/monster/ - The Last Bastion of Romance

>Spoil the Wan

“So where are we goin’ Boss?” Blue asks excitedly, her tail wagging behind her.

“You’ll see.” You reply with a grin, fastening the saddlebag across Four’s back. The Bungarra turned towards you, mouth slightly agape. Rolling your eyes, you smack the big lizard firmly on the nose. “There are days I get real damn tired of that.”

“Shariss used to say that if you weren’t bleeding after a snap, it meant they liked you.” Blue offers, clinging to your waist with furred forearms.

“You didn’t see Shariss almost soil herself laughing when Tristan took her seriously on that.” You chuckle. “Bloody reptile had one weird sense of humor. ‘Course the same could be said of half the folks back home.”

“Do you miss it?” Blue asks, clambering presumptively into your lap as you mount the Bungarra.

“Gibson? Yeah… There are days. But then again, would we be who we are if we’d stayed?”

Blue looks over her shoulder at you quizzically. “You REALLY have no idea how long I’ve carried a torch for ya, do ya Boss?”

“Oh, so all the dreamy eyes at Tristan were what, just trying to make me jealous?” You drawl, digging tickling fingers into Blue’s ribs.

“Nooooo! Hahahahaha!” Blue giggled helplessly, squirming against you. “Waylanders are hot, what can I say? I’m only Kobold. But I’m YOUR good girl boss…” She punctuates that statement with a kiss “…I really wish you weren’t so sensitive about your brother.”

“Mmm…” You muse. “…Adrian, Matt, Tristan… Hell even young Scotty, Tyris Rest his Soul, it’s like they’re all a breed apart. They’re… Better than us, nobler, like they’ve got a purpose. Kinda rankles sometimes when I’m hauling The God knows what, freezing my arse off or getting cooked, depending on how Mater Australis decides to try and kill me that week…”

Blue looks over her shoulder at you with an expression of incredulous disbelief. “I’m sorry… I guess trivial stuff like surviving a conversation with Wagyl, being able to tell reality to sit down and shut up, bullying near-gods out of a bar fight and surviving something the spirits of my people back to the beginning tell us is bad news doesn’t count at all, does it?”

“Well I guess when you put it like THAT…” You concede, patting the Kobold’s head.

“Remember boss, I turned down the bulls in my own pack. I don’t just give myself to someone because they can get growly and make demands. You take to being Alpha like you were born to it. I’d say you were meant for great things but it’d be lying, because…” The Kobold pauses, blushing “…Because you’re already great to me…”

“Blue…” You murmur, your heart melting within you. “…I’m supposed to be spoiling you, pup!”

“You are. This is… personal. I couldn’t say this around Adorabear or the Succusluts in Thealiss. This… Today… Just us… It means so much to me.”

“I love you, girl.” You breathe fervently, turning the Kobold’s face up for a kiss which she eagerly returns. You kiss for a moment, before she makes a slight noise, turning from you and pointing into the middle distance with a furred digit.

“Boss! Look! Dingoes!” She yips in joyful surprise.

You follow her gesture, spying the tall figures against the silhouette of a nearby hill. “Oh? Shouldn’t we be worried? They’re all feral, aren’t they?”

Blue giggles, “They’ve told every representative of the Council to go fuck themselves with a splintered hogweed branch, so yeh, so far as the Succies go…”

“Why would they do that?”

“They’re… a bit odd. I mean I take the spirits seriously but them? It’s like they barely live in the same world as the rest of us. Real quiet too, unless they’re singing.”

“Should we go say g’day then?”

“I’d never get you back if we did.” Blue chuckles, pinching your leg. “They don’t tend to let potential breeding partners go easy.”

You look at Blue in puzzlement. “I think I can handle five Kobolds…”

Blue gives a mocking sound in her throat. “Dingoes aren’t Kobolds, Boss… They’re bigger, faster, stronger, and I’m pretty sure they can run for a straight month without tiring. Also the five we see there are all that they’re letting us see. The rest of the pack could be anywhere and we’d never know it.”

“Even you?”

“Even me.” Blue assured you. “This isn’t their range though, so they’re just letting us know they’re here, and won’t bother us if we don’t bother them.”

You chuckle, raising your hand slightly to the figures on the ridge. “Sounds like a fair deal.”

“Yehboss.” Blue agrees, nuzzling her back happily into you.

“Meanwhile you’ve spent the whole bleedin’ trip on me lap, Getting lazy on me pup?”

“Cuddles now, running later.” The Kobold hums happily.

>>265245

“Blue! Quit it!” You demand, shielding your face as the Kobold splashes you mercilessly. Shrieking with laughter, the Kobold swims away, poking her tongue out at you.

You narrow your eyes. “You’re just tryin’ to make me chase you.”

“Maaaaybe…” Blue drawls cheekily, floating on her back, her toned, athletic body naked and glistening in the crystal clear water, her azure eyes smouldering with an unspoken challenge. Taking a deep breath, you dive beneath the water. The light, softened by the shadows of the gorge played in beautiful patterns, soft fronds of freshwater plants drifting amongst the rocky bottom. A large turtle, disturbed by your presence, shoots you a look of reptilian displeasure, before trundling away into the murky gloom of the waterhole’s depths. Kicking for the surface, you seize the Kobold around the waist.

“Got you.” You gasp, panting as you recover your breath. Surprisingly, Blue floats frozen in your arms, whimpering softly.

“Whazzamad…” You begin, before likewise freezing, noticing the blunt, diamond-shaped head, easily a foot across, regarding you both with serpentine eyes. Balls. Wonambi.

“It’s OK pup… You murmur, calling upon the Logos, not taking your eyes off the colossal snake. “…it’s gonna strike, but I’ve got a surprise for it when it does.”

Blue nods, still trembling slightly as you begin to swim back towards the bank with your free arm. As if awaiting your movement, the snake launches itself forward with a powerful swirl of its muscular body, toothed mouth impossibly wide… and promptly collides with the wall of force you had erected in front of you. A dull ‘crack’ is heard, and the snake begins thrashing uncontrollably in the water, coiling end over end, splashing and flailing.

“Broke it’s neck.” You remark.

“Yehboss.” Blue agrees.

“Gonna have to eat at least some of it now, aren’t we?”

“Yehboss”

“It’ll take a while to settle down though…” You add, coming to your feet as you reach the shallows.

“Yehboss” Blue admits, shaking the water from her furred appendages and tail.

“Well in the meantime…”

“…I’m sure we’ll find something to do.” Blue announces, launching her wet self into your arms, her mouth firmly against yours. “My Hero…” She breathes, before bending into another kiss..

>>265247

You look down in surprise as Blue belches loudly where she leans on you. “Pardon you…” You chide gently, mussing her still-damp hair.

“Ancient Kobold Tradition!” Blue insists.

“Yeh? How ancient? Considering you never did it at the dinner table back at Gibson.”

“…’bout five minutes.” Blue answers without a hint of chagrin.

“Yer a worry…” You chuckle, before letting loose with your own belch, the echo bouncing off the walls of the gorge. Wisps of smoke from your extinguished cooking fire dance lazily skyward, before dissipating in the light afternoon breeze.

“Good snake.” Blue mumbles.

“Was trying to eat you not an hour ago!” You declare incredulously.

Blue makes a noise of affirmation, trailing a claw along your leg lazily. “Yeh, but that was then, this is now.”

“You’re proper philosophical about this sorta thing, arencha?”

“The Wonambi wasn’t evil for thinking Kobold probably tastes better than turtle. It’s just the way life works.”

“Bit fatalistic… Though I agree with it on one thing.” You murmur, bending your lips to the nape of Blue’s neck.

“W-whazzat?” Blue whimpers as you trail your lips down her neck and along her shoulder.

“Kobold tastes pretty bloody good.”

Blue gives a happy whine as she submits to your ministrations.

>>265248

“The whole thing though?” Blue declared incredulously

“Why’s that surprise you pup?” You ask as Blue runs effortlessly alongside Four, her tawny hair, now grown past her shoulders streaming behind her.

“There must have been five metres of snake left! I thought we’d at least get the skin…” Blue remarks, making a noise as a lock of hair blows into her face “…Blech, I need a haircut.”

“Ever heard the expression ‘there’s no such thing as a full bungarra?”

“I thought that was just Simmo being cheap with the feed.”

You shake your head with a chuckle. “Bungas are like Crocs Blue, give ‘em enough food and nothing to kill ‘em and they’ll keep growing. Dad reckons there used to be a lot of cases of idiots letting Bungas get to the size of small houses and then getting ‘emselves chewed.”

Blue gives a snort. “Nothing in our histories about that.”

“Probably because you lot have a habit of bringing ‘em down when they’re big enough to make a decent dinner.”

Blue’s eyes narrow. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Not a thing Blue, between you Kobolds and the Reptilians, how do you think we Humans learned how to farm ‘em?”

“Oh… Really?” Blue whuffles, preening slightly in pride as she runs.

You smile affectionately at your indentured. “Tyris take me if’n I’m a liar.”

>>265249

“Whose place is this?” Blue asked, peering around uncertainly as the red sky of twilight lent the surrounding ramshackle buildings of Thealiss an almost prosaic softness.

“Nobody really, it’s used by occasional residents, ambassadors and the like. Sal thought we might like to have somewhere to ourselves this evening.”

“For a hornhead he’s kinda nice, isn’t he?” Blue remarks with a slight smile.

“I’ll admit, I feel kinda bad about how we first met.” You concede, knocking on the door. After a small pause, it swings open. The Mamono within looked at the pair of you briefly, before smiling welcomingly, bowing at the waist, the featherlike cuffs at her wrists rustling slightly against her alien clothing.

“Master Adam, Miss Blue. Welcome. Please, do come in and sit. I shall begin serving shortly.”

“Thank you… Danica, wasn’t it?” You ask. The Mamono smiles and nods.

“Yes sir. Now please, right this way.”

“Maou’s tits boss! A Kikimora? For real?” Blue whispers in excitement as you follow Danica inside, her feathered tail rustling beneath her long skirts.

“Sal says she’s training for an indenturehood. Thought she could use a little ‘work experience’.”

“…M’not sure how to feel about that.” Blue murmured, frowning slightly.

“Please, Miss Blue, in truth you are doing me something of a favour. The diets of the majority of Thealiss’s residents are… simplistic, aside from the rarity of the ingredients themselves. I welcome the opportunity to prepare a more traditional cuisine.” Danica interjected, stopping in front of a heavy table, its wood so dark as to be almost black. Smiling, she pulled out a chair, gesturing for the Kobold to sit.

“Oh. Well… I mean if m’boss says it's okay…” Blue accedes, looking at you questioningly.

“Go on Blue, take a seat.” You smile.

“Mkay!” Blue beams, almost wriggling with anticipation as she sits down, looking almost childlike against the large, elaborate chair. You move to your own chair, which Danica pulls out for you, and take your seat, murmuring thanks.

“The degustation this evening will comprise of multiple courses served at specific intervals. To assist in this, one would ask that any rituals you choose to partake in are performed now, prior to the beginning of service.” Danica asks in a pleasant, polite manner.

“For what we are about to receive, may Holy Tyris make us truly thankful.” You prayed briefly, raising your hands in the Sign of the Sunburst. “All Glory to the Most High.”

Blue also closed her eyes, chanting something in the gruff, guttural Kobold tongue, before ending with the harsh bark which had always punctuated her thanksgiving to the spirit of a slaughtered beast. You did your best to mimic it, respectfully.

“No ‘Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub, yay Maou?” You grin at the Kobold, lifting the glass of pale wine that Danica had unobtrusively poured in a toast.

“Thought it was the kind of night to take seriously, Boss…” Blue smiled, almost demurely, raising her own glass in response.

>>265251

“What’s the matter?”

Blue looked at her plate in slight puzzlement, “Not that I’m complaining, but scrambled eggs?”

“Oeufs d’aigle et fromage… A continental delicacy from House Orleans.” Danica corrected, though her slight smile belied the fact that the pretentiousness was not lost on her.

Blue took a mouthful, her eyes widening. “Boss… Boss… We need to find the chicken that lays these. Yesterday.”

“Eagle.” You grinned, tucking in yourself.

“Umf… Tomorrow then.”

>>265253

“Who’s Vindie-lou?” Blue asked, nostrils flaring as the strong smell of the dish rose from your plates.

You frowned in puzzlement. “Not sure… Danica?”

“I’m given to understand the word was derived from the native dialect surrounding House Portucale, Master Adam, though the dish itself is from the Aestenlandish Subcontinent.”

“Wow… How did you humans ever manage to communicate with so many languages? At least we always had Pandemonian.”

“You don’t speak Pandemonian though Blue.”

“True… Still…” The Kobold acceded, taking a mouthful and chewing, before swallowing quickly, fanning at her mouth and making high, squeaking noises. “Hothothothothot!”

“Oh dear… I’m afraid it is quite piquant. The yoghurt will cool your tongue, Miss Blue.” Danica stated apologetically. “I am sorry it is not to your taste. I shall remove it and bring forward the next course.

“I-I don’t know that you need to do that…” Blue objected, looking at the dish and picking up her fork again hesitantly.

>>265254

“Now we’re talking!” You exclaim, gazing hungrily at the juicy (if small) cut of Camel on wilted greens before you.

“Right?” Blue grinned, digging in. The Kobold paused, a strange expression on her face. “Boss… This doesn’t half taste like…”

You too put a slice of the succulent meat in your mouth, marvelling in the flavour… Strange, it tasted oddly familiar… almost as if…

“Danica…” You began after swallowing “…where did this particular dish come from?”

“This is actually an Australian dish, I’m told. The Recipe was apparently provided by a Weresheep indentured to a holding in House Reinhardt, West Australs. I have been informed that it has proven VERY popular amongst the Continental Nobles.”

“That right?” You remarked, keeping your face neutral as you and the Kobold finished the cut.

“Reckon we should tell Jen she’s famous?” Blue giggled conspiratorially as Danica left to fetch the next dish.

“And have some outlander pinch her out from Gibson? Yeah nah.” You grinned.

>>265255

“Stone the crows!” You exclaim from around a mouthful of food, quickly filling your fork with the creamy white meat and pasta dish in front of you.

“Strewth! This is magnificent!” Blue cried in agreement.

“A Pheasant Fettucine, made with one quarter Taurean milk. The recipe does call for full Taurean milk but considering the… side effects, I did feel it best to err on the side of caution in this case.”

“I can see why… I don’t reckon I could handle it any richer!”

“I am pleased you agree with my conclusion, Master Adam.” Danica smiled. “This dish is from a landholding in the Westerlands. An unsurprising quirk, considering the contents, it has the highest concentration of Taureans per capita than anywhere else in the known world.”

“Really?” You remark, somewhat regretfully eating the last forkful. “Any reason for that?”

“An old legend involving a Chef and a Holstaur. Apparently the herds consider the area almost sacred.”

“Holstaur?” You echo.

“A pre-paxian species of Taurean. I’m given to believe that before the advent of the Pax Deus there was actually a fair bit of distinction between their different tribes.”

“Similar with us Kobolds, boss.” Blue added, slurping the last of her pasta.

>>265256

“Whoof…” Blue exclaimed, rubbing her stomach and taking a sip of wine.

“I hear ya. That ‘Fried Tofu’ thing was deceptively bloody filling.” You agree.

“Foxes. Never trust ‘em.” Blue declared.

“…And for our last item…” The Kikimora entered bearing a covered tray.

“Danicaaaa. I think I’m defeated, hey.” Blue whined mournfully, giving her devastating azure eyes to the Kikimora.

“Oh. Well I suppose it is only Coffee and Cake. I can put it under cover for the morn…”

“Coffee?!” You gasped.

“CAKE?!” Blue squealed.

“Should I take that as a change of heart?” The Kikimora asked with the ghost of a smile.

>>265257

“Wow… This is nice boss…” Blue murmured, gazing around the candlelit room.

“Mmm.” You agreed. “Bed’s pretty big too.”

“What’re we gonna do on the bed, Boss?” Blue asked, feigning wide eyed innocence.

You smiled despite yourself. You could feel your own heartbeat begin to increase, and the heaving of Blue’s modest bust spoke to her own arousal.

“Strip.” You ordered.

“Not beating around the bush, are ya… Maaasterrrr…” The last word drawn out in a throaty growl as she began removing her clothes, her eyes smouldering and coquettish.

“Lie down.” You ordered, Blue obediently reclining on the bed, bending a knee as she propped herself on one elbow, a furred paw absently teasing a nipple as she licked her lips at you, desire clearly burning in her eyes. Gently, you took hold of that hand, stretching it out towards one of the bedposts, securing it there with a length of silken cloth. Slight alarm flashed behind her eyes.

“Adz…” She whimpered, unsure.

“Don’t fight me now, pup.” You near-purred, taking her other arm, making her lie flat on the bed as you repeated the process. Blue whined, but allowed you to position her, sprawled out on the bed, her furred limbs tied securely to the bedposts.

“W-what are you doing, Master?”

“You took SUCH good care of me over the last couple of days. Thought It’d be only right for me to return the favour, yeh?”

Blue’s azure eyes flicked around in uncertainty. “I…”

“Now what do good girls say when their masters offer to take care of them?”

“T-Thank you… Master…” Blue whimpered in a small, soft voice.

“Good girl, Blue.” You praised her, taking a small jar from a bedside table, scooping a generous dollop into your hands. “Good girl.”

Blue moaned as you began working the ungent into her flesh, starting with her arms, where the fur turned to soft skin. Her muscles relaxing at first, then tensing as your caressing massage became more and more teasing. She whimpered as you worked your way down her body.

“Please Master… Please…” She begged, trembling.

“Now now, lie still. You want to be a good girl for me, don’t you?” You drawled. Blue nodded fervently, desperately trying not to writhe with pleasure under your touch. As you reached her thighs, her hips bucked slightly, as if with a mind of their own.

“Ah! I said still.” You chided gently, delivering a light swat to the side of her thigh.

“Unh! M-master… I’m s-sorry… M-my body’s moving on its own…”

You gave a low chuckle, your hands working their way up her legs from her knees. “You can control yourself pup, I believe in you.”

“M-master! Master! I’m… I’m gonna….” The Kobold squeaked, as her thighs spasmed and nectar flooded from her dripping womanhood.

“Poor puppy… You’re all overwhelmed!” You tsked, sitting on the bed next to her. “Now. Who’s my good girl?”

“Me…” Blue answered in an almost kittenish tone.

“And who does my Blue belong to?”

“You!” This time stronger.

“Oh really?” You mused. “How long for? Three years isn’t it?”

“N-no! F-forever!” This statement desperate, almost aggressive.

“Forever.” You agreed, leaning down and kissing her, the Kobold rising her torso, desperately pressing her mouth to yours as she whimpered with need.

“You’ve been a very good girl Blue. I’m so proud of you. Now lie still while I untie you.”

The Kobold did as ordered, but as the last length was undone, she curled up into herself for a moment, shuddering with the overload of sensation.

“Are you orright?” You asked.

“Yes… Yes Master… But please…” Blue begged, propping her backside in the air as she positioned herself on knees and elbows. “…I need you, Master.”

“After being such a good girl, I’m not gonna deny you your reward, am I?” You chuckled, sliding your own pants off and pulling your shirt and jerkin over your head, before grabbing Blue by the hips and thrusting your throbbing shaft home within her.

>>265259

“Unf!” Blue grunted, gripping the pillow in a mixture of pleasure and pain as your manhood stretched her out. “Y-yes… M-more!”

“Anything for my good girl.” You breathed as you began moving within her. Both of you, brought burningly to arousal by the foreplay quickly approached your limit, Blue collapsing first into a rolling orgasm which seemed to go on forever.

“Come for me Master…” Blue begged, giving you a sultry look over her shoulder.

“Taurean Milk pup… Take me in your mouth.” You gasped, pulling yourself reluctantly from the depths of her velvet embrace.

Blue nodded in understanding, enveloping your head and shaft as best she could in her small mouth, her furred paws working the remainder almost frantically.

“Blue…” You grated, feeling the swelling build within you. Blue pushed her mouth as far down your length as she could, and you felt the back of the Kobold’s throat against the head of your member. As if that were the only thing holding you back, you erupted directly into Blue’s gullet, the Kobold gulping spasmodically as she greedily drank your seed.

“Oh Sweet Tyris…” You groaned, flopping back on the bed.

“You came lots, boss.” Blue declared, coughing slightly, wiping at the corners of her mouth with furred digits before cleaning them off with her tongue.

“You don’t say.” You chuckled.

“That was different… I thought I was gonna lose me damn marbles for a bit there though.” Blue mumbled, cuddling into you.

“Mmm-hmm… You’ve only got yourself to blame, keeping me tied up like that though.” You chide gently, rubbing one of her tawny-furred ears.

“You said you forgave me!” Blue declared in an injured tone.

“And I do… Still gave me the idea though.” You chuckle, kissing the Kobold on the nose. “Love you pup.”

“Love you too boss.” Blue whuffled happily, nuzzling into the crook of your arm and promptly falling asleep.

>>265260

“Well, look who’s back with us!” Salethiael chuckled, lips pulled back from daggerlike teeth. “Did we have a good time yesterday?”

“Fucken oath.” Blue drawled with a dreamy smile.

“Cheers again mate. Was just what the apothecary ordered.” You offered sincerely.

“What can I say? I know my shit.” Salethiael drawled, waving your praise away dismissively. “C’mon, they’re waiting.”

“Something of a change of heart, Lord Dumat.” Telia’s voice mused as you entered.

“The authority’s mine to use as I see fit, and compassion is a virtue in the eyes of The Most High, after all.” Raoul replied, pausing as the three of you entered that rear room. “Adam…” The resonant began. Strange, he seemed more nervous than you…

“Blessings upon Blessings unto your name, Morning Star.” You intoned, kneeling and raising your hands into the sign of the sunburst.

“Please…” Raoul near-begged, “…after everything, let’s just pretend…”

“That I don’t know?” You interjected, standing again. “You of all people should know why that’s not in any fuckin’ way possible, Illustriousness.”

Raoul nodded, face twisted in a self-deprecating grimace.

“Adam?” A small voice intruded, Cally peering uncertainly at you from the other side of the Master Resonant. A tumult of emotion filled you at the sight of her. In your mind she had played you just as much as any other… But she was still Cally…

“Hey Cal.” You murmured, forcing yourself to smile at the Koala, and seeing her face light up in return.

“Oh good. I won’t have to summon Hell’s Legions to chain you all to the wall.” Telia sighed in mocking relief. “Now. On to business. Adam.”

The Lilim stretched forth a hand, two platinum rectangles within it. “These are yours. With my utmost thanks.”

“My pleasure, Excellency.” You replied, forcing yourself not to snatch the obscenely valuable markers, before stuffing them securely into your pack.

“Some good news, next. It seems you were right, Resonant…” She let that last word linger, relishing in the suppressed frustration on Raoul’s face. “…The Esteemed Lord Dumat has volunteered the aid of the High Heavens in stabilizing Wonderland against The Nothing. Wasn’t that nice of him?”

“Shall we dispatch messengers to inform your Royal Family, Highness?” Salethiael asked deferently.

“By my Mother, no!” Telia purred. “I want to SEE the look on Lyra and Xera’s face when they hear what I’ve accomplished.”

Salethiael nods. “As your Highness wills.”

“Now, onto further matters. It seems the Handmaiden Emerelisa is having… Some difficulty in the task I have set upon her. Raoul, as a representative of the Grand Lodge of Resonance, I would beseech your assistance in the matter. Her work is complex, and will seemingly take more time than I am prepared to spend on the task. I would request the aid of two Resonants and a Cogitator.”

Raoul frowned in thought. “The Cogitator I can do… Convincing the Grand Lodge to send another Resonant though… I had to talk very fast simply for them to allow me to seek out the Matrix of Resonance secreted away in The Gap, once it became evident to us that the Fragment of God-That-Was no longer kept it hidden.”

“Well will you look at that…” Telia mused, looking pointedly at you. “…it would seem I’ve already found one.”

Your eyes narrowed. “Why’s it feel like you had this all lined up from the beginning, Excellency?”

“The Beginning? No… Boulder… Perhaps.” the Lilim grinned smugly.

“All things aside…” Cally interjected “…This is to save lives. Adam…” She looked at you pleadingly. “…Father…” She turned her beseeching gaze to Raoul. “…Please…”

>What do you want to do folks? Keep helping the hoi polloi? Or say ‘fuck the lot of you, I’m out’, take your Kobie and scarper?

>>265261

Whats the task and what's the reward?

>>265269

This

Also

>“…Father…” She turned her beseeching gaze to Raoul. “…Please…”

So not only has Raoul just been thoroughly bullied on our behalf, we've also been fucking the Left Hand of God's presumably adopted daughter as what he'd probably see as a side bitch, no matter how comfortable Cally is with it. That'll make for a pretty tense workplace unless Father is some sort of honorary title though that's not the tone I got from it.

I'm in favor of doing the job if it pays well and we can sort things out with Raoul so he doesn't feel any need to beat us senseless every time he sees us and Cally in the same room. Also find out from Telia if she managed to get us out of a trip to Papa Raoul's Resonant Fun-House.

>>265269

The task is to assist Emmy with building a thing that relates somehow to rescuing Mamono from the collapsing Wonderland. The reward at this stage is undefined, but will likely involve a large amount of renown with the Council of Matriarchs at the least. I can do a snippet if you want to press for more info.

>>265271

>presumably adopted daughter

Rescued at just over a year old from a Forest fire, indentured at age 10 ostensibly to assist with bringing her along places she shouldn't be. The reason Raoul didn't have any issue with having a Mamono indentured as a resonant is that he had already been recognized as adept in the craft (at the ABSOLUTE least) by that stage.

When did he get the 'Lord Dumat' hat? That one you'll have to get out of him.

>>265271

And I'd say 'Friends with benefits' more than 'side bitch'. Also I don't think Raoul's so dopey as to not at least surmise we're closer than propriety would accept.

>>265261

Well I say take the job. What are we going to do? Be this magical realm's equivalent to a long haul truck driver? OR do we take jobs like these which are a hell of a lot more interesting?

Agree with >>265271 here … need to find out if we don't need to take a trip to Papa Raoul's Resonant Fun-House. We also need to sort out what the hell we're going to do now that the cat's out of the bag in regard to being resonant. Figure that this trip might be a good way of doing that. Still not too sure on what to do if Raoul pulls rank on us and makes us attend said Fun-House from earlier though. So I'm all for picking Raoul's brain to see if we can't learn enough to avoid going there over the course of doing this job

>>265278

Fine it doesn't sound life threatening and it might give us some new trading contacts in the council. But before all that we need to store our solar marks in the bank. I can't wait to see the look on that danukis face when she sees them.

>>265282

That'd be a bit of a long trip, unless princess succulent over here is willing to give us a ride there and back.

>>265277

Would we be able to finagle some kind of Resonant training out of Raoul under the pretense of not blowing us and the planet up?

>>265372

While I like the sounds of this it has to be on condition that said training is not being sent to rezzy-nant camp and either done on the sly r through some sort of night school/correspondence

>>265261

Do the decent thing and help.

>Assist

>Find out where you stand as far as an involuntary holiday to Magisterium lies

>Try and get a few free protips out of Raoul

“Yeh. Orright.” You shrug.

Telia blinks in slight surprise. “I’ll admit Adam, I was expecting a little more resistance.”

“We’re helping Emmy, and we’re helping the folks in the Wonderland, as His Illustriousness pointed out, compassion’s a virtue in the eyes of Holy Tyris. Now considering that metal thing with the tentacles she rides around in, I’m assuming that means building something or breaking something.”

“Not an unfair assumption.” The Lilim agrees. “And ‘Building’ rather than ‘Breaking’, just to clarify matters.”

You nod. “And to address the other Leviathan in the fish-pond. Magisterium.”

“I believe there are a couple of solutions to that.” Raoul interjected. “The first and simplest, is, of course, you coming back with me.” The resonant held up a hand to stem the inevitable protests from Blue and Cally “…Which, I understand, is not the preferred option. So we move on to the others.”

“Which are?” You prompted.

“You could remain here.” Telia almost purred. “I am sure the Hells can find PLENTY of work for a man of your calibre. Indeed, at the very least you could assist in… improving some of the rather… simplistic constructions around here. You and Blue will want for nothing, I promise you that.”

“The lodge will never agree, in principle. If you were to ever leave, I’m sorry to say it would be as a fugitive… Likely branded Heretic…”

“But I’ve committed no Sin!” You protest.

“Did you forget High Priestesses are Resonant? They hold seats in our assembly the same as I do. And they are not beyond mixing their roles when it suits them.”

“I don’t think I want Adz to become a hornhead… uh… no offense Sal.” Blue added, glancing at the incubus.

Raoul shakes his head. “Unlikely. The Logos provides Resonants a certain level of… protection against transmutation. He’ll likely remain Human.”

“Either way I’m a prisoner.” You grumbled. “Fuckin’ Bollocks.”

“There is a third option, though…” Raoul added hesitantly. “…I have found a rather obscure section of our governing legislation which allows for the presence of a covert agent.”

Hidden Roll

“You want me to spy for the Lodge.” You remark drily.

Raoul’s grey eyes widen in surprise. “You’re quicker than you look, Adam. Essentially yes. We would inform you of actions we wish you to take, information we wish to be gleaned. You would action them, no questions asked.”

“And I’m assuming I’m not exactly going to have a pack full of ‘Get out of Secular Sin free’ cards either.”

“No.” Raoul admitted. “If your task requires you to circumvent secular law, and you’re caught, the Lodge will deny all knowledge.”

“The Morning Star asking me to be a fuckin’ bogart… Tyris be Merciful…” You mutter, shaking your head in disbelief.

“I will never ask you to do anything untoward, Adam… But it won’t just be me you’ll be answering to. I will have to declare you an Agent in Open Lodge. Any Resonant will have the capacity to make demands of you, should it be the interests of the Lodge.”

Hidden Roll

“So what’s to stop fuckin’ Isaac from makin’ me put Cally on the next boat to the Continent?” You demand incredulously, referring to the unscrupulous Resonant who had sought to stymie you those few months prior.

“Apart from the fact he’s currently on trial before the Court of the High Lords of Magisterium for assaulting the person of Dominus Ian?”

You blink, “Shit eh? Reckon he’ll burn?”

“Probably, and hopefully before he dies of old age.” Raoul quipped, and you saw a resurgence of the witty, charming man you had met in Port Albany. “But you see the potential shortfall of this choice. However, at any point, all you have to do to be free of this is be recognised before the Grand Lodge of the Resonant in Magisterium and submit to training. You will be a full Brother in the Lodge, with the same Rights and Privileges as any other Resonant.”

“…Or return to Thealiss… Or Zipangu for that matter.” Telia added.

Hidden Roll

“You really after pissing yer sister off that much by having a wilder in yer pocket, Excellency?” You quip with a slight grin.

“Oh, that’s only part of it, I wasn’t lying when I told you Hell could find plenty of use for you and your talents.” Telia assured you.

“I’ll have to think about it.” You murmur, taking Blue’s paw in your hand absently.

“Of course.” Raoul conceded. “As Her Excellency so… vehemently… pointed out to me the other day, Thealiss belongs to Hell. Even as Lord Dumat, I’m an agent of Heaven. I can’t touch you.”

“Am I committing a Sin if I say that actually kinda makes me feel better?” You ask hesitantly.

“Wouldn’t blame you if it was, my friend.” Raoul replied with a sincere smile.

>>265585

“So that business with the Dominus…” You begin, glancing up from your drink at Raoul, now bathed and dressed in a simple black tunic with the eight-winged sun symbolizing his rank emblazoned in silver thread on the breast.

Raoul looked at you with a studious expression, taking a long draught from his tankard. “I suppose I owe you something, for taking such good care of Cally if nothing else. She’s… grown so much, even just in these few months.”

“Dunno where we’d be without her.” You admit nebulously, still not entirely sure where your feelings on the Koala lay.

“How much are you prepared to handle?”

“Are we getting into the ‘if you see them they’ll see you’ thing everyone keeps warning me about?”

“Not quite.”

“Then how about we set that as the ceiling for bloody revelation and go from there.”

“Wise.” Raoul agreed, taking another drink. “How much do you know about the Angelic Orders?”

Hidden Roll

“Enough to know when Lord Dumat shows up it usually means someone’s about to get killed in the face.” You mutter, taking a drink.

“An… Unfortunate necessity of my role.” Raoul admits. “Believe me when I say that it’s not by choice.”

“Mmm.” You concede. “So the Dominus?”

“Would be Lord Gabriel, had I not forbidden it.”

“Why?”

Raoul looks at you with a slight frown of puzzlement. “You really can’t envision what having the Regent and Supreme JUSTICE of The Australs answerable to none shy of the very Brides of Tyris would do to international politics? Especially considering the rather… unique position the protectorate is in?”

