MLPFEMTORPG: Xenternet Strikes Back Edition

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>>30541287
Kindly post on your device of choosing sheets for the 10th session of Soul Quest

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>>30541301
https://pastebin.com/Rj4K62PK

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>>30541301
https://pastebin.com/VZEJvkbs

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>>30541301
https://pastebin.com/VTQY3PfZ

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>previous thread: https://mlpg.co/q/res/687100.html

Alexis: 6/4
>Glavo: Goblin/Sildo: Feline/Ilo: Goblin
Pain: 5/4
>Glavo: Fish/Sildo: Flower/Ilo:
Aether: 5/5
>Glavo: none /Sildo: Lesser Canine /Ilo: Water

Previously on SQ,

Pain and Aether had gathered the aid of Satar and Fex from Seele to help them make a plan against the Tainted who had been revealed to have overtaken Kachina's castle, and learned valuable intel from Satar about the demons, dragons, and shaman they were up against. Taking his advice to take down one enemy at a time, they had decided to drive with Fixer up to the coastline on the eastern side of the island, where-in on the beach they had found a small boat to take them across but were confronted by a Doomed shark. Pain Train defeated it to gain three Fish Souls

>Slight update to Fish Sou's Sildol:
>-Defense: Summon School; spell: recharge 3: Summon a school of fish to distract your foe, giving him -2 rolls to attack you [and only you] for DC turns [max 5].

Meanwhile, Alexis, frustrated with Old Willow, had left the small village of Willow Shades to explore more of the island on her own. Her wanderings had drawn her to the enigmatic, pitch-black beaches of Ogre-Island just off the coast, and there she traveled within phasing through walls until she followed a goblin who sought to give tribute to the Shaman. Quickly pilfering the charlatan of his wares and receiving a small smack from Master Grak, she had found Souls of her own along with a jewel necklace. She followed Grak outside of the cauldron chamber after he finished deriding the charlatan for losing his wares, and upon his arrival in his office. Alexis decided to reveal herself and open a dialogue, much to his shock.

>Update to Rabbit's Glavo and Vine's Glavo
>Distraction; weapon, recharge 1: Enemy's actions next turn suffer -2.
>Entangle; weapon, recharge 2: Target enemy cannot act next turn. This attack does not deal damage.

>>30541430
>forgot Pain's Ilo: Ogre

>>30541306
As you suddenly appear from thin-air, the Shaman cannot help but be caught off guard. "ACH!" He shouts as he suddenly flies backwards in his chair, ending up on his back, "What on Tetra?!" He turns and looks at you, peering in disbelief as he slowly rises up.

The Ogre guard is less amused, and he reaches for his sabre to rise up high above his head, "Pony scum! Here on Ogre Island!?"

"Hold your blade! That's an order…" the Shaman demands, and the ogre quickly complies, visibly sweating as he backs off from you and the Shaman pulls himself up to his chair. "…you're awfully polite for a thief. But, I suppose I can accept the apology…" He leans forward, "I can well see you are a ghost. But I have seen ghosts before. I notice you are also a pony. That draws more of my attention…." He rubs his chin, "…Alexis, was it? Haven't heard of that one before. I am Master Grak, High Shaman of the Tainted on this island. Indulge my curiosity: what exactly are you doing here?"

>>30541437
>>30541341
Aether takes in the Soul from the Doomed Shark, successfully adding to her reservoir. When you put your hoof close to the Shark's mouth, you swear you see it close a little bit, but surely that is impossible given it has coughed up its Soul…

>>30541339
>>30541341
After rubbing out the pains of combat from the tail whip-lash, Pain also takes in his Soul from the Shark's corpse, changing his appearance subtly as Aether successfully animates the rowing oars of the boat with her magic as you both move into the boat. Aether's Sonar from her Water Ilo picks up no more movement from just off the shore of the cape, and with the magic moving at full speed, you two begin to motor on towards the black island ahead.

It takes some time to cross the miles of open sea, though between Aether's conventional magic and the Water Souls you do not have long to go before you come into sight of the black beaches of Ogre Island. It is still midday, but as you approach the island from the channel you can spot several signs of movement and structures dotted along the island's coast, mostly docks and watch towers crawling with goblins and the occasional ogre. It is still a bit off from the land and from this part of the water, you don't think they've spotted you just yet.

