Become The Vampire 32
As you stand before your carefully constructed summoning circle in the sport equipment shed, ready to complete the spell to summon Tellarie's victim, you think back on the last two days. It's been kind of weird, overall, and not just because they've been relatively calm. There's been this weird feeling in the back of your mind like everything is going according to a plan you thought up ages ago and forgot all about.
Things with Sammy have been getting better. She's finally getting over her jealousy after realizing what happened to Jennifer, and it's helped her insecurities a lot now that the perceived rivalry is gone. She's been getting along better with her mother as well, and her renewed cheerfulness has made things more pleasant between you.
Jennifer on the other hand has been a source of irritation and frustration since becoming a teacher. Not specifically through her own doing, mind you. It's mostly the reaction of the students. It's like she's being paid based on how many students she fails, and the combination of her strict demeanor and nearly-scandalous outfit choices has lead to some of the male students becoming infatuated with her. Toby, in particular, seems drawn to her, and in the interest of not revealing your connection to her you've sat in silence while he gushes about his crush on her to you.
Tobias has also been nagging you to agree to come to the next meeting of the occult club next week. Bradley is preparing something for the eve of the new moon, a few hours before you're due to meet with Tellarie. You've been trying to make sure that the timing won't mess anything up for your deal to advance your blood magic before you agree to anything, and you have a strange feeling that something is going to go wrong. It probably has to do with Angie's prediction that Bradley will die sometime next week, and it makes you hesitant to go to the event.
Your magic training has been going fairly smoothly. Angie's slow hinting and mentoring at night combined with your own experimentation has led to a few small explosions around the school yard in the dead of night, one mutant cat and a crude telekinesis spell that only moves things to the left, relative to your perspective. It needs work, but it's your first rune magic spell that hasn't blown anything up, which makes it a solid basis for future work. The secret, you've realized, is in over-analyzing every last detail to the limits of what you can consider, all the possibilities your mind can conceive.
History class has been particularly fun, mainly because Catherine is coming out of her shell a bit. The pair of you have been working together in class to get everyone else in character for the roleplay events, as well as exploiting people who aren't taking things too seriously now to establish a broader power base later. Catherine continues to deny any sort of deviousness on her part, citing examples from novels that she's basing her tactics on.
Every evening you've been playing games with Athena and Meliora, when they aren't off patrolling the school or dealing with various issues. Falling asleep in the same bed as Athena felt a little off to you after spending the last two weeks on and off sleeping beside Sammy and Jennifer, but her love of her pillow fort led to her sleeping inside her comfy castle after being tucked in and read a bedtime story. You just told her your favorite one two hours ago, one your dad used to tell you when you were younger. She liked it a lot, and made up an extended ending for it.
The vampires haven't been making much fuss lately, and have been giving you the cold shoulder a bit, which you guess is to be expected. You haven't had much to worry about in terms of supernatural shenanigans, although Presence has been nagging you on and off about hunting down the vampire who killed her. You've yet to come up with a suitable strategy for picking out her murderer and eliminating them. You'll probably have to pull a vampire-level manipulation to pull it off.
You look at the glowing circle on the floor and check your phone. One minute to midnight. You brace yourself for what's about to happen, your hands starting to move on their own. You grab the knife you brought with you and slice into your palm, just deep enough to get blood flowing, and you let the first drops fall into the circle as you chant. The spell comes from somewhere deep inside you, pouring out through your mouth and into the circle before you.
The air around you begins to feel thick and heavy, and the floor beneath the circle turns black as the symbols you marked out turn pale, and then stark white. The drops of blood form into a single black lump that begins to swell and twist, and you take a step back. With a single word you can cancel the summoning and send the devil back into the pit, and in an hour that word will erupt from your mouth on its own, so you sit back and watch the lump twist, writhe and swell into the form of a brutish figure, nearly eight feet tall and clad in a drab black clock and sections of ruined armor.
“You have great skill to have summoned me, human. Tell me your desires, and I, the mighty Velkinshar, will grant them to you. Do you desire a nation to bow before you? A worthy foe destroyed? Or do you wish to make war against the heavens themselves?”
You know that he can't leave the circle or interact with you unless you wish it, but you also know that dealing with devils is risky business. You take a moment to collect your thoughts before proceeding.
>Character sheet
http://pastebin.com/YMGdCy7Q
>Rules
Same system as Become The Dragon Quest. If you don't know what that is, it's best of three d20 rolls. I name a stat that sums up what you're trying to do, and if I don't name a relevant skill, you try to fill in the blank based on what you're trying to accomplish. “Break open the door” might be Strength based, but if you've been playing baseball after school and there's a lead pipe nearby, you could apply your Baseball skill to the roll. A 20 on the die is a crit threat, and if either of the other two rolls is 20 or higher after mods, it's a critical. A crit fail is when you have two or more 1s. So far this system has worked out well enough. We'll get into combat rules as needed, but in basic terms you have wounds, not HP, and the worse the wounds, the more penalties you accrue while doing other things.
Most Important Rule:
Have fun.
>Kick back for an hour, let Tellarie ruin his shit and be done with it.
>Negotiate with Velkinshar, maybe you'll get a better deal here
>Reveal Tellarie's plot to seize power, earn brownie points
>Other (write-in)
>>44902385
>>Negotiate with Velkinshar, maybe you'll get a better deal here
We need to make it seem like we're interested at least. Be sure to use that rune magic minutiae we've worked on for every angle of his offers.
