http://pastebin.com/Pu749mrT
>>26931498
http://pastebin.com/5VUcBRQx
>>26931498
http://pastebin.com/RaZG8KLM
>>26931498
http://pastebin.com/6dTx6i08
Post sheets
>>26931539
>All this early sheet posting
http://pastebin.com/p1dtY3qj
>>26931539
http://pastebin.com/R0AXr1UU
>>26931539
I did not realize you called for sheets.
http://pastebin.com/RtnGYscx
>>26931539
http://pastebin.com/YJFusUgn
>>26931518
>>26931535
>>26931548
>>26931527
>>26931682
>>26931698
>>26931725
Amy 2/6 (7/6)
Flaming 5/4 (8/6)
Shei 2/4 (6/7)
Pryce 9/2 (9/5)
Novelus 1/6 (6/6)
Flow 7/4 (10/5)
Observer 6/4 (7/6)
Golem 5/5 (5/5)
Last time on HQ...
https://desustorage.org/mlp/thread/26825714/#26825714
The Bodhidharma, a mosquito-like metallic being, had attacked the front gates of Zha Arlakane. The party arrived to assist in its defeat. The monster had drilled straight through the front gates with its drill-like proboscis. From far behind, a group of angels, their bodies far more pony-like than any angel seen thus far, assisted in some small way when one shot an anchoring lance through the Bodhidharma's back leg.
However, the Bodhidharma eventually snapped off the lance and charged into the city, leaving a trail of destroyed buildings and infrastructure in its wake. It was not stopped until it had dug its drill into the ground before the King's council-house, speaking about Karma. Its last, bitter words were, "I have been betrayed."
(1/2)
That hushed prickling of dread continues to waver in the backs of your minds as you survey the destruction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy5lQBvG7n4
There is a long, wide ditch in the city's front plaza now, leading from the smashed and twisted gates up to the first step of the council-house. Statues, monuments and homes lay toppled and crushed, with amenities and fixtures of domestic life, furniture, paintings, clothing, laying splattered and torn all over the ground.
>>26931527
>>26931535
>>26931548
>>26931682
>>26931698
You remain by the rusted shell of the Bodhidharma, its metallic hide looking much smaller and placid than it was just a few minutes ago. Brittle and weak, pieces of the armor chip away, leaking acid and dead vines, its tools of war. A few guards take frustrated wacks at its compound eyes, their faces wrought with anxiety and fury as they beat away at the creature's corpse.
>>26931518
During the fight, you stayed out of the main conflict to help Renee pull the wounded and injured to safety. You and her took them into the barracks. Among them, twenty are gravely injured, thirty are mildly injured, and ten have died. Renee, remaining quiet except for the occasional barked orders at you, trots up and down the barrack halls, rationing water from her canteen onto their injuries to heal them in the way she usually does after combats.
Among the injured, you notice Rus Tea, leaning against a wall, fur singed. She seems to have refused medical treatment from Renee.
>>26931936
Observer attempts to salvage the core from the beast. "Let's see what secrets you hold..."
>Engineering: Just in case
[1d10+2]
>>26931936
>>26931725
Amy looks around the destroyed landscape with a frown. She considers playing a tune on Lumpet. But, something stops her. She feels like she needs to get out of here.
Perhaps it was the terrible feeling of dread still in the air. Perhaps she didn't like how things were left with Shei. Or, maybe she was feeling something else. Whatever it was, she had a reason to go somewhere else so she was going to do it.
"Shei! Wait!" she calls out as he runs away. She runs after him.
>>26931936
>Actually Pryce ran off the outskirts at the end of last session
>https://desustorage.org/mlp/thread/26825714/#26828447
Pryce looks around at the empty landscape, the lack of the angels filling him with confusion and disappointment.
[They were here, all over, trying to get down at that creature. They couldn't be helping it, because it was fending them off with the butterflies. So, they must have been helping? But why?]
"Hello?! Is there anypony out there, angels?"
Pryce shouts out as he scans around the dispersing rust, flying into the air a short distance for as an improved view as he can get, the burns from the battle keeping him from going to high from irritations.
>Angels, where are you? [1d10]
>>26931936
Flaming takes in several deep breaths, letting herself rest on he knees as she looks at the fallen corpse of the machine. Looking back, she gives her ears a low droop.
"I can't believe it got this far in... that's good we stopped it here." She looks around, noticing that Dania has appeared to have gone off, and she moves up towards the guards, shouting at them,
"Someone check on the council inside! A-and bring in as many sheep as we can to dismantle this abomination, it may still be dangerous!"
>>26931936
''I imagine your pride won't allow you to heal from battle scars? Or is that something from the minotaur culture?'' The sheep speaks up, glancing at the minotaur while working on the orders Renne has been giving, doing the best possible to help the injuried sheeps, occasionally muttering words of encouragement, congratulating them for their bravery or muttering words of farewell and wishing for peace in the afterlife
''And where is Zjetya by the way? It might be dangerous for her to wander around on her own...Zha Arlakane is a big place and it is very easy to get lost''
>>26931936
Still remaining as stoic as ever, Flow lets go of his claymore, and starts walking around the mosquito's corpse. He grimaces as he drops a little bit of his goo on the acid.
Vice assists Renee, while Trapper, the scoundrel that he is, immediately heads for the city to start looking for anything useful.
>>26932047
[1d10]
For looking
>>26931990
Shei-Sher ignores you and continues running toward the inner city.
>>26931936
After facing embarrassment in the breast of Amy Thest, Shei-Sher ran off toward the inner city. He's red in the face, and tears obscure his vision. Shei hopes to get some direction for where the refugee camps were.
>>26931990
>>26932063
>>26931936
Amy stops for a moment, her ears going back. Her lip quivers from being ignored. But, then a new wave of resolution washes over her and she continues to follow Shei.
"I said wait!" she shouts in a cross between caring and anger. She follows him toward the inner city.
>>26932018
"Well, yes, but I can be generous too. You ever think of that?" she says, giving your shoulder a friendly tap. "A few lightning burns aren't as aesthetic as scars, but a collection is a collection. Besides, your goo friend needs all the water she can get for the worse-off," she gestures at Renee, who is stealing any kind of water source she can find in the barracks.
>>26931998
>My mistake
The most you find in the rust-clouded badlands landscape are a small collection of javelin-like arrows with four-pronged heads. Three in number, they are each as long as the length of your body if you laid down flat. You recall one like this was fired into the Bodhidharma's leg.
>>26931987
You dissect through a wound into the chest area using your telekinesis. As you do, a clew of circuitry within bursts into your face, giving you light burns. Many more pieces of the rusty body fall off and crumble like burnt paper. You swear you feel a heavy presence around your neck. Moments later, you remember a faint, derisive laughter. You are certain you haven't heard this laughter before.