>>30541437
"I don't actually know. I kind of came here on a whim. I got into a fight with this old talking Willow Tree who kept trying to pawn me something, because I landed near her after-"

She pauses, thinking.

"I went up to Kachina's Castle trying to see if she was up there, and when she was up there I decided to try and let her out okay, but there were these two giant monsters there, and the first one started attacking me because I woke him up, so I pulled out a basketball, and then I somehow got a sword, I cut his arm off and-"

"Would you please just tell them to let Kachina go? I need her to get to Yggrasil."

>>30541441
With ease Aether propels the seafaring vessel as she casually flips through her Sunburst's Mystic Manual (which she pulled out of the saddlebags that are still with her). She occasionally feels the fabric of her now not-so-mint condition mint colored cloak.

>>30541441
>>30541558
>"Now, we should go about sneaky like. Still got that cat soul Pain?"
"Sure, use it?"
>"Yeah, think I remember it helping you be sneaky."


Temporary switch:
Utility: Lesser Feline

>"Aether, do the same, if you will."

>>30541551
The shaman has a curious look on his face throughout your explanation, occasionally stroking his side-burns and nodding along until you get to the part where you ask if he can tell them to release Kachina. There, his eyes open wider, still as a statue. And then, all at once, he lets out a humorous laughter, throwing back his head as he howls throughout the office.

"Bwahahahahahahaaaaahahahahaaa.... ahhahahaahhh... haahahaha....haa... haaaaa..." he says with a sigh, as he reaches up to wipe at a tear from his yet. "'Tell them to let Kachina go' she says. T-that's a good one...." He pauses, looking at you more seriously.

"My apologies." He says very unapologetic. "That was just... unexpected. Of COURSE I can't. Even if I had a guaranteed she wouldn't immediately send US to Yggdrasil the moment she broke out, even if for some reason I wanted to? I doubt Gold Horns and Silver Horns would go along with such a foolish notion. They barely obey me as it is..." he pauses, looking at you. "You are some friend of Kachina's, then?"

>>30541558
>>30541630
Aether casually reads through her magical manual along the boat-journey to the shore, still within sight and easy enough to row too from here though if you wish to avoid detection from those on the coast, it will require a roll (still hanging off the coast until either of you say to push on to the shore)

Pain successfully switches out his Ilo slot to that of the Feline Soul (feel free to fluff how this changes your appearance if at all)
>-Utility: Feline Form; passive: You take the form of a small feline, your equipment either vanishing or shifting to match your new form. DC -1 Hiding/Stealth

>>30541630
She looks up from her reading.

"Hm, what? Oh, right. Okay."

Her book levitates out of her hooves and into her bags, and something peculiar happens shortly after. Her eyes begin to look a little more feline themselves, and her tail too. Some whiskers appear to have appeared on her face, too.

She stretches a bit, then she looks down at her nose and at her tail.

"I didn't expect that to happen. Fascinating!" she says as she takes out her notepad yet again to take writ a bit about this phenomenon.

>Glavo: none / Sildo: Lesser Feline / Ilo: Water

>>30541723
i guess could also be a reply to
>>30541698
also

>Glavo: Water / Sildo: Lesser Canine / Ilo: Lesser Feline

>>30541698
Alexis looks at him with annoyance at he starts to laugh at her, balling her 'fists' with her arms at her side. She listens as he explains they won't obey him.

"Then who will they obey? Its really important that I get to Yggrasil, and that means I need Kachina, and I can't exactly fight them to get her!"

"And no, I'm not. At least, not exactly. I was kind of brought here by space aliens." she explains.

>>30541723
>>30541698
Pain's tail and eyes also change, making him look like an oversized tabby donkcat.
"Agreed, I'm not sure I like this change"
Pain says, whiskers growing in.
>"Only temporary, now we can skulk onto the island a little easier. Think we should take a goblin by surprise and make him spill the beans on the shaman's location."

the two make their way onto the island.

>>30541723
He slams a claw down on the desk in front of him, "They're demons, girl! They'll 'obey' whoever convinces them they have their best interests at heart. They'll nevert go for freeing Kachina, not until I fin-... gah, I talk too much." He leans back in his chair, his head still appearing to be whirling from your sudden appearance as he reaches up and scratches at his head. "I shouldn't even be talking at all, a PONY ghost has infiltrated my stronghold and is sitting two feet away from me! By all sane measures I should have called the guard already and yet here I am, chatting away...!" He pauses,. recollecting himself, "You said you can't fight them... but it sounds like you already have tried. Did I hear you correctly in saying you CUT OFF one of their arms...? How..."