You raise an eyebrow in incomprehension. “The Australs are just… The Australs! We’re like the Rusland, too much trouble to bother having to oversee, so the world just lets us carry on.”

“That’s a simplistic view. Accurate in the overall sense, I’ll give you that, but the ‘Why’ is much more complicated.”

“How so?”

“Do you really want a lecture on the last five centuries of the machinations of the Magisterium Court?”

You make a noise of disdain, “Not particularly.”

“Didn’t think so. There are… Forces here… forces which have changed the land, the animals… We’re not entirely sure but we think even the Humans may have been… altered somewhat.”

“Heresy!” You declare without thinking.

“Adam.” Raoul chides gently. “Who am I, and where are we?”

“Oh. Yeh… Sorry. Withdrawn.”

“Your grace is received.” Raoul chuckles.

You ponder for a moment. “Who’s ‘we’ then?”

“The Church, the Grand Lodge… Take your pick.”

“They’re that incestuous?”

“Eighty percent of our female members are High Priestesses Adam. Not to mention the ‘Official’ representative in the person of the Lord High Arbiter.”

>>265586

You drained your tankard, turning slightly to face the Master Resonant. “So let me get this straight… The Angels wanted to give Dominus Ian the nod, and The Church and Magisterium and the Lodge all went ‘Yeah nah get fucked, The Australs ain’t getting that kinda kick’ so you told Their Blessed and Gloriousnesses to pull their heads in.”

“That’s… a good summary…” Raoul admitted, suppressing a chuckle. “You’ve been in Thealiss some time now, if you think the Politics of The Hells are a mindfuck, try being the Lord of an Angelic Order.”

“Pretty sure that’s Blasphemy.”

“Won’t tell if you won’t.”

Hidden Roll

You smiled genuinely, mentally welcoming the return to rapport. “I was thinking… could stand me well to grab a few pointers off you…”

“Well I was resigned to that as soon as you agreed to assist the Gremlin.”

“I’m not a complete amateur!” You cried in objection. “Sat Morrie and Bella down pretty damn smoothly didn’t I?”

“Mmm. I recognised the glyph. How many chapters of ‘On Reality’ have you read?”

“Four… wait… Five? Sorta. Thermodynamics is a bit of a cunt.” You admit.

“When you can recite chapter fifteen backwards, I’ll be impressed.” Raoul drawled.

“Bit harsh.” You grumbled, your ego stung.

“Accurate though. Which is why I really must stress again how important it is that you’re trained properly…”

You made a harsh noise in your throat, signalling to Leperia for another drink. “Fucks sake, I said I’d think about it!”

“I know, I know… Australians have always been gifted Resonants. You could make a real difference, not just here, but in the world, Adam.” Raoul noted, finishing his tankard and standing. “Just something to consider. I’m heading over to… Emmy, is it? Emmy’s workshop to get a rough idea of what we’re looking at. No need to rush, if you want to talk to the girls first.”

“That’s a point, where are they?” You admit, looking around the common room of the tavern.

“I saw Telia pull Blue aside as we were coming out, I assume she’s still there. Cally? Well… She’s avoiding you.”

“Why?”

“Because she figured by now you’ve put a few things together. Things that don’t exactly paint her in the best light.” Raoul admitted.

Hidden Roll

“I… Well… Probably best to come clean about it here, rather than you find out later…” You begin hesitantly.

“Find out what, that you’ve been sleeping together?” Raoul replied smoothly.

“Wha? How the bloody hell’d you…”

“Come on Adam… what do you think this is? She’s a grown woman, she can make her own decisions. Sure, she’s Mamono, so in the strictest interpretation of the Pax it’s not ideal, but you’re not refusing Continuance because of it, are you?”

“No… Been on the bloody road too much for it to have even been an issue.” You reply. Admittedly, you were telling the truth, turning down the Ambassador had been due to the Alarune Essence which had healed you after your first training session with Kessiah.

“Then there’s no problem. Besides, it’s just sex. Outside of continuance, when have we ever attached any meaning to it whatsoever?” Raoul chuckled, heading outside.

When indeed? For some reason, that felt… wrong, and you wondered how much your relationship with Blue had changed your outlook on those sorts of things.

>Well folks, there you go, a bit more fluff, the ‘Is Papa Raoul gonna make us into a gooey paste’ question is answered, and you have your options in relation to Magisterium. You don’t have to make a decision now, but give the options some thought. Going to Magisterium and remaining in Thealiss are ‘Game Over’ scenarios, but not bad ends by any means, in fact you might be surprised with how they end up.

>What you do have to decide is what to do now? Go look for Blue? Go look for Cally? Go straight to Emmy’s workshop? Or fuck the lot of them and stay at the pub?

>>265587

>Australians have always been gifted Resonants.

This a reference to Dominus Bruce?

As for, well, ending the game? It seems mildly anticlimactic. Maybe not anticlimactic, but it feels unsolved, somehow. Like our journey wasn't meant to end here. Although, to be fair, we did just go to the Gap, pass three trials, discover lost tech and a person from times past, rescue a Griffin who lost all family and all hope, and then escape with a Resonant friend from a true monster.

Actually, this line:

>There are… Forces here… forces which have changed the land, the animals… We’re not entirely sure but we think even the Humans may have been… altered somewhat.

I think we should become a spy for Magisterium. There's something going on here, and I'm curious as to what it is. I've read Chronicles of the Pax and Tales of the Walker (as well as the other shorter stories), but I have a remarkably poor memory, so I'm probably missing something if it's just a hint at something that happened in one of the other stories.

>>265598

>spoiler

More a foreshadowing but yes.

>are these forces references to shit we've already heard about.

Definately not. That's 100% here and now.

>>265587

>spy for Magisterium

Seems like the best compromise. I don't feel like Adam would stop here. Not now, at least.

>What do

I'm actually curious about how Bella is doing, so let's check on her.

>>265724

I'll throw another in for spy. I'd also like to know what else Cally has been hiding. So voting to sit down with the bear and have a chat. Not in the "you dun goof'd" sort of way, more along the lines of "alright, take the wool from my eyes now and all's forgiven".

As an aside, I think the spy business should be the last thing we do besides helping Emmy but that's just my thoughts on the matter.

whelp lads looks like its time to be 00 STRAYA CUNT

>>265732

>Emmy

Actually, yeah, while we're still in the vicinity and not being sent off on business elsewhere, I kind of want to speak to Bella and Emmy. I'm not looking for new party members explicitly, but I am curious to see what they're doing. I'm especially curious to see Emmy's take on her time in stasis.

Actually why not just try to go our own way? No cunt is going to force us into anything. Even if he is the leader of an angelic order. Though perhaps we should at least read the book before trying that. I imagine we will be hard pressed to find friends in the austral. Perhaps elsewhere?

>>266111

He can't touch us IN THEALISS.

If we say 'fuck your noise, I'm out', he essentially shrugs, says 'Alright you little shit, I tried nice…' and proceeds to command every High Priestess in The Australs to bring us in, by force if necessary.

If we somehow escape that and DON'T get declared a Heretic, he gets a squadron of Angels to bodily grab us and drag us to Magisterium, where there will likely be a whole bunch of pissed off Resonants with contacts in a whole bunch of uncomfortable places to make the next half-century of our lives very unpleasant.

Mechanically, the rolls to escape being a Wilder after having LORD FUCKING DUMAT catch us with our pants down are only slightly less dire than if Lyra had seen us without witnesses. Raoul, at least, still likes us.

(We can, however, as Telia said, claim sanctuary in Thealiss, and nobody can touch us, but we're resigning ourselves to likely being declared a heretic, on paper anyway.)

Bugger sage because I'll be updating within the next hour or so

>>266112

Drat. It wasn't worth a shot at least.

>Go see how Bella’s doing

>Talk to Cally

>Go find Emmy

…So our Kobie’s all alone with Telia, and nobody’s mildly curious as to what she’s doing? Alright…

“Wonder how Bella’s keeping on?” You mutter to yourself, draining your tankard and standing. Although hardly a ‘friend’, you still felt somewhat responsible for the Griffon’s current position. Heading outside, you wandered in the general direction you assumed the Infirmary to be, but unfortunately quickly found that apart from a few basics, any signage in the area was written in unintelligible High Pandemonian.

Hidden Roll

You peered at a sign, trying to puzzle it out by sheer force of will for a moment before giving up. Spying a succubus walking past, you waved slightly to get her attention.

“S’cuse me, Just wonderin’ if yez could point me in the direction of the infirmary?”

The Succubus looked you up and down with an interested, even slightly hungry expression. “Well now, where did you spring up from honey? Sure, it’s right through this alley here…”

Hidden Roll

Oh sure… You might have been born at night, but you weren’t born LAST night. You cursed inwardly. Having been so used to interacting with the denizens of Thealiss in the relatively safe environment of the ‘Warren’s common room, where the presence of your companions and Telia encouraged them to be on their best behaviour, you had forgotten their true, predatory natures. Still, she hadn’t really done anything wrong, and you wanted to avoid a confrontation if at all possible… How to do that though…

Hidden Roll

The Succubus gave a high shriek of surprise as an invisible force gave a yank on her thin, spade-tipped tail.

“Sorry, where again?” You drawl.

She stares at you as the pieces click together in her mind, her eyes widening with recognition and a little fear. “R-Resonant! I didn’t recognise you! Sorry, you said the Infirmary, right? My mistake, I thought you said something else!”

“Yeh, righto.” You concede. “So… the infirmary?”

“Down this road, first right, second left. Big red sign out the front, you can’t miss it.”

You smile at the succubus. “Thanks for yer help, miss.” As you continue down the road, you feel her eyes on you, prickling growing between your shoulder blades. You say a silent prayer to Tyris that she’s not impulsive enough to try anything. Thankfully, as you turn the corner, you feel the sensation recede. Sighing in relief, you stroll the remaining couple of blocks in the direction given, the large red sign bearing a crudely painted caduceus signifying your destination.

“Gudday”. You murmur to the mamono standing behind a desk near the entrance. Her hair was a pale grey, but if not for the fretted, conchlike ears it was tucked behind, you would almost mistake her for human.

“Symptoms and duration…” She drones with the bored monotone of frequent repetition.

“Eh? No, I’m looking for…”

The mamono raises her head, inhaling deeply, her eyes flashing a feral yellow as she looks at you.

“Warrrrmmmmm” She hisses, smiling impossibly widely in a mouth suddenly filled with long, pointed teeth… “Blood… Pulsing…” She leans forward, her fingers elongating, the nails sharpening to talons. You call upon the Logos, feeling it respond, ready and waiting to meet this new threat.

“Nasha! Go take your damn blood-break before you eat someone!” An irritated voice rings out as a more ‘familiar’ shape intrudes. The dusky-skinned succubus deliberately puts herself between you and the mamono behind the desk, now monstrously transformed. The grey-haired mamono blinks, her features quickly returning to normal.

“Sorry hun. Birds’ gotta fly, girl’s gotta eat.” She says by way of apology, evaporating into a smoky mist which drifts from the room.

“Vampires. Ugh.” The Succubus rolls her eyes. “Still, best pathologists in Hell, can’t be choosy. Now… What can I do for you, lovely?”

>>266144

“Juliet, right?” You offer, recognising the Succubus from Telia’s chambers in the rear of the ‘Warren.

Juliet smiles sunnily. “Why yes! It’s so nice to be recognised.”

“G’day, again… I was looking fer Bella, the Griffon. Thought I might pop in, see how she’s travelling.”

“Certainly, right this way!” Juliet replies, gesturing for you to follow her. A few moans and grumbles meet your ears as you follow Juliet along the hallway, as well as one or two cat-calls, slurred, you assume, from the medication the unknown Mamono within are on.

“Few patients then?” You ask, somewhat surprised by the number of clearly occupied rooms.

“Mmm. Mostly magical injuries, planar twisting, mana-burns, overdoses on this, that or the other. Usually nothing that a few days with a nice clean source can’t fix.” Juliet replied as she sauntered ahead of you. Your eyes were drawn to the movement of her swishing tail, her pert, rounded buttocks moving beneath the leggings which clung to her like a second skin. In and out, back and forth… Body built for a Chancel Cot indeed…

Hidden Roll

“Enjoying the view?” Juliet drawled, flicking you a glance over her shoulder.

“Sorry.” You apologised, feeling the heat of blood rushing to your face. The Succubus chuckled knowingly, continuing on before opening a door.

“Good Morning Bella…” Juliet near-sang.

“Demon!” Bella’s indignant screech answered. “I will splay thy breastbone open, yea, and carve thy pretty features e’en unto a screaming mask of horror! I will force feed thee thy posterior, yea, which e’en as now doth undulate, bovine, to twist the hearts of the pure to undue lust!”

“You think I have a pretty butt? Thank you dear!” Juliet replied, utterly without concern. “But you have a visitor.”

“Keep the tides of Hell from me! I am not some novelty to be gawped upon by thee and thine!” The Griffon snarled, cutting off in surprise as you entered.

“You’re in fine fuckin’ voice Bella. Had about enough of this joint eh?” You chuckle.

“Adam!” Bella cries in surprise, her golden eyes wide. Faster than you thought possible, she springs from her bed, throwing her taloned arms about you. “Prithee! Bear thou me away from this den of torture and deprivation, yea, or I shalt lose mine senses!”

“Bella…” You remark, feeling her ample bust and toned, muscular torso pressing against you, nothing but a thin linen shift covering her modesty. Glancing over her shoulder, you noticed not only her wings, but her tailfeathers and shapely buttocks protruding from the open back “…Love the outfit.”

Bella shrieks, pushing herself away from you and covering herself with her raptorial arms, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Pervert! Son of Iniquity! Look thou not upon me with such unseemly desire!”

“You are all over the damn shop.” You laugh. “Feeling better?”

“I am feeling fit to raze this city to the ground, yea, as Maou giveth me strength!” Bella growls, fixing Juliet with a surly look.

“One hour. No more.” Juliet replies, and you raise an eyebrow uncomprehendingly. The succubus gestures discretely, indicating for you to wait.

“Turn thou away, that I may clothe myself properly.” The Griffon demands primly. Shrugging, you turn away as asked.

“And thee, demon. I have seen thine eyes upon my flesh.”

“Spoilsport.” Juliet chuckles, turning away also as Bella dresses. After a few minutes of rustling fabric and creaking leather, a grunt from Bella indicates that she is finished. Turning around, you whistle appreciatively at the hide and cloth tunic, stopping just shy of rude armor.

“Thou dost approve?” Bella asks, almost a plaintive hint in her voice.

“Looks pretty mean, won’t lie.” You admit. Bella’s smile is genuine at your praise.

“Now, if thou wilt excuse me…” Bella sniffs haughtily.

“One. Hour.” Juliet insists, her tone brooking no nonsense. “If I have to come and get you again…” A pause as she looks at you with a mischievous smile. “…I’ll let Adam give you a good spanking.”

The Griffon gives a mortified shriek as she barrels from the room at top speed, sounds of surprise ringing from the hallway at her rapid exit.

>>266146

“Even if I was a mind to, she’d take me fucking arm off if I tried.” You chuckle, shaking your head.

“Oh… I wouldn’t say it’s a certainty…” Juliet muses, a secretive smirk on her lips.

“Tyris be fuckin’ merciful…” You groan, rolling your eyes “…Whatever. Notice she’s not bangin’ on that bloody ‘Ilias’ nonsense anymore.”

“She’s remarkably attentive to the Codex Pandemonius… The Gremlin’s been reading to her from it. Lovely girl. Well… When she’s sober.”

“Who, Em?”

Juliet shakes her head with a laugh. “No. Bella. She’s currently… How would I put it in the Australian vernacular… ‘Completely fuckin’ off chops’, is that right?”

“And you let her OUT?!” You exclaim incredulously. “What if she tries to rape Phil again? Morrie ain’t exactly gonna play gentle a second time.”

“Oh! No… That won’t happen. To stabilize her, Philip and Salethiael, as well as a number of we Succubi poured a VAST amount of untuned energy into her system. Energy from Incubi and Succubi carries a little of our… Nature… within it.”

Hidden Roll

“Oh yeh. I know this song. S’why we tend to get set on fire if their Worships catch a sniff of yez on us.” You nod in understanding. “Way they go on youse lot are more infectious than Matango.”

“Well! I’ll forgive the insult!” Juliet sniffs with distaste and slight umbrage.

“Shit. Sorry. Didn’t think about how that’d come out.” You apologise quickly.

“I said I’d forgive it… But thank you.” Juliet smiles. “We’ve been experimenting with different… harmonics? Sorry, it’s so hard to describe the process in Magisterian, you don’t really have the words when it comes to magic.”

“Hard to describe something your whole species doesn’t have.” You admit.

“I suppose. In any case, today was a blend of Wedge-Tail and Salamander essences.”

Mamono Lore(Adam): Success

You nod “Hence the aggro and the bouncin’ off the damn walls.”

Juliet nods, an impressed expression on her dusky features. “You know, you’re really a lot smarter than you look.”

“S’pose you owed me one there.” You chuckle ruefully. “So how is she… Really?”

Juliet sighs. “She spent thousands of years sustained on nothing but cyclical divine energy fed by a memory anchored in her own faith. A faith beaten into her from years of torture and psychological manipulation. She may look normal, but inside? I’m shocked she survived the trip to Thealiss.”

“Tyris be Glorified… Poor fuckin’ thing!” You exclaim in genuine dismay. “Reckon she’ll pull through?”

“There’s the rub. There aren’t enough Griffons left in the world to really get a good supply of essence… Not without killing some, which Maou will NOT stand for. Her Transcendent Majesty has wept through enough extinctions… So we have to go with best-fits. It’ll take longer, and she’ll experience some pretty wild mood swings…”

“Case in point.” You drawl, gesturing towards the door.

“Mmm. The biggest problem is the confinement. We don’t have a choice, she’s almost uncontrollable after she’s been given a dose, but it’s killing her just as surely as her withdrawal would be otherwise.”

“Huh. Think I’d have learned better than to hope for good news by now.” You mutter darkly.

“Hey. Don’t be defeatist. She was very happy to see you.” Juliet chides, giving you a gentle shove. “She’s been wondering why you haven’t come to visit her.”

“Really?”

“Well, her exact words were ‘Verily, I pray I am blessed to see that silver-tongued rogue of a human, that I may deliver unto him appropriate chastisement for depositing me in this vile den.’ but the sentiment was there.” Juliet admits.

“Sounds like it.” You chuckle.

“She’s had a very trying time, Adam. Much of what she says is in the nature of armor. She’s never had friends or comrades, her own family was used as a lever to ensure her good behaviour. It’ll take her some time to be honest with herself.”

Hidden Roll

“Family!” You groan, smacking yourself in the forehead. “She got um… she managed to…”

“It was a very beautiful ceremony, even if she did threaten to eviscerate anyone who came within a hundred metres of it.” Juliet assures you.

“Heh. That’s Bella. Thanks Juliet.”

The succubus smiles, “My pleasure, Adam. Do feel free to come by again… even if just for a… checkup.” The last delivered with a lingering touch to your wrist and a coquettish look.

Hidden Roll

“You lot are gonna be the fuckin’ death of me.” You laugh, waving farewell as you walk back up the hallway. “The utter fuckin’ death.”

>>266148

“The utter fucking death…” You swear as a crossbow bolt ricochets off a nearby rock with an angry buzz of fletching. “Oi! Cally! Man on the fuckin’ range!”

“Adam? Oh Maou I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there!” The Koala’s voice called out apologetically from a small ridge in front of you.

“Koalas and their piss poor bloody eyesight…” You grumble, picking your way up the rocky ground to where the Koala stood in the questionable shade of a gangly gum tree. Cally fiddled with the now-discharged crossbow, refusing to meet your eyes.

“Um… H-hi…” She murmured hesitantly.

“Avoiding me?” You murmured, leaning against the tree.

Hidden Roll

Cally blustered unconvincingly. “W-who told you that?”

“Raoul.”

“…Fuck.”

“Yep. So. We gonna do this or what?” You ask shortly.

“Do? What do you mean?” Cally blinks in surprise.

“Well in the past when a mate pulled the wool over me eyes in such a spectacular fashion, we’d have a fight, then we’d get drunk and make up. Though all things considered…” You rubbed one of her ears, slightly more roughly than usual “…I think it’s probably an idea to skip the former.”

“Resonance nonwithstanding.” Cally murmured, pulling away from you.

Hidden Roll

“Is it? Fuck’s sake Cal. I don’t know how much is wool and how much is real! Were you in Telia’s pocket the whole time? Raoul’s? Who’s tellin’ you where to pull my strings? Do you even CARE about me? Even a little?” You spit venomously.

“FUCK YOU!” Cally shrieks, launching herself at you. For all her diminutive size, she’s surprisingly densely packed, and her weight drives you to the ground with an inrushing of breath. You grab her wrists, keeping her clawed, twin-thumbed hands away from your body. “How dare you!” She wails, tears welling in her eyes. “H-how fucking DARE y-youuuuuuuuu”

Her screams turn quickly to sobs, and her struggles subside. Soon she is openly weeping atop you, clinging to your shirt as her tears soak into the cloth. “I’m sorry…” She whimpers “I’m so sorry… It was never supposed to be like this.”

“The truth now, Cal. From the beginning.” You state simply, lifting the Koala gently off you and sitting her on the ground next to you. Cally looks at you, then at the ground as she takes a deep, shuddering breath.

“I wasn’t studying drop-bears. I was trying to get back to the East Australs after Raoul had ‘Freed’ me to keep me out of Isaac’s grasp.” She begins. “I had met with a… friend… in Port Fremantle a couple of days before Midwinter. She had come along the northwestern road from Thealiss, through the old Barony of Kalbarri, and had gathered up a few others from Lancelin Holding after the Matango outbreak had started to become beyond the holding’s ability to control…”

“Before the Faith Militant could get up there and start indiscriminately making with the fire.” You interject in understanding. Cally nods.

“As much as The Australs isn’t like most places, the Faith Militant are who they are, and ‘accidents’ are too frequent in occurring.” The Koala added seriously, before continuing. “She told me what Princess Telia was doing, and why. I knew right away that Raoul would be in the best place to assist. So I borrowed a horse from someone who owed me a favour, packed my things and set off back down south. Drop Bears don’t attack Koalas, I thought I would be alright. In my haste…”

“You forgot the horse.”

“…Yeah. Managed to find an old tree to stow my gear in and construct my story. I knew the wool traders couldn’t be more than a few days behind me. I knew a quick sob story and a pouty plea would be enough to snag a free ride out of most of those sedate old duffers. What I didn’t plan on is the branch breaking, that horrible contraption you had above your wagon… Or you… and Blue…”

>>266149

“Gotta admit, should have smelled a rat when the ditzy mamono-scientist act didn’t last past the first night.” You admit.

“Are you going to insist on the running commentary? This really is hard enough without it.” Cally asked shortly.

Hidden Roll

“How badly do you wanna come clean with me? I’m good either way.” You forced yourself to affect an air of nonchalance, though you knew it to be false.

“That’s not true and you know it.” Cally rejoined, the ghost of a smile on her lips. So did she, apparently.

“No.” You admit. Cally squeezed your leg with a twin-thumbed hand.

“You’re hurt. I understand. Now… Once we had gotten back to Port Albany, I had to find Raoul, so your obligation to find the Dominus was heaven sent. I thought I had somehow been granted the greatest lucky streak in the world, not only would you put me exactly where I needed to be but… Maou’s ample bosom… I LIKED you! Both of you!”

“Feeling’s mutual.” You murmured, rubbing her ear, but gently this time. Cally made a small sound, whether of comfort or grief you couldn’t tell. She did however, lean her small, curvaceous frame against you as she continued.

“That first night, after Isaac mazed you and we all thought you were drunk, I tried to get Raoul to help, but Ramiael was still out there, trying to… contact… Ian. Raoul couldn’t leave until he was sure that didn’t happen. After I went to bed he was up all night talking to Cassariel… That’s his…”

“Lover.” You stated shortly. Cally recoiled in surprise.

“How did you…”

“No fooling Blue’s nose. She’s a smart pup though, knows when to keep quiet. Even to me, it seems.”

“You know that even MENTIONING that in public is.”

You nod. “Heresy. I know. Believe me, I know.”

“One of the many self-serving aspects of the Church of Holy Tyris.” Cally grumbles.

“Holy Tyris may be Perfect and Just in all things, but a human is just a human. And the church is run by plenty of ‘em.”

“That’s deep.”

“That’s doctrine…” You chuckle “…Anyway.”

Cally nods. “So then the whole business with Isaac and the Dominus and the whole giddy-go-round of it happened. Isaac got poleaxed by Blue, and I thought ‘FINALLY! The whole thing can come out and I can STOP this charade.’ But then, Dominus Ian… That STUBBORN bloody human… Raoul ultimately saved his position, if not his life, but he’s not going to let him see Ramiael, so he’s out.”

“So Raoul had to be seen to be leaving, and you had to keep up the act.”

“I… may have encouraged Blue to take a few rolls on the dice tables, knew you’d hurry along if you found out.”

You frown at the Koala. “I tanned her bloody hide for that, and now you’re telling me it was your idea all along?”

“Oh please.” Cally snorted. “Blue had imprinted on you so hard I wasn’t doing anything but speeding up what would have already occurred. Sure, Kobold essence doesn’t soak you like a Succubus or Alarune, but do you think you’re entirely unaffected? Haven’t you noticed certain… preferences?”

Hidden Roll

You pondered your sudden predilection for dominating the Kobold, frowning. “You mean everything between me and Blue…”

“Of course not! Don’t you DARE cheapen it by insinuating you’ve been fooled into anything. It doesn’t change who you are, just awakens what’s already inside you!” The Koala interjected vehemently.

”You take to being Alpha like you were born to it…” Blue’s voice echoes in your memory.

“You’re right. I was being stupid.” You admit.

“Damn right you were!” Cally agrees with a sniffle. “In any case, when we got back to Fremantle, I was resigned to having to wait for word from Raoul. Then everything seemed to happen at once, you tested yourself against the Matrix, after I told you not to… Then that offer for the coin shipment to Boulder came up from the Tanuki… I knew you’d take it, Jurien wasn’t worth the time or the risk, Esperance was WAY too far for the profit margin… I knew the Caravan would be there, it was just a matter of telling Osun that Billy had shorted him and making sure you got there in time to buy him out… As well as making sure you weren’t going to turn into another Isaac.”

“So you WERE testing me along the road to Boulder.”

“Of course I was, I even told you as much.” Cally admits with a slight frown of puzzlement.

“If I don’t… Who will? It’s too easy to become like Isaac, Adam… and I care about you too much to let you start down that road.”

“How though?” You demand. “Dammit, there’s too much DISTANCE involved in any of this!”

>>266150

“Adam, think for a moment. What kind of Mamono would care SO MUCH about wonderland that it would be the first thing she’d tell me about? What kind of Mamono can ignore distance and appear and disappear in an instant without a trace?”

Hidden Roll

“Cheshires… “ You answer, a number of pieces falling into place. “…Which is why you were always so excited to see them. You thought they might have word about Raoul.”

“Precisely. Then, again, you nearly ruined the whole thing by agreeing to go to The Gap…”

“Which is when you decided to call in your original plan.” You grumble sourly, a heavy, twisted feeling in your guts.

“NO!” Cally cried, grabbing you by the lapels and pulling your face to hers. “Dammit Adam, I called him to SAVE you! Even if I’d known that Bella was slowly dying and the Curse was starting to fail, the Matrix in The Gap had been there for thousands of years! Why would Raoul go out of his way to retrieve it now and risk the Lodge’s reputation in The Australs by disobeying the Dominus? It was for you!”

“You… and him… did all of that… for me?”

Cally nods. “You Matter to me… I won’t deny that you’ve been… convenient… often times almost suspiciously so. But as a Handmaiden of Hell’s Throne…”

You recoil in shock. “WHAT?!”

“Oh yes… My whole family, for many generations. It’s part of what made me so important to Raoul’s work. Out of all the beings he could have rescued, why would he save some random Koala cub from a fire? Think about it Adam. Heaven and Hell, working together in secret, towards a goal so inexplicably complex I can’t even begin to understand it.” Cally explained, “But as I was saying… As a Handmaiden, I couldn’t look a gift centaur in the corsetry. Wonderland needs saving. But it’s only a small part of a much larger picture.”

“Oh Tyris…” you moan, taking your head in your hands as the revelation overwhelmed you.

“I hope you understand the trust I’m placing in you here. Even Telia doesn’t know the full picture. Maou makes sure that her daughters each only possess a single piece of the puzzle, and sibling rivalry, germinated over countless millennia takes care of the rest. If either of us even spoke of this outside Thealiss…”

“We’d fucking burn!” You declare incredulously “It’d make Arch-Heretic Joshua’s pyre look like a smouldering twig!”

“And probably a good percentage of anyone who’s ever spoken to us, for fear of the rumor spreading. The Pax is only stable because it’s unchallenged… and sad as it is, deranged as it may seem at times… for the moment, it’s the best option for both our races.”

You chuckle helplessly. “This is not what I had in mind when I wanted you to come clean. I thought you’d tell me you were paid to seduce me, push me in a direction, sure… But to find out we’re both pawns in some stupid-huge fuckin’ game…”

“We’re all pawns, Adam, but I’ve never lied to you about what you mean to me as a person.” Cally insisted, kissing you softly. “Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Hidden Roll

“At the end of the day… Bollocks… Your heart was in the right place. Doesn’t matter how I feel. The Doctrines are clear, as even the bloody Angels have to admit, I can’t revile you for a virtue.” You admit, bending and kissing the Koala more seriously. Unexpectedly, you feel a twin-thumbed hand pushing you away gently.

“Thank you Adam… But…”

“But?” You echo, pulling back in surprise.

“Believe me, there’s nothing more I’d like to do than move on to the ‘Make up’ part of the fight.” Cally smiled softly. “But… I have to be honest about my feelings… I’m… in real danger of falling in love with you, and that’s a luxury that neither of us can afford. Not right now.”

“So what are we gonna do about that?” You mutter, picking at the sparse, dry grass between the rocks.

“I’m gonna need some time…” The Koala admits “…to sort out what I need to do from here on out. But you have my word. No more secrets.”

“I’ll hold you to that Cal…” You state evenly, standing and brushing the dead grass from your trousers “…Because it’d break my heart if it were to ever happen again.”

>>266151

“It’s fuckin’ bollocks is what!” You hear Emmy yell as you approach the ‘workshop’ where she had absconded herself since your return.

“How so?” Raoul’s tired voice sounds in response.

“Because I said four lengths of steel, eight by three by one and a half, not seven and three quarters by just shy of four by a ballpark of bloody two!”

“So we just grind back…” Raoul began

“And completely ruin the tensile bleedin’ strength, set fuckin’ dissonant harmonies through the whole thing… Sodding Bollocks, I thought you ‘Resonants’ were supposed to be a bit more clued in than the fuckin’ primitives crawling about!”

“You’re dealing with a technology that BARELY existed in theory at ANY point in known history!” Raoul roared. “Our Best’ is all we can fucking offer!”

“Fuck me sideways, I don’t have the tools to fix your bloody mistakes! I need it spot on, first time, every time, or we’ll be here for another twenty fuckin’ years, and I don’t think our friends on the other side of the glass have that much time!” Emmy retorted.

“Look. I’ve got a rough idea. When I bring the cogitator he’ll be much better positioned to…”

“Oooh, lookit, the caveman’s gonna help me build a bloody spaceship, is that it?”

“Hold on, nobody said anything about space!”

“Oh! So you DON’T think the world’s flat? There’s a promising revelation, me old china!”

Sound of swearing and of the ringing of metal jangling across stone floor as the door suddenly flung open and a sulphurously swearing Raoul stamped from within. Spotting you, he nodded curtly, muttering “Good Luck” as he passed.

“Angonamo… Where you off to?” You demanded in surprise, all thought of protocol fled.

“To go get the Cogitator before I destroy something breakable… like the northern half of the Australs.” Raoul snarled, not turning.

“Shit…” You breathed, heading inside, to find Emmy grinding her teeth at what looked like a random pile of scrap metal lying on the floor. “…Hows’goin Em?”

“Orright Skip?” Emmy grumbled testily. “You here to fuck up me day too?”

“You know what? Let’s take a smoko.” You offer.

“What’s that?”

“I’ve got no bloody idea but it’s what we do in the Australs when folks are looking to visit violence on each other on the job.” You chuckle. “C’mere and talk at me for a bit.”

“I’m in over me head, Skip, I won’t lie.” Emmy lamented, her curious ‘exo’ floating over towards you. “I’ve got to try and build a mechanical bloody miracle without the assistance of ANY kind of precision manufacturing… Maou’s tits… Do you have any idea how much dick I would suck right now just for a simple laser level?”