Eventually, you reach and extract the core, a coiling, off-black metallic thing like a knot. Its surface is smooth and smells like a musty old room. It is remarkably small, no bigger than a foal.
>>26932063
>>26932097
>>26932047
Heading westward, Trapper Amy and Shei eventually reach a section of the city populated with fearful looking mortals of many races. Crowded indoors and in alleyways, many clutch weapons and gaze frightfully out at you.
Soon, you end up at the bar where Shei last saw his goats. "Hoy, hold it!" a voice commands.
From the bar emerges a black donkey with a white curly mane that goes down to her shoulders. She rests a murakumo on her shoulders. She gives you the evil eye for a moment.
"Okay you're good. But don't go steppin on nopony's hooves now that we got em calm. You lot hunters? You better not be if there's more of them out there."
(1/2)
>>26932012
The guards disperse, many of them with a dreading look.
>>26932047
>For Vice, see top reply
>>26932097
"Leave me alone!" You hear Shei cry back at you.
>>26932221
"Shei, please! Just let me explain!" Amy calls back desperately.
>>26932199
However, she quickly skids to a halt when someone tells her to hold it.
"Howdy, friend," Amy says to the new donkey. "I used to help protect this city's walls for a while... I guess that doesn't mean much now," she says as her ears go back. "I'm sorry... I'm just making sure everyone's alright. Who are you, by the way?" she asks as if it was all one thought.
>>26932199
Observer flinches at the burns, ignoring the laughter as her focus is on extracting the core. Once she has taken it out she doesn't hesitate to climb back into the golem.
"I'm going back to the lab to analyze a few things. I will return once I have finished." She informs the party before she would make her way back to the ship's lab.
>>26932199
Flow stands up and idly looks around. Noticing the guards, he walks up to them and barks.
"It's dead! Get ahold of yourselves, idiots!"
>barking
[1d10]
Vice continues assisting Renee in whatever way he can.
Trapper, looks intently at the donkey's murakumo.
"Oi! Wot in the world is that blade?! It's bloody huge!" he asks excitedly.
>>26932199
>>26932219
Flaming looks about the guards as they give her a look of sheer dread. She scowls, at first disapproving of the city's defenders acting so meek. Then she turns around and her frown softens, realizing the situation they must be finding themselves in.
Shaking her head free of doubt, she looks around at those around, and noticing that Dania is still missing. Though she intends to keep his identity a secret, she was hoping he might be able to help her with the city's inner-workings in their quest to get them to turn over control to Ecclesia. However, thinking to earn some brownie points off the start for her and the others, she moves first towards those around the wreckage, looking for those in need that she can provide assistance too.
>She makes a point of giving her name as well, hoping some at least remember her from her time on the wall
[1d10] Moving around and starting up a good reputation for the group with some helpful labor cleaning up / checking for those trapped by wreckage.
>>26932199
"Did they all leave already? Why didn't they move in when we started to break it down... Could they not enter the city?"
Pryce thinks out loud, drifting back to the ground next to the arrows. he lifts the three up with his telekinesis and looks them over in curiosity.
Looking around with no signs of any corpses of the angels, his heads snaps over to where the ship was left.
[They didn't go after the ship, did they?]
Pryce turns fully and gallops towards the ship to check if it's okay after the battle and it wasn't caught up by angels or those metal butterflies.
>>26932199
"I am with the Mr'uthgrian goats, please excuse me!" Shei-sher stammers as he continues his bewildered trot through the refugee projects. He goes into the next alley he can find and trots down toward it's end.
>>26932199
She smiles ''Yes, I have not considered you were simply being kind... Foolish of me to doubt your generosity'' She chuckles looks at Renne working her flank off
''Could you do me a big favor and take over for a few minutes as I go fetch her some more water? I imagine these soldiers might enjoy being atended by an exotic sight such as yourself, eh?eh?'' the sheep pokes the Minotaur's side with an elbow, smiling before heading out to find more water for the goo mare
>>26932266
"Ma Gosh. Don't mean I'm excited to see you, it's my name. I hunt. Was on my way yesterday to the Seerstones when we decided to stop here for whatever slop they sell in the bars. Ended up stuck here when the drilling started. Couldn't do much from the inside besides keep these folk from rioting. Damn near got overwhelmed but a deer and a pegasus wound them down. Damn near made me deaf from the cryin'," she rubs her ear.
>>26932309
>>26932278
You both arrive at the ship, where you are greeted by Onion and Zjetya. "I take it the fighting's over? You guys look like crap-- how bad's the other guy?" Zjetya asks brusquely.
>>26932329
You head northeast to the Wellspring, the underground lake from which most of ZA's water comes. You head toward the underground tunnel which leads to the spring and find Box and Spitshine already there. The large door blocking the tunnel is locked, apparently, as you see Spitshine trying to pick the lock. "Hi, Dania! Did Renee send you to yell at us? Sorry we're taking so long- someone took the key!"
>>26932303
The few remaining guards flinch from your outcry and scatter.
"It's a weed-whacker. I'd demonstrate, but we'd just scare the locals," Ma Gosh says.
Vice joins Rus and Renee. While Rus begins to raid any and all destroyed buildings for medical supplies, Renee continues to ration out the water, herself starting to wobble and tremble. She mutters madly to herself as she applies treatment to the weary. As Vice comes in, she has him hold down bandages and the like, which eases some of the strain on her face and doubles the speed of the treatment process. She gives him a grateful tail-brush as they move from patient to patient.
(1/2)
>>26932314
Before you head down the alley, a you hear a familiar yawn in the bar window. You see Hexapod, one of Buiwong's servants who came with you, standing by the window. Light purple mist comes from the bushes on his antlers.
>>26932308
Seeing Rus Tea digging through nearby buildings for medical supplies, you join her, finding a small collection of potions and poultices that Renee could find use for.
As you dig, you start to hear a young groan from underneath the rubble.
>>26932468
"Whatever it was, its dead now. Some sort of metal beast drilling through he wall and into the city. Is everything alright here? Did you see where the angels went?"
Pryce rattles of quickly from the ship's entrance.
>>26932468
Amy does several double takes and head cocks at Ma Gosh's name before the sentence's meaning finally clicks. "Oooooooooh," Amy exclaims suddenly. "I see now. Your- Okay... never mind..."
She looks past Ma Gosh into the building. "Is everyone okay. Can I help at all?"
>>26932468
"Save questions for later, remain out of my lab as well." She states to Zjetya, but still gives both Onion and her a wave of her hoof.
She makes her way to the lab, where she doesn't waste time on beginning work on analyzing the core.
>Engineering: Lab work on core.
[1d10+2]
>>26932481
Flaming moves alongside Rus Tea, noticing her heavy scars with adoration. "Hello! I see you got a few reminders of that last battle." She grins, looking at some of the remains of the black goo on her face, "Have a few souvenirs myself. They look good." She begins moving the stuff out of the way along side the minotauress, and sniffs the first bottle she picks up.
