more crop up in their places, trampling the bodies flat. As the demons push the Ecclesians back, the pressure of battle hits you like a truck, throwing you all back many feet.
>Flow 4/5
>Golem 0/4
The demons continue their onslaught. [1d10+5] [1d10+5]
The hunters continue to battle. [1d10+3]
Zoantharia moves about in a trance, and his maelstrom of spirits slices through the demons, causing them to explode in pillars of light.
Gegeinschein rips through the packs of demons with no effort, flailing and pouncing through them as a wild animal.
The void golem helps up Observer's golem [1d10+3]
One of the mute hunters reaches into his pack and draws out a small pouch. From the pouch appears a small, colorful fairy with balloons tied to her back. This fairy sings a nice song of war. [1d10+2]

>>30364540
Flow flicks some blood off of the Spinsaw, and wipes his mouth afterwards.
"Hmph...these demons ain't so weak after all, eh?"
He turns off the spinsaw, and jumps back into the fray with Schlangenschwert.
[1d10+4]
[1d10+4]

He also focuses on himself once more.
>Visions of Grandeur
[1d10]

>>30364505
KP peeks into the room cautious, looking around all the spiders and the large room. His skin crawls a bit at the swarm of them, but he steps in forward anyways.
>"Heeey, guys... So, uh, any of you want to tell me whats in that chest there?"
He asks, looking down at the spiders as he takes a few steps towards the center of the room.


>>30364540
"I think you're mistaken. These were from the Devas, not Buiwong."
Pryce corrects River.

As they walk down the amusement park roads, Pryce looks with pity at how run down and broken it turns.
"How did this happen? We stopped Orcus, things should have gotten better, right?"
As the figures reach at River, Pryce takes a step forward, furling out a wing to block their hooves.
"What happened to you?"
Pryce asks the figures in a mixture of concern and demand.

>>30364505
Shei-Sher looks towards the ground as he thinks. He wonders and wonders what he could possibly mean as he paces the ground. Stroking his chin as he does, Shei then comes to a stop and touches his forehead. He turns his face and asks "Do I make a bubble?"

>>30364505
Observer attempts to levitate herself, seeing if she has enough strength to carry herself over. "Very well then, just remember to not over do it." Observer states, inspecting the pool bellow.

>Analyze magical pool
[1d10+1]

>TK: Levitate
[1d10]

>>30364540
>Golem
Observer's golem makes a hand shaking gesture to the void golem before moving on to pummel more demons.

>Golem Pummel
[1d10]

>>30364588
As you take a few steps toward the chest, the spiders part way for you, but when Neither starts to follow, the spiders grow in size like threatened animals, and some even triple in size. Neither backs off, but looks down at you in concern.

>>30364588
"Hmm? No they weren't," River said. "When you all passed through Buiwong's magical prank smog on your way to the volcano, you got those wings. They were a prank that he just never undid."

The miserable figures respond in a foreign tongue that you do not understand. River, white with worry, tries to heal the worst of the injuries on the children, but when the others see what she can do, they start to flood her. With a gasp she jumps into the air and lingers above them. "Go on and find Easy, she should know what's going on here!"

>>30364593
>You are getting closer. But one who is already inside a bubble has little need for another.
Y'idryth lifts himself up onto one forehoof and balances on it, looking up at you as he cheekily performs yoga. He gazes at the jungle around the theater, then at the void-sky above.
>We must remember that nothing is impossible for us. Move me from this spot.

>>30364667
"The game has begun," Malicey says in a cold, distant fashion, eyes growing red for a moment, then returning to their usual pure blue.

The pool is a reserve of latent magical energy, stirred up by spirits. Indeed, you see small sprites, with big oval heads, snakelike bodies and empty eye sockets, swimming in the pool. It doesn't seem dangerous, but it'd likely teleport you to another part of the temple if you fell in. It seems that you could levitate over the pit.

