http://pastebin.com/Pu749mrT
>>27887093
Post your current H/W along with your sheet so I can make sure I have it correct on my end.
im out of jokes, it's just a bears post.
bears.
>>27887102
http://pastebin.com/6dTx6i08
>>27887102
http://pastebin.com/p4ZCcD0i
>>27887112
Your post seems a little bear.
>>27887102
http://pastebin.com/RaZG8KLM
Current H/W: 5/5
>>27887102
http://pastebin.com/p1dtY3qj
>>27887112
you're a failure
>>27887143
>>27887170
>>27887178
>>27887228
Flaming 8/6 (8/6)
Pryce 5/5 (9/5)
Novelus 6/6 (6/6)
Observer 7/6 (7/6)
>Golem 5/5 (5/5)
Shei 6/7 (6/7)
>Pheo 4/4 (4/4)
Flow 10/5 (10/5)
Amy 7/6 (7/6)
Last time on HQ...
By Spitshine's request, the ship flew toward a settlement called Unicorn Penny Post, which once served as a rest stop for traders going to and from Mariposa. Spitshine hoped to find a young doe named Sugar, who he had not seen since the Rapture.
Instead, the party found the area surrounded by a dense jungle of towering crystal and various environments, all squished together in a disorganized mess. Battles between great monsters had uprooted great quantities of witchbone, a potent magical ore, which had later been tampered with by powerful spellcasters, causing the witchbone to transform the surrounding landscape into a smorgasbord of environments that would normally be impossible to find in such proximity.
At the first junction, the party split up.
Amy, Flaming, Flow, Dania, Spitshine, Observer, Zjetya and Onion went along a jungle path, where a species of feline called Cat Burglars tried to rob them. Easily defeated, the leader of the Burglars informed Amy that they meant no harm, and that they were only trying to make a living out here. Amy learned that a member of the elusive Yagi tribe passed by recently. Most importantly, she learned that it would be a bad idea to go right at the "next junction"... wherever that was.
(1/3)
Pryce and Shei went along a rocky path, where many cave-dwelling beetles flung fruit at them. Escaping mostly intact, they reached a peaceful brook. Upstream was an injured qurupeco, who looked nervous at their approach. Though calmed when Pryce healed it, it became agitated again when Pheo flew up and pecked it. It released a trumpetous call and fled.
After the others heard the qurupeco's screech, they rushed toward the sound and reached the brook where Pryce and Shei were, just in time to hear the buzzing of vast wings and see an insect's horn peeking over the treetops...
A hulking green-and-yellow beetle (a Seltas) the size of a house crashes through the mishmash of pine and palm trees ahead. It's wearing a hefty monster's skull on its head like a helmet, and on its many appendages and spindly body, you see scraps of mismatched clothing, primarily fighter's belts.
It hovers in place before you, its gaze scanning over each of you as though it were sizing you up. When it spots Shei, it crosses its front arms over one another like a chef sharpening a knife. A chill creeps up Shei's spine.
Besides the debris-filled "path" created by the Seltas' rampage through the trees, you cannot see any paths branching off from here. You'll have to roll for navigation in order to find a way(s) forward.
>2/2, overestimated post size
>Also
>Today is Báidia, 13th of Dusk Reverie, year 784, Kalpa 6217
>You have two days' worth of food and water
>Due to the earlier interference from the witchbone, the ship has 7/10 charged Magitech cores
>>27887143
>>27887240
fine, ill be leaving.
Because Everyone At Ready Sucks.
[translators note: at ready means "here"]
>>27887298
>HEY LOOK AT THIS
>I'm an idiot and forgot the reference picture
>It's as big as a house
>>27887102
http://pastebin.com/YJFusUgn
>>27887298
>still one more turn of being a wolf
Amy sees the beetle and approaches it, looking it up and down to admire all the pretty colors.
"Sup?" she greets it. "Can you not hurt my friends? I really like them. Thanks."
>Animal Mastery [1d10+2]
>>27887285
>>27887298
As Shorthorns bursts through the clearing, not wanting the others to go on too far ahead of her, she continues to shout, "Spitshine, wait up!"
As she looks on to see Shei and Pryce standing besides the brook, Shorthorns waves her hoof at the pair, her ears still flattened down from the screech of the qurupeco, "Shei! Pryce! What on earth is making all that noise?!"
Before they can answer, the beetle breaks through the pine-trees, and Shorthorns gasps as the insects' sheer size and strength. "By the spirits!" Shorty exclaims, hopping into the calm brook and splashing along the side in a run to get to Pryce and Shei, "Shei! Get away, it's going to attack!"
Not wanting this monster the opportunity, Shorty leaps up at it, swinging her head at the monster with her new circlet adorning it... along with a mysterious blue flame.
>-Offering on the Mountain: Automatic; Recharge 2 after effect ends; A cursed blue fire encircles your head, drawing the ire of enemies, leaving them more likely to target you over allies who have not attacked yet. Allies who score critical successes attract more ire. This effect lasts 3 turns.
>>27887285
>>27887298
Pryce stares up at the beetle as it charges in, the skull and scraps not giving any sort of confidence in fending it of. Its pause though gives a small amount of ease.
"Alright, nopony move suddenly. It might just leave, or we can try and swim along this brook, it might not follow."
>>27887285
Observer doesn't mind acting as a new ride for the beetle that has crawled onto her back, simply on her way to find a nice chunk of witchbone to harvest.
>Searching for nice harvesting spot for witchbone
[1d10+3]
>>27887426
"I'm not running away AGAIN! This thing I can fight, I just know I can! Let's take it down!"
>>27887366
She looks at the white wolf as she attempts to reason with it, shaking her head, "Amy, it's a big dumb bug, it's not gonna listen like those cats did, cats are sorta smart!"
>>27887450
"Well, that's rude!" Amy responds, sounding insulted.
>>27887480
"Well it's not like I'm insulting it, it's too dumb to get insulted, right?"
>>27887509
"Soooooo rude!" Amy says in a combination of laughter and admonishing.
>>27887366
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ2BhN_kZpc
The beetle buzzes at a breakneck pace, and its furious words are so rapid they're hard to understand. "YourFriendProbablyShouldHaveThoughtAboutThatBeforeHisFriendHurtMyFriend! Ha-ha! WhatDoYouOfferToMeInExchangeForNotGivingTheGoatTheAss-Kicking-Of-the-Century-From-The-10-Time-Arena-Champ!?"
>>27887427
There don't seem to be any stable patches of witchbone in this area; the only crystal chunks that are exposed are so agitated that bringing them onto the ship would just cause further malfunction. You stumble forward as your hoof is caught in a hunter's snare, but the rope quickly snaps. The snare drops down from the trees, and you see that the rope is very old and long-since abandoned.
>>27887402
>>27887426
Zjetya positions herself behind you two as Amy negotiates with the bug. Onion and Spitshine creep around in the bushes, looking for paths.
"Something about a friend?" Zjetya mutters to herself as the seltas fills the air with buzzing.
>>27887285
>>27887298
http://pastebin.com/5VUcBRQx
>>27887402
''Hold on a little, Flaming... I want to see if Amy can tame that huge thing.'' He holds up a hoof in front of the buffalo, staring with excitement as Amy approaches the monster
>>27887426
''In... That brook?'' He glances at it uncertainly
''Hoooh goodness... Pryce, couldn't you be a great friend and carry me instead''
Also the sound of Novelus voice is so awesome at this point he doesn't even have to try
[1d10+2] inspire
>>27887544
>Inspire succeeds
The demeanor of the seltas doesn't seem to change, but it looks like its posture improved. You're not sure what constitutes good posture for a bug.
>>27887298
Before the giant Beetle emerged Shei-Sher took a moment to search the area for Avalokitas, knowing that the handy herb grows around brooks amongst dense foilage.
[1d10+1]
The buzzing of wings sends a chill down Shei-Sher's spine fearing for a confrontation with a bumblebee. When he can turn his attention its source Shei-Sher's previous fear is made into a pygmy in comparison to the fright currently wracking Shei's body. Naturally, Shei-Sher is frozen still with that lucid feeling of stress you feel whenever you idly encounter a large wasp in area, except in this case it was a multi-ton Beetle brandishing it's arms.
Shei-Sher falls over onto the shallow brook with a splash, stiff as a board.
>"Alright, nopony move suddenly.
At Sir Etac's hest Shei-sher can't help but think "The gods laugh at me."
>>27887565
Sadly, no avalokita sprouts are nearby.
>>27887540
Shei-Sher continues to lay at his side at the brook, the gentle stream failing to calm his anxiety attack.
He stays there and watches Amy convort with the beetle.