He shakes his head, frustrated, "And what do you mean you were brought here by space.... wait, the lights..." he murmurs... "The lights from last night... were those you?"

>>30541723
>>30541796
After taking the Feline Souls into your Ilo slots, your slight transformations complete themselves and now, more stealthy than before, you two silently row your way towards the black shores of Ogre Island.

Once you come within view, you see a few options for making landing, including an out-cropping of rocks or a dock with other boats tied to the moorings, but all along the beach are a collection of Goblins, some fighting each other for food or treasure and others eating or sleeping, and still others keeping watchful posts along the shore line for any intruders. They keep their bows and arrows close at hand, and spare the occasional yawn seem vigilant. As you approach silently in your boat, each of you make one roll to bring the boat to shore without drawing any attention
>Only one has to succeed

>>30541887
*first response meant for >>30541784

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>>30541887
[1d10] DC-1

>>30541887
[1d10] Sneaky docky

>>30541887
"I don't know. I just got taken here some time really early this morning while I was at the movies. It could have been us."

"And I don't know. Ever since this morning I've been able to create things out of ghosty stuff, but usually only things like this."

She says, creating a hockey stick and holding it in both hooves.

"When I fought the gold guy, somehow I got a sword, and then I ran up his sword and-"

"The next thing I know he's on the ground and the other one's knocking me out the window."

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>>30541920
>>30541915
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncNSJGPl8X4
Aether manages to navigate the boat past the watchful eyes of the sentry goblins watching the shore, putting it down gently in a nice outcropping of rocks to hide it.

Getting out of the boat and a little into the shallows of the black beach, you look behind the out-cropping of rock to see a small gathering of goblins perched out on the beach, cooking what looks to be a huge boar on a spit, battling over scrapes or eating their fill. There's about six goblins here, all moving at various paces away from each other, walking to and fro, and one ogre over-seeing them (using that term loosely: he's taking a nap on top of a very uncomfortable looking boulder).

Beyond these goblins, you see the rocky 'face' of ogre island, the horned demon that faces you from the far shore is even bigger and more imposing in person. Not far beyond the edge of the beach, you can see what looks like a cave opening leading in, but the camp of goblins / ogre are directly between you two and it.

>Just a reminder that Alexis hasn't spoken or otherwise made her presence known to you in quite some time.

>>30541991
"'Movies'...? Curious, I haven't heard of such a place." He contemplates what you say for a bit, rubbing at his chin. He watches in awe as you summon forth a hockey-stick from nowhere. "And such a curious weapon, too."

The Shaman gets up from his chair, and the elderly goblin paces for a bit, in thought. "So much to take in... you claim you are strong enough to cut off Gold's arm, and survive being expunged by Silver. You are seeking to free Kachina, to go to Yggdrasil, yet are not her ally and chose to speak with me instead and..." He stops his pacing, turning sharply at you. "Us. Tell me about 'us', you said 'us' just now. If there are more like you, I wish to hear it."

>>30542063
Alexis sets her weapon down on his desk.

"Oh right, you guys don't have technology. Movies are. Well movies are sort of like. Oh!"

She pulls out her iPod Touch and hits a few buttons on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH2-TGUlwu4

"Like that. Only longer and with a story."

She doesn't immediately answer the question about the others due to the video playing.

>>30542063
Leaving her bags in the boat and making sure it's hidden safely in the out-cropping of rocks, she peaks out to see the baddies, the intimidating "face" of the island, and a cave opening.

"Uhh, how about you go first, Pain? I, uh, will learn from afar."

>>30542063
>>30542112
"Alright, that's doable."
Pain looks for a goblin on it's own to tackle to the ground and shove a hoof in the mouth of.
[1d10] searching
consolidating posts
Market 'Hype's
[1d10+1] tackling to the ground and shoving hoof in mouth

>>30542099
Grak looks at your device as you pull it out and prepare the video. "What... is that some sort of Tech from the machines?"