"Hmm. This should help out those who were hurt. Could use a few of them ourselves, don't you think?" She asks, before her ear shoots up at the sounds of the groans coming from beneath the rubble.
"Hello?! Is someone down there?" She shouts, looking at the rubble that appears to be the immediate source of the voice. She rears down, raises up her head, and brings it to slam down upon the stone.
[1d10+3] All or Nothing to break stone rubble.
>>26932481
Shei-sher stops and runs back to the window. Relieved to see Hexapod. He wipes the tears off his face and tries to regain his composure. He then knocks on the window glass "Hexpod.. Psst! Hexapod. Let me in"
Shei-sher had not entered the bar beforehand because he assumed they did not let children in the bar.
>>26932468
''I can see that, darling...This is odd...Why would they lock down the Wellspring?...'' the sheep asks out loud as the geas in her mind work
''Well usually I would condone trying to pick locks in this kingdom, Spitshine...But in this occasion, it would do good for a lot of good sheep...Are you having any luck? A clever young thing like you should have no trouble with a simple lock, I take it?''
[1d10] glorify
>>26932506
"They went sort of... that way. General direction ish, it's..." Zjetya struggles, gesturing southwest.
"Southwest?" Onion asks, baffled at her ineptitude.
"Southwest. That's the word," Zjetya says. "Cut me some slack, we never had to worry about travel or navigation in Ornifex."
>>26932584
"Yeah, well, maybe they shouldn't lock up the gateway to the thing that keeps us all alive? Y'know, water? Who the hell would do that?" Spitshine barks. "Come on, just click already..."
The only one who would have the authority to lock it down, you figure, would be the King, but such a restricion is almost never used. A spare could be around in the palace.
>>26932534
Rus flicks your nose at the suggestion of pilfering a few of the supplies.
As you smash part of the rubble beneath, you uncover the front half of a semiconscious ewe. Removing her, judging from the amount of debris laying on top of her, would be extremely difficult and could injure her.
>>26932570
"The conquering hero recognizes me. I'm flattered. But don't breathe in too much," he points at his horns and the purple mist they exude. "Had to pull out the emergency stop so they didn't devour the hunters."
He picks you up and plops you onto his back, you see that the bar is stuffed with people, young and old, like sardines. On a few tables sit two other hunters, a tiny bat pony mare, a pegasus stallion with a mane like a chicken comb.
>>26932515
"Unless you can charm these folk back into having a sense of security, I think the damage is done- some deer had to spread a mist from his horns, some kind of calm spell, to get 'em to not stampede us. Some did get out and tried to book it deeper into the city, to the places the guards made off limits, but I don't know where'd you begin to look for them," Ma Gosh says.
>>26932525
As you start to scan the core, the analysis initially comes back a garbled mess. There seems to be some kind of obfuscating agent within the core.
>>26932745
[''It would be risky to go in there myself''] the sheep thinks
''Ah well, don't worry Spitshine. Just go back there and help Renne, tell her I will try to solve this problem...Actually, nevermind, come with me and I will tell her that myself...Let's go Spitshine, Box'' The sheep pats Spitshine for his effort and walks ahead back to where the others are
>>26932745
"I'll go look for them," Amy says, happy to have something to do. "We can't have panicked ponies running around. Nothing will calm down that way!"
Amy bounces away, deeper into the city. She looks for guards who might have an idea where the panicked ponies may have gone since they must have gone by them in order to get to the places the guards quartered off.
>>26932745
"Southwest. How long ago did they..."
Pryce starts to say with urgency, before slumping back against the wall and sliding down until he sits.
"Forget it, wouldn't be able to reach them anyhow..."
He says with a mixture of defeatism and exhaustion.
He sets the three arrows down in a pile off to the side, head slumping back against the wall.
"Have either of you had a day where it just seems... everything you do is off?"
He asks to Onion and Zjetya as he stares up at the ceiling.
>>26932745
Observer attempts to combine the use of her Fourth Eye's abilities as she continues to work on the analyses to see beyond the obscurity.
>Fourth Eye
[1d10]
>Engineering
[1d10+2]
>>26932745
Flaming grunts as her nose is flicked, reaching up to grab at it and rub as she stares angrily up at Rus Tea. "What! We might have been given them anyways..." she retorts, turning to look down at the smashed rubble.
She gasps at the sight of the injured ewe. "Oh my... a-are you still with us?" She gets down as close as she can to hear her voice, noticing the dangerous position she finds herself in among the rubble. She taps her hooves, trying to think of a way to quickly remove this rubble. She grabs at one of the potions they procured, "She needs this now..." from Rus Tea, and moves down close enough to reach her front half.
She lets her take a small sip from the potion before she tries to move the rubble, and glows a soft white as he prays for her to ensure her well being. "Everything's going to be fine, we'll get you out of this. I think."
>Prayer for Salvation: Automatic; Recharge 2; The target's next recovery from Helplessness will be an Automatic Instant action, and the target will get +1 to all future attempts to get up until the end of combat.
>Giving her a pit of the potion for healing internal damage
>>26932745
Once the window is opened Shei-sher attempts crawling through the window sill and after some trouble is given help from Hexapod. Shei-sher scouches himself a spot next to Hexapod to cram himself into and talk "Your praises fill me with warmth." Shei matches Hexapod's sarcasm with his own "In truth, I've made some substantial progress in capturing resources for our cause. There is a lot of optimistic news I want to share and even word from Buiwong. But foremost! Give me peace of mind Hexapod. How do my people fair? Has Fantasia been hospitable?"
>>26932800
rollin to roll out [1d10]
>>26932468
Flow shakes his head at the soldiers, and tries grabbing one with a hoof.
[1d10+3]
Trapper has slinked off to go find some more useful supplies.
[1d10]
Vice, meanwhile, partitions an arm off and tosses it at Renee.
>"Use this, it's the most I could offer. It's made of water, so just absorb it. You look tired."
He continues to treat the wounded with his one arm.
>>26932814
"Once had three strings break in a single chord when I was still playin' for Splitz's paw, Sundae. Least he's the type to just laugh n splash beer on ya. Splitz... eugh. Come to think of it, though, that's the direction of Mary-pos-ah, innit? Not much but it's a start. Why you keen to find em?" Onion laughs.
"Seems like every day in Daozang was one of those days," Zjetya glumly concurs.
>>26932820
You pinpoint the source of the disturbance: a black needle rests at the very heart of the core. The needle pierces a seed, from which yellowish vines and hideous pus leaks. Removing it would be possible, but not easy, and certainly dangerous. It seems to be the source of impurities in the core, which is otherwise genuine angel material.
>>26932837
You administer the potion and spell, waking the ewe up from her stupor. As she realizes her status, shock sets in, and she panics, baaa-ing and clawing her way out of the rubble. You clear a bit of it out of the way, allowing her to get up. She soon flees toward the western part of the city without so much as a thanks.