>>44902385
>Negotiate with Velkinshar, maybe you'll get a better deal here
Nothing says we have to go through with if we speak in hypotheticals. Might as well see what's what
>>44902385
>"I'm still window shopping, actually. Why don't you give me a rundown of what you can do, a highlights reel." Listen to everything he has to say with a critical ear. Let him talk himself through the hour. If he seems like he's unwilling, mention there's another demon named "teller dreary or some shit like that" who was much more accommodating.
>>44902385
>Negotiate with Velkinshar, maybe you'll get a better deal here
Schmooze roll plus Persuade, +2
Smarts roll, +0
Rolled 11 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44902820
Rolled 19 (1d20)
>>44902820
smarts
>>44902857
schmooze
Rolled 20 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44902820
Schmooze
Rolled 7 (1d20)
>>44902979
That should be +2, clearly.
>>44902820
Smarts
19 int and 22 schmooze with chance crit. We need 1 more roller.
>>44902892
>>44902979
Channeling the power of Aizen up in here
Rolled 13 (1d20)
>>44902820
Schmoozeness
>>44903246
Frack forgot the +2.
Need 1 more smarts guys. Still might get a 20.
Also BTQM when will BTDQ return?
Rolled 12 (1d20)
>>44902820
Smarts
>>44902820
Smarts
Uh, maybe i should read what happend lest thread. Was so pissed because of Jenny that stopped reading.
"Let's hear what you have to offer then."
Velkinshar seems a little perplexed for a moment, as if presuming that you already knew his capabilities before summoning him, before laughing it off.
"Of course, I must dispel any rumors of weakness first. You have read the Black Scroll of Stamess, surely, so you know of my defeat at the hands of that wretched Knight. Since then I have acquired many items that protect me from divine powers, and my might grows daily. I am the overseer of three hundred lesser devils and an army of damned souls numbering nearly one thousand strong. I can offer all of that and more. My own personal strength is second to none."
You spend the next few minutes exchanging offers back and forth while trying to get more information. He's a devil of wrath, and he draws his power from brutal and violent conflict. The more needless and violent, the more power he gains and the higher the reward. Events like wars, genocides and serial killings are his personal favorites, since they also leave behind powerful trinkets for his collection.
>Organize a blood magic pact for the new moon
>Wait out the hour
>Barter for some tools
>Other (write-in)
>>44903556
In what sense?
>>44903609
>>Barter for some tools
but mostly as a tactic too
>Wait out the hour
unless he has a REALLY good deal.
>>44903609
>Barter for some tools
If we can scam a few knick knacks out of him, all the better.
Though he wouldn't necessarily be a bad demon to contract, assuming we can do like we did with Tellarie and do things that are *technically* what he's after, but not in a bad way (e.g. breaking up people in (abusive) relationships for lust, beating the shit out of and killing people (who deserve it) for wrath).
>>44903609
>Barter for some tools
>>44903683
I support this one. Stalling while gaining Intel is good move
>>44903609
Go mathematical on him. What sort of growth is he looking at for the next decade? The next century? Does he have a history to back that up? What about vengeance, or even black crusades (crusades supposedly done for a good cause but are actually carried out for the benefits of a few people)? Does he have anything pertaining to our interests in immortality?
Schmooze roll plus Persuade, +2
Let's see what sort of deal you can draft up.
Rolled 3 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44903816
>>44903629
Got mad because she got controlled by the school. But i stopped in the middle of reading so i should have read more into it before leaving. I was salty. I'm not proud of myself but it is what happend. Now i will be going to the archives.
>>44903825
Ah, gotcha
>>44903629
It felt sort of like railroading, especially sinxe we had just told sammy we weren't giving up our claim on jenny.
I understand you wanted to move the story along, but it felt rather heavy handed.
>>44903879
Makes sense though. The school can't have teachers knocking boots with students, and since werewolves would heal off any protection runes, they'd need a way to override her if she got mindfucked.
Rolled 7 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44903816
>>44903918
But it doesn't really fit the personality QM had written for Jennifer. Sammy's the one that runs from her problems, Jennifer manages them.
>>44903974
The school made the collar and "enslavement" mandatory. We pushed her to taking the job, and frankly she knows this is her only real option right now since Oliver isn't leaving the area. The memory erasal was mandatory too, the dean just offered to negate it after explaining all the pain it'd cause her.
Rolled 3 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44903816
>>44903974
I honestly just want to solve the Wolfe clan's problems and be done with them. Weak personalitied women have no attraction to me.
>>44903974
Yeah, she manage several problems.
She set herself for protection not dependent on anyone but the school and herself
She backed off from Oliver in a way that he knew she would be safe while also giving Oliver time to come to terms with how he feels about everyone in his life.
It was a very practical solution. Also the being controlled bit kinda plays to her fetishes AND she doesn't have to remember any of it.
Lastly it only lasts a couple of months then she is back to normal.
>>44904048
>Weak personalitied women
Mate have you been reading this quest?
>>44904084
>>44904057
>>44904042
Sorry, maybe personalitied was the wrong word. All she's done is hide from her problems and give Sammy a chance to get closer. She didn't have to lose the memories, she could have settled for orders to show absolutely no favoritism in anything related to the school.