“Telia believes in you, and I haven’t seen any reason to doubt her judgement.” You offer gently. “But let’s leave that. What are we doing? Maybe there’s another way to look at it.”

“You mean they haven’t told you?” Emmy asks incredulously. You shake your head. “Hell’s Throne… Telly wants to punch a hole between worlds, walk what’s left of Wonderland’s population through it.”

“…Oh.” You blurt after a long pause.

“Oh? Fuckin’ OH?!” Well move over Wordsworth, we’ve got a fuckin’ Poet on our hands here!” Emmy cries out in sheer frustration.

Hidden Roll

“C’mere.” You sigh.

“Or What?” Emmy snaps.

“Or I’ll pull you out your bloody chair and MAKE you.” You retort.

Sulkily, Emmy drifts over, disengaging herself from the exo and standing in front of you, gloved hands on her waifish hips. Wordlessly, you wrap your arms around the childlike Mamono, holding her against you.

>>266153

“As relaxing as this is…” Emmy admits, melting into your embrace, her slight arms moving about your waist. “…A girl could get the wrong idea.”

Hidden Roll

“Not gonna happen.” you chuckle, patting her head.

“Gah! Why does every git insist on treating me like a feckin’ child!” Emmy snarls, pushing away from you.

“Because you’re what. Twelve? Thirteen?”

“Twenty eight, and that’s WITHOUT the thousands-a fuckin’ years in the Bacardi!” Emmy corrects you hotly.

You blink, totally taken aback by that. “Oh…”

“Maou’s luscious buttocks… I’m shocked they don’t have you composing operas with eloquence like that, Skip.” Emmy drawls witheringly.

“I’m sorry, I just assumed… And I’m sure you’re across the fact that diddling a juvie’s pretty much the worst possible thing a bloke can do.”

“Yeh, I read that, as well as a bunch of other laughably mental shit.” Emmy snickers. “Marriages don’t exist any more? Humans fuck by lottery? Yer whole bleedin culture is administered by a bunch of human trollops half a world away? The whole thing is BARMY!”

“H-heresyyy…” You chortle, almost doubling over with laughter.

“An’ that too! Fuckin say the wrong thing and get the shit beaten out of ya! And that’s when cunts are feelin’ NICE!” Emmy continues. “What the fuck! What the… a-actual… f-fuck!”

Collapsing to her knees, the Gremlin covers her face with her hands and starts to cry.

“Hey… Hey… S’gonna be alright.” You murmur, putting your arms around her shaking shoulders.

“The fuck you know Skip? You’ve never s-seen the doors closing. Screamed so loud your own voice rang in your head… felt the cold rise up… all you can feel is your own fear… Then… they open again, and for a minute you think everything’s going to be alright… Then you find out your whole world is GONE!”

“I’m so sorry Em… That was a horrible, horrible fuckin’ thing to happen to you.” You murmur sincerely. “If I could take it all back for you I would.”

“But I wouldn’t! I can’t!” Emmy sobs “B-because now I know… Now I know it’s what I was supposed to do the whole time.”

Hidden Roll

“Handmaiden.” You state simply. Emmy nods, rubbing at her nose.

“And to think…” You grumble. “…I used to envy you Mamono, how light a weight it seemed Maou put on you compared to what Tyris gave us. Now I find out it’s fucked all over.”

“B-blasphemy…” Emmy whimpers.

“That’s my line.” You chuckle, patting her head again. “C’mon, we’re gonna go engage in an ancient Australian tradition.”

“F-fucking like rabbits on a full moon?” Emmy asks hopefuly.

“No.” You shake your head apologetically. “We’re gonna go get falling over pissed.”

>>266154

“Leperia! Line ‘em up and don’t stop ‘til we’re horizontal!” You declare as you walk into the common room of the Rabbit’s Warren, the slightly more composed Gremlin in tow. “Where’s me bloody Kobie?” You question aloud. “Blue!”

“Where have you been Adam?” Morrigan demands as she steps around a group of Succubi, her segmented, barbed tail lashing irritably. “Blue’s been looking for you all day!”

“Well she wasn’t looking very hard!” You chuckle, “That girl could sniff me out in a midden heap.”

“Well, she was clearly on a timeframe, Maou knows the letter took enough effort for her.”

“Letter? What letter?” You ask, a cold feeling seeping into your guts. “Morrie, where’s Blue?”

The manticore shoves a piece of parchment at you with a glowering glare, before stalking from the bar. With shaking hands, you unfold it…

>>266155

aDz,

pRinsess TiTtyWinGz tolDe me thAt we neEdz to do a thiNge in tha DingOse raYnge. I kan spEek diNgo olRite so im gOnna go taLk too theM. I WonTed too teL yu in perSen but yu were dUin oveR fiNgs wot wAs prOlly reeLi importente so i sEd yes.

Dont tri aN Follo me, thA dinGose woNt liKe it aN i dOnt waNna hAv toO wuRry aboWt yu too. Yu wiL be wIf me in Mi hArt. I Wil be bAk as sOoN as i kAn.

I LuV yu foReVer, boSs

Yor BLuE.

>>266156

“…Oh pissing bollocks…” You moan.

“Orright Skip?” Emmy asks, a drink halfway to her mouth.

“Ask me after about half a dozen-a these…” You murmur, your heart in your boots.

>And that was that. Where do you want to go from here? Wanna go yell at Tittywings? Wanna just get fucked up? Wanna go sink half a continent? Or is there something constructive you’d like to do?

>>266157

Well, I guess we should respect Blue's wishes and wait for her to get back. Other than that, have some drinks, and try not to get entirely trashed in the meanwhile. Also, since it looks like we're helping with the problem that Emmy's working on, maybe talk about what she needs for that?

>>266157

Figuratively yelling at princess tittywings can wait until Teila and Blue get back because we're boozing it up with Emmy. Don't think that Blue would lie about that bit with "Dont tri aN Follo me" so I can assume that actually hunting down wan would be a bad idea. So stay the course on the S.S. shitface and get three sheets to the wind with the gremlin

Get piss drunk I suppose and pray to Tyris blue is ok.

As to what to do regarding our situation with the resonants… I think being their informant/spy is the best option for now, it would allow us to keep at least some of our autonomy regarding our movements and business and possibly also give us a boost to our skills.

The reason I've switched to that is simple. In the first thread it's hinted that there's something working against Raoul and the rest in their attempts to control the various matrices and the like. I think if we continue along as their "free" agent we can maybe learn more about this and perhaps regain our freedom.also up for bringing down the corruption that appears evident within the lodge and the church.80% of all their female members are priestesses?! That's just asking for trouble. Not to mention anything else that seems to be at work here

>>266283

>also up for bringing down the corruption that appears evident within the lodge and the church.

That's pretty self-governing. Eventually a Lord of an Angelic order finds the drift towards porkbarrelling a little too on the nose and just KILLS FUCKING EVERYONE. That being said though, what corruption are you talking about?

Also it is always 'Lord', female scions are awakened to resonance and form the Brides of Tyris, who allegedly talk directly with The God

>80% of all their female members are priestesses?! That's just asking for trouble.

It's Church or Court. Remember 3dpd is exhaustively and rigorously trained from birth depending on their innate skillsets. They're too valuable to have digging a hole on a remote holding somewhere. The Church has the institutionalized rank of 'High Priestess' to make the risk of Resonance worth the trouble. For an Ambassador? It's just one more appointment keeping her from the doey-eyed page who sings so sweetly… what? Continuance is a Holy Duty and I swear he's sixteen!

>>266303

>no sage

Fuck's sake phone…

>>266157

Following Blue is asking for trouble, she's said before that dingoes would rush us for our dick as soon as look at us. But we should make it clear to tittywings that while we can't exactly do much about certain strings being pulled, anything she or Maou or whoever wants from Blue goes through us first. And say it in front of Blue so she'll get all flustered and horny

Hey guys, just wanted to give you a heads up, I'm back out in the fucking sticks at the moment and access to a PC in a non-work capacity is pretty damn limited. I do intend on continuing but it might be a bit of a wait.

Good luck to yah then. And while you might not have access to a computer if you've shit all to do you can allways write on paper any ideas and future events, just so you don't feel like everything's going stone still. Hell if you're computer time is that limited you can write it down beforehand and just transcript it all when you get to one. I've had to do stuff like that before.

>>268690

Don't let the abbos eat you. There's more writefaggotry to be done after all.

>Get fucked up

>Wait for Blue

>Wait to confront Telia until Blue gets back

“Aaaaaaaaaboard the good ship Venus, by Maou you should have seen us. The Figurehead was a whore in the bed and the mast was a rampant penis!” Emmy sang drunkenly, the large tankard in her hand looking almost comical as the Gremlin swung it back and forth.

*hidden roll

“I got one! I got one!” You declare, clearing your throat.

“The Bosun’s name was Mandrake,

His manhood was a pisstake,

The only one to whom the mons

Said ‘Not now, I’ve got a headache!”

Emmy and the couple of other mamono who had joined you in the impromptu drinking party groaned, shaking their heads and chuckling pityingly.

“Not muchava poet, is ya Skip?” Emmy sighed, before hiccuping.

“Meh, had a crack. The God, He loves a Tryer.” You state imperiously, puffing out your chest and raising your chin defiantly.

“Go on ya fuckin’ sandgroper.” Emmy chortled. “Ere… Giz a song from ‘straya then.”

“Straya?”

“The fuckin’ Australs, whatever, Maou’s tits… How’d the name get so bloody mangled?”

“S’always been the Australs… S’what happens when The God says ‘hold m’beer and watch this.”

“Three thousand years and you geezers ain't changed a mite. SONG SKIPPY!” Emmy demands, smacking you on the arm with her free hand.”

“Orright pushy…” You concede, pondering for a moment.

>>272730

“They came down from Meekatharra in a clapped out four-train cart.

The driver cocked ‘er leg and then the fucker fell apart

Right next door t’the Baron’s.

When the dust’d cleared a voice said “Eeeh, dis place look orright…

We’ll ‘cast the Council and claim it as a sacred site.

Fuckin’ humies gonna run from da mana, unna.”

“Gooday Mr Humie man, allo Priestess Miss!

Eh we’re your bran’ new neighbours

(Oi Dardy, giz a kiss)

And I think you gonna like it now

Living next door, to Yowies”

Twenty four kids, nine adults and fifteen dogs

A drop-bear in the wagon and a cartload fulla grog

Now we flash as fuckin’ dragons, living next door to Yowies

“Now the first thing that we gotta do is get another cart,

Cos me drunken fuckin’ sister just ate the Bunga’s hearts.

…We’ll ‘cast that Lilim from the Council again, she’s alright eh?”

So they casted to the Lilim whose in charge of subsistence,

And the next day in on the traces was a fuckin’ Montmorence

“Eeeh come an’ git a looka this one, this one’s got CURTAINS! Lookit dis ay!”

Emmy howled with laughter “D-do they really talk like that?”

“Tyris take me if’n I’m a liar.” You declare.

Hidden Roll

A thick, meaty hand lands on your shoulder, and you turn in surprise to see the thick, tusky features of Yara, Osun’s enforcer in the caravan. You felt dread sink in your guts and your testicles were performing yeoman duty in their attempt to crawl back up inside your body.

“Finish song, unna…” Yara grunted, fingering the wicked looking scourge at her belt.

Hidden roll

hidden roll

You swallowed, taking another draught from your tankard before taking in a deep breath.

“So where’s Mr Baron? Up in me sister’s room.

And judging from the noises ‘e aint comin’ back real soon.

Guess he finally got used, to living next door to Yowies.”

He’s been howlin’ and yellin’, you won’t believe the shit he says….”

“BUT NO FUCKIN’ HUMIES GETS AWAY ‘THOUT BUSTED PELVISES!” Yara interjects vociferously, and you burst into relieved laughter, throwing an arm about her massive shoulders.

“So now we gotta get used to not living next door, to Yowies….” You both sing together as the room erupts in laughter and applause.

“Like dat song, unna.” Yara declares, taking your tankard and draining it without asking.

“I can fuckin’ buy you one.” You object, staring at the empty mug.

“Yeh” Yara agrees. “But only one. Boss gonna get mad if Yara drunk wit da grog, you-know?”

“Well then, madame skintaker…” You drawl, gesturing to Leperia to pull you another round, your hand pausing in the air as you saw the white rabbit heading calmly over with an armful of drinks. “…If you’re not here to drink yerself sick, what can I do for ya?”

“Caravan leavin’ tomorrow. Boss Osun sez you dog-cunts can fuck off but is worried about the Koala, yeh”

You blink in surprise. Truth be told you hadn’t really given any thought to the Caravan’s departure. “Shit… well. I’m otherwise employed. Tell him he’s got three less mouths to feed on the return trip.”

“You workin’ for The Mother, unna? Int dat sum Hurrysurry?” Yara grumbles, raising a thick brow questioningly.

“Nah. Saving some lives. Got it on the best authority that me and mine don’t have an issue.”

The Yowie grunts in affirmation, and you wonder how much intelligence is truly hidden behind those brutish features and pidgin Magisterian. Yara takes her tankard, guzzling it inelegantly before setting it down and seizing the front of your shirt.

“Giz a kiss, dardy” She grunts, pulling you towards her and pressing her mouth to yours. Though you were frozen in shock, a detached part of your mind did note that her lips were surprisingly soft…

The yowie broke the kiss, grinning at you before heading back outside.

>>272731

“Oh so the fuckin’ Ogre gets a kiss, and I’m left here holding me nethers? Fuckin’ bullshit is what that is!” Emmy declares.

“She’s a Yowie, not an Ogre, an’ you got one on the way back from The Gap, Emmy.” You retort, pointing with your tankard at the Gremlin “And a bit more than that, fuckya!”

“Ooh!” One of the Succubi gushes eagerly. “Is he…”

“Like a fuckin’ mule.” Emmy declares smugly, striking the blade of her hand against her lower thigh suggestively.

“Really…” The succubus purred, and you felt the prickle of a number of eyes studying you hungrily.

“Oi! Manners or I’ll put th’lot of ya on the fuckin’ ceiling.” You declare, pointing somewhat unsteadily about yourself. “Next Song!”

Without warning, a mellifluous voice rang from the air around you, it’s beauty stunning you and the Mamono to utter silence.

“We are one

Although not many,

And all of, the lands on earth we spurn

We share a dream

Of Pacem Deo

I am

You are

We Are Australian…”

“Bloody Hell!” You exclaim, your jaw hanging open in awe. “Who invited th’angel?”

“Adam!” The voice cries in mock umbrage, the alien perfection of Telia shimmering into existence beside you. “And I thought we were friends!”

“Yer Excellency!” You exclaim, your slight intoxication lending you to boldness “You have a fuckin’ set of pipes on ya.”

“Thank you dear…” The Lilim chuckles, patting you on the cheek. You do your utmost to keep from swooning at her undeniably alluring touch, yet a lusty sigh escapes your lips.

“Telly! That’s cheating!” Emmy sulks.

“Even I’m allowed to play once in awhile, Emerelisa.” The Lilim rejoins, flitting a lock of white hair behind her horn. “I’m surprised, I didn’t expect you to be finished reading to Bella so soon.”

“Aw PISS!” Emmy curses, smacking herself on the forehead. “With everything that’s happened today it completely flitted out me head.”

Hidden Roll

“Well that won’t bloody do!” You declare, standing. “C’mon, we’re gonna go read to feathers.”

“We?” Emmy echoes in surprise.

“Well, you read to her, and I promise not to act like a bloody Pally about it.”

“The Worship of Maou IS recognised under the Pax, Adam.” Telia chides.

“Yeh, but if anybody asks I was still a cunt about it.” You reply, draining your tankard as an afterthought. “Comin’ Em?”

>>272732

“I got a question Skip…” Emmy ventures as she floats beside you, the low, usually barely audible hum of her exo loud in the silent desert night.

“Shoot Em.” You reply absently.

“Do you… Do you think I’m pretty?”

You sigh, pausing and turning to face the Gremlin, Emmy returning your gaze with her strange, lurid eyes.

“Yeh, you’re cute. Show me a Mamono who isn’t. But I’ve spent enough time around yez to know that’s not what you’re after asking me. You wanna know why I keep turning you down for a ploughin’, even though I know you’re not a juvie.”

Emmy’s blush is immediate, visible even in the dim light from the surrounding houses and ramshackle buildings. “W-well yeah… I mean y’know, a girl’s got needs, innit?”

“I know you probably devoured the Doctrines of Tyris and the entire volume of the Terms of the Holy Pax in an afternoon, so you know outside of continuance it doesn’t mean fuck all to us, right?”

The Gremlin nods. “Which is what’s so bloody frustratin’ about you! I don’t get it, if you’re free, why not me?”

“Blue.” You answer simply. “It doesn’t… didn’t… mean anything to me, but it matters to her, and SHE matters to me. And she ain’t here to run it past.”

“I thought you were her bleedin’ master!” Emmy grumbles irritably

“And part of being a good master is knowing that it’s your DUTY to look out for your indentured. People may make light of it but… You’ve read the Pax. It’s the sincerest gesture of trust between our people. She’s trusting me with everything, and what kind of man does it make me to be nonchalant with that trust?”

“Oh sure… Go ahead and make SENSE, ya geezer…” Emmy sulks “…Maou’s luscious arse, I just want me itch scratched, not like I’m asking you to marry me.”

Hidden Roll

“It’d be heresy if you did.” You reply without thinking.

“Cor Blimey! I was just…” Emmy erupts incensedly, before shaking her head and floating ahead of you. “…The future fuckin’ sucks.” she mutters as you amble after her.

You open the door of the infirmary to see the Vampire… Nasha, that was it… Swearing at a sheet of parchment, her face partially transmuted into the rapacious horror of her feeding guise. She glances up, seeing you both, and after a moment of seeming deliberation, allows her features to return to ‘normal’.

“Either Maou Loves that Griffon or you two have a spy-hole somewhere. Get.” She grumbles shortly, jerking her head towards the hallway.

“That sounds ominous…” Emmy remarks, a note of concern evident in her voice.

“Ya reckon?” You exclaim, wasting no time in heading up the hallway. You hear the low hum of Emmy’s exo close behind you.

“Well double it anyway!” You hear Juliet exclaim as you enter Bella’s room, the Griffon moaning and twitching beneath the light sheet which covered her modesty.

“She’ll Overdose…” A second succubus warned.

“So what, won’t be the first time I’ve been raped by something mana-drunk beyond reason…” Juliet quips without a hint of concern.

“No, the bad kind.” The other Succubus explains.

“Hell’s throne! We can’t lose her! We need a sovereign specific. We need…”

“Human.” The other Succubus blurts, looking up in surprise as she notices your entrance.

“Oh sure, that’d be perfect. Tell you what, you find a human that’s willing to get themselves raped an inch into the floorboards by a mad Griffon and I’ll… Oh… Adam!” Juliet trails off as she follows her colleague’s gaze. “Surely Maou has sent you to us. We need you…”

Hidden roll

“Uh huh…” You drawl. “….I heard the other bit too. What in the Blessed name of Tyris is goin’ on?”

“Bella’s dying.” Juliet states bluntly.

“No!” Emmy declares in horror. “Whatever it is, Skippy’ll do it.”

“Did we not just have this bleedin’ conversation five fuckin’ minutes ago Em?” You exclaim incredulously. “And don’t you think Bella might wanna have some say when it comes to someone rollin’ up her little ball o’yarn?”

“I won’t lie to you Adam, it’s that, she dies, or we go knock some poor sap out in the caravan, then wipe his memories before the morning. Which do YOU think Bella would prefer?”

Your mouth works fishlike. “I won’t take advantage.” You finally blurt lamely.

“Honestly Adam, we’re going to fill her so full of Hellhound that it’ll be a hard time keeping her OFF you.”

Your mind raced. You couldn’t let the Griffon die, yet the idea of just sacrificing some unwitting rube for the matter felt… off. But there was Blue… How would you explain what had happened?

>What do you reckon guys? Take one for the team? Keep your prick pristine for pup? Or let them violate some ‘innocent’ caravaneer? Or can you see another way?

>>272733

Can't we just masturbate into a vial or something for her to drink?

>>272752

This. If it comes down to it I doubt Blue would blame us for fucking to save a life, so long as we were up front with her about it as soon as she got back, but first we should see if a cup and some privacy can solve the problem.

It's probably a really bad idea to kidnap a guy to be raped by a Hellhound-infused Griffon. We'd probably get a lot more than some funny looks if we went around the caravan asking for a volunteer, and the only guy I remember us getting to know from there was the guy with the Kobold that Blue played with, who's right out because he's to important to fuck mamano without the pallies noticing. Phillip and Sal are incubi, and I don't suppose Raoul would be allowed to fuck mamano being the Left Hand of God and all. Really, we are the only ones who can save Bella and I think Blue will accept that excuse if we supplement it with some flowers and headpats

>>272733

Well, since this is literally a lifesaving measure, take one for the team. Letting them grab somebody else when we've tried to do what we can for her so far feels like a cop out. More than that, I think Bella would take it harder once she sobered up.

Blue might not like it, but I think she'll understand and agree with it needing to be done.

>>272733

Is it possible to find someone who won't be missed outside of Thealiss on the quick? My thought is to find a random low born, whack him on the head, and have him dragged to Bella's rape cave on a permanent basis. This whole bit about her needing first aid fucking may happen again and having one steady partner who's presumably single would be best.

If the above doesn't work then we're taking one for the team and getting raped by Bella. Let the orderlies give her the rapewan juice first so we have some denial that's equal parts truth and flimsy excuse.

>>272871

The Caravan's the closest supply of humans shy of Leonora, which is a LONG way away. So no.

>>272752

>>272836

>mazz in a jar

Hmm… maybe? Juliet's not likely to be too patient about it. I'll either do a snip later or assume 'if no then yes' and put it at the beginning of the next entry.

That being said, assuming you do accede to forcey fun time, how do you want to take it? Close your eyes and think of england? Token objection? Alpha as fuck? This could have as much of an effect on the aftermath as the act itself.

>>272752

>>272836

>>272888

>Use a jar.

Thinking about it, she's getting pumped full of Hellhound. Whether we do the jar thing or not, I'm pretty sure that just adds a step before she moves on to going after us anyway. Not that I'm complaining.

>>272891

Essence infusion's pretty quick. It'll be squirt, shove you in front of her, exit room. Not really enough for you to work up a bar to be honest.

>>272888

Sticking with my idea of letting Bella get some rapewan mana first so we can say that we weren't willing participants honestly. Flimsy? Flaky? Absolutely. But it would still be the truth. Not like we could succeed in domming a horned up feathertits jacked up on rapewan mana.

Of course Blue's not going to like this but this is why I'm going with mana injection (or however they put it in herhue) before forcey fun time.

>>272895

The methodology's good, pump her fulla go juice before her fucked up psychology's got a chance to complicate matters.

The 'it wasn't my idea' bit though? Yeah… flimsy.

>>272895

>>272896

Really think we should be upfront with Blue. She's gonna see right through "Oh she was all hopped up on Hellhound, I couldn't push her off if I tried" especially considering we're a fucking resonant with at least three glyphs we could use to stop her just off the top of my head (Null, Float, or Shield)

Better to appeal to her humanity mamanoty? and tell her it was a life-or-death decision, with sex being life and no sex being death.

>>272896

>>272906

Point taken. Dropping the flimsy part, but for Bella's mental health she needs to be hopped up on rapewan mana before anything happens. We'll deal with the consequences somehow. I would rather pick getting a stranger to be Bella's lifesaving cum pump but I'm overwhelmingly out voted here in that regard. Since I'm not too sure on how to deal with our own wan I'll leave that suggestion to someone else.

>>272895

>>272896

Fuck excuses, we're a man of the Australs. We do shit on purpose. Let her get doped up and help her out, take responsibility like a man when the time comes. It's literally to save her life. More reasonably, when we get to the point of "but why didn't you do x?", we can just say (truthfully) that it didn't occur to us at the time what with the "holy fuck she's dying right now in front of us".

We gotta do it but when blue gets back we should grant her any wish she wants. And we should get trustworthy witnesses. No excuses no whining we look her in the eye say what happened​ step by step and tell her that we're willing to accept any consequence.

>>272922

Fucking FINALLY I see someone talking proper sense. I go away for coupla months to make contracts and break heads and suddenly we're turning our heading towards softcockopolis. Squealing pretend rape indeed. That is cowardly! This isn't the Adz that Blue's tail lifts for.

Now. We are going to roll up our fuckin' sleeves, drop trou, and give that hellwan-hopped gryphon a furious and medically necessary dicking. It is going to be a damn good dicking. A dicking for the textbooks, over which future generations of mamono med students will helplessly schlick. We are going to accidentally advance the state of their medical art with this dicking, d'you fucking hear?

And when we are done giving it we are going to stand up straight, button our fly, and walk out with our chest out and our eyes forward. Because that. is. what. we. fucking. are.

>>273550

Forgot my sage.

>>273550

You know what? Don't even worry about the dropped sage. I'll guarantee an update tonight for that kind of determination.

>See if a cup and a few minutes alone will suffice

>If not, take one for the team

>Explain to Blue what happened, stress that it was completely necessary to save Bella’s life

“Look, if all you need is me sprog, do we really need to put both of us in this position?” You offer quickly, holding your hands up and moving away from the approaching succubus. “Gimme a vial and a fiver, I’m pretty sure I can… work something out.”

Juliet purses her plump lips in thought before turning to her colleague. “Thoughts?”

“We’d lose some to the bleed…”

“Point. Look Adam, the fact of it is, it MAY work, the question then, are you willing to risk Bella’s life to keep your own less complicated?”

Hidden Roll

“Way to make a bloke feel like a cunt…” You grate through gritted teeth. “…Orright. Fine.”

“I knew you’d see sense. Now strip.” Juliet orders presumptively.

“Eh?” You grunt

“You’re aware of those talons on the ends of her arms, aren’t you? Unless you’d like to walk back to the Warren naked, I’d advise putting as little as possible between her and… well… you.” The other succubus interjects.

“Fuck’s sake…” You sigh in resignation, stripping off your clothes to stand naked before the two Succubi and the Gremlin. “…Y’right now?”

“Hell’s throne!” Emmy gasps, her eyes locked to your manhood.

“It’s just a fuckin’ dick Em…”

“I-I know… but… Maou’s ample bosom, Skip. You could beat something to death with that thing!”

“Anybody else got somethin’ to fuckin’ say?” You snarl, feeling very self-conscious.

“Cute butt…” Juliet’s colleague remarks. Juliet tsks, trying to suppress a smile. “…What? He asked!”

“Come on ladies. I’m going to apply the essence, and I think we should be well and truly out of here by the time it takes effect.” Juliet muses.

“Really? I thought… maybe… you know…” Emmy laments.

“Handmaiden, I can almost guarantee that Bella’s going to be faster, meaner, and more vicious than anything shy of a bloodlusting Dragon. Do you want her to see you as a threat?”

“Well no, but…”

“Then out.” Juliet interjects, pointing an elegant finger at the door.

Emmy curses as she leaves, you could swear she lapsed into about three different languages. Juliet’s colleague waits by the door, holding it open as the Succubus takes a length of quartz from a nearby reliquary, its length glowing with a dark, smoky luminescence.

“Are you ready, Adam?”

>>273613

Hidden roll

“No pressure…” You murmur, eyes locked upon the moaning Griffon.

Juliet murmurs a few magical phrases, the glow from the quartz seeming to leech into Bella’s upper torso as the Succubus holds it above her. Bella’s breathing grows deeper… a growl begins to rumble through her frame…

“That’s my cue… Be gentle, won’t you Resonant?” Juliet quips as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, leaning up to peck you on the cheek as she and her colleague exit, the sound of the latching door sounding like nothing so much as the Gates of Hell themselves. Bella’s stirrings intensify, and her golden eyes snap open, focusing on you with frightening intensity. In your youth, you had watched as a dugite hunted a mouse. The tiny rodent had trembled, seemingly unable to move as the snake reared above it… You found yourself sympathising with that mouse.

“Gudday Bella…” You blurted, more for the sake of saying something that wasn’t a frightened whimper. Suddenly all the stories you had been told in your adolescence came flooding back. Mamono would rape until the very life gave out in their victims… Bones shattered, Pelvises ground to dust, spines wrenched beyond any hope of repair.

The Griffon cocked her head, an odd chuckling noise in her throat…

Hidden Roll

…You were on the floor… Funny, you could have sworn you were standing not a moment ago, and Tyris be merciful, did the back of your head hurt.

You are now HALE

“Neeeeeeed” Bella snarled, one Talon about your neck, the other pinning your right arm to the floor. “…NEEEED!”

“C’mon then Bella, I’m right here.” You mumbled, blinking to clear the swarming spots from your vision. The Griffon panted, her wings mantling you like some amalgam raptor, grinding her hips inexpertly against your flaccid cock.

“Bella… Hey… Lemme help…” you offered, reaching your hand up. The Griffon released your throat, slamming your free hand to the ground in her other talon and screeching in your face. Well this was not working one fucking bit.

Hidden Roll

Suddenly, something clicked in your understanding. Her behaviour, her overeagerness, even through the mad lust of the Hellhound essence, it was abundantly clear.

“You haven’t done this before, have ya?” You remark, a slight smirk spreading across your face. Another deafening screech was your only answer.

“And…” You continue, as equilibrium returned to you “…You forgot something.”

Your words seem to penetrate the fog of mindless lust currently posessing the Griffon, and she pulls back slightly, cocking her head again.

“Reality plays by my rules.”

Adam uses Resonant Glyph: Levitate - Success

The Griffon shrieks and struggles as the power of the glyph lifts her off you. Sliding from beneath her, you flip her over so she is thrashing on a bed of pure force a meter or so above the ground.

“Emmy really should have been reading to you from the Doctrines of Tyris, in retrospect. If we could treat this like Continuance the whole thing would’ve been done much quicker… Still… as it stands…” You remark, trailing your hands along Bella’s torso, cupping her sizeable breasts in your hands. “…Looks like today I’m teaching the first-timer.”

Bella panted against your touch, flailing, trying to gain purchase upon the empty air. Her wings buffeted around you, each beat a near gale. You heard something breakable fall from a nearby shelf with a tinkling of glass. Helpless like this, the need in her eyes… It reminded you of Blue that night previous, her arms and legs bound to the bedposts.

”M-Master…”

You felt the swelling in your manhood as your own arousal built, a combination of the memory and the undeniably alluring sensation of the Griffon’s body beneath your hands bringing you to readiness…

Hidden Roll

…No. This wasn’t right. Using Blue to get yourself hard? Did you really care that little for Bella? You forced yourself to think of the Griffon, her earnestness, honesty, and hopeless innocence. She was here. This was her. Look at her Adam. She’s beautiful…

>>273614

“Bella…” You murmur, bending your head and pressing your lips to hers. A helpless moan vibrates against your lips, and you feel your glyph falling away. Suddenly, talons, paws and wings surround you, and the Griffon once again clumsily slams her crotch against yours. You grunt with discomfort.

“Bella, I know you can hear me. Let me help you with this…” You entreat once again, sliding your hand between your bodies and feeling between her thighs. Soaking wet, but then of course she would be, and not entirely by choice. Taking yourself in hand, you guide your stiff, throbbing member towards her most intimate secrets. Screeching in… triumph? Bella drives herself home atop your shaft. Resistance there, then it gives way to a near scalding heat as her maidenhead parts and you are buried deep within her. Bella screams, her talons once again digging into the flesh of your back, her flailing wings actually carrying you a few feet into the air.

“Shhhhh….” You entreat, stroking the Griffon’s heart-shaped face, trying to block out the pain of her talons. “…Easy girl… S’gonna be orright… Just lets take it nice and easy….”

Bella relaxes her grip on you, and you begin to move within her, your first, tenative steps of that ancient dance bringing small cries of mingled pleasure and pain.

“You’re so pretty Bella… Anyone ever told you how pretty you are?” You murmur, kissing at her neck and between her breasts which loll and bounce with your movements. Bella pants, moaning and gasping, her thighs quivering where her leonine hindquarters are clamped around your waist. Gradually, you pick up the pace, taking a pert, pink nipple between your lips and flicking your tongue across it. Bella whimpers, and you feel a talon clasp around the back of your head, pressing your face into her ample bosom.

“K-kuhh… Kuuuhhhhh…” Bella mumbles. You break away from her breasts to look at her askance, your hips keeping their easy, rocking motion as you work within her.

“K-kuuuhhh… Kiss… Kiss me…” She moans, and you give a slight smile, bending your lips again to hers. Her tongue, though inexpert, is eager within your mouth, and she begins bucking against you. Suddenly, she gasps, breaking your kiss, and you feel that odd, yet slightly familiar sensation… as if you were both breathing the same air.