>>26932799
>>26932837
Dania leads Spitshine and Box to where Flaming and Rus are, and see the above happen. Rus grunts at the lack of water, then heads back to the barracks with the other potions.
>>26932892
"Nope. Sheeps give us nasty looks all the time. Specially when we eat. Seems every day sheeps keep getting more short-tempred with the guests-- maybe you should wear one of them funny masks or something around here. I doubt they'd be happy to see you around. Wireframe's had no luck yet with finding..."
"Dude..." he pauses
"Did you say Buiwong?" he asks with a new optimism.
(1/2)
>>26932936
Wherever Trapper looks in this particular cluster of buildings, he just gets venomous stares- people clearly sense his intentions.
Renee slips half the arm into her side, then distributes more of it to the injured. Rus Tea comes in with two bags of potions and hands them to you. "Here, I don't want to stop whatshername."
The guard you grab spins around sharply, his hoof on a knifehandle. "You wanna start something, freak? We have things to do, unlike you freebooters."
>>26932800
You head northwest past that cluster of buildings, entering a temple district. No guards seem to be around, having dispersed to double down on the defenses at the front gate and around the palace. As you pass by a graveyard, you notice a part of a torn sackcloth robe laying on a grave. It still smells like someone was wearing it recently.
>>26932982
Observer takes a deep breath as she focuses, keeping in mind the known location of where the needle is and attempting to remove it carefully using her lab equipment.
>Engineering: Remove impurities.
[1d10+2]
>>26932982
''I am really sorry, Renne. But don't worry, I will get the water. I will try to reason with the concil or whoever made that decision to unlock the Wellspring...Just hold on a bit longer, alright?''
''Rus, darling. I am going to the castle, would you want to come along or rather stay in here helping Renne?''
>>26932837
''Hello Flaming...I take it you know about that sheep that just ran away through the door?''
>>26932982
"They weren't like other angels, they looked like normal ponies instead of larger and strangely shaped. And the one that spoke to me used a greeting of the Church... I guess I just wanted some answers."
Pryce sighs, rolling his head forward.
"Everything about the Church has been weighing on my mind, and now when I renounce it I see something again that doesn't match with everything I knew. Just keep getting more questions that make me want to find answers even though I just want to be rid of all of it at this point."
He shifts on the floor where he sits.
"My magic hasn't worked too well since I've started questioning things either. I trained my whole life to fight and protect, and now I struggle just to make simple tools. It all just... makes me feel lost."
He says somberly.
>>26932993
As Trapper gets so many nasty looks, he starts to scurry away, heading back to the ship.
>"Her name is Renee. Thank you."
He takes the potions and starts rationing one out to the patients, but not before handing the other to Renee.
Flow scoffs.
"Yeah right. I could snap you like a twig, you little footsoldier."
He looks at the empty husk, then back to the soldier.
"If you had things to do, why were you hitting a dead enemy?"
He lets go of him, and heads into the city.
>>26932993
If Amy is able to smell that someone is wearing it, then logic ONLY dictates that she should be able to follow the smell to where the person is now! Dog powers, activate!
[1d10] for bloodhound blood
>>26932982
Flaming smiles as the sheep regains her senses, watching the sheep spring back to life. "That's it! Just hold on, we'll get you out." As she prays for her, she watches her climb her own way out of the rubble, then her smirk fading as she runs off towards the town. She gives a light frown, and a huff. "You're WELCOME." But she doesn't let the negativity last given what she's been through.
She turns to Rus Tea, turning and bowing her head, "Thank you for taking those to them." Then, she turns to see Dania, Spitshine, and Box approach.
>>26933045
>>26932982
She shakes her head, "She was just trapped under the rubble from the angel's attack." She looks around at the devastation wrought by it. "I hope not too many others are trapped as well. I'm hoping she lets on who it was that let her out, I am happy to help but I'd like for Ecclesia's reputation to start building around here."
She bows, "I'm glad you're alright, I was worried where you had gone in the battle. How does it feel to be home?" She flattens her ears. "Um... present circumstances aside."
>>26933035
As you attempt to remove it, a dull vibrating sensation plagues your hoof, forcing you to drop the tool. The bottom of your hoof has been singed with a small scar, in the shape of two rings intersecting.
>>26933084
"I don't have to answer to you, vermin," the sheep says, shouldering you as he storms away.
You enter the barracks, where Flaming, Dania and Rus Tea are as well. Renee hocks half the potion, then pours the other in the mouth of one seemingly on the brink of death.
>>26933045
Neither Rus nor Renee answers you, busying themselves with checking and reapplying stints and bandages, cleaning injuries and staunching re-opening injuries.
>>26933081
"Maybe I'm lucky Daozang wasn't so complex, then; this Church seems like a bunch of heartache to me, like they're pulling you in all directions like a nasty marefriend," Zjetya jokes derisively.
"Could find yourself a Mary-pos-ah wand. Those always get the job done for a prentice mages," Onion muses, "Stick it onto your horn, make it longer and more... conductive? Hmmm..."
>>26933111
As you head deeper into the temple district, you pick up the scent of a cow. You wind past memorials and old buildings, until you emerge onto an empty street that leads to a statue at the end, of a mother sheep comforting three baby sheeps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGqvpMQQ48o
At the end, a hunched, ominous figure stands. It wears a baggy sackcloth tunic, a rich purple hooded cape with gold trim, and royal-looking sandals. Something drops into the pit of your stomach just from looking at it. That sense of anxiety and dread boils in your gut.
>>26933226
Amy does her best to ignore the feeling. "H-hello, friend," she says as happily as she can muster. "Are you okay? There's a lot of bad stuff happening in town right now. Are you hurt? Is that why you're out here alone?"
>>26933262
cunt
>>26933226
Observer checks her hoof to see if the scar has left any lasting effects on her hoof or if it's just a simple marking. She then looks to continue her work, this time using her telekinesis to continue her work.
>Appraise: Checking the scar on hoof
[1d10+4]
>Engineering: Continue removing impurities.
[1d10+2]
>>26933226
Flow ignores the sheep and calmly goes about his business.
As he steps in, he doesn't bother Renee, and heads to Vice.
"What's going on here?"
>"We're helping the injured, Sir Flow. The best we can do is ration out water and whatever else we can scavenge."
Flow nods and unloads his equipment, storing it with Box as he takes off his hat and puts it on top of Box.
"Protect this with your life, my good friend."
He walks off to ration out whatever water is left inside of his canteen to the injured.
As Trapper makes it to the ship, he looks for Onion.
>>"Oi mate, you know where everyone's at?"