>>27887540
>>27887520
Flaming holds herself back as Amy seems to successfully begin communicating with the Sultas, her jaw slightly ajar at the sight. "What... but... it's a bug. A big, dumb, tree-stomping bug...."
She doesn't begin to notice her blue fiery aura surrounding her horns and head as she flattens her ears, shouting, "TELL IT TO STOP FLAPPING! It's annoying!"
As Zjetya comes up from behind, she looks and asks, "Wait, do you understand that thing too?" She blinks, "Is it cause you're part bug?"
>>27887544
She holds her horns back, shifting weight between her hooves in anxious anticipation. "It's incredible, first the cats, now this? I didn't know Amy's wolf half was so good with animals..."
>>27887565
As Shei falls flat in the river, Shorty shouts, "Shei! Don't move with the stream, just stay there or it'll probably definitely slice you into little bits and eat those bits one at a time! We have this."
>>27887540
"Wellllll," Amy looks back at Shei. "He's kiiinda my boyfriend. So, I can't just let you beat him up. I'm sure you get how it is. No hard feelings. Let's at least try to have some fun with this."
Amy's body turns back into a pony, but she still takes up a battle position one would expect from a wolf.
>>27887620
"You should probably stand up now, Shei. He wants to kick your flank for hurting his friend. I told him I couldn't let him since you're my boyfriend and all."
>>27887632
"Try not to kill him," Amy says, giving Flaming a sideways glance. "He's just trying to protect his friend. I don't think he means to kill Shei either way."
However, she does a double take when she notices Flaming's horns. "Wh-what's that!?" she asks as she points to her horns. "I didn't know your name was supposed to be literal!"
>>27887102
http://pastebin.com/R0AXr1UU
10/5
>>27887632
Shei-Sher's right leg twitches, he suddenly appears even more rigid than before. Certainly not dead by any chance you can see him breathing.. heavily.
His pheonix perches on Shei's horn like it was a dead branch.
>>27887540
Observer sighs as she lifts herself up from being tossed around like an animal for a moment. She then attempts to create homing bolts to act as light and safety precaution. Still searching for stable patches.
>Homing Magic: Conjuring
[1d10]
>>27887656
"T-thanks -sweety.." Shei doesn't move at all "u-umm I can't move."
>>27887540
Shei-Sher prays his pathetic position of timid paralysis will dissuade the Seltas from laying the smack down.
[1d10+1]
>>27887450
"It hasn't attacked yet, we can avoid this easily."
>>27887540
"What was that?"
Pryce questions as Zjetya mutters behind them.
>>27887544
"It'd probably be better to go through it, in case this beetle can track scents if we managed to get out of sight."
>>27887540
Pryce looks down the directions the brooks flows, trying to see how wide they go and if its clear enough through the forest to be a good escape route if needed.
>Perception [1d10]
>>27887687
"B-better than that, Shei, I can see you twitching! You'll never fool him like that and then nothing will stop him from making a Shei-kebab out of you! He'll cut off each limb individual and stick it on his pincers one by one and lick them off if you make any sudden movements!"
>>27887724
She huffs, stomping a hoof. "He started it.."
>>27887656
"Wait, who's its friend? That thing just came screaming through the forest, we didn't hurt any one!"
As you ask about her flaming horns, she turns her head on its side, "What...." she looks up at her horns, her eyes shrinking, "AAAAH! M-my horns are on fire?! W-what, put it out put it out!" She screams as she leaps for the brook, dunking her head underneath the water.
>>27887734
"Actually, Shei started this when his phoenix attacked another bird I was trying to help. That beetle showed up shortly after that loud screech."
>>27887722
"Yes you can," Amy says simply. She blushes from being called 'sweety'.
>>27887724
"He threatened my boyfriend," Amy interjects. "I don't know if I can just leave that."
>>27887734
"I don't know," Amy shrugs in response to the question about friends. "I guess Shei did something silly without thinking."
Amy laughs as Flaming dunks her head in the water. "How did that happen!?"
>>27887632
''Well, one of us had to be the one good with animals, right? Shei does not count, as he is good with demons, mostly, though''
As she shouts at Shei, Novelus turns his head around ''Wait a minute, what?...''
>>27887565
''Oh my goodness, Shei! get out of there! You'll catch a cold''
>>27887724
''Well goddness, I don't want to soil my dress...This is one of my favorites too''
[1d10+1] also glorify on Amy
>>27887776
"Well again, Shei started it first, so he should have to pay his dues."
"...Wait, boyfriend?"
Pryce follows, dumbfounded.
>>27887724
"Shhhh. He said 'friend' a bunch of times, but I keep losing his voice over the drone of his wings," she whispers.
>>27887632
>>27887656
>>27887620
>>27887667
You see the seltas striking a number of poses and fighter stances for a few seconds, most of which involve dramatic pointing and rather impressive squats. All the while, it continues to buzz at a breakneck pace. Eventually, it flies into the air, in the direction it came from earlier, leaving you be.
Zjetya sighs and rubs her head. "Okay, uh... he said something about giving us time to 'prepare,' something about a 'placement test,' for an arena, then a rant about attacking his friends... and he kept bringing up a 'red-haired pegasus' and another pony in an 'eastern' robe and a 'dome hat'. Did any of that make any more sense to you than me?"
"Should keep a better hold on y'bird," Onion says to Shei.
>>27887706
You charge four orbs.
>>27887632
Zjetya jumps, her face paler than its usual beige as she gawks at you in confusion. She looks over her body. "How did you know?" she asks, incredulous.
>>27887724
You see large clumps of ice down the path of the brook. It seems like there's more terrain past there, but it'd be a pain in the ass to traverse for non-fliers.
>>27887785
>Glorify succeeds.
>>27887706
>>27887544
>forgot +1 from inspire
>>27887814
Observer continues to follow closely to the group while maintaining an eye out for dangers and stable witchbone.
>Perception: Keep an eye out on dangers/stable witchbone
[1d10+3]
>>27887805
"Did... you not know?" Amy responds, cocking her head.
>>27887814
"The pegasus might be the Yagi that's apparently around here. I don't know about the other one. Sounds fun though! I love arenas!"
>>27887632
>>27887814
Amy starts poking at Zjetya's wings as they rest on her back playfully. "It's obviously because they both have pretty colors, Shortyhorns!"
>>27887814
Flow releases his grip on his weapons and relaxes.
"So, we get to go fight in a arena? Cause that's all I'm interested in."
His eye twitches when he hears about the red-haired pegasus and the other pony.
"And those ponies do seem rather interesting to me."
He waits for the others to get moving.
>>27887814
"You could understand what it was saying?"
Pryce questions.
>>27887814
"Sounds like the animals here are more intelligent than they seem... I don't know who those other ponies it mentioned are, but it sounds like it'll be setting up an arena to fight Shei in.
>>27887814
>>27887785
>>27887776
>>27887734
>>27887722
>>27887706
After the beetle leaves, Pryce steps away from the brook.
"What did the rest of you ind on your path? I passed an opening through the cliffs that leads on further, but it sounded like it was infested with more aggressive creatures. Down this brook I saw some ice, but it doesn't look too safe to walk through."
>>27887865
"I've been keeping out of group affairs since we left the camp. This is the first I'm hearing of it."
>>27887814
''Red haired and a dome hat... Does not ring a bell for me... Unless I am forgetting about someone...hmmn''
>>27887911
''Oh, do you know of them, Sir Flow?''
>>27887917
''What I...Found?... oh uh... Well that is a good question ehehe...'' The sheep rubs his neck nervously
''Well I might have not paid much attention this time... I was distracted with other things, you know?''
>>27887746
"Oh, well... I guess he should kinda fix up his own mess. He's supposed to be watching his bird, after all. Buuut we're not gonna let it slice him up, are we?"
>>27887776
Flaming gurgles as she sticks her head in the water, the blue circlet of flames still prevalent within and without after she takes a large gasp taking her head out of the brook, panting for breath as she looks up at her flaming horns, shaking out her head.
"Ugh! It won't go out! It... huh... i-it doesn't seem to be burning me." Shorthorns pauses in her panic, "Where did they come from, I just... felt like tossing down with the creature to save Shei, and then this happened! I-I'm so confused..."
>>27887785
She nods her head, "I guess one of us SHOULD be... I usually think fighting animals can count as taming them though, right? I'm good at fighting animals. Just as long as it isn't a wolf or something with sharp teeth..." she shivers.
>>27887814
>>27887865
As Zejtya jumps, Shorthorns jumps back in surprise as well, pacing her hooves on the ground in nervousness as she asks, "Huh?! Uh... well, you have those wings?" She states plainly, reaching up to grab at the gosmer wings on her back, "These are butterfly wings, right?"