“C-coming!” She cries shrilly, her thighs positively shaking an instant before it seems like her entire body clamps around you, your penis worked by her roiling internal muscles. Overwhelmed with pleasure, you manage to gasp ‘Bella…” before you too succumb to shuddering orgasm.

Panting, you both lie upon the floor, Bella’s wings still around you. Her eyes are half-lidded, yet a sleepy, happy smile rests upon her mouth.

“See? Told you it’d be orright…” You murmur, kissing her on the forehead. Bella chirrups disapprovingly as you attempt to extricate yourself, gripping you tighter with limbs and wings.

“Welp.” You murmur resignedly “Guess I’m not going anywhere.”

>>273615

“Tyris be fucking merciful…” You groaned, squinting as you studied the rude diagram before you. “…Hey Em, is this really supposed to be…”

“Shhhhhh!” The Gremlin insisted, pinching the skin between her eyes and wincing. “Stop being so loud.”

“You’re the one kept drinkin’.” You snicker unsympathetically. Truth be told you had little memory of the remainder of the night after your successful copulation with Bella. You remember hands separating you from the Griffon, something carrying you, then you awoke in your own bed, the fresh cuts on your back stinging and your bedding stained with dried blood. Cally, once again, was absent, though that was hardly surprising.

“Don’t take the fuckin mickey Reson… Hey… There’s blondie… Ooooh… Whossat then?”

You followed the Gremlin’s gaze, seeing the approaching form of Raoul, a slightly shorter man following behind him, looking here and there yet seemingly uncaring or uncomprehending of his surrounds.

“Yer Illustriousness.” You greet Raoul with a grin, before turning your attention to his companion. He was a dumpy looking fellow, dressed in unassuming garb, clearly focusing towards comfort rather than style. “And this would be…”

“Bjorn. Cogitator to the Grand Lodge of Resonance.”

“Gudday mate.” You offer with a genuine smile and an outstretched hand. The Cogitator looked at you distantly for a moment, disregarding your hand. You lowered your arm with a shrug, such was the way of things after all. The Cogitator’s attention turned to Emmy’s exo where it sat against a wall of the rude warehouse which comprised her ‘workshop’. His eyes flaring with interest, the man made a beeline for the alien contraption.

“Oi… OI! Leave off me fuckin’ exo!” Emmy demanded, running from where she had been inspecting a length of coiled copper to confront Bjorn.

“Mnemonic alloy, woven to specification, fashioned circa three thousand BPD. Not released. Unsanctioned. Must be dismantled.” Bjorn murmured, ignoring the Gremlin.

“Dismantl… Do you want a fuckin’ hook in the gabber?!” Emmy shrieked in outrage, grabbing the man by the arm. Bjorn looked at where the Gremlin was grasping him with an expression of pure horror.

“Doesn’t touch! It doesn’t touch!” Bjorn demanded, trying to free himself from Emmy’s grasp.

“Fuckin’ nobody threatens to dismantle me Exo!” Emmy continues, her hung-over features fixated in fury.

“REEEEEEEEEEE!” Bjorn screeched. “RRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

“Emmy… Let him go, please. He’s… not like other people…” Raoul entreated.

“Like fuck! Not until I get a Maou-damn apolog…”

Bjorn fixed the Gremlin with an odd expression, and you sensed a Resonant Glyph being cast. Emmy grunted as the air whooshed from her lungs, and her petite body flew back through the air. Before you could react, you sensed Raoul’s glyph catching her, slowing her descent and lowering her gently to the ground.

>>273617

You rush over, holding out a hand to help the Gremlin up. “Tyris! Y’orright Em?”

“I dunno what I was expecting…” The Gremlin admitted, coughing and waving away your assistance “…Some ‘By will alone I set my mind in motion’ shit, sure… But you’re tellin’ me your human computers are fuckin’ Resonants with fuckin’ AUTISM?!”

“Ow-Tism?” You echo uncomprehendingly. You turn to Raoul, looking askance, the master Resonant shaking his head in puzzlement.

“Don’t fuck with me here, lads, I am FAR too hungover to entertain some kinda stupid Pax shit.”

“Blasphemy” You and Raoul both blurt instinctively.

“Challenge” Emmy snaps back.

“On what grounds?” Raoul retorts with a note of surprise.

“Grounds? Oh bollocks, I knew I forgot something…” Emmy groans.

“Withdrawn…” Raoul chuckles. “…What’s this ‘Autism’ you’re on about?”

“Fuckin take a eyefull at Cap’n Sperg there!” Emmy declares, gesturing at the Cogitator, who has picked up one of her scribbled diagrams and is studying it intently.

Religious Lore(Adam) - Success

“S’how we know a bloke’s been Called to become a Cogitator, Em.” You explain. “Yea, and The God did anoint those who would be Cogitator to dismiss the mundane world, that their eyes may truly see the intricacies of the Pattern woven by the Divine. Blessed be the wisdom and Foresight of Holy Tyris.”

“All Glory to the Most High.” Raoul responded absently. “Bjorn’s a good sort, just don’t go grabbing at him. He could probably put you on the backside of the moon if you annoyed him enough.”

“Unrecognised.” Bjorns voice intruded, and you looked around to see the dumpy-looking man staring at you. “Rectify.”

“I trust you know how to reveal yourself as Resonant, Adam?” Raoul murmured with slight amusement.

“Yeh, picked that up.” You chuckle, focusing your thoughts.

RECOGNITION

Bjorn grunted as the glyphs forming 4RB1TR1U5 glowed upon your forehead. You felt his own glyph being cast, and the glyph 3LUC1D0 appeared in luminescent lettering upon the Cogitator’s brow.

“Will require networking. Need to study gathered material. Girl will assist.” Bjorn declared.

“Girl?!” Emmy huffed.

“Be nice Em.” You grinnned.

“Oh, I’ll be nice…” Emmy drawled smoothly, looking at the Cogitator with a smirk.

“It doesn’t touch.” Bjorn repeated, picking up another scribbled sheet of parchment.

“Hey! Hey Succubutt!” Blue’s voice suddenly rang from outside. “Where’s m’boss?”

“Urgh. Kobold. Don’t you have a tree to piss on or someth…”

Sound of flesh striking flesh, a body hitting the ground.

“Wiliwily ask you question. You answer.” A harsh, unknown voice demanded.

“Oh sodding bollocks, what in the Name of The Most High has she gotten herself into now?” You moan, shaking your head in disbelief.

>What do you want to do folks? Keep working and let Blue find you? Or go out and see whats up with the commotion, and who this new companion of hers is?

>>273620

I'd venture outside to see what's going on with Blue and her new friend. I'm getting flashbacks to when she was gambling for whatever reason and don't think her getting into trouble here would be any better than any other place.

>>273620

Let's go check on blue it might be important.

>>273620

Sounds like Blue made good friends with the Dingos. Let's go say hi before anyone else gets decked.

>>273620

Go see Blue and explain things with Bella once we have some alone time

>>273665

Meant to say "explain the things that happened with Bella"

>>273620

Considering we nearly had a stroke when we found out she'd taken off, I'd say go talk to her. Make sure she knows we're happy she's back.

>>273667

Also a good idea when we've got some privacy. Be sure to remind her that she's our best girl.

>>273667

>>273725

After we cover the medical emergency part of things, don't forget to mention the part where we trussed up and gently bullied a Hellhound-infused gryphon's virginity away. I think that Blue will definitely like that part.

>>273732

How about the part where you don't forget your sage you fucking ape. I like that part too.

>>273733

Calm your miniature rageboner m8, randomly cleared email field happens to the best of us and the worst of us but probably not you coz you're just average knaamean knaamean?

>>273620

See what's going on with wan an her new friend, then get her in private and explain that last incident to her. Also make it clear in no uncertain terms that we will move heaven and earth to make it up to her.

>>273751

You know as resonant we actually have the potential to do just that. While we're around resonants we should learn from them.

>>273725

Oh, and we didn't really cover whether we cleaned ourselves up later, but either way, Blue might be able to smell Bella on us. Be prepared to explain sooner than later if that's the case.

>Go find Blue

“Better go sort this out. Won’t be long…” You mutter.

“Don’t be.” Raoul warns, fixing you with a serious look. “You’ve heard the colloquialism ‘Tear the place apart looking for you?’ Bjorn’s likely to actually do it if you keep him waiting too long.”

“Inaccurate. Error in third decimal place.” Bjorn’s deadpan voice carries from the far side of the warehouse.

“I was just ballparkin’ it, fuck’s sake… You try doing spatial analysis at a molecular level in yer head!” Emmy rejoins incensedly

“No try. Mathematics is boolean variable. Correct or incorrect.” Bjorn states with a note of finality. “I will assume duty of calculation going forward.”

You peer over, looking at the Gremlin who is glaring daggers in the back of the dumpy Cogitator’s head, her hands clenching in frustration… Yet… She was rubbing her legs together quite fervently…

Hidden Roll

You suppress a chuckle as you nod at Raoul, heading outside, to be confronted with the image of an infuriated Succubus dabbing blood from a cut lip with one hand, the other bearing an orb of smoking magical energy.

“Fucking dogs… You’re going to learn your place…” She promises. You recognise Blue’s slight frame, looking even more diminutive between two tall, stoic figures.

They were clearly female, yet their build was near-amazonian, each easily two metres in height, with long, red-gold ears which stuck straight up, modest busts hidden behind tight hide bindings, every inch of them rippling with athletic musculature. Their eyes, unblinking where they stared at the succubus were so pale a blue-grey as to be almost white, Their canid-fanged mouths spread in a mirthless smirk which was more rictus than grin. The meaning however was clear.

Try it…

Hidden Roll

“Let’s not be fuckin’ dumbcunts about this.” You state in a clear, even voice. Four sets of eyes turn to regard you in surprise.

“Boss! Bossbossbossboss…” Blue yips gleefuly, running from between the two Dingoes to throw her arms around you. “…How’d you sneak up on us? All I could smell was angels and snootywings and… hold on… Boss…” She murmured in slight concern, pulling back slightly “…Why do you smell like a LOT of snootywings?”

“In a moment, pup. Promise.” You assure her, sincerity written in your face “Gotta stop someone from bein’ a dumbcunt.”

“Resonant! These… FERALS assaulted me, in clear Violation of the Pax! I am allowed to answer in kind!” The succubus demanded.

“I fuckin’ heard what you said about me Kobie too…” You answer evenly. “…So the way I see it, you’ve got three options. The way I hear, the Dingoes’ve kept clear of the Council since about a day before forever ago. Not a mean feat, if you think about what that means, and they don’t look exactly intimidated. So you can walk away and we all pretend this never happened, you can fight them, which you might lose… Or you can fight me… which you WILL lose.”

“You’re confident…” The Succubus snapped, clearly stung to the quick.

Adam uses Resonant Glyph: LEVITATE - Success

Blue squeaks in surprise as you rise a few feet into the air, releasing her grip as if you’ve just become red hot.

“Gairn, havago…” You snarl, doing your best to replicate the rictus displayed by the Dingoes.

“Princess Telia will hear about this! Maou be my witness!” The Succubus hisses, glaring at you murderously before vanishing in a swarm of arcane energy.

“Yeh, tell yer story walkin’…” You mutter to the empty air. Blue smacks you gently as you return to the earth.

“WARN me when you’re gonna start flyin’ Boss!” The Kobold Harrumphs.

“Sorry pup, thought it was the best way shy of blowing something up to say ‘don’t fuck with me.”

Blue peers at you studyingly. “You’ve gotten better…”

“Guess so.” you nod, feeling a knot in your guts as the Leviathan in the fish-pond grows ever more evident.

“So…” Blue prompts, folding her furred forearms over her modest chest.

>>274292

Hidden Roll

“Reckon we can talk without the walkin’ Karri trees in audience?” You murmur, glancing at the Dingoes who are staring at you impassively. One of the Dingoes gives a sharp sniff of amusement. Fuck. They understood Magisterian, even worse.

“Nup, I kinda sorta ended up being their official representative so apparently I warrant bodyguards…” Blue replies with a note of smug pride.

“Blue! You little wonder, where’ve you been hiding the bloody political acumen?” You exclaim in praise, patting the Kobold on the head. Blue smiles broadly at your praise, eyes half-lidded beneath your touch. Suddenly her eyes spring wide and she pushes your hand from her head.

“Don’t change the subject Adz, or I’ll think you’re trying to lie to me!” She warns seriously.

“I’m not. Promise.” You assure her, before giving a gallows sigh. “You know how Bella’s been pretty sick since we got back from the Gap?”

“She’s been mana-drunk on the bleedin’ daily, you mean.” Blue harrumphs.

“Well, yeah. Because she is… was… dying. She came pretty close last night. Me and Emmy went to read to her and apparently she was gettin’ ready to run down the curtain and join the Choir Invisible.”

“Still not seeing how you smell like she’s been all over you…” Blue replies evenly.

“I’m gettin’ to that. Juliet, she’s one of the Succubi workin’ at the infirmary… She said it was the last chance to cure her, she needed… Well… Me.”

Blue blinked as the pieces clicked together in her head. “So you’re saying you had no choice in it?”

Here’s where the ‘do you lie’ thing came in

You shook your head. “I’d be lying if I said yes. There were other options, not as sure, I’ll admit, but I didn’t HAVE to do it. I chose to. To save her life. I swear to Tyris, I wish you were there to run it over with, but you weren’t.”

“To save her life.”

“The God as me witness.”

Blue’s eyes narrowed, “You’re telling me you didn’t enjoy it?”

“Tyris pup, I’m Human, I’ve been RAISED to take that sort of shit philosophically.”

“You’re a helluvalot more stable than when you did the continuance thingy.”

“Well that was me first time!”

“And you were mine.” Blue retorts sharply. “Where is she?”

“Now c’mon Blue, don’t do anything stup…”

“Adz! This is important! You say you love me, if that’s true, you won’t fuck me about on this, Where. Is. She?”

“Here.” Came a voice from above, and the Griffon landed with a whooshing of wings and a cloud of dust. You were taken aback by the massive change in her appearance. Gone was the dogged fanaticism from your first meeting in the desert. Gone the peaky near-madness from her time in the Infirmary. This was what a Griffon was supposed to look like. Regal, Proud… Powerful.

“You following him?” Blue demanded.

“Nay. Certes, I was following thee.” Bella answered evenly, her features a mystery.

“Oh? Reckon you’d get the drop on me?” The Kobold mused, pacing slowly towards the Griffon.

Bella returned Blue’s gaze, Golden and Azure eyes locked together. “…Nay.” Bella admitted, dropping to knee and Talon before the Kobold. “I hath taken that which was not mine to take, and I am ashamed.”

“Hmph… He saved yer life…” Blue Admitted.

“Certes, and I am forever in his debt.” Bella replied, glancing at you with surprising warmth.

“Welp. This means you owe me.” Blue declares.

>>274293

“Ask what thou wilt, yea, as mine life and mine hono…”

“Lemme touch your wings.”

Bella blinked in shock. “W-What?”

“Yer wings, lemme touch ‘em.” The Kobold repeated.

Bella made a noise of confusion, yet spread her expansive wings out. Blue squeals in delight, grabbing one without hesitation and burying her face in it. “It’s even softer than it looks! Boss I’m downright jealous, looks like Adorabear’s got some competition when it comes to cuddles.”

“…I fuckin’ missed something there.” You blurt in utter incomprehension.

Blue gave a whuffling sigh. “Boss, was Adorabear so average you forgot all the times you’ve had yer dick up her? I was your girl first, but I’m not stupid enough to think I’m going to be the ONLY one.” Almost reluctantly she releases the Griffon’s wing, walking back over to you and pulling your head down presumptively into a kiss. “You told me the truth. That’s enough for me. Sure, it’s not the best way it all could have happened, but…” The Kobold shrugs, before turning once again to Bella.

Hidden Roll

“Now. You and me are gonna be friends.” She declares.

“Verily… I do not understand.” Bella frowns.

“It’s that or we fight, them’s the rules.”

“Thou art… aware of what I am?” Bella asks with a note of slight umbrage.

“Yer fast, and yer strong… But I reckon I could still run ya into the ground.” The Kobold replies evenly.

Bella cocks her head, before a sound you had never heard before bubbles from her breast, shaking her body as it spills from her mouth.

The Griffon is laughing. Not the cynical, mirthless snicker she had derided you with in The Gap, but genuine, joyous laughter.

“Certes, friends then?” Bella offers, extending a talon.

“Friends.” Blue replies, ignoring the talon and burying her face in the Griffon’s wing again.

“Alpha.” One of the Dingoes addresses you softly from where she has appeared beside you. You start in surprise, you didn’t even see them move!

“Boss, this is Adina and Illuka” Blue gestures absently, her voice muffled within the Griffon’s feathers, Bella bearing her ecstatic attention good-naturedly.

“Gudday.” You offer respectfully, giving a polite nod to the two Mamono. Cripes, they’d give a Yowie pause…

“We talk now. Wiliwily talk with…” An odd barking sound you don’t recognise.

“Uh, yeh… Sure.” You offer.

>>274294

“…See that’s the part I don’t get. Why Blue?”

Illuka snarls something in her native tongue, Adina answering briefly before turning again to you.

“Reasons two. First. Understand Magisterian, but… not… speak well.” Adina replied, holding up a furred digit.

“Ye’ve noticed we ain’t exactly fuckin’ poets ourselves, yeh?” You grin cheekily.

“Should be all more reason.” Adina replies with a growling snicker.

“Fair call. And the other?”

“Politics.” The Dingo answers. “Great Pack… Foresworn to… Higher power. Cannot submit to Maou-Whelp. Recognise Kobold. Kobold Packs submit to Maou-Whelp. Kobold speak to Maou-Whelp for Dingo. Hole-in-fence.”

“Hole-in-fence?” You echo confusedly.

“Not break rules but go around.”

Hidden Roll

“Loophole.” You reply, understanding.

“Loophole.” Adina echoes “Understand. Yes.”

“Gotta admit, I’ve never heard of Mamono referring to a greater power than the Council, and Maou behind it. Whazzat about?”

Illuka looks at you cagily, snapping something in her harsh tongue. Adina replies at length, and the Dingo narrows her eyes.

“Living do not speak name.” Illuka growls, “She Heart-Eater. Alpha-of-Alphas. Great JUSTICE. Matriarch of Spirit-Pack. Ancestors sing to stars for Her.”

Hidden Roll

“Ilias again?” You groan. Illuka snarls in utter fury, launching herself at you.

“Tyris fuck!” You exclaim, hastily calling upon the Logos.

Adam uses Resonant Glyph: SHIELD - Success

Illuka impacts on that invisible wall of force, yet snarls and continues her assault, clawed paws slashing and tearing at the unseen barrier.

“Sorry! Sorry! Take that as a no! Really didn’t mean to insult ya!” You babble desperately. Adina growls a few phrases to the other Dingo, who, somewhat mollified, whuffles darkly at you before ceasing her assault.

“NOT False-One. NEVER False-One.” Adina insists. “Would kill you myself if you not Alpha for Wiliwily.”

“Again, I’m REALLY sorry.” You insist. “Bella… the Griffon back there… She was Illian, though not by choice. I just thought maybe…”

Adina grunts. “Outlander beaten. Can see spirit. Many years spent beneath lash. Much pain. You… Give hope to Outlander. Mercy. You good Alpha, if thick as iron-rock.”

“I’ve been called worse.” You grin.

Adina meets your grin with another wordless grunt. “Can see what Wiliwily sees in you.”

“There’s that name again, what’s with that?” You ask, dropping your glyph.

“Desert Twister. Runs around without direction, makes lot of noise and disturbs tents.” Illuka answers shortly.

“L-leave off me Kobie…” You laugh, gripping your stomach as mirth overwhelms you.

>>274295

“Whew… That was a thing.” You remark as the whirling mass of seemingly incomprehensible glyphs subsides in your mind.

“I’ll never get used to it.” Raoul admits, rubbing his temple with two fingers, blinking as if to clear his vision.

“Oi Em, how’re you coping over there?” You call out to the Gremlin, currently staring at a peice of crystal with a face like a thundercloud.

“Oh you DO remember my name!” Emmy spits. “Thought I was gonna be resigned to being called ‘Non-Platform Biological’ for the remainder!”

“Eh?” You grunt in confusion.

“The Network.” Raoul clarifies.

“Oh.” You respond. Bjorn had insisted on a curious type of meditation, after which you remembered surprisingly little, your mental focus insistent on a curious latticework of Resonant Glyphs. Your initial attempts to build on the lattice were clumsy, yet as time progressed, you found yourself weaving the glyphs together at a speed which amazed you. You stretched, your muscles surprisingly sore.

“Bugger me, I feel like I’ve gone ten rounds with a bunyip.” You declare.

“It’s been a long day.” Raoul admits.

“Day? It’s only what, midmor…” You pause as you notice the dim light of twilight beyond the workshop door.

“Fucks sake!” You exclaim, “We’ve wasted the day!”

“Wasted?” Emmy declares, gesturing with a mechandrite “Well fuck you too, I think we did pretty well!”

Following her gesture, your breath catches at the half-built structure lying on the floor. Circular in shape, concentric rings of varying substances worked inward from an intricately etched metal housing.

“We… did that?”

“And the ‘Non-Platform Biological’ says you’re welcome, though ‘Thanks’ seems to have fallen from your bleedin’ vocabulary, ya gits.”

“Girl did well.” Bjorn admits, patting the Gremlin on the arm. “Girl is competent.”

Emmy gives the Cogitator a look of pure poison. “Oh Maou, you’re so welcome… What?” She demands, looking at your slack jawed expression of shock.

“From a Cogitator?” You murmur. “That’s high fucking praise…”

“And he touched you…” Raoul adds. “…I’ve never seen Bjorn deliberately touch someone.”

“Really…” Emmy almost purrs, looking thoroughly smug.

“Well…” You groan, stretching again. “…I’m gonna go find food, and hopefully Blue feels nice enough to work on me back, I’m all over knots.”

“Same time tomorrow.” Raoul murmurs absently, stretching out with the ease of long practice.

“Yeh.” You grin, heading through the Door and almost colliding with Bella.

>>274296

“Adam! Thank Maou!” The Griffon exclaims, a look of horror on her face.

“What? Whazzamadda?” You demand.

“Verily! Something is wrong with Blue! She sitteth yon, yet certes, she will not speak unto me!”

“Ah, she’s probably just being stroppy.” You chuckle, ambling towards the small figure on the other side of the rough square. As you approached, a worm of concern built in your guts. Blue wasn’t sulking… She was gripping her legs, rocking back and forth, a keening whine coming from her throat.

“Tyris be glorified, what did you do?!” You demanded, sprinting towards the Kobold, ignoring the pain in your legs.

“Naught! We were discussing hunting, yea, for ‘tis a noble and most pleasant pastime. Verily, Blue did express interest in mine methods, and thought I t’was indeed a gracious offer to show her in person.”

“Hunting…” You echoed. “You… took Blue for a fly?”

Bella makes a small sound of affirmation, and you launch into a string of epithets. In retrospect you were quite proud of yourself, you must have sworn for a full minute and a half without repeating yourself once.

“What is the matter?” Bella sobbed, nearing tears in worry.

“I’m a dense cunt who deserves a fuckin’ boot in the arse. Blue’s scared of heights.”

“Afraid of… Truly?”

You grunt in affirmation. “Takes all KINDS of bribery just to get her on a second floor balcony.”

“Oh! I abaseth myself before thee for my…”

“Yeh nah, this one’s on me, Bel.” You interject, bending down in front of the Kobold. “Blue… Blue… Hey… Can you hear me pup?”

The Kobold ceases her rocking, and looks up at you with tear-streaked azure eyes, before throwing her arms around you with a wail, her body shaking with sobs.

“F-Feathers took me up Hiiiiiiigh!” She keens into your shoulder.

“Feathers?!” Bella squawks in umbrage.

Hidden Roll

“Not now Bella.” You interject. “She didn’t know pup, and I’m sure she’s real sorry.”

“Certes!” Bella gushes “I beg thy forgiveness, yea, for e’en as much as…”

“Cuddles.” Blue harrumphs petulantly.

“W-What?”

“I get wing-cuddles, and Maybe… MAYBE… I forget you tried to stop me fuckin’ heart.”

“I-I… Do not get a choice in this, do I?” The Griffon murmurs.

“Not likely… Fair warning, she’s a fidgeter.”

“Mean.” Blue sulks, pinching you with clawed digits.

“Oh, now thou art timely with thy warnings.”

“Life’s a heretic like that…” You muse, unable to keep the grin from your face.

>>274297

“You’re serious?” Cally exclaims.

“No word of a lie, Blue’s makin’ a bed outta Griffon wings as we speak.” You chuckle, draining your tankard and running a piece of coarse bread around your plate to soak up the rest of the gravy.

“Do you think she would mind if I…” The Koala muses hesitantly.

“She’s missed you Cal. Reckon we both have if truth be told.” You admit, putting a hand atop the Koala’s twin-thumbed appendage. Cally’s answering smile is warm.

“I don’t mean to be standoffish, it’s just…”

“It’s a funny old world Cal, but something today made me realize how much you really mean to Blue. Did she ever give you the ‘Be my friend or I’ll fight you’ speech?”

“I… No.” The Koala admits, her own mug paused halfway to her mouth. “I think… I mean we were friends from the beginning, there was never any thought about it.”

“Mmm. Me mates in Gibson were the same. First time we met, was like we’d known each other forever. Something special in that, I reckon.”

“You’re a very deep individual when you’ve had a few, Adam.” Cally giggles, leaning up to kiss you on the cheek.

“Got a reputation as a dumbarse to maintain, keep it under yer hat.”

“Well, prepare to be disappointed.” Cally snickers, pinching you cheekily on the backside as she leaves to find Blue.

You chuckle, signalling to Leperia for another tankard. Drinking it slowly, you took in the almost homely atmosphere of the common room. The White Rabbit, somehow, inexplicably, brooked absolutely no nonsense in her tavern, so the mood was subdued, polite… bloody pleasant if you had to put a word on it. In fact if not for the fact all the voices were female, you could almost close your eyes and pretend you were back in Port Fremantle. Would it be such a bad life here? Tyris knows you’d be damn well off on Hell’s payroll. No having to hide your relationship with Blue… You could even have children. Openly… Raise them together…

“Body of me… Now I feel human again.”

You started guiltily at the sound of Raoul’s voice, your face flushed, as if he could hear your Heretical thoughts, impossible as it was.

“There’s not a man alive who hasn’t thought it.” Raoul murmured indulgently… Perhaps not as impossible as you thought.

“Dunno what you’re talking about, Illustriousness.” You mumble into your Tankard.

“Of course.” Raoul accedes. “You haven’t seen Bjorn and Emmy since this afternoon, have you?

“No.” You admit. “I can check with Cal though, she’s been wanderin’ about more than me after all.”

“Might be an idea. Would you mind? After a bath and… well…”

“Don’t wanna know!” You blurted in near-horror.

“You really don’t. Angels are something else.” Raoul mused almost lazily, his eyes half-lidded and a smile on his face.

>>274299

“M’goin.” You mutter, draining your tankard and hurrying from the common room. The cool desert breeze was refreshing as you crossed the courtyard to the simple house you were sharing with Phillip and Morrigan. You grunt a greeting to the pair as you pass them embracing on a thick fur rug before the low-burning fireplace. It is not returned, but you didn’t really expect it to be. Low voices give you pause in the act of reaching for the doorhandle.

“Then how did you do it?” That was Blue.

“Certes, from what I understand, I was imbued with some large amount of Hellhound essence. It filled mine veins with need and mine loins with fire and yea…”

“Oh stop, you’re getting me all antsy… Your dialect could drive a girl to distraction!” Cally, clearly.

“So what happened?”

“Thou wantest details most lewd and lurid?”

“Uh… Yeah…” Blue again.

“He… made use of those arts which yea, do eclipse mine understanding, rendering me powerless against him. Penetrated me did he then, yea, rupturing mine maide…”

“Waitwaitwait… Feathers, you’re telling me Boss bullied you out of your VIRGINITY?!”

“S-such was not his intent I am sure…”

“Ohhh Maou… Adorabear… this is REALLY not fair.”

“You’re telling me.”

“Certes, I do not mean to cause thee discom…”

“Oh bugger that. Did he put his mouth on you?”

“He kissed me, aye, and shocked was I that lips could be so ten…”

“Nonono… ON you…”

“Verily, have a care where thy paws fall, Kobold!” Bella screeches.

“Why, you getting as antsy as we are?” Blue giggles.

Right. You weren’t getting any answers out of anyone if you were to head in there now. In fact you probably would have significant trouble walking for the remainder of the week if you did. Turning on your heel, you left the house, your manhood no doubt looking at you askance as if seeking explanation for this betrayal. Ignoring little Adam, you meandered in the general direction of the workshop.

“Good a place as any to start, I reckon.” You mused to yourself.

The door was still open, dim light shining through.

“It doesn’t touch!” You heard Bjorn’s voice ring out “It d-doesn’t t-touuuuuuuuuuuuaahhhhhh.” His clipped denunciation trailing off into a low, lewd moan.

“Shhhh… Ye’ve worked really hard today, m’lord Cogitator… Surely yer lookin’ fer somethin’ to relax them tired muscles…” That was Emmy, you saw her waifish profile straddling something against the dim light behind them.

“Not Ideal. Does not follow Continuance protocol.” Bjorn objected desperately, his voice trembling.

“It’s okay… We’re in Thealiss so you get to be naughty… And I know you can’t do Resonance if you can’t concentrate… And I feel real good right now, don’t I mate?”

Well this was a conundrum. Technically this was Rape, a breach of the Pax, yet here in Thealiss? Who’s to say what counted? Mind you though, in more concrete terms, if Bjorn got a head of steam on him, he could literally tear the Gremlin apart, or worse. Did you really want to sit here and play guard duty as the Gremlin violated him though?

>Well folks? What do you want to do?

>>274300

Is it possible Bjorn fucking Emmy would also fuck him over in his position as a Cogitator? We've just got Continuance to deal with, but he might have some higher responsibilities that might be thrown off by m a m a n o m a n a. And like she said, resonance takes concentration. If he somehow falls for her he's liable to focus his attention more on her than the work at hand, she should maybe try this once the job's done.

Also, it's really fun to blueball Emmy. If we break it up, we should go in pretending we didn't hear a word before and just walked in out of pure coincidence, as if the universe itself is conspiring to keep Emmy chaste in this terrifying new age.

>>274300

I get the sense that Spergy is important as a living computer, and is held to an arbitrary "higher standard" like >>274349 thinks. Time to make the gremlin grumbly and break the two up from their little make out session they have going on.

>>274349

>>274397

>LORE CHECK!

4Suc:00x0

4Fail:x0x0

Whilst cogitators were indeed highly valued, especially in larger cities where their abilities lent themselves towards most types of civic engineering, the… anomaly which made them trainable as human computers was as understood as what categorized a successful Resonant, which is to say, not at all.

Continuance amongst Cogitators was often a highly delicate affair due to the unpredictability of their reactions, but did not seem to have adverse effect on them. Outside of the standard prohibition regarding the presence of demonic energy, their 'purity' was not in any way held sacrosanct. The lewder rumors suggest that priestesses have had to 'calm' a 'glitching' Cogitator by a little 'frictional maintenance' from time to time, though of course nobody would ever suggest such in front of a member of the Holy Mother Church.

>That being said, if you want to Bully Gremlin for the sheer bloody minded sake of it, I won't say no… Or because you think the risk of him REEEEing out is too high and you don't think you can make the rolls, whichever.

>>274428

>Bjorn is just as important as all the other grains of sand on the beach (so to speak)

Since my issues were consequences over Spergy getting a pink slip if he slipped it in Emmy's pink I'm fine with Emmy greasing Bjorn's piston with a bit of the old in and out.

>>274300

Depends on Bjorn, I guess. If he keeps flipping out, step in and stop Em, making sure Bjorn doesn't paste anyone in the process. If he lets her go ahead, then let it happen.

>Let Bjorn get a sticky wicket, but be ready to step on anything if he gets too argy.

Ahh hell with it. Not your chancel, not your acolytes. You paused in the act of turning away, thinking for a moment. Emmy’s race was pretty well unheard of in the world as far as you were aware, and you weren’t entirely sure if she had any kind of predilections which could do the Cogitator a mischief… And then there was the fact that he was entirely capable of turning her into a wet smear on the far wall if he was of half a mind to.

Bugger. You were stuck here, weren’t you? Bjorn was able to turn Emmy’s disjointed and seemingly contradictory instructions into the instantly comprehensible ‘language’ of Resonant Glyphs, but without her instructions the project was trashed.

…Plus, despite her rampant thirst and abrasive nature, sod it, you LIKED the girl. Couldn’t see either of them come to harm. You sighed, easing yourself into the building and hiding in the shadows amongst the haphazardly piled materials.