>>26932982
"Yes! And those flufftossers won't have to worry about our flock any longer. We're leaving Zha Arlakane. I've procured a weather ship for us to board and as soon as we can I want everyone outside the gates and aboard. Zha Arlakane is not the untouchable haven I though it was. There are literally angels skirting around the walls of this city. And furthermore I have reason to believe there may be civil unrest within these very walls soon. The so called paragons of Ecclessia are after the crown, a coup! I foretell it won't be accomplished so delicately."
Shei-sher rummages through his bag and brings out a crystal with the upper half lopped off. "In which case I have found something very valuable." He displays the crystal "This is a very special crystal. With it you can grow crops in even the darkest and infertile corners of the earth. With it we can establish our colony in Vadahara." He takes out his journal and points to some geography he's mapped out, lining out a way to Vadahara just north of
Accorsia "It'll be treacherous, but Vadahara, even for ruins are well fortified, and too foul for any angels to venture forth." Shei-sher then presents the note he recieved from Gengenschien.
>"THE LORD WATCHES OVER YOU, HE DOES NOT FORGET THOSE WHO HELP HIM. BUT THERE IS YET WORK THAT NEEDS COMPLETION. OUR PRECIPICE WORLD IS NOT YET SAFE FROM ABOVE. WE WILL MEET SOON."
"I received this from a follower of Buiwong that resides within the Ecclessians. Does the name Gengenschien sound familiar to anyone? No? From the note says It's my assumption Buiwong wishes us to venture to his new world, or at least close and bring him the lance of the Source."
>>26933226
>>26933226
>OUR PRECIPICE WORLD
"Or maybe not?" Shei exudes "In all honesty I am a smidgen confused what he means by Precipice World. Does he mean his world? The plane higher than ours -so 'precipice' or perhaps he means the plane we reside in which is under constant threat. In any case we should make way to Vadahara.
>>26933127
"First we should worry about helping these good sheep recover from the blow. That thing just broke inside the kingdom and almost reached the castle Flaming... This is big and these soldiers were not the only ones scarred today... Thank you for the help though. That sheep will remember what you did and I appreciate that."
"Personally, I am fine... I'm trying my best to stay calm and focused after the chaos of today... I am very sorry I was not there for the battle... If I was, perhaps that thing wouldn't have made it so far..."
The Sheep sighs and shakes his head
"At least I am home... It might be slightly grim and more depressed than before but we are here to fix that. Thank you for the concern, Flaming..." he pets her in the short horns
"I was about to make my way to the ship to fetch Observer and go to the castle. It seems that the Wellspring, our source of water was locked down, which is very unusual to happen. So I will go there and try to reason with however was responsible for this. Would you like to come along?"
>>26933226
"Well, I will take that as a no..."
The Sheep raises her voice to the soldiers, Rus and everyone present
"Do not worry, I will return carrying buckets of water. You all did a great and Noble work today, it fills my heart with pride to know the kingdom was kept safe in your hooves. Now rest and recover, you deserved it"
[1d10+2] Inspire
>>26933226
>>26933045
As Rus and Renee busy themselves with medical work, Flaming scratches at her black spots from before, going up towards Renee. Hoping she isn't too busy, she asks, "Renee, in the fight I took a few blows." She pulls at the black goo, "This bit in particular concerned me... could you take a quick look at it?"
She turns to look around at those injured. "It's quite a mess... as soon as Dania is ready I was going to get started on investigating Pausanias. I don't know why but, given his attachment to Orcus, I just know he had a cloven hoof in this."
>>26933422
Flaming nods her head, looking back at the long line it broke through. "I was on that wall for months and nothing like this ever got through. Your castle... uh, I mean, THE castle, we were lucky to have stopped it just before it breached it. I'm glad we could protect your home. I'll do what I can for these sheep around here."
She smiles, "They gave me a home when I had none. I owe that too them. And, it's fine, I understand other things would call to attention. Don't worry," she bows her head, "We'll fix it right up."
>>26933226
>>26933422
AS you mention the Wellspring, Shorthorns looks shocked, "They cut off the water supply...?! Why? For what possible purpose?"
She nods her head, reaching to grab Dania's leg and pulling her along towards the Sky-Lab where it parked. "I believe I saw him.. her... it go for the HissLab. I think that JOY-peddling chancellor is behind this too, I'd bet just about anything."
>>26933262
The longer you look at the figure, the more dull and dreary the colors appear in the area. Flat, hopeless grays begin to overtake everything. The figure does not react to the sound, but the body beneath the clothing shifts and moves about eerily, unnaturally. Colors fade and darken where it steps and touches the statue of mother and child. A terrible presence lingers about it.
>>26933302
"Boy will I!" Box confirms.
"All spread out all over the place, m'afraid. I ain't been keepin track from up here, still got my free pass on fights from my injuries. Most are in the city, but River is in Fantasia and Volkama cookin up rats in the back," Onion tells Trapper.
The water you bring soon proves to be just enough to allow Renee to patch up the last of the injured. She soon slumps into a corner, eyes drooping as she allows the soldiers to rest.
>>26933275
You manage to delicately pluck the black needle from the core and quarantine it in a little box. It lays cold and inert.
As you scan the marking, the hoof trembles involuntarily. It leaves a faint impression of its mark wherever it touches. It appears larger now. A heavy, nauseating sense of anticipation, like guilt, leaps out of your stomach into your throat. It crushes you like a mound of constricting, choking bodies. The sensation fades as you stop focusing on it, but it lingers like the earlier dread in the back of your mind.
>>26933326
>>26933387
"No fair, how come you get the message? Me and Wireframe been making shrines all these days and we get nothin," he gripes. "Well, I'll just fill her in when she gets back. She's been lookin for that magatama that Dania was so keen on findin'. Be a shame to miss out on the treasure it's supposed to unlock."
>>26933476
Renee sits, slumped on the wall, eyes half lidded and loopy, unresponsive.
>>26933226
"I guess it was, at the end. Find out a lot of things that were hidden away, get told to do something then cast aside as a failure when I didn't do it fast enough..."
Pryce lists, mood visibly lowering with his words until he stops for a moment. He ruffles his wings and shakes his head, trying to look better than he feels.
"But that's all in the past. Everything about it was destroyed and broken aside from any die hard followers, if any exist. ...I guess its harder to get rid of something that was nearly half your life no matter how much you want it gone."
"I'm sorry for whining to you two, but thank you for listening. The others have said I've been a bit of a downer before, though getting this all out helps."
Pryce says to both.
"I-It's plenty long."
Pryce says a little defensively, holding a hoof up to his horn. He winces as it touches the burn mark, pulling it back.
"I guess... getting something might help. I never got myself checked out for this..."
He says with a bit of worry.
>>26933495
Observer attempts to force her body to remain calm under the sudden reactions from the marking, attempting to use a dispelling effect with her horn.
>Spellbreaker
[1d10]
>>26933495
>>26933422
As Renee nearly passes out in front of her, quite exhausted, Shorthorns gives a slight cringed look as she slumps over. "Oooh... no. That's definitely a no. They must be tired too."