>>27887814
Shorthorns prepares for battle as she watches the seltas squats and poses, ready to meet the challenger (noting he may be a duelist based on the numerous belts he's taken), and scratches at the ground before it takes off into the air, "What...? What was his problem?"
As Zjetya explains, she shakes her head, "No, that doesn't make much more sense to me than it does you, but I heard something about a 'test'. Does he have a challenge for us?!" Shorthorns exclaims, almost wagging her tail in eagerness. "I-I mean, AFTER we look around and figure out how to get around the witchbone, I mean."
>>27887917
"I have come across a trap that has degraded with time. We should be on the look out for more possible traps."
>>27887917
"Ice? But, it's so warm out, how could there possibly be ice?" Shorthorns asks.
"I'm not afraid of a few animals, but all we came across so far were a pack of cats that tried to rob us! We fought them off, but Amy befriended one of them."
>>27887917
"We met some silly kitties," Amy answers. "They tried to steal stuff form us. But, I told them to stop it. So, they did. Their boss sounds kind of mean. Like he's making them steal things. If I see him, I'm kicking his butt."
>>27887917
"I'm sorry..." Amy mutters in a sort of awkward sadness. "Do you not like us any more? Does me and Shei bother you?"
>>27887960
"Well, they're kinda cool flames. They must be there because they fit your name."
>>27887977
>>27887917
>>27887814
"Well, I say we figure out what this 'placement test' is and do that!" Amy suggest happily, completely forgetting why they are here.
>>27887776
"Was that qurupeco (bird) we found his friend? For the record we nursed it back to health."
>>27887785
Shei-Sher takes his time picking up his numbed limbs "I'm -whooaoa I'm on it"
>>27887814
Shei-Sher, puts one leg forward, its wobbles, he puts another and then the next and slowly stands up with a jittery frame. "He wouldn't happen to be reffering to Athena's arena, do you think? That Seltas didn't seem demonic, no its likely a local event."
He asks Zjetya
In response to Onion Shei says "Duly noted"
Shei steps over to Spitshine "Hello Spitshine, I see the forest has been treating you with the same hospitality as Pryce and I, could we have a word?"
>>27887942
The goo shakes his head.
"No idea. Sounds familiar though."
>>27887990
"I don't know," Amy shrugs. "I didn't really have the time to ask. He sort of talked a lot."
>>27887917
>but it sounds like it'll be setting up an arena to fight Shei in.
"Why do ponies loathe me so Sir Etac." Shei says comically thinly veiled as a cry for help
>>27887990
"Athena's Arena?" Amy parrots, her ears perking up. "What's that? Sounds fun!"
>>27887967
"A trap? If it wasn't old like you said, we might be close to finding that outpost."
>>27887977
"With all these crystals, I wouldn't be surprised at a little ice. And robbing cats... With that and the beetle it sounds less like smart animals and more that they're just like anypony else we'd come across."
>>27887989
"I doesn't affect what I think of you, but I don't see why you'd go with him. ...I'd suggest you watch your back around him."
>>27888009
"Probably because your attitude makes it so."
Pryce says flatly.
>>27887989
>>27887977
>>27887967
>>27887990
>>27888001
"If I had to make a guess, that cliff path is likely where any arena's would be. But we are here to ind that outpost and Spitshine's friend. We need to decide which way to go. Personally I vote going down the brook towards the ice, there must be some settlement if there's ice out here. Or if it is that cold, at least we won't need to worry about that beetle chasing us into an frozen climate."
>>27887855
While scanning the nearby undergrowth past the brook, you see remnants of a cobblestone path, mostly uprooted and mangled by large roots growing out from underneath. With a peek, you see that it leads up to another fork in the road, created by a slab of rock jutting up out of the ground ahead.
>>27887865
Zjetya looks uncomfortable and nervous, but you see a faint involuntary smile snake onto her face from the poking.
>>27887960
"Butter..." she looks at her wings. You see her nervousness fade away, replaced at first by an annoyed grimace, then later by relief. "Oh, um... is-is that what they're called? Uh, babochka is-- that's what you meant. That's what they're called in Ornifex, I didn't know their Equish name, that's all."
>>27887917
"Not... not exactly. I can talk to wind and understand what it says, but wind doesn't have anything like a language. It's... not really possible to explain what it's like, you just have to experience it. But talking is just making the air vibrate, so in a way, I can sort of piece together what someone is saying, just by listening to how the air reacts to the vibrations of that person's voice."
>>27887990
You recall that Mister Friendly, while a pegasus, had black hair.
>>27887989
>>27887960
>>27887942
>>27887911
It seems you have a few choices in next path: there's the brook, where you see large clumps of ice and icy terrain, which would be hard to navigate, or the remnants of a cobblestone path on the other side of the brook, which is overgrown with vines and thorns. This path would lead to another fork in the road, but it's too far away to see what's on each fork.
>Whichever path you take, roll navigation
>>27887990
"What?" Spitshine grunts as he takes time to wash his face in the stream.
>>27888019
You recall the name Athena -- specifically, 'Lady Athena' -- being mentioned by two figures: Mister Friendly in Fantasia, and Lady Hardspine in the Tower.
>>27888054
>>27887967
>>27888009
>Look at the reply beginning with "It seems you have..." that's for you as well
>>27887990
The sheep shakes his head, crouching near Shei to help him up ''Now now... We have to ask Box if he has a towel in his mouth''
>>27887960
''I like to believe that there is two ways to tame an animal, through fear and through respect, which is the true way to tame one. And that begins when you both understand eachother'' He says, hovering a hoof above Flaming's head out of curiousity to see if the flames would affect him
>>27887967
''You triggered a trap? huh... I expected that from Spitshine or maybe Amy but not you, Observer... You haven't hurt yourself now, have you?''
>>27888054
''Well, I would like to not stick around this place for too long... Our agenda is full so we should not sway from our main goal here...Down the brook we go''
>>27888066
>The brook
[1d10]
>>27888019
"Er nevermind, it likely isn't that. He would of said it formally -Purgatorium Colosseum. We met a Stallion in Fantasia by the name of Mister Friendly who told us about it, do you not remember? He said it was an arena where demon's spar with one another, an arena helmed by Lady Athena."
>>27888054
>>27888066
"We should go to find that outpost first. While fighting in an arena does sound fun, we came here for a reason, no?"
With that, the goo pony heads towards the brook.
"...have I ever mentioned that I really. Really don't like large bodies of water? Or ice. Really don't like ice."
>navigation
[1d10]
>>27888054
"Why wouldn't I go with him? He likes me. So, I like him."
She pauses for a while, staring off into space. "Why should I watch my back?"
>>27888066
Amy sees a cobblestone path. Clearly, it must be followed. She bounces in that direction.
[1d10]
She starts laughing. "Are you ticklish, Zeta?"
>>27888084
"HEY!" Amy responds from far away as she hears her name being used in a negative context.
>>27888112
"I... probably lost my attention..." Amy responds a little awkwardly. "I think Hardspine mentioned someone named Athena too. I'm not sure who that's supposed to be."
>>27888054
"I said it has degraded with time."
>>27888054
>>27888066
"I believe this way would be best instead." Observer says as she points out the path. She continues on with whatever the group chooses, but still goes on with her search.
>Perception
[1d10+3]
>>27888084
"I had my focus elsewhere. I am also fine." Observer says flatly.
>>27888054
Flaming flattens her ears and opens her eyes, "oooooooh, that's right... the crystals might be affecting the environment like that too. What a place this is... the wild life being so smart might be because of the crystals too, huh?"
"I want to help Spitshine find his friend and her outpost... but this arena, it sounds interesting. What makes you think there's a settlement there just cause there's ice?" Shorthorns asks as she turns her head, curious.
>>27888066
Flaming opens her mouth wide, "Aaaaah, 'boboshchoka'? That's a weird name for a butterfly. Wonder why ponies in Ornifex call 'em like that? Well, here they're called butterflies and thats what your wings remind me of. So, IS that the reason you understood the bug?"
>>27888084
Flaming nods her head, her flames feeling cool to the touch before they eventually go out, much to Shorthorns' surprise, after the beetle flies off.
"Understand? I... I guess that makes sense. I'm always told to have respect for nature and its bounties, but, I'm also told to never bow down to it. I thought that meant fighting it and MAKING it respect you back if necessary."
>>27888066
>>27888054
>>27888133
Flaming looks torn between the path and the brook, before shaking her head and making for the cobble-stone path, following Amy behind. "Pryce, just in case, I think we'll cover more ground if we split up a little here, right? Can you fly up high and scream really loud or, send off some signal with your magic to let us know if you've found the village? We can manage to do the same... somehow... if we find it on our end!"