Subterfuge roll (Adam) - Success

“Orright Bjorn… Don’t fight me, ya git…” Emmy grumbles, the sound of hands fumbling at a belt, scraping of booted feet on the floor. “…Oh sodding… Here, this should calm you down…” Soft ‘zzzzzip’ of a clasp-locker being hastily undone, and you saw Emmy’s silhouette grab the Cogitators hands, pressing them to her chest.

“Soft.” Bjorn remarked, almost thoughtfully.

“Hehehehe… I might be… but SOMETHING definitely isn’t.” The Gremlin remarked smugly. More sounds of clothing being removed. “Yeah… There’s the candy baby’s lookin’ for… Now don’t worry M’lord Cogitator, I’ll take real good care of y…”

“Phase one of Ritual non-standard. Advise girl to re-examine doctrines for optimal future performance.” Bjorn remarked in an almost chiding tone.

“Phase… What? What are you…”

“Phase two salvageable. Stand by.”

“What are you… Whoa! Hold on n…” Emmy cried, and you saw the dumpy man flip the diminutive Mamono onto her back. “…Hey! This isn’t…”

“We are absent the garbs of the penitent. All Glory to the Most High.”

“E-easy there, no need to ruhhAAAAAhhhhhh Oh Maou! Easy! Easy!” Emmy begs, yet her voice is tinged with arousal. “…Oh Maou! G-go slow… Please! It’s been a wh-whOOOOOOHhhhhhh My Goddess!”

Bjorn does not answer, giving regular, nasal grunts as he mechanically thrusts at the Gremlin who is desperately clinging to his shoulders as her body is tossed about beneath his movements.

“P-please! I’m gonna come too faaaahhhaaaaaaaa!” Emmy squeals, her legs locking about the Cogitator’s waist as he continues to pound at her, his movements mathematically precise… Tyris be merciful, you could set a clock to the precisely rhythmic slapping of his hips impacting on the slight mamono beneath him.

“Oh! Oh! Oh! W-where did you… Oh! Hell’s throne, I’m…” Emmy’s squeal is long and shuddering as orgasm rocks her again.

“Phase two… nearing completion…” Bjorn pants.

“Yes! YEEEESSSSSSS!” The gremlin howls, and Bjorn gives one final thrust, his dumpy body shaking with his own release.

“Vocalizations not required. Rite is concluded. Time marker for rest period approaching. I shall retire.”

“Ohhhh… Yeah… C’mere…” Emmy groans languidly, holding out her arms, beckoning for the Cogitator to return to her embrace. Bjorn ignores her supplication however, standing and re-fastening his clothes.

“Oi! Where ya goin’?” The Gremlin demands, propping herself up on her elbows.

“Rest is required for satisfactory application of analysis. Recommend girl retires to ensure peak efficiency when work resumes.” Bjorn answers, not deigning to face her. You hold your breath as he passes you, praying he doesn’t turn…

>>274886

Subterfuge Roll (Adam) - Fail

Bjorn pauses. “Wilder Resonant, Recognised. Repeat previous instruction. Tomorrows Labour will be intensive.”

You curse under your breath. “Yeh. Righto mate.” You sigh resignedly. Bjorn nods, exiting without further comment.

“SKIPPY!” Emmy snarls, “GET ‘ERE!”

“Not what you were expecting?” You chuckle, standing from behind the pile and walking over to the Gremlin. “Tyris Em, put yer gear on.”

Emmy glares at you, still unashamedly naked where she half-sprawls upon the floor, the light of a pile of nearby mana-crystals providing the illumination you had noticed earlier. She raises a hand, flipping a gesture at you, her index and middle finger forming a ‘V’. You had no idea as to its significance, but you guessed that it was hardly a benediction.

“Itch scratched then?”

“Fuck you!” The Gremlin snaps “I wanted cuddles! What was all that bullshit about Rites and Phases and w-why did he just walk off? Was I… Bad?”

“Em…” You sigh, squatting down next to the Gremlin. “…That was Continuance.”

The Gremlin looks at you in utter horror. “That was… Maou’s Arse! I’ve met MACHINES that had more warmth!”

“Effective though…” You smirk mirthlessly, gesturing at her legs which are still trembling slightly in the aftermath. Truth be told you had to agree, there was nothing erotic or even loving in Bjorn’s actions. He was enacting a protocol. Following a procedure. There was nothing of Humanity in it. “…That’s Cogitators for you. Perfect efficiency, no deviation from procedure. They say Tony, Baron Thomas’s Cogitator is so precise in his day-to-day duties that his feet fall in the same place every day.”

“Autists like routine, that’s no shock… But… That’s what humans do to each other now?”

“Well, most of us aren’t as precise as Bjorn there, but…” You quip, attempting to inject some levity into your reply and largely failing. “…yeah.”

The Gremlin hugs her knees to her chest, pulling her shed coverall around her with a troubled expression on her face. “C-could you carry me to me exo, Skip? I… I don’t think I can walk right now.”

“I’m not givin’ ya round two…” You joke gently. The Gremlin shakes her head vehemently.

“I don’t want it.”

“That’s a change.”

Emmy holds her arms out to you and you scoop her waifish form up in your arms. “First, fuck you, ya git.” She chides with a slap to your chest. “Second, that fuckin’ Sperg shagged me into th’bloody floor, I don’t even wanna think about dealin’ with your tree-trunk.”

“Must you?” You groan, blushing self-consciously.

“Third… I… That didn’t feel… good.”

“You could have told him to stop.” You remark, slight concern on your face. Emmy shakes her head, gripping your shirt as she wipes unshed tears from her eyes.

“He had me comin’ like a belt-fed mortar, won’t lie. I mean, sure, the whole pretend ‘is arse is a metronome thing’s not what I’m used to but shit. I’m a Gremlin, innit? I can deal with Mechanical. What hurt was when he just… Left… like it didn’t mean anything. Like I didn’t mean anything.”

“He’s a Cogitator, Em. Who knows if anything’s ever meant anything to him? What’s beyond the learned responses is anyone’s guess…” You offer, putting the Gremlin into the weird ‘seat’ of her curious contraption. “…But it’s better than the alternative. Before they take them for training, some candidates can barely speak, it’s like they don’t even know you’re there. We had one in the Abbey where I grew up, nearly beat another kid to death because he messed something up, was like he didn’t even know what he was doing.”

“I thought it’d be cured by now…” Emmy sniffles, giving a slight whimper as her chair fits itself to her, whirring to life.

“Who knows if it’s something we’re supposed to cure?” You offer prosaically, not really knowing what else to say. “The Doctrines of Tyris do say that they’re Called by The God for the role.”

“You don’t sound like you believe that.”

“You won’t catch me admitting it outside Thealiss, but the Doctrines also say God-Before-Tyris created the world, and there’s a fuckoff-huge snake in the river back home which is a big middle finger to that claim.”

“You met Wagyl?!” Emmy exclaims in surprised interest.

“Tell ya about it tomorrow. You gonna be orright?’

“Yeah. Gonna go cry into Telly’s tits and make her pamper me.” The Gremlin replies with a wan smile.

You blink at that. “You’re game. Sleep well Em.”

“You too Skip, and thanks for not being a COMPLETE Gormer about the whole thing.”

“Happens on occasion…” You drawl, not rising to the bait, waving to the Gremlin as you turn back towards Philips simple abode.

>>274887

“Ow! Fuck!” You hiss, grabbing your knee as it impacts against a low-lying bench with a dull ‘thunk’. Biting back curses, you limp into the house. Trying to be as subtle as possible, you tiptoe up the hallway, cracking the door to ‘your’ room and peeking inside.

Bella is sprawled on her back, her arms and wings covering the entirety of the bed and some distance to either side for good measure. Cally and Blue are each cuddled into the soft feathers of a wing’s underside, all of them breathing with the deep, peaceful rhythm of sleep.

“Looks like I’m not gonna fit. Thanks girls.” you mutter under your breath, turning and pulling the door closed behind you. Maybe Leperia had a spare room at the Tav…

“Boss. Get back here.” Blue’s sleepy voice demanded.

“Shoulda known I couldn’t fool your nose pup. Not a lot of room in there though…” You remark, opening the door.

“W’ll finda spot.” Cally mumbles.

“Certes.” Bella yawns.

“You girls didn’t stay up on my account did you?”

“Can’t hear you boss, Sleeping. Can I have a cuddle now?” Blue rejoined, beckoning at you presumptively. Shaking your head, you strip off your shirt and trousers, making a noise of surprise as six pairs of arms and two wings wrap themselves around you.

“No funny business.” You order with a snicker.

“Thou smell’st of regret and confusion. Yea, also Gremlin…” Bella remarks.

“Emmy had an adventure, didn’t go to plan.”

“With you?” Blue demands, an Azure eye cracking to look at you seriously.

“Would I push my luck like that pup?” you chide, patting the Kobold’s head gently. “No. She’s… coming to realize just how much the world’s changed since her time, I think. How much we’ve changed, humans I mean.”

“Verily, the changes of thy people hath been on the whole most welcome as I see it, Adam.” Bella states with confusion, her lurid golden eyes almost luminescent in the dark.

“Not surprising, I get the feeling you didn’t exactly see us at our best.” You admit, patting the Griffon’s headfeathers without thinking. Both of you freeze as you realize what had just occurred, then Bella makes a small noise of contentment, pushing into your hand.

“You’re right, there isn’t much room.” Cally admits, her head poking over Bella’s torso to regard you studyingly.

“Yeh, I’ll see if…”

“Pish.” The Koala sniffs dismissively, presumptively plopping her short frame atop your torso and nuzzling into your chest.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss this…” You chuckle thoughtfully.

“Oh? Are you suuuure you’re that tired?” Cally drawls wickedly.

“Yes.” You declare, removing your hand from Bella’s head, eliciting a noise of sulking objection from the Griffon, before cupping Cally’s cheek and rubbing her soft, grey-furred ears.

“Sometimes you’re no fun.” the Koala complains, yet resumes her position atop your torso.

“The God’ll forgive me… Oh… Blue, where’s yer Dingoes?”

“Around.” Blue yawns absently.

“Not very good guards.”

“Y’kidding? What kind of guards let everybody know they’re there boss?”

“Guess I never thought about it like that…” You admit as sleep weighs heavily on your eyelids.

>>274888

“Are you ABSOLUTELY sure?” Emmy insists.

“Girl has already received confirmation. Stand ready to assis…”

The Gremlin glares at the Cogitator. “Don’t fuck with me Spergy, if there’s even the slightest chance of…”

“Mathematics is a Boolean variable. Stand ready to assist.”

“You’re not gonna get a fight outta him Em.” You murmur gently, squeezing the Gremlin’s hand.

“Would you believe he’s acting like NOTHING happened last night?”

“Eh? What happened last night?” Raoul enquires, overhearing.

“Nothing.” Emmy replied quickly.

“Girl made non-standard initiation of Continuance.” Bjorn remarked in the same deadpan tone.

“You…” Raoul began, pointing between the Gremlin and the Cogitator as if he scarcely believed it. “Oh… Oh dear. Nobody’s injured?”

“Stung me pride a bit, plus I’m firmly convinced yer all fuckin’ berks now.” Emmy mumbled reluctantly.

“Mmm. Well. Lesson learned.” Raoul remarked with a slight sigh, whether of resignation or relief you couldn’t tell.

Emmy turned to him, hands on her hips, the mechandrites of her exo mimicking the motion. You bit back a laugh at the unintended comedy. “Howd’ya mean, Blondie?” Emmy demands.

“He could have killed you.”

The Gremlin stares at Raoul in shock. “If he’s that sodding dangerous why’re you lettin’ him wander around like he owns the place?”

“Because it’s Hell’s problem. Not mine. Princess Telia made the demand, I merely fulfilled it. If I had demanded a legion of Hell’s most potent Demons be brought into Magisterium, who would be responsible for their actions? Me. I am LORD DUMAT, LEFT HAND OF THE GOD, AND I GROW WEARY OF BEING TREATED AS HELL’S LACKEY.” The last delivered in an echoing roar, his eyes blazing with golden light as Angelic power surged from him. Emmy recoiled, her mechandrites forming instinctively into those intimidating cannons.

Hidden Roll

“Illustriousness!” You cry warningly “Wanna dial it back a few hundred notches? Don’t wanna break all yesterday’s work.”

Raoul turned his blazing gaze on you, and you felt that POWER wash over you. Then, as if by some titanic force of will, he squeezed his eyes shut, tamping down the energy radiating from him.

“Sorry… I’m… Sorry…” Raoul grunted, passing a hand over his face wearily. “It was… Something of a late night last night.”

“Analysis reveals…” Bjorn began, looking with the same unconcerned expression at the Resonant-come-Angelic Lord.

“Break. Discontinue Analysis. Purge.” Raoul barked at the Cogitator.

“Compliance.” Bjorn replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Well that was a fuckin’ auspicious start.” You grumble. “C’mon, let’s get this finished before one of us does a fuckin’ violence on someone.”

“Skip, sometimes I think you’re not as dense as you act.” Emmy remarks, her mechandrites returning to the less-threatening manipulators.

“Platforms will begin networking protocols. Stack vote in thirty seconds.” Bjorn instructed. You took a deep breath, summoning the series of glyphs you had meditated upon the previous day. You felt your awareness of your surroundings begin to drift away… yet today there was a new addition. A strange, choral note rang through your mind, maddeningly distracting, causing your hold on the glyphs to slip.

“Oi Bjorn, reckon you could keep the delightful fuckin’ singing down a bit mate?” You grate through clenched teeth.

“Tyris Fuck!” Raoul cursed, stunning you with the uncharacteristic expletive. “That’s me… Hold on… I’m trying…”

Gradually, the note faded until it no longer threatened your concentration. “Stack vote in ten, nine, eight, seven…”

''“Non-Platform Biological will apply nanolathe to G8…” You heard yourself remark in a curious monotone.

“Yeh Skip… Keep yer pants on… Or don’t… In fact it’s pretty warm, why don’t you take them off?”

”Comply.”

“Hell’s Throne. If Telly ever, EVER asks me to work with Resonants again…” You heard the Gremlin mutter as her mechandrites performed some kind of infinitesimally precise task. Funny. You didn’t remember being able to see what was happening yesterday. For a moment you almost panicked, yet… you felt some other part of your mind continuing to work on the latticework of glyphs, unceasing, regardless of your apparent separation.

“I’m really not sure I like where this is headed” That now-almost familiar dry voice echoed within the vaults of your consciousness.

Hidden Roll

“You again?” You remark. ”You’d better not sod this up, there are lives riding on it!”

“Haven’t we grown brash?” The voice chuckles. ”I know the necessity of your task. It will, however, bring about an eventuality which I… Do not look forward to.”

“How do you mean?”

”Don’t concern yourself. Just remember, a hole, once torn, even if patched, is easier opened again.”

”By what?”

”Nothing you will ever need to worry about…”

”Then why tell me?”

The voice paused. ”I’m not sure… Maybe I just needed to hear myself say it out loud.”

“Are you ever going to tell me who you are?” You demanded in frustration.

”By the time it makes sense to you, it won’t matter any more.” The voice replied enigmatically.

Hidden Roll

”As much as I love our little talks, ya witty cunt, did you have a point or are ya just starved fer conversation?”

A formless chuckle at that. “You remind me so much of him… Now I see where he gets it from.”

“What?”

“I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise… Don’t worry, it’s a pleasant one.” The voice chuckled. “That being said, the following days may result in some hard choices for you. You’ve a weight upon your shoulders, and every shrug sends ripples through reality.”

“I’m Resonant. Get the feeling it comes with the territory.”

“So much like him… Just remember, your Will is yours, as are the choices you make. Neither Heaven nor Hell can gainsay you… The God be with you Adam. I cannot tell if we shall speak again…”

The harsh cawing of a raven cuts through your consciousness as you return to reality.

>>274890

“…But what about if.” Emmy laments, staring at you.

“The shock alone is going to be… Oh… Adam…” Raoul trails off, noticing your return to cognisance. “…Now I want you to listen to me.”

Hidden Roll

“Give a bloke a second…” You groan, raising your hand to your forehead, only to have a charred stump smear across your face. “AAAAAHHHHH!” You scream. “TYRIS FUCK! ME HAND! WHAT HAPPENED TO ME FUCKIN’ HAND!?”

“Calm down!” Raoul orders. “I can fix it! Just breathe… I can’t work while you’re flailing about!”

Hidden roll

Screwing your eyes shut, you force yourself to take a deep, sobering breath, holding out the stump in the general direction of where you assumed Raoul to be.

“…I’ll thank you not to punch me in the face with it.” Raoul’s slightly miffed voice rejoins. A chuckle spilled involuntarily from your mouth, and your arm felt strangely warm. You opened your eyes and gasped.

A golden light was surrounding the ruined mess that used to be your left hand. Slowly, it began to take form, flesh and muscle regenerating at an amazing speed, soft, pink skin spreading across it, until it was again whole, pale and unmarked as the most pampered noble’s.

“Can’t do much for the conditioning, I’m afraid, you’re going to get a lot of blisters working those callouses back.”

“Thank The God for you, Illustriousness!” You gush in genuine gratitude. “Now what the sodding hell happened?”

“Imperfection along the final join.” Bjorn interjected. “Platform 4RB1TR1U5 was unable to raise protective barrier in time to prevent injury. Reflexes surprisingly rapid, however, managed to save cranial integrity by sacrificing hand.”

“Caught it like a fuckin’ ninja!” Emmy crowed, her eyes glowing with jubilant praise. “…Course, then it did burn yer hand clean off…”

“Noticed that.” You drawl drily. “Wait… Final join. So we’re done then?”

“And dusted, skip.” Emmy replies smugly, gesturing to the circular device which now takes up a large amount of the warehouse floor. You marvel at the artisanship present. Two days to create nothing short of a miracle…

Hidden Roll

“Emmy…” You declare, striding up to the Gremlin and taking ahold of her by her waifish shoulders “…Yer fuckin’ tops.” You pull the Gremlin towards you, kissing her soundly.

“Oh… Bloody ‘eck…” Emmy blusters, blushing to the roots of her hair. “Now I think we all deserve to engage in an ancient Australian custom.”

“Drink until we can’t stand up?” Emmy giggles demurely, seemingly not able to meet your eyes.

Hidden Roll

“I was gonna say ‘Fuck like rabbits on a full moon’ but that’s probably a better option…” You concede jokingly.

“Now hold the phon…”

“Nope, if drinking’s what yer after, then drinking we shall do, and this time the girls are here to join us.” You declare presumptively.

“As amusing as that sounds, I think I’ll pass. I have to get Bjorn back to Magisterium. I don’t think I want him confronted by Wonderland refugees. Wouldn’t help to have him reduce half of them to paste before they realize he’s not for fun. I’ll be back to make sure everything goes to plan. Besides, I promised Heaven’s assistance, and I’ll be damned if I give Hell the satisfaction of a broken oath.”

“Pleasure working with you, yer Illustriousness.” You offer expansively, bowing low. Raoul chuckles, placing his hand over his breast and bending slightly from the waist.

“Bjorn, follow. We return.” He states shortly.

“Compliance.” The Cogitator remarks. “Platform.” He murmurs, giving you the faintest glance. “…Girl.

Funny, you could have SWORN his eyes lingered upon the Gremlin there… No, couldn’t be.

You kept the smile on your face, waving pleasantly as the two resonants left the warehouse.

“Hey Skip… I wasn’t actually serious about the…”

“Listen to me Em!” You hiss, your demeanour changed in an instant. “I don’t know what’s happening but I smell some SERIOUS fuckery in the air. Whatever happens from here on out, stick to Her Excellency like a damn lamprey.”

“O-orright…” The gremlin concedes, her face a mask of incomprehension “…but why?”

“Because I worked too damn hard getting you out of The Gap for you to get caught in the crossfire… Plus. Kinda like you, kid.”

“Don’t call me kid.” Emmy mumbles, but her lips can’t help but smile as she continues to demurely avoid your gaze.

>Aaallllrighty then. Macguffin Built, Raoul gone for the next day. What do you want to do? Confront Tittywings? Warn tittywings? Go get details on what’s next? Go have a menage-a-everybody? Give it legs the fuck outta Thealiss while the going’s good? (You can still catch up with the Caravan if you ride hard enough) Or have a good, honest pissup with all your mates?

>>274891

Knowing spooky voices warning us to prepare for unforeseen consequences, anything we do will only accelerate the fuckery. That said, we should go let Telia know that a disembodied voice in a resonance-fueled haze has told us that doing this wormhole shit may inadvertently fuck up some other shit somewhere down the line. Then we go get drunk. If she ignores our warnings then hey, it's on her.

>>274891

I say we warn our host then we go spend a little " quality time" with the girls.

>>274891

Maybe I'm overthinking things, but it occurs to me this entire region is made of concentrated fuckery.

Now having a demon-flavored gloryhole in reality out in the middle of nowhere is one thing, but in walking distance of a place that's so fun none of them have ever returned alive? And Emmy was already buddy-buddy with the people in charge before getting shoved in the fridge.

I feel like we should prod as many willing people around town as possible for history lessons, cause it sounds like it's coming back to bite us and no amount of running will help.

And after we're done with that, maybe see if the girls want to try out that new hand.

>>274891

I'm with this anon. >>275056 We need the entire history of everything and the kitchen sink so we can try to figure out what the fuck may go down.

And the bar seems like an excellent place to confront/warn Tittywings about everything. After the official business is settled with Tittywings we're going to get piss stinking drunk because there's no better way to conquer what's coming than to do it fueled by a dose of "I'm hung over so fuck off you cunt". Who's in attendance for this piss up? Anybody who's well enough to be there.

Oh, hey. We're back.

>>274891

Warn Telly. She's probably smart enough to figure out that something might happen later anyway, but we should tell her regardless.

>>275056

This. Telly might know someone she could point us at, and at the very least, we could do something like sit in on Bella's lessons with Emmy (if that's not extra heretical). Taking some time would make sense anyway, what with Blue playing ambassador, if that's an ongoing thing.

Barring the inevitable fuckery, we're currently really well off. I think after warning Telly we can put some time to good use here. We could take a month or so to learn what can of the history or whatnot that they have here, while taking the extra time to pick and choose prime deals for goods for the trip out.

Of course, in the more immediate future, after warning Telly, we should give some attention to the girls.

>>265243

D

>>275767

Because I'm 90% sure head mango did that so the thread wouldn't die … or would work …. there's a few threads with the Dhue in them

Is this thread busted, or is it just that slow?

>>280083

op's safety belt might've broken causing him to almost fall into the sun, so he's had to go get a new one (while avoiding drop bears and killer spiders the entire time)

and on top of that his kangaroo probably broke down

>>280086

While that's entirely possible, I think we're in the clear this time, since he posted in the writefag thread a few days ago.

>>280086

>>280090

Yeah, I've been doing that whole stare at a blinking cursor while calling my brain a slack cunt lately. I needed to get TotG 2 done because there's a few things that tie in to this part of the timeline so I don't want to have to retcon myself.

Update soon, thanks for sticking with me you glorious cunts.

>>280203

No problem, it's always worth the wait. Also of note:

>>>/monster/280197

>>280218

archived the thread just in case

>Ask folks for a history lesson

>Warn Tittywings, then bully her about nicking Blue on the sly

>Prepare ones anus, figuratively speaking.

“Yer Excellency? Whereareya?” You call wearily, sticking your head into the rear rooms of the tavern. Even the short walk from Emmy’s workshop had revealed how taxing the day had been on you, and this fruitless searching wasn’t helping.

“Mister Adam!” A disembodied voice intruded, the floating head of one of the adolescent cheshire quintuplets meeting your surprised gaze.

“Are you…

“…Lost…”

“…Or Something?”

You force a smile. “Gudday girls.” you greet the cheshires, now floating around your head with curious looks on their innocent young faces. “I’m looking for her Excellency… er, Telia. Seen her about?”

“We think…”

“…The White Queen…”

“…Is still through there…”

“…She’s been in there a while.” The cheshires conclude, pointing to a thick wooden door at the end of the hallway.

“Thanks girls. Must dash, don’t get up to too much trouble, yeh?”

The Cheshires share smug smiles between them before popping from existence, the ghost of their smiles the last image to fade. You wonder if that idiosyncrasy was universal amongst their kind or whether it was just a shitmouse kid thing.

Hidden Roll

Huh… You’d never seen this room before. Wonder what it was?

“Your Excellency? Y’in her… OH SWEET TYRIS!” You exclaim, staring bug-eyed into the dim, steamy room before you before frantically averting your eyes “Sorry! I’ll go…”

“And will you have somehow have seen me less naked for leaving, Adam?” Telia’s rich voice filled the air, her carmine eyes seeming to glow in the dim light of the bath where she stood, naked and shameless, a pair of succubi likewise displaying a distinctly noticeable lack of attire sponging her achingly perfect form down, anointing her body here and there with oils and unguents you couldn’t begin to name. “Now come in and close the door, you’re letting the steam out.”

Swallowing, you did as bid, closing the door behind you. An additional two Succubi appeared as if from nowhere, grasping presumptively at your clothing.

“Oi! Gerroutofit…” You growled, pushing hands away.

“Oh stop, Adam.” Telia sighed, “It’s only fair, besides, you’ll sweat through your clothes in no time flat otherwise, and you smell bad enough as it is.”

Speech Roll(Telia): Success

“Yeh?” You murmur, lifting your arm slightly and taking a whiff. I mean sure, you smelled like dust and sweat but that was hardly unusual.

“We won’t bite…” One of the succubi teased with a naughty smile, hands upon your clothes once again. “…Well, unless you ask us to.”

“Behave…” Telia chided gently, but her own mouth curved into a smirk, forked tongue licking at her elegantly pointed eye-teeth.

“So.” Telia continued as if the sight of you being rapidly divested of your clothing while being bathed and oiled by her attendants was the most natural thing in the world. “What can I do for you, Resonant?”

“Well, couple things really. Firstly and most importantly, the thingumy’s finished.”

“Hmm?”

“You know, the sodding great whatever we’ve been building to kick a hole in reality.” You continued, feeling somewhat self-conscious as the succubi began laving your body with water and sponges.

“Oh! Heh… How droll. Thank you Adam. I shall begin arrangements immediately.”

“Yer welcome. Now. Blue…”

“Oh?” Telia quipped, arching her back deliciously as the succubi poured water over her gravity-defying bust. You swallowed in a mouth suddenly dry, trying not to stare hungrily at the Lilim and praying little Adam didn’t do anything stupid.

“Yeh. She’s my indentured. Y’can’t just go nicking her like that.”

“I am sorry Adam, but time was of the essence. Ducks in a row and all that.” Telia mused, stepping from between the succubi langouriously and pacing slowly, elegantly towards you, her movements practiced, sultry. “I’m sure you can forgive a tiny lapse of protocol… for the sake of something SO important…” She was almost close enough to touch, and your eyes helplessly drank in her alien beauty, her chiropteran wings spreading and shaking slightly to rid themselves of excess water “…I’m EVER so grateful for your understanding.”

>>280492

Hidden Roll

“Y’did this deliberately, didn’tcha?” You grumble, your face flaming with embarrassment as your traitorous body begins to respond to her undeniably alluring presence.

“What’s that?” Telia giggled, a slender, delicate finger held playfully between her teeth.

“Made sure I’d find ya here… Take the wind out me sails, so to speak.”

“You know you’re right! You would be a lot more intimidating without a certain… intruding presence souring your chastisement…” Telia mused, glancing down at your erect member. “…You know there are a number of Incubi who would be put to shame over…”

Hidden Roll

“Please don’t…” You near-beg.

“Make him beg some more, Highness…” One of the succubi grinned, and you recognised her as the one who had been socked in the mouth by the dingoes the previous day.

“Bucket could use a new friend…” You spat beneath your breath, the Succubi and Lilim sharing looks of utter incomprehension at your response.

“I’m only teasing Adam…” Telia chuckled. “…We’ll speak further later, I’m sure.”

“Excellency.” You accede, ducking your head and gently pushing a succubus out of the way as you reached out to snag your pants.

“What’s the rush?” The Succubus drawled, taking your hand and pressing it to a firm yet yielding breast. Your heart hammered in your chest…

Hidden Roll

…You removed your hand from her grip, stepping past her slightly and delivering a ringing swat with your open hand to her rounded backside. Her cry was a mixture of surprise and lewd pleasure, and she stared at you with smouldering eyes.

“So help me Tyris I will sit the lot of you the fuck down…” You warn, calling upon the Logos and feeling it respond.

“Highness…” The succubus lamented, squirming her thighs together with frustration and arousal.

“Don’t tease my attendants Adam, or I’ll let them off their leashes, so to speak…” Telia chided, a hard, warning edge to her voice.

“We’ll talk later, Excellency.” You echoed, scrambling into your pants and grabbing the remainder of your clothes, ducking your head again before near-fleeing from the room.

“Boss!” Blue exclaims, running over as you enter the taproom, pulling your shirt roughly over your head. “Why’re you all wet? If you were gonna take a bath you could have brought me and… Boss… why are you hard?”

“Hell’s bloody politics.” you grumble, giving the Kobold a brief cuddle with one arm, kissing the top of her head.

“Did Princess Tittywings…” Blue growls, her eyes narrowing.

“No Blue…” You assure the Kobold “…was just me head she was fucking with.”

“Good. Because it’d be a real shame if her agreement with the Dingoes suddenly went all to smash.”

“Blue!” You exclaim in amused surprise.

“She is an ambassador at the moment Adam, Recognised by the Council of Matriarchs and everything…” Cally quipped with a cheeky grin, folding one rounded leg over the other as she turned on her seat to face you.

“Why did I ever buy that bloody wagon…” You laugh helplessly, hugging the Koala and gratefully accepting seat and cool cider.

>>280493

“You’re after what?” Cally asked in confusion, tapping absently at the space next to her cards.

“Bit of History on Theallis… I mean if we’re gonna punch a hole in things, why here?” You clarify, studying your hand. “…Yeah, hit me.”

“Well I dunno about now, three millennia off the marker and all…” Emmy began, absently flicking cards at yourself and the Koala. “…But s’why the Lodges o’History set up the research facility here in the ruins of the old satellite base… ‘The Gap’, as yez call it. They got… anomalies… weird glimpses into other worlds. Hell wanted to know what they were having a bush-chook at, hence me.”

“Verily… What doth these icons portend?” Bella whispered to Blue, holding her cards out to the Kobold. Blue’s eyes went very wide, and she started making strangled noises in her throat.

“Fold…” Blue sulked, throwing her cards onto the table. You and Cally shared a look, wordlessly placing your own cards down.

“Again?!” Emmy exclaimed, throwing her own cards down.

“Hath I given offence?” Bella asked, her wings shifting as she studied the cards held clumsily in her taloned forelimbs.

“No Feathers… You just keep winning…” Blue lamented, pulling the Griffon’s talons down to display the cards. “Look at this! A Full Chancel in Swords!”

“But verily, I simply place the pretty ones together… this seems to be an oddly simple game.” Bella answers confusedly.

“Boss I don’ wanna play no more.” Blue laments with a slightly sick expression.

“Poor puppy…” you chuckle, patting the Kobold’s head comfortingly. “…So Telia’s telling the truth? This is just the easiest place to punch a hole?”

“As I said Adam, the ease of transition was why Thealiss was formed. If passage to Hell is so simple, why not other realms?” Cally replied with a shrug.

“Probably doesn’t hurt it’s months outta the way for anyone who wants to get muscular… I’d put a deep-sea on that bein’ why Chief-Bitch-Wingaling stuck poor Bella there. Humans started complainin’ that the white-shirts got too expensive to keep fed.” Emmy added, jerking a casual thumb at the Griffon.

“Verily…” Bella conceded, the word little more than a small, hurt sound.

“Now don’t you start!” Emmy chided vociferously, throwing her arms about the Griffon in an attempt at comfort, though the difference in their statures did look slightly comical. “There are flights in the Carpathians, I’m sure of it… Well… assuming they learned to get along with the Wamphyr…”

“Carpathians? Wamphyr?” You echo confusedly

“Oh bollocks…” Emmy cursed, plopping back into her chair, a hand on her small chin in thought. “…The Carpathians are a mountain range in eastern Europe… What’s that now…”

“They just call it the Continent.” The Vampire Nasha murmurs as she materializes from mist in a nearby shaded corner of the taproom. “As for Wamphyr, that’s us… Well, they’re the ‘old blood’, poncy gits.”

“How old ARE you, fangs?” Blue demands. “You and cheeky seem to know a lotta stuff about the olden times.”

Hidden Roll

“Cheeky?!” Emmy echoes in slight umbrage. “You’re gutsy, pupper.”

“I’m cute and I’m the favourite…” Blue smiles smugly, before barking a brief phrase. “…And I’ve got these two.”