All she did was run away. I'm not interested.
>>44904177
She, by school rules couldn't have anything to do with us given we've had sexual relations in the past. She's not hiding, she's doing what she can to fix her problems. Remember that the erasal was mandatory, up until we changed the dean's mind. Even then he was going to use it to cause maximum heartache between us anyways. if you can't read eldritch abomination subtext i'm sorry.
Rolled 10 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44903816
Smoozeness + persuade
Angie is still the best girl.
After several rounds of back and forth negotiation, during which the only reason you're not completely on the back foot is that you're in charge of sealing the deal, you manage to figure out a deal that makes a vague sort of sense in terms of fairness. Five fingers from different people, taken by force, in return for a ring that weakens the power of nearby divine beings and makes harming them easier. All the other deals are too much in his favor to even be remotely fair, but his silver tongue makes them appealing until you think about them.
"So, do we have a deal? What do you say?"
>Sure thing
>It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing
>Maybe, but I'm not sure. Rain check?
>Other (write-in)
>>44904177
>>44904057 here
That's legit, I just felt a need to state why I think what she did was in character to me
>>44904241
>She, by school rules couldn't have anything to do with us given we've had sexual relations in the past
Says what? That wasn't mentioned anywhere by QM, Fenright just said they took steps to insure no students got shown favoritism.
And the Dean doesn't understand human emotion, he wouldn't have let us talk to jennifer if he wanted heartache.
>>44904304
>It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing
>>44904304
Any time limit on that deal?
Because I'm pretty sure that we're going to fight enough people we're okay with doing that to soonish.
>>44904304
>>It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing
>>44904304
>It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing
>>44904314
Because you're not supposed to fuck your students, especially when they are underage dipshit. Word would get out and human authorities would have a hey day.
>points out exactly how much heartache it would cause
>says it can't into human emotions
What is lying?
>>44904304
>>44904341
backing
>>44904334
>>44904347
>>44904349
Reminder that Zeke is an asshole that wants to kill our daughteru and a divine being.
>>44904314
The dean understands emotion, just enough to use it as a tool for negotiations but not enough for genuine empathy. It's like understanding how gravity works but not ballistics and trajectories. Basic, practical knowledge.
>>44904307
I agree with him, Jennifer's been written as too much of a realist for a head-in-the-sand solution.
Sammy's the personality type to ignore a problem and hope it goes away.
>>44904304
>>Other (write-in)
Make question about specifict topics of the contract make him thing you want to be in his good side saying things like.
"So when you say grab five fingers you mean i have to take it by force or can i make a fake deal with then and MAKE THEM give me their fingers? Bottom line what i'm asking is can i make people unknowling give me or sacrifice their fingers or do i have to take it by force? Because i'm cool with either just trying to know how you want this thing done."
>>44904363
Reminder that we signed a contract, and never did look at what the terms would be if we broke it. And if we don't break it, this guy is going to lose the majority of his power to Tellarie.
Rolled 8 (1d20)
The wolfe girl's are all shit. Only fish girl and Angie are the cool girls.
Dice gods agree with me.
>>44904304
>It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing
We signed a contract before a divine witness. Let's keep our word. We can always summon him again, afterwards.
>>44904433
That may work out in our faavor. If we fulfill our side but he cant/won't do his we might get over a barrell
>>44904363
Aren't we just distracting this shitlord so our demon can go on his back and fuck his shit?
>>44904395
How the fuck is this head in the sand?
>>44904478
Yeah, but if we can snag a contract for a ring that's useful to us while doing so, that's profit.
"I'm gonna have to pass on that one for now, it's not really my thing at the moment. Maybe in the future."
The devil falls silent and just stares at you.
"Then why have you summoned me? Knowing what I am, why am I here?"
>Say nothing
>Lie, make something up
>Someone asked me to, they didn't say why
>To fuck with you
>Other (write-in)
>>44904491
>"I just kind of slapped a bunch of random runes together to see what would happen."
>>44904457
>Only fish girl and Angie are the cool girls.
>Implying our daughterus aren't reason enough to finish this quest
>Implying Lily wouldn't be our best ally, if we could only find some way to guarantee her loyalty.
But we should let Catherine know we're on the same side of the veil as her, at some point.
>>44904491
>Lie, make something up
Ask him if he plays cards.
>>44904491
>>44904547
Seconded.
Discuss gambling strategies with him.
>>44904491
>Lie, make something up
Shopping around seeing who would deal well and who wouldn't. Cards?
>>44904433
I'm pretty sure making a new contract isn't a violation of the existent contract since hashing out the fine details would help with the whole "distracting him for an hour" thing.
Losing his power sucks for him, but we have a contract and he'd either A. still have the ring somehow or B. not have the ring and have to do or give something of even greater value to avoid whatever horrible fate causes demons to actually take contracts seriously.
>>44904491
>>44904565
I don't mean we break the circle and play cards now. I mean we talk about it and ask if he'd be interested in playing with us and a divine being for minor, personally embarrassing memories.
>>44904491
Write-in
"Honestly I saw your name on a bathroom stall. It Said "for a good time, summon.."
>>44904636
>A magus, an angel and a devil walk into a dream and start playing poker...