>[1d10] navigation, cobblestone path
>>27888066
"Huh, never thought at looking at talking as simply that. How did you learn to read the air? I can't imagine that's an easy task."
>>27888131
"And that's why we're going don the brook, it'll either let us find the outpost or be clear of any forest creatures to find it faster. I'm sure it should take to long through there."
>>27888133
"After how he acted towards Flaming and me on our date, I wouldn't be too trusting of him."
Pryce says a little spitefully.
>>27888191
"Ice is either formed naturally from the cold, or by ponies to preserve food. With ice being out here in the jungle, the latter sounds more likely. ...And if you're really focused on an arena, it can wait until after we find the outpost."
"We could cover more ground, but we should be sticking together if that beetle comes back early for whatever that test or arena is."
As Amy and Flaming still pull off anyways, Pryce sighs.
"Alright, I'll send a signal, though we should send one if that beetle comes again too, jsut in case."
>>27888066
Pryce glides down the brook path, feeling confident in his choice.
>Flight [1d10]
>>27888227
Amy laughs. "Why would he sabotage his own date, silly?"
>>27888054
"W-what's wrong with my attitude!" Shei says astonished at this might being a possibility "I've tried very hard to become more sociable since my days as a lamb." His voice cracks
>>27888054
"Then I will join you Sir Etac." Shei elects himself "I'm not very eager to continue hiking towards my own doom. The cold weather suits me and even better if you think the beetle will not give chase."
>>27888066
"First matters first!" Shei's with some enthusiasm "Sir Etac informed me I may of been a tad -erm vitriolic during our jocular repartee earlier in the ship." Shei's eyes glance to left indicating some shame "If there was any offense taken too far then I apologize.. Secondly, how do you suppose your meeting with your deer paramour will go? Do have anything planned -as in.. say.. a date?"
>>27888227
"But, what if the ice wasn't there before? What if the witchbone made that ice after the town got destroyed, like with all the trees?"
"I understand the concern... I don't want us to be too split up either, but we'll still be in pretty big groups with just two herds. And we'll stay close in case something happens." She flattens her ears,
"I'll leave it to you, Clan leader: do you want us to stick with you to the ice path?"
>>27888084
"T-thats fine Lady Dania, y-you mustn't have to baby me" Shei says apparently embarassed.
>>27888133
Novelus courtly ignores the shout with smugness
>>27888166
''Ah, fantastic then... I take it you have never been to a place like this before... Say, what kind of landscapes do they even have in the Void? If there even is a landscape at all that is...''
>>27888191
''Hmmn... Well that does makes sense, yes. Most predators will keep their distance if you show to be strong enough to be dangerous to it. A tiger won't hunt you if you show that you can break it's claws or legs, don't you agree?''
>>27888273
''Nonsense. Worrying for the well-being of a party member is not 'babying'' He huffs
''And you know that you don't have to call me that anymore... Right?''
>>27888133
"I've only a vague idea in all honesty. She surely must be a cruel mistress though, if she pits mighty demons against one another for sport."
>>27888276
"It is... a lot more lifeless than this place." She says, not going further in description.
>>27888066
>Goatcraft: passive; Min -1 for all climbing and agility rolls, and can use anything as food, including non-food items
>Highlander: passive; You naturally adapted to the conditions of mountainous areas. Cold damage is reduced by 1 (minimum of 1 damage). Rolls affected by Goatcraft are automatically successful in mountainous terrain. Your attacks made from high ground receive a +1 bonus.
[1d10+2]
>>27888235
"Just a forewarning, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does."
>>27888259
"Ignoring everything else you've done lately, moping about ponies not liking you doesn't help them to sympathize and change their mind."
"Maybe you should go off with the others, don't want you to drag angry monsters to the outpost."
Pryce says sternly as Shei offers to join.
>>27888260
"Its a gamble, but if its from the crystals, at least the bugs and cats won't be around the cold."
"...I don't want to be called clan leader. Make whatever choice you feel confident in. I'm sure you'll be alright."
>>27888288
"Or, she just really love fun!"
>>27888321
He raises an eyebrown, but nods ''I see...''
''Well, then are you liking this place? I have never been in an actual jungle before either, But the fresh air and humidity are revigorating huh?'' He gently bups the voidling with his shoulder
>>27888227
"It's way, way too long a story. If you get hurt out there, I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to tell you while you get better," Zjetya says.
As you head down the brook path, Zjetya waves goodbye.
>>27888191
"I can talk to air," Zjetya says as if that explains anything.
>>27888133
>>27888191
>>27888166
Zjetya [1d10]
As you travel along the path, you have to take an awkward gait in order to not step on the thorns coating the uprooted cobblestone. While hopping along, Flaming feels her hoof touch and snap a fragile rope. From above, a clay pot swings down from a vine, and splashes Flaming and Amy in a light blue juice. Apart from making your coats sticky and sweet-smelling, it doesn't seem to do much to them.
As you reach the big rock in the road which creates the fork, Amy recalls the cat burglar's warning about not wanting to go down the right path at the upcoming junction, which would mean this one.
The right fork of the road has a lumpy grassy path, and has a very steep drop, ending in a cliff... very easy to trip and fall down.
The left fork of the road is extremely dark and has a marshy ground, lit only by the glittering lights of fireflies. You see lights at the far end, but the road there is too dark to see much of.
>>27888259
"Uh, okay. I grew up getting the crap kicked out of me with breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can deal with whining."
He forges ahead, dodging your other question.
(1/2)
>>27888384
"It is a new experience, one that is favorable than some of my other experiences in this world."
>>27888259
>>27888227
>>27888131
>>27888084
onion [1d10]
spitshine [1d10]
The icy road gets quite hilly, with both big hills and small hills which stick out of the big hills, making every step a struggle. You feel like a fly crawling on somebody suffering from a bad case of goosebumps. Flow and Dania trip a few times, getting minor injuries. Shei ends up tripping and rolling off one heck of a big hill, getting himself stuck in a big pile of snow by the time he reaches the bottom.
>Flow and Dania lose 2 Hits.
>Shei loses 4 Hits, and gains the Chilled condition
>Chilled: You sneeze every time you try to use a skill, resulting in a -1 to all skills. Movement is also quite harder, and you will have -1 to all movement rolls. Lasts until you get warmed up.
Your path descends quite steeply for a while, until you reach a bottleneck point flanked by two huge witchbone crystals, from which snow drops constantly.
Your path is blocked by a very tall and very fat frog, wielding a halberd. It curls up in the snow, shivering violently, but doesn't react to your presence.
>>27888286
>>27888286
Shei-sher isn't looking at Dania when he speaks "Why do you look like Dania.. but speak like Prince Novelus?" He says awkwardly.
>>27888394
>Zjetya is splashed with the strange liquid as well, cussing under her breath
>>27888408
Spitshine trips and sinks into the snow more than a few times during the travel.
>>27888394
Without a second though, Amy takes the right path. She has a look of determination on her face.
[1d10] roll if needed?
>>27888400
>>27888260
"This way might be dangerous. But, I have something to do. Follow me if you want."
>>27888394
Observer decides to make her way to the marsh, using her homing orbs as a source of light while traveling through. Meanwhile her phoenix remains perched on her horn, ready to light up when danger comes across.
>Perception
[1d10+3]
>>27888449
"I will continue to search through this marsh for better samples of witchbone."
>>27888276
Flaming smiles, nodding her head eagerly up and down, "Yes! Yep, yep, that's exactly how it goes! The best respect is the one hard fought and earned, isn't it?" She says a little too enthusiastically.
>>27888346
Shorthorns nods her head, "I have a feeling about the other path, and, just in case, I do think it's a good idea to cover more ground in such a big place. I promise, we'll be careful."
She chuckles, "But we already decided you're our leader, didn't we?"
>>27888394
"Talk to... what? What does that mean, talk to air? Air can't talk... can it?" She asks her as they start out upon the cobblestone path.
>>27888394
As Shorthorns' clumsy hoof snaps the concealed rope, Shorthorns gasps, turning up and looking for danger, "O-oh no! Amy, Zjetya, Observer look out I triggered a..."
She's cut off as the clay pot splashes all over her, the irate buffalo gagging as she's covered in the light blue juice, "Uggggh!" She complains, trying to shake off the sticky substance to no avail. "Grr... hmmmph! It won't come off! Great!" She snorts, angrily blushing through her goopy fur. "Whoever did this is gonna regret it!" She shouts as she shoots down along the path, going for the for the fork before stopping and trying to shake off more of the goop.
>>27888449
>>27888394
As Amy sets down towards the right path, Shorty takes another look at the left as she charges ahead... and is frankly a little glad to be avoiding the darker path. At least for now.