>>280494

“These two wha… Maou’s tits!” Emmy exclaims, suddenly flanked by the two imposing Dingoes who seem to have appeared as if from thin air. The Dingoes look at the Gremlin for a moment before returning their attention to Blue.

“Not here to fight your…” A weird growling phrase “…Wiliwily knows this.”

Hidden Roll

“Illukaaaa…” Blue wheedles, giving the Dingo her most devastating look.

“If I had pup like you…” Illuka chides, folding her paws across her chest “…I put over knee for presuming.”

“Yes…” You agree, looking impassively at the Kobold.

“I’ll be good.” Blue concedes, wriggling slightly in her chair with embarrassment.

Adina attempts to suppress an amused grin. “Him good Alpha.” She sniffs the air briefly. “What is drink?”

“Wongi and Bush-Apple cider. S’good shit.” You reply. The Dingo grunts, jerking her head to her companion before heading over to the bar.

“…Well she doesn’t exactly have an account, I suppose I can put it on Freeman Adam’s tab though…” You hear Leperia muse thoughtfully.

“Of bloody course…” You groan, taking another drink.

“Love you Boss?” Blue offers hesitantly, fixing you with her most winsome smile.

“Isn’t this lovely?” A new voice intrudes, a garishly dressed woman plopping herself down at the table. “The anticipation of a new world, the formation of new friendships, and nobody doing violence on each other.”

“Yeh sorry, who’re you?” You ask with a slight snippiness at the unexpected addition to your table. You study the woman, her purple hair and feral eyes belying her non-human origins. Tyris. Her clothes were just TERRIBLE. The Australs weren’t known for being the hub of high fashion, but you’d have to be very drunk to be convinced to put on something similar. Your eyes pan up, and you suck breath through your teeth as you shove yourself back from the table, desperately calling on the Logos.

Mamono Lore(Adam) - Fail

“MATANGO!” you roar, pointing at the fleshy gills on the underside of the creature’s ‘Hat’.

“Where?” The new addition blurts in astonishment, turning this way and that.

Hidden Roll

“Adam… No… Please… For the Love of Maou… Sit down before you do something phenomenally stupid.” Cally groans, gripping your sleeve with one twin-thumbed hand and pinching the bridge of her nose with the other.

“Me?!” The new addition huffs. “Well I NEVER! And here I was thinking that I’d spied a human whose brain hadn’t rotted from millennia of mindless rote tradition.”

“Good luck with that…” Nasha interjects, sipping from a large goblet, the expression on her face one of displeasure as she studies the cup disappointedly.

“I think you owe someone an apology…” Cally sighs.

>>280495

Hidden Roll

“Ah Bollocks…” You groan. “…Madame, You’ve got my sincerest apologies. I’ve never seen anything with gills on its head that wasn’t a plague birther. Please, let me buy you a couple to apologise.”

“That cider does look good…” The Mamono concedes. “…I’ll write it off to having a silicate entity using your neuropathy as a repeater station.”

You glance in puzzlement at Cally, who merely spreads her hands in confusion. Emmy meanwhile, has collapsed from her chair in sheer mirth, holding her stomach as she howls with laughter.

“Y-you hatters are fuckin’ tops…” Emmy gasps.

“Hatters?” You echo.

“Mmm…” The new addition mumbles with a smug smile, pulling gently at the fleshy, garishly coloured cap atop its head you had mistaken for a hat previously. “…Although I would ask that you call me Wendy.”

“Wendy…” You echo. “…I’ll admit, I’m surprised, the other Wonderlanders I’ve met all have Zipangan names.”

“And where’s the fun in being like everyone else?” Wendy asks pointedly, crossing her legs elegantly as she takes the cider from the (oddly deferential) Leperia, the white rabbit almost genuflecting as she returns behind the bar.

“So whadda you do?” Blue blurts without hesitation. “I mean Fluffy-ears keeps getting time messed up, and the kitties bounce ‘round the shop, and the Dragons with the mouthy things make the world go wonky…”

“…How do you know all this pup?” You ask incredulously.

“What, you think I sat on me thumbs while you were doing things with cheeky and blondie?” Blue quips cheekily “C’mon Boss…”

“Pointed question, to be sure.” Wendy accedes, taking a drink from her tankard before smoothing the front of her costume. “When.” She begins, pointing to the White Rabbit behind the bar. “Where.” She continues, gesturing to where the cheshires are playing the curious game of ‘Go’, black and white stones clacking on the wooden boards. “How.” She concludes, placing an oddly elegant hand upon her own chest. “I can see possibility, choices, the paths that reality takes…”

Hidden Roll

“…So you knew I’d make the mistake earlier?” You drawl, resting your cheek on your palm as you look levelly at the Hatter.

“…Also that I’d get a free drink out of it…” Wendy smiles smugly.

You laugh helplessly. “Gotta pay that I guess…”

“Mmmhmm… Do you want to see?”

“Sorry?”

“Reality.” Wendy repeated, leaning forward and looking at you with an unreadable expression “Do you want to see it?”

“Adam…” Cally murmured warningly “…There’s a reason they’re called ‘Mad’ Hatters… Mortal minds aren’t equipped to deal with seeing reality unfettered… I can’t say you’ll be able to see it and remain sane.”

>What do you want to do? Wendy will give you a ‘what if’. You can ask her things like ‘What if I became a waylander’ or ‘What if we ignored Wagyl’s request?’ or ‘What if I never became a Resonant?’ You can’t see the future, and you will however suffer one ‘tick’ of sanity damage per request. (A relaxing night will heal you for two ticks… assuming you get a relaxing night) Also you now know Nasha has a much, MUCH longer history than you originally suspected, and you have veins chock full of warm, red bribery if there’s anything you want to ask her…

>>280496

What if we hadn't taken Chun-Hua with us on our caravan, and the kangaroo girl hadn't been viciously slaughtered (lumping those into one because it was pretty much impossible for her to survive WITH Chung-Hua in the party) Was she actually the daughter of a bandit lord? Could we have recruited her into the party? Was she just a one-off character ResonantDrunk threw in to get the obligatory Australian kangaroo out of the way?

Kangaroos are qts and I wanted the arachne and Mad Max guy. I have been harboring this salt since September.

>>280496

Since sanity isn't something as nicely recovered as health how about we not ask stupid questions like >>280549 is proposing? Besides, I'm sure there's something we can ask her to gain a leg up on the upcoming shitstorm if we phrase it right.

Asking what would've happened if things didn't go tits up with the lab (before Emmy 'went into the bacardi' as it were) or something similar would probably be more useful. And if this question is shot down maybe something along these lines?

>>280549

Then for the sake of your salt, I'll give you the freebie. No, her father Theo was a common highwayman and occasional chicken thief, but not a terrible guy. (He'd rough you up but wouldn't cut you open and leave you bleeding out on the road for amusement like Omar while he fucked your mamono in the eyesocket.) Yes, it would have been possible to recruit her, though there would have been a whole 'nother thing if she ever told her father you were carrying a barony's defecit worth of coin. Yes she would have won over Blue rather quickly and you could have hung a roo-cherry on your metaphorical trophy wall.

And what do you mean, 'one-off'? I've peppered Kangaroos throughout the story. Tristain's got 2 roo indentureds, one of which (Dani) is filling a 'Cally' role for Matt (Would have been you if you'd picked waylander), there was the 'bandit', there was one in the caravan, there just doesn't seem to have really been any interest in them. (Which was surprising, I won't lie.)

>>280496

Let's ask about the future instead of the past there's no point in regretting our actions thusfar.

What if Adam became a father?

>>280496

It's a bit indulgent, but I'm pretty interested in the "What if I never became a resonant" option. I think that Adam himself would be deeply interested in that one too, since it was such a massive turning point for him personally, and has influenced so many of his decisions and situations he's been in since he became such.

As for Nasha… Ask her what the world was like when she was new to it. Feel free to bribe her with blood; a drink for a story.

>>280550

>>280665

So bamping for consensus, do you want to do both of these, take 2 hits of sanity and 1 of health, and go promptly to bed? Or do you want to risk it for the biscuit and do something further afterwards? Or do you want to give the whole thing away as an indulgence and just go get yourself tenderly cuddled into oblivion?

>>280778

Curiosity killed the cheshire but satisfaction brought her back. I'm ok with dumping an agreement vote with the other anon as well as my choice, and promptly going to bed to get our marbles back. Make it clear that there's going to be no loods tonight, we've got saving the world junk to do. Hunch is that it's going to happen sooner rather than later.

>>280778

>>280781

I'm good with this.

>>280651

Aww fuck you're right. Let's ask what would have happened if we fucked blue while we were on that alarune stuff. I wanna see a pregers blue.

>>280923

Make sure to ask loudly with her there, she needs some fluster.

>>280923

>>280924

Ooh fuck, third option. What do you reckon everyone else? Since it means a sanity smack, Include or no? Also want to mod/refine anything about your existing requests? I'll hold off on this bit of the entry because I got far too enthusiastic and you cunts rolled far too well.

In the meantime, have some Nasha.

>Ask Nasha about her past for a good draught of claret

>Ask Wendy about if you never became a Resonant

>Ask Wendy about what would have happened if the Dis Anima hadn’t cut your time in The Gap short.

>Go to bed for good sleep sans lewds

“Still Cal…” You reason, “…That’s a hard offer to pass up, and Tyris knows my brain’s taken a battering before without packing it in.”

“You spent three days strapped to a bed when you found out Raoul was Lord Dumat.” Cally reminds you, folding her arms over her ample bust.

“And two of those were unnecessary.” You drawl in reply, reaching over and rubbing one of Blue’s tawny-furred ears.

“Are you EVER gonna let me live that down Boss?” Blue laments self consciously, squirming in her chair.

“You ever gonna give up on Bucket jokes?”

“S’different…” The Kobold sulks adorably.

You laugh, turning back to the Hatter. “Sure Wendy. I’ll have a squiz.”

“Goody Gumdrops.” The Hatter declares, clapping her hands with pleasure, before drawing what appears to be an ornate teakettle from seemingly nowhere.

“The fuck did that come from?” You blurt in astonishment.

Hidden Roll

Wendy opens her mouth, then cocks her head to the side slightly, as if listening to something almost too soft to hear. Turning back to you with a wry grin, she shakes her head, her mouth curving in a mysterious smile.

“Why do you ask questions you’re not going to believe the answer to?”

“Did you just…”

“Shh. Gotta get the brew juuuuust right.” Wendy interrupts, holding an imperious finger in front of your face.

“How long’s that gonna take?”

“How long’s a peice of string?”

Your mouth works fishlike for a moment, before your attention is caught by a nauseous grunt from Nasha, who has fished something out of her goblet and is looking at it in horror.

“Marsupial mouse…” Nasha hisses to herself. “…I am going to drain that succubus dry and whip her through the streets with her own intestines…”

A slow smile spreads across your face. “Cal, how much blood do Vampires normally take in a sitting?”

Mamono Lore(Cally): Success

“Only about a pint, they’re really rather efficient as far as hematophages go… Hold on… why do you ask?” The Koala demands, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Got an idea.”

“That’s NORMALLY, Adam!” Cally hisses, gripping your wrist intently “What if she decides she likes the taste?!”

“Blue love, if I sing out, can you ask the Dingoes real nicely to put the boots to Nasha until she stops biting?”

“…kay…” Blue agrees, but her brow is furrowed with confusion.

“Hold on, until WHAT?” Nasha demands, staring over at your little group, suddenly realizing that you’re all talking about her.

“S’orright Nasha.” You assure the vampire, before standing and walking over to her. “Couldn’t help but notice you’re not exactly a fan of the local vintage.”

“Did you happen to notice the sky was a pretty shade of blue while you were at it?” Nasha quips drily.

Hidden Roll

“I did, in fact.” You reply, not rising to the obvious bait. “I also noticed you let slip you’ve been around for much longer than most. Gotta say it sparked my curiosity.”

“Mmmhmm. Did someone paint ‘Itinerant Storyteller’ on my forehead while I wasn’t looking? Why are you BOTHERING me, human?” The Vampire demanded, her lips curling back slightly and teeth extending with irritation.

“Thought ya might be amenable to a classic exchange. Wet yer whistle to tell me a bit about it?”

Nasha looks at you with utter incredulity. “Have you lost what small amount of cognizant ability was in that monkey-brain of yours? I don’t drink cider…”

“I’m perfectly aware of that.” You reply evenly, rolling up your sleeve and flexing your forearm to make the veins stand out.

Nasha licks her lips involuntarily, her eyes flicking from your arm to your face, widening as the penny drops. “You’re offering me… Human… Fresh… Just for a story?”

>>280950

“What a beaut idea Nasha!” You tease.

“Want me to take my pants off and play with myself while I tell it?” Nasha gushes eagerly, almost drooling with anticipation.

Hidden Roll

You blink rapidly, dumbfounded. “I uh… What?”

“Human. If you had any IDEA how long it’s been since I’ve had it with a heartbeat behind it…” Nasha sighs lustily “…Yes. Yes. Please. Whatever you want to know.”

Speech(Adam): Success

“Reckon I’ll be right with the story, wouldn’t help me to be distracted and miss half of it thanks to something delicious in front of me, would it?” You muse softly, barely above a whisper. Nasha lowers her head slightly, a slight quiver in her breath.

“D-don’t tease me or I’ll thrall you…” She moans, yet her expression is pleading, almost desperate.

“Boss! Don’t bully fangs!” You hear Blue demand from the table “Or at least if you’re going to, let me get involved.”

“Don’t you dare!” The Vampire demands with a look of sheer horror “I’d never live it down!”

“Orright, orright…” You laugh, loud enough for your companions to hear. “…Sorry Nasha. I couldn’t resist.”

“Hmph… Well… What do you want to know?” The Vampire asks almost clemently, her equilibrium restored.

“Why don’t you start with when you were Human?” You offer, leaning back in the chair opposite the grey-skinned mamono.

“That will be difficult.” Nasha admits, pursing her colourless lips. “I wasn’t.”

“Eh?” You blurt in confusion. “I mean I don’t know a lot about Vampires, it’s true, but I know you don’t have children, at least not in the conventional sense.”

“That’s true. Still. I was never Human.”

“I don’t see how…” You begin, shaking your head in puzzlement.

Nasha’s mouth twists in a mirthless smirk. “So it’s finally happened… We’re forgotten.”

“We who?”

Nasha points to her ears, their pointed tips extending at least halfway up the side of her grey-haired head, the fleshy, fretted lobes conchlike in appearance. “Use the brains Maou granted a flea, Human.”

Your brow furrows in thought as you try and make sense of the Vampire’s obtuse statement. Pointed ears? Obscenely long lifespan?

Secular Lore + Mamono Lore(Adam): Success (Wait, what?! Wew lad, bonus lore…)

“Tyris! You’re… Elven?!” You gasp in utter astonishment “…But they’re extinct!”

“…Because that’s not likely to be a sore spot or anything…” Nasha almost growls, her eyes flashing with hurt and irritation.

“I’m sorry… I just… Strewth! Did you know the Abbeys spend a good three months finding new ways to trash God-Before-Tyris for letting you die out?”

“And we spent three centuries doing the same… and Edhel is a much more versatile language than Anglisch… I mean Magisterian.”

“We?”

“What’s left of my hosse’ai…” Nasha sighs “…And I really shouldn’t be letting it get to me. Realistically what else would you ask me, and where else would I start?”

“Tyris be Glorified Nasha, I really wasn’t expecting this. If it’s too much, I mean, we can forget the whole thin…”

“No.” Nasha states, gripping your arm with amazing strength. “I’ll put up with more pain than this to put my teeth in something red.”

“Well, if you’re sure…” You muse, pausing slightly. “…Also leggo me arm? Won’t do you much good if the prick falls off… again…”

“Again?”

“Buy ME one later and I’ll tell y’bout it.” You grin.

>>280951

Nasha laughs genuinely, releasing her grip on you. “Fair. Where was I?”

“Your Hossy-oy were trashing God-Before-Tyris.”

“Oh yes, your accent is foul by the way. My sire was… Is? I haven’t seen the old bat in so long… something of an… environmentalist, you see. Always looking to preserve little fragments of the world so they might be remembered. The Tel’Quassir… that’s us, ‘Elves’, I mean… we’d always been… closer with humanity than other Mamono, I mean, half-elves were a thing there, in places. Almost like we were here… before? I’m sorry, I wish I could tell you more, I was there when it happened, after all… but it’s like… my memory’s confused. I know our realities merged millennia ago but it’s like a dream, with my waking mind insisting that we’ve always been here.”

“Brutal.” You murmur, more to say something than to make any kind of point.

“Mmm.” Nasha agrees. “In any case, Even when the Order of Ilias… That’s ‘God-Before-Tyris’ by the way…”

“Yeh, her ghost… memory… whatever was what was giving youse shit out in The Gap.”

“Really? Huh…” Nasha remarks in mild interest. “…The Order had all but taken control of Humanity’s systems of government, and even then, as now, Mamono didn’t really care enough to try and establish an alternative until it started directly impacting upon them. By then it was too late.”

“The Scourging of Hell…” You remark.

“More like ‘The Bastardization and Attempted Genocide of Entire Races’, but I guess that doesn’t make for such pretty sermons.”

“Fair. Technically Blasphemy, but fair…” You grin.

“Well denounce me properly and we’ll fight about it.”

Your grin broadens. “She’s right ay.”

“Thought so. Anyway, The Order turned a blind eye to the Tel’Quassir. We just fit so WELL with Humanity, and our magic was nearly indistinguishable from the abilities of Human priests and paladins… Not surprising, considering the Seldarine were the only divines that Ilias could purportedly stand the presence of for more than five seconds without unleashing a cataclysm… So we kept our heads down, pretended we didn’t see… told ourselves we couldn’t do anything about it. And it worked, Maou forgive us, it worked… We were welcome, or at worst grudgingly tolerated in human society.” Nasha gives a gallows sigh. “We should have known better…”

You drank absently from your tankard. “What happened?”

“Our magic… stopped. I don’t know if Gods can have ‘friends’ like mortals, but The Seldarine were the closest She had, ruin be upon her… And She just… ATE them.”

“Ate them?”

“It’s the closest equivalent I have. Then she made the declaration ‘Through Me Alone do All Blessings Flow’, and ordered the burning of the Aina’orn. When that happened, we knew the horrible trap we’d been placed in. When the Aina’orn falls, the Tel’Quassir MUST…” Nasha pauses, squeezing her eyes shut in deep thought.

“Y’orright?” You murmur in concern.

“Shockingly, which is more upsetting than the memory, if I have to be honest.” Nasha admits cynically. “The act is ‘Aut-Nan Annûn’. We go… Somewhere else. But without the Seldarine, that ‘place’ wasn’t there any more.”

“So she was…” You prompted gently, still not understanding.

“Human, you’ve seen Angels. Do you think any Human is capable of coupling with one and surviving?”

“Well…” You mumble, not entirely sure if you should reveal the details of Raoul’s celestial trysts… did he really count as ‘Human’ though?

>>280952

“I thought not.” Nasha states, clearly misunderstanding your meaning. “Ilias was the Mother of Angels. How much less able would you be to lie with a God?”

“But… The First Unclean… The Greatest War…” You blurt, barely comprehending.

“True. Her greatest champion succumbed to Maou’s embrace. Became Incubus Primus. Iscariot Diabolus, in High Pandemonian. He who should have sired the New Heaven, now the consort of the Queen of Hell… We hoped, hoped against hope that maybe She would take Lord Larethian, our ‘Chief God’ as consort… But her intentions were much more direct. As city after city, tribe after tribe, hosse’ai after hosse’ai performed Aut-Nan Annûn, She was waiting… and we made the perfect candidates for ‘Ascension’.

“So the Elves…”

“…Became the new Angels, the Celestial Choir swelled and the Tel’Quassir were no more. Except for a rag-tag hosse’ai hiding in the Carpathian mountains, torn by the agony of rejecting Aut-Nan Annûn, starving… DYING in a way few of our race had ever experienced in living memory. We thought even the judgement of Tari’kelvar-Gurtha preferable to an eternity worshiping our destroyer. But as fate would have it, mercy wore a curious face that day. She was so ancient the word ceases to mean anything, but she stroked our hollow cheeks so tenderly… Said we would soon have nothing to fear, that she would never let our people die. Beautiful sentiment, too bad she failed.”

“Failed?” You echo, gesturing at the Vampire.

Nasha laughed bitterly. “She was Human once too… So it doesn’t surprise me that you don’t understand either. You Humans are so adaptable, so FLEXIBLE, genetically, socially, spiritually… It’s like ‘Human’ is some kind of incomprehensible idea, rather than a species. She couldn’t understand that as we awakened to Vampire, the part of us that was Tel’Quassir was gone forever, just like the Angels. At least we kept our memories, for all the good it did us…”

“I’m sorry…” You offer. “For all the Litanies of Castigation I can’t believe the church would just let it STAND though. Someone must have known.”

“Someone did. Too bad they were all in the High Temple of Ilias telling her how wonderful She was and how grateful they were that She would deign to manifest physically amongst their disgusting selves and offering to peel their faces off for her amusement…”

“Really?” You grunt in disgust.

“Probably, there’s no sycophant like a fanatic.” Nasha shrugs. “Anyway, the Lodges of History and their fellow Human Rebels and other Mamono sympathisers had decided that after around half a millennia of pogroms, tyranny, one sided war, historical revisionism and rampant jaywalking, they had just about enough of this shit, and decided if Ilias was going to play to her own ego like that, they’d show her what happens when Humans are given an ass to kick.”

You chuckle slightly in agreement. “You sound like you were there…”

Nasha shook her head with a soft smile. “Not THERE there… but my Thrall was… Idiot of a man…”

“Lover?”

Nasha shakes her head. “More like a son. The relationship’s complex, you’d have to be Vampire to understand. In any case, whether through whimsy or desperation, they took a page out of an old religion in the region, long since purged, and a few desperate men flew a stolen aircraft straight into the temple loaded with enough nuclear ordinance to turn not just the temple, but the entire area for miles around to smoking glass.”

You frown in puzzlement “Air… Craft? Nuke-leer?”

“Flying machine… And… whew… How do I even describe a Nuke? Think ‘The Wrathful Fist of Tyris’, that’s probably a good analogy.”

“Why the bloody hell would anyone develop a weapon like that?!” You gasp in utter horror “The fuck kind of wars did the Ancients even FIGHT?!”

“Big ones. Then lots of little ones, with the threat of a REALLY big one to stop them getting too far out of control. Humans have always been good at war.”

“Fuck me backwards, shit’s fucked ay.” You exclaim, shaking your head. “Thank The God for the Pax.”

“Seems to be the going opinion.” Nasha agreed diplomatically.

>>280953

“Why do the doctrines say that Ilias fell from Heaven then, if these ‘Lodges of History’ stuck a god-weapon up her clacker?”

“That didn’t kill Her, just pissed Her off to an immense degree. She simply could not comprehend an insurgency against Her. So She ripped Her anointing from the majority of Her followers, killing them or driving them into wall-chewing insanity and went wherever it is Gods go to sulk. The Order such as it was collapsed around the world’s ears, but one thing about Humans is, they won’t let something as minor as catastrophic failure stop them if they think they have a good idea. Luckily, or unluckily for the world, depending on your perspective, three very major things happened in relatively quick succession.”

“I’m gonna guess ‘The Fall of God Before Tyris’ and… Huh… Nope, that led to the Age of Apostasy…” You trail, trying to make the story fit with History.

“They called it the ‘New Century of Peace’ but… hindsight, I suppose.” Nasha quipped, draining the rest of her chalice with a shudder. “Urgh… I am REALLY looking forward to my drink, Human.”

“Yeh yeh, finish the story Fangs.”

“Fangs?”

“Well if you’re gonna keep calling me ‘Human’…”

Nasha gives a small, tight smile. “As you will, Adam.”

“Better. So. Three big fuckoff things…” You prompt.

“Firstly. The Lodges of History discovered Resonance and became the Grand Lodge of Resonance.”

“Ohhhh!” You exclaim, the pieces fitting together. “And promptly told the Order to go fuck themselves.”

“A few times. What was left of the Order’s leadership was a bit thick though. It took the new Resonants dropping a comet on a city before they started taking them seriously.”

“Bugger me… How’d they even do that?” You murmur, pondering the act.

“You’ve got to remember, the Lodges of History were formed as secret societies to protect knowledge from Ilias’s rabid attempt to remove everything that didn’t feature Her as front and center.”

Religious Lore(Adam): Success

“And The God said, ‘Yea, Seek thee not in thy zeal to obscure Truth for My Name’s sake. For I am Truth and Order, and if seekest thou wisdom with praise unto Me in thy heart, shalt the pure light of enlightenment be surely granted thee.’ All Glory to the Most High.” You intone.

“Mmm.” Nasha nods. “I’ve read the histories, the early church states Holy Tyris was VERY strict in enforcing that one. Personally I think the High Priestesses just used the excuse for old Resonant habits dying hard. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.”

“We are?”

Nasha nods, “Believe it or not I’m actually enjoying telling you this. It’s bringing up a lot of… Fond memories. One being the next two things. The Fall of Ilias, and the birth of the first Bulls.”

You frown at that. “I can understand Ilias, but Maou’s shame is a fond memory?”

“It ended the war. Officially. Even without the undeniable sight of a God screaming and burning before smashing into the ground somewhere, The Order had no leg to stand on with Mamono no longer being reliant on Humans for breeding, thus the possibility of transmutation became a bogeyman, and any remnants of the church were promptly driven out. Probably with torches and pitchforks. The Lodge had been playing liaison between Mamono, Humanity and the other fractured groups for ooh… fifty years at that point? So they established Magisterium, and basically took over governance.”

“Just like that?”

“They had all the technology, and the ability to tie reality into pretty little bows, who was going to tell them otherwise?”

“Fair call.” You concede.

“That was what the Histories call the Age of Apostasy, as you said before. Humans had an utter GUTFUL of religion after about seven hundred years of theocratic war. Even the most zealous had to admit that they as a species were on the ropes. The world’s population had dropped by almost two thirds on both sides, whole species of Mamono had been driven to extinction or… went away…”

“Went away?”

“Aut-Nan Annûn wasn’t something uniquely ours. A surprising number of Mamono races just flat out left… Where to? Some say The Ledans still swim on the dark expanse of the Dead River in the Underworld, but who’s to know?”

“Well, I mean… You ARE Undead…” You offer delicately.

“Am I?” Nasha replied evenly. “Sure, my body might sit at room temperature, but so do most reptilians. I might not need to breathe, but neither do Sandworms, at least, not as you do. I drink Blood nearly exclusively, but Succubi can live indefinitely off nothing but a human’s… heh… ‘spirit energy’.”

Your eyes widened with the revelation. “Oh. I thought…”

>>280954

“You might be right…” Nasha admits “…But I don’t know for sure. We live in a twilight world between two states, never really belonging to either. Even my sire would prefer to argue the point for a century or two rather than give a straight answer on it.”

“I know Priestesses who use the same technique to dodge fiddly questions…” You grin conspiratorially.

“Mmm. In any case, things started looking up. The Bulls were violent, mindless, and territorial, but it was easy enough for Mamono to keep them away from Humans at first. We… Made up. Mamono and Humans I mean, and for a long, wonderful time, we thought we might have gotten through it.”

“But…”

“But indeed. Populations were increasing, surprisingly fast in some instances. We didn’t know what had gone wrong but ‘Nulls’ started to appear. Mamono without gender, completely absent of magic and in some cases seeming to totally lack self-agency, like there had been some horrible magical trade-off for the Bulls.”

“Sound like you have some opinions there.” You drawl

“Mmm, but unlike you, I can still be done for our equivalent of Blasphemy. We’re in Thealiss, not the backside of the Moon.” Nasha adds pointedly.

“Fair, I mean, it’s not exactly things I don’t already know.”

“True, let’s move forward a bit. We Vampires don’t really do ‘Groups’ so much. We might form a coterie for a few decades if we’ve found a common interest or threat, or we’ll go bother a blood-sibling, child or sire on a whim, but mostly we keep to ourselves.” Nasha explained, “So it came as a complete surprise to us when whole TRIBES of Mamono regardless of species seemed to lose their Maou-damned minds all at once and go rampaging through Human settlements. What they didn’t rape, they ate, what they didn’t eat, they set on fire, and what they didn’t set on fire they broke into very small pieces.”

“The Winnowing of Sin.” You remark, nodding.

Nasha groaned. “The One Church of Eternal Tyris does just LOVE its euphemisms, doesn’t it?”

“Makes for pretty sermons.” You reply with a sly grin.

“Well, this ‘Winnowing’ resulted in almost as much death in two centuries as the entire, concentrated efforts of the Order did in over seven, so you’ll forgive me if I’m not flippant about it.”

“Death really bothers you, doesn’t it?” You remark thoughtfully.

“No, I work in an infirmary because I like smelling blood I can’t eat.” Nasha rejoins sarcastically. “Of COURSE it bothers me! I’m a Vampire! I NEED life around me, healthy, vibrant, well-fleshed life, otherwise I’d… Urgh… I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Sorry. So what then?”

Nasha peers at you. “Of all the bits I’d expect you to chime in on, this would be it. Little thing called Day of the Midnight Sun? Tyris appearing in His Glory in the Heavens, Maou supplicated at His feet?”

“All Glory to the Most High.” You intone automatically, raising your hands in the Sign of the Sunburst. “So… It… Actually happened like that? I mean I know there’s a lot in the Doctrines and Histories which is metaphor and allegory for stuff that’s just… Y’know.”

Nasha nods, “I know, and you can rest assured that it was EXACTLY like that.”

“How was it?” You ask breathlessly.

Nasha taps a long finger against her colourless lips, her feral eyes meeting yours. “Loud.” She announces finally.

Your jaw hangs open for a moment, before a laugh seemingly boiling from the bottom of your feet shakes your entire body with paroxysms of mirth.

“I don’t see what’s so funny…” Nasha remarks with a nonplussed look on her face.

“Loud!” You echo, holding your stomach. “I’m gonna piss meself! Loud!” You thump on the small table, desperately gasping for breath.

“Fangs, did you break my Master?” Blue calls from where she is sitting with your companions, the Hatter, and the two Dingoes.

“I have no idea, small-dog.” Nasha answers bluntly, peering at you “Are you alright?”

“I’m Okay… I’m Okay…” You declare, taking a deep breath. “Loud.” You murmur, another fit of giggles seizing you.

“Stop that!” Nasha demands “I really don’t see what’s so funny.”

“The Breath of God which Made the World… Bit windy…” You chortle.

>>280955

“Oh… I suppose that was something of an understatement, wasn’t it?” Nasha admits, her own mouth curving into a smile.

“It was the most Australian thing I’ve ever heard, and I was born here.” You declare.

“Well. If you’re satisfied, my mouth is a little dry after all that.” Nasha ventures.

“Course. Promise made…” You accede, holding out your arm to the Vampire, whose face rapidly transmutes into that rapacious, hinge-jawed horror. She looks at you for a moment.

“No giggling.” Those mantrap jaws order. Of course this sets you off again but you manage to tamp it down in short order. Nasha rolls her feral eyes and sinks those horrible teeth into the meat of your forearm.

“Sweet Merciful fuckin’ Tyris an’ his balls, That fuckin’ smarts!” You cry. Nasha’s eyes flick to meet yours as if to say ‘What did you expect?’ Gritting your teeth, you bull through the pain, taking another pull on your tankard as the vampire greedily drains blood from your arm. On and on she seemed to go… Funny, you started to feel a little lightheaded… you didn’t think you’d had THAT much to drink…

All of a sudden, she breaks her grip on your arm, blood oozing down her chin, her features rapidly transmuting back to those of a comely young woman.

“Oh Maou…” She moans lustily. “…I think I came a little there.”

“Yeh pack it in…” You murmur “…Can I have me arm back? I’m leakin’ claret everywhere.” You gesture to where blood is flowing freely from the fang-wounds in your flesh.

“Umm… S’alright… I’ve… Ahhh… Got it…. Mmmm…” Nasha assures you as she runs her tongue along the bitten area, lapping up the oozing blood.

“Nasha, I’m gonna have to put something on that and tie it up or It’s gonna go rank.” You declare, trying in vain to pull your arm from the Vampire’s iron-band grip.

“Just wait! I got it…” She insists again.

Hidden Roll

“Don’t make me put you on the ceil…” You begin threatening, before pausing and doing a double take at your arm. You must be seeing things… were the wounds… closing? Nasha kept licking, her tongue busy, not a single drop of blood going to waste. In a shockingly short span of time, nothing remained to suggest she had bitten you except for a slight redness.

You are now Physically HALE (blood loss)

“Ohhh…. Yummy…” The Vampire sighs, leaning back on her chair, wiping around her mouth and chin with her fingers and stuffing them greedily into her mouth.