>>44904491
>>44904547
I'll give this a solid third, QM
>>44904304
>>It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing
Nice try bitch
You grab a rack of basketballs and knock a few off to make a seat, sitting down in the empty space.
"Honestly I just wanted to play some cards. Poker, probably. Are you any good?"
Velkinshar just stares at you for a few moments.
"Ha. Haha. Very funny. You are messing with me. This is a joke. A powerful sorcerer has summoned and bound me to play cards?"
You nod.
"Yep. I'm an easily bored powerful sorcerer. I'd like to play some poker with you. For fun, not for any genuine sort of bet. I'm trying to beat an angel, and I need pointers."
The several moments are full of deafening screams and Velkinshar pounding the walls of his magical prison, thrashing and ramming his shoulder into it in an attempt to reach you and rip your throat out, in his own words. You sit and watch him, idly considering the possibility that he might escape.
>Run away
>Try to calm him down
>Offer to play for keeps, a decent wager
>Other (write-in)
>>44904903
>Offer to play for keeps, a decent wager
I like the aesthetic of playing card games against supernatural beings for power.
>>44904903
>Other (write-in)
Ask him if he thinks that will actually work, since said angel helped double check the spell that I used to summon and bind him
>>44904903
>>Try to calm him down
>Offer to play for keeps, a decent wager
I'm playing a fucking angel of death dude. I NEED practice.
>>44904903
>>Other (write-in)
You need to learn to relax, no wonder your underlings want to raid your secret cache of goodies.
While shuffling cards
Provided we are near the end of the hour
>>44904903
>Try to calm him down
>Offer to play for keeps, a decent wager
>>44904903
>"If you win, I'll take you up on that five finger discount."
>>44904903
>Offer to play for keeps, a decent wager
Oliver you are the demons. If we go to hell we should totally become a gamble demon.
>>44904903
>Try to calm him down
And this
>>44904937
>>44904930
We've been a cheeky fuck for a while now, might as well keep it up.
>>44904903
>>44904952
I'm okay with this.
>>44904955
Probably a subtype of greed demon.
Smarts roll plus Perception, +1
Schmooze roll plus Persuade, +1
Luck roll
Rolled 11 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Smarts
Oh, but first, what are you willing to wager?
Rolled 1 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Smarts
If we cross the circle he's gonna kill us, but oh well. I guess a fight to the death will delay him too.
Rolled 6 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Schmooze
Rolled 10 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Schmooze
Rolled 8 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Schmooze roll plus Persuade.
Rolled 1 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Schmooze
Rolled 11 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Smarts
>>44905064
We'll tell him if he wins, we'll make his deal
Rolled 12 (1d20)
>>44905045
Luck
>>44905069
We can deal over the circle.
Rolled 18 (1d20)
>>44905045
luck
>>44905064
The stake we killed Vanessa with.
Rolled 5 + 1 (1d20 + 1)
>>44905045
Smarts
Rolled 12 (1d20)
>>44905045
Luck
>>44905100
In some universes, crossing the plane of the circle with anything from the outside breaks it.
>>44905064
This:
>>44905091
Rolled 19 (1d20)
>>44905111
God dammit Oliver is so fucking lucky
>>44905045
luck.
>>44905064
Probably doing some kind of wrathful thing to empower him, like that five fingers thing he mentioned earlier.I have a few ideas, but I don't want to give him ideas.
>>44905058
Well, if you can't be smart (12)
>>44905083
Or charming (11)
>>44905111
Be lucky (18)
>>44905064
Making the deal we turned down earlier.
>>44905168
rules of life.
Did Angie ever give us that present she had planned? I can't remember.
>>44905506
I don't think so.
>>44905506
If she did i don't remember it.
Something has come up, back shortly.
>>44905622
Take your time, I just started reading.
>>44905622
Go on, we will be waiting.
Something must have really happend.
>>44907074
Hopefully nothing terrible,
>>44907074
I'm going to put a bet on canine-related emergency.
>>44907307
Dammit Sammy and Jennifer
Back now, writing. Long story short, stepbrother is incredibly high and broke part of the porch and got his leg caught.
>>44907307
>>44907373
I chuckled and became sad.. My cat is in the vet right now...
>>44907474
My dog has to get his leg amputated tomorrow.
>>44907483
Sorry to hear that man. That's harsh.
>>44907462
So, did Angie never give us our gift or are we all being stupid simultaneously?
>>44907574
Angie offered you something else in return in place of the gift, coaching on dealing with devils. You've been focusing on rune magic with her though.
>>44907462
Hope your step brother is okay.
Also you should probably hide his stash.
>>44907694
She offered just doing the blood magic thing for us instead of the demons as something we could have instead of the gift. The coaching was never implied to mean we don't get the gift as far as I can recall.
>>44907483
>>44907474
Hope your pets will be okay.
>>44907694
She did that for free, and was getting us a gift.
>>44907694
Tsc...i would prefere something else from her. But i guess Oliver is only after the wolfe girl's fluffly tail.
Also you should hear this anon:
>>44907718
>>44907837
Hi silver
>>44907930
Your fail your spot check. I'm NOT!Silver. Silver doesn't like Angie if i remember correctly.
>>44907968
To be fair, asking sexual favors (which is the most likely implication of that post) of Angie would be something that someone who wants to think any potential the Angie ship would've had would do.