As the video plays, the shaman's elongated ears suddenly go sharply flat, and he cringes as he holds his claws over his ears, "Agh." He cringes as he watches the video, staring at the poptart kitty on the screen with disgust. "What... what is the purpose of this?" After he gets past the annoying loop, he looks at the moving picture on the device. "The picture is moving....? That's..." he cringes again as the music plays, "That's absolutely incredible, but what is the purpose of this song? It's just, playing the same thing over and over again, its making my ears ring." He puts a claw over the device, "I'll ask more of these 'movies' later but for now, could you shut that off?! I am still curious about the 'us' you mentioned, remember?"

>>30542126
>>30542112
Watching Pain do his thing, Pain manages to spot one goblin in particular moving slightly further away from the group, mumbling a little too loudly to himself as he huffs towards your rocky outcroppings.
"Damned idiots, I TOLD them they were cooking the pig too long! Burnt crappy pork taste in my mouth, even after the damned witch is gone everything on the island still sucks, just kill everything is what I wanna-URK!"

You cut him off mid-sentence as he's distracted in his own angst, the goblin looking fearful for his life as the cat-donkey stealthily drags him away from the rest of the group, 'mmphin' for dear life as you take him away into a hiding spot with Aether for interrogation. He looks at Pain angrily, growling to get loose.

>>30542211
She pulls it away when he sets his claws on it.

"Careful, you'll scratch the screen." she says pulling it back and dropping it into her open backpack.

"Oh. Well there's me, this weird guy named Fixer who keeps throwing corn at me, he took his car with him to Tetra so that's been fun. Aether Bright is this mage working for the Princess, I think she has some kind of personality disorder though like OCD or something because she's always taking notes and asking weird questions."

"And then there's the Pain Train, he's this wrestler my brother really likes. Between the four of us he's the only one who even kind of knows how to fight. Oh! And his manager, that guy who yells alot on TV. I left all of them back in Seele though when I went to the Castle."

>>30542211
Aether reels back in repulsion when Pain comes back with the slightly more than upset goblin in his grip. She almost falls back into the boat.

"Ah! Oh! What? Am I supposed to talk with him?"

She tries to compose herself the best she can, then she says, "Uh, we're looking for the, uh, Shaman. Can you... bring us to him, or... tell him where he is?"

After a beat, she adds, "Please?" as if it was necessary to say.

>>30542211
>>30542266
>"What the nice caticorn said. We just want to have a chat with a certain Shaman, that you certainly know who you're talking about. Now you're all alone, and if you scream, no one will come in time. My friend Pain Train is currently got you in a headlock. He's gonna lift that hoof from your mouth, and if you dare raise your voice, he'll twist your neck and the last thing you'll see is your own back."
"I'm afraid his head'll come up, it's so small."
>"Eh, it works both ways."

>>30542288
(Pain let's the goblin speak)

>>30542251
He pulls his claw back as you drop the iPod, relaxing as the music stops. "Aahhhh... much better." He clears his throat, and sits and listens as you list off the characteristics of each of your traveling companions. After you mention leaving them all back in Seele, his eyes light up, "Seele, you say... and, I take it to assume they are ALL Tarrying ponies like you? What an opportunity..."

He taps his chin, grinning. "I... don't suppose they might all be as amicable as you, Alexis? After what we did to Kachina, I had feared your presence here was an omen of war, but, you have proven more open-minded than I had assumed. Would these others be the same as you?"

>>30542266
>>30542288
Pain lets go of the Goblin, but not before he looks up at MMM and sweats visibly at his threat of ripping the head off should he scream. He lets out a little gulp, then turns to look at Aether as she asks him, very sweetly and politely, as to where to find the Head Shaman. He turns around, looking at the three of you in turn, more scared for his life than he was a moment ago.

"W-what... what are ponies...." he steels his jaw, clenching his teeth and saying (but very clearly keeping his voice down) "Y-you caught the wrong goblin, equine freaks. I'm loyal to the Head Shaman to the end, and will NEVER talk. Nope. Nuh-uh. Nada." He shakes his head, "G-go ahead, do your worst, you won't hear me squealing." He seems easily shaken despite his stalwart words.

>>30542355
>*High Shaman

>>30542355
"Have you ever considered how easy it is to twist a spine into a knot? Let's not have a demonstration now."
[1d10] intimidate to help whatever Aether says next (good cop/bad cop)

>>30542355
>>30542374
She starts to perspire a bit as well, not wanting to witness another gruesome death.

"Oh, boy... uh, I don't want you to die as much as I imagine you do, and honestly I don't wanna risk it. Pain—the donkey, I mean—hasn't shown to be hesitant to use his, ah, brawn as a way to... solve problems. And I wouldn't let him, uh, do the twist-y thing if you told us what we wanna know."