Malicey skips across it. [1d10]

>>30364667
>>30364573
Joining the Ecclesians, you push back several of the demons and cut a path of corpses across the battlefield, but there are simply too many demons, and for every inch of ground you gain, the demons push the attackers back by a foot.
>Balloon-fairy's song gives +1 to this turn's rolls
The demons continue to attack, and in the distance you spy Voir Dire casually sauntering toward the carnage, an imposing and commanding figure even without a head. [1d10+5] [1d10+5]
But, as the Ecclesians watch Zoantharia's power obliterate many demons, they continue to throw themselves into battle with a mad, even suicidal glee. [1d10+4]
As demons perish, you see their souls fly around Zoantharia, becoming weapons for his religious ecstasy. [1d10+5]
"More, more, MORE! MORE, GIVE ME MORE!" Gegenschein bellows, cutting down demons despite accruing many injuries. [1d10+5]
One of the mysterious hunters begins to fight with a rapid-fire rifle with a crank, like a portable gatling gun. [1d10+3]

>Flow 1/5
>Golem 2/4

>>30364744
Flow takes a step back and silently curses to himself.
"These demons are wiping the floor with us...and we haven't even gotten to their commander yet..."
He grips tightly onto his sword and charges back into the fray with a furious cry.
[1d10+7]
[1d10+7]

He also buffs himself once more.
>I Dream of Strength
[1d10]

>>30364738
Shei-Sher keeps his hoof to his chin pensive though, and then he snaps his hoof "You float."

Shei-Sher imagines the void in the sky pouring rain and streams of water flush from the jungle as it fills the amphitheater
>Staff of the Cloudsmith
[1d10+1]

>>30364738
Observer once again attempts to levitate herself to float over once lifted. "You should be careful crossing." Observer says to Malicey.

>Levitation
[1d10]

>>30364744
>Golem
The golem stands stalwart, thrashing at the demons as they come endlessly.

>Golem Thrashing
[1d10+1]

>>30364738
KP looks back as the spiders swarm and bloat at Neither. He looks a little scared, but he turns back and continues on. He hops up on the chair, picking up Hopper off his back and setting him to his side.
He looks down at the spiders around the room as he puts his hooves on the chest's lid. He opens his mouth to say something, but decides against it. Going for it, KP opens up the chest and peers inside.


>>30364738
"But, no, the Devas said... I... They cut in..."
Pryce stammers in thought, a bit shaken while River begins to treat the children. He snaps out as they jump at her, about to interject until she hops into the air.
"I can't just leave you to get mobbed out here!"

"...Alright, I'll get her. But be careful! This should help keep them, or at least more of them from coming after you."
Pryce pulls his prism out from under his robe, and attempts to sing the limerick he studied to help shroud River from the mob.
>Limerick of Desert Mists [1d10]

After he finishes, Pryce runs off to the arcade where the worker said Easy is.

>>30364774
>>30364816
You both battle valiantly with the demons, saving many Ecclesians and the hunters from certain death, but even so, some succumb to their earlier injuries, some of which could have been easily avoidable, and die. White light leaves their bodies, and circles around Zoantharia, as their souls become his fodder. Soon, you two are blindsided by demons, who continue their mad onslaught despite the scores you've killed already.
>Flow 0/4
>Golem 0/3

But, just as the demons ready themselves to pounce, many hunters jump in front of you, ready to die to protect you.

As the seemingly-endless hordes of demons draw near again, a single, gauntlet-wearing hand raises, and demons and hunters alike freeze in place. Voir Dire strides through the carnage. He is eleven feet tall, and humanoid in stature, with gloriously elegant landschneckt garb, and a myriad of weapons; he's got dozens of swords, daggers, maces and axes strapped all around him. The headless demon points toward the skull at the top of the hill, and the skull's teeth start to chatter.

"Bring me to my body, puny mortals!" a very high, near-falsetto voice, disarmingly wimpy, says. It's coming from the skull.

>>30364816
"Why do you say tha-- whoop!" Malicey says as she slips partway across the path and falls into the mist, vanishing upon contact.

You cross the bridge with no problem. As you cross the doorway to the other side, you come to an L-shaped turn and are forced to turn north to proceed. Partway through this corridor, you see a small yellow python, about 1 foot long. It's carrying a bag on its head, and has a sword at its side.

>>30364853
As you pass through the curtains, a calm passes over you. The temperature drops to that of a summer's night, and the inside of the curtains are so much like stars that it were like you were adrift in the night sky. Unfortunately, the chest is locked, but there is no keyhole.

>>30364853
River turns invisible, much to the mob's despair. As you rush through the amusement park, there seem to be no end of the mob; they've picked over and destroyed much of the park, and raided anything edible in sight. Many areas show signs of recent fights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_YDwZ-9gaA

Eventually, you see the arcade, which is completely shut down and barricaded off, the only intact place in the whole park. You see no entrance from the ground, but the rooftop is open, and you see Easy sitting atop it, looking quite disheveled and despondent.