>>44908016
>think
Sink. Sink any potential the Angie ship had.
I'm very tired.
>>44908016
Well, Angie's still willing to do w/e with us in our lucid dreams. I'm just worried how that might translate to physical reactions.That awkward moment when Athena wakes up before us and asks about Oliver's morning wood. I honestly have no idea how to handle that situation.
>>44908125
>Angie's still willing to do w/e with us in our lucid dreams
As I understand it, that would just be a shell maintained solely by our consciousness, rather than an expression of her self, as per what she would've done if the lust demon had tried anything.
>>44908165
Wouldn't be surprised if angels were required to maintain purity.
>>44908050
The only way I see the Angie ship sailing is if we bind her to us instead of heaven, much the way Drac did with his reaper.I think we've been painting Dracula too much the villian, when we know nothing about him except third hand sources. For all we know, his reaper could be happy now that it doesn't have to serve heaven. And he disappeared because his kids started fighting. That doesn't sound like a despotic monster to me. He could just be an old noble who didn't want to see his loved obes die
>>44908165
>>44908220
I dunno. She only mentioned that when Tellarie was wanting to take her. She has lightly flirted with Oliver several times, and never directly said she'd be leaving the shell if it was Oliver. She's the one who brought up the whole sex in dreams thing in the first place, and I'm pretty sure she used personal pronouns instead of saying this shell when she did.
Not that I'm saying we should test it, but don't make assumptions; and she did say everyone was drawn to us.
>>44908372
>Inb4 Oliver and Dracula bond by exchanging cute pictures of their horrible-abomination-against-man-and-god daughterus and talking about how adorable they are
>>44908583
I would in no way be upset if this happens
>>44908606
>>44908583
Agreed. I'm perfectly okay with this, especially since we want to go a different route to power than Drac. We could be friends walking similar paths, instead of following Drac down his.
>>44908372
Dracula villian status also depends on necromancy. I don't think it's been explained if necromancers are killed because its evil, or if their stepping in the angels turf.
>>44908817
Given that it was explicitly mentioned that Death was a master Necromancer, I'd say it's a mix of the latter and it being very easily extremely evil due to it involving dicking around with souls. The kind of thing that angels would be kind of justified in thinking mortals shouldn't have.
>>44908817
When we asked Angie about necromancy, she said mortals were killed for studying it because it violated the natural order.
Drac villian status is a question mark until we meet him, was my point.
>>44908918
But there's no guarantee that necromancy itself is evil. If someone wants to be brought back from the dead, how is it evil? And if there's a human sacrifice involved, but the sacrifice is freely willing, is it still evil?
>>44908918
No power, in and of itself is good or evil. The intent with which it is used is what defines good or evil.
You wait for his anger to peak before you open your mouth.
"We'll play to see if I accept your deal. If you win, I'll accept the offer, but it might take me some time."
Immediately he stops attacking the walls, sitting down inside the circle and looking at you calmly. You smile a bit and sit on the ground outside the circle.
"So, how do we go about this? Cards? Illusions?"
He waves a hand through the air and conjures a deck of cards with pitch black edging, as though the cards were portals, back to back, the faces merely pressed against the other side. He deals slowly and methodically.
"And if you win then I won't begrudge you for wasting my time."
You take the cards, a fairly solid hand, and start the game. Devil poker, it turns out, is mostly about sneering, intimidation and creative cheating. The cards you're playing with keep changing every time you look at them, and from time to time you can see eyes staring at you through the royals. Velkinshar just smiles all the while as you attempt to intimidate whatever is controlling your cards.
"Having some trouble?"
You shrug and close your eyes.
"Nope. I'm just worried. I mean, Angie is pretty strict about cheating at poker. I don't think she'll like it if someone screws me over with a cheap trick. Call."
You set down your cards, pressing your thumb against two of them firmly enough to jostle the faces, which slip and reveal higher cards. Velkinshar reveals his own cards, grumbling. Your cards screwed up his royal flush, and he looks irritated.
"Very well, human. You win at devil poker. Maybe next time you'll win through skill and not dumb luck."
You smirk at him.
"Nah. Luck is my shtick."
The hour is almost up, as far as you can tell. It certainly feels like an hour at least.
>Rub your victory in his face
>Announce that he'll be returning home to nothing
>Thank him for his time, send him on his way
>Tell him you'll do something violent in his name
>Other (write-in)
>>44908990
>violated the natural order
Which doesn't explain what effects it can have.
>>44909043
Not when it comes to magic.
>>44908990
>But there's no guarantee that necromancy itself is evil.
Yes, that was my point. More that it can be super fucking evil (and, let's be honest, Drac has probably put it to super fucking evil uses at some point, possibly not any more) and is not the kind of thing I, personally, would be able to trust my fellow mortals with, so I can understand why the angels eliminate it's users. Not inherently evil, but understandably persecuted.
>If someone wants to be brought back from the dead, how is it evil?
To be fair, some people deserve to die to such a degree that bringing them back could be considered an evil action.
>>44909043
If you want to get technical (which I will since you completely ignored my post), whatever the absolute entity that created all that is, was and will be defines as evil is inherently evil. Since His definition of evil as per the fundamental structure of the universe would supercede human perception and sensibility.