She then quietly says to herself, "They make these negotiation things easier in the movies."

>>30542355
"Amicable? Probably not. In fact, if you can't help me with the guys on the mountain-" she looks nervous, standing up and picking up her hockey stick off the desk and holding it in both hooves, her backpack vanishing.

"I think this is the part where I have to fight you." she says pointing it at him, then looking back at the Ogre, then back at the High Shaman.

"You wouldn't happen to have a bigger room for this would you? I don't want to break all this stuff."

>>30542417
>>30542374
The goblin looks behind him and up at Pain's muzzle, elongated ears falling flat as he makes his threat. "D-demonstrations...?!"

As Aether asks more politely towards the goblin, he suddenly loses his nerve, opting for the way out from the violent stranger donkey-cat that has him in a deathlock. He squirms, "Y-you'll stop him?! A-alright, alright, fine... just remembered I care more about living than the fuckin' High Shaman, hehe..."

He gulps, "Well... yeah, I-I know where the High Shaman is. No one but us Tainted can navigate those caves. If you promise to let me go before he sees me I can take you there but, the way I know to him has guards I won't be able to get past, and" he turns over his shoulder, "... the group I came from is still watching the entrance. But, if you get me into the cave, I swear I can find a way so long as you don't kill me!"

>>30542448
As you bring up the part where you fight him, the Shaman suddenly reaches for his pole-staff, and the ogre guard growls and reaches for his sabre before you ask about bigger rooms.

"You don't want to... break my stuff?" The High Shaman repeats, before his face turns into a scowl. "Grrr.... I'm starting to doubt you don't know that Kachina witch at least a little. That sounds like something SHE'D say. So polite, it's sickening..." he growls. "Very well then... if you truly wish to break up this lovely conversation we were having, I can give you a fight. Follow me, if you will?" He says as he makes his way out of the office. "We've a little arena not too far from here that our strongest warriors use to fight, for training AND entertainment. I imagine it will suit your needs nicely."

>>30542522
>>30542448
(2/)
The High Shaman and his ogre guard lead you along a series of tunnels from his office, passing by various other home-caves whose inhabitants stare at the three of you in shock and awe, following you along towards the arena he spoke of. It is a pit that digs into the dirt about ten feet, four sets of metal bars acting as cage-holders in each of the sides with simple stone benches laid around the circumference on the upper level above the pit, save for one clearly more elaborate rocky throne at the far end. He looks down into the pit (about fifty feet wide in diameter), smirking. "I believe this should suit our needs rather well, Alexis. Fillies first?" he says as he waves his hands towards the pit.

>>30542566
>>30542522
The ghost girl walks with the Shaman and Ogre at a slight distance, exhaling through her nose out of habit as she holds her hockey stick, stuck uncomfortably between the Shaman and Ogre in front of her, and the goblins trailing behind.

When the High Shaman waves his hands towards the pit, Alexis jumps down, floating to the bottom.

>Adjusting Souls:
>Glavo: Water Elemental
>Sildo: Lesser Feline
>Ilo: X

>>30542522
>"Smart man. Pain, that belt's got a bit of space, right?"
"Of course, the big ol' minotaur guy, uhh, Large Great, he's worn this thing."
>"Help me wrap the belt and goblin round your back then. He gets to be your backpack."

the two of them secure the goblin onto Pain's back.
"Alright backpack, let's vamanos. Everyone let's go."

>>30542417
>Market turns to Aether, "Great good cop bad cop back there, you're a natural."

>>30542608
"Another novel idea..." she comments as she watches them strap the goblin onto the doncat's back.

>Market turns to Aether, "Great good cop bad cop back there, you're a natural."

"Oh! Hah, thanks, Market."

>>30542687
reply to
>>30542522

>>30542589
You touch the bottom of the arena as the goblin crowd that had been gathered begin surrounding you on the benches, taking their seats to watch the intruder battle in the arena. The High Shaman smiles as he paces around the circumference, still up on the edge of the pit looking down at you as he makes his way for the other side.

"I admit, Alexis, I had enjoyed our short conversation. And, would hate for this to end badly for either of us. So, I'm going to suggest a little wager." He points a claw at himself, "If you should defeat me, I swear by the Taint that spawned me I will do all in my power to convince Gold Horns and Silver Horns to let the Princess free so she may help you." He points the claw back down at you, "But... should you lose? You must bring the other ponies who came with you here... and you all must do as I say. Sound fair to you?"