She turns to Dania, pulling again on his wool with a few sharp tugs of her hooves. "Well, enough then! Let's go grab Observer on the ship then get back to it, I know I saw her leave for it." She drags Dania along to collect Observer, "Then we'll find out why this stupid city doesn't even have its stupid water flowing!" She blushes, "Oops... uh. No offense."
>>26933495
Amy frowns as she looks at the thing. If this is how dreary, depressing, and scary it is just to LOOK at it, then what must it be like to BE this thing? Amy can't help but feel sorry for it. And, maybe a little empathy as well.
"You poor thing," Amy says to it as she walks closer, shoving every instinct to run away deep deep down. "What made you like this? Does it hurt? Would this help?"
Amy hugs the creature. If even a little bit of the negativity this creature contains can be put to rest, it would be worth it.
[1d10] for the power of friendship!
>>26933529
"Well Flaming, I don't know, and I have no clue why... But I have a slight suspicion it might have something to do with all the refugees... The Sheeps are starting to lose their patience... Now let's go and talk with Ob-Woaaaoaaah Flaming!"
>>26933495
>>26933529
The Sheep just let's herself be dragged along the Flaming train
>>26933495
Flow shakes his canteen, and stows it inside of his coat before looking around at the large amount of the injured and dying. He runs a hoof through his mane before he walks over to Renee, offering her his coat to use as a blanket.
"You should rest. You've done more than enough to deserve it."
He sits next to her, his mane, messy as always, drooping over his eyes as he looks at the wounded.
He pries off an arm and hands it to her.
"Might wanna eat this while you're still conscious."
Vice, in the meantime, heads out to look for Trapper so they could search for more first aid supplies.
Trapper groans.
>>"I...really don't wanna go back, but...whatever."
He turns to leave, but faces Onion.
>>"When things calm down, I just gotta see you play that instrunment of yer's mate."
Now he leaves to head back into the city.
>>26933585
"The refugees...? OH. That might make sense." She says as grips the thick wool in her teeth, keeping her running along. "They're running out of supplies and needed to regulate it for THEIR citizens first... but why shut it off entirely rather than simply post a stronger guard around it?"
>>26933495
"You were building shrines" Shei gets teary eyed again "It really does fill me with warmth to know you all heeding my word. I am certain of it, because of our efforts combined Buiwong noticed our faith like a burning pyre."
Shei-sher becomes elated at hearing about the magatama. "By Crowley's feathers how could I ever forget. Dania's magatama. If I remember correctly its behind the royal vault within the Palace. Where is Wireframe? I should ask her what progress she has made extracting it."
>>26933599
"Probably for fear of an intern revolution starting... Or offend the refugees... Or just because however made that decision is a bumbling fool... It's one of these three I'm sure "
>>26933513
"Hey, in this shitty day and age, I think quite a few of us have a right to complain every now and again. Better than letting it bottle up - Ecclesia says that attracts demons... like everything else they don't like."
"All kinds of folks use all kinds of means to give 'em that boost they lack. Books, wands, staves, talismans, funny hats, I'm sure you can find your fix somewhere," Onion says.
>>26933521
Nothing happens.
>>26933555
As you approach the creature, every nerve ending and instinct in your body screams NO NO NO NO NO NO, culminating in a horrific skin peeling shock that leaves you in a tremble when you finally touch it. Seconds ache by like years, every instinct warning of impending death as the shifting body sends your senses into a boil. Its head creakily turns towards you...
It's an old cow with a face like a grandma. You feel her rickety, thin body through the robes. "W-well howdy honey-- was'ur name 'gin? Tell 'em I dun like this new pen, evthin' so windy and mazey, not lik th'plateau, none," she says, giving you a toothy ol smile. She looks at her clothes. "Whmm... how'd I get these? I din go shoppin 'gin, did I? Ain't mine, none. These yours?"
>>26933589
>>26933585
>>26933599
Trapper, Vice, Dania and Flaming meet up back at the ship, where Observer is still in her lab.
>>26933589
Renee pushes away the arm. "Just a moment's rest is enough. Something you take to heart?" she says a bit snappily.
>>26933605
"Oh, here and there, pokin' about at ol huts an ruins. She said somethin' about the southwest, or so. Seems a lot of old abandoned places aroun there. The kin of place old relics tend to end up in. LIke they're attracted or somethin."
>>26933675
>>26933585
>>26933529
Observer continues to stare at her hoof longer, this time looking at it with her Fourth Eye in hopes to figure out this marking before it would become a problem. "Is there something you need?" She asks, acknowledging the others coming into her lab.
>Fourth Eye
[1d10]
>>26933675
>>26933521
"Observer? I hope we are not here at a bad time... Sorry to disturb but I would appreciate your company if you could come with me to the castle"
>>26933675
>>26933660
>>26933710
Flaming dashes through the ruined streets of the city in the direction of the ship, looking around outside at the thick rusty mist as she covers her muzzle with Dania's wool. "Ooof. Will this fog disappear soon? It'll be hard to see if another attacker comes in the meanwhile..."
She drags Dania up into the heart of the ship, looking at Observer awfully concerned with her own hoof as Dania's wool is released by Shorthorns.
"Zha's civilians are injured following the attack, and the ones who are supposed to be helping them are completely drained. They need water, and for some reason, the city's leaders have closed off the Wellspring." She flattens her ears, "It's the source of all the city's water, I used to get all I could from it when I was on the guard. So can you help us in the castle?"
She stares at Observer's hoof, "Why are you staring at your hoof, by the way?"
>>26933712
>>26933739
"I must resolve this first... My hoof has been marked by an impurity I found within the core of the creature we had just fought. The core is now usable, the mark is my new concern."
>>26933675
Amy's heart and mind race for a million different reasons. She lets go of the cow, eagerly happy to do so. But, also happy to actually have her speak to Amy.
"I... This..." Amy says, completely confused. Did her hug do something?
Amy shakes her head. "They're not my clothes, no. My name's Amy. Amy Thest. What's yours?"
>>26933675
The moment Vice sees Trapper, he runs to him and starts pulling him towards the city by the arm.
>>"Oi oi! Wot's the bleedin' rush mate!"
>"We need to look for supplies quick."
>>"Not sure the locals would take to kindly to us goin' through these parts, mate."
>"It doesn't matter, we still need to look for anything that could help."
The two look for more first aid supplies in the wreckage of the city.
[1d10]
Flow, meanwhile, leaves the arm in front of her, and extends three fingers, similar to the shape of the kukuru claws. He stands up on his rear hooves and leaves, not before retrieving his hat, however.
"I don't have a heart, just a core."
He heads outside the building and idly stares at the ruined city, a deep scowl etched onto his face.