>>44909127
>Thank him for his time, send him on his way
>>44909043
Don't worry, anon, I play CG necromancers in D&D too. My current one is a draw oracle who is drow-13 (DM ruled slower aging) and gets piggyback rides from her skeletal minions because of her lame curse.
>>44909127
>Thank him for his time, send him on his way
:^)
>>44909127
>Tell him you'll do something violent in his name
The next time someone pisses me off.
>>44909127
>Thank him for his time, send him on his way
>>44909197
Drow, not draw
>>44909197
Can we class change to draw oracle? It'd fit our reliance on poker for dealing with celestial-tier entities.
>>44909127
>Other (write in)
You can challenge me for a friendly game any time. But waut untill you have a less 'unlucky break'.
then
>Thank him for his time, send him on his way
>>44909197
God damn that's fucking adorable.
>>44909143
>Not when it comes to magic.
According to what? Angie didn't tell us it was evil, just that mortals aren't supposed to use it. It's like getting mad at a toddler for playing with matches.
>>44909153
Well, again, we haven't been told necromancy is evil.
To draw a comparison, chlorine gas is one of the worst chemical weapons used during ww1. It'll melt your skin, it's heavier than air so it doesn't disperse in wind very fast, when it mixes with water it creates a highly volatile acid.
I currently have 40 tons of it in liquid form right now. It expands 450 times when it transitions from a liquid to a gas.
I could kill the majority of the Dallas metropolitan area with what i have.
I use it to keep amoebas from eating people's brains.
>>44909197
I love the dread necromancer class. I'm banned from it though (ghost hand+chill touch kills red dragons)
"Well, this was fun. I learned about summoning devils like you, the sort of power you have, and how you play poker. Neat card rigging trick, by the by. But I think we're pretty much done."
He nods slightly.
"Indeed. I must return anyway. I can sense something meddling with my powers."
You tilt your head slightly.
"Then it's in my best interest to let you leave, isn't it. I fully intend to summon you again and I need you in top form."
Velkinshar's body begins to steam and twitch a bit and he grunts.
"Hurry, human, send me back now!"
You close your eyes and pretend to concentrate, focusing on the circle on the ground.
"What's taking so long!?"
You look at him.
"Trying to remember the wo-"
You utter something so foul and wretched that as the devil vanishes you can taste your own blood, and your throat aches. You look at the circle as it fades away completely, feeling oddly satisfied despite the discomfort. In a few days you get your payoff, and your blood magic becomes greatly enhanced.
>It's 1AM, sleep, school tomorrow
>Wander around for a bit
>Other (write-in)
>>44909473
>Text Tobi ask how the ritual at magic class went.
>>44909436
Wait amoebas eat people brains? Does that mean amoebas are the true zombies of our planet!?!
>>44909436
>Well, again, we haven't been told necromancy is evil.
I know. I've never claimed it's otherwise. In fact, I've been saying it probably isn't inherently evil, just easily abused and something that paranoia about mortals having is probably justified. The second half was solely to say that there very easily could be such a thing as objectively evil power because the guy I replied to annoyed me, not to imply Necromancy was such a thing.
>>44909473
>>Wander around for a bit
In the direction of our room, it's late
>>44909423
She's dual cursed, burned and lame, flavored as being the result of a lab accident in her parent's necromancy lab. She's all bone and ghostly flesh from the elbows and knees down. Very visible identifiers, which makes her trying to be sneaky more funny than successful.
"No, you're thinking of a different drow bathed in necromantic magic surrounded by skeletons. Her hands are teal, mine are clearly royal blue."
>>44909473
Wasn't Oliver planning on going to that magic club ritual?
>>44909473
>Wander around for a bit
Towards our room. Looking around. If we see aby of our vamps we should discuss our invite with them.
>>44909517
Yea, one species, it's a bit of a problem lately. All of the fresh water in north america has them to one degree or another.
>>44909473
Actually, don't we have a book on magical tattoos? Can we get back to our room and start in on that a bit? Might be real useful in the future and help with runes.
>>44909590
Caring about the timing not making him miss his window in the OP certainly seems to imply that. Probably should've had a vote on it, at the least.
>>44909515
supporting because i don't know anythng better for us to do.
>>44909652
we can at least ask how it went.
>>44909645
>1AM
>on a Thursday
Guess we want to skip school tomorrow?
>>44909473
>>44909515
I guess. Assuming he's still up and alive because it was obviously a fucking catastrophe and we knew it would be and did nothing in spite of being able to without being allowed to vote on it for no reason.
>>44909515
>>44909677
>>44909711
Text him as we wander a bit?
>>44909645
That made me think. Can we scribe runic tatoos on our body in a way we can absorb ithe impact we suffer? Imagine to fully soak a vampire or werewolf blow and release the impact of such blow into him. Would such thing be even possible?
>>44909720
For some reason I thought it was a Saturday. My bad.
>>44909727
Who cares? Bradley was a dick and was destined to die tonight. If we'd tried to interfere Angie would get mad.
>>44909751
I'd imagine the purpose of runic tattoos is to apply the effects of enchantment to oneself or to gain an ease-of-casting template right on your flesh. More pressing concern to me would be making an anti-mindfuck tattoo.
It's presently Thursday. The new moon is on Tuesday, as is the ritual with Tellarie and the event with Tobias. You have a few days to go.