>>30364801
Y'idryth returns to his sitting position. The clouds give water freely, and the ampitheatre floods until it is full and leaks over the sides into the jungle beyond. Both you and Y'idryth float an inch above the surface. He scratches his lip, as if stroking a mustache.

>Now then. Remind us of our business in Tartarus. We have none, but pieces of ourselves conspire now to penetrate the hells and chase our eternal enemy as they have in the past. By doing this, they are killing me, killing us.
>Based on what I have told you, of what you have reminded yourself, what do you think our response should be to this?

>>30364954
Flow slowly starts regenerating himself as he hears Voir Dire's voice weasel out of the skull atop the hill.
"This thing is our target?" he thinks to himself as his front legs start coming back into place.
He looks up the hill, curious as to what move his allies will make.
"I doubt that Gegenschein has a rooster stashed away somewhere..."he muses to himself.

>>30364954
Observer pulls out her notebook, inspecting the yellow python and ready to take notes.

>Analyze
[1d10+1]

Observer then attempts to levitate the small bag lightly off of it's head to see it's reaction.
>TK: Levitate bag
[1d10]

>Golem
The golem tries to push itself up, push up style.
>Push up recovery
[1d10]

>>30364954
KP looks around in reactive confusion as the room practically changes as he passes through the curtains.
>"Whoever made this chest sure knows how to make it feel important."
He says to Hopper as he turns his focus back to the box. KP gives it a little nudge with his hoof.
>"Open? Unlock? Uh... GImme?"
KP lists off, wonder if voice might open it. Unable to think of any more words, his horn lights as he tries to pick up the box in his telekinesis and feel around for an opening or a panel to slide.


>>30364964
Pryce looks in dismay as the place is in ruins, the first outside location he came across after the Rapture and now it's like every other city after.
Spotting Easy, Pryce unfurls his wings and flies up to the roof.
"Easy."
He says slowly as he approaches.
"What happened here?"

>>30364964
Shei-Sher appears delighted, he smiles softly as he floats above the surface of the water. As he looks into his reflection in the water he feels inexplicably nostalgic.

"...I do not know how I could keep the doors closed from the witches. They simply out class us in power and utility.. We cannot lure them into Tartarus and close the doors once they have entered, because it would be a betrayal to ourselves.. I still retain my decision. The death of any one person no matter their alignment is not necessary. I will go into Tartarus and bore the Queen of Demons Amy Thest and shepherd an era of peace, with the lives of those invited to Tartarus intact. At the very least I will keep our humble world from dissolving."

"I must ask however, why is he our enemy. Is there no way to co-exist with the elements of Tartarus? The God of that realm seemed.. so gentlemanly. Like you have been with me."

>>30365000
>>30365018
The hunter in the jumpsuit helps up Flow, while Observer's Golem (OG for short) gets up. The Void Golem (VG) comes over and shares some of its power to OG, patching up its injuries with purple energy.
>OG 5/4

Gegenschein composes himself, despite his half-bestial appearance, and strokes his beak with a wicked grin. "If we do so, I suspect you'll grow stronger, yes?"
"If it were possible for I, the great Voir Dire of the Treibheanna, to grow any stronger, then it would be so."
A vague amusement grows in Gegeinschein's eye. "I see no reason not to, then, any objections, gents?"

>>30365018
>Guardin Snake
>These serpents have an instinct to hoard gold or other valuables in the same way as some species of dragons do. They may even trade or deal with others to obtain better treasure, indicating a higher intellect than ordinary snakes.
The snake grabs the floating bag with its tail, only slightly annoyed about the floating. It looks up at you expectantly.

>>30365025
KP notices a slit, between the upper and lower half of the box, just thin enough for a sheet of parchment to be slipped through.

>>30365025
"If I knew, do you think things would be like this?" Easy spits. "They were shepherded here, en masse, by demons, calling themselves the Treibheanna. They carried them here by hundreds and threw them out here as if this were a garbage dump."

>>30365169
The figure's peaceful aura immediately stops upon your final question.
>No.
>A thirst that can never be quenched, a longing that can never know fulfillment, a pain that never subsides. All of these are tortures that linger at the edges of the hells. Our eternal Enemy is nothing but these. There is no peace in his infinity. That which is precious and finite cannot balance with the infinite and worthless. He is the constant dance of devouring, the orgy of greed. We are everything he is not, and thus he would swallow us. You wonder if the fire can coexist with the depths of the bottomless sea?

>paused