>>26933754
"You've been cursed?" Flaming asks, her voice rising in concern. She moves closer to look at your leg, "I'm glad I didn't investigate its corpse too thoroughly then..." she stays back, making sure it's not contagious as she leers at it. "Will the core be used to power the ship, I presume? Does your curse hurt?"
>>26933675
"You could say anything attracts demons with how spread about they are. With that and the bounty I've heard they'll put out on ponies, Ecclessia sounds too controlling. I'm not really liking them. Uh, no offense."
Pryce says, quickly adding on the last portion.
"...I guess a little aid wouldn't hurt. I'll probably find a doctor first to make sure this burn didn't leave any permanent damage."
Pryce says, a little reluctant to the idea.
>>26933812
"It feels... strange... Give me a moment to continue scanning it. As for the core... It's an angel's core. It may be of use to bring life to a project I have in mind..."
>>26933754
"Usable? What purpose will you give to it? Also come on now Observer, you should be able to easily deal with this mark, wouldn't you?"
[1d10] glorify that alien
>>26933830
Flaming nods her head, tapping her hooves rapidly. "Sure... just, if you could make it quicker than usual is all. What sort of project will it be used for?"
She turns her head, "Strange like... care to be a bit more specific?" She points at a black stain on her hair and face, "This... black gunk came out of the angel too. Made me feel completely exhausted, woozy. Something like that?"
>>26933710
It is the mark of Vipaka, a figure that goes by a myriad of titles in many folklores. Described as a crawling sense of fear that past sins are about to be exposed and punished, nearly every tale about her shares the common theme of looming disaster, the early payoff of what is deemed evil karma. A famous tale regarding it can surely be found in local books or swapped in pubs among the knowledgeable.
>>26933801
Many guards have already begun to comb the rubble for survivors and bodies, and quickly shoo away V and T, threatening them with spears and shields.
"Well, maybe using one like the other could help reduce the body count next time better than a nap," Renee continues bitterly. "Box and Spitshine managed to help me carry in the worst-off, at least."
>>26933813
"Hey, no complaints from me- I'm mostly just there for the food and job security. I go hungry some days, since they're all varying degrees of sour on the best of days. But it seems kind of odd to complain about too much control these days, when even whether you'll see the next day is questionable. Can you blame them for wanting a lot of control when there's none to be had outside?"
>>26933766
"Why, ahm Sweetnlow, honey. Y'dont happen to know the way back to the pen, d'ya? Ehh, I went t'look f'r the eatin's and dagnabbit, all I got are these funny marble statues."
Gradually, the dread and anticipation ekes away.
>>26933887
"I plan to create an artificial angel. I wish to give it a form of sentience while being under my control. Females can create sentient life within themselves then so can I using other's insides." She says, actually adding a sarcastic tone and having some emotion in her voice for a moment.
"I believe it made me feel something like guilt... followed by a suffocating feeling. If I don't focus on it, dread remains. I do not feel these normally, this means something is wrong with my body."
>>26933949
Observer continues her attempts with breaking the curse the mark has on her. "Do any of you know where Shei is? He may be able to help me break this curse if my magic does not work."
>Spellbreak
[1d10]
>>26933949
Amy blinks a few times as her heart calms down. "I... I don't know where your pen is, but I can bring you back to where everyone else is. Would that be alright? There'll be food there too. There's been a lot of bad stuff happening right now. Right now, the best place to go is where everyone else is."
Amy takes the cow's hoof. "Come on," she says as she gingerly gives it a tug to lead the way.
>leading the cow back to the bar where Ma Gosh is
>>26933993
"An artificial angel? That is unheard of... You might get some disapproval from many for this kind of thing... As for Shei, I have not seen him since the fight with that metal thing and the butterflies "
[1d10+2] inspire
>>26933949
"Were they that low on food before? They had enough for all of us to have a small meal during our short stay. And, it just comes off as wrong that they'll put a mark on a pony who will be out and fighting demons, just because they aren't part of their group. Just seems, excessive in trying to help. Gives me bad feelings of the Church."
"Is River around here, or did she go off with the others to help fight that creature? I think she'd probably be the best to check out this kind of injury."
He asks both Onion and Zjetya.
>>26933949
Trapper begins to walk forwards, and Vice puts a hoof on his shoulder.
>>"We're trying to help these bloody tossers, and they have the nerve t-"
Vice just shakes his head.
>"Leave them be, Trapper."
>>"Why the hell should I?!"
>"This isn't our struggle. These civilians aren't ours."
>>"Then they should be thanking us cause we wanna help em'!"
Vice pauses, and sighs.
>"We're just intruding on them. Nuisances, at best."
Trapper stares at Vice, then looks back at the guards. He scoffs and returns to the ship.
Vice watches him go, and turns back to the guards. He bows, and takes his leave.
Flow on the other hand, continues to wait outside. He dares not to let out the balled up anger and regret get to him as he clenches his fist. Renee's scathing words and the memories that he recalls due to Bodhidharma pierces him to the core as he throws his hat on the ground.
>>26933993
>>26933949
Flaming's jaw drops, "You want to create an angel?! Is... is that a good idea?" She looks at the core, concerned. "How sure are you can control it?"
She shakes her head, "Females... uh... I mean, yeah, I guess," she says, a little bashful at the subject, "But, it's not that simple. They don't exactly 'control' what their kids either." She grimaces, "I didn't know you wanted to be a mom so bad."
She looks at the hoof again, "Guilt and suffocation... I don't think I remember either of those. Could it have been something to do with the angel... he seemed to feel some semblance of betrayal as he died. You don't feel either of those emotions normally though, huh? Moms without emotions aren't very good mothers..."
>>26933993
As you ask about Shei, she shakes her head, "I lost him after the battle started. I think I remember seeing him with Amy after the creature died but, I didn't see where they went."
>>26934036
"I do not care what others think of, I am creating life from what has been left behind. If I were to perish somehow, you would be left with someone who could carry on my capabilities along with giving me someone who can function on a level that I do."
>>26934067
"That was my attempt at a joke, Flaming... My creation will still be an android, I will control them simply because I programmed them that way. I will give it sentience only because I wish to see what might come from it."
She sighs internally at the news about Shei.
>>26934155
"Well, the core is yours, my friend. Do what you please with it... Now, we should make haste and cleanse this curse and make way to the castle..."
>>26933993
Nothing happens.
>>26934017
Sweetnlow eagerly follows, chatting your ear off the whole way about stories of her children, one of which repeats on itself, almost verbatim, three or so times.
Eventually, you succeed in leading her back to where Ma Gosh is. She, along with two other hunters (a small bat pony mare and a pegasus stallion with a mane like a chicken comb) are helping the guard shepherd refugees from the buildings where they are packed in like sardines. Ma Gosh does a double take when you bring her back.