"I'm not afraid, Amy, let's go. What is it you have to do, did you know ponies here too?"
[1d10] Going on the cliffy path if need another navigation roll
>>27888408
Flow lets out irritated grumbles as the group moves onwards, and rides his scarf up to cover his entire snout.
"Mmm...this thing's meant for rain, not snow..."
Once they reach the rather largePepe, he pauses and looks up at the hulking creature.
"It doesn't look like it wants to fight. Let's just go p-past it."
He tries climbing atop the huge frog.
[1d10]
>>27888394
"I don't think I'll get that injured this time out, but I'd like to hear that after all this."
Pryce says as he flies down the brook.
>>27888408
Pryce glides along the road, settling down to walk on his hooves as the snow starts to get heavier.
"Looks like it's just the climate being cold. Least we won't run into much out here."
He says confidently, until they reach the frog among the crystals. Pryce holds back as he spies the halberd, but seeing it shake, he thinks back to the qurupeco. If everything else has been intelligent, maybe helping the frog will give them an easy pass.
"Hold still, this should help you."
Pryce says to the frog as his horn glows red, attempt to warm it up so it's not freezing.
>Telekinesis: Fire [1d10]
>>27888384
>>27888322
>>27888131
>>27888408
"Gather close, looks like we could all use a little warm up."
Pryce offers as he helps the frog.
>>27888322
"Keep your bird under control and away from things this time."
Pryce scolds preemptively.
>>27888481
"Alright, be safe out there."
"I've been rethinking that, I don't feel like a leader or others calling me so."
Pryce says before they split up.
>>27888400
''So that means you like it then. Grand. It seems like we are heading in different paths, however, my friend, so how about once we meet up and return to the ship, we talk about some of the other experiences we favor the most in this world over some food and drink?''
>>27888408
''Who knew it would get so chilly...'' He mutters, squinting at his injuries
''Ah well, it hardly bothers me...''
''Greetings, friend or foe?'' she speaks up softly
''Why are you here, suffering in the cold, dear?''
[1d10] smooth talker
>>27888418
''Well, we are not in the safety of the ship, and outside of it, there is the risk of someone seeing and recognizing me. It is a very, very small risk, but it is still there, though. A wanderer from Zha, soldiers from Ecclesia...''
''That... And I suppose I grown a bit comfortable with it...''
>>27888481
''Well....I am not sure if I could say which one is the right and which is wrong. I myself have no strong bonds with nature, Flaming''
''This is where we will separate, however. So you please stay safe. I am counting on you to keep Amy safe, and on Observer to keep you and Amy safe''
>>27888500
''Ooh, Sir Pryce, what is with you being so foward all of the sudden?~'' He speaks in Dania's voice with a mocking tone as he snuggles against the Alicorn
>>27888500
"I-I'm fine thanks," the goo pony snaps as he continues climbingPepe
>>27888346
"Ba-a-ah! Take it to Tartarus with you Pryce! You're just a jerk."
>>27888351
"Or.. That too I suppose" Shei is taken for a turn, he thought Amy would be staunchly opposed to the idea.
>>27888394
"Oh thank heavens. It's not me then. I'm just feeling awful insecure the more I talk to Pryce. I'm sure you know how it is when you're best friends with someone that absolutely despises you."
Shei says with a defeated tone "But about your deer friend. Will you be taking her out somewhere, perhaps a stroll? Or a quite evening watching the stars? Is that what you do on dates? How do you keep them from becoming boring?" Shei shoots with the questions at a rapid pace.
>>27888408
As a goat Shei-Sher's pride is hurt at not being able to make the mountainous terrain his bitch. He pulls out of the snow pile with fervor, shivering and sneezing a riot on his climb upward.
At the bottleneck point before the large from Shei-sher commands his pheonic to merge with his cloak and provide him with fiery warmth.
>Malleable Morphology
>rolling for warmth [1d10+1]
>>27888553
"I suppose, careful with the ice." She says.
>>27888500
"Pheo is under control as you can see. Nothing to worry for."
>>27888571
No one mentioned death.
>>27888553
"I didn't mean that close, j-just close enough so my magic helps as it goes over to the frog there."
Pryce says uncomfortably, taking a step from Dania.
>>27888571
"That's doesn't help either."
Pryce mocks.
>>27888603
"Good, keep it that way."
>>27888468
The marsh is peaceful and quiet, and you are only aware of the faint sounds of chirping insects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOGm-F3TZ40
The sounds around you gradually fade as the swamp grows darker and the waters turn thicker and hard to move through. There seem to be countless rows of evenly-spaced trees all around you, stretching infinitely in all directions. Directly ahead of you is a wrecked carriage. It is surrounded by two straight rows of candles, one in front of it and one behind. These too stretch infinitely to the left and right. In the carriage you see all manner of treasure - gold, clothes, a nice shield, and a big chunk of witchbone. You also see bits and pieces of armor highly similar to that which Spitshine and Onion wear; the armor of the Banana Splitz gang. You can hear nothing, not even your own hooves in the water.
>>27888481
"'Language' is just different vibrations in the air. A word is just a vibration. Air totally has a voice," Zjetya explains, shaking off the blue juice.
>>27888449
>>27888481
You both manage to clamber down the cliffy path while Zjetya glides down. Amy's hoof grazes one of the lumps in the grass, and she feels a familiar steel shape. The lumps in the grass were bear traps which had been buried beneath the ground. You slide by them without triggering any of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJXDc5ZG2ug
At the edge of the cliff, you see strange ripples in the air. A few feet from the cliff, you see a whole group of light green clouds, each a little bigger than a pony. They have all manner of plants growing on them. They are organized into a spiral which leads to the ground below, where you see a quarry devoid of plant life.
Zjetya lands on the cloud and begins to dig through it. "No way..." she whispers incredulously.
>>27888571
"Making sure she's not dead." Spitshine grunts. You get warmer and feel your chill vanish.
(1/2)
>>27888553
>>27888493
>>27888500
The frog sits up suddenly as Flow reaches the top of his head and Pryce warms him up. "Ugh. You kids got anything to drink? Watch duty's a bitch," the frog croaks.
"No, why wouldn't the giant frog be able to talk..." Spitshine sighs incredulously.
"Hey, you kids seen anybody wearing a cape with a golden crown and a ruby on the back?" the frog asks.
That's the design on the back of Pryce's cape, but the frog seems unaware of that.
>>27888557
Shei shivers and his teeth chatter "F-F-Flow D-D-Don't you think t-thats -vrrr rude."
>>27888553
"Ah.. so its for the sake of practicality.. that makes it better I suppose."
>>27888553
>''Ooh, Sir Pryce, what is with you being so foward all of the sudden?~''
A shiver runs up Shei's spine when he hears Dania's suggestive voice. Shei intends to stand alone, using his phoenix merged cloak for warmth. It glows with warmth.
>>27888667
Flow pauses now that he's on the top of his head, surprised that the frog isn't going to immediately tear him to shreds.
"No my friend, I've seen noone of the sort."
He hops off of the frogs head and procures his canteen.
"I have this...I think it's not frozen."
>>27888698
"No. I-I just don't need help."
>>27888656
Amy laughs as she bounces from cloud to cloud down to the ground (assuming she doesn't just fall through the first one).
"Have you ever seen clouds like these, Zeta?" Amy asks as she continues to bounce and laugh.
>>27888640
He rolls his eyes, taking a step away fom Pryce ''Oh fine''
>>27888667
Dania simply stays quiet, glancing at Pryce with a worried look before turning to the frog
''Hmn... A cape and a golden crown? AND a ruby? My my, that sounds like an awfully important fellow... I wonder what business you would have with him/her''
>>27888698
''Well yes, but it is also fun to tease Pryce with it'' He leans closely to whisper with Shei
''Now come on, jokes aside, it IS cold, so you should get warm with us, Shei''
>>27888667
"You can actually talk? Each creature we pass this place gets stranger."
As the frog asks for a drink, Pryce is a little more surprised, almost like it didn't care about being frozen.
"I think I can make something, did you have a specific in mind?"
Pryce offers, pulling off his bracelet and attempt to conjure whatever drink the frog asks for.
>Hat Magic: Drink [1d10]
Pryce looks back at his cloak as the frog describes the design, a little shocked at how specific the question is.
"...We may have. Could you help us with something we're looking for in exchange? We're looking for an outpost that used ot be around here before these crystals sprouted up. Have you seen anything like that, or a large group of ponies around here in the area?"
>>27888656
Observer seems to stop and peer around, her horn once more splitting apart into her hidden fourth eye. The phoenix moves onto Observer's back.
>Fourth Eye: Search for possible illusions as she searches the caravan and surroundings.