>>44909727
Something something assuming
>>44909751
I'm more thinking, if we have to super specific, a rune that prevents teeth/bone from penetrating our skin. Good for a one off vampire attack, might stun/pause them for a sec when they go for a bite
>>44909727
Didn't Angie tell. us he was schedueled to die in a failed ritual.? Also if he dies the president seat will ne empty and Oliver can start to take over the occult club.
>>44909773
At least two people, and you only need three to win.
And if Angie's going to get mad about us fucking with people's timers, she's going to very mad the first time we do something big, since we fuck fate up with every action we take which inevitably causes a cascade. Hell, just murdering that slaver probably screwed up a few thousand clocks.
>>44909780
Yeah you're right we should protect ourself against mind fuckery. Also do something about possessions to.
God dammit captcha a quiche isn't a pie.
>>44909791
That line at the end of the last post could be (and was) mistaken for a statement that we had just skipped ahead to immediately post-New Moon ritual.
>>44909886
Oh. But then we'd have missed the encounter with another devil, which I wanted to leave open in case you changed pacts before that ritual.
>>44909473
>Wander around for a bit
Sleuth roll plus Perception, +2
Rolled 1 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44909947
Rolled 12 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44909947
Sleuthen'
Rolled 16 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44909947
sluthin
Rolled 7 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44909947
>>44910002
The sleuthin'-est
You take the long way back to your room, meandering a little bit while you think. A day of school, then the weekend, another two days of school and then the ritual. You're getting pretty excited, honestly, though you're pretty sure Tellarie will be paying a visit to your dreams again tonight to gloat about their new power and gear. You can tolerate that though, so long as you're still getting your end of the bargain.
Along the way back to your room you spot Catherine in the company of a pair of older boys. She's backed up against a wall, using a book to shield herself from them while they stand in front of her, each leaning against the wall a bit to corner her. A little ways from them, a rather muscular boy is on the ground, and you can see several sharp teeth scattered around him on the floor, as well as some blood on his face.
“So what'll it be, sweet thing? I bet a mermaid like you is already wet, right?”
The other boy laughs a bit.
“Good one.”
You could just walk away. These two just decked a bipedal shark person and broke his teeth. But then, he doesn't have a hero suit. You briefly consider running out there as you are and using a flamethrower to scare them off, weighing your options.
>Let events unfold and walk away
>Wear the suit, be the Rider
>Run in, use fire tactically
>Other (write-in)
>>44910170
>Wear the suit, be the Rider
Brutally murder them.
>>44910170
>Wear the suit, be the Rider
>>Run in, use fire tactically
Oliver used TRANSFORM
Oliver used FLAMETHROWER
>>44910170
>Wear the suit, be the Rider
Seems the little lady doesn't want to talk to you too. I'd suggest you get while you still can.
>>44910170
>Wear the suit, be the Rider
>>44910170
>>Wear the suit, be the Rider
>>44910170
>Wear the suit, be the Rider
MURDER
>>44910203
>>44910210
Come on, i want to set them on fire.
They're messing with our minion.
>>44910210
Also, when did we become the lone ranger?
Will you:
>Be the cliche, over-the-top hero from your Saturday morning shows
>Be brutal, methodical and silent as the grave
>Just an average guy looking to save some damsels in distress is all
>Other (write-in)
>>44910249
>>Be brutal, methodical and silent as the grave
>>44910249
>Be the cliche, over-the-top hero from your Saturday morning shows
Hiho silver!
If we're going to do this, the lone ranger is a great example.
>>44910249
>>Be the cliche, over-the-top hero from your Saturday morning shows
It's 1 AM, we just power played a devil, beat him at cards, and did not reveal that we were in on his fall. We are riding a bit high and punch drunk
>>44910249
>Be brutal, methodical and silent as the grave
But after well take off the helmet, smile and chat with cath like nothing happend
>>44910249
>Be the cliche, over-the-top hero from your Saturday morning shows
As long as we still get to BREAK THEM, this is good.
>>44910249
>Be the cliche, over-the-top hero from your Saturday morning shows
>>44910249
>>Be the cliche, over-the-top hero from your Saturday morning shows
Lone ranger
Or
>Just an average guy looking to save some damsels in distress is all
Saitama
Either is acceptable
>>44910289
Do you want the girl to think we're a sociopath?
Knight in matte-camouflage armor go?
>>44910317
Well, I mean, we did set a guy on fire and beat him to death while laughing and enjoying ourselves a few days ago.
>>44910170
>Wear the suit, be the Rider
Asume the first hunter role.
>Other (write-in)
Introduce your feet to the boys face. Salute Catherine as if you were one of her church hunters. Proceed to purge the villans.
>>44910308
>Lone ranger
We even have silver knuckle dusters as part of the suit.
>>44910326
Be neat if we could get our phone to change it up a bit for effect.
>>44910353
Yea, but he was a slaver.
I mean, how can you not enjoy killing them? Also, we'd been under a lot of stress that day. Today we just beat a devil at poker.
>>44910354
If we have actually worked with her to create a Church hunter group with a known salute I fully back this write-in
>>44910397
>Yea, but he was a slaver.
And they're would-be rapists.
>>44910353
That was a slaver. These are fellow students. They can still be saved by the healling church methods.