>>30542608
"W-wait, what?!" the goblin shouts as you wrap the belt around the goblin and secure him to your back, the goblin pointlessly kicking his legs in protest as you do so, "Graaah! H-hey, I can move on my own, you... hay muncher!

>>30542687
The goblin turns to you in question, growling, "Hey! You're supposed to the 'nice' one or some shit?! Tell him to let me out!"

>>30542687
>>30542608
You secure him tightly, and thankfully the goblin knows how to shut up for his own good once you begin to approach the cave entrance. The small campsite of now five goblins, and the sleeping ogre, are still poised in front of the entrance to the inner sanctums of the cave. They still seem busy with their own business and not extremely attentive, giving you an opportunity to pass by unseen

>Roll stealth for getting into the caves

>>30542709
>"Hey! You're supposed to the 'nice' one or some shit?! Tell him to let me out!"

"He's not hurting you. I'd have a problem if he was hurting you. And watch your language."

>>30542709
>"We'll let you out when you're done leading us, this way if you try and sabotage our adventure, you're not getting out so easy. I'm a business pony, man of my word if you will. Once your contract has subsided you can renew it, or go freelance."

>>>>> cave
"Let's not get you or those happy campers killed, we just want the shaman after all."
Pain whispers to the goblin, sneaking by,
[1d10] DC-1

>>30542709
>>30542756
She follows the donkey, feeling a little tense.

[1d10] Sneak sneak DC -1

>>30542709
Alexis looks around at the numerous goblins filling the stone benches around the pit, nervous about the idea of fighting the High Shaman and his powerful magic.

As he makes his wager, Alexis' eyes open in shock.

"W-what? I can't..."

>"Even if he's just offering to try and talk to them...." she thinks, contemplating saying yes.

"No deal! If I make it out of this its because I beat you, and took your Soul!" she shouts, pointing her hockey stick at him.

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>>30542736
"He's hurting my dignity, what the Taint about that, huh? HUH?! And I'll call y'all whatever I want, horn-head!"

>>30542756
The goblin growls, "Grrrr.. fine, but you better keep your end of the deal. And no one had better see me or else I'm dead either way. I ain't renewing anything with you, baldy."

>>30542777
>>30542756
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgUXwF8bnFg
Pain's goblin attached to him makes a little more noise than warranted despite his attempts to be quiet, however Aether's tension lets her pick up when the goblins on the beach have gotten a little suspicious, letting her know to press Pain and MMM onwards more quickly before they are spotted, bringing them into the dimly lit tunnels (an occasional torch lights the way) of the Tainted stronghold.

The goblin (who reveals his name as Brak) gives hesitant directions further through the caves. There are several hollows built into the sides of the cave, sleeping quarters for more goblins, ogres, but before too far in you come across a hallway guarded by two very wide awake Tainted. The likes of which you have yet to see. They are very large creatures, taller than even the ogres you fought before, but oddly enough the majority of their body seems to be made up of an enormous head / mouth, comparatively short arms and legs accompanying the pair of large heads as they stand guard in the tunnel, looking vigilant as Brak orders you to take cover behind a bend in the rock. "T-this one of the guarded tunnel I mention. It go to Shaman's quarters but, two trolls watch this path deeper into the caves."

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>>30542983
>>30542790
The Shaman sneers at you, and gives an exasperated sigh, "Suit yourself. It's a shame, but, I will simply have to see to them myself, then. After you are dealt with..." Rather than leaping down to the floor, he jumps up into that stone throne on the opposite side, and snaps his fingers. "Let the duel commence."

As he snaps his fingers, other goblins pull at large, metal cranks on the sides of the arena, and you hear the sounds of fierce roaring coming from behind the metal barred cage opposite of you. A pair of sickly green eyes pierce at you from within the darkness, and a large, lumbering black bear frothing at the mouth lumbers out of the gates staring at you hungrily with a steel collar around his neck.

"Of course, you'll understand if the High Shaman doesn't immediately put his neck on the line. This duel was fortuitous: there's only a couple more days until this fellow likely turned into yet another ogre, but given we're in no short supply of those it's more interesting to see the Doomed fight instead." The Doomed bear roars at you, and begins to ready a charge.