[1d10]
>>27888532
She nods her head, "We will..." and she keeps her head down as he mentions not wanting to be called the leader.
"Right, I'm... sorry." She says with a short pause.
>>27888553
Flaming blushes, flattening her ears. "Well... as close as I am, I can't say i'm the BEST with animals... so I might not be entirely right either. I mean, not that i'm USUALLY wrong, but... you know."
As she looks off towards the cobblestone, she nods her head, "Yes, of course, you too Novelus. Take care, and don't let Pryce pick on Shei TOO much, alright? Hehehe... and I'll watch BOTH Observer and Amy."
>>27888468
"You're going down the dark way?!" She asks Observer, looking on at the bright lights darting the marsh ahead as she feels her nerve leave a little bit.
"It's awfully dark... a-and I won't be there to protect you, so, you be careful! And I totally won't judge you if you come running back to me."
>>27888656
>>27888721
As Amy and Shorty slide down the steepy grassy path, Shorthorns gasps as she realizes they just narrowly avoided bear-traps. "W-what in the world... who would put these here?! The dumb pot was one thing, but these?! Someone REALLY doesn't want us coming this way..."
As they move to the edge of the cliff, Shorty catching her breath from the narrow trap evasion, she looks out at the various light green clouds, marveling at the plants growing on them in mid-air as they spiral down like a giant, puffy beanstalk.
Shorthorns reaches up and rubs her eyes, "Y-you're telling me, Zjetya... that's amazing! I-it's beautiful..." Shorthorns exclaims, hopping up and down in place, "It's plants that grow in the AIR! T-that's never happened before, right?!" She looks at the clouds only a few feet away, and gives a stretch of her hoof out to them, trying to pull them closer
[1d10] Attempt to grab the vine-clouds
>>27888656
Shei-Sher becomes deathly quiet at Spitshine's response. He surmounts the awkward tension "That is a good way.. of doing that."
>>27888667
>>27888553
"Da- Novelus You have some tea don't you?" Shei-Sher suggests
>>27888726
Shei-Sher sidesteps away in the middle of Dania's sentence. The intimacy making him feel awkward. "N-No thats fine. Thank you. My Phoenix is enough."
>>27888775
"Tea? Right now? Well, I am sorry Shei, but I don't carry tea supplies everywhere with me. You must be mistaking me for someone else. After all, my set is stored with Box right now"
The Sheep leans closer and whispers "And please, call me Dania in front of strangers like this from, dear"
>>27888804
"Oh. Well suit yourself then, I suppose..."
>>27888774
"Yeah, I really hate those things," Amy responds a little unhappy that the beartraps are here. "They hurt... a LOT..."
>>27888822
Flaming gasps, "You got stuck in one once?! I saw a buffalo who got his hoof caught in one... he almost didn't get to keep the leg. They're terrible, it must have hurt didn't it? Did you bleed all over the place?"
>>27888656
Whilst exercising some subtlety Shei-Sher analyzes the frog guardian with Pupil, curious of its nature.
>Appraise [1d10+1]
>>27888762
"You shouldn't be so alarmed by the frog's hearty nature. Frogs are quite adept at hibernating once frozen. Like the poem goes, Autumn ends; Frogs settle down into the earth." Shei-Sher chimes in
>>27888836
"Yeah, and the blood almost lead them to me," Amy says through a forced laugh.
>>27888721
"These are full of soil, just like in Ornifex..." Zjetya says in disbelief. "Just like home. Just who the fuck stole these?" Zjetya growls.
Eventually you bounce down to the ground level, as the clouds lead down just enough for you to reach a point where you can hop down into the quarry. There's a path ahead that's even and easy to traverse. However, in the quarry behind you, you see two bipedal dragon-like monsters (pic related) biting a pony. The pony's movements are stiff and mechanical, and large chunks of its body are missing, but it doesn't seem to be bleeding.
>>27888762
"Got any grape teeth?" he asks, leaning forward hopefully.
You manage to produce a shot glass with a tiny amount of purple wine in it, but it's hardly enough for someone of his size.
>>27888774
The cloud is sturdy, yet bouncy, and your hoof does not pass through, as though on solid ground.
>>27888763
You feel tiny fingers caressing your submerged limbs. You get the feeling something wants... something out of you.
>>27888715
The frog drinks the canteen's contents, yet shakes it out in disappointment. "Ararararara... is that all you got?"
>>27888840
He's some kind of demon for sure, but you can't quite place his type or nature.
>>27888715
>>27888726
>>27888762
>>27888775
The frog tries to scoot forward, but leans back with a pained expression. "Ararara... Butt's frozen to the ground. Ah well. Just behind me is the town you're lookin' for, I reckon. Ain't seen no ponies come from there, but a group passed by earlier. One of them told me to keep an eye out for our accomplice in the funny cape. Guy had on a weird hat and robe, and a stringy little beard. Friend of yours?"
Spitshine becomes visibly impatient, and he starts to build a staircase out of snow, presumably to climb over the frog.
>>27888897
Observer attempts to see what may be caressing her while her phoenix lets out a blinding flash in order to light up the area for observer to see better.
>Perception.
[1d10+3]
>Phoenix: Blinding flash
[1d10]
>>27888897
"Hey!" Amy shouts at the dragons. "Don't bite that... robot... pony? Angel? Whatever! It's rude!"
Amy growls at them to scare them away. They don't look like particularly daring creatures. [1d10] to intimidate
>>27888840
You know that this should have been an easy inspection, as you are under no particular stress. You grow gradually aware that this implies the frog's strength might be beyond that which you have seen up to this point.
>>27888897
Flow looks worriedly at the canteen and stows it away.
"Y-yeah...it is. Well, b-best get movin then. Thanks for that. And as for the pony in a cape, never heard of im' doesn't ring a bell. Unless my memory is off."
He starts climbing atop the frog once more.
"Sorry bout this."
[1d10]
He also grabs Spitshine before he climbs his way up.
"No time for playing in the snow, we have stuff to do."
>>27888882
Shorthorns goes on with the chuckle at first, mostly out of just Amy laughing, before she pauses, the dubious buffallo raising her brow, "Wait... 'lead them to you'?"
>>27888897
As she feels the cloud, Shorty jumps on after Amy heads on ahead, with slight reservations. She takes it slowly down the bouncy decline to the ground as she asks Zjetya, "Oooh, that's right, you told me your city was in the clouds! So, they're like these? They're wonderful, I've never seen plants grow in the air. What makes you think they're stolen though?"
As they reach the bottom to the quarry, Flaming moves along the path until she notices the dragon like creatures eating the moving pony, giving a gasp as she heads towards them, "What the... is he moving? H-HEY! Are you alive?! If you're dead don't say anything, but if you are then definitely say something if you don't want to be monster chow!"
>>27888962
"Yeah, I don't really remember what I did," Amy says conversationally. "But, boy, they really wanted to catch me," she adds with the same sad laugh.
>>27888996
Flaming lowers her ears, "O-oh... I see. You were hunting something and... AH." She smiles, "W-well, heh... those idiots must not have set them pretty good, seeing as how they never caught you. I'm sorry, do you still have scars?"
>>27888897
"By that description it sounds like a dozens different people I know. None of which are friends though" Shei lowers his head a little at that last sentence.
Shei-Sher warms up a vial of crows blood and jasmine juice by rubbing his cloak along the glass.
[1d10+1]
"Here, perhaps this will warm you up. I always carry a vial of jasmine juice and crows blood with me." Shei-Sher hands him the two vials unsure if they're palatable to a frog.
>>27888897
"Give me a second and I can make some more."
Pryce says, handing over the little shot glass and attempting to make a bigger bottle.
>Hat Magic: Grape Teeth Wine [1d10]
>>27888897
"It is? I knew it was this way. Who's this group that passed by, how many?"
Pryce questions.
Pryce unties his cloak, pulling it off with a shiver and showing the frog the design on it.
"They were looking for this design, right? Did they say why?"
>>27889007
"Nah, I ran into a nice mare when I was running away. She was living alone in the woods. She saw me and just gave me a healing potion right away. It healed it right up. She took me back to her place to rest. She was nice..." Amy pauses, looking a little sad.
"I wish I could find her again... I want to replace the potions I stole..."
>>27889044
Flaming smiles, "That's nice. I'd like a nice scar more myself, those are always cool..."
She turns her head, "Well, if you can't ever find her again, why not just give some potions to some other ponies who need them? Wouldn't that be the same as taking them from a pony who helped you out of the blue?"
>>27889104
"I guess. But I feel sorry for her. She helped me and then I just stole from her."
Amy laughs. "At least I didn't eat her, right?" Her laugh is disturbingly less sad than previous ones.