You put on your hero suit and advance on them slowly, one step at a time. You focus on what Kim might say, or a Kamen Rider, and strike a dramatic pose, arm outstretched and finger pointing at them.
“Excuse me, fellas, but I don't think she's into enemies of justice. Why don't you walk away before you hurt yourselves too badly.”
As you say this you feel your suit get a little tighter at the waist for a moment before a pair of speakers form at your hips, playing dramatic hero music for you. Nice work, Miniora. The two boys turn to look at you, and Catherine glances your way before trying to run off. One of the boys catches her arm and throws her back against the wall, pinning her there.
“Deal with him, I'll keep missy busy.”
The other boy cracks his knuckles and nods, walking towards you.
“Let's take you down a peg, Mr. Hero.”
You smile under the helmet. Showtime.
>Roast him
>Justice punch
>Other (write-in)
>>44910354
Screw that, it'd paint a big target on her back, and part of our NAD was that we wouldn't actively hunt. The games in class are fine, but we can't afford to break the Accords.
>>44910438
>Roast him
>>44910438
>Roast him
MASKED HERO used FLAMETHROWER
> "Taking me on one on one would be extremely painful" Shift into Bane mode. Break him
>>44910453
Ah no fun. Then justice hero it is then.
>>44910453
>part of our NAD was that we wouldn't actively hunt
Do you mean the thing with the vampire girls? Because that only covers vampires that don't harm our friends, and Catherine is classified as a friend.
>>44910438
>>Justice punch
With little jets of flame from the knuckles for effect
>>44910438
>Roast him
>>44910438
>>Roast him
sir, are you aware that you are conflagrating?
>>44910438
>>Roast him
>>44910508
But that anon was talking about setting up an actual group of hunters, which definitely goes beyond protecting our friends.
Rolled 17 (1d20)
>>44910438
>Other (write-in)
Justice German Suplex
Spirit roll, +2
>>44910547
No, no he was not.
Rolled 13 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910566
SPIRIT OF JUSTICE PUNCH
Rolled 11 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910566
Spiritual!
Rolled 12 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910566
Rolled 16 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910566
Disco inferno
Rolled 5 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910566
>>44910568
My mistake then. But >>44910354 and >>44910410 read like that was their intent.
So is our new default tactic lighting people on fire and then beating the shit out of them while that distracts them?
>>44910626
Did you forget that part of history class has us designing a church that has it's own group of 'hunters' to destroy demons and heretics?
>>44910576
>75% power flamethrower.
Hope he enjoys second degree burns and not having any hair.
You reach into your pocket, the suit parting so that you can access your lighter, and you ignite the flame. The boy sneers.
“What are you gonna do, set me on fire with your lighter?”
You nod.
“Pretty much exactly that, yeah.”
You bring the fire up towards your mouth and exhale. It's less about breathing out and more about the action subconsciously directing your magic, otherwise you'd feel really silly about it. The flames leap forwards and the boy screams, jumping back and batting at his clothes as they start to catch fire, snuffing out the smaller flames quickly before taking off his jacket. The other boy rolls his eyes.
“You can go all out on him, he's clearly aware of magic, and it's not like the fish can't already guess. Just rush him so he can't use his little fire trick.”
With a nod the one you attacked growls at you, skin slowly turning a dull gray color, and he grows in size by about a foot.
“I'm gonna eat ya...”
He grins at you, his teeth suddenly mishappen and jagged, and his muscles bulge a bit. An ogre or a troll of some sort, to be sure.
>More fire. Even more fire.
>Justice punch
>Other (write-in)
>>44910626
No i was just making a joke about heaving the healing church enforces be called hunters to. Forget about it it was a stupid idea and tg as always failed in saving the girl.
>>44910654
>So is our new default tactic lighting people on fire and then beating the shit out of them while that distracts them?
I think it should be.
And yes, i did forget that. I find the history class stuff boring.
>>44910679
>Justice punch
When someone steps up to you, after seeing you lay out a fishman, and isn't worried in the slightest, you should be worried.
>>44910679
>>Other (write-in)
Justice German Suplex!!!
>>44910679
>More fire. Even more fire.
The appropriate response to a troll's regenerative capabilities is to set all internal and external surfaces of it's body on fire.
Learning how to ignite the air in someone's lungs when?
>>44910679
>More fire. Even more fire.
Fire purifies.
>>44910685
You are boring fish face.
>>44910679
>Justice punch
+bonus for suit targeting weakness.
>>44910679
>More fire. Even more fire.
>>44910679
>>Justice punch
Too much fire and we'll get the popo on us. In fact, Have Miniora text Meliora and Athena of the situation
>>44910679
>>More fire. Even more fire.
>>44910757
We didn't start the fire.
Spirit roll, +2
After this you'll start feeling the effects of burnout if you roll poorly
>>44910711
>Justice punch
Give this villan the taste of justice.
>>44910728
>>44910736
>>44910752
>>44910759
see>>44910757
Also we don't want to burn all our mana before we see what the other guy is.
Rolled 11 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910771
Rolled 15 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910771
Hope it's a fail. This fire isn't just enough.
Rolled 9 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910771
Burn baby burn
Rolled 9 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910771
Rolled 16 + 2 (1d20 + 2)
>>44910771