>>30542983
>"He's hurting my dignity, what the Taint about that, huh? HUH?! And I'll call y'all whatever I want, horn-head!"

She just says frankly, "Well, yes, there is a horn on my head."

After walking through the tunnels for a while, she with the gang happen upon two very large creatures of somewhat comical proportions.

"It looks almost as if they'd tip over," she comments to herself quietly, peaking around the rock.

>>30542983
>"Alright, your contract has been fulfilled. Thank you for working with ETF Incorporated LCD." Market says, punching the goblin square in the head, knocking him out cold.
>"You can take him off now, we've got bigger fish to fry. Aether, can you use some telekinesis to make a rock or something make a disturbance to help us sneak by? Get them looking away then we sneak past as they go to investigate it."

Pain takes the unconscious goblin out of his belt, refastening it to his waist.

File: 582820.jpg (50KB, 864x490px) Image search: [Google]

50KB, 864x490px

>>30542992
Alexis watches with shock as the bear is released., holding her hockey stick near the ground like she was playing.

>"Come on. I have this. I can do this. Its just a bear. The Demon was like three times bigger then this..."

As it moves to charge she pulls back her stick, a puck appearing on the ground that she sends flying towards the Bear's head.

[1d10] Crits 9+ Critfails 2-

>>30543062
>>30543036

>>30543062
Aether, still looking at the two big creatures, winces at the sound of a punch.

"I think that might have hurt..."

>...Aether, can you use some telekinesis to make a rock or something make a disturbance to help us sneak by? ..."

"Oh yeah, sure. Good idea." she whispers as she does her magic. Her horn glows as she picks up a small rock from the floor. She appears to be indecisive for a bit on where to throw it, then she throws it at a nearby corner.

[1d10] Distractify

>>30543096
oh yeah, +1 posh +1 multiracial skill +1 talent, not like i need it tho lol

>>30543064
You fling the hockey puck at the bear aiming dead on for his head, but at the last moment the charging bear dips and moves his face out of the way of the on-coming puck and bashes his forehead into Alexis' front hard, knocking her away (2/4) as he rears up for a paw swipe down
[1d10+1] Great (Crits 9+, Critfails 2-)

The goblin crowd you accumulated begins to cheer and roar in approval of the bear, the horde whooping as it brings its claw down and Grak stares down with amusement.

>>30543036
"Oh... well, yeah! A-and your mane is a weird color too!" He hisses more insults as you point out the trolls.

"Yeah they're funny lookin' alright but they're mean sons of demons. Saw them eat a buddy of mine whole, in one freaking bite, once just cause they wanted a snack, even ogres are wary around 'em."

>>30543062
"Wait, what do you mea-URK" he says in a sudden gasp as he's knocked out cold in a single punch to the head, sending him into unconsciousness and slumping in Pain's belt as he successfully removes him.

>>30543096
You successfully pitch the stone from your hiding place at a corner of the tunnel, the Trolls' head suddenly drawn in that direction. One of them turns in the direction of the sharply thrown stone, which makes a commendable echo, and glares, "You hear that?" He says in a deep, throat-y voice.

"Me hear it." The other responds, and the two abnormally large creatures move away from their posts to look over towards the source of the sound Aether had created with the rock.
>Roll to pass by unseen as they investigate the sound, DC only 5 due to >10 throw with the stone for distraction (4 with Feline Soul)

>>30543125
>"Oh shi-" she thinks before being sent head over heels by the bear ramming her.

"Aaagh!" she screams, letting out a wild flail with her hockey stick as the bear lifts its claw over her.

[1d10] Crit 9+ Critfail 2-

>>30543125
>>30543096
>Market forms his unicorn magic into the image of a thumbs up towards Aether, before moving forward with Pain
[1d10] DC-2

>>30543125
>"Oh... well, yeah! A-and your mane is a weird color too!"

"Weird is subjective," she states succinctly.

>>30543172
She nods with a smile in reply, and she follows them through the hallway while the giants are occupied.

[1d10]

>>30543190
-1 DC por favor

>>30543152
The Doomed bear wavers just out of reach of the hockey stick as you swing at it, before its claw comes down with powerful force across your shoulder to knock you down to the floor of the arena, where upon it roars over you loudly as the goblins leap and cheer for joy as the ghost pony goes down.