“You actually look a bit flushed there, Nasha.” You chuckle.

“Heehee… S’funny… I feel a little dizzy…” The Vampire admits, blinking owlishly at you.

“Nasha.” Salethiael’s voice intrudes, the Incubus having approached the table discretely during the Vampire’s ‘meal’. “If you’re quite done, Juliet could really use a hand with…”

“That Succuslut can fellate my foot. Givin’ me rat blood… some bullshit.” Nasha drawls declaratively, a definite slur in her voice, poking a surprisingly shapely foot in the air for emphasis, the tips of her grey toes tinged with slight pinkness.

“Alba quid non meretur…” Salethiael groaned with a helpless chuckle. “Adam, how much have you had to drink today?”

“Three tankards? Four maybe?” You ponder.

“And have you perchance, NOT drunk any night you’ve been here in Thealiss?”

You fix the Incubus with a level stare. “Sal. Mate. Think about that question. Think about it REAL hard.”

“Aha. So that’s a no then.”

“Course it’s a fucking no! Not drinking on the road, fine, but in civilization? Has Hell addled yer brains mate?”

“The poor thing…” Salethiael chuckles beneath his breath. “…Don’t let her do anything too silly until she sobers up? I’ll tell Juliet she’s… indisposed.”

“Hold the farcaster… You’re telling me Nasha’s pissed?”

“As a parrot.”

You ponder that for a moment. “But I feel fine…”

“Of course YOU do, you’ve still got functioning internal organs.” Salethiael replied as if it should be perfectly obvious, shaking his horned head as he departs.

>>280956

“S’getting warm in here…” Nasha declared, standing unsteadily “…Think I’ll go outside f’rabit.”

“Be careful, yeh?” You offer gently, shaking your head slightly.

“M’a Vampu-pire. M’thousands-a yearsh old. M’good.” Nasha declares, smushing a finger against your mouth to hush you before leaning in, putting her mouth close to your ear. “Good talk Addie, next time maybe I can bite you with y’dick in me.”

“Tyris be fuckin’ Glorified, steady on…” You declare, looking at the Vampire with shock. Nasha giggles girlishly before skipping… yes… SKIPPING from the taproom. Shaking your head, you turn back to your own table to see Leparia setting down a veritable feast.

“Who ordered food?” You ask, squeezing between Blue and Wendy.

“It’s about that time of the night, Skip, and we’ve got a few here…” Emmy replies with slight puzzlement.

“Really? Huh. Didn’t think we were talking that long… Fuck me… I am hungrier than a Bungarra on a salt lake though…”

“It happens. Eat up Adam.” Cally encourages you.

“For what we are about to receive, so on and so forth…” You offer perfunctorily, raising your hands into a lazy sign of the Sunburst before scooping up a hefty helping and dumping it onto your plate. “One thing though…” You mumble from around a mouthful “…Don’t let a Vampire bite you if you’ve been drinking.”

“Oh, I could have told you that.” Cally remarks, chewing on some kind of steamed vegetable.

You stare at the Koala dumbly, before pointing with your knife. “You did that on purpose.”

“Am I a naughty girl, Master Trader?” Cally wheedles, twirling a lock of hair with a twin-thumbed hand.

“I’d threaten to put you over me knee ‘cept I know better.” You snort without thinking.

Emmy makes a noise into her tankard. “You’ve shagged the Shortstack?! Has anyone at this table NOT done the ground-and-pound with the Human?”

Wendy frowns, raising her hand. “I’m… pretty sure anyway… reality was a little fuzzy a few days back.”

The Dingoes look at each other, before Adina barks something at Blue. Blue smiles cheekily, whuffling in response. The two Dingoes give harsh, panting laughs, raising their hands in the air.

“Ere, what’s funny about that?” You demand, yet you are unable to keep the grin from your own face.

Illuka gives a barking response. Adina nods, giving another laugh “Illuka say, ‘how he still walking if he mated with Dingo?”

“Fuck, keep that in mind…” You murmur, blushing slightly as you return to your food.

“Oh! Adam, is it? The brew will be ready once dinner’s finished.” Wendy adds, scooping up a spoonful of purple-tinged rice and looking at it curiously.

“What is this?”

“Rice.” You reply simply.

“It’s purple!”

“Yeh, dunno why, just grows that way for some reason.”

“How unnatural…” Wendy remarks, putting it in her mouth and making a noise of pleased surprise.

“Right?!” Blue exclaims, gesturing at the Hatter and looking pointedly at Cally. The Koala rolls her eyes with a chuckle, scooping more food into her bowl.

>Still to come - Wendy takes Adam on a magic mindfuck ride through Might-Have-Been-Land.

>Anything else?

>>280957

>Anything else?

I've got nothing aside from keeping an eye on Nasha, like Sal asked. That was a pretty sweet history lesson, by the way. Good read.

>>281250

I've got nothing against asking more questions, but I feel like we should hold off on taking more SAN damage than we can conveniently heal. We'll have other opportunities, I think.

>>281250

I know you really want to see it man, and it'd be pretty funny to see both Blue all pregnant and hormonal in addition to her reaction to said, but that means she'd have to drink it as well, AND follow the timeline through every permutation until you reached one where she had a collar, which considering you only got in Thealiss after something you could only do with resonance means it's a bit much for me to shoehorn without more than just your vote on it. Sorry, I'll try and GM hook something with a dreamweaver for you, that'll just cost Adam cash.

Gonna have to say no by GM fiat. Sorry. :(

>>281008

I'll stick with my

>Ask Wendy about what would have happened if the Dis Anima hadn’t cut your time in The Gap short.

I'll also vote for keeping an eye on Nasha as long as we're cognizant enough to do so.

>Carried over: Wendy questions

>Make sure Nasha’s OK

“You’re not full boss?” Blue asks you, looking at you with slight puzzlement.

“Oddly no…” You reply, filling your plate again. “…’sides, I’m paying for it.”

“At some point.” Cally drawls cheekily, grinning at you.

“Shaddup you.” You snicker in response before tucking in. Truth be told you had to marvel at your appetite. So much had happened over the last few days that it was impossible to tell what exactly had kicked off this sudden ravenousness. “I can get fat if I want.”

“If there’s any fat on you, Skip, it’s under your fingernails.” Emmy drawled naughtily, the gremlin openly ogling you.

“C’mon… I’m no baronial bloody scribe but there’s plenty of tread on the wagon-wheel.” you snicker, gripping at your torso before pausing… Strange… you SWEAR you used to be able to grab more than that…

“Boss, we’ve been on the road for months now. S’not like we’re eating Jen’s cooking every night, and you know she’s not shy with the butter.” Blue remarks, noticing your confusion.

“Food here ain’t exactly awful though.” You reply around a mouthful.

“That’s because Liana cheats…” Leperia interjects, scooping up the empty plates, pausing as you scrape the last of the food into your mouth, reluctantly concluding your meal.

“Cheats? How?” You declare, washing down the last bites with a draught of crisp, tart cider. “I mean, y’can’t do much with rice, vegies and a bit o’bush turkey… Or was it mihirung tonight?”

“Hoop-snake, actually.” Leperia answers with a slight smile, her rabbit ears twitching slightly “Or was that tomorrow? No, no…definitely today.”

“But I hate hoop-snake.” You blurt in astonishment.

“Thou couldst have fooled me…” Bela remarks, trying desperately to suppress a grin, her chin resting on a horny talon.

“Orright, why do I feel like everyone’s havin’ a giggle at my expense.”

Emmy’s grin broadens. “Skip, where are the supplies kept?”

“Well they’re…” You begin, before trailing off in thought. “…What’s it matter? Clearly there’s plenty, I mean, we’ve been eating here for what, like couple weeks now?”

“Give or take… would ya believe me if I told you this tav doesn’t have a pantry?”

You snort in disbelief.

“Go find it if you can then geezer. While you’re at it, you sink enough piss, surely y’can tell me where the empty kegs get stashed.”

You frown in puzzlement. EVERY tavern had a near-wall of dead kegs waiting for some overworked cooper to collect. Yet for some reason…

Hidden Roll

“…Please don’t tell me we’re harvesting from Hell…” You groan, your stomach sinking. The Mamono at the table all burst into giggles.

“N-no, you probably wouldn’t survive that. Maou preserve, I probably wouldn’t survive that!” Cally assures you, wiping her eyes.

“Then for the love of The God, will someone tell me where the bloody food’s coming from?”

“The meat’s legit…” Emmy begins “…Liana’s abilities don’t stretch that far.”

You pondered that. As toothsome as the dishes you had eaten in Thealiss had been, they DID seem to stretch more to the vegetarian than carnivore, the degustation provided by the Kikimora notwithstanding.

“What is she? Dryad? I can’t believe I haven’t so much as seen her in that case.”

Cally shakes her head. “Liana’s shy around Humans, the food’s her way of contributing while she’s here. She’s a Troll, Adam.”

Mamono Lore(Adam): Fail

Your brow furrows in confusion. “Eh? The big-handed sheilas who hang around bridges?”

“Certes! Adam! I expected better of thee…” Bella exclaims with a look of disappointment.

“Well stone the bloody crows, forgive me for not knowing the ins and outs of every Mamono in existence.” You grumble. “I’d apologise but apparently I’m scary or some shit.”

“Verily, there art none so skilled in the art of summoning gentle verdant life from the slumbering earth.” The Griffon exclaimed. “E’en the Order in their fanaticism were forced, yea, to give unwilling acknowledgement to the beneficence of their touch upon fallow ground.”

“It really is amazing Skip, she just has to THINK plants and they grow. Rarity, delicacy, doesn’t make a pickle-pie. She’ll go walk off to sit in the sun somewhere and come back with a positive barrel-load of dinner… Usually with whatever tried to eat her that day dressed and skinned over the other shoulder.”

“…Hence the Mihirungs and Hoop-Snakes.”

“And there you have it. Feel better now?” Cally smiled.

>>284285

“No, now I want to MEET the girl!” You declare.

“She’s real skitty Boss.” Blue insists, “Wouldn’t come near me for near on the whole time you were in The Gap ‘cos she smells ya on me. Only let up after I ripped off a couple legs on a camel-spider that was trying to have her for breakfast.”

“Eurgh. Fuck ‘palps.” You declare, shuddering at the thought of the ravenous arthropods which skittered across the deserts of the Australs.

“Whaddaya think was in the gumbo that night Boss?” Blue giggles.

“And you got shirty about sandgropers?” You cry in mock umbrage, tickling Blue incessantly.

“Noooo! Hahaha! She m-makes it taste good though! Hahaha! You t-tried to give it to me on a stick!” The Kobold objected desperately, struggling in your grip.

“As homely as this all is…” Wendy interjects with polite firmness. “…We’re ready.”

You release the Kobold with a final muss to her tawny hair (It was getting rather long, you had to admit), and turned to face the Hatter, who had placed a delicate teacup before you, a deep brown liquid steaming within it.

“So how do we do this?” You ask, picking up the cup gingerly, your hands looking large and clumsy around it. Wendy smiles, picking her own cup up in elegant hands, draining it with a single draught. Attempting not to look like a complete savage in comparison, you drink down your own. It had an odd bitterness, yet not as overwhelming as coffee, and the tannin notes seemed curiously refreshing.

“Hey, that doesn’t taste half bad…” You remark. “…So what no…”

Without warning, the world shattered and fell to pieces around you.

>>284286

“Adam? Are you alright?” Wendy’s voice echoed from somewhere in the weird and lurid expanse which surrounded you.

“What the…” You murmured, looking about yourself. Glowing threads of some indescribable material seemed to weave and weft throughout the constantly shifting landscape. You felt a ‘tug’ and looked down, to see one of the threads entering your chest. “What is this?”

“The Web of Possibility…” The Hatter’s voice echoed, almost reverent in tone. You tried to move, yet found yourself locked in place.

”Why can’t I move?

”Because the Future’s over there… and that’s not for your eyes to see…”

”Bit cheap… How’m I supposed to cheat at cards with this?” You joke.

”You are a funny one” Wendy giggled. ”Think of where you want to go… what you want to see…”

You pondered that for a moment. A caw broke your concentration, and you saw a Raven gliding overhead, looping here and there through the threads, its bright eyes searching, searching…

”What’s with the bird?”

“Oh drat…” Wendy cursed. “…Shoo! Go on! Shoo! You’ll only confuse him.”

The Raven… chuckled… an oddly human sound, before flapping its wings again and shimmering from view. You shook your head, trying to find something to focus on. Everything had seemed so… Odd since your time in The Gap, and you felt like somehow there was a deeper meaning underlying things that you were barely on the periphery of.

“Fuck it, that’ll do…” You mumbled, and the strange landscape blurred around you as the world… Changed.

>>284287

“Does this mean anything to you?” You asked the Griffon, holding up the sheet of parchment.

Bella peered at the scrap. “Nay.” She answered simply.

You sighed in disappointment. “Welp, nothing for it but to start looking…” You concluded, trudging up one of the corridors at random. The place seemed so oddly… clean, the ever-present dust and shuffling boneys notwithstanding. The rooms to either side were filled with machinery which defied your understanding, yet nothing resembling the metal tank which Telia had described. You pressed on, the Griffon strangely… close beside you. Suddenly, your path was blocked by a large set of metal doors with no apparent handle.

“Well how in buggery am I supposed to get this open?” You muttered aloud.

”Compliance” The bodiless voice which had greeted you in that open area with the odd carts and the boneys spoke suddenly, the doors opening with an oddly soft sound. A small room, unremarkable in its plainness stood before you, mirrors on each wall.

“What kinda thing is this?” You ponder as you step inside.

“Please state your destination.” The voice insisted, this time emanating from a small black protrusion near the door.

“Certes, Human, do not entreat this vile spirit!” Bella demanded, grabbing your arm with a horned talon and attempting to pull you from the small room.

“Ease up Bella. I’m sure between the two of us…”

”Sublevel Two” The voice acknowledged, the metal doors closing and the room… MOVING!

“Tyris be Glorified!” You exclaim in shock, gripping the metal handrail. The Griffon shrieks, clinging to you in alarm.

”Sublevel Two” The voice repeats, the doors opening on a corridor that was quite different from the one you had left.

“Y’orright Bella?” You chuckle in relief. The Griffon releases you as if you had become white hot, harrumphing and blushing in acute embarrassment.

“Well shit… And I thought this place was big before…” You remark, stepping out and looking around. This area was absent the omnipresent ‘boneys’ that shuffled about your previous location. What it did have was bones… lots of them, everywhere you looked.

“Well now we know where everyone is…” You murmur, recoiling as you accidentally brush against a skeleton lying across one of the curious stacked cots which lined the room. The Skeleton slithered to the floor, shattering in a cloud of bone dust which made you sneeze.

“The God forgive you your sins, and accept you unto the Heavens.” You intone automatically, raising your hands in the sign of the sunburst.

“Why?” Bella asks.

“Hmm?”

“Why do you pray for this… Heretic?”

“What makes him… her… a Heretic?”

“They stood against Holy Ilias, they were of the Lodges of History, vile Idolaters which sought knowledge unsanctioned by Her Holy Church.”

You blinked at that. The pursuit of knowledge? A Heresy? Ridiculous! Still, no sense in getting into that here and now, you had a job to do.

“Not my place to condemn.” You mutter noncommittally.

“Truly… thou art not like other Humans, Adam.” Bella remarks thoughtfully, following along as you investigated these skeleton-strewn rooms. Suddenly, you came upon an open gate, curious devices placed upright upon shelves along the length of its interior, a door hanging open to its rear revealing a long passage-like room, its far end hidden in shadow.

“Whazzis?” You ponder, stepping inside and picking up one of the devices. “Looks almost like a Shard Rifle, but I can’t see anywhere to prime the core…”

“Dost thou know what thou art doing?”

“Not a bit… still, if it is, shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out… Now… This looks like the feeder… what are these metal things? Wait, there’s one already attached.” You narrate aloud, setting one device down and picking up the other before looking out at the long room behind the thick door.

“Stone, sand, bare earth… Looks like a range to me, only one way to find out…” You murmur, shouldering the device and pulling the trigger.

BANG

“FUCKIN’ BALLS! That’s loud!” you declare, shaking your head to clear the ringing in your ears. Bella asks you something, inaudible over the tinnitus.

“Whazzat?” You ask, wriggling a finger in your ear.

“I said, is it functional?” Bella repeated.

“If it kicks on the front end anything like it just kicked me, I feel sorry for anything getting in front of it!” You remark, studying the ancient weapon with awe. “Bugger me but the Ancients knew a thing or two…”

>>284288

“Certes… Art thou finished? Something down here is making me feel… uneasy.”

“Really? I don’t feel anything… well, apart from sore ears and a bruised shoulder…” You jest.

“I am serious.” The Griffon insists.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s down here…” You concede, before spying a faint blue glow down a nearby hallway.

”Free me!” A soft voice begs on the edge of hearing.

“Did you hear that?”

Bella nods, yet grips your arm with a vicelike grip as you start towards the light.

“Nay Adam… It is Darkness… It is Death… We should leave its tomb undisturbed.”

“How do you know?”

“When the dead lie disquiet, doth the power of the grave become manifest. In a place such as this, yea, with the Word of God absent to command it be still, it will have grown in power over the years. I cannot fight such a thing, and I must see my treasure secure.”

“As you will… Feel kinda bad leaving it here though…”

“It is not to be pitied.”

“If you say so.” You shrug, and as you turn away, a shriek of fury and frustration seems to chill you to the very bone.

“…Good call. Thanks Bella, you probably saved my bacon there.” You admit, as you return to the metal doors.

“Certes.” The Griffon agrees.

“Uh… Open.” You command the door, which slides open at your word.

“Say what you like about her, she’s helpful.” You chuckle. “Now… I seem to remember that ‘recording’ saying something about three sublev… OH BLOODY HELL!” You exclaim as the room shudders to movement again, Bella once again clinging to you. Once again, the doors slide open, and another hallway presents itself, this one lined with those strange vine-like protrusions, tiny lights of flashing colour playing along intricate devices in metal boxes which stretched to the ceiling… and a familiar arcing and crackling at the hallway’s end.

“Another Matrix!” You exclaim. “Bella, you’d better stay here.”

“What is it, Adam?”

“Something dangerous… though not to me…”

“How dost thou know?”

“Because I can hear it…”

>>284289

Suddenly, reality shuddered, the weird landscape of the web of possibility once again appearing, though this time shifting crazily about you. ”What’s happening!” You cry.

”A turbulence in the streams of possibility… too many choices for your mind to assess all at once and remain cognizant… stay strong… it won’t last long… I hope…” Wendy’s voice echoes.

”You hope?”

”This is your web, Adam… I’m just along for the ride.”

>>284290

Suddenly the shifting subsided, and once again you found yourself back in The Gap, though this time both Emmy and Bella were travelling beside you as you strolled through the hole you had torn earlier into the bright sunlight.

”A Sun! A tiny Sun! Contained and powering this whole place!” You exclaim in amazement.

“Yeh, fusion does that.” Emmy remarks with a nonplussed expression as she slouched in her humming exo. “I can’t believe you broke the Server!”

“I didn’t break it… it was… finished.” You reply, not really understanding what you said, your head awhirl with information which defied description, the Matrix having transmitted a mass of endlessly mutating glyphs somehow THROUGH you, their intricate forms melding and joining with the whirlwind of the Logos which sat as always in the back of your conscious mind.

“Yeh well… Hey feathers, how are you holding up there?”

“I shall live.” Bella answered with a grimace, her wings once again stripped to make the funeral garments for the tiny forms she cradled tenderly in her talons.

>>284292

”Come back, Adam…” Wendy’s voice entreated, reality shimmering around you…

”But there’s so much! I know so much!” You object.

”You don’t want to see what comes next.”

”Oh c’mon, what could possibly…”

”Death.” The Hatter interrupted.

”Whose?”

”Would it matter?”

You pause for a moment, the Web of Possibility once again forming around you. ”No… I suppose it wouldn’t”

”We still have some time. Is there something else you would like to see?”

You concentrated for a moment… So much had been triggered by, and resulted from your resonant ability… part of you wondered if you were little more than a vessel for a power much greater than yourself, your destiny superseded by the intricacies of the Logos.

”Only one way to find out…” You murmured, willing yourself towards that fateful day at the bank of the river.

”Adam!” Wendy cried as massive turbulence shook the world around you ”This timeline is a rough sea in a violent storm… I can see very little of what will occur… Be certain this is where you want to be…”

”I have to know…” You declared, gritting your teeth and riding the turbulence like a canoe upon a foaming river, your ‘eyes’ fixated upon the calmness ahead.

>>284293

“…still think this is an absolutely terrible idea.” Cally remarked, looking pensively at the Mihirung which plodded alongside the Wagon.

“Ah. He’s a good boy, aren’t you?” You drawled, reaching up and scratching the Mihirung’s headfeathers. The large, flightless bird squawked, clattering its flesh-rending beak happily at your touch.

“It’s not sleeping in the Tent.” Blue insists, folding her paws across her modest bust.

“Cairn Blue, I’m not that daft.”

>>284294

'”This isn’t where I wanted to be!”''

“It’s the closest calm patch I could see, as I said, this timeline is fraught with branching paths, snarls, and paradoxes…” Wendy replies. Sighing, you allow yourself to sink back into the reality you have sought out.

>>284295

“Do you think it’s a good idea bringing her along?” A spideresque figure enquired, gesturing casually to where a human man is talking animatedly with a Kangaroo as they walk (in her case, hop) next to the trundling wagon.

“Am I paying you to crawl up me about every other thing Rachel?” You chuckle at the Arachne. “What was I supposed to do? Kill her?”

“She did threaten you.”

“She’d been listening to too many bad stories. No harm done.” You declare dismissively.

“Max seems awfully taken with her…” Imkampfy's Fursonaremarks, the chelicerae at the base of her humanoid torso flaring slightly.

“Spidey’s Jealous…” Blue snickers mockingly.

“I am going to bite you, so help me Maou…” The Spider-woman seethed.

“Leave off me Kobie.” You remark absently, looking to where Max has suddenly dropped to a knee, studying the ground intently.

“S’goin on Maxie?”

The human mercenary turns his stubbled face to you, lips pursed and an odd seriousness in his eyes. “We’re being hunted Adz.”

“Ah, big-bird here should scare ‘em off.” You remark, gesturing at the Mihirung. The terror-bird gives a harsh squawk of seeming agreement.

“Full pack of Wolf-Spiders?”

“Fuck… Seriously?”

Max nods, turning to the Arachne. “Rach? Thoughts?”

The arachne swears. “My web will be useless, they’ll pick right through it. Maou Damn it! Fucking Ferals…”

“Let them come! The Daughter of the Bandit Lord Theo will not be dissuaded by…” The Kangaroo declares bellicosely, before her voice turns to a wordless shriek as a grey figure leaps from the nearby brush, arachnid legs clasping the kangaroo as fangs hunt for her body, the humanoid upper half chittering with mad laughter as the Kangaroo kicks madly, trying to dislodge this attacker.

“No quarter!” You yell, ripping your knife from your leg-sheath. “Birdie! Kill the grey spiders!”

The Mihirung gives a harsh, bloodlusting screech, charging at another wolf-spider which is running frighteningly fast towards the wagon. The Feral Mamono and the beast collide in a frenzy of taloned feet, snapping jaws and slicing fangs.

“Rachel! Watch Cally!” You order, jumping off the wagon. “Blue…” You begin, but Blue has already started chanting in the guttural Kobold language, her voice becoming more and more rapacious as the Spirits of the Hunt overtake her.

“Get ‘em, pup!” You order, gritting your teeth and ducking under the forelegs of an attacking spider. You tear your knife along the join of flexing chelicerae, hot blood and venom spurting onto your clothes as the feral shrieks in pain. You are forced to pause, for an instant seeing nothing but a hurt girl, her delicate face twisted in agony. Then she looks at you again, howling at you through a mouth filled with seemingly hundreds of needle-sharp teeth. Swallowing, you stab the point of your knife through one of her bulging obsidian eyes, twisting as you feel the blade crunch into the brainpan.

“Tyris Forgive me…” You gasp, suddenly understanding Matt’s predicament… As once again reality shudders.

>>284296

”Really?!” You declare, holding on as the turbulence sweeps you along.

”You expect a battle to be free of choice?” Wendy’s voice echoes.

”Fuck… Point…” You concede.

“…think that pig-sticker of yours could do that kind of damage.” Max laughs as reality re-solidifies.

“Yeh well you can thank Kessiah, a week of getting the shit kicked out of me kinda forced me to learn a few things.”

“Such a shame though… That Mihirung really did you proud.”

“He was a good bird…” You admit, slicing off another thick helping of smoking meat. “…Which is why, as my Kobie so pointedly reminded me, we honour his spirit and the gift of his flesh.”

Blue gives a harsh bark, which you do your best to replicate. “You doin’ orright pup?”

“Yehboss.” Blue grins, leaning against you, ripping a piece off your terror-bird steak presumptively.

“And the Koala!” Max continues. “Are you sure you’re not a drop-bear in disguise?”

“Please refrain from insulting me while I’m stitching…” Cally quips shortly, her face intent as she sutures a bloody gash in the kangaroo’s leg. “…Besides, it was only Rachel’s skill which let me get the drop on it, after all.”

“Mmm… There is that. Good work Rach…” Max offers, extending his hand to the Arachne.

Imkampfy's Fursonastudies him for a moment. “Are you noble?”

“What kinda question is that?” Max laughs.

“Humor me.”

Max frowns slightly in puzzlement. “No… not that it makes any difference.”

“No…” the Arachne declares, a wicked smile on her face, her obsidian eyes glittering “…It makes all the difference.”

“What do you… Ack!” Max exclaims as Imkampfy's Fursonaslings a length of silk around his legs, her spideresque lower legs working with frightening speed to encase his struggling body in silk.

“Rachel! What are you doing?” You demand.

“I almost died today, Adam! And if it’s all the same to you, I do NOT want to go to Maou a virgin!”

“You could have just asked!” Max’s muffled voice sounds from within his silk shroud.

“Shut up.” Imkampfy's Fursonaorders, throwing the human across her shoulder and clambering up a nearby tree.

“Hehehehe… Cute…” Blue chuckles, cuddling into you again.

“You’re damaged, pup.” You retort with a helpless laugh.

“Crikey!” You hear Max declare from somewhere above you. “Now see Imkampfy's Fursonahas made the first mistake Arachnes need to avoid when dealing with live prey…”

“W-will you hold sti… Ahhhhhnnnnn….” The spider’s demand turns into a low, lewd moan.

“As you can see, Arachnes are very sensitive around the…”

“We can do without the running commentary!” Cally orders presumptively, digging through your medical supplies, the Kangaroo moaning half-conscious on the ground.

“Need a hand Cal?” You ask.

“Save the hands for later, my neck and shoulders are going to be an absolute MESS by the time I’m finished here.”

“Orright, I’ll try and find a waterhole to clean up in the meantime.”

“Boss, this is bunyip country…” Blue murmurs, grasping your hand as you stand up.

“I know Blue… Figured I might try taming one…”

”Damn… it’s fading…”

”Yes… We’re out of time, I’m afraid… I only offered you a look.”

>>284297

“…Still I thought… Woah…” You exclaim, putting your hands to your head as you find yourself once again back in Thealiss. “…I felt them… All of it… It was like I was really there.”

“You were.” The Hatter replied mysteriously. “The other ‘You’s are going to have some very strange dreams for the next couple of nights.”

You are now Mentally INJURED

“The specifics… I can’t…” You babble, screwing your eyes closed in an attempt to hold onto the memories which seemed to shimmer and fade even as you desperately tried to remember them. “Plane-Walking… Beast-Mastery… They’re RIGHT THERE!” You declare helplessly.

Wendy gently places her elegant, slender-fingered hand atop your arm gently. “It’s not good for you to remember too much. You can fall into a fugue, forgetting what timeline you should be on… end up wandering the web aimlessly looking for a way back to the ‘You’ that you’re supposed to be.”

“You seem to manage.” You remark, cursing softly as the fine details of your experience grow even more hazy.

“Do I? Or am I simply following the thread of another reality?” Wendy asks primly, crossing one shapely leg over the other. “THAT will drive you mad of an evening.” The hatter declares, her laugh slightly crazed.

“You orright Boss?” Blue asks timidly, her paw on your leg.

You nod. “Yeah pup… Just… You know that feeling when you first wake up and you’re not sure if you’re still dreaming? Kinda got that in a big way right now. Nothing feels entirely… Real.”

Blue grabs your face between her paws, kissing you soundly. “I’m your good girl, master. This is Real.”

“For you…” Wendy interjects.

“Stop helping!” Blue growls, “Can’t you see his brains are scrambled? Why’d you even offer it to him anyway.”

“So he could see how far I’ve looked to find a way to save my people.”

“Your people?” You echo.

“Wendilina Anastazia Yasmin Ophelia Ursula Teague, Regent of Wonderland, at your service.” The Hatter elaborates with a slight inclination of her head.

Secular Lore(Adam): Success

“Your Grace.” You murmur deferrentialy.

“That’s relieving, usually people react with disbelief or shock when I tell them that!” Wendy laughs in pleased surprise.

“Yeh well, me dad calls the Lord Baron of House Reinhardt a cunt on a daily basis… Hats don’t really mean a helluva lot in the Australs, your Grace.”

“I’ve seen you defer to the man in the black tunic pretty fervently…” Wendy teases.

“Yeh well, that’s more what the title indicates he’s capable of. And how long have you been watching?”

“Since the White Queen first brought the idea before me, using your peculiar abilities to open a hole between worlds, disperse what remains of my people amongst Earth and Hell… It’s a last-ditch, but I fear we don’t have too many other options.” Wendy admitted. “Interesting that you looked towards the timeline where you mayhap discovered the means of doing so without the Gremlin’s device, however… One might suspect the hand of Providence…”

“If I hear a fucking raven right now…” You mutter darkly. Wendy blinks at that and erupts in a peal of delighted laughter, its edges still tinged with madness..

“Whazzat boss?” Blue asks.

“Nothing Pup… Listen, reckon I’m gonna turn in for the night… Where’s Em and Cal?”

>>284300

“Verily, Sir Phillip didst summon them with great urgency whilst thou wert entranced.” Bella answers, stretching her wings, the Dingoes giving whuffles of admiration at their span.

“Everything alright?”

“The Manticore did seem to be more amused than afeared.” Bella admitted with a slight sourness.

“You two still at it?” You groan.

“Certes, there is… history between our peoples. I shall visit no mischeif ‘pon her, yet I am not compelled to extend the wing unto her neither.” Bella justifies primly.

“M’goin’ to bed.” You declare, shaking your head helplessly and standing. The canids and the Griffon likewise rise, and you bow slightly towards the Hatter. “Here’s hopin’ we get your people safe sooner rather than later, your Grace.”

“Thank you, Resonant.” Wendy smiles genuinely, pouring herself another cup of ‘tea’ as you begin to leave. As you step outside into the cool night air, a grey hand siezes your wrist, pulling you nearly off your feet.

Triune snarls sound at your back, two wordless, the third Blue’s very clear “LEGGO ME BOSS!”

“Oh shhh! M’not gonna hurt him. We’re gonna go nightwisp hunt… ghack!” Nasha’s slurred voice breaks off into a choked gasp as a deadly talon clamps about her throat.

“Thou shalt release my boon companion lest I do violence upon thee…” Bella almost purred. Tyris, she was quick when she had to be.

“Y’can’t choke me, Andodulin.” Nasha gurgles mockingly around the Griffon’s grip.

“Verily, but canst thou survive without thy head?” Bella muses sweetly.

Hidden Roll

“Orright, ORRIGHT. Let’s all settle the fuck down before I get shirty.” You demand. “Nasha, leggo me arm. Bella, leggo the Vampire. Blue, Iluka, Adina, pack it in.”

The Mamono do as bid, Blue gazing at you adoringly, the Dingoes and Bella with questioning glances, and Nasha with an almost petulant look on her face.

“Thought we were friends…” The Vampire sulked.

“Don’t sulk, Nasha.” You chide. “What’s so important that yer tryin’ to snatch me off the street?”

“Nightwisps’re running, not too far from here.”

The Dingoes make noises of excitement, barking at each other in their curious language. Blue cocks her head, whining a query, which Adina answers, seemingly barely able to contain her enthusiasm. Blue gives a squeal of genuine delight.

“Boss! Can we go? Pleasepleaseplease? The Kobold begs, clinging to you and giving you those devastating Azure eyes.

“Now hang th’fuck on… I didn’t exactly…” Nasha begins to object, pausing as Bella pointedly flaps her massive wings. “…Well I guess it’s a free desert.” She concedes drunkenly.