>>27888919
That sense of creeping dread begins to seep into your skin, just as it did when the Vipaka's mark was upon you. You feel your hooves beginning to sink into the murk. The phoenix's light is quickly smothered as the light in the area begins to dim.
>>27888962
"The clouds in Ornifex are filled with soil because of a miracle performed by the dragons way back when. All of heaven and earth were jealous of the dragons' majesty, and a piece of the world's egg was thrown at the dragons to crush them, but the dragons were able to destroy it before it crashed into the holy land. All the bits and pieces of the shell landed in the clouds, and now they support life for the rest of us," Zjetya explains.
>>27888922
>>27888962
The Yian Kut-ku both rush at you, their heads wildly waving side-to-side.
[1d10+2] Flaming
[1d10+2] Amy
The pony figure lies on the ground, motionless.
Zjetya whistles at the sight of the two monsters. "Hey, this is a good omen; normally, we're not allowed to get close to creatures like this," she seems unaware that they're attacking you.
>>27889008
Though you warm up both vials, the frog sticks the crows blood into the snow. "This one's better chilled."
(1/2)
>>27889041
You produce a bottle about half your height, much more suited for someone of his size. The frog laughs heartily and tucks it under his arm. "Much appreciated, pal! There was a red-haired pegasus, the funny-hat guy, and a dragon! Can you believe it? But she was a little'un, not a big'un. And I think there was another one, but I got something in my eye and I couldn't quite tell what they looked like."
https://youtu.be/pwUbNISdtms
When you show him the cape, his face sinks. He begins to look quite melancholy and regretful.
From beneath the snow in front of him, he digs out a small dagger, unsheathes it and tosses it onto the snow.
"Are you familiar with how some societies deal with vengeance?" the frog asks slowly.
>>27888948
You stumble slightly when you reach down to take Spitshine's hoof. "Oi. Didn't know anybody by that description, did you? You blind or somethin'?" the frog asks, pointing at Pryce's cape. His expression is blank, but you can feel the quiet anger in his voice.
>>27889152
>tanto, not dagger
>>27889146
"Um... Okay," Amy responds to Zjetya. "Soooooo... How do you usually keep them AWAY?"
Amy shoots white flames from her body at both of them. [1d10+3]
>>27889152
Flow looks from the frog to Pryce, then back to the frog. Then to Pryce again, then to the frog with an equally blank expression.
"I am not an intelligent pony."
He nearly drops Spitshine when the frog mentions the group that passed by.
"Did you get their names?"
>>27889132
Flaming nods her head, "Yeah, I'd feel pretty bad too... but there's only so much you can do." She chuckles, "H-hehe, well, yeah, I guess THAT's a pretty good return gift. Not eating her. Maybe now all you'll do is crush her in a hug."
>>27889146
She looks back up at the clouds as she hears Zjetya's story, marveling at the legend of the dragons in how the cultivated soil and cloud together. "Wow... dragons are amazing not matter where in the world you find them, huh? We have one back home, too! But what's the 'world egg'...? Are there still pieces of it in those clouds?"
As the Yian charge them, Shorthorns rubs her hooves against the dirt, gearing up for a charge, "That's a good omen for me too, because I feel like clonking their skulls into the dirt!" Flaming shouts as she dives at them, jumping up and rearing her head up and down onto the one charging her, "Come on!"
>[1d10+6] All or Nothing (applying Child of Gaia + Charge)
>>27889152
"Red mane and a hat, that sounds like what that giant beetle said. And a dragon too? I didn't think they just walked around. Did you see where they went?"
Pryce asks.
Though, as the frog draws out a tanto, Pryce takes a step back, quickly tying his cloak back over himself.
"Vengeance? What did I do, did they tell you to attack me?"
Pryce asks worriedly.
"I helped you out, that has to count for something, right?"
>>27889152
Shei-Sher beats a cold sweat "W-what.. that? He gained that during a dungeon excursion in Vadahara. Tore it off a corpse. It means nothing."
[1d10] persuasion roll
>>27889205
"The dragon did not share her name, and the one with the hat named himself 'Estuary'. The one with red hair? Called himself Lastfeather 'H'. As in that old poet from a long time ago. Looked old, but not old enough to be the real one."
>>27889270
"A 'corpse.' Is that all he was?" the frog asks, knowingly.
>>27889233
The frog looks downcast, but resolute. "That right there?" he points at the tanto. "That's your way out. Even a slayer of kings should have that option, according to Estuary. If you don't take it... I suppose he's going to find you himself."
"I don't like killing someone who's done me a good turn... and in my present state, getting up is more of a hassle than it's worth," he jokes dryly. "I'm in no position to chase Estuary down and tell him where you are. But I doubt I'd need to."
He raises the bottle to you. "My favorite mix. If they come by later, I never saw you."
>>27889228
>>27889191
Zjetya cringes when she sees you fighting back. "Ahhhh.... just be careful! Those are sacred creatures! Avoid the face!"
You quickly see that the Yian despise fire, as Amy's wrath singes their wings, and they rush past you. However, the one that attacked Amy bowls her over, causing her to lose 4 Hits. The two wyverns run away shrieking, tripping and stumbling all the while.
>>27889339
"Well that was annoying!" Amy complains. "What was their problem?"
However, she quickly remembers the pony-like thing that was getting chewed on. She rushes over to it.
She sits down next to it and quickly grabs a potion. [1d10+3]
"Are you alright?" she asks as she puts the potion in its mouth.
>>27889339
As the Yian are driven off by Amy's flames, Shorty jumps in victory leaps while mooing excitedly, before Zjetya reprimands them. "O-oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know! Forgive me, I just... I didn't think. What are those things? They're too small to be dragons... what's so sacred about them?" She asks as Amy tends to the fallen pony.
>>27889339
"You mean Sir Estuary is here?"
Flow looks at Pryce.
"What would the old coot be doing here? I remember the old bloke being surprised when he saw the Inheritance, maybe he's pissed we were there at Vadahara or something."
He stands up.
"Lastfeather H, a dragon, and Sir Estuary. We should find out what they're doing here, I'm more than just a little curious."
Flow hops off of the frog on the other side of the path.
>>27889339
Shei-Sher beats more sweat as tensions rise "Okay! The truth is, Sir Etac was awarded that emblem by the spirit of King Neo Advent. In gratitude for our service against the djinns hailing from Vadahara. B-but it does not mean anything, there was no covenant entered. It is purely aesthetic!"
[1d10]
more convincing
>>27889270
"Don't lie about something like this."
Pryce scolds under a whisper.
"I'm not going to use grave-robbing as an excuse to save my own skin, especially when its a gift from a king."
>>27889339
Pryce looks down at the tanto at the frog's words. His words catch in his throat, being told that as an escape compared to whoever is looking for them shakes him deep.
"Estuary... I-I don't even know who that is. Did he say why he was after me, at all?"
As the frog raises his bottle, Pryce levitates the tanto up, resheathing it and floating it back to the frog.
"Thank you, for telling us the town is past here. And for telling me of these ponies looking for me."
Pryce says, bowing his head, and passing by to head towards the outpost.
>>27889439
Shei-Sher lowers his head "Fair enough."
>>27889439
"Estuary is an agent of Mister Friendly. We met them in Fantasia after our battle with Orcus."
>>27889395
"You know who this Estuary is?"
>>27889363
As you get closer, you notice that it is not a pony at all. Slightly smaller than a mare, the "skin" is made of stone, and the joints are made out of wood. When you inspect the parts where the stone has been torn off, you see that all its insides are clockwork in nature; furthermore, you do not see any metal components. It's all either wood or stone.
>You may reduce the DC of a future Nat Remedy by 2
Part of its back has been torn off; inside, you see a small green crystal, a folded-up note, and a music box, which looks a little banged up by the Yian's attacks.
"They feed on this mollusk-like creature called a konchu, but they're not really known for having great eyesight. They probably thought this thing was one of them, and that you were trying to swoop in on their prey," Zjetya answers as she walks over.
>>27889382
Zjetya has her hooves on her head as she watches the Yian run off. She looks greatly annoyed at you. "Be more careful next time. Those must've been babies, so you're lucky you're not cursed right now. Those were Yian kut-ku, a species of wyvern that have the same common ancestor as the dragons. Maybe they aren't as... outwardly majestic, but that doesn't mean you can roughhouse them like that."
>>27889411
"Just get lost," the frog grunts, lowering his hand, presumably to lift you over him so you can pass. "Or do you not want to head to the village anymore?"
>>27889439
"If it helps, he called you a 'plunderer of fire' and a 'slayer of kings'," the frog grunts. "Now. Leave me with my friend," he uncorks the bottle.
(1/2)
>>27889485
>>27889481
Flow nods his head.