The High shaman raises a claw, "Hahahahaha... what is the hold up, Alexis? You said you could cleave the arms of our mighty Gold Horns, did you not? Why do you instead toy with our pet?"

>>30543190
>>30543172
The two trolls look around the corner that the rock was throne, and with superb stealthiness the two cat ponies slip by completely unnoticed by the guarded hallway as you slip further into the halls of the Tainted. From here, Brak had given you fairly accurate directions leading to what he claimed were the Shaman's chambers, going down several more dimly lit tunnels deeper into the islands' bowels. You are met with the occasional patrolling party of ogres and goblins, but given your skills in evading capture so far you manage to avoid detection.

You come down to the chamber that Brak assured you the Shaman would most likely be in, the Cauldron Chamber. Inside the powerful, boiling green glow of the humongous pot (large enough to cook a shark or a bear in easy) lighting up the entire room. Poking your heads in, you can see the signs of 10 goblins mulling about the chamber room, along with a pair of ogres who sit by the chamber pot at the far side from where you enter, and chained to the walls of the room are a Bear and a Stone Elemental, both clearly Doomed as they thrash and pull at their chains, growling relentlessly. The two ogres argue over something you can't quite hear from here, but within you do not notice the Shaman's immediate presence as promised.

>>30543350
Peaking in to see, she notes, "Another cauldron!"

She looks around, but strangely, the Shaman doesn't appear to be there, only more goblins.

"Did that goblin lie to us? I didn't think he would..."

She turns back to Pain Train and Market Manager to see what they have to say.

File: KANKETSUSEN.jpg (75KB, 1280x720px) Image search: [Google]

75KB, 1280x720px

>>30543350
>Alexis was already on the ground, so I'll instead take that to mean knocked across the floor.

Alexis pushes up on the floor, rising to her knees, her arms spread in front of her as she looks at the floor.

>"D-damn it." she thinks to herself, noting the gash across her leather jacket's back.

She looks up at the High Shaman.

>"Come on Alexis. You can do this. You've got this. Its just a bear-"

"I'm not a superhero." she whispers to herself, looking at the ground.

>"I can do this..."

She slams a hoof down on the ground. A moment later, tiny cracks begin forming underneath the bear, glowing with soft blue light.

"GLAVO: KANKETSUSEN!" she shouts, as a massive geyser of water erupts underneath the Doomed Bear.

[1d10]
[1d10]
>Expansive: Dual
>Water Glavo
>RotS to recover at 7/3

>>30543386
"Seems shamany, a big ol cauldron. Maybe they're busy."

>"Let's skulk around a bit, maybe they're on lunch break."

explore nearby passageways [1d10] dice if needed

>>30543403
She nods, then follows them to look around.

[1d10] Exploring nearby passageways and whatnot, looking for the Shaman

>>30543391
As you push your hoof to the ground, the cracks spread and widen underneath the bear, who looks down in confusion as it begins to glow. In a sudden burst of pressure, the water explodes upwards from the base of the bear, sending it flying upwards into the air as it roars and flails. The water sprays out over the entire arena, dowsing the audience with buckets full of excess water as they cover themselves with their hands, as does the Shaman, who stares down as the bear comes crashing down from above hard onto the floor of the arena, shaking it slightly.

He stares at you, "Glavo..." he says almost reverently, almost jealously. "So, you can use Anima just like Kachina? I shouldn't have expected different... how I have longed to wield that power for myself." He grins, "Well, I suppose I do now... in a roundabout way." He shouts at the bear, "Get up! Finish her!"

The Doomed bear shakes its head, trying to steady itself along the wet stone floors after its fall, and moves to charge at her once more [1d10+1]

>>30543403
>>30543422
You two decide to leave the Cauldron Chamber, given the evident lack of a Shaman within, and explore the nearby tunnels. As you duck and weave from more of the occasional patrols, you eventually seem to come across an area of note. Turning into one of the many hollowed out parts of the tunnel-halls that contain housing, you come across what seems to be a very expansive study, the kind that would appear to be belonging to a wizened individual such as a Shaman. It also appears to be part lab, with a large alchemy set on one side of the room, a miniature cauldron on the far-side, and a writing desk at the other.

Upon the writing desk is a letter, only half written with the quill suck in its inkwell, and though it is empty it seems very clearly to be the Shaman's own personal collection of notes and information. There is a door to this hollow that you can close for privacy / to avoid on-coming patrols.

>[PAUSED]