Hidden Roll

“You girls have fun. I’m gonna pass on this one… whatever it is.” you answer.

“Awwww!” Blue laments.

“Maou damn it, y’know you comin’ along was the only reason I came back!” Nasha objects.

“Yeh, well, ‘preciate it Nasha, but I’m fuckin’ shattered.” You explain. “Plus, let you girls stretch yer legs a bit, I can’t imagine you’ve been run off yer feet the last couple days. Let you burn off the blood a little too, eh Nasha?”

“S’not my fault you’re a drunk.” Nasha retorts, flicking a rude gesture at you.

“Goodnight girls!” You declare with a laugh, turning and waving nonchalantly. “Blue, Bella, look after Nasha for me?”

“By th’Blood of the First, I am a fuckin’ Elder, not some ravening neonate!” Nasha near-howls incensedly.

“Thou art drunk. Chide not Adam for seeing to thy welfare.”

“He’sh a frustratin’ shit… Cute though.”

“Not until you start playing nice, Fangs…” Blue snickers wickedly.

“Ah fuck me…” you grumble, heading towards Phillip’s rude dwelling. Even that simple interaction, now you were free of it, seemed unreal, almost dreamlike… Had that actually happened? “…I need some fucking sleep.”

>>284301

“Oh! Adam!” Morrigan gasps as you enter the dwelling. “Nasha was looking for you. Wanted to go wisp-chasing.”

“Yeh, sent her off with Blue, Bella, and the karri trees masquerading as Dingoes.”

“Really? Heh… to be a fly on the wall during THAT chase.”

“M’assuming there’s a story there, but I am fucking shattered.” You declare. “How’s Phil?”

“You look it.” Morrigan agrees, “And he’s fine… it’s the change… ordinarily an Incubus is in Hell when it occurs so there are certain ways to ease it. On this plane he has to feel every instant of it, poor muffin. Even I can’t keep him distracted every second of the day. Girl’s gotta sleep sometime..”

“I’m sure… So that’s what Em and Cal are doing.”

“Ostensibly, they seem to be spending more time dirty-talking about you to be honest.” The Manticore drawls lecherously, her barbed tail lashing behind her.

“Goodnight!” You groan, “Fuckin’ can’t walk twenty metres without me cock becoming a fuckin’ talking point… I’mma chop the fucker off, swear to Tyris.”

“Pretty sure that’s Heresy.” Morrigan called after you as you stomped up the hallway

“Fuck you too, Morrie.” You grunt, pulling the door firmly closed behind you and collapsing into bed.

>>284303

You are now mentally and physically FIGHTING FIT

It was morning. Thoroughly morning, the light outside your window bright and insistent, not the cool, gentle light of late dawn you preferred to awaken to. A warm lump against your side made a small noise, sleepily reacting to your movement.

“Gudday pup…” You chuckle, pulling the blanket back. “…How’d you girls OH SWEET TYRIS!” You scream, recoiling violently at the sight of violet hair and felinid ears pressed against your side. Your scrambling exit dislodges three other similar lumps curled about your person, and the Cheshires make similar yowls of displeasure at being so rudely awakened, rubbing their eyes and staring at you nonplussed.

“The fuck are you… Tyris FUCK!” You babble desperately “…Do you have any idea…”

The Cheshires exchanged puzzled looks.

“Does he think…

“…What I think he thinks?”

“Ew. I can’t believe…”

“…He’s such a pervert.”

“Oi! I didn’t sneak into your fuckin’ bed!” You object. “Y’fuckin subject me to fuckin’ monstrosity when m’tryin’ to have a fuckin’ sleep… “ You rant.

“Mister Adam, Kindly…”

“…shut up. If we had…”

“…Done what you think we did…”

“…Then why is everyone still clothed?” The cheshires demanded, folding their amethyst, velveteen paws uniformly across pubescent chests, clad in (rather adorable if you had to be honest) pastel nightgowns.

You run your own hands over your body. Yep, apart from the mussing of a night of deep, dreamless sleep your clothes were all still thoroughly secure. You sighed in relief, leaning back against the wall. “Sorry girls, if you knew the kinda day I had yesterday.”

“You went into…”

“…The Maze. That’s why…”

“…We asked Miss Cally…

“…If you’d mind us sleeping here.”

“The Maze?” You echo.

“Where The Regent’s…

“…brew sent you.”

“Ohhh. She calls it a web.” You remark, understanding at last.

“The Regent has…”

“…an unhealthy fascination…”

“…with spiders…”

“…yuck.”

“That a fact?” You chuckle. “Still, doesn’t explain why I’m suddenly preferred cuddlebuddy.”

“You smelled…”

“…like home…”

“…And we’ve been…”

“…so scared for everyone.” The cheshires admit, heads hung dejectedly.

Hidden Roll

“Oh girls…” You sigh sympathetically, taking a knee and spreading your arms out to the cheshires, who tenatively approach for a five-way hug. “…I promised Telia, I promised Wendy, and I promise you. Anything I can do to help get your people safe, I’m gonna do. Swear to Holy Tyris.”

Happy giggles are muffled against your chest as four pairs of paws squeeze various areas of your torso.

“Now, I’m gonna go find me Kobie, because if she ain’t here, she’s probably done herself or up to a mischief.” You declare, mussing violet hair on four heads and standing, grinning cheekily as the cheshires yowl in objection, patting their scalps to try and fix their hair.

“There you are!” You laugh, spying the quartet of Dingoes, Kobold and Griffon.

“Shhh… Boss… Loud…” Blue whimpers, her head in her paws.

“You hung over?”

“Too many mana.” Adina whuffles, trying to look dignified in her evident suffering.

“Verily… we did foolishly overindulge in our enthusiasm yon night prior.” Bella agrees.

You nod, trying to keep your amusement at their misery from your face. “Why’re you sitting in the sun then?”

“NIGHT Wisps… Sun burn off mana… Human knows nothing.” Iluka growls, rubbing her temples with a shaking paw.

“Fair enough then. Y’got Nasha home alright?”

Bella grins wickedly, rapping a talon against the long wooden box she is lying atop.

“FUCK. OFF.” A clear, pained, voice commands.

“We wait until Mana settle. Then we carry blood-drinker home.” Adina assures you.

“I can stand a little sunlight!” Nasha’s muffled voice objects.

“Boss said take care of you, and a good girl always does what her master says.” Blue retorts primly.

“Blue… Have you four been bullying Nasha all night?” You ask levelly

The Kobold shuffles her lower paws slightly guiltily. “Well…”

“Nay!” Bella insists. “Verily, not ALL night…”

“Utinu en lokirim…” Nasha snarls from within the box “…my revenge will be sweet and lingering.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time…” Blue whuffles smugly.

“Cally is a terrible influence on you.” You chuckle “And don’t count on me to fight your…” You do your best to replicate the odd Dingo word Adina had used a couple of days prior.

Speech roll(Adam): Fail

“Boss why would I want you to fight my fuzzy blue pebbles?” Blue asks, her face twisted in utter confusion.

“Ah, nevermind, joke’s passed.” You sigh in disappointment. “Come find me when you’re feeling a little less fragile, yeh pup?”

“Will there be kisses?”

“There very well might be…” You grin, waving to the quartet as you head back towards the Warren. You take a quick glance at the sun. It was somewhere around midday, and even if it wasn’t, it was midday SOMEWHERE, and for the first time in who knew how long, you were alone and at leisure. Time to get a drink and try and surprise that Troll.

>>284305

“Sodding hell!” you murmur as another succubus barrels from the taproom, clearly wanting to be anywhere but there. Unintelligible yelling can be heard from inside.

“I really should just walk away…” You sigh to yourself as you push open the door. To be perfectly honest you are not surprised when a mind-shattering melange of Angelic and Demonic POWER metaphorically smacks you in the face. On one side of the taproom stands Raoul, glowing gold with radiant power, ethereal wings sprouting from his back, the unmistakable figure of an Angel behind him. On the other, Cally, her face a mask of utter fury, holding a chair aloft in her twin-thumbed hands, Telia staring daggers at the celestial, one long-fingered hand holding the ravening Koala back, the other held aloft, a ball of dark, smoking fire held warningly within. Caught up in their standoff, none notice you enter.

“This is not for you to dispute, Handmaiden!” Raoul orders imperiously.

“Who the FUCK is even talking right now? Is it the man I called father or have you got your hand up his arse, Cassariael?” Cally screeches, pulling against the hand holding her back, the chair hefted like a war-club.

“How DAREST Thou?!” The Angel cries, the force of her outrage battering at you like a cyclone wind. “Hath I not in all things indulged thy petulance? Let thee play at thy role… Handmaiden of Hells Throne… Thou art not even succubi.”

“No, because The Queen of Hell actually has a modicum of subtlety, and doesn’t use a war-scythe to cut a wedge of cheese.” Telia retorts.

“I remember THEE, Lilim, in the rebelliousness of THY youth… Be certain thy conscience is clear before lecturing me.” The angel retorts venomously.

“How can you DO this to me?!” Cally demands, hot tears of rage or sadness, you’re not sure which springing to her eyes.. “I LOVE you, Father!”

“Cally…” Raoul replies, a little humanity returning to his burning gaze. “…It’s not something I can avoid any longer. Adam will understand…”

Hidden Roll

“Yeh? Whazzat then?” You drawl, quickly raising a shield of Resonant power almost on instinct as four sets of eyes turn to face you in surprise.

“Adam!” Cally exclaims, seeming to come slightly to her senses, lowering the chair. “This is… Um…”

Hidden Roll

“Looks like a family blue… Though usually when me and Tristan got into it we didn’t bring the kinda argy that can bust The Australs in two.” You remark, walking to the bar and helping yourself to a tankard of cider. “Thanks Leperia!” You yell towards the rear of the tavern.

“If you break anything back there I’ll be cross, Human!” The Rabbit’s voice echoes from some hidden location.

Hidden Roll

“She’s right hey…” You assure the White Rabbit. “Now. Ordinarily I’d say this is none of me business, ‘cept you, Cal, are looking to do a Violence on the Word of Tyris Made Flesh or the Left Hand of God… Or both, either way as a loyal Son of the Church, can’t really let ya, even here.” you remark, slightly apologetically.

“Now Adam!” Telia interjects in outrage.

“Lemme finish if I may, Excellency…” You continue, holding up your hand beseechingly. “…And conversely, O Blessed and Glorious, and Most Illustrious Worship, y’made me good mate cry, and that shit just ain’t fuckin’ on at a moral level. M’pretty sure it’s even in the scriptures. Not to mention, I heard me name being thrown about.”

You take a drink, your audience's jaws slack with utter disbelief.

“So. Here’s what’s gonna happen. I would ask, in the spirit of The Holy Pax, that Her Excellent and Perfect Princess of Hell and Her Blessed and Glorious Messenger of the High Heavens do kindly sod off, and let me and Raoul have a chat about what it is he’s so sure I’m gonna understand, Resonant to Resonant.”

Hidden Roll

Hidden Roll

Hidden Roll

“My Heart…” The Angel Cassariael begins, peering at you as one would look at some astonishing new form of insect. “…Is this Wilder so frequently and irritatingly reasonable?”

“Seems the stars align to make it so on occasion…” Raoul concedes, the glow about him dimming as he re-alights on the floor of the tavern. “…Does this meet with your approval, Excellency?”

“Fine by me…” Telia quips nonchalantly, extinguishing the ball of dark fire in her hand. “…I’m only here to prevent Celestial incursion into Hell’s territory… Again.”

It was Heresy to even think it, but you’re sure Cassariael looked slightly guilty at that.

>>284306

“Come Cally, I’m sure you can continue your discussion with your Guardian when your heart and head have had time to cool…” Telia orders presumptively, guiding the Koala into the rear of the tavern.

“Adam! Whatever he asks you, say no! In fact, smack him in the fucking chops, Maou knows he’s overdue for it!” Cally demands seethingly, still glaring at Raoul.

“Ut ut!” Telia chides, slapping Cally casually across the cheek. “Be careful how you invoke my mother’s name around me, girl.”

“Highness…” Cally conceded, as cowed, she allowed Telia to lead her away.

“Well, Adam, I’m impressed! Takes testicles of meteor iron to do that. Of course I’d never admit it outside of Thealiss.” Raoul declared, taking a seat in the now-abandoned taproom and gesturing for you to join him.

“Thanks…” You reply, shaking your head “…but I’ll stand.”

“Honestly, Adam, I was waiting for you! That whole business was that STUBBORN ward of mine refusing to acknowledge reality.”

“Yeh nah, s’not that… I am not entirely convinced I didn’t soil m’self there.”

“You looked so confident!”

“A fucking act, I assure you, Illustriousness.” You murmur, taking a drink, your hand now shaking with the aftermath of adrenaline.

“Well fine. The reason behind…”

Hidden Roll

“Can I ask a favour, mate?” you interrupt. “Can we do ‘What’ before ‘Why’? Not sayin’ yer likely to lead me up the garden path but I’d like the chance to process it raw.”

“Not an unreasonable request…” Raoul admits, and you sense a Resonant Glyph being cast from the man, a full tankard of cider sailing elegantly from behind the bar to his waiting hand. “…I will miss that.”

“What, yer gonna give up the grog?” you exclaim incredulously.

“Hah. Only an Australian…” Raoul chuckles, before his face falls to seriousness “…No Adam, I want you to strip me of Resonance.”

Hidden Roll

“What. The. Fuck.”

“It’s actually much simpler than you’d believe, the Glyphs are simply a combination of…”

You hold your hand out, shaking your head emphatically. “Yeah nah, nah… Not where I was goin’… Have you taken leave of yer fuckin’ mind?”

“Quite the contrary. It’s very rare that a Lord of the Angelic Orders is awakened to Resonance prior to… Receiving his title.”

“Fucking an Angel and surviving, you mean.”

Raoul’s eyes widen in surprise “How did you…”

“Once you’ve got all the pieces it’s a piss-poor puzzle mate, and don’t change the subject.” You interject. “Tyris be Glorified Throughout the Ages… no WONDER Cal wanted to brain you with the fuckin’ barstool. We NEED you on this!”

“Yes, you do. Which is why I need you to do this for me. When I’m directing the Angels I will be calling on more Authority than I have ever experienced before. The Logos will view it as a threat.”

“Meaning…”

“It might kill me… Or it might decide to glass everything within a league to ensure the threat is eliminated.”

You stumble backwards, thankfully falling into a chair, tankard clattering from numb fingers. What were you to do?

>Wew. This one took a while. Thanks for your patience. How do you want to handle this one?

>>284307

Fuck the wait, that was a damn fine update.

Ask Raoul, why he thinks the Logos might implode him/him and the area he's immediately occupying. Is there precedent for this?

>that Imkamfy's Fursona wordfilter fucking with my shit

Mangomod plz…

>>284313

>Is there precedent for this?

Give you a freebie. Shitloads, but it's one of those 'it is known' things. Like when Adam passed the fuck out when finding out Raoul was Lord Dumat scared him unconscious. The 'Weird Voice' Blue heard was the Logos trying to get Adam the fuck out of there, because good platforms be expensive yo.

>>284314

Poor girl has it rough. Losing the vote to Muscletits McRagepussy then called a Jewish furry to boot. What even triggers that wordfilter? Thanks for satisfying my salt, by the way

And the implication with finding the matrix in the gap seemed to be that we can absorb new glyphs from new matrices we find, is the same true for other resonants? Will stripping Raoul's resonance teach us some or all (probably not all) of the glyphs he knows? Is there any danger stemming from us not being able to handle all that resonance at once?

Or am I overthinking it and it's more along the lines of removing Raoul's admin privileges to the Logos

>>284372

>What even triggers that wordfilter?

'Rachel' without any characters next to it. I declare it a shit wordfilter since Imkikey doesn't even rachpost here.

>And the implication with finding the matrix in the gap seemed to be that we can absorb new glyphs from new matrices we find, is the same true for other resonants?

I'm going to consider this meta as it will be obvious to Adam but I've never really spelled it out anywhere. Yes. Sort of. Any matrix that was used by the Ancients (Our near-future) as a server will transmit all of its stored data to the Logos through whatever Resonant comes in contact with it. This is why the Lodge is so keen to get ahold of any found in the wild as quickly as possible.

>Will stripping Raoul's resonance teach us some or all (probably not all) of the glyphs he knows?

No, in a meta sense you're simply 'Unpairing' him from the Logos. The changes to his neural pathways will remain however. (He'll likely be able to sense resonant glyphs but he won't be able to do anything about it)

>>284372

And I wasn't really satisfying your salt, Beastmaster was the obvious choice if resonant was off the table.

>>284378

>>284383

I meant more giving Spidey and Max a full bit of story and the Kangaroo, even if it was only to get bodied by a wolfspider

Anyways, I don't see any reason not to help Raoul out, might ask why this prompted Cally to threaten an angel with a chair though. It's an unfortunate situation but seems pretty cut-and-dry: get rid of your resonance or your head will explode when you start giving orders to angels. Cally's a logically minded girl, why go apeshit?

>>284307

>>284363

Hmm… If we need him to do the angel thing, and the Logos has a reasonable chance of popping him when he tries, I don't see too much choice. As far as resonance goes, could we do what he might need to do? We're both resonant, but he's the only one with magic angel powers, so he's the only one who can fill that role.

Gambling this whole thing on him not getting detonated is a massive risk, especially considering what's at stake.

If we do agree to take his resonance, I think he needs to go have a talk, preferably a calmer one, with Cally before we do it.

>>284307

Ask Raoul how long he has before the logos thinks he's a figurative kebab, and base our actions off of that accordingly. If we can get shit done before the logos drops a recreational nuke on us then wait on stripping Raoul. If it's going to be before we get our shit done … or is otherwise completely unpredictable we do it now.

And if Cally wants to act like a drop bear over it then she can act like a drop bear all she wants. Still doesn't change the fact that the logos might just send everyone within a few miles or Raoul on a visit to Ammit

>If the risk is too great, agree to strip Raoul of Resonance

>Talk with Cally

“Adam?” Raoul prompts, looking at you with slight concern. “Still with me?”

“Oi! Hello up there!” You blurt, rapping your knuckles briefly against your skull “What gives with this shit?!”

“Stop that! Have you taken leave of your senses!” Raoul hisses, his eyes wide with alarm. “NEVER attempt to engage the Logos directly!”

“Why the fuck not, if it’s gonna be an arbitrary cunt about it?”

Raoul shakes his head with a groan. “We don’t understand it… I don’t know what it is, but it’s so profoundly alien that even our best semanticists have been rendered drooling vegetables trying to puzzle out what makes it tick. There’s nothing to suggest that beyond a rude sense of self-preservation it even possesses the ability to reason at all.”

“So we just throw glyphs at it and hope it feels like playing then? That’s Resonance?”

“It’s as good a definition as any. Let me put it this way though, Adam. Even in the chaos of our first awakening, where the Lodge was the LODGE for the first time in history, the Logos has always done exactly what we ask it… So long as that has been arguably in the best interests of its continued existence.”

“So it might go full chastiterum on you for trying to save lives, but it lets Isaac do whatever the fuck he wants, Tyris visit the cunt with piles. Nah, yeh, that’s fuckin’ fair.” you snarl, your voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Welcome to the first point of disconnect. The Logos ‘cares’ about method and result. Intent is irrelevant. What’s a mazed non-resonant and a mind-raped Koala against the rest of the world, after all?”

Religious lore(Adam) - Success

You look at Raoul like he’s just sprouted an extra head. “HERESY!” You yell “Canticle 15 verse 2, “What Sin thou commit against e’en the least of thy brethren hast thou committed against Me.” This is the Word of The God.”

Raoul nods, “All Glory to the Most High. The question was rhetorical… and you’d better get out of the habit of throwing around denouncements like that against High Ranking church members Adam.”

“Withdrawn, sorry. That shook me.” You apologise.

“A true son of the Church indeed…” Raoul smiles in approval. “…Your Grace is received.”

“I still don’t get why it’s going to see it as a threat.” You insist.

“Because remember what I said about intent? I’ll be pulling a LOT of Angel through myself, in close proximity to a sizeable tear in reality. It’s not the first time the… misunderstanding has occurred, just the first time I’m not going to be able to minimize the ‘threat’.”

“Still not quite catching it.”

“Do you think I destroyed the Dis Anima out in The Gap?”

You paused at that. “You mean…”

“I presented the Logos with a potential scenario. Dis Anima won’t just render you insane, they… assume you as part of their feeding. Can you imagine my mind, wired for resonance, becoming part of that Gestalt?”

You shudder at the thought, before pausing. “But you said you can’t interact with the Logos in a direct fashion like that.”

“Which is, again, why you need to be trained properly. The Logos isn’t omniscient, there are things it has either never encountered or simply doesn’t ‘know’ enough about.”

“…Ah. And I’m assuming Heaven falls into that category.”

“Thank Tyris, you’re catching up.” Raoul sighs with relief, gesturing again and catching one of the pair of full tankards which sail from behind the bar.

Hidden Roll

Maintaining the presence of mind to snag the second tankard, you take a long drink before continuing. “So would this have anything to do with this ‘Work’ Cally keeps hinting at?”

“The part I can tell you about, sort of. It took a lot of very fast talking and even some threats to bring it before The Brides of Tyris for me to be able to keep my Resonant Ability once I… got ‘the nod’ as it were. Turns out the Faith Militant had dropped the ball on me, usually they’re fairly good at spotting potential members of the Angelic Orders whilst we’re still abbey-bound.”

“Hence the desire to not repeat it with Dominus Ian.”

Raoul nods. “Right again. But it’s beside the point. My idea was, acclimate the Logos to Angelic energy so it no longer deems a surfeit of it as a foreign threat within a resonant.”

You blink in confusion. “Why the bloody hell for?”

>>286946

“Come ON Adam! If you’re being deliberately dense right now I’m gonna get annoyed. The amount of knowledge required to use Resonance to heal, cure, or strengthen yourself or another requires years of intense study. But there’s another way to do those things without Resonance.”

Hidden Roll

“The Benedictus.”

“Good to see you’re still awake up there.” Raoul smirked mockingly. “Just think of it, Resonant Paladins, High Priestesses able to use the Benedictus as well as their own Resonance… The Church and the Lodge able to fully realize the potential of both their resources working in true synergy. We could remake the very world, Adam. Make a place where The Pax was truly a peace, not the tense treaty we’ve been struggling with all these centuries. Manticores no longer forced to kill their bulls at birth. Vast, winding necropoli for the Undead to do whatever they do without driving their neighbours to shrieking terror…”

“Sounds like Paradise, so why the secrecy?” You demand suspiciously.

Raoul gives you a cagy look, before chuckling helplessly. “The God must love you. In any other time, in any other place, I’d ignore that question out of hand. But here? Not only CAN I tell you, in order to convince you it seems I MUST. The Pax is a treaty… For Hell to agree, It has to get something in return.”

“And what is that?”

“Your friend Philip might have made a good Resonant once… Bit late now though.”

“The fuck does that have to do with… Oh…” You blurt, your stomach lurching within you as the full gravity of Raoul’s suggestion. “…You’re fuckin’ tapped, Illustriousness! Givin’ Hell Resonance?! To hear Nasha tell it the fact Humans had it and Mamono didn’t was the only thing that let us survive the Winnowing of Sin!”

“It slowed the Winnowing, but didn’t stop it. Eternal Tyris saved Humanity. He is the only being who could. Never forget that.” Raoul corrected sternly. “But your reaction isn’t uncommon, which is why I’m forced to be subtle about it. And why The Lodge would offer you no succor from being declared a Heretic should you choose to abandon her for Telia’s questionable sanctuary.”

“Why do they want it?”

Raoul shakes his head “Even here I’m not saying out loud. You think Angels and Demons are the worst Heaven and Hell can bring to bear? There’s a whole other world out there, Adam, and once you can see it…”

“Tyris be Glorified if I had a damn Gold for every time some cunt said that! Fucks sake… When did the bloody world decide to get so fuckin’ convoluted?”

“About five minutes before forever ago… The Australs have just had the good sense to stay out of it for the most part. The traditional isolationist policies of the Dominii help as well, no doubt.”

“Chapter 1 of the charter of the protectorate. ‘Fuck off, we’re full’.” You snicker knowingly. “Bringing it back to the original point though, since you brought me into it, how’re you gonna tell the Lodge about me without Resonance?”

“Bjorn forced that particular issue. That’s the problem with Cogitators, they’re proper chatterboxes once you know the right lever, and our Junior Warden is something of an artisan with levers.” Raoul grimaced.

You swallow. “So what’d you say I’d do?”

“The only thing I could, if I said you were coming, I’d be expected to deliver, and without Resonance I’d either have to bring an army with me, which would mean war, or have to dodge Kobold and Dingo packs all the way to the nearest Chancel thanks to your Indentured.”

“…And since I’m not a Heretic, It’s clear you said I’d spy.” You conclude.

Raoul nods. “You either will, or you’ll go to Magisterium, or you’ll stay here, and in either other case the point’s moot. Not like I’ll be forced to answer for it…”

“…Assuming I agree to strip you of Resonance.”

Raoul groans “Please don’t make me explain the whole thing again…”

“I won’t, but I still don’t see why Cally’s so damn stroppy about it.”

“It means I can’t continue my work, and Hell has to wait for someone else to pick up Heaven’s loose end, for one. The other reasons are… Personal.”

Hidden Roll

You nod, standing pointedly.

“Where are you going?” Raoul demands.

“To talk personal.”

“That’s cheating.” Raoul grumbles darkly.

“Yeh, but… Y’know… Thealiss…” You remark philosophically.

>>286947

“…You still hit me, Highness…” Cally sulks at the Lilim, eyes widening as you enter the lavishly furnished sitting room at the rear of the tavern. “Adam! Please don’t tell me you…”

“I haven’t decided shit, one way or the other. But I’d be a shit friend if I didn’t at least give you the opportunity to explain why the concept’s got you threatenin’ Angels with furniture.”

“Well… You see…” Cally mumbles, her twin-thumbed hands fidgeting in her lap.

“C’mon Cal, no more secrets. You promised.” You remind the Koala, folding your arms across your chest.

“I did, didn’t I?” Cally accedes with a note of… relief? The Koala turns her head to look at Telia askance. The Lilim brushes a length of ivory hair behind her horn and shrugs slightly.

“If you promised, you promised, dear.” She remarks, her face unreadable.

“Adam, I know this might be hard to accept, but Angels aren’t what you think. They’re not the physical manifestation of the Will of Tyris… They’re Mamono…”

“CALLY! DON’T!” Raoul near-screams as he bursts into the sitting room, his eyes wild.

Cally smirks maliciously. “Too late father. I keep my promises, unlike some…”

“Heresy!” Raoul blurts desperately. “Adam. By my authority you will disregard…”

“Is she lying, Lord Dumat?” Telia interjects sweetly.

“What?”

“Is she lying?”

“Well… I mean… It’s not the same… The will of The God is not for…”

“I think, Adam dear, you can comfortably take that avoidance as ‘no’.” Telia concludes with a small smile.

Hidden Roll

“Why do I get the feeling that was another thing I was never supposed to know?” You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose.

“Because you’re not. Mention it… Tyris… THINK it too obviously in public and you’ll burn… over wet wood.” Raoul assures you seriously.

“I still don’t see what this has to do with Raoul being stripped of Resonance.”

“Because as a Resonant, Heaven has to be careful with how much Angel they let him have.” Cally answers.

“I told you this already Adam. See what I mean? She’s simply being unreason…” Raoul adds quickly, trying to usher you from the room.

“Did you tell him the other side father? Did you tell him that commanding the Choir to this degree all but assures your… Ascension? Or to put it another way… Adam what was that lovely word you used? Transmutation?”

“Tyris be fuckin… That’s a death sentence!” You exclaim, turning on the elder Resonant in shock.

“Oh, the church will turn a blind eye to the Celestials, Mother knows they’re pickier than a Kitsune at a banquet when it comes to their men. But you spoke to Nasha, didn’t you Human? You know what ‘Ascension’ entails.” Telia drawls evenly.

“At least we kept our memories… unlike the Angels…” Nasha’s voice echoes in your memory.

“You’d lose everything. Everything you were, everything you are… Gone… Like it never mattered… like I never mattered…” Cally sobs, confirming your suspicions.

“What happened to you, Calliope?” Raoul chides, a note of disappointment in his voice. “I never taught you to be this selfish.”

“I’M selfish?!” Cally shrieks, leaping to her feet and advancing on the man “I’m not the one throwing away everything!”

“The word you’re looking for is Sacrificing.” Raoul corrects. “And you wouldn’t listen to me before but by Tyris, you will now. There is a very good chance the Logos will react EXTREMELY poorly to what I need to do. Your refugees, stranded. The Wonderlands, Gone. Thealiss, a smoking crater. Her Excellency there may survive… Adam MIGHT be able to withstand it… though Blue would probably end up feeding him broth swaddled in a blanket while he drooled and babbled to himself, his mind shocked into infancy for what little remained of his life afterwards.”

“B-but it’s not guaranteed!” Cally rejoined, gripping at Raoul’s tunic and staring up at him beseechingly “Please! Even if there’s the smallest chance…”

>>286948

Hidden Roll

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Hidden Roll

“Even Blue wouldn’t touch those dice, Cal.” You interject. “I’m sorry, you’re a dear friend and I’d do anything in my power to make you happy… But to take that kind of risk? Me soul’d be better off for me going back to Tristan and asking him to cut my throat for engaging in Monstrosity for even thinking about it.”

Cally turns to you with a look of horror. “Get out.” she whispers.

“Cal…” you begin, reaching out towards the Koala beseechingly.

“GET OUT! BOTH OF YOU! OUT! FUCK YOU!” Cally shrieks, shoving herself away from Raoul and lashing out with her clawed hand, drawing thin lines of blood on your outstretched arm, making you yell and snatch it back in surprise.

Raoul sighed, pain in his eyes. “Excellency?”

“The Handmaiden’s made her decision. As you have made yours… Did you ever think there was a REASON Tyris let Ramiael go searching for her Bishounen?” Telia replies evenly, her face still unreadable.

“You Presume…” Raoul grates incensedly, outraged at the Lilim’s reply.

“Oh Lord Dumat… Supremacy amongst Humans still makes you little more than the biggest ant on the apple. You cannot fathom the things I have seen, the things I have learned, in the eons of my life. Let me just assure you that before He became Tyris, I was very well versed in the way he thought.”

“The Dominus though…” Raoul begins, his voice now uncertain.

“He could have been a saint of your blessed church. A Hero of the Australs. But Politics had to come first, and now? A Wilder Resonant and the One whose Name is Silence will save a world… And nobody will ever know.” Telia concludes in a tone which brooks no disagreement.

“How could I have known?!” Raoul cries in shocked desperation.

“Maybe you were never supposed to.” Telia sighs, taking the now-weeping Koala in her arms, pressing her comfortingly against her achingly perfect figure. “But you’ve made your choices. Both of you… And you need to be ready to face the consequences.”

Raoul gives a gallows sigh, opening his mouth as if to answer before shaking his head sadly. “Come on Adam…”

“Time to get drunk?” You suggest, your heart heavy in your breast.

Raoul shakes his head “Too much work to do. I’ve got to give you a crash-course in planar physics… and I’ve got less than a day to do it.”

>>286949

“Still with me?” Raoul murmurs.

“M’head feels like it’s gonna split open!” You grimace, fingertips upon your scalp as if to assure yourself that your head indeed was not about to erupt in a font of gore.

Raoul claps you on the shoulder reassuringly. “It will pass, the mind is an amazingly versatile thing. Now… Show me again.”

Hidden Roll

You focus intently, your lower lip between your teeth as you throw glyphs at the illusion Raoul had formulated before you.

“No… It’s this…” Raoul corrects, modifying the sequence ever-so-slightly.

“But you said…”

“Don’t argue with me, neonate…” Raoul barks

“The fuck is a neeya-naight?” You demand.

“…Never mind, I’m falling into old training habits…” Raoul admits, stretching in place “…Good… now hold that. Hold it… Now I’m going to simulate resistance… Are you ready?”

“Fuckin’ just fuckin’ do it fuckin’ had a fuckin’ gutful all-fuckin’-ready.” You snarl, your voice trailing into a low groan with the EFFORT of concentrating as Raoul’s own mind threw confusion and chaos at you.

Hidden Roll

“You’ve got a mind like a bear-trap.” Raoul remarks in praise.

“Buy me a fuckin’ drink before you go suckin’ my cock.” You spit, releasing the glyphs at Raoul’s gesture.

“Surly fellow when you’re under load, aren’t you?” Raoul remarks with a slight chuckle. “I think we’re as close as we’re going to get.”

“So… What was I supposed to be watching?” Emmy asks, her exo floating from where it had reclined against the wall at her gesture, The Gremlin clambering her slight frame into its curious ‘seat’.