"Like Shei said, we met him in Fantasia. In fact, he gave me this sword."
He hoists up Schlangenschwert.
"When we met him, he showed interest in the Inheritance," he holds the Inheritance of the Brother up as well, "after all, it was on that robe he wore."
He looks at it.
"Shei, mind if Pupil takes a look at it?"
>>27889411
>>27889439
>>27889395
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuIO24Mk6mY
As you pass the frog and forge ahead, the snow quickly melts, revealing tough black stone underhoof. The ground quickly gets so hot that it steams, burning off the last of the water of the snow. You reach a curious sight:
You see a broken down town, the houses dilapidated and crushed as though hit by an earthquake. The town is elevated on a series of large slabs of rock, jagged and cracked. The town is far up above you, and you see no way of getting up there. The slabs of rock are surrounded by a roughly circular pool of sand, which bubbles as churns like lava. You see many big crystal golems lounging in the sand, carefree. There is no bridge connecting your path to the slabs on which the town is elevated.
>>27889363
>>27889498
>side-note: the clockwork pony's legs are still twitching.
>>27889498
Flaming blushes hard, lowering herself closer to the ground in embarrassment upon realization she nearly attacked extremely SACRED creatures. "W-wow... that's incredible, I thought all dragons were supposed to be HUGE! But those... right, being babies makes sense. I promise, it won't happen again," she says with a respectful bow, lowering her head to the ground in apology.
She moves on closer to the clockwork man they had been devouring, and pokes at its stone and wood joints as she sniffs around the mechanical being. "What is it though... it looks like, some kind of giant, pony statue." She looks inside and sees the folded up note, reaching in and grabbing it from inside to give to Zjetya, "I'm sorry, can you read this for me?" She pokes inside again, not sure what the function of the music box might be (or quite how to operate it). "It looks silly."
>>27889481
>>27889502
"If he's looking for me then why didn't he do anything back then?"
>>27889498
Pryce stops to think of the names, why he would be hunted.
("No, it couldn't be... Why?") He mutters to hismelf under his breath, before pushing himself forward towards the town.
>>27889508
Pryce looks up at the high risen town, the heat a little sweltering even for a fire mage.
He glances around for anything for the others to take up, though his thoughts start to think it futile of finding anything up there. But, they must be able to find something up there, the ponies had to have escaped before this happened.
Pryce reaches into his cloak, taking out the flying horseshoes and hands them to Spitshine.
"Here, you and I will head up there, see if we can find any clues on where they must have went from here. You just need to give those a little tap and you be able to glide up there."
Once Spitshine gets the horseshoes on, Pryce flaps his wings and flies up to the city.
>>27889455
>>27889502
>>27889508
"You three, try to find a way to signal the others that we found the outpost."
He says to Shei, Flow, and Onion.
>>27889498
"Well that makes sense..." Amy mutters distractedly as she stares at the robit.
>>27889555
"Oh good," Amy laughs. "I didn't want to be the one to ask someone else to read it... Can you not read either?"
>>27889508
>>27889560
"No idea, Sir Pryce. Maybe he's working on his own now."
He shrugs.
Flow gives a little salute, "You got it, Sir Pryce."
He looks to Shei and Onion.
"Shouldn't be to hard, right lads?"
He makes his way back the way they came.
>>27889574
>>27889498
Also, while Zjetya reads the letter, Amy pokes the green crystal. Green means go! Make the pony go!
>>27889574
Flaming chuckles, shaking her head, "Nope. I didn't even know the male bath female bath signs, remember? I can read buffalo script just fine, but it's pony's language I never learned... we had an occasional missionary from Hearthome find our tribe and tried to teach, but, I never paid attention. I wasn't really interested in learning some other dumb language when ours was just fine..."
>>27889502
>>27889508
"Oh, sure thing." Shei-Sher takes out Pupil to Appraise Flow's Inheritance of the Brother.
>>27889498
Shei-Sher shuffles about awkwardly before skeptically ambling on the Frog's hand for passage.
>>27889508
At the rise of temperature Shei lets Pheo phase out of his cloak.
"I don't know why I was expecting something more.. quaint. Does your deer really live in a forge like this?"
Glancing up and down the full scale of the town Shei-Sher concludes he'll have to summon his gigganox. "Well this is troublesome" Shei-Sher stamps his staff on the ground, chiming its rings while whistling a brief tune repeatedly "In a moment I'll have my gigganox here to escort us, Now where does your friend live Spitshine?"
>summoning Gigganox [1d10+1]
>>27889560
>"If he's looking for me then why didn't he do anything back then?"
Shei shrugs "Maybe this is a recent demand?"
>>27889560
>"You three, try to find a way to signal the others that we found the outpost."
"I'm on it"
>>27889584
"Oh yeah. I know a little bit. I've picked it up from here and there. Like, I know all the letters. But, it gets confusing sometimes. I could try to read it... but why just look silly right?"
>>27889560
Spitshine stares up at the elevated town, not responding to your words at first. When you hand over the horseshoes, he snaps out of his little stupor, then hurriedly puts them on.
You and Spitshine make your way to the elevated, broken-down town.
>>27889590
You get the feeling the gigganox won't be here for a while, but he'll be here eventually.
Spitshine is already awkwardly swimming through the air, and doesn't answer.
>Inheritance of the Brother: A small, worn-down crest from the shield of Sir Estuary, shaped like a droplet of water. Cool to the touch, it has the uncanny ability to moisten the air immediately surrounding it. King Neo Advent befriended Sir Estuary, a wandering goo pony from the far west, who stirred controversy among the court for his strange habits and appearance. Nevertheless, Neo and Sir Estuary were inseparable, and when Vadahara fell, Sir Estuary sacrificed himself defending a berserk Mahabharata in the hope that someday, someone could restore his friend's life.
>>27889576
Onion gives a last forlorn look at Spitshine before following you back the way you came.
>>27889574
>>27889555
Zjetya facehooves. "Ohmygod. Neither of you can read? Not a single one of us knows how to read?"
>>27889580
After your poke, the crystal moves along the comparment toward the west, a centimeter per second.
"That's an Imprint Stone... they say if you clutch it close to yourself and think about someone you want to find, this stone will lead you to them." Zjetya says.
Zjetya curiously begins to turn the crank on the music box.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnX0ebgq-v8
>Paused
>>27889597
Flaming throws up her hooves, "I know, right?! That's what I said!" Shorthorns smiles wide, leaning forward to give Amy a tiny konk on the noggin. "You and me, we should stick with what we know, you know? Forget it!"
>>27889624
>>27889621
"I mean..." Amy responds, looking between Zjetya and Flaming. "That's nice and true until we end up with something like this where no one knows how to do the thing. So..."
Amy picks up the note and looks at it for a while. "So, it's a letter, I think. So, I guess it says 'Dear... Soo-gar? Suh-ger?' Weird name, whatever. 'M-meet me w-when the... siiiiiiilllllver- SILVER... something... twiiink... twinkles', I guess?"
She shakes her head. "Everything after that... I'm not sure, it's either just scribbles or I just don't know how to read it."
>>27889676
Flaming flattens her ears, "Oh... w-well what were the odds of THIS happening? I mean, all three of us?" She shakes her head, "I-It won't happen again, our system is fine!" she stomps a hoof.
As you begin to read as best you can, she leans in from behind, glaring at the unfamiliar symbols as you begin to decipher. "Dear Soo-gar, huh? Well, I guess that's a pony or something... 'meet me in the silver... twinkles'?" She says out loud, falling onto her flanks as she rubs her chin, "What in the name of the earth is a 'Silver Twinkles'... something shiny, I guess? Maybe a mine... a twinkly silver mine." She stops, looking backwards. "We WERE just at a quarry..."
>>27889711
"No, it's meet me WHEN the silver... something... twinkles. I don't know that word. It's only 3 letters, but... what the heck does it spell? E-Y-E? I don't even have a clue!"
She pauses for a moment. "Meet me when the silver E-Y-E twinkles," she repeats, scratching her head in confused frustration.
"Whelp," she says suddenly, throwing the note over her shoulder. "I'm bored!"
She starts hopping in the opposite direction, humming a song.
>>27889725
"O-oh! When the silver... ee-why-ee." she repeats after Amy, "Eewhyee.... that's a dumb word, eewhyee? What is a silver eewhyee and how does it twinkle...?"
As you throw the note over your shoulder, Shorthorns gasps, running over quickly to grab it, "Wait, Amy, it's probably important! We just gotta find some dumb pony smart enough to read it is all." She says as she quickly grabs it in her teeth before it blows away.
>>27889745
"I'm not here for notes, anyway. I'm here to help the kitties," Amy says simply, looking around for anything.