"I... Hrm. I recognize those clothes but I could've sworn it was a buffalo wearing them, big mean looking sonofabitch. Well, good job anyway, the guard's got their hooves full of all the others that they're spilling over everywhere," Ma Gosh says.
>>26934058
Vice and Trapper return to the ship.
After a while, you hear a loud, confident "Yo."
To your right stands a diamond dog in sleek formfitting chitin armor, a gray overcoat and a fabulous hooded cape. With no helmet, he is a jackal with a shotel, a weird rapier, and a spear on him, as well as many pockets that you can guess hold many other weapons. At his right and left stand a tall minotaur butler-like man in a servant's uniform and a griffon with part of her head shaved and spike armor.
"What's your name, killer? Takes some real stones to climb up on a beast like that and hack away at it like it's a bad drum." the dog asks.
>>26934155
"Oh..." she blushes, tapping her hooves. "I-I knew that. But, if you give birth to it, I think that still makes you its mom. That's just kind of how it works."
>>26934179
>>26934166
>>26934155
As Observer's magic fails to remove his mark, she looks about the ship, "Well, if you need Shei before we head over there, I'm sure he can't be far..."
She pauses, tapping her hooves. "I think I might even know where he is. He was talking to me on the way over here... he... h-he said he had some business with his people, Shei and his herd came here as refugees. I bet he's where wherever they relocated them to."
>>26934051
As the talk turns to food, Zjetya appears flustered. "Uh, it's -- long story. Yeah, Church is kinda screwy, huh? Yeah. Bet they got a history of that or something," she says, somewht nervously.
"She got sent back to Fantasia to fetch a little cure for the genderbender." Onion says, pointing at Observer's lab.
>>26933949
>>26933675
"Sounds exciting. I have a hobby for antiquing. I will find Wireframe." Shei-sher scooches himself through the couple other cramped ponies in the booth
"Do me a favor, once you return to our tribe's encampment please give them my word. I want them to be packed and ready before we leave."
And with that Shei ambles toward the Bar door and ventures toward the southwestern district.
>>26934179
Vice starts wandering around, looking for Observer, and Trapper hangs out with Onion.
Flow picks up his hat and puts it on as he retracts his fingers, turning his hand into a regular hoof again.
"Flow. Smooth Flow. What do you want?" he says with a hint of irritation.
>>26934196
"That is very likely, yes... I'm sure he misses his biological mother and his people as well... Poor thing..."
>>26934211
"Oh, noooo, whwere are you going? She went southwest in the country, not in the city!" Hexapod says. You file out with the others as the guards maintain the flow of people so as not to flood the city with a riot. As you exit, you see Flow speaking with three figures near the barracks. You also see Amy and Ma Gosh nearby.
>>26934179
"Well here you are, Granny," Amy says to Sweetnlow cheerily when they arrive. "It was nice meeting you. Good luck! Everyone could use some right now."
Amy takes Ma Gosh aside away from Sweetnlow and speaks quietly so she can't hear them. "I don't know WHAT she is," Amy says in a cautionary voice to Ma Gosh. "When I found her, she seemed... different. There was some sort of horrible... something in the air. The color around her was like... gone. When I first found her, it felt like I was going to die."
"I don't know," Amy shrugs it off. "I could be nothing. But, just keep an eye on her. I have other things I need to do. Good luck!"
She gives Ma Gosh a quick hug before turning and leaving.
Amy puts her nose to the ground to sniff out and find Shei. [1d10] if needed
>>26934166
After Observer casts her spell, she puts the core away in the lab's safe for later. "What about the mark on my hoof? We must get this removed. I could remove it surgically."
>>26934196
>>26934179
"We should find him then. I require his assistance in removing this marking." She says, following Flaming and Dania out of the ship.
>>26934234
*IT could be nothing
>>26934237
"You could perhaps try to remove it magically again? I would not try to solve a magical curse with a non mágical tool"
[1d10] ay glorify
>>26934230
"His 'biological mother'?" Shorthorns repeats, "Oh... I didn't know she was among his herd... Shei told me about his mother, Gabriele, on the way over here. I didn't know he found his real mom, too."
>>26934237
She nods her head, following along with Observer as they make for the exit, "I don't mean to be mean, but, is it that bad? The lack of water is sort of urgent. I think I remember where all the refugees are though, it hasn't been that long since I left."
>>26934249
"Yes he told me that his biological mother was among the herd... But he does not seem to hold nearly as much affection for her as he did for Gabrielle... "
>>26934197
Pryce doesn't take any notice to the flusteredness, not registering through his exhaustion.
"I wouldn't be surprised if their history was full of things like that, and I wouldn't want it to repeat again after how it all turned out. Though, stopping or blocking off Ecclesia isn't really the new life path I would want."
Pryce sighs again.
"Seems almost impossible nowadays to do something that doesn't involve fighting. I figured it'd be hard to find something new but it just seems there's no escaping it..."
"Off to Fantasia, how?"
Pryce questions.
"I guess a checkup will have to wait. I'll just tough it out until then..."
"Do either of you want to come with to Zha Arlakane? I can't just sit aside, and it'd probably be safer, or less boring, than sitting out here."
He offers to Onion and Zjetya
>>26934232
Seeing Amy nearby Shei-sher flees the scene, not wanting to make more of an embarassment of himself. He heads towards where he remembers his tribe of goats resided.
>>26934249
"Build them a well."
>>26934212
Vice finds Observer in his/her lab.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG2ikOeXkyU
"What I want is some quality hunters. What I DON'T want is to see your talent squandered in a stuffy hole in the wall like this. How'd you like some real field work, huh? Merc stuff, bounties. Simple, pure,, no bullshit. Pays in whatever currency strikes your fancy. How's about it? No contracts or blood - or in your case, goo - signatures. Just turn in the bounty picture when you're done. You work when you want, how you want, for how long you want. Eh?"
>>26934234
"You serious? Strange... I'm not getting that at all from her. I'll have Whoa Zone take a look at her in any case, quarantine if necessary. Still, she looks too... well, Granny-ish for it. I'm sure it's... no, better not jinx it."
You find Shei nearby, exiting the bar with a deer with purple bushes growing from his antlers.
>>26934245
>>26934237
>>26934249
You head back into the city.
>>26934297
"She used that there creepy portal thing she's popped a few times. Dun ask me the specifics," Onion says.
"Yeah, I'm gonna hurl if I have to sit up here and breathe that weird fog any longer," Zjetya says.
>>26934299
You head deeper into the so-called refugee district, heading toward a re-purposed inn that you remember visiting with the tribe.
>Paused
>>26934295
She nods her head, "I could understand. It sounded like Gabriele was a lot closer to him. It might not even quite feel like his real mom. Do you know how long he's known her? The birth mom, I mean."
>>26934308
She scrunches up her muzzle, glaring at him, "It's not that simple. They'd just seal that one up too."
>>26934333
"Why would anyone seal up a well if there's a water problem